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Showing posts from January, 2010

One World One Heart

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When I started this blog in the spring of 2008, I wondered who would read it... and why? Did I have anything to say that would be of interest or invoke a reaction? Offer hope, inspiration, a laugh, maybe the realization that someone else really does know how you feel? Little did I know that I would meet such an incredible wealth of amazing, warm, welcoming creatives, some of whom have become very close friends. I don't like to imagine life without them. I visit some artists who post new work nearly every day. Wow, how I wish. Then there are those, like me, who try to post weekly in the hopes that friends and a few new readers will keep showing up. I get personal and often deviate from art, technique, workshops and such; I guess that comes from being a lifelong writer. There is the occasional trip to the soapbox, dealing with a chronic illness, raising kids, rationalizing the creative endeavors that supersede chores on the to-do list, a bit of poetry... One of the most popular posts

Bloggers Unite for Haiti

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I wish I could call myself an activist, striving for social justice and reform... but I can't, it wouldn't be true. I'm so weary of the political landscape, the Republican barbs and Democratic mixed messages, that I don't even keep up with current affairs the way I should. I mean, isn't that what we are supposed to do as citizens with voting rights that are enviable in many parts of the world? I am guilty, one of those who feel like one small, solo voice that, no matter how loudly I cry would not reach beyond these four walls. But when I saw the Bloggers Unite for Haiti campaign, a graphic that I could post along with this message and links to various ways to help, I signed on. What prompted me was a photograph on the front page of our newspaper, of a young girl sitting at her brother's feet, the rest of his body crushed by the school they had been attending. Her expression wrenched my heart... the grief on her face so vivid I might have reached out and touched

wholey moly

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If you haven't discovered wholey paper, you don't know what you're missing! I have been using it in almost every project for the past couple of years, not in it's natural state, as shown above, but painted, distressed, stapled, stamped, grunged, in small pieces or strips, as stems, branches, petals, a fence, a layering element in collage and a million other uses I haven't thought of yet. My spring break trip to Saluda, NC a couple of years ago led me straight to Random Arts, where I spent quite a bit of time with Jane Powell and her pals. Jane recently turned her retail business into a workshop venue but she still maintains a mail order business. I came home with lots of really unique goodies, including a lot of wholey paper, which I've never seen anywhere but her shop (now on Artfire ). She sells it in sheets and huge variety of die cut formations - buildings, birds, people, flourishes and card stock pieces. One afternoon when I didn't have a project on th

beautiful bird house

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I'm terribly remiss.... before the holidays (long before, like early November!) I participated in an art exchange of a different sort. I altered a small calendar and sent it to my pal Jill at Jazworks , and then invited six others to play. The result was an influx of beautiful pieces from around the globe. Most of the players displayed their treasures long ago, but, well, my life just doesn't seem to operate the way I want it to - events in order, when they are supposed to occur... oh well. I don't want any more time to pass without showing off my treasures. I've been having issues with my camera, but Cynkowe Poletko , a prolific, fabulous artist from Poland took this wonderful photograph of the birdhouse she sent me, so I downloaded from her blog (with permission of course:). In her blog she shows the process she used to create this incredible piece and I feel very fortunate to display it for her. Take a peek and enjoy. My kids are back in school and this was the week

What's Right with the World

During my rounds I'm finding that a lot of fellow bloggers are tossing resolution lists in favor of creative new ideas for enhancing life and art. Patti Digh author extraordinaire of Life is a Verb, said that along with taking on, she also thinks about letting go... a negative that is weighting her buoyancy. This afternoon I read Jen Worden's fabulous post about her selection of a word that will serve as a theme for the coming year. In December, Lani Puppetmaker started pairing her morning pages (delightful, amazing collages) with a series of Rev O' Lutions, qualities she wants to focus on in the coming year. While on her blog yesterday I watched a powerful video that captured my attention and underscores my beliefs for the coming year, for every day, for life. I made a list of the values that I want to enhance, strengthen in my art, family and life. Then, when I watched the video I knew I was on the right track. I believe in doing whatever possible to make a difference