I took Michael deMeng’s assemblage class Morpheus Box at Hampton Art & Soul. I was nothing more than terrified. If you’re familiar with his art, it’s pretty intense; filled with depth of meaning, strong passion, concentrated color, and interesting (not to mention strange) found objects. So far from my sense of style (think architectural pieces, serenity, le jardin, and a dash of vintage thrown in for good measure). I knew I was taking a step outside my comfort zone but I didn’t want to learn his style, per se. I wanted to learn how he chose his composition, how he got the pieces to stick together, how he created multi-layered color and texture. And I figured, he’s from Montana… he’s gotta be a cool guy.

As a formally trained artist, Michael’s patience with those of us who were not is, in my opinion, worth mentioning. The knowledge he shared about paint (he uses Golden) and tools and adhesives took much of my fear and apprehension away. His demos were not only informational, his humor made the class fun. Although it was a large group, Michael took the time to give everyone the attention they needed. The critique session at the end of the day was great. He honored each student/artist with sincerely positive words and admiration. Everyone’s project was unique. I’m really drawn to the work of my new friend, Leslie. I love the colors and the way she incorporated each element into a cohesive work of vintage beauty. The piece just exudes her creative energy, don’t you think?

Michael maintains a very busy teaching schedule including workshops in Italy and Mexico and Bali (in 2009 with his sweetie, the wonderfully talented Judy Wilkenfeld). I would definitely take another of his classes. Oh, and don’t forget to check out his latest book, Secrets of Rusty Things: Transforming Found Objects into Art.

I was so pleased and quite surprised with my completed project. Michael called it sacred and playful at the same time. My favorite elements are the color and texture; the sheet music covered with a translucent layer of roses; the key, frozen Charlotte, and the words on the spinner; the little cherub; and the tiny casters. I’ll be keeping this treasure for my personal collection.

I took two classes at Hampton Art & Soul taught by Sally Jean Alexander and her husband, Brad: Little Pink Houses and Bottle-icious Broaches. I respect Sally’s no-photo and no-visitor wishes. These policies add to the value of the class as well as increasing the demand for her jewelry and classes and protecting her business (smart and savvy, don’t you think?).

Sally is very organized and professional. Each student is presented with the class materials in a neat package. Brad whom she affectionately refers to as her man-slave, is always there to save the day… he does much of the heavy lifting (glass cutting and such). These two are simply good people and it’s evident they have a great personal and working relationship.

In class, Brad demos glass cutting and grinding, and takes the fear out of using unfamiliar tools. Sally generously shares vintage ledger pages, other decorated papers, and cool little bits of ephemera. She seemingly effortlessly creates her mini-collages and puts them under glass sparking everyone’s creativity. The charcoal pencils are one of her finishing touches as is her signature Sally Jean blue paint—the recipe for which she so kindly shares. Her flair with a soldering iron is wonderfully beautiful; smooth and/or bumpy but oh so shiny and perfect!

Sally’s artwork is incredible and her booth is always the most popular at the vendor fair. If you have her book, Pretty Little Things, you know how wildly talented this woman is; if you’ve taken her class, you realize how genuinely nice. I was particularly touched by Sally’s family Christmas tradition—what a loving legacy to pass on to your kids.

Sally travels to many locations sharing her soldering secrets. She also offers smaller weekend workshops at her Portland studio (there are some spots left, I think). The ultimate would be the Cortona, Italy trip in the fall… oh how I wish I could go!

Here are some pictures of the pieces I created in Sally’s classes. I took away so many ideas for new things I want to create. My next purchase will certainly be a glass grinder!

My weekend was okay. I had a hysterectomy on Friday and was discharged from the hospital on Saturday and was ordered to take it easy no matter how great I felt for three days. Former period cramps were about a 15 on the pain scale but the minor tenderness and discomfort from surgery is about a two. I am heeding the doctor’s orders to take it easy physically. It’s quiet now… just me and the dogs who are in their kennels. I am relaxing until later today when I have to get myself to the doctor’s office to have the sutures removed. I learned a good lesson that I wanted to share with you. Last August when I had endometrial ablation (which didn’t work for me, by the way), my doc prescribed narcotic pain killers. Apparently, one of the negative side effects is slowed bowel functioning. One decision I made about this surgery is I didn’t want any narcotics. What a positive difference that’s made in my recovery! Besides, Ibuprofen is a wonder drug!

Emotionally my weekend was a different story. My daughter has made an appearance and Steve was not at all amused which only serves to irritate and annoy me. It all started on Friday when, of course, I was at the hospital. Amber couldn’t reach me so she called Gramma. Well, in true drama-princess fashion, Amber freaked out when she learned I was having surgery… I’m sure my mom had nothing to do with that. Anyway, who knows what’s been going on lately with the little diva, also known as my only borne daughter, because she’s been out of touch for about three weeks. Apparently, she’s worn out her welcome on the sofas of her girl-friends all over town so she needed a place to crash. That’s where the drama-king, also known as my significant other, also known as Steve, comes in. Whenever Amber’s around, he’s aggravated before anything even happens. He wound up driving down to Salem on Saturday to pick her up (he could’ve said no, right?). And when they get home, he starts his little tirade about how she (meaning Amber) better not give me (meaning me but really meaning him) any problems. If I would have let him, he would have gone on and on and on and on. He just doesn’t get it and I doubt he ever will. She is my daughter, she is my baby, she is my little girl; I love her, faults, bad decisions, and all! I proceeded to let him know in no uncertain terms that he was the cause of the so-called drama going on. Whew! That didn’t sit well with him… then I had the passive-aggressive-Steve to deal with for the rest of the day. Some people’s kids NEVER grow up!

I thought I’d do some reading but my attention span isn’t there. I did buy a book from my favorite author, Jennifer Weiner… she also has a blog. Watched a lot of TV and got caught up with my favorite show (gotta love your DVR) just in time for the season finale of Brothers and Sisters (if you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out!). I’ve been shopping on eBay. I bought… a small digital scale so I can price out my jewelry; some little tin molds that I will make into pendants… and some little vintage doll gowns that I will make into art. I met Pamela Huntington at Art & Soul vendor night. She takes little dresses, covers them with encaustic wax and forms them into sculptures. I created something similar with plaster but I wasn’t entirely pleased with the outcome so I think the wax will work wonderfully. I am also bidding on a glass grinder, some vintage lenses, an old magazine from 1915, a dapping block, and some little pocket watch keys (no bidding against me!). One thing I’m looking for but am not seeing on eBay is a disc cutter that will cut circles of 1¼”. The largest one I’m finding is 1″. Maybe I’ll get it and use the dapping block to hammer the metal to fit the size I need. Or maybe I’ll buy the metal already cut into the size I need. I just wish there was a place close by to get these things. I really need a grinder. Maybe I’ll just head over to the local glass shop and buy one. Besides, I hate waiting when I have projects I want to work on. I’ll let you know what I come up with.

Hope all you moms had a happy Mother’s Day, were able to relax and put your feet up, and got to share it with your mom, kids, and loved ones. Since I was house-bound, I think I may venture to Scappoose tomorrow to see my mom & dad.

I returned home last night from a wonderful art-filled vacation in Hampton, Virginia. I am so happy I went because I made so many new friends. That is a big accomplishment for me. I am usually very shy. Often I feel uncomfortable around others who I perceive to be superior to me in some way or another. As you may or may not know, I’ve been working on my self-image in therapy. I made a conscious effort to take a risk and expose my true self to others. Maybe some people didn’t like me but that’s okay. I met some wonderful, beautiful, creative women during my adventure and you know what? It was damn well worth it. I know I will see many of these ladies again and will keep in touch with many others. Connecting on a creative level with these remarkable individuals was enough to make the trip priceless.

By the way, I am going to add a new blog roll category to spotlight friends and acquaintences from this trip so you can meet them too (stay tuned). Thank you all for inspiring me and accepting me… flaws and all (you know what I’m talkin’ about!). Sincerely, I am so fortunate to have crossed paths with you all.

I LOVED every class I took. I will be high-lighting each class in separate blog posts but for now, I wanted to give a glimpse of some of the artwork I created.

Interesting political issues brewing in the Democratic Party. Wow, the Oregon Primary really may have bearing this election!

I’ll be off in the morning to a week of artful bliss at Art & Soul! I found out that the hotel does not have complementary internet access so I will be leaving my laptop at home.

I got my hair cut on Saturday. I chose this cut

with these bangs . Kari called the highlights “auburn.” I like it but haven’t taken a pic of myself… I hate having my picture taken when I am so big. I know it shouldn’t matter but it does. Losing weight and getting in shape are two things on my to do list. For now I’m okay… just no posed pics.

I’m going to apologize in advance for this paragraph—it’s a bit too personal for some people’s taste.

Anyway, I’ll be back next week for two days before I have surgery. I had an endometrial ablation last year but it didn’t make the problems go away. So now I am having a hysterectomy. I had a c-section when my daughter was born so the doctor is going to try to do it laparoscopically but he warned me that 20 years ago, military doctors were doing some creative sewing involving the bladder and uterus so he may have to cut an incision where my scar is in order to remove right stuff. Leaving my cervix and ovaries (no hormone therapy—thank goodness). Of course, if my ovaries look cancerous (he said it was easy to visualize), they would remove them. I asked him if he could do a tummy tuck at the same time but he wasn’t going for it. Dang! Anyway, I’ll be off work either two weeks or six weeks depending on the incision. I’m a couple decades older than I was when I had Amber—my doctor didn’t hesitate to remind me—so my body’s not as resilient. Recovery probably won’t be as easy as it was back then. I don’t care… I can’t wait to never have another period again!

I’ll be taking lots of pictures (if I can) at the art retreat and will share them when I get back. Now I’ve got to run to get all the last minute stuff done!

Here are the thumbnails of the charms from the By the Sea swap.

What talent!

Note: I changed the privacy settings so you should be able to click on the thumbnail and the flickr image should open. Sorry for that… it worked for me!

…by Dawn. I guess I should come up with seven new things, huh?

The rules:

• Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
• Post THE RULES on your blog.
• Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
• Tag 7 people and link to them.
• Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

1. I hate talking on the phone. Even when I was a teenager, I didn’t like talking on the phone. Some days I HATE my cell phone.
2. I have three dogs and one step-dog. I got a dog because I’m allergic to cats but now I’m hooked.
3. I have a small collection of Sid Dickens Memory Blocks (I know some people don’t consider them art but I love them nonetheless):
   1. T170 – Rouen
   2. T167 – Swallow (retired)
   3. T165 – The Clasp
   4. T163 – Flower Rosette (retired)
   5. T157 – Gameboard
   6. T155 – Newton (retired)
   7. T151 – Stone Leaf (retired)
   8. T148 – Mystic Bloom (retired)
   9. T138 – Melody
   10. T102 – Mosaic (retired)
   11. T100 – Plums (retired)
   12. T29 – Harlequin with Moulding
4. My favorite flowers are daffodils, lavender, and roses, not necessarily in that order.
5. One of my goals is to write a book… I’ve gotten as far as the outline.
6. Some of my favorite things are dragonflies, keys, angels, shoes, wings, birds, and of course, dogs.
7. When I was a little girl, I was afraid of the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. I think I was 13 before I ever saw the whole movie.

I’m tagging the following ladies from my charm swap:

• Michelle
• Brenda
• Cheryl
• Raquel
• Connie
• Sharon

And

• Karen, my sis-in-law

I met with some local ladies last night to create these little intention bottles. The project was left open as far as what type of medium we wanted to use. The only necessity was the bottle, of course. When I was in Seattle, I found these really cool bottles full of heart-shaped confetti. I didn’t really need four bottles of hearts (though I’m sure I’ll find a use for it someday) but I wanted the bottles because I really liked the shape and size of them and the wooden lids. Plus they were pretty inexpensive. I decided to dig into my huge stash of paper napkins because that way I wouldn’t have to work too hard to create a pretty collage on the bottles. I used gel medium to apply the paper. After that dried, covered the bottles with double-sided sticky tape-stuff that comes in a sheet. Then I stuck micro-beads all over them. There is one odd one that I stuck seed beads on. It’s a much different look but I think it’s cool. I added some ribbon on some and little charms on the others. I really love the way they turned out. I think I’m going to make some more… maybe for trades at Hampton.

I have been experimenting with PMC3. I’m not sure if I like this formula very well. It’s really gooey out of the package. I think I’ll try the Silver Clay Slow Dry. I have also used some different techniques for texturing and polishing. I would like to find some brass texture plates. The texture plates and stamps I’ve been using aren’t giving me the effect I’m looking for. I have to say I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my tumbler. What a time-saver! After an hour or two, the pieces come out so shiny and beautiful. I used some liver of sulfur to give the pieces that aged look but I’m thinking I like the shiny finish a lot. The liver of sulfur actually emphasizes the little scuffs and marks. I guess that’s nice on some pieces if that’s the look you’re going for but not on everything. I also tried some paint made for metal but it dries too quickly so I don’t think I’ll use it much. I liked using Sherri Haab’s transfer medium to add color. I think it would have been a nice addition to the little daisy I created from a mold. Next time I’ll have to try it. Anyway, here are some pictures of the pieces I did. I should be posting them on etsy but I will probably wait until I return from Art & Soul early in May.

I know there is no rhyme or reason to my posts but I do appreciate everyone who stops by my blog. WordPress is great! They have a great dashboard that shows how many visitors you have and what they clicked on. I started this blog in November and last month I had 1195 views. On my best day, I received 126 views! So thank you all again for visiting.

I cannot believe the weather we’re having in Portland. Spring is definitely late arriving this year. In the seven-day forecast, today should be the warmest day; we may (or may not) reach 60°. This weekend, the high may not reach 50° and there may be snow in the higher elevations (1000 feet)! It makes me worry about the fate of our summer as well.

I had a mammogram today. It is not fun. The technician had bad breath. I am large busted (don’t know if this makes a diff) and it was very uncomfortable. I repeat… it’s not fun. Enough said!

Maybe inclement weather will prevent “them” from dropping off another set of phone books this week. Actually, I think it’s a conspiracy. The people who ripped off our recycling bin are inundating us with phone books because they know we don’t have a conscientious means of disposing of the damn things!

I had a wake up call of sorts on Monday and Tuesday of this week. The group I work for hosted a very inspiring and beneficial two-day conference for all HR employees in Oregon. It was a great opportunity for networking, gaining some skills, and learning about new resources. I have had a renewed outlook and have realized I am pretty fortunate. I have some career-development work I need to do but I’m hopeful things are on the upswing.

Talking about networking… there’s been a lot of buzz recently at work about social media and networking. I’m on geni, facebook, myspace, linkedin, classmates, flickr, numerous yahoo groups (mostly art-related), wordpress, youtube, reunion, second life (haven’t gone there for months). Do you participate in this trend? Well, obviously, you do otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this. Or do you believe it’s more appropriate for the younger generation? Do you feel safe broadcasting yourself online? If no, why not? Have you ever googled yourself? Have you made new friends online? Or found someone from your past? Please take a minute to leave a comment. I’m interested in your thoughts.