michelle ward

i'm here

man-oh-man, i will never let my studio get messy again.  so much has been tossed out, alot set aside to be filed, piles of things finally put away.  i am nearly done.  LOVE my new studio table Graham made and my intention is to have at least half of it clear every evening.  omg, i have so many terrific supplies and i am giddy that i have gotten things better organized.  loved having the freedom of summer - no schedules - to make this happen.  i'll be back soon :)

captive

It's thundering outside now so I'm back to being held captive by all this junk in my studio.  If you saw this place you'd never know I was making progess, but I am.  In fact, most of my studio is now in the living room - making room for Graham to build me a new work table this weekend.  My hero!

When I'm not sorting through bins of stuff, I'm out at the pool with the family.  I love light reads in the summer - the kind you can pick up and put down.  You know, fun stuff.  Lynne made a suggestion to me that looked so good I pre-ordered it with the author's previous release.  I'm skipping around through both of them.  Really hilarious.  I may write to Rob and tell him I credit DD for my marriage, and meeting G.  If you are an 80s product, check these out. 

Talking about Girls about Duran Duran, by Rob Sheffield

Love is a Mix Tape, by Rob Sheffield

Was it last summer I read this one?  I think so...Lisa put me onto it.

Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan  Simon always delivers.

And a few years back, fell in love with this one.  I think Marylinn introduced me to Nick.  You saw About a Boy didn't you?  He wrote that.  *note to self* get more NH books.

Songbook by Nick Hornby (should have come with a music cd!)

What fun stuff are YOU reading?

was there an earthquake?

Well yes, in D.C. this morning.  But one might think it rippled up to New Jersey.  You should see this place.  I have taken on the gigantic task of rearranging my studio.  Like moving entire sections of stuff across the room.  Like moving shelves and tables.  I hope to make the space more efficient and declutter by at least 50%.  Ugh.  I am determined to be ruthless and just get rid of stuff that gets in my way.  I am so lucky to have this wonderful space attached to our home but I can hardly find a clear space to work and shamefully end up on the dining table to work.  It's pitiful.  NO MORE.

I promised to show you my roses....here are two of the four gardens:

I've been meaning to show you this lovely scarf I gifted myself with last month.  It is simply smashing.  You can see more of Maria's work on etsy:  SingingScarves.  (She is from Estonia, where HIM played last night.  I wonder if she went?!)

My email hasn't been working....can't even log into the site to retrieve it.  No matter....it can wait.  But if you are expecting to hear back from me you can assume I haven't read anything in two days.  I am not going to get distracted from this project.  It is at least a 5-day affair.....I'm just into day two and you should see the bags of trash and compacted cardboard.  Feels good. 

Have a good weekend.  And Happy Birthday Graham!!

ruby tuesday: crusading

I've been organizing my studio and compiled a huge stash of tissue paper, new and previously-loved.  I learned that tissue can be difficult to rip into strips so I used a water filled paint brush to stroke a line that assisted the ripping.  I adhered with an acrylic varnish which is an easy way to attach tissue (cover over and under).  I didn't realize until it was too late that I was using a gloss vs. matte.  Hated the glare so I began smooshing gesso over most of the pages, leaving a portion where you could see the patterns, and how they peek through the layers.  Below is the initial layout.  For GPP Street Team Crusade No. 42.

Since this is a new journal I decided to go for another spread.  In the previous crusade we made grids...super easy way to complete a page.  I cut from the same tissues, plus took evidence samplers of my ribbons and strings.  

 

I love having one day a week set aside to work on pages.  I began the RubyTuesday project back in November as a way to maintain my commitment (and sanity) to creating Art For Me because the holidays were around the corner and my typical routine had been to shuffle away my own stuff.  We do that don't we?  Because we are busy we tend to use that as an excuse to unplug from our art.  Finding time is different than making time.  Getting your hands dirty, even just one morning a week, will keep you on the path of growth.  Pick a day...pick a color too if that makes it an easier self-imposed assignment, and make time to journal.  I'm already onto book two.  HCIT?

and the winner is.....

Yay for Brian!  How cool that the only dude who entered was the winner!  (I initially drew the name of my sweet friend Nancy Brill but she claimed to already have the book so I re-drew and got Brian).  I really appreciate the enthusasim you all shared for reaching this milestone.  You made it a fun event, thank you.

Brian, I have your address and will send your book this week.  You gotta visit his site - fabulous journal pages!!

We are revving along on the new crusade - many entries posted already.  Come see what we are up to this month HERE.

I love all the sweet notes about Shannon.  I love looking at the photos and it was really special to share them with you on Saturday.  I love that you linked arms with me in a circle of sisterhood to say She Mattered.  Thank you.

happy memories

The tears are still very near the surface at the thought of being without my sister.  But I can manage smiling, and even laughing at happy memories.  Today, on the second anniversary of Shannon's death, I am claiming, once again, that She Mattered.  I share with you just some of the photos we took together on the dock at our family lake home.  These make me giggle.  Hope you'll share a grin with me.  I will add them to my Sister Journal this weekend. 

 

You should see my roses.  Glorious.  Just what I need.  I'll snap a photo later today.

Thank you for all the beautiful comments about the 500th.  I'm extremely touched.  Still time to enter the drawing in the post below - ends Sunday evening. 

*blows kisses* 

five hundred posts....how about a giveaway?

 
  

 
 
Five hundred posts, nearly five hundred thousand page views, and not quite five years since I started this blog.  It took me a while to hit my stride (I look back at the teeny pictures I used to post *smacks head*) but I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun doing this if it wasn't for you, my readers.  I am so grateful that of all the places to visit online, you found me.  I cannot count the number of friends and connections made because of this address ~ I treasure that.  Thank you for coming here.  Thank you for leaving your comments that encourage me to continue. 

 

Leave another, and you will be entered for the drawing to win a copy of my friend Lynne Perrella's Art Making and Studio Spaces book.  In it you will find peeks into many wonderful artist's studios, and on pages 32-35 you'll see photos of my outdoor spray studio!  Edit: Drawing will be Sunday evening, July 11th.

 

ruby tuesday: re*ward

 
   

On the pages:  some of the words that came to mind as I was pondering the new collection.  I feel so re*jazzed about stamping, knowing these new tools are on the way soon.  I was wrapping up a different series when this one channeled in and wanted to be made.   I've resumed normal breathing and will head back toward the previous path, aiming for September.  I'm leaning toward calling it GothWard if that gives you any clues :)

The rest of the backstory:

 

cheers!

It's the perfect summer day here.  Hope you are enjoying yours.

ta-da!

(new home page, new rubber loaded.  click through for details or visit greenpepperpress.com)

 

New rubber loaded to website, CHECK.    New rubber listed with paypal buttons, CHECK. 

New home page design for GPP, CHECK.   New rubber loaded to photo album on blog, CHECK.

To-Do list becomes Ta-Da list, CHECK.  New list created....background story part two coming up.