Nine Lives Studio - Ellen Miffitt
Sumi-e, Collage, Mixed Media, Watercolor Pencil, PMC Jewelry, Block Prints and Art Instruction

Blog

I have been accepted as a vendor for the TESC [the Evergreen State College] 3rd Annual Arts & Crafts Fair.

This event is held on Wednesday Dec 2 from 11 to 5pm and will have over 90 vendors

The link below is for their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1047607038603011/

(posted on 15 Nov 2015)

A reminder to everyone to always check Zazzle for their promos... Today's steal: 50% off wrapping paper & tissue paper | USE CODE: ZSUNSTEAL109

the link below is to one of my Sumi-e on wrapping paper:

http://www.zazzle.com/blue_ornament_tumble_by_kitty_cat_wrapping_paper-256780867270211236

In checking my Christmas shop to find a sample of wrapping paper, this propmo is across the top of the Zazzle pages:

20% Off All Orders | Up to 50% Off Gifts - Make Their Christmas Morning! Ends Tuesday Use Code: SANTASCOMING

Happy shopping...

Finally corrected three of my new digital images and loaded them to Zazzle, Redbubble and Fine Art America. I'm way behind on correcting and/or loading images to these POD [print on demand] sites. I have created 283 of these drawings since mid December 2014 when I bought the app for the iPad. As far as POD - Zazzle and Redbuble have changed they way the upload process is done and I was very cranky because it just doesn't make sense.

Still enjoying Art Set Pro Edition....

Hide and Seek with Mouse

© 10/2015 Ellen Miffitt -NLS




Orange Tiger Kitten and Mouse wear their Witch Hats

© 10/2015 Ellen Miffitt - NLS




Not a Very Scary Carved Pumpkin

© 10/2015 Ellen Miffitt- NLS



I printed 40 more prints today from four holiday blocks... tomorrow will adhere to blank note cards.

Time for ZZZZZZZzzz - more arting tomorrow.
e

(posted on 24 Oct 2015)

Long time since I posted any writing info - my poems ebbed during the long dismally hot summer... back in the swing.
I have signed up for NaNoWriMo [National Novel Writing Month] again and am working on character sketches and thinking about what they want to do.
That's why I'm working so hard on my prep for the holiday shows so I can relax a bit and write like the wind come November.

Here's some info and writing resources from NaNoWriMo:
A tour of "The NaNoWriMo Library"

November is nearly upon us, and we're busy putting the final touches on this year's “NaNoWriMo Library.” Sure, it's an imaginary place, but that doesn't mean the stained glass, warm amber light, and enticing smell of books is any less real… Here’s an orientation for this creativity-filled space:
The Reference Portal — Get guidance from published authors on your pressing writing questions. Our NaNo Coaches are porting in for a #NaNoCoach tweet-chat on Wednesday, October 28 at 4 PM PDT (Your Time Zone).


The Community Bridge — Whether your loved ones are near or far, bridge the distance by writing your stories together. Invite someone you know to join you in noveling this November.

The Commitment Tree — Carve out your commitment to your novel. Award yourself the "Tell the World" personal achievement badge after publicly declaring your creative goals.
The Visioning Tower — Want to see your story come to life through art? We're pairing 30 NaNoWriMo 2015 participants with 30 designers who'll create cover art to reflect your amazing visions. Take part in the 30 Covers, 30 Days project now.

National Novel Writing Month
3354 Adeline Street
Berkeley, CA 94703

(posted on 24 Oct 2015)

I have been sooooooooooooo busy this summer and fall chores leading to producing items for upcoming holiday fairs, I have not had time to upload new artwork [block print images, collages, or digital drawings] on my various print on demand stores. As far as the pastel digital drawing of cats, I'm closing in on 300 drawings for the year...

Print on Demand URLs:

http://www.zazzle.com/Nine_Lives_Studio*
http://www.zazzle.com/zen_ink*
http://www.zazzle.com/christmas_studio*
http://www.zazzle.com/photos_9lives_studio*
http://www.zazzle.com/emiffitt_studio
http://www.redbubble.com/people/NineLivesStudio
http://ellen-miffitt.artistwebsites.com

I did get this message the other day from Zazzle: Welcome! You have accrued over $1,000 in lifetime Zazzle earnings, qualifying you for our ProDesigner program at the Bronze level. The sales are fairly steady; for most of the year, there is a purchase of a product with one of my images every few days. A big thank you to all who purchase on these sites.

I am going to facilitate a one night class in the winter quarter about pros & cons of POD stores. For instance, it's taken a long time to reach a $1,000 in commission. One thing to keep in mind with POD stores - they are always offering promo discounts [as much as 50%] so as an artist i can earn as little as ten cents for a post card sold with my art work image.

Print on Demand companies, like Fine Art America, Zazzle, RedBubble, Cafepress, etc. are flourishing. Typically you create a shop front and choose what to display your work on. No physical products are created until it sells. Products include (canvas, prints, t-shirts, mugs, home décor, and so on) within their marketplace. Spend an evening learning the Pros, Cons & Risks of placing your images on a POA shop. Olympia Parks, Art & Recreation Feb 22, 2016 from 6 to 8pm

Back to preparing items for the holiday fairs!

(posted on 24 Oct 2015)

After recovering from all that summer teaching, September was full of canning [salsa, pickles, relish, etc.] and freezing veggies.... now I'm recovered from putting food up!

As far as art classes this fall - unfortunately only one 6 week class and one Saturday workshop ran!

I've signed up for three holiday fairs and maybe a forth [listed under current exhibits] so now I'm finally after a long hiatus in full production most days.

Hand printed close to 200 prints from my various blocks that I've carved over the last few years... adhered to blank note cards. Sent some to Confluence Gallery in Twisp, WA and some to Bainbridge Arts & Crafts on Bainbridge Is., WA.


the little boxes below are paper mache that you can buy in craft stores/amazon, etc. I painted them with acrylic, sprayed the inside with glitter [horrid smell ], glued on trim around the bottom part. Just need to collage on the tops...


I have been making chopstick bound mini journals [almost 50 are finished]. They're the size of a folded piece of copy paper. i glue two sheets of cardstock to make the covers a little sturdier. Next fold ten pages of trimmed 65# paper for the pages [equals 20]. After paper punching holes, thread with ribbon and tie the chopsticks in place. Adhere art on cover [Sumi-e, watercolor pencil drawings, collages, or block prints] and bag...

Sumi-e below - waiting for chopsticks to dry from staining:


collages below:


I will also have small art [ those 4X4" mixed media on canvas, matted Sumi-e, & maybe the PMC jewelry] as well as little wooden boxes that I intend to woodburn. I have two weeks to get them done having various thoughts about designs - like make up your mind... Also have small wooden ornaments to either paint of woodburn.

Keep Arting...

(posted on 24 Sep 2015)

Happy Fall Equinox!

Spent almost 3 weeks being busy canning [salsa, bread & butter pickles, plum jam, Kosher dill pickles, and zucchini relish] and freezing corn, brocoli, cauliflower, green beans as wells as making quart jars of tomato soup, potato leek soup, broscht, chicken broth and beef stew. first time in quite a while that I've been able to fill the freezer with harvest from Olympia Farmer's Market, Westside FM and GRUB Farmstand.

News from The Fine Art Exhibit @ WA State Fair - sold Cat Zen, an 14"X11" framed Sumi-e.
Since my camera doesn't work I don't think I took a photo of it...

Arts Walk is almost here - first weekend in Oct - and I haven't finished any of the odd little projects I started

Many of the local Etsy team have started to make the tranistion to Amazon's new handcraft section. Will be interesting to see what happens. I never finished my Aftcra store. - need to purchase a digital camera body so I can use a macro lens that I have.... then I can make better images of my work.

Only my basic drawing class [8 week] and one Saturday workshop have run. Puzzled. Maybe I need to rewrite the blurb for the classes.
Art is art and there are only so many ways to present basic classes.

Keep arting folks...
e

(posted on 3 Sep 2015)

Catching up with another summer class exercise samples - Zen Ink as in doodling but this style of ink doodling has a well know copyright name that shall remain nameless...
This is a landscape that is almost finished...

Hills and Dales © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt




Flower Gardem © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

Ink pen design of multiple flowers colored with color pencils.


Fall Pumpkin © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

Did this exercise with adults once but I colored in the doodles after I made the designs within the pumpkin sections and leaves. There are many "line" drawing that are copyright free online. This often helps with students of any age that might not have ability to draw an object.


Name Doodle © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

The first project I had the students make was their name. I had started this in an adult doodle class and finished it between checking/advising the student's work. I was amazed at the talent the kids exhibited.


Black and White Mandala © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

When creating these type of repitious patterns small mistakes happen. The whole idea is to just left it flow. No predrawing and no erasers - there is a freedom in letting little mistakes be there... over time, skills with the pens increase. There are many mandala blank designs online that can be downloaded for doodle exercises and are copyright free. Hint: work on a smooth surface. the table had slight pattern and I got a few extra bumps.


Cats in Boxes © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

The exercise is to create a whole series of different shape boxes. Doodles could be whatever you fancied. One girl did Manga drawings, another flowers....

Owl © 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

The exercise was to draw a simple outline of a animal and then create the doodle patterns within the simple outline. I had started this owl in the adult class. The 12-16 year old classes were three hours long and they worked the full time on their doodles.

I bought pickle cucumbers so I'm going to slice and dice for awhile before bed and make Bread and Butter Pickles tomorrow!

(posted on 3 Sep 2015)

scanned art work that I did when working with the older kids age 12-16. They were fun to be with and they liked to see what I would come up with on each exercise in the recycled collage class.


Orange Moon

© 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

Orange Moon is a torn/cut collage landscape from discarded watercolor paintings.




Leaf Nymph

© 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

Leaf Nymph was made from sewing pattern tissue paper and a hand cast face.





Painted Spheres

© 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

The paper for this design was scrap scrapbook paper and hand stained paper [acrylic paint]. This design is on a 16X16" black paper but I can only scan most of it.



Butterfly Weaving

© 8/2015 Ellen Miffitt

Anothe design from scrap scrapbook paper and I emphasized using weaving as part of their design. This design is on a 16X16" black paper but I can only scan most of it.

I'm almost finished with the chopstick books I'm making. All I have to do is cut the ribbon and thread through paper punched holes to keep the chopsticks in place. I may cut up Leaf Nymph, Painted Spheres and Butterfly Weaving as well as other older collages/artwork to decorate the cover of these simple books.

The cooler weather has me reenergizing and starting to work on lots of started projects!

Wonderful to be focused again..,
e

(posted on 28 Aug 2015)

Received my acceptance letter from the WA State Fair Fine Art Exhibit.

All six of my entries were accepted: two mini mixed media on 4"X4" canvas [Nocturne and Blue Moon], two Sumi-e size 14"X11"[Serenity, a landscape and Cat Zen] and two mixed media on canvas [Green Man, Forest Spirit and Departing Heart].

The exhibit runs the length of The Fair - September 11-27th.

The entry volunteers processed 758 entries and the various catergory judges accepted 723.

older blog items...