So many things to do.....so little time

Another two weeks has passed and I've been a busy little bee (well, ok, a busy big bee). I am still on a high from Kate Church's workshop that I attended in Dallas, and this past weekend I organized, and attended, a polymer workshop with polymer clay artist Barb Fajardo. We had tons of fun and I made some cool beads as you can see by the photo. (well, I am assuming you also think they are cool, but it's ok if you think they are hot!!)

I also decided to get started with my challenge to myself of more exercise so I've signed up for Nia, Salsa Aerobics and Zumba classes. So far I am loving them and it's nice to be moving again instead of just coming home after work to make art. Of course I'm still coming home to make art, but I know I need the exercise, so I dance around and think about art while I'm kicking up my heels!!

I am working on lots of art actually.....just mailed in my chunky book pages for a project with the Art Unravaled group. Working on a Valentine challenge with my local LIBROS Book Guild, writing a lesson plan for my journaling group about stencils, getting ready to make ATCs and Fatbook pages for Artfest in March, thinking about my Art House project, and I have organized an Artfest charm swap and the charms have started arriving!! Did I hear someone say "don't look now, but Annie is addicted to making art"? I guess of all the addictions out there, mine is at least good for me (except for those nights where I can't sleep because I've got an idea for another project!!)

Gotta go......I hear my paints calling me.

Magic with Kate Church

I just got back from a three day workshop in Dallas with Candian artist Kate Church. http://www.katechurch.com/ It was so AWESOME and MAGICAL and FANTASTIC. Kate is a wonderful teacher and the whole class made some fantastic pieces. I loved how mine came out. I just want to sit and make more little people.

Kate and I will be planning soon for a workshop is Albuquerque in 2013. No dates set yet, but I want to learn more from her. Don't miss a fabulous opportunity to work with a master!! More info coming later.

The end is near.........Welcome 2012

my witch from Arley Berryhill's class, Mom and I having a cocktail at Thanksgiving

and Ed and I having a sushi dinner at our favorite restaurant

My last post started with "oh my gosh I can't believe it has been two months since I've written" and here it is another two months gone. Where does the time go? Has anyone ever answered that question? I don't think so.

2011 seemed to have flown by and now it is time to take stock of where I've been and where I'm going. This past year brought so many wonderful things.....

another Artfest last April

polymer clay workshops I organized with Jana Roberts Benzon and Sarah Shriver

another season of training with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training (Ed and I raised $5,200 and went to San Francisco to do the Nike Half Marathon)

a few days in Phoenix with my fabulous friend Cynde at Art Unraveled

celebrating my mom's birthday in Albuquerque with my brother, his wife and my daughter, Jennie, and having Mom make the decision to move here

having my dad visit us and discovering a new restaurant in Santa Fe

my friend Pam and her son Kendall visited from North Dakota and we got some of our old Z-CoiL buddies together for a lovely dinner

being active in the Kokopelli Doll Group (and winning a blue ribbon at the State Fair with my first doll!)

being active in the LIBROS book arts group (and winning a blue and red ribbon for two of my hand made books)

starting a Visual Journaling group

making a super cool witch in a workshop with Arley Berryhill (photo attached)

going to Clay Carnival in Las Vegas (with Cynde of course)

making a bunch of new friends online (and I got to meet Carlanda Brown Williamson and Serena Barton in person)

and somehow I managed to work full time!!!

Ed and I had another wonderful year together - we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary, we grew lots of tomatoes and corn in our garden, we hosted a Stampin' Up party and Ed helped the ladies as we made lovely Christmas projects, we trained for the half marathon together and Ed also coached the Team in Training cycling team, we relaxed while watching our favorite TV shows (and I often had my art table set up in the living room so that I could feed my creative habits while catching up on Trueblood, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, The Closer, etc), we went to the Yoga Winter Solstice celebration, we held another Trivia Night fundraiser, we had a lovely Thanksgiving in Arkansas with my mom (whose house is on the market so she can move to Albuquerque!!), and a quiet Christmas with home made cookies.

2012 is already starting off with a bang.....going to Dallas in two weeks to do a workshop with Kate Church (http://www.katechurch.com/) and I'll be returning to Artfest at the end of March (sad that this will be the last one (http://www.teeshamoore.com/). We are hoping to go back to Australia to visit all our friends later in the year, but that may not happen unless they finally let us use our frequent flyer miles or we win the lottery!

I hope that 2012 brings everyone a wonderful year full of magic.....and I'll try (once again) to be better about posting in my blog.

Happy New Year!!

Annie

Early morning Sunday thoughts

First thought.....can it really be almost TWO MONTHS since I last wrote in my blog? Well, the evidence clearly shows that to be true. The best intentions have been falling by the wayside lately. As I get older I keep discovering more and more and more things I want to do and be involved in and I know I'll never have time to do them all. So how does one go about choosing? That is a topic that deserves much more additional thought. I'll let you know what I find!!

Second thought.....I found out last night that Artfest 2012 is going to be the last one. Teesha Moore is moving on to other adventures. I am signed up to go again in 2012 and it will be my fourth one. Fort Worden in Port Townsend is a magical place, with lots of magical friends and to think this will be the last one has made me very sad. Of all the workshop adventures I've ever participated in, Artfest is by far the most special, so I feel empty and sad that I am about to attend the last one. But maybe the fact that Teesha has made this decision will help me to go back to my first thought and make decisions that will be right for ME. Hmmm....keep that thought.

Third thought....in the meantime, I am headed out in a few days to Clay Carnival, a wonderful get together of polymer clay artists that I have attended for several years. It is four days of learning and sharing and laughing and is also magical (although I must say that the Imperial Palace hotel doesn't hold a candle to the magic of Fort Worden for many obvious reasons). Although I will miss my wonderful husband, it will be good to get away and do the thing I love the most......make art.

Since I've had a bad cold for a few days now, I don't think I have a fourth thought. Oh I'm sure it's in there somewhere, along with about a million other thoughts that are screaming "Pick me, Pick me, Pick me". But I am trying to quiet all the voices and decide what is best for me. I wonder how Teesha did it? I am sure by being brave. I guess I just need to learn a little bravery.

And I leave you with a photo of me in my Halloween costume. The intent was to be Dr. Frank-n-Furter from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but it was kinda depressing that only one person all day knew who I was supposed to be and that so many people said "oh yeah, I've heard of that movie". Proof that I am getting older and the time to make me decision is NOW!!

Learning to be fearless

My friend Cynde and I made a pact a couple of months ago to do something creative every day. Since then, rarely a day goes by that I don't get out my pencils, or scissors, or paints, or stamps, or stencils, or needles and threads, or a favorite art book and lose myself in the joy of creating.

I am trying my best not to be too critical of myself, and am attempting to be fearless. It is a difficult struggle. As an artist, we somehow see ourselves as less than we really are. I am attempting to NOT try to be perfect, but to just ENJOY the process of creating.

There is a website that I subscribe to - the Brave Girls Club - and every day they send out an inspiring message that I use to help me in my quest to be the artist I want to be. To not be scared. To try new things. To be confident. To be FEARLESS. It isn't easy, but I am taking baby steps in the right direction.

I used my fearlessness and submitted one of my original drawings (inspired by a class with Carla Sonheim) to the Brave Girls, and I just found out that I am the featured "birdie" artist of the day. I am thrilled. Tonight I have NO FEAR.

Check it out.........and subscribe to their website......you'll love the inspiring messages.
www.bravegirlsclub.com/dailytruths/sept1611.htm (I believe you have to be a member - it is free - to see the posting. )

Before and After

Before......................and..............................After

No. I didn't get a face lift. I look exactly the same (well, perhaps a few more wrinkles since I last posted). Are you KIDDING? It has been over two months? Yikes. Can I give the excuse that I've been REALLY busy? Because I have. It's the truth. The whole truth and nothing BUT the truth.

I'm not sure where the rest of June went, but in July, Ed and I organized and held our Trivia Night fundraiser benefitting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We are training to walk the Nike half marathon in San Francisco in October. So there was a ton of planning to do. It was a successful night and we raised just under $2000.......but we still have another $2000 to raise to reach our goal of $6000. (anyone out there want to donate??)

Then the following week, I hosted Sarah Shriver for a FABULOUS polymer clay workshop. I met new polymer friends from Miami and Colorado and we had so much fun learning new things to do with polymer. Ed and I treated the whole class to a clogging demo at lunchtime!!

The week after that, I took off with my friend Cynde to Phoenix, where we attended Art Unraveled and learned MORE new art techniques. Cynde is now officially my art partner and we pledge to make some art every day.

I took one look at my studio this weekend and thought.......how in the heck can I make art?.....I can't even SEE my table!!!! So I decided to share the before and after photos with you!!

Sorry.....gotta run.....time to make some art while the table is clean!!!

Full Tilt Boogie

Life keeps speeding along and sometimes I have great trouble just controlling the steering wheel! I am always overwhelmed with all the possibilities and choices that are out there. My newest acquisition is the "Full Tilt Boogie" class that I signed up for with Mary Ann Moss. WHAT??? You don't know Mary Ann Moss? Shame on you. She is awesome and her online classes are spectacular. I have been enjoying "Remains of the Day" for about a year now, and on June 17th, those of us who have signed up (and paid for) Full Tilt Boogie will get our first instructions and videos to watch. I can't wait. But I guess I'll have to!! We are going to be using a vintage photo album (see a previous post where I share photos of my super cool eBay purchase).
In the meantime, here is a photo of the sun as we saw it this week through the haze of smoke that has been coming from the Arizona fires. It is so sad that such a horrible disaster creates something so beautiful.