Beautiful Basic Mugs are Now Available

Looking for a simple mug in bold beautiful colors? Well they are now available at thepaintinglibra.etsy.com!

Each mug is handpainted in glossy or matte colors that make a bold statement. They are perfect for coffee, tea, hot chocolate and some are big enough to enjoy soup or ice cream out of!

Ripple Mug in Really Red

Tall Venti Latte in Dark Straw

Ripple Mug in a Matte Orange

Ripple Mug in Bright Kiwi

My popular Large Latte in Really Red

If you are looking for a particular color let me know. Custom orders are ALWAYS welcome. Be sure to get yours fast for the holidays! Check out more mugs at thepaintinglibra.etsy.com.

Featured Seller: Illuminare by Karen Cicco

An old friend from high school has finally started to sell her AMAZING photos on Etsy. I have been watching her stuff on Facebook and I am happy to see she is bringing her work to the world. She currently is living in the Netherlands and that seems to be the perfect backdrop for her camera. The vivid colors and level of detail is beautiful. She has a gift and I am very proud of her.

Check out some of my favorites.




Check out her amazing photos at www.kcicco.etsy.com

Melting! I'm Melting!!

*Sigh*…. It is the first of December and my poor Etsy shop doesn't have any new items. For the last couple weeks my pottery has been melting in the kiln and I can’t figure out why. The pottery is the same, the glaze is the same, and my technique is the same. Yet I am getting mugs that look like water has been poured over them before they made it into the kiln. It is not as simple as a small paint pull here and there which can be touched up. I am talking on full on melting like the Wicked Witch of the East.
Of course this can be super discouraging to see your hard work pretty much go in the trash. Hopefully Glenda can appear in her cute pink bubble and solve my kiln problems.

FEATURED SELLER: SaltyandSweet

Looking for an unusual gift you can't find in stores this holiday season? Check out SaltyandSweet's cool mobiles. SaltyandSweet laser cuts black mat board cool characters and designs and joined with wire make the coolest mobiles I have seen. They are simple, clean and yet make a statement! Plus they are just a few miles from The Painting Libra in Tempe Arizona! Hopefully one day SaltyandSweet will make a mermaid mobile....

Check out a few cool designs!

I am digging the MJ design

I have always been a fan of pin-ups. Classy and sexy!

A cool wild wild west design!

Check out more designs at www.SaltyandSweet.etsy.com. Be sure to order early! The deadline for domestic orders is 12/16 for regular shipping!

New Moon & Breaking Dawn Inspired Mugs

New Moon & Breaking Dawn inspired mugs are now available! (I am currently working on Eclipse mugs). Perfect for drinking your favorite beverage snuggled up next to your vampire or wolf.
Check them out at www.thepaintinglibra.etsy.com.

Featured Seller: The Short Shop

I recently went on a 7 day long cruise to Mexico. For anyone who has been on a cruise that long, you have to pack everything but the kitchen sink! It is fine and dandy when you are packing clean clothes before you go on the vacation, but what do you do about the dirty ones DURING your vacation? You don’t want your dirty undies touching your clean undies, at least I do. I used to use plastic bags, but those are not friendly to the earth and pretty costly.

At least that is me. Lucky for me I brought handmade laundry and shoes bags made by The Short Shop! They came in so handy! I was able to pack my shoes in the shoe size bags which keep the dirty soles away from clean clothes. Then I keep my dirty laundry in an oversized matching bag all week long then simply put it in one suitcase to take home.

When I got home, opened the suitcase, took it out of the bag and dumped it all on the laundry room floor! No worries about what was dirty and what was clean. I even threw the bags in the washing machine too!

Here are two cute bags she has currently listed on Etsy.

These make wonderful gifts for the person you can never buy for. I bet you could use them to wrap your holiday gifts in - two presents in ONE. Perfect for the planet too!

She is a newbie to Etsy and making tons of new bags daily so be sure to check her out at http://www.theshortshop.etsy.com/

A Little Mermaid After All.....

Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a mermaid. For some odd reason I never dressed up like one for Halloween. Finally this year I had a custom made costume made after my design of the little mermaid. I went for a more realistic take on Ariel with a seaweed style top, tons of shell jewerly and a textured tail with scales.

I spent my halloween on a cruise ship to Mexico so it was really fun to walk around in the tight tail. Since I walked so slow, everyone got a good shot of my amazing costume!

My boyfriend dressed up a tribute to MJ, a costume I helped him put together of course!

I was so happy with it I might wear it next year....

Featured Seller: SHORTEFFIGY

Check out one of my good friends AMAZING handmade journals at Shorteffigy.etsy.com. He makes them from end to end inside and out. All the papers are hand bound and pressed to make some of the best books that are better than you can find in the store. They make wonderful gifts for the upcoming holidays. Perfect for that person who writes in journals or doodles.

Here are a few examples......

The cherry paper is my favorite.....

Check out more books at www.Shorteffigy.etsy.com

And the winner is......

Each year my good friend and Disney fan Kelly Short gathers donations for the annual Children’s Hospital of Orange County “CHOC” Walk in the Park at Disneyland Report in Anaheim, California.

The Children’s Hospital of Orange County helps provide the best medical care for children who are sick. They are devoted exclusively to helping children fight disease and illness.

For the second year in a row The Painting Libra raffles off a custom mug to anyone that donates under Kelly’s name. Last year’s winner received a large custom latte mug she designed from inspiration from her late son.

This year’s winner is………Deby R. of Antioch, California

Congrats Deby on winning a custom made mug of your choice! Your mug will be sent to you in 3-4 weeks after the design is confirmed!

Thank you to everyone’s donations! Your donations go to a very good cause! See you next year!

Featured Seller: One Great Thing

Featured Seller is Cassi with OneGreatThing.

Cassi is a stay at home mommy Disney fan that creative tie dye shirts, scarf’s and head bands with Mickey Mouse silhouettes. Her colors are bright,one of a kind and appealing to all ages! They are perfect when you are going to some place like Disneyland and you need to spot one of your family members in a crowd. Plus they are better than what you can find at the stores.

Here are a few of my favorites!

These are great for the whole family....

I purchased this scarf below for myself. It doesn't have any Mickey heads on it, but its super groovy! She is currently making me a super long scarf for that super cold ONE month of winter here in Phoenix.

Check out her items for sale at http://www.onegreatthing.etsy.com/. She also creates custom orders so feel free to conv her. You can also check out her past work on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/onegreatthing/ . Just remember her items are one of a kind and no two will be alike which makes it so much better!

The After Life?

I am not a very religious person, but I do believe there is a higher power out there and people do pass on to some sort of spritual level weither it be heaven, earth or limbo. Our bodies are so full of energy that when we die, I imagine we have to go somewhere.

When my great-grandmother passed away when I was in junior high, she was the first real dead person I had ever seen up close. We had arrived at the hospice minutes later after she passed and I wasn’t that close to to her that it really didn’t bother me to see her like that. Two weeks later my great grandfather passed on. Luckily for me I was not there to see it in person. For about two years, my grandmother kept both of her parents ashes in urns in her bedroom until we were able to plan arrangements to scatter their ashes. For those two years, I refused to pass through her bedroom. Something about those ashes creeped me out.

Finally we were able to take a trip to our family vacation spot in Kern County to scatter their ashes in the river. We had a beautiful family cermony at night were my mother and uncle walked hand in hand into the river to scatter the ashes of their grandparents. The funny part was when my mother came down to the river the next morning, there was a huge white streak at the bottom of the clear river. Her mouth dropped and ran to get my stepfather to help her wade into the river and kick up the ashes from the river bottom before anyone else could see them.

About two weeks ago I was fast sleep in my bedroom and I woke up at 2:00 am on the dot to the smell of cigarete smoke. I am not a smoker myself, neither is my boyfriend and I don’t believe any of my near by neighbors are. The smell was so strong it woke me up so I knew I had to check it out. I checked around my apartment and peak outside to find nothing out of the ordinary. The smell started to disapate and baffled I went back to bed and fell asleep.

Yesterday morning I was leaving my apartment at 6:00 am and I turned to lock my front door when this overwelming smell hit it me. The smell was the exact same smell I remember my great grandmother smelling like. It wasn’t a perfume smell, but that unique smell that a person has naturally. I stopped and looked around. It was still early and no one was around. I locked my door and walked around the corner to my car. I could still smell her all the way to my car and the air held a thick heavy feeling similar to early morning fog, but living in Phoenix, there is rarely any fog. I got in my car and the smell started to make me worry. Why was I smelling her? Is she warning me about something? Should I drive to work? Will I get into an accident? What should I do? I started to text my mom, but I knew she would still be asleep and put my cell phone away. I took a deep breathe and drove on to work and the smell disapeared.

I called my mom when I got out to work later that day and told her about my experience and she simply said “grandma was visiting you.” It finally occurred to me my great grandmother used to smoke and I had a flash back of the night two weeks ago when I thought someone was in my bedroom smoking. Maybe it was her. I have been wondering for the last 24 hours why she would suddenly visit me. My mom said she was just checking me out to see how I was doing.


Maybe she is, maybe this is just my imagination. Who knows. Some people find it comforting to know love ones come and visit. Right now it doesn't scare me if I am visited by loved ones, we will all one day discover what is really beyond this life on earth.

Feature Items: Caramel Apples!

This time of year brings all my favorite things, pumpkins, costumes and of course caramel apples. I remember last year I had a two week streak where I wanted a caramel apple every day. Sadly I would get in my car and drive a couple miles down the road to get a caramel, drive back and savor it alone in my apartment. Nothing screams OCTOBER more than a caramel apple.

I found some Etsy friends who seem to be on the same wave length as me when it comes to this juicy seasonal treat.

This delicious looking vegan soap from Sunbasilgarden is apple toffee scented comes complete with wooden stick and wrapped in cellophane. As yummy as it looks, it really is just soap so no eating it in the shower!!

Check out more fun soaps at http://www.sunbasilgarden.etsy.com/

Back in highschool I remember apple caramel pops were huge! These Caramel Apple Lollipops from VintageConfections look a lot more pretty than those we used to get off the ice cream truck! Plus I love how in the listing they are called "lollis". It makes me want to say it with a British accent!

Check out more yummy treats from http://www.vintageconfections.etsy.com/

Many of the chocolate stops have caramel apples that are available now are covered in cookies, fudge, candy, chocolate, nuts and other junk much stuff that you almost forget there is a caramel apple underneath! Sometimes you want a basic good caramel apple. Sugarsmitten has a simple caramel apple named simply “The Purist's Caramel Apple” My mouth is watering!

Check out Sugarsmitten's yummy treats at http://www.sugarsmitten.etsy.com/

Movie Wall Art Done Cheap

Living in an apartment means many times management will not let you paint walls. I had a HUGE blank slab of white wall above my couch that was screaming for something. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to put up there, but I knew I wanted something I painted on canvas. I thought about doing one big giant canvas, but the costs were far out of my budget.

I got an idea after sitting around with friends having dinner and discussing movies and the thought occurred to me to express my favorite movies on canvas! I purchased 16 x 20" canvas 2 packs from Michaels (using a 40% coupon each time of course) along with white and brown acrylic paint. (You can get your 40% off Michael’s coupon from the Sunday newspaper ads or by signing up for a weekly coupon emailed to you at micheals.com. Trust me it helps when buying a lot of craft supplies like I do.)


So I started by painted each canvas with the silhouette of each movie character in white and painted the background brown. This would give the person viewing the canvas a clue on what movie it was and yet keep all the different movies unison. I finished with two coats of a matte acrylic spray to seal the art.

(Kill Bill Vol. 1)

To get the uniform look on the wall, I took long poster paper and laid out each canvas on the floor. I then placed my canvas in the arrangement I liked measured the distance between each to ensure the correct placement to get that uniform look. Once I got each of the canvas how I liked them, I traced each with a black marker. I then measured where each nail would need to go behind the canvas and marked on the poster paper.

I then hug my poster paper on the wall and tapped nails into the wall at each of the nail markings. (I am sure my neighbor loved me pounding 12 nails into the wall, but with the nail marks already measured, it went super fast. )Once all the nails were firmly in place, I tore the paper away and hung each of the canvases on the wall. Simple as that!

Total cost of the project: Around $40 bucks.

FEATURED ITEM: Michael Jackson Tribute Canvas Art

As a child of the 80's, Michael Jackson's music was the soundtrack to my childhood. This is a tribute to the one and only KING OF POP!Hand painted Michael Tribute Canvas Art.

Painted in white and black acrylic paint on 100% cotton duck artist canvas back stapled with a traditional wood frame. (Candles not included)

SIZE: 9" x 12"

There is only ONE available so get it before it is gone!

http://www.thepaintinglibra.etsy.com/

Remember......

Where were you eight years ago today?

I remember I was living in Southern California and was still asleep when the first building was hit. I awoke to my ex step dad calling me to wake up and turn on the TV. I stumbled out to the living room and turn the TV on. Of course being so early my mom woke up and came out to see what I was doing. Of course we couldn’t believe what we had seen. As we watched the news, we saw the second plane hit the second tower. We knew this wasn’t an accident. I watching as much as I could before I had to get ready and go to work, a job I had started only three days prior. Of course rumors flew that there were planes on their way to Los Angeles and all planes had been grounded. I remember driving in my 65 mustang on side streets (it seems liked everyone was avoiding the freeways) looking up at the sky in wonder if the rumors were true. It was strange not to see any planes overhead. I could see other drivers and pedestrians who all had the same worried look. It seemed like forever by the time I got to work at a plumbing wholesale in San Gabriel. No one really worked that day. We either stood around the TV or radio to listen to updates. One of my bosses printed updated photos of the towers as they became available online and posted them outside her office.

The next few days and weeks seemed like such a blur that I don’t remember too many details. Of course the only story on everyone’s minds and lips was what happened.
My 20th birthday fell on the one month anniversary of the towers falling. It was a somber one since they were still pulling bodies out of the rubble. My mom presented me with a gift that is now one of the most cherished items I possess. A custom framed photo of John Lennon giving a peace sign in front of the Statue of Liberty.

That gift meant more to me than almost anything I had received. John is proudly hanging on the wall just inside my front door. He is a reminder that peace and love can conquer all.

A lot has changed since that day. We have been at war with people who simply have hate in their hearts and we have lost a lot of service men and women who died for our country. We may complain about traveling through the airport and past our borders, but we know we are safer than we were before this day eight years ago.

Those who perished that day will not be forgotten. The innocent men and women in the buildings and the planes who could not be saved. The brave firefighters and police who sacrificed themselves to save others and rushed into the burning buildings. Those brave passengers and crew who took down a plane before it could reach its unknown destination.

I promise to those who left us eight years ago to teach my children and their children what I saw and felt that day. Never Forget.

Don’t Stop Believing.....

Has anyone noticed Journey’s song “Don’t Stop Believing” has become really popular lately? The song came out in 1981 from their album Escape and Journey’s most known song. ITunes reports it is the most downloaded song NOT released in the 21st century and topped the 3 million dollar mark at the end of August 2009 in paid downloads. Could it be because this song is getting new life in movies and TV shows? Could it be because the song is that good or maybe because in times like these, the song just makes sense? It is said when times are tough people like slower songs or songs that have a positive message. Maybe it is just because we simply can’t stop believing…..

I found a couple Etsy sellers creating cool items all around the word BELIEVE.


MyDaisyDreams has an adorable Glass and Resin pendant with definition of “Believe”. It comes on a 18” silver plated flat link chain in an adorable tin. Perfect for gift giving and the price that can’t be beat.


Check out MyDaisyDreams Etsy shop at: http://www.mydaisydreams.etsy.com/



The best part of getting take out is simply because I love getting the fortune cookies and Yogagoat’s hand sculpted porcelain fortune cookie is too cute for words. It is about the size of a real fortune cookie with the words "BELIEVE" stamped across. It even comes in a mini take out box with colorful paper.
Check out Yogagoat’s Etsy shop at: http://www.yogagoat.etsy.com/

Even though things are going bad, maybe you need a daily reminder to simply Believe. AWEshop has a great sterling silver bracelet with individual letters spelling "BELIEVE" with freshwater pearls. Shipping is only $1.00 and comes in a gift box.
Check out AWEshop’s Etsy shop at: http://www.aweshop.etsy.com/

DONATE TO WIN A FREE MUG

It is that time of year and Disneyland is holding its annual CHOC Walk in the Park event October 19th. This even helps raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County California. My really good friend Kelly has been doing the CHOC Walk since 2003 and it is very near and dear to her heart.

Last year I didn't very much funds to donate since starting my new little business, so I helped out by donating one of my custom mugs. Anyone that helped donate anything they could automatically had their name entered in to win a custom mug of their choice.

Last year’s winner requested a large white latte mug with yellow daisies growing out of lush green grass with little bees flying around. She said her son, who passed away when he was young used to pick yellow daises and bring them to her.



This year anyone who donates under Kelly’s name automatically enters to win a mug of their choice and with any design they choose!

Simply go to www.chocwalk.net and click on the purple SPONSOR WALKER button.
Then enter the walkers name KELLY SHORT and donate any amount you find appropriate.

A name will be drawn October 21st and the winner will be contacted shortly to discuss the design of their new mug. The winner will receive his or her custom mug within 3-4 weeks of the drawing.

Help support a good cause and get a chance to win a free mug to keep for yourself or give away as a gift! Christmas is right around the corner! Just remember to enter KELLY SHORT under the Sponsor Walker button or your donation won't count for the change to win a free mug!

Visit my Etsy page for current pottery designs on sale! www.thepaintinglibra.etsy.com

Featured Artist: RoxyChick4327

I love when people I know join Etsy and start selling their craft. My good friend from high school is no exception. Her Etsy shop is filled with adorable custom signs, banners and graphics. They are priced right and oh so cute! She is a stay at home mom and seems to have a passion for doing what she does and it shows.

Check out a few of her designs and order one up for your Etsy shop or blog!

Pretty Blooms

Leafy Fields with matching avatar Trees in Bloom with matching Avatar

Check out her Etsy page for more designs and to order YOUR custom banner: http://www.roxychick4327.etsy.com/

I waaaaaaaaaaaaant it

I switched apartments in April and my apartment has been kinda blah ever since, especially in my bedroom. I have a blue and white Hawaiian flower Roxy bedspread for about a year. This is what I have minus the orange pillows and Roxy print sheets.

I bought it before I moved into my first apartment, and as cute as it is, it doesn’t really match the rest of my apartment. Today I was checking Bed Bath & Beyond and found a CUTE Roxy bedspread that would TOTALLY match my brown and blue green theme in my apartment. Problem is I only want the bedspread and the pillow covers. I don’t need the sheets and other junk that comes with it. At BB&B, it is a whole set for $300. That is way too much for a bedset! Especially when I need to pay for my car annual tags and get new tires. Boo! I guess I have to hold out and wait for the set to show up on Ebay. For now I can just say “I wannnnt it" until I got to BB&B and see it in person and then not like it. That is usually how I work. Haha!

A dance without Words

Every season I love watching Fox's So You Think You Can Dance. I think it is amazing to see everyday people from all backgrounds so different dances every week that have stories.

Last night performance of Ade and Melissa bringing awareness of how breast cancer can be translated by dance touched me so deeply.

Here is the video of last nights performance. It speaks for itself.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5596365/14689629

NEW ITEMS LISTED! ~ Asian Take Out Sushi Plates

Two new items have been listed for sale on my Etsy page!

Asian Take Out Sushi Plates.

This adorable white sushi plate has a red padoga just like on the cute take out boxes from Asian restaurants. It has a bold red stripe on the left and even comes with a pair of black chopsticks. Perfect for that extra punch at the dinner table!

SIZE: 8 1/2" x 5"

Buy both Sushi plates and get combined shipping! Be sure to check out my cute Holy Bowly Sushi bowl painted with a matching padoga. Buy all four and make it a set!

Holy Bowly Sushi Bowl Since each piece is made one at a time and no two pieces will ever be alike. With color variation and glazing you will be ensured to have a one of a kind piece that no one else has. Please allow artistic variation from piece to piece.

Check them out before they are gone at http://www.thepaintinglibra.etsy.com/