michelle ward

double trouble (in a good way)

Today we got good news that Shannon is leaving the hospital!  We've been praying for this day for weeks.  We have all been wanting to break her out so that she could enjoy her 40th birthday at HOME. 

Tomorrow she will be 40, and I will be 44.  Having the same birthday is just one of the special things I share with my sister.  There were probably many years that we blew out candles on the same cake - but I remember one year in particular where there was a party, and one large sheet cake, and we each got to pick our own color for the frosted roses.  I think I picked yellow or red, but I'm sure she picked pink.  Shannon ~ let's skip the frosted roses and get something decadent and chocolatey and call each other with our mouths full.

How is possible that this sweet thing in the flowered purple coat below is now 40?

The best gift will be getting a birthday call from you and the caller ID tells me you are HOME.

*launches etsy*

 

After being a fan and supporter of ETSY for some time now, I've finally launched my own shop!  I'm starting out by selling the remaining Marie Antoinette unmounted rubber stamp sets that were created for the collaborative project you read about HERE.  Before I was even able to get this post up some of them sold.  I have more to load tomorrow, and then will be working on painted canvases and maybe some other cool stuff to sell as I get the hang of this new thing.  If you haven't been to ETSY, scoot over there now and check out all the wonderful handcrafted goodies.  See my link, upper right. 

If you subscribe to Stampington's Post Script you can enter to win one of these sets too (by May 25th.) 

what day is it?

This week was one of those this-feels-like-a-monday-on-wednesday AND this-feels-like-a-friday-on-wednesday.  At least today is Saturday and could sleep in, one of my favorite indulgences.  So here's a catch-up post so I can clear my head and the memory card on my camera.....

 

Another terrific weekend spent making cool stuff with old friends and new ones.  Kathy and Bill are The Best hosts and the additions they made to their compound are wonderful.  The weekend began with a delightful ride from the airport with new-friend-who-felt-like-an-old-friend-because-we-talked-and-talked-and-talked, Beth.  Fun to meet you in person Beth!  Mom drives to Valley Ridge each year from the Twin Cities so she can see hang out and try out the groovy things we like to do with paint.

Then we spent two days painting pages.  There's nothing quite like an extended workshop - to be able to set up camp and leave your stuff out for two days is really cool.  The artists made great stuff!  Great to see Judy, Bonnie, and Bernadette again.  And I got to give a hug to Tina and Marlynn - both are friends made online and met in person for the first time.  And it was delight to meet Kelley, Julia, Kaye, Michelle, Sue, Jennifer, Kathy, and the token dude, Gary.

And at VRAS they have a new community building not only for amazing lunches, but for a wine-and-cheese-or-soda happy hour.  I think we were all very happy - as in it was great to spend time together making art and making new friends.  For more photos of the weekend you can visit VRAS's album HERE.

EDIT:  OMG!  Look at my thumb and index finger on Kelley's shoulder!  It's covered in black spray paint.  What a riot.  Where were my gloves?

 

I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to teach at this wonderful place, and to have a classroom full of students who are eager to learn and play and made it so much fun.  It's so energizing to see creativity at work, and to be part of that.  And I'm grateful to my husband and kids - that they make it easy for me to get away, to be a full-time artist for a few days.  I'll be back in October 2009 and have already started inventing my class - can't wait! 

 

Since Shannon is still in the hospital I modified my return plans and caught a ride back to MN with Mom and Judy, and got to spend some time visiting with Mom and Dad, Shannon and her husband Andy, my Grandma, my cousins Kathy and Molly, and friends Virginia and Peggy.  So fab to see so many loved ones.  Whew!  Got alot in for less than 48 hours.  Shannon is doing much better and it was The Best to get to see her.  Keep your fingers crossed and your prayers coming in....hope she's out before her 40th birthday on the 17th.

Got home at midnight Tuesday, then headed out Wednesday afternoon for an MCR concert with Fallon and our friend Leci.  Home at 1 am.  Do you blame me for not knowing what day it was?

Twenty Crusades!  Phew!  I can hardly believe it.  Congrats to Sarah Harris from the U.K. for being the Top Hat Pick for No. 19.  I was late in getting No. 20 up but it's an easy one....plenty of time to try it before June 1st.  Come play! 

Wishing all you all a Happy Mother's Day!  I'm feeling so grateful to have time with my Mom this week, and to come home to three wonderful children.  I am so lucky!  Check this out, found in Sam's backpack:

Adorable!

*waves*

I'm outta here.  See ya Wednesday.  Crusade extended until 5/7....still time to join.

mayday, mayday

Can you stand it?  We are on the new HIM dvd, Digital Versatile Doom.  When they told us to send in photos I thought maybe they would print them out and post on a bulletin board and do a quick pan of the camera across them and we'd have to rewind and pause and get out the binoculars.  But it's way better than that - they flash each picture across the entire screen in slide show format for like 5 seconds.  (I counted....5 seconds is a long time....it's not like if you blink you will miss it.)

I have plenty to do in the next two days.  I've been packing, editing, packing, editing.....for my trip to Valley Ridge Art Studio this weekend.  I can hardly wait to have two whole days devoted to making cool pages with returning friends, friends I know online only, and friends I haven't met yet.  Time spent with Kathy and Bill is always a treat too.  Mom is coming again and then ......shhhhhh ........I'm sneaking to MN for a visit with Shannon.  I am beside myself with glee to get to see her.  I'll check back in after I get back on Tuesday.  Behave while I'm gone.  Come on....you're squeeing with me about being on the dvd aren't you?

FIELD TRIP

Not far from here is this place - the Fonthill Museum, former home of Henry Chapman Mercer.  The entire place is constructed of concrete.  Don't let that fool you - it's not the cold gray variety.  It's much more - a very organic interior floor plan that would take weeks to learn to navigate with the meandering arrangement of rooms and random stairways throughout.  Every surface is embellished with embedded tiles - from his Moravian Pottery and Tile Works factory as well as tiles collected from places around the world.  You have to see it....astonishing!

And anyone claiming to be a HIM fan should know this is the site of a video shoot, and must be visited.

Let's take a minute and watch it HERE....and then click over and see "the making of" HERE.

So we behaved and didn't get our photo-op shot....earlier we traveled into the woods to see this:

When the lighting is better tomorrow I'll show you the tiles I got - the factory still makes stuff!  They didn't let us use our cameras inside....so you'll have to watch the HIM video afterall!  Mr. Mercer was many things - an archeologist, architect, tile-maker, and collector - and his accumulation of books look stunning - piled high in the two library rooms we were shown (the tour only takes you through a portion of the home).  It's worth the visit....and if you're one of my HIM fan friends, *winks* because I know you're jealous.

EDIT:  here's the tiles we got.....I don't know the significance of the "AVALON" image to Mercer, but we saw it embedded in a fireplace, and it's significant to us as Avalon is Fallon's middle name (for the Roxy Music song and album!)....and IF you look closer.......AVALON......do you see what I see????  *giggles*

just the ticket

Wow.  You have blown me away.  I am touched by how many of you have come by to leave your words of encouragement and cheer for my sister.  I can't tell you how full my heart is - bursting!!  Here's another cool thing:  yesterday my blog experienced an astonishing number of hits.  Like off the charts hitting four digits.  What does that mean?   Why yesterday?  Not sure, but my inner radar thinks that many of you came back to read and re-read the comments....to make sure we had gotten to 65.....to observe the momentum of gathered souls who created a positive energy force.  I know this:  if I ever feel like I need a pick-me-up, I'm coming back to that post!

My report is that Shannon was able to visit the blog yesterday and began reading your messages.  Unfortunately she has to stand at the wall-mounted computer and couldn't veg out at leisure to scroll through them all but I'm sure she got to them in segments.  Makes you appreciate the comfy viewing from your seat right now doesn't it?  I think I will begin the task of printing them all out for her to tuck away.

I know it meant alot to her, and her husband Andy, and my Mom who was there when she first hit the blog.  THANK YOU for this.  Thank you.  YOU are the "Ready for Anything Players" and YOU rose to the occassion.  *blows kisses*

for shannon

this was how my morning started yesterday......

then i spoke with you on the phone....your voice is coming back, your fever is gone, and you learned you have internet access.  all good things!!  so i called on my friends, some who i talk with all the time, some who i know but have never met, and some who i never knew even came by here.....and they have all rallied 'round to send their positive vibes for YOU. 

i know you will laugh, and i know you will be brought to tears, as i have been after reading all these comments.  after sending flowers and cookies....i thought what else can i do from here?  a-ha!  a blog call-to-arms for well wishes!  go to the next post and click on "comment" so you can read the 65+ messages of love and sunshine.  when you get to the bottom there is a small gray arrow to continue reading.  grab a tissue....

LOVE YOU.   hoping you are home soon with Andy.

are you with me?

Just this afternoon Shannon, my sister, told me she learned she can access the computer from her hospital room.  HELLO?  Why wasn't this brought to our attention earlier?  She's been cooped up for over a month and they just tell her now?  Ok, so she's not an internet junkie like I am so she probably didn't ask....but now we know.  SO.....I'm thinking it might be a gas if I sent her an email tomorrow and said 'hey, have you been to my blog lately?' and when she gets here she'll first roll her eyes (at me) and then she will be so touched and overwhelmed by all your messages.  What do ya think?  Wanna join me?

They have been doing what they can with adjusting meds and all that, but I think there are very powerful things that assist the way to wellness - things that can't be bottled or sent via IV to battle cystic fibrosis like gestures, words, and presence.  Since I can't be there right now I thought I'd muster up, with your help, all the cheer we can manage from our keyboards.   

Some years ago there was an invented saying for cystic fibrosis:  sixty-five roses.  I think it came from a child that mis-heard or mis-said the name of the disease (much easier to say).  So my goal is get at least 65 comments. Are you with me? 

put to memory

As the title of this post says, yesterday is put to memory.  Firstly, because it was an unexpected and delightful adventure - and secondly, because I am a pathetic photo journalist and hardly have any pictures to share.  Sometimes you just have to live in the moment and forget the camera - but it is good to have a few so you have evidence that it actually happened. 

I'll spare you the long story of how it all came to be, but here we are - ten women who gathered at the home of my sweet friend Judi Riesch, who is always the best hostess - and yesterday welcomed those from near and far. 

We managed to squeeze into the busy schedule of Judy Wilkenfeld as she is stateside for a seemingly whirlwind trip (hailing from Australia!) and happened to be visiting with her friends on our coast this week.  After being treated to a tour of Judi's art-filled home (you can imagine the squeees after getting to see art we have become familiar with in our favorite books), we were privileged to have Judy tell us about her Twelve Tribes of Israel book which was on tour with her.  The book is so much bigger than you can imagine - breathtaking...stunning... layered and embedded with meaning and symbolism, representing the twelve sons of Jacob.  It was so special to be introduced to the tribes, to listen to Judy's deep passion for this project (which I loved!!) and to meet her and her friends.  It didn't escape me that yesterday was also the first day of Passover. 

I'm counting on the other girls to have a better account with photos than I do - stop by their blogs and see if anyone shows you more evidence, or at least my cool shoes.  Here they are:  Leslie Marsh, Susanna Gordon, Judy Wilkenfeld, Bee Shay, Judi (let's bug her to update her website shall we?), Kathryn Gilbert, Jerri Weitz, Karen Cole, and Joy Snyder.  I shouldn't have given John a hard time for taking a blurry photo - the guy had a harem lobbing cameras at him - he was a wonderful host.

I admit I avoid blogs that show food pictures.  Can't stand it.  I think foodies should warn you before they assault you with their dinner plates.  (Like just tell me to quickly scroll down about 3 or 4 inches so I can get past the food I don't want to see).  I'm breaking my own self-imposed rule of No Food Photos because I have to share these things with you that Judi made for us.  I can't even bring myself to call them sandwiches, because that's a pitiful word for what this is.  Since I'm not a foodie I have no proper vocabulary to replace sandwich.  So here's your fair warning, scroll down quick if you can't stomach seeing food on a blog.....it's only one photo, so a quick 4" flick of the mouse should cover it.

So that's all I have as photographic proof from yesterday - but the treasured memories are countless.  A spontaneous day spent with women who found one another because of our love for art! 

spontaneous

Today a group of ten artists met - some for the first time, some who've been friends for years.  It fell into place with a gracious hostess.  Yesterday, a blog post led to a comment which led to a phone call (because of two girls who met via blogs) and another phone call (because of two other girls who met via blogs), and one more (between more girls who met via blogs)....and it happened that in less than 24 hours the plan became a gathering.  Details to follow.....but in addition to being grateful for a terrific experience this afternoon, I'm giving props to the connections we make because of blogging, more specifically - artists who blog and friends who read them.  *thumbs up* 

element of surprise

What gets your attention when you are looking at art?  Or magazines, or books, or blogs?  Isn't there a hope that you'll be surprised?  A desire to be impressed by something that is new-to-you, or something that is clever, or inventive, or just different.  You want to be surprised.  We all get bored from seeing more of the same don't we? 

I read an interview yesterday (or was it the day before?) with my favorite rock star and he was talking about going back into the studio and what keeps him inspired.  As a musician, who is also a fan of many kinds of music, it was a simple thing to say....."I want to be surprised by a melody I haven't come across yet."

Isn't that what we strive for too?  Not a melody, but a something.  We want to be surprised by something we haven't come across yet.  Notice he didn't say he wanted to go into a music store to hear something he hadn't heard before....he's going into the studio to discover that melody - that combination of notes that might be the next hook or lick.  Eight notes and time spent at the keyboard or on the guitar.  Experimenting, exploring, unearthing, failing, succeeding.

In the studio.  THAT is where you will make your discoveries, the best-learned lessons.  Putting in the time with messy hands and dirty brushes is where you will find the most rewarding surprises.

Now that my taxes are done (whew!) I can being the final preparations for my upcoming workshop.  This is the funnest time (yes, I said funnest). I rehearse in my head all the things I want to remember to share with the artists.  I scribble notes, make playlists, overpack supplies, and try to contain my giddy-ness that I am about to spend studio time with other seekers-of-surprises.  Each artist will learn something different, and hopefully surprising, depending on their accumulated experience.....and no matter what is on my lesson plan, we will all learn something from one another.

Here's hoping you plan some surprise time for yourself this week.

it rocked

 

We are totally buzzing from a terrific day spent with friends out on the deck for the annual birthday party.  It ended up being the BEST weather even though they said it would be otherwise.  Not one single drop.  Even the medium gray clouds were gone before the party started.

Unfortunately I didn't get everyone in the photo but you get the idea.  Here's a cool thing:  all the girls are current buddies who come to help out in Room 10.  All the boys are buddie-alumni, coming back to visit from High School. 

(Of course, one more pose with the you-know-what hands)

This morning....found this....the first for the season....

Thanks for all your good wishes and positive vibes.  *grins*

tomorrow...

Tuesday was Sam's 16th birthday.  Tomorrow we will have the annual party for classmates, teachers, and buddies.  LAST YEAR we were blessed with a glorious day.  The forecast is for rain, but it looks better than they predicted earlier this week (thunder storms, ack!)  It would be great if we could enjoy an afternoon on the deck, so put your positive vibes out will ya?

 

Special party guest:  Miley Cyrus (under glass).  It's so cool that Sam's birthday falls in the month we honor Autism Awareness.  We can take the opportunity to show our apppreciation to all those who touch Sam's life and make his school experience one that he looks forward to every morning with bright eyes and an eagerness to be there, part of a school that embraces his diversity.  This year the take home goodie is a mini-car magnet.....should work on locker doors too don't you think?

 

Also tomorrow:  my father-in-laws birthday, Happy Birthday Phil!  My sister and her husband celebrate twelve years of marriage, Happy Anniversary Shannon and Andy!  And of course one more birthday...don't have time to make him a special message so I'll share the one from last year HERE.

*waves and runs off to continue cleaning*

passion

Don't you admire passion?  At it's core, no matter what the subject, passion has power.  Power to motivate, to influence, to make a difference.  Monica has been a poster child for passion - passion to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.  You know I love enthusiasm and THIS girl has it.  And the doll?  Well, she is stitched with love and hope and enthusiasm that the momentum keeps moving toward a cure.  I cannot imagine the hours that went into creating her.  I'm guessing PASSION kept her going.  To see more about Love Squared, visit HERE. 

* throws confetti for Monica*  *crosses fingers the sale of her brings $$$ and awareness*

crusading, cutting

We wrapped up the month of March with a record number of participants who shared links to their custom cut rubber stamps.  We took a vote and bumped cutting stencils to April.  Congrats to Susan Warder for being the Top Hat Pick for Crusade No. 18.  I made a little tutorial on stencil cutting over on the Street Team blog, and will continue adding to it as I did last month with the carving tips.  I'm still obsessing over roses...had to make stamps and stencils yesterday.  WARNING:  It's Addictive.

The only way to know if you have cut a good and useful image is to put it to work.  These are the beginnings of journal pages using both acrylic paint and spray paint with my new stamps, stencils, and masks.  Give them a test run before cutting more because you'll learn what you might have done differently, or what additions you'd like to have:  for instance, a solid image of your stencil to create a foundation to make it *pop*.

I don't often use people or faces in my work so I've stayed away from attempting a portrait stencil.  But I've been wanting to do a Valo, and a Poe, and finally starting working on them.  I had an a-ha moment when I decided to take this design which wasn't quite working, and turn it into a half-face.  I got so excited with it I had to make a PS brush and take it for a test ride digitally.  I think I'm ready to cut HIM out now.  *grins*

 

Wanna join a fun community of artists?  Come see what we're doing on the Street Team.  We have new players every month, so don't be shy.  We have artists who share their time and talent, but most of all, their enthusiasm for making cool stuff.  Seriously, *we rock*.

perspective

I keep some of these relics on my desk.  They remind me that there is always something new to be discovered.  Imagine what the inventor of these 45 record centers would think of cassette tapes, compact discs, and ipods.  New technology aside, even items that have been around longer than 45s have been reinvented over and over again.  Need convincing?  Step into Sephora and notice the hundreds of ways perfume can be bottled.  Pop into a Hallmark and see how clever their Fresh Ink line is. 

This weekend I took Fallon to an antique store which was more like an indoor flea market.  She loves rummaging through all the stuff - old jewelry, vintage clothing, other people's stuff.  She was fascinated by a telephone with a DIAL and a handset attached with a CORD.  And she tapped away on an old TYPEWRITER.  It made me think about my 45 centers....these things she only knows as relics.  At one time they were innovations.  The day provided an interesting perspective to see the world through Fallon's eyes.

When thrifting I rarely look at old books anymore.  I have enough piled in this studio and they have fallen out of favor in my work.  But this little green dictionary got my attention, and my $4, when I saw that it's owner was also a collector of four leaf clovers.  Pressed within it's pages were at least a dozen.  A kindred spirit.  I also have enough Victorian Scrap so I didn't need to finger through the neatly packaged keepsakes except to look for those that had Roses as I'm still infatuated.  Imagine my surprise to find one that was *winking* at me....holding up the Rock and Roll horns.  Had to have it.  HCIT?

nothing beats a messy day

Not sure where I got this habit of using an asterick ( * ) when writing on my blog or leaving comments.  It usually surrounds a verb, like this:  *blows kisses*  or *scrambles to find a link* or *grins*.  I think it evolved from a messageboard I belong to that used to have The Best smilies to include in a reply.  So when the board changed servers we lost the smilies and we had to invent a way to *say* what we wanted a smilie for....like when a new photo of our favorite rock star got posted we would *faint* or *swoon*  or *squeeee*. 

A few days away from my studio makes me crabby.  I love when there are so many ideas rattling around that it only takes a nano-second to engage and get messy.  Seems like I never get my task completed which is ok because it's ready for me the next morning.  Can't show you just yet what it is I'm working on but that isn't the point....it's to remind you how good it feels to be in the moment and make stuff.

I was watching L.A. Ink last night and was inspired by Guy, Hannah's brother, and how he designed an edge of a shoulder tattoo (couldn't find you a picture) but it was kinda like the brush I made today to border the photos above.  Super cool.

Just one more thing...a note about blogging.  You'll notice I put my signature circle brush on all my photos.  If you have the capability I suggest you do the same.  Just today I saw one of my journal pages on someone's blog.  First, I think that's a no-no unless you've asked for permission.  But stuff like that will happen in this online world so take credit for your photos and mark with your name.  *steps off soapbox* 

harmonic connection

Loved the movie....have you seen it?  So charming.   I think Robin William's "Wizard" could be a brother to Bono's "Dr. Robert" from Across the Universe.  I also recommend Once - another great film about music.  (A reader told me to see it - now I can't remember who ....but thank you!)

Mom came for a visit for our Spring Break and it ended up being a marathon of movies - at the theater and at home.  We even rented Sleeping Beauty - Fallon's choice.  Yep, saw Enchanted too.  Fun that she still enjoys the fairy tales (even when I'm dyeing her hair goth black tonight.) 

Good Friday

On the calendar it says Spring.  Even if it might not feel like it where I am, or where you are, it soon will change.  Spring brings the promise of re-birth, of budding life, of color....a time to let yourself be motivated to open up and grow.  BRING IT ON!!

 

You may have been keeping up with Monica and her amazing community project.  If not...where have you been?  You can see her posts HERE.  This is a woman who has opened her heart, worked her magic, and is still stitching love into an important cause.  Bookmark her now so we can blast her with encouraging comments, and keep updated on the Pink Artist Doll and the auction to follow.

You'll see in the photos below that sweet Lisa didn't think her package was blog-worthy.  I am behind on showing you some cool things that have arrived here that I hope to post about soon....but I disagree with Lisa on this one.  It's totally blog-worthy because I know you will squee with me when you see the perfect-fit-gifts she sent my way, just to make me smile.

I'm off to the airport to pick up my mom.  Have a great weekend - and if I don't get back here to post for Easter, have a good one.  Save the black jelly beans for me.

EDIT:  for some reason my blog archives are flukey - and you can't get to them by month.  So this is for you Chris:  DYEING PAPER post from last year....using up the egg dye on your scrap stash.

Maiden Name: KELLY

Test driving my new carvings.  I just looked back at my blog from March 2007....lots of Lucky Girl posts and even a story of where the name Green Pepper Press came from.  It makes me feel like I'm not showing the spirit this year - but I did carve today because a four leaf clover is one of my favorite images....just don't expect a card from me, I didn't schedule my free time very well. 

Everyone is Irish today....don't forget to wear your green, and have a lucky one.  Cheers! 

My Aunt Molly sent this....and we say:  If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough!

Being Irish Means.......

* you will never play professional basketball

* you swear very well

* at least one of your cousins holds political office

* you think you sing very well

* you have no idea how to make a long story short

* you are very good at playing a lot of very bad golf

* there isn't a huge difference between losing your temper and killing someone

* much of your food was boiled

* you have never hit your head on the ceiling

* you spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling

* you're strangely poetic after a few beers

* you're poetic a lot

* you will be punched for no good reason...a lot

* some punches directed at you are legacies from past generations

* your sister will punch you because your brother punched her

* many of your sisters are Catherine, Elizabeth or Mary...and one is Mary Catherine Elizabeth

* someone in your family is incredibly cheap

* it is more than likely you

* you don't know the words but that doesn't stop you from singing

* you can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start talking

* 'Irish Stew' is the euphemism for 'boiled leftovers from the fridge'

* you're not nearly as funny as you think you are, but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency

* there wasn't a huge difference between your last wake and your last kegger party

* you are, or know someone, named 'Murph'

* if you don't know Murph, then you know 'Mac'

* if you don't know Murph or Mac, then you know 'Sully'

* you'll probably also know Sully McMurphy

* you are genetically incapable of keeping a secret

* your parents were on a first name basis with everyone at the local emergency room

and last but not least... Being Irish means...

* your attention span is so short that---oh, forget it.

i'm a believer