what a day!

I spent the day at the co-op gallery to which I belong...my day to work. Very quiet, although it was a beautiful day and there were lots of walkers on the Mid-America Mall. That's what they were...just walkers, not art buyers.

I worked all day on my CHA materials and have a pretty good handle on what I want to do. I stopped to purchase some of the fabric for the tablescape on my way home and...Hooray! ... it was 40% off. I do love a good deal. If only Broomcorn, our local decorator fabric store, will cooperate now, I'll be done by the end of the weekend.

I'm going to try to post a photo today that my DH took of me for an art show opening a few weeks ago. It's amazing how much I look like my aunt Imogene in this picture...and I don't even look like that side of the family. If you don't see the photo, it didn't work.

has it really been a year?

Well, it's only been a year since my last post and a lot of things have happened.

My Tennessee boy is back home from Joizee with a greater appreciation for his Southern home and family. His roomie is coming home this weekend as well, so they'll be looking for a new place, but I'm happy to have him here, if only for a little while.

I had back surgery in January to correct a ruptured disk and got lots of TLC from my hubby and son as well as my dear friends. I pretty well slept for 3 months...a much needed rest.

My dear friend Roxi Phillips, who I mentioned in my last post, has had not one, but two books published this past year and she graciously asked me to be a part of those projects. You can get them on Amazon: Make it in Minutes: Mini Books and Make It in Minutes: Hostess Gifts and Party Favors.

And now she has me all pumped up for the Craft and Hobby Association Convention in Chicago this summer to promote ourselves. We're participating in a tablescape with 2 other designers, Niki Meiners and Melony Bradley, setting up designer showcases of our work and we got in Tim Holtz's class, which was quickly filling up while we were registering. We have press kits to make, at least 100 each, and projects to complete for the tablescape and showcase....lots of work, not enough time, a bazillion things to get done before then ...and I'm sitting here piddling with this blog that I had forgotten I started last year. Old age is a sad thing.

On a sad note, our wonderful friend Brent Davis lost his battle with leukemia a couple of weeks ago. He found out about his illness about this time last year. He had a bone marrow transplant, a perfect 6.0 match from his sister, but after 30 days or so, the leukemia returned and he only had a couple of days left. Brent played mandolin with the Sorghum Hill Bluegrass Band (my DH is the bass player and harmony singer) and it was such a loss for them. On a good note, his 14-year-old son Sam is learning mandolin so he can take his Dad's place with the band. He actually traveled with the group to the Dixon, Missouri Bluegrass Festival this past weekend to fill in for the banjo player who had a pressing engagement in Memphis..his son was gaduating from high school.

That's it for today. Tomorrow is another day and I'm going to try my hand at posting photos. We'll see what happens.

trying to take a breather

This week has been so busy. I know, I know. We are all busy. I have been trying to stop and rest a little this week, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I had agreed to create an entire scrapbook in one week, about a child I have never met. Luckily, her mother took lots of pictures and had them organized very well, so I was able to chronicle her senior year with very little effort. I knew I had done a good job when her mother cried as she looked through the pages.

This has been a gorgeous week. The Memphis In May International Barbecue Festival is in full swing, and downtown Memphis smells like burnt pork, the aroma of the gods. It will linger through this evening when the champs will be announced. Then, after a final evening of partying, the teams will break down what has been their home for the last week and all will probably be gone by morning. Kind of like barbecue gypsies, which is what it's like. Stop for charcoal and a box of ribs or some shoulders or a whole hog and it's on to the next contest.

My dear, talented, beautiful friend Roxie Phillips called Thursday night to tell me she got a book deal. She is a paper artist who is so talented and so caring and so sharing. I know this will be a huge success for her. She puts so much into every piece she does.
I'm off this morning to stamp club meeting. Guess I'd better get it in gear....

Blog Day One

This is the first day of the rest of my life and I have decided to chronicle the future in this spot. I am a graphic designer as well as a fine artist (no...not a great artist, fine as in painter) and work in watercolor, colored pencil, acrylic and paper arts...just about anything but oil - waaay too messy and too slow to dry for an instant gatification person like me.

I have a special passion for paper. My father was a printer, so I have been around specialty papers all my life. I buy it and touch it and hoard it. I have papers I purchased 20 years ago that I haven't used....what if I could never get more? I do pull out some bits and pieces for special items and am trying to reduce my paper hoard somewhat. Of course, heading to my favorite paper stores at least once a week is definitely defeating that purpose.

I also hoard things I can stamp on such as tins and chipboard books and dominos and all the things a stamper can't live without.

My goal for the rest of the year is to submit as much as possible for publications. If I am lucky enough to get published and get paid ...even if it's in paper, I'll be in heaven...as long as it isn't cute paper. I am not a cutesy kind of girl.

I'm off to finish a scrapbook today. Hopefully the recipient will be proud. Then I think I will spend Mother's Day thinking of my child who just moved to New Jersey... my sweet Tennessee boy... and creating a book about him. After all....I have all that paper and lots of chipboard books.