Magic Tag

I've been tagged by the magical Megs Bisbee-Durlam, a spectacular young woman & fabulous, spirited artist.

The six random facts meme

Here's the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself. (See below)
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. (See further below...) (I can only bring myself to tag 1)
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up. (I do not know what this means...)

Random Things:

1. My mother made a Jolly Green Giant costume for me when I was a child. This was likely my 1st experience with irony as I am- and was- quite short.

2. I love office supplies.

3. I am surprised & grateful every day that I am married to a very nice man.

4. My kitty is coming up on a solid 3 years of "pampering" per order of his veterinarian.

5. I have a desire to learn latin dance.

6. According to my life goal for 4 years throughout high school, I am now an International Diplomat.

I tag:
Julie Molina

and anyone else who would like to voluntarily be tagged.

Mirror, mirror...

**Attention! Spoiler Alert. If you are participating in Fall Museology & wish total surprise, peruse no further!**

What is Museology? I'm a newbie, so I'm not a definitive source. Our fearless coordinator, Diane Barmore, describes the theme as "Musings from your soul, enlightening tricks or techniques, quotes that ignite your creativity, imagery that really sends you - anything that tickles your Muse." How cool is that?! Apparently, it happens twice a year, so the next one will be in the spring. Check out the sweetness of past volumes: http://groups.msn.com/MuseologyInternationale. Thanks for the invite, Joannah!

So, I completed my front page this weekend. This is truly quite something as it is not due 'til the end of the month. I'm fairly tickled with it! I think I often struggle with connecting with my own authentic voice- thinking the answer lies somewhere outside of me. If I just take one more class... if I just get that book! This was different. I'll write more for the back of my page. All of this being said, I must give credit for the inspiration for this face to Suzi Blu & the dress solution to Mitsi. XO

Authentic Girl

Phew...

I can't believe it's already been a week since my last post... yet, so much going on, it seems like more than a week's worth of time.

Journal Page w/ face from Judy Wise's class

Monday: Birthday party at Dunkin' Donuts at 6 am. Dearest Carol from Austin wicked surprised me with two packages. In the 1st were cocktail napkins inspired by a napkin a classmate of Janis' at AU had with which I became minorly obsessed- Martini Queenies. She was unable to find the exact one, and indeed the owner of the napkin said she had been unable to find more. It was just so amazing to me that Carol even remembered and tried. Then I found another package, and you can guess where this is going, there were the Queenies themselves! I was cracking up & so touched at the same time.
Thursday: Peter & I went to see Cirque du Soleil in Boston. It was quite exciting & great to share with Peter. It seems our pursuits are quite independent of late, so sharing some magic was a very good thing, indeed.
Friday: My wonderful friend, Tamara, made me princess for a day in honor of my birthday.
Saturday: My friends, Heidi & Gena (who I call Heilidi & LuLu- they call me Tink), have wanted to start their very own visual journals & have been dutifully collecting stuff for months. So, I kinda did a class for 2 & it was so much fun! I'm going to collect some photos & post soon.

It's my birthday & I'll cry if I want to... but I don't

Okay, so how luck am I? I returned yesterday from a lovely visit with Joannah & her partner, Neil, in Cavendish, VT. This is the back view of her fab stone home. I arrived Friday afternoon & was treated to spectacular views, food, friendship, intelligent conversation, & lots of love from the goldens- not to mention a bookstore & a craft fair.


Neil was inside during this family photo. His absence from photo documentation in no way reflects the role he played in my wonderful visit. I so enjoyed connecting with him.


Now, I am headed off to a birthday brunch with my friends!

To Vermont, James...

Tomorrow I'm headed to Vermont to visit with my new friend, Joannah, an instructor from Art Unraveled. Joannah taught a fab journaling class, Writing on Air, and I'm so looking forward to connecting with her again. I love Joannah's website & I must admit to a smidge of envy in her professional life as she teaches journaling classes, facilitates Artist's Way groups, & welcomes others to her Open Studios.

The Crooked Tale

My experience at Squam inspired me to return to this process of journaling. I am reclaiming a journal I made in a class with Kelly Kilmer at Art Unraveled a few years ago. I love this book- but it's been having an identity crisis for a few years.
I don't have much in the way of completed projects to document my Squam experience. I concluded that a true honoring of the event & the inspiration of Judy Wise would be to follow-through and dive back into this process that I know holds meaning for me, take pictures along the way, and tell the book's story. So, here's my book: The Crooked Tale...

The Tragic Disappearance of Center

The project on the cover is from a class with Karyn Gartel (my rockin' roommate), also from a few years ago.

Mirror, mirror on the wall... There's the answer after all...

Journaling along...


and a treasure gifted to me by the lovely Carol from Austin 'cuz she didn't really care for the colors. It's even more luscious than this poor photo indicates...


And, meanwhile, Craftland is beginning to take shape. While my passion for journaling has been reignited, I've also had the opportunity to self-soothe with craft supply organization... Truly, I should've taken a picture earlier on in this process to accurately capture the drama.
So, back to work tomorrow, but all things being equal, I'll return soon with new installments to The Crooked Tale...

Squam Art Workshops

I'm in that dazed space following a rewarding art retreat... Squam was wonderful!

The location was gorgeous- truly phenomenal. The food was fabulous. Now, you're probably saying that a picture would be good here... and you'd be so right. I'm not a very good blogger... yet....
Check out Andrew's blog for he is a much better blogger & photographer than I shall ever be & he has beautifully & diligently documented his experience there.
I am so going back next year & hope you'll come, too!
I did not stay at the location as it was only an hour and 15 from my home. Next year I'll stay, though. It really shifts the experience when you have both feet out of the day-to-day world.
The first day I took a class with Misty Mawn & then I took both the following days with Judy Wise. Fab, fab, fab. I'll post some pics soon!