Holy Toledo, it's ta da list time!!!!

Where did the month of April go? As usual, I have bitten off a bit more than I can chew these days, and I am looking at my calendar with feelings of both joyful anticipation and dread at the same time. Does this happen to everyone, or just me? I think I am going to have to get into the habit of actually penning onto my calendar some down time, and scheduling the act of doing nothing in the same way that I schedule everything else.

In spite of how daunting my calendar looks these days, I am really feeling exhilarated by life lately. I don't know exactly what has changed - me perhaps? Could that be? I just know that the more distance I put between me and my marriage, and life "before," the better I feel, about everything. I feel like I am becoming me, more and more. And truthfully, I had no idea how un-me I had become -- how much energy I invested in reacting to someone else, instead of living my own life.

So this is what's been keeping me busy this month...
I taught art journal class number three with Marilyn;
Designed a new logo for my friend Brenda's business..."Cleo's House of Crafts/Home Collection";
Experimented in monoprinting (and a flip video) using Elastack;
Made plans for a fabric-paper workshop with Marilyn coming in June;
Participated in an art exhibit called Art de Cure to benefit diabetes research (and sold two out of three pieces so far!!)
Enjoyed a wonderful art date with my friend Peggy to make heart paintings (super fun day!!);
Created a swap journal page for/with my friend Melanie;
Began a new web design with Melissa from Stampassion (it's coming, I swear!!);
and,
Hung artwork for a new exhibit that opens Friday at the Albany Art Room (called Alternate Substrates)...

These are two of several pieces that will be in the show.
Fly Home

18 x 24, mixed media assemblage on window screen



Letters Home
9 x 12, mixed media assemblage on mailbox door

Yikes, it's April 1 already...

And I did say I was going to get my act together and do my Ta Da list for March, so I am sure you're all holding your breath. So. exhale!

I co-taught the second in a three-part series of art journal classes with my friend Marilyn;
I took a class at the Troy Arts Center in carborundum printing;
I celebrated Marilyn's birthday, along with our friend Melanie, at The Pottery Place in Stuyvesant Plaza, where we made sterling silver jewelry pieces out of sterling silver clay (more on that in a future post);
I attended the opening of an art exhibit featuring work by my Art-Round-Town friends Marilyn and Carole Fults at the Jonesville Store;
I taught myself how to tie dye in preparation for teaching the birthday craft at Avery's sixth birthday later in April;
and I had dinner with my friend Debbie, and we brainstormed some ideas for greetings to go with her new line of illustrated postcards;

I also have a lot of half-finished canvasses and a lot of artful messes around my house right now. I am in a bit of a push to get some of them done for upcoming exhibits, and to get others done just because the sun is beginning to shine in upstate NY and as much as I love my art I also love my garden -- digging in the dirt, planting, and pruning; inhaling deeply the fresh fragrances of spring -- the grass & soil, lilacs & rainstorms. And just plain sitting out on my deck in the sunshine with a good book and a glass of wine.
Breathe.

Carborundum print #1, fyi.
A brief explanation Carborundum grit is a fine metal-like sand. Mixed with white gesso & spread onto a piece of matte board, you can "draw" into the surface. When dry, it is an extremely hard, strong and textural printing plate. Apply oil-based printing inks, lay the plate onto a heavy watercolor paper and run through a printing press. You can get several prints of different intensities before re-inking the plate.

My long-forgotten ta-da list

One of my faithful blog followers and long-distance artist-friends Sherry Ellison, reminded me recently that I used to write a monthly ta da list. Anyone who reads my blog knows by my own frequent admission that I am a compulsive list-maker (and checker-offer). Something about this practice makes me feel like I am getting things done, ironically more than the actual accomplishment does at times.

Unfortunately the things on my list(s) are of the mundane garden variety, from groceries, to house chores, to errands. But my ta da list is special. It's a list of the ways in which I have been creative or achieved a goal in any given month because, as I explained in previous posts, time flies by and I often feel like I've gotten everything done except the best stuff - like my art. But when I make my ta da list, I discover that it's my flawed thinking and not reality. In part, it's because I am always adding to my lists -- both creative and otherwise -- all of the things I want to do. So even though I am accomplishing a lot, my lists always seem to grow longer, and this tricks my mind into thinking I am spinning my wheels.

But I've decided that my long lists are actually the evidence of a creative mind (and a touch of OCD,) so I am planning to reinstate my ta da list at the end of every month again! Stay tuned for the end of March - the only thing going out like a lamb will be my wool sweaters, packed away for next winter!!

Ta da list for June (late) and other stuff...

Wow. The month of June came and went without my monthly list of creative pursuits. I did have a lot of other things on my mind, but I was still able to do a few things:

I read a book -- More than you know by Beth Gutcheon
I made a few rings & necklaces on the Vineyard, after shopping at Beadniks
and I taught 2 classes.

For me, summer is a time to switch creative gears a bit, so this list would have been shorter than usual even without the personal junk going on. I love to spend some of my creative energies in my garden, and also fill the well by reading, visiting antique stores, and roaming the countryside, both on foot and via car, taking photos and exploring. People often think of the city when they think of New York, but the landscape upstate is ripe with rolling hills, beautiful valleys, farms, and quaint towns that beg to be appreciated at this time of year. I am also spending a lot more time with family and friends this summer.

This weekend, I head outside Boston to visit my sister and niece, along with my mom and Max. We're helping my sister with a yard sale. In addition to the regular treasures you'd expect to find, we're making up "mystery bags" to give away with every purchase!! Oh, the suspense!!! My niece has also decided to sell my mom's husband, "Poppy Dick" for "fivey-eight dollars," which I think is a bargain for a guy who can cook.

I leave you this week with a picture of my sunflowers - planted by the birds who dropped them from their feeder in the early spring. They are better gardeners than I am! My own attempts never grew like these!!

I also want to say thank you to all of my blog readers for stopping by and for those who leave comments that make me feel so fortunate. I wish I could thank you all in person with a hug and a handmade gift of thanks, but in the meantime, I want you all to know how much I appreciate you. Okay, enough mushiness, have a great weekend everyone, and if you're in the Hopkington, Mass. area, there's a mystery bag with your name on it!!

My ta da list for May...

The month of May is always incredibly busy for me, and I'll bet for most everyone. The outdoors beckons, both for enjoyment and for maintenance, and yet indoor chores don't cease. Maybe it's because I am a Libra, but I am always striving to maintain a balance - between indoors and outdoors, work and play, solitary and social. This month, my ta da list reflects how I am trying to lead a balanced life...

I taught 5 art classes - 4 at Stampassion, and one at the senior center;
I began taking regular weekly yoga class --one of the best things I've done for my body in ages. It really works out the aches and pains that creep up on this 40-something bod;
I read three books: The member of the wedding by Carson Mccullers, Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs, and The curious incident of the dog in the night-time, by Mark Haddon;
I worked on plans for new summer classes - a class called stamp & collage on canvas, among them;
I planted herbs in my container garden - I love to watch my garden grow and to reap the benefits of its little harvest;
I participated in an ATC swap, themed "all keyed up;"
and I set aside two whole days for plain old artistic experimentation - so far, I used those days for painting, but I have lots of plans to fill these days

I have discovered, with the help of my creative coach, that I am very good at achieving artistic goals when they are obligations -- like class plans, which have hard and fast deadlines, but I am not so good at making time to just play. This is something I've struggled with for a long time, so I am trying to show up for one day a week, just for experimenting. The results be that I discover a new technique or idea for a class, but right now the goal is just to play, with no specific result in mind. For someone who likes a well-trimmed lawn, and a tidy house, and all the laundry folded, and all the chores checked off of her list, this is really not easy -- because the chores are never all finished.

That's where maintaining a balance is sooo important to me.
Work AND play.
All of life is duality.

My April ta da list

It's time for my ta da list again. To anyone new to my blog, this list serves as a record and reminder for me of the ways in which I am following my creative path. Life goes by so quickly that I often feel as though I haven't accomplished as much artistically in any given month or year, as I would like to, and this list reminds me that I probably have done more than I give myself credit for. I recommend it to anyone who keeps a blog or any type of journal. It's also a chronicle of my artistic whims and the ways in which my art and interests evolve over time, which is a helpful tool in my quest for self-awareness.

Last month, I...
...purchased a year at a glance calendar & organized my events: personal/teaching/art projects/deadlines.
...wrapped up the biggest of my freelance jobs for awhile!! I've got a few more to finish, and more on the horizon, but that's for future lists!
...taught 4 classes at Stampassion, in Latham, NY
...had artist dates with my friend Debbie and my friend Lori, sharing ideas and experimenting with painting techniques.
...participated in a monthly ATC swap and also a collage swap, which was great fun!
...created a series digital illustrations on my blog, based on sketches I created years ago. This was a good/fun exercise to get my feet wet in photoshop elements, which I am preparing to teach
...took all of the photos for the altered chess set challenge -- yes participants -- I will be emailing you soon to take a peak as I write the article for submission!!
...met with Sheri, my creative coach...she always uncovers something beneath the surface that I was not conscious of, and yet once I see it, I knew it was there all along...

This time, it had to do with my need to make art that is just about play and experimentation, with no ultimate goal in mind. If I have artistic commitments -- class plans, articles to write, freelance deadlines (and by the way, I always have them), I don't allow myself to "play" until all the commitments are checked off my list. What happens, obviously, is that I never get to just play -- in truth, I never allow myself too. I keep hearing in that noisy head of mine..."you really need to plan that class today, then you can just paint." But the then rarely comes, because I always have obligations... we all do... but as artists, we need that creative play time.

Last year around this time, I told Sheri of my plan to use my summer Fridays off as art dates for myself... but as you might guess from this blog post, I made very little, if any, art on those days... and if I did make art, it was always art for a deadline or specific purpose. So Sheri has suggested that I try again. Only this time, I'm marking the days on my at a glance calendar, and I am calling them simply "creative play." I am free to do anything I want -- what a concept!!! --- but NOT class plans or freelance work. Just play. It should be wonderful, but I think it will be hard for me at first just to give myself permission.. for a real. day. off. just. for. me.!!!

By the way, this decision get serious about my creative play was prompted by this quote I read recently...

I think the hardest thing is that everyone wants to be good, to master everything in a weekend workshop. Painting is a lifelong process, and instead of worrying about making the perfect painting, you need to paint a lot." -- Patti Brady, Director Golden Working Artists Program

So go paint alot.
Or write, or draw or sew or collage.
a lot.

My March ta da list...

Is it just me or are the months flying by at the speed of light? And yet, winter still hasn't quite left us here in the Northeast, even though it is clearly notated on my calendar that spring arrived fifteen days ago!!!!!!!! I hate pulling on a hat and scarf and mittens in April. Waaaah. But enough whining. In spite of my obvious blog-neglect, I was very productive in March...

I met with my creative coach, Sheri, to help clarify my goals for 2008, and I also finished writing a brief contribution for her upcoming book!! (I will definitely tell more when it's published);
I sent a brief list of questions to my altered chess set participants to be the basis of an article that I have to get busy writing this month (thank you all for getting back to me so quickly);
I read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (a great little read about breaking through all the resistance we put in front of making our art, whatever that art may be -- even reading books about making art);
I created & taught a class at Stampassion called Polymer Clay Kitchen - we made faux recipes for jade, bone & lapis lazuli. and then turned the clay mixtures into jewelry pieces. I don't work consistently in clay, but when I plan a class like this, I am always reminded of how tactile and satisfying it is;
I taught another session of Spotlight on Art Journals at Stampassion (I love, love, love this class -- it is unbelievably satisfying to introduce students to the concept of an art journal and watch them relax and create spontaneously);
I planned and taught a class at the Watervliet Seniors center (we made cards for Easter & St. Patrick's day);
I continued to work on several freelance design jobs with a friend who is a spectacular local event planner -- Lori Stachnik Events -- contact me if you need an event planner in upstate NY. She is amazing!!!
I signed up for my first yoga class(es) and I absolutely LOVE it -- another recommendation if you're in the Troy, NY area -- she does great classes. Here's her website (I also added a link a the right);

And, I created a new class for Stampassion, called Home Sweet Inchies, inspired by artist Patti Gramza, who posted similar ones on her blog a few months ago. I love working in small formats, and I have always loved the house shape as an icon, so this was a very satisfying class to plan. I will teach the first of three classes next weekend! Here are some samples at the top of this post. I will also be creating a collage sheet for this class, and I will be offering it as a giveaway to a few lucky blog readers, so come back soon. I'll be posting the sheet early next week, along with details on what you need to do to win one!!

My February Ta Da list

How can time fly so fast, yet winter drag on so endlessly? This year seems already to be flying by, and I am starting to feel just a hint of the panic that always follows my grandiose plans for the year, when I realize that I could do it all, if I didn't have a house, and a dog, and a full-time job and all of the blessings and curses that go along with them. I did not spend nearly as much time in my studio as I had hoped to this month, but I did teach a class, and I am in the midst of planning several others -- right now I feel like a juggler who has all these balls in the air, and I am about to throw a few more into the mix, because it's just not quite difficult enough yet!!!

So these are the creative endeavors I tackled this month (I question my choice of words sometimes - it felt like tackle this month, rather than enjoy):

I read a bunch of children's books, as preliminary research for my children's book (which I now know already is going to take longer than the rest of 2008)...Among the books I read (and enjoyed thoroughly) were:
Lefty and Righty - A Tale of Two Feet
Backbeard and the Birthday Suit
Backbeard: Pirate for Hire
Bean Thirteen
The Truth about Cousin Earnie's Head
Four of the five are by local children's book writer and illustrator, Matt McElligott. He's a friend of a friend, and I hope to meet him this spring for some direction on my plans for a book of my own.

I continued to do freelance design work (and hand assembly) with my event planner friend.- I designed and assembled 200 place cards and 200 bags w/ handcut butterflies for favors. This is one of my juggling projects. I have many items in various stages of completion for this event. I do little bits each evening when sitting in front of the tv is all I have left;

I taught my first seniors class for 2008, and I am currently planning another one for next week;

I met with my creative coach twice - this is always so helpful to me. By talking out loud with someone skilled in listening and so supportive, as well as having "homework" to produce within a time frame, I am always able to clarify what I want most -- when I can't have it all at the same time.

I finally charged my iPod (a Christmas gift!!) and bought some iTunes -- this may be on the fringe of "creativity" but in spite of my job as a graphic artist, my blog, and my side job as a digital illustrator, I am somewhat of a techno-phobe when faced with new media, so I am listing this accomplishment because it's sooo hard for me sometimes to embrace new things.

My January Ta Da List...

I am continually reminded that the creative flow is a fickle process. Sometimes I have so many ideas for blog topics and art in general that I have to stop what I'm doing to write them all down so the don't forget them....this month has been the opposite. I think that my list of resolutions posted last month left me a bit paralyzed. I was struck with a sudden feeling of regret for having declared so much so publicly...oh no, now I actually have to try to DO all of those things --- otherwise I'm not the only one who will know that I've failed.

The purpose of my "declarations" is not to set myself up for failure, but to motivate myself by making my ideas more concrete and real. I blog a lot about this because I believe it so strongly. So why, then, am I regretting my ambitious new year's resolutions? Because some these resolutions, I've already discovered, are actually a lot of hard work, and that always strikes fear in my heart. Do I really want to work that hard? Isn't my full-time job, and home ownership, and teaching classes, and writing articles enough? Why do I want to add more to that? Maybe I don't. But I think I do...and I know I will not be happy with myself if the next eleven months flies by and I have not at least taken steps in the direction of my ambitions -- there, I said it. I am ambitious. And then I feel guilty that my ambitions are not all more altruistic.

But then I teach an art class, or make something with my own two hands and some paper and paint, and I am reminded once again, that even if what I do is not heroic, it matters.

Art matters.
Creativity matters.
to me, and to those in my classes. I see it in their eyes, and the expressions on their faces as they engage in the creative process.

So, on the creative front this month, I...
taught three "inchies" classes at Stampassion, and they indeed energized me and reminded me why I make art;
I had an artist date with my friend Debbie, which is also always a powerful reminder of how sharing the creative process makes it even better;
I participated in a monthly ATC swap, which is always a fun way to share art;
I had my first session (of three) for 2008 with my creative coach, Sheri Gaynor, and my focus was mainly the children's book I want to write and illustrate this year (which is the main reason for all of my paralysis -- this is major hard work!!!!
...and I worked with my friend (and event planner) Lori on a number of freelance design projects. Lori and I always work so well together, that this too is another really great reminder of why I do what I do.


I will leave you with a picture of Sammy the squirrel, a daily visitor to my back porch. He began visiting when I hung a bird feeder (that my dad made), and originally, I was annoyed because I would find Sammy swinging with wild abandon from the feeder, while my hungry little birds chattered noisily in nearby shrubs. But I also figured he's probably hungry too, so now I leave extra seeds scattered around my deck, and he hasn't needed to cimb into the feeder since. And talk about an ambitious, goal-oriented creature. You have to admire that!

My last ta da list for 2007

Holy crap, it's January 2008.

Why do I attach so much expectation to the turning of the calendar from Dec. 31 to January 1? It's just another day, another "x" on the calendar, another 24 hours in a lifetime of thousands, but I always hope to feel differently -- to be filled with more hope and promise and energy than I had the day before. And in some ways I do. Even if it is just another day, the dawn of a new year is a strong reminder of the passage of time, and the importance of using it wisely.

And I feel better about hanging up a new calendar this year than I often do, because I declared out loud (and on my blog - in writing) my goals and intentions for 2007, and I achieved many of them. Among them were getting my work published, and as of this month, my work has appeared in six different magazines: Somerset Studio, Somerset Home, Somerset Life, Take Ten, Artful Blogging, and Crafts & Things.

I will be declaring my intentions out loud again this year, but today, I am going to start with my December Ta Da list, which is modest, as the holidays took just about all of my time an energy. Still, here is a list of the ways in which I spent my life creatively in December...

I prepared for the holidays by decorating, cooking, and making handmade cards for a very long list of friends and family;
I planned a new class to teach at Stampassion in January this month - called Intriguing Inchies;
I made handmade holiday ornaments for the "stamper chicks" (which I have yet to share with them, as our holiday gathering was postponed to mid-January due to and ice/snow storm)
I made gift baskets for friends;
and I made ATCs for a swap - the theme was Portals (very fun)!
...I also took almost a dozen books out of the library - not one of which I opened this month -- why did I think I'd have time to read?
And an article that I wrote back in Dec. 2007 was finally published in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Crafts & Things magazine. I write this announcement with mixed emotions, as I had submitted the article to The Rubber Stamper magazine, but the magazine was sold to the publisher of Crafts & Things while I waited for actual publication. While this magazine has made improvements to its content in recent months, I was a bit disappointed with the photography that accompanied my article, which was small and did not highlight my samples as well as I had hoped. Also, I have been teaching classes at Stampassion for many years, and the Rubber Stamper would have been a better venue in which to highlight this article and project. Still, it was goal achieved, and I was even paid for my efforts, so that was quite rewarding.
As I write this, some of my work is also in the newest issue of Somerset Life, but I have not received my copy yet, so I haven't actually seen it. I will post a picture and a big whooptie-doo when I get my copy.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, creatively inspired new year.

My November Ta Da List

Wow. November came and went and I completely forgot my Ta Da List. This month has been busy with just about everything but art. I've discovered over the past couple of months that I'm doing a lot of reading and less of other things. While reading fills my imagination and is wonderful creative entertainment, it is also-- for me-- a form of avoidance. It fills my head with other people's ideas so that I can avoid making decisions... an making art... and making decisions about my art. I've been avoiding my studio lately, because I am feeling a certain loss of direction, or more accurately, I am heading in too many directions, and I'm still not sure on what I'd like to focus. I want to be able to combine my painting and mixed media with digital collage, but haven't quite worked it out in my head yet. I also want to continue with some writing projects which incorporate my art.
That said, these are the things I did accomplish on the creative front this month, beginning with the books I read, of course!...
The Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble
Ada Blackjack... A story of survival in the Arctic by Jennifer Niven
Dry by Augusten Burroughs
Dave Barry is from Mars & Venus, by Dave Barry
Sula by Toni Morrison
I've discovered that I like to mix up heavy, emotional books with some light reading. I get very "into" the books I read, and they affect my moods, so Dave Barry was the perfect antidote to the rest of my picks.

When I wasn't reading, or raking leaves,
I initiated an altered art challenge, and I have lots of ideas for mine, but I have not yet done much, because I keep changing my mind!

I had an artist's date with my friend Debbie, but it had been so long since we've gotten together that we spent most of the day catching up and eating, with just a brief sojourn to her studio. We did get together again for a couple of hours later in the month, and I helped her to design and post a blog header, as well as to familiarize her with "new" blogger. (She is quite brilliant, and surpassed my technical expertise within minutes).

I designed a freelance brochure for my husband's company, which was a self-mailer with a CD pocket. I actually love taking on a few freelance jobs during the year because they're usually quite different from the materials I design in my "real" job; oh, and because I get paid too!

My October Ta Da list...

So here it is folks. The list you wait all month to read. This is where I've spent my creative energies this month. I do not include the endless mundanities (is that a word?) of life, like cleaning, yardwork, laundry etc., but I do include cooking, if it's my recipe and I enjoy it, as cooking can be a wonderful creative outlet.
Wow, I can't believe it's November already. Where in the world did this year go?? I really felt quite productive this month, although from the looks of this list, all I did was sit around and read. I actually have no idea how I managed to read this many books in one month. I usually only get through one or two. Of course, if you were to take a look at my yard, I think you'd find the answer to that question.

So, without further ado...
--I painted four acrylics on canvas - this was by far the most fun I've had just making art for me in a very long time. I really do love the process of painting. It is so meditative to apply brush and paint to a canvas and see what emerges.
--I made Halloween-themed ATCs for a monthly swap.
--I began a new writing journal.

--I read 6 books!! Reading is one way in which I fill the well and feed my imagination, so I always include it on my list:
- Through the Narrow Gate by Karen Armstrong
- The Spiral Staircase by Karen Armstrong
- I feel bad about my neck by Nora Ephron
- The Italian Girl by Iris Murdoch
- Within Arm's Reach by Ann Napolitano
- Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

My favorite book quote of the month, from Through the Narrow Gate:
"As soon as I stopped trying to exploit my literary skills to advance my career or enhance my reputation, I found that I was opening myself to the text, could lose myself in the beauty of the words and in the wisdom of the writer. It was a kind of ekstasis, an ecstasy that was not an exotic, tranced state of consciousness, but in the literal sense of the word, a going beyond the self."
..At its best, that is what making art means to me. If I manage to make some kind of success of myself with my art, it is secondary to the process of losing myself in the act of creating.

--I also re-designed my blog header (again).
--Created this digital house quilt.

That's about it for October. I am hoping that as the yard and garden work comes to an end for this year, I can redirect some of my energies to my art studio and nestle in for winter. I do not love the extreme cold, but I welcome the change of seasons for the way they make us shift our priorities.

My September ta da list...

Almost every month, as I write this list of creative accomplishments for myself, I am usually surprised at the length of the list when I get done -- proof that I need this monthly reminder that I am moving forward creatively -- even if the progress is slow at times. Well, this month the list was almost non-existent until Saturday, but fortunately I was able to dive back in over the weekend, ignoring dustbunnies and piles of unfolded laundry in pursuit of art...

So this month, I...
Read 1,000 days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi (true story, wonderful - colorful - visual);
Made ATCs for monthly swap (the theme was favorite foods - mine is takeout chinese, so I made miniature place settings complete with chopsticks - unfortunately they do not photograph well at all, so I am not featuring them here);
Worked with my event planner friend to design the program for a fundraising luncheon;
Refreshed my polymer clay skills to teach a fall class using polymer clay tiles to make bracelets;
Found some little polymer clay faces I made a year ago and turned them into a Christmas ornament project (I'll show them here closer to the holidays);
made a pot of tortellini and white bean soup w sausage (yum, I love soup-making when the weather gets cool)!!;
Started painting - Here is my first attempt at acrylics on canvas with no collage - just my primitive style and a rubber stamp to add texture - I've had a major urge to paint lately, so I am going to run with it. I am not at all happy with the results -- too messy, primitive, not enough facial shading -- but that's why I am bravely sharing it. I hope that each attempt shows improvement and that I can see progress at the end of the month;

and finally, this curious discovery...
Over labor day weeiekd I had finally moved into the larger, brighter spare bedroom that I've coveted for the past three years, but something was wrong. I could not pinpoint it, but the room felt "off" and it wasn't inviting me, in spite of the fact that I've wanted to be in this larger, light-filled space for such a long time. This weekend, I finally had time to actually sit down and create, and within the first hour, I figured it out. My art table was in a left-hand corner. This may sound ridiculous and trivial, but I am left-handed, and not at all dainty in my movements, and my movements were just too constricted (or my mind was) with my table in this placement. I need to have my left side 'open.' It's amazing that this has never occurred to me before, as I've been re-arranging my art spaces for years, but I think that by some coincidence, I always made sure that my table was open on the left until now. So a quick turn of the table onto an opposite wall, and I could move!!! Of course, now my back is to the door, which I think violates some basic feng shui principle, (right Sisser?) but I can counteract the bad chi with a mirror or something.

My August Ta Da List...

My greeting card designs - in Take Ten Magazine, Autumn 07
Well, it's that time of the month again - no, I don't have cramps, just my monthly "ta da" list. I have really been in a bit of a funk this month, for a variety of reasons, some of which really don't exist. I don't like myself when I get mopey and self-pitying, which only makes it worse. But I am trying to drag myself, kicking and screaming, out of my bad mood, and reminding myself of my creative accomplishments does help.

I gave my blog a face lift;
I made and mailed some handmade wire-wrapped rings to Cindy Dean for a jewelry swap;
I planned a class to teach wire-wrapped rings;
I designed a brochure for my father-in-law's new business - he makes pet coffins and cremation boxes, which are truly lovely - please inquire if you need a handmade resting place for a treasured pet;
I participated in Art Connection's monthly ATC swap - the theme was fairy tales, and since I am jaded and don't believe in them, I wrote my own satirical mini version of the frog prince;
I did a lot of sitting around and reading: Paint it Black by Janet Fitch; Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult; and The Pact by Jodi Picoult - here's a tip - don't read depressing books with lots of depressing characters when you're already in a funk!
Worked with my event planner friend to design a freelance invitation project;

And another of my art projects was published... in this issue of Take Ten magazine, which is one of my favorite's for inspiring and quick greeting card designs. In this issue, my work appears on pages 33-35 - I made a greeting card using dried berries, and they solicited me to make more cards with natural elements. One of my first loves is making simple, elegant greeting cards, and I loved working with nature on this project. Because I was asked to do this in February, when all of nature in Upstate New York was either frozen or buried in snow, I found natural elements in dried flower arrangements and potpourri at local stores.

This is the last of my published works until January, as the creative magazines plan their stories many months in advance of pubication.

My July Ta Da list...

For those of you who stop by regularly, you already know why I do this, but I can't stress enough how it has helped me and why everyone should keep some kind of record of their important achievements -- even small ones! Maybe it's just that I suffer from extremely poor short- and long-term memory, but as the months go by, I frequently feel like all I've gotten done was the mundane... the laundry, groceries, yardwork and housework, over and over again, and I feel as if I'm spinning my wheels artistically. The crazy part is that it's not true, but my mind minimizes my creative accomplishments -- which are so important to me -- and maximizes the drudgery and chores. I don't know why that is, and this list is helping me to strike a balance and to remind myself of all the goals that I actually achieve -- even little ones, as long as they fill a creative purpose in my life.

We are what we think - so think good, happy, creative, powerful thoughts!!!

So without further ado...

I was published in first edition of Artful Blogging magazine (p 20 -23)
I was published in Somerset Home, Volume II (p42)
I helped coordinate and promote a huge rubber stamp sale at Art Connection which was very successful!!
I devoted time in my art room to beeswax collage techniques - I have a half-finished piece that I will post very soon!!
I spent a wonderful half day with my friend Marilyn to teach her Photoshop techniques for her new website & other creative ventures!!
I participated in Art Connection's monthly ATC swap - this month's theme was Bastille Day
I read two books: Mercy by Jodi Piccoult, and Rescue, by Elizabeth Richards
Inspired by a wire-wrapped ring that my sister purchased on Martha's Vineyard, I taught myself some wire-wrapping techniques and made some rings -- pictured- they are much prettier in person, if I do say so myself - particularly the ones made with mother of pearl buttons
I also have a few other art & writing projects in the works, but I'm keeping them under wraps until they're finished!!!

...and in order to do all of these things, I let the house get quite messy, and my lawn really needs mowing, and that's okay!! (alright, it's driving me a little crazy, but it will all wait for me!!)

The June Ta Da list...

I am quite late in posting my June "ta da" list, as the beginning of July was vacation time not just for me but for my laptop. Thanks to all who sent cyber-sympathies. Fortunately most of my photos and important work was backed up, so all I lost was some blogging time.

I should be refreshed from having some decent time off work, but I made a horrible discovery with five days in a row off --- I have forgotten how to relax. I really used to be an expert at relaxation...before I became a homeowner... I LOVE down time, so I am going to get back into practice!!

So this is my list for June

Taught Home Sweet Soldered Home - A class to teach others how to solder jewelry pieces - I was much better as a teacher than student... most of my students really excelled at it in a short time and I am still struggling!!!

Taught Spotlight on Art Journals - this was a very fun class to get people started art journaling. I focused on some background techniques to break the blank page, as well as inspiration to help students find their own voice and use their journal as a vehicle for creative expression and abandon.

Read book: Rise & Shine by Anna Quindlen - I love her books.

Planned & taught seniors class for June - my last seniors class until fall. We did some greeting cards and also iris-folding techniques. I thought the seniors might not like the meticulous folding involved, but the results are so cool, they seemed very pleased.

Submitted greeting card set & article to Take 10 Magazine - This was just an unsolicited project that I decided to submit because I think it's a good fit for their magazine. We'll see!

Wrote article for next issue of Somerset Life - This article was solicited by the editor for a project I submitted. I am hopeful it's just what they wanted and I'll see it in January 2008. (wow, that sounds so far away!!)

Planned new class for Art Connection called: Charm School - We'll be making 2 each of 4 different charms/pendants...two with mica fragments, two with fabric, two with a small glass bottle and two with mat board and beads. I had a great time planning this class - I should have posted a picture of the samples but I submitted them to the store before I took a photo. Art Connection is about a half hour away and not on my normal route, so I may not get to take a picture before the class on July 28.

Was paid for my first article!!! - This was very exciting for me, as I am finding ways to make my living doing what I love, which includes making art, teaching classes and writing about it as well!!!

...I will leave you with these DELICIOUS images I took at Beadniks, a store I visited recently on Martha's Vineyard. Have you ever seen anything so LUSCIOUS!!!

IS THERE ANYTHING MORE FUN AND FABULOUS THAN BEING AN ARTIST?? ... I CANNOT IMAGINE!!

My May Ta Da List

A humble ta-da list this month...

I begin each month with a reference to my first ta-da list for anyone who may be stumbling upon my blog for the first time..
http://kerriposson-artist.blogspot.com/2007/01/my-ta-da-list.html

This month, I am feeling a bit humbled and cautious about what I choose to reveal on my list. I did not make the kind of progress that I have been making steadily this year, and I am in a bit of a funk about a project that I announced on a previous list that might not work out as I had expected. This has taught me about the chance you take when you reveal yourself in a public forum. I won't say anymore about it now, because I don't have a definitive answer yet. I am also just in one of those moods, the kind where I am a sponge for the troubles of those around me and I realize I can't make the whole world happy. Not the best mental place to be in while writing this list, which is supposed to make me feel that I am not spinning my wheels as an artist.

These are the creative pursuits I accomplished this month...

read book - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (heartbreaking and beautiful)
read book - S is for Silence by Sue Grafton -- I've read every one of her alphabet mysteries.. if you remotely like this genre, it's like candy ... and I love her detective - Kinsey Millhone, who cuts her own hair and owns one black dress - a good entertaining read. I hope to own a first edition collection someday.
planned & taught class for the local senior center
participated in ATC swap (sea dreams theme)
submitted journal pages for possible publication in a book about art journals
helped my soap-making friend with packaging for an upcoming event
designed a fan & teabag sleeve for my sister, who's planning "fif-tea" birthday party for a friend
designed a wedding program/fan for my stepdaughter's upcoming wedding

The April Ta Da List...

What's a ta da list?

My list seems a bit short this month, in spite of the fact that I feel like it was an incredibly busy time and getting busier. As much as I love and welcome the nice spring weather, it brings with it a whole new set of outdoor chores to add to my indoor chores, so perhaps it's that shift into a new season that makes it seem so frantic. I did manage to accomplish some creative things, however, so here is the list...


Designed new business cards (pictured) (I order my personal color printing through this site - great prices, service and sales)
Produced a postcard from one of my digital collages made in March
Taught repeats of popular classes at Art Connection & Stampassion
Read book - White Ghost Girls by Alice Greenway
Removed the last remnants of winter from my garden & yard (this qualifies as a creative outlet for me, so it is listed -- when I am still weeding the garden in August, it will qualify as a chore, but in the early spring, there's nothing like digging in the dirt an watching things pop up!!
Planned and taught a new 3-hour workshop on art journaling at Stampassion - it was a great class. Students really took risks and dove fearlessly into the act of journaling.

And as some of you may know, I've mentioned a few times that I made some intentions this year to get some of my writing, artwork, and projects published. I've been hesitant to be too specific because the publication dates span from later this summer to spring of 2008, and until I see them in print, it seems a bit unreal, but I am very excited about the opportunities, so I am going public! When the publications are actually in print, I will post links to them as well. In order of projected publication dates, you can find my art and articles here:

July/August Somerset Studio - Will publish an article I wrote about my altered birdhouse book

August (projected) Somerset is creating a special edition magazine on "creative blogging" and I was asked to write an article and submit artwork featured in my blog.

Sept/Oct Rubber Stamper - My "Recipe for Creativity" article will be featured, as well as a technique I taught at art connection

Somerset Home II (August 07?)- My butterfly tealights will be included in the gallery section

Take Ten Magazine(Fall 07) - will feature 8 of my handmade greeting cards, using natural elements from the outdoors.

January, 2008 Somerset Life - an article about my collaged tile memo boards

April 2008 - Somerset Workshop III - I will be one of 4 artists who get to showcase and describe step-by-step an artistic process - in my case, digital collage. This is a biggie for me and will involve a LOT of work over this summer to meet their fall 07 deadline for submission of materials but I am thrilled for the opportunity!!


And I'll end this post with the fortune cookie I opened today:

Don't spend your time stringing and tuning your instrument. Start making music now!

So I'll stop cleaning my paint brushes and go make art!!