Karla's Bloggers Tea Party

Ask me about yesterday and I will tell you what an enjoyable afternoon it was! I attended the most lovely Bloggers Tea Party at Karla's house. She is just the sweetest woman and is so hospitable! The party was in honor of Becca who was traveling through with her son and planned a stop at Karla's along the way. It was wonderful to 'meet' them and other blogger friends: Beth, Shawn (and her daughter Bethany) and Carla.
The weather was perfect! Sitting around a table on the porch, we visited and drank cranberry tea and nibbled on yummy snacks.

We checked out Karla's unbelievable studio, the place where all the magic happens, and I could have spent hours there--her art and supplies and the decor were amazing!


We toured her home, too, and it's everything you would imagine it to be--warm and welcoming and lovely! Look how pretty the table was decorated:

And we even went home with party favors--isn't this a darling bottle?! Karla made one for everybody!

Yes, ask me about yesterday afternoon and I will tell you it was a real pleasure...THANK YOU, Karla! And Becca, Beth, Shawn and Carla!

Marilyn

Finding Fun

Sometimes you gotta create your own fun...sometimes it just jumps right in your path.
Recently, we visited second daughter. She lives a two hours drive from us, in a college town--the college she graduated from. I love shopping in college towns. There's always great stuff to see and buy. For instance, how about this find? I suppose it's nice to know what one is buying but I wonder if the manufacturer checked with the girls on their feelings about the label. Second daughter suggested they decorate cupcakes for first daughter's August birthday. She has a collection of Mark Roberts fairies who would probably welcome the girls with open arms!


Granted, I'm a paper-holic and really didn't need one more sheet of paper, much less two, but this gift wrap was irresistable--I really like the retro-ness(?)...



And look at this..."Our goal is to create saccharine sweet, slightly disturbing yet strangely compelling art and artifacts for the (post) modern world." hee-hee, guess it's good to have a goal. I do like people who don't take themselves too seriously!


Finally, last night, Rick and I picked a big bowl of strawberries from our backyard and, holy-moly, we found a mermaid and the big mouse, himself...Mickey! Strawberry Art! (Remember, I said sometimes you have to find your own fun!)


Hope you're having a fun day!

Marilyn

Birds and Bonnets Swap

What's not to love about an art swap?! Beth & Karla's Birds & Bonnets Swap was fun from the very beginning. All of the players were given images and backgrounds from The Vintage Workshop to use in creating four panels, front and back. All of the panels were sent to Beth...then she and Karla worked together and turned them into marvelous, one-of-a-kind screens. I received my screen on Saturday and I'm so pleased with the results! Four different artists and the panels look as if they were made to go together!

Isn't it incredible?! I want to thank Stephanie, Robin, Shawn and Elizabeth for their beautiful creations!


The players also sent tags with their panels that included their name and any other info they wanted to share. Even these gals' tags are amazing! The lone tag on the far left is one that Karla made for the swap. She created several tags and included one in randomly selected envelopes. How lucky am I! Thank you, Karla!


And as if all that wasn't enough, The Vintage Workshop gave each player another free Download Collection of their choice just for participating. Awesome!

BIG thanks to Beth and Karla for the time and effort they put into a GREAT swap!

Marilyn

The Pink Artist Drawing

Do you remember her? Of course you do! She's "Love Squared", the Pink Artist Doll that was created with two by two inch art squares lovingly made by 182 artists from all over the world. The project and the doll are devoted to raising awareness and donations for breast cancer research.


From August 1, 2008 through October 15, 2008 there is going to be a huge blog party. On behalf of the 182 Pink Artists everywhere, you are personally invited to join the festivities! During this time you will have an opportunity to make donations in any amount that will then be sent on to "Susan G. Komen for the Cure". PLUS for every $10 donation you make, your name will be entered twice into The Pink Artist Drawing for a chance to WIN the fabulous Pink Artist Doll!!! Go here for ALL of the details or click the "Think Pink" button at the top right side of my blog. Then get ready to party!!!

Marilyn

Another stroll around the yard...

You know, grace is a wonderful thing. I haven't been doing much of anything in our yard this spring. Maybe because the cold weather seemed to hang on for an extra couple of months. Maybe because I've been having a wonderful time indoors making art (I do open the doors and windows to let some of that fresh air in). But basically, my outdoor work so far has been clean-up and trimming. I haven't planted anything and, yet, look at the beauty that continues to happen anyway! Yes, I may have planted the bushes or vines or bulbs at one point, but for them to keep blooming year after year...it really is amazing, isn't it?







Marilyn

She's here...and she's BEAUTIFUL!

It was a long, white box that the mail carrier delivered--about the same size and shape of a box that flowers come delivered in (it's thanks to my sweetie that I know that). Same sweetie has been expecting a book in the mail and when he walked into the house with the long white box, he said (with that playful smile of his) "Look, my book came." "Uh-uh!" I squealed.

Upon opening it, we both oooh'd and aaah'd at her beauty and giggled with delight at her voluptuous shape--her creator Terisa, Running With Scissors referred to her as buoyant, heehee! I spent a lot of time examining every detail on this beautiful, 34-inch mermaid doll. I just love her!!! Oh, her name--it's Minnie--is taken from a song that Terisa talks about on her blog. I think it's perfect!
Terisa also included a box of embellishment-goodness for me to play with. How wonderful is that!

THANK YOU, Terisa, for making our Mermaid Swap so much fun! (Check out Terisa's blog for more GREAT photos of Minnie!)

Marilyn

Mixed Media Landscapes - Finis !

I finished my Day and Night canvases from the online Mixed Media Landscapes workshop and I'm pretty pleased with them. I wasn't sure I had it in me, but Karyn Gartel makes it so easy with her step-by-step instructions!



It's been a real show-and-tell kinda week for me, huh? I'll have one more for you when I receive my Mermaid Swap package from Terisa, Running With Scissors. I'm getting excited for Ms Mermaid to arrive. Poor little gal may be tired when she gets here, it's not an easy swim from California to Missouri. However, we'll be gone for a couple of days visiting second daughter--maybe that will give her time to rest up before her photo shoot.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Marilyn

Show and Tell, Mermaid Swap

I've heard from Terisa, Running With Scissors and she has received her Mermaid Swap package from me. So now it's okay for me to share pictures of what I sent without spoiling her surprise. I made this little art quilt for her and I'm pleased to report that she loves it. Fortunately, she loves color, textiles and fiber as much as I do!




In fact, Terisa has a post on her blog with some really great photos!

Marilyn

Show and Tell

Thought I'd give you a peek at what I've been up to the past couple of weeks.

Karla's Great-Aunt Caroline will celebrate her 100th birthday next month. When Karla goes to the party, she will be taking 100 birthday cards to give to Caroline. The cards are from readers of Karla's blog. Each card is created by the reader to honor the crafting that Caroline has done all these years. Here's the one I sent:

These are the panels I made for Karla & Beth's Birds & Bonnets Vintage Workshop Swap. In early June, I will receive panels from four different artists that Beth and Karla will have assembled into a one of a kind screen. An interesting part of the swap is that everyone was to use at least one image or background from The Vintage Workshop collections that were provided--a bonus in itself!





The canvases that I'm painting in my online Mixed Media Landscapes workshop are making progress. I finished painting my trees--here's a look at three of them.Last week's assignment was to paint houses on the hills. I'm almost finished with those and I'll be ready for our final assignment this week, where we add some finishing touches to our canvases.


I also finished my project for Bella-Enchanted's Mermaid Swap and sent 'er off Friday to my swap partner, Terisa (Running With Scissors). After Terisa receives her package, I'll post pictures. Now, Terisa posted sneak-peek photos of her creation for me on her blog and after seeing them, I am more excited than ever to get it! I have seen some of Terisa's other works and I am very confident that it will be gorgeous!!! She mailed my package on Friday also so I'll be sharing with you again, soon.


Marilyn