It's crunch week. I'm busy packing all the kits and supplies for my workshops to send to Valley Ridge. This is such a fun time! I may be quiet here but I am a tasmanian devil behind the scene. Not only is there alot to get done but I keep distracting myself by adding things to my sample journal. Here is a test drive a few images I've prepared for Parlor Tricks. No time for RubyTuesday-ing at the moment. I will be back on task soon.
The original bathroom had pepto bismol pink tub and tiles. When they ripped it all out they found green and black METAL wall tiles. Kinda funny that the paint we picked ended up being almost the same green. I love this new room – so calming. Love how the edges of the glass in the light fixture on the wall, the ceiling, and mirror have that same bottle green when the light shines through it. The accent tile in the shower is glass – hard to see in this photo, but very cool. I have a cigar box of sea glass I will use to make another piece of art to go in here. The hamper on the side of the vanity actually has the bottom cut out, sits over a framed hole in the floor, and acts as a clothes shoot chute* to the laundry just below. A clothes shoot chute* ! Just like when we were kids.
I've posted a new crusade over on the street team blog. This month we are painting without brushes - adding layers of paint with an old credit card. Come over and play! Crusade No. 44. Below is the beginning of the piece that ended up going up in the bathroom. After testing out some ideas in my journal I tried it on watercolor paper.
The kids are back in school so I am fending off the blues by getting my kits and supplies ready for the workshops later this month. Looks like Earl has subsided enough that we have nothing to worry about, whew! I'm still waiting for the rubber to arrive. I'm sorry for the delay. All orders are labeled and packed with index sheets so I can send out as soon as the inventory arrives.
* EDIT: after Tina's comment I scratched my head and wondered if I had spelled chute wrong. I did!! It is pronounced shoot, but spelled chute. She used *shute* which is also correct. Thanks Tina.
The original bathroom had pepto bismol pink tub and tiles. When they ripped it all out they found green and black METAL wall tiles. Kinda funny that the paint we picked ended up being almost the same green. I love this new room – so calming. Love how the edges of the glass in the light fixture on the wall, the ceiling, and mirror have that same bottle green when the light shines through it. The accent tile in the shower is glass – hard to see in this photo, but very cool. I have a cigar box of sea glass I will use to make another piece of art to go in here. The hamper on the side of the vanity actually has the bottom cut out, sits over a framed hole in the floor, and acts as a clothes shoot chute* to the laundry just below. A clothes shoot chute* ! Just like when we were kids.
I've posted a new crusade over on the street team blog. This month we are painting without brushes - adding layers of paint with an old credit card. Come over and play! Crusade No. 44. Below is the beginning of the piece that ended up going up in the bathroom. After testing out some ideas in my journal I tried it on watercolor paper.
The kids are back in school so I am fending off the blues by getting my kits and supplies ready for the workshops later this month. Looks like Earl has subsided enough that we have nothing to worry about, whew! I'm still waiting for the rubber to arrive. I'm sorry for the delay. All orders are labeled and packed with index sheets so I can send out as soon as the inventory arrives.
* EDIT: after Tina's comment I scratched my head and wondered if I had spelled chute wrong. I did!! It is pronounced shoot, but spelled chute. She used *shute* which is also correct. Thanks Tina.
Taking a workshop is a unique experience – in whatever form it is presented. I view the time you set aside for a class as *an appointment with creativity*. You claim a portion of your precious time to devote solely to art and discovery. Being in a classroom with other like-minded souls, be they friends, or not-yet-friends, can be intimidating, but it can also be a wonderfully fulfilling experience. So much is learned in a group setting – we learn from each other as we work on projects, or try new things, and problem solve together. I love standing in the role of teacher. I love being the one who gets to witness your light-bulb-moments. I love spilling my entire arsenal of tricks and techniques, to share all that I know, to assist students in finding new visions, stretch their boundaries, and feel confidence and satisfaction in their work.
In less than a month I will be making my annual trip to Wisconsin to teach at my most favorite workshop venue: Valley Ridge Art Studio. It is the only place I have committed to teach in the last few years. I've said it before – it truly is a magical place. Since they are taking a well-deserved sabbatical in 2011 it will my last real life gig for a while. There really is nothing that compares to being physically present in an environment like this. I get it that online workshops are increasingly popular. I get it that online classes can be taken at your convenience, at your own pace, from wherever you are on the globe. I hope to embark on this new platform for teaching sometime in the future. But I'll say it again, there is nothing that compares to being physically present, and setting aside undivided attention for the purpose of moving forward on your artistic journey.
There is still time, and some room, to join me in September. Hope to see you there.
You can see class descriptions by following the sidebar links on the left, or visit Valley Ridge here and here.
Taking a workshop is a unique experience – in whatever form it is presented. I view the time you set aside for a class as *an appointment with creativity*. You claim a portion of your precious time to devote solely to art and discovery. Being in a classroom with other like-minded souls, be they friends, or not-yet-friends, can be intimidating, but it can also be a wonderfully fulfilling experience. So much is learned in a group setting – we learn from each other as we work on projects, or try new things, and problem solve together. I love standing in the role of teacher. I love being the one who gets to witness your light-bulb-moments. I love spilling my entire arsenal of tricks and techniques, to share all that I know, to assist students in finding new visions, stretch their boundaries, and feel confidence and satisfaction in their work.
In less than a month I will be making my annual trip to Wisconsin to teach at my most favorite workshop venue: Valley Ridge Art Studio. It is the only place I have committed to teach in the last few years. I've said it before – it truly is a magical place. Since they are taking a well-deserved sabbatical in 2011 it will my last real life gig for a while. There really is nothing that compares to being physically present in an environment like this. I get it that online workshops are increasingly popular. I get it that online classes can be taken at your convenience, at your own pace, from wherever you are on the globe. I hope to embark on this new platform for teaching sometime in the future. But I'll say it again, there is nothing that compares to being physically present, and setting aside undivided attention for the purpose of moving forward on your artistic journey.
There is still time, and some room, to join me in September. Hope to see you there.
You can see class descriptions by following the sidebar links on the left, or visit Valley Ridge here and here.
It's thundering outside now so I'm back to being held captive by all this junk in my studio. If you saw this place you'd never know I was making progess, but I am. In fact, most of my studio is now in the living room – making room for Graham to build me a new work table this weekend. My hero!
When I'm not sorting through bins of stuff, I'm out at the pool with the family. I love light reads in the summer – the kind you can pick up and put down. You know, fun stuff. Lynne made a suggestion to me that looked so good I pre-ordered it with the author's previous release. I'm skipping around through both of them. Really hilarious. I may write to Rob and tell him I credit DD for my marriage, and meeting G. If you are an 80s product, check these out.
Talking about Girls about Duran Duran, by Rob Sheffield
Love is a Mix Tape, by Rob Sheffield
Was it last summer I read this one? I think so…Lisa put me onto it.
Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan Simon always delivers.
And a few years back, fell in love with this one. I think Marylinn introduced me to Nick. You saw About a Boy didn't you? He wrote that. *note to self* get more NH books.
Songbook by Nick Hornby (should have come with a music cd!)
What fun stuff are YOU reading?
It's thundering outside now so I'm back to being held captive by all this junk in my studio. If you saw this place you'd never know I was making progess, but I am. In fact, most of my studio is now in the living room – making room for Graham to build me a new work table this weekend. My hero!
When I'm not sorting through bins of stuff, I'm out at the pool with the family. I love light reads in the summer – the kind you can pick up and put down. You know, fun stuff. Lynne made a suggestion to me that looked so good I pre-ordered it with the author's previous release. I'm skipping around through both of them. Really hilarious. I may write to Rob and tell him I credit DD for my marriage, and meeting G. If you are an 80s product, check these out.
Talking about Girls about Duran Duran, by Rob Sheffield
Love is a Mix Tape, by Rob Sheffield
Was it last summer I read this one? I think so…Lisa put me onto it.
Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan Simon always delivers.
And a few years back, fell in love with this one. I think Marylinn introduced me to Nick. You saw About a Boy didn't you? He wrote that. *note to self* get more NH books.
Songbook by Nick Hornby (should have come with a music cd!)
What fun stuff are YOU reading?
Well yes, in D.C. this morning. But one might think it rippled up to New Jersey. You should see this place. I have taken on the gigantic task of rearranging my studio. Like moving entire sections of stuff across the room. Like moving shelves and tables. I hope to make the space more efficient and declutter by at least 50%. Ugh. I am determined to be ruthless and just get rid of stuff that gets in my way. I am so lucky to have this wonderful space attached to our home but I can hardly find a clear space to work and shamefully end up on the dining table to work. It's pitiful. NO MORE.
I promised to show you my roses….here are two of the four gardens:
I've been meaning to show you this lovely scarf I gifted myself with last month. It is simply smashing. You can see more of Maria's work on etsy: SingingScarves. (She is from Estonia, where HIM played last night. I wonder if she went?!)
My email hasn't been working….can't even log into the site to retrieve it. No matter….it can wait. But if you are expecting to hear back from me you can assume I haven't read anything in two days. I am not going to get distracted from this project. It is at least a 5-day affair…..I'm just into day two and you should see the bags of trash and compacted cardboard. Feels good.
Have a good weekend. And Happy Birthday Graham!!
Well yes, in D.C. this morning. But one might think it rippled up to New Jersey. You should see this place. I have taken on the gigantic task of rearranging my studio. Like moving entire sections of stuff across the room. Like moving shelves and tables. I hope to make the space more efficient and declutter by at least 50%. Ugh. I am determined to be ruthless and just get rid of stuff that gets in my way. I am so lucky to have this wonderful space attached to our home but I can hardly find a clear space to work and shamefully end up on the dining table to work. It's pitiful. NO MORE.
I promised to show you my roses….here are two of the four gardens:
I've been meaning to show you this lovely scarf I gifted myself with last month. It is simply smashing. You can see more of Maria's work on etsy: SingingScarves. (She is from Estonia, where HIM played last night. I wonder if she went?!)
My email hasn't been working….can't even log into the site to retrieve it. No matter….it can wait. But if you are expecting to hear back from me you can assume I haven't read anything in two days. I am not going to get distracted from this project. It is at least a 5-day affair…..I'm just into day two and you should see the bags of trash and compacted cardboard. Feels good.
Have a good weekend. And Happy Birthday Graham!!
Yay for Brian! How cool that the only dude who entered was the winner! (I initially drew the name of my sweet friend Nancy Brill but she claimed to already have the book so I re-drew and got Brian). I really appreciate the enthusasim you all shared for reaching this milestone. You made it a fun event, thank you.
Brian, I have your address and will send your book this week. You gotta visit his site – fabulous journal pages!!
We are revving along on the new crusade – many entries posted already. Come see what we are up to this month HERE.
I love all the sweet notes about Shannon. I love looking at the photos and it was really special to share them with you on Saturday. I love that you linked arms with me in a circle of sisterhood to say She Mattered. Thank you.