Art & Soul Blog Hop and Giveaway!

Anyone who knows me, knows how ecstatic I am for the opportunities I have to teach and attend Artistic retreats of any kind. One of the premiere retreats in the country is Art & Soul. Some of the very best instructors and classes offered ANYWHERE are offered as part of the Art & Soul experience.

I cannot begin to tell you all the wonderful people I've met throughout the years, all the skills I've learned and all the wonderful things I've seen and experienced through these events. The most wonderful part of all, is that they are open to ANYONE of age who wants to attend. All you have to do is sign up! All this wonderful, life changing, fulfilling energy is there for the taking. You will be met by like minded new friends, creative visionaries, and supportive, well informed instructors.

I'm participating in this Art & Soul Blog hop and Giveaway to help introduce you to some of the other instructors. In particular, I would like you to join me in admiration for Barbe Saint John.

Besides being cute as the dickens, Barbe has been published in Belle Armoire Jewelry, Jewelry Affaire, Steampunk Style Jewelry, Artist Trading Cards and is co author of 1000 Steampunk Creations. A mixed media artist, who thinks of herself as a modern day alchemist/archeologist. Barbe has a unique talent for transforming broken, rusty, vintage, lost, forgotten, sparkly, torn, and tarnished things into stunning new works of art.

You have 4 wonderful opportunities to take workshops with her at Art & Soul, Virginia Beach!

On Thursday March 1, she's teaching Industrial Geek

Then Thursday evening, it's Steampunk Charms

Friday March 2, Ancient Futuristic Steampunk Art Dolls will fill the hallways!

And on Friday evening you can catch her teaching Immortalized Resin Filled Bezels

I look forward to seeing more of her beautiful art work in person at Art & Soul, won't you join me?

Now- Drumroll please....... Details on the Giveaway:-)
The Giveaway prize is so generously being donated by generous Judy Gula of Artistic Artifacts. Who, by the way has a WONDERFUL onsite store at Art & Soul Virginia Beach as well.


So what do you have to do to win? All you have to do is leave a comment on what type of art workshop you would be interested in taking and why. On Jan 31, I will pull a random generator number, and that lucky person wins the jammed-packed-full-of-goodness ephemera pack! Make sure your email addy is current, so I can contact you, and get your prize to you ASAP:-)

Want to jump on the blog hop train at a different station? Yesterday was Liz Kettle's blog hop stop featuring my very good friend Jean Van Brederode, (who I first met at an ART retreat) and tomorrow is Jenni Horne. Stop by and see what all the fun is about!

***UPDATE***
I printed all the comments out, cut them apart, and mixed them up in a bowl. Mike pulled the winning comment out, and the winner is...drumroll please...
Barbara Hagerty!!! Congrats Barbara, I'll be contacting you for your snail mail addy so Judy can send you the awesome prize pack! Thank you to everyone who commented, and those who have emailed me!

Hearts Alight

Wow! 2.5 weeks down after Mikes spinal surgery, and I've left the house only 2 times so far. Banking and pharmacy. You would think that means alot of work is getting accomplished. You would think. However, the reality of it is that except for the week my in laws were here to help out, I've gotten NOTHING done on my list of goals. NOTHING! And I am frustrated! I have tons on my plate, enough to keep anyone busy for a year! And the faster I go the more I get behind. So I decided I WILL get at least one thing done today. I will be teaching 2 separate sessions of "Hearts Alight" at Red Letter Journals- one on Jan 28th, and one on February 11. So today, I will carve out some time from nursing duties and take and post photos of the sample pieces I created for the class. And, I will deliver the samples to Red Letter Journals to go on display if you want to see them for yourself in person.

"Hearts Alight"

A fast paced, yet lighthearted mixed media class. Artists will enjoy combining collage techniques, painting techniques, Distress Inks and Distress Paints, rub-ons, stamps and paperclay sculpting to fashion 3D focal points for their creations.
Supplies needed: Apron, paintbrush or 2, 2 different pieces of printed scrapbook paper. All other supplies will be provided. Artists will go home with a completed piece of art!

Art and Soul Virginia Beach 2012

Besides caring for Mike, I am slammed to the mat busy prepping for Art & Soul Virginia Beach! March 1-6 will be here before we know it, and I've got many extra special things up my sleeve for this fabulous event!

First of all, my stamp line has EXPLODED! I have over a dozen 8.5 x 11 designs, and the response has been overwhelming. So far, they have sold out everywhere we've vended since their debut in Aug. They've been so hot, I've not even had time to get an online store set-up yet! I will have a full stock of all current stamps at Art & Soul Vendors night, and I am noodling around with a collectors stamp only available to students in my classes as well. I will be doing drawings in my class, and giving away stamps to several winners, so don't delay in signing up!

Friday March 2, is Stamp Carving and Beautiful Papers

Saturday is VENDORS night! Make sure and stop by to see my booth! Mike and I've shopped from one end of the country to the other and it's Bigger and Better than last year!
Sunday March 4, is Stamps and Stencils Journal

Monday March 5, is A Fluid Romance