Oh, how I wish there was more time in a day!

Warning: this is a rambling post, just to get some stuff off my mind.... Its not too long ago that I was worried that I would never be able to make it as a decorative artist.  When I quit my teaching gig in 2008 little did I know that the economy was going to take a nose dive. Talk about bad timing!  Now it seems I don't know how to keep up. Deadlines push my days along and I have to remind myself how lucky I am that Im able to do what I love day in and day out.  Don't get me wrong, I love painting, but it seems that I get overwhelmed and wonder how I'm going to "get this project finished quick enough" rather than enjoying the ride.  Summer seems half way over already (I always feel that the Fourth of July is the height of summer and its down hill to Labor Day) and I haven't been able to enjoy it.

I was lamenting the other day about how recently I've had to disappoint some clients because I can't meet their schedules because of how much work I have.  I take things very personally and want to please everyone.  I feel horrible when I hear "oh, that won't work. We have to have it done by xyz." I look at my calendar every which way and wish I could add a day here, move that there...but then that would mean I'd have to grow two more arms!

I've tossed the idea around about hiring help.  The problem is I'm a Perfectionist.  I guess it comes from my Grandma Lenehan.  Passed down from her to my dad to me. I can't trust someone else to do something well enough and have to go back and check their work. Is there therapy for that? Oh wait, I don't have time to go to therapy.

When I opened the studio I had grand plans for its use.  Workshops, rental space for fellow artists, open studio weekends, presentations, etc etc.  I've had to cancel the latest presentation because I was pulling 10 hour days on a project and had zero time to prepare.  I've also had grand plans for this blog. I just don't have enough of me to go around.

Perhaps its time to let go of a little and allow someone to help out.  Or I may be trying to rush things along.  Whenever I get an idea in my head its go-go-go on it.  Trouble is I have 10 ideas and I want to go-go-go on all of them at the same time. If only I could let things happen in their time. If anyone out there reading this is a recovering Perfectionist feel free to offer some advice!

So here are some photos of what I've been buried in the last few weeks. Thanks for listening!

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Two paintings (7'x9') The beams were woodgrained previously.

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Medallion: done with a Modello stencil , Proceed metallic plasters, glass bead gel, and Swarovski crystals.

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Woodgrained beams and glazed walls.

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Before

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Plaster with glaze

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Abe

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With all the hub-ub about the Lincoln movie, I thought I would share a fun little project I did for designer Wendy Appleby as a gift to her brother...

His three favorite things are Abraham Lincoln, the Boston Red Sox, and his local daily paper the "Jackson Hole Daily"

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Wendy's daughter recently was married by Wendy's brother who became ordained for the sole purpose of officiating the ceremony.  As a thank you Wendy and her family had me paint the hat and paper over top of a print of Lincoln.

I even had Mikey pose for me.

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Thanks Mikey :)

Kitchen Facelift

This post has been long overdue... A few months ago I finished a kitchen cabinet redo.  The clients wanted not only to freshen up their 90's oak cabinets, but also take advantage of the 9 foot ceilings.

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Enter Gael Summerhill. Gael is one half of Summerhill Cabinets.  They do amazing things with wood.  Gael came out with me and helped design some upper display areas and dress things up with some crown.  They also added trim and base molding to the island and added a little shelf unit to the end of one of the rows of cabinets.

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After their work, I painted everything.  I sprayed the doors and drawers in my shop and then set up my equipment to spray on site.  Setting up is the biggest pain in the butt but what a difference it makes when you are painting.

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The after is to die for.  If I do say so myself. :) It helped that the clients updated their appliances and installed a new backsplash and counters. Notice the new lighting under the cabinets and inside the display areas? Summerhills.  Yeah, they rock.

Its much more economical than ripping everything out and replacing them.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Deelite Design Grand Opening

Its official, I've set a date for the par-tay! Saturday December 1, 2012 from 5-9pm.  Refreshments and light fare to be served.  Please let me know if you plan to stop by.

8602 A Frederick Rd Ellicott City MD 21043

Even if the place isn't perfectly finished, its high time I celebrate this milestone in my career.  Thanks to everyone who has supported me and helped me get to where I am.

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Moving In

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So last weekend my awesome Dad helped me (I mean I sorta helped him) build a false wall for large scale mural work and four 4'x8' rolling work tables with storage underneath.  It was so hot and humid I think we sweated out more than we drank.  A big thanks to my Mom for packing a cooler full of ice cold drinks, lunch, and beer for the end of the day. I have to say its a little too convenient to be within walking distance of Main Street Ellicott City because I found myself down at the Judge's Bench and the Phoenix a few times after working.  Oops! Materials being delivered.

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Mikey and my Dad putting up studs...or being studs...?

Things are progressing and I have moved all of my paints in. (a feat unto itself...I could open a paint store!) My mom and I went shopping at Costco for new shelves.  I was on the fence about bringing my old shelving, it was pieced together...ikea, home depot, dumpster finds...but my heart won out and I got five beeutiful chrome rolling shelves. (They're gorgeous!!!!!) I looove organizing and so I have a place for everything now and everything will eventually make it into its place.

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Taping away.

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Tables-Done!

I am still hemming and hawing about what to do with the "office". I know I want to turn it into a show space/lounge/client meeting area/paperwork space...I just can't figure out what to do with the walls!!  Its so easy when its someone else's space but when its mine I cant make a freaking decision! I just bought four stencils from Royal Design Studio so hopefully they will "speak" to me.

My neighbors are great. If you are in the area, Jack of Arts (who airbrushes cars, trucks, and anything else made of metal,) is two doors down and Bill Knapp, a sculptor, is in the next warehouse up the street.  Bill stopped in when I was taping my wall to see who was moving in.  And everyone I've talked with says I couldn't have picked better landlords.  The Klein's are the owners of West End Service and have been more than accommodating.  I really lucked out!!

Now if the weather would turn and I could stop sweating!

Stay tuned for when we will be having our grand opening.  It may be a whole weekend I'm that excited. WooHoo!!!!!

...and a big congratulations for my cousin Lauren and her beau Adam for making a commitment to getting hitched!!!  So happy! Lauren started her first year as a high school science teacher in Detroit and Adam is a very talented glass artist.