christytomlinson

Soulful Artist Retreat...

So last May.. when I was attending Donna Downey's Inspired event.. Donna and I were creating and having fun one night just really enjoying "creating" together.

(this photo was taken at Spark a week or so ago.. with Margie. Beautiful girls!)

She started talking about her and I maybe sometime in the future doing our own little event together.. an Inspired Workshop at her studio.. just a small intimate group.. and four days of pure messy creative play. Of course.. you say the word creative, messy and play.. and I am TOTALLy in. Plus I love and adore Donna.. she is just her own soul and creative and fun to be around. We sure laugh A LOT.  So for the last couple of months, we have been calling back and forth, texting, emailing.. planning all the details of her first "soulful" artist event.. where I would come and be her guest artist and together.. the two of us would team teach a creative weekend! Well I am excited to finally announce that registration is NOW open for this Inspired event.. The Soulful Artist!

 It will be hosted in North Carolina at Donna's Studio.. (I can't wait to be in this creative space!!)

 and will include 4 days of creative play, including creating a She Art Girl, A quilt canvas, art journals, creative tags, Utee Fun, stencils, masking, and more. PLUS it includes all your food too! You will spend the entire day with Donna and I, plus each night.. creating away. It's going to be an amazing and "cozy" retreat.. because there are only 20 spots for this inspired event. which means.. not only creating some amazing projects.. but creating life long friendships as well.

 

 I am really excited about this. While I love teaching at large events, I truly REALLy getting to spend time with other creative souls and getting to know them. This Soulful Artist Retreat will allow me to really get to know my students and make life long friends. I have wanted to do a retreat like this for a while now.. so this is something I truly CAN NOT WAIT FOR! Only having 20 students also allows Donna and I to do extra special things for each student.. like make handmade personal gifts and goodies. We have already starting planning all the fun little surprises for you teach day. THIS retreat is TRULY going to give you some much needed soulful artsy play and pampered goodness. I hope you join her and I!

You can read more about the Soulful Artist Retreat here.. and see the actual schedule and all the fun things planned. And you can sign up here! Remember there are ONLY 20 spots.. which is not much.. so sign up quick!

I seriously CAN NOT WAIT.

today I am traveling to Minnesota to see my agent and work on some fun stuff that I can't really talk about until next year.. and I can't wait to reveal it all to you! it's been a super exciting and blessed last 4 months with all the liscening opportunities.. and starting the first of the year.. I finally get to start sharing and showing you all of them! Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday.. hoping to post on thursday about my experience with Hillary Weeks.. and her video that truly spoke to my soul. You MUST see it. It will change yours too.
Happy Tuesday!

Happy Halloween... and Cku recap

Just popping on to say Happy Halloween to everyone!!

 

One of my favorite HOlidays today!.. just returned home last night from teaching at CKU in San Diego! Got to take Ben with me this time.. and let me tell you.. I was SO grateful he came! I taught four 90 minutes classes for two days straight.. with about 20 minute breaks in between.. I thought I was gonna die being on my feet all day.. but having him there really helped. He was great with the students (of course the women love him) and helping me set up and take down my classes too. I had AWESOME students.. the biggest joy of this event was that almost ALl of these women had NEVER done mixed media before in their lives. CKU is traditionally a Scrapbooking event and this year they decided in honor of their 10 year reunion, they would do something different. So most of them came into the class.. very shy and hesitant of what we would be doing. A lot of them told me afterwards they were NOT looking forward to my class and had every intention of skipping it.. but then said that they were SO glad they stayed and now was in love with mixed media and go home and do it again and again. I asked each one of my classes who would continue to create art on canvas with all these new found techniques.. and I would say 99 percent of them raised their hands.. it was such a huge joy to see everyone just get it and really enjoy it.  not only were my classes and students GREAT.. but I got to meet someone I have had a huge "crush" on for a while. Hillary Weeks was a keynote speaker at the event.. she is a Christian Music Artist.. and has one of the most stunning voices! Her message was incredible and her new video just touched me so close to home. I am going to share it with you sometime in the next week or so. Seriously.. my heart was overflowing with emotions as I watched it and I thought about all the heartache and blessing I have had over the last year. can't wait to share that. It was a great weekend all and all. Tiring but great! Here is just a few pictures from this weekend..

 

These were a couple of some fun ladies.. you can kinda of see ben sitting there next to them on the left.. he had fun chatting with them through that class!

This was was one of my students canvas in the process.. loved the addition of the butterflies!

Some of my students got creative and just did their own thing! love it when that happens!

Since almost ALL of my students had never done mixed media before.. I taught them shading with the Faber Castell Big Brush pens. Love those pens because they stay wet long enough to smudge them for shading.. but once dry.. they are permanent. I think after that class these students were HOOKED on them! They actually got a pack of them in their goody bags from CKU! Before the class they had NO idea what they were to be used for.. but after the class.. they couldn't wait to go home and get more! so funny!

Friday night a few of us teachers went and visisted the Store PaperTales.. its a papercrafting/mixed media store in Point Loma.. at first I didn't really want to go> I was SO tired from teaching for 7 hours! but Michelle talked me into it and after we got there, I was SO glad we did! Speaking of teachers.. I SO enjoyed getting so know some of them better. TRULY awesome gals. So glad I went.

I didn't get to see the beach or even really walk outside except for going to that store but I did enjoy the nicer weather still the same. Today it's in the 50's and there is a brisk cold wind here in Shelley.. but so sad.. tonight it's supposed to take a turn for the worst and be windy and rain and even snow! seriously?  Normally I make my kids wait until dark to go trick or treating.. so they don't bother the neighborhood during dinner.. but this morning I told them I think they should go early.. like at 5:30.. because if not. .they are going to FREEZE when it starts to get dark at 7:00! poor kids! It's like hit or miss each year.. it's either nice and warm or it snows and rains. Gotta love IDAHO! lol We are also going to do our family tradition and carve pumpkins after school today... they get out early on mondays.. so that makes it every better. More time to play!

Well..l tomorrow I have a fun announcement to make! a special weekend I am doing with Mrs. Donna DowneyiN february.. it's going to be FUN. oh! and don't forget.. TODAY IS THE LAST day to order Muvazi.. (the skin care system I use) for 60% off the normal price.. if you didn't see my video on it or get the coupon code.. you can check that post out here and get all the info!

Well.. tomorrow I leave bright and early.. 6 am for a quick trip to Minnesota to meet with my Licensing agent.. so many wonderful things happening there.. feel so blessed.. so many fun products coming out next year with my artwork on it.. can NOT WAIT until I can share the news with pictures of those!..
hope you all have a happy halloween!! oh and thanks for the wonderful birthday wishes yesterday on facebook! seriously! I was blown away and so overjoyed by the support! You all ROCK!
hugs to you all!
happy Monday!

we're back and playing catch up :)

wahoo! we are home.. as much as I love going on vacation, I also love the feeling, when I have been gone for a long time, and we get off the "shelley" exit.. which consists of miles and miles of farmland.. and drive the 7 minute drive into "town".. seeing the old "welcome to shelley" sign and then pulling down our street and seeing our house. It's such a comforting sight and it feels so good to be HOME. Then reality hits and you realize.. holy crap.. Ive been gone for 10 days and I am SO behind and have a 1000 emails to return and deadlines that are waiting for me.. and life is back to usual. lol. I actually had to take a nap yesterday because I was so tired.. lol and I was looking at a long night ahead.

The cruise was amazing! This is us.. just getting ready to get onto the ship in Orlando. Kids were so excited and getting along.

This was right after we got on the cruise.. the first thing Noah wanted to do was get an ice cream cone.. that was actually our kids favorite thing  to do. Get ice cream. Before swimming, during swimming, after swimming, before dinner, after dinner, at midnight.. etc. gotta love being able to get your own soft-serve anytime you want!

of course I had to join it :) it was part of a family activity..

This is the kids waiving goodbye to the people on shore.. so funny

 Me and ben.. excited to just be together and have FAMILY TIME!!!

and then I turned my phone off, because I was out of range.. and didn't turn it back on until our last port, when I realized I could put it in "airplane" mode and it wouldn't receive texts and I could still use it as a phone! lol (I made the mistake of turning it on in Jamaica to use it for "keeping time"  and I had about 5 texts from friends come in and then a message from AT&T telling me that each message was costing me $20.00 per text!) I scrambled to turn it off.. and then in cozumel when I was complaining I wasn't getting any good pictures on my phone, my son, Braden, reminded me.. I could put it in airline mode and just use it as a camera :) duh. So we do have a lot of pictures during the cruise.. but they are all on ben's video camera. Next time I know! This picture was taking iN Cozumel after I realized I could use it as a camera :) Braden found himself a little lizard or gecko? or some sort while we were shopping and it climbed on him and stayed with him all day long. Even in Hard Rock Cafe, when we ate lunch. The waiters and cooks thought that was pretty funny.

just for documentation purposes, I should start taking a picture of us, on our last day, waiting in the airport to come home.. haha.. I guarantee the look on the faces would NOT be excitements.. OR them getting along. On the plane ride home, there was a lot of "he's teaching me", "he won't let me see out the window", "it's my turn to play on the laptop/ipod.. etc".. seriously. I was ready to kick some tomlinson butt on that planeride home. We live in a pretty small town, so to fly out of here is REALLY expensive for 8 people. So if more than 2 of us are flying, we usually make the 3 hour drive to Salt Lake City, Utah.. to catch a plane there. So after we arrived in Salt Lake at 9:00 at night.. and we gathered our luggage, got a ride to the carport for our car, and stopped to get food.. we were on the road around 9:30 PM to home and luckily the kids slept the entire ride home. Or It would not have been pretty for them. lol.

anyhow.. so we are home! Im busy finishing up some fabrics designs I have been doing, finishing up my classes and supplies for the two events I am teaching at this month.. Next week.. SPARK THE EVENT in Utah..

 

 SO excited to be there, and spend time with my TRUE, Margie Romney-Aslett. This event is like no other. Seriously. I am not just saying that. It's not an event where you just go from room to room and your one of the crowd. The attention to detail at this event is spectacular! They make it a magical creative place.. from the decorations, to the food, to the special mini events they have, to the  homemade cupcakes and the artisan fair with all sorts of handmade vendors and gifts. IT TRULY is a one of a kind event! It's a very relaxing and nastalogic event. LOVE going to it.  I am teaching a SHE ART canvas at this event. Allie is going to miss school and come with me. Help me with my class and stuff. It will be a great bonding experience with my girl :).  It's gonna be fun! 

The the following weekend (actually on my birthday!) Ben and I are flying to San Diego, where i will be teaching at CKU.. Reunion!

CKU is jammed packed with energy and craziness..  so complete opposite of Spark. The pace is fast and fun and lots of dancing and all sorts of crazy fun. I am bringing ben because with my fibromyalgia.. I seriously can't NOT life boxes or bags and I need help with setting up all my classes.. and really .. just need moral support. I teach all day long.. 4 classes each day and so at the end of the day I tend to get tired and emotional and need the familiar support to bring me back down to "it's okay" and start all over again the next day. I am teaching a "house" canvas at this event.. gonna be SO fun. Then we fly home sunday, October 30th.. on my birthday! I think I am going to be 37 this year? I hope it's 37.. not 38! lol

Come join me at either OR BOTH events! You can still register and come! Seriously.. gonna love it :)

so that is what I am up to this week.. preparing for those two events. PLUS I am designing a new line of STAMPS too! Can't wait! working on it with a fabulous company.. hoping to have them in production by the end of this month and ready for the new SHE art 2 class!  OH and on my list this week.. start loading all my prints into my new esty store that I am HOPING to have open by the end of this month too. :)

 holy cow.. it's wednesday.. I don't know if I can get this all done. I still have to order all the products for our brand new mixed media subscription kit, we are hoping to debut in November. I think I need a double :) lol

well, that's an update of life at the Tomlinson home! I DO have in the plans to do a Creatively Inspired video this week too.. think "fall" and pumpkins.. and paint and stamps. So inspired when I saw this and can't wait to do it! already bought my pumpkins yesterday for it! Plus gonna do a video on something TRULY amazing that my sister and her husband have done.. that I want to share with you too.. so i better get off this darn keyboard and start doing it. I have my to do list in front of me.. better start checking it off :)

Happy Wednesday!
Christy

CKU Reunion... mixed media fun!

So many of you that are in the papercrafting industry.. or have been.. remember way back when.. when I taught at the events.. CKU. Creating Keepsakes University.I use to travel and teach for Chatterbox.. the company I worked for at the time.. teaching mini albums and other papercafting classes. Well earlier this year, they approached me about coming to a CKU Reunion event to teach and help celebrate 10 years of CKU's!!! I was EXTREMELY excited.. however my first thought.. was.. well I don't scrapbook though? and so I was even MORE thrilled to find out they wanted me to teach my mixed media art! I decided to teach this fun 8x8, deep edge canvas class.. the house class. Because for those who are just starting into mixed media class.. this is a GREAT class to get your feet wet with.

 
 

 You will get to use products from some awesome sponsors.. like Faber Castell, Ranger, Unity Stamps, DecoArt... it's gonna be a SUPER fun class!

The event is this October.. 27-29th.. in warm and sunny San Diego (and my hubby gets to come with me).. 

Oh! The other cool thing about this event is that they are incorporating all kinds of artsy stuff! Like Jewelry and fabric classes too. I have seen some of the stuff and wow.. so cool!  So maybe I will get to see you there!  In Warm Sunny California (okay.. so it' might not be too warm or too sunny.. but I can guarantee you it will be warmer than Idaho! lol). The thing I am most excited for is seeing all of my old papercrafting friends! the students AND the other teachers coming. We sure has some really great times back in the day.. some of the best people I know!   So check it out.. hopefully I will see you there..

CKU 10 Year ANniversary Reunion Event..

Well it's friday and my husband is out of town for the rest of the weekend (he left yesterday for a hiking trip). So it's just me and the kiddos and my baby brother who is going to keep my company (He doesn't know it yet.. but I thought it would be a fun way to spend the weekend.. lol). Tonight is the Boise State Football game.. and I don't miss those.. so I know what I will be doing. Maybe tomorrow I will find some "will power" to clean this dang office. Seriously folks. If you saw it. Yikes. seriously Yikes.

Happy Friday!

 

Artsy Fun.. filming MCC segments

I am back!! last week I took the week off from my blog, the internet, emails.. because honestly my body was having a breakdown. I don't know if it was from months of just going and going and finally all the stress was over.. but man it just shut down. It was also my kid's first week of school and I hadn't prepared at all, so needed to just focus on family, school shopping, registration, first week of school, etc.. it felt REALLY good to rest. I think the first day back of school, (all 6 of my kids are in school full time!!)I slept the entire day. It was SO needed. :) anyhow.. soo.. as you know.. The week before last, I headed down to utah to film my segments of the new show My Craft Channel.com airing this fall on the web. First off, let me say.. preparing for those segments were a KILLER.. holy cow. I thought it would be just me throwing some things together, bringing a few supplies.. haha. No. It ended up being a car load of stuff, and hours and hours of prepartion.. creating samples, step outs, etc.. for each segment. I was SO grateful that I had asked 3 guest to be on with me so show ME how to do a project, because I don't think with the time I left myself, I could have done one more segment before i had to head out the door! yikes!

So I arrived to the set early.. before my guest arrived, to film the segments only I would be on.. and I was IN LOVE with the set they had created for me! I brought of few of my own canvases, my own paintbrushes, etc  and old vintage things, to give it a personal touch.. but wow, In love!

 

This is a full view of the set.. I had just got done filming my segment on UTEE.. and creative ways to use it in Mixed Media Art.

 
Another side view..

 
This is an up-close picture of the back-wall.. what you will see in the actual "segment" love the old crates for shelving.. so me. and of course.. LOVE the red wall! it's hard to see, but it's actually textured wallpaper painted red. TOTALLY my style. Just loved it!

 
These are the two crew members who filmed and put up with me ALL day.. lol seriously these guys rocked. They were such good sports!  even when i burped really loud on set right before filming a segment. Kristine had got me a pop.. but it was bottled and it had a ton of carbonation in it and I only drank two sips.. but not more than 5 minutes later, I suprised myself and them as I let out a huge burp right on set. YOu should have seen the look on their faces. I think the look on mine was worse. I was more shocked than they were that I did it! lol.. good times..

 
Here is another one of them with Kristine, chatting about what a pain I am.. (only kidding. . they were awesome.. but I was a pain! )

 
these were the samples i stayed up all night making for the UTEE segments.. these were on wire dipping, faux soldering and more. I am addicted to faux soldering to use on canvas as art. Seriously addicted.

 
This is another view. On the hand is a necklace I made. I created a heart out of wire and dipped it into colored UTEE and then added a jump ring.. and some other fun charms. So fun.

 
here are some upclose pics of the art I created with the faux soldering techniques..

 
 
after i made the glass pieces, I put them onto canvases.. loved the dimension it creates!

 
 
here is another one I made, isntead of putting paper between class, I put a piece of lace.. I actually made this one for Jeanne, reminded me so much of her.

 
some of the samples i had created before I came.. THANK YOU TO my dear friend Meredith who helped me get these samples  done. She came over and dipped flowers and embellishments and created wire designs for me. I wouldn't have been able to get it done without her. love that girl.

 So after I finished the filming the segments with just ME in them, my "guest" hosts arrived around 1:00! and seriously.. if the crew thought I was a little crazy and nutty and loud.. they had no idea what they were in store for when Margie, Jeanne, Chrissy, Danielle and her sister showed up! lol oh my heck. I swear we had to do more takes just because we were laughing so hard at the off set comments. It was seriously so fun.

 
 
(Me and Jeanne on set.. she showed me how to create a vintage canvas on a vintage door plate. )

 
(Danielle and I.. right after filming her segment. she showed how to use coffee filters for background in art. SO cool!!!)

 
(margie and me.. Margie came on the segment I taught on using yarn, thread and Jute for creating mixed media art.. she was a fun guest to have on! Pretty funny!)

 
(for some reason I didn't get a picture of just me and chrissy! I hope someone else did on their phone.. but this was part of her project.. a cool art journal!)

This is a picture of all of us after the day was over. You may notice I am wearing a different outfit in each picture.. had to change outfits for each segments. The bad part was, I didn't realize or remember I guess, that my background was red, so 3 of my 8 outfits were red or dark orange shirts/dressed and I couldn't wear them! So in one segment I wore the tank top and sweater that I wear for PJ's!.. you couldn't tell on film, but it was funny.. because it's seriously what I wore to be the night before.. I am such a dork!  

I had such an amazing experience. I was SO worried that my body wouldn't get me through the full day of filming on thursday and I don't know if it was excitement, or what, but we got through all the segments and before i knew it was 6:00 pm and we were done! I was so grateful my fibro didn't act up during filming.. now i can't say as much for the rest of the night and then next three days.. lol.. I seriously felt like I had been through the ringer and my body hurt so bad.. I pretty much slept for 4 days straight when I got home. but it was TOTALLy worth the experience.. the show debuts on September 12th.. can't wait!  thanks for letting me share!
Happy Monday!

 

heading to utah for some film and some creative collaborations...

So as you know, I was asked to be one of the hosts on the new show coming up this fall, called My Craft Channel. It's a online based (web) TV show where everyday they will have shows hosted by expert crafter's, showcasing all different crafts and styles. I was asked to be the host for the Mixed media show.. and was SO honored and so excited! 

the show is produced in utah, so I am heading down today tonight as I will be filming in the studio, tommorow and thursday for my upcoming segments this fall! I am excited for a lot of reason.. one is because of course one of my very best friends, Margie Romney-Aslett,

 
(this is a picture of me and Margie last fall.. she seriously makes me laugh.. like stomach hurt laugh. She is just one of a kind that girl!)..

 lives there, so I get to stay with her and hang out with her funny lovely self. I also get to stay in her "infamous" guest room.. which is always a delicious treat!

 

(this is a picture of margie's guest room in her last house.. her new one is even more gorgeous and this time I will take pictures!)

 ANOTHER reason I am excited is because the producers of MCC,  built each of us hosts, our very own "sets".. and I can't wait to see mine! I have been told is totally screams ME. Red walls, rustic/eclectic furniture.. I can't wait! Of course I am going to bring my own art to put on the walls, and my own "art supplies to film with.. gotta have my own trusty paints and paintbrushes..

 

 

But can't wait to see my set AND the set of everyone else! I have heard they are each so cool!

AND probably the biggest reason I am excited is because I get to have "guest" on my show and I will be having four of the coolest artsy chics coming thursday to each film a segment with me!  Of course you know I had to ask my dear friend Margie to be my first guest.. she will be the first one to tell you she is NOT an artist.. BUT I BEG TO DIFFER.

 
(this is a canvas margie started at our girls retreat in April..)

 An artist comes in so many different forms and while she might not totally feel comfortable with mixed media art.. she is an amazing papercrafting artist, jewelry artist, and product designer (which includes desiginging paper.. which has lead into designing fabric and such!). Plus she puts on one of THE MOST creative events ever.. from decorations, to teachers, to food, to music.. hello.. THAT is art at it's finest.. She is also an amazing blogger.. always finding the most beautiful photos and capturing you and bringing you into this wonderful world of art she has created.. She is also an AMAZING decorator.. I love her house.. love her sense of style!

 

(this is a photo taken from her blog.. seriously THIS is what her house looks like.. not even kidding you. )

So Margie will be my first guest on my Show.. she isn't going to create a project or teach me a project I guess I should say.. but I am going to teach her and she is going to be funny and witty and awesome like she always is and make me feel at ease and happy and right at home.. couldn't be more perfect for the first day of filming.. I will film three more segments that day. (wednesday) before we call it  a day. So excited and So nervous!

On the second day of filming I will have 3 more guests coming to shoot segments (I will be shooting 12 segments in all.. 8 of them this week.. and so four of my 8 will have guest on them.. it will be so much more interesting than just me talking the whole time! :))

So on thursday, I am excited to share the camera with 3 EXTREMELY talented mixed media artist.. who will be coming on my show to teach ME a technique! and I can't wait!

My first guest is the amazing Danielle Donaldson.. from wishbliss studios.. she is one of the most brilliant painters I have truly ever seen. Her depth and details in her art is CRAZY!!! so crazy! I am jealous of her talent!

 

(this is one of her paintings...)

 
 (the details.. seriously..)

She is also a awesome jewelry artist and takes her art and mixes it with wearable pieces!

 


So I am SUPER excited to have this chicka in the studio with me! I have never met her in person.. so this will also be an awesome FIRST! can't wait!

My second Guest "host"/Artist OR first guest  for filming on  thursday will be a VERY good friend of mine.. who also makes me laugh like no tomorrow.. Jeanne Oliver from Jeanne Oliver Designs.
Jeanne is a MUTLI-talented artist.. from jewelry, to fabric goods (handmade bags, dresses, pillows).. to mixed media art..

 
(one of my favorite original pieces from her.. I have the one on the left in the back.. the two friends with their heads together.. LOVE)

 

(I also have this necklace she made from vintage finds while in Paris. It never fails, it's my favorite necklace to wear and I always get compliments when I wear it!)

Jeanne has a very vintage quality about her work.. which is very different than my bright funky ways.. so I am excited to have her come on and even teach me a thing or to about her style of mixed media art! Plus the good news is I get to hang with her for two days while she stays with us at Margie's house! YOU KNOW We are going to party! lol (and that means for us old farts.. staying up way past our bedtime lauging at the dumbest things possible).. :) Man I have great friends. I am one lucky girl.

My last guest for thursday is the ever so brilliant.. and seriously.. blow your mind.. talented, Chrissy Gardner.  Chrissy is also a dear dear friend. TRULY one of the best. Chrissy is ALSO  a well kept secret.. if you will. She is very quiet, very humble and doesn't share her art a ton with other people. But that girl.. OH MY GOSH.. she is so freaking creative it blows my MIND!!

 
(this is a picture taken from her blog.. her blog is always so inspiring.. she is on a little hiatus with it right now as she just moved to utah.. but be prepared because when she is blogging.. it's full of creative goodness and inspiration!)

She is just seriously.. and I mean this with my entire heart.. a creative genius just waiting to be unleashed.

 
(this is a mixed media project she was working on while at our girls art retreat).. she first doolded it, then painted it and then was embriodering it.. and then it was going to be turned into a bracelet! HELLO??!!!)

this girl thinks SO outside the box.. is crazy. I just wish she knew how talented she really was and shared more of her artsy goodness with the world. AT our girls retreat early this year.. with all of my closest girlfriends, she made each of us a pair of simple tourquise earring. Before that, I was not a wearer of earrings.. they always seemed to bother my ears like nothing else.. so I thought I would never wear them. NOW?? I wear them almost every day! They are SO me and because they are silver, they don't bother my ears at all! I truly wear them all the time and they are simple, yet funky and handmade andi LOVE THEM.

 

(This is a picture I took of them the other day using my phone) .. i was driving and sent her a text to tell her again THANK You for the wonderful earrings.. I truly DO wear them all the time.)

Anyhow.. I guess I am just super excited and super anxious for this week to come. I am nervous to film.. silly right? I mean I have done over 75 videos in my own workshops alone.. but it just feels "bigger" more pressure to be creative than ever before.. and of course I want to be myself. I want to be able to laugh and mess up and just be me on film.. so  I am hoping they allow me to do that and not cut too many "mistakes" out.. cause you know there will be! Lol

I will film 8 videos this week.. and then head back in September sometime to film the other 4.. AND when I do, I get the pleasure of having one more fabulous artist on the show with me.. the ever Talented Kelly Barton She tried so hard to make it this time around.. cause the 6 of us ladies hanging out.. holy cow.. that would have been SOMETHING ELSE!  but alas.. work and family came first. Which is as it SHOULD be.  Can't wait for September though! .( I will tell you more about THIS amazing chicka later! )

I am also just truly grateful for this opportunity. Seriously.. talk about a "LEAP".  I sometimes forget what a HUGE opportunity this is for me.. and then I will be talking to my mom about it or someone else and I can see the excitement in their eyes and I realize how blessed I TRULY am that I was asked to do this. Out of ALL the mixed media artist in our industry.. TRULY there are so many talented women AND Men, so I am grateful I was asked! I hope I do them proud! :)

 Well... I am off! I am going to take lots of pictures while I am there so I can document and blog about this experience. not sure how much time I will have, but if I do, I will post a blog about it while I am gone. (I say that knowing full well I am sure I won't have any time! lol  But I did spend some time this weekend in my studio.. I had this creative itch to create something just for ME.. so I did.. I will share that with you when I get back :) 

Anyhow.. thanks for letting me share this journey of MCC with you!  Happy Tuesday!

 

Spark your creativity!.. a artsy experience..

So I know a long while I ago, I posted that I was going to be one of the new creative partners this year for Spark The Event.But I am ALSO going to be teaching one of my mixed media classes at Spark as well! I have to tell you.. last year when I attended this event, I wasn't really in the "creating mood". I hadn't been for years, didn't consider myself a creative person or even an artist. After I attended that event, soaked in all the beautiful women, teachers and philosophies about art.. that were shared at that event.. I came home INSPIRED to do more.. to start creating again.. it was the perfect nudge I needed to just be ME again..

 
 

If you don't know what Sparkis.. well you are in for a treat! Spark is a creative event where all things creative and beautiful come together in one place. It's creative genius is the fabulousMargie Romney-Alsett.

 

 And it's her Third YEAR! From the classes to the food, the decorations, the rooms, everything is just one magical place! 

 

 

 

 It's a 2 day event hosted in this beautiful building in Utah. And when I say beautiful I mean it has a rooftop patio with christmas lights hung.. and they use it for the make and take nights and live music. Seriously beautiful!  As part of the event you get to take all the classes offered (which I believe are a total of 7  or 8).. 

 

 classes like stamp carving with the talented April Meeker,

 

 reverse applique (From Amy Tangerine), an Altered Shabby Vintage book, full of wonderful little details,

 
 

 a mixed media art piece (She Art Girl by me!),

 

 a jewelry piece, an art journal class by the talented DONNA Downey!

 

 and the EVER talented artists:  Emily Falconbridge, Mindy Gledhill, and more! PLUS guess what? they are going to have a blogger panel by some of the most well known bloggers in the industry! AMazing!

 
 

 It combines all things creative and you get to participate in ALL of them! Plus they will have a Market Fair with handpicked handmade artists featuring their work for sale.

 

They also include a make and take night where you get to spend the evening on the roof, creating all sorts of things from sponsors like jewelry, cuffs, cards, headbands, the list goes on and on.

 

 

 And if that weren't enough, you get served Delicious food as well! It truly is an amazing experience. This past week Spark held a fun little "soiree at a local gift store.. to give a taste of what's in store.. here is a fun little video on it.. But seriously.. if you are looking for something to really push you creatively.. to be surrounded by wonderful beautiful artsy people like yourself. To connect and make new friends, new opportunities.. new life changing experiences.. YOU NEED TO COME TO THIS EVENT.  It's this fall, in October (my birthday month!) near Salt Lake City Utah! So  come see me.. come take a class with me and all the other wonderful teachers that will be there. It will be one unforgettable experience! Check out the Spark Website for more info!

Spark The Event

 

Spark the Event No. 3 Soiree from Spark The Event on Vimeo.

 

The Art of Spring: part two...

for some reason I imagined that with  summer and me being home for 6 weeks.. I would have all of this  magical free time. Yeah. Not so much :). I forget how much time we love to just spend at a family hanging out and doing fun things! Last week my husband and oldest son were out of town for a church TREK.. and so I took my other 5 kids on a little "adventure" of our own for 2 days.. It was SO fun. Spur of the moment and just fun.  But now I am back.. and ready to get some work done!

So here is part two of the Art of Spring retreat!
If you missed Part one, about the amazing remodeled church, we spent the weekend in (Shea and Debbie's home).. you can read about it here!

I also am going to break this post down into a third part.  As I mentioned before not only did we have 2 full day of classes, but we also took a day trip to Canton, Texas.. which is this amazing antique/flea market place. AND SERIOUSLY.. as i started going through photos, I think Canton just needs its own post entirely :)

So today's post is about the ARt of Springs classes that were also held at Shea's house. I showed you in the last post about this event.. how their house is set up normally, but for the event, they completely transform the living room into one big open art studio for all the students..

 

The tables were covered in antique tablecloths and Debbie made these brilliant lamp shades out of antique doilies to hang from their chandelier. CRAZY! these ladies go all out.

 

Each student was greeted with this amazing necklace that Shea, Debbie and Heather (their awesome assistant) made..

 

each necklace was soldered and made by hand. Seriously.. incredible! We also each received a bag, made by the wonderful Stacy.. (one of my roomies).. out of hand-dyed linen..

 

The bags were filled with all sorts of goodies from etsy stores, stamps companies, art companies.. it was amazing. They attention to detail was AMAZING.

They also had a wonderful breakfast and "welcome" message for us before we began..

 


Our first class was taught by the very talented  Lesa Dailey, an awesome mixed media artist.. and of course, like everything else that the Gilded LIfe girls do.. the packaging for the class supplies were adorable!

 

The project we were making was a feathered bird, on a birdhouse..  it was playful and vintage and TOTALLY  glittery. As you know.. I am all into the playful and vintage.. not so much the glitter lol. but I was ready to break out of my comfort zone and go for it! .. so as I sat down with Margie, Jo Packham, Shea and Debbie. (all at my table) we decided we were just going to have fun and go for it! (Margie, Shea and Debbie are all about glitter.. so this was their comfort zone.. me and jo.. Not so much :)). this is a picture of us seriously.. having SO much fun. I swear I haven't laughed that hard in a long long time..

 

This is part of the project in process.. we had to glitter A LOT OF THINGS.. :) and apparently I didn't know how to glitter correctly.. but I have learned how. You should never DIP your item into glitter.. you should only ever sprinkle the glitter on top :) so now you know :)

 

I elected to leave off some of the glittery stuff in some parts.. used book paper or antique papers instead.. just a little more me.. but here is how it turned out finished..

 

It's hard to see the feathered bird.. but he really did turn out cute. He sits on top of the birdhouse..

 

This is where I changed it up a bit. I added some of my own bits and baubles to go inside of the bird house (8 my favorite number.. my family is 8). I also opted out for the glitter garland that went around the opening of the birdhouse and used vintage paper that I crinkeled and pasted instead. a little more me.

 

It was actually super fun. Lesa REALLy has this unique sense of attention to detail. I mean the thought that went into this project.. even down to the birds feathers and eyes, and wings.. were amazing. She is super talented. This class took us all day to complete. But It was fun.

Day two.. was Shea's Jewelry class..

and again as we sat down the next morning, we had this adorable little package waiting for us at our tables..

 

We each were given our own little tray so we could sort all the jewelry bits and baubles .

I didn't take any pictures of the "process".. of making it.. which I wish I would have! It was SO fun.. it was right in my element.. as I love making handmade jewelry..

But this was my finished project..

 

 It has 5 seperate strands that go around your wrist.. which I LOVE. Love how eclectic it is.. Shea is truly one talented girl. Here is picture of HER finished bracelet (she also gave us a watch and then bubbles to put on it.. you can see in more detail how the strands are seperate.I LOVE wearing mine!

 

The whole experience was just AMAZING.. They just truly went out of their way to make everything "special". Everything they did from the food, to the name tags, bags, supplies, our tables and chairs.. everything was simply what I call "Gilded". They just have an amazing sense of style and vintage and class. It was a cool experience for me, because I am So not gilded.. lol.. well you've seem my art studio.. and my messy art space. Not so gilded, so this was a serious Treat! I felt so blessed to have been invited as a guest. I can NOT WAIT for next summer.. to offer a special Art Retreat with them in Rome, Italy.. where you will get a little bit of us all.. The gilded life from Debbie and Shea.. Margie's unique Shabby Chic and my eclectic artsy urban. As I said before, it will be a week long retreat in a Castle in Rome.. lots of artsy projects, plus flea market shopping AND even sight seeing trips. AND authentic Italian cooking.. it's going to be AMAZING. It will include all of your meals, your room at the castle and of course all of the art projects and day trips we take. The only thing not included will be your airfare (though we are working with my dear friend Jamie on getting some REALLY good flight rates if you want to book through her).  As soon as I have all the complete details.. I will let you know! We will only have about 15 spots.. It's going to be in the first part of july 2012. Can't wait!

Well Hope you all are having an amazing and fun artsy summer. I am SUPER excited.. Wednesday is the day I start my new "summer" series!! Artsy goodness! And you can join me too! It's gonna help you stay artsy and creative during this summer break! :)

Happy Monday!

The Art of Spring Event: Part One.. the church

 I just got back from my 6 day trip to Texas.. and I can't wait to share with you my adventure!

I am breaking this post up into two parts because really the experience was just THAT big.. This post is on the church that I have now fallen in love with.. here is more on that story..

 

So as you know.. last weekend I was in Dallas Texas attending the Art of Spring event, hosted by the lovely Shea and Debbie of a Gilded Life.  I was lucky enough to go with my best friend Margie.. and we arrived Thursday afternoon. More than anything I was excited to see Shea's house.. her husband Rober and her  had purchased  an old church.. VERY run down historic church about 6 years ago... close to the center of downtown Dallas.. where all the historic old homes are. The church is 16000 Sq ft and they (including Shea, her husband Robert and Shea's mom, Debbie) renovated the church into a house. A HOUSE! I had seen pictures of it in the magazine "Where Woman Create" and also online.. but to see it in person was so cool. Llet me  first apologize by saying most of the pictures of from my phone! Sorry! Forgot my nice camera :) But I also did borrow some of these photos from Robert.. Shea's husband.. :) (which by the way.. Shea's husband.. seriously one of the coolest people i have ever met. TRULY a nice guy and just so brilliant!)

 

The house is split into two living quarters.. the upstairs (main part of the house) an the downstairs (below ground). Each living space has  a full kitchen living rooms, bedrooms, etc. First they finished the basement part.. and lived in it through  the renovation of upstiars  (the main living quarters). The wanted to keep the upstairs of the church in character to what it may have looked like when it was built.. reusing alot of the wood and benches and things left in the church.. BACK into the house. They also wanted to take very special care that everything was as original as possible.. so they hand-scraped and hand-stained most of the trim, beams, doors, floors, etc.. in upstairs living quarters.

This is a view of the basement living room and kitchen which has a more modern feel to it. It really is actually more like two separate houses.. though it's all in the church. I love how creative they were in restoring the up and downstairs so differently. That is partly what Shea's husband does for a living and he is REALLY good at it.

 

 

 


The downstairs is INCREDIBLE.. I loved all the exposed brick and concrete floors. truly so cool.

The upstairs as I said.. was re-done to really stay true to character of the church's history.

This is a view of the upstairs living room and kitchen which has a much more classical "cathedral" feel to it.

 

 

Debbie hand cut all the stained glass windows in the house.. and tried to re-create it as it would have been when it was first built. I wish I could remember how many pieces he told me where involved! I Do remember him telling me that they stripped all the trim around the windows by hand.. and there are I think close to 200 windows in just the upstairs alone!

 

 

 

 The house has 11 bedrooms and I believe 11 bathrooms..

 

the living room/kitchen area is where the congregation and alter use to be.. Seriously so cool I can't even BEGIN to tell you!

Here is a picture that hangs in their entry way.. showing what the church looked like when it was first built and how the  Alter room. .now living room once looked..

 

Here are some of the guest bedrooms..

Shea had several of us guests staying at her house.. one of the teachers and her friend, the chefs who she flew in for the event, Jo Packham, the editor and creator of Where woman Create.. some of her closest friends who also help her with the event.. and of course her family. (she has two beautiful children and her husband and mom who live there)

 

 

 

and this is the room me and Margie stayed in.. Nico's room (Shea's 5 year old son.. which oh my heck.. ADORABLE.. he's my new buddy for life!)

 


This is the master bedroom upstairs..

 

.. and the best part.. Shea and Debbie's Art Studio which is the entire upstairs loft of the church (it has a balcony that opens up to the kitchen and living room below)

 

the Studio was full of PURE magic..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I loved about their studio is everything had a place.. and they had stations set up all through the studio.. one for sewing, one for using the computer, one for soldering and doing jewelry, one for mixed media.. one for fabric cutting.. truly this studio is not only gorgeous but efficient!

Here is a shot of Margie and Heather (Shea's dear friend and mine too :)).. sitting on the studio.. just taking in the surroundings..

 

I could have sat in that space all day.. oh who I am I kidding.. it didn't matter WHERE I was at in their home.. It was just beautiful to sit and look at all the wonderful beautiful things they had done to this church! I couldn't imagine getting to live there on a daily basis! .. and that is where the sad news comes in..

I found out right before I came that Shea and her family are moving to California.. (her husband's business is there and after years of traveling back and forth).. they decided to just take the plunge and move to California to be closer to him and his work. They movers were actually coming MONDAY (the day after the event ended).. to pack up their belongings and move them!
I was SO sad to hear this news.. especially once I saw this gorgeous magically space.. but family DOES come first! So they are selling the church.  One thing I KNEW they would miss (besides living in it on a daily basis).. is that the church is where they hold all of their "Art" retreats they do each year. 

They transform the living room into an art studio that seats 50 people.. and the women come for three days and create art in this magical space! They feed them gourmet meals and pamper them seriously.. beyond anything you can imagine! I felt so blessed they invited me to come as their guest and that this could potentially be the last time they have an event in this historic church!  Debbie joked that we needed to start selling tee-shirts that said "save the church".. and maybe we could sell enough that we could buy the church and use it to hold art events in all year long.. I was SOOOO in on it! .. I said.. let's start a fund! Save the church FUND! and seriously.. I would do it in a heartbeat.. I am "kinda" hoping maybe it doesn't sell for a little while.. and if it's still vacant there next spring.. we can hold an art retreat in the church..the three (or four of us).. I think it ROCK..

but I know they NEED to sell it.. making two mortgage payments.. specially on something of that size.. is not fun.  So I am torn between praying they will sell it soon and praying someone will magically donate all the money to save it.. and let people like us..  rent it out for art retreats, weddings, events.. etc. Wouldn't that be cool?  Um..so if you LIVE in the Dallas area.. or know of someone looking to invest into something.. put the little bug in their ear! lol.. It would be so sad if someone came in and just changed the atmosphere of the church all together.. so let's all pray! :)

anyhow.. so that is my post for today.. just LOVED opportunity to come to this event..and be apart of Shea's home. Her family is amazing.. her kids are adorable. Her mom is just like a wonderful sister.. and her husband is an awesome host. I was sad to come home knowing I may never get to see the church again.. that was a great memory!  THE GOOD news is.. they will STILL be holding ARt retreats and events.. TRUE Gilded life style.. it might not be in the historic church.. but some of the best parts of their event were the attention to detail that went into the event and goodie bags and the food and the classes.  I will post MORE about the actual event next week.. all about the projects we made.. how the space looked transformed into art heaven.. about the foods, the treats we received.. and the trip to Canton for a day of Antique Shopping. amazing. Watch for THAT post next week!

oh! and I forgot to tell you the BEST part!!  NEXT Summer.. Debbie, Shea, Margie and I.. are putting together a fun little retreat IN ITALY!..  we have only started on the details.. but I am pretty sure it willl include your housing, most of your food, creative art classes and antique shopping and flea market shopping.. hosted by the four of us! I seriously can not wait! As Soon as I have more details about it.. I will post it on my blog.  ALSO If you are interseted in any of Shea and Debbie's local events here in the states.. read their blog! They hold them usually twice a year!

 http://whathappensnext.typepad.com/

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!! Happy Friday!