A Neat Story

Last night I told you all I had a neat story to tell. I thought I might wait because if Suzi logs on it is going to ruin her surprise. But, I just couldn't wait for days and days. Sorry, Suzi!

When I was a teenager I had penpals. I have always loved to communicate via the written word. It started when I ran away from home at age 15 and my father grounded me for a year! So I decided I'd put my info in Teen magazine (anyone out there remember that publication?) under the penpal section. Soon I was corresponding with over a dozen boys. It kept me busy while I was confined to the house and although the number dwindled once I could go out again there was one boy that I fell for (kinda like today's computer romances) and we wrote to each other for over 4 years. (I thought I'd make a long story short but decided this is an interesting long story so I am going to tell the whole thing!) Well, he looked me up after about 30 years and even came to visit (with his wife). After all that time we finally met and it was really exciting! We are still friends today and keep in touch via email.

So I tell this story to say that since I have joined My Space and Flickr, I have once again found some people and we have become email pals. One is named Suzi Dennis and we have so much in common it is scary. We are both artists (although she makes money with her art, I just do mine for the love of it as I got tired of the art shows - but that's a different story). In the past years I have sent her a couple of art cards I made. Well, a couple of days ago she sent me a precious card with a picture she had drawn of the two of us as "angel buddies". That inspired me to make her one with the same theme. I am just mailing it today, so if she sees this post then the cat's out of the bag. I want to share with you all the piece of art she made me and the one I made for her. The one I made kinda looks like we're conjoined and share one pair of wings, which is funny because I am always telling her we could be twins! Actually, I do have a twin sister and Suzi and I resemble each other alot more than my twin and I. So the moral of this long, drawn out story, is: you never know who you'll meet online! Could turn out to be a kindred spirit like my friend Suzi and I. Incidentally, Suzi did the colorful painting of the full size angels. I did the collage.

Welcome Friends

Family and friends are already checking in and it's great to see you all here. Today is like many other days this week, I got up and, still in my jammies, stumbled into my art room to get on the computer.
After going to bed last night I was thinking how blogging can really give me a voice, for those that want to hear. I don't have to impose myself on anyone, everyone comes of their own volution (is this spelled right? even spellcheck couldn't tell me!) . I can just jabber on and say whatever I want......HOW FREEING! I am one that does not like small talk, I want to find a common interest with whomever I am speaking. I guess I've always feared boring people to death. So this is the perfect venue for speaking my mind. If you're interested "come on down"! If not just walk away, or rather just shut me down and go on to another site. But if you do, I hope you'll come back. Next time I may be saying something that interests you.

Blogging

A few hours ago, which was yesterday since it is 2am, I set up my blog. Seemed simple at first but then I hit a few snags....aaarrrrrgh!!!! I wasted an hour trying to figure out where I was going wrong or if it was just the computer software that was going wrong. I finally gave up and went to bed.....couldn't sleep......insomnia again! But not to worry, I now have something to entertain myself with besides reading (which I love to do but after so many hours I get so tired all the words run together). Don't quite have enough creative energy to create art at this hour of the am, but I seem to be doing just fine fiddling around on my blog. I have a neat story to share which I will in my next post - I have to download, then upload some pics.

ART STUDIO

Now that I have introduced myself, let me give you a look-see at my home art studio. I spend as much time in my studio as I can and love to surround myself with art - mine and that of others. It is a feast for the eyes, at least I think so! When people enter this room they usually say they don't know where to look first. I also keep my computer in here so between creating and communicating it is a wonder I ever leave this room. So take a look around and I hope you enjoy the view.....

Welcome to My Art World

Here I am for the sole purpose of sharing myself with the cyber community via my art.

I have always been a crafter, since my first project when I was 8 or 9 and my aunt bought me a kit to weave potholders. Now, I know if I took a poll a high percentage of those reading this have made a woven potholder! Do you know they still sell those kits? I recently bought one for my great-granddaughter who is not yet 5. She's a little young yet but I am determained to start my indoctrination of her. I've already made some progress, she has learned what symetrical and asymetrical mean and she told me the other day that she is an artist! But I digress.....

In the late 90's I spent several years obsessed with rubberstamping. I even started a company with a couple of friends and we designed and made rubberstamps. I absorbed everything there was to know about stamping at the time - products, techniques, etc. That led to me teaching stamping workshops and then designing projects for The Rubber Stamper magazine. When I moved in 2000 to Central California I had boxes and boxes and BOXES of stamping supplies and tools. Looking for a way to use them other than to make cards I started doing mixed-media art and collage. I soon fell in love with collage work. Now I dabble in all different mediums have an art studio in my home and a fabric studio in my daughter's home (and I still don't have enough room for all my "stuff"!)

I want to use this blog to share my art and how it relates to the world around me. It takes up a large portion of my time, especially now in the winter when I stay cooped up in the house due to our foggy, gloomy weather. Hope I get some visitors here and that you will be inspired or amused.