our bags are all packed

Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, Paul and I will be loading up the car along with Maggie doggie for a 14-something hour drive to Orlando FL. Our neighbor will be here apartment sitting and cat-sitting Mabel so we won't have to worry and she won't be lonely! whew!

We'll be visiting family, catching up, checking on our house and enjoying a few days in the Florida sunshine!

I'll be updating via Twitter and on Facebook (of course!) as we travel. My mom and dad like to follow our progress so you'll see frequent updates on our drive! I'll be back in the studio on June 20th ad ready to work on stuff for the CHA Show just around the corner!

Have a great week everyone!


PS. My online class peeps don't worry! I'll still be online everyday checking in and commenting on your work. I am so excited to see all the work you are creating :)

orlando here I come

Tomorrow morning I am heading down to Orlando to get our little house all ready to sell. After 3 years of renting it out after our move here to DC, Paul and I have realized we are not cut out to be landlords. Too much anxiety, hassle and expense even with a property manager!

After lots of discussion we decided to put our house on the market. And within only 24 hours of being listed we already have a contract on it! We are excited but still holding our breath until the closing goes through. Fingers crossed!

 
So off I go tomorrow to visit our little home and get it all spruced up ready either for the sale or for more buyers. Hopefully the sale and closing will all go smoothly. We'll know more in a couple of weeks!

P.S. Even though I'll be in Orlando I'll still be live at 12noon EST on the Big Picture Classes Creative Crop this Saturday May 7th. I'll be chatting in the classroom, answering questions for an hour at Noon EST, 9am PST. And you don't want to miss my challenge - it's a fun one AND I included FREE a download to get you started! Also did I mention the Creative Crop  is FREE!

hello new jersey!

Tomorrow morning (apparently in torrential rain and storms) I'll be heading up to the Ranger offices for a weekend of art with Tim Holtz and yours truly at Ranger University! I'll be driving, (Ranger offices are only 4.5 hours drive from DC!) and I can not express how happy I am about not having to deal with all the hassles of airport travel. Hop in the car and go!!
 
I'll be checking in via phone on Twitter and Facebook and I'll try to give you a few little sneak peeks!

Have a great weekend!

NYC here i come!

Tomorrow I am on my way to NYC to teach two days of workshops at The Inkpad. I'll be taking the DC2NY bus up there and it's my first time taking the bus. Hopefully they don't mind my giant heavy suitcase weighed down with art supplies. It will be nice not to have to worry about airport security!

I am looking forward to a fun and busy weekend in the city! See you next week!

back home from the CHA winter show

I am back home from the CHA Winter Show!

What a whirlwind show. I was demoing so much I only had 2 hours to race around and see as many booths as I could. But I caught up on Suze Weinberg's blog (she has the best recap of CHA ever) and now I feel like I saw the whole show!

The trip out to CHA was a little hairy, flights canceled, then re-booked. But I wore my lucky travel shirt and I made it there! I had a good book, yummy snacks and I was set!

We stayed at the Hotel Figueroa which looks WAY fancier on their web site than it is in real life. It's a place could be best described as kooky. But it was fun to stay a different place even if it did send me into sneezing fits. I think all that drapery was put there 30 years ago and never dusted.

We also had added bonuses... look sanitary drinking cups! A "plus feature"! And we were also told it was haunted. Carmi and Bonnie both heard screams in the night. Hotel ghost? Or just crazy LA people near the Staples center? We'll never know!

The day before the show started Tim Holtz, Wendy Vecchi, Dyan Reaveley and I all taught a class together.

We each had 30 minutes for our segment and here's what the 100 students made in my segment using my stamps and paints with Ranger.

Then it was onto the show! I'm getting ready to demo at the Ranger booth!


Here's a video from Noell Hyman of Paperclipping Roundtable. She did a little chat about my new products out at the show with Ranger!


And here's a little demo filmed by Simon Says Stamp. I didn't know we were filming so I was just chatting away! I show a little demo how to stamp using my acrylic paints and clear stamps on the rock-a-blocks. Here's a link to the Simon Says Stamp Blog.

So another CHA Show all done! It always feels like summer camp. Catching up with friends, making new ones etc.... looking forward to seeing everyone at the Summer show in Chicago. I have lots of work to get done that piled up while I was away!

I'm home for a week then onto Florida to teach at the Art League of Bonita Springs! 2 spaces left if making art in beautiful Florida weather is sounding tempting :)

CHA Winter Show Schedule!

I'm all in a frenzy getting ready to head to LA on Thursday for the Craft & Hobby Association's Winter show. If you'll be there stop by and say hi! Here's my schedule:

Friday 1/28
8am - 10am: W0104 - RANGER STYLE - Workshop/Class

Saturday 1/29
11am - 1pm Demo at Stampers Anonymous booth #2923
2pm - 6pm Demo at the Ranger booth #2600

Sunday 1/30
10am -11am Artascope Studios Appearance at booth # 2121
11am - 1pm Demo at Stampers Anonymous booth #2923
2pm - 6pm Demo at the Ranger booth #2600

Monday 1/31
12-1:30pm Demo at the Notions booth #2614
2pm - 6pm Demo at the Ranger booth #2600

Tuesday 2/1
10am-12:30pm Demo at the Notions booth #2614

Because the show is so busy, it's sometimes hard to find a spare minute to blog. But I'll be Twittering, posting photos and if I can get my new iphone to work, posting video too! Follow me on Twitter to get the latest updates!

our suitcases are packed!

Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, Paul and I will be loading up the car along with Maggie doggie for a 14-something hour drive to Orlando FL. Our friend will be here holding down the fort and on cat duty so we won't have to worry about Mabel cat!

We'll be visiting family, catching up and enjoying the first few days of 2011 in the Florida sunshine!

I'll be updating via Twitter as we travel and while we're away and I'll be back in the studio on January 10th.

Happy New Year!

the christmas story house

While we were in Cleveland this past weekend, we went to go and see the house that was used in the movie A Christmas Story. It's now a museum and you can go and visit!

The Christmas Story house!

  Movie still of the house.

Paul and I with the leg lamp! We peeked in the shed in the backyard and there tons of leg lamps in there!

A re-creation of the kitchen scene. I want that refrigerator!

It was a lot of fun to go and see. If you are in the Cleveland area check it is worth a visit. Especially this time year, really gets you in the holiday mood!

beads baubles and jewels taping

I am back from Cleveland where I was taping a segment on the Beads Baubles and Jewels PBS show with my friend Katie Hacker who is the host!

Here's the project I made on the show. It's a necklace pendant/broach combo using my Sticky Back Canvas and my new Creative Layers Foam stamps with Ranger.

And another version of the project. Katie made the beautiful necklace to go with the broach....

Getting ready for the taping.

Katie and I on the set!


I'm not sure when the show will air but I'll post here when I find out!

beads baubles and jewels oh my!

I am headed back to Cleveland along with Paul and Maggie dog for a taping on the Beads Baubles and Jewels PBS show with my friend Katie Hacker as the host!

We film Monday morning and we'll be making a necklace pendant/broach combo using my Sticky Back Canvas and my new Creative Layers Foam stamps with Ranger.
  
I'll be tweeting updates from the taping if you'd like to check in and see how it goes.  If all goes smoothly, I'll be driving back to DC Monday after lunch. Fingers crossed!

orlando here I come (again!)

I'm on a plane and  headed back to Orlando today! This time it's a business trip, I'll be teaching at The Collins Group Show on Saturday for Ranger.

I am so thankful to be headed down to Orlando. This trip really couldn't have come at a better time. My Dad was admitted to the hospital as a result of the rigorous lung cancer treatments he's been undergoing. right now it seems the treatment is worse than the cancer! They are getting him back into shape with pain management, fluids and transfusions. I am so glad I'll be there to be with my Mom, able to visit my Dad, and help out where I can.

I'll be back on Tuesday so see you next week!

back from Maine!

I'm back from a wonderful weekend teaching at Artascope Studios in S. Portland Maine!

Here are a few photos of the workshop to share with you!

Class photo outside Artascope Studios.

We were all about beeswax this weekend!

Artwork in progress by Catherine Scanlon

We were treated to delicious catered lunches. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed eating on the front porch of the studios.

Beautiful Rosie! brought to class as a treat for me by her "person" Karen Cheetham. Thanks Rosie for coming!

It was a lovely weekend with amazing people! Already looking forward to teaching at Artascope again next year. I wish they were closer to me, I would be there all the time!

on my way to Maine!

I am all packed and ready to head out the door tomorrow morning to teach my weekend workshop at Artascope Studios in S. Portland Maine!


I'll be back Sunday night, follow me in my adventure: follow me on Twitter to get the latest updates!

LAST 2010 WORKSHOP
My last workshop for 2010 will be in Reston VA. A fun Halloween Village workshop at Angela's Happy Stamper October 16th.

FIRST 2011 WORKSHOP
The next 3 day collage class that I'll be teaching will be in Bonita Springs FL Feb 17th - 19th 2011. Don't miss this class at a great location: the Bonita Springs Art League! More details here!

see you next week!

our suitcases are packed!

Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, Paul and I will be loading up the car along with Maggie doggie for a 14-something hour drive to Orlando FL. Our friend will be here holding down the fort and taking care of the kitties so we won't have to worry about Stan and Mabel!

We'll be spending our trip visiting family and catching up, I haven't been down to Orlando and seen everyone since January. WAY too long!

I'll be updating via Twitter as we travel and while we're away and I'll be back in the studio on Sept 13th! Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Phoenix here I come!

I'm on my way to Creative Escape 2010 in Phoenix AZ!

I'll be teaching a workshop over two days to approx 600 or so attendees! It's going to be an exciting few days and hopefully I'll still have a voice at the end of it from all that talking!

I've only got a few workshops left for 2010. Click here to check my workshop listings!

I'll be tweeting from the road and back in the studio on Monday. See you next week!

the art girls guide to paris

I have been to Paris 3 times so far in my life, but I have never been with my friend Carmi.

When she goes to Paris she sees it in an entirely new way. Undiscovered jewelry stores, antique markets and little treasures that I never in a million years would have found on my own.

Well now you can have Carmi's guide to Paris and take her along with you on your next trip!

She self published a book on Blurb called The Art Girls Guide to Paris. If you are into art or anything arty you will want to check this book out!


A description of the book in Carmi's words:

"This is the guide book to Paris I wish someone had written for me ten years ago when I first started going to Paris. I have managed to learn more and more about Paris each time I visit. Like any grand city, it could take a life time. For those of you who have followed my travels to Paris on my blog I hope you will be happy to hear that I have pulled all my research and tips into this guidebook!

This book began as a quick email. The email turned into a memo. Then the memo turned into a blog series. All because ten to twelve times a year I get a message which always begins with "Hi Carmi, I know you go to Paris every year, do you have any recommendations for us?"

I think of going to Paris as a workshop. It is my opportunity to see new colours, new embellishments, new designs. This is what inspires me.

Friends and strangers write to me after my trips. They want to know where I stay, where I go, what I eat and most importantly where do I get all the great things I show off on my blog? I hope this book answers many of those questions!

I start this guide with an example of my typical eight day schedule, followed by a lot more detail of the places I visit."
--------------

Beware though! I read it, loved it, put it down, looked at Paul and said "when can we go to Paris?"

Places I'm Going

Tonight, I board a jet plane and head to....Jacksonville, Florida.

That's right.  Jacksonville. Florida.  In mid-July.  I know you're jealous.  Friends are getting married on Saturday (trust me, nothing less than the wedding of good friends would get us to hot sticky schwül* Florida at this time of year), so off we go. 

*Schwül is the German word for humid, which we learned on our trip to Vienna, because, well, it was a little schwül while we were there.  We were cautioned, however, by several people to be very careful about our pronunciation.  That one little umlaut can change the whole meaning of one's sentence because schwül = humid, but schwul = gay/homosexual.

I've never been to Jacksonville, so I looked it up.

Jacksonville, Florida is home to the largest urban park system in the U.S., the 2nd largest annual Jazz Festival (I'm assuming New Orleans is the largest), the world's largest private collection of original manuscripts and documents (at the Karpeles Manuscript Library), the Jaguars (for football fans) and the New Jax City Rollers (if you're into roller derby).  I doubt I'll see any of these things, but I think it's nice to know.

I've got my tank tops, shorts, sundresses, bathing suit and flip flops packed and, of course, my workout clothes because "training doesn't take a vacation," according to my lovely coach/husband.  At least it'll be easier to negotiate a day pass at the gym here (in English) than it was in Vienna (in German).  Although, I must admit, I did pretty well at the gyms in Vienna and felt quite rewarded when I was understood!  Wie viel kostet ein Tagespass?

It's just a few days but it feels like a nice vacation and I have all the pre-vacation anticipation and lack of focus. Just have to make it through work today.

No computer until mid-next-week, so I wish you now a lovely few days.  Be Back Soon!

Places I've Been

2% - seems so sad!

One of the many reasons my husband and I want to move to Europe, and to Vienna, specifically, is that we see it as a launching pad of sorts. A home that provides close proximity and easy travel to so many other countries. A way for us to not only experience life in a new place, but life in many new places.

Vienna seems quite central, offering exploration opportunities East, West, North, and South by car, by train, by plane, at reasonable travel rates. All evidence I've seen in reading people's blogs and stories we've heard from people we've actually met indicate that people do actually take advantage of their location. I hear and read about travels to France and Spain, Kosovo and Sweden, Germany, Italy, Turkey!

This stirs in me such a sense of possibility and curiosity, which is, I admit, not an expected response from me. But it is there, nonetheless, surprising no one more than me. I am more of a homebody, not an adventurer. I like the familiar, the expected, the planned. So, is it wishful thinking that I'll experience the world from Vienna or does this curiosity indicate that I find the world as a whole, or even just Europe, more interesting than I find the United States?

hello New Jersey!

Tomorrow I'll be heading up to the Ranger offices for a weekend of art with Tim Holtz, Suze Weinberg and yours truly at Ranger University! I'll be driving, (Ranger offices are only 4.5 hours drive from DC!) and I Can not express how happy I am about not having to deal with all the hassles of airport travel. Hop in the car and go!!

I'll be checking in via phone on Twitter and Facebook and I'll try to give you a few little sneak peeks!

Have a great weekend!

Phoenix here I come!

Tomorrow morning early I'll be on my way to Phoenix!

First stop is the Bazzill Paper offices where I'll be attending and teaching at the practice event for Creative Escape 2010, this is the part where we work out all the kinks so when the the 600 attendees come in August everything runs smooth as butter! I am excited to go to the Bazzill Offices and be surrounded by all that amazing paper. hmm... maybe I should have brought an extra empty suitcase ;)

After that I'll be off to Mesa AZ to teach my Collage Discovery Workshop class at Mystic Paper on Sunday. I've only got a few more workshops left for 2010. I can not believe how it the year is flying by! Make sure to check out my workshop schedule here. I'll also be teaching my summer online class - registration open now!

See you next week!!