Where does the time go??

So sorry I've been MIA these last couple of months.  There's something about the last few months of the year that seem to just let the days slip away faster and faster. 

I'm currently in Tucson with my family for the holidays.  I feel so lucky and blessed to have family and friends to return to every year, who always embrace me with open arms and the warmest of hearts.

An update: I did not get into the Renegade Craft Fair this time, but that isn't going to discourage me from trying again.  I am going to continue to practice my craft and make some kick-butt art while I'm at it ;)

I have recently run low on funds to buy frames, so I haven't made any new pieces lately except for this one I made for my dear friends Gina and Matt for their wedding gift in November.  It's a 100% original LH design.

I wish all of you everything your hearts desire in 2014.  Please take care of one another because we're all we've got.

<3 LH

The Baby Gift : )

I was in Phoenix over the weekend for one of my best friend's baby showers.  It was a blast!  Now I can finally post a pic of the picture I made for her and her husband.  I didn't want to ruin the surprise, lol.

I was at work at Sony Studios yesterday and they had this huge rainbow over one of their parking lots.  I love Hollywood!!

TTFN!

Fingers crossed!!

I just sent in my application and booth fee to The Renegade Craft Fair : D 

Pray that we get in! And I will, of course, keep all of you posted!  

Have a wonderful weekend!

<3 LH

New pics, new opportunities, and networking cards, oh, my!

I'm so excited!!  The Renegade Craft Fair is now accepting submissions for their winter fair in L.A.  I have to read the requirements and send in my submission for LH.  I hope I get in!

Here are some new pieces I gave you a sneak peek of a couple weeks ago.  They come in aqua, ,green, gray, and purple.  Suns are coming, Cascade!

Last bit of news is my networking cards came in the mail.  Aren't they cute??

Someone's been busy!

Here is the Little Hibachi family as it is right now.  I have given away a number of pieces, but I think I'm getting a good base of inventory with more always on the way : )  (added bonus: Can you spot the kitty??)

I also ordered business cards to hand out so that more people can find out about us.  I'll post pics when they come.  Exciting!!

Sunday Fun-Day Sneak-Peek Preview!

A new twist on an old classic coming soon!!

Name That Tune (Saturday Edition!)

I had another medical setback, but hopefully that was the end of it.  I just want to get back to my normal routine of making music, love, and art!


These are my most recently finished pieces:

Enjoy your weekend! <3 LH

Name that tune!

I made two sets of these and I'm really happy with how they turned out.  They were inspired by song lyrics from two of my favourite bands!

Monday, Monday!

Here's a new one for the start of a new week!  I hope you had a lovely weekend!

Renegade Craft Fair

As I mentioned in my previous post, I attended the Renegade Craft Fair in downtown Los Angeles.  If you're not familiar, here's their website: http://www.renegadecraft.com/ .

Overall I was really pleased with it and found all of the artists to be inspiring.  I could definitely see Little Hibachi in a little booth of its own there (hopefully this winter!).  Here are some pics I took.

My friend Rachael's favourite:

On a totally unrelated topic, have you heard this song by Pink and Nate Ruess from Fun.?  I know it's a cheesy pop song, but I can't stop listening to it!

Okay, bye for now : )

Little Hibirthday!

It's been a couple of weeks, but I am on the road to recovery, which means Little Hibachi is on the road toward more new pieces : )  Just before my surgery I went to a triple birthday trifecta for friends Jen, Gina, and Shelly.  I gave them each a Little Hibachi piece and I think they liked them!

 Beautiful girls!!

And yesterday I attended the Renegade Craft Fair in downtown L.A. for the first time and had a blast.  Pics and reflections to come! TTYL

Happy Friday!

Here are two new pieces I just finished.  I'm really happy with how they turned out.  Today is someone's birthday who is very special to me, my best friend in the whole world since the day I was born, my sister!  Happy birthday, Lin!  I love you!!

*Personal note:  I'm going to be recovering from minor surgery starting on Monday, so I may not be able to post anything for a while.  My apologies, but don't worry, I'll be fine and I'll be back before you know it!

<3 LH

Tattoos and whatnot.

 

For those of you who know me, this one is inspired by the tattoo I have that simply says, "Look up."  A lot of people ask me what the meaning of it is and one of the reasons I got it was because I wanted it to have different meanings for anyone who notices it.  For me, though, I find that when I am really stressed out and trying to work something out in my head I am always looking down, but as soon as I physically look up I feel better.  I mean, there are so many wonderful things that surround us all of the time.  We just have to be willing to see them.

Happy Friday!

The newest additions to the Little Hibachi family : )  

It is freakin' hot in the valley, I tell ya!  Stay cool this weekend!

<3 LH

I'm out of town this week!

But don't worry!  I'll be back next week with some new pieces! ~ LH

Happy Friday!

Make some plans to play this weekend!

<3 LH

I'm happy with this one!

I'm calling it "Hot Wasabi Ice Cream TV"

(Photo-bomb by: Desmond)

Any Simpsons fans??

Then you'll appreciate this one.

To doodle?

I'm guilty!  I'm a chronic doodler!  Always have been, always will be.  When I was in school I could not pay attention for more than a few minutes before turning to my notebook and either drawing seemingly meaningless lines and shapes or writing out the lyrics to my favourite songs.  I have notebooks FILLED with these pages as proof.  At my last administrative job I would be on the phone answering questions while simultaneously filling post-it notes with flowers and little stick figure men.

I've always thought that this meant I could never be a good student or productive worker.  Even now when I'm working on a production set and someone comes and sits next to me I immediately cover up my work, embarrassed by how juvenile and crude my illustrations are.

But then I saw this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz68b879rOI

If you don't have time to watch the video, the speaker is talking about the importance of doodling and how it actually helps people keep from losing focus and can lead to better retention of information.  She states the new definition of doodling should be: To make spontaneous marks to help yourself think.

I couldn't agree more with that statement because any time I am doodling I am thinking about something.  There is something about the action between my mind and my hand that allows my mind to come together and I actually pay attention more to what is going on around me.  I've just been too ashamed to admit it.  So in the spirit of de-shaming this very practical practice, I am going to share with you some of my most recent doodles and then show you the pieces that they have inspired for Little Hibachi.

  

  

So much of my adult life has been about un-learning so many things about myself I thought to be true and in turn learning something new.  So, here's to us, the doodlers of the world!  

Feel free to share any of your doodles with me in the comments or in an email: littlehibachi@gmail.com

<3

Coffee, coffee, coffee!

My relationship with coffee, like a many of my personal relationships has been a complicated one.  When I was a teenager living in Tucson, I was able to drink a 16 oz. Iced Mocha Latte from The Safehouse at midnight and still be able to go to sleep that night without a problem.  Then when I was in my mid-twenties it got to the point where I couldn't even have a cup of coffee without experiencing terrible anxiety and espresso was completely out of the question.  But now, after slowly re-training my body, I have a nice little caffeine addiction going for me and can't function until I have my first cup in the morning.  I would say 95% of the work I've done for Little Hibachi is a result of this wonder elixir.  I'll drink to that!!

Happy Friday!

<3 LH

When it comes to the future...

Can you guys keep a secret?  One of my goals for Little Hibachi is to be able to rent a gallery space and have a show of my own original work.  For people looking from the outside in, that seems bold, and it is.  The idea scares and excites me, which has caused me to think about these two seemingly opposing feelings a lot.  After much contemplation I've decided that feeling both scared and excited is probably the best combination of feelings you can have when taking on a new endeavor.

So many of us want certainty.  I know I do!  We want definite answers and we are plagued by the anxiety of what the future holds, but there aren't any answers, folks!  The best we can do is follow our hearts and I think as long as we're a little scared and a lot excited about what could happen then that is an indicator that we are on the right track.

Just think about when you watch a scary movie.  Part of the fun of it is being scared, being taken by surprise.  The same goes for thrill seekers jumping out of planes or taking off on roller coasters.  I am not a fan of roller coasters myself.  I try so hard to hold on and not lose control, but if I could just learn to let myself go and let excitement overtake me, I would probably really enjoy them.

I know things might not seem great and you might be feeling scared and uncertain, but I ask you to sit and think for just a moment and contemplate on recognizing that you are scared, but also allowing yourself to be a little excited too.

This is how it works.

I have been getting really good feedback on my little clouds.  Maybe everyone is feeling the June gloom vibe?  I sure am.  I've been living in L.A. for almost 10 years and it's still a surprise to me every June when I wake up to gray skies for more than a day.  Well, today I've decided to post some pics of my process for making these fluffy little guys.  Enjoy!

First I trace the image on the glass using a pen dipped in ink (like in ye olde times :) 

Fun fact: Like a reflection in a mirror, the pictures have to be traced backward so that they will look right when in the frame, so if there is any text in the image, I have to write it backward!

After the ink has dried I spray the glass with a few coats of clear varnish so that the paint won't make the ink run.  And then I use acrylic paint to colour the parts I don't want to show through the background.  I also use paint called glass stain if I want slightly transparent colour that will allow the background to show through.

Lastly I take cellophane and pack it behind the glass in each frame to give it a shimmery effect.

And here they are finished!

Oh, I love my little clouds!  I didn't mean to paint them baby colours ;p  I do know some very special people expecting babies this year though, so they must be on my mind :D  That's it!  I'll be sure to post some more soon!