greenpepperpressblog

Michelle Ward/GreenPepperPress Blog

  • just give me a reason

    Last week I watched the Storyteller episode on Palladia featuring P!nk, and I fell in love with the duet she did with Nate Ruess from Fun.  I've been playing the track over and over.  Although it was written about a troubled relationship, there are lines that stand alone….we will learn to love again.  Music is my go-to remedy for soothing sorrow.  Perhaps it is yours too.  Melodies or lyrics touch a part of us like nothing else.  There are notes that, when strung together, can reach in and just get to us.  We get a lump in our throat, or goosebumps across our arms, or a tear in our eye, and we feel it.  Here, the words say we are not broken, just bent.  I'm certain there are families who are broken after the tragedy in Newtown.  I think of them when I listen….I feel for them, as we all do….and pray that they may rise, to learn to love again.

     

    MWpinklyrics

     

  • just give me a reason

    Last week I watched the Storyteller episode on Palladia featuring P!nk, and I fell in love with the duet she did with Nate Ruess from Fun.  I've been playing the track over and over.  Although it was written about a troubled relationship, there are lines that stand alone….we will learn to love again.  Music is my go-to remedy for soothing sorrow.  Perhaps it is yours too.  Melodies or lyrics touch a part of us like nothing else.  There are notes that, when strung together, can reach in and just get to us.  We get a lump in our throat, or goosebumps across our arms, or a tear in our eye, and we feel it.  Here, the words say we are not broken, just bent.  I'm certain there are families who are broken after the tragedy in Newtown.  I think of them when I listen….I feel for them, as we all do….and pray that they may rise, to learn to love again.

     

    MWpinklyrics

     

  • HOLD THIS SPOT

    I missed posting this at 12:12 AM so I scheduled it for 12:12 PM.  I was going to call it "hold this space" but opted for "hold this spot"….the difference?  The latter is twelve letters, of course!  As I was preparing the graphic this morning I observed that 12.12.12, 12:12 PM is also twelve characters.  Since I posted an essay, Ode to the Eleventh Hour on 11.11.11 last year I wanted to acknowledge today's date in a post about the Midnight Hour (twelve letters!), but I haven't had the time to complete it…therefore, I'm holding the spot and will edit later.

     

    MW12.12.12

    As I was reviewing my to-do list, I noticed how many things could be described in twelve letters.  Luckily I'm on the winning side of the tasks…and there are still twelve days until Christmas Eve, when it better all be done! 

    1. Move the sofas
    2. Bring up boxes
    3. Set out stable
    4. Decorate tree
    5. Light the tree
    6. Shop for gifts
    7. Wrap the gifts
    8. Mail Packages
    9. Send out cards
    10. Do the laundry
    11. Get groceries
    12. Let us rejoice

    Speaking of 12, does it bug you (the way it bugs me) that retailers talk about the twelve days of Christmas as though it starts on December 1st, or December 13th?  It actually begins on Christmas and sees us through to the eve of the Epiphany. 

    However long your list is, I hope you are managing, moving along with grace, and taking time to enjoy it.

  • HOLD THIS SPOT

    I missed posting this at 12:12 AM so I scheduled it for 12:12 PM.  I was going to call it "hold this space" but opted for "hold this spot"….the difference?  The latter is twelve letters, of course!  As I was preparing the graphic this morning I observed that 12.12.12, 12:12 PM is also twelve characters.  Since I posted an essay, Ode to the Eleventh Hour on 11.11.11 last year I wanted to acknowledge today's date in a post about the Midnight Hour (twelve letters!), but I haven't had the time to complete it…therefore, I'm holding the spot and will edit later.

     

    MW12.12.12

    As I was reviewing my to-do list, I noticed how many things could be described in twelve letters.  Luckily I'm on the winning side of the tasks…and there are still twelve days until Christmas Eve, when it better all be done! 

    1. Move the sofas
    2. Bring up boxes
    3. Set out stable
    4. Decorate tree
    5. Light the tree
    6. Shop for gifts
    7. Wrap the gifts
    8. Mail Packages
    9. Send out cards
    10. Do the laundry
    11. Get groceries
    12. Let us rejoice

    Speaking of 12, does it bug you (the way it bugs me) that retailers talk about the twelve days of Christmas as though it starts on December 1st, or December 13th?  It actually begins on Christmas and sees us through to the eve of the Epiphany. 

    However long your list is, I hope you are managing, moving along with grace, and taking time to enjoy it.

  • art collecting

    On two occasions while in Venice, Fallon and I visited the home studio of Enrico Orlando Martina.  He is located near our hotel and we enjoyed meeting him and seeing his process of making art using several mediums.  We spied his open door down a narrow alley and were tempted to enter when we saw his paintings in the window.  Like me, he is schooled in architecture but spends his time making art.  He is such a talent and swiftly illustrates local scenes like St. Mark's Basilica below, with a swish of his charcoal which he demonstrated for us as we carefully selected a piece to bring home.  He gave us the sketch too! 

     

    MWMartina1

    MWMartina2

    I love to fill the walls of our home and my studio with art that I make, and art by others that makes me happy.  Recently I scooped up some very handsome pieces by my friend Julie Prichard.  She's loaded her Etsy shop with very affordable prints from her original paintings – these are amazing!  Not only do I love her style, but the texture she achieves in the prints is stunning.  It's like owning the real thing.  Recently she added miniatures as soldered glass charms – great gift *hint*.

     

    MWPrichard2

     

    MWPrichard

  • art collecting

    On two occasions while in Venice, Fallon and I visited the home studio of Enrico Orlando Martina.  He is located near our hotel and we enjoyed meeting him and seeing his process of making art using several mediums.  We spied his open door down a narrow alley and were tempted to enter when we saw his paintings in the window.  Like me, he is schooled in architecture but spends his time making art.  He is such a talent and swiftly illustrates local scenes like St. Mark's Basilica below, with a swish of his charcoal which he demonstrated for us as we carefully selected a piece to bring home.  He gave us the sketch too! 

     

    MWMartina1

    MWMartina2

    I love to fill the walls of our home and my studio with art that I make, and art by others that makes me happy.  Recently I scooped up some very handsome pieces by my friend Julie Prichard.  She's loaded her Etsy shop with very affordable prints from her original paintings – these are amazing!  Not only do I love her style, but the texture she achieves in the prints is stunning.  It's like owning the real thing.  Recently she added miniatures as soldered glass charms – great gift *hint*.

     

    MWPrichard2

     

    MWPrichard

  • Using them…new stencils

    Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response to the new collection of stencils and stamps.  I thought I'd show you the prototype for a visual on the set of both stencil and mask you will receive on all but the Grasses and Noise sheets.  And here is a large canvas I made using them.  LOVE how thick they are, they work like a dream.  PRE-ORDER special offer for stencils and stamps good through Monday evening, December 3, then they will be produced and shipped.  My guy said turn-around will be quick, yay! 

    Visit GREENPEPPERPRESS.com for the ordering info. if you're interested.

     

    MWFrondStencilCanvas

     

    MWFrondStencilCanvas2

  • Using them…new stencils

    Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response to the new collection of stencils and stamps.  I thought I'd show you the prototype for a visual on the set of both stencil and mask you will receive on all but the Grasses and Noise sheets.  And here is a large canvas I made using them.  LOVE how thick they are, they work like a dream.  PRE-ORDER special offer for stencils and stamps good through Monday evening, December 3, then they will be produced and shipped.  My guy said turn-around will be quick, yay! 

    Visit GREENPEPPERPRESS.com for the ordering info. if you're interested.

     

    MWFrondStencilCanvas

     

    MWFrondStencilCanvas2

  • Calling all Frond Lovers – new stencils & stamps

    I've been working on this for a while and I'm really excited to finally share this with you.  I'm introducing a new line of stamps, stencils, and stencil/mask sets.  Take a look – you get both the innie and the outie – the stencil and the mask with these sets.  How cool is that?  I've been teaching this technique and advocating that you utilize both the stencil and mask when you apply images.  I also love having images in multiple scales which is why you can get the fronds in stamps too.  After many requests following my Frond Chronicles workshop (which seems to be the most popular 'pin' of my work) I was swayed to launch this collection.  It is available for pre-order this week as I await the inventory, then the prices will adjust.  Visit GREENPEPPERPRESS.com to order.

    GPP Frond Collection Title

    Some digital samples…I like messing around with shapes, color, layering and composition digitally so I know they work prior to production. 

    MW FrondStampSample1

    MW FrondStencilSample2

    MW FrondStencils2

    MW FrondStencilSample3

    MW Frond Masking

    MW Frond Noise

     

    I will be teaching this workshop again next year.  I can't post details yet – announcement will come in January (I think!) so stay tuned.

    MW Frond Journal Workshop

  • Calling all Frond Lovers – new stencils & stamps

    I've been working on this for a while and I'm really excited to finally share this with you.  I'm introducing a new line of stamps, stencils, and stencil/mask sets.  Take a look – you get both the innie and the outie – the stencil and the mask with these sets.  How cool is that?  I've been teaching this technique and advocating that you utilize both the stencil and mask when you apply images.  I also love having images in multiple scales which is why you can get the fronds in stamps too.  After many requests following my Frond Chronicles workshop (which seems to be the most popular 'pin' of my work) I was swayed to launch this collection.  It is available for pre-order this week as I await the inventory, then the prices will adjust.  Visit GREENPEPPERPRESS.com to order.

    GPP Frond Collection Title

    Some digital samples…I like messing around with shapes, color, layering and composition digitally so I know they work prior to production. 

    MW FrondStampSample1

    MW FrondStencilSample2

    MW FrondStencils2

    MW FrondStencilSample3

    MW Frond Masking

    MW Frond Noise

     

    I will be teaching this workshop again next year.  I can't post details yet – announcement will come in January (I think!) so stay tuned.

    MW Frond Journal Workshop