I have been thinking a lot about this here blog, and what I want to do with it. It is a great outlet and I really like the potential of it.   I am new at it all and a little shy about it, to be honest.  

I want to know I know who my audience  is!
Would you kindly help a girl out?

Who are you?

What are your interests? 

Do you  blog?  If so, leave your link!

How did you find me?

What made you choose to subscribe?

What would you like to see more of?

Is there anything you'd like to know about me?

Will you help me make this blog a conversation rather than a soliloquy?
I have never liked public speaking- I'd rather have a chat. (I checked the spelling of soliloquy and that is correct, believe it or not)

This cute elephant guy is Ganesh.  He is known as The Remover of Obstacles. 

Tell me more about yourself.
Pretty please?

xo, m 

aren't these cute? I made them about a month ago for my newly painted laundry room. (behr paint- melted butter is the name of the color)

i got the frames for el cheapo at a thrift store. They were brown with cheesy cardboard pictures inside.  I  removed the pics, cleaned the frames and then painted them white ( I know abby approves) .  I have had these self-adhesive cork rectangles laying around for ages- never could bring myself to stick 'em to anything.  So  I  painted them white and put them  in the  through the back of the frame - this did require a little bit of trimming with an exacto knife. Then i found my cutest tacks and some postcards  i like and stuck them up! I am pretty sure that those big white buttony-looking tacks are old upholstery tacks. I found them at a yard  sale. Those cute little bird pin thingies I also scored at a yard sale. I wonder what they were originally for?

I want to make more of these mini cork boards! I have tons of old frames ready for some lovin- now I just gotta find more cork. And make some cute pushpins out of old buttons . And buy some more cute postcards.

of my new banner?

it may get some tweaking, but i like it for now! 

I designed this bumblee bee vase! 

It was manufactured by Zrike and is available at Calyx Flowers . My name is even on the bottom of it!  It came out last summer with a gorgeous  sunflower arrangement  in it.  My honey had a bouquet sent to me the day I found out it was online. Love that guy.  Calyx really does an amazing job with their flowers - very fresh, big full bouquets - all incredibly well packaged for shipping.

I love having flowers sent to me. Well, duh.  I mean, who doesn't, right?  

Answer:  you can't, that's how.

Friends, meet Thor. 

 Look at all those paintings!! I like to work on a lot of pieces at once. When I paint, I sit on the floor in the studio- in my painty clothes - surrounded in all directions by boards, canvases, paint, brushes, cats.  I paint for hours at a time and stop only when I have to. I need to have a couple of those intensive days to finish up this series!
I will post as I finish them.

i have been organizing my fabric stash lately.

I realized that most of my quilting fabric had never been washed, so I washed a ton of it at once, and ironed it all. It took me so long to iron it! Hours, literally! Next time I have to do that, i will save it for when I am watching season 4 of 24 on DVD!  It looked like so much fabric when it came out of the dryer- in total three huge laundry baskets full. But when it was all ironed, folded, and stacked- it looked like nothing! Note to self: next time i buy fabric, wash and iron it immediately.

In the stack on the left, you can see some of  my collection of bee fabrics.  I usually buy some whenever I see it- i like bee things. The name Melissa  comes from a greek nymph who taught man the use of honey- so my name is associated with the honeybee.

Sweet, non?

"Forty Steps" is  a  painting in a series called 'Cranberry Road.' This new batch of work is inspired by my childhood- places, memories, patterns, possessions.  The 40 steps, as it is known, is  kind of a gazebo on a hill which overlooks Craigville Beach on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  There are forty steps (but you probably guessed that already) leading down the hill to a tight little dirt path that opens to Craigville Beach Road.  When I was a young girl,  I used to love to walk there from my house. I carved my name into the wood. I sat and looked at the ocean. It was probably my favorite place to go.

The perspective of the painting is from the path looking up. I tried to find a photo to show you, but the only one I could find was from the opposite direction.   I'll have to head over there ( I still live  in the same town) and take a picture. I'll see if I can find my name in the wood.

ok, this post really has nothing to do with muffins. But look at how gorgeous my gem beads look in these  rusty muffin tins!  Mmmm.... gem muffins. 

(For muffin- related fun, visit Muffinfilms. And by the same artist,  Making Fiends. Hilarious!)

I have been experimenting in my jewelry-making lately. I have been using scrap chain that I have collected over the years- incorporating it with  the gems, making asymetrical loops and tassels on necklaces. I love how they are coming out!

Here is an example :

 I will be listing some on etsy in the next few weeks. 

I don't know what I should do when I am in a rambly mood- just post a whole bunch of different pics and amble from topic to topic? Or should I make a bunch of mini posts? I am leaning toward the latter. 

Ok, bye then! 

Here is  another one  of my prints for Victoria's Secret !
the original:

I have spent all day updating my portfolio of digital surface design. I had forgotten how many designs I had sold in 2006! Good job, me! The social butterfly design above is one of my favorites. This sold to a fabric company in the fall  -  hopefully we'll see it in stores by winter2007!