Artventurous Day in L.A.!

I had a great time today teaching a workshop at Stampin' From the Heart in L.A. It was great seeing Pam, Carolee, Nina and Laura again! Just as the class was over Geri dropped in and tried to talk me into teaching an altered photo style class. A few months back she treated me to a Somerset Workshop issue that featured an article with a certain technique she'd like to do in a workshop. Little did I know at the time she was planting the seed. LOL!! I also saw my roomie Ellie! We were roommates last year during the Arts de Mer cruise. We had plans to do the Art Unraveled event this summer but both of us have elderly parents that we don't feel comfortable leaving for a bit. We made plans to have an artventurous weekend instead and I'm looking forward to that!

I did a little damage purchasing stamps that I wanted. Read WANTED, not NEEDED. And then I purchased a couple tickets for the Stamping Convention coming in a couple weeks. OH HOW I LOVE GOING TO THE CONVENTION!!!!!!!! I missed going in November but I've been saving my nickles and dimes for the March event and I will be there rain or shine! I know there are a few bloggers living in nearby areas. Any of you planning on going? Let me know so we can meet up!

A-Muse-ing Artventures!

Which muse stirs your emotions or guides you through your daily artventures? Together we will assemble a simple but striking book to safe-keep the muses close to your heart.

We will create 6 artsy tags with colorful acrylic painted backgrounds which will feature the muses of our lives (5 are pictured). I have a collection of names with stories that I have created for you that ties in with each tag. Each participant will also leave with a handout for future reference.

You will leave the class with a lovely "A-muse-ing" Tag Book which you can display at your art space for inspiration or to "A-muse" those around you!

Students should bring sharp scissors for simple trims, and a glue stick. A small picture to place on front of your book is optional. A snack for good energy is recommended.

All materials are supplied by me and a fun time is guaranteed!

Class is Sat., Feb. 28th from 10:30 - 4:00 at Stampin' From the Heart in Culver City area (310-391-0466). Cost is $55. Please call the store to sign up and hope to see you!

Visual Artventures

It seems that I've become addicted to color and images from magazines that pop out at me - words in particular, and I find that I can't journal without them. Is it because I'm trying to separate the "Diary Girl" from the "Journal Woman?" The Diary Girl wrote in a purchased little book with a lock and lots and lots of lines. Journal Woman uses lots of color and creates her own lines. She doesn't use a lock either cause she doesn't care who peeks in it. Truth be told, blame it on Kelly Kilmer. She started it. All I did was sign up for a journaling class several years ago. I thought we were just going to put a book together. Then out came a huge duffel bag and in it were tubes and bottles of acrylic paints! And in colors I never thought I'd play with. But it wasn't over although I would have been happy with that. It was like pulling a rabbit out of hat when she brought out these huge plastic zip lock type bags filled with oodles and I mean FILLED WITH OODLES of images. Words. Faces. Hands. Phrases. I won't even start with the rubber stamps. I'm trying to keep this blog short and sweet. LOL! Anyway, I was hooked. And I've never looked back. And I signed up for more journaling classes with Kelly because each one was new and even more colorful than the last and I was developing natural highs from the now "other bag" she was bringing to classes. It was overflowing with the most decorative paper I've ever seen!!!! I'm beginning to hyperventilate just thinking about it. Seriously. Deep breath......OK. Which brings me to the type of journaler (is that a word?) I've become. One with colorful paints, rubber stamps, cut-up words from magazines, images and whatever else catches my eyeballs. Yeah, I've never looked at paint, magazines or scraps the same way ever. Thanks, Kelly ;)

Make It Take It

There will be a Make-It-Take-It this Friday night over at Stampin' From the Heart hosted by yours truly! Here's a sneak peak at what you'll make. As always, we'll be creating one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Backgrounds are painted and worn to create a weathered look. All parts of the art dolls are pre-cut and ready to be assembled. You need not bring any supplies. I love these giant tags and so will you! They make great tag cards for that special someone - just stamp or write a message on back. For those who can't bear to part with them, they make great works of art to add to your gallery.

Hope you can come out and play with us cause it'll be fun! You can make up to three tags and each one is $5. Karen sells the giant tags we'll be creating art on and you can buy some to take home so that you can make more amazing backgrounds in the colors of your choice AND she sells acrylic paints too! The fun runs from 4:30 - 8:30, no sign-ups necessary. Looking forward to seeing you!

Linda

Blues Be Gone!

BIG thanks to those who've sent me healing wishes regarding my blue feelings last week. I appreciate your supportive words and am deeply touched by your concerns and/or advice. I'm doing a lot better and am looking forward to jumping back into my journaling groove. Here are a couple pages I worked on last week as I was going through my meltdown. You'd think with all my journaling skills I'd be able to maintain, huh? Oh well, it most definitely helps to keep me out of serious trouble!

Emotional Crisis

TAKE NOTE, Life is full of crisis. I had a meltdown at work today while alone at work. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of a major project. Not to mention extra-curricular mish-mosh that occasionally comes my way. So today seemed like the perfect day to let it all out and it wasn't planned. I was sitting at my desk during my break time, all alone, and then it happened. The radio was on and a song from my childhood played. I haven't heard it in ages! My dad had the album and we used to hear it playing on the hi-fi quite regularly. My grandma had it and she played it on her hi-fi too! It's a Mexican ballad that was sung by Eydie Gorme but she wasn't singing it today. Believe it or not, it was being performed by Kenny G!!! LOL! My sister mentioned that she had heard this version a couple months back and it brought back all kinds of memories for her. Well, although it was Kenny G and not Eydie Gorme, I couldn't help myself. Right there and then as soon as he began to play "Sabor A Mi" I broke down and sobbed. I pictured myself at my grandma's house with cousins running around as this song played. I pictured myself kneeling in our living room cutting out paper dolls or playing with Colorforms while this song played in the background. Then it hit me that my grandma's gone and that my dad is struggling with physical and mental ailments. It was too much for me. The music was so beautiful and sad at the same time. I knew this would be my blog of the day and I had just the right journal page for this. My sad girl tag that I placed on my golden page. PERFECT and so fitting! BUT, I was not prepared for what I saw next. The words on her dress read, "Life is full of crisis." I have felt this for the past two weeks and then I read on and see the words "last two weeks!" It's as though this page was waiting to be "felt" and shared at just the right moment. And so it was.