Bluehaven Studio

Shhh, Don't Tell - Diva Suprises

Very late last night, I finally finished my items for the Diva Retreat gift exchange.  I don't ever seem to be realistic in my calculation of how long it might take me to do things.  Everyone should be on the way to the retreat by now, so I think it is safe to post pictures without ruining the surprise factor.

For each of our Divas, I made a diva charm using Louise McClure's technique for making the scroll charm.  I'm hoping that my wire wrapping will improve as I do more of it, but I was pleased with how the charms turned out.

 I found paper and fabric that matched almost exactly.  I stamped the word Diva on each little scroll before inserting it.

 
 

The main body of the charm, the scroll part, is less than one inch long and the overall length with the dangles and wire work is about an inch and a half.

 

I think I had as much fun or more than I had making the charms  putting together the gift packages

I distressed some small bright white envelopes with coffee and decorated with rubber stamps. Then, I wrapped each charm in a piece of fabric before inserting in the bags.

I  hope everyone will enjoy the charms as much as I enjoyed making them.

Diva Retreat 2009

Our third Diva Retreat begins tomorrow (Friday) afternoon.  In January of 2006, Random Arts  sponsored a Passport Subscriptto Creativity retreat with Kristin Steiner.  There were ten of us. By the end of the weekend, Kristi was calling us Divas.

A year and a half ago, Sharon Kolbye, one of the original members of the first retreat invited us to participate in an art project exchange. The theme was trees.  Two additional people were invited to participate.  We each made a dozen small quilt squares based on our own interpretation of the theme.  We met in November of 2007 to exchange our squares.  The picture below was taken of the original ten when we got together for the exchange in November of 2008. .

The idea of doing another retreat came up when we got together for the exchange.  Bob and I are volunteer chaplains at the Snail's Pace  in Saluda, so we suggested meeting there. Bob was one of the two members added to the group when we did the quilt square project.  So, now we are the Divas and Bob.  Last February we had  a delightful creative weekend together.  And, tomorrow, we''ll gather there again.

This picture was taken of half the group on a hike to Pearson's Falls during our 2008 retreat. Bob was taking the picture and some of the group went shopping at Random Arts instead of hiking.

This year we are each to bring an item we purchased at a thrift shop and alter it to make a new creation during the weekend.  I will also be leading the group in journal writing exercises and discussion of Patti Digh's, Life is a Verb.

I'm looking forward to "show and tell.'  It will be great fun to see what people have been creating. There will be a gift exchange at the beginning of the retreat. Each of us has made 12 items to share.  I have been working hard in the studio most of yesterday and today finishing my gifts. I have a few details to add and then I will post a picture here. 

One of my goals for this retreat is to get someone to take a picture of all twelve of us!

Louise McClure's Charm Bracelet Class

Last Saturday I took Louise McClure's Charm Bracelet Class at Random Arts.  Below is a picture of the six-strand charm bracelet designed by Louise  All the supplies were provided, but it will take me a while longer to finish my bracelet. It is definitely a project that I want to complete.  When I do, I will post a picture.

We worked with beads, findings, a variety of wires, coin holders, button backs, special papers, rubber stamps, embossing powder, mica, UTEE, ball chain,ribbons and more.   My favorite of the charms we made on Saturday was the scroll charm:  It is done with beads, findings, paper and aquarium tubing.

I've taken classes with Louise several times before so I was not surprised at the generosity and organization in her teaching.

 

It was a fun day despite my arthritic hands.  THANKS LOUISE!

 

And, the winner is . . .

. . . ME!

Among the many fabulous teachers that come to Random Arts, one of my favorites is Katie Kendrick.   For the past two years, I have taken classes from Katie when she came to Random Arts

I was so excited when I got an e-mail last week from Katie Kendrick that I had won her blog give-away.  Katie's give-away was part of the 2009 One World, One Heart blog event.  Readers were invited to leave a comment and then a name was chosen randomly on Feb. 12.

This was Katie's description on  Joyously Becoming blog: 

        "A 7" x 7" box assemblage made from a variety of objects - the focal point is a handpainted hanging doll - she may
        look tame but trust me, she's a wild one. She had  kept me company in my studio for awhile, and now she is itching
         to hit the road and move in with you and become your wild one muse!"

In addition to being thrilled to have a piece of Katie's artwork, and adoring Katie's wild muse, it was quite a synchronicity. Katie could not have known that I had written a piece that I shared with my writing group in December about finding my muse.

I was even more excited when the carefully packaged box shipped from the opposite end of the United States arrived this week.  And, here she is in my studio:

The delightful box has many words written by Katie.   You can't miss the NO FEAR attached to the muse and I need that attitude in my art.

I did not know what the words on the top and sides were until I opened the package. They could not be more perfect.  Written on top of the box:  "all authentic creation begins in they mystery" and "stop trying and just let it flow"

On one side is written:  "every mark is sacred," "create from the heart," and "explore it, take a chance."  And, on the other side: "life is in the process," and "explore, experiment"

I am deeply touched by Katie's generosity and the synchronicity of winning this special gift.

Studio Clean Up Time

Side view of Bluehaven Studio above our garage.

One of my intentions for this new year was to stop using cleaning and organizing to procrastinate on creative projects.I actually enjoy the process of cleaning and putting things in order, but, too often in the past I have used those activities as a way of procrastinating.  I've made progress. I've done a number of projects in the studio already this year despite things being messy.

But, things were a a point that I could not stand it any longer.  So, I started cleaning today and made good progress.  It will take several day, but I am alternating cleaning time with playing with some new supplies before I get them organized.  I feel good about that.

Late today (well, actually yesterday now since it is past midnight), I got my brand new computer.  See my 2-18-09 post on Ordinary Days . . . Blog for a picture of Sophie, my new MAC laptop.  The first thing I'm going to do tomorrow is to take pictures of something EXCITING that came to the studio today and download those and also some pictures of Saturday's class with Martine House.

Sweet Tweet Collaborative Journal Project

I have spent most of the last two days playing in the studio creating my page for the Sweet Tweet Collaborative Journal Project sponsored by Random Arts in Saluda which is due tomorrow.  75 people participated in the last Random Arts collaborative journal project and the journal sold at auction for $500 to benefit the Saluda Senior Center.

For this project, each participant received a packet with a bird shape and a heart with instructions to make a 5 1/2 inch by 7 inch page. Participants could choose to do one side or both of a page.  All of the pages will be bound creatively. The last journal was fabulous!  This one will be auctioned on Ebay with proceeds going to an art charity for children.

 I decided to do both sides of my page. Below  you can see what I created with fabric, paper, paint and rubber stamps.  You can see more of the wonderful pages at Jane Powell/Random Notes.

For the front page, I made a collage of Moda Nest fabrics.  I painted the background and rubber stamps a bird border.  I reduced the bird image a little and cut it  out of the Moda Nest fabric. II used one of my favorite quotes from Emily Dickenson as my theme.

Front of my Sweet Tweet page

For the back of my page, I layered papers on top of painted background. I used a small bird and tree mask on the top layer and then rubber stamped several favorite images.  I used the the heart from the Sweet Tweet envelope and continued my theme of Hope.

Back of my Sweet Tweet page

 

Thanks Jane for another fun challenge.  Now if only the art fairies would come and clean up the chaos I created in the studio in the past two days, wouldn't that be perfect.

Nature's Notebook with Peter Loewer

Bob and I have belonged to The North Carolina Arboretum since we moved to Saluda.  When we got the flyer for the winter and spring adult education classes, we signed up for several different classes.

Tonight was the first session of the Nature's Notebook class.  The flyer for this class began:  "Examine the intricacies of a flower or capture the delicate essence of a fern frond with your powers of observation and learn how to really "see."   The flyer also stated that the course was appropriate for the beginning student as well as the accomplished artist.

Bob has taken a series of drawing classes at Isothermal Tech over the last six months.  It's not something I ever considered until he asked me if wanted to take this four-week Tuesday night class with him.

I have not only never taken a drawing class before.  I have never tried nor even aspired to draw.  We'll, actually I'm sure I did draw when I was a child; and, I did have to draw a face last year in a class with Katie Kendrick.   But, that is the extent of my drawing experience in the past six+ decades.  I almost had a panic attack in Katie's class when I realized I was going to have to draw a face for the project we were doing so I surprised myself when I told Bob that I would take the class with him.

I went tonight with the understanding that I might not go back after tonight if the class did not turn out to really be appropriate for a beginner.  I've signed up for other classes that said they were fine for beginners that were not telling the truth. 

There were three other people in the class besides Bob and myself, including one other woman who, like me, truly is a beginner.   Peter put me at ease from the beginning.   I consider that a small miracle.

I don't expect to become great at drawing, but I would love it if I can find the confidence to be able to make small nature sketches to accompany my journal pages. I am surprised and delighted that after the first class tonight, I believe I will be able to do this. 

My printer/scanner is not working, and the picture I took with my camera doesn't show up very well,  but here's the start of my first drawing with attempts at shading.