Shopping Break

There is a shopping extravaganza at ArtUnraveled. There seemed to be less vendors here this year -- and less shoppers......
Here is a sampling of my purchases. It's hard to see the beauty of the scarf that I bought from Lori Scott. I wanted one last year, then thought I'd make my own, but I didn't, and I was lucky enough to be given a second chance this year. The ribbon with the script on it is by her too... (click on the picture for a close up)

I didn't take a class this year from Susan Lenart Kazmer, so I bought a necklace. It is fabulous! The bottom danglie thing is a resined rose bud. So beautiful... and mine....

I also didn't take a class from Olivia Thomas (Olive Rose) -- so I bought Party Skelly :)

Transformation

Kelly Kilmer's class rocked. If you EVER get a chance to take a class with Kelly (especially a book class), jump at it!
We made our covers (Kelly made it so easy peasy)


then painted pages (Kelly gave us many painting prompts -- i.e. what order to slap down the paint)
then folded the pages and bound them into the book
then we collaged some pages - again, Kelly gave us page making instructions -- I love being told whaqt to do -- so less stressful for me :)
(and with Kelly -- you can do them or not -- she's not going to guilt you out for following your own ideas (some teachers do -- can you believe that?)

Kelly offers online classes -- I've taken some -- they are fabulous too. So now you have no excuse. Go and take one now!!!

Wild about tiles

Last night I made polymer clay tiles in Laurie Mika's class -- I learned lots of tips and tricks. We painted and coloured the clay before and/or after firing. I also learned that regular sculpy burns easily -- but sculpyIII or Premo doesn't. It should have been a full day class!
I've won the draw of the day twice already (there are multiple winners daily). I've won a glitter sample pack (handy, because I don't use much glitter, so a sample pack of many colours is great) and I won a little bag of brass doodads. It's my lucky week :)

Champion!

Lauren defended her title of Senior Lightweight Women's Pair at Henley yesterday. She won! I could not be more proud. Her partner Jenn wasn't the same partner as last year (Christina). Congrats to all of the rowers who are at Henley right now! Lauren is racing in the Quad and the Four today. Good luck girls! (sorry.. women....)

Waxed Collage, Plastered in Wax

These classes were with Patricia (Trish) Seggebruch. I love encaustic!
These were my first attempts:




These were created day 2:

Henley -- haiku my heart

If I'm in Phoenix, it must be the Henley in St. Catharines (Ontario Canada). I miss Lauren race every year. But I'm there in spirit! go Lauren, go Lauren, go Lauren). This year I believe that she is defending her title in the Pair, and rowing in the Quad. Both races are today (Friday).

In celebration of this, I'm participating in Rebecca Brooks' (recuerda mi corazon) Haiku my Heart

Regatta

on the cool water
they swiftly quietly pass
race to the finish

Play on Faces

Okay -- I finished my first class. A Play on Faces with Cynthia Anderson. Well, I finished the class, but I didn't finish the artwork :)(do I ever???). I made two VERY different pieces, and am liking how they both are coming along.....
Work in progress:(thanks Joanne for catching my double chin in that one :)

( I need to get a body on that head)

Next is a super quick background:
Hopefully I'll be able to finish these while I'm here....

Little gifties

I've been making these tags as small gifts for friends. I've made a bunch to give out at ArtUnraveled to friends and teachers!

Here is my line up of classes:
Wed -- Play on Faces with Cynthia Anderson
Thurs night -- Waxed Collage with Trish Seggebruch
Fri -- Plastered in Wax with Trish Seggebruch
Friday night -- Wild about tiles with Laurie Mika
Saturday -- Transcribed with Kelly Kilmer
Sunday --The Journey with Ruth Rae
Sunday Night and Monday -- Controlled Chaos with Raina Gentry and Kristine Kollasch
Tuesday -- maybe.... Buried Treasure Folk Art Doll with Olivia Thomas....

The best thing about this huge lineup of classes is that I didn't have to buy anything. I already had ALL of the supplies. Well, except for the wood pieces for the waxed classes. My dad cut them. Thanks Daddy!

Then I get to hang out with Maija for a few days! WooHoo! I'm not sure what I'm more excited about. Hanging with Maija -- or taking classes. Hmmm.... Maija wins! (Mr. B was supposed to meet me here and we were supposed to travel in the desert -- but he couldn't come at the last minute :(

Traveling again!

This time I'm in Phoenix visiting Maija and going to ArtUnraveled. I just adore Maija! And I can't wait to see Ruth and Kelly and Joanne -- and all of the other people that I never get to see.

I'm sure that I'll be posting a lot -- if my computer cooperates. I couldn't access the internet in Toronto's airport -- I try to connect and then get this comment saying "you are connected to the internet, but have limited access" Does anyone know how to fix this? I did diagnostics and tried to fix, but it said to contact my administrator (that would be ME). I was in tears in the airport over this -- especially since they took my little fold up scissors away -- so I couldn't do my embroidery either!

I'll really miss my garden at home -- the tomatoes are just about to ripen!

Lauren is rowing again at Henley -- so I'm sure that I'll be posting about that too! She's undefeated this season in her pair (or double)(well, one of the races that has 2 people in the boat -- she races both)

Finishing up

I (finally) finished hooking this piece. I think that the hoop is a 10" hoop....just to give you an idea of the size. I just need to steam it and then turn the edges under to hem it. I think that I'll hang it on the kitchen wall....
I really enjoy rug hooking. But I don't think that hooking with yarn is very great for a beginners class. The yarn is hard to grab and it splits. Lots of frustration (Lauren isn't finished hers yet.....) But I like it enough to continue doing it.....

fun with friends

I spent some time yesterday at Colette's with Susan and Jocelyn. Colette gave a workshop on backgrounds. We all made fabulous backgrounds (go to Colette's blog to see what she did with hers.
Here are mine. I'm hoping to have some time to add some foreground before I go to Phoenix!


Next up at Colette's -- Carving your own stamps! If you don't know already, Colette has a line of stamps that has been put out by Stampington. I love them! (I have most of them). Anyway -- I'll let you know when Colette is doing her next workshop -- please join us :)

small trip

Please excuse my lack of posting.... I was off on a little trip to North Bay by train. Yes, I looked just like this....

to thine own self be true

Still playing with stitching. I'm liking this very much......

free motion stitching

I found a link to the Simple Woman's Daybook somewhere out the in blogland...
And we all know how much I love lists.... Here is the list for today:

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... children playing
I am thinking... do I sew or do I paint now?
I am thankful for... the cool breeze
From the kitchen... fresh fruit
I am wearing... new shorts! (haven't bought short in years!)
I am creating... tags
I am going... downtown to the apple store. Again. grrr.
I am reading... Echo in the Bone (I catch up on Jamie and Clare every summer)
I am hoping... that the Apple people give me some compensation for the 3 trips I've made downtown this week! (to fix a computer that arrived broken!)
I am hearing... laughter
Around the house... doggy tumbleweeds
One of my favourite things... solitude
A few plans for the rest of the week: making a bike basket liner -- with ruffles :); heading north
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
Go here and make your own list!
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Today is about water...

Ray and I went kayaking! It is the first time that I have been in about 12 years. It felt good. This summer I have been running and swimming almost every day. And I've been riding my new bike everywhere!
Current goal: make my journal pages more complex...... maybe......

today is about inspiration

(today's journal page features some wonderful artists -- clockwise from the top left: Michelle Purchase; Alice Jarry; Gillian Farnsworth; Lizz Aston; Beverley Hawksley; Kelly Grace)
(the images in my journal are from the artist's business cards, moo cards and postcards -- the images below are from their blogs or websites)

Today Mr. B and I went to the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. It is my favourite art show and sale of the year. This year I saw so much that I wanted to buy! But we are on a tight budget right now, so I could only be inspired.... But what inspiration it was!

My favourites:
*in brackets is the booth number if you plan on going on Sunday!*
** click on their names to see their websites**

Gillian Farnsworth (Green 352)(I really wanted a piece by Gillian)
Michelle Purchase (Green 332)
Alice Jarry and Jason Cantoro (Yellow 663)
Kelly Grace (Orange 416)
Beverley Hawksley (Turquoise 451)
Sheila Norgate (White 24)

Summer vacation! WooHoo!

Finally -- it's here! Today is the first real day of y vacation (real means that the others in the house have gone back to work-- I'm alone.......)
But the list of things to do is building up.
Here's how my summer is looking:
- make polar fleece mittens for next year's kids (40 pair)
- make felt food for my dramatic play centre
- organize phys ed lessons
- do my Reggio readings (have almost a dozen books)
- make baby gifts for J
- assemble my Christmas themed tip in book -- the last pages are here!
- mount the white 3x3 swap squares (they were in Sew Somerset -- the swap was over a year ago)
- prepare for week at the cottage
- prepare for 2 weeks in Phoenix
- organize the art studio (I could likely do this every weekend for the rest of my life)
- cut the dogs hair
- make some zombie dolls for some certain deserving people
- paint the trim in the bedroom (waiting 2 years)
- finish painting the basement (I started last summer)
- tackle the removal of 100 years of wallpaper and paint off the front hall walls
- battle the slugs!
- buy a new bike and ride to the beach almost every day :)

Today I'm making thank you cards. It's about 10 billion degrees here today. Okay, perhaps I exaggerate a bit. It feels like 10 billion degrees today..... I've also done my income taxes today (yes, I'm a few months late.....) and I did Lauren's taxes too.... and I ordered some school supplies for the fall....

Tomorrow I shall ride my new bike to the swimming pool and swim a mile...... I love summer :)

Canada Day!

If it's July 1, then I'm at the Dominion Day Regatta here in Toronto on the island! It's the third time I've been.
Lauren's first race was the Women's Double.
They won First Place! She got to take home a silver cup (well, plated anyway :)

(That is Lauren on the right)

Then her next race was the Women's coxed Four. They won too! Congratulations to Lauren and her teammates. She races again next weekend in St Catharines!Could I be more proud? Well, yes I could be -- because a few weeks ago Lauren graduated from University (on Tuesday June 15, 2010). She graduated with distinction with an Honours Bachelor of Science. (Her degree is a double major in Forestry and French Literature).

You can see the webcast here. I couldn't get the link to work, but maybe you can (I'm talking to my relatives here, I don't seriously believe that anyone else would want to sit through that ceremony)(Lauren is standing to the left with her back towards us, waiting to go up the stairs)
(Laurence Hill is seated to our left of the Chancellor -- David Peterson)

Lawrence Hill -- the author of The Book of Negroes was the honoured graduand and speaker. That was extra exciting for me -- because coincidentally I was half way through the book! (I have since finished it -- it was wonderful)
Here are some photos of our memorable day (my mom and I attended)



So, my baby is all growed up (that's what the Kindergarten kids say). But she'll always be my baby :)