Holiday Magic

I am sure I don't have to tell any of you this is a busy time of year. I know you will excuse me if I am remiss in posting over the next little while. Until someone gives me the ability to transcend the space/time continuum, something's gotta give!

We've been having a blast opening our gifts each day as we celebrate the 12 days of Xmas. If you missed me mentioning it in any of my other posts, you can live vicariously by visiting the 12 Days of Xmas Exchange blog.

This little aqua house was today's gift from Jeannine. She made each one different and to suit the person she was sending it to. Mine is just perfect and Jeannine did a wonderful job creating my studio. I just love it! (Although I must apologise for the pathetic photo-it's dim this time of night and not the best time to be taking photos.)

We got our tree over the weekend. I don't know how, but my guys picked the most perfectly shaped one. We didn't have to trim errant branches or hide an ugly spot against the wall or anything. It smells so good.

My son and I got the tree decorated with all the handmade ornies and ones that had personal meaning. I had a bunch of other stuff in our Xmas boxes and really, I should just weed out the junk. How did we end up with Xmas "junk" anyway? I think I am going to commit to getting rid of anything in the Xmas box that a) I don't love and b) doesn't have sentimental value. I bet I can cut in half what's in that box!

After we had finished trimming the tree and stepped back to admire it, I realized we'd forgotten to put the garlands on! I had purposely gone out and bought brand new, vintage aqua garlands to have on our tree this year and it completely slipped my mind! We weren't about to take everything off so we could add them, so they will be save till next year.

And here is my sweet puppy boy with his jingle bell collar on, sitting so nicely beside the tree, demonic eyes and all. *laughs* He's been incredibly good about not bothering the trees or the gifts. A few under there have his name on them, though I am afraid to put the one that has food in it there. I don't want to tempt fate!

Speaking of Indy, it was brutally cold here on the west coast today-colder temps than we are used to in these parts and it's a wet cold, the kind that chills you to the bone. Even Indy was feeling it, so he curled up on the couch under a handmade quilt.

All's chaos here in the studio as I work on a piece for publication. My muse was running full tilt today, spurred on by a surprise mixed CD that appeared in the magic mailbox. My friend Jen made it for me and it's great-just what I needed today to keep me productive. THANKS Jen!!

I imagine I will have company at home tomorrow. My son is pretty ill with a cold that morphed into an upper respiratory infection. He's been fighting for almost 3 weeks and just getting worse. This is a kid who is never sick so I have no problem letting him stay home in bed. He needs the rest. Sunday night, he had to go to the ER in the middle of the night, so I think after tomorrow, he's off till January. School lets out on Friday anyway.

Well, that's all the news from the frozen North. HOUSE is about to come on, so I'm off to watch. Move over Indy and give me a corner of that blanket!

Postal Bliss

The last week has been crazy busy, but the good thing is there have been alot of delightful goodies showing up in my post box. My friend Lisa and I decided to exchange handmade journals. This is the one she sent me. It's wonderful and absolutely perfect for the project I have in mind.

I can't show you the one I sent her yet-it hasn't arrived in NZ yet and I don't want to spoil the surprise!

My fingerless gloves also showed up. I can't tell you how truly wonderful they are. I find them really nice to wear when driving and they do keep your hands quite warm. No more wearing gloves and having to rip them off to try and do something! If you are interested in a pair for yourself, I bought mine here. Worth every penny, as far as I am concerned!!

On Sunday, Penn had the bee tag books ready for those of us who participated. This project was open to members of the monthly ATC swap.

As you can see, it's a nice thick book. I can't remember how many tags Penn said there were, but I believe it was over 60!




These are a couple of my tags. The "bee hive lodge" is for real-it was on a piece of antique ephemera I had. When I saw it in my pile of stuff, I knew I had to use it!

As always, Penn did a phenomenal job with this latest collaborative. Thanks Penn!

Oh and a quick update on the 12 Days of Xmas exchange: We will begin posting pics of this year's gifts starting on Dec. 1st. From the 1st-13th, we will be sharing our wrapped gifts. From the 13th-24th, we will reveal what was in each package. To see what treasure are exchanged, please join us here.

Still Breathing

So I'm still breathing. (Barely!) Last week I came down with some sort of plague. Seriously, this is the sickest I've been in a long while. My voice keeps cutting out on me and I've been coughing incessantly. I think at this point it's morphed into a sinus (and possibly ear) infection.

Needless to say, I've been spending alot of time in bed or on the couch with Indy snuggled up next to me watching HOUSE dvds, too exhausted to do much of anything else, other than sleep.

The cool postcard pictured above came from the talented hands of my friend Karenann Young. Every now and again Karenann sends me little gems like this in the mail and it's always a pleasant surprise. This one is so "me" as it says "morning person" which I most certainly am and then the part about the lake is also so appropriate as most mornings, I take Indy to the lake for a walk. I wish the flash hadn't washed out the colours so much-it really is a wonderful piece.

Also found in my post box on Friday was The Pulse Zine from Seth Apter of the Altered Page. Seth decided to put all the Pulse interviews together as a zine and my copy just arrived. It's great to have them all together so I can read through them again. There was so much information posted during the Pulse, it was alot to absorb. This way I can read it in bite sized chunks. I believe you can still order a copy if you're interested.

In between fits of coughing, I have manged to get all my gifts for the 12 Days of Xmas exchange completed, wrapped and packaged. They go postal today. Keep an eye on the exchange blog-we will begin posting photos of this year's goodies soon!

I am also doing a jewellery RR with some friends and my focal point (the beginnings of my necklace) is completed and also going off in the mail today. I am both excited and nervous about this project. I hope I do a good job on other people's pieces!

Well, that's it for now. I hear a cup of tea calling my name!

Notes From Away

Hi Everyone! I have been caught up in the hustle and bustle of the impending holidays. It seems I am spending hours in the mall and coming up (mostly) empty. Nothing seems to inspire me this year and I have made a firm resolution to buy everything online next year. I hate going to the mall-it kinda sucks the life out of me. My best friend Lisa gets a kick out of my Aries "take no prisoners" style of shopping: I know what I want, I know where it is, I go straight to it, buy it and get out. The less time I spend in a mall, the better.



When I'm not wandering dazed and confused in the land of retail, I have been busy overseeing the 12 Days of Xmas exchange. It's been three days so far of opening fabulous handmade gifts from my artist friends, taking photos (with the help of Caren McNee who is in group 1. THANKS Caren!) and posting them to our blog. And seriously for me, it's really not about the gifts themselves, but the love with which they are made and the kindness and generosity of all the girls. What makes this exchange so special is the fact that this is a group made up of friends. As things are being unwrapped each day, the artist whose day it is gets to bask in the glow of our grateful hearts and each gift is something we will all treasure.



I had planned to take December off, but that hasn't happened. The Universe had other plans for me and I have been working towards several deadlines. Not complaining though-I would never complain about making art! I am also preparing for a 2 month exhibit of my work that will be up on January 2nd and upcoming workshops for the new year. My new studio is stellar-it's so nice to come in, sit down and get right to work any time I want to. This month, I have been enjoying James Taylor's Xmas album while I work. Deb recommended it to me last year and I love it. Another favourite is Bruce Cockburn's. The both have less common carols on them that I really like.



If you haven't already checked out the Artpub blog, you're missing out. There's so much good stuff happening over there. I have updated my blog in the last couple of days, so go check it out!



Okay, it's time for me to return to the mall to chip away on my Xmas list. I am going to leave a trail of buttons so I can find my way back to the studio. The only bright spot is that inevitably, there will be Starbucks and where there is Starbucks, there is CHAI!

Snapshot in Time

I am very proud to share this with you! See "Juicy Reds"? That's me!! This marks the very first time I have personally submitted my work to a magazine. I've had other pieces published in the sister publications, but always as a result of being a part of a group submission. This time it's all my own doing! The really nice part is that this publication, which is brand spakin' new is due out January 1st, 2008, which means it's kicking off my new year in the nicest way. If that doesn't set the tone for a new year, I don't know what does.

The other thing that makes me happy is that photography is something I do with my son, as a mother-son thing. We both have similar digital cameras and when my son bought his, I had a moment of sheer bliss discovering that the artistic eye* had indeed been passed down. He's a natural. When you have children, you hope that some small part of you will be visable in them and therefore carried forward in the world. I can't tell you how happy this discover made me.

Anyway, taking photos is something I do for pleasure. I am not serious about it in the same way I am about the other art I do. I just enjoy driving somewhere with my son and looking for beautiful things to shoot. We talk, we laugh and there's a whole lot of "Hey, look at this!" What I like about photography is that it's very much in the moment. When I look at the photos I've shot, each one is a memory we've shared. I love that. Soon he's going to be all grown up and graduated (he's in the middle of grade 11) so these times together are very precious. It's exciting to me that a small fragment of this time will be published in Life Images.

Switching tracks completely, yesterday I got an early Xmas gift. My in-laws give each of us money for Xmas each year (one size fits all) and this year I've used it to buy myself a brand new cell phone. My new baby is a black cherry red LG Chocolate spin phone. It is wonderful! It has a camera in it, plays music, organizes you, and I love that it slides open, rather than flips. It navigates just like an iPod does with a touch sensitive spin wheel. The great part was that the phone company sent me a coupon for $50 off a new phone when I moved and so in the end, it only cost $40. I paid for it with part of my Xmas money, so really, it was FREE! It also came with a great package of features and perks so I am very pleased.

Lest you imagine me to be a cell phone junkie, truely, I am not. My phone is strictly for touching base with my guys and for emergencies-I don't call just to chit chat ever. However, that said, I will confess that I downloaded a ring tone for it yesterday. It's the theme to Indiana Jones and I did it mostly for comedic purposes. You see, I have been in love with Harrison Ford since I was 5 years old. It's a long standing joke between my husband and I. So last night I told him I had downloaded a ringtone for the phone and played it for him. It made him laugh, which was the whole point. *grins* I imagine he's going to laugh every time he hears it ring.

TOMORROW is day 1 of the 12 Days of Xmas Exchange so you'll want to be sure and visit our exchange blog (click the button on the sidebar) and follow along as the magic unfolds. We will be unwrapping gifts for the next 12 days! I can't wait!!

*To view some of my son's photography, visit his photblog, Foto Phreak.

What's Cookin' In the Studio

Copyright Tattered Edge 2007

It's been a busy time in my studio the last week or so, now that I am settling in and finallyhave unfettered access to my art supplies and tools. I can't tell you how good it feels to be creating something-anything again!

I found these little metal moulds at the thrift store and brought them home to hold bits and pieces of "stuff" on my desk while I work. As you can see, I've been working with buttons, ribbons and thread, creating pieces for what I hope will be a published article soon. That's all I can share about it right now.

I just realized that in 3 weeks, I will be setting up an exhibit of my art at the Poirier Library for all of January and February. When it was booked back in the summer, it seemed a long way off. Time has flown by and the day will be upon me soon! I had better get busy-I hope to have some new work to share.

In the meantime, I suppose I should start thinking about shopping for Xmas gifts and get them wrapped and out the door. Every year I think I will try and start sooner and every year, I keep putting it off until the last possible second. It's funny because I love to give gifts. I just hate having to go to the mall to get them. Next year, I think I will try and do it all via mail order. It just wasn't possible this year with all the moving chaos-I didn't have the luxury of time to think about it and plan ahead for it.

Speaking of mail, Friday my post box was full to bursting with parcels for the 12 days of Xmas exchange. My son stopped on his way home from school to pick up our mail and he came home with a backpack laden with presents for me! Of course, I am being really good and waiting till the 13th to begin opening them, but that doesn't stop me from shaking and squeezing each and every one. *grins*

Tomorrow we're going to go pick out a tree. I'll be back with pictures once it's up!

Holiday Preparations

Copyright Tattered Edge 2007

It's amazing the things you find when you are unpacking. These guys were in a tin I had forgotten about. They're little wool ornies I made and then stashed. I also came across a collection of artsy Xmas ornies from friends that I have collected over the years. I guess I should look for some sort of small tree for in my studio to hang them on.

Speaking of decorating, when American Thanksgiving rolls around, I always get a twinge of envy. Not for the Thanksgiving itself-I am perfectly happy celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving, which falls in the first week of October. No, the envy comes from having a pre-set, socially acceptable day to kick off the holidays. I always think that US turkey day is like the starter's pistol going off at the beginnign of a race. "And they're off!!" They know once the left overs are safely tucked into the fridge they can begin the shopping, decorating, card writing and all the 1001 other detail of Xmas with a clear conscience. Most Canadians will put off all this stuff until absolutely necessary. If anyone has lights on their house before December 1st, their neighbours think they are freaks!

I have already entertained the thought several times as to whether or not I should suggest getting our tree. I am afraid if I bring it up any time before the 18th, my husband will grumble. He thinks the tree should go up on Xmas Eve and come down on Boxing Day. LOL! I personally don't mind putting it up, I hate taking it down! And of course ours will be a real tree. My son actually asked me what kind we would get this year, as if there were any question. I told him we live in a province known for forestry so why on earth would we have a fake tree?!? EWW! If I am going to have a tree, then it had better smell like a tree-that the best part about it!

Oh and for those of you who were wondering, the sneaux was indeed gone come Monday morning-we had a rain storm that washed it all away. The roads are bare now, if not a tad icy in the mornings, but yesterday I went out in the evening in only a hoodie, so that tells you what the temperatures were like. Most of the time, it's not terribly cold here.

I have been busy with family visiting and staying with us this week, so I haven't had much studio time. It's back to work today! In the meantime, if you want some artsy inspiration and excitement, please check out the new Artpub Blog. There's plenty to keep you entertained-free images, give-aways and all sorts of other good stuff. On my little corner of it, I've posted shared some ideas about my approach to goal setting, just in time for the new year. This blog is not going anywhere-this is my main blog, but I will be posting from time to time on the new one and the content will be unique to that blog. You'll want to bookmark though, it so you don't miss anything!

There is also alot going on over at the 12 Days of Xmas exchange blog. We begin opening our gifts next Wednesday and will share what's inside one by one. Apparently, I've started quite a trend-there are similar projects popping up all over the place.

Okay, time for me to run-I want to pop into my Post Office and see what goodies are waiting in the magic mailbox this morning. I have 5 more gifts that should be arriving any minute now. Laters!

Still Digging Out

The unpacking continues. I am almost there now-there's just some reorganizing of closets and hanging stuff on the walls left to do. I found the box with all my wall quilts in it and I can't wait to get them hung up. It's amazing how a few quilts can transform the warmth of a space.



I haven't seriously quilted in some time, mainly because I went over to the dark side (*giggle*) and got caught up in paper art, but after unearthing some of my fabric stash and seeing my sweet little pincushions again, my hands are itching to delve back into textiles. I have several quilt tops that could be finished if I could commit to going to buy backing and batting. I really should do some finishing before I start anything new. I love all the things I started and they would look fabulous sprinkled around the house. One of the local quilt shops where several of my friends work is having a Pincushion Club where you make a different one every other month. I am contemplating signing up.



Fun stuff is happening with the 12 Days of Xmas Exchange. My mailbox has been full of presents lately and each one is such a temptation. Only 15 more days till we begin opening! I can't wait-the ladies always make such wonderful things and wrap them so beautifully. The whole exchange is so magical. If you want to see what we're up to, pop on over to the blog and check it out. Don't forget to click on the archives-not all of this years gifts show up on one page. (There are 26 in all!)



Okay, that's the report from the studio for today. Off to finish unpacking!

Catching Up

Copyright Tattered Edge 2007

Yes, I am still alive. I've just been feeling under the weather with some fierce headaches the last couple of days, so I've been laying low. I did however want to post a reminder that I will be teaching my mixed media button bracelet at Place des Arts on the 18th of November. If you are interested in this workshop, I think there may only be a couple spaces left, so you'll want to register soon!

In the meantime, if you need a dose of magic, head on over to the 12 Days of Xmas blog. The artists in this exchange have been busy in their studios making gifts for one another. I will be updating this blog right up to and including Christmas Eve, so check back often. Speaking of the 12 days exchange, I was thumbing through the current issue of Somerset Studio today. I had heard through the grapevine that my name was mentioned in an article by Deb Denton with regards to a project I participated in last year. After I read Deb's article, a few pages later I saw my name mentioned again in Deryn Mentock's article about her ornament exchange. *blushes* How funny-I had no idea! I was very surprised to have two mentions in one edition. Thanks ladies!

Alright, that's all I've got for now. I have a cup of tea waiting for me, thanks to my sweet husband. Tea, my sweetie and a good lineup on TV, just what the doctor ordered.

What's Happening

Hey everyone, it's that time of year again! We have kicked off the parade of wrapped presents over at the 12 Days of Xmas blog! I have posted the very first gift and there will be 25 more where that came from!

This exchange is one of my favourite to host. All of the ladies are from my circle of friends and they work so hard to make such personal and meaningful gifts for one another. The laughter and camaraderie leading up to and during the 12 days is just wonderful. It reminds me what a loving and supportive community I belong to. Someone in our exchange last year said that she was so excited about making and sending her gifts and full of anticipation for when everyone opened them that she had totally forgotten that she would also be receiving 12 gifts until they started arriving one by one in her mailbox. That about says it all right there-these incredible women get what it means to give from the heart, which is what makes this exchange so special.

So, if you would like to follow along with us and watch the magic unfold, please visit the 12 Days of Xmas blog. You can bookmark it or there is a link on the sidebar to the left.

In other news, I am busy writing proposals for a variety of workshops for the new year and into the spring. Yes, the lead time really is that long! I am also working on a proposal for an article and yesterday I took a box of my art down to Place des Arts for a display. I will take pictures when it's up and share them with you. Alot of exciting things are happening right now. It's funny how everything always seems to happen all at once!

Yesterday was an absolutely glorious fall day-warm and sunny and clear blue skies. I am hopeful that Saturday might be the same as my husband and I will be celebrating our 17th anniversary and I desperately want to spend part of it enjoying Stanley Park. I haven't had a chance to go there this month with all this moving nonsense going on and I really just want to walk in the deep pile of leaves, gaze up at the trees, smell the ocean and hear the waves lapping. *bliss* There's just something about being in the park, drinking in the natural beauty that clears my head and puts my soul at ease. Really, that is my perfect day in a nutshell.