Wiley

OK...here is the picture I've been promising to post...one of the "Grand"puppies. This little feller is the love of Laura's life right now! Everytime I talk to her I have to listen to how adorable he is, how he cuddles with her and his antics, one of which cost her about $600 in emergency vet bills. This advice...chocolate is worse for dogs than you think, especially dark and bakers chocolate. A big brownie left where he could reach it meant a pretty scary night with IVs and charcoal. He's back to 100% and as precious as ever. He'd be even cuter if his potty training was going better!

Happy Halloween!

No goblins at my house tonight! We lived in military housing for so many years and would literally have hundreds of costume cuties come a knockin'...sure is different here! I got so excited when I heard our one and only knock at the door...grabbed the big bowl of treats and opened the door expecting to see little guys yelling "Trick-or-Treat," but instead it was the sweet college-aged daughter of our great friends bringing us a dish filled with homemade goodies! The cutest little sugar cookies that look like candy corns...adorable and tasty!

I guess we're in those in between years...our kids our young adults, making us empty nesters...with no Grandbabies yet. These days are challenging me...the little girl who only wanted to be a Mommy when she grew up now has to figure out who she is all over again and what her purpose is right now. But, that's OK...I'll figure it all out...for now I'm liking this freelance artist/author gig! And with no kids around we can run around the house in our undies all we want! Now there's a scary thought...Happy Halloween!

Evidence....

Let this stack of boxes waiting to be shipped be proof that I’m still kicking and busier than ever! This cardboard contains lots of projects to be published in an upcoming book so I can’t post individual pics on the internet. I’ll let you know more when I can.

‘Til 2am this morning I was working on batch of projects for another book and hopefully will be shipping those later today. That will allow me a minute or two to finish up some teasers and class samples for upcoming Eclectica classes, and finish getting things together for the “Simply Southern Scrapbook Convention" which Candice and I leave for on Wednesday morning. I know I'll see many of you there.

I want to give a public shout out to Eclectica for sponsoring us (RockCandy Designs™) for the convention, also, Clearsnap, Krylon and Tsukineko for contributing supplies. And, a great big thanks to Lisa Paine for machine embroidering our logo on aprons and bags.

Here are my upcoming workshops at “E”…check 'em out. I’m especially excited to share some of the new products, including the Crackle Medium, in the Mosaic Sampler Class. I’m also anxious to teach the Halloween Pennant Garland Class, with all the especially fun seasonal goodies that Making Memories came out with this year. I'm sure you've noticed that Pennants are all the rage right now in holiday decor. Of course, I'm teaching a book arts class...with this one we'll get back to some stitched bindings.

Mosaic Sampler Canvas Workshop
Saturday, October 13 at 2:00 PM -- $26 Instructor: Roxi
New products have been streaming in the door since our trip to CHA! This is your chance to test the newest products and hottest tools while creating a stunning decor canvas to embellish your home! You’ll bring one favorite close-up photo 5” x 7” (black and white if possible) and we’ll surround it, mosaic style, with all the products you’ve been anxious to try. These pieces will be mounted on a 12” x 12” artist’s canvas and ready to be hung when you get home. Please bring your basic class kit, heat tool (if you have one) and your favorite strong liquid adhesive (i.e. Scrappy Glue). Please note: This is a workshop length class.

Spooktacular Garland – Workshop Class
Tuesday, October 23 at 10:30 AM -- $26 Instructor: Roxi
Create five Halloween pennants using hot new seasonal papers, embellishments and ribbons. You’ll string these together to make an adorable Halloween Greetings Garland to decorate your home and delight all those ghosts and goblins. Please note: This is a workshop length class.

Book Arts Workshop – Workshop Class
Saturday, October 27 at 2:00 PM -- $26 Instructor: Roxi
This journal, complete with a coordinating pencil and hand-stitched binding, has a partially open spine that adds interest and will allow the book to lie flat on a surface for easy note taking. A beautiful project for the seasoned book-artist or the perfect project to introduce beginners to this art form, this workshop is for every level! In addition to your basic class kit, please bring a craft knife and binder’s needle (if you have one). Please note: This is a workshop length class.

Crazy, Sexy Cancer

Did you watch this edgy documentory on TLC last night? What courage and tenacity this women shows! I encourage you to check out her website and blog...even if you don't know anyone with cancer. She is an inspiration in so many ways! She's a true warrior, fighting the battle and living fully!

Here's to Life!

Calling all Muses...

I'm in a creative rut! I teach people strategies for getting out of these, i.e. take a day off, look for inspiration in the environment and/or books and magazines, just start playing with backgrounds, organize your studio, but what I think I really need is a REAL vacation! Sure I've done some traveling, had lots of really cool things happen for me this summer...but, there has been no REAL, walk on the beach, sightseeing, soak it all in vacation! I have lots of exciting deadlines coming up, but I'm wondering if I should take a day and pretend I'm on vacation...maybe a pedicure, a matinee, a good read...that sounds nice and refreshing! When I told my DH that I needed a change of pace, he said...get this..."would you come sit in a TREE STAND with me?" I DON'T think so! He said I'd have to sit quietly so as to not scare the deer away. I love this man...but we have to work on the area in our marriage that includes Vacation plans...my idea of fun has nothing to do with wearing camo!

Mind, Body and Soul

What a beautiful day we had yesterday! Kindred spirits, a glorious morning nature walk in the garden to gather foliage and inspiration, an abundance of art supplies, and a full day to play...doesn't get much better than that.

Some of the treasures we gathered and used in our projects...



For our Souls... Watercolored banners glistened with shimmery mica sprays as they dried on all available surfaces in the room. Once dried they were hung from freshly gathered twigs, and were decorated with beautiful ribbons, and nature/art related inspirational quotes.



For our Bodies... With fragrant essential oils, beautiful colorants and other special ingredients we created the most lovely bath salts packaged in tubes with tinted text, leaves, blossoms, and shells all bundled and wrapped together beautifully with twine and tags.



For our Minds... We hand-stitched journals using natural papers, yummy fibers and special embellishments. These little treasures are perfect for holding notes from the day, gardening notes, or personal thoughts.



We had such an enjoyable time together and the projects turned out so lovely that Memphis Botanic Garden has asked us to repeat the workshop, only this time as a three part evening series so that it will fit more people's work schedules. I'll keep you posted with dates and details, in case you're interested.

Digi-world, here I come...

I love learning new stuff! Never really considered myself much of a "geek" (although I've always used and depended on my 'puter) but I'm willing to give it a shot! This page was done with a digi page kit from CK Media. So, I have this whole studio of art supplies that could never be replaced by digital elements, and the touchy feely side of me could never be satisfied with the strokes on a keyboard...but I thoroughly enjoyed working on this simple page. Everyone should own Adobe Photoshop Elements...without an exception; easy to use and so many tutorials to help you along the way. What I need to figure out is a way to organize my digital elements so that I don't forget what I have...I'd love suggestions from my techy friends out there. I think the bottom line for me is that I could get into the hybrid thing...a little bit country, a little bit rock-n-roll...errr I mean a little bit digi, a little bit actual. As far as I know there is still no way to hand-stitch an art journal or get paint and ink on your fingers digitally...so for now I'll just work with both.