What a fun short week this has been. The art life has been rocking for the last few days and lately I've just been feeling "ON".

You know - when things just zing! click! fall into place?

There was an art sale, a commission, a new ongoing correspondence with another etsy artist, the next painting in the String series is almost done and last night I did Body Pump at the gym for the first time in over a year. I am SO happily sore today and can't wait to cruise back into the studio to finish that painting tonight.

One outcome of the week is that I'll soon be recieving this lovely lady pictured here. She is a handmade pin doll made by Jessica of the Doll Project.

"Avi had Always Wanted to Fly" is my very first Etsy Trade. I know my friend Betsy is an avid Etsy barterer but I had yet to try it by approaching other sellers. Turns out I didn't have to because Doll Project approached me! She sent a nice little convo just telling me how much she liked my "Rains it Pours" jacket and how she hoped it would still be available when she could afford it in June. I checked out her shop, totally fell for her thoughtful, expressionate dolls and I then replied with the offer to do a partial trade. I'm not normally much of a doll person but Jessica's work is just so artful - wonderful fine portraits of pondersome women in 3D form.

If I had spending money to kick into the trade

I totally would have gone for this lovely instead:

This Steampunk doll totally makes me think of first) the Bordertown books by Terri Windling and second) Burning Man which I know is totally because of the goggles (everybody has goggles on their head or around their neck at Burning Man because of the dust storms.)

Seems like the word "steampunk" is cropping up everywhere these days though - yesterday a steampunk collection even made the Etsy frontpage. Interesting indeed.

Happy creating this weekend - I know I will be!