home again

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

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.

------------------------------------------------------------

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

--------------------------------

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

------------------------------

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.

--------------------------------------

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

-------------------------

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

------------------------------

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..................

-----------------------------

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

-------------------------------

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.

----------------------------------

Martha and Jennifer working hard

---------------------------------------------

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

-------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------

still adding elements to my piece

------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------

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.


--------------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------------------

Sweet Lani's purse takes on a puppet appearance

----------------------------------------------

more torching!

----------------------------------

Bobble head Bobby gets painted

-----------------------------------------

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

----------------------------------------

class photo

------------------------------------

Michael discusses our pieces

----------------------------------------------------------

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

-----------------------------------

Lani's puppet puts on a show

----------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

closeups of my project

----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------

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!

-------------------------------

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

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.

-----------------------------------

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.

-------------------

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




---------------------

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.

-----------------------------

Lovely flowers arrived from good friends, Tom and Lesley

--------------------------


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.

-----------------------------------

some of the fun things found inside:

---------------------------------

my gifts:




kitty from Jane

-----------------------






encaustic piece and vintage handbag from Keli

-----------------------------------





wall hanging from Kim

-----------------------




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

-------------------------------



Friend plaque from Pam

-----------------------------------

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

i decided to go for the full sleeve

----------------------------------------

we drank lots of this!

-------------------------------

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

--------------------------

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!

-----------------------

waiting to go inside:

----------------------------------

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

-------------------

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.)

------------------------------

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

------------------------------

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

----------------

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!