and the winner is...

please contact me and we will arrange delivery. ciao!

it's february!

AND you know what that means!

138 days till SUMMER! HA!

SO excited!

SO much SO in fact that I am having a giveaway!

as I was cleaning out the studio and re-organizing things I found this beauty:




I altered the cover of this sketchbook after I read this book.

have you read it? you should! leave a comment below and tell me the name of a book that inspired you. I will pick a winner on thursday!

finally "inspired"...

I received a call from bill (holla) today and decided that I should probably complete my projects from last year's "inspired" before I attend this year's "inspired".  SO excited to be able to go again!

first up we have jennifer stewart's class "welcome spring".  I was very overwhelmed by the amount of product I received in my kit and ended up leaving the classroom for a bit.  I wandered down the hallway and into the vendor's marketplace and picked up some papers hoping for some courage to just get it done.  

Jennifer was an absolute sweetheart (holla) and was very understanding and encouraged me to go for it.  my project included bits from our trip to the dominican republic.  there are sea shells, sand and pics of dan.  he loved the end product so much that he scooped it up and put it in his bathroom.  he really liked how it reminded him of the beach.  perfect!  thanks jennifer!  can't wait for the starbucks date!

next I finished up my project from christina's class "textile anthology".

and now that the projects were all completed that meant that I could also complete my travel journal for the event.  enjoy!

Today is "national blueberry pancake day"

how 'bout that? kewl! and yum! if, of course, I was having blueberry pancakes. hmmmm...

anywho, still bummed out by the weather, the clutter and just in general still not feeling 100%. and how about a migraine for the cherry on top? yup!

as I was procrastinating my way through the afternoon I came across this:

three of my most favorite of the male species. each one holds a special spot in my heart. each one tests me on a regular basis. each one would give me their left kidney if I needed it. but the real question is this - would I give any of them my left kidney? in a heart beat! not that I need a kidney or anything. at least I don't think I do. hmmmm....should check that out. and not that any one of them needs a kidney, but my point (and I do have one) is this. if you give of yourself to someone, do they then owe you? or if someone gifts you, do you owe them?  I say no.  

which leads me to this:

EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME THE SUN NEVER SAYS TO THE EARTH, "YOU OWE ME". LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WITH A LOVE LIKE THAT, IT LIGHTS UP THE WHOLE SKY. - HAFIZ

which made me think and made me smile...now go get some blueberry pancakes!

I once was lost, but now I am "FOUND"

when I say "found" I am of course speaking of the "found" part of the studio.

after emptying out my room completely and going through every single item one by one I am finally ready to reveal. I started this around january 1 and was determined to do it with the thought in mind that "less is more". I seem to create better when I have less options. and so here we go...

as you enter you see the door and my new huge cork board and the closet door:

and then a pic of laurie's table. and the start of mine as well as my artist inspiration wall (kristen, laurie, anahata,estelle, kal, lisa & marg) to which I will continue to add to:

and more of my table including the new file cart and my inspiration clothes line:

next my "n" wall with a wipe off board and my sewing machine with it's brand new cover and my book shelf with project cases, my bag and mail out items:

then my bookcase with all the paper, paint, embellishments etc.:



and back to the door where I have put my motto in big bold letters:



and some close up shots:

all my pieces are from IKEA and can be set up in different ways. the table top boxes are from IKEA.  the blue baskets are also from IKEA.  I purchased the 12 x 12 project cases at michael's.  other plastic bins are from london drugs, but you can probably find them anywhere.  any questions just add to the comments and I will try to answer them.

I "may" need therapy...

"may" is SO an understatement!

and knowing that the thought of I receiving any form of therapy will bring you joy to no end I ask you to put down your sparklers and confetti and listen up!

I saw my father doing something today that no daughter should ever witness her father doing!

you know pa.  seventy-ish good looking fellow despite his "dress socks and dress shoes and boy shorts with white stanfield undershirt biking outfit".   he is a cool dad!  or so I thought!  

until... 

I saw it and I was shocked and almost fell to the floor, but luckily went down gently and with grace.

I caught my father watching (gasp), (gulp), ZOEY 101!

and there is MORE!

he had it all hooked up and tricked out with his new surround sound stereo dumahickie thingambobby and 35 on the volume meter!

I mean really!  DAD!  did he not hear about jamie getting pregnant from that guy and that she is only like 16 and that her big sis brit was seen flashing her privates all around town and that she lost her kids and shaved her head and, and, and!   whew!

what is a girl to do?  I am all for finishing that glass of wine I poured myself.  ya, I realize that technically I am a non-drinker, but I needed some serious "block out event" help.

and tomorrow I may need some serious hangover solutions...BUT!  until then - CHEERS baby!

peeking out...

out of my hibernation to gather more nuts and seeds before I go back into the cave until spring...

I KNOW NOTHING IN THE WORLD THAT HAS AS MUCH POWER AS A WORD. SOMETIMES I WRITE ONE, AND I LOOK AT IT, UNTIL IT BEGINS TO SHINE. - emily dickinson

finally!  my word came to me...

it has been written on the wall for a week while I thought about it and what it would mean for me this year and today it just felt right.  back to the cave...