2 Weeks Full -Part 2

I said 2 weeks full but in retrospect it's been about a month.

I am 2 weeks into 2 online classes with Susan Tuttle in photomanipulation ( 2&3)

Working in photoshop learning some new techniques and processes.

I have taken Susan's Layers class and Ghostly images in the past and decided to catch these 2 since she was repeating them this month before moving on to new workshops in the new year.

I highly recommend any of her classes if you are into photomanipulation and art photography.

Then, on a whim, at the suggestion of a friend i joined this online class with Sharon Tomlinson since i love doing collage and hate doing faces but love faces. Figured this might be a way out of that dilemma and so far it is proving to be a wonderful class and Ning group. Sharon's classes are ongoing and don't close so this was really nice as i can't do the work just yet.

Then, a class I signed up for as soon as it was announced, MONTHS AGO, and couldn't wait to take, is this encaustic class with the oh-so-talented Judy Wise.

It was so jam packed full of info, new videos and intructions 5 days a week for 4 glorious weeks with a yahoo group for Q&A and show and tell.

It was the best! I hated to see it end, i so enjoyed all the videos and Judy's calm voice so full of knowledge and peace, every morning.

Judy will be releasing an ebook and DVD for purchase on the class and i highly recommend this also if you're even the slightest bit interested in painting with encaustics.

Now, I haven't actually been able to do any of the classwork for these workshops yet, probably not until after the new year and things settle down but i am absorbing them and their creative energy like a sponge!

So much so that about 10 days ago, I was getting ready for sleep, TRYING to pray, and an epiphany came to me and my muse was yelling at me so loud that i had to get up, head to my desk, and start writing.

The ideas that came out on paper, drawings, process, ideas, names and titles was unreal!

I looked up supplies and info on the computer and had all the answers before I could head back to bed and quiet the noise in my head!

It was blissful though.

I began this blog about a year and a half ago to find my muse and my direction and my voice again.

It is found.

Loud and Clear.

Only problem is, my muse picked a heck of a time to show up, just when i won't be able to get to work on it until after the holidays!

My life right now is bottlenecking, more than usual, like 10 lanes of traffic trying to merge into 3.

We will be closing the restaurant from Nov 28th, right after Thanksgiving and reopening February 9,2012.

We used to close like this many years ago from right after Thanksgiving until the first week in February while things were slow here, tourism down and try to do renovations and upkeep and get a break before slamming into another season.

I think it will do us a world of good this year as it has been a trying year for sure.

There is just so much that i have to take care of to close and end the year, books, taxes, paperwork etc and I've been out of practice, having not done it this way in so long.

Hence the not being able to be creative just yet.

Then of course I am also in the middle of cleaning closets, reorganizing, trying to take care of things that don't get done while we are in the busy season, hosting company, getting ready for the holidays and finishing up the round robin I am involved in.

So, that's my 2 weeks.

Now to catch up on some blog reading!

I Heart Macro

It's time once again for I heart macro over at Studio Waterstone

While taking the pics this week for the virtual blog book tour I couldn't help but see algae bloom underwater in this enameled piece.

Fall sweetness- we got raspberries on the bushes that survived this first year,

not enough to make jam but it's a start

When I looked at this shot, I saw a tapestry of sorts over to the right so I copied and cropped it out

Good inspiration, sort of impressionistic for artwork and jewelry dontchathink?

For even more inspiration, head on over to Lori's to see more macro goodness



A Little Catchup Please?

(Photo of boardwalk style handcut fries from our restaurant and yes, i know how to spell ketchup)

This past month has been so full of good things, but I admit, i haven't taken the time to download my pics and process to blog about it all until this morning!

I will try my best to keep it in chronological order and to the point.

Sept. 19th- Son left for Norway for work again

Sept. 21st- went out to lunch for our 31st anniversary and Ray had these gorgeous roses waiting for me at our table -top left( he's a keeper!)

Sept. 22nd- left for Artbliss for 4 glorious days

Sept.25th- returned home to the bouquet on the upper right, a tradition Ray does for my return when away ( even though i told him not to after the roses) Bottom right , when i returned the roses had opened fully and I have to say were some of the prettiest roses I have ever seen!

Also while away, the tuberose FINALLY started to open and bloom. The buds had been there for, I kid you not, over a month!

What you don't see written here is all the prep and gathering that takes place to be able to go away for 4 days between work and tools and charm swaps and packing etc.

Speaking of charm swaps, Anne was our hostess for this years' swap and did such a fantastic job i told her she probably would have the job for life!

She made up bags for us with our names and a checklist on the back to check off who we gave to and received a charm from, so organized!

She had her charm and gift bag attached to the bag with a bracelet blank also for us to be able to attach the charms if we wanted.

I created my charms for the swap from an original collage of mine under glass with attached czech glass beads and matching envelope.

I chose to photograph the charms for you here in their packaging as so much time and care goes into each one, the packaging is just as special!

We all enjoyed swapping and eating pizza and then Jenn, provided all the supplies and taught us all how to make a box out of scrapbook papers! It was so cool, I can't wait to make more! She said she would post the tute on her blog also.

This is the best part of the retreat. Look at all those happy smiling faces, full of Bliss!

The top shows the instructors along with Cindy and Jeanette and  assistants. They all put on an amazing retreat and if you can you need to start planning to attend next year. The caliber of instructors coupled with the great venue and attention to details which Cindy and Jeanette are so good at makes this a premier retreat in my book. This was my second year attending and I'm already looking forward to next year!

The fire alarm went off at one point and we all had to evacuate our classrooms until the fire company appeared and gave the all clear. I joked that they came to put out Bette's smokin hot credit card!

Wax on with Deryn Mentock was our first class on friday and we all had the best time in there discovering the secrets the bezels held! It was my first foray into encaustics and I'm hooked!  I really think we all could have stayed and just played and made more and more! 

Saturday night we also took the Boho Hoops class with Deryn

I had 2 classes with the fabulous Richard Salley.

The first was Lasting Impressions where we created our own etched copper stamps which we then used to stamp into hot solder and bezel set a stone for pendants and earrings.

The last class i had was on sunday called Watch This and while I was most excited to take this class, i left after lunch before finishing my piece as I was getting really tired and knew I had a 4 hour drive home and bad weather ahead. I'll post pics when I get to finish it.

(L-R, Jennifer Davies-Reazor, Heather, Carol, Richard, Bette, myself)

One of the best things about retreats is the after hours visiting with friends old and new, laughing until the wee hours and sharing stories and lives.  I miss you all.

Clockwise from top left-  Wax on pendant, BoHo Bliss Hoops still awaiting their danglie stones, Lasting impressions pendant with carnelian, and origami box.

Oct 6th I celebrated another birthday, (my husband's is today, and we will celebrate together tomorrow at our daughter's) and my daughter had us over for a special dinner and this custom cake complete with dragonflies, butterflies and lillies! ( she's a keeper too!)

Then I was asked to go on a field trip (literally) with my granddaughters class to a farmstand complete with pumpkin picking, hay rides, corn maze and all kinds of fun things for them to play with. We learned all the different types of pumpkins and gourds and I even came home with a neck pumpkin as they told us they were the best for cooking as the whole neck of the pumpkin is seedless flesh that isn't stringy and makes the best desserst. I plan to try to make pumpkin butter with her one day this week and if it turns out well, will share the recipe.

It's been a long time since I was on a school bus and I can testify that the ride has not improved.

 Not. One. Little. Bit.

That same week was grandparents day at their school and we went to share that fun too!

Also, a lot has gone on behind the scenes that i can't share with you yet. I have the blog book tour reveal on friday and have been working on those pieces, I am involved in a round robin and can't show that yet either and I have also been trying to catchup around the house after the busy summer, excavating my bead table and workbench and various surfaces in my house. I am also taking a couple online classes which I will leave for another post.

It is all what i enjoy most about this time of year, settling back in, getting domestic, enjoying family times and the wonderful weather, clear October skies and slower pace.

Hoping you all are enjoying the same!  See you friday!



Trick or Treat?

 It always seems that Halloween brings with it some of the coldest temps we have had thus far and this year was no exception. Everyone was bundled in layers to do a little trick or treating last night. Around here you are only allowed to go between 6-8PM, just after the sun sets and the temps drop and the wind blows! The kids didn't seem to mind too much once the candy started to flow!

Just a Perfect Day

We can't remember when this tradition began, my husband seems to think it's been at least 10 years ago if not more that we started this.  On my birthday, I like to go pick out my pumpkins and mums and take in a few antique shops before celebrating with family.

It was a beautiful fall day yesterday, about 65*, partly sunny with heavy fall clouds dotting the sky.  We headed up this time to a farm stand I recently saw out on Rte 50 in Maryland and then stopped at a curious little antique mall near Cambridge.

On our way home, we ran into a stray shower and at one point I looked out my window and saw the most glorious double rainbow I have ever seen! I practically stopped the car in the middle of the road!  My husband urged me to find a safer spot to pull over as i was frantically trying to pull my camera out of the back seat.  I pulled into a side lane and jumped out of the car not quite putting into park yet, and you will see here why.  Have you ever seen where the rainbow ENDS? Well, we did, it came straight down to the ground in FRONT of the tree line!

I was so excited i could hardly breathe! I was so hoping it would show up in the photos- take a look-

These pictures are as shot from the camera, no photoshop, just cropped. Can you see the entire spectrum? Is that not perfect??? And truth be told, the pictures really don't do it justice.

Then as we started to drive away, the song "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan came on the radio and as i listened to the words I felt i had been given a divine gift.  I had goosebumps.

"Forever Young"

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous

May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous

Stand upright and be strong

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy

May your feet always be swift

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful

And may your song always be sung

May you stay forever young

Forever young, forever young

May you stay forever young.

Like I said, Just a perfect Day!

Peace



Summer Ends...Fall Begins

The past 2 weeks we have celebrated many things.

The official end of summer, Labor day,  always marks the slowing down of our pace at the restaurant and is a welcome time. My daughter always has a picnic at her house and this year was no exception.  However, they surprised us with a cake in honor of our 30th anniversary and then my parents surprised us further, arriving from Florida to take part in the fun! 

Our family remembered how we enjoyed our visit to Ocracoke Island N.C. so they got together to give us a trip back whenever we can schedule it ( hoping the hurricanes leave us something to revisit!)

We spent several days at the beach soaking up the last summer had to offer. This is my favorite time at the beach, only a few people, warm water and temps in the 80's.

There are some things that never change, generation after generation

-kids will forever run away when waves approach

-They love to be buried in the sand

-they don't mind at all if you have to dig, redig and dig yet again, their little tidepool

By the third time while I was digging I asked my Mom why was i doing this again? She replied , "you are making memories" I told her to remind me of that the next morning when I couldn't move!

At one point while I was taking some pictures I heard all this ruckus behind me and turned to find that a flock of seagulls had ventured over to our cooler and stolen a bag of chocolate animal crackers and were dividing them amongst themselves. I'm sure someone has a pix of me retrieving the bag, thankfully, it hasn't surfaced!

We enjoyed the unexpected company and my parents left to return home this past sunday. On monday the 20th our son left on his first ever flight, a trip to Alaska for his new job ( started Aug 27th with LJT and associates, an electrical contracting firm for NASA, as a remote telemetrist)

He did well for his first flight and is very excited to be there. Can't wait to hear all the stories and see the pix when he returns. The aurora borealis is over where he is staying and I told him to take plenty of pix for me, i envy the opportunity! Our daughter ( pictured above with her boys) began nursing school on the 20th also. 

So we have had a busy couple of weeks and now I am playing catchup getting ready for ArtBliss this weekend, making charms for our swap and gathering tools and supplies!

So goodbye to Summer, and hello to Fall and all the adventures it holds!