The Addams Family

ANTICIPATION!

We can never know about the days to come

But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasing after some finer day.
Carly Simon

Can't wait for the oh-so-brilliant
Susan Tuttle's latest (with CD!)
& btw (I'm elated to tell you),
she let me contribute a piece -

Inspired at home Pasticcio 7 giveaway

When? Where? How? Sunday night,
November 1, as part of my dealio on
Inspired at Home over at blogtalkradio.
Be sure to listen in ---

Like Project Runway...

Yes, I'm seriously considering traveling to Mexico sometime next year to offer an art retreat at Vane Erosa's little shop - but in the meantime, I do really hope you will consider taking my December workshop closer to home, in beautiful, historic, scenic, delightful, Longmont, Colorado, at KC Willis' darling studio. Can I confide in you? I no longer offer classes at any of the large venues because honestly, I feel that the overwhelm of atmosphere, the often too large classes where only the least shy are likely to receive one's absolute attention, and the not infrequent dramas of so many (rightfully) excited people in one place are not necessarily conducive to a quality experience. That's not to say they aren't fantastic for many; just that I personally prefer the intimacy and attention I can offer to my students when I teach locally, or while on personal travels. Whether you love attending the large workshops or prefer a more intimate setting, whether you are outgoing or a bit of a wallflower, I can promise a weekend you will count among your most inspiring and with plenty of fun, too!

The details of my workshop at KC's are here, but let me stress that we will be covering all the techniques I EVER use, and my personal "elements of design" as each student creates an entire artist book over the course of the weekend. Think of it as a book artist's version of Project Runway...by Sunday afternoon, we will be having our own runway exhibition, and NO ONE WILL BE OUT!

Ask the Magic 8-ball: Is there a Mexican art retreat in my future?

My dear {albeit on-line} friend Vane Erosa has a cool little scrapbook shop down Mexico way, the Yucatan to be precise. Yesterday she asked me if I wanted to come and do a little retreat. I warned her I will probably never leave once I get there...in the meantime, I guess I can no longer procrastinate. Getting a passport is now officially {somewhere!} on the to-do list.

Want {the original} Free Art Party?

❖(Free Art Party seen here on its page in the Party Animals™ zine.)❖

October 15th - 19th 2009
If you place a bid on my piece and win it, you will also get a bonus! You will receive Free Art Party + the original collage image clip art sheet I created just for the Party Animal zine. You can then reproduce it as much as your little ♥ desires!
go to eBay now to bid!

22 original artworks based on the theme "Party Animals" by nationally known artists. 100% of the proceeds from this auction will go to Bernie Berlin's A Place To Bark animal rescue.

Jill Beninato – sitstaysmile.com
Bernie Berlin - aplacetobark.blogspot.com
Suzi Blu – suziblu.typepad.com
Rebecca Collins – artpaw.com
Wendy Crumbley – 2dogstudio.com
Ingrid Dijkers – ingriddijkers.com
Manon Doyle – hoochiepoochiestudios.com
Sarah Fishburn – sarahfishburn.com
Rice Freeman-Zachery – voodooandzen.com
Heather LaHaise – heatherlahaise.com
Melissa Langer – pugnotes.com
Maija Lepore – maigirlz.typepad.com
Anne Leuck Feldhaus – annesart.com
Tamandra Michaels – heartdogstudios.com
Kim Rae Nugent – kimraenugent.com
Linda O’Neill – abbycreekstudios.com
Nancy Schutt – www.gooddogart.com
Jill Marie Shulse – jillmarieshulse.blogspot.com
Kelly Snelling – soulhumming.typepad.com
Carla Sonheim – carlasonheim.com
Kathy Weller – wellerwishes.com

Party Animals was Jill Beninato's second project hosted to support A Place To Bark. She invited 20 artists to join her, each to create an original piece of artwork based on the theme, using any medium.The zine features everyone’s work, along with several fun additions and info about A Place To Bark. The zine is full color, 43 pages printed professionally at lulu.com. Your purchase of Party Animals is tax deductible and 100% of the proceeds go directly to helping the animals at A Place To Bark. So not only do you get a totally cool zine full of absolutely ALL of the Party Animal art, you will have helped a fabulous cause...Order your copy today (and be sure to get a few extras to give as gifts to all the other pet lovers you know...I did!).

To purchase a copy of the Party Animals™ zine go here.

Food for thought: Let us have blogs, and blackberries too

WILSON QUARTERLY Autumn 2009
Page 82
EXCERPT:

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

Let me paint today's English-speaking world by the lights of the current Oxford Junior Dictionary (OJD)....
It is a world without violets. Spring comes unannounced by catkins and proceeds without benefit of crocuses, cowslips, or tulips. Summer brings no lavender, melons, or nectarines, and autumn is absent of acorns, almonds, and hazelnuts. Winter must be endured without the holly and the ivy, the wren, or the mistletoe....
On the other hand, in the OJD-world you'll have no trouble locating blogs or chatrooms. Celebrities are there, spending euros. You can check your voicemail on your broadband MP3 player and send attachments with bullet points, all while bungee jumping if you so desire, without fear of blackberries below - not that kind, anyway.

---ROBERT MICHAEL PYLE, a lepidopterist and author, most recently, of Sky Time in Gray's River: Living for Keeps in a Forgotten Place (2007), in Orion (July-Aug. 2009)

"Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth." Gandhi

"School children dressed as Mahatma Gandhi take part in a cultural programme on the eve of Gandhi's 140th birth anniversary, in the central Indian city of Bhopal October 1, 2009. REUTERS/Raj Patidar (INDIA ANNIVERSARY SOCIETY)"

Invitation Bonton

Nathalie has a new book out! You can get it from Amazon.fr.

Wayward Stargazer, Modern Dancer...

Susi Trenery's blox, for the IN THIS HOUSE AND GARDEN yahoo group
"Around the Block" round robin as decorated by, you guessed it, me.

It's the little things

Tamara Gayer

Do you all know Tamara Gayer?
I'm crazy about this ---
want some for myself ---

October Free For (F)all

Well, free for many! Buy any piece of jewelry in the Designs & Ragtags shop and you'll get a totally free (and totally pretty) pocket mirror in a velvet pouch. Buy a digital download collage sheet and get a second one free free free. The holidays are coming...heck, Succoth is already HERE!

Dans ma maison il y a de la magie

Dans ma maison il y a de la magie
Originally uploaded by Anne, Bulles dorées

I really like Anne Le Toux Menjou-Marcat's piece - here's what she had to say about it:
"This week, in my house there is something magic!! It had been a long time since I had made one, and I am very satisfied to have made the challenge this week!! That does good to put back(to hand) fingers in the paint (literally!!)!!"

A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER

GRAND PRIZE (for blogging AND signing up) SF HANDMADE BOOK
(similar to above)

SECOND PRIZES: SET of 3 ARTIST BLOX (similar to above) and
a gorgeous STERLING SILVER RING (siimilar to above)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As many of you already know, I'm scheduled to teach an amazing, intensive weekend workshop at KC Willis' Studio Retreat in beautiful Longmont, Colorado on December 5th & 6th. That's just two months away! I have been working on an amazing GUIDEBOOK for the journey for everyone who signs up - you will EACH be receiving a handmade book - Yes! An entire handmade book with places to take your own notes, and my instructions, directions, musings, and more. An invaluable resource and it will look beautiful on your coffeetables, I promise! Additionally I will be supplying most of what you will need to create 1 or more ENTIRE books over the weekend. If you've ever taken a class from me, you know how fun they are, and this one will be (and cover) SO MUCH MORE!

PLEASE help me to spread the word...this is all you need to do:

On your blog and facebook pages, please tell everyone about the workshop: Ragtags Studio Central: Artist Books and the Elements of Design. It will be held in KC'S studio December 5th and 6th, 2009. Tweet it, too. In your blog post, link to her visiting artist page here: http://studioretreats.ning.com/page/visiting-artists-classes

Once you've posted, come back here and leave me a comment, with a link back to your blog. Your name could be drawn to win one of several prizes - if you have signed up for the class and blogged it, you could win one of my original handmade books. Two second prizes will be a offered - a set of three of my altered artist blox - very cool for mantelpiece or bookshelf...AND one of my sterling silver art rings. The pix you see here are samples of all three prizes...as Adam Sandler would say, "Not too shabby!"

Please pass the word along or better yet, sign up for the workshop yourself. Come back here and comment with a link to YOUR blog post and I will do the drawing on November 15th.

Thank you all so much for helping me out with this - XXO

And we're working on Pasticcio 8 ---

Love Seat, cont.

NOW PLAYING, over at the Gypsy Bonfire...Part 2 in the continuing story of the rose-colored velvet love seat...