greenpepperpressblog

Tag: wink

onWARD

Let me introduce you to my friend Linda Warlyn. If you are a frequent commentor here then you recognize her name. And if you subscribe to Somerset Studio, then you know her from there too. And if you got Lynne’s new book, then you saw her there too. In fact, her piece is my favorite-ist. She could easily win the MVNBC award because she sprinkles sunshine and enthusiasm wherever she goes. I met Linda something like three years ago in a workshop, and then got to spend time with her again last fall. But beyond that – I really attribute getting to know one another better because of the blogger/commentor relationship. She is simply the dearest girl – someone you want living next door, or at the desk next to you, or on the other end of the phone. She’s a reader (of people) and a remember-er. She’s a GETter.

Just recently I was a lucky girl to get TWO packages of loot from Linda. Before I had a chance to share on the blog all the great stuff from No. 1 that came in a wonderful black and white patterned envelope sitting inside a black and white patterned tray that was lined with red (of course!) and then No. 2 arrived! Who would even want to open this? Faye (my faithful mail carrier) handed it over with a grin.

So during the recent clean-up of my studio I sorted all the cool mail art and loot packages into one humungous container. Normally when I get unexpected deliveries I set them aside and eventually put what I can on my blog and in my journal – evidence, right? Cards, envelopes, cool wrappings, you name it….it would go in the journal. But I got so behind that all this great stuff is piled in a bin. No more! So with Linda’s gifts I made a pact with myself to journal about it and use all the great stuff.

And I love this: on the little note seen below Linda wrote "maybe you can use some of this stuff, if not shake it off". Told ya, she’s a rememberer. And I’m using it.

So you can see I didn’t get very far – just have a few pages in progess – but at least I’m doing it! Thanks Linda for all the very special "you-get-me" stash.

I appreciate all my commentors. Is it commenter or commentor? I couldn’t find a definite answer so I went with commentor since it’s more like contributor. Commentors really contribute to a blog – and make the blogger feel validated. I have many MVNBC and many MVBC too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and enthusiasm. It’s how friendships can begin.

More to share….from more friends met online (*wink* you know who you are)….but I gotta get my journal pages started first.

EDIT: With permission granted by Linda, here is an excerpt of her artwork in Lynne Perrella’s new book. I believe in sneak peeks only….you have to get the book to see the entire glorious piece. Art Making is a terrific book of visuals – and if you’re obsessed with collecting you’ll feel like you found a group of souls who Get it.

February 16, 2008
knock knock

Isn’t it a great feeling when you see something that just makes you laugh out loud? This company gives us that *wink* with their clever products. I dare you not to smile. I double dare you not to go running right over to their site and scoop up a bunch of their cool things. When you’re there, be sure to read their Philosophy. Love these people! Thanks to Mary at KnockKnock.biz for permission to use the graphics from their site.

They also have some fun books, paper pads, and well……just go there.

February 7, 2008
knock knock

Isn’t it a great feeling when you see something that just makes you laugh out loud? This company gives us that *wink* with their clever products. I dare you not to smile. I double dare you not to go running right over to their site and scoop up a bunch of their cool things. When you’re there, be sure to read their Philosophy. Love these people! Thanks to Mary at KnockKnock.biz for permission to use the graphics from their site.

They also have some fun books, paper pads, and well……just go there.

February 7, 2008
did you get the memo?

Wasn't it delightful to check your mailbox in December as you received so many hand-addressed envelopes filled with holiday cheer? Getting "real mail" is a treat, something we also discovered during our Crusade a few months ago: Spread the Love. Laura reminded us that this is National Letter Writing Week (and she's hosting a party on her blog!) What? You didn't get the memo either? It's never too late to make this a priority, to not just think about writing a letter, but to do it. Now that I think about it, Kathy also blogged about writing a letter. Here's a *smack to the forehead* – write someone today.

There are many ways to get your message across – you can be all fancy with the pens and wax seals or funky with cards and stamps. You can think big like we did when we wrote to both the Queen and the Queen Mother – and we got letters back*! Or you can just write the most minimal words, from the heart.

I've been writing Fan Mail for years. First letter was probably to David Cassidy, most recent was to David Carson. In fact, this week I sent off a handful of emails to several people who were featured in Helvetica, and heard back from a few already! The cool thing about this cyber world is we can follow an impulse, find a person, and make a connection. Instant gratification. Instant expression of gratitude. I keep a file of fan mail I've sent and the responses I've gotten – both through real mail and via email. Sadly, I've lost some copies because I didn't print them out right away – so learn from me, after you hit send, hit print. (Yes, I admit that most of my letters are by email lately but I'm vowing to change that because how do you know that your recipient is hitting print? Don't you want them to have a real letter from you?) It's really interesting to look back at the letters I've sent as a fan and to remember what struck me to reach out to another person – whether it was an artist, or a writer, or a someone who touched me in some way.

I was doing a little digging around online and came across THIS from Emily Post's Etiquette. She was lamenting that letter writing was going to become a lost art and be replaced with telegrams and phone messages. THAT was in 1922. Hello? Email, texting, voicemail…..she would die! She goes into great detail about the kind of letter we don't like to get – letters no one likes to read. (Not a bad lesson to review for us bloggers!) But she also tells us this, above. Love that.

I'm not dissing email – you got it, use it! It's been a terrific means of communicating. (Leaving comments is like a little letter of validation too!) I'm just saying, write a letter – whether it's a quick note, or a thought-out paragraph, to let someone know you're glad they're around, you're thinking of them, they have influenced you, or you just like their music. *wink*

Who will you write to?

* Because my husband is from England, I made it a practice to send notes to the Queen from our kids. When Windsor Castle suffered a fire we sent $2 from Peter and Sam and rec'd a letter thanking us for the donation and how the money would be deposited. Later, when Fallon was born on the Queen Mother's birthday we would send her cards, telling her it was Fallon's birthday too. Every year we would get a letter with birthday wishes in return. Ya never know who will write back! Of all the letters to people I consider "stars", I've heard back from the majority. Of course it's about SENDING your positive vibes out into the world without any expectation of response, but it's kinda cool to hear back too!

January 11, 2008
did you get the memo?

Wasn't it delightful to check your mailbox in December as you received so many hand-addressed envelopes filled with holiday cheer? Getting "real mail" is a treat, something we also discovered during our Crusade a few months ago: Spread the Love. Laura reminded us that this is National Letter Writing Week (and she's hosting a party on her blog!) What? You didn't get the memo either? It's never too late to make this a priority, to not just think about writing a letter, but to do it. Now that I think about it, Kathy also blogged about writing a letter. Here's a *smack to the forehead* – write someone today.

There are many ways to get your message across – you can be all fancy with the pens and wax seals or funky with cards and stamps. You can think big like we did when we wrote to both the Queen and the Queen Mother – and we got letters back*! Or you can just write the most minimal words, from the heart.

I've been writing Fan Mail for years. First letter was probably to David Cassidy, most recent was to David Carson. In fact, this week I sent off a handful of emails to several people who were featured in Helvetica, and heard back from a few already! The cool thing about this cyber world is we can follow an impulse, find a person, and make a connection. Instant gratification. Instant expression of gratitude. I keep a file of fan mail I've sent and the responses I've gotten – both through real mail and via email. Sadly, I've lost some copies because I didn't print them out right away – so learn from me, after you hit send, hit print. (Yes, I admit that most of my letters are by email lately but I'm vowing to change that because how do you know that your recipient is hitting print? Don't you want them to have a real letter from you?) It's really interesting to look back at the letters I've sent as a fan and to remember what struck me to reach out to another person – whether it was an artist, or a writer, or a someone who touched me in some way.

I was doing a little digging around online and came across THIS from Emily Post's Etiquette. She was lamenting that letter writing was going to become a lost art and be replaced with telegrams and phone messages. THAT was in 1922. Hello? Email, texting, voicemail…..she would die! She goes into great detail about the kind of letter we don't like to get – letters no one likes to read. (Not a bad lesson to review for us bloggers!) But she also tells us this, above. Love that.

I'm not dissing email – you got it, use it! It's been a terrific means of communicating. (Leaving comments is like a little letter of validation too!) I'm just saying, write a letter – whether it's a quick note, or a thought-out paragraph, to let someone know you're glad they're around, you're thinking of them, they have influenced you, or you just like their music. *wink*

Who will you write to?

* Because my husband is from England, I made it a practice to send notes to the Queen from our kids. When Windsor Castle suffered a fire we sent $2 from Peter and Sam and rec'd a letter thanking us for the donation and how the money would be deposited. Later, when Fallon was born on the Queen Mother's birthday we would send her cards, telling her it was Fallon's birthday too. Every year we would get a letter with birthday wishes in return. Ya never know who will write back! Of all the letters to people I consider "stars", I've heard back from the majority. Of course it's about SENDING your positive vibes out into the world without any expectation of response, but it's kinda cool to hear back too!

January 11, 2008
i’m in trouble

Yes, two posts in one day. Do you think it depends on what part of the country you’re from if you call it a Purse or a Handbag? Like Soda or Pop? Wikipedia makes it sound like they are equally used, along with Pocketbook. So my post below ruffled the feathers of my dear friend Edie who is a HotShot at this place. And apparently I’m not only using the wrong term, but she thinks I may possibly influence you NOT to get the latest "it" purse (or handbag). And since I’m hardly "in the know" of what’s cool in the purse category (proof below), I will make a plug for her company, to get you all stoked up about their newest and their classics just to show I wasn’t dissing purses, or the buying of purses. (And if you read the Wikipedia entry on purses you’ll learn women buy an average of one purse every three months, so I think Edie’s company is safe, but I’ll still plug away in the spirit of friendship.)

I finally found two great purses this year – one for concerts, and one for my regular day job as a mom – backpack style. And yep, that Coach bag was a gift, from you-know-who. I use it sparingly as I don’t often have something of this caliber in my closet.

My totes are many….can’t find them all at the moment for their photoshoot but here’s what I found on the surface in my studio. I have 10 times more totes than purses.

Hmmmm. I guess we buy what we like, label or not…..logo or not. (The tote I point out is cleverly made from a HIM tshirt by Vamptropolis @ Etsy.) My favorite band will probably never make the Washington Post "in" list…..fine with me, I’ll continue to get good concert tickets. NOBODY can tell me they aren’t all that, because to me, they are.

Are pointy shoes still in? Bleh! Who cares. I’ll NEVER buy those things. I KNOW that Edie KNOWS my post below wasn’t really about not buying the "it" purse. And I know that you GET that it’s not about what’s Trendy or what’s Over. We know what our "look" is when it comes to clothes or jewelry (or purses) or home decor. We don’t let the List determine how we will make our selections because we like what we like, regardless of who approves it. Why not figure out what your look is when it comes to your art?

Hey, do you think this post might lure Edie from her lurking position and get her comment? *wink*

January 4, 2008
i’m in trouble

Yes, two posts in one day. Do you think it depends on what part of the country you’re from if you call it a Purse or a Handbag? Like Soda or Pop? Wikipedia makes it sound like they are equally used, along with Pocketbook. So my post below ruffled the feathers of my dear friend Edie who is a HotShot at this place. And apparently I’m not only using the wrong term, but she thinks I may possibly influence you NOT to get the latest "it" purse (or handbag). And since I’m hardly "in the know" of what’s cool in the purse category (proof below), I will make a plug for her company, to get you all stoked up about their newest and their classics just to show I wasn’t dissing purses, or the buying of purses. (And if you read the Wikipedia entry on purses you’ll learn women buy an average of one purse every three months, so I think Edie’s company is safe, but I’ll still plug away in the spirit of friendship.)

I finally found two great purses this year – one for concerts, and one for my regular day job as a mom – backpack style. And yep, that Coach bag was a gift, from you-know-who. I use it sparingly as I don’t often have something of this caliber in my closet.

My totes are many….can’t find them all at the moment for their photoshoot but here’s what I found on the surface in my studio. I have 10 times more totes than purses.

Hmmmm. I guess we buy what we like, label or not…..logo or not. (The tote I point out is cleverly made from a HIM tshirt by Vamptropolis @ Etsy.) My favorite band will probably never make the Washington Post "in" list…..fine with me, I’ll continue to get good concert tickets. NOBODY can tell me they aren’t all that, because to me, they are.

Are pointy shoes still in? Bleh! Who cares. I’ll NEVER buy those things. I KNOW that Edie KNOWS my post below wasn’t really about not buying the "it" purse. And I know that you GET that it’s not about what’s Trendy or what’s Over. We know what our "look" is when it comes to clothes or jewelry (or purses) or home decor. We don’t let the List determine how we will make our selections because we like what we like, regardless of who approves it. Why not figure out what your look is when it comes to your art?

Hey, do you think this post might lure Edie from her lurking position and get her comment? *wink*

January 4, 2008
It’s been a good week!

Saturday, I was a lucky girl – had a lovely day in the city with my friend Lynne. We had planned to catch Wendy Addison’s Trunk Show at Tinsel Trading but serendipity was at play and we got to squeeze in a Klimt show too! The Neue Gallery is hosting a show on Gustav Klimt, with a handful of his paintings, many drawings, and some other treats. The biggest thrill for me was seeing this beauty….a familiar piece to many of us but you just gotta see it for real. The textures and metallics are stunning!

After a terrific lunch and visit to the gallery Lynne and I dashed down to Tinsel Trading Co. We stood and awwwwed in the window before heading in. I can’t believe this is the only photo I have of us together from yesterday…..you can just see us in the reflection of the Pierrot costume that stopped me in my tracks:

I can’t remember when I first discovered Wendy – maybe in a magazine? (Like Victoria or M.E.) Might have been when I saw some of her wonderful pieces done in black and white. Then the book Where Women Create hit the shelves and I buckled at the knees when I saw her studio/shoppe. You KNOW what I’m talking about if you have that book. It was indeed a privilege to meet her and to see her journal filled with deliciously juicy sketches. And to stand and watch her theater in motion as she stood with a wink and pulled the tassle-ended string. She’s a girl after my own heart – embedding secrets in her work.

We had a wonderful time seeing all her products too. The halloween items are clever – I especially love the skeleton in the coffin. After Lynne left one of the things I asked Wendy about was the costume we had spied earlier. Since I have a thing for Pierrots I asked her stand next to it for a photo. Look how cute she is with her hand through the sleeve. Like a fangirl I ran out onto the sidewalk for a quick snap.

I will print out that photo and place it on my Wendy Addison (signed!) frame. Doesn’t it almost look like an "M"? Had to have it….as well as some other goodies from Tinsel Trading.

You might remember seeing on Pam Garrison’s blog that she and Jenny Doh were sprinkled with the lucky dust as they got to visit Wendy’s studio some months back (which led to an Artist Portfolio in Somerset Studio, Jul/Aug 07).

I’ve been such a lucky girl – to take a train to the city for a warm October day with a friend, to catch up on conversation, and to feast on inspiring visuals…..the hour ride home was not enough time to scribble down all my thoughts and fresh ideas. Thanks Lynne, thanks Gustav, thanks Wendy!

Lots of incoming goodies to show you…some will wait until later this week when I post my Halloween stuff. How about this from Marylinn Kelly? She delivers sunshine with her hand-colored-with-love envelopes. Do you love her skullies? The pin was a gift earlier this year – don’t you think she needs to be selling these on her site? New rubber designs by Marylinn are at Rubber Moon.

Here are some cards…..the first from my ghoulfriend Lisa, I think she needs a tattoo of these guys:

And Michelle was so sweet to send this….she entered it for the Crush Crusade as she was crushing on the ink blot article on Somerset. She dedicated it to me since I crush on red, and then surprised me by mailing it here! I had to get that skull stamp for myself…she was an enabler – oh, and the Top Hat pick for the crusade!! (Skull by Inkadinkado)

Paint the town Red? Judi knew I’d love it. And just a few days ago Lynne sent this….might have to try a few verses of my own.

Two more things I have to share. While at Valley Ridge I was giving Andrew a hard time about his Frank Lloyd Wright stencils he had just scored at Taliesin East. I was teasing him that he should have gotten me some….and I even had the nerve to continue after we got home by threatening to spray paint his picnic table in exchange for the stencils. Such a sweet man, he was actually going to send me two but I refused because I can get my own with a few clicks on the keyboard. It was a touching offer wasn’t it? So I never got around to ordering them and this week a fantastically painted box arrived on my doorstep. You guessed it FLW stencils! FROM BONNIE BENSON, another student at Valley Ridge. She witnessed the fuss I made over them and as she passed by Taliesin on her way back home she got them for me. How cool is that? Thanks Bonnie!

And the last story to wind up a really good week is a gift I got from my sweet friend Linda Warlyn. I’m late in sharing this one as it was two weeks ago that she gave me this thoughtful present. If you read the comments on this blog you have no doubt read Linda’s warm and generous words…..and wished she had a blog because you just know you’d like her. So in the bag were these two boxes…not any ordinary boxes. Black licorice! I don’t even remember telling you here that I like black licorice but I blather on about everything I crush on so I’m not surprised it slipped out. (Easter: black jelly bean mention according to Linda) BUT HERE’S WHY THESE BOXES ARE SO SPECIAL: THEY ARE FROM FINLAND. And you thought I might get through an entire long post without a single mention of ……well, you know. But SHE knows, and so when she pointed it out I fell over in amazement at her cleverness. AND because she knows I crush on scents, and four leaf clovers too, THIS sachet was another PERFECT thing. Thanks Linda! (and start a blog would ya?)

NEXT: my halloween pictures! We are having a party Saturday…..and I’m not even done!

October 22, 2007
It’s been a good week!

Saturday, I was a lucky girl – had a lovely day in the city with my friend Lynne. We had planned to catch Wendy Addison’s Trunk Show at Tinsel Trading but serendipity was at play and we got to squeeze in a Klimt show too! The Neue Gallery is hosting a show on Gustav Klimt, with a handful of his paintings, many drawings, and some other treats. The biggest thrill for me was seeing this beauty….a familiar piece to many of us but you just gotta see it for real. The textures and metallics are stunning!

After a terrific lunch and visit to the gallery Lynne and I dashed down to Tinsel Trading Co. We stood and awwwwed in the window before heading in. I can’t believe this is the only photo I have of us together from yesterday…..you can just see us in the reflection of the Pierrot costume that stopped me in my tracks:

I can’t remember when I first discovered Wendy – maybe in a magazine? (Like Victoria or M.E.) Might have been when I saw some of her wonderful pieces done in black and white. Then the book Where Women Create hit the shelves and I buckled at the knees when I saw her studio/shoppe. You KNOW what I’m talking about if you have that book. It was indeed a privilege to meet her and to see her journal filled with deliciously juicy sketches. And to stand and watch her theater in motion as she stood with a wink and pulled the tassle-ended string. She’s a girl after my own heart – embedding secrets in her work.

We had a wonderful time seeing all her products too. The halloween items are clever – I especially love the skeleton in the coffin. After Lynne left one of the things I asked Wendy about was the costume we had spied earlier. Since I have a thing for Pierrots I asked her stand next to it for a photo. Look how cute she is with her hand through the sleeve. Like a fangirl I ran out onto the sidewalk for a quick snap.

I will print out that photo and place it on my Wendy Addison (signed!) frame. Doesn’t it almost look like an "M"? Had to have it….as well as some other goodies from Tinsel Trading.

You might remember seeing on Pam Garrison’s blog that she and Jenny Doh were sprinkled with the lucky dust as they got to visit Wendy’s studio some months back (which led to an Artist Portfolio in Somerset Studio, Jul/Aug 07).

I’ve been such a lucky girl – to take a train to the city for a warm October day with a friend, to catch up on conversation, and to feast on inspiring visuals…..the hour ride home was not enough time to scribble down all my thoughts and fresh ideas. Thanks Lynne, thanks Gustav, thanks Wendy!

Lots of incoming goodies to show you…some will wait until later this week when I post my Halloween stuff. How about this from Marylinn Kelly? She delivers sunshine with her hand-colored-with-love envelopes. Do you love her skullies? The pin was a gift earlier this year – don’t you think she needs to be selling these on her site? New rubber designs by Marylinn are at Rubber Moon.

Here are some cards…..the first from my ghoulfriend Lisa, I think she needs a tattoo of these guys:

And Michelle was so sweet to send this….she entered it for the Crush Crusade as she was crushing on the ink blot article on Somerset. She dedicated it to me since I crush on red, and then surprised me by mailing it here! I had to get that skull stamp for myself…she was an enabler – oh, and the Top Hat pick for the crusade!! (Skull by Inkadinkado)

Paint the town Red? Judi knew I’d love it. And just a few days ago Lynne sent this….might have to try a few verses of my own.

Two more things I have to share. While at Valley Ridge I was giving Andrew a hard time about his Frank Lloyd Wright stencils he had just scored at Taliesin East. I was teasing him that he should have gotten me some….and I even had the nerve to continue after we got home by threatening to spray paint his picnic table in exchange for the stencils. Such a sweet man, he was actually going to send me two but I refused because I can get my own with a few clicks on the keyboard. It was a touching offer wasn’t it? So I never got around to ordering them and this week a fantastically painted box arrived on my doorstep. You guessed it FLW stencils! FROM BONNIE BENSON, another student at Valley Ridge. She witnessed the fuss I made over them and as she passed by Taliesin on her way back home she got them for me. How cool is that? Thanks Bonnie!

And the last story to wind up a really good week is a gift I got from my sweet friend Linda Warlyn. I’m late in sharing this one as it was two weeks ago that she gave me this thoughtful present. If you read the comments on this blog you have no doubt read Linda’s warm and generous words…..and wished she had a blog because you just know you’d like her. So in the bag were these two boxes…not any ordinary boxes. Black licorice! I don’t even remember telling you here that I like black licorice but I blather on about everything I crush on so I’m not surprised it slipped out. (Easter: black jelly bean mention according to Linda) BUT HERE’S WHY THESE BOXES ARE SO SPECIAL: THEY ARE FROM FINLAND. And you thought I might get through an entire long post without a single mention of ……well, you know. But SHE knows, and so when she pointed it out I fell over in amazement at her cleverness. AND because she knows I crush on scents, and four leaf clovers too, THIS sachet was another PERFECT thing. Thanks Linda! (and start a blog would ya?)

NEXT: my halloween pictures! We are having a party Saturday…..and I’m not even done!

October 22, 2007
how often do you……WINK?

Sure, a wink is a physical gesture of blinking one eye with a twinkle in the other and a sly smile that delivers a secret message. Maybe it says "I’m thinking if you in a special way", or "I knew you’d love that", or "I’m full of surprises", or "See, I’m paying attention, and I GET you". Sometimes it’s not even a facial expression, but an act that makes you realize someone is winking at you. Take for instance a few months ago when I told you about an article where my friend Jenny Doh, director of publishing at Stampington, was winking at me. You can read about that HERE.

The latest issue of Somerset Studio arrived and I got WINKED at again.

If you’ve seen Lynne’s book Beyond Paper Dolls then you’re familiar with this paper theater. Somerset presents additional views in my article in the Sept/Oct issue. It was fun to revisit this project and give it new words. It was so much fun to make and provided endless amusement as I conjured up all the set drop-ins. When I first sent it to Lynne I had enclosed in the prop drawer a figure of Edgar Allan Poe as well as a scaled down replica of a puppet I had created for Teesha’s Art and Life, depicting my favorite rock star Ville Valo. It was a way of sending a little WINK to Lynne. To my surprise and delight, Ville showed up on stage in the Somerset article. A total WINK from Jenny. Not many people will know who he is or why he’s there but WE know. Say it….H.C.I.T. There is a Valo/Poe connection which is another reason why I included him in the theater but I’ll spare you that story today. For more views of The Willow Playhouse presents The Raven, see HERE.

If you’ve been following my blog this is old news, but here are the pages I had done for Teesha over a year ago….and a photo of me with Ville when I gave him the puppet. Now you know who that dude is on stage in the article…and why it was a WINK from my editor and friend. And because I’m on a music crusade for the GPP Street Team I will share with you a HIM video where Ville is wearing the top hat.

Also in this issue is an Artist Portfolio on Julie Pearson. I was honored to be the one to introduce you to her as she is a very dear friend and incredible artist and mentor. It was difficult to edit myself and not sound like a total fangirl when I wrote the article. It’s only here that I can share with you HOW CRAZY I AM ABOUT THIS WOMAN. We are working together on a website for her and you will be the first to know when it’s ready. Pick up the issue to see her beautiful work.

Today, when I should have been packing, I escaped with Susanna to see Becoming Jane. DIVINE film. If you’re a Jane Austen fan DO NOT MISS IT!

Raise your hand if you want to see a spin-off that follows the life of Henry Austen. Susanna and I vote YES.

August 22, 2007