The making of an art-o-mat block edition

Every once in a while I get a lovely little green card in the mail from Art-o-mat saying "OUT - please send more." 

It's a great thing to open the mail and see that people love what I am making and would like more of it! So- this is my process of making an edition of 50 little wooden art blocks for Art-o-mat!

First, see those little brown blocks pictured above? That is a bunch of freshly cut wood blocks that I use for my little critters and trees. My super woodworking California Dad cuts them for me :) Thanks Dad! They are completely raw and need a coat of paint on all sides. This is generally accomplished as a group effort- meaning all hands on deck for a block painting party! Usually though, it's just my Mom and I drinking coffee and monotonously painting 20 of each color 200 at a time! It's a big job and I love her for helping me!!! Thanks Mom! Great family effort :)

Once they are all painted I have to put my art on them :) I do trees and animals with glasses, some cute birds and jellyfish and other critters. I hand sketch all of the images, then paint them in. Not one is ever identical- that would be boring!

 See- here are some cute Jelly's. I usually do 10 of an animal/tree at a time. I try to use really bright, happy colors- something that will pop and make you smile if you catch a peek of a little block sitting on a shelf or desk somewhere. 

 Happy and bright! See those two little blocks right there /\ the fox and owl? Those were done by my kids. Those little blocks sit on our book shelf in a spot of pride! I love that they like to create when I'm painting. 

The artwork has been painted on, detailed and signed on the back and finally spray sealer is added, to make sure they last and last. But I can't just ship them off like that...nooooo they need to be wrapped with a business card and my info attached. 

For this next step you need a giant roll of acetate. I cut little strips of it to wrap around the blocks...then they get wrapped up with a business card and a really sticky piece of tape.  

There are 50 of these little things, so it's a good bit of time before it's complete. I usually play music, Pandora- Octopus Project is one of my creating stations- and wrap away! 

Here they are- my little blocks of love. All wrapped and ready to ship out to  Art-o-mat central. From there they will be shipped all over the states, sometimes even over seas! Pretty cool huh!!!

That is the life of my little art-o-mat blocks from start to when they find a new home!

 Go find yourself some art! 

~Cheers, 

Casey

Sanibel Island

sunrise on Sanibel

Every year, since I was a little tiny child, our family- or a version of family- heads to Sanibel Island, FL. Why there you ask? Don't you already live IN Florida you say? The answer is yes, yes we do! We live in a beautiful place- West Palm Beach, FL. I actually really could only imagine living one other place, Friesland Netherlands...but that is a whole other story!!! (just look at the flag..how could you not want to live somewhere that has hearts on the flag?)

Friesland flag

So, why do we go to Sanibel? Is it for the great tourist attractions? The fabulous clubs and bars? Is it for golf or tennis or any other sporting thing? No, No and Nope. In fact, it's for the lack of all of those things that we make this trip.

We go to Sanibel because we love the beach. Just look at all that beach. It's on every side and corner of the island!

 We really love low-tide.At low tide there are miles of open beach that appear. The tide pulls back and hundreds of live shells, crabs, starfish, sea cucumbers, sand dollars, horseshoe crabs and much more come out to play.

low tide- small people hunting for small critters

 We always have so much fun at low tide. The kids bring nets and try to catch small fish and crabs. We always take lots of pictures and look for pretty non-living shells. It's a beach rule...no live shells may be taken from the beach. We need to make sure there are lots of shells for the next generation who visits the island too!

Our family loves to eat. We always bring a bunch of fabulous eats to the island...and we grill, grill, grill. Margaritas, good beer, munchies and fabulous dinners! Who would not like that anyway???

There are many more reasons we love Sanibel...more that I will write about soon! Right now, I have to pick my kids up from school.

Cheers
~Casey

Sun and Cousin Fun!

This is where I live.  Is it not stunning?  I absolutely love West Palm Beach! Perhaps this post is for all of you that are stuck inside...so very cold...waiting for Spring to come!!! Soak it up people!!

My sister and her family live in Rhode Island. They decided that it was time to come home and defrost for a spell.  The first place we took the kiddos was the beach- of course!!! It was a bit rough...but they had oodles of fun chasing waves and playing in the warm sand.

One of my favorite places to take kids and adults when they come to WPB is the Big Tree at the Flagler Museum on Palm Beach Island. It is an enormous banyan tree that has roots that make caves and bumps to climb and play in, on and around.

You see how big this is right?? The kids LOVE it here. There are so many places to hide and climb. Just look how big this root is!!!

There is also a small beach and a walk/bike path that follows the waterway to the Society of the Four Arts

My youngest likes to sit and watch the boats across the way in Downtown WPB at the Waterfront.

This is the path...you can see downtown in the background. The kids love climbing the Seagrape Trees!

Oh...and don't forget the wildlife. This is a Blue Cuban Anole. 
My son, who is 9, loves to catch these. And they are FAST!

 These are the cousins; Dain, Sevy, Teddy, Tage and Ianthe...having fun in the hammock!

Oh...and Happy Birthday to my sister, Kelly!!!

We took the kiddos to the water play area at South Olive Park They loved it so!!! That park never fails to impress...with a water play area and two jungle gyms...lots of fun!!!!!

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I just have to leave you with this shot. This is my Mom...aka: Oma to the kids (Oma is Dutch for grandma) She wandered out onto this rock and my youngest hopped out there too. They sat and watched the world float by for a bit. What a beautiful place to live!!!

Wishing everyone a piece of sunshine today!!
~Casey