Welcome 2012

And here we are ..... 2011 is but a distant memory and 2012 brings the end of the world if you believe in a society that no longer exists. So, I guess we all need to stick to our new years resolutions as this is the last time we will have to act on them, or just throw them out the window and live everyday like it's your last. But wait, isn't that really how we should live our lives? Why wait till tomorrow to tell someone you love them or a friend you truly appreciate them or to thank someone for a random act of kindness. Or better yet commit a random act of kindness yourself, you'll feel better, I'm sure of it. And call up that friend you haven't spoken to in eons and say Hi. Make this the year in which you are alive both internally to yourself and for others. You'll be surprised at how it will make you feel and the difference you will make in other's lives with that phone call or a hand written note dropped in the mail or placed on the dresser for that someone special to find!

Hope everyone had a wonderful time with family over the Christmas and had time to catch up as well as relax. We had a great time here in TX even though most of our immediate family is out of state. We spent a lot of time on the phone with family though and skype is great for bringing those faraway right into our living room. Technology is good for some things ;-)  We did get to spend the day with my son (actually step Son, but I'm not counting that) and his girlfriend. And he surprised all of us when he proposed to her! She did say yes, so now we have a wedding in the future. The date hasn't been set but there are a few dates flying around. All and all it was one of the best christmas'. I'm not just saying that cause my beautiful bride surprised the heck out of me with something I've been talking about getting for over a year, a MacBook Pro. I just got it, well...the second one that is as I returned the first to get a couple more upgrades and it was because of what I wanted that it was considered a "custom order" that I actually had to order it on line and I just got it today! I've been PC all my life, now it's time to see what the other side has been talking about :)

2012 is going to be a big year.....I'll be attending my first calligraphy conference in June up in Portland. I'm so excited it's not even funny. I can't wait to get the class mailer and to register. I've already been looking online at who and what they will be teaching and it's going to be so difficult to choose just one week long class or two half week classes. There are so many instructors I want to learn from! There is a call for entries of books for display at conference and I've been working on something and need to kick it in gear and get it finished as I have to have the entry in by Jan 15th.

The envelope exchange is in full swing that I kicked off back in August. The first exchange was October with the last one being May this year.

On the short term horizon is a stamp convention coming up this weekend in Grapevine. I'm kind of sad as 2 of my favorite vendors are not listed, oh well, I'm still going and will have a great time! There is an awesome workshop coming up in March with Xandra Zamora teaching pointed pen explorations! I can't wait as over the holidays I've been playing with my pointed pen and having a blast. And this fall we have a retreat and the last one was a hoot. And the last thing I will leave you with is the call for entries for a jury show held by Park Cities Presbyterian Church (PCPC). My goal is to be good enough to be apart of the show, but in order for that to happen I have to complete my entry...LOL...which is due by Feb 14


I sincerely wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2012!
Cheers~

Fun and Relaxing Time

It's time to forget about the 9 to 5 (if only it were just 9 to 5) and has some fun. I've taken some time off and will be spending much of it with family, but I have a few days just to myself to do whatever it is I want. Taking time for yourself is extremely important for both mind and body. To immerse one's self in the things that make you feel good and also challenge yourself creatively and that is my plan! I've actually already started that today having read about a new background technique (I love doing backgrounds). If you like them too you have to check out Geo Papers by Jill Berry. I have the first half complete and my papers are drying. The plan is to paint them later today and post a picture or two.

I sent out my November envelopes this past week and plan to do my December ones this up coming week with some of my time off.

Collaberative Artist's Book

So, I'm headed out shortly to a friends house were a small group of us are getting together to compile our Artist's book project. There our seven of us and each of us will be contributing a single signature to each others book. There were no rules on what your signature should include other than it have a paste paper outer cover and 2 inner sheets. The pages must be flat, no dimensional elements, that's it. We will be adding a vellum sheet (design of our choice for our own book) to be inserted between each of the two inner sheets of each signature thus having a common element for our book.

I did nature printing and hand printing, literally painting my hand and pressing it onto the paper. I choose to use parent sheets for all this and then cut them down to the size for the book. I also did color washing and masking. On the color wash only pages I have the following quotes:

Faith
Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.

Lovers alone wear Sunlight. ee cummings

I will have pics of the finished book posted later .... stay tuned.

Catch-Up...Georgia Deaver Workshop and Mokume Gane Fun

Howdy all - Creativity has been flowing. This past weekend I spent with Georgia Deaver in a 2 day workshop on Design. The approach to the workshop was one like I've never experienced before, but then again I've never taken a design class either. The golden mean which is extremely analytical, but for me it was easy to understand having a background in engineering and made perfect sense to me. As this was Calligraphy based many pieces of calligraphic art was shown and discussed. So much detailed info was packed into the short 2 days it was information overload. Only 2 projects were individual and in fact even the individual projects were looked at by everyone and then discussed as a group. The group projects were fun because as artists the chance to work in groups is few and far between and the feedback that others have is vital. What a great weekend it was. Now I have a few pieces that were in mock up that needed to be transformed into finished pieces which is were the true fun begins!

Now the weekend prior I got into an organic/wired mood and took already create "stones" and turned them into bracelets and pendants. The "stones" are actually created from polymer clay using a technique called Mokume Gane. Just creating those stones is soooo much fun, but to have them in a complete piece is way too cool. In fact I donated a bracelet and pendant to be in a breast cancer charity auction this past weekend.

Creative Escape

It's been far too long since my last post. I could tell you it's been due to my day job, or life at home, or well....you get the picture. Everyone can always find a reason for not doing something they didn't want to do, but when it comes to something they enjoy it's simply the fact that the priority of that "thing" has fallen way, way down on the list of things they have to do. Well, I'm raising the priority of my creative time. Yes, it has taken a back seat and it's sat back there so long it's gotten buried under many other things being piled up on and around it to the degree its been lost. It's been kicking a screaming and only recently have I even heard it. Now, it's front and center again and fighting to stay there. And I need my creative escape as it is the time I can truly free my mind and soul of the day to day dust and grim.

This little blog is going to play a role in my creative rebirth too. We have to have goals to strive too otherwise nothing would ever be achieved. I will be adding an entry here at least once a week. It be a simple quote I found or a long winded entry like I'm working on here, but either way DragonFly Studio13 blog will be alive!

Cheers, and may you never lose your creative escape to the dog eat dog, rat race world. You only have one life; do what you want to do and make it a book that has many pages "dog eared" that others want to read!

1st BBQ Flux Sucess

10am - Well, it's over and I'm rolling out of bed and walked out to what I vaguely remember as something from my college days... empty glasses and plates sitting everywhere; kitchen sink is full and just general chaos in the "party zone" that was the kitchen, family room and breakfast area. I hear the clanging of pans and utensils now so the better half is starting the clean up process....better get out there to help :)

8:30pm - Clean up completed with the exception that the furniture has not been put back in it's place. And, no, it didn't take all day, but it has been a very lazy day.
No progress on the next library project of the next card I have to make, basically no creative progress today.

Heading off to do some research for a possible next project which would be juried showed in the Spring of 2012. Yes, it's early but the time will disappear before I know it so I have to take every minute I have. This will be the biggest project I have ever done if I go through with it.

Hope y'all had a great weekend!

BBQ Flux Preperations!

The Egg is almost to temp then the Butt goes on! I have the day off to prep for the First ever BBQ Flux event that being hosted by ....... yup, Me! Duster Lady and Picasso are already here and getting setup for the Grapevine Heirloom event. Brenda and I will be headed to cruise the show tomorrow then after the show everyone will be headed to our place! Had a blast in Jan even though I was a bit out of it having had a knee scope the day before.

Happy Friday All