Pi Mi Li Retreat Aftermath

<note:  I just found this draft ... I never posted it ... I'm so so sorry!!  The retreat was back in November!>


Had a wonderful time at the Print It Make It Love It Art Retreat!  It was held at the Transfiguration Spirituality Center in Glendale OH.

Here are just a few pics of the fun!

My pile o' prints!!

It really was a lot of fun and I made a friend FROM STL -- Patricia Parker!  She ended up sitting by me and we didn't even know it!  (and if I could find the @#$% pic we took together I'd post it here!)  <sigh> 

Really was a wonderful workshop and I was glad to have attended!!

More Studio Progress!

So last weekend my sweet long-suffering husband put up the drywall in the basement.  We are trying to get everything ready for our SIL to come back next weekend to spray the ceilings, finish up two lights (in bathroom and cubbie) and do the plumbing in the bathroom.

So this is a view of the little cubbie under the stairs ... the little hideout for the grandkids. (the bathroom is to the left)  Going to have baskets and bins of coloring books, crayons, pencils, books to read in the cubbie w/ some big squisshy comfy pillows (bright colors!!!) for those that tire of the project du jour.  We also have a TV down there and i'll get some bean bags ... it will be crazy wonderful on all levels!!

This is view into the very tiny bathroom!  We only need a toilet and a sink and that's all that fits in there!  LOL ... it's going to be mega cute though!!  To the right of the door there's a little nook that can either install shelves or have some type of skinny pie safe cabinet.  We picked out a peel and stick laminate for the floor that looks like wood -- very pretty!

So once SIL is finished we can bring in Home Depot to lay the carpet.  I got the cheapest berber I could find and am putting a really good pad under it.  I have carpet in my current studio and in 5 years i have had one spill -- and that was a very sorrowful grandson ... so I'm well aware we might have issues, but that concrete is just TOO hard to stand on for long periods!  Home Depot also had FREE installation including stairs!!!  Whoop!!  I am thinking this  might be done a couple weeks b/4 Christmas!!

I have to pinch myself ... I'm really so so blessed to be able to have this big wonderful area for art!

CHRISTMAS CLASSES!!!

So I have the Christmas class project samples ready to go, and they are on display at Elderberry Place!

These are the adult classes:  (there are 3)

 

 

And these are the KIDS classes:

They are going to be so much fun and I hope we get a lot of interest!

 

STUDIO PROGRESS!

This past weekend my wonderfully talented son-in-law, as well as my wonderfully talented husband worked on the expansion of the art studio in our basement.

 

 

We installed 4 overheard LED lights that could land a plane ... so much wonderful light!  Also framed out the little 1/2 bath.  Husband will drywall the bathroom and the little nook under the stairs and then SIL will be back in couple weeks to spray the ceiling and finish out the bathroom ... then the CARPET will be laid!

 



Third Pumpkin Class!!

This was the 3rd Pumpkin class at Elderberry Place.  They ALL sold out!!  One lady said it was HARD to get signed up for a class because they sold out so fast!!!

Everyone did a great job and took their own spin on the project, which is exactly what they should be doing -- it's THEIR art and theirs alone ... they had a great time!!

I'm really feeling good about teaching -- been doing this about 8 mos now and it seems to be getting easier to explain and guide students thru the process of mixed media.  Everyone is positive and seems to embrace the 'mess', trusting the end result will be everything they want!

I have 3 adult Christmas classes scheduled and 2 kid classes.   Looking fwd to seeing what happens there! 

The Christmas Gear Up!

So this is the scene in the studio these days.  It's a bit hard to focus on Christmas w/o it being 'the season' but I am working on new things for the booth, as well as projects for 3 adult Christmas classes and 2 kids Christmas classes at Elderberry Place!

I really need to CLEAN up so I can actually FIND things!  LOL ... I believe I'll do some cleaning this weekend.  The problem w/ cleaning is that I start finding projects and going "oh i'll just add paint to that"  or  "oh I wanted to start those trees"  or  "oh there's that bottle I wanna make into a snowman" .... and before I know it I'm painting and creating in the same mess that's making me crazy!!!  LOL

Life of an artist?  Wouldn't trade it for anything ;-)

Couple New Pieces for Booth

 

The top one sold almost immediately after I put it in the booth.   The 2nd one is very feminine and soft (a departure from my usual art)  I can imagine it in a little girls' room ... hopefully someone will think the same!!

Kids Halloween Class

We had 5 girls for the Mixed Media class on Saturday.  They ranged from 2nd grade to 5th grade!  Had a great time and they did wonderful work!!!

Halloween Kids Class!

We'll be doing this scary art number on 16 Sept at 10:30 ... Elderberry Place of course!!!

Pumpkin Class Aftermath!

Had a great group!!  (which a couple are cut out for SOME reason--me and my stellar tech skills)
Next class -- back by popular demand -- is THIS same class ... and it's on 12 Sept at 6:30 at Elderberry Place in OFallon MO.  Come join the fun!

Repeat Performance on the Pumpkin Class .... and adding a Kids Class

How exciting!  My pumpkin class has sold out and there were folk on the FB page asking if it would be repeated:

So we have a 2nd class scheduled on 12 September at Elderberry Place!

I have also added a Halloween project for kids on 16 Sept:

Should be a 'ghoul' time ... HA HA ... I suck a puns.  My daughter is much better at it which is why I run everything past her!!  LOL

I am wondering if 'Fall' brings out the desire to create something specific for that holiday season.  My classes usually don't 'sell out' until like the day b/4 (which always panics this FIRST BORN) and this one sold out a week b/4 it's being held!

I have looked at the calendar to possibly set up several Christmas type projects, cauz I REALLLLY think Christmas bring out the artist in people!  I have some really fun projects in mind!! 

Grandkid Project

So last month we finished our path project along the side of the garage, installed a little flower garden and I decided I wanted our grandkids to paint stones to put in the garden.  It's a challenge to get them all in one place at one time, but managed to get 7 of the 8 together this past weekend.  We have a 16 year old and she has a job now, so it's hard for her to get away for a visit to STL.

Anyway here are the pics of the outcome ... they had a blast, did a great job and I'm so happy w/ the end result!

 

  

Fall Class

Next class will be on 28 August 6:30 at Elderberry Place.  This is 10x10 MDF w/ mixed media background, then we'll be doing some random stamping, paint splattering, etc onto vintage book pages, rolling them up and gluing them onto the board and painting a pumpkin over the top of them.  Should be alot of fun!!!

Couple More Booth Items ...

These beauties measure 5x10 (1/2" MDF board) and are hung w/ rusty wire ... everything is better w/ rusty wire!

The Promised Booth Pics!

And it is FULL!

Tall shelf on the left I found on FB Marketplace (the most wonderful thing since Craigslist!) for $5.  As I said ........ it's really cute and a possible target ... LOL ... I may have to start looking for more of those kinds of shelves.  Such an easy easy project!

And see I'm able to utilize the back size of my booth also, which is fun for showcasing my wall art!

This weekend is a birthday bash at Elderberry Place so there should be LOADS of customers coming thru looking for treasure!

Can it already be time for FALL!?!?!

YIKES! Sorry it's been sooooo long! The summer has blown by. New grandbaby ... some travel ... life IS good!

So I've been trying to work on a few things for fall -- already seeing the stuff in stores so I figure I best get something together for the booth! Here are a few pics:

So this is one of my favs. It's a recipe block. Front is a cute pumpkin scene and back has a pie recipe!! Made 3 of those to sell.

Little bit of Halloween fun. These are apx 6x6 hung w/ rusty wire!

MAGNETS!!! The top ones are small tiles, and the bottom Halloween ones are just a piece of very light wood. CUTE!!

And some art!

These are simple wood block with printed papers.

And a box of treasures ... I went thru my stash of bottles and frames w/ my daughter and we were merciless! Lots and lots of fun stuff for the 'hunter' to run across and scoop up!

ALLLLL of it headed to Elderberry Place in the next couple of days! I bought a cheap little shelf to add to my booth display, spray painted it cream and distressed it -- I am afraid someone will want to buy it now ... turned out stupid cute!!! I will TRY to remember to take a pic of the booth when I get it refreshed!

Next Classes!

So I will be teaching another Mixed Media class at Elderberry Place in OFallon MO on 27 June. "Mixed Media: Masking"

I will also be teaching another kids class in July ... no project picked yet. I have a little time on that one!

Print it. Make it. Love it. A Weekend Retreat ... and I'm going!!!

Yeah so November 3-5 I'll be headed to Cincinnati OH for this workshop!! It was actually a really good deal cauz lodging and all meals are included, as well as 'goodies' (oh that's the part I look fwd to!!!) My flight from STL was a good deal also and it's a QUICK flight ... like 1hour 15 min!

Print it. Make it. Love it.

I have been wanting to take a printing workshop for the longest time ... I was lucky to get into this one, as they only had 20 spots and they filled up within a week I think! Going alone this time. Kizzy wasn't able to join me since it's right b/4 the holidays commence and money gets tight ... I was fortunate enough to have some money set aside to do this ...

First Mixed Media KIDS class!

Ok so I didn't have a big crowd -- evidently Saturdays are busy for young families and I totally get that! AND it's still the school year ... but I had 3 ... they had a blast and did a great job!

The owner of Elderberry Place told me she has had several women comment on her Facebook post of my Private Class last week asking "when is this class going to be offered?" YIPPPEE!! Maybe my focus shouldn't be on kids? I thought adult wouldn't be interested and truthfully I don't feel like I have the ABILITIES of someone that should be teaching art to adults; thought kids would be easier. Anyway now that there is clearly interest I need to come up w/ a cool class offering for next month for the adult women that want to get CREATIVE!

Private Class at Elderberry Place

Had a privately booked class last nite at Elderberry.  It was a lot of fun and went a little too long, but these girls were really getting into their LAYERS ... they were purposeful w/ colors and shapes ... and they came up w/ beautiful creations. Yes I managed to remember to take pics ... but my camera sux. (possibly time for a new one???)