Amber Dusick

a spot of sun, just in time for a spring shop update

 
The sun peeped out for just 15 minutes today and I literally ran to get my camera to photograph my batch of spring goodies. Just enough time.  Not my best photography, couldn't even find my normal backdrop but with cloudy skies and rain coming over the next several days I'll take what I can get.

 
Children of Nature included just ONE of pink tulip, yellow tulip, rainbow, purple flower, daisy and black eyed susan.  Plus two bluebell flowers.  Why did I make so few?  Design mode, not production mode is what is making me tick right now.  This was the first time in a long time that I enjoyed every step of the process.  Okay, maybe not the part when I was waiting for the sun to shine.  

Tulips are the essence of spring for me.  I love this pair.  

But rainbow child is my favorite.  Especially since we've seen so many rainbows this month.  I made two, but I'm keeping one. 

My usual bunnies and eggs for Easter?  I didn't make any.  Honestly, they are a dime a dozen on Etsy now and I'm just not inspired by the same old same old.  Instead I came up with three new designs.  Only one of each.

Last, but not least...three robots for Japan, ready to give a bit of light in these heavy times.  ALL proceeds will go to Japan for these three one of a kind robots.  I've shipped to Japan a few times, amazing how the art community makes us a touch closer.  My thoughts are there often as I'm sure yours are too.      

This was the little window in the clouds that I took advantage of today.  Just after I finished shooting the sun tucked behind again.  Perfect timing, it absolutely made my day.

Everything I have for spring is loaded in the shop! Wow, all SOLD OUT! Thank you! 

 

 

living with a chimney sweep

It started out innocently enough last Thursday.  He wanted to be a chimney sweep.  Not just any chimney sweep.  He was very specific.  He wanted to be "Dick Van Dyke acting the part of Burt, the chimney sweep" from Mary Poppins.  Okay then.  

The next day was the same.  As was the next.  He played with his little brother but "as a chimney sweep" only.  We went out to a restaurant.  We went to a few stores.  We went about our normal business except that for the last six days I have had a chimney sweep for a son.  Soot and all.

 

On all these outings, only one person questioned us while we were in line at a kid's clothing store exchanging something.  A woman in line next to us nearly collapsed from concern and asked me, "Did he fall down?  What are all the bruises on his face from?"  I swear she was reaching for her cell phone, ready to call Child Protective Services.  "Uh, what?"  I'm so completely used to life with a chimney sweep that I was confused and actually looked at my other (clean as a whistle) child first, thinking he probably did have a bruise or two from falling down.  Then finally I explain, "Oh, he is dressed up like a chimney sweep.  That is soot."  The woman laughs with relief.  

 
He makes a mean batch of molasses cookies, which we now have dubbed "Soot Cookies" forever.

 

We're going on day SIX today and we are even going on a vacation soon.  Will the chimney sweep be joining us?  I wonder how long this will last.  It sure has been fun.

 

Do you let your kids dress up and go places?  What was the wildest outfit that was paraded in public? 

 

 

one for health and one for beauty

Water.  I've been drinking more of it and damn, it feels good.  I use this quart jar that I hijacked from my pantry.  It used to have quinoa in it but we ate it all and I changed the label so it is all mine now. Anyway, a quart holds 32 ounces of water, thus my mantra "one for health and one for beauty" as I try to drink roughly two of these jars each day.  

So it has been my little experiment over the last two weeks and I have some conclusions about what drinking the proper amount of water does for me.  In short, I feel better.  I look better.  So my "one for health and one for beauty" saying is pretty accurate. 

It helps that we have a water filter we love.  After using countless faucet filters and pitcher filters that would need to be replaced completely within just a few months we finally broke down and invested in the real deal.  We got a beautiful stainless steel Berkey filter over a year ago now and I still love that thing.  Along with my DSLR camera, it is one of my most continually fulfilling purchases.

So water.  Drink more.  Just over half of you is made of water so it might be nice to top yourself off.  If you don't normally drink enough it is the cheapest, quickest and easiest thing you can do to improve your health and beauty.

You can consider this my first public service announcement post of the year.  You are welcome.