new items for a new year…

Posted on January 24, 2014 by susie carranza studio

i’ve been busy working on my Etsy shop! i created a “SALE” section, to which i’ll be adding certain items at reduced prices. i’ve also been creating new hand painted pieces to add to the shop, and with Valentine’s Day around the corner, i’m hoping my new mixed media hearts, with inspirational words and phrases, will find new homes soon…

these hearts were inspired by the art badge i shared in my last post (2014: create every day…). i loved the art badge so much i recreated it onto a paper mache heart (excuse the photo – it’s from my phone)…

…and enjoyed that process so much i wanted to make more! i used recycled papers (tissue papers, Gelli Plate prints, junk mail envelopes, book pages, and more), acrylic paints, stamps, and miniature flowers – i love being able to reuse items i already have.

(another phone pic)….

each heart is one of a kind and available in my Etsy shop now!

2014: create every day…

Posted on January 3, 2014 by susie carranza studio

happy new year! i hope this post finds you happy and hopeful in this first week of the first month of 2014.

i wanted to share the first creative thing i’ve made this year. i’m part of a Facebook group of artists, The Studio, and the artist who created the group – April Cole – challenged us to create an art badge as a way of celebrating our one year anniversary as a group. i hadn’t participated in any of the challenges or activities so far and i signed up for this. who cared that i’d never created an art badge in my life! we were to post it on our Facebook group page on january 1st.

this is what i came up with. i covered a chipboard heart shape with a gelli print, and went at it…

…and i love it!

i chose the phrase “create every day” for my badge. i plan to place this somewhere in my work space where i can see it daily, to remind myself to really create EVERY day. even if all i can manage is a drawing in my sketchbook late at night, into the early morning hours.

CREATE. EVERY. DAY.

i’m grateful for this challenge. it made me think about what i want this year to be: creative, colorful, and full of art.

***

so, have i been creating every day? we’re three days into january, and so far, yes. if you guessed it’s late night/early morning drawings in my sketchbook – you’d be right. my days are busy right now with personal issues, but i make it a point to stay up late, pull out my Sharpies, and draw.

i have lots of plans for this year. yesterday (due to the personal issues) i decided to temporarily close both my Etsy shops. my husband (a.k.a. my shipping department!) and i need some time to focus and regroup. and just breathe! but it’s only for a short time. i have my work table going with new projects, lots of ideas jotted down in notebooks – on the first of the year i even signed up for an online course with artist Jeanne Oliver. i have lots to share and i can’t wait to get new items into the shops! (if you’d like to see what i’m up to late at night, follow me on Instagram.)

again, happy new year! and if you have a favorite word or phrase of your own, please share in the comment section!

til next time…

my sister patty…

Posted on November 1, 2013 by susie carranza studio

it’s Dia de los Muertos time – a time i LOVE. the tradition, the colors, the altars…all the beautiful ways of celebrating the lives of loved ones no longer here on earth.

i had planned to blog about Dia de los Muertos: share photos from events we planned to attend, share new Dia de los Muertos artwork, create a new altar and share with you…

then, on October 20th, 2013, we unexpectedly lost my sister Patty.

everything stopped.

i closed my Etsy shops indefinitely. stayed off of Facebook. retreated. looked after my parents.

one day i’ll share with you the story of my sister Patty. she was one of my biggest supporters. she would go to my Etsy shop without telling me and buy LOTS of items – never asking for a discount, AND paying for shipping. (we live in the same house.)

as my brother Tommy best describes it – “your story is one of redemption, inspiration and love.”

me & patty

i miss my sister. whenever we have our own home and set up our altar once again, and when i’m ready, i’ll have a very special place for her.

rest in peace, patty.

’tis the season – for Dia de los Muertos…

Posted on October 17, 2013 by susie carranza studio

i love this time of year, when there are lots of events and shows celebrating Dia de los Muertos. i was going to write about it, but realized i already did last year, which you can read at Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead: Honoring Loved Ones No Longer Here. i also love creating pieces Dia de los Muertos style, like these hand painted & embellished mini wood coffins. they’re perfect for keeping on your home altars for your loved ones who are no longer here, with space inside for small mementos or treasures.

hand painted and embellished mini coffins, Dia de los Muertos style

i’m happy to say that the first three sold quickly after i posted photos on my facebook page – so i created more today:

mini wood coffins, hand painted and embellished Dia de los Muertos style

hand painted and embellished mini coffins, Dia de los Muertos style

here’s just a sampling of some of my DOD (Day of the Dead) work on our website:

and some from my Etsy shop:

i learned so much about Dia de los Muertos from Annette Armas (i’ve mentioned her before, Annette of CJ’s Angels and our Arte de Nuestro Corazon business partner). she creates Dia de los Muertos art like it should be: beautiful, colorful, culturally-inspired, in a way that honors the tradition of celebrating loved ones no longer here.

check out some of Annette’s work for yourself, and let me know what you think:

work by Annette Armas

Annette and her daughter Theresa also have a gorgeous 2014 calendar out right now, with 14 all new images, all Dia de los Muertos (the calendar is available for purchase right now at Arte de Nuestro Corazon, while supplies last!):

So – do any of you celebrate Dia de los Muertos? what do you do? if you have a related blog post, please share in the comments. i’d love to see what you’re up to for Dia de los Muertos…