Great place to buy and see the COOOLest art and materials!!!

If you are looking for some of the coolest stuff to buy to make your art. You have to go over to Small Studio Productions ran by Ginny Carter and her hubby. (Look to the right for the site - I am still learning how to add it here.) They are also putting on some wonderful workshops this year if you are interested. I really really really want to go in November to play and take Lynn Perella's classes. But any of the workshops would be great - they are the coolest.

What I got at Artiscape/Ohio.

I saw over on Pat Pleacher's blog...Art Kerfuffle that she took a picture of what Gaye brought her back from Artiscape so I thought I would take a picture of what I got/bought.

I am into birds right now. I love everything that is birds. Marianna Larew from Warren, Ohio, of vintagearabesque.blogspot.com gave me a wonderful collage pack you see here on the left. I stopped by Stamp Your Art Out in Ohio on the way back and got the Tim Holtz mask letters and the 1 inch stamps. I got the stencil and the fantastic shoe size tags from Mike and Chris Meador of Coffee Break Designs. The little silver heart is from Carol Kimbal who teaches silver clay at Artiscape. Love everything that I bought. It was plenty for me. That is my new philosophy - I have to be in love with it to buy it because otherwise I buy wayyyyyyy tooooo much and never have time to use it. I didn't spend a ton either.

Artiscape comes to an end.

Below are the cutest flip flops in the world. Aren't they just adorable. Thanks Beth for making them so fast - we loved wearing them. She is so talented.

These were of course bumper stickers and the car was from California. I loved them all - thought you might enjoy a laugh too.

I can't believe it is over. That Artiscape has come and gone so quickly. It is such a well organized event. I had a good time and I want to thank my assistant "Vanna" for all her hard work. Thanks baby girl. Also a big THANK YOU TO all my students and friends who signed up for my classes. You sure know how to make a teacher/friend feel good. You are all so talented it was a pleasure being with you this past weekend. Here are a few pics from the weekend of fun. Now I need a week of napping and a call to the doctor for some silvadeen for my burn on my arm. Remember - don't lay your wrist on the soldering iron - it will burn the tar out of you.

SOLD OUT Classes at Artiscape next week.

I am excited that both my classes sold out at Artiscape. Thanks to everyone who signed up. We are going to have so much fun.

Have you all seen "Alice in Wonderland"....well we did. My oldest wanted to go for her birthday. But she had to draw her favorite guy who is plastered all over her room...yes...Johnny Depp. I think she did a pretty good job. Don't you. She can draw - I am still trying. It was a good movie. Totally a Tim Burton take on it though.

AND the bottle cap - so darn cute!!! If you know Jennifer - you know that bottle caps are her favorites. It was wrapped in this cool fabric.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ME!!! Yes I know we are way past Christmas but how great to keep on getting gifts. So much fun this way. Well my beautiful friend Jennifer who lives in Alaska now made me this absolutely to die for METAL - yes I said METAL book. The etchings is me all over. It is a thick metal at least 1/16" of an inch. AND are you wondering about the FISH? Well Jennifer knows me well - I love to fish. Thank you Jennifer for my yummy book!!! There isn't anything better to an artist than to have artist friends. Cause you get such wonderful presents - HANDMADE... that nobody else has. Think about that....nobody in the world has this book - EXCEPT little ole me. I'm so fortunate.

What is coming in APRIL?????? Artiscape 2010. Artiscape is in Columbus, Ohio, and Lisa Ohmer always puts on an incredibly organized event. I mean WOW. Go check out Artiscape and European Papers (who puts on this wonderful event).

Aren't they just dreamy!!!! Or should I say - metally. I love presents. My great friend Gaye Medbury - the most awesome book maker and teacher made me this fab little beauty. The closure is to die for. Thanks Gaye for my most wonderful present!!!! Mine is the top and the bottom three are all the ones she made. They are copper metal with coptic stitching.

It's a CATS life.

It's a CATS life. Wish it was mine. I always wanted to be a dancer. How cool it would have been to dance in a company. I took my oldest daughter today to see -CATS the musical -for her birthday. It was a lot of fun. She loved it. It is our 2nd time seeing it together. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE!!!

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL THAT GIRL PAULA TO POST SOMETHING NEW!!! NO EXCUSES!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! May God Bless each and every one of you!

GOT a NEW SPACE. My honey bunny had these extra cabinets and countertops that I asked him to save for me. Now that we had enough pieces - they have a new home. (great having a husband who owns the company and gets this stuff for FREEEEEEeeeee-wrong color for a kitchen and the counter top was too short - well NOT FOR ME). I am thinking metal home, but it might turn out to be something totally different. When I feel a little better I will organize. It only took him 30 minutes to put them in - of course he does it everyday for a living. SPEAK to me cabinets and countertop - what would you like to be? A new metal home? A paint home? hmmmmmmmmmm.....I'm waiting......

It's BACKGROUND time. These are so much fun. I am loving some creative time - FINALLY. I am trying to figure out my job and home and family. Trying to juggle all the balls in the air is so hard for a working mom...wife...sister....daughter....aunt....granddaughter....baby photographer....unit secretary/pca....friend. I am trying to SAVE my SANITY.

Lisa ENGELBRECHT CAME TO KENTUCKY to TEACH!!!!

Someone asked me at the workshop if I had quit blogging. I said no laughingly because I just haven't been able to find the time. Well here are some photos of the workshop with Lisa. She is such a sweet and generous teacher. It was lovely to have her here. Leslie McCarthy was such a wonderful host for us and graciously gave us the space and housed Lisa to help keep our costs down. Leslie OWNS Making Ends Meet in Shelbyville - an absolutely wonderful fabric store and her new little store across the street called Making Ends Meet Again has some great finds. Leslie you rock girl!!! I can't wait to have to some time to finish my piece. Also, thank the lord for Connie Newbanks who tutored me a little in calligraphy in the class. You rock too girl!!!

I made these name tags for each of us - they are sewn and were fun to make. I think everyone enjoyed them.

Mom's Birthday

It was my mom's birthday.  So I thought I would take her picture that she painted and scan it in - print it out on fabric and make her a bag and a handmade birthday card.  I think she really liked it.  She is hard to judge.   

My MOMMA painted this "spirit horse" as she calls it.  I just love it.  I think she did a fabulous job.  

I have some really terrific friends.   Below are the great pieces I got for my birthday.  Needless to say it was an awesome birthday.   I am so thankful for my friends.   GAYE made this goddess for me.  Her imagination just makes me a believer in yard sales.  She was first a wooden amish woman (not Gaye but the base of this piece)  and now she is a true flying goddess.  She even painted the face.  You go girl.  It was an absolutely PERFECT day for me.   Thank you FRIENDS for making my birthday extra extra special this year.  Everybody wants to feel special.  Gaye even BAKED me a cake.

Jennifer made me this totally FAB bracelet AND the beautiful pouch that you see here too.  So talented.  It is great to have ARTSY friends.

Pat Pleacher made this really sweet book for me.   Thanks Pat - I love it!!!!

So it's my birthday - it's my birthday!!!! Whooohoo

Everyone should have a sister like mine!!!!!   She gave me a COACH purse for my birthday.  OH WOW.  I was so shocked and of course I cried.   That was just the start of the wonderful surprises.  

Why Not a Pencil Case

It is just so much fun to be able to put in a zipper.  Now I want to make different shapes.  Here is a pencil case.  I was also thinking it could be an eyeglass case - but it is a little thin for that.  Now I want a little square one.  Then maybe one with a rounded top.  Ummmm........

Look what SHE did!!!!

I went to my great friend Gaye Medbury's house today and taught her how to make a purse.  Well put in the zipper I should say.   This is the front and back of her "Mosaic Art Purse."  (I just thought up that name - now I need a nap.) LOL   Isn't it the coolest!!!!  Now I have to do a numbers one "Just Like Gaye" and then a total WORD one.  I hope I don't have to work Saturday - my supposedly day off - then I can make some MORE MORE MORE.    I'm so glad SHE got a manicure.  Beautiful.  

Yes I am addicted to these mosaics

These are so much fun.  Tonight I finished 2 of them.  I cut out too many pieces last night laying in bed watching TV.  So I figured I could hammer out 2.  I was going to make another purse - but now I am exhausted.  I have to go to work tomorrow so I am going to watch SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - my favorite show right now and go to bed.  Tomorrow after work though I am going to Gaye's to show her how to put in a zipper.  Pass on the knowledge.  She does it for me.  Share share share.  Then we all become better!!!!  

I JUST HAD TO DO IT!!!!

I just had to do it.  I had to make a little bag out of the mosaic.  So I printed onto the Jacquard Cotton Fabric Sheet.  I did heat set it - don't know if I have to do that but I thought - it can't hurt.  Then I made this little bag with a zipper.  I am still learning.  I think after 8 bags I FINALLY got the zipper installation down.   I JUST LOVE HER!!!!!!   I think I need a manicure.  LOL.