A Bunch of Wonderful Things

Yesterday I was thinking I might not even bother to put up my big Christmas tree. I thought I might not even do my other big one- a white artificial for which I have all new fuschia and silver ornaments I haven't even used yet. Bah, humbug.

Today I wake up to huge snowflakes, and it is all good! First things first. New holiday music for my blog- quite an eclectic mix if you check my playlist at the bottom of the screen. Project Playlist is great fun for mixing your own collection.

Trees? Not today, but soon. Still the big one for the family room seems to take up the entire room, and I could do without it. But, it has all the traditional family ornaments, the adults' childhood ornaments, ya know, so we really have to. Plus, the DH likes to watch television by tree-light- even if he likes the big, yucky, multi-color lights instead of little twinkly white ones.

Yesterday I received the most amazing sort-of-ATC, sort-of-art-doll (shown here) from Carol Stocker, a fellow ARTchick from Spirit's Journey http://spiritsjourneydesigns.blogspot.com/. We did a 1:1 trade. Hope she likes her Mercat. No, not meerkat. Or whatever they are.

Today is the opening day to register for Art & Soul in Hampton, VA http://www.artandsoulretreat.com/ for May 1-5, 2008. I sorted out my classes last night and hope I get my first choice. Meanwhile, I also emailed Elaine http://www.alphabetstudiobyelainethomas.com/ in Ohio of Artful Spirit to see if she is going and would like to ride with me. Lucky for me, she said yes! That will make the trip so much more fun and easy. I wish it were now! Elaine makes incredibly neat, wonderful stuff and may have a table at vendor night at A&S. Check out her site or her Flickr photos.

I first "met" Elaine when she so kindly bought my creation "Hope will Always See a Star" for the ZNE Hope Sees a Star fund raiser auction. My piece is shown here again and one of Elaine's creations.

And if all this were not fabulous enough, I took the plunge and ordered an ADG Blythe brunette who only has to travel from Illinois to Indiana and so should probably be here about the same time as Lilly from Tokyo. I think I will take my time coming up with a name for this one. I may have to whip out my crochet hook and sewing machine and create some fashions. There are amazing intricate outfits for sale on ebay and etsy both. It's a whole other world. And to those who find any part of this post weird, I say, as any good Blythe would, "whatever!"

My First Art Show at ARTchix

Today is the day the entries in the ARTchix Holiday Art show were unveiled on the Yahoo! site. I have four entries: my Spook House Village, a Halloween Artist Trading Card called "Mysterious Presence," an altered domino necklace with an image of a vintage Santa and a paper crafted heart-shaped box called Easter Bunny Princess Treat Box. These were all made specifically for this show, and most of these pictures have never been seen before today. Members of the group will be voting for three winners, who receive gift certificates to ARTchix Studios http://www.artchixstudio.com/. What I could do with that!!

While I was at it, I also used an antique inkwell to make an "Emergency Wand Holder." Don't ask me why; it just came to me when looking at some jewelry scraps. The bottom edge has the better part of a cheap tennis bracelet on it. The wands have beads, starfish, pieces of earrings and other gems. I have no plans for it. It is a "just because." We are allowed to offer our items for sale in the show, but the only thing I chose to list was the domino necklace.

I am pleased with the way my paper house and paper box turned out, so I have some more empty boxes I plan to alter soon. Today I also received some cool Halloween tags in the mail from Tiffany Jane Marshall http://www.beyondthevintagepath.com that I purchased during the ZNE fund raiser Hope Sees a Star, and I also received my first kit from Paula Montgomery of Paula's Kit Club http://www.paulaskitclub.com/, formerly Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers. It is called "Kitschmas." Can't wait to play!

I am so honored to be a small part of this:

$2,800 was raised in one week. Please watch this gorgeous video about the successful ZNE Auction for Hope Sees a Star memorial project for the Oakland Zoo in honor of two lives lost and two lives forever cherished.

Another Wonderful Surprise!

When multiple artists come together something good always happens. Of course there is the ZNE benefit auction for Hope Sees A Star going on right now that I blogged about below. There is also a fun little process on our ZNE network home page where these same artists can network to create ZNE Verses or group poetry. As a writer and editor (before I really found art), of course I like to play along.

So imagine my surprise when I check in tonight to find not only a finished work that includes me, entitled "A Blue Wind Blew In," but it is set to one of my pieces of art entitled "Zetti Preschool" and also set to beautiful music by Shawn Colvin called "I Never Saw Blue Like That Before." It just takes my breath away to realize I am part of such a talented group. You can view the home page from the link on the right, or here's a peek, right here in my 95th post. Do come back for my 100th post party!

Here's the poem:

A Blue Wind Blew In Coloring the World it Landed On

With sapphire dust and moonbeam charm.

It hung in the air with sparkle and shine and waited...

And all the dreamers and fairies and angels came out to play.

All of them joyful, all of them grinning, even the queen was elated.

"Play on!" trumpeted the Queen's Jester.

"Yes, do" said her handmaid.

"Whoosh, whooosh," said the wind.

So the dreamers, and the fairies and the angels all danced

-on gossamer wings, perhaps to chance -

a glimpse of blue never seen before.....

And the queen had diamonds in her crown, sparkling so clear and beautiful

And in that blue wind, a periwinkle breeze, carried with it such tender grief,

so poignant and rueful.

Days and weeks and years went by.

Those angels and fairies and gossamer wings fluttering in the sky -

Night falls and the Queen's heart can not contain the joy of the coming dawn -

A place where A Blue Wind Blew In Coloring the World it Landed On.

This poem was written by:

Chelise Stroud Hery, Treva Fox-Christy, Gina Smith, Heidi Eberle. Artwork taken from Gina Smith's ZNE Network Photo Album

For A Very Good Cause

Want to acquire a piece of beautiful, one-of-a-kind artwork and contribute to a very meaningful memorial at the same time? Nationally-known artists (as well as un-nationally known like Lilly*s of London*ish) have contributed outstanding items for an auction this week only through Sunday at http://www.HopeSeesaStar.com/.
You will see gorgeous quilts, collages, jewelry, art dolls and more- over 80 items donated to help fund a mosaic at the Oakland (CA) Zoo in honor of the late daughters of two of my fellow ZNE art members. You can read more about it and view the items for sale by visiting the site above. Consider gift-shopping, and please spread the word.

My Hope Sees a Star Donation

I was so thrilled to complete this project today. I have been working on it for several days to donate to the fund-raising auction of my ZNE group, entitled "Hope Sees A Star."

In a news release, Chelise Hery, founder of explained: "ZNE is an international group of independent artists and crafts persons working in conjunction with the Oakland Zoo to create a permanent installation in memory of two teenage girls – Stevie McMoyler and Brianna Grant - whose lives were lost earlier this year in April and June, respectively.

Gina Gabriell and Iva Wilcox both of California, are two artists who share a tragic connection. Both women’s daughters were diagnosed with fatal diseases in late 2006. In April of this year, Gina’s daughter Stevie McMoyler died from a brain tumor at the age of 19. In June, Iva Wilcox’s daughter, Brianna Grant, was only 17 years old when she died from a rare disease ~ MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome).

When ZNE group members found out about the two deaths, they wanted to go beyond extending traditional condolences to Gina and Iva, given the magnitude of their loss.

In January of 2008, Laurel True, a world renowned mosaic artist, will begin designing a permanent mosaic art installation in memory of the two girls. The installation is scheduled to be installed in the Butterfly Conservation Garden at The Oakland Zoo in May of 2008. The memorial will incorporate the sentiment: “In Memory of Stevie and Brianna – forever loved daughters of the creative community.” In conjunction with the installation, a $5,000 donation will be made to the Zoo. Staff at the Oakland Zoo have indicated that they hope to use the funds to support an intern who will be a caretaker for the garden.

ZNE is holding an online sale and auction October 1 – October 15, to raise the funds needed for the memorial project. More information on the Hope Sees a Star website, http://www.hopeseesastar.com/, or email Chelise Stroud Hery at info@ZNEart.com.

My canvas is a 10 x 10 handpainted, stamped, collaged 3D project with removeable inlaid-turquoise antique pendant.