Something Sublime

Eruptions and Aliens

photo by Deryn Mentock

Well, here it is...our 23rd wedding anniversary.  Whew!  That sounds like a long time.  But, when I asked Wife Whisperer what he thinks about all these many years spent together, his answer was "Seems like 2!"  What a gem.  You just gotta love a guy like that!  Besides his whispering capabilities, he knows what appeals to me.  He took me on a field trip today to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to see Pompeii: Tales From An Eruption.  The exhibit was awesome.

 

We saw a man similar to this.  He had died with his back up against a wall...just sitting, with his face in his hands.  There were quite a few more cast figures including a pet dog that had been caught in the eruption.  It must have been terrifying for them all but it really was fascinating to have a glimpse into their lives and lifestyles.

There were many beautiful artifacts and frescos, including an incredible mosaic made with thousands of tiny ceramic and glass bits.  One of my favorite things was the jewelry (of course!).  We saw many bracelets and armbands with the snake motif and we saw this stunning, gold necklace.  The designs were simple, for the most part, but very beautiful.

We also saw a very cool exhibit of Miwa Yanagi's work.  I love her clever take on the lives and dreams of women.  While Wife Whisperer was less impressed, I say...if you get a chance to see this artist's work, you should! 

 

After the exhibit, we met the mini men for dinner and headed home to finish off the movie marathon I started Friday night.  Let's see...we watched Alien, Aliens 2, Thou Shalt Laugh 2 (very funny if you're looking for clean comedy), Audrey Rose (just as bad this time as it was in the 70's), and The Sound of Music (excellent!).  So, yeah...I'm married to a pretty great guy.  How many husbands will tolerate this range of movies?  Even with chocolate cake bribery?...

Scenes From the Studio

Ok...so I thought I would give you a little studio tour so you can see my workplace.  I'll tell you right now, things are a bit cramped in there so I've got lots of close ups.  Wouldn't want you to see that dang cleaning lady hasn't come lately!

In preparation for the trunk show DJ and I will be having June 20th before our class in Arizona, I've been picking up props here and there for my jewelry display.  I'm afraid I got somewhat carried away but I just couldn't resist these vintage jewelry boxes...leather lined with velvet.  They're the most delicious, vintage colors!

This pink one is teal inside...perfect.  I'm sure someone thought it was high time to get rid of these old things but, their loss is my gain.

Love this little velvet Italian number!

And this old, flowery, paper covered box.  When you see the inside of this one, you'll see that this is where I probably went overboard a bit:

Yes...she's a blue ballerina.  Well, I never had one as a kid so here she is now.  Besides, the inside of her box is lined with velvet and shirred fabric.  Who could resist?  She twirls around in the most wonderful way.  This particular item got some really comical, puzzled looks from my three guys.

Various fabrics to be artfully placed under the boxes...  The crochet on the right is handiwork from France.

These vintage, silk pincushions are another find I'm powerless to resist.  I just adore those little Chinese kids holding hands...and their tiny pigtails!

See how endearing they are?  I actually have a plan to use these in my display at the trunk show.  I'll be posting photos of the whole thing later.

You can't see much of it in this photo but I snagged this wonderful, old, wire greeting card display rack.  there are three wire sections and a heavy base.  The whole thing comes apart so I can easily pack it around with me. 

I got this lovely, small, china dish to hold my business cards.  Right now my collection of baby spoons resides there.  Back to some studio scenes and a few things I've been working on...or, will be working on.

"Babies in a pouch" Number 2 mini man stated rather facetiously when he saw them.  Funny boy!

Vintage stamps and carousel...I use these a lot.

A cool piece of crusty "junque" I have laying around.  This is one of those things that I have no idea what I'll do with but, there will be a moment when it will be the perfect thing for a project.  I love when that happens.  It just happened to me with these large, gaudy, copper rosebuds.  I didn't think I'd ever use them but...voila!...they ended up being the perfect element for a project I just finished...

The moral of the story:  never throw anything out no matter how useless it seems at the time and no matter how many times Wife Whisperer tells you you should.

This is part of my vintage globe collection.  The whole lot has narrowly escaped the trash bin on more than one occasion.  But hey...everyone needs a globe or two...right?

And, of course, some lovely baubles to work with.  Last, but not least, what I should be doing right now instead of giving a studio tour.  But, touring is so much fun!

Garden Party

One morning, a couple of weeks ago, Miss Maggie had a furry friend over to play.

As photographer of the event, I received an unwavering evil eye throughout the entire photo shoot.

The tail's not much to shout about but the face is kinda cute...right?  This face caused quite a ruckus in the garden.  Oh, the jumping, twirling and barking!  This is what happens when you're rude to your guests:

Maggie...stop licking your chops.  It's not good manners.  (Who cleans the windows around here anyway??  Please, pretend you didn't see that!) Of course, the mini-men and Wife Whisperer immediately ran for the bb guns but, not to worry, I put a stop to that.  We don't shoot at company!

Miss Maggie's friend soon drew a crowd.  "What the.........?????  Who invited you to the party???!!!"

Bionic-o and the Bead Show

Why do I find images like this on my camera's memory card?  I guess the answer is that I live with three guys.  In my house, the air is saturated with testosterone and my memory card turns up with odd shots.  Bionic-o here attests to that.  But, I did a decidedly girlie thing today and treated myself to yet another bead show.

Just look at the incredible, gemmy, faceted goodness I came back with!  I can't wait to use these yummy grossular green garnets.  I knew I had to have them the moment I saw them, even though it took every last dollar of my allotted cash.  I tried to walk away but the longer I fondled them, the more attached I got.  Green garnets seem to be somewhat difficult to find.  Usually I see one or two strands of tiny ones...if any.  These are absolutely huge--about 15mm long!

More gemmy goodness...lemon quartz, chalcedony, amethyst, citrine, smokey quartz and red garnet.

And gorgeous Chinese turquoise which I plan to use in a necklace for myself (finally!).  I also got this really cool Tibetan singing bowl.  The vibrations and beautiful, ringing sound from this bowl are supposed to induce a sense of meditation, harmony and peace.  To hear the sound and bring the peace, you gently rub the outer rim of the bowl with a leather covered wand.  When I got the bowl home, Wife Whisperer and the mini men were quite impressed with it but the peace was somewhat broken when they started fighting over the wand and banging the bowl like a gong.  So much for harmony!

In any case, the singing bowl makes a great photo prop.  This time I found "nest egg" pearls in abundance.

I got a terrific deal on these gorgeous, flashy, faceted labradorite chunks.  I have in mind to turn them into bracelets using sterling and pairing them with fabric and seed bead wrapped links.  Won't they be grand?

Last, but not least, I picked up these wonderful little crosses made from carved and dyed buri seeds.  As best as I can tell, the buri seed comes from the Philippines.  These are smooth and very lightweight.  I also picked up some beautiful carved leaves made from horn that I didn't get a picture of.  These last, and the teal colored pearls, came from the booth of a local Houston shop Nova Beads.  So, as you see, it was a very good day.  Here's to girlie activities!   

The War of Art-Resistance

Are you an artist?  A painter, sculptor, jeweler?  What about a writer, teacher, runner, dieter or housewife?  If you're in the process of any kind of creative endeavor, venture in self improvement or move to a higher moral calling, you should read this book!  I recently heard about Steven Pressfield's, "The War of Art" when I ran across it on Sandra Evertson's blog and then again in the newest issue of Somerset Studio where editor, Jenny Doh, wrote about it in her "Letter from the Editor".  I just finished reading it...it's an easy read in a few sittings...and I highly recommend it.  In fact, I like it so much, I'd like to pass on some of the best of what I've read so, I'm going to occasionally post some of Pressfield's wit and wisdom here for you.

"In Flight"

As the subtitle suggests, most of us creative types struggle with blocks and battles with the muse.  Pressfield calls these obstacles "Resistance".  He defines Resistance perfectly and tells how to overcome it.  "Resistance by definition is self-sabatoge."  We all know this to be true.  How many times has that nasty little voice whispered in your ear "You can't do this!  You're really not that good.  Everyone else is better, more talented, prettier and better dressed than you!"  From the git-go we are our own worst enemies!

But...there's another, insidious form of Resistance waiting in the wings.  Once we begin to succeed and overcome our own, inner Resistance, we may begin to notice others resisting our success!  Those close to us may develop strange, adverse reactions to our positive growth.  Maybe you have a husband who is suddenly demanding, a child who develops an issue that needs all your attention, a friend who decides you've "changed" or, worse, a fellow artist who is unjustly critical or wildly jealous.  Pressfield writes:  "The reason is that they are struggling, consciously or unconsciously, against their own Resistance.  The awakening (artist's) success becomes a reproach to them."  Fascinating stuff.

Pressfield gives a terrific analogy for this:  "The highest treason a crab can commit is to make a leap for the rim of the bucket."  According to Pressfield, the best thing we can do is get over the edge and don't look back.  Moving forward into success is what you want for yourself...isn't it also what you want for your fellow artists?  If you're the one holding someone's leg as they try to get over the rim, it's a golden rule moment.  "The best and only thing that one artist can do for another ist to serve as an example and an inspiration" If you're still at the bottom, gazing at the rim...what's keeping you in the bucket?

Get this book if you need a kick in the pants.  Take the leap!   

Resurrection Celebration

 

Crucified...

He is risen!

I received an wonderful package in the mail yesterday.  In their travels, Judy Wilkenfeld and Michael DeMeng discovered a German Bible with engravings by Albrecht Durer and, knowing my love of the Bible,  kindly offered it to me.  It arrived all the way from Australia, packed and shipped by Judy.  As you can see, the engravings are incredible.  The text of the Bible is in German in a lovely calligraphy font...maybe a blackletter script.  Judy generously included several lovely surprises.  Among these were two sweet, antique baby dolls.

They're from Germany, very old, manufactured sometime between 1880 and 1930.  I'm not really a doll person but these are the most adorable bisque babies I've ever seen.  I am totally in love with them!  I'm not sure about the availability of these but I do know that Judy will be at Artfest in Washington within the next few weeks so keep an eye out for her and you can ask her yourself.  She'll be offering her wonderful Red Velvet wares on vendor night and, of course, Michael will be teaching and vending as well.  Again...thank you so much Michael and Judy!

  Stop doubting...and believe!

A blessed Easter holiday to you...

Holy, Holy, Holy!

"Eternal Life"

This week, the last week of Lent, is known as Holy Week.  Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the remembrance of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  The crowds hailed Christ by shouting praises, acknowledging him as Messiah and waving palm branches which were known as a symbol of victory.  Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey which symbolized humility but was also the mode of transportation for kings.

"The Blessed One"

Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday is a day of remembrance for many things, including the last supper of Christ with His disciples.  It is also the day that Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, was betrayed by a disciple and was arrested.  "Maundy" is a word which refers to the ceremony of the washing of the feet.  Christ personally washed the feet of each disciple at the Last Supper showing His attitude of servanthood.

"The Christ"

Good Friday is a day of reverence and mourning in remembrance of Christ's crucifixion and death.  Holy Saturday is a day of silence in prayer commemorating the day that Christ lay in the tomb.

 

"The Starry Cross"

The Easter vigil is traditionally held through Saturday night and then the morning of Easter Sunday until sunrise.  Easter is the day of celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.  The resurrection is proof of everlasting life and love.  The love of a Father who paid the ultimate price to show us He cares.  Proof of eternal life that belongs to each of us when we believe in Him.

Wishing you a blessed Resurrection Sunday...

Sally's Studio

I got to spend most of this last weekend with my sweet friend Sally who invited me to come for a sleepover.  I get really excited when I get to go to Sally's house because she has the coolest of cool studios.  She's recently done a little rearranging and has installed this incredible storage unit.  It's not your ordinary, everyday storage unit, as you can see...

The moment I walked in the door I fell in love with it (just like I knew I would when she described it to me!).  I complimented and coveted it and just had to open some of the drawers.  It's the perfect studio piece.  Sally has lots of other great stuff in her studio like this pretty saint type doll...

And this scary doll...

I didn't just spend the weekend taking pictures of Sally's studio though.  Once we got caught up, we actually got to play around with art stuff.  We both finished up pieces we had previously started and, once that was done, we got to goof off a little.

This is what I got accomplished.  Yeah, I know it's not much but hey, it's hard to get a whole lot done at a sleepover!  We were very busy chit-chatting and listening to music.  Also, unfortunately, I haven't fully recovered from whatever monster bug is trying to take over my body and was feeling at a pretty low ebb.  Anyhow, the best thing about visiting Sally's studio is not what we get done...it's Sally.  She really "gets" me and she's a great friend.  She's generous and talented.

 

See?

Life It Photos

Posted to Life It Photos group.

Has this been anyone else's daily view?  Bleh...somehow I was attacked by a really awful bug and have spent the last five days in bed.  I discovered a very important blogging tip:  have a few emergency blog posts ready and waiting in case you get hit by a bus or knocked into bed for a week! 

I received lots of interesting advice on how to self-medicate.  One of the more unique suggestions (from someone who will remain nameless--you know who you are!) was this:  "Rub Vicks on the bottoms of your feet and put socks on."  I'm sure you all know that Vicks is that really stinky, slimy, mentholated stuff your grandma used to make you put on your neck when you were sick.  Now, I've never heard of this particular remedy before and I was pretty desperate by yesterday so...I tried it.  Yeah, I put it on my neck too.  What the heck?  I couldn't smell anything!  But, apparently, Wife Whisperer could.  This treatment earned me an eye-roll and several smug snickers from WW.  But hey, when your throat feels like you swallowed a batch of steel wool, what's a girl to do?  So, just for fun, while I'm recovering, tell me what favorite treatment you recommend...besides washing my feet! 

Crusade 17-Pandora's Box

This wonderful little case is my new art box.  It's my answer to the lovely Michelle Ward's latest street team crusade challenge to create a journal kit or art box filled with artistic supplies to inspire visual journal keeping.  This is a great crusade for me to participate in because I'm one of those negligent artists (Michelle, don't read this part!) that doesn't keep an art journal.  I know, I know...I should journal.  I even want to journal but...it never quite happens!  Maybe Michelle's theory is right.  Maybe, now that I have a fantastic art box put together, I'll be a good art journaler.  Yes, I feel that's right.

But, why Pandora's box?  Well, according to Michelle, when all the bad stuff flew from P's box, what was left inside was hope.  If this little box doesn't make me hopeful about keeping a journal, I don't know what will!  I picked up this darling, zippered case in Oregon at an antique shop.  I'm not sure exactly what it was used for...maybe a child's toy hat box?  Anyway, I thank Louis R. Washer, the ex-owner, for taking such excellent care of it for me.  Here are some of the things I put together that will propel me into the world of art journaling:

...some really cool rubber stamps.  This one is from Leavenworth Jackson.  Of course, I have my favorite "Ancient Page" black, dye ink pad too.

No art box would be complete without alphabet stamps.  These are tiny and snap together to form words.

I just have to include this vintage teachers stamp.

These Graphitint graphite pencils are some of my new favorite pencils.  They're water soluble and the subtle colors are lovely.

Another new favorite is this pair of Graphitone pencils...also water soluble.  I love the weight of them and that they're easily blended.  I've got my best Fiskars, soft-touch scissors in the art box as well.  They've got terrific, fine tips.

These items are absolutely essential...my old, cheapie paint brushes and my Aquarelle, water soluble crayons.  Another must have...

...Twinkling H2O watercolor paints.  Loaded with mica, these are vibrant colors with a wonderful sheen.

What would a journal kit be without a journal?  I made this one while in class with the delightful Doris Arndt.  She teaches a class called "Mighty Mini Metal Journal" that involves embossing on metal to create the journal cover.  I used an image from a stamp that I carved.  I stamped it onto the metal, then embossed.  The spine is leather.

Here's a close up view of the embossed metal.  And, here's what you don't see in my art box:  mini stapler with staples, Derwent Inktense water soluble (again!) vibrant colored pencils, various watercolor pencils and a big, fat UHU glue stick. 

Now, I have every reason to begin.  So...here's to the hope that I will change my evil ways and become a real art journaler!

Hey, it's not too late to sign up for my OWOH giveaway.  If you're interested in having your name put in the hat for a piece of jewelry, please click here and leave a comment on this blog or click here and leave a comment to win the piece I have posted at my Artpub blog.  I'm drawing names tomorrow!

Any Little Thing

Remember this backpack?  The one I received as a gift quite some time ago...almost a year ago?  (Have I really been able to put off the inevevitable for this long??)  This weekend, Wife Whisperer did some quick talking and convinced me to drag it out, dust it off and use it.  Yep, I'm a real backpacker now!  I loaded it up, made all the appropriate adjustments so it wouldn't flip me to the ground every time I tried to move, and away we went...into the wilderness.

Ok...it wasn't overly wild but we did pack in several miles and we did sleep in the woods.  My pack wasn't nearly as heavy as Wife Whisperer's.  He carried his own gear plus the tent, stove, cooking kit, hammock (yes!  we had a hammock!), ground tarp and extra water but I managed my own essentials...really important things...things like hand sanitizer, Pop Tarts and my new copy of Artful Blogging magazine.  I love my pack.  It's a really great pack with tons of pockets for all those necessaries.  I highly recommend it.  By the way,  I may have neglected my legs lately but not that badly!  Those are WW's legs in the photo above.

In the interest of keeping some small part of my sanity, and on the off chance that we might see some wildlife, this one didn't get to tag along.  She begged and pleaded but, I stood firm on the "no pups" rule.  The mini men chose to stay behind as well.  I think this backpacking thing is WW's idea of a romantic escape.

So, this was my view for most of the hike.  But I also got to see some other great things like a Boy Scout troop and some pretty scenery like this:

Someone forgot to pack out their bucket but I saw it as a good photo op...

After several grueling pleasant miles of hiking, I was feeling quite sweaty and exhausted exhilarated and we decided to call it a day and make camp.  Of course, WW could have gone on for at least 10 more miles but, I thought it best to save some of the fun for the trip out.

This was the little part of the woods we claimed for our new home.  And this was our actual home for the evening...complete with front porch and patio furniture...

Since I have an extreme spider phobia, I searched high and low but our spot seemed blissfully spider-free.  That's good because my phobia is so severe that one small, nasty spider has the power to reduce me to a quivering mass of fear.  If one had inadvertently landed on me, Wife Whisperer would have had to pack me out.

Back to the interesting items in my pack...  These are my camp shoes.  Most of you probably know these are Crocs.  Now, I know a lot of people love these shoes but I have to admit, I think they're really ugly.  But, they are genius for backpacking!  Once you've hiked in and set up camp, you really don't want to be trudging around in your hiking boots.  Crocs are the perfect camp shoe and they're light as a feather so you don't even know you've just packed them for miles!  They're waterproof and they slip on and off in a wink for getting in and out of the tent.  Genius!

Lucky me, Wife Whisperer did all the cooking.  He treated me to a gourmet dinner:  jambalaya (excellent), tropical fruit (suprisingly good) and fresh french bread (carried in my pack).  Not too bad!  We dined together on our front porch, under a million twinkling stars and for dessert, WW whipped out a package of chocolate raspberry Milanos.  Things were definitely looking up at this point!  This trip was shaping up to be very nice indeed until...bedtime.  Don't get me wrong, our tent was cozy, the temperature perfect for sleeping, maybe a little chilly but, my hundred dollar, soft and fluffy, "Cat's Meow" mummy bag was doing it's job.  I just have one bone to pick with the "Meow" folks...once I got zipped in, I realized, there would be no thrashing around in this bag.  This is a bag meant for those who sleep in one position, on their backs, with no tossing, turning or thrashing happening during the night.  The bag is only about a foot and a half wide at the knees.  Let me tell you, that will stop a serious tosser right in her tracks.  I spent the night wildly spinning like a whirling dervish!  Other than that...it was all good.  Until...

...morning.  After my wild night of fighting the "Cat's Meow", I emerged from the our tiny tent, with my hair standing on end, to see many, many spider webs.  During the  night, the otherwise invisible webs had gathered dew and become quite visible.  Spider webs mean spiders are near so, I tried not to ponder it and focused instead on taming the wild beast that my hair had become.

See?  They were everywhere!

There were even spider condos in the trees.

To take my mind off what was developing into an obsession, Wife Whisperer made us a lovely breakfast with real coffee and cinammon toast.  Yes, toast...not bread...and real butter.  He toasted it in a pan!  I know, I know, he spoils me, even in the wilderness.  This is what he has to say about it:  "Any little thing I can do to impress you, I'll do".  That's my man.  That's how he earned his nickname.

Next on the agenda...we packed it up and moved it out.  Despite the fact that it's winter, there are some really beautiful things to photograph in the wilds of Texas.

So, that's the way I spent my weekend.  The hike out was as terrific as the hike in.  I think I'm hooked.  Next stop,  Lone Star Trail.  After all, any little thing I can do...I should.

12 Days of Cookies

Almond Lace Florentines

Oh, how I wish I could say that I made these yummy cookies and they're cooling on my counter top this moment!  But, that's not my counter top and those aren't my yummy cookies.  I am hoping to try the recipe, however...plus 11 more.  I've subscribed to Food Network's 12 days of cookie recipes newsletter (it's free!).  Check it out here if you're interested in signing up for 12 days worth of cling-to-your-hips decadence.  If you're a fan of Super Gooey Chocolate Drops, Booze Balls or Whoopee Pie, you can browse through the cookies of Christmas past.

 

And, speaking of 12 days...my 12 days of Christmas ornaments group opens ornament number 1 this Saturday.  Make sure you come back then to see!

Return From Art & Soul

Wow!  I'm busy but am finally getting settled back in after an extended stay in Portland for A&S and to visit my family.  It's always great to be back in my hometown!

I can't even describe what a fabulous time I had at Art & Soul in Portland this year!  A huge thank you goes to Glenny who organized a multitude of terrific art classes for some 400-500 of us this year.  The weather was less than spectacular, as you can see from my pics, but everything else was wonderful, including my teachers and all the friends, old and new, I got to see.

I was lucky enough to get into all three of  Robert Dancik's classes.  His specialty is a versatile product called "faux bone".  It seemed like he tried to teach us everything he knows...and more!  He was extremely generous and free with techniques, tools, materials, sources...anything and everything we could think to ask him about.  My favorite kind of teacher!

I also had a terrific metal clay class with Sharri Haab and Wendy Manilow and a fun book class with LK Ludwig.  One of my faves was a jewelry/mixed media class with the lovely and talented Jane Wynn.  She was also very generous with her knowledge and I immediately felt connected.  I love the way her brain works! 

I got a chance to return to my first love: glass.  Lorna Lovell and Carmen Reynolds taught a class in kiln forming glass.  One of my first art interests was stained glass and I really thought it would be my career but, I was sidetracked by life.  I had so much fun, in this class, being near the glass world again.  The zip of the metal cutting wheel on the glass was like a familiar, old friend.  But, the best part was composing bits of dichroic glass, stringers, noodles and punches to form beautiful, tiny bits of melted glass art.  Lorna is the owner of Uroboros glass which I remember from my old stained glass days so I was thrilled to meet her and even more so to take a class from her and Carmen.  Besides...look what cool stuff we made!

Of course, the best thing about A&S is meeting up with people.  As you can see, I chanced upon the wonderful Judy Wise.  Aren't her earrings lovely?? 

I was overjoyed to see my old friend DJ Pettitt.  DJ is one of the kindest people I know and also, extremely talented.  Her talent and spirit flow over into her classes as you can see from the pictures she's posted to her blog of her student's work.

I lunched one day with sweet Katie Kendrick and Michael DeMeng, who is such a charismatic guy.  I can't believe we haven't run into each other before.

I had the pleasure of sitting with my friend Stephanie Rubiano in the metal clay class.  Stephanie and I have known each other a long time and we both live in Texas but it takes traveling out of state for us to see each other.  (Congrats to you Stephanie on your recent successes!)  I also sat with Catherine Witherell who, let me tell you, is super talented and full of ideas!  Catherine and I have known each other for awhile online so it was great to finally meet in person.

I fused glass with Rhonda Scott and Kathy Read, swapped charms with Michelle Geller -who is the sweetest thing.  I sat next to Diana Frey in one of my classes, got to meet  Tonia Davenport (terrific plexi jewelry) and reunited briefly with my good friend Ronnie Grundset.  And finally, finally got to meet someone I've been hearing about for well over a year and corresponding with; Mija Andrade.  What a joy it was to meet her!  You are a kind, gentle soul Mija! 

I'm sure I've left someone out here and, sadly, there were a few folks I just didn't get to see.  It was a whirlwind but a good one!  It was bittersweet leaving my home and the view of Mt. Hood and the two mountains behind it (Adams and Rainier) brought tears to my eyes...very unexpectedly!  But, my parents are here visiting now to soften the blow.  Needless to say, I'm super busy trying to get caught up and meet deadlines as well as fighting a nasty, Oregon head cold.  Off to work...

In The Middle

"Do Tell"

I've been tagged by the talented Roben Marie Smith and, since I haven't posted a meme in ages and, since I admire, respect and like Roben Marie so much, I thought I would play along!  Here's the deal:

You have to post these rules before you give the facts. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blogpost containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

My middle name is Paige, which I love.  Ok, I know it's one of those super popular "in" names now but, when I was a kid, it was a weird name.  The great thing about it was that the other kids really couldn't come up with a way to poke fun at it.  Same thing with my first name...too weird for creative embellishment!  So...here goes with the tag:

P:  I have several cd's by Point of Grace and discovered today that they have a new cd coming out.  Click here to listen to one of their fantastic new songs.  It's worth a few minutes to really listen to the words!

A:  What else could "A" stand for but artist?  It's what I've always wanted to do....been compelled to do.  Whether it was making jewelry and painting with my mom or making candles in the garage with my dad, I've been creating artwork and jewelry for as long as I can remember.

 

"Artist Unnoticed"

I:  Incredible husband.  There's a reason he calls himself "Wife Whisperer"!

"Side by Side"

G:  God...of course!  It hasn't always been the case but, He is a big part of my life.  In fact He IS my life!  Right now, I'm doing an incredible Beth Moore study of the book of Daniel.

E:  Surprise!  Earrings:

"Fleur"

I'm sure you all can't wait to play...  I tag: Pilar, Artist Unleashed, Shari, Izabella, Geller, Michelle and Sally (yeah, I know it doesn't start with an "e" but, for the life of me, I couldn't come up with an "e" person.  Besides, don't you want to know what Sally's middle name is??)

Treasure Hunt

   

I got the urge to treasure hunt yesterday and popped into my local antique store.  I can usually dig up something there and found a bag of hand crocheted lace that I couldn't live without.  I can't even imagine the time it must have taken someone's grandma to make these laces.  My own great-grandmother tried to teach me to crochet when I was  young and impatient.  Needless to say, I never even finished one doily.  Bless her heart for trying!

I couldn't possibly leave the place without this copy of Steeles text.  Apparently, zoology was a topic to be taught, back in the day.  This little book is an absolute treasure trove of illustrations.  Take a look:

I was going to cut up this book for collage but, as often happens, I just don't have the heart.  It's chock full of images of every kind of animal, fish, bird and bug...and it's in excellent condition.  Guess I'll be making a trip to Kinko's!

The Emerald City

I returned this weekend from a trip to the beautiful, Emerald City of Seattle.  My friend Sally and I were blessed to be able to attend a weeklong workshop with the super-talented Susan Lenart Kazmer.  Susan is one of the most generous and energetic teachers I've ever met.  Every time her laughter wafted through our workroom, it brought a smile to my face.  Just being around her puts you in a different, more creative, state of mind.  Susan always encourages outside-the-box thinking and troubleshooting was one of my favorite parts of the workshop. 

I put a few of the terrific projects I completed in class into the slide show above.  "Secrets Revealed" is a fabricated/found object ring that can also be worn as a pendant.  The secret is that, when you wear it as a pendant, you have to lift it up to see the faceted stone inside.  Also, some of the "secret" found objects I used were old coins, a bottle cap and found brass.  "Filigree Prayer Ring" is also made with found brass.  I tucked a Bible page through the center along with some ribbon and a feather which has a special meaning to me.  The "Chinaman" piece os one that I had a lot of fun troubleshooting.  A sweet lady in class, Riki, gave us all an antique shoe button to use and it fit perfectly for his feet.  I love the way he turned out!

Scenes from Seattle:

Things I learned in Seattle:

The seafood guys get crabby when you only want to take a picture.

So does the pepper lady.

Don't squeeze the fruit.

Pretty things get thrown in the trash and ugly things get put on the wall.

Don't pack a 50 lb. bag when you have to schlep it up the Staircase of Doom.

Socialized kitties are the wave of the future.

When they say "Left Bank" they really mean it.

Seattle is a gorgeous city!

Mean People Part 2--Nibbled Half to Death

I've just returned from the fabulous city of Seattle and have some terrific photos to post but, for now, I'll provide this link to part two of Luann Udell's insightful post on professional jealousy.  As I mentioned before, I don't know Luann personally at all but anyone can see from her blog that this woman has it all together! 

If you've ever felt like life is getting you down, one nibble at a time, Luann has a great book recommendation for you called "The Nibble Theory and the Kernel of Power:  A Book About Leadership, Self-Empowerment, and Personal Growth" by Kaleel Jamison.  You can find more of Luann's thoughts on the book here.  Happy reading!

A Few Things From Art Unraveled

copper and steel woven bracelet

I'm finally posting a few of the projects I did at Art Unraveled.  I have lots more to show but didn't quite finish everything I started so I'll post as I finish.

I took this woven bracelet class from my teacher and mentor Richard Salley.  I got some pretty good pictures of it but it's really striking in person.  Richard is a great teacher and has been one of my biggest inspirations.  Not only is his jewelry unique and inspiring but he's just a really kind and talented man.  I had an opportunity to get to know his delightful wife Jane who is also very talented and creates incredible jewelry of her own.  Here are two more views of the woven bracelet:

Don't you love the clasp?  I have another, wider bracelet that's a little more intricate which I started but haven't finished yet.  The idea was to create two bracelets: his and hers.  Mine will both be "hers" as Wife Whisperer will have nothing to do with jewelry (except one thin, gold band)!

I took a wonderful, Poloroid transfer class with super teacher, Terry Berg.  We had a great time in Terry's class with awesome results.  I think I'm hooked on Poloroid transfers!  I just have to dig out that Daylab Jr....

I love this old guy!  There are so many applications for a dog-on-a-chair...