Barbra Close Retreat Exchange

Barbra Close is coming to teach a workshop sponsored by Kaligrafos, actually it's a retreat - a little get away. Think of it as a mini conference. We actually stay at this really neat little place that is tucked away and you don't even feel like you are in suburbia. Anyway there is going to be an exchange and this is my piece. 5x7 canvas mixed media conglomerate: Acrylic, Dylusions ink, Sumi, matte medium for decoupage of images, fibers.....well, you get the idea. A whole bunch of stuff thrown at this little canvas.

Summer Time

Wow, the time has been ticking away faster than ever. The envelope exchange is done and a good time was had by all, least I think ;-)

This envelope below was the last one I did, and the person wasn't even on my exchange list. My better half suggested I send one to Grams that she would get a kick out of reading the mini bio I did that was included in each of my exchange envelopes. And, she was right. Grams loved it!

I went to my first ever calligraphy conference the end of June and it was OMG mind blowing. What an incredible time it was. Finally was able to meet the folks I've only ever gotten to read about or see photos of in Letter Arts Reviews or the like. Not to mention getting to meet some of the folks that was in the envelope exchange in neighboring guilds. What a hoot it was. And, seeing again some instructors that I've taken classes from when they came into Dallas (the best part was they actually remember me - not sure if that's good or bad....LOL).

From my first class with Carrie Imai (Playful Letters) came the piece below. The letter form of "earth" is Carrie's own called Carrioka (and I mixed in the variant with it). At show and share Sheila Waters came by out table and stopped and took a picture of my piece. She left and came back with Julian. It was incredible and Carrie was actually at the table with me when all this happened and told Sheila that was my piece. Needless to say I was feeling pretty good about it all. It's now been framed and is ready to hang!

Green is for March

Continuing to have have with the envelope exchange and it's in the final stretch as it will end in May when the last envelope is sent/received. So here is a look at my March envelopes. The first names were written with automatic pens loaded with that sea foam green Twinkling H2O (I forget the exact name). The last name was written out on "scrap paper" then the envelope was place on top (on a light box of course) then I traced it with Stickles. The address was pointed pen variation with a gold Twinkling H2O.

Now this is the envelope I sent off with my registration info for the Northwest Calligraphy conference. I really enjoyed doing this one for multiple reasons ;-)

I just received confirmation today that it made it to it's destination and now I have to wait until early April to find out exactly what classes I got. The waiting is the killer!

Cheers All

Happy February!

The month of Love! And of course chocolates and flowers and sparkly things for that special someone in your life. Well, I was inspired and completed my Feb envelopes and mailed them on the first and for all you RUSH fans out there that was 2-1-12 :)

And I also finished the cards for my Mother and Grandmother. You know you can't send only one ;-) It was more a "post card" as it didn't actually open, but I think they will like them......

Cheers!

January Envelope Exchange

Howdy again.....Well, let me step back and catch you up. Back in August I decided to organize an envelope exchange. It started in Oct and runs till May 2012. I didn't think it would take that much time to put together, ha! Anyway, there are 6 groups of exchangers. I think everyone is having a good time and that's all that counts. So, for the first time I've decided to show you what my January envelopes look like.

 Just learned the colored pencil technique from the Kaligrafos January Program.

 This one and the one below were done using the geo papers technique I posted about previously.

Hope you like the eye candy ;-)

Flash Back

Something unusual happened on Tuesday 10Jan as I was getting out of the suburban after arriving a bit early to work. I heard Canadian Geese honking in the distance and the sounds were getting closer. I can't remember ever hearing that sound since I've been in Texas. I immediately flashed back to my younger days growing up and being at my grandma's. The Canadian geese were always flying over her house, almost like she was in a flight path. They also liked the little lake (really just a tiny pond) that was just down the way, Tulivan pond. Wow, what a time lapse that was to think about. I had such great times as a kid and I would always look up and watch the geese as they flew over, and I did that same thing just standing there in the parking lot watching these geese fly by. I'm sure anyone who saw me surely thought, wow, has this guy never seen geese before? LOL. My travel back in time didn't last long, maybe a few minutes, but it was such a nice feeling and put a huge smile on my face as I walked into work to start the day. Funny the things you remember and how certain sounds or sites can seemingly take to back to another place in time. It's the best time travel there is!!!

Cheers All

Stamp/Paper Arts Convention

What a great time is was to see faces that we haven't seen since last July when Heirloom was last in Grapevine. I got to be the "driver" as we picked up a couple friends and headed out to the show. Riding with friends anywhere is always fun. Of course our first stop was to Stamp Land to see Darlene and the great Picasso (Bill). We gave them the flux boxes from our get together the past July (I was suppose to send it to them, but...well, yea I didn't do that). And to my surprise Bill gave me my first ever copy of Fluxzine that I submitted material too (couldn't wait to get home and go through it). It had 39 participants!

Of course I couldn't leave without getting more rubber. I picked some up at both Stamp Camp and Lost Coast Designs (2 of my favorite rubber places). And the day wouldn't have been complete without a visit to Marco's Paper!

Now that each of us had walked through the convention at least a half a dozen times we were all famished, so it was time to boogie out of there and off to our favorite haunt for lunch, Esparza's. Yummy Margarita swirls and Tex Mex, what could be better!

Now it's time to get the goodies from yesterday a new home and later this afternoon watch some playoff football.

Cheers all~