michelle ward

good news bad news

I was going to say, "here is what's going down", but that's not a nice reference as tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  Here's what is also not so nice:  I've been a victim of identity theft.  Someone has been impersonating me online by leaving rude and inappropriate comments on blogs.  Think about it, it's easy to do.  You can leave a name and an URL without verification in most places.  We trust that people use their own name and address, right?  The thing is - you leave a trail with your IP address.  I have learned of several instances of this occuring and luckily I was able to confirm it wasn't me because the IP addresses differ.  I'm not sure why someone would choose my identity to do this, and I'm not sure why they chose to be mean to the bloggers who were targeted on the receiving end.  Both of these gracious women are bloggers I have never met or corresponded with prior to these events.  I hate to think of how many other times this may have happened that I don't know about.  I do know where the person works and hope to resolve it.  Do me a favor, if you can search your comment database for IP address 64.55.153.216 please let me know.  (Easy to do on typepad, not sure how other platforms operate.)  I'm hoping this person has slipped up and used their own name somewhere.  Thanks for your help. EDIT:  the issue has been resolved, perpetrator found.

EDIT:  Impersonating someone online is illegal.  Perpetrator is from California, breaking this law:  SB 1411  This bill would provide that any person who knowingly and without consent credibly impersonates another actual person through or on an Internet Web site or by other electronic means, as specified, for
purposes of harming, intimidating, threatening, or defrauding another person is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Now that the bad news is out of the way, the good news is that both of the anticipated shipments have arrived.  The stamps and the stencils are here!  Pre-orders will go out Monday and the rates on the products will change back to standard pricing by Monday too. 

 

When I mentioned the bad news affair on facebook I got so much support and I really appreciate my friends circling around with kind words.  For some reason the post disappeared, which is so frustrating but I thank all of you who came by in friendship. 

growth and growth

The rose bushes are really growing.  They took off so fast this year, before I even had a chance to cut them back.  I love this time of year as we see new growth, whether from the earth, or from ourselves.  I find Spring to be a time for starting new projects, pulling out brighter colors, and seeing everything with a refreshed perspective.

 

The lawn has been mowed once already....not for trimming grass, but to manage the weeds.  I admit, I do not mind weeds.  Afterall, that is where the clovers grow.....and it's where I find inspiration for adding organic shapes to my journal, Frond Chronicles.  I'm started another one, for my class in July.  Love trying to draw a replica of a real plant, but love making fantasy fronds too.  Check out my pussy willow.  The bunch was set in water at the grocery store so I put them in water at home - never did that before.  And look!  They are growing.  HCIT?  I'll be cut a few new stencils and masks inspired by them!

 

Maybe you'll come celebrate fronds with me in Jersey in July?  We will focus on making our own tools (stencils and masks), and we will paint pages and make a fab journal.  See HERE for details.

HAPPY EASTER!!

OnWARD

The second installment of the OnWARD & UpWARD Collection is now listed for pre-order at GreenPepperPress.com.  These images coordinate with the new stencils I showed you in the previous post.  I tend to design stamps that I want to have and use.  I love having more than one size of a favorite image or pattern.  Repetition with multiple scales, swoon.  Both stamps and stencils are now offered at a pre-order discount for a limited time.

If you're like me you wonder how the images actually figure into the formats you work with so I have scaled some of the stamp samples digitally. 

Visit GPP if you are interested in pre-ordering the stamps and or stencils.

Thank you for all the kind words about my postcards.  I loved making them and have adapted the design to a larger format....I will show you soon!

lucky day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I had full intention of making and sending cards this year but I didn't get them completed in time so here is a virtual one I can share with everyone.  I have been busy at the studio table making these....but they were for iHanna's annual postcard swap.  I was full messy mode and found a fun format to work in, or is it formula?  Maybe it's neither.  Maybe you could call it a series.  I like to formulate series.....and I LOVED breaking in my new stencils from SGP!

 

So here's the LUCKY part of today....Stencil Girl Products is now encouraging me to sell my designs on my site, Green Pepper Press.  I have uploaded all the stencils, including four new ones released this week, at my site.  Next week I will add the paypal buttons for the shopping cart.  I will also be revealing some new rubber that coordinates with the stencils!!

 

debris from tuscan horizons

I was watching Letters to Juliet recently and loved being transported to Italy.  Part of my journey took me beyond Verona to the hills of Tuscany, speckled with rows of trees that hold down the horizon.  I had to cut new shapes - stencils and stamps - so I could investigate how to incorporate the trees in my work.  Here is some of the debris from my table left behind after painting a few new pieces for an article...

Want to start a debris journal of your own?  Join me at CREATE in July!

ruby tuesday and crusade no. 60

It's been a while since I've posted Ruby Tuesday journal pages.  I still work on them....sometimes working out ideas for art, and sometimes just collecting debris from my studio table and even the kitchen counter.  These spreads are to support the latest crusade, No. 60 ~ I HEART (fill in the blank).  You know I love stencils and masks.  I sometimes forget you can simply use them with pens or pencils (right)...not always necessary to get them wet.  However, when you do use paint be sure to flip over for a monoprint (left). 

 

And after much taste-testing I'm finding that I really <3 Dark Magic....no, not the sinister kind, the K-cup kind.  There are others I do enjoy, but this one is my favorite this week so it went in my journal.  That's why we do pages like this...so we can recall and reflect on things we love/loved.

 

To learn more about the current crusade, click on over and come play with us.  HERE.

 

I meant to post this earlier...

If you click on over to the Street Team blog you'll see I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions but take the turn of the calendar as time to reflect on past accomplishments.  I find it rewarding and motivating.  I have posted a To-Do/Ta-Da list for you to print and use over on the Street Team.  If you've been wanting to get things going in your journal come over and play with us.  Eleven days to go....that means two weekends still left!

 

One of my Ta-Das for 2011 was to propose 42 stencil designs to Stencil Girl Products.  Two more have been released!  I had submitted the borders as 12" but Mary Beth and John launched them as 6" and they are so cute!  Perfect for an edge of a card, or a small journal page.  I've been playing with them - will show you soon.

 

tsj: 15 & 16 plus updates

Back to the Table Scraps Journal.....



Thanks again for all the terrific feedback about the new stencils.  I'm such of a fan of Mary Beth's, and it is a thrill to be on her design team for Stencil Girl Products.  Your enthusiasm has made it even more fun!  I can't wait for you to see the rest of the collection :)

The new Somerset Studio is on the shelves - lots of great stuff inside....

 

And Crusade No. 55 is posted on my Street Team site.....come play along!

 

 
 

Click on over to see what this is all about.

Have a great Labor Day!  School starts Wednesday....bums me out to have the kids gone during the day :(
 

ready!

 

The stencils are ready to order.  If you haven't been there you will love the variety Mary Beth and her team have available so far....bookmark it.  Click on 9x12 and 6x5.  There is more to come!  HERE

special announcement: STENCILS!!!

I interrupt the regular TSJ postings to introduce my new alliance with SGP....

 
 
About five minutes after I made yesterday's post, the mail arrived with a package from Mary Beth!  You've seen the damask pattern before - but that was my own cutting.  In this spread you can see it will be available soon, along with the fleur-de-lis pattern, the sunburst, and the variable dots.  These are the first four from a total of 42 images I proposed to Mary Beth after her kind invitation to join the design team at Stencil Girl Products.  I'm not sure when they will be posted to her site for ordering, THEY ARE READY NOW!!!  or when I can reveal the rest of the designs.  As soon as I know something I will blog about it, so stay tuned!  *squee*

 
 

 

 

Can I admit I am beside myself with excitement?  This is alot like seeing my designs turned to rubber, but better!  Such a nice product - well done Mary Beth and John, and hooray for SGP!!!  OMG, HCIT?

EDIT:  Ready for sale....HERE.