Manja Uhlig from Germany! Congratulations Manja. I have your address and will send tomorrow. I thank all the participants – it was super cool to read your kind words and I appreciate the interest and enthusiasm you have for the new images. More will be unveiled soon, and this half sheet will be for sale on GPP in January.
I told you I was a lucky girl….now is your chance to be one too. I have a new half sheet of unmounted rubber I will give away this week. It's going to be part of the new collection – I had them made early for the Stairway to Heaven class. If you leave a comment below I will enter your name for a drawing on Sunday. The sheets will be available to order in January.
The graphic above shows the images spaced out – it is actually a 5 x 8 half sheet.
Try your luck….enter a comment below. Drawing on Sunday night.
I told you I was a lucky girl….now is your chance to be one too. I have a new half sheet of unmounted rubber I will give away this week. It's going to be part of the new collection – I had them made early for the Stairway to Heaven class. If you leave a comment below I will enter your name for a drawing on Sunday. The sheets will be available to order in January.
The graphic above shows the images spaced out – it is actually a 5 x 8 half sheet.
Try your luck….enter a comment below. Drawing on Sunday night.
Took a break from writing out cards….did some quick painting in my Ruby Tuesday journal.
Had two unexpected surprises arrive in the mail, I'm a Lucky Girl! Catherine gifted me with these PMC charms that she makes. She is a master at silversmithing and if I lived near her I would sign up for her classes in a heartbeat. Thank you Catherine, these are precious.
And from Cindi – this girl Gets Me too. I had to wear this today, even though it was 50 degrees. I wish you could see how soft it is, and the deep rich color of red and black. Perfect perfect perfect. Thanks Cindi. Heartagram hugs to you.
Took a break from writing out cards….did some quick painting in my Ruby Tuesday journal.
Had two unexpected surprises arrive in the mail, I'm a Lucky Girl! Catherine gifted me with these PMC charms that she makes. She is a master at silversmithing and if I lived near her I would sign up for her classes in a heartbeat. Thank you Catherine, these are precious.
And from Cindi – this girl Gets Me too. I had to wear this today, even though it was 50 degrees. I wish you could see how soft it is, and the deep rich color of red and black. Perfect perfect perfect. Thanks Cindi. Heartagram hugs to you.
In the beginning….Mom had a lovely tree in the living room, filled with glass balls of soft pink and green. The last time I held one it was speckled with stains from sprayed *snow*, from the days when that was cool. I'm not sure if any of them survived past my childhood – they may have been tucked away, leaving room on the branches for livelier colors and handmade ornaments. Recently I scooped up some of these pink *Shiny Brites*, (remember them?) from ebay, to add to our collection in remembrance of our family tree.
Last year we reclaimed pink for Christmas, as another remembrance. Judi sent this deer, a special sign, that draws attention in our stable…..and we just *wink*.
Last week I found this sweet little angel practically hiding on a store shelf. She's only about two inches high….but she caught my eye with her pink heart, and special message.
I will ask Mom if she has any pink glass balls left from her first tree in the 60s. If not, I will send her some replacements…..and she'll know their double meaning.
Here's to keeping things meaningful.
In the beginning….Mom had a lovely tree in the living room, filled with glass balls of soft pink and green. The last time I held one it was speckled with stains from sprayed *snow*, from the days when that was cool. I'm not sure if any of them survived past my childhood – they may have been tucked away, leaving room on the branches for livelier colors and handmade ornaments. Recently I scooped up some of these pink *Shiny Brites*, (remember them?) from ebay, to add to our collection in remembrance of our family tree.
Last year we reclaimed pink for Christmas, as another remembrance. Judi sent this deer, a special sign, that draws attention in our stable…..and we just *wink*.
Last week I found this sweet little angel practically hiding on a store shelf. She's only about two inches high….but she caught my eye with her pink heart, and special message.
I will ask Mom if she has any pink glass balls left from her first tree in the 60s. If not, I will send her some replacements…..and she'll know their double meaning.
Here's to keeping things meaningful.
I didn't manage to get out the Halloween decorations before I went to Valley Ridge so I got a late start this year. Check out the coolness that came in the Gift-from-Linda bag….got me in the spirit! Fallon and I finally hauled out the black-and-orange bins and put out our favorite things for the holiday….11 days away! Winston is an October baby. We aren't sure of his actual birthday so we claimed 10/31. Perfect don't you think?
Linda not only makes lovely packages, the stuff inside them rocks too. I would love to follow her around to see where she scores all the loot. Thanks Linda. You get me.
I do know that Sandy scored this while on a mission in Cuba. I admit not knowing anything about the culture there and had no idea they had this community of artists making books. Her eyes glimmered as she spoke of discovering these. I did a little research and found this link, click if you want to learn more HERE. The book she gifted me with is very cool book, almost zine-like, with xeroxed pages and individual embellishments and cut-outs. I managed to find the translation for this one – it's a poem. Lovely, thanks Sandy.
And another special thanks. (I keep saying I'm a lucky girl!) This one is a double gift. You can see the necklace….this girls gets me too. She knows it's a favorite shape. She knew it would make me swoon. The first part of the gift is a letter. A lovely letter. A long letter. Handwritten with thoughtfulness and honesty. The kind that makes you laugh and makes you cry. The kind you read and re-read. Then tuck away somewhere special…..and read again the next day. The kind of letter that validates, encourages, inspires. Aren't words powerful? Especially when they are used for goodness? Aren't connections amazing? Doesn't it blow you away that we can feel like a kindred spirit to someone we have never met just because of the words we exchange? To you, you know who you are…..there is so much more to say, but for now – thank you. xoxo
I didn't manage to get out the Halloween decorations before I went to Valley Ridge so I got a late start this year. Check out the coolness that came in the Gift-from-Linda bag….got me in the spirit! Fallon and I finally hauled out the black-and-orange bins and put out our favorite things for the holiday….11 days away! Winston is an October baby. We aren't sure of his actual birthday so we claimed 10/31. Perfect don't you think?
Linda not only makes lovely packages, the stuff inside them rocks too. I would love to follow her around to see where she scores all the loot. Thanks Linda. You get me.
I do know that Sandy scored this while on a mission in Cuba. I admit not knowing anything about the culture there and had no idea they had this community of artists making books. Her eyes glimmered as she spoke of discovering these. I did a little research and found this link, click if you want to learn more HERE. The book she gifted me with is very cool book, almost zine-like, with xeroxed pages and individual embellishments and cut-outs. I managed to find the translation for this one – it's a poem. Lovely, thanks Sandy.
And another special thanks. (I keep saying I'm a lucky girl!) This one is a double gift. You can see the necklace….this girls gets me too. She knows it's a favorite shape. She knew it would make me swoon. The first part of the gift is a letter. A lovely letter. A long letter. Handwritten with thoughtfulness and honesty. The kind that makes you laugh and makes you cry. The kind you read and re-read. Then tuck away somewhere special…..and read again the next day. The kind of letter that validates, encourages, inspires. Aren't words powerful? Especially when they are used for goodness? Aren't connections amazing? Doesn't it blow you away that we can feel like a kindred spirit to someone we have never met just because of the words we exchange? To you, you know who you are…..there is so much more to say, but for now – thank you. xoxo
Just reflecting on the past weekend….and I am feeling so fulfilled. It's an amazing thing to have an idea, to visualize it, to nurture it, to explore it, and then finally, to share it. Stairway to Heaven is a workshop concept I have lived with for over a year. It's been like holding a secret. I got to reveal it not once but twice to an awesome group of women. Some were new-to-me friends, some were veteran favorites. They ALL ROCKED. It was thrilling to see them take on this project, each with their own flair. As an instructor you commit yourself to presenting something new and fresh, and hope it takes hold and provides a platform for growth. You endeavor to teach *process*, disguised as a *project*. You put yourself out there, hoping that their greatest take-away is enthusiasm for creativity.
I don't take it lightly that artists choose to spend their time and money on a workshop with me. I consider it an honor that the time they set aside to commit to art is with me. While I hope to fuel, or re-fuel them, they most definitely re-fuel me. Their presence, their eagerness to work, and the results that follow offer me validation on many levels. I am so grateful.
Unplanned, there was a word I latched onto and repeated during class: commit. It was the perfect prompt at the time, as I tried to encourage students to commit to a color palette, commit to a page shape and arrangement, to commit to adding content. It was appropriate then, and when you think about it, it is the best way to continue moving forward as you build a book, or work on a painting or collage or whatever it is you do. Small steps, small commitments, inform and direct the following steps, the following choices. You make a decision and it opens up the possibilities to what happens next. Mistakes may occur but that is where the real learning often takes place. It is in making commitments that you evolve.
There were a few jokes about *fear of commitment* but it was all in fun. I'm sure there were moments we could have asked to be *committed*. They did commit big time by creating really wonderful, special, unique books. They committed by making time for art and friendship, and by sharing in the creative process as we all learned things from one another. That's what happens in workshops. ESPECIALLY at Valley Ridge. We all extend our thanks to Kathy and Bill for their commitment to providing this spectacular venue where magic takes place. I'm certain there is fairy dust in the air.
How cool is that? You see my cute little Mom? She committed a weekend to join us in the fun!
Right now I am committing time to wrap up my proposals for 2010 at VRAS. I am psyched for the ideas that are channeling in. I am giddy about going back next September. The workshop schedule will be posted soon, I'll let you know when to hop over for a look.
Thank you ladies, for your commitment. You have gifted me with energy and validation and satisfaction and fulfillment. I am a lucky girl to have climbed the Stairway to Heaven with you.