Retro Blog…Dec. 21st 2007 :)

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches…

That’s because of all the Art on them. Yes, I said art. No I haven’t had too much eggnog. :P

The Christmas tree is the ultimate expression of oneself, just like art. That’s why no Christmas tree is the same. When I decorate my Christmas tree, it’s just like when I sit down to paint. The tree is my canvas and the ornaments are my brush. Each piece makes the whole picture and when I’m done its art. Even if it’s lop-sided and there are too many of the same color glass balls hanging together, it’s still my masterpiece. It’s not art that only one person can make, everyone is a Christmas tree artist. Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading and have a Happy Holiday!
~Caralyn

Let the Holidays begin.

I hope Everyone had a Lovely Thanksgiving Holiday, Now to start the Christmas Holiday off with my work being featured in some festive Etsy Treasuries. Enjoy!!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTY3MzUyNTZ8MTI1NDE4MjMzMg/the-treasures-of-late-autumn

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjY5MjM1MnwxMjMyMzM5NDAw/ill-have-a-bright-christmas

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTE0NDc1M3wxMjI1ODYzMTYw/blue-christmas

Thanks for reading!
~Caralyn

Just in Time for the Holidays

Just in time for the Holidays! I have brand new Dragon pals figurines and Ornaments posted in my Etsy Store. Enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticReflections

Working on a few more pieces for Christmas, so I should have a few Holiday Myxies for you soon.
Thanks for reading
~Caralyn

The To-Do List that just won’t stop growing!

I have a loooong To-Do List this month, Working on two commissions, Starting on my husband’s book cover, Doing my sister’s annual Christmas Card…This one is gonna be CUTE! I’m hoping to finish a few more pieces before the Holidays get here and if I have time I would love to update my cafépress store with my new art. I have needed to get this done for some time and have been dragging my feet like the lazy artist I am LOL.
And Last but not least submitting my Art to Spectrum and keeping my fingers crossed they accept me this year.
http://www.spectrumfantasticart.com/about.php
Spectrum is about to release their 19th Artist Book now and I have been submitting my work to them for about 4 years so far…I’m getting very used to their rejection but as always I’m just gonna keep submitting until they accept me :)

This has been such a busy year for me but it’s also been very exciting because I’m getting so many new people enjoying my work.
Now if I could just get more hours in a day it would be easy sailing for me…expecting the longer days any time now.

Anyway keep checking my blog for updates on my newest pieces. Thanks for reading!
~Caralyn

Harvest Time Dragons!

Ohhhhhh FUN! Halloween is coming up fast so to get in the Festive Mood I decided to sculpt a few Harvest-Dragon Pals. So far I only have about 4 and they are all shades of green for some reason but I can Hopefully post them in enough time for people to give them a new home before Halloween is over. I really should’ve started sooner. But I’ll be following those up with some Winter holiday Dragons…So excited to get started on Christmas ones Heeee! Anyway have a look at my newest little guys and tell me what you think.

Thanks for reading, keep checking my blog for updates!
~Caralyn

Hear Those Sleigh Bells Ring-a-Ling?

Good Morning Friends,
The Holiday Season is fast approaching and if you are anything like me you want to get an early start so you can make sure to get everyone taken care of before the crazy last minute rush…Of course that is never how it happens for me…just like last year I’ll be pushing and shoving old ladies in the electronics isle to get the last i-phone 3 seconds before Christmas eve. But it just wouldn’t be the Holidays without a little violence :P
But for those of you who would like to avoid people like me around this time of year and order your gifts off line (the safe way to shop) I have all kinds of cute gifts in my cafépress store. T-Shirts, Coffee Cups, Baby Clothes, just about everything. Also adorable Christmas Cards for those of you who still have friends and Families that read real paper letters in the mail…Yeah not e-cards sent on the computer but REAL paper…I know it’s weird.

Please Check out my shop for your Holiday ideas
http://www.cafepress.com/mysticreflect

Thanks for looking and Happy Shopping.
~Caralyn

AAAway in a Planter's Can

Oh boy it’s that wonderful time of year when family and friends come together to celebrate the day of a very special birth…no it’s not MY birthday…good guess though. :D It’s Christmas! Time to put out the lights and the garland…just like Jesus would want…and who wouldn’t, Lights and Garland are GREAT! But to make your decorations complete you must put out the Nativity scene. What do you mean you don’t have one, and you can’t buy one cause you spent the last of your money on a Beer hat for uncle Fred? Well never you fear, we can make one.
This is actually something my older sister did for the family one year, she was creative like that…and a little strange :P
Nativity Scene Peanuts Style! All you need are a few peanuts still in their shells, an assortment of colored fabric, popsicle sticks, tooth picks, poster board, glue and markers.
First we start buy making the people, take a peanut and draw a face on one side with the markers. Next cut out clothes from the fabric. Small squares should do it, peanuts don’t have much to cover up. Glue the clothes on the shells and use your imagination to make them look like the Wise men, Mary and Jesus etc. Next cut out small ovals in the poster board, glue two of them to the bottom of each peanut, this will help your peanut people stand.
Once you have your people the way you want, it’s time for the manger. Take a popsicle stick and cut it in half. Lay the halves side by side and glue the touching sides together. Repeat this with two other sticks. After the glue is dry, make a v shape with two popsicle sticks using the third as a base. Glue all that mess together and fill it with tooth picks to act as hay. Then you just lay your baby Jesus Peanut in the manger and you have a adorable little nativity scene that even Planters can enjoy :)

Clean your plate, then make stuff out of it.

Hey Pilgrims,

This year to spice up my dinner table for Thanksgiving, I have decided to make a cornucopia, a horn of plenty or harvest cone, whichever you want to call it. The cornucopia is a symbol of abundance or lots of food which is what I plan on eating this Thursday…YUM. But before I shove all that food into my mouth let's say I use my creativity first and make my home festive. To make a splendiferous cornucopia that any pilgrim would be proud of, here is what I will need.
A paper plate, masking tape, brown ribbon, an assortment of construction paper.
Roll a paper plate into a cone, securing it with masking tape. Bend the end of the cone slightly to curve it, then wrap the cone with more tape to create a smooth surface, leaving the hole at the tip untaped. As you will see it already looks like a horn. Next stick one end of the ribbon in the small hole in the tip and glue it in place. Add a line of glue down the length of the cone then wrap the ribbon around it. When you are finished it should look like an empty cornucopia or a big mess but in that case just throw it in the garbage and buy one that somebody else made.
Next cut different size leaf shapes out of the paper and glue them around the opening of the horn.
Now your horn of plenty is complete, I will be filling mine with plastic fruit but anything can go in yours, real fruit, candy, flowers, use your imagination to create the perfect center piece for your Thanksgiving dinner. Now bring on the Food!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Happy Halloween

Hello My Friends

It is just about that time again, Halloween! The only time when it is acceptable to take candy from strangers. In fact it’s expected. All you have to do is wear a towel around your neck and your undies out side of your pants…don’t tell me I’m the only one who does that…and they give you candy. Any other day of the week they would call the police for that kind of display. But not on October 31st, ain’t Halloween grand. So to honor this wonderful holiday get yourself in the spirit by dressing the way your mother never let you.
What’s that? Gas has taken all your money you say, you can’t afford a costume that makes you look like a crazy person? Well never fear, looking like a psychopath isn’t just for the rich now days. You can find a costume using stuff from around your house. There is the traditional towel around your neck that we covered but if you are looking for something a little more creative here’s an idea.
Get a regular baseball cap, spray paint it green, unless you have a green ball cap…I don’t know of anyone who does.
Take different color construction paper. Cut out ears on the green, sharp teeth on the white, a tongue out of the red, and if you have googily eyes use them but if not use the construction paper. Then paste the ears and eyes to the top of the cap and paste the teeth and tongue to the bottom of the bill. Be creative as to how you want to decorate it, with spots or glitter, etc. Combine the cap with a green shirt and presto, you’re a dragon! Okay so I know it’s a campy cheap costume but you’re the one who spent all you money on Gas. Besides with a little creativity you can make it a great, despite cheap, costume and then be on your way to getting a tummy ache from eating more candy then your stomach can handle...that’s the American way :)

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Decorating Easter Eggs

This is actually an old trick that my Dad taught me. Boiled eggs, a white crayon and an assortment of egg dye are all you need. First, take a boiled egg and with the white crayon draw anything you want… stripes, dots, the Mona Lisa... anything. Then dip the egg in the dye (don’t forget to follow the egg-dying directions) When you remove the egg from the dye you will see that the dye only stays in the places not colored by the white crayon, neat huh? Then after it dries, draw something else on the egg then submerge it in the dye again. This time when it comes out the drawing that you did the second time will remain the color of whatever you dyed the egg first. Repeat this as many times as you want to make your egg a beautiful array of colors.

Happy Easter Everyone!