AFF Post #5

So this will give you a taste of what was accomplished at AFF. The last night of the reatreat is the show and tell and there was just an amazing array of work. Not all the projects were designed to be completed in a single day, but still I was impressed with how much people did manage to finish. I have a sneaking suspicion some of them went without sleep! (LOL!) Not me-I actually didn't finish a thing, but that's okay-it was about the process, not the finished product and I am working on my projects now.

The crazy thing about the show & tell is that it makes you wish you could have taken all the classes because the finished pieces are so wonderful and it's cool to see say 10 projects but all of them completely unique to the artist. For an instructor, that is the most gratifying part of teaching-to teach someone the besic skill and watch them then parlay that into their own unique art. If that happens, you know you have done a wonderful job of teaching. The point is not to have someone copy exactly what you did, but to help them find out what they can do.

Tomorrow, I will finish up with official AFF posts and then get back to the usual stuff! (It had to happen eventually, right?) In the meantime, I spent yesterday morning sorting all the fibres I received from the fibre swap at AFF. I now have two boxes filled with colour, all neat and organized. (I can just hear you thinking "Oh boy, she's at it again." Yes, I love to organize-it's sick really!) The top of my desk has disappeared once again! It seems to be a constant occurance around here.

AFF Part 4

In the Gallery room at AFF, there was this table filled with Teesha and Tracy's journals. They came in every size, shape and colour. Some were paper, some fabric and some made of metal. My favourite one was this tiny little one with an elephant on the cover. (It's right in the center of the first photo.) I have a thing for journals-I have several and even if I never write in them, I just like having them. I also have a thing for little books-there's a whole stack of them on the headboard of our bed. Book and journals are friends and you can never have too many friends!

Teesha and Tracy had some journals for sale at vendor's night but the second the door opened, they were snapped up and the only way I got to see one is later when I discovered my friend Janice had bought one of Teesha's. Too bad-I would have liked to have seen them! They obviously went like hotcakes!

Tiphoni was hanging out in the gallery room felting and made this cool little dill pickle! I just loved it. She made a whole bunch more food related things, including a pork chop and a chicken drumstick and some other characters. She's so talented that girl!

My next post will be pics I took at the show and tell. There are alot of them so I might have to spread them out a little.

I spent part of yesterday working on my Artfolio from DJ Pettit's class. I have it about 80% finished and I am really loving the way it looks. The hinges and the binding of the signatures comes next. I will post pics when I am done. That reminds me, I need to rechage my camera's batteries. They finally ran out of juice yesterday.

AFF Part 3

This post is pretty picture heavy, but I wanted to share with you some of the art that was entered in the gallery. The theme was nests & eggs and everything was really beautiful. Of course the one thing I would have dealy loved to have, was not for sale! LOL! Isn't that always the way? Anyway, have a good look-the work submitted was incredible!







I still have more to share with you about AFF, if you can stand a few more posts about it! (Then again, it is my blog, so I can do whatever I want!)

I am still workingon putting everything I brought home away. This morning I finished up a RR journal I was working on with MMCA so I could mail it. I got the chance to try out DJ Pettit's tecniques at home and guess what? I can actually do it! YAY! Now that's a sign of a great teacher-if you can go home and replicate what you learned in class. Believe me, I have taken a class or two where I got home and never could make it work again-it's hugely frustrating and disappointing, but not this time!

Time to get back to work. More AFF posts to follow! :)

AFF Part 2

One thing I love about AF and AFF is the trades. Everyone brings goodies to trade with other artists. Some things are handmade and some are not. It can be anything from a piece of jewellery (a pendant, a charm) to a small collage or mini quilt, to an ATC or a packet of pretty ephemera or fabric. You never know what other people are going to bring, which is half the fun.

When I came home from AF, I had three tote bags full of goodies and AFF was the same! Above are the packets of fibres from the fibre swap Sammy set up for everyone. (Thanks Sammy!) There were 30 people in the swap and each person packaged up 3 yds. cuts of their fibres. I am thrilled to have lots of new colours and textures to play with!
These are some of the other swaps I received. The beaded bracelet you see was a gift from my pal Heather. I fell in love with it because I love folkart Americana. It was incredibly sweet of her to give it to me.

The triangle pendant was made for me by my friend Deb May. It's really cool. It's made from glass, utee, foil and inks. The silver "L" charm was from Lisa Call who makes the most gorgeous silver jewellery. I just happened to have my sliver bracelet I made in April with me and it didn't have anything on it. The charm was absolutely perfect! Thanks so much Lisa and I will get something out to you by Monday! ;)

This sweet little nest is a pin given to me by fellow Canadians Ty and Marcia. Ty knit the nest and Marcia made the eggs. I just think it's so wonderfully creative. The wool is so soft and every time I pick it up, I just like to pet it. You can't really tell from this picture (taken late one night at AFF in my room) but the little eggs are blue.

There were more things, but the were given to me after I took these photos. DJ Pettit gave me the most beautiful print which I plan to frame and hang in my livingroom. I am so pleased to have it-DJ is really special and I just adore her. I can't wait to get it framed and hung. If I showed you everything I was gifted with, this post would be a mile long. Suffice it to say, everything was thoughtful and I really appreciate what everyone shared with me. I just feel utterly spoiled. Thank you!!

One of the nicest things was that even if someone ran out of trades or didn't bring any, people would still give them things. That is one of the things I like best about this community of artists. Everyone is so eager to be kind to one another and really, the world really needs more of that.

More AFF pics to follow! Stay tuned!

Artfiberfest Part 1

So this is Trinity Lutheran where Artfiberfest was held. My friends Deb and Janice and I arrived at about 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday. It's not too far a drive for us-about 2 1/2 hours plus stops for the border and shopping of course. When we registered, it was pretty quiet-I think alot of people were arriving after work or coming in on flights later in the day. We wandered around and found our rooms and had a chance to unpack.

On Thursday, I took Mary Stanley's Wild and Wooley class to learn traditional rug hooking. Mary is the very soft spoken, gentle soul and I had a great time in her class. She had made each of us a hooked flower which was very sweet. I got to sit with Edina Tien whom I had met at AF but really didn't get to talk to. We had the whole class to chat and get to know one another, which was really nice. Sueanne was also at our table and boy did that girl work fast! By the time we all went home, her huge piece (a face) was almost finished. I managed to get the star completed in the center of mine, but I still have some work to do!
Friday, Deb and I took DJ Pettit's Artfolio class together. DJ and I have been friends online for awhile now so it was wonderful finally getting to meet her. The best word I can use to describe DJ is LOVELY. She is just a joy to know and a great teacher. People were raving about her classes. I managed to get the covers for my artfolio finished, but I didn't get the book together. That's my next project here at home. I can't wait because the books that did get finished were gorgeous and I know I am going to love mine!!
Saturday's class was Elise Peebles' Joyous Expression Flat Figures. Elise said this was her last class-she is retiring from teaching (at art retreats anyway) so it's a good thing I had picked her class. This class was interesting for me. Everyone was using a certain colour pallet and then there was me with my folk art fabrics. I started to feel really bad about my choice because I felt like the odd one out. (So bad that I kinda wanted to cry, but I think it was just because I was tired.) Eventually, I thought to myself: "I came here to make art to please ME, not to impress anyone else dammit!" and shut up that niggling critic in the back of my head. I have some embellishing to do, which I will work on and get the doll together soon. The reason I didn't end up further along by the time class was over was that I hit the wall at 2:30 p.m. It was really hot (We are having a heatwave in the north-yeah, funny, I know) and between being tired and getting overheated, I just couldn't concentrate any more. The class was great though-I could see how I could use what I learned in a variety of ways.

Someone asked me which event I preferred-AF or AFF and I had to say I didn't know. It's like compairing apples to oranges, really. AF is this big wild and crazy event focussing mainly on paper arts, jewellery, paint and metal work while AFF is a smaller, cozier group devoted to fiber arts. AF feels like a big festival and is vibrant and loud and exciting and AFF is quieter, more intimate and relaxed. It just depends on what you are looking for. Both have excellent teachers and interesting classes.

What I liked best about AFF is that by merit of it being a smaller group, it allows for people to meet, interact and really connect with one another. I find that creating art is a pretty solitary thing-most of us do it alone in our own homes and unless you are getting out to classes or teaching, you don't really get to meet other artists. It's so good to walk into a situation where you know instantly that people "get it" and are supportive and accepting. I also felt that you could sit down anywhere with anyone at any time and be made to feel instantly welcome. People were just so open and inviting and being a people person, this was really wonderful to experience. That said, I really don't know that I could say one is better than the other. I loved them both!

I came home with THREE bags filled with trades, gifts and purchases which I am still unpacking. I will share those pictures, plus some others tomorrow, so as not to make a giant post!

Home is Where the Art Is.

Hello folks! I am back. A little overwhelmed with unpacking and reorganizing to accomadate all the goodies I brought back with me. I had a wonderful time and met and made tons of new friends. I have a couple of pressing matters to attend to over the next few days, but I hope to be able to post about AFF and share some photos of the amazing artwork achieved there. (Lots of eyecandy!)

I hope all my fellow AFFers made it home safely. I walked in the door at casa del chaos at 2 p.m. and before Janice and Deb (my travelling companions) were out of the driveway, I was in the shower trying to cool down. The heatwave we've got is just ugly! (I am not a hot weather kinda girl!)

With new friends, will come new links because these gals are so cool I just have to share them with you, so keep an eye out for new additions to the blog listings here on my sidebar and also the links page of my website. Good things coming soon, I promise!

Okay, off to finish tidying up. It's good to be home! *Happy sigh*

A Lesson in Kharma

Tiffani Elektra made me cry first thing this morning. Yup, she did! Here's what happened: My mail arrived and in it a package. I looked to see who had sent it and the return address said Tiffini. I don't know Tiffini personally, but we are in a group called The Creative Underground together, along with a whole bunch of friends.

Anyway, I opened the parcel and inside was a card, a box, a packet of tiny 1" art buttons and a collection of her ATCs. I opened the card first-yes, I have manners and I was dying to know why she was sending me a parcel. (Lovely Papaya card, by the way.) She said was sending me one of the bracelets as a thank you for doing the chunky condolance books for Celine and Stacie and because she knew I had been busy working on the books so I could present them to the ladies at AF so I couldn't participate in the charm swap . You could have knocked me over with a feather! I am utterly stunned. I never in a million years expected this and so this is what brought me to tears this morning. I can't express how much this sweet gesture touched me. For someone I don't really know to have thought of me in this way and to have given me something so incredibly special is just mind boggling. *eyes welling up again* My wish for the people I love has always been that any good they bring to the world come back to them tenfold. This morning, I truely got a taste of that. It's a beautiful and magical feeling, let me tell you.

Here is a break down of the charms on the bracelet and who made them. (Borrowed from Sarah Fishburn and the CU group-it's the easiest way to show you what's on it, since it's *so* chunky!)
My thanks goes out to each and every one of the ladies: Laurie Winter, Angela Cartwright, Deb Trotter, Denise Lombardozzi, Efrat Dalton, Erikia Ghumm, Lisa Stroyan, Kathy Strittmater, Kelly Ferero, Leticia Gronlund, Sarah Fishburn, Shari Schwarz, Sharon Wisely, Sue Whitten, Trin Nielsen, Delta Waters, Cassie Wich, Tracie Lindsey, Vicki Lauer and Suz Simanaitus
who worked so hard to make this precious piece of art. I am going to throughly enjoy gazing in wonder at each of the charms and hearing it tinkle softly when I wear it.

Thank you Tiffini for blessing me in such an unexpected way this morning. My heart feels so blissful and full and the timing was utterly perfect. WOW! The little buttons are going onto my artfest messenger bag right away-LOVE them!! (I don't know if you knew or not, but I collect them.) The ATCs are fantastic. I am going to sprinkle them around my workspace.


*deep breath* WHEW! What a way to start the day! In other news, only ONE sleep till AFF!! Most of my stuff is packed now. I just have to make a run to the bank to change money over and a quick trip to the mall to pick up a couple of things. I am so excited to be spending time with great good friends (nudge and a wink to Deb and Janice, my travelling companions) and to meet up with pals when we get there. I am looking forward to meeting new friends too! Oh yeah-and to make art...yeah I think that was the reason I was going...right? *grin*

So everyone, see you on the flip side! I will post when I return and share photos and tales of my adventures. If you are travelling to AFF, have a safe journey. I hope everyone has a good rest of the week!

On Father's Day

My Grandad was for all intents and purposes, my father. He loved me fiercely and was my champion and my rock. He taught me alot about how to be in the world and in the last few years of his life, about love and compassion, and strength and courage in the face of great adversity. He lived to see his 82nd birthday and though to many that would seem a long and good life, I would never have been ready to let him go. My Gramps was magical and special. He was my heart and I miss terribly.

Happy Father's Day Gramps. I love you always.

All Systems Go!

I just got back from a manicure and pedicure. A friend of mine works at Blanche McDonald and had invited a bunch of us girls to come and have treatements any time we wanted. I fianlly took her up on it. Someone said "Oh well it's a beauty school and I bet it won't be very good." Not true!! Both girls that worked on me really did an outstanding job. They were very meticulous and when it came time for polish, (which was RED by the way) they both did a far better job than I could have ever done! When you use red polish, there is really very little room for error. The best part of all was that all this pampering was free! I had a very relaxing time and Yota who is the instructor invited me to come back any time. You can bet I will! I now have sandle worthy feet for AFF. Gone are the tired feet of winter and my fingernails are all spiffy too. I rarely bother putting polish on my fingernails any more-working as an artist and having my hands in paint and gesso all the time, there really doesn't seem to be much point, but I am kinda liking the red. I think sometimes you have to indulge your inner princess!

In other news, it looks like my ISP finally got the monekys tamed and my email is back to normal. Thank goodness! It's highly irratating to be cut off from the news of my world-I hate being out of the loop!

Must run and pick up my son from his last day of school and stop by the library. I got them to order "Bead on a Wire" and it's come in. You can bet I will be thinking jewellery this afternoon!

Laters!

What We Have Here Is Failure To Communicate.

My email is down so if you are posting comments or trying to get ahold of me, please know I am not ignoring you. Trained monkeys at my ISP are in charge and apparently something has gone haywire. According to the canned message, "They are working hard to restore it". It's been out since about 7 p.m. yesterday... WORK HARDER!!

*I will go pout now.*

Fun With Paint

So Sunday is the monthly ATC swap in Vancouver and I decided to get a jump on making my cards. I got playing around and came up with this idea for making background paper and so I now have the backgrounds all done and ready to go. I just need to decide what I am going to put on top. Have to think about it.

Remember the wooden tool tote I bought for 50c at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago and then painted butter yellow? Well here it is with some of my papers, all nicely cut and organized in it. I have it sitting on my worktable where I can see it and I love the idea of having all the papers there, organized and at the ready for my projects. I know I am a visual person so in order for me to use my supplies, I have to see them. This whole organizing thing is getting rather addictive. Today I took all my collage sheets, slipped them into plastic sleeves and then put them in a 3-ring binder. I had dividers and I broke them up according to which artist I got them from. Yeah I know, it's sick, but somehow it's also satisfying to just be able to know where everything is.

At some point I have to tidy my stack of drawers. I know this because when I went to open one today, I nearly toppled the entire stack. The drawer stuck because it's crammed full. In reality, I need to buy at least two more sets and then I should have enough space for all the tidbits. Ikea here I come!

The packing for AFF (Only 6 more sleeps!!) continues. It's the hunting and gathering of my supplies that seems to take the longest. It's always hard to make art away from home because you have to try and figure out what you will need and try not to forget anything important. I really don't want to haul half the house with me either, so I keep reorganizing stuff and weeding out things I really don't think I will need. It's enough to make me loopy!

I had a lovely conversation with my pal Deb Trotter wherein we talked about a million things and I gave her my spin on political stuff and we laughed ourselves sick. There's nothing I love more than making people laugh.

Deb is off to a retreat to learn to draw while I am at AFF and we are both looking forward to hearing what the other one did when we get back. It's so great to have friends who "get" the whole art thing. It really is a blessing.

This Just In!!

In case you need a good dose of eyecandy and some brain food, Portals Zine, Issue #2 is going to press!

This issue includes:
- a feature on artist Sharon Wisely
· Inspirational gallery of reader artwork
· Q/A with some favorite artists
· Art doll Round Robin with Kara Klein and Carol Dellinger
·Photoshop for mixed media artists by Mike Jennings
· a free paper doll from Emily of Black Apple
· Tips, shopping and a review of Artfest 2006 by yours truely!

Portals is limited to 100 issues, so be sure and order yours today so you don't miss out! Happy reading!

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Ages ago I talked about this cool thing I discovered called the Art-O-Mat. Some brilliant person decided to take old cigarette machines and stock them with small pieces of art and place them in various locations in the US. There are 82 of them in service! (Beats the heck out of what used to come out of them!) I thought this was so clever and was kind of disappointed that there were none in Canada.

Anyway, I shared the link and my friend Jess just happens to live near where one of the machines is located. She found it and purchased two pieces of art for me, which arrived in the mail today! The one above is by A. J. Anderson from Chicago, Il. If you are wondering what you are looking at, it's a wooden block. The neat thing is that the painting wraps around the edges of the block. In the image on the left, you see the front and the bottom. On the right is the front and the top. The hair also wraps around the two sides. When I have painted onwrapped canvasses, I have always done it this way because years ago my art teacher told me you should do that so even if you can't afford a frame, it will still look finished. Anyway, I quite like this little piece!


This second piece is a "Book of Secret Love Stories" which was a bunch of handmade paper snippets and a small fragment of fabric with a button sewn on. Interesting! You never know what's in the machines, but it's always entertaining!!

There is a local woman who is doing a spin off of the Art-o-mat concept, but the machines are the kind you find in the ladies room. She's calling it "Outsider Art in a Box". There's one locally, but I haven't seen it yet. I will be going into Vancouver on Sunday and I will have to check it out then. Because the size of the machine is smaller, the art pieces will have to be smaller, but I am curious to see what's in it. I'll get back to you on that.

Thanks Jess for the artsy treats! I will send you something from ours!

An Invitation!

Nine more sleeps till Artfiberfest!!! WHOOHOO!!

For those of you who aren't attending AFF but live not too far away from the venue, Teesha has invited everyone to come to Vendor Night at Artfiberfest which takes place on Friday June 23, from 7-9 p.m. AFF is being held at Trinity Lutheran College: 4221-228th Ave. SE. Issaquah, WA.

The list of vendors include:
Atlantian Dreams
Traci Bautista
Lisa Bias
Kari Bjorklund
Creative Art Diner
Denise Marie Doll Art
Lisa Engelbrecht
Fabric Frog Designs
Pam Garrison
Lampe's Lumps
Kate Lyon
Marilyn's Nouvelle Collection
Mother Rubber
Orange Bus Studios
Paper Squirrel
Elise Peeples
DJ Pettitt
The Red Door Studio
Barbe St. John
Sassy Art Goddess
Shades of Akasha
Suz Simanaitis
Mary Stanley
Darlene Veltman
Zettiology

And Teesha says "There will be SO MUCH MORE than fiber related art and supplies...it's a rare opportunity to get to purchase from these vendors."
(I agree!!)

And the best part of all? Admisson is absolutely FREE!! If that doesn't make you want to hop in your car and drive over, I don't know what will!

Finally Finished!

WHEW!! I have spent the entire day working on finishing these pincushions I made for AFF. I had to twist 9 cords and then sew each of them on by hand. My hands are tired now, but the job is done and I am pleased with myself. One more thing to check off my list!

I am *so* looking forward to getting away for a few days and filling my creative well up again. It's so important to be with like-minded people and to just relax and have fun sometimes. It's good to get out and see new places and experience new things. I have been a traveller all my life and I think it's the places that you go that shape you as much as anything. I love seeing how people live and viewing the world from a different perspective. I think it opens your soul up to more of what lies inside you when you can step outside of your comfort zone. I know there are places in the world I have been that have claimed a part of me and I will always feel as if I belong them in some form or another. (Do I sound wistful? I am. I am contemplating another very special trip perhaps next summer and just relishing in the idea of it at the moment.)

I am excited about AFF and having the chance to meet more online artist friends in person and travelling with my pals Janice and Deb. I know a good time will be had by all and we will come back laughing, happy and inspired. (If not a wee bit tired!) In the meantime, I have a mountain of packing to get started on. It's not so much the actual packing that takes time as it is the hunting down of odds and ends of my art supplies.

Hope you are having a productive day!

Eyecandy and Art Calls!

If you are in need of a dose of eyecandy, my friend Gail has posted some of the submission to the Shadows and Evil in Fairytales show that will be taking place this summer in Trail, BC, Canada on her blog. Click here to peek.


The deadline is not till August 25th, so there's still time to submit art if you would like to. Everyone is welcome! Here's the info:

INVITATION:

You are invited to participate in the Kootenay Region's FIRST International Mail Art Exhibit:

Shadow & Evil in Fairytales.

Artist: Gail D. Whitter, Coordinator.

All visual/verbal forms of Correspondence Mail-Art welcome, including: letters; concrete/visual poetry; postcards; artwork; add & pass; collage; recycled mail art; photographs; music; letters; project invitations; rubberstamps; artist stamps & Artist Trading Cards. Create in any media.Size: A4 (8.5 inches x 11 inches or smaller)Works may be 2-D or 3-DInclude your name & email addressNo jury. No entry fee. No returns. Documentation to all participants after the Exhibit. Deadline: August 25th, 2006. Exhibit will be rotated in various venues in Trail, B.C.

*Artist Trading Card artists: Original cards only please. If you wish to have us trade for you at the close of the exhibit, you MUST send an SASE (or IRC) of sufficient return postage. Send entries in a plastic 9-up sheet with name & contact information on the back of each card.

For more information, email: gahlil2006@hotmail.com

Send art to: Shadow & Evil in Fairytales

c/o Gail D. Whitter,

# 2 - 1735 Riverside Avenue

Trail, B.C.,

CANADA V1R 3Z3

Please pass this information along to other artists who might be interested!

I see several friends have already submitted their work! Way to go!! I am sure Gail appreciates it and I can't wait to see more!

This N' That

Remember that wooden tool caddy I bought at a garage sale about a week ago for 50c? Well in the process of cleaning it up, I decided it just wasn't going to clean up to my satisfaction. What to do? Then I remembered I had three colours of vintage tone house paints under my sink that a friend gave to me. I decided to paint the caddy this old butter yellow. It's soft enough that I think it will lend itsself well to being somewhat papered over.

I saw the nicest box of papers on Anahata's blog. It was all little bits stored in what looks like a wooden box and that really appealed to me. I have tons of scrapbooking papers that I have bits and pieces of, so I spent all afternoon yesterday cutting them down to ATC size. I figure I work mostly small to medium, so that size isn't a problem and will fit nicely in the tool caddy. I would like to pick up some vintage wallpaper from Pam Garrison at Artfiberfest at the vendor's market if she has some. It would look so nice to have bits and pieces of the papers collaged onto the tool caddy. *fingers crossed that she has some!*

I also picked up a big carboard "L" in Bellingham a couple of weeks ago and I would like to do something with it. I still haven't decided what. I think I have to let that marinade in my brain a bit longer but I like the idea of having a few "L's" around.

In between coats of paint, I am purging some of my art "stuff" to take and donate to the Art Asylum at AFF. The one at AF was unreal-there was tons of stuff all over this huge room and you could just go in and pick through it all and take what you want. I love that because I don't believe in throwing stuff in the garbage. I like to pass it on to someone who can use it. I am filling a big gift bag full of stuff I am not using to take with me. Not only will someone use it, but it also means my workspace will be neater, which makes me happy.

Okay, time for another coat of paint!

Dandy Candy Swap Alert!

If you have signed up for the swap, you should have a survey in your email in box now. If you don't please email me ASAP and I will make sure you get one.

If you are reading this and would like to sign up. please go here for all the info. To sign up, you will need to email me at tatterededge at shaw dot ca. (Please do not post here as I can't do a reply from Blogger and that means I will have to try to track you down.) I am taking sign ups till June 10th!

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up-this is going to be fun. Pretty candy dishes in studios all over, filled to the brim with sugary inspiration! It doesn't get any better than that!

Psst!!!

A little birdie told me that Papier Valise has some "quirky and kooky products" that will soon be released. (I am dying to know what they are, aren't you?!?)

There is also going to be a brand spankin' new gallery filled with art made from many of the products. The nice thing about having a design gallery to look at is that if you have ever looked at something and thought "Hm..I wonder what I would do with that?" you will wonder no more-the Artists in Residence at Papier Valise will show you! *wink*

So how can you keep "in the know" about new products, new designs and all that good stuff? It's easy-Papier Valise has its very own Yahoo group. It's a low volume email list that will keep you up to date. Click here to join. It's free and I'm told membership will have its rewards!

I love sharing a good thing, so if you do too, then pass it on! Enjoy!

New Look

I had a bit of time on my hands last night so I decided to fiddle with my blog. It took me a bit to work out one small bug, but I think I have it now.

Anyway, I kinda like the tattered edge tags. The vintage type writer may reappear at some later date, but for now, tags it is!

Birthdaypalooza!

First of all, I would be remiss if I didn't say today is my son's 15th birthday!! Hard to believe I am now old enough to have a son that age. We spent the day having lunch together and then shopping. (He had a wad of birthday money to spend.) He did very well-he bought 7 shirts, 3 pair of shorts and a pair of shoes. He came home with $13 and he still has a cheque for $50 to spend. The boy is now a fashion plate. These are the funky shoes (Don't ask me the brand name, but trust me, they are "in".) he chose. The shoes he spray protected when he got home, nearly killing us both with noxious fumes in the process. YUCK!

Today was also me dear, dear friend Anna's birthday. I called her this evening in NYC and it was so good to talk to her. I miss her. She is so sweet and loving and warm and I just adore her. If anyone on this planet deserves to be showered with blessings, it's her. She is just such a pleasure to know and I admire her so much. At the end of our conversation she said that now that I had called, her day had come full circle. She makes my heart smile.












I finally some art to post! This is the fabric folder that Teesha sent everyone who's going to Artfiberfest. I decided to colourize mine and add some embellishment so I could use it as the cover to my journal.
















I decided to use a button Heather sent me as part of the closing mechanism. The bird is the cover of my journal. It's too bad the colours are so bad (I need to quit trying to take photos at night-the light is terrible.) becasue the background paper is gorgeous. (Sort of a tealy blue with a pinky rust print on top.)

So there you have it, what I have been working on in fits and starts. This week has been crazy busy and it will only continue to be more so.

Only 14 more sleeps till AFF!! WOOHOO!!