Primrose

Little double primroses knocked around by the hard rain the last couple of days. Then devoured by slugs. Arrgghh.

Artist splendor

Corey Daniels, an antiques dealer turned artist lives in a house on Drakes Island, Me. slideshow on NYT. What a house! With a studio!

MousesHouses chairs

MousesHouses is an adorable blog and I particularly love the chairs made out of rulers. Since you know, I am addicted to small chairs. Via Camilla.

Daniel Sean Murphy

Daniel Sean Murphy's paper sculptures.

Forget you --- never

Back to work. Lots of ideas rushing around in my head. So rainy today made me want to nap! The backyard is a lake and our little Pixel hates to get her feet wet. I have had one Columbine in one spot in the garden forever and when we put in the walkway ... the seeds from that one Columbine took root in the little rocks around the slate. I mean I have a Columbine forest out there. D hates it because it looks messy and out of control. I love because it is organic and fun. I promised him after they all bloom, I will pull most of them out of the walkway. All the transplanted and new peonies are very happy. Which makes me extremely happy. Clematis is about the burst open ... wafting vanilla scent all over the yard. It is all making me very happy.

Stitching Swan

I love these stitched beetles! The size and the detail! Image below from textile artist Stitching Swan.

Susan Lenart Kazmer and beyond

I told my son "come look at my $700 necklace". I managed to finish one project in my class. I am going to blog about my classes before I lose my blogging momentum. Rain and high wind has just hit Edmonds. Time to put in a Midsomer Mystery from Netflix.

I signed up for three classes from Susan Lenart Kazmer. I like her work because she thinks outside the box. She shares wonderful techniques and has a great sense of humor. Supplies all the tools you need for the class if you don't have yours there. (Some instructors don't do that). She has kilns and blow torches and drills and never seems worried that we are going to burn the place down. Instructs us with grace and humor. It is always fun to take a class from her. Also check out her blog, Objects and Elements. You can see her talking about connections here.

I learned how to enamel, which was amazingly easy. Well, if you have the kiln ;).

And how to make resin pages and fill bezels with resin and found objects. I made many messy versions. I wish I had read up a little more before my class. ;)

And the last day we did Altered Surface Charms, fun and frantic. I made many but stopped to focus on my enameled piece while I had Susan there to answer any questions I would have in that process.

Exploring Resin Jewelry-Making with Susan Lenart Kazmer.

Metalwork: Making Cold Connections with Rivets  (DVD)








And here is my one finished piece from the enamel class. I found beautiful pieces of a Madrone tree where the bark looked burned. I really wanted to incorporate that into the piece. I brought some more branches home to use again, in a bigger way! I made many enameled pieces to use, this one was a larger piece of copper, enameled on both sides. They should really be enameled many times on both sides but the the limited time, I only enameled two sides once. I finally stared sketching out an idea, which i realized help me so much instead of sitting there looking at the pieces thinking how and what to do with them! So next time ... I will sketch out first because I think better like that. Thank you, Susan, for an amazing three days!

The last hour of every class is pandemonium trying to finish whatever you can and clean up for dinner. Wishing you had 3 more hours of class time!

The end of the day

There is something eerie and beautiful about the white-washed barracks at Fort Worden at dusk. The buildings take on a blue hue and interior lights glow yellow through gridded windows. Huge trees silhouetting and cutting into the gray sky. You know the word is ... the place is haunted ;) And I am believe it.

I am back from ArtFest 2010. Full of ideas. Exhausted. Thrilled. Do I say, rejuvenated? I need to unpack and get ready for the real world tomorrow. When I get my act together, I want to show you the ONE piece I finished. Talk about all the wonderful new/old friends I met.

Very unlike me, I didn't take out my camera until the last hours of the event. I only have a few images to share this year. What was I thinking? Okay, I wasn't thinking.

Dried beauty

I found this lovely fern image at The Graphics Fairy.

I discovered these lovely dried leaves in the parking lot near my class at Port Townsend. I think sometimes I am much more comfortable with dried plants and branches than I am a room full of people ;) I quickly made them into silhouettes.

Go For Baroque

Lynne Perrella's Go For Baroque classes final projects were STUNNING. "Colorful, opulent, lavish, theatrical…..Mixed Media at it’s MOST excessive! Begin by selecting a classic fascinating portrait – any Countess, Renaissance Prince, or Notorious Personage will do – and then spend a whole day learning about maximum layering, embellishing, encrusting, dripping and splattering, and building a rich lavish surface. If your mantra is “More is more”, this class is for you. You’ll not only walk away with a ransom of endless ideas, but you will also create a baronial-sized (18 X 35) mixed media embellished panel. All of these ideas will illuminate your future work in collage, art journals, and mixed media paintings. The Baroque Age comes to Artfest – For celebrants of color, pattern, embellishment, and layering. For Seekers and Adventurers."

Go see more Faces & Folly

By Jessica Herman Goodson piece made me stop and swoon.

Unfortunately, I did not get the artist name on the next two examples.

Pixar Theater

Looking through Pixar Theater is such a treat. A Bug's Life Outtakes, are so wonderful.

Sebastian Lester

Typographer and illustrator, Sebastian Lester.

Human face photo manipulations

Amazing human face photo manipulations on INDEZINER.

Cardboard love

Cardboard love, this is so sweet! Would work better if I had a good link ;)

Surfing the vast internet is a full-time job

Since I don't surf the internet like I once did, I am completely blown away by how many blogs there are out there. Decorating blogs run by interior designers are very popular. I do try and stay current with what is going on out there, but feel I am falling way behind on that front.

I found these two interesting places, The Laser Cutter and The Mid-Century Modernist both via another fun place, Owl and Peacock.

This is a beautiful blog, Natasha's she left on a monday, a collection of random thoughts.

After 6 years of blogging my page views just passed 1 million. Granted, these are mainly Google search results. There are many blogs out there that get those kinds of numbers in a month. I am so appreciative to those friends who stop by on a regular basis, you have not idea how that tickles me. ;)

Dream vacations

I usually don't really care for vacations. Vacation for me = staying at home and seeing my art studio that I never seem to spend quality time in. But when I saw these two websites, I thought, now I could go there, do that. A fine vacation!

Tent City at The Resort for Paws Up, Luxury Montana Camping. Is amazing. I can see D and I staying there, me drinking my coffee early in the morning. Also check out Go Glamping.

Luxury Egyptian cruises at Nour El Nil. I am sure they filmed a Poirot "Death on the Nile" on this cruise ship! Via Liberty Post.

Trashy light up

Magpie Chandelier by Magpie Art Collective at Anthropologie. Who knew trash could be so expensive!

Plastic chandeliers by Johanna Keimeyer.

Bic Biro Recycled Chandelier made by Spanish design company enPieza as a tribute to a classic plastic design.

Shadowhouse Creations

Shadowhouse Creations amazing rich textured backgrounds. Thank you!

Paper Cowgirl Altered Art Retreat

Paper Cowgirl Altered Art Retreat is in my sister's neck of the woods.

Trashy Consumer Art

When Life Gives You Beach Plastic, Make Trashy Post Consumer Art on Current.

Luxury

Sharing the art of living well at Luxury Culture. Some videos on Alexander McQueen.

Alexander McQueen

Heard a little blurb yesterday in the car describing Alexander McQueen's Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection, and I couldn't wait to see it for myself. It seems unbelievable and selfish that someone so talented could take their own life.

Wunderkind

Sonia Rykiel

CoffeeShop

I could spend all day on Rita's CoffeeShop Free PS/PSE Actions, tutorials and the like. But don't have time today. Must be later. But have added her button to my sidebar so I can do just that ;)

Clearing the mind

Penelope Dullaghan explains the importance of a silent drive, taking in the landscape and clearing out your mind in her entry, 2 hours of clarity, so poetically!

I haven't had a road trip in such a long time. I don't mean driving to Port Townsend. Or to La Conner. I mean, getting into a car and knowing you have 3 or 4 hours of driving ahead of you. You know that happens in Texas a lot, long drives to get from A to B and back.

Where you are antsy the first hour or two, singing to the radio, fidgeting with stuff on your dashboard. Then you settle into the drive. Usually I turn off the radio and just let the silence and solitude pour into my head. Try not to focus on anything in particular, but just be. After an hour of that ... ideas and thoughts pour into my brain like the faucet had just been turned on. Of course, I am just remembering this happening ... many years ago.

If I veered of my old truck off my route back and forth to work it would probably breakdown in shock. But I daydream of this often, just keep driving, somewhere, someplace ... drive until I feel like stopping in an unknown town. And then drive home. I must plan that unplanned trip soon.

Ornamental

Don't you love the ornamental caps on the pages below, found at the NYPL Digital Gallery.







And this little canary just makes me happy.

Still standing tall

The quince are blooming in the most amazing ways. In vases all over the house. And the little grape hyacinths still standing tall and have developed more distinguished white edges around the opening of the flowers.

LIFE : Challenges of Life

LIFE : Challenges of Life on the Discovery Channel. Was really good tonight!

A state of being on the internet

Sarah Kaye Represents many fantastic photographers, a couple that caught my eye.

Tim Evan-Cook, below.

Nato Weldon, below.

I would love to make photos like this for a living ;)

Sometimes I happen upon my art or photos on other blogs. At first I think, that photo looks really familiar, then I realize it's MINE! And I smile. Happy Camper highlighted one of my bird photo collages Beauty Comma likes one of my flower in a vase photos. Thank you guys!

And Ageless North Shore for including me in a post about Blogs 4 U

Need for useless things

I might need these Get The Hint Mini Sticky Notes

And of course, folders for useless documents

IF - Expired

Expired for Illustration Friday. Just a quick concept, seems a little depressing but I have been having this thought lately of our country quickly losing its' power especially with all the news of state governments being in the red, cities closing schools. All these events going on, too many of them that we don't seem to pay attention that we are in some deep do-do. But has our greatness and our time "expired"?

One piece

No explanation needed.

Giving credit

The question is: What is your best-loved graphic/typographic movie title?

Moreau

Se7en

Casino Royale

The Mummy

The closing credits for National Treasure Book of Secrets made me want to run out and see the next adventure because of the subtle hints.

True Blood by Digital Kitchen

Bryce Wymer blog and work

Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events end credits

Shoot 'Em Up closing credits

Sleepy Hollow opening credits, creepy and elegant.

For graphics, Wall-e

Sherlock Holmes

In Haiti

It is exciting to think my friend and co-worker is in Haiti covering an amputee story. Fun to keep up with her movements, so Twitter does have some value. ;)

Getting ready

Making some cute little stickers for Tara's paper bags for vendor night at Artfest.

Then had to lay down for "another" long nap. What is going on with me ') Now I am up and at 'em again. Got to get my tools and supplies ready.

Putting together package of postcards for trades. Unfortunately, not all of my postcards have arrived and I am very disappointed about that.

Natural Curiosities

Natural Curiosities's Oceana seaweed prints.

Portera Doors

Oh, my Lord. Portera's Antique Spanish Doors make me weep. Make me want to make oodles of money and have a house worthy of one of those doors ;) Well, maybe too late for that, can admire them from afar.

And on the sillier side of doors, 9 Creative and Unusual Door Knobs at GadgetSharp.com

Twiggy lamp

Moth Design's twiggy lamp, I want it! Via the NEO-traditionalist.

Coming out of a fog

I have been so sick the last 5 days and feel like I am coming out of a fog. Didn't really need this the week before ArtFest ;0 but I guess I am glad that it wasn't the week of ArtFest because I would have probably had to miss it. Watching TV in a sleepy haze ... did you know that Jerry Springer is still on air? Or maybe those were reruns. Waste of air space. So back to work and try to get caught up with my life.

Under the weather

I know I have gone missing. Have been under the weather and quilts since Saturday. ;( See you soon.

Anna Emilia

Anna Emilia's "weather diary of colors, wind speed and sounds under feet in my illustrated life" is such a delight! And her work is even more so! Via This Is No My Work.

Joey Lawrence

Talent, youth, technology come together in inspired work of Joey Lawrence, who captures the most amazing portraits. His blog gives you an idea what he is up to. Yeah, and did I mention that he is 20-years-old. Amazing! Via Graphic Exchange. You must go have a look.

Photojojo ♥s Tumblr

In my email today, Photojojo ♥s Tumblr's "photo recreations". I did some of this way back when I was doing Self-portrait Tuesdays! What fun those were.

Rabbi Harold Kushner

I really needed to hear this on KUOW this morning. An interview with Rabbi Harold Kushner, who wrote When Bad Things Happen to Good People and Overcoming Life's Disappointments. He was talking about not completing everything he had set out to do in his life and how to overcome the disappointment of not achieving certain goals. I am feeling a lot like that lately. Maybe I need to read that book. You should listen to the entire interview, it is really touching.

"In his seventh decade, Kushner wrote Overcoming Life's Disappointments. He says that when people look back on life, they realize that many things they had their hearts set on doing remain incomplete.

"Does that brand your life as a failure? Or can you find the secret ... of failing and not feeling like a failure?" Kushner says. "The difference between a person who has a happy old age and the person who has an unhappy old age is not how successful they were, but it's how much the things they failed at continue to gnaw at them. And no matter what you've achieved, if you're not able to still that little voice of disappointment, you are never going to be happy."

I think about the quilts I want to make, the clothes, the paintings, the postcards, the graphics, the illustrations, the assemblage art, my projects that fill up my "little book of big ideas" ... my list is long. I so want to accomplish just a few of my ideas, see them fail or succeed. Maybe I should re-define my list? Go check out my Mondo Beyondo list and see if it is too ambitious? But there is my book and I can scratch that off my list now.

Sorry, not much blogging this week. I am a woman obsessed with organizing the photos and files on my computer. I know I have deleted thousands of images. It all started during the book production, trying to find photos I knew I had, but just not where I had them. I am also working on my resume and website. And my book, just tweaking. Making postcards. 

I spent the most wonderful hour with my neighbor, who went through my book with me, page by page, flower by flower. We had a great discussion about the "quietness" of the book. No captions, nothing to take away from the peacefulness of each image. She was touched, and I was touched that she got the book in such a way. In the vein it was intended. Remarkable. I get a little embarrassed when talking about my book and taking compliments. Difficult for me not to turn red. But I was so thrilled to hear Julie's take on my images. Thank you!

dear ada: Eleanor McCain

Look what dear ada found: Eleanor McCain and her eye-popping quilts.

Hungry?

Mowielicious and The Dinner Files, a couple for you, Angela!

Nicholas Wilton

Nicholas Wilton paintings and his very entertaining blog via the very, very talented Sophie Munns. (I feel like I have all ready blogged about this ... but I can't find it, sorry Sophie, if I am repeating myself).

Not much blogging so far this week. I think I might be coming down with whatever my son has had for the last 5 days. I certainly hope not, have so much to do in the next two weeks. I had a hard and emotional day yesterday ... my self-esteem feels like it is being thrashed about. Then driving home I watched a blind woman, smartly dressed, walking home. Waiting at the a light to cross a busy street. And I felt so ashamed of myself for not being more brave. And so proud of her for being so.

IBISEYE

IBISEYE Storm Tracker is very cool.

Kelley Deal Goods

These are the cutest scarves by Kelley Deal at Wire and Twine, her site.

Typedia

Typedia, A Shared Encyclopedia of Typefaces via Subtitude's great list of happy links.

Delicious Crayons

Edible Crayons make coloring yummy! From Luxirare.

Ghee Happy

Ghee Happy is a brand that celebrates Indian mythology and culture through design and storytelling in a fun and modern way. This vision has lead to the publication of two books, museum exhibits, apparel, and products. Illustrator, Sanjay Patel.

odosketch

odosketch, I created Looking at You this morning. I don't know if you can see it redraw itself, but it is pretty cool. Have to run, take a shower and cut up a melon for a brunch. Am running late.

Tsilli Pines

In love with her work, Tsilli Pines art and design.

Studio Ditte

I really, really, really, really want a wall from recycled wood from Studio Ditte.

Stuffsmith

Yeah, he is a genius ;) Stuffsmith, The Found-Object Artwork of Keith Lo Bue.

Postcards from long ago

I know most people blog during the week and take the weekend off. I usually don't have the time or energy during the week. But I try to blog for weeks ahead on Saturday. Funny, huh? Didn't have much time last weekend or this week. So posting week for me. But I finally finished these postcards that I started so many years ago. Having a few printed (Vista print is having lots of good deals this week) to give away at Artfest for my "trade". I simply don't have time to do real trades.

Also working on Wordpress skins for Rick. I want remember I can have fun doing stuff I love to do. And so I don't forget some of my basic skills ;)