michelle ward

Outta here

 

TOMORROW:  1196.62 miles to my parents house.  Then another 225 to the cabin.  25th class reunion, and visits with family and friends.  Back in 2 weeks.  No computer connections, I'll miss it here.  Be good.

This Just In.....

 

The latest Somerset Studio arrived today, and man....it is so handsome.  Just terrific.  I can show you the back of my piece in an article I wrote.....but you'll have to get the issue to see the front.  It was such a rewarding piece to make.  What's really cool is when you get your art back (after making it months ago) and you still love what you did.  Life can often move so fast that I forget about things I've made and sent off.  Good thing I make evidence journal pages.....I'll have to dig those up to show you sometime.

Since I'm plugging the magazine I will blog about this too::

Love that the Street Team is getting some more ink because it's all about networking and creativity, and making an appointment with your journal once a month.....first mentioned in Somerset Life, and now Artful Blogging.  I appreciate the spotlight, truly, because it's so cool that we are all widening our circle of artistic friends with the crusades.  Stampington is keeping stride with the times by inventing this new publication.  How cool is it going to be to learn about other artsy blogs?  You KNOW you're interested in the blog world.....you're HERE aren't you?

I have to say I can't stop watching the video below.  Must have rewound it 2 or 3 dozen times.  So heartwarming.  Even if you're not an opera lover you gotta appreciate this dude.  Music has that way of getting to you, doesn't it?  I know I'm buying the album....I even friended him on MySpace :)

pass the kleenex.....

Got goosebumps?  Did Paul Potts win?  Click here.....and scroll up to the 2-1/2 minute mark.

(From:  Britain's Got Talent)

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Another fun activity....designing with parts of letters.  Go HERE then click on the grid, lower right.  The click and drag letter parts into arena.  Then click the other button and it will jumble up.  Cool!   This is what will happen.....you can hit it several times to get different variations.

You can get a poster from the originator, HERE....isn't hers wicked?

Makes you want to make cool stuff with type, doesn't it?

LOVE typography.  Don't even get me started on Ambigrams.  Did you read Angels and Demons?  The graphic below was found HERE, the right is flipped 180 degrees from the left.  Clever, isn't it?

Just in case he's watching....

 

No words of wisdom....just looking at these kids of ours and feeling blessed, and happy, and amazed they have grown into such cool kids.  From the moment we saw the blue mark on the pregnancy indicator our lives changed.  You became a dad, I became a mom, and we became a family.  Happy Father's Day.  xo

And for our fathers, John and Philip, we have wonderful things we could say about them but they don't have computers, so they get cards instead of a blog post. 

Just for fun....

Make your own street art and pass on to a friend to continue working.  So far the continue part hasn't worked (for me) but it's still fun. It's the closest I'll ever get to spraying on a wall.   HERE

Wouldn't you love to have the space to paint like Pollock?  He rocked the splatters.  Try this, HERE.

Scribbling is good.  This will remind you how cool it is to just draw in your journal.  HERE.

More Cleverness......

I just got a copy of my friend Laurie Mika's new book:  Mixed Media Mosaics.  It is a fantastic tutorial and handsome display of all the magic you can make with polymer clay.  She gives you all the tricks to make interesting tiles which can be used for all kinds of clever projects.  Even if you've never considered working in clay you will smack yourself in the forehead and wonder why not when you see what can be done with this versatile medium.  I'm NOT kidding, you'll love it!

I met Laurie online about 4 or 5 years ago when I came across her website showcasing her unique Icons.  (Later we were able to meet in real life.)  You get reeled in by her work as you investigate every little detail and marvel at her compositions and style.  I adored the architectural-ness of her pieces but what remains as my primary impression of seeing her work was the way she used color.  Uninhibited riot of color.  It was so refreshing, and still is.  Just as I was about to open an email to write my appreciation of her work I recognized that she was using some of the stamps I had designed in her work.  Say it with me:  How cool it that?  A friendship was born.  I am thrilled to be able to stand up on my chair (what?  you don't believe I'm standing?) and tell the world my friend has a wonderful book you just gotta get.  HERE.

While I'm on the subject of Clever.......

Wasn't Jane the most cleverest?  I can read her over and over.  Great wit.  Just came across the trailer for BECOMING JANE and thought I missed the movie.....GASP.....apparently it has been moved back to August.  Whew!  Time to get my Jane Journal back out.  Made some pages a few weeks ago.....will show you soon.

Have you taken the quiz to see what Austen character you are?  HERE  or HERE.  Both times I came up as the same character.  You never know if these things are rigged, so I went back and answered  differently, yet was still the same girl.  Forget the quiz, who is your favorite?

Some years ago I spoke with the woman who was head of the Jane Austen Society and asked her if they ever challenged the members to certain things....things that I wonder about.....like what would a map of the towns look like, as you see it in your mind, or did Mr. Darcy know Mr. Knightley?  Don't you think about those things?  She thought I was a little nuts. 

There are scores of sequels, prequels, and spin-offs of Jane's books.  Some are really good, some not so much.  Love having the characters come back to life, if it's been written with a Jane wit.  The movies have been good too.  P&P (both of them), S&S, and Emma.  Looking forward to BECOMING JANE, as well as the PBS series on Jane in 2008.

Cleverness

You know you want some.  Printed baggies (in several sizes) and PACKING TAPE! {HERE}

Juicy Couture perfume is your just-for-dress-up-type-scent, but is available in this lovely compact, cleverly perfect for travel.  {HERE}  Lovely box, and to my surprise, a soft pink leather pouch surrounds the compact, both embossed with the Juicy logo.  (You do know John Taylor is married to Gela, who is "G" of "Love G&P" right?)

And while I'm on scents, let me plug the latest Crusade....{HERE}.  My new summer fragrance was a gift from Graham, and is such a clever find:  RALPH ROCKS.  Cool site too.  All the perfumes in this collection are fresh and fun and summery.  {HERE}

Ever since my friend Julie sent me wind chimes made from silverware I've been enamored with the cleverness of artists who use spoons or forks to make cool stuff.  My latest find are these pieces of jewelry from The Spoonman.  Faxed my order today.  {HERE}

And the last bit of cleverness is that I finally figured out how to set my blog so links open in new windows.  Want the widget for your typepad blog?  {HERE}

So many cool products out there - I'm especially loving the black and white damask pattern showing up everywhere.  Funky colors and big patterns are the thing right now....makes me wish I was a product designer.  WAIT!  I am!  Stay tuned.....rubber in the works for late summer release.  {grin}

EDIT:  In case you missed the edit on my Got Cake post, there are updated links at the bottom with more visuals being shared from the collaboration.  Scroll down.

Courage to Play

I never knew that the word COURAGE has its roots with HEART.  And I never really noticed the connection between courage and encourage.  I've been thinking about these words.....you see, I recently was sent a letter, from another continent, from a girl who has taught me as much about myself as she has learned about herself.  The letter accompanied a piece of art, and explained her purpose for sending both.  She thanked me for giving her Courage to Play.  It was one of those unexpected gifts - to see yourself through someone else's eyes, to witness a geniune act of kindness, to feel validated as an artist, as a person.

It takes courage to try new things.  It takes courage to make art.  It takes courage to share your art.  It takes courage to challenge yourself to do all these things.  And it comes from the heart.

I see that it's a circle.  Coral felt encouraged to stretch herself.  She was encouraged by what she's read and seen in books and had the courage to try to take her art to new places. (and I don't just mean from Australia to New Jersey).  She had the courage to share the art she made for me, therefore encouraging ME.  She made me feel like what I do is worthwhile to her.  Now how cool is that?

Coral's gift, this painted canvas, is filled with many thoughtful connections just for me.  You'll recognize my rubber collection names of HomeWARD and WayWARD, my initials (cuz I love anything M or W), the architectural images and dimensional details, the miniature keyholes, tags! and the lovely Irish Blessing.  She even used my colors.... She GETS me, and yet we've never met.  And how does she know me?  Maybe from a few magazine articles or maybe from a book or two I've been in....or maybe it's because she visits here.  That's my guess.

The next time I get asked why I blog, I'll tell them the Coral story. 

To Coral, my new friend, and to all of you who have ever had the courage to share your art with me, or your kind words in private notes or via comments here, I thank you, with my whole encouraged heart.

Do you have the courage to encourage someone today? 

Congrats to Johanna Goisser from Germany!  She was the Street Team Top Hat pick for Crusade No. 8: Cheap Tricks.  We've started No. 9: What's that Smell?  Come on over and play.....have some courage!

Got Cake?

First there was the Queen.  Then there was the Movie.  Icing on the Cake?  The Zine.

The collaborative zine, hosted by Anahata Katkin and Lynne Perrella, arrived recently, packed with pretty paper and lace, and filled with many lovely extras, some seen above.  It was an event to open and pour through all the enclosures, then enjoy all the pages.  This was an over-the-top presentation of a group project, meant to be devoured with a tray of petit fours. 

One of my favorite things about True Colors, was writing about, and reading, everyone's comments about making their pages - and we did this for the zine.  You can see additional glimpses on Anahata's blog, and hopefully some of the other players will post their pages too. 

You have to visit the Marie Antoinette official movie site HERE.  It's a riot of information and extras.  I found this youtube clip of the behind-the-scenes at the Annie Leibovitz photo shoot for Vogue.  You didn't miss that issue last September did you?

My editorial for creating my Marie Zine submission:

I won't show you the initial attempts where I went all Goth and even gave Marie stitches across her neck (hey, she was beheaded, why not?).  Didn't think the zine girls would appreciate my entry since I knew most of them were going for "pretty".  Settled on being a little radical, in the spirit of the film.

And my finished piece, composed digitally:

I loved reading on the official site that Sofia Coppola "found inspiration from modern resources as well as the New Romantic pop music movement of the 1980s which was itself heavily influenced by 18th century ideals of extravagance.  Artists like Bow Wow Wow (I Want Candy) and Adam Ant celebrated glamour, luxurious fashion and hedonistic fun....."   She went on to say she wanted a playful version of history that reflects teenagers in a decadent time. 

Great choice of using contemporary music in a film that wasn't trying to be a historical documentary.  I think Sofia would get a kick out of Marie having a tattoo, don't you?  It's " X V I " for her husband Louis XVI of course!

EDIT:  See additional blog and web entries on the Marie zine:

Anahata (HERE) and another new post (HERE), Lisa Hoffman (HERE), Lynne (HERE), Lisa Kaus (HERE) and Pam posted about both her and Amy's pages (HERE).