Dandy Candy Swap!!

I have decided I am hosting a new swap here on my blog. I was sitting here thinking that it would be so nice to have a special candy dish with lovely little wrapped candies in it in my "studio". Imagine how wonderful it would be any time you were working and needed a little pick-me-up to simply reach into a pretty dish and choose something yummy. Doesn't that just make you want to smile? Besides, I think it would really help with inspiration! *grin*

So...that said here's the info:

Each participant will be matched with a partner. You will send your partner a pretty candy dish (no plastic please!) and a nice selection of sweets to go in it. Please choose candies that are individually wrapped or hard candies that can sit in an open dish-nothing that will melt or go stale.

I will be sending each participant a short questionnarie to fill in so their partner will know their address and likes and dislikes. (I am doing this so your partner will know if you have allergies or anything you particularily don't like.)

Please package your goodies carefully, in a box, with bubble wrap to ensure it will arrive safe and sound. Your parcel should be in the post no later than July 15th. Please sign up only if you can meet this deadline. Of course it goes without saying that everyone will send only what they themselves would be pleased to receive.

To sign up, please email me at: tatterededge at shaw dot ca
I will take sign-ups till June 10th. Everyone is welcome!!

News Flash!

Okay, I lied-I have one more thing to post before lunch for you local folks. (Vancouver & surrounding areas.)

The VLGC is presenting "Sweet Sixteen", celebrating the choir's sixteenth season and you are invited!

The concert takes place on Saturday June 3, at 8 p.m., at Central Presbyterian Church, 1155 Thurlow St. in Vancouver's Davie Village. [map to the concert location]

Tickets are available from choir members, at Little Sister's Bookstore on Davie Street, at Urban Empire on Commercial Drive, and at the door. Tickets are $15, $10 for students and seniors.

This will be the third time I have attended the concert in support of dear friends Nikki (who is the choir director), Denise, Kelly & Alyx (very fine singers!) Everyone is welcome. You will laugh, you will cry, you will grow as a person and I promise you you will be entertained! Hope to see you there!

This & That

Sombody help me! I have become obsessed with organizing all my little bits of art stuff. This mroning I spent hours sorting charms into baggies so they can be stored in some little boxes I bought when I was down in the US over the weekend.

Then I decided to strat sorting all my glass beads into colour families. Now I am looking around wondering what else I can sort. LOL! It's crazy!

This wonderful x-ray pendant came in the mail yesterday from my friend Debb Galcik. Debb makes these amazing books with copper etched covers , in addition to her really cool jewellery. You have to go check out her website. I am so thrilled to have one of her medical themed pendants for my very own-I love that she does medical stuff. I have a "thing" for that stuff!

I also received these buttons from Heather in the mail yesterday. The "L" button was made by her little girl Hannah. Hannah paints the background papers for the buttons and she gets money for her little piggy bank when one of the buttons sells. Of course I had to order one-I love kid art and I can imagine the smile on her sweet little face when she gets cold hard cash to put in her bank! The idea of that just puts a smile in my heart. I'm going to pin it to my messenger bag. If you want to order some of Hannah's Alpha Bitty Buttons for yourself, go here.

If you wanted to read more about Farrell's album debut, she has posted about it on her blog, along with far better photos than I managed to get.

Okay, I think that's it for now. It's almost lunch time and I need to stretch my legs!

Beautiful Bead Swap

All the beads for the swap have arrived! I am now in the process of sorting them and packaging them up to go out to swap participants. They will be in the mail before the end of the week.

They are definately beautiful and a great varity of styles and colours so I am sure they will come in handy for whatever you will be using them for. Mine are going to become a part of my flat figure in Elsie Peeble's class at Artfibrefest!! Thanks to everyone who participated and watch your mailboxes!!

Bravo!!

Last night was the debut of Farrell's album "A Town Called Hell". She and her band, the Widowmakers played at Cafe Montmartre, down on Main Street in Vancouver. The place was jam packed by the time they went on.

She was brilliant and I just adored the guy on the fiddle, Ewan Clark-I want him to come hang out in my livingroom and play for me! The only downside to the venue was the lighting which made for crappy pictures, as you can see. It would have been nice to get some good shots. There was also there was a crowd at the back of the place who were talking so loud they almost drown her out at one point when she was singing a softer song. I couldn't believe how rude they were being!! But three cheers for the sound guy who turned her up to drown them out!

Anyway, it was really exciting to hear Farrell perform live. Her CD is due out next month-can't wait!!

Exciting News!!

(AKA the last post for today.)

I am thrilled to share with you that my beautiful and talented friend Gretchen Goodwin has launched her new blog! If her name sounds familiar, it may be because Gretchen was recently published in Somerset Studio's April/ May 2006 edition for her "All About Me Book" which she created in a 3 day class with Nina Bagley.

Gretchen is such a lovely person. We met entirely by chance at an ATC swap down in Bellingham, Wa. a couple of years ago and I liked her instantly. She is such a gentle soul and so nurturing. She reminded me alot of another dear friend of mine-they look alot alike and their spirits are much the same, so how could I not love her?

Anyway, please do go visit her blog and say hello. I think you will really enjoy her art-it's amazing.

Congrats Gretchen and welcome to blogland! :) xo

Because Mo Asked!

My friend Mo gave me this list which came from Art & Life when I was teaching at her house last week. She wanted everyone to fill it out and I thought I would post my answers here, just for fun.

I live: On the beautiful West Coast of Canada.

My pedigree is: Dyed-in-the-wool prairie girl. (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

My website is: Tattered-edge.com and I love having it!

In 5 words I am : firery, compassionate, loving, versitile, courageous.

Happiness is: living fully and passionately in the moment.

I wish: people could be kinder to one another.

I'm most influenced by: my intuition and my heart.

I've always wanted to: go to Tibet and hike to the base of Everest.

I want to be: fully fluent in Spanish.

My current art project is: making myself a journal for Artfiberfest.

I love the smell of: campfires burning, the ocean and fresh baked bread.

My best memory is: my trip to NYC to spend time with Anna & Carlos. (I have lots, but this is right up there!)

My current obsession is: croc shoes and glass beads.

I like: buttons, folk art, good books, going to the movies, kewpie dolls, vintage robots, handmade jewellery, Hallowe'en, pumpkins, laughing, deep and honest friendships and the colour red.

I dislike: smoking, cats, yoghurt, red food dye. (I am allergic to all these things.) I also dislike it when people act with a complete lack of integrity.

My favourite food is: a full fledged turkey dinner.

Something I avoid at all costs is: fighting with people. It hurts me deeply to be in serious conflict with people I care about. (Thank god it's a rare occurance!)

My favourite vacation spot is: NYC or Missoula, Montana.

My favourite toy as a child: Playdoh-I still love the smell of it.

My favourite toy now: My ipod nano.

Current favourite quote: "We Were Made For these Times"-you can read it here. It's the last one on the page. It's the most powerful and inspiring thing I have ever read. My favourite parts is where it says "One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul."

The Things That Amuse Me

Yesterday was the Bellingham ATC swap so I went down with my friend Sue. I thought the border might be bad with it being the American long weekend, but it was only 10 minutes each way at Lynden.

Sue and I met up with Gretchen and Stacie so I could photograph some of Gretchen's artwork and then the four of us went to the Colophon* Cafe for lunch. It's my favourite place to go when I am down and none of the ladies had been there before. The food is fantastic and the menue is really unique. (More on that when Stacie sends me dessert photos-my camera was full of Gretchen's artwork so Stacie took those pics.)

Anyway, after lunch, we went to the swap and it was a pretty good turn out for a holiday weekend. Sue and I did some more shopping afterwards and I had a bee in my bonnet about buying myself a pair of croc shoes. Sue and I tried several stores and finally found them at Walgreen's. I want them because I want to alter them and wear some happy little shoes all summer. I thought it would be fun and they sure look confortable. Wallgreen's had them and they were only $9.99 a pair so I got two pair. I wanted baby blue or red, but they didn't have the blue in adult size and no red so I got the purple and white. I will alter the white pair. I still want red and baby blue though-I will have to keep looking. I just love the colours!! (And I was right, they were comfy!) There is also a site where you can get things to personalize your crocs-how fun!! Maple Leaves anyone?!?! *grin*

Gretchen will have a blog up and running soon and I am just thrilled for her! I will post a link here when she does so you can enjoy her artwork too! :)

Well, I have lots of work to do today and I MUST get it done so I can go off to Farrell's album debut this evening with a clear conscience. Hopefully I will have some pics to share from that tomorrow! Happy Memorial Day tomorrow to my friends south of the border!

*And for those of you who are wondering:

colophon: (noun)
1. An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts about its publication.
2. A publisher's emblem or trademark placed usually on the title page of a book.

Liz's Visit

It's been a busy last couple of days. Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day with Liz who had come all the way from England for her dad's birthday. I picked her up and we went to all the great art supply shops in Vancouver. We started at Granville Island. We went to Paper Ya and drooled over all the beautiful papers and journals. Then to Maiwa to oogle the dyes and textiles and then over to the main market to have lunch. Liz brought me a gorgeous red (My fav colour!) bead and wire bracelet, a pin made from vintage French textiles and a Natash Bedington CD. I had made her a coil bound journal. (After I made one for her, I made a similar one for myself because I liked it so much.)

After lunch, we headed over to Ruby Dog's so she could see all the treasures and then our final stop was Loomis. WHEW! It was so great to finally meet her-she is an absolute doll and I really enjoyed her company-I am only sorry now that she doesn't live here in town, instead of half way across the world!! We were both so surprised how much we had in common.

Now it's back to the grindstone for me, prepping for classes I am teaching shortly and finishing up some projects I am involved in. The picture above is my second crow page design for the 4 & 20 Blackbirds collaborative book. The quote is actually lyrics from a Joni Mitchell song. What you can't really tell from this picture is that the blue sky is shimmery-I used my Twinkling H20 paints and the crow is actually raised from the page. There is a gold rhinestone in his mouth. (From my stash of goodies from Papier Valise.) I must have been a crow myself in some former life-I love sparkley, shiny things. Anyway, I have these to finish up and a whole host of other stuff I am working on. My desk is piled high!

Better go get busy!!

News Flash!!

The lovely woman in this picture is my oldest friend Farrell. I have known her since Kindergarten. She's the kind of friend who understands things without explanation-there's a shorthand we share from having grown up together on the Canadian Prairies and I consider her family.

Farrell has been working on her album (sorry-can't bring myself to say CD-that just sounds too weird) for the last year and a half. Periodically I would get an email inviting me to preview one of the latest song she was recording and now, at long last, she is ready to preview her album live with her band The Widowmakers! I am *SO* excited for her!! If you are local and free on Sunday evening, please come and hear what she has to offer-I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Her music is beautiful. You can click here for a preview. ("Those Were the Days" is my fav!)

And Farrell, I am so proud of you! Congratulations on finishing your album. I know how hard you worked and I know it's going to be steller. Save me a copy will ya? I will be there, camera in hand! *break a leg*

The Goodness of My Day

Today was the monthly ATC swap in Vancouver that I go to. I am often making (or finishing) ATCs at the last minute, but I was mostly prepared this time. (Go figure!)

Penn and I got to the Grind a bit early and had just enough time to get a tall cool drink before people started arriving. (It was easily 30C today.) For awhile there were just four of us chatting and swapping, but eventually more people showed up, including two friends from Bellingham whom I haven't seen in ages. It was really great to see Ellen and Lynn and catch up with them. The bonus is that next weekend I will be going down to Bellingham for their swap so I will get to visit with
them some more! YAY!

After the swap all 10 of us trooped up to Ruby Dog's to treasure hunt for art supplies. I finally managed to put my hand on the current issue of Somerset-we are so slow getting it up here in Canada. I want to get it because my pal Deb Trotter is featured in it and I wanted to see!! Deb's a doll and I am just so proud of her!! Congrats dear cowgirl, you ROCK!

After my money and I were parted, Penn and I went back to her house to do a few things, including putting our heads together about the current collaborative book project she is hosting. I saw the pages and I can honestly say this one is phenomenal and I think the BEST one yet-the art is jaw dropping. I can't wait to see it all put together. I also brained stormed with her about an idea I had about my next collaborative and I have a good grasp of it now. I am excited about launching it!

Eventually it dawned on me to ask what time it was and I was shocked to find the hours had just slipped away and it was after 5 p.m. I made a quick call to my husband to tell him I would in fact manage to see my way clear to come home for dinner. He was sweet about it and when I got home I thanked him. I thanked him for being the kind of husband who is so supportive not only of what I do as a working artist, but also wholly supportive of my happiness. I married the sweetest man on the planet and I really feel blessed.

I lost track of time today because I was with my people-people who "get it" about art and I was just really enjoying not being someone's wife or mother, but ME. I think we all need that sometimes-to just let go of all the "gotta do", day to day responsibility stuff and relax into who we are when all that falls away. It's freeing and very happy-making. Those are the times when my soul feels fed. I am blessed with a husband who is wise enough to realize that if I can be free to do that sometimes, it makes for a happier me, which in turn makes everyone else happy because I am relaxed and joyful.

It's raining out now and I am delighted. It's been really hot this week and there is something so comforting about hearing the rain fall. It smells utterly delicious. I am blissful and content.

Artfiberfest Anyone?!?

Hey gang, if any of you who are reading this are planning to attend AFF, please give me a shout out, post, whatever and let me know! I really have no idea who's coming and I just want to be sure and meet you if you are going to be there.

It was really cool at Artfest to have people come up and say "Oh Tattered Edge, I know you!!" and they had either seen my website or read my blog. It was kind of like old home week and it's always nice to know who visits with me here.

Only 32 more sleeps!!

Zeti Fun

Sunday is the monthly ATC swap and I decided to play with the Zeti stamps I bought at Artfest. This is one of my favourites and I decided to remove the inner portion of the box and dangle a word from it. Good thing I learned how to make my own jump rings last month. (A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!) You can't really tell the words are dangling because they got smushed down in the scanner, but pretend you can. Aren't they fun?!? I had a good time just fooling around with my markers, making borders and colouring them in while listening to my new Ipod. (I am so easily amused.)

Hope you are having a productive day!

The Road to Hell...

So you know that assemblage I made last week to send to my Gram for Mother's Day? Well she got it and she called me this evening. First she asked me when she had given me the photos that I used. I told her about 9 years ago. Then she chided me for forgetting to write one of her sister's names on the border of the photo. I told her she had written the names on it years and years ago and I had just colour copied it to use in the piece. She told me she didn't remember that and then said she was mad at herself for forgetting one of her sisters. Then she goes on to tell me that stuff inside the assemblage is all loosey goosie and floating around. She tells me she was shaking it so she could see all the stuff inside and this folks is where I almost lost it.

You see, apparently, assemblage art is completely lost on her. She wasn't sure why I had put things inside the shadow box. I guess she didn't get that it was symbolic of things related to her childhood and our family...and yet she loved it. The part that really got me though was the shaking. I mean I wrote FRAGILE in big huge letters on the parcel. I had carefully wrapped it so the glass wouldn't break. I glued each piece inside the shadow box with the utmost care so it would stay intact. What I didn't count on was my Gram thinking it was some sort of toy under glass that you rattling the living hell out of. Thinking about it makes me nearly pee with laughter. Here I thought "Oh I have made a really cool piece of art." and that it would be treated with a sense of reverence because it's personal and therefore special. Guess again! That's my Gram-shake it, break it and hang it on a wall! Some days it ain't easy being an artist!

Mail Call!!

The magical mailbox had goodies for me this morning! My friend Deb Lewis had mailed me her contribution for the Beautiful Bead swap and along with her gorgeous beads, she sent me a present! This wonderful Bumble Baby
and this pretty ATC!! (How I love buttons!) I think one of the best things about having artist friends is that instead of having nothing but bills come in the mail, you get delightful pieces of art like this!!

Someday when I have a real studio, I will have all the cool artwork my friends have given me in one place. I can only imagine how inspiring it would be to have an entire room dedicated to art.Right now there is art sprinkled here and there throughout my house. I hung the Bumble Baby from the cabinet door on my computer desk so I can see it all the time. It's adorable.

THANK YOU Deb!! I love everything you sent!! Opening gifts first thing in the morning-what a great way to start the day!


To see more Bumble Babies, visit Deb's website here and go to "Fabric & Fiber".

Quarterly Review (a bit late!)

Every New Year's Eve, I write a list of Art Goals I want to work towards during the upcoming year. I try to revisit the list at least twice over the next year to see how much I have accomplished. I find it helpful to re-read and account for where I am in the process of doing things I want to do.

Okay, here are my art goals for 2006:

-Do more artwork for book publication.
I did this last year and it was so satisfying. I would love to have the opportunity to be a contributing artist again. I did an interview for Portals zine. I am co-writing another interview style article for the fall. I have sent out my own article proposal for the fall and mailed some artwork out for consideration. I am now waiting to hear back on a whole pile of things!

-Continue working with Paper Artsy and Papier Valise doing design work.
I love working with both these companies! I just mailed new design work off to the UK .

-Attend Artfest and Artfiberfest and learn some new skills.
I went to Artfest at the end of March (it was WONDERFUL!!) and I am now on the verge of going to AFF in June. Can't wait!

-Created some new jewellery using the skills I learned and maybe sell some.
Selling my work is waaaay scary for me! Working on experimenting with creating jewellery. I have made a few things and have learned alot about making jewellery. Still not sure about the whole selling thing!

-Buy myself a Rubicoil binder.
Done! Love it!

-Expand my teaching base.
Always working on this.

-Write some more new classes.
Working on it! I have one almost completed and another in the works.

-Maybe do an redesign on my website.
Website was fixed in early March. I have done some small updates. Not sure I really want to do a redesign right now. I am happy with things they way they are for now.

-Take a class with Lynn Perrella.
I DID IT!! Serendipity allowed for me to have the chance to do this at AF and it was wonderful!! I learned so much from Lynn and she is a great teacher!

Hmm..maybe I should have made a longer list?!? LOL! If nothing else, it's satisfying to know I have actually accomplished alot this year and I still have 6 1/2 months left! (Am I am Aries or what?!)

Mother's Day 2006

<---So this is my Mother's Day gift from my guys! I am totally stunned at how tiny it is-3 1/2 inches x 1 1/2 inches and only 1/4 inch thick! I don't know why I thought it was bigger, but I did! Currently, it is plugged into my computer and getting charged up. One thing that's neat about it is that it has some games in it so when I am sitting somewhere waiting, I can fool around with solitaire! It can also hold some of my photos, which is fun. I am *spoiled*!! My son made me a great brekki this morning-bacon, eggs and toast with tea. at about 11 a.m. we drove into Vancouver and went to Stanley Park. This park is a forest in the heart of the city and it's truely the city's crown jewel. I adore Stanley Park-it's so beautiful. We stopped and got sub sandwiches on the way there and then drove around the park to the far side where we had our lunch.













Two shots of the view from 2nd Beach in Stanley Park. This was our view while we had our lunch. I was playing around with my settings on my camera. I love the Sepia setting-it's interesting how different things look when you take the natural colours away.















The tide was out so we went down onto the sand and poked around. Aren't the star fish pretty? There were tons of them clinging to the rocks. (Click on any of the images to view them larger.)

It was pretty warm out today-about 20c but the wind was blowing pretty hard off the ocean so it was a little chilly. (Some guy was down there on the beach in a speedo and nothing else! BRRR!! He's nuts!!) It was good to get out though and breath in the wonderful briney smell of the ocean and people watch, to enjoy my son's company and walk hand in hand with my sweetie. Today reminded me why I love living here so much-it's just utterly gorgeous and inspiring.

Flying Fingers!

See? I told you I was making 10 pincushions! They are all stuffed now and the only thing left to do is to make cording for them and sew it on. I have to go pick up some more DMC to do that though-making cording takes up alot of thread. I am hoping some people at AFF will have "bigger" stuff to trade like little quilts or something like that so I can trade these-they took a bit of time to do! I will also be giving a couple to friends I will see there, so some are spoken for. The trades at AF were so great it makes me excited for AFF's trades. I came home with THREE cloth bags full of goodies last time. It was a really cool way to meet people.

I am also getting beads ready for the Beautiful Bead swap. I must have been a crow in a former life-I love shiny things and the glass beads that have come in are wonderful! I can't wait for everyone to get their packets in the mail so they can oooh and ahhh over them too. (There's still time to join in if you are interested-see the previous post for more info.) I am going to take my swapped beads to AFF to use in a class I am taking with Elsie Peeples called Joyous Expressions: Flat Figures. I think I definitely need a "muse" for my workspace! Can't wait!

Well, I had better run-I need to excavate my desk-it's buried under a pile of art stuff and it's a huge mess. Time to tidy up so I can get some work done! Happy Friday everyone!

One Week Left!!

There is still time to join the Beautiful Bead Swap! I just received some of the beads in the mail and well....YUM!! They are gorgeous and it's going to be so cool to have little baggies of mixed of glass beads to play with! If you are interested and want the details, you can find them here.

Don't be shy-come join the fun!

Needlework

I have been busy in my "downtime" making goodies to swap at Artfiberfest. I am working on 10 of these little pin cushions. The colours are a bit off in this photo because it's overcast today so the light is not good. The tones are folk art tones-mustard gold, old barn red, buttermilk cream and moss green. Yikes! The basket actually looks grey in this pic! It's not!! It's moss green.

Anyway, I have one completely finished, and 9 more to go!! The good news is I can do them in front of the TV while I watch all the season finales this week and next. It's hard to sit and have idle hands!

I also managed to get my packets of fibres done up for the fibre swap at AFF. We are swapping 3 yds. per packet of cool fibers. Mine are a black and rainbow type twisted wool. It reminds me of Amish quilt colours.

I have also been doing alot of writing. I seem to have so many irons in the fire. It's good to keep busy, but sometimes it's stressful juggling everything. Good thing I am careful not to bite off more than I can chew! I think what's helped with that is my 24 hour rule. I wait 24 hours before I say yes to something. That way I am not impulsively joining things and getting in over my head. It's no fun to be pressured about deadlines and not have any time to make the art for yourself and it's definately not fun to be missing deadlines and letting people down. Sometimes it's hard to pass some things up, but I have to for sanity's sake. I keep reminding myself that by saying no to one thing, it allows me to say yes to another. It's all about choices.

Anyway, there's a sneak peek at some of my swaps. I have to run now and take my son to the doc's. He thinks he's broken his thumb. He's not a complainer and any time he's thought something was broken, it was. If it is, this will be broken bone #4. *sigh* That boy is definately a boy and I earn my grey hairs!

I was tagged by Deb. Here goes:

In My Fridge :
-skim milk
-diet caffeine free Pepsi
-sharp cheddar
-tons of veggies
-3 kinds of sandwich meat

In My Closet:
-art supplies galore
-dirty laundry
-wrapping paper
-photo albums
-suitcases

In My Purse:
-my cell
-my wallet
-kleenex
-advil & aromatherapy stuff for migraines
-business cards

In My Car: (or how I decorate it with stuff hanging off the mirror, etc.)
-my purple prayer wheel got when I went to go see the Dalai Lama speak here in Vancouver
-a horse hair braided bracelet from my travels in Montana
-a cedar bark bracelet from a Pot Latch I went to
-a danglie that was a gift from Emmy Tofa
-a collection of little buttons (the pin on kind) stuck into the roof, including some special ones from my pal Tracy Roos

Tag to anyone who has not been tagged, if you want to!

I bought this shadow box back in early April with the intention of doing an assemblage for my Gram for Mother's Day. I finally got around to it today.

The image I used is my Gram and her family in front of their house. I keep meaning to ask her who took pictures, since they were very, very poor and I can't imagine they owned a camera themselves.

The odds and ends in the frame are old lace, bobbins, part of a measuring tape, an old fashioned clothes peg, a button, a wedding ring, an old button, some rusty bolts, a buckle and the butterfly shaped thing used to hold summer window screens on. I included the sewing stuff because my great grandmother was a seamstress and the mechanical bits are for my great grandfather who worked hard all his life as a baker (when he could-he had bad allergies to flour) and on the family farm.

After doing the exercise about "Where I am from" I thought it would be interesting to do one about my Gram's life, so that's what's around the outside of the frame. Here's what it says:

Where I Am From


I come from handmade clothes and Salvation Army services,
from walking miles, even in bad weather just to save the carfare.


I come from fresh baked bread and the smell of a wood stove,
from pulling my brothers in a wagon and writing on the side of the house with chalk.

I come from perfect penmanship and hankies in pockets,
from neatly pressed clothes and making do.


It goes in the mail first thing tomorrow morning. I hope she likes it-I have never sent her any of my mixed media art before.

Where I Am From

After seeing this post by Amy Powers of Inspire Co., I thought I'd do the "Where I'm From" poetry exercise/meme, using a poem written by George Ella Lyons called "Where I'm From," as a model. Enjoy! Farrell, this is for you!

Where I am From

I am from summers spent throwing stones
into the muddy Red River,
Just to hear them go ker-plunk.
I am from bicycles with banana seats and baskets
And shrill little bells that we rang just because.

I am from hours spent playing at the bear pit
Trying to master walking the high arched wall.
I am from peeling sunburns and mosquito bites,
from tether ball and hopscotch at recess.

I am from Shrine Circuses
and men with fezes riding tiny motorcycles.
I am from watching the Bombers wrapped in blankets
with a windchill factor of -20.

I am from perogies and kolbassa for breakfast,
From the Red River Ex, Folarama
and The Museum of Man and Nature.
I am from driving 3 hours to swim at Birds Hill
And paying 5 cents for Strawberry marshmallows.

I am from jellied salads and Pick-a-pop,
from the Golden Boy and speaking French,
From Uncle Bob and Marvin the mouse,
and "Beefs & Boquets" on the radio weekly.

I am from watching spring break up on the Assinaboine
from playing from sun up to sundown,
From trips to Dutch Maid and Bonnie Bell lip gloss,
from scraped knees and stealing crab apples of neighbourhood trees.

I am from growing up in daycare listening to Queen,
from seeing Star Wars when no one knew what it was yet,
from Holly Hobby and Little House on the Prairie
and making god's eyes from yarn and popsicle sticks.

I am from onion topped churches with funny crosses,
from riding busses and being cold to the bone.
I am from the ear shattering sound of winter silence
from disco, polyester turtlenecks and wool hair ties.

I am from lilacs and boulevards,
From knowing my neighbours and
considering them family.
I am from belonging to friends
I have known since kindergarten
and speaking a shorthand only we understand.

Birthday Wishes

Janice is one of the most kind hearted and down-to-earth people I know. She is smart, creative, savvy and a really good listener. Today is her birthday and though I know she's kinda shy about it, I just wanted to take a moment to recognize how truely special she is and how much I appreciate her.

Happy Birthday Janice! I wish you every happiness and joyfully celebrate your prescence on this planet. I hope that today you are reminded just how much you are loved. You are a treasured friend. *big hugs*

Music & Art

A couple of weeks ago I heard this song called "Unwritten" while I was driving and instantly liked it. You are probably wondering what music has to do with art. Well for me, it's as much of my creative process as making the art. When I work, I have to have music playing in the background. It can't be just anything-it has to be music that makes me feel good. Sometimes it's the Indigo Girls. Sometimes it's Shawn Colvin , Tracy Chapman, or Jann Arden . Sometimes it's just a mix of stuff I have ripped to my computer-I have ecletic tastes. Occasionally, it's Pandora choosing the tracks. Yesterday, it was Fleetwood Mac, one album, non-stop, all day long. *grins*

Anyway, this new song is destined to be a part of my "must listen" list-I just love the lyrics and the music makes me feel happy and free.

Unwritten

I am unwritten,
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, oh, oh I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines
We've been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way

~Natasha Bedingfield

You can see the music video here.

I especially love the line "Live your life with arms wide open"-that is *so* me. The whole song speaks to the opportunities that lie within us to have exceptional lives, to allow ourselves to reach our unlimited potential, to live with every fibre of our being.

There's nothing like a great piece of music to inspire creativity! What's in your CD player?

Playing Around Some More!

I made one more teeny weenie punch needle piece and framed it in a flip top frame. (Papier Valise also has these if you are looking for them.)

When I say teeny weenie, I mean it-this little blue heart in the frame measures 3/4 x 1 inch. I wrapped a bead in copper wire and aged the wire with liver of sulphur to make the dangle part then hung it from another pretty ribbon from PV. It didn't take me very long! Now I have two new pendants to wear. I just LOVE handmade jewellery-I love the idea of having things that are one of a kind and interesting.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing! *grins*

Playing Around!

Okay so this is the piece I just finished. Last week when I took the punch needle class, I knew I wanted something like this to be the end result.

It only took me about 3 hours to come up with this from start to finish. I work quickly because when I imagine something, I have all the details worked out in my head before I start-that's how my creative process works.

First I did a line drawing of the design I wanted to create. I measured carefully to make sure it was going to fit in the drawer. Then I did the punch needle work. After that, I made the loop and jumpring to hang the piece from and inserted them in the hole I drilled. I mounted the punch needle piece in the drawer part of a vintage copper coated steel ashtray which I got from Papier Valise and then searched my goodie drawer for PV ribbon I had been hoarding and the colour matched perfectly! Lastly, I added a star and moon charm Linda O'Brien gave me at Artfest, et voila!! I have myself a cool folky piece of jewellery!!

The only thing that bugs me is that the photo somehow picked up white around the edges of the piece, which is not visible to the naked eye. The camera sees things I don't! (Might just be due the angle I shot.)

Anyway, that's my little piece of artsy ingenuity for today!

HA! I am finished my very first punch needle piece!! I worked on it while watching TV and it went pretty fast. I really like being able to have something to do while watching so it doesn't seem such a waste of time. Most of the shows I watch, I tape so I can watch them when I feel like it. Some shows, I just listen-they don't require alot of attention so this is the perfect thing for me to be doing!!

Now I am ready to move on to the pattern I bought with the Shaker house, bird, stars and alphabet sampler around the outside.

I imagine I will turn this into a little pouch or something. I have to think on it and decide, but I am pleased with how it came out. It was definately worth taking the class and Annemarie is a great teacher!
*happy smile*

A Friend to Crow About!

My friend Alyx who is a gifted sci-fi writer and teacher (and has a wicked sense of humour which I love) can now add another feather to her already full cap: a series of her photographs will be appearing in the Michigan Avenue Review's fall "Spherical Objects" issue.

Alyx is a very telented photographer-her macro work is bar none and she keeps me in eye candy almost on a weekly basis. I am so thrilled that she will now have the opportunity to share the amazing way she captures the miracle and beauty of every day objects with a wider audience. If you would like to have a taste of her talent, you can click here. While the images appear in black and white in the index, once you click on them, they appear larger and in colour, so click away and enjoy!!

Congrats Alyx! I can't wait to see your work in M.A.R!! Bravo!!