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.....

Yippie! I Won!!!!

I'm so excited! I opened my email this morning only to find a lovely surprise! My friend Aileen from Outside The Margins http://www.outsidethemargins.com/ informed me I won her blog

http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/ giveaway for the lovely Sorbet Color Mists! I'm so excited! I just ADORE her color mists! Aileen is one of the most colorful, and creative people I know! She is so generous with sharing her great ideas, and has constant inspiration on her website and blog.

And she sells the most awesome stuff! ALL kinds of cool supplies and tools and ephemera that you would have to look forever to find yourself- if you even could! And you should see the adorable hand crafted art pieces she sells in her "Boutique!" I am in love with her Smidge Fairies!

I particularly look forward to Fridays - she posts "Crafty Blogger Blurbs" with links to all sorts of scrumptious other creative and crafty ideas!

I can't wait for them to get here! I'm going to go home and line up things to get ready to mist!

Faith Journal "S"

I'm slowly but surely working my way thru my faith journal. It seems fitting that this is "S"

I guess I'm always amazed whenever anything is created. (Even by me!) I've been "saving" this painting to use as a background for this page entitled "strokes." I can't wrap my brain around how with a few strokes, so many different men, through so many different eras were inspired by God to write the books of the Bible. (And to have such consistency!) What a project! (I mean sometimes if an art project goes on for more than a few weeks, I lose momentum, and have a hard time completing it! (I call them UFO's (Un Finished Objects.) How do you keep the momentum over hundreds of years?

Oh- and why did I save this painting to use? My tastes are fleeting, and my interests change from season to season. THIS is my favorite piece of work I've ever done. Maybe it's because I started and kept on this oil painting as a gift for my Dad. It represents weeks and weeks of work for me, looking at it daily. I was inspired by a photo of steps in a Spanish Convent.

Here's a quick grab shot from my phone of the actual painting. It's quite large really.

Ties that Bind

Awhile back, it was my pleasure to take part in a collaborative art project called "Ties that Bind". The completed project will be auctioned or raffled off and the proceeds will benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Approximately 88 Artists contributed either hand made charms or hand crafted ties, and Artist Jan Brown created the Art Doll to showcase them all off.

Kris Henderson and Aileen Roberts were each big helps in maintaining communications with all the artists and getting the ball rolling.

The finished Art Doll is practically life-size and just stunning to look at. Right now she is at the publishers for her photo shoot, but if you would like to see- they've put a wonderful sneak peek album up on the blog, as well as close ups of all the charms and ties as they arrived in. I encourage you to dive in and enjoy the eye candy! (I've pictured a few of my charms here- but REALLY- GO VISIT and SEE what they've done with them!)

http://projecttiesthatbind.blogspot.com/