Book Making

I have always practiced a variety of art techniques...love fiber, love paper, love paint, love fabric, love pens, watercolors...
you get the picture.
I wanted to be able to have ONE THING, one item, one object of art to use all the different techniques on.
I could make a wall hanging and use a lot of techniques...
but I couldn't really carry it around with me, adding to it - could I?
I could write on it but not really use it to journal on, could I?
I tried a lot of different things in my art life.
I think I have finally found the ONE THING
that I can carry around with me (to work on, or look at),
that I can easily teach others (because I adore sharing the joy that creating art brings),
that I can use just about every and any art technique that I know in it -

I have always loved books - especially hand made books.
Love the texture, the layers - the pure joy of the maker that is obvious in the feel of the book itself.
I love DJ Pettitt's books.
Oh my.
Love.Love. Love.
I have stalked her, um I mean followed her blog, her changing web site for awhile now...
That is one talented lady.
In two days (yikes!) just TWO MORE DAYS I am going to be sitting
in a classroom with a few other lucky women.
I'm going to be watching DJ create some magic with fabric, paper, paint and thread.
Oh look! I just mentioned all my favorite things, didn't I?
My new most favorite thing!
Book Making.
Mixed Media Books.
I started taking classes from Sue Bleiweiss and love it!
I'll share a couple of pictures of what I've been up to (besides a studio re-do!) (more on this later) with paper, fabric, paint and thread.
The book signature with the painted faces on it?
Those images were painted by DJ.
She sent them to me as extra little treats when I ordered some stuff from her.
And this weekend?
I'm in Birmingham Alabama with one of the most talented women that I know of.

Go ahead, admit it...
you're just a teeny bit jealous, aren't you?

If you are - contact this lady -
join me in begging to get DJ a little closer to the east coast -
like in Saluda North Carolina.
I know there must be at least 200 of you out there
that would love to take some classes with DJ Pettitt.

Patti Digh

(silver writing mine...)

I posted a blog entry a while back

about an awesome book that I had been reading...

you remember, "life is a verb" by Patti Digh.

The one that Jane sat me in a chair and placed in my hands...?

OK, you're remembering now.

Good.

Anyway, today (what a beautiful, sunny, crisp day

to meet a few wonderful people)

I went back to Jane's shop

for a book reading

a book signing,

which I had rather call

"Let's make a new friend day".

Patti Digh was there, reading from that insightful book,

and just generally inspiring all of us to take the time

to Live An Intentional Life.

In reading the book,

I saw that Patti had encouraged the readers

to write in the book (yikes!)

to make it "our book"...

to interact with the words that she had written,

to take the ideas or the lessons that she was offering us

to a higher level.

I secured a silver Sharpie (which writes wonderfully on the slick surface of the page)

and began readin' and writin'...

I underlined words that resonated with me...

I circled passages that spoke to my heart...

I wrote her notes when I was fearful

of my reaction to different "actions" that she suggested...

I wrote out excuses NOT to do them...

I wrote out my responses to the exercises...

and I also drew lines and arrows pointing to quotes that I loved

or stories that brought me to tears...

I wrote out my heart

and I placed that heart right on the pages of that precious book.

You MUST get this book, my friends.

It will touch you in places

that you feared were closed off...

places that you didn't care to awaken again.

But it will touch you in places that you NEED to be touched...

wake up the generosity that

resides within you.

Give Patti Digh an opportunity

to touch your shoulder,

turn you around

and make you look in the mirror at

your own reflection.

And Patti, you ROCK.

And Mr. Brilliant,

I enjoyed sitting with you and Tess outside

on that quaint little bench, looking at my book...

our actions screaming how much we adore your wife

and her way with words.

I'm looking forward to reading more of those precious words.

Freaking Fun Friday

Well, last Friday I had a blast!

I was one of the lucky 6 women to have the Immense Pleasure

to partake in

Random Arts Fridays "Unfinished" For Free days!

We all gathered at Jane's wonderful shop in Saluda NC,

surrounded by unfinished projects, little busy work things,

works in progress...

we laughed

we sewed

we painted

we cut metal

we embroidered

we had an awesome lunch

and just generally had a blast!

I, for one, will definitely be back.

And thanks Jane, for having us all!