{phabrik}

To Open A Gallery....

2011-07-03T11:26:00.004-04:00

Many times people seem to believe that the life of an artist is very glamorous.

Since my recent tasks have included:

scraping old gum off of my beautiful wooden floor
chasing spiders out of my hair
peeling old vinyl letters off of my outdoor sign

-- I am asking people to reconsider those thoughts of glamour and remember art is hard work.

Ladybug cuteness...

2010-09-18T07:39:00.002-04:00

Cute pincushion to keep you company while sewing.
Instructions here.

Cup Cozy Fun

2010-09-04T08:03:00.003-04:00

Lovely. Easy. Fun. Find out how at Hazel Nuts.

felt dolls. yum.

2010-08-28T15:17:00.004-04:00

How to make them here.

Wine Bottle Cutting 30 seconds Perfect Edge Bottle Cutter GreenPowerScie...

2010-06-11T21:25:00.000-04:00

Do More...

2010-05-29T16:52:00.000-04:00

“Do more than belong: participate.

Do more than care: help.

Do more than believe: practice.

Do more than be fair: be kind.

Do more than forgive: forget.

Do more than dream: work.”

—William Arthur Ward
(1921-1994)

animated short...

2010-05-09T09:30:00.000-04:00

Second Wind from Ian Worrel on Vimeo.

Consent

2010-04-06T12:04:00.002-04:00

Eleanor Roosevelt is oft-quoted as saying,

"No one can make you feel

inferior without your consent."

Are you giving consent?

Art is a VERB

2010-04-05T15:24:00.002-04:00

Get moving.

Start in the middle if necessary.

Do the work.

Art is a VERB.

Happy Spring

2010-04-04T11:14:00.005-04:00

Reading March 2010

2010-04-03T17:42:00.003-04:00

The Princess Bride
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Heretic's Daughter
The Help
Kabul Beauty School

Still, at 34 for the year so far. Pretty darn good!

Suzi Blu

2010-03-28T09:41:00.003-04:00

I am in awe of Suzi Blu.

She is dynamic, funny, sweet, supportive and so willing to share everything about her art.

Whenever I tap into her blog or take a class from her, I feel like I am getting hugged each time.

Thinking Outside the Box to support our program

2010-03-26T16:30:00.006-04:00

Thinking Outside the Box: Advocating for Kids and Families

Silent Art Auction Art Show, March 19 2010

Building on our relationship and experience of the previous year, we approached the artwork dor this auction as a team of artists working together to create veautiful, professional container pieces that could generate a fair amount of monies for the groups involved.

This project included 38 students working for a total of 10 days in March. The students produced 63 pieces of fired ceramic work. We chose 41 pieces to be exhibited in the auction art show. Each piece was sold. The total raised was $625.00

We worked in teams of students to learn about production as a group. One student would paint the interior and another would paint the exterior. One student would draw a scene with a pencil and another student would paint the scene. Then, another student would over-glaze the enire piece. This created a great environment of mutual support, mentoring between students, and allowed us to create more work in a shorter period of time.

We also produced a set of marketing tags, using computer design software to label and explain our artwork.

The response to our items was tremendous!!

I am so proud!!

"Nothing is Original"

2010-02-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

February 16 Book Read

2010-02-26T20:24:00.003-05:00

February 16 Books

Life of Pi

The Last Apprentice Book 5

Homeless Bird

The Key to Rondo

Around the World in 80 Days

The Goose Girl

Savvy

The Red Tent

The Coral Thief

Push

Olive Kitteridge

The Lute Player

Breakfast At Tiffany's

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

The Dragon's of Babel

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

8.333 books per month = 100 books per year

2010-02-22T11:14:00.005-05:00

Ok. Yes I did do the math. I can't help it.

8.333 books per month = 100 books in a year.

I am going at a good pace, and for the most part I am enjoying the books I read.

What I have learned so far:

Although I can read about 14 books per month I am doing it at the expense of other hobby type things. So, can I read 8 and still fit other things in...? Sewing etc.

All books should not be read. Seems like a no-brainer, but honestly, I feel like I made the decision to read it and I should read it. I will forgive myself for picking out a book I don't like and stop reading it after the first 2 chapters if, in my humble opinion, it sucks.

I also want to read non-fiction, this is harder. It takes longer. I want to remember what I read.

I can not read in bed for longer than 15 minutes without falling asleep.

I really like historical fiction. A Lot. Some of it is very very bad like (to me dear friends) a romance novel, which I do not like and therefore I will not read after the first 2 chapters.

I could read everyday (at least right now) about the birth of our nation, the colonies and the Revolutionary war.

I would like a fancy silver bookmark with my name on it.

I do not think I want a Kindle because I am a tactile person and the very thought of not smelling ink and paper gives me the shakes.

I need to go to the library and goodwill and have a set of books ready to read for the month, otherwise I do not pick up a book right away and I will suffer from BSAD (book selection anxiety disorder).

Yes. That is a picture of a book turned into a purse. I need to make time to do that.

Start in the Middle...

2010-02-15T08:55:00.001-05:00

The biggest challenge in making something - anything - is getting started. It’s typically not that we’re lazy. Rather, it’s that the funnel is so wide open that there are too many options before us. There are too many places we could go. We’re afraid of messing up. We’re editing before we have any content.

It’s easier to sit, and think, and organize, and wait for inspiration to strike. But that’s a loser’s game. If you ask prolific creatives, they will tell you that the reason they create so many things is that they aren’t afraid to start in the middle.

Start in the middle?

Yes. It doesn’t matter if it’s the right way to start or if it feels like a fragment. Just move. Start working on any part of the project. Make it from the inside out. Get some traction. You can always re-direct as you go.

As you create, you can easily morph the parts you’ve already created and sequence and align them properly, but you can’t tweak something that doesn’t exist.

We can’t allow the fear of getting it wrong to keep us from getting it at all. The role of any creative, meaning anyone who solves problems and makes things, is to do the work. No one cares how you start the work, and very few people will care about your process as long as you deliver a good product in the end.

Get moving. Start in the middle if necessary. Do the work.

Accidental Creative

Realize

2010-02-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

the great teachings unanimously emphasize that all the peace, wisdom, and joy in the universe are already within us; we don't have to gain, develop, or attain them.

We're like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight. We don't need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we really are -- as soon as we quit pretending we're small or unholy.

~author unknown.

Winter Uniform

2010-02-07T12:33:00.004-05:00

Trench and Skull by mistiekay featuring Prada shoes

I am currently in Winter Uniform status due to the cold weather and my unwillingness to leave any chance of any skin showing at any time. Brrr.

Underwear.

Tank top.

Long sleeve V-neck top. Sometimes a pattern. Mostly not.

Some type of tailored jacket.

Pants.

Knee socks.

Boots.

Scarf.

Earrings. Not to long, as they catch on scarf.

Pendant watch.

Lined London Fog Trench Coat.

Black leather gloves.

Soon I will begin to wish to wear pretty little heels...

January Reading 14 Books

2010-01-31T08:41:00.000-05:00

January

100 Cupboards

Lord Loss

The Phantom Tollbooth

Octavian Nothing

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

A Step From Heaven

The Book of Three

The Omnivore's Dilemma

Dust

Wuthering Heights

The Last Apprentice 1

The Last Apprentice 2

The Last Apprentice 3

The Last Apprentice 4

I already cheated...

2010-01-17T18:21:00.004-05:00

Okay. So the little black jersey dress I bought back in April of '09 is awesome. It fits great, it looks great. It washes in the washing machine, you guessed it - great! So awesome that the burnt orange one had to be in my closet too. And it was on sale for $5.00. I'm not kidding. $5.00. Like anyone could pass that up. I've worn the black so often and washed it many, many times. I am thrilled to have the orange one.

When books come to life...

2010-01-17T09:30:00.001-05:00

2010-01-13T15:38:00.000-05:00

A Step from Heaven. Beautiful. Poetic.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T16:19:00.002-05:00

100 Cupboards

2009-12-29T11:48:00.000-05:00

"Scrub the Bones"

brush your teeth

Wallet to make

2009-12-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

Many photos, step by step. HERE.

Cool Necklace to make!

2009-12-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

I want to make this.

Instructions are here with great photos!

Charter for Compassion

2009-12-24T11:26:00.001-05:00

Charter for Compassion

How to stop buying clothes you never wear

2009-12-24T09:30:00.004-05:00

To be honest, I do not buy a lot of new clothing. I do buy new shoes. Often. Probably too often. So I think I will also amend my refashion promise to say that I am not buying new shoes either. I have PLENTY of shoes. Unless my winter boots get a hole in them or a pair is ruined in some un-fixable way...I Will Not Buy New Shoes for the duration of my Wardrobe Refashion contract.

In the spirit of cleaning out, minimizing and managing my closet I found this great article on

doing just that. Read here.

Yes We Can

2009-12-23T12:53:00.001-05:00

[Dipdive] Yes We Can Song
Video+Audio » Yes We Can Song

I'm feeling a need for inspiration. This is so fantastic.

Personalize your Form

2009-12-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

What the hell is this thing?

Duct tape dress form. Yes. Duct Tape. Yum!

You form it to your very own self and TADA! you can make clothing that fits you in all the right spots.

How-to is here with many photos.

Now I have to ask someone to help me.

My husband is grinning evilly.

Creative Everyday

2009-12-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

I usually do not make resolutions.

This is because my life really has never worked that way - the way where I stick to something because I've written it down on a piece of paper somewhere. I have to work in small increments of time with clearly written goals for that time. In this way I have discovered that I live in response to life rather than creating a life that I want. I have carried "old luggage" around with me. That luggage craves the approval of others (some very specific) and does not say NO! when it is too full.

The luggage is too full and I am going to clean it all out.

I am crafting the life I want for myself and my family.

I am creative and that is a true blessing that I have not appreciated.

It is okay that I am the way I am, that I am who I am.

It is okay that my brain works the way it does.

Not everyone will like me.

It's okay that not everyone will like me.

I am loved.

I love myself.

So this year I will...

1. Revel in my love of reading and chart out the 100+ books that I read

2. Participate in Wardrobe Refashion for 6 months and embrace the style I have found for myself and relish my love of textiles. This will include at least one project for each month.

3. Let people know I appreciate them for who they are by connecting with them regularly and for the purpose of good communication and growth of friendship.

4. Complain less with the goal of acceptance of self and others

5. Weekly accountability to my promise to myself on my blog whether anyone reads it or not.

Schedule to follow...

The Overshadow

2009-12-21T10:00:00.002-05:00

The Overshadow

When we think of God, and
angels and the Angel,
we suppose ineffable light.

So there is surprise in the air
when we see him bring to Mary,
in her lit room, a gift of darkness.

What is happening under that
huge wing of shade? In that mystery
what in-breaking wildness fills her?

She is astonished and afraid; even in
that secret twilight she bends her head,
hiding her face behind the curtain

Of her hair; she knows that
the rest of her life will mirror
this blaze, this sudden midnight.

- Luci Shaw

thanks Rhi at Dandelion Wishes

Is buying fabric cheating?

2009-12-20T14:55:00.005-05:00

Ok. Not sure if buying fabric is cheating for the refashion wardrobe. hmmm. I bought a bolt of unbleached muslin for base and lining on some items to be refashioned. I didn't have any at all, having used it up for a art book cover teaching project over three months ago.

I did use my coupon for it so instead of $25 it was $12. yay!

I've added a refashion expense list under my pledge badge to the right. I may need elastic and thread, buttons etc as the 6 months go on. Those seem reasonable. There is so much in my art room to get me started though - it will take awhile.

2009-12-19T18:50:00.004-05:00

The Pledge

I pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 6 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that my thriftiness brings!

Signed -

Mistie

The Rules

1.
No buying new! (handmade is excepted; So this allows for Etsy purchases etc!!) All clothing must be Recycled, Renovated, Preloved or Thrifted, or Handmade only for the term. Employment related and special needs clothing (ie sports, school), shoes and undies are excepted from the rules, although you are encouraged to have a go at making these.
2.
In extreme circumstances, maybe a special event, or the worlds greatest and most amazing never to be repeated sale that you simply can not pass up, you may use the Get out of Refashionista Jail Free card. You are able to use this card once during the 2 month part of your contract; ie 1 for 2 months, 2 for 4 months etc. Of course you need to fess up on the blog and display the button!
3.
You must post on the blog at least once a week to let the community know what you've been up to. This will not only give you brag points, but inspire and encorouge others! Of course you need to display the button on your blog and have copied the pledge in at least one post, and provide a link to your pledge under the button.
4.
You need to be honest and admit when you've fallen off the Refashionista Wagon! Go directly to Refashionista Jail, do not pass GO and do not collect $200! Apply for parole once there.

I will spend time over my holiday break getting my wardrobe to a more simple, manageable size and determine what pieces can be refashioned and those that should be given away. The challenge begins January 1.

100+ book challenge

2009-12-13T15:18:00.000-05:00

The challenge is on...

100 books in 2010.

Delightful!

shooting star

2009-12-05T08:53:00.001-05:00

Already the shooting stars were falling; some, quite near. Others continued over the Mire and on to the Deepwoods beyond. While one - shining more brightly than the rest - went on further than the professor could see.

"Curious," he whispered.

The wind howled and the tower creaked.

"Very Curious."

--The Edge Cronicles

2009-12-02T17:45:00.000-05:00

Being an artist
means, not reckoning and counting,
but ripening like the tree

which does not force its sap
and stands confident
in the storms of spring

without the fear that after them
may come no summer."

Rainer Maria Rilke

sigh...

2009-12-01T20:02:00.002-05:00

we must all breathe.

we must take one step in front of the other and take the next breath.

some days, this can be the most amazing thing you do.

Fearless Creating

2009-08-01T12:01:00.003-04:00

I am in love with this book by Eric Maisel. Seriously. Everything I read makes sense. I keep nodding my head while I read.

Exercise:

Be hungry. Take your hungry mind out for a feast. Go everywhere!

Ravage the bookstore. Look at everything. Pace up and down the aisles of an art supply store. Devour the museum. Look at people.

Be hungry! Look at a flower. Feed on it! Feel free to be hungry.

Walk, stride, be hungry!

Affirm that you have great appetites and that that is splendid.

(continuing the garage sale endevor. it may never ever end.)

Sale

2009-07-29T18:25:00.004-04:00

As in - Garage Sale.

We, as a family, have way too much stuff. I'm inviting people over so they can pick and take it home, most importantly, away from my house.

Still working in the art room. Still de-cluttering. Next - clean out the garage.

I live an exciting life. You're jealous, aren't you? (hehe)

A Perfect Fit

2009-07-26T11:02:00.005-04:00

I just finished up with this book. Short, fast, easy to read! Loved it!

Did you know that when ready-to-wear clothing was available and becoming popular people thought there were germs, dirt and diseases in the clothing? Clothing houses that were "certified" as clean were allowed to sew a clean, plain white label in the clothing. That way you knew you would not get any disease from the clothing. HA! Marketing miracles.

Fascinating!

What if...

2009-07-23T13:15:00.003-04:00

What If . . .

I had been a graphic designer before the computer age? I would have been great!

Hand me the chart tape and let's mock that up!

Now . . .

Forget it.

I spent years in front of the computer and I was soooo bored and lonely.

I need to touch and play and glue and have messy fingers. And I need to poke myself with a needle once in a while. Plus the smell of things . . .

Sensory oriented much?

Good news with the art room. I am almost done organizing. I can not believe the things I have found in there. I'm very excited and inspired too.

I am currently working through this class: "Using a Studio Journal: to develop your creativity and better your design skills" by Sharon Boggon through Joggles. You can check it out here. Fabulous. It has helped me redirect my thinking and get a handle on the work I love to do.

The Art Room and The Promise

2009-07-20T09:10:00.005-04:00

Ok. So I have started to clean the art room again.

I am inspired to work, work, work - but there is so much crap in my room that I have to sit at the kitchen table to do anything. Then I have to keep walking upstairs to get that one thing, dig through the mess to find the one thing and then come back downstairs. This is cramping my style. This is making me want to give up.

I have a commission for goodness sake. Get with it Grl. People want your work.

After working in there for a bit, I have decided something that will come as a huge suprise to all of you. I have way too much stuff. What was I going to do with it anyway? I keep finding little quests I started. I keep finding good intentions. Hrrummph.

Sometimes I have trouble deciding which art I will work on. I love fiber, and assembleage and collage. In technical speak, this means I can't bear to throw anything away. It also means that friends give me things that they can not bear to throw away. (Thank you dear Friends - I really do love all of it.)

You are witness to my promise.

I am working through the room. I am selling and giving and sharing and taking to school. Then, other than glue - I am not allowed to add to my stash until I have gone through and found a use for my items. All of it. Fabric, do-dads, and rusted stuff.

Thought for today...

2009-07-19T09:24:00.001-04:00

Fiber Art Love

2009-07-18T17:35:00.003-04:00

I so love this bracelet.

I am such a texture person. Sigh.

Touching fabric makes me very happy. It's the simple things.

Visit Gypsy Moon Clothing for more...

hello everyone

2009-07-15T08:06:00.006-04:00

Please don't faint.
It's me. Ha!
Long year with lots of stories about hospitals. All seems to be well now with everyone getting settled back into life.
Hubby's dad has a clean bill of health after a battle with throat cancer and ugly feeding tube stories with many, many hours at the hospital.
Grandparents are living in assisted living after the car accident, Grandma was fitted for her new fancy foot, Grandpa continues to struggle with poor health.
I'm done with my surgery. Sigh.
I have my computer back.
Now, where is the damn camera?

Thank you, thank you, my dear Erica for your message. I've been meaning to post here and you gave me a boost. Hugs to you! http://blujaystudio.blogspot.com/

So...
Son's room is re-done. He comes home to the surprise today. Can't wait - as he did not know we were going to do it. "Tweenager" with bright green, orange and blue.

Also, a tid-bit for you that I found today. Check out the dresses made of PAPER!
http://www.isabelledeborchgrave.com/new_site/en/projects_5.cfm

Art Show Hint

2009-02-02T09:02:00.002-05:00

Hint

Art Show for My Students

2009-01-25T18:50:00.003-05:00

Yay!
My students have been asked to participate in an Art Show/Auction.

We will have about 8 weeks to prepare. We will be making large papermache art bowls and perhaps a few other textile type things.

I'm soooo thrilled for them. This is the goal we set for last year and it is just too exciting to know that it is now coming true.

I have to get my camera fixed so I can start posting photos again. The Mayor of Munchkin City costume is very blue.

Ha

2009-01-16T13:59:00.002-05:00

I really am here. It's true. Hi hI HI everyone!
This last autumn was stranger than life, I'm telling you.
Real life happening everywhere.

Now that many family members seem to be settled and on their way to healing from so many different medical adventures - I am back to making some art.

Sweet son of ours is in the Wizard of Oz. Mayor of the Munchkin City to be exact.
Costumes, costumes - mayor, scarecrow and three trees to go....

Love and hugs to all of you for being patient with me the last few months. I am thinking of all you creative friends. What a joy to look at what you are all doing.

Keep It Up!

I'm here!

2008-09-09T21:00:00.007-04:00

Howdy everyone.
I'm here. I'm good.
My computer is being weird and with school starting I have had little time to fix it, play with it, figure out what the hell is wrong with it. It just cycles through the starting screen, won't even go into the operating system. hmm.

Just not where I can spend my time, so, limited in what I can post unfortunately. All my photos etc. are sitting on my camera. Very frustrating.

School is great and the students are so excitied about our new year with the kiln hooked up and ready to go. Already they are begging me to glaze. They all remember our color "families". I am so very proud of them.

Still, it has been hard these first few days without my Sean. I miss him very much, as does everyone else. He was in charge of changing our music, and the silence when we forget to put in a CD is blank and wide. He did not just change our music. In many ways, he was our music. He danced and sang in all things he did. The music we listened to was his collection and it spanned from Elvis to Melissa Etheridge to Coldplay. So the music stops and someone will say, "Sean will change it" and their face will fall and their eyes will widen and they will whisper...I'm sorry, I forgot for a minute...

We had a small ceremony for him. All writing messages on balloons, then we got into a big circle and released them into the big sky to float and carry our love to him.

Dancing Lessons
Werewolves
Shapes and Paper Moons
Smiles so Big with a Heart to Match
I Miss You

flight plan

2008-08-23T15:03:00.002-04:00

12 x 12 canvas with a cool shell threaded to hand off of the left edge that did not photograph well.

brand new day

2008-08-21T10:59:00.004-04:00

"brand new day"

i don't think i ever showed you the finished version...

Art Doll ATCs

2008-08-20T09:29:00.003-04:00

oh my gosh! This is an addicting activity. ATC art dolls. The add-ons have to fold into the card somehow so you still maintain the card size and your card will still fit into the sleeve. I love dolls and figurative things anyway, so this is just too, too fun to do - and much faster than an assemblage piece. I really liked figuring out how to get the pieces to fold into each other

Plaid Fairy
Stars in the Sky
Kindness

All for a new ATC Swap I joined. Mailed out today.

The Pulse

2008-08-18T12:36:00.004-04:00

Please visit my friend Seth at The Altered Page.
He is doing an awesome thing called The Pulse.
Seth had a list of questions for 80+ artists - so here is a sneak peek into how we artists work, play and communicate.

Thanks Seth for all of your hard work!

I'm painting the drywalled basement. The end is in site. Thank goodness.

Art Guild Piece Finished

2008-08-14T08:33:00.004-04:00

Beneath the snowfall

Winter quietly conceals

secrets of new birth.

- Jackson H. Day

Yay. Finished my piece for the art guild. The theme is nature. On the left is a pencil drawing of a winter sleeping tree and on the bottom right a single fallen leaf. It is (as usual) hard to see in the photograph.

There are many layers here starting with pages ripped from a copy of Jack London's "The Call of the Wild". Some of the lines can be read through the paint. Then a layer of gesso rubbed with 3 colors of paint and stenciled with crow outlines. Dabbed with some gold metalic here and there, and also some oil pastels.

After the wood, beads, fabric, feathers, button and metal piece were in place, I covered the linen and spattered everything with white and red paint. It is 16 x 20. Very warm and texture filled in person. I like to walk by and touch it, so I figure that's a good sign.

Recycled Words

2008-08-06T20:13:00.003-04:00

This is too cool not to pass on.

Would you call this altered books or journals?

Either way the images are fasinating!

see Will Ashford

Drawing and Yoga

2008-08-06T10:55:00.003-04:00

I am drawing! It is so fun. I am feeling better about it. More relaxed and like I remember how to do it again. Although she seems to have misplaced her ear...

Michael says she looks sad. I have no idea why she does.

Yoga yesterday and I have homework now. Stretching and spine poses. It was really wonderful. Can't wait for next week.

Listening to Alice

2008-08-05T11:50:00.006-04:00

This is my page 3 and 4. They are supposed to be layered with hand prints and stuff. hmm. I guess I didn't get there. I will have to work on that later. This is what came out instead. Number 3 is my drawing - "She Listens to Birds" and number 4 is my drawing of Alice. She is for Vicki and DeeDee.

I'm not sure why Alice is crooked. She got drawn first and then I did the other elements. I think she is disgusted with the rabbit...should she go? Or maybe she has just returned and knows now what that rabbit is up to? Curiouser and Curiouser...

Journaling

2008-08-04T14:08:00.004-04:00

Working on my journaling pages, but I find I like the visual aspect more than the journaling/diary part of it. I've been a self talker (in my head usually, btw) ever since I can remember, so I work out things in the car or the shower or while I'm painting a background, so it seems to work itself out before it comes out on paper.

This set of pages is from Sarah Whitmire's journaling prompets, and I liked doing it because it was one word descriptions instead of being coherent on the page. I liked it because it opened up some visuals for me and I played then with some of the other layers. I can't say I'm totally thrilled with the outcome and this "beautiful" presentation - but it was fun and told myself when I started that it wasn't supposed to end up in a magazine anywhere.

I get really hung up on pretty and perfect and presentation, so I have to push myself to just play with concepts and techniques.

I'm going to try this again with different colors and different stencil shapes.

I also need to get back to the paper dolls portion of Sarah's prompts - to go into my hometown drawing. I've had too many ideas, so I just need to stick to one and get it done.

Starting Yoga class tomorrow!!! Inhale...Exhale...

Smoky Eyes...

2008-08-01T09:18:00.006-04:00

I bought the Suziblu "Party Girl" art kit. Because I am trying to be brave on all levels and I have posted to you before how I am afraid of drawing. Faces especially. I thought this would help to have a beautiful little face to look at and study and paint with no pressure.

It was really awesome. The supplies that come with the kit are fantastic. I got a big bag full of papers and sparkly thingies and rub-on transfers - so much that I did the painting and now I have lots left over to do many other projects. The paints are good enough to eat. Lucious and creamy and full of color in the smallest little drop, so you can water them down for fantastic glazing. I got the paints to complete just this painting, small pots, but there was plenty there for me to play a bit with them to make sure I was comfortable with how they worked, and still get the painting done.

I'm in love, love, love with the paints though. I will have to peek at what's available on the Artcellar list. Yummy. I can see why Suzi is always saying - "I love these".

Suzi's directions are step-by-step, with photos, so you can see what she means - but there is plenty of room for you to introduce your own creative style, once your comfortable with how the products works.

I wish you could see the cool sparkles in the swirls. Sometimes the photographs don't catch everything. You can see them on the left, but not as well on the right. I laid a stencil over the painting and used the awesome sparkly paint included in the kit. It is a little raised up so added some nice texture.

Thank you Suzi! I had a blast. She is so pretty. I must go buy a frame and put her in my art room to remind me that faces are not so scary after all.

Yoga and Creativity

2008-07-31T08:33:00.004-04:00

My friends Connie and Sandy have me thinking about yoga. I mean really, how could I not after reading their blogs regularly. And yesterday I got my regular email from the Creativity Portal - a site on coaching for creativity. I like this site. It has all kinds of stuff to explore. So what do they talk about? Yoga.

The lovely Julia Cameron talks about synchronicity a lot and I've found that when it starts to happen I need to roll with it, sister.

Now this is the being brave part because my little body complains about many things I do that put a strain on it. Arthur has come to stay and I have to gage the staying power of certain activities in my life.

Luckily, I have a friend in town who has taught yoga for years and will be thoughtful and caring about this process. Now I just need to call her and go to class to see if it will work for me. Be brave.

Tidy Up

2008-07-30T10:09:00.002-04:00

I am cleaning up my art room. It really is a fun job. But I find I get distracted. A lot.
I keep finding things that remind me of shows I worked on or collages I want to make because of this really cool old piece of paper I found.

This is a mask I made for a production of the "King and I". It is papier-mâché and painted. I love to make masks. I did some for a ballet version of "Peter and the Wolf" (felt) and also and vocal production of "The Lion King"(foam and felt).

My room is very small and it is just loaded with stuff. I'd like to have my regular table for working but set up an area to leave my sewing machine out so I could just move over to it...I'm not sure this will work. I am moving things around, and getting rid of some things to try it out. I also need to scrub the paint out of the bathroom sink today. opps. I'll take some before and after photos so I can show you.

As usual, I am trying to finish the basement, working with my son to organize his room so we can clean and paint and build him a bed loft and oh, I'll organize my art room too. And journal. hehe.

Never a dull moment around here.

Thank you.

2008-07-28T19:26:00.004-04:00

Thank you to Miss Carol for giving me this award.

How very kind. It really perked me up today to find it.

I received this award recently from Miss Vicki, but I see it disappeared off of my blog. Hmm. I would like to re-post my list of those blogs, because I still feel very strongly about each of them. And I would like to encourage everyone to visit the blogs of the people who are participating in the soul journal "Challange" being provided by Sarah Whitmire. It is a blast. Great ideas, and nice people.

1. this disordered life - by notmassproduced for amazing photos, journals and continued visits of help and support.
2. art for houswives - by Cynthia for amazing, amazing interest of recycling items into beauty.
3. Annette's Art - who has just started sharing her art with us bloggers and it is a delight to me.
4. Suzi Blu - who has received this many times - but I can't help it. She is the reason I started to believe in myself again and started a blog in the first place. So no Suzi, no award.
5. Path2Self - by Sandy, for posting honestly and giving me the courage to overstep my fears and I have now started a journal too. I love to read her posts.
6. Lonecrow Art and Collage - by Laura who is an artist, teacher and all around interesting to read blogger.
7. Reform - Tricia North. I love this blog. Love it. She is so down to earth and her photos are breathtaking.

Thank you everyone, for your continued support and ongoing inspiration. You are all a delight to behold.

Hmm.

2008-07-28T19:08:00.004-04:00

Feeling a little weird these last few days. Been ill, so not a lot of art work to show.
Thinking about work, only four weeks and back to school. And about art work. I always do this when I'm really liking something I'm working on.

I like to do so many things. Is it a blessing or a curse to be able to do many things? I am an art chameleon. My entire life I have been able to design and produce for others on demand.
In college, I was a theater major, but a design major, not an actor. Props, and stage and costume. More college, and I was in graphic design and photography. Now I design lesson plans so anyone can do art and I get to plan my artistic day around the needs of people who want to learn everything they can about art. ( and it is gloriously fun, I might add.)

So, now I am in my groove and I worry. Am I neglecting this other skill? I haven't sewn anything, or made any paper, or constructed an assemblage piece. How do I decide which one is worthy to work on when they all make me happy? Why do I have to feel so scattered when I am in the midst of having a ball and learning something?

Already the shooting stars were falling; some, quite near. Others continued over the Mire and on to the Deepwoods beyond. While one - shining more brightly than the rest - went on further than the professor could even see.

"Curious,' he whispered. The wind howled and the tower creaked. 'Very Curious.'
--The Edge Chronicles

Watercolor Home

2008-07-25T09:13:00.007-04:00

Sarah and our group of artists continues to be such a great source of inspiration. This page is Day 12 of our Soul Journal journey together. Sarah has been kind enough to link the other artists who are working on this to her site, so we can visit with each other.

The top page is a simple representation of a home where you felt safe and secure with the rest being the outside world. The neutral tone paper with the floral print is actually a pocket. Then collage and watercolor. I added some pearl paint to the clouds which is hard to see in the photo. More to add today. Join in the fun if you like at Soul Journal.

It is so fun to see what everyone is doing and to feel the kindered spirits at work. I will continue for ever and ever to be amazed at how each person approaches each task differently. And how much I can learn everyday even though I know how paint works.

Double Digits

2008-07-24T08:48:00.003-04:00

My boy, boy is 10 years old today!

The time has gone by so quickly.

He was 2 weeks over due, so we had an appointment to be at the hospital at 7am in the morning.
They induced labor, and still nothing really happened until about noon. I was having labor pains and was hooked up to all these monitors. His heart kept doing all this funky stuff.

This went on until about 5pm. People were buzzing around us constantly. Finally at 5pm, the doctor put a vitals monitor directly on Zane’s little head. This is when they discovered there was no amniotic fluid. And I was contracting and his heart almost stopped completely.

I was whisked away for an emergency c-section. My poor husband was left in the room with our friend Kelly, who had gone through birthing classes with us in case he had to be out of town on a photo shoot. We had told our family to stay home, because nothing was really happening.

In 8 minutes, I was wheeled into the room, put to sleep, opened up and my baby was born. 7 pounds, 8 ounces. 19 inches long. Eyes wide open.

The umbilical cord had been tied in a knot and was tightening around itself. Zane had put his left arm through it, while in the womb, so he was stuck in place and could not be born the usual way. If his arm had not been there he would have died. The doctors had no idea how long he had been that way. We had no medical insurance at the time, so one ultra sound at 4 months was $750.00 and everything checked out ok then, which was the last look.

Zane is left handed.

Happy Birthday to you my loving, happy, funny, beautiful, smart Zane.

Artistic Armor

2008-07-23T19:13:00.005-04:00

This is a page of texture and painting done with tape. Not done yet, but very nice even still. So touchable.

So, one of the first things Sarah suggested was making a page to represent your artistic armor. List the things you need to do your artwork and feel protected while doing it. I've added my page here so you can see it. I still want to add more things yet, but you get the idea

This bunch of cut-outs is from magazines. She has a list of things to cut-out based on 24 items, and then a set of steps for the page. I added a little room to write some things later.

Creative Life

2008-07-22T10:23:00.004-04:00

A couple of quick thoughts for the day...

One.

I love this website very much. http://www.accidentalcreative.com
and I love this series of writings right now -http://www.accidentalcreative.com/series/battlelines especially the second one. It speaks to the "occupation vs. vocation" issue and a life of creativity vs. being creative to just live.

Second.

I found a very fun site with a talented artist Sarah Whitmire. She is doing a few days of journaling and I'm going to step right in. Looks like it will be a grand 'ole time.

Dry wall

2008-07-21T18:54:00.005-04:00

Back in 1993 I was 26 years old.

Who cares, you say? I think I do. Not because I need to go back and fix some terrible decision in my life or anything. Sorry, not that juicy.

In 1993, my husband, Michael, and I started a labor of love and renovated a 100 year old building. There was a huge, all be it filthy coal-dust covered eight dark rooms full of junk second level, ready for us to tackle, and a ground floor retail space ready to be a shooting space and office area for a talented photographer. Built of brick, wooden floors, detailed tin ceiling, knob and tube electricity, 20 ft x 70 ft on both floors, 16 foot high ceilings on the second level.
Awesome!

We started on the second level on Thanksgiving in 1993. We decided the best course of action would be be to start taking everything apart and picking everything up we couldn't use and throw it out the last window on the far side of the building, so no one would get hurt if they were walking under there.

We had to stop working on the apartment/second floor and move and build our studio in February, because our lease was up at the old place, and we had a huge furniture photo shoot we had to be ready for by the middle of February.

So in March we started again. We cleared 8 rooms, all walls and horse hair plaster and slating from the walls, a toilet, 70 years of accounting records plus the room and shelves that held them, two iron fire doors, a three foot octopus furnace grate, at least 12 doors, pulled the ceiling down (there had been a fire so it was not useable), numerous pieces of wooden furniture, brass findings in the shape of little brass birds that were lamps that lit the rooms, and finally, wires, nails, junk and all the plaster off of all the brick walls.

We threw it all out the 2.5 ft x 6 ft window. We rigged up a wheel barrow for the plaster, shoveled plaster into it, rolled it to the window, up a ramp out the window, to a big pile outside, that then had to be re-shoveled and wheeled up a ramp into the dumpter. We went through 6 BIG dumpters. It was now March of 1994.

We had to clean all the brick with a wire brush on a drill. Sand blasting it did not work. At all. After hammering a bit on the plaster and pushing a crow bar up under the loosened plaster, you could pull a big chunk off, but the dust was VERY hardy, and was difficult to get off. We went through four drills and I can't remember how many brushes. And masks. The room would be a full white cloud you could even see through.

Obviously this story goes on for a while. It took another year and a half to complete our living space. We lived there for ten years. We still own the building.

Look below and you'll find the photos.

So, why am I telling you this? We are dry walling our basement. I am 41. No, I don't think I'm old at all, in fact I never think about my age if you want to know the truth. But this stuff was a lot easier when I was 26. And the stuff I was doing then, as you can see, was a lot harder.

Oh my gosh, I am tired.

Journal Extensions

2008-07-19T17:55:00.015-04:00

Feeling better today and getting loads of work done. Thanks everyone for your well wishes. Migraines are something I've lived with since I was a teenager. They are easier to deal with now - I have a great Dr - and good meds - and they happen less and less frequently as long as I pay attention to some important things mostly having to do with sleep. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is a factor too. So, sometimes, it is what it is, and I have to plan around it.

Hubby and I are fixing the basement up into an office for him. Cleared out everything today. Dry walling tomorrow. Eww. Messy job, but needs to be done.

It will be so nice for him. His work has changed so much over the last couple of years. We used to have a studio downtown where we live, but it was smarter for us to rent that out to a retail business, since Michael is on the road more often than not. But this left him without an office. And this has left camera equipment all over our front room, which is now his office. Hehe. No complaints. We just need some organization around here.

Yesterday (before migraine) I bought some wonderful new markers - gold, silver, white and some water-based iridescent, oh so nice. And, they inspired me to do some new stuff with my journal. Finished my color exercises. Yellow, blue, red, green, orange, purple and white. I've learned a lot from them, but I wanted to do something more with them, so...

I extended the pages by adding flaps to them. I think they look really nice, and now give me an area to write on. I also, painted around some of the areas with the decided color, and I like the look.

This photo is with the flap open:

I liked doing this green one. I used copper tape for the veins.

And here's the blue one.

migraine

2008-07-18T18:59:00.002-04:00

uhhgggh...
migrane....

Bird ATC's for Swap

2008-07-17T10:53:00.006-04:00

ATC's are done for the swap.

The theme was birds. I will mail them out today. This top one is my favorite. There is a clear glitter top coat all over the top if this one. It looks really cool, but does not translate well in the photo here.

This is an illustration from an old beat up "second reader".

These are swirls and paper flowers with glitter in the center.

This one is a rubber stamp and some chip board letters, with a partial page from my "second reader book".

It will be fun to see what I get in return.

Blue

2008-07-16T18:21:00.004-04:00

My blue is relaxing. I love birds, eggs and wings. Children. Faces, and eyes. Skies with moons. Strong horizontal lines and strong vertical lines. Fabric with weird texture in it. I'm noticing these in all my color collages.

Anahata Katkin (at bottom of page) calls this a "symbolic alphabet". A visual signature that you are drawn to and use regularly as an artist, and thus it defines you and your style. This is really interesting to me while I revisit some of the things I'm doing in my artwork, what I like, what I'm using, what skills I want to improve on.

Quote Journal

2008-07-15T09:38:00.008-04:00

Ok.

I couldn't stand it. I had to make a journal that I could put quotes in. Above is the cover.

The words on the outside are "word garden". I just love that. So many possibilities.

It is really limiting to sit and read and not have some place to write down the things that stand out as significant. I can't do it. I have to stop reading and look for paper. Finding something to write with, in my house, without going to my art room, is impossible. This journal makes it easier for my obsessive compulsion to write those things down, and, where my working journal is 9x12, this one is half that size and much easier to carry around with me. I feel relief. I can quote the Wicked Witch. That's important to me. So...now I have a journal for art and a journal for words. Hmm. Can I stop there?

Working. Working. Working. I have six weeks before school starts up. Isn't strange how everything gets done faster in your head than it does in life? Before I get back to the students this is what I want to do:

finish/send bird collage cards to atc swap
finish piece for art guild show
final touches on renovated bathroom (long story - I'll post before and afters for that)
Open Etsy store
Marketing plan for DLP fine art
finish organizing art room
finish cleaning out closet
redo son's room
outline lesson plans for incoming students

In the meantime, work in journal daily, read my book list, and play with son as much as possible.

Not much to do there. No sir.

"Wicked" journal page

2008-07-14T09:52:00.006-04:00

Elphie wore her hat to bed,

Just in case it rained!

I've finished "Wicked". A very enjoyable book. Political and "good" and "evil" and the Wicked Witch is not at all what she seems....

"People always did like to talk, didn't they? That's why I call myself a witch now: The Wicked Witch of the West, if you want the full glory of it. As long as people are going to call you a lunatic anyway, why not get the benefit of it? It liberates you from convention."

"You're not wicked," said Boq.

"How do you know? It's been so long," said the Witch, but she smiled at him.

Yellow

2008-07-12T08:33:00.009-04:00

I'm working in my journal on a color lesson.

I've culled through a bunch of magazines I have and ripped out the photos/words I like. Now I'm going to make full spread pages of color, to see where my heart takes me. I use this lesson a lot with adults who tell me they can't collage. It's time to revisit it for myself. The important part of this lesson is to use only what you really like, don't settle for something because it is in front of you. Images by someone else release your fear of creating something and allow you to just look and say "hey, I like that".

Rules:

1. Don't "settle". If you don't like it, don't use it.

2. No sissors, rip only.

3. Glue it to the page. It's your page, place it how you want. Over lap, rip to fit, cover up what bugs you.

4. Work with one color at a time. This helps you to "see and focus".

(you can click on the photo to see better detail)

Journal Page

2008-07-11T20:18:00.010-04:00

I am afraid of drawing.

I never used to be. I use simple drawing everyday for teaching. But, I'm talking details, and taking time. Composing a picture in and of itself for the presentation of a drawing.

So that seemed a good place to start in my journal. Of course, I could never not collage in some way. So I use a bit from the Signals catalog and some words from an old school reader, plus plenty of masking tape. Sorry about the scan lines.

Connie mentioned a book to me. "Art and Fear" She said that it changed a lot of things for her. My husband carries it around and leaves it at his bedside. He said it changed a lot of things for him, and he likes to look at it to remind him of the important parts. I will have to sneak a peek at this book, since there seems to be some connections going on here with it.

And I am working on being brave. :)

Wow! Look at me!

2008-07-11T16:07:00.006-04:00

Thank you, thank you and thank you Miss Vicki for this wonderful award! I am so honored to be grouped up with the list of blogs that have won this award. I followed it back a way and it is amazing! There are so many talented and giving bloggers who I am having so much fun sharing art and life with.

The rules of accepting are as follows:

1) Put the logo on your blog.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4) Add links to those blogs on yours.

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

So my nominees are:

1. this disordered life - by notmassproduced for amazing photos, journals and continued visits of help and support.

2. art for houswives - by Cynthia for amazing, amazing interest of recycling items into beauty.

3. Annette's Art - who has just started sharing her art with us bloggers and it is a delight to me.

4. Suzi Blu - who has received this many times - but I can't help it. She is the reason I started to believe in myself again and started a blog in the first place. So no Suzi, no award.

5. Path2Self - by Sandy, for posting honestly and giving me the courage to overstep my fears and I have now started a journal too. I love to read her posts.

6. Lonecrow Art and Collage - by Laura who is an artist, teacher and all around interesting to read blogger.

7. Reform - Tricia North. I love this blog. Love it. She is so down to earth and her photos are breathtaking.

Thank you everyone, for your continued support and ongoing inspiration. You are all a delight to behold.

Crowns and Princesses

2008-07-10T08:48:00.006-04:00

princesses wear crowns
to remind them that they are
beautiful and special,
because some days
it's easy to forget.

buy your crown here

Open

2008-07-09T20:03:00.006-04:00

I started a journal. I've wanted to for so long and I've finally have done it. Eric Maisel suggests writing your autobiography in about 2500 words (like I am so interesting) any way you want as a beginning to opening your creativity. So anyway I want includes putting it into a journal that I can scribble in or make pretty or sew in like SuziBlu girl. And let's face it, there is nothing like the tactile experience of paper and paints and art stuff. Oh...and fabric. Please don't forget fabric.

I never started because I kept thinking it always had to be beautiful and perfect and just right. Bah! Bah! I say. The few pages I've done have been fun and liberating. Thank you Sandy friend. I also kept getting bogged down in the idea that I need a journal for art, and a writing journal, and a quote journal, and a clippings journal, and a technique journal....

Okay, I am just not that organizied. One journal is good for everything. Really. Then I never have to wonder where I put that one special thing. How exhausting! It was just an excuse not to start a journal and just to collect all the ones I was going to start one day.

Confessions

2008-07-07T20:12:00.006-04:00

I have a confession.
Maybe two.
I realized something on coming home from vacation and unpacking.

I have way too many clothes for one person.

At our vacation spot we had a washer and dryer so we could wash as we needed to. I packed up our respective suitcases knowing that I could wash on demand. I had with me a pair of jeans, a pair of shorts and a pair of capris with about 6 shirts to intermingle mix and match, and one button-down sweater for the chilly times. And one set of PJ's.

I was more creative with the 6 shirts/camisoles/t's than I have ever been with the 30 shirts all together in my closet. And, okay, I live in Michigan so I have to have "all-weather" clothing. But seriously. Why do I have so many clothes? Why do I have so much stuff? I'm stressed out when I open the closet and stressed out when I do the laundry and for what? Will clothing suddenly stop being made and I will be naked?

I love fabric. No, I'm not kidding. I really love fabric. And vintage clothing. Texture sends me into dreams of sewing and softness. Looking at fabric grouped together in piles of glorious color gives me a peace and happiness that is downright hard to explain to a non-believer.

I will clean out my closet. I will recycle and donate my unused and unneeded space hogging stress causing clothing.

Does anyone else have this problem? What is your solution? Where do you buy American made clothing? Sustainable clothing? (because when the ones I wear are threadbare, I will not choose to run naked.)

(confession number two: I love children's books. I collect them. I read them all the time. I use them as teaching aids in Art class.)

Home

2008-07-06T19:34:00.006-04:00

Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserve; it is life's undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room.
-Harriet Beecher Stowe

Home. Home. Home. I'm home!
A whirl wind of fun and silliness and beautiful mountains. Imagine watching fireworks from ABOVE. Magical is the word.

Vacation is for gratitude.

I have not been away from home on a vacation for more than 4 days in 7 years. I was so happy to go, and now, I am so happy to be home to hug my dog and give gifts to my neighbors. I want to smell my sheets. I want to sit on the front porch with a glass of wine and say hi to everyone who walks by.

Make a Messenger Bag Out of Trash Bags!

2008-06-27T11:19:00.001-04:00

This is the BEST project ever! I am SO doing this with my students. This is the first project I am doing when I get back from vacation. YAY! I can't wait.

Our Greatest Fear...

2008-06-26T10:51:00.005-04:00

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear,our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson

I just love this everytime I read it. Nelson Mandela used it in his speech.

Let your light shine!

"Flowers" by Zane

2008-06-25T09:08:00.007-04:00

This is my son's, Zane, beautiful "Flowers" chalk and glue artwork.
It brings to mind the lovely artwork by Connie, who I like to visit.

In Progress

2008-06-24T22:10:00.003-04:00

"a new day" in progress. I have to get ready for our artist guild show that is at the end of August. I am building a new sculpture in my head, but in the meantime, I am collaging this, and painting.

My Meez!

2008-06-23T20:13:00.003-04:00

Look! It's me! It's a site for building avatars. I was actually loading photos into Photobucket, but this is a buddy system they have with the Meez site. I'm not interested in the community stuff there but this gal is pretty cute, huh?

Handmade Card

2008-06-22T12:38:00.013-04:00

A card I created for Bailey. Her Open House is today. Gooooo Bailey!! The card looks alot warmer in real-life. Handmade paper is yummy - that is the base. Then I used a face made from paperclay and fabric and ribbons.

Tears

2008-06-21T20:46:00.003-04:00

Funeral today.

My mom said to me once, "Why is the word 'fun' in funeral?"

My eyes hurt from crying. I have a headache. My heart is full of emotion and my head is full of memories.

It was the best funeral I've ever been to. I mean really, since we have to go. And since you are sitting there in pain and watching people you love be in pain and you do wonder how long it will go on for them, and you wonder what are they thinking right now while this guy who doesn't even know their son is talking and saying things about Jesus instead of their son.

But it was different. It was beautiful. They played his music - the music he listened to everyday, and sang to us everyday and danced to everyday. And everyone that spoke, knew him. Knew him so they could tell stories and help us remember and help us laugh through our sadness to the special part of us that can relax and say, "Oh, and remember when he, and how he, and didn't he just love...!"

Forgiveness. Love. Imagination. Happiness.

"Will everyone be there?"
Yes they were Sean. Yes they were.

Werewolves of London

2008-06-19T09:51:00.001-04:00

For Sean

Sad News

2008-06-18T10:18:00.000-04:00

My alphabet starts with this letter called yuzz. It's the letter I use to spell yuzz-a-ma-tuzz. You'll be sort of surprised what there is to be found once you go beyond 'Z' and start poking around! ~ Dr. Seuss

A student of mine died yesterday. He drowned while swimming.
Big Blue Eyes. Short Brown Curly Hair. More Imagination Than a Tall Thin Body Could Hold.
I will miss him so much.

create peace

2008-06-17T09:03:00.001-04:00

Created for the ATC's for all Creative Life Chunky Book Swap. So fun to do. Feathers are magical - don't you think?

What I'm Reading

2008-06-16T10:49:00.001-04:00

The Red Book by Sera Beak

my favorite quotes so far...

"Who said prayer has to be beige?"

..."heal your dark and shine your light..."

..."twinkling your world..."

"What if you saw God or the divine as nothing more than you, living your life with all you've got?"

and my all time favorite...

..."the Universe is not your bitch..." I laughed right out loud.

This is not fluffy feel good stuff, or sanctified right path stuff. It really makes me think. I like it.

SUMMER!

2008-06-15T12:13:00.000-04:00

Yay! Summer is here and I am off of school until the end of August.

I will not be teaching at Art Camp this summer, because they wanted me to teach photography and that is my hubby's area, not mine. That so made me laugh. It's very nice that they have such confidence in me, but all I could teach the kids would be to take off the lens cap. And the business side of photography - which would bore the five-year-olds to tears. Hehe. "And this class, is a model release." Ohhhh.

So I will be traveling around Michigan and visiting galleries to sell photography for the summer. Beautiful framed prints of the Michigan freshwater landscape and Images from India. Fun. Fun. Fun. I'm excited about designing a portfolio - digital and traditional.

ATC's made for ATC's for all

2008-05-07T18:28:00.000-04:00

Finished my ATC's and ready to send out for the swap. Theme is House and must be flat collage.