A little lunch, a little shopping, a little art . . .

Today was a good day! I met a dear friend for lunch and was able to get caught up with her. Then a hop, skip and a jump over to Stamping Details to schedule more classes to teach in June, to sign up for a book making class in May and to purchase the lovely gold encaustic wax you see here. Boy, life is good!! Every since taking the Karen O'Brien class on Friday I have been chomping at the bit to get my hands on some new glazes and since I was half way to San Diego anyway, I went down to Dick Blick and purchased the other supplies you see here. Man, I feel rich with new art supplies! Love it!! The cover piece to my project from Karen's class is coming together. Yesterday I spread out all my papers and painted the backs of them to reinforce the techniques I'd learned and to get these pages ready to put into a book. Ahhh yes, life is good today!

Wow, what a weekend!

The pictures posted here are from the class I had on Friday with Karen O'Brien at Stamping Details. The class was on background techniques, and I loved it. I have taken a class with Karen before, and she is an excellent teacher. I learn a lot from her and I like her teaching style. I think DiAnn has talked her into coming back in July, and I'll definitely be signing up for that class, too. In addition to the class I took, I also taught my Birds of Whimsy class this weekend, and it was a great group of students! I truly do get blessed by having the best students in my classes. The thing I love about this class is, they are all given the same kit to start with, but every bird leaves looking very different from her neighbor and each bird is fabulous! One day I will get it together and bring my camera so I can take pictures for you guys from my students. I also participated in the Encinitas Street Faire, and I have to give my partners big kudos for taking care of everything since I had to teach that day. I did get to show up for a glass of wine and the last hour of the show! Sales were not so good for us in this show, so we will continue to look for shows that are a better fit for our art and talents. It was our first show together as a group and it was well worth the experience. So, today I am catching my breath, doing a little laundry, picking up the art room, and mowing the lawn. It is a good day.

A little something from the knitting needles . . .

Today I am sharing photos from two felted bowls I made recently. There's just something about that felting process that intrigues me no end and when I received a felted bowl as a present from my friend Teresa for Christmas, I knew I would have to make some more myself. My favorite is the little brown/pink one. I love this yarn and when it felts, it is just yummy!
Bette, I am sending healing thoughts out to you this morning, please get well soon!
I am feeling good today. It has cooled off a bit, I have taken my walk this morning, I have art projects waiting for me in the art room and I have a Birds of Whimsy class coming up on Sunday. I hope your day is going well, also and I want to leave you with these words today: First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. - Thomas A. Kempis 1420

Some works . . .

Today I was empowered. I had issues with my computer, which I determined to be a modem issue. We happened to have a new modem laying around (who does that?!!), and I was able to connect the new one up. But alas, it didn't allow me to connect to the internet, so a call to the high speed internet provider, an hour of my time later, and still no internet connection. Remember the low battery problem from many months ago . . . well, after J patiently walked me through how to open up the computer, I located the battery, went and got a new one, came home, installed it, went through the process to connect the new modem to our provider and walla! I am able to post a new entry on my blog today! The whole point to all these words is I am not a computer tech person, none of this is in my realm of comfort, but it all came together with help over the phone and I did it!!! I don't feel smart per se, but I do feel a little bit less intimidated! Ahhh, let's get on to art where I am much more comfortable!! The pieces posted are a hodgepodge of things I have worked on and am currently working on. I don't normal post works in progress, but what the heck!



The purple container is a favorite piece of mine that I recently dropped on the floor. I was fortunate in that it only broke along the edge so in contemplating how to rescue it, I was able to glue the pieces together and then solder over the cracks to create this cool metal against ceramic look! I actually like it better now!
The little altered tin is a piece I have been playing with for a bit, I love the colors on this piece.

The book cover is from a book from the 1880's I picked up as one of my treasures from Paris to the Moon last Friday. It is in process, but I love the direction it is going in.

And Tamsie, the last piece is the one from you. Nothing is committed on this piece yet, but I like the feel to the direction it is going in.
So, that's some of what I have been touching in the Little Art Room in the Back lately. I have a few other things in process, but thought you might enjoy a peek into a little corner of my world. Today has been a good day . . .

A view of the little art room in the back . . .

I forget whose blog I was looking at recently, but they posted pictures of their art room. I thought while mine is cleaned up I would take some pics and post for your viewing pleasure! To give you an update on the frozen Charlotte dolls, I drove the 50 miles to Whimzy only to find the store dark and the door locked - they are on vacation until the middle of the month!! I can only hope they went to Paris on vacation and are busy finding cool treasures for us to purchase for our future art projects!

Yahoo!!! The winner is . . .

Thanks to all who entered into my giveaway! This morning as I was fixing my coffee I pulled the name of the winner and it is Doreen!!! Congratulations Doreen! Please email your address to me and I will get your prize on it's way to you! What a fun way to start the day, I will have to do more giveaways! Carolyn, thank you for posting about my giveaway on your blog, that was very cool of you!
This morning I am off to Whimzy in Tustin for the express purpose of getting some Frozen Charlotte dolls. One of my students this weekend tipped me off about this place and I am so anxious to get some of those treasures in my hands! I was already to take off for this trip yesterday, but at the last minute decided I had better check the days and times they are open, and good thing I looked because they are closed on Mondays! So I mowed the lawn and pulled weeds instead! Today I am making that trip and I will post my treasures for all to see! Congratulations again Doreen, and a big thank you to all who played!

It's my turn to do a giveaway!!!

In honor of my birthday, of having posted over 75 blog entries and of having such a fun time doing art, I am having a giveaway!!! The piece I am giving is the one pictured here. I made this piece on wood and it comes with 7 cards of inspiration created by me for you to tuck somewhere in your art space. All you have to do to be entered in the drawing is to post a comment on this entry and give me a word that you use for inspiration. I love it when the authors of other blogs have done giveaways, and it is exciting that now it is my turn!! I will post the winner on April 7th! Good luck!!!