Ties That Bind Project

You might remember several months back when I was involved in the "Ties that Bind" Ovarian Cancer Research Art Collabrative. Since then, some AMAZING things have happened.The Doll has been finished, has been to the publishers, and returned home only to be offered up in an auction where the proceeds benefit Ovarian Cancer research.Please visit the website (to the right) to see the full pictures and view the wonderful finished creation, as well as purchase some tickets to benefit the research, and maybe win a beautiful one of a kind piece of art, created by tons of todays movers and shakers in the mixed media art world! (and a few humble pieces of mine!)

To see the individual charms and ties up close you may also visit the blog.
http://projecttiesthatbind.blogspot.com/

New classes afoot....

Sorry I've been absent, I had a couple of location photo shoots that took me out of state, and a quick trip to Canada in the last couple weeks. Lots of miles on the body. I've been busy during the trips creating the workbooks for some upcoming art classes, and the ideas are flowing like crazy.

I've got a new class that is a personalized caricature in clay. It's the meshing of my 2 favorite methods of using liquid clay, transfer and scrapbooking techniques. As soon as I have time to take more recent photos I'll post them immediately.

In the meantime, imagine the blending of the above two pieces processes, and on canvas to boot!

I hope you are all enjoying this lovely summer so far! More in a day or so!

And the winners are....

Yahoo! We had over 25 comments, so I'm giving away 2 stuffed boxes of goodies from the studio! (And I've been in the midst of a major re-organization and cleaning, so I've found tons of interesting things!)

So with no further ado- Jackie Smith, and Elaine! I will be contacting you for your mailing info so these bulging boxes can make their way to your crafty little hands ASAP!

Congratulations! I hope you will enjoy your goodies and you will share with us some of your creations that might occur with your new stash!

Faith Journal T

Here is the latest installment of my ABC Faith Journal- T for Truth. I always think about how blessed I am that Mike knows me clear to my core, and still loves and accepts me-warts and all.

100th post! What's coming next!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Guess I'm official now, with 100 posts into this blog world where I've met so many new friends and clever, creative, passionate people! I've learned so much, and I've realized how much there is to still learn! I'd like to say thank you for coming along with me on this journey of discovery!

In celebration of this 100th post, I feel the need for a giveaway! Just leave me a comment in this post (with an email link to contact you) and if your name is drawn, I'll send you a deliciously overstuffed package of art supplies and goodies from my studio! This giveaway will close on the 30th, when I'll announce the winner here. For every 25 comments posted, I'll add another goodie package and draw an additional winner!

Coming Events!

(I saw this on Mother's Day and didn't have the camera. Many thanks to Mike for going back and grabbing this shot!)

I am working on new classes, completing the projects and writing the notebooks. More to come on those soon....working with some very exciting new materials and techniques!

I am preparing to open up for some public art classes in my studio this summer- watch for details!

I have been asked to teach at a couple of Stamp and Scrapbook stores in Ohio, and am preparing information for 2 others about classes, so I may be coming to a town near you soon! More details as they become available.

I've been commissioned by 2 different families to design their family reunion T shirts. (I've done my own family's reunion shirts every year since 98.) Always a fun challenge to make them personal and meaningful to the families.

I've been really feeling a strong desire to move in a bolder direction for my personal art. I still seem scattered as I am working on a fairies art journal, a health art journal, and a patriotic outrage art journal, but other areas are becoming streamlined as I am starting to see a stronger style coming to the forefront.

I have been carving stamps like crazy for some of my art projects. Anne Bagby taught me how a couple of years ago, and it is so relaxing. Here are the ones I completed last week.

Speaking of Anne Bagby, those of you who know me, know how much I adore her and her work. She inspires something very deep within my artistic soul, her pieces always seem to sing to me. I've been very blessed to be able to spend time with Anne, creating some of my favorite pieces while with her. Not very long ago, Creative Catalyst Productions released Anne's video "Collage: Paper, Patterns, and Glazing." I got it a week or so ago, and have watched it twice already. It is just like Anne in class- 100 miles an hour, with 100+ sure fire techniques! Not only do you get to enjoy the creative energies of this gifted artist, but there are print outs and additional techniques as well as the 5 separate (beginning to end) pieces you get to experience. Each step is filmed in real time as she does it, and you get to watch the artistic decisions being made, as she explains why. I love this part of the video, as it seems to give me a deeper understanding as to how she creates what she does. I love seeing the final pieces and the variations along the way.

If you would like to know more about Anne, http://www.annebagby.com/ here is her web site.

(Here's a shot from the video) You can even preview a bit of the video at CCP.

http://www.ccpvideos.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CCP&Category_Code=ARTAHB if you would like to know more about Anne's video.

Whoosh!

WOW! has time ever flown by since my last post! I've been just BLASTED with work and home life. I've not yet unpacked everything from Artiscape, because Mike and I had to leave for a job just a day or so after the Artists Retreat.

Artiscape was WONDERFUL- and the people who took my classes just could not have been any sweeter! I always try to plan enough techniques so the artists will be busy the entire class. But we were having so much fun I think we really could have used a couple MORE hours.

The meals were yummy, and the Afternoon tea was divine on Sunday. The venue was smaller, but seemed more cosy, and was certainly more convienient. There was always something to see or do, and the vendors were well stocked with great products.

As usual, I hit the Meadors "Coffee Break Design" booth pretty good, and have tons of cool pieces to make art with, as well as "Rock Candy Studios" and "Random Arts," "Studios Blackbird," " Invoke Arts," " 10 Seconds Studio,"" Altered Art Source," "Paper & Ink Arts," "Mercart," " ERA Graphics," " Diane Maurer Hand Marbled Papers," and " Stamp Zia." There were probably some others in there too, but my brain is on excitement overload.

There was a Sisters of the Secret Fatbook Society get together late on Friday night, that was a huge success. It was so much fun getting to know new friends and reacquainting with friends from other years!

I also got to spend a few minutes with some of my Altered Art Diva sisters, and that was a true highlight of the day for me!

Oh- and I was lucky enough to win one of the door prize raffles! I couldn't believe my luck! Tons of delicious Golden products! I can't wait to dig into them.

The week or so before Artiscape, my little King Charles Cavalier Sophie all of the sudden couldn't use her rear two legs. She was fine one moment, then later that night, it's like she got overly weak. So it was worried, hurried trips to the vet, medicnes, more trips to the vet, and then to OSU School of Vet. Science. More meds. In the beginning, they didn't hold out too much hope.

It was a terrible week for doggies- 2 other art friends lost their furbabies that same week! I was not in a happy creative place, and was panicking about it- knowing I had classes to teach and needed cheer and energy and creativity despite a breaking heart!

After many prayers and tears, Sophie is slowly responding, and getting more active. She's only just 8, so not that old for a little dog. It threw me for a big loop- I was in tears for days. But I mean- look at this sweet face- how could you NOT love it??? Please ignore the two squinting people loving on her.....

Anyway, Mike and I are just back from a location photo shoot in Bettendorf Iowa, where we had rain rain and more rain. IT was a 4 hour drive once we flew into Chicago, so we broke up the driving with stops at antique malls. Found some AWESOME stuff! Will share in my upcoming posts. Shew- It's good to be back!

I'm swamped!

Several of you have emailed me wondering where I've been- Thought I'd post a few quick peeks at what I've been up to the last week or so-

I've been getting ready for my upcoming Artiscape classes ! The kits are jammed packed with things, and many of the items needed to be cut to size for speed in the class. Here's only one classes' kits, and they were only 1/2 done at this point! They are spreading out all over the house. Not to mention the 40+ Fatbooks I'm assembling on the dinning room table.

Trying to get this done around daily life has been challenging. I needed to make sure the little one was getting plenty of time too. SO out came the Easy-Bake oven, and it was light bulb cooked cakes for everyone.....