pookieville

First class of the New Year~

 

Funny, but I am a little nervous. Silly really. Maybe it isn't nerves, but excitement. Saturday I will be teaching my first class of 2009. I always have such a good time doing classes at Zinnia. I meet the neatest people. I learn a lot from them. Anyway, this is the project we will be doing on Sat. I love how these come out...
 

Sadly- my studio is winning the battle right now. I was very overwhelmed, and took a step back. I am trying to steady myself to finish this weekend. I must have been on drugs when I told a friend it would take a day. It probably could have if I was just cleaning, but I am moving furniture in, and out, and it isn't easy furniture. I am mostly immobilized by trying to figure out where to put stuff while moving stuff, and how did I get so much stuff, and do I still need that stuff??  While all this has been going on, no creating has been going on. Wait, I take that back, I did an impromptu sewing project on Monday, and now I am waiting for some supplies to show up . My sewing machine wasn't set up, and I had no plans to do so until my room was done, but I grabbed it from the mess, and found an outlet and zoom!! The carrot for me is not only a new work space- but I have been on some kind of crazy spending spree(she shrugs) and I bought myself a glass grinder.Not to worry, shoes have been purchased too. I'm not stupid. I have only taken the grinder out of the box, and not played with it yet, but I think it is going to help me out a lot. There are a few projects percolating - now I just need to create the space for the perc to finish before it boils over!! Hope you have a great Thursday-

challanged

Zinnia has a call for art for a February show. The theme is broken hearted. I am very bad with themes. I have been so stuck- I just walk circles around the house. Broken hearted. It finally came to me-I wanted to show that healing and surviving part. This is the piece that I finished up this weekend and will submit ....
It is made of resined paper,  vintage letters, vintage music, embroidery thread, silk, and wire. The whole heart is attached and floating above  a wrinkled linen background, a white matt board, and black shadowbox frame. I loved working with the resin paper. More will come from that for sure!!
The other thing that I have been working on this weekend, is my studio space. It is ridiculous. It is so messy and out of control. I have meaning to move some furniture around and bring in my sewing desk which is the size of a twin bed. No joke. All these things I have been meaning to do- well, I started today- I am completely overwhelmed, but the process has begun. I have been throwing away and sorting for donation and clearing out. I think you would be proud. Here is an early in progress shot- now the main table is about 3 feet buried.
I'll get there!! It just might take a little longer than expected.
What kind of projects have you been working on this weekend??

Sad dance shoes-

Remember way back when I got my new dance shoes?? I was so excited, they felt so great, they looked so pretty. Well since then, I dyed them black, then I home dyed them reddish, and then used a sharpie to make them black again. They have gotten lots of wear- lots, and it shows. Poor sad dance shoes. New ones are in the very near future- but I must pay my respects and give thanks to this first pair that has helped me learn so much, and given me so many good memories.
 

That's not blood- its dye. Really. All those marks inside are. Nice.
I started back to class this last week- I had not danced in about a month- and it is like riding a bike. You can do it, but you are shaky and wobbly etc. I even had a leg cramp, my first ever! Anyway it looks like it will be a fun session, and I am looking forward to the review and adding new stuff. I am  getting to the point it doesn't matter what the dance is, if he leads well, I can just dance, and that is the most fun of all. I'm telling ya, if you haven't tried it yet- I am giving you a New Years Dare-

a day in the yard.

What an amazing day here today. It is the perfect weather. I woke late, made coffee, donned my garden clogs and ipod and hit the yard. The soil is just right for getting some weeds, and I made my goal to just clear all the walking paths around the house. I actually made it. I found wonderfully happy chubby worms that I carefully moved to safer locals. I did some transplanting of some succulents , and enjoyed the scent of rouge mint in the path and wonderful paper-whites blooming like crazy. After, I had to grab my camera and play. I did some ttv ( through the viewfinder) photos- I love the grain and imperfect nature of these. I  use a Kodak duaflex as the lens for my canon digital.
Here is my morning...  

Just stuff-

So my foray into digital scrap-booking has brought you much joy has it?? I am being lovingly mocked by my peers. Friends are sending me scrapbook sale adverts etc. And yet some of those peers have decided to give it  a try with some amazing results!!!
HA!!!
I have gotten a few e-mails about "what" I use. I use a photo-shop program, and I downloaded free backgrounds and element kits from different sites online. Just google "free digital scrap-booking" and you will find some stuff. I really liked the ones from The Shabby Shoppe.  Most of the kits around are pretty "cute" but the free one they offer can get you started playing. I later bought another kit from them and was really happy with it.I also used the Somerset magazine Digital Studio vol. 1 to give me a little guidance.

Other stuff- my Dad who is the coolest 82 year old you ever met- went with me to Fresh & Easy the other night. OMG- he was so cute. He is a huge fan of the free samples- of which he bought. He did his price comparisons and picked up a few things, and at check out he had $13.00 worth of stuff. I explained I had a coupon for him for $5.00 off a $20.00 order.... a few more bottles of juice later we loaded up the car and he was smitten that he had essentially gotten his juice for free. So you see, my Pop is no long a Fresh & Easy virgin- he's just fresh & easy, and yes I mean that.

Hope you all have a fresh and easy day....