Testing the waters

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night in Northern Michigan 

Trying out a post from my blogger app on the iPad. 

Ready to Travel

In 2 days we head out on a BIG trip. Three weeks in Alaska. The planning began about a year ago and the time to check one off the bucket list has finally arrived.

First up will be a stay with a couple in the SERVAS travel organization who live in Anchorage. I encourage you to check out this great international organization. The link will take you to a TED talk that discusses the idea behind SERVAS at 8:45 into the talk., or you can find them at www.usservas.org. You do home stays for at least two nights in order to get to know your hosts. The main premise is to promote cross cultural understanding.

After that we head to Kodiak Island for a week. We have scheduled a trip to a remote lodge to do bear watching with Kodiak Treks. If you don't hear from me again after August 5th or so...you get the idea.

Saw a great post on the site of a fellow paper artist I met at Interlochen Arts Academy this summer about packing your art supplies.  Find her blog here. Here is her rendition for storing brushes:

Scounged around in my supplies and came up with this:

I used buttons to hold the elastic to the non slip rug "stuff" I had on hand. the film canister tops hold gouache of different colors I can use with my copper plate nibs I'm taking along. The nibs are being kept safe int eh little clear plastic screw top container in the lower right. A glue stick, small scissors and my trusty 8X10 journal of choice I shared a few posts back complete what I'm taking on this adventure.

Time with Artistic Friends

Took a little road trip to visit my paper mentor last week. Another friend initiated the trip for the three of us to get together. Her name is Sally Rose & she is a wonderful fiber artist who teaches at Central Michigan University.  She had a one woman show last summer at the Michigan State University campus that my husband & I made a point to attend. It coincided with Art Prize, a very big deal in Grand Rapids, so we got to hit both events.

Her art is her own. Organic, thoughtful.  Most of the pieces in this show were large with lots of details to mull over.

I feel fortunate to know some very fine artists who are also my friends.

Chronically Organized

I'm always looking for ways to get my stuff in better, more efficient order. I can spend hours in the studio organizing rather than creating. But I always enjoy the exercise. I'm weird that way.  I don't think I am alone here, but it feels a bit like procrastination at times.

However, I do feel like I come up with some good ideas and I will use the ideas of others in the name of space saving, good use of available space, and having things close at hand.  

Got some new cushions for the deck chairs, wasn't sure what to do about storing them as we don't have a lot of space.  Then I noticed the new cushions had a loop sewn on the back.  Rummaged around in the "man cave" and said man put the hooks we found on the wall outside. Voila! Out of the elements, stored, easy to grab, and no deck space lost. 

Then I has said man build this fantastic storage unit I saw on Pinterest quite awhile ago. Already had the wire cubes to use, just a few pieces of PVC pipe & caps a couple screws & a man with a drill. I love it! In fact I keep finding more things that fit in the squares provided.

 Coming up...getting ready to travel. Art supply storage, packing, deciding what to take so cooking will be tasty.

15 Minutes of Fame

Two items have me on the media radar at the moment.  I am giving a talk at our local Crooked Tree Art Center on July 21st about paper making and book binding. Under the coffee cups I'm listed in the
Coffee @ 10-Traverse City heading. Kinda blurry but it's there, trust me.

In a totally unrelated discovery, this picture from the Wine Fest two years ago made it into the Delta in flight magazine last month. Two different friends happened to see it during travels.  

Front and off center stage left, scrutinizing my wine selection I'm sure. 

Yellow purse over my shoulder.  Why are my lips puckered?

You never know when some one else is going to put you out there is the take away. 

Play Day

It's summer!  So much energy, so much day light. Spent some time in the studio yesterday just messing around to generate ideas.

 Found this cool idea using aluminum duct tape (sticky back) mesh tape (for drywall) then adding a little acrylic paint to age the surface. On Pinterest of course. I can think of all kinds of fun to have with this.

 

Also pulled out the folded pens and water color to warm up the hand for some ideas using letter forms. 

Went to friends on a small lake near by for the Fourth. This sun set picture has wood block print all over it!