Back in the swing of things

detail from vintage post card

Hello, again! It's been a long time since I was able to  share with you. Following my successful class at Trezher's Gift Shop in Sacramento, I found myself feeling sick. Well, I went to bed with a fever before I could even unpack my car and have been fighting what we are now calling, "The Malaria" for 4 weeks! The good news is that no one else in my family has gotten sick, so we figure it's not airborne. Oh, and I've lost a solid 5 pounds, but other than that, it's been a trial! Today I'm feeling pretty darn good. I'll probably poop out and need a nap this afternoon, but I'll take that any day over what I've been through.

While laying there with plenty of time to think, artsy projects flooded my mind. Now that I'm better the question is prioritizing all this creative energy. I'm getting ready for my next classes at Trezher's starting on September 15th which will be a soldered glass pendant class. Then I'll be creating samples for the November 20th class where we'll make larger pieces to preserve pictures, collages, or postcards and the December 10th class when we'll make ornaments. I'm excited about the ornament class! Here are a couple of images I'll be using for my samples. 

I'm also painting new images for my pendant line, working on a new deck of Inspirational Cards, have a stained glass project I've been excited about creating, and a quilt idea is brewing in my mind. I'm so glad to be me today.

I hope you find your creative muse and giver her/him a kiss for me. :)

My friend Lisa's baby Zoie. So cute!!!

detail from a vintage Easter postacard

Darling Chloe in her halloween costume from 2010

My baby Rachel, when she was a baby. :)

Detail from vintage postcard

Life and other stuff

It sure has been a while since I had something fun to share here. My former husband of 20 years (Joe) was diagnosed with cancer in October and life has been pretty crazy ever since. I think we all must live with a belief that those who are close to us will continue to be there. If we focus on how much our friends and family mean to us, and how fragile we really are, I think we'd live in a state of fear. So, we go along confident that those we love will be there for a long time. Having Joe become suddenly and seriously ill, has been earth shaking for me and my whole family. I've been working hard at helping my children feel secure, and my business when I can. But, I openly admit, the kids come first. :)

As for art... I'm developing work in my imagination which I look forward to bringing into real life. When my mind drifts to scary thoughts when I'm going to sleep, I use my imagination to create beautiful pictures. It's fun, life affirming, and gives me ideas of images to create when I actually get to paint again. Following Thanksgiving, I'll be working on a new ornament for Christmas. A gallery that has invited me to do an art showing in April has asked me to participate in a Christmas ornament fund raiser and I'm ready for a new fun assignment. I'm planning to paint a special dove and then embellish printed copies to press between glass. Then I'll use the same method I use for the pendants to make an ornament. I can't wait to see them in real life! I'll post pictures when I get the first done.

Till then, Happy Thanksgiving!