Lemoncholy's flight of fancy

blog hop continues/I am the spotlight artist this week!

2012-01-27T18:00:00.005-05:00

Hi, thanks for stopping by! I'm this weeks spotlight artist in the blog hop.

Artful Gathering Event Registration is Open!

I'm the Spotlight Artist for The Artful Gathering Blog Hop!
Follow along with me for fun, creativity, and a chance to win a

$200.00 e-gift card from Jerry's Artarama!

This summer I will be teaching a fabulous premiere video workshop at

The Artful Gathering Online Art Retreat 2012

Soldering Flambé

From July 15 to August 25

You’ve heard of soldering with a torch, but it seems a little scary. Maybe even a little intimidating. Kecia has heard all the reasons that you might not be sure you are ready to try it. She's here to tell you it is easy, and that once you’ve been taught the correct way to do it, there’ll be no stopping you!

You will start from the beginning and learn how to operate the torch. From there it’ll be step by step, trouble shooting and learning the ins and outs of bringing solder to metal. After you learn how to operate your torch, you will practice bringing solder to your metal to build a background. From there you will be adding a bezel to your soldered metal to create a focal point. Once the focal point is set, you will add more layers and texture to the bezel by adding papers and dimensional items.

Then... Kecia will walk you through all aspects of using resin. Resin is another product that tends to “scare” people. Following her tips and advice, you will master resin easily. Kecia is an expert on the topic of resin - so take advantage of her knowledge!

Finally, you create a necklace for your newly, handmade, forged pendant! Kecia will discuss a few ways to build a chain using her own methods of creating with vintage, deconstructed elements. You’ll find that you’ll be learning quite a few different techniques all wrapped up in one class and what you’ll take away is the ability to create unique, funky, one of a kind soldered elements that can be used in jewelry (think pendants, bracelets, earrings....), bookmaking and more.

Come Hop With US!

Hop Rules:

If you would like to hop with us and meet all the super awesome Artful Gathering 2012 Art Instructors, and have a chance to win a random drawing prize in our random drawing, then hop with us! Each week, I will announce the blog for you to visit, and off you go to meet them, and to pick up the newest secret word. Your chance to win prizes....

For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those contestants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words!

Three winners will be randomly drawn. One for the $200.00 e-card to Jerry's, and two runner's up for the 25.00 e-card to Jerrys!

This weeks word is ......Paints
Next week, I'll announce the next person to hop to. Good luck!!!

an open letter to you

2012-01-27T17:48:00.007-05:00

i penned you a note today:

Dear Art Friends,

"This is the year of being brave". It is time to jump in and explore. Forget the expectation, forget
being perfect and forget doubting every move that you make. Stop caring so much about the end result and see what happens! Freedom to explore, freedom to create and the freedom to trust yourself more. In the end, I believe you will find the process more enjoyable.

In inspiration,

kecia

be sure and stop by on Sunday as i will be the spotlight artist for Artful Gathering's blog hop!

Affaire at Tiffany's

2012-01-26T22:59:00.004-05:00

there are still a few spots left, in case you haven't heard about the exciting art retreat going on in California, where I will be teaching in early May.

Kim Caldwell, of Artistic Affaire, is hosting another one of her amazing soirees. The theme is breakfast at Tiffany's. Go over to her website and read all about the event. There are fun classes, swaps, speakers, a pajama party (and a screening of the movie) and the chance to have some amazing photos taken by the very talented, Tiffany Kirchner Dixon. Finally, hop on the bus with us as we take in a day of antiquing.

Greetings from Florida/next stop on the blog hop

2012-01-22T13:40:00.008-05:00

Greetings from sunny Orlando, where i am visiting my son and took an encaustic class with Patricia Seggebruch. (really fun!) I'm down here relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather. I worked so hard the last 2 weeks to finish my online class for Artful Gathering before I left, that it is truly a well deserved vacation!

I leave here on Wednesday heading to Miami/Boca Raton to visit my friend, Pam, where we'll spend some lazy time on the beach, eating good food, drinking good wine, doing some art and having fun. Apparently it snowed yesterday in New Jersey, so i guess i left in the nick of time.

talk to you soon!

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Celebrating Artful Gathering 2012 Online Art Retreat,
Open for Registration!

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2012, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share out knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a prizes from Jerry's Artarama!

Each week the faculty of Artful Gathering will be announcing a featured blog to visit.

You can hop along with us until the final destination blog is reached, and where ONE Grand Prize winner will be chosen at Random for a chance to win a $200.00 e-gift card from Jerry's Artarama!!!

Two Runner Up winners will also be chosen at random for a chance to win a $25.00 e-gift card from Jerrys.

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way from blog to blog. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those contestants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words!
Three winners will be randomly drawn. One for the $200.00 e-card to Jerry's, and two runner's up for the 25.00 e-card to Jerrys.

Week by week we'll go from one blog to the next!

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawings!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing Animal Portrait Artist...

Elizabeth G. Johnson

http://windandhoney.blogspot.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Sometimes

2012-01-17T20:27:00.005-05:00

Sometimes as you live your life and do what you have to do, you tend to think of yourself as alone in your hardships. Today on facebook i posted a link about Catherine Graves who wrote a book about being a caregiver for her husband. the title of the article was "Wife slips into madness as husband dies of brain tumor". after posting the link, I added the comment, "i can so relate to this story".

a very sweet facebook friend commented back to me with this:

"Every day when I read your posts and see your photos I have the utmost admiration for you. Your creativity and talent are even more inspiring considering your role as a caregiver and mother. The fact you have any energy to do anything other than that is astounding. My background is in Community Service caring for people who are aged or disabled. Unlike you, at the end of my shift I could sign off and go home so I acknowledge that you, being a mother and carer of a young man with high needs, are doing an incredible job. I know it's not the same as having practical support but you have many friends on Facebook who are cheering you on. I hope our collective energy helps in some way. Your love and dedication to your family does not go unnoticed and whilst we are all amazed by your art we are blown away by your strength and fortitude, your caring and selflessness. You're never alone xxx"

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I have to tell you, I was quite surprised to read something so incredibly sensitive and understanding to the day to day of my life. It was if she glimpsed inside my soul and saw what lays hidden there (the pain, the grief, the fear, the uncertainty, the stress, the sorrow- all of it).

I truly am grateful that she took the time to tell me that. It meant the world to me.

blog hop continues - week 2

2012-01-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Our Next Artist is Up for the Artful Gathering Blog Hop!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2012 Online Art Retreat,
Open for Registration!

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a prizes from Jerry's Artarama!

Each week the faculty of Artful Gathering will be announcing a featured blog to visit.

You can hop along with us until the final destination blog is reached, and where ONE Grand Prize winner will be chosen at Random for a chance to win a $200.00 e-gift card from Jerry's Artarama!!!

For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those contestants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words!
Three winners will be randomly drawn. One for the $200.00 e-card to Jerry's, and two runner's up for the 25.00 e-card to Jerrys.

Week by week we'll go from one blog to the next!

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawings!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Laura K. Aiken

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

http://www.laurakaiken.blogspot.com/

When a photo speaks to you

2012-01-13T10:51:00.002-05:00

I found this picture on facebook and i just love it. it makes me feel so happy. i love the look of glee on the pups face.

it makes me yearn for a warm summer day where i could be running around playing with this little fella. maybe we'd come across a stream of water, where we'd rest and enjoy a picnic. seems like a lovely day.

what story do you feel when you see this picture?

Promotional video for Artful Gathering

2012-01-12T15:17:00.005-05:00

This summer I am teaching an online workshop for Artful Gathering. I am quite excited about my foray into online workshops and will be doing some on my own and some through a few others events.

I've been working hard on my videos and although filming in my studio (there aren't any doors to close) has been challenging (barking dogs and other things!), i'm getting the hang of it and having fun.

My class will be session two which runs July 15-August 25.

Lisa Loria, coming soon!

2012-01-11T12:34:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to do a reminder that Lisa Loria will be here teaching a fun class called, Bling Baby. It's the perfect amount of fun and art to chase those winter blues away for a little bit!

Plan on a fun, casual day of art making where we merge old dolls and found objects to create our own bling baby treasures.

We look forward to the play date!

details:

when: Saturday, February 11th, 2012

where: Lemoncholy's Studio

1606 Oxford Lane

Wall, NJ 07719

time: 11:00-4:00

cost: $135.00 to be paid via paypal

please contact me for further details at keeshagirl4@aol.com

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2012 Online Art Retreat

2012-01-07T19:34:00.009-05:00

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2012 Online Art Retreat,
Open for Registration!

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a prizes from Jerry's Artarama!

Each week the faculty of Artful Gathering will be announcing a featured blog to visit.

You can hop along with us until the final destination blog is reached, and where ONE Grand Prize winner will be chosen at Random for a chance to win a $200.00 e-gift card from Jerry's Artarama!!!

For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those contestants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words!
Three winners will be randomly drawn. One for the $200.00 e-card to Jerry's, and two runner's up for the 25.00 e-card to Jerrys.

Week by week we'll go from one blog to the next!

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawings!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Jodi Ohl

www.sweetrepeats.blogspot.com

the fragility of life- 2012

2012-01-03T22:03:00.003-05:00

I know, I'm a few days behind- but I've had a hard time celebrating the new year, so I guess I've just put it off. Tucker got sick (per usual) on Christmas Eve, which sent my adrenaline system into overdrive. It was really hard to enjoy opening gifts in between his coughing fits. It makes me sad for tucker, it makes me sad for dillon and it makes me sad for our family in general. All that stress hanging around in empty space above our heads, defeats in and all chances for enjoyment. It is difficult to describe, unless you know what I am talking about with the challenges of a special needs child and how it impacts the family and life in general, so I'll just have to leave it as, "sometimes it sucks".

then a few days later, a family friend's 10 year old niece, was killed in a car accident. This is a girl we've met at family functions and "know her". She was a beautiful blonde child with HUGE eyes and the cutest little bob ever. It is difficult to make sense of it. I almost wish i didn't know about it. I can barely think about it, it is so upsetting. My husband is there in Tennessee now, with his friends and the family. He is going to come home distraught and depressed; because we've been there- we know that sorrow. it is beyond devastating and there is little comfort beyond what little we are doing.

I can't help but reflect on how fragile life is. I keep thinking that less than a week ago, that precious child was celebrating Christmas with her family. She was probably very excited along with her darling little sister. And then she is gone. There is no making sense of it. Life is a random slot of numbers.

Sorry to be so melancholy. I've just said goodbye to dillon and sent him back to school (a difficult goodbye). the holidays are done and i'm feeling a little empty following the tragedy of an innocent child.

my wish to you

2011-12-25T18:47:00.002-05:00

As this Dec 25th, 2011 winds down, I sit here in Tucker's room, giving him a respiratory treatment (he's not feeling well). A marathon of "A Christmas Story" is playing on tv. Dillon is playing a new video game and Jeff is on the computer.

As I sit here, I feel myself thinking of the approaching New Year. I'm thinking of all the changes I want to make in the coming year. Personal resolutions that equals personal growth. my new years mantra to be, "I can do this"

I have a big and exciting journey approaching in mid April. An art odyssey, so to speak. I have much to do in preparation, so I have a lot on my plate. Many things to get done in a short amount of time. I can do this.

I have committed myself to teaching an online class this summer for Artful Gathering. im nervous about the techie stuff as i have no one to help me with things i dont understand. it entails alot of work. i have to have this done before i leave. I can do this.

I can do all this because this trip is something I have dreamed about for awhile. My trip will take me across the United States, East to West. I'll be on my home turf again and there is much I want to do. I'll be driving out west to teach at Artistic Affaire and then when I am done, I will set about fulfilling things on list. I look forward to my adventure. I can do this.

I'll blog more about this later as there will be much to share and I am planning on doing a fundraiser in feb to generate some road money. (i'll be making a limited amount of magic heart pendants.)

So I sign off with hope in my heart, dreams to be fulfilled and alot of hard work in between. My wish to you is to grab your dreams and make them come true in the best way that you can.

another painting, jesse reno class

2011-12-19T10:06:00.002-05:00

here's another painting that i did in jesse's class. you can really get a feel for the process from this example.

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it was at this point that i flipped my painting upside and decided i liked what was happening in the other direction.

i could see a rather odd looking sheep

this is where i left the painting. the top part is definitely going to get blocked out, so that i can focus on the sheep more. haven't done any painting since i've been home, so not sure when it'll get done, but that's the next move on this piece!

jesse reno class

2011-12-14T09:23:00.006-05:00

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Taking a class with Jesse Reno, you will soon find that anything goes. there is no planning and there is always more work to be done. I advise you to listen carefully to his words, write them down and begin to process them. He is an amazing story teller, which is obvious from his paintings. It is also very inspiring to listen to him discuss the deeper meaning to his work. It is authentic in a way that i have never worked before. I know how to pour love into my jewelry , but it was very challenging for me to do it in a painting.

I have not painted much and certainly am not trained or have had schooling (but neither has jesse), but i found myself comparing my work to others in class and that is not a good thing to do. It can really take away from the experience as I found out on day 3 when i thought my stuff looked like crap compared to others. When I awoke on day 4, I decided to change my ways. I had to remember that these are not being judged (only by myself perhaps) and that it was time to not be so invested in the "perfect piece" and to really, stop caring so much. I teach about freedom and restrictions when I am instructing on my personal style in my jewelry pieces, but found it hard to find that freedom in class. I think i was planning too much. After that, anytime i found myself doing too much planning, I either walked away or moved onto a different piece. I was getting caught up in the "i don't want to ruin it". on day 4 i actually did wreck a piece. It went from really cool, to a total disaster- i mean, i hated it when i was done. But i felt good to let go of that perfection and fear. So i wrecked a piece, big deal. I still have a long way to go, that's for sure. His process takes practice, especially for someone who feels so challenged with drawing, shading, understanding color and placement, etc.

and i will definitely take another class with him. there is always more to learn and it seemed like on the last day, things were starting to sink in.

these pictures show the process from beginning to end on my big 4x4 canvas piece. It still has a long way to go. There are things i want to change, add, remove and on and on. It is still too calculated for me, but one step at a time, i suppose.

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Now let me take you on a tour of our amazing lodging, called The Hacienda Mosaico. The pictures do not do it justice. It is just magical. "It is located in Colonia Versalles, a typical upscale Mexican neighborhood that affords visitors a chance to experience the charm of daily life in old Mexico. You will find cobbled streets, where tortillerias and markets catering to the locals rather than the tourists…"

The best perk of my time there, was Stella, the sweet little maltese, who is always around for a hug and some lovin. She likes to encourage her guest to go swimming as she loves to run around the pool while others swim.

you can also view all my photos on flickr and see pictures from my visit to Olde Towne, shopping the market and of my visit to the local cemetery.

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I love this picture i took of jesse during a demo/lecture. He is interesting to listen to and says the most amazing things. He weaves a story with his work, but also through his hands as he speaks. He is a fascinating, wise person and I count myself lucky to have spent so much quality time with him. i feel i left a better person in understanding that true art comes from the heart with no other expectations but to be authentic and being true to yourself.

Reflections from Puerto Vallarta

2011-12-10T18:04:00.002-05:00

(painting by Jesse Reno)

Our 5 days of painting with Jesse have come to an end. Spontaneously, I have decided to stay 2 more days to paint. My bff, Pam, has gone and I am missing her terribly. I am surprised to find myself feeling lonely; an emotion I rarely feel.

Often after a retreat, I suffer post "art workshop" let down. I am aware of it and realize that it is all part of the process. the journey of growth and learning continue as i recognize this.

we learned so much in 5 days and i will tell you that 5 days are not enough. his style involves thinking on a deeper level and engaging more in the process, which eventually leads you on a journey. i am already thinking of the next time i can take a class with him- as there is so much to absorb.

tomorrow morning, i will embark with new tribe member, suzanne, to the cemetary to take photos.

i leave you to pick up a paint brush and get lost in my painting.

giving back

2011-12-02T11:50:00.004-05:00

I'm getting ready to leave for Puerta Vallarta on Sunday. doing all those last minute things like finishing up projects, packing, cleaning house, etc. All that fun stuff to get done, just to getaway and relax! but i am really looking forward to it and can't wait to tell you all about it when i return.

anyway, i thought today i would talk about RAK's (random acts of kindness).

wiki defines
random act of kindness as a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.

December is the perfect opportunity to randomly be kind to others and get into that spirit of giving. RAK's don't have to be about money either. there are so many ways to give to others without spending a dime.

you can make anyone's day by simply holding the door open for the mom struggling with her stroller or for the elderly couple leaving the store. Look people in the eye and say thank you when they do a nice deed for you as well. It sad that so must politeness has left our society. I've been making a conscientious effort to be more polite on an everyday level.

You can randomly buy the person's coffee behind you. I like to buy 2 of things and then randomly give the other one away. I know if i like it, someone else will like it too! Even thanking someone for doing a job well done (how about acknowledging the lady who is cleaning the public restroom?)

i found a fun website, The Random Acts of Kindness Website, and it is full of ideas on how to be kinder and how to do simple things that can mean so much to someone else. and you never know when someone else needs to know that others care. Read some of the stories too, very inspiring!

i'd love to hear your stories of your RAK's or if you have been the receiver of a RAK. I always think of the RAK that I received about 10 years ago. On Christmas day, I had driven with Tucker in his van over to drop off a gift to my friend/his friend/his caregiver, Michele. When we were leaving, as i was backing out of her driveway, I hit a car. Granted it was an older, beat up car, but still i hit it and i didn't feel good about just leaving. So Michele watched Tucker while i walked around to find the owner. Finally found him and told him what happened. I was all prepared to get chewed out, etc. and he just looks at me and says, "hey, it's Christmas, don't worry about it". I still smile when i think about that!

Here's to a terrific RAK holiday season!

online classes -sale via Lesley Venable

2011-11-28T08:37:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to let you all know that my good friend, Lesley Venable, is offering a great price on her online workshops. Lesley is a great teacher and this is the perfect opportunity to learn something new at a wallet friendly price!

mail art

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fabric flowers
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altered journal

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Bling Baby workshop with Lisa Loria

2011-11-25T14:52:00.012-05:00

New friend, blogger and artist, Lisa Loria, from California, has agreed to come to Lemoncholy's Studio in February. The only stipulation is that she is required to bring some warm and sunny weather with her!

I try to plan a fun class every mid winter when us East coast girls have had our fill of cold, damp, snow and gray skies. This gives us something to look forward to.

Plan on a fun, casual day of art making where we merge old dolls and found objects to create our own bling baby treasures.

We look forward to the play date!

details:

when: Saturday, February 11th, 2012

where: Lemoncholy's Studio

1606 Oxford Lane

Wall, NJ 07719

time: 11:00-4:00

cost: $135.00 to be paid via paypal

for any other questions, please email me at keeshagirl4@aol.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:25:00.004-05:00

to all my family, friends, bloggers, art buddies, facebook friends and more, I extend a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the day, enjoy your family and eat way too much!

pre Thanksgiving day

2011-11-23T08:27:00.009-05:00

Hey everyone! I've been busy working my tail off, trying not to be online much, but in the studio. I'm working on class samples, working on orders, making Christmas gifts, adding things to my etsy shoppe (gasp!) and even squeezed in an online workshop with JoAnnA on how to make beautiful fairy dolls.

I was describing her class to someone in this way:

"JoAnnA's class is just wonderful. very calm and relaxing; almost like sitting in on a sewing lesson with a cherished family member who is lovingly sharing all their wisdom with you."

Here's the little fairy I created. For the face, I used a bird face cab that I had made from ICE Resin.

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I can't say what these are for just yet, but soon enough, you'll know!

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On Sunday, December 4th, I leave for Mexico! I am meeting my bff, Pam, there and we are taking 5 days of painting with Jesse Reno. We are so excited! especially with the gray, rain and cold weather here, can't wait to get out! we are staying at the Artful B&B, the Hacienda.

take a look at the photos of the place. how does she ever get guests to leave?

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sharing:

I wanted to share my super yummy stuffing receipe:

you need:

3-4 onions (i used sweet, yellow)
4-6 celery hearts
cashews
3-4 granny smith green apple
spices (pepper, minced garlic, some cayenne pepper)
olive oil
bacon (save some of the grease)
stuffing mix
Parmesan cheese - shredded

the night before Thanksgiving, I chop up my onions, celery, apples and cashews. I put them in a bowl and toss with olive oil and heavy on the spices. cover with plastic wrap and let ferment over night. I like there to be almost as many veggies as stuffing.

1)in the morning, I cook up the bacon til it's nice and crispy. set aside a bit of the bacon grease.
2)next saute the veggies and cashews in remaining bacon grease. crumble up bacon into the mix
3)cook up stuffing mix following the directions and add the veggie/bacon mix. stir in remaining bacon grease.
4)top with LOTS of Parmesan cheese and put in oven later to bake and serve hot!
5)enjoy!

on my worktable

2011-11-19T19:18:00.001-05:00

still working hard in the studio. working on gifts, class proposals, inventory to sell and more!

in the studio

2011-11-13T12:47:00.004-05:00

busy in the studio. lots of prep work for a May class, designing samples for 2012 "Art is You" workshops and making things to sell.

this bracelet is currently on my worktable.

happy birthday

2011-11-10T10:40:00.002-05:00

today Tucker is 22 years old. i share a very early photo of him (pre injury), but one of my favorites. he always had a plugged tear duct, so he always had a little tear glistening on his cheek.

Art-is-You is heading to Australia!

2011-11-08T11:05:00.002-05:00

I've been teaching for Art-is-You for 4 years now. I've watch them grow from a wee little event in Connecticut to branching out to the west coast, in Petaluma and now they are heading to Australia in March 2012!

They have some amazing classes and instructors lined up and the always enchanting, Jo Packham, of Where Women Create, will also be in the house!

the event will be held at the Swiss Grand resort and spa. take a lot at the classes and take advantage of experiencing art at its best. Sal and Ellen put on a wonderful event, full of fun, laughter, surprises, art and friendship. The dates are March 15-18, 2012

im home!

2011-11-07T14:19:00.003-05:00

back from Florida, busy unpacking and catching up on alot of business.

and fyi, its no shave November. how am i doing so far?

fiber arts today; wet felting

2011-10-31T21:30:00.002-04:00

Last year when Dillon and I were heading to Florida on spring break to check out Full Sail University, I posted on my facebook status where we were heading. A friend from New Jersey, contacted me and told me that a fellow Artfester, worked at Full Sail and that I should look her up. We hooked up on facebook and then when Dillon and I arrived in Winter Park, we met her (the sweet Cami Smith)

and her husband out one evening to get acquainted. So through facebook we've been able to keep in touch and then when I knew I was heading down this way, Dillon and I went over to her house for brownies and ice cream one afternoon. (yum) - as I explored her artsy, cool house, I spied a project on her table and inquired what she was working o

n. She works in fiber arts and she said that it was wet felting. I shared that I hadn't tried it before and thus our art day was hatched!

another Artfester, Jane, was contacted and plans were made for today. We met up around noon and jumped right into FUN! After showing us what we were going to do and how to do it, we began to work on our pieces. I decided to make a garden after seeing one of Cami's pieces.

here's Jane modeling the latest in wet felted hats or a bowl; whatever you want it to be!

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here is what my piece looked like as i began the first few layers

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here i am starting to add more layers and you can see my picture developing

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next it gets sandwiched in

between screen netting and i'll begin the wet, soapy process of agitating the wool

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here Jane and Cami are agitating and kneading their pieces

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at last I am done with the wet, soapy, wringing and kneading process

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i was tempted to clip some fur from Stanley and rove it into my piece!

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Now i place my piece in the middle of this bamboo curtain and roll it up tight. then i begin to roll the curtain back and forth to further tighten the wool

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here is my finished piece. (from this stage anyway!) now it needs to dry au natural

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on a fun note, on the way to Cami's house, I stopped at for coffee and had the most incredible chance encounter. I ran into Starbucks and a nice gentleman bought me a coffee and then we started chatting. I told him I was there visiting my son who is attending Full Sail. He looks at me and says, "I'm the president of Full Sail! (of course I don't believe him and say, "no you aren't"!) Anyway, he was so sweet, gave me a big hug and said he would send dillon an email!

glittering away

2011-10-25T16:37:00.002-04:00

today ive been glittering 70 chipboard birdcages; another part of the kit i am assembling for Artistic Affaire in May. Dillon's patio is shiny with german glitter glass!

hello from Florida

2011-10-24T10:48:00.001-04:00

having a great time down here in Florida, while i visit Dillon at school. he has a busy schedule, so i brought projects to keep me occupied. today i begin foil wrapping 140 pieces of glass that will next be soldered. im teaching a class in May called "The Social-lite" for Kim Caldwell's next Artistic Affaire event ti be held in Manhatten Beach, California. the theme is Breakfast at Tiffany's. we will be altering a lampshade and these soldered pieces will be the focal point of the chandelier.

Bravery- repost

2011-10-16T21:38:00.001-04:00

for those of you who asked to see it again. here is what I read at the Art-is-You Art Retreat:

Bravery

I wanted to share with you a little story from a blog post I did last year. I received so many emails and comments about this particular topic that it gave me pause for thought; about how deep down, we humans are really a lot of like. We all go through trials and tribulations. Some more than others. And we all have a story to tell about how we carry ourselves through life.

I begin my story my sharing that last year I rented a u-haul trailer and left New Jersey to make my way to Minneapolis where i was vending at an art retreat. Along the way, I stopped and stay with friends to break up the drive.

As i pulled out my driveway with the trailer attached to my car, I was a little nervous. Okay, i was a lot nervous. I was getting that queasy, knotted stomach feeling. I’m sure you know that feeling. Sure, I've driven across the United States twice alone (and once with a 14 month old baby), but I'd never pulled a trailer before. It seemed a little intimidating to me. And I’m rarely intimidated by things. there are things that I use to do without a thought as a younger girl, that now that i am older, i spend more time questioning “what i am doing and even wondering, “can i do this"? i'm not sure why or when we start to question ourselves now that we are older. but I see it again and again with other women too.

Is it because society confines us to certain rules and we get caught up thinking that we can't wear something because magazines say that "at this age, you should be dressing like this or wear your hair like that"? or is it because other people look at you and say "wow, you are crazy, i'd never do that". I do believe that society puts pressure on us to behave in a certain way and it is easy to buy into that way of thinking.

We were going to do some practicing with the trailer before we left. Me being a Virgo and a Girl Scout, I like to be organized and prepared, but alas, there was no time. My husband tried to give me some pointers as I was rushing out the door, but i too distracted to actually process them. I was nervous for a few miles as I got use to the trailer and tried to remember some of the things that he had told me. It didn’t help that my blinkers decided not to work that day. I started to think about what was making me so nervous and then mentally analyzed them in my head. i needed to conquer this now, or it was going to be a long drive! The more i drove, the better I started to feel. This isn’t so bad, I thought.

I think one of the reasons i was nervous was, because pulling a trailer was a first for me. However as i began to drive, it occurred to me that the other drivers did not know that i was nervous or that I had never pulled a trailer before. For all I know, they are looking at me thinking, “wow, look at that cool chick hauling a trailer”. To them, I probably look like i knew what i was doing - so i started internalizing what i like to refer to as "perceived confidence".

Growing up in the Navy and moving around every 2 years, there were many, many times that i was the “new kid”. Do you know how hard it is walk into a new classroom with everyone staring at you as your teacher mispronounces your name yet again? At an early age, i learned to walk into those situations with my head held high and "act" confident. they didn't know i was nervous and i certainly wasn't going to tell them.

As an artist, blogger and instructor, I come in contact with many women our age. They email me, leave me comments or confide in me. The pattern that I have seen over the years is that many women that I meet along the way have similar qualities. One of the same things I see over and over again, is lack of confidence. There is a fear to try, a fear to be heard and a fear of making mistakes. This fear often haves them so nervous that they aren’t enjoying themselves. I’m here to ask you, what is making you so afraid? Let’s try and remove the fear and practice walking around “acting confident”. You don’t need to tell anyone your nervous just to make your fears known. Hold your head high and tell yourself that you are a strong, confident and beautiful women. Believing starts from within. It’s like that Christmas cartoon, “just put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking out the door”.

On the last leg of my journey back home, as i was saying goodbye to a friend, she said to me "you are so talented and fearless. I find it inspiring". As i hugged her goodbye, I left with a smile on face. That’s just about the best thing anyone has ever said to me.

During some of the televised events for the ten year anniversary for 9/11, my ears perked up when i heard someone say, “Pretending to be courageous is just as good as the real thing”. This is so so true. When you think about it, who, but you, knows that you are pretending?

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tomorrow i head out to Florida to visit Dillon. this will be the first time i've seen him since he left last month. he is doing really well, but quite busy at school. i'm so looking forward to seeing him. I'm driving down, taking the rest of his stuff that didn't make it on the first go round. i'll probably stop around the va beach area for the night before continuing on.

Art-is-You 2011

2011-10-13T21:27:00.002-04:00

Here are my pics (and a few borrowed photos as well....). Please forgive the pictures; between an upgraded firefox (hate it!) my photo enhancing program doesn't seem to be compatible and i just don't have the time to make them "perfect". so enjoy as is.................

what can i say about this year? each year gets better and better! It's always great to see old friends and meet new ones. My friends and i made the most of it, per our usual, and had many laughs, many drinks and much silliness. There were touching moments, tears were shed and hopefully inspiration was endless.

I gave a speech on bravery, which i will share a copy of in another post. Hopefully i can find someone who took some video of me speaking.

enjoy the pics!

and for a special treat:

home again

2011-10-11T21:09:00.002-04:00

I'm back home from teaching at Art-is-You. It was a wonderful time and I can't to tell you all about it. Unfortunately, Tucker is suffering from allergies (let's hope that's all it is), so it might be a few days before I have a chance to blog about it. Hopefully, he is on the tail end of it, but if not, check back in a few days.

Michael deMeng was here

2011-10-04T21:00:00.004-04:00

Michael deMeng was here this past weekend and taught a 2 day workshop at Lemoncholy's Studio. WOW-did we have fun. It was a perfect number (10 of us), so it wasn't overwhelming and everyone received that special attention and help that Michael is so well known for. He is a great problem solver and wonderful at handling whiney women (no names will be mentioned, but you know who you are, lol) As a teacher, Michael is extremely patient and leaves no stone unturned when it comes to sharing techniques. He's a hard worker and even well after clocking out; while some of us were still working, he graciously stepped in to answer questions. Kudos for such dedication, Michael. I think we even hooked him for a return booking come Oct. 2012.

tool tutorial with Michael. very informative and so helpful to the wanna be "tool time gal", who is a little afraid to venture into such mechanics. He showed how easy the were to use and took the fear factor out of power tools.

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one of my bff's, kim, hams it up with her project in progress

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another bff, Leslie, works that DAP on her dollface/camera bag.

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my project in progress. instead of a purse, i chose to work with an old metal mailbox. My piece was something i was making for dillon, so the whole time i had to gravitate away from my feminine side and work elements that would appeal to a young man. the first element i chose to include was a scrimshaw piece that we found at a garage sale (dillon was with me at the time). the piece was made in 1989 by the elderly man who was having the garage sale and most likely was indeed, intended for a clock. dillon is very much into these mystical creatures of the imagination and i knew it was perfect to start off with.

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Michael working with Jennifer and the use of the cut off wheel.

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Leslie took a couple of shots of me as i begin to add to my piece.

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bobble head Bobby was a side project i was working on. He will show his face a few times through out the weekend. A mascot of sorts..................

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Leslie's camera bag starts to take shape..........

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here's Evelyn's piece as she is working. She chose a really cool, old leather vessel. She thinks at one time it held maps. Perhaps a very tall binocular case? whatever it use to be - it was cool and she was definitely making it cooler! she made her own doll head using techniques she learned in an earlier class, last year, also hosted by me, with Colleen Moody.

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Martha and Jennifer working hard

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my piece is starting to transform.........

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"creepy doll glow", a painting technique, ala Michael that we learned.

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still adding elements to my piece

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Bobble bobby decides it's happy hour and enjoys a spot of Amarula

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at lunch we get to see some samples from Michael's Artfest 2012 class, "Brushes gone bad". these were so cool! the red one sold in a flash.

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Kim goes outside and works the torch to create amazing texture to her piece.

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Sweet Lani's purse takes on a puppet appearance

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more torching!

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Bobble head Bobby gets painted

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critique time! all the amazing projects for us to express our wonderment over.

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class photo

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Michael discusses our pieces

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kim listens intensely as Michael talks about the applications of his techniques and how each individual applied them to their own specifications.

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Lani's puppet puts on a show

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a fun weekend, sadly, comes to conclusion with lots of laughter

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closeups of my project

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the last thing i need to do for my piece to be finished is to paint the inside of the mailbox, which opens with a key. i won't do too much to it. just a wash of something to make it look completed. the heart on the inside symbolizes my love for my son.

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thank you Michael for coming to New Jersey and for such an amazing workshop. I know every lady left feeling incredible and with much accomplished. See you next year!

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tomorrow me and Ruth Rae are off to Danbury, Connecticut to teach at Art is You. see you when we get back!

Happy Birthday to me

2011-09-21T18:13:00.021-04:00

this weekend, I turned 47 years old. I planned a big weekend of fun for several of my friends. I knew that with Dillon leaving for school, that I would need the distraction. It was the perfect plan! Kim drove in from Ohio, Lesley came for Pennsylvania, Keli was in from Montana, Pam from Michigan and Jane came from Northern Jersey. We managed to hit 3 flea markets, eat great food, drink yummy drinks and even took a show in NYC. I thank my friends for choosing to spend this special weekend with me.

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Thursday, Kim and I met up with Lesley and Keli at Columbus flea market. Many deals were to be had. I got this sweet, but heavy, cement deer that now has a special place in front of the camper.

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on the way back home, we stopped for a photo opp with a NJ land shark

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Friday morning we hit another flea market and then sat around and waited for Jane to arrive. (Pam arrived late the night before). It was fun to laze around with my friends as we all sat around doing some sort of creative endeavor.

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Lovely flowers arrived from good friends, Tom and Lesley

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after Jane arrived, it was time to hand out the goodie bags. I spent the last month ish, making special things to give to my friends to say thank you for coming. I had a lot of fun creating things for them.

i hand painted white paper bags to hold all the goodies

filled to the rim with goodies, these bags beckon my guests.

keli is excited to open hers.

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some of the fun things found inside:

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my gifts:

kitty from Jane

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encaustic piece and vintage handbag from Keli

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wall hanging from Kim

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hand dyed and felted scarf from Leslie (recently created in a workshop she hosted with India Flint). Hand made brooch from JoAnnA Periotti.

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Friend plaque from Pam

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later in the afternoon, a henna artist arrived to tattoo us. boy was that fun!

i decided to go for the full sleeve

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we drank lots of this!

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Saturday morning we hit another flea market at Allaire State Park. Although a small one, we all got some really great things!

trunk show back at home with everyone's goodies

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waiting for the limo, getting ready to head into the city to see "Sleep No More", Lesley took this pic of Jane and I to use as a publicity pic for an upcoming adventure to Farm Chicks. (more info on that soon).

fun limo ride!

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waiting to go inside:

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a pic after the show with us wearing our masks (all participants are required to wear a mask during the entire show)

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the next day we headed back to Allaire State Park for pictures and to pick up some black walnuts to use in dyeing projects. (boo hoo, Kim had to leave.)

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i think we tired out the pups with all our antics and laughter.

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this was a picture that Lesley took of me at the flea market on Saturday.

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On Sunday, everyone had to leave, but I asked Pam if she'd stay one more night before heading into NYC to visit her daughter. she kindly agreed. We spent the evening painting and laughing.

and drank more of this!

Remembrance

2011-09-10T19:06:00.005-04:00

I don't know about you, but I still have a hard time looking at photos or hearing about the victims from 9/11. It was a horrible tragedy for America- unspeakable; an event that left our country shell shocked. I'll admit that 9/11 was a catalyst for me to experience major post traumatic stress (PTSD). the characteristics that followed the event (uncertainty, fear, terror, sorrow, sadness, shock, disbelief), were all feelings that i associated with Tucker's initial brain injury. So to be plunged into those feelings unexpectedly like that, was, a little difficult for me. I remember having this constant sense of fear in both events. it is very difficult to be whole and be in the "present" when this sense of doom is sitting on your shoulder. With the 10 year anniversary tomorrow, images, videos and more are on the news, on the internet and all around us.

I watched one video, a video about Mark Bingham, a passenger on flt 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania and i listened to messages that his mom left for him on his cellphone after she realized what was happening. it was powerful and it was harrowing. My stomach was in knots and all i could think about was, that could have easily been my son on that plane. The loss is insurmountable. it makes me catch my breath and then I realize it is the same feeling of loss I have with Tucker; it's suffocating.

that is all i can watch. I can't view any more photos or listen to the news. I can't handle the feelings - they are too powerful and too consuming.

Today though, I made an effort to see an exhibit in Ocean Grove. We happen to be riding bikes there today and then I read something about it at a pit stop and I said, we have to go back. I have to see this and take photos.

It was beautiful and I love the gesture. I love the representation and I love that others took the time to do it. I didn't linger long, as again, its just too raw for me. But the power in that gesture, amazed me. 2,978 pairs of shoes sit in observance.

http://www.app.com/videonetwork/1151488216001?odyssey=mod|mostpopvideos

reclaimed discardia

2011-09-05T09:18:00.005-04:00

those of you who know me, know that i am all about upcycling materials and items. I scour flea markets and junk stores looking for inexpensive items with potential to be something new and cool.

recently i purchased a piece of old leather for $6 and have been excited to sit down and figure out what the heck i want to do with it. it's a material i haven't worked with before. Another potential place to purchase old leather (should you be so inclined, would be thrift stores - check out the clothing for old leather pants, skirts and jackets)

so last night watching, "The King's Speech", i created these. not sure what they are "suppose" to be, but really they could be anything. they would look great hanging from a journal, a book mark, a keychain, something to hang from your rear mirror or even throw on a chain. Regardless, my mission was accomplished, because they are quite cool.

Porch of the month

2011-09-02T10:23:00.004-04:00

Good morning everyone! i just wanted to send you over to Jill's blog to see the write up she did featuring my enchanting out door living area. So stop by and take a peek, you'll be glad you did!

http://gypsyfleamarket.blogspot.com/2011/09/porch-of-month-september.html

more painting

2011-08-29T13:47:00.003-04:00

ever since Pam was here, I've been really practicing my painting techniques that she taught. it's been fun to explore using them in my own way. this was a page in my journal that i had started out by with some spray painting (did that a few weeks ago).

randomly i painted in a face and as i was painting the white in, i felt the stuff around her face looked like hair, so i just incorporated it instead of painting in hair. to me, the orange blob on her blouse looked like a koi , so that is why a random koi fish is swimming across the page!

Irene has come and gone with minimal damage. we were very very lucky as we didn't even lose our power (we are usually the first to go!) I am so grateful for that because Tucker requires suctioning and we just don't want to not have power, ya know? someone was watching over us for sure.

Irene is coming

2011-08-26T20:57:00.002-04:00

we are bracing for hurricane Irene to hit the jersey shore some time tomorrow (i've heard the worst will be late in the night on saturday). we've batten down the hatches the best we can, gassed the cars, generator on standby, lots of water on hand. all we can do at this point is wait.

Pam Carriker's class

2011-08-25T12:06:00.004-04:00

last weekend, Pam Carriker was here to teach us a class on painting portraits. I can't give away any of her secrets, but she made painting a portrait very easy and enjoyable! we had a great time. She came in for a quit hit as she's just made a big move from Minnesota to Dallas and her young son started school this week. She's still in the middle of unpacking, so I wanted to give a big thank you to her for coming out to teach us in the middle of all that! I hope to see her again in the spring when i drive cross country. I'll be looking for artsy friends to stay with along the way (driving from New Jersey to California!)

mr husband

2011-08-17T19:03:00.001-04:00

tonight jeff made a little comment about how i never mention him on my blog (do husbands want to be on their wives blogs?) anyway, i decided to sneak out while he was hanging lights up on the camper to show him working hard.

lending my touch to The Nest

2011-08-15T16:59:00.004-04:00

ive been busy getting ready for Pam Carriker, who is coming to teach a class on Saturday.

she'll be staying in "The Nest" (aka, the camper). we've had the camper for about 4 years now and i've just left it as it came(meaning i didn't pimp it up!). initially it was suppose to be a spot where my husband could go and chill (a man camper). but he wasn't using it, so i decided to start using it as a guest house. it's great for when friends come to visit or if i am hosting an instructor. (Michael deMeng will stay here in October)

in September, a few friends are coming to stay with me, so it got me thinking about putting my artsy touch on the camper. so that's what i have been doing for the last few days. i've brought in some art, some vintage items, added some vintage linens, made a new curtain for the back room (the curtain acts as a door).

i also made a cool banner and today i created this wall hanging to pump up one of the plain walls. ive been having fun.

it was that time

2011-08-11T10:35:00.001-04:00

kashie was spayed yesterday. poor little guy was so miserable last night. he's still a little wibbley wobbley, but he's been outside, had a little bit to eat and drinking water. will spend the next few resting and recuperating.

Millicient

2011-08-08T13:59:00.002-04:00

ive been wanting to make some rag doll type teddy bears (mainly so i could make them so cute dresses!)

so here is my first one. need to work on my facial stitching, but otherwise, she's pretty cute!

My own muse........

2011-08-06T13:08:00.002-04:00

this morning, out of the blue, my friend and fellow artist, Kimberly Moore, sent me a message that she had painted this muse for me. just for me! i feel so honored and am just tickled by the unexpected gesture.

thanks so much, kim - so sweet.

On my worktable- parts of a whole

2011-08-05T20:12:00.002-04:00

this is a section from something i am working on - a possible class.

almost home

2011-08-02T13:40:00.004-04:00

we left Maine yesterday. we spent the night in Connecticut since i couldnt drive a minute more. at the moment, we are currently broke down off the Garden State Parkway within an hour of home.

i was motoring along and i started getting vibes about the car. it felt strange, so i got in the slow lane and slowed down. then the steering wheel locked up, fluid starting flying and the engine started steaming. luckily we were very close to a rest stop. i feel very fortunate as worse things could have happened.

gotta go, tow truck is here!

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update: we are home safe and sound. truck is on its way to my mechanic. some good Samaritans took a look at my car while waiting for the tow truck and they both guessed that the water pump broke. the fluid leaking all over was coolant.

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in other news:

My article for Wild Sister Magazine is out! Wild Sister is a new online magazine, created to empower women. This is their 2nd issue.

"Created and written by artists, poets, travelers, coaches, muses and bloggers; each issue breathes love, truth, wisdom, inspiration and empowerment into the lives of women everywhere".

To purchase your online copy ($5), go HERE. Let them know that kecia deveney directed you to their magazine, as I will receive credits for my readers. (thanks) My article is on page 28, it is just one of many wonderful contributions. A few of you have already contacted me about my article. As usual, I appreciate the support and feedback!

Glamping

2011-07-29T15:31:00.002-04:00

Glamping puts the glam in camping. sure we are sleeping in tents, but we have nice cots and sweet little touches all around (like handmade banner flags, darliing wool blankets for each cot, shabby rugs in front of the tents, outdoor showers and these lovely outdoor vanities) There is a also a cook on hand and the breeze is pleasant and lazy at the same time. There are lovely flowers everywhere and birds chirping next to my tent window as they dine on homegrown raspberries.

A Morning's Walk

2011-07-28T06:24:00.002-04:00

an early morning walk takes me through the Rowley burial ground. it is quiet and peaceful. i found a lovely hawk feather as well.

road trippin

2011-07-27T21:18:00.004-04:00

we made great time today. i made the boys get upbat 5am and we were on the road by 6. we have stopped for the night in Rowley, Massachusetts (cloae to Plum Island). we found lots of antique stores and the boys have been good sports about going into them. bought some gorgeous Victorian glass beada today which i am pretty excited about.

tonight we had absolutely delicious southern bbq and then when we got back to our inn, i had a well needed and very long, over due massage ( and she used hot rocks too- pure heaven)

so you've been updated!

kecia

Art in the Rough, Charleston, Maine

2011-07-26T16:35:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow me, dillon and anthony are leaving for Charleston, Maine to attend and teach at Art in the Rough. I taught last year as well and we had such a good time. I'm really looking forward to it. I've got the car packed up, so just need to get a good nights rest. (and pray i haven't forgotten anything for classes!) We are going to spend the night in Rowley, Massachusetts at a little guest house we found. never been there, so we shall see how it is. My husband arranged for me to get a massage in my room that evening, so i'm excited about that. (my bad back gets so aggravated when i drive, so this will really help the spasms!)

depending on reception, i might do a post while i am gone

the way cool showers!

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kitty friend

2011-07-24T21:07:00.008-04:00

So how are you surviving the heat? it's been brutal, let me tell you. During the heat wave, a kitty showed up at my back door and began hanging around. We've been feeding "kitty friend", who is very sweet. The heat was concerning with this little guy, but i was at a loss of what more i could do since my dogs kept chasing him and my other kitty and him got into a fight. So i had to let it go and do the best i could and that was offer food and water and some quality petting. I suspected he might belong to someone, so after a few days i set out to the new neighborhood to inquire.

Sure enough, he does have owners and apparently he had run away. His name is Jude and he is a bit of a wanderer. He doesn't like their dog, a sweet golden retriever, but she is young and barks ALOT. Plus they have 5 children, so i think its a little, um, hectic, over there. i think he likes the quiet of my backyard. So anyway, last night i scooped him up when he made his evening appearance and made a show about returning the missing kitty. i was so happy to be returning a missing pet. however, he was very tense in my arms the whole entire walk over and i sort of got the feeling that he wasn't all that keen on returning home. I wished him well with a wink and said, "i'll be seeing you".

So this morning, early, i am outside watering after my walk and who comes sauntering up, but kitty friend. hmm, what a surprise! i think he has chosen where he prefers to be. but maybe i am just one stop out of many as he makes his way around the hood, sort of like, "Six dinner Sid".

on my worktable

2011-07-20T20:25:00.002-04:00

some things i am working on

Art in the Garden and Brimfield

2011-07-18T10:25:00.010-04:00

Back from a super busy, but fun weekend. Friday I hit my junky flea market, Collingswood, before heading up North to go pick up Jane on my way to Scarsdale, New York to teach at Art in the Garden, part of the summer series for Art is You (that was a mouthful!). I got to meet her new little kit-n, Pixie (so cute!)

then we drove to Sal's house, where she and Max eagerly awaited our arrival. We had a lovely Greek dinner before hitting the hay early as we were getting up at 4am to head to the Brimfield Antique show.

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The ride to Brimfield is about 2.5 hours from Sal's. We drove in 2 cars and made a quick pit stop to pick up, fellow partner in crime, Colleen before heading on our way. Colleen pointed out some devastating damage to the area outside Brimfield, recently hit by a tornado. It was massive destruction and sad to see.

We saw Diane Keaton towards the end of the day- so that was fun. (and yes, that booth was full of vintage, $5 tablecloths!)

me just fooling around with the Colonel

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here's a few more pics of the altered chandy that I picked up. It's quite cool (and heavy!) i still haven't decided if it is a keeper or if i will take to California next year to sell in a show. time will tell!

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On Sunday I taught a class to some fine ladies (most of whom i know quite well!). we had a lovely day working on our projects. We created a project that I did for the book, Resinate - so it was fun to see the projects come alive with their own style and personality.

greetings from Brimfield

2011-07-16T19:46:00.001-04:00

me, jane, sal and collleen, made the trek to Brimfield flea market today. we got up at 4am and got home around 7:00pm. we sure were tired, but had great time! we were pretty good about our purchases, but each of us walked away with a favorite purchase. my favorite purchase was an altered chandelier with Charlotte doll heads. when i get home, ill take a nice picture of it. its quite fun and enchanting.

we did lots of walking and the day was quite warm and sunny.

dragonflies

2011-07-13T10:39:00.002-04:00

Last weekend, Leslie Marsh taught a class here. After class was over, we decided to drive over to the reservoir to take some pictures. I became quite captivated by a dragonfly who was sitting on a reed. No matter how close we'd get to him, he take off for a second and then come right back to his reed to perch. guess he was sunning himself. i love the color of his eyes!

come take a garden tour

2011-07-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

lists

2011-07-10T12:59:00.003-04:00

do you make lists? i find that i make a lot of lists. grocery lists, to do list, errand list, reminder list, chore list, etc.

recently though i started another list, and it was to jot down everything i did throughout the day. I did this for a few days to see how i was spending my time. Sometimes I feel like I've gotten nothing accomplished and i 'll think, "what have i been doing all day"?

You should try it for a few days to see exactly all that you get done. i think you'll be surprised that you are doing much more than you thought.

so here is my "things that i did today" list for 7/7/11
(*in tuck's room means i was doing some sort of caregiving )

1) woke up
2) made coffee
3) took dogs outside
4) dropped off culture to lab
5) stopped by Campbell's Pharmacy and placed an order for Tucker
6) fed dogs and cats
7) swept kitchen floor
8) cleaned kitchen table and put away sewing stuff
9) washed Tucker's hair
10) gave Tucker a sponge bath, redressed
11) washed hair basin
12) cleaned toilet
13) swept and mopped bathroom floor
14) did laundry
15) *back in tuck's room
16) organized a grocery list
17) ate a pop tart
18) worked on an art project for my kitchen table (an altered lampshade)
19) more laundry
20) *in tuck's room
21) finished lampshade project
22) swept and tidied up studio
23) went outside and took some bird photos
24) more laundry
25) *in tuck's room
26) went to Panera
27) shopping at Costco
28) put groceries away
29) gave Tucker a respiratory treatment
30) more laundry
31) boiled chicken for dogs food
32) replaced glass in a frame that was accidentally broken
33) picked hydrangeas
34) fed dogs dinner
35) fed kitties
36) fed birdies/changed H2O
37) *in tuck's room
38) had a glass of wine
39) answered emails
40) read
41) went to bed

in the studio

2011-07-05T13:01:00.003-04:00

prepping kits for a couple of upcoming teaching gigs

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on my table - finishing up a couple of decoupaged projects that i have resined. the mask is a decoration in my studio and the letters for "celebrate" will be created into a wire banner that i will hang from my garden angel

my garden angel:
an old metal dress form that i rehabbed with chicken wire and strung lights around. she sits on my back porch.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-03T12:11:00.003-04:00

I hope you are having a fabulous weekend full of fun, sun , hot dogs, sparklers and apple pie . For us, it is raining. there will be no bbq since the squirrels chewed the line on the grill and instead of apple pie, we have red velvet cupcakes!

i'm taking advantage of the weather and help with Tucker to get some things done. I'm prepping kits and doing some random little projects. it's chilly outside as the rain comes down in a steady stream of oversized raindrops. the kind that echo on the roof as they fall.........

dollie of the day

2011-07-01T11:22:00.002-04:00

randomly ive been texting photos to some friends that i take of some of my dolls. i call them "dollie of the day". then they text me back with a photo of one of their dolls. ita quite fun and a great way to keep up with each other in between catching up.

enjoy Friday's dollie of the day.

early morning

2011-06-30T09:09:00.002-04:00

my favorite time of the day; early morning, while its not too hot out yet and the birds are singing away. the phone is still quiet and the rest of the crew are still asleep. i like to bring out a book and a cup of coffee and take advantage of this quiet time. these are pretty views on my back porch, a little oasis i've created of solitude, comfort and tranquility.

Graduation day

2011-06-22T14:54:00.005-04:00

Today Dillon graduates from high school. where has the time gone? i'm a bit shocked actually.... I'm wondering if i'll be a weepy mess tonight.......I'll post grad pictures later. I'm off early in the morning to get visit Lesley. Looking forward to it.

i'll leave with this sweet little photo of a baby blue jay who dropped by for a visit this afternoon. I had gone onto the back deck to retrieve my book and saw a blue jay take off rather quickly. Since blue jays rarely come on the deck, i was immediately suspect. I need not look any further as this little guy was staring intently at me thru one of the deck railings. he seemed very sleepy as if to say " fledging is quite tiring and i am stopping for a little siesta". i even watched him close his eyes for a moment. When we returned from lunch, he was gone again. take care little guy.

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update:

the ceremony was wonderful. I am so proud of Dillon!

dyeing with Judy Gula

2011-06-20T20:01:00.005-04:00

On Saturday I drove to Scarsdale, NY to partake in a dyeing class with Judy Gula as part of Art-is-You's summer tour of Art in the Garden. This class was about learning how to dye colors in layers versus "precision dyeing". We spent the day learning various ways and techniques in working with dyes. I've done some amateur dyeing on my own, so i had a few troubleshooting questions. There was one technique that we did that i really enjoyed that involved the use of chopsticks. I see me using that one in the future for an upcoming class where I plan on dyeing all the fabric needed to complete a project that I will be teaching in California, May 2012. (more info on that soon enough!) After rinsing and drying all my dyed fabrics, I decided that the pieces I loved the most, were fabrics that were quite textured, like old table cloths and a chenille bedspread.

Judy also discussed "rusting" fabrics - something that i was highly interested in. i had attempted to do it before with minimal results (turns out I wasn't doing it correctly). however, after following her directions, results were still iffy. so i'm thinking variables like the type of material, the age of the material and the type of rusted item being used as a source, will affect the outcome. my best rusting results came from an old piece of rusted ceiling tile.

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in other news:

today was tucker's last day of school until September when he begins the adult education program (usually he will attend school during the summer as well). Dillon is graduating on Wed and Thursday I am leaving for Roanoke, to visit good friend, Lesley Venable. she's arranged for a few of our Nags Head compadres to come over for dinner on Saturday while i am visiting - so that will be fun!

on my worktable (little paintings created over the weekend)

2011-06-13T11:16:00.000-04:00

Senior Prom

2011-06-12T10:36:00.000-04:00

Flea Market Friday

2011-06-10T09:20:00.009-04:00

Off to a late start this morning, but here's my flea market friday post: Jane and I went to Columbus flea market last week and then on Saturday I headed over to Ocean Grove Flea Market. My budget is lean right now, so i didn't go to crazy, plus as Jane and i keep saying, "how much stuff do we need". So it really has to be something quite spectacular, very useful, on the small side or the "cute" factor (which is something so cute and priced at a point that you can't walk away!)

Something is going on with Linky these days - You have to pay for it now, which i'm not gonna do. So if you are participating, leave your blog post info in the comment section.

this blue door was my favorite find from Ocean Grove. love it in my garden.

got 4 of these vintage cement blue birds, which are scattered about in the yard

love the green lingerie? glove box? perfect size for in the studio and great drawers to hold stuff. the box to the left is a wig box that i got to house my handmade Marie Antoinette wig (the one i wore at the Steampunk Convention)

a sweet little dollie and a hand fan. I love these fans. I pick them up from $1-$3 and i put them in my purse. I used one yesterday at Tucker's graduation as the room got really warm and there was no circulating air. My blood pressure tends to run on the low side and keeping a fan handy in those type of circumstances always helps out!

a sweet little doggie, little old "well loved" Steiff lamb, a vintage Asian pincushion (another item i collect)

handmade flowers and a darling little sewing basket

top of the pincushion with vintage pins

a smattering of bling

cool old sampler

yummy linens and lace

my friend, Angela, was selling at Ocean Grove

hooked up with Michelle

ran into my buddy Marlene

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big day today

2011-06-09T09:32:00.003-04:00

I'm off to Tucker's graduation ceremony. Dillon's prom is tomorrow and then he graduates next week, so lots of major events happening all at once!

update:

it was a lovely ceremony. When they were pushing Tucker in and that traditional graduation music was playing, of course, i started to get very emotional.

they showed a little video highlighting all the graduates (there were 32 of them) - so that was really special to see that. the next step is he will move into the adult education program at the same school. This is state run and budget dependent, so we shall see what that brings!