Ciao 2009!

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." - Hal Borland

May 2010 and the decade it brings in show you nothing but love, comfort and peace.

Ciao 2009!!

Here are my New Year's Resolutions...

1. Save money

2. Stay healthy and keep exercising

3. Organize my surroundings and keep them that way!

4. Play either a round of golf or go to the driving range once a week.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Post Christmas greetings! On the 5th day of Christmas, I finally uploaded pictures from Christmas Day and am getting to my blog.

I wanted to share two of my favorite Christmas gifts.

My snazzy coasters from Kristin Pearce
and my snazzy Lilly journals and pen.

I also got the digital foto frame I really wanted. Naturally I've already put over 500 pictures of family and friends on the frame.

I hope everyone has been enjoying the Holidays!

Boston Tea Party

A new little something I just drew.

This year's theme

Each year I wrap my gifts in a particular color theme. One year, brown paper packages tied up with string...another year, white paper with colored electric tape.

This year I am continuing the green holiday tradition and using magazines with hot pink curling ribbon.

Tonight I have been wrapping, wrapping, wrapping...my fingers are glittery from the name tags (and they're cold because it's cold in Miami tonight, a chilly 56 degrees). These 3 packages are for a special little girl in my life, O, my niece.

I am not done shopping...there is still my mother. I do know what I am getting her...but still, I have to brave the crowds.

"It's that time of year..."

Buzz Buzz Buzz Goes the Busy Bee

After sitting lonely for a week--our tree is up and decorated.

I must say I thought we had a pretty tree last year--but this year, it's lovely! Just lovely! All of our ornaments have perfect little green homes.

I have a few favorites...

The Jonathan Adlers, the buildings, the guitars, the glass frog prince, the party monkey and the yellow submarine.

I hope everyone has their homes decked out and ready...Christmas is next week...and I officially only have 2 more gifts to gather.

Bazaar 101

Yesterday was the first time I participated in a Holiday Bazaar. This is what I learned...

1. Vendors buy from vendors

2. Bazaar vendors have the most amazing unique gifts

3. Patience

My first bazaar experience was nice, I had plenty of family there (as vendors) and the weather was cooperative.

I did learn that you have to be patient. My big sale didn't come until the tail end of the day.

The great news is, for everyone who couldn't make it...I have a lot of really cute things left to sell.

My reusable shopping bags...or book bags (whatever you want to use them for) got a lot of attention.

I have a few left...and these are some pictures. See if you can figure this one out...

I also did this new design--- I must say I do love this one. I think it's really pretty--- and like my original bag, don't forget I paint the bottom of them, so that it doesn't really matter where you put them down.

I also painted a few new designs for shirts, which eventually could be paintings as well.

I took the "Love Bug" which I painted for my friend Jessica (a fellow blogger) and added a friend and absolutely love the out come of this

design.

I also took another painting I did for a nursery in

New Orleans and made this cute adventure on the high seas.

Another one of my new designs was this Dino...the Brontosaurus...and yes, I know that they found that the Brontosaurus did not exist, and that it was an Apatasaurus all along...but I still love Bronti.

There are plenty of other new designs, sunflowers, mermaids, a sun that turns into a glow-in-the-dark moon at night, and some strands of pearls to name a few.

You know how to get in touch with me if you are interested.

Who's Ready to Shop?!

So the doors open tomorrow morning at 10am and won't close until 7pm!!

If you're in Miami you should come by tomorrow and see all the great goodies there will be to buy at the Baby Mamas Benefit Holiday Bazaar!

6935 SW 71 Ave. Miami, FL 33143

10:00am- 7:00pm

Hope to see you at my first bazaar!!

Inspiration Found at Art Miami

Sorry I've been M.I.A... but I've been busy creating for Saturday's Bazaar. As I've been a busy bee, I've been thinking about what I'd like to put on canvas next and so I've been thinking about the art I saw last week...

Last Friday at Art Miami, I fell in love.

Kelly Reemsten.

She had two paintings that were fantastic! The one on the bottom, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, especially fascinated me...it was the colors.

Anyhow--- being that I love fashion and quirky art, I fell in love.

Art Week Miami

This week was Art Week in Miami. Art Basel is at the epicenter of it all, and many other fantastic shows take place while galleries fill their walls for art enthusiasts from all over the world to enjoy. Thanks to my lovely day job at the museum, I got to make it out to tho of the bigger shows and be a guest at a fun party. My week started on Tuesday December 1st with the opening of the Back-in-Style and Friends Gallery in Midtown.
Then Wednesday night was the much anticipated opening night, Vernissage of Art Basel at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The halls were full of fantastic art, and outlandish fashion--- oh, and lots of friends too. After Vernissage we went to the Art Basel Loves Music event right on the beach on 21st Street.

The funny thing about the Basel Loves Art event, is that there were tickets---which honestly you did not need at all. You could literally walk right in. And who wouldn't want to walk in? It was set up really cool. Thursday night we went to the Miami Art Museum's Annual, Party on the Plaza... or MAM POP for short. It was a fun event with a lot of great food, people and art naturally. Shepard Fairy of Obama Hope fame was on hand to unveil his new piece which you can see right on the Plaza.

Friday, I left Mr. at home and went to an Art Basel conversation with museum friends and then we headed out to Art Miami in its 20th Year. It was fantastic! The space right in Midtown was easy to navigate, the art was brilliant and with VIP passes, the Nespresso Lounge was delish!

All in all it was a great week--- I'm sad to see it is over now. Now--to focus on the Baby Mamas Benefit Holiday Bazaar on Saturday.

Today's work...

Today I painted five onesies for the ANF Bazaar next weekend.

The owl is a new onesie design while the rosette and shark are two of my favorites.

I'm going to get 15 more made by next Saturday--- and I'll love to hear your ideas on what to put on them.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hung and Ready

He asked her, "Are you ready?" and she coyly said to him, "I was born ready."

In about 20 minutes I hung 12 pieces in my friend Sheffield's temporary gallery space on North Miami Ave. (3302 North Miami Avenue)

The space is really big and will house not just art but beautiful vintage clothes.

Another great part about the space is that it is literally right across the street from Photo Miami. Which was a really good show last year.

Our gallery space will be open starting on Tuesday 11am-8pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. I hope you'll come and support --- or help us spread the word.

Here are some pictures of my wall in the gallery. I hung it not only by myself (so proud) but without the help of a level (uber proud).

As I was leaving my friend's mom (who is in charge of sales) was asking me if she needed any details on my work. I gave her some information and said, "I'll pick it up on Sunday." her response was, "Hopefully you won't have to"... wouldn't that be nice?

Stay tuned for more details.

Art Basel Miami

Art Basel is a pretty big deal in Miami. In recent years, smaller art shows have piggybacked on the big shows momentum and moved their dates to coincide at the same time---which means that art lovers and collectors are out looking and enjoying.

Today, I was invited by a friend to set up shop in a small space she is taking over across from Photo Miami for Art Basel week, (3302 North Miami Avenue). My friend Sheffield will be selling her gorgeous vintage clothes and accessories which you can pre-check on her site, Back-in-Style. There will be other artists showing and the Windischunt Gallery of Coconut Grove in Sheffield's Gallery during Art Basel week.

I am so excited because I had no intentions of showing, and now December is turning out to be a very busy month with the Art Basel showing (Tues. Dec. 1-Sun. Dec.6) , the ANF Bazaar on Key Biscayne (Saturday Dec. 12) and the one night sale at Eanie Meanie on Miami Beach (Wednesday Dec. 16).

So I hope you will come out and support at any or all of the events. If you can't make it, help me spread the word---mention the events on twitter, blog or facebook and let me know so I can enter you into the end of the year drawing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! May it be filled with good friends & family, good food and good floats!

Shark Bait Baby

Meet Carlos, one of my beautifully handsome models recently born in October.

Carlos is showing off his 11 pound physique in his handmade Shark onesie made by moi.

As you can see, the onesie is comfortable while stylish.

I'll have about 20 onesies on hand at the bazaar I'm attending next month.

I'm also happily taken orders for onesies.

Julia's J

Last night I started work on Julia's "J". I wanted to do a monogram for her--- but mom requested a "J" to match sister Olivia's "O".

The girls are the subject of a blog, The Kauffman Chronicles .

Two very sweet and adorable girls who happen to be my nieces and one my goddaughter.

Anyhow-- with the Holiday Bazaar on Key Biscayne and my one night sale at Eanie Meanie on Miami Beach, it's time for me to crank out my gifts for the newest girls and boy in my life. They will probably end up being Christmas gifts --- we'll see.

Time to put paint on canvas.

Done and done

So I found the fabric marker--- and finished the bag.
Thank you everyone who chimed in and has enjoyed this new product to the cSd line. I'm happy to take orders--- just email me.

I'm going to use this for work this week and see how it holds up--- I expect it should do beautifully.

I'm going to make a few bags for the Bazaar next month. This one is a nice size good for groceries, toting things around for yourself, the kids--- to school...all sorts of things!


My friend Robin has already put in a request for her own monogrammed Texas heart bag. She's a events planner so I know that the bag will be taken here, there and everywhere holding everything from seating charts to sign-in sheets.

I may get a small one to make for my niece Olivia--- hers would have her monogram and a mermaid probably. Anyhow-- stay tuned for more bags.



To order email me, ceci@dubonics.com
This size ba (13" tall x 17.5" wide), $30

Work in Progress

Last night I know that I posted the beginning if the bag project. Tonight I wanted to show the progress of the bag.

This is an experiment. I know it needs work... does anyone have recommendations for a good fabric pen? The black paint isn't working well for my signature outlines.

I was going to do a double monogram but my trusty art critique said I should do monogram on one side and a signature image on

the other side. That's why I went with the signature Texas flag in honor of SMU.

The bottom of the bag is striped in SMU colors. I'm thinking of doing a red band across the top---but not sure...I also still need to outline the heart--- but I don't want to do that until I find the right fabric pen.

So there is my work in progress.

A little something something...

So tonight I started working on a new project. This is the first bag I've done--- so I'm making it for myself as a prototype.

I'll do the other side too, I just have to wait for the paint to dry--- and I may do things on the sides... stripes or something. I am really excited to see where these reusable shopping bag go as far as designs can go.

Today I signed up for my first bazaar--- Saturday December 12 on Key Biscayne. I'll sell original art, onesies, T-Shirts and be taking orders for everything including bags. I'm also going to try and have prints ready for the sale.

We'll see. ---but what do you think??

...also it's not too late to tell me what to draw for a chance to win your suggestion on canvas!

Still listening...

I've been captivated by the wise old owl as of late.

I'm pretty sure as soon as I am done with commissioned work, that the next painting I will work on will be of an owl.

Thank you to those of you who commented back on the last blog entry. My friend J said she really liked the owl---so I thought I would post the owls that I drew that night and the finished owl that I posted earlier.

I think I am enjoying the owl because I can imagine the conversations my anthropomorphised creatures would have. Take for instance the two pink ones... I call that sketch, "Two Owls Walked Into a Bar"

The one owl would say to the other owl,

"Hey Phil, you look like you you ate something funny"

and then the other owl would say, "Yeah, I had the other half of that mouse you left behind"

Good times... good times.

Anyhow---its not too late to tell me what to draw for a chance to win your suggestion on canvas! Spread the word and tell your friends.

You Told Me What to Draw...

A few weeks ago you told me what to draw...

Eddie told me to draw something dark..."like some homeless guys standing over a garbage can fire" ... well Eddie there you have them.

Someone else asked me to draw my school mascot (off the record)... so here is an owl--- the mascot of Bank Street College.

You told me what to draw and I enjoyed the challenge.

Now it's time to tell me again! I will put all submissions into a drawing and the winner will get a mini-original painting of their request!!

So tell your friends to tell me what to draw and thanks for those of you who did!

good food + good friends = good art

This weekend was all about good food, good friends and the good art that comes from it.

Friday night was a lovely home cooked meal at our friends the Knights-- Saturday night we went to B&B (Burger & Beer Joint) on Miami Beach-- it was fun. A little loud but the food was great! As I am trying to eat healthier again, I had a turkey burger, which as you can imagine was dry---but D's burger looked fantastic and he said it was.

Sunday night we went to good old Versailles for Cuban with friends from in and out of town that we had not seen in a very long time. So it was a good food weekend.

From this weekend also came good art. Over dinner last night-- I drew this portrait of our groupette. D, Chris, Ana and myself. The four of us out on South Beach for the Sleepless Night events which made for a great adventure.

Don't we all look happy?! It's cause we are! ---we just downed dinner! :)

So there you have it--- good food + good friends + good art = good times!

Another Happy Mommy

My last blog entry was showing off sweet baby James' painting I was working on to bring with me to Chicago.

Last Friday I went to visit Meghanne and James (who is adorable beyond belief) in their beautiful home overlooking the Navy Pier.

Here is mama Meghanne very happy with the painting for Jame-o's room.

The rest of the trip was fantastic. I finally got to Oak Park to see some of Frank Lloyd Wright's earliest work which was fantastic--- and I also finally got to see Seurat's An Afternoon on the Grande Jatte and Hopper's Nighthawks.

Good times, great friends, great food! Over all...Chicago is on my list of places to visit over and over again!

A Chicago Cubbie

One of my dearest friends has been living in Chicago for about 8 years now-- and just this year she and her adorable and funny husband had the cutest, chubbiest baby ever!

This week I am finally getting to Chicago and get to meet sweet baby James.
I have been meaning to paint something special for sweet baby James and tonight I started working on my piece for him.

His room is blue and green with lots of ocean life --- so this is what I drummed up.

Currently I am waiting for the paint to dry so that I can go into the outline phase and then touch ups. I only have 24 hours to work on this---so I will work fast but efficiently on this one. It's going to be the first time I travel with a piece too-- so I am going to have to pack it up nice and safely with lots of love for safe delivery to my little Cubbie.

I love painting these nursery pieces.