Things That Rock!

This is my post about things that I am really loving at the moment! First of all, for all you unmounted rubber fans out there, Paper Artsy has made me unbelieveably happy. They came up with the brilliant idea to offer their line already mounted onto EZmount so you can use them with your acryllic blocks as soon as you receive them! No more sticky scissors for this girl!!

Each plate comes with a laminate index sheet (whether it's on the EZ mount or not) and this is perfect for someone like me who likes to have things organized and close at hand. I have stored all my PA plates in a wooden crate. It's an extensive collection since I have been on their design team for almost 3 years and it all fits in the one box! (That's currently 26 plates with plenty of room for more-gotta love that!) I can easily thumb through my collection to find what I need and everything stays put.

One of the reasons why it's so important for me to be organized when it comes to my art supplies is that I would much rather spend time making art, than looking for the supplies I need to do it. It's part of what helps keep me productive. Also, at the end of the day, I always make sure I clean off my desk as much as possible so I sit down to a fresh workspace in the morning. It may seem like a small thing, but it helps me feel good about getting started each morning.

Another thing I think is really cool is my friend Mandy is embarking on a year long personl art retreat. She realized she had tons of art books, supplies and ideas that she would like to explore over the course of the year. She is detailing her journey at her Labratory 555 blog. I think it's a really intriguing idea and I am going to keep my eye on her adventure!

My other big happy-making thing is my red ceramic Starbuck's mug. I am a big fan of deep reds and I love my Starbucks! My son bought me the green and white version as well, so when one's in the sink, I have a back up! But I love the red one best, simply because of the colour. I almost constantly have a cup of tea close at hand and there is nothing better than having it in a favourite mug.

And lastly, if you are an avid reader like I am and love Thomas Harris, I highly recommend his new novel "Hannibal Rising". It is essentially the back story of Hannibal Lecter. It chronicals his early childhood in Russia and gives us a glimpse as to how he evolved into the Hannibal we came to love/hate/fear in Silence of the Lambs. It took me a matter of hours to read it-it was that good!

Oh and I guess you've noticed by now that I have a new blog skin. I thought it was time for a change!