2016: Back on the Blog

There is just something about the end of the year that makes me excited to set some new goals and refocus on doing some of those things that I love and that bring me joy in my life.  Yes, I love my family dearly, but for a girl like me who has what seems like 101 hobbies and a burning desire to be creative, I have decided it's about time I sit down and dedicate some time to soothing my inner self.  I have really missed writing here, doing projects and creating photos to share with you!

A dear friend gave me a beautiful journal for Christmas, and I have decided to dedicate it to my creative ideas for 2016.  With its watercolor cover by Hennie Hayworth adorned with the Eiffel Tower and Audrey Hepburn's "Paris is always a good idea." quote, I think it sets the mood for the perfect place to capture and record the random thoughts and ideas that come to me.  Whether words, sketches or little bits of nonsense to remind me of a thought or image, I will use it as my creative closet for the year.  Here I will hang ideas that are colorful, boring, far-fetched, impossible, totally random, personal, emotional, insightful and anything else that comes up!

To me, creativity is of a personal nature, what I love, you may not.  The beauty of this is that everything has a uniqueness that can't be duplicated.  I tend to be the girl who uses the the thread that stands out when I sew, or the one who changes something once casted away to the junk pile into something wonderful.  In my opinion, creativity is about experimentation and finding what works and what doesn't.   

As I prepare for the new year and new {more creative} me, I am excited for the journey ahead.  Do you want to join in and share what inspires you to create?  I would love to hear from you.  

Officially back on the blog for 2016...Xo~Mollykid 

     

       

A Girl, A Camera & A Bird

Boy oh boy, am I glad its Friday!  How about you?  It's been another warm night in Northern California and I couldn't help but share these impromptu shots this playful little guy {or girl...} let me take tonight.  While hubs and the junior cooking crew barbecued, this beautiful hummingbird danced and chirped around our feeder.  It was like it was just begging to be photographed, so I ran in and grabbed my camera!  This is one of the places they like to rest outside on the perimeter of our yard.

I am not sure if you are into photography but I love it.  I am by no means a professional but this girl loves her Canon T3i.  It is a good starter camera, not too expensive but full of settings and it takes some beautiful pictures.  I used my 90-300mm lens for these shots, hence the blurriness, and took them from a handheld position.  I figured if I wasted time with the tripod, I was sure to miss my shots before this bird turned in for the night.  While it can be difficult to get a clear shot with a zoom lens like this, in this situation, I liked the way they came out and never would have been able to capture close-up shots of this super quick little creature without it.

I was actually quite impressed with a couple of the shots when I saw the wings come through as just a blur.  Truly a sign of the amazing nature of the hummingbird and a testament to the sports mode on my Canon!  Thanks to this particular picture, I actually am going to nickname this bird "Ruby" because of that jeweled spot on its neck. 

I am closing out with this purple hued shot that I love.  It felt nice to spend a quiet, simple evening at home and thanks to this little wonder bird, I got to enjoy one of my hobbies for a bit!  After a few minutes editing the pictures on Picasa 3, I am ready to share them with you to enjoy.  Do you like photography?  If so, what is it that you like to photograph.  What are your simple methods for getting your favorite shots?  I would love to hear about them.  Until next time... go. be. cReAtIvE!!  xo~Mollykid   

       

Happy Honey Moon!

First it was Friday the 13th and then tonight we celebrated a "honey moon" of sorts! We watched the full, yellow moon rise up in the sky and I pulled out my favorite Canon Digital SLR with tripod and 90-300mm lens to catch some shots. They didn't come out too bad for the moon being in outer space and all!
Did anything weird, awesome or memorable happen to you today? {hugs}~Mollykid

Hello Friends,

It's a little funny… after staying up past midnight, tossing and turning in the night and then suddenly waking at 6am(!!), I was amazingly energetic!  So I snuck outside with my laptop to face the sunshine nice and early {since my darlings were all still sleeping} and logged in.  I can hardly believe its nearing the end of May and while I sit outside on the patio enjoying the birds singing and warm breeze, I wonder how time could fly so fast and why I haven't written here since January.  I am sure it’s time I stop and smell the roses and get back to doing what I love!     

I have missed you all, and I have missed writing, editing photos and sharing projects and ideas with you!  Even though I haven't posted about them, I still have been getting in a few projects now and then.  I have snapped some pictures along the way and will get back to my regular postings for you all to enjoy.  I have some painting/wood projects, sewing, photography and paper crafting to share so I hope you will stop by and check them out in the coming weeks. 

So what have you been up to the past few months??  I bet you came up with some awesome ideas, completed some projects and are enjoying them now.  I invite you to share your masterpieces, your work and your accomplishments here :)  Go ahead and tell us all about it with a comment below!  Til' next time...xo~{mollykid}  

Happy New Year from Mollykid Studios!!

Happy New Year from Mollykid Studios!! After a busy year in 2013, I vow to get back in touch with my creative self and bring my readers more projects, ideas and products. Many best wishes for you all in 2014. Make this your year to focus on some favorite hobbies!  After all - YOU deserve it <3

Xo~Mollykid

                              

                                                   ** See you in the New Year!!!**

Please Pardon the Chaos

Hello Friends of Mollykid Studios,

Happy Sunday! I wanted to take a few minutes to let you know I haven't forgotten about my page on Facebook or my blog here at www.mollykidstudios.blogspot.com 

Life has just been extremely chaotic lately, with trying to adjust to our new pseudo-settled life in California. I started my new job this week and soon enough we will be moving into a new place and unpacking a whole lot-o-stuff to finally be "home".

I ran across this great quote on Pinterest today that gives me reason to smile and I hope you will bear with me while I get situated and get back on an even keel. My creative life has gotten a little wacky and sporadic, but I will return with some fabulous creative ideas to share. Thanks for continuing to share my site with family and friends and I look forward to posting more again SOON!!

What fun projects and treasure hunts have you been working on lately?  Don't be afraid to share, I love to live vicariously through my friends, too!!  

Xoxo~Mollykid

It's a Sign...Our NEW Sign!

I am happy to say Fall is finally arriving in Northern California, and it's just in time for this weekend and the debut of our Mollykid Studios booth for Art in the Park.  The trees have been gently blowing, their colors are getting rich and the temperature is down to a pretty perfect 74 degrees.  Since Fall is my all time favorite season, I think it's safe to say Mollykid is smiling big these days!  Oh, and the fact that I got two interviews for new jobs this week makes me pretty excited as well.

I wanted to share my new sign for our sale this weekend.  If you have ever wanted to make a sign for your own event/business/etc, this one is a pretty simple and fun project you can accomplish in no time at all.  Before I tell you how...here it is.  What do you think??

I ran across this frame at one of the many local consignment shops here in Redding, and I thought it was a steal for only $5.  It had a lovely painting from 1983 with a fancy eagle catching a snake.  it reminded me of feathered hair, muscle shirts and mullets so it had to go.  The canvas popped out easily and then it was my turn to create something fun for that awesome barn wood type frame.  

After I completed my most recent painting for the sale, I took a picture of it, and edited it in Picassa to give me a cheery and colorful palette background.  As I love with Picassa, it was then easy for me to add my business name and website and choose a font, too.  Thank goodness for tiny little SD cards; they make toting your files down to Kinko's pretty stinkin' easy.  I told the friendly guy what I wanted {a simple printed 18x24 poster} and he had it printed in about 4 minutes.

Next, I headed over to Michaels to swoop up an 18x24 canvas to mount my poster to and pop back into the frame.  I did tape off my canvas and paint the outside edge, along with the outside 1.5" of the front to create an eye catching border around the poster.  After cropping the poster slightly and using spray adhesive on the poster and canvas, she was ready to be attached to the frame.  

I have to say, this was an easy project anyone can do!  Now go start scouring your local consignment and thrift stores, along with garage sales, for your own fantastic {and cheap!} frames.  I love finding good sized frames that can easily accommodate my own finished canvases. Xo~Mollykid