ANOTHER PROJECT TAKING OFF!!!

I have hosted several round robin journals with a wonderful group of ladies. The way it has always worked is if someone does not want to participate in a new journal, we invite another person to come into the circle. Since we have not had anyone "drop out", we have let the group grow a little. In the past almost three years (I can't believe it's been almost THREE YEARS!!) we have done several projects:

Through the Eyes of an Artist was started in 2007 and after 15 months went home.

I Dream in Colors should be completely done in the next few months. Some of the ladies have already received theirs back!!! These journals are exquisite and were inspired by the wonderful Stampington special publication on a colors journal project done by wonderful and famous artists. Each artist chose her color palette and every artist who worked in the journal was limited to that color palette.

Journal of Dreams will also be completed soon. This was a simple journal where each artist completed one or two pages depicting a dream of that particular artist.

On November 10th we start a new project: ARTISTIC PORTFOLIOS. Each artist prepares a portfolio and sends it on in a round robin fashion. This first portfolios is on backgrounds. Each artist will prepare a background and write instructions on how to do the background on the back of the page. By the time this project is completed, each of us will have a portfolio full of wonderful backgrounds and instructions on how to do it!

This is my portfolio for the backgrounds project:




The second project will be journal pages in an 8x8 portfolio. Each artist will create a journal page where the owner of the portfolio can write and bind and use as a personal journal. That should be fun!
The idea behind this project is to create a library from which we can find inspiration. There will be other portfolios... tags... we will be creating a wonderful resource for our art.


In January we start ARTISTIC EVOLUTION. This will be probably the most exciting one so far! (At least until the next time!). The journals (which were all put together by Valerie who is just AMAZING), have light chipboard pages. The pages are cut so that the first page is narrow and the pages progressively get wider until they are the full size of the journal. The artist decorates her journal in any way she wants... and does the first page (the most narrow). The next artist to work on the journal has to do a page or pages that "evolve" from the previous page. In other words, if I create a first page with birds.... the next artist can "evolve" her art to include angels (from the bird wings).... you get the drift. It will be amazing.

This is the journal that Val has made for everyone:






This group of ladies came to my home this past year for a retreat (Keys 4 Art 2010) and will now be returning (plus some extras!) for Keys 4 Art 2011. I am blessed to know them and to be gifted with their wonderful art.

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

INGRID DIJKERS is teaching a two-day workshop at our March retreat!!! Woo HOO!!! I am so unbelievably thrilled! It was so exciting to see our retreat on the workshop schedule on her blog!!!





Every single one of her projects are amazing but we will be doing the Over The Edge which is just ... well... over the top!!!

As you guys know I am a huge TEESHA MOORE fan. Attending Teesha's PLAY retreat in Port Townsend Washington last year totally changed my life and my art. Zetti speaks to me like no other art form. And in Ingrid's work I find the same thing. That "aha" moment when you know you have found your niche.

Spending time with good friends, Julie's fabulous Glamour Girls and Ingrid's Over the Edge... well it just doesn't get any better than this.

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!!!

Received an email from INGRID DIJKERS that she would love to teach her workshop at our retreat!! I can not tell you how excited I am! I absolutely LOVE her journals.

Yep, this retreat is turning out to be an amazing amazing week for us my friends!!!! If you have not seen her work, please go take a look at her gallery and her blog. You will LOVE her!!!

I HAVE ALWAYS SAID IT

I have always said that God puts people in my life for a reason. I have been telling you guys about Julie Nutting and how excited I am that she will be joining us at our retreat in March. It turns out that Julie and I are soul mates! She too believes as do I that God leads us to people for a reason.

I am so thrilled with the last post on her blog that I wanted to share it with you guys! Please take your time on her blog and look at her amazing work. She has a book coming out in May (yes, I KNOW!! So far away!!) which she has told me will teach you how to do her beautiful girls step by step! Don't miss out on this amazing book.... Amazon is taking pre-orders!!!

A NEW DAY

I am so humbled by the amount of emails and prayers for my father in law. He is actually improving a little. He will never be who he was but it seems that maybe - just maybe - he is not quite ready to leave us yet. The doctors all say he is a medical miracle. He is more alert, TOTALLY cognizant and making small stride every day.

I have always loved and admired him and now I am totally awestruck by his strength and desire to live. God has brought him out of an abyss for some reason. Now we just wait and see what that reason is.

Thank you everyone.

BACK IN THE KEYS

My desk wasn't half as bad as I expected. My wonderful assistant, Barbara, is the lifeline of this office. I have no idea what I would do without her! Not only does she put up with me (and, no, I am not always easy!) but she actually "GETS" me!! How cool is that? My clients love her too - she plays guard dog for me and I truly credit that with having kept my sanity for this long.

Thank you so much for your emails and your concerns about my father in law. He still remains the same. Very weak, very fragile. He is not waking as much as he was before and I'm not certain he really recognizes anyone any more. I just can't tell. Poor Bernie stayed at the hospital... I don't blame him. When I went through my dad's illness and demise in December I didn't want to miss one single minute with him. But Bernie is not as strong as I am - I don't think men in general are as strong as women - and I know this is killing him. He lost his mom when he was only 13 so his dad has meant everything to him.

My kids - all 4 of them - have been so incredibly wonderful. They spend most of their time at the hospital - going there after work or school. They love Alberto very much but I know they are there for their father. It makes me proud to be their mom when I see that despite their shortcomings - which we all have - they are caring, loving men and women. These are the moments in life when you really know who everyone is.

Thanks again ladies, for your love and support.

Still In The Hospital

He looks weaker and more frail with every passing hour. The doctors are amazed he even survived this. Within all the sad parts of this drama, I personally believe the saddest is that he is fully aware of what is happening to him.

I have to go home to the Keys tomorrow. I can only imagine what my desk looks like. The Court would be understanding and give me continuances if I ask for it, but my clients need their issues resolved too. There is nothing I can change here and they need me.

We will see what God's plans are.


-Posted from Elena's iPad