Day 47 ~ TNT

Winter session of Dream Boogie begins tomorrow! Hooray!
(http://www.planetsark.com/DreamBoogie.htm)
Today's butterfly is in honor of Trisha Marcy, also known as "TNT" or "Top Notch Trisha." She's the one who holds it all together and makes it possible for Sark to do all the things she does. She's quite a remarkable woman and has been a wonderful mentor to me for the past year.
Trisha loves turquoise, the color of the sea, so I put some real turquoise stones in her crown. I made her wings from a photo I took of the ocean at one of my favorite spots on Highway One.
Here's a little toast I wrote for Trisha. Feel free to join me in sending her warm thoughts as you read this:

Here's to Trisha
Queen of our hearts
She's as kind
as she is smart
And as you can see
She's a work of art!
So toast her now
With a glass of wine
TNT!
Long may she shine!

Day 46 ~ Madame Butterfly

I made today's butterfly using handmade tree-free Nepalese paper. One of the coolest things about this butterfly project is that I have a great reason to use the special art supplies that I've been storing up for years. Her wing is made from a Bodhi leaf, which is said to bring patience and enlightenment.

Day 45 ~ Lavender Fairy

When I was a kid I used to make little dolls out of things I found in nature all the time. It was fun to recall those memories as I created this little lavender fairy. One of the coolest things about this one is that it's all held together naturally without glue.

Day 44 ~ Smiling Bob

I've known Robert for almost 10 years now and I am so grateful to have him in my life. I call him "Smiling Bob" because he's hilarious and always has a smile to share with everyone. This guy has LIVED and is full to the brim with exciting tales of adventure. I keep telling him he should let me videotape his memoirs because he's such an awesome storyteller.
One thing I really appreciate about Bob is his love and support of the arts. He is especially into Native American art, so I gave him dream catcher wings!

Day 43 ~ Marney

Today's butterfly is for my friend Marney Makridakis of Artellaland. She had foot surgery today, so I decided to make this to wish her a speedy recovery! Marney's favorite color is orange, as you can see! I also rubbed some tangerine peels on her dress to make it smell like orange. Did you know that the smell of orange is a natural way to lift your spirits? Making this lifted my spirits and I hope it does the same for Marney!

Day 42 ~ Thumbs Up!

I just discovered this awesome show called "Thumbs Up!" Graffiti artists David Choe and Harry Kim travel the world vagabond style, accepting all rides as long as they are free. This is the first time I've done a double butterfly, but these two are such great friends that they are like two peas in-a-pod! I used spray paint and my own thumbs for this one!
You can watch all episodes of Thumbs up for free here:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/thumbs-up/thumbs-up-season-1-5-of-5

Day 41 ~ Zagar

I discovered this amazing mosaic mural artist named Isaiah Zagar. His son made a documentary about him here.
This guy is amazing! He did mosaic on every square inch of his home and then branched out onto other buildings. I want to visit Phillie just to see his work.
Today's butterfly was done with him in mind. He drew many faces like this of his wife, Julia, in his murals. But while I was breaking the mirror for this piece, I cut the dickens out of my finger. I was so engrossed that I drew her face with my own blood. I know, I know, that makes me a bit of an art freak. But I'm ok with that. I think Isaiah would approve as well.

Day 40 ~ Beach Baby

Today was such a beautiful day! It was almost 70 degrees and sunny in mid-January! Can you believe it? I walked on the beach with my dog and found the ingredients for today's silly little beach baby butterfly. It brought back sweet memories of visiting my grandparents in Florida when I was a kid. My grandma's best friend Lucy would make all kinds of funny little creatures out of seashells, and sometimes she let me make them with her. Good times, good times...

Day 39 ~ Create!

Marney Makridakis of Artellaland has asked me to do an article about my art studio for the February Journal Journey online magazine. My studio used to be my living room, but now I call it my "living womb" because it's a safe place where my creative dreams can grow and thrive. The walls are all collaged, so I took a close up of one of the walls and used that for the wings of today's butterfly. I also splattered it with paint, ala' Jackson Pollock.

Day 38 ~ Creative Clarity

I spent the day organizing and purging my files. I always put it off until the files are bursting, and I notice that it makes me feel creatively stuck when it gets to that point. Even though they are just files filled with paper, they create mental static... Know what I mean? Clearing them out has left me feeling very expansive and inspired. I wanted to make something like stained glass, so the sun could shine through, because it feels like the sun is shining in my mind. I made this with shrinky dinks and wire. I am looking into stained glass classes, however, so stay tuned. :)

Day 37 ~ My Little Buddy: Bonsai

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. " ~Gilda Radner

Day 36 ~ A Simple Little Butterfly

It's hard to make a butterfly when you've had a shitty day. I made this simple one with a funky old necktie from the 70's and a hair clip.

Day 35 ~ Hobo Lee

Today's butterfly is dedicated to my good friend and pen pal extraordinaire: Hobo Lee. I met Lee over a love of trains. I have always wanted to try hopping a train. I was watching a movie about train hopping many years ago called "Catching Out." It was a great movie, and Lee happened to be in it. He really struck me a person I'd love to meet, so I wrote him a letter. Many months passed, and then one day I found a thick decorated envelope in my P.O. Box. It contained a 13 page letter from Lee and photos of his train hopping trip to Europe. That was 6 years ago, and we've been friends ever since.
As you can see, Lee loves to wear black. We've also had many discussions about duct tape and all the stuff you can use it for. Lee hates gray duct tape, but loves black duct tape, so I made his wings out of black duct tape.
Here's the trailer for the movie: "Catching Out." You can see Lee toward the end, dressed in black and talking about his love of train hopping.

Day 34 ~ Warhol

Today's butterfly is in memory of Andy Warhol. I did a self-portrait Warhol journal page last year, so I decided to print it out and use it for the wings.

Day 33 ~ Dr. King

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day everybody!
Today's butterfly is dedicated to his memory.

Day 32 ~ Billizetti Butterfly

This butterfly is for my good friend, Bill (aka Billizetti, )who was the one to turn me onto this butterfly project to begin with. I could say so many things about Bill, but the main thing that I love about him is that he has supported me artistically more than anyone in my life so far. (I don't know if he knows this, but it's true) I feel truly blessed to call him a dear friend.
Bill loves France and all things French (as do I) and he loves the little multicolored cookies they make there called "macarons." Therefore I decided to give him macaron wings and an Eiffel Tower body.
Check out Bill's amazing art here.

Day 31 ~ Moonlight Chronicles

Tonight's butterfly is for my friend Dan Price. What a guy he is! He really knows how to live life fully, and I learn so much from him. He has been writing a zine for over 20 years called "Moonlight Chronicles." They are filled with his drawings and thoughts and all kinds of cool information for living simply and adventurously. I could go on and on about Dan. Check out his zine here.
(he even offers a free issue for you to try) I must say that I am hooked, and over the past 7 years I have collected almost 70 of his zines!
I made this butterfly out of a stamp that Dan carved himself.

Day 30 ~ Airmail

Today's butterfly is for my sweet new pen pal, Tony.

Day 29 ~ Alexander Supertramp

Of all the men who have passed through my life, he wass the one I regret losing. He was the one who got away. He was the one I had all of my adventures with...the kind of wild adventures you think of on your deathbed. Last I heard from him, he was in South Africa. Every-once-in-awhile I place a Craigslist Ad there just hoping he'll see it and contact me. His name is Chris Williams, one of the most common names out there, so I've had no luck searching for him on Facebook. His nickname was Alexander Supertramp. Maybe I'll get lucky and someone who knows him will see this. Tell him all is forgiven and I just want him back in my life...
On his wings I wrote some lyrics from a Dylan song:
"Sundown, yellow moon,
I replay the past
I know every scene by heart,
they all went by so fast.
If he's passin'
back this way,
I'm not hard to find.
Tell him he can look me up
If he's got the time."

This was our song: Midnight Moonlight by the Jerry Garcia Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL0LoecE8ew

Day 28 ~ BooBoo with his Pickanic Basket

Last but not least is my best friend Sonya's youngest: 2 year old little Johnney. One day he got out their picnic basket and started filling it with juice boxes and snack packs and said "Mommy let's go on a picnic!" Isn't that cute? I've decided his new nickname is BooBoo (Like on Yogi Bear) and I gave him a pickanick basket.

Day 27 ~ Manny and his pet Alien

This is my best friend Sonya's 3rd child: Manny. Manny likes aliens, so I gave him a pet alien. I will have to get him to name it. I'm also attaching an awesome alien picture that Manny drew for me. I love it so much I'm going to frame it!

Day 26 ~ Fofi

This is my best friend Sonya's second born: Fofi. She's a chip off the ol' block and loves to do art, so I gave her a paintbrush and palate.

Day 25 ~ Eleni

This is my best friend Sonya's first born: Eleni. She loves to read and write, and sends me delightful little stories with drawings. I have her holding two of her favorite book series: good ol' Nancy Drew and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.

Day 24 ~ Super Shmimmy!

Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?
No! It's Super Shmimmy!
Faster than a speeding Frisbee!
Stronger than the governor of California!
Able to leap 4 kids on a couch in a single bound!
By day, he is mild mannered Jimmie, husband of my best friend Sonya. But when disaster strikes, he becomes world's greatest dad and husband: "Super Shmimmy!"
Seriously folks, good men are hard to find these days. I'm so glad Sonya found one! And they're high school sweethearts too. Don't you just love it?
He calls me Shmarg, I call him Shmimmy. I have no recollection of how these nicknames got started, but they crack us up and that's all that really matters! ;) He also loves comic books, which is another reason I think he's super!
PS: His wings are made of tin foil glued to card stock, so here are wrinkles and air bubbles. It bothers the perfectionist in me, but I decided that if I am going to do a butterfly a day for a year, I need to put that perfectionist aside or I will burn out. I'm learning many subtle lessons.

Day 23 ~ PG, BF, BF

Today's butterfly is of my best friend, Sonya. She's pregnant, and married to a wonderful Greek man named Jimmie. They are of the Greek Orthodox religion, so today is their Christmas Day. This is just my little way of wishing her a merry merry. I chose the butterfly with spots that look like eyes, because as a mother of 4 (soon to be 5) she has to have eyes all over her body, not just the back of her head! You will meet the rest of her family, in butterfly form, in the next 5 days. :)

Day 22 ~ Wooden you like to be a Butterfly?

Today's butterfly was made out of a box from some Christmas cheese and Popsicle sticks! I save everything for possible future art projects, and now I am getting a chance to use them, and it feels really good. I also got to play with my wood burner, which I love to do.

Day 21: Zentangle Butterfly

They say these are meditative to create, like a mandala. I have to agree. They are also rather addictive. But hey, there's certainly worse things to be addicted to, eh?

Day 20: Butter-Bear

Tonight's butterfly didn't turn out so great. I feel crabby about it and don't want to even bother photographing it. It's a stuffed bear with wings, but it turned out all wonky. It's my commentary on how this time of year makes me feel like hibernating...
I will try to fix it and show it later....
Thanks for coming by!

Day 19 : All Hail Vida ~ Queen of the Girlfrens!

The best gift I got in 2010 was the return of my good friendVida to my life on New Year's Eve. I used to live in the small mountain town of Nederland, Colorado, where Vida still resides. In our heyday, we started a gang called "The Girlfrens." She was the Queen of the Girlfrens, and I guess I was second-in-command. All the women in town were welcome to join us. We'd have wild potluck parties at our local bar where just about anything could happen. Most of the men in town didn't know what to make of us!
Vida loves purple and violets. I like to press flowers in books, and I happened to have 3 little violets for her crown. I also pressed a bunch of Queen Anne's lace this summer, so I added some the the neck of her royal purple gown. I just love the way it turned out!

Day 18 ~ Holy Flying Banana!

Yesterday I did a juice fast, and all I had all day were green smoothies. I love bananas and use them a lot in smoothies, so I thought I would make a banana butterfly. I like to stick my fruit labels on the side of the fridge door. They become like a big fruit label collage. I peeled off a bunch of them to use for the wings. This butterfly is in gratitude to all the organic farmers who grew the fruits and veggies for my wonderful juice fast!

Day 17: A Vibrant Year Begins Today!

Recently I was asked to come up with a word that would describe how I most want to feel in 2011. The word "vibrant" sprang immediately to mind. When I thought about the times I feel most vibrant, visions of adventure came to me. I would love to travel the world, but my current financial situation rules out any distant travels. I've decided to experiment with finding adventure in my everyday life. I've installed a compass in my heart that will lead me to experiences of adventure this year. Look out world, here I come!