UGH!

I thought I would make a quick post to tell you I am still breathing... barely. I've been very under the weather for the last 11 days and am just now working on recovering, with the help of antibiotics and couch surfing while watching home reno shows in between snoozing. Indy's been keeping me company, faithful and sweet puppy boy that he is.

My poor studio has been sadly neglected as has my blog, since I haven't had the wearwithall to do much. I'll get back to blogging as soon as I am feeling better. In the meanwhile, I hope you are having as beautiful Autumn as we're having here on the west coast of Canada. Now if I could just get better so I could get out there and enjoy it!

Manual Dexterity Issue #2

After much hard work, issue #2 of Manual Dexterity is finally finished and available for purchase! The zine is 20 pages, handbound and measures 4 1/2 inches wide x 5 3/4 inches tall.


Here's a sneek peek but just in case the writing's too small, even when you click the photo, I'll tell you that it's chock full of good stuff-five full coloured art pages, four (count'em four!) articles, along with lots of other fun details and inclusions. (Which means goodies for you!)


If you missed issue #1 of Manual Dexterity, and want to collect the complete set (thus far) you are in luck! I still have a few copies left. If you want one though, you'll need to snap it up now because once they're gone, they're gone! Both issues of the zine are available for purchase through my Etsy store, Tattered Edge Mercantile.

For those of you who have already purchased copies of issue #2, (Thank you for your enthusiasm!) your copies are on their way and should be in your eager hands shortly. Hooray!


And lastly, for those of you who are enjoying my zines, I just wanted to let you know that despite having my right hand in a hateful cast, I decided I really wanted to work on a 3rd edition right away.
Can you guess what it's about?!?

Remembering

In honour of

Kenneth Charles Ledee

Deeply loved and sadly missed, this day and every day.

***

We pray for the power to be gentle;

The strength to be forgiving;

The patience to be understanding;

And the endurance to accept the consequences

Of holding what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in

The power of good to overcome evil

And the power of love

To overcome hatred.

We pray for the vision to see

And the faith to believe in a world

Emancipated from violence,

A new world where fear

Shall no longer lead men to commit injustice,

Nor selfishness make them

Bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life

And thought and energy

To the task of making peace,

Praying always for the inspiration

And the power to fulfill the destiny

For which we were created.

~Author Unknown

***

For my beloved friends Anna & Carlos & the Ledee family,

across the miles, with all my love.

The State of Me

This is me. Again. Apparently, not a broken bone this time, as was first suspected, but an equally painful and annoying injury called Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex which boils down to my wrist hurting so much I've been unable to sleep through the night for the last month. (And that's just the tip of the iceberg.)

So I am trapped in this splint brace for the next 4 weeks, 24 hours a day (save for showers) and then probably a shorter one for a few weeks after that. *sigh* Not very happy about it. On a positive note though, my hand specialist is super nice. She's worked on me before when I broke my wrist last year and luckily she was easily able to refit my brace so I didn't have to shell out $100 for a new one. Let's hear it for recycling! I am nothing if not enviro friendly.

And just to add and extra bit of irritation, when I went out to the car early this morning to head to the clinic to deal with this, I discovered that some weasel had broken in. ARGH!! I've about had it with people stealing stuff! If I catch whomever it is, I am going to plant my boot square in their thieving behind. Seriously!

Anyway any and all sympathy will gladly be accepted.

I'll stop whining now and thank the stars I am ambidexterous.

100 Years of PNE

The PNE (Pacific National Exhibition), which is our fair turned 100 years old this year. As a result, they had some fabulous entertainment come play the fair, one of which was The Little River Band, one of my husband's all time favourite bands.

A couple weeks before the fair opened, we got a flyer in the mail detailing what acts would be playing. We were sitting in our living room and I was reading them off to him. When I got to Little River Band, he said "Oh year right!" implying that I was shining him on. So I said "WHY would I make something like that up?! If you don't believe me, see for yourself." I handed him the flyer so he could see it was true. He had to admit he was wrong. *grins*

The concert was fabulous-we managed to get great seats and LRB sounded fantastic. They put on a good show and I've fallen in love with "A Cool Change" all over again. I really must go download it from iTunes!

Aside from attending the concert, we got to wander around the fair and take in some other show. I always enjoy seeing all the art. The sandcastles are always impressive.

How meticulous is this?!

I loved this one. The soft sand gently brushed on the shapely behind of this mermaid was perfection. I have great admiration for people who can sculpt like this with sand. It's impressive.


This is a water fountain that I found amusing. What a great way to repurpose old broken instruments!


This crow was cool. It's too bad they all but buried this exhibit in the back of the home improvement building. I am sure most people missed it.



If I am quiet the next couple of days it's because my wrist is cracked (again) and causing me grief. I've ignored it as long as I could but tomorrow I have to go and have a new splint brace custom made. I have an old one which was made a year ago when I fractured the bone the first time but it's no longer comfortable. I don't know which hurts worse- cracking my wrist or being forced to spend $100 on a brace to heal it. When I think of all the art supplies $100 would buy...*sniff*



Anyway, I'll be back soon! In the meantime, check out Zaac Pick and then head over to iTunes and download his album Fierce Wind. (There's a link on his sidebar.) He's lovely and if you need another reason to like him, he's also Canadian!

PSA: Corporate Sponsors Needed!

Do you know a local socially responsible business that supports diversity and inclusion? The Tri-Cities 10 by 10 Challenge is seeking corporate sponsorship to making the first ever Tri-Cities Celebration of Ability a reality. In recognition of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd, 2010, we will be hosting a local event to celebrate the contributions that people with disabilities have made in our local community, with a focus on the employment achievements and community leadership.



Join with us, as members of our community share their inspiring stories and abilities, along with a screening of a short documentary and a music performance.


For sponsorship details, please contact:
Matthew Danchuk, Director of Marketing
Tri-Cities 10 by 10 Challenge
Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce
Telephone: 604-464-2716
Email
Website

***

If you can help or know someone who can, please pass along this information or contact Matthew directly. Thanks everyone!

Good For the Soul

My art will be appearing in my first gallery show tomorrow, in the Art of the Soul: Shoes show at the Ten Women Gallery in Venice, Ca! I am really excited and wish I could be there to see it in person. If you are local, the gallery is located at 1237 Abbot Kinney Blvd.,Venice, CA and the opening is from 6-10 p.m.

I got a sneek peek at some of the work that will be shown and WOW! There's are alot of really cool pieces, many of which (including mine) will be for sale!

This is the second time I've sent altered art to the US. Last year I was invited to alter a bra for a breast cancer fundraiser, Creative Cups for Cancer. My bra entitled Every Woman Has a Story actually made a tv appearance on the morning news in South Carolina ! That was great because the fundraiser got alot of publicity and they raised a fair amount of money for an organization that gives financial assistance to families in need who have a loved one undergoing treatment.

The Art of the Soul: Shoes show is also a benefit. Gently used shoes (which have been donated by artists as their submission fee and will also be collected at the show, if you'd like to donate a pair) will be donated to Food on Foot, which provides nutritious meals, clothing and work transition programs to the poor and homeless in Los Angeles.

I think it's wonderful that we can use our art to help others. Art heals in so many ways and this is just one of them. As someone who was raised to be socially conscious and responsible, it makes me happy to be able to participate in these kind of projects. I can't say yes to every one that comes my way, but I do think it's important to give back as often as I can manage. It's my way of tithing to the Universe and it's challenged me to try things I would never have attempted otherwise, so it's a win-win situation!