Simply MAGIC!

Over the last nine months, Bill and Kristin Steiner, a.k.a. Adventures in Italy couple extraordinaire, have delighted Marylin and myself with conversations describing their love of Italy.

They are leaving again this month on what will be their 10th trip, and I wanted to share with you some of Bill's thoughts as he embarks on his journey...

"As we prepare to head off to Orvieto today, I was writing this morning about it. You would think, after 10 trips, I would be somewhat blase. Yet I am not. I am as excited as ever. The reason, I think, is that there something magic about the city. Every time I am there all the shoulds of the world, all the ought-tos, all the little admonitions running around your mind melt away. I become the whole person I was when I was born into this world. People who travel with us feel the same way.

Certainly when we travel we pay much more attention to the present moment. We are gathering in the experiences like an absorbent sponge. After 10 trips, I know the city probably better than my own. (This is true in part because we walk everywhere and we therefore really see - something you can’t do in a car going at speed.) The novelty is gone, yet it still has the same impact.

What can I say? It is simply magic."

From Bill's words, I can see Orvieto so clearly in my mind's eye that I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

We are SO VERY EXCITED to visit this BEAUTIFUL, MAGICAL City, and we want to extend a personal invitation for you to Come... COME with us and EXPERIENCE the Wonders of Orvieto!

We will celebrate the joys of friendship, revel in our creativity, and drink in the richness of Italy, first hand.

Yes, travel can bit a little bit scary, sure it costs money, but the rewards are DEFINITELY worth my trouble and sacrifice of saving for such a chance to live the dream. And the best part is nobody has to go it alone... Bill, Kristin, Marylin and I encourage and invite every person to travel all the way there and back with us, if they so choose. We truly want to make sure each and every person gets as much personal assistance and attention through every step of this adventure.

Our dream is scheduled for mid May of 2009 with reservations required no later than late February 2009. We are taking only a very, very small group, so as to create an intimate atmosphere that is both personal, and rewarding.

Find out all the details, here.

Where Do You Find Contentment?

Contentment can be hard to find, especially when living in a world that moves so quickly, and is rapidly changing.

But every once in a while there are stolen moments filled with gentle reminders and the most sublime, yet simply wonders, offering the soul a shelter from the storm of day to day, and the heart a treasured memory.
















where do you find contentment?


" life contrived of naught but dreams
fragments caught by fated winds
these are the testimony of such schemes"

IT'S HERE!

HOW EXCITING! TODAY is the first day of Fall.

You can just FEEL the changes happening all around, can't you. There are hints of color now beginning to burst forth among the leaves, a golden glow to the surrounding landscapes especially at sunset, the ebb and flow of rhythmic sounds from the cicada's humming in harmony, waning daylight hours, russet colored berries hanging from the trees and bushes.

The days of September have come and gone in the blink of an eye. It seems as if I have been rushing through the moments at breakneck speeds trying to be prepared for the upcoming month, my work table is overflowing with projects in various stages of completion, but I would not change one moment of my busy-ness.
There is a lot going on in October! I will be traveling extensively over the next five weeks, and am excited to be off on my BIG adventures, as I go to teach and reconnect with friends, as well as enjoying the visit to a familiar place that is like a haven for me.

Next week, I will be flying off to Art and Soul, Portland. And for a few brief hours, I will have the opportunity to be lost among the heavens, keeping company with my thoughts, star gazing, and daydreaming about Autumn along the way.

life is good when the task worth while

You may remember from this post. That I am involved with a very talented group of artists called Nature Gathered. Each month we post an 8"x 8" artwork based on predetermined nature themes. September's theme is flora,

I thought I would share this month's artwork and story with you.

A million choices, or so it seems every time I work on a new theme. As I start to narrow down the number of ideas, other thoughts constantly flood my mind concerning each possibility I am carefully weighing.

It is definitely problem solving at its best, taking abstract and/or random thoughts and making something of them, making them tangible. It took forever for me to decide what I was going to do. I felt like I mulled this month's artwork over and over again before I finally settled on a direction.

Sunflowers were not my first choice. I arrived at this floral through a process of elimination from my choice of pattern. And to be honest, this particular pattern was also not my first choice.

My research for this piece began by looking through the pages of a large oversized book on the Quilt's of Gees Bend. If you have never seen these works of art I urge you to RUSH down to your local library or nearest bookstore and check them out. The quilts shown are beyond breathtaking! Even if you have no interest in fibers or fiber art, you can not help but be amazed by their patterns and color combinations. I always feel inspired by looking at them.

I started with full intentions of mimicking a Gee's Bend Quilt pattern, but fate stepped in and led me down another path. Several days before I began working on the piece, I happened to receive a retail catalog in the post. This particular catalog had a patterned pillow that I could not stop thinking about. From that moment, I knew I needed to follow my instincts and go with my own version of the pillow pattern. So, no matter how much I plan there are ALWAYS surprises along the way, where I change my mind or a opportunity presents itself, which I kind of like!

Using such a tall, leafy, repeat pattern also provided that perfect opportunity to incorporate the sunflowers as a believable flower that might appear on such gangly stalks. Again, I try to take the viewer through thoughts of what is real and what is pattern by blurring the line between the two halves of the picture.

Another Year of Beautiful Gift Giving and Making

I am EXCITED and PLEASED to announce that the 2008 Quilting Art Gifts Issue hits newstands, TODAY!

I had the distinct pleasure to once again contribute to this OUTSTANDING publication with a wonderful feature article on Nostalgic Holiday Ornaments!

The issue is jam packed full of delightful holiday ideas and projects for you to try. I invite you to pick up a copy and CHECK IT OUT... you won't be disappointed!

And the Rains Came Down!

What a Day, What a Night... It started late Thursday afternoon with a steady downpour that lasted through the evening, and all day on Friday. Flash flooding covered many of the city streets with 2 to 3 ft. of water.

Sounds like hurricane remnants right here in Kansas, but not true, just a very persistent, slow moving band of tropical moisture, according to the weatherman.

I started worrying around midday, if my Artist Reception was going to happen, but with a bit of luck, the rain subsided toward evening. My very sweet husband actually chauffeured me over to the event, due to the fact that I have a small car that sits rather low to the ground, and there was only one route that was open, by a narrow margin, to get from our home to a major highway for the trip across the city.

Once I arrived all my worries melted away when I saw my pieces hanging amidst the backdrop of soft evening light. What a tremendous since of pride and honor I felt looking at the art as a completed body of work. I hope Mother Nature feels I did her justice.
Despite the harrowing events of the day, the evening turned out to be a SUCCESS!

Many Thanks to all those wonderful individuals that braved the weather to participate in this celebration.

And for those that were unable to make it, the show is up through November 1st, so I hope you will stop by to see my treasured Odes to Nature.

Inspired by Simplicity and Beauty

Ah, the beginnings of a new week. I am feeling refresed after spending time over the weekend putting the finishing touches on a number of delicate artworks that will be part of my latest exhibit at Architectural Artifacts.

I am very pleased to be having my second solo exhibit this year at such a SPLENDID shop that is always a feast for the eyes, and filled with the most incredible, eclectic mix of art and furnishings.

Of course, each new assemblage revolves around the one subject that is so dear to my heart... Nature. The focus of my pieces is again the intricate, yet humble dwellings of birds with the most dazzling butterflies and vintage ephemera interspersed throughout the artworks. There will also be several nature inspired, large, mixed media paintings sharing the walls with the shadow boxes.

If you are in the area, I would like to invite you to stop by on Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for the opening reception. For those that might live a little too far away to attend, here is a preview of some treasures that will be on display and for sale.

again and again..

Again it is cloudy and raining... a gentle steady downpour with much colder temperatures than previously. It is a good day to delve into looming tasks that seem somewhat tedious, yet necessary.

Especially tedious when you are repeating them due to your own errors! Alas, the pains of being human, we get to learn from our mistakes.

It is completely quiet in the house. Normally, there are strains of incredible music wafting through every room, but not today... no, today, it is time for silence with only the rhythms of the rain and wind to keep me company, as I finish my chores.

I have spent so much time lately doing non-creative work that my soul is desperately craving a healthy dose of painting, collage, and assemblage. I have tried lingering in my studio during the evening hours over the last several days hoping a rush of creative juices would come pouring out... but by the end of the day, my energies are spent, exhausted, and all I can think to do is stare off into space.

I have set aside the entire Saturday to spend at my worktables, hopefully creating with reckless abandon... I am looking forward to turning the music back on, and getting lost in the beauty of making art, again.

on the cusp

It is cloudy and very windy. The temperatures are cool and the rain is steady. I love days like this...days when you could easily curl up under a light blanket with a hot cup of tea, and while away the hours reading a good book or watching old movies.

I stepped outside this morning between showers to gather the newspaper from my front stoop, and there I noticed the beginnings of Fall.

Beautiful, Glorious Fall was peeking out from behind the tips of the trees that have begun to change color.

I rushed around the house opening all the windows and doors, inviting in the wind, and the rain, and Fall.

Although I know they can't stay... perhaps they might linger, if only for today.

Flea Market Treasures

It was a long and lazy holiday weekend. I should have felt a bit more guilty about ignoring my ever growing to-do list, but a trip to a giant outdoor flea market near Kansas City immediately chased those feelings away. Who could say no to such a veritable treasure hunt.

I thought you might like to see some of the bits and baubles I brought home from a whole day of shopping.
I discovered a set of 12 exquisite Flora and Fauna prints.

Each and every print is so beautiful, but this one is my favorite. It reminds me of the little Robin's nest from the tree in the front yard last summer.

I spied more incredible boxes. These held bright and vibrant vintage threads and spools. I especially loved their blue color.

The inside of the thread basket was so delicate and lovely, almost in perfect condition.

I could not resist the decoupaged bouquet of flowers and the wicker weave of this hat box shaped thread holder.

I was immediately drawn to this intricate frame. It is a perfect size and quite ornate. I wish the picture were a little better so that you could get the full effect of the wonderful details. I think with a little spit and polish, it will be spectacular!

This was my last purchase of the day. I walked by this particular piece 5 times before I finally broke down and bought the small cabinet. I like that it looks like a hutch and has lovely shelves with which to display other treasures. I know I will have loads of fun filling it up!

I hope your Labor Day weekend was fun and relaxing, too!