Crescendoh‘s launch party is tomorrow evening…and oh how I wish that I could be there to celebrate with everyone.   Unfortunately this is one of the down sides to living on the East Coast.  However, I have a feeling that there will be many more causes to celebrate going forward, so hopefully next time I’ll be able to join in on the fun.   And to those of you who are lucky enough to make it this time, enjoy…have a blast!

BTW, last week while Bill was away I busied myself with making some small things using stamps available at Crescendoh.  Here’s a quick look at what I came up with.  In the gallery section at Crescendoh you’ll find project samples along with how-to instructions.  Using stamps is a new thing for me…how about you and what new things have you been experimenting with?

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This past week Bill has been away on business…all the way to Australia.   Whenever he travels, especially to such long distance destinations, I miss him like you wouldn’t believe.  When he’s away from home my heart literally aches and it feels like there’s a hole in it, very much like the shell pictured above.   And there are other very unpleasant side effects to deal with as well.   For instance, whenever Bill’s away for days at a time,  I feel off-kilter and everything looks a little fuzzy.  Food tastes blander, music sounds a bit flat, the jokes on television aren’t quite as funny, and I’ve even been having a tough time trying to stay focused on my art projects.   It’s just not the same without him.

By the time I publish this post Bill will most likely be safely back at home where he belongs.   I imagine that as soon as he sets foot in the door my mood will automatically improve.  And like magic, everything around me will look brighter and more cheerful.

I took this photo of Bill while we were in Nantucket.  Whether we’re together or apart I’m always focused on him…my thoughts, my wishes, my dreams…these all include him.  He is at the center of my heart.

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Thank you everyone for stopping by and participating.  I love being able to offer and share my work in this way.  And at the same time, thank you for sharing your comments – this feeling of connection means so much to me.

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A Mother’s love is as deep as an ocean.    This is what comes to mind when I think about Brook and how much she means to me.  She is my biggest inspiration, in life and with art.

With Brook as my muse, last year I created several necklaces using small pieces of driftwood which we collected during one of our beach outings.  That day we also found extra-large clam shells which I later used to create a personalized jewelry container for a special “love” necklace that I made for Brook.  You can see the details for both of these projects in last summer’s issue of Somerset Life.   Please keep in mind that I’ll be sharing more project ideas in the coming issue of Somerset Life available at Stampington. 

This giveaway will include three parts:  A necklace (published in my article, “Endless Love”) and a kit containing the materials for making your own necklace (pre-drilled driftwood – 1 painted and 1 natural, freshwater pearls, wire and chain.)  I will also include a copy of my article which covers the how-to details.  Plus, I’ll add a few other beach combing surprises that could come in handy for future art projects.   If you’d like to win these items please leave a comment to this post by Friday, May 14th at 4pm est.

Have a Happy Mothers Day!

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Last week Bill had a work conference in Nantucket so we used this as an excuse to sneak away for several days together.  While Bill was busy attending his conference, Brook and I made the most of this time by doing mother/daughter activies.  Then during his off-hours, we could all be together – having at least some time together is better than nothing right?

Nantucket is about an hour ferry ride from the nearby shore of  Hyannis.   However, this hour felt much longer since the water was quite choppy (lots of wind with splashing waters) during our ride there, as you can see from our blurry view from inside the cabin.  Looking back I can appreciate the beauty of this hazy image.

As soon as we arrived on the island we were greeted by this lovliness.  And there’s nothing like the sight of a lobster shack to get me excited about what’s to come!

And as soon as we checked in to The Boat Basin Cottages,  Brook immediately plopped down to relax.  She was still feeling very queazy from the ferry ride.

And what a treat this place was…a sanctuary bathed in white.  After staying here, I’m considering redorating our home in soft shades of creamy-white with touches of black.

The view from a window in our bedroom.

A view from our deck.  I loved the tree house feel.

And a small kitchen which we ended up using a lot more than I had originally planned.

Nantucket is a place of paradise with unbelievably charming homes and sights…inspiration was everywhere!

With cobblestone roads all around town (I learned that way back when, they hand-chiseled each and every stone!)

Getting around Nantucket without a car is all part of the fun.  Besides the last day of our trip when we rented a car to see the further points of the island, Brook and I travelled around by foot and bike.  I’ve always loved bike riding and I’m so thrilled that Brook shares this passion.  BTW, during this trip we discovered that she’s scooted ahead of me in this area.  She used to have to struggle to keep pace with me on a bike, but now she’s right there next to me (actually ahead of me, especially at the hills!)

And here we are walking together hand-in-hand… into the sunset.  This was during our last evening – Bill had this time off so we luckily had a chance to experience this moment together as a family.  He captured this shot by accident.  I’m not sure how this effect happened, but I think that it’s pretty interesting.  I’m also fairly certain that this camera effect will unlikely happen again.

With Mother’s Day coming up, I’m considering this special photo of Brook and I as my present.  I think this is way better than anything we could ever buy.  And speaking of buying, we didn’t end up buying any souveniers.  Instead, we brought home many breathtakingly beautiful shells and other gifts from the sea – many of which will become a part of coming art projects (possibly more jewelry.)  If you aren’t tired of my vacation photos yet I’ll enjoy sharing our Nantucket finds along with our Maine beachcombing finds in my next post.   This gathering process plays a major role in what I eventually create.  What do you like to collect on your travels?

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One of my favorite things to do is to collect odds n’ ends such as these vintage coin purses.  I love well-worn things, especially the kind that also serves a purpose.

In the current issue of Somerset Studio (May/June) you’ll find my techniques for altering these little purses.   

This project is very special to me because it gave me a chance to collaborate with my close friend, Cheryl Perreault.  Cheryl provided the poetry while I contributed the visual story.  For this article we chose to highlight uplifting messages of hope and used these words: emerge, reach, courage and flight.   Cheryl wrote a few inspirational poems – one to tuck inside of each little purse.  I like the idea of carrying these portable prayers around as a reminder to myself to live life to the fullest.  They’re also meant to be shared – passing along encouragement to others.  

Here’s another example of how I used a few odds n’ ends to create a mixed-media doll.  This piece is featured as the “odd doll” in the current issue of Art Doll Quarterly  (May/June/July.)   This project was inspired by an antique door knob that I spotted at a local  flea market.  When I saw it I immediately envisioned it as a doll head.  And the rest sort of just fell into place while I was going through my things in the studio.   Don’t you love it when things happen spontaneously like this? 

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During our trip to NYC, while Bill took Brook to the top of the Empire State Building, I took some time to shop at Tinsel Trading Company.  I used to work in the Empire State Building so skipping this tour seemed like an okay thing to do, especially with Tinsel Trading right around the corner. 

I picked up these billowy vintage blooms for an unbelievable $3 each. 

And this bouquet of pretty petals was also just around $3 – great bargain don’t you think?  One of the store clerks told me that if I leave these paper flowers near a window, after several days of sun exposure, they’ll naturally fade to a soft, pale shade.  

Along with these lovely flowers I picked up many bundles of neutral-colored trim.  These staples will undoubtedly come in handy.

For a splash of vintage color I found these at 3/$5.   With these tempting prices it took a lot of self-restraint to keep from over buying.  Knowing when to stop is good.

I selected these sparkly elements, which should be perfect for my holiday projects.

I also did some quick shopping while we were in Maine a few days later.    At Halcyon Yarn there are tons and tons of yarns and fibers to pick from.  I love how everything is organized neatly and according to color.  

It just came to me that the above set-up looks a lot like the inside of my closet.  I am a HUGE fan of cashmere sweaters, especially black ones.  Next to my basic black sweaters I also have a bunch of colorful ones.  I like to wear a pop of color every now and then –  this usually makes me feel more youthful and vivacious.  And it’s fantastic that this instant mood lifter only takes two seconds to accomplish.

Basic black sweaters in different weights, shapes and textures – something for all seasons.   This helps to take the guess work out of getting dressed so that I can spend more of my time on other things.

I think that the balance of colors found in my closet directly relates to how I like to use color in my art work.   Most of the time I’m partial to using a neutral palette, but sometimes I like to mix it up.   Going back and forth making/doing this n’ that, using this n’ that, even wearing this n’ that…switching gears is good.   How about you, how do you mix things up?

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We just returned from spending several action-packed days in NYC.  New York is just a few hours from Boston by car so it’s very easy to get to.  And since I grew up in the area, it’s nice to go back and revisit some of my old favorite places.   

As soon as we arrived in Manhattan I couldn’t get over how lush and gorgeous everything looked.  Spring time in this city is absolutely stunning.  While taking all of this beauty in I felt overcome by happiness – happy to be alive, happy to be on vacation…happy to be sharing this moment with my family. 

Around the corner from the somewhat quiet upper east side neighborhood we drove smack into crazy traffic.    Since Bill’s a pretty good driver I didn’t worry too much about this.  Instead, I continued to carelessly drink in the city vibe.  And with our windows down, all the sounds, smells…all of this liveliness filled up our personal space with vibrant energy.

Amongst the cars and crowds we spotted patches of nature and serenity.

Pink and Purple loveliness.

Early Sunday morning at Bryant Park before the crowd arrives.

View of Cental Park by foot.

We also had a chance to experience Central Park by horse drawn carriage, soaking in the views while listening to the horse’s rhymic shoes clomping along the way. 

With so much to see and do, we didn’t want to waste a lot of our time sitting around at fancy restaurants.  Instead of scheduling our fun time around strict lunch or dinner reservations we opted to graze and eat on the go.  This is my favorite way to eat anyway.  I love going for quick bites at authentic ethnic restaurants as well as classic diners – can’t tell you how much I miss these comforts from my past.   The familiar smell and taste of favorite foods from your youth has the power to immediately transport you back in time. 

Bill and I both love sharing our appreciation for both simple and exotic foods with Brook.  In just a few days we managed to squeeze in quite a bit – Vietnamese (crispy squid, pho noodle soup,) Jewish deli (pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, potato latkes), Mexican (buritos, rice and beans), etc.  and a smorgasbord of tasty delights like the ones below:

Pile of Pizza. 

Street food at an outdoor fair:  Handmade empanadas washed down with freshly- squeezed, lip-puckering lemonade.

For sweets we had delectable cupcakes from Crumbs.  I went for the fluffy-looking coconut conconction, Bill chose red velvet and Brook couldn’t resist one made with oreos.

While in Chinatown we indulged in some homemade ice cream from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory in flavors such as ginger, taro, green tea, lynchee, red bean, mango, coconut.  I had a hard time trying to pick just one flavor so I went with my favorite two (mango and coconut taste incredible together.)

After all of this food and fun we left New York with smiles all around.  

This afternoon we’ll be heading out to our place in Maine for a few days of some real R&R.  After all the running around and sight seeing in the hustle and bustle of  New York, I’m craving a little bit of peace and quiet by the ocean.   While in New York I came across many things that sparked a slew of new ideas for future art projects.  And bringing these new thoughts with me to Maine where it’s calm seems like the perfect thing to do, to give it some time… to let it all come together.

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This giveaway was a lot of fun.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by and participated!   I also really appreciate the wonderful comments that you shared.

As you can see, I picked the winner using an old-school approach.   Handwriting names on plain white notebook paper instantly brought back memories of sitting in a classroom with a notebook open and a pen in hand.  And the classic blue lines…well I think this is perfectly suited to my original blue-color inspiration for the necklace itself.    Perhaps next time I’ll do something in red or orange or maybe both!

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When we take time to pay close attention to the present moment, especially while out in nature, random thoughts begin to play together in concert.   This music brings insight and connects us to the earth and all of its surroundings…keeping us grounded.  The mind feels clear and soars with imagination.  I recently found myself in this open happy place, from which sprung this short, sweet verse.

Depths of Blue

Shades of blue bring thoughts of sky and sea
Vastness in between, beyond imagination.
Space filled with light and magic mist
Drops of rain, dollops of dew
All around, the beauty of blue.

I created this necklace with these thoughts in mind.   The blue stone that I chose for this piece is amazonite.  Some call this the “hope stone” and believe that it can help maintain balance and calm.   Although there is no real proof of this, I think that it’s good to believe.  Our minds are powerful beyond measure – if you think it, it can be.

If you would like to have this necklace please leave a comment on this post.   You have until Friday, April 16th at 5pm EST to leave a comment and I’ll choose a random winner by the next morning.   Thanks for stopping by and for participating in this “out of the blue” giveaway.

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