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.....