michelle ward

Re-cap

First - Happy Birthday Peter!  17 years ago you made me and Dad parents.  We have been so blessed.  You are such a grown up dude, and such a terrific son.  We love you!

 

Earlier this month Fallon turned 12!  Twelve!  She'll go back to middle school next week feeling more confident and cooler than last year.  She knows she rocks.  A week ago made the annual visit to Marineland (in Canada) and saw Sam's friends the Orcas.  We were lucky to meet up with Sean and Mike who I've written about before.  My copy of Chicken Soup hasn't arrived yet - would have been fun to share it with them.  Can't believe summer is almost over.  Where did the time go?  Because we have 2 kids birthdays in August I also wonder how they got so old.  Less than a week until we are back in school.  Makes me so sad.

Wednesday we went to a rock festival.  It was a hot day....but very cool too.  As HIM and MCR fans we were loving the line-up.  Great way to celebrate the end of summer as a family.  It was THE BEST!  Better than a Labor Day picnic.......especially when this happens.........indulge me.......

..............and when this happens this too...............

Luckily I had a gift ready.  Because you never know what can happen.......

I had found this shirt last fall when we were getting things ready for their tour that got canceled.  Got one for me, Graham, and Ville.  It's a Poe shirt.....and you know I love that Raven, with a Top Hat!  Several people asked me if I made it....I wish!  It's by Affliction and was a must have as it incorporates so many of my favorite images like in the piece below from my stamp line.  He really liked it.  This day was a great consolation prize after having to miss their concert two weeks ago.  I had presence of mind to talk like a normal person and ask and say a few things to each of them.  I even asked for a real life look at some of tattoos.  You'd be so proud of me...I really kept my cool. 

Notice that tucked in his arm is my spray painted red wrapping paper and the cool printed plastic bags I showed you a while ago.  (Oh, and he didn't cut his hair again....it's up there in that hat.)

And I reminded him I was on the Grave Dirt Crew - giving him a gift the last May that he even mentions in an interview!   See HERE and HERE.  Who knew...when I made the post below....that I'd be posting this today?  Not me!  H.C.I.T. ????  Squeeeeee!

EDIT:  and if all that wasn't enough excitement for the month, these dates just posted today.  Tickets go on sale next week.

Remembering Diana today.  Ten years.  We were having Peter's 7th birthday party when we got the call about her accident.  Because I was born after Kennedy passed away THIS is our timeline question.  "Where were you when you heard Diana died?"  It was such a moving funeral service, we got up early and watched all day.  Hearing the bells toll as the procession moved through quiet London streets.....haunting.  Then Sir Elton.....whew.  She was grace.

how often do you......WINK?

Sure, a wink is a physical gesture of blinking one eye with a twinkle in the other and a sly smile that delivers a secret message.  Maybe it says "I'm thinking if you in a special way", or "I knew you'd love that", or "I'm full of surprises", or "See, I'm paying attention, and I GET you".  Sometimes it's not even a facial expression, but an act that makes you realize someone is winking at you.  Take for instance a few months ago when I told you about an article where my friend Jenny Doh, director of publishing at Stampington, was winking at me.  You can read about that HERE.

The latest issue of Somerset Studio arrived and I got WINKED at again.

 

If you've seen Lynne's book Beyond Paper Dolls then you're familiar with this paper theater.  Somerset presents additional views in my article in the Sept/Oct issue.  It was fun to revisit this project and give it new words.  It was so much fun to make and provided endless amusement as I conjured up all the set drop-ins.  When I first sent it to Lynne I had enclosed in the prop drawer a figure of Edgar Allan Poe as well as a scaled down replica of a puppet I had created for Teesha's Art and Life, depicting my favorite rock star Ville Valo.  It was a way of sending a little WINK to Lynne.  To my surprise and delight, Ville showed up on stage in the Somerset article.  A total WINK from Jenny.  Not many people will know who he is or why he's there but WE know.  Say it....H.C.I.T.  There is a Valo/Poe connection which is another reason why I included him in the theater but I'll spare you that story today.  For more views of The Willow Playhouse presents The Raven, see HERE.

 

If you've been following my blog this is old news, but here are the pages I had done for Teesha over a year ago....and a photo of me with Ville when I gave him the puppet.  Now you know who that dude is on stage in the article...and why it was a WINK from my editor and friend.  And because I'm on a music crusade for the GPP Street Team I will share with you a HIM video where Ville is wearing the top hat. 

Also in this issue is an Artist Portfolio on Julie Pearson.  I was honored to be the one to introduce you to her as she is a very dear friend and incredible artist and mentor.  It was difficult to edit myself and not sound like a total fangirl when I wrote the article.  It's only here that I can share with you HOW CRAZY I AM ABOUT THIS WOMAN.  We are working together on a website for her and you will be the first to know when it's ready.  Pick up the issue to see her beautiful work. 

Today, when I should have been packing, I escaped with Susanna to see Becoming Jane.  DIVINE film.  If you're a Jane Austen fan DO NOT MISS IT!   

Raise your hand if you want to see a spin-off that follows the life of Henry Austen.  Susanna and I vote YES.

chew on this

Thank you to all who sent their public and private thoughtful sympathies for my Aunt Kitty.  A great lady who will be missed by many.  I was grateful to be in Minnesota with my family.  I really needed a little levity and found it at the airport, of all places!  Saw this shirt and had to get it.  I visited the manufacturer's site to capture these graphics to show you more of their clever t's.  Hope they make you smile too.  (grimminc.com)

Have you seen this new gum?  The packaging rocks and the gum is good too!  I was impressed that it was from Wrigley.  Very hip.  (It's not even on their website yet but the tv ads are cool).  I used to collect gum wrappers as a kid - even had a few prized foreign language ones.  It's cool when someone knows what you're into and they bring you cool stuff for your collection.  I had Juicy Fruit in Japanese.  Say it...... (how cool is that?)

I just have to rant for a minute about gum wrappers.  Where are they?  Have you noticed that most gums that come in stick form no longer have a paper wrapper?  It's foil only.  Now I can't complain about the new FIVE gum I just showed you because those foils rock.  But where's the paper?  How are you supposed to make gum wrapper bracelets?  Honestly!  And while I'm ranting about Juicy Fruit being wrapper-less did you know the gum is now YELLOW?  Really, go check.  What happened to that classic cement gray color?  Forget the yellow.  I remember visiting my grandfather and he had a candy closet that was always stocked with Juicy Fruit.  The whole closet smelled like it.  The scent reminds me of him.  That's the ONLY reason I continue to buy it.

We are heading up to Marineland this week.  Whale tales to follow when we return.  I always bum out when the summer winds down because I don't want this time with our kids to end.  Savoring the last of it.... 

chillin'

 

For years I would collect Absolut ads from magazines.  Always easy to find in the first or last few pages of a magazine.  Always a major score when the ad was the back cover.  New York magazine would have an annual holiday surprise - one year it was an ad that had a liquid covering and floating white stuff in it like a snowglobe in 2-D.  Another year there were Absolut logo real nylon stockings enclosed.  Still have them. 

You may remember some of these....Had the Warhol framed on my wall.  The "Catch" is from a recent online contest.  I always wanted to submit a design of my own.  "Absolut Approval" would have been my slogan....with the bottle shown inverted, in wood, as part of an old style handled rubber stamp....and yep, a stamped "approved" marking across the page.  You can see hundreds of ads in this gallery HERE.  (They still don't have an "approval"!)

  It was an exciting day when the first book came out.  So many ads I hadn't seen.  So much cleverness.  A week ago I picked up the sequel.  Fun to chill out at the pool and browse through the pages of both books.  The magazines I'm into buying now don't have ads for vodka so I'm a little out of tune on what they've been doing but I do enjoy visiting the site from time to time. Very cool. 

And I'm loving the new PEAR flavor. 

I've always wanted to go to an ice bar.  I wouldn't care if it was an actual Absolut bar....but I would like it to be in Finland.  Any wagers why???

Do you love that Escher carved in ice?  Wouldn't this be a great place to hang out?  They give you coats.

I am heading out of town for a few days.  Sadly my aunt lost her battle with cancer and we are gathering to celebrate our memory of her.  On that note.....SEIZE THE DAY!

Since the title of my last post was......

....."it takes two", I decided we needed two winners for the drawing of Artful Blogging plus goodies.  Before I get to the names, let me thank all of you for dropping by and leaving your comments.  It's always cool to get feedback so I appreciate you sharing your enthusiasm.  I am pleased to be able to share this magazine - a perfect giveaway from a blog keeper to blog readers.

The winners:  Alice and Cindi.  My husband picked the numbers.  I swear I wasn't swayed by what Cindi said :)  If you still haven't found a copy of AB at your local bookstore why not order direct from Stampington.  Better yet, get a subscription.  I can imagine you'll want every issue - me too! 

Thanks to Kari for hosting a terrific online party.  I'm still working my way through all the artful offerings.  Have a great weekend!!

It takes two

The best is when you can design an image that results in both a stencil and mask.  For instance, see HERE. 

Often, you actually have to alter an image, and cut it twice to yield both a stencil and a mask.  Like the text above....it needed small portions to be removed in order to be a stencil.  The black parts get cut out.  If the are any "islands", portions that aren't connected to the main background, they will fall out with the cuts.  In order to preserve the image, in this case the letter forms, you will need to alter the image.  I've indicated in red where the cutting should stop to preserve the "islands".  Imagine those red markings as white and you can see how the stencil  is formed.  For a mask you need to reverse your thinking.  This time the black is going to be the end product.  All parts need to connect so you will have to modify the original text by extending connectors.  Imagine the green markings as black and you can see the mask.

Here is the completed stencil and mask.  I cut them from acetate with an exacto blade.  The image was printed directly onto acetate.  (I also like to use a heated tip stencil burner.)

Kari has initiated an online blog party.  It's a great idea as I believe networking and building communities is one of the perks of blogging.  If you are new here and just hopped over from Kari's party then I welcome you.  You'll find my current obsession is utilizing stencils and masks with spray paint in my art, and you will find many blog posts here about that subject.  I recently compiled most of the images into my "Sprayed!" album in the left sidebar.  I run another blog called the GPP Street Team which was featured in Artful Blogging.  You are invited to come over and see the fun we are having there.  It is an example of an online community that is building itself.  This months crusade is about adding music to your blog, and last month we were all about Mail Art.  Thanks for coming by!   (Oh, and if you haven't been to Kari's site yet - she has been adding dozens of links to artful bloggers who have joined in the party!)

P.S.  DUH!  Since this is a party i should be giving something away, right?  I have extra copies of Artful Blogging...so leave a comment if you want to be in the drawing for a copy of the magazine and some other goodies from my studio.  (Collecting names through Thursday @ midnight EST)

I HEART ETSY

Got some of these terrific tags and labels, some for my journals, some just because they are cool.  Digital Paperie has lots of yummies....go see HERE.

More tags and cool labels for journaling - don't these rock?  Every Jot And Tittle, found HERE.

 

Need a good laugh?  You gotta visit Carol, she has a great sense of humor.  Not sure who or when I'd send these but they give me a smile just thinking about it.   A fave:  "What were you expecting ~ A Parade?"  Take a look, HERE.

Congrats to Suzanne Renfrow for being the Top Hat Pick for Crusade No. 10.  There was so much Love being Spread with the Mail Art!!!   We've already blasted through the starting gates with No. 11.  It's about expressing yourself in a different way this time - with MUSIC.  Come over and see....and I'll leave you with this lovely piece by Seether, featuring Amy Lee.  Click and Play.  Ok, another EDIT.  I removed the funky little player because I think it slowed up the page and nothing is more annoying than a jumpy page.  Drats.  (For video, see HERE)

EDIT:  Duh!  If I'm making plugs for cool shops on Etsy I should be including PhotoGlassworks by Tracy Antonik.  See her array of pendants HERE.  I met Tracy when I purchased the piece on the left.  She now sells pieces that include two of my own designs, middle and right.  So cool to see your digital work in miniature as a piece of jewelry! 

I have a few friends who plan to open Etsy shops.  Will report back when they are ready to show off!