Friday, August 26, 2011

Believe

Believe Card 2 by christina_fajardo
Believe Card 2, a photo by christina_fajardo on Flickr.
Thoughts become things... Therefore I am choosing the good ones! I have an alarm on my computer that goes off every morning to remind me to light a candle, say a prayer and commit to my dream. 

Christina's Alter
My mother's Virgen de Guadalupe, who now lives in my living room.

Before my mom passed away, she told me that she wanted me to have her Virgen de Guadalupe because of her four children that were still alive, I was the one who had many health issues. She worried about me constantly and she thought I would need the saint to watch over me. Needless to say, I feel the presence of my mother watching over me so I was thinking who needs a statue in the house? I thought it was cool but had no idea where I would put it. Then my brother became very ill with a brain tumor. I don't remember ever praying with such intent, even when I was sick. I constructed an alter in my living room just to remind myself to pray and my mother's Virgen de Guadalupe became the focal point of my living room. I sort of laugh at myself now because the statue has become an such an important part of my daily ritual. I love the response when someone new walks into my house and does a double take of my little blue Catholic lady standing tall above all the family photos on the alter. I can see that look on there face of "Wow! I didn't realize Christina was so religious!" Then after I tell them the story, they sort of check out the photos to see if the little lady is watching over them. The photos change from time to time and there are other special nick nacks that are special to me on the alter. But mainly, there is a presence of peace around my alter that is a constant reminder that there are those that have gone before us who watch over us. I am glad to have the spirit of my momma with me always.

Day Dreaming


These are words to "May This Be Love" one of my favorite Jimi Hendrix songs. I request the song every time I go see my friend Marvin plays because this song takes me to that place that is only felt when I am creating art or listening to my favorite music. This one line in the song sort of goes along with what I have been feeling for the last couple of weeks about my art and my livelihood.

More often than not I feel that I don't have someone completely believe in my dream or more to the point, I don't have a dream team. I keep hearing this term over and over by all the successful people that I am paying close attention to and learning from. There is an enormous problem that keeps occurring to me... if I don't have a partner who is in it for the long haul, if I don't have artist friends, if my two children live out of town, where do I turn?  This is a question I am just beginning to feel comfortable even asking. I am sure that is why I keep hearing it over and over. I have heard it said on Oprah, I listening to a CD set called "Cracking The Millionaire Code,"  and the said it, then last week Kelly Rae said it in her e-coarse and then tonight I heard Marcia Weider from Dream University say it. I am starting feel comfortable in knowing that I am deserving of a dream team. I am deserving of being supported. I have identified the limiting belief that I have been living with since 1986 and I am turning it around and shifting my behavior. I am becoming very clear about what I want and I am really starting to believe in myself on a level that is very new to me. Instead of filling my days with helping others with their dreams, which is what I have been doing for YEARS, I am scheduling activities that will move ME towards my dream. What a concept. Here is what I have learned... My dream team doesn't have to be in the same town or even the same state. In fact most of the support that I receive is out of state. So what? Dah! Email, cell phones, blogs, facebook, Etsy... what else do I need?

So back to the song.... it takes me to a serene place. A place of being in love and feeling loved. I was reminded after going to see my friends Danny and Marvin play two nights in a row that women go to hear music to dream. We want to hear love songs even if we don't have a lover, we dream of one or have fond memories of lovers in our past. Men on the other hand like to go hear the best guitar players. Lyrics are just lyrics. It is a reminder of why we may need dream teams. We need good lyrics and a great guitar player on every team.

I ordered the movie "Who Does She Think She Is" because in the first week of my e-coarse with Kelly Rae, she posted a film clip. I will have to say, the movie made me a little sad because it told my story of being a woman, a mother and a struggling artist. Struggling... why? Because I am a woman and just for starters 82% of the student population in art school are women but only 40% of the artists in galleries are women. I may have to come back to this later when it doesn't stir so much emotion.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Working On My Blog.... All Weekend... Really?


I keep bringing up the e-course I am taking but I am feeling much like I imagine my grandson is feeling today on his first day of high school. Meeting new friends, discovering all the things they have in common as well as the diversity and mostly discovering a world you never imagine existed.This blogging thing is very new to me and that is odd because I have had a bog forever but is is sort of like having the bass guitar I have setting in my living room that I never play. I have had several friends ask how to subscribe and here it is. Very simple:  At the TOP LEFT CORNER of the page you can click on "Follow" and it will take you to a stand alone page, click "Follow." That seems to be the easiest way to follow. Or ...On the right side of the page it says  "Follow me by email." Type your email address there and it will send you a confirmation email. Or....You can click on the little orange RSS Feed button on the right Under the heading of "Follow My Blog" that says "Posts" and you sort of have to wait a second and a menu comes up to subscribe by RSS. This is for folks who follow lots of blogs and have them sent to their RSS feed.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Synchronicity

Synchronicityn

an apparently meaningful coincidence in time of two or more similar or identical events that are causally unrelated

"Flying Lessons" With Kelly Rae Roberts this week has been fun and informative. No, I'm not learning how to fly a plane, I'm learning how to soar with my art biz. I'm amazed that I had become so well versed in how to connect my musician friends in the online world but clueless as to how to do the same for myself in the artist world. That' a well trained woman for ya. I would insert a LOL here but I am realizing that putting myself on the back burner for a solid 56 years has not served me.
Okay, so timing is everything. I don't think I was ready to soar before now. The synchronicity involved in my decision to sign up for "Flying Lessons" is more than perfect. I read somewhere that when you are on target, synchronicity happens. I have been somewhat focused on my art my whole life, but I sensed that this year was time for me to soar in my art biz. This transformation didn't come without growing pains. My new "Luna Chick Series" evolved from a place of deep healing and that, my friends, is another blog.

Rene's Red Guitar By Christina
Painting by Christian Ethridge
I have been a mixed media artist since the 90s. For four years I had been creating mixed media pieces with the focus on music and vintage nudes. Thank you Rene for sending me in the direction of music. I wanted to go there, I just didn't know how. I have lived in and around the Austin music scene for the better part of 30 years. My friends Rene and Danny had just bought a new house twice the size as the one they had been living in and had to buy all new everything. They needed art. Rene saw a painting of a guitar in a furniture store that she liked but the guitar was brown and she wanted a red guitar to match her lamps. She asked me to paint one as a gift for her husband. I had NEVER painted a large canvas painting, not even in art school. It was scary and fun all at the same time. My son was staying with me at the time so I asked him to join in on the fun, well actually I asked him to draw a large guitar so I could paint it and I came home from work and he had gone off in a whole new direction with the painting. So I bought another canvas and did it myself. Our paintings turned out vastly different but equally wonderful and Rene bought them both for her new house.
Red Guitar Butterfly Blues - SOLD
Shortly after that I started dating, Tony, a Gypsy Jazz guitar player. I started listening to lots of Django" Reinhardt music and as usual, my art seemed to have followed the music. Naturally, I painted and sold lots of guitar paintings, mostly RED guitars.. Because Gypsy Jazz music originated in Paris, France, I became very interested in the art of that time and at the same time was exploring the idea of selling art on ebay and discovered ACEOs. I started creating collage art with vintage nudes and music. I thought this would be a great way to break into selling on the internet without hurting myself. ACEOs would be easy to create and cheap and easy to mail. That was four years ago and I am still selling my ACEOs on ebay and Etsy.


ACEO By Christina
Then after a very rough few months, my artwork took a turn to being a muse to dive deep into some old wounds. I ended up with my Luna Chick Series, paintings that looked much like myself as a teenager but more angelic. I had a  article written about me in a New Mexico newspaper it opened all kinds of doors.  After seeing the paintings on Facebook a friend approached me to create "Angel Greeting Cards." That same day I got a package in the mail from another friend with a Kelly Rae Roberts "Create" angel ornaments and a crystal as a gift. It felt like a message from the Universe saying "Yes! Create Angels!" My friend and I continued to throw ideas around, we painted a few angels then she backed out after realizing there wasn't much money to be made selling cards at local stores but the wheels kept turning in my head, I already had product in stores and online so I continued on track. That very week another friend of mine invited me to hang some of my art in a new flower shop. I went to the flower shop to meet with the owner and she had a Kelly Rae Roberts skins on her Mac. Later that day I went to a gift shop where I have my art and two booths down was a booth full of Kelly Rae Roberts art. The messages on Kelly Rae's art were the same messages I had been painting and she was obviously doing very well financially doing her art.

Luna Chick By Christina
So, long story longer, I am learning from the best and taking notes. The message, dream big and work with a team!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Loving My New Flying Team!

When two people or more people gather in his name and PRAY 
for the same cause there is MORE POWER.  
I am praying for a Dream Team!
Martin Luther King said "I have a DREAM," not I have a plan.
He found thousands who had the same dream.

Week # 2 of Flying Lessons with Kelly Rae Roberts

Last week was crazy busy getting ready for an art show. This week I feel that I am going to be very creative because the jewelry mojo was turned on full blast last week during crunch time before the show. I have been collecting beads and wonderful findings on Etsy over the past year but I just couldn't make myself set down and create the jewelry. Amazingly when I finally sat down and did it, I enjoyed it and I got a really good feel from Sherry and Amanda that it will sell. Nothing like a couple of girly girls to let you know that your jewelry really does rock!

I had been on a spiritual journey this year, spending hours writing in my journal and then taking those thoughts and prayers and turning them into mixed media art. Mixed media art takes me to that place of meditation where I unravel my myths and stories.  I have unraveled some really deep myths and stories through my Luna Chick series this year. I traveled back into my youth and that lead to unraveling information from my New Mexican heritage. I has been quit a journey!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

I Have So Much To Read

Whew..... really there are so many creative souls out there and I am learning so much! I have a list of books to read. Looks like I need to get an iPad!

Taking Flight: Inspiration and Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings
By Kelly Rae Roberts
Learning by Heart-teachings to free the creative spirit 
by Corita Kent & Jan Steward 
Point Zero-creativity without limits 
by Michele Cassou
Art at the speed of life
by Pam Carriker
Collage Couture
by Julie Nutting
The Artistic Mother
by Shona Cole
Collaborative Art Journals 
by L.K. Ludwig
 The Handmade Marketplace
by Kari Chapin 
I'd Rather be in the Studio
by Alyson Stanfield
Fearless Creating 
by Eric Maisel

How Get Your Art Into Retail Shops

I just listened to a pod cast on how to get into retail stores by http://pinkolive.com/
This is been a mystery to me for years and I do mean years. After listening I am amazed at how simple it is.

First... Do your homework! Visit the store that you want to sell to! Take time to go to the store and get to know the store or check them out on the website. Simple enough and I have done that a million times and it stopped right there.

Second... Have a website with your artwork on it. Good photos and detailed information.
Great Photos! Close ups are good and then take some on the backdrop that looks like the store you want to sell to.


Third... Each item needs to have a style number. Names are cute and catchy but numbers are easier to work with. You can use the letters of the product for instance, Red Luna Chick = RLC-787
Example --->    Minimum: 4 pcs per style; $250 per order

Now, when you finally get up the nerve to talk to someone at the store, go with your information in hand. Have a great business card with a link to your website and blog. Have a genuine approach. treat it like a win win situation instead of having the "I just want to be in your store attitude." Remember, you website will do the selling.

No here is where you are going to need a pot of coffee and your reading glasses.
Develop a Line Sheet. "What is a Line Sheet?" you ask. This is probably one of my biggest problem areas. It is sort of like writing up a business plan for me but I am sort of getting used to the idea AND I am going to work on mine this week. I am already halfway there! Piece of cake!
Put your Line Sheet on your website so that buyers have time to go there in their own time. Your line sheet should consist of the following:

Line Sheet
  • Great Photos: The photos should be on a backdrop that looks like the store you want to sell to.
  • Style Numbers: Each item should have a style number. Names are cute and catchy but numbers are easier to work with. You can use the letters of the product. Red Luna Chick = RLC787
  • Wholesale Price and Wholesale Order Minimum
Develop a sample packet. If you come across someone who may be interested in your art, give them a sample packet and include wholesale seller contact information. I am thinking about sending a line sheet to repeat buyers on ebay to let them know what other products I have... just a thought.
 

How to Draw Owls

How to Draw Owls with Step by Step Drawing Lesson « Step by Step Drawing Blog

These are a few of my favorite things

Abundance; Acceptance; Affirmations; Alive; Allow; Amaze; Angels; Appreciate; Art; Aspire; Awaken; Aware; Awe; Babies, Balance;  Beautiful; Become; Believe; Bliss; Blossom; Blossoming; Blue Skies; Bountiful; Breath; Breathe; Bright; Brilliant; Brilliance; Bubbles; Buzz; Calm; Caring; Caressing; Centered; Challenge; Charge; Cheerful; Chocolate; Chirp; Choose; Clarity; Clear; Cleansing; Colorful; Compassion; Composed; Confident; Confidence; Conscious; Courage; Courageous; Create; Creative; Crystals; Curious; Dance; Dazzle; Decisive; Delicious; Delight; Determination; Dream; Dynamic; Earned; Earnest; Effervesce; Electric; Embrace; Empathize; Empower; Energy; Energetic; Energize; Enjoy; Enthused; Equanimity; Excite; Exuberant; Faith; Fantastic; Flow; Flowers; Fly; Forgiveness; Fragrance; Freedom; Fresh; Fruity; Full; Fun; Gentle; Giggle; Glorious; Goodness; Grace; Grateful; Groovy; Growth; Happy; Heal; Healthy; Humane; Humble; Humility; Humor; Imbibe; Improve; Informed; Inhale; Innocence; Inspire; Inspiration; Intuitive; Invigorate; Jasmine; Joy; Jump; Kindness; Kinetic; Kiss; Laugh; Lavender; Learn; Light; Listen; Lively; Love; Majestic; Meaningful; Manifest; Miracle; Music; Nature; Natural; New Beginnings; Nourish; Nurture; Open; Optimistic; Overflow; Passion; Patient; Peace; Peaceful; Play; Playful; Poise; Positive; Power; Powerful; Prosperity; Pure; Purpose; Quiet; Radiant; Realize; Reflective; Refresh; Release; Renew; Responsive; Richness; Sanctified; Savor; Scintillate; Serene; Shine; Sincere; Simple; Simplicity; Sing; Smile; Soften; Sparkle, Special; Spontaneous; Stainless; Strength; Stretch, Strong, Success; Suffused; Sunshine; Surprise; Survive; Sweeten; Taste; Tender; Thankful; Thoughtful; Therapeutic; Thrill; Thrive; Thunder; Tickle; Titillate; Tolerant; Tough; Transcend; Transform; Tranquil; Trust; Trusting; Understanding; Unfold; Unperturbed; Unselfish; Unshakable; Uplifting; Useful; Valued; Vibrant; Vibrancy; Vigorous; Visionary; Warmth; Wellness; Whole; Wholeness; Wild; Wonder; Wonderful; Worthy; Yoga; Youthful; Young; Zest; Zeal

Thank you Studio Without Walls

Art Shows Are Hard Work But I Always Meet Some Very Nice Folks!

Nothing like living in a city with small town mentality. I say that because I rarely leave 78704, Central South Austin. In my mind 78704 is all that exists the majority of the time. I rarely watch local news and I rarely go north of the river. Therefore I was clueless of what happened at Highland Mall during The Texas Relays in 2008. My memory of Highland Mall was 30 years ago when I lived off of 51st St and walk the mall with my then 2 year old and newborn in a stroller. It was air-conditioned and Highland Mall was a new and beautiful building with lots to look at. It still is a beautiful building but it is now a ghost town. So I was taken aback when after setting up my booth yesterday, I took a stroll down the empty corridor to find the ladies room. More than half the stores are closed, the store directly across from me is closing on Friday.  "Riots. Really? All the stores closed for a whole weekend during Texas Relays, really?" I am having this conversation on the phone with my son in St Louis while I am sitting in the lonely mall. I was invited to do the art show by my friend Amanda and I sort of talked Tony into playing music too. The fee was reasonable and Amanda and Tony were going to be playing music... should be a good time...right? Well it was fun. Dylan helped me like he always does. Amanda and Sherry bought lots of jewelry from me, Tony brought me dinner from Quality Sea Food but I just barely doubled my $25 booth fee. Monetarily it was hardly worth setting in an empty mall for 12 hours but I had fun and I met some really nice folks. That is one thing I have always loved about art shows, I always leave being best friends with neighboring artists and by the end of the show we trade and/or buy from each other. So the lesson here .... that I already knew... Pay close attention to the booth fee at an art show... if it is a very low fee, it is for a reason.... you aren't going to sell much. The really good thing about having done this show is that now have lots of inventory and I got a good first hand feel for what Amanda and Sherry like in my art and jewelry and can make more of the hot items. It's all good.


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I am hearing the message, loud and clear!

Today was day 4 of my "Flying Lessons" with Kelly Rae Roberts. Focus today was on blogging. I have never been a big fan of blogging or blogs, even though I was responsible for a really cool one back in the mid 90s. I earned a "New Fellow Fellowship" from "The Newspaper Association of America" and traveled to several newspapers around the country for a year and then in the end got to pick the one I wanted to go to for a week. I went to San Jose. There was a lot of new technology going on there and I thought I could learn something because I hadn't seen much going on at other newspaper across the country. I ended up hanging out with a really cool guy who showed me the ropes at the newspaper for about an hour every morning. I actually did the entertainment listings for the Contra Costa Times for a week. But most of my time was spent in coffee shops and  sight seeing until midnight every night. It was June 3, a beautiful day in sunny California day and I pulled up to a coffee shop and the old Bobbie Gentry song "Ode to Billy Joe" was playing on the radio. "It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day. I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay." At any rate, at the end of a very enjoyable year of travel I had to come up with an online project to present to the Newspapers Association of America panel so that they knew their money was well spent. I had run across an online diary (they weren't called blogs back then) of a couple of guys who were traveling in an RV across America on Route 66. First of all traveling on Route 66 in an RV has always been my dream for old age. I always visioned myself, with my husband in an RV at the end of long lives together traveling and camping across the land. I was a hippy, wasn't I? Now I see myself traveling to Spain and spending time in an adobe house in Santa Fe. So I thought this traveling online diary was a winner but I didn't see myself going anywhere any time soon, I had a 16 yr old and a 18 yr old at home. However, my friend Lana was going on a European tour with her dad Willie Nelson, so I asked her to meet with the new online department at the Austin American-Statesman and asked her to write a daily diary of their travels. It was an instant success. The next year, Statesman.com had a new manager and didn't want to participate so Lana started blogging on WillieNelson.com. Random House Books liked it so much that they offered her a book deal. Willie ended up taking over and writing the book himself but Lana made enough money on the deal to build a house for her daughter. So that was my first blog experience. I wasn't sure then and I am not sure now that what I have to say will be of interest to anyone but if Kelly Rae says it is key to her success I am going to give it a try! I have a commitment to my DREAM! I do! I do! This shouldn't be hard at all! I have been writing everything on Facebook that I should have been blogging. I love posting photos. Why not do it here?

Today I had to focus on creating jewelry for my art show at Highland Mall this weekend. I have found that it is important to have the big expensive canvas pieces so people know you are an artist but most purchases are small,  inexpensive items. Most people either can't afford a painting or don't have anywhere to put it but like to take something to remember the experience. Small inexpensive items at art shows are key to success.

Anyway here is a great video from my e-course. Simon Sinek says exactly what I heard on "Breaking the Millionaire Code" earlier this week. Is it a coincidence that I heard it twice in one week? I don't think so.  Christian and I are talking about committing to our art business. He is thinking BIG. I like that! We have opened the door to success. He just happened to walk into a textile art studio at The Hill in St Louis yesterday while waiting to get his cooking knives sharpened. Coincidence? What are the chanced that he would walk into a warehouse where 2 women were doing exactly what he wants to do. Paint one fabric?

So her is the video of the day. Key  -----> The goal is to do business with people who believe in what you are doing. Developing trust and loyalty. You and or your product makes them FEEL good therefore they want to be a part of it. You hire people who believe in your product and have an investment in it.
 Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action | Video on TED.com
"Breaking the Millionaire Code" quoted the Bible, Matthew 18:20 and what I have always believed about that Bible quote is that there is power in numbers. When two people or more people gather in his name and pray for the same cause there is more power.  I am praying for a Dream Team! Martin Luther King said "I have a DREAM," not I have a plan and he found thousands who had the same dream.


Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Busy Week.... Why am I blogging at 1:00 am

This week has been the best week I have had in a while. I am busy, I am happy and I see a light, a very bright light at the end of the tunnel and I don't think it is a train. It has been a hard year, to say the least. The stress has taken its toll on me physically but thanks to modern medicine and hormones, I am feeling like a human again. I haven't blogged since January!

My son Christian and his beautiful wife Carrie and their adorable son, Andrew moved to St Louis last week to begin their new life. I miss them but over all, I feel nothing but joy for them. Christian calls me a couple of times a day and he is constantly talking about new ideas for our art business and that makes me dance a happy dance. I am telling ya, 3 weeks ago I didn't have the energy to dance a happy dance. I did Zumba a couple of times a week and that was about it. Now I am walking at the lake a couple of times a week and doing Zumba! I am feeling so well that I am doing an art show this coming Saturday and Sunday at Highland Mall. It should be interesting. Tony is playing at the art show on Saturday, as well as my friend Amanda. As usual, I have waited until the last week before the show to do the majority of the work. Deadlines make me get very creative. I actually love deadlines. I love working long hours on my paintings, waking up in the middle of the night with a vision of something fantastic to paint on a canvas. I love waking up in the morning with a cup of coffee and being amazed at what I did the night before. All of this craziness going on and guess what... big news....I decided to invest some time and money in a little self-improvement! Sunday I started an e-course "Flying Lessons" with one of my favorite artists, Kelly Rae Roberts. It has already been a very enjoyable trip. She is every bit as positive a force as I thought she would be. Full of life and creativity. I think the next five weeks shall be very enjoyable! I will keep you posted.
So to in case you have been under a rock and not keeping up with my pet project on Facebook, I adopted a feral kitten about 6 weeks ago. She is a trip to say the least. Tony's cat stayed at my house with Christian while Tony and I went to New Mexico over the Memorial Day weekend. My cat, Katie got used to having a cat around, even though George never came out of the closet except to eat. So when George went home, Katie seemed depressed. My friend Susan rescues feral cats so as soon as I realized she had an orange female kitten, I had to have her. The adjustment period of introducing a feral cat into the home with another cat never crossed my mind. It was a little crazy for about 3 weeks.

So....time to go to bed. I should be painting instead of blogging but I just put a link from my website to my blog tonight so I thought my readers would need an update. Click on the link below to see an inspiring video that Kelly Rae posted today.
Who Does She Think She Is?