Wednesday, February 27, 2008

I love playtime!


I've been a bit behind on my blogging so I'll be sharing various things with you over the next few days. My first bit of sharing involves beads! Yes, I actually had sometime to play vs fill orders last week and I think I came up with some fun possibilities. When you give yourself time to NOT make anything but give in to the act of just "messing around" I find that amazing things are born. My latest possibility is pictured above. I call these pendants cups. They even have a glass handle...or bail. They won't stay empty however....these cups with be filled! I hope to have these two done over the weekend so I'll be able to show you exactly what I mean. This ideas was sparked by my cup bead that I used last year in a few of my necklace designs. I like to work with things that I currently do and see if I can change them in some way....I think I might be onto something with this one!


I also made a few off mandrel pendants. I love them but don't know what to do with them yet...should I keep them as simply pendants or make them into necklace??? Hmmmmm, I'll have to think about it.


These heart pendants are interesting because they have 2 holes or bails on the back instead of just one. Why two? You'll see....I have a necklace almost completed to show you.

I had one other thing that I could have shown you but when I downloaded my pictures to my computer I didn't see it! I don't know how I could have forgotten to photograph it....its probably my favorite of my "new creations". I'll get a photo and then share it here later....hopefully by Friday..... Its so coooollllll!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Categories are: Silly Dog, Taxes & Painting


Just trying to find a patch of sunlight to lay in.....our dog will do anything to find that little bit of sun, even balance like a goat on the couch! Isn't he funny looking....in a sweet way. His ears are suppose to flop forward but they just didn't want to do that as a puppy so he ended up with Radar O'Reilly ears. We love him.

Well time off always finds things to do. Taxes. Thats the dreaded thing. But, I've also been painting. I'm currently working on a still life. Bold, colorful, expressinve...thats what my painting style is to me anyway. I'm not a realist but I'm not an abstract artist either.....the title that best fits is expressionist. I do love to paint but I rarely have time. I'm also not the most confident artist either. I like what I do but absolutely dread showing others my work.....so maybe I'll show it.


I also LOVE journals & collage. I have a customer/friend who taught a journal class in Italy recently & I was so wishing I could go along. She does fantastic work and is a wildly fun person. I actually became friendly with her and her family after meeting them at Clothesline ARts Festival a few years ago. Please visit her blog Melissa also has a website that is definitly worth checking out at www.mphackmann.com

Anyways, I'm into making art journals.....but that first page is a killer. What to do?? A year ago I purchased this book and am just now diving into it. I also have had this crazy idea that I want to play with. Mixing my beads within a painting. I have a small one I'm working on now. Its actually rather abstract at this point but I'll see how it evolves. Check in tomorrow and I'll have some pics for you.

Tonight I'm teaching a PMC class. I love working with PMC...it has such possibilities within my work.

Monday, February 18, 2008

So Upsetting...

While treadmilling this morning I listened to a segment about the Hallmark Slaughterhouse in California. It was very disturbing on many levels and it has inspired this post. I'm not the type of person to push my beliefs onto others but this really did it.....

I'm a vegetarian and have been one for many years. I don't eat meat of any type but have never encouraged or discourage others from doing so. I respect choice. My husband just for the record is not a vegetarian but does not get meat items at home....when home he must eat vegetarian or make his meals on his own....I do not purchase meat items. He has been fine with this arrangement and gets his meat fix elsewhere. I also do not bother categorizing vegetarians either......vegan/vagen.....Whatever.....a vegetarian is a vegeatarian....split hairs if you like but its all the same to me when you get down to it. I give a big eye roll when people talk like that....pish, posh.

So what lit the match for me today you ask.....cruelty. Cruelty to animals is SO UPSETTING TO ME.....I think anyone who mistreats an animal, be it a domestic animal or one that some choose to eat, is dispicable. I don't understand those who are purposely hurtful to animals...They are sick, sick people to me. This segment, which I could not watch but a few seconds of, showed people pushing/knocking over sick cows with forklifts (for fun...), poking them with an electric prod (for fun.....) spraying water into their nose/face (for fun....) among other sick things I could not watch. Oh, and by the way meat eaters....the meat from the sick cows....you've been eating it!

So, if its just for today....please think about how people treat animals....how people treat each other....show compassion....BOYCOTT MEAT TODAY!

I feel better....even if just one person tells me they did this for today, I will be happier. My apologise to my friends that are meat eaters but this segment did me in...

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Tea Time

I'm NOT a fan of the winter. Its cold, grey and did I say COLD?! I'm not even sure I liked the winter when I was a kid....although most do. Yes, I sled, ski and skate and yes, I have fun when I'm doing those things...I do try to embrace the season...But, by nature, I just don't care for winter.

What I do like about winter is the time spent inside doing all those things you feel guilty doing when its bright and sunny out.....movie watching, knitting (I dont' knit is the summer), cooking, cleaning, lounging around in PJ's, etc.... Among my favorite winter things is tea drinking....(I do so all year around but in the winter it seems to taste best).

One of my favs is Tea Posey tea. I actually went to Graphic art school with the creators husband....Yes, I was a graphic artist before an art teacher, and before that I was a dental assistant, bartender, cosmetic consultant, cosmetic representative (I traveled and rep'ed a cosmetic company, retail manager......funny where lifes road takes you. Okay, so back to tea, Tea Posey caught my eye in Parkleigh one day...I had no idea what I was looking at but I thought it was cool. Then I found out it was tea and THEN I found out a long ago friend was its creator!!! How cool. So, being a supporter of cool things and friends, I became addicted.

It starts out as a little pod, and then once submerged in boiling water and allowed to steep it BLOOMS into a wonderful tea blossom

...making fantastic tea. Try some...they also make great gifts...Ummmmm, along with beads too....I'm suppose to mention beads too ;)

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day!



Here is a sample of some of the lovely Valentine cards & sweets I recieved from my wee friends at school today. I just love them. But I am totally done with chocolate ....I won't be lookinga at chocolate or Peeps (another weakness of mine) for some time!



During the last few days I've taught students how to make pop up cards....they loved this simple trick. To demonstrate I made cards for my 2 neices and nephew....they are getting their cards a little late but thats okay...they will be out of town this weekend anyways :)

I'm feeling pretty inspired since I am working on some pretty cool ideas. I'm not ready to share yet but over my week off from school I hope to get plenty accomplished. That includes some additions to my website!
XXOO~

Sunday, February 10, 2008


Felt & coffee, ummmmmm! This cold, windy morning seemed a good time to felt the colorful block I constucted on Friday. A nice cup of coffee and colorful wool....something only a creative person would think as a good start to a day! I think it came out nice....now, what to do with it?!

Sunday's are yoga days, so after a nice easy start to the morning I went for some bending, stretching, and meditating. Abby teaches on Sunday's and her class is so enjoyable. I feel refreshed and balanced after leaving there.

I know I don't speak of it much...well, I don't think I've said anything at all but we have been looking at houses for sometime...waiting to find just the right one. Our present home is nice and I've grown to love it but we want something more...a little bigger, a nicer neighborhood...you know, up scale a bit. The house we looked at today.....I love it. I don't say that very often. I've only said it once about a house that we put a bid on but someone snagged it on us. What made this house even more charming is the fact that the people who live there now are art lovers. Beautiful paintings with gallery lighting throughout the house!!

The house was constructed by a famous architect....Claude something and the house across the street was made by Frank Lloyd Wright. Oh, and there is a perrrrrfeccct place for my studio! Thats the important part!

Now, bead talk....yesterday went very nicely at Parkleigh. I had a flock of people before I had even set up but part of the fun for people is pawing around things while I get my act together. We had plenty of chocolate too....the real and the glass type! My NEWEST pieces seemed to go right off the bat. I'll have a few things to put up on my site tomorrow night....I have a few items up on my Etsy shop....I hope you will take a peek and get your sweetie (or yourself) something for Thursday!

Enjoy your evening!
:)Linda

Friday, February 8, 2008

Art Teacher Day

We had a professional development day today which was a mixture of business (work talk) and pleasure (work/play). Just a great day of collaborating with other art teachers on lessons and topics important to our instruction. Its great being with art teachers anyways....they know how to have fun!

Over lunch I had to stop at a auto supply shop to pick up glue of all things. But one item that really caught my eye was Pappa Pickle.....The Portly Pickle!
I couldn't believe that they sold packaged jumbo pickles at an auto shop. Well, I had to buy him and surprise our dear friend Dean with it.

Well, Papa Pickle had quite an adventure....Dean made a felted outfit for him


and Papa had his portrait draw too....Tom won the award for the best rendering of a Pimped Papa Pickle.

My Pickle Portrait was of Papa's Girl....Penelope Pickle

We had fun this afternoon thats for sure! Here are some other pics of us felting and sketching.....I'm glad I had my camera!







Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Stuff

The last few weeks have been extremely busy for me. Practically every night has been booked with something. All good that is but still a hectic schedule. So I have some stuff to share....like what I've been up to.

The first item to share is actually an invitation to all of you fellow bookworms. I recently signed up to be part of Oprahs online book discussion for her next book titled, A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. Doesn't that sound good?! Who doesn't want to know that! All the bookworms in my group are joining too (I think)....I just thought some of you might like to get in on it also since I will be sharing/living this book for the next month.

Next. Sue and I went to a lecture Monday night at Nazareth College titled American Indians in Films. The speaker, Russell Means, is an American Indian Leader, activist, actor and author. The program began with a viewing of Disney's film, Pocahontas. I love Disney films anyways....always good messages in there. Unfortunately, we didn't stay for the entire lecture.....we left 1/2 hour early....but he talked about how American Indians are presented in films and all the incorrect information that is included in these films. This lecture kicks off a 3 months of "Myth and Magic"- A Native American Film Festival. We plan to go to other lectures.......since I'm Native American and all.......our next is titled, Mohawk Girls.

Lastly. I will have NEW STUFF at Parkleigh this Saturday. I hope you will stop by and say hi. I'm still working so I hope to have plenty to share.
Gotta Go Now....work, work, work ;)

Sunday, February 3, 2008

My Etsy Shop

Okay, I admit...I move slowly on things. But, I finally added one thing to my New Etsy Shop!! Yippee! I'm working on some photos today and putting other things together. I have to squeeze all this in between yoga. Please check out my Etsy place and let me know what you think.
:) Linda

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Just for Laughs......

Photography class


On the first night of the digital photography class I'm taking, we went through the gallery and took photos....just getting use to our cameras (flash off of course) I was just clearing off my card and thought before I delete these...I'll share what I was looking at. I think its interesting to see what others find interesting. This first picture of the Fox and the Crane is picturing an old fable. I love this and use this picture often in art class. Such detail

I was so intent on taking images that I didn't bother to take note of the artist here. Lovely. You really feel part of this. Again, I'm constantly amazed at how well
the artisians were back then considering the limitations of their resources.

I have a particular interest in feet and hands. Don't know why exactly. In college I had a professor tell me that I needed to work on hands and feet so maybe it stems from that. So, I have a number of pictures of paintings that I only focused on these parts. Myself, I've done a few paintings of just hands and feet...just admire how others do them (better then me anyday!)

Its just after 7:00 this morning and I thought I'd share......I'm going to workout, do a little housekeeping and then off to the studio. Enjoy your day...don't work too hard...have lots of fun.
:) Linda

Friday, February 1, 2008

Yarn Tasting

I just got home from a Yarn Tasting event at Spirit Works. Wow, what a crowd. There was a mob of people, plenty of sweet desserts and yummy yarn in amazing colors. Of course I bought stuff. How could I not being the color mavin that I am. Frankly, I have plenty of yarn....So much that I have to use it as decoration in my house! So whats a few more balls of color? I'll make something, I just don't know what just yet.

Pam said that all my shawl pins are gone so tomorrow I'll be making some more. I should have an order to her in a week...I have to prepare for Parkleigh so first things first. Along with making things tomorrow I will be at Spirit Works to work on my bustier that I started last year!!! Remember, I was going to wear it to my Parkleigh event last year but never finished.....actually, I hardly got started. I think I only have two, maybe three, inches done. Thankfully its only 11 inches total.

I won't promise but I think I'll be taking some pictures of some things tomorrow! We will see.....Maybe if I do it first thing it might actually happen.

The kilns full, my feet are cold, so I'm off to read my book club book...The Glass Castle. Anyone reading it too?? Its GREAT. I wish I had more time to just read.