Yes, it Was A Successful Trip

What better way to spend the day with your daughter whose home from college!

Silvia...my new BFF!

When ever I travel to do a show or a class, I always get the question "was the trip successful?" I have to stop and think...what is successful? How do most people measure their little art ventures? When travel is involved, I am happy when my hotel and my gas is paid for. And I might add that driving to the Sacramento area last week I paid $4.39 for gas on I-5. Now, I'm pretty used to the gas prices in central Calif. but what really gets me is after I pay that and then see that they're charging over $3 for an energy drink that costs $1.89 at home! So they get us for gas and then it's a double whammy for a tiny little can of energy! Ok, we'll just get off that tangent now. I vented...feel better.

I think my shows and classes are wildly successful when you watch people's reactions to your art. When you see a smile spread across their face. And when you tell them that creating is just like being a child again and playing paper dolls. You can see it in their eyes as they too recall those memories of playing with 49 cent paper dolls and how happy it made us. The conversation turns to what type you had and whether or not you drew your own clothes. I like it when my art stirs up memories and brings a smile to someone's face. That's what it's all about.

Janet, who so very carefully chose every color.

Loving Autumn's greens she chose.

The same goes for classes. They are successful when you watch the creativity unfold. Whether it's a class of 2 or a class with 20, there is something special about grown women cutting out paper and dressing their art. Deciding on hair styles and colors or whether or not to place a flower in her hair. When all of our problems fade away for a few hours and the major decision we need to make is whether to use a crown or a headband on our masterpiece. This is what I call success. Listening to music, chatting about our lives, making friends and creating. Yes, my weekend was very successful. New friends, new clothes and enough money to buy an energy drink on the way home. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Inspiration from Davis

The Wardrobe, Davis, CA



Display with some of my goodies




Loved all the color of the walls!



Heather and her friend Autumn with her darling twins

I'm not sure what it is about Northern Calif. that always seems to clear my mind and feed my creativity. Perhaps it's the clean air or maybe the roads that are not as congested as I'm used to. I know this time of the year it's the green rolly poly hills that surround me driving from the 5 to the 101 and driving from San Jose to Sacramento. It's truly a beautiful drive in the spring.

A few months ago I was invited by Heather Caswell, owner of The Wardrobe in the quaint college town of Davis, to participate in the town's art walk at her store. I jumped at the chance because I typically show in galleries or arty type stores as well as arts and craft shows. This is a high end boutique with very arty clothes because it seems Heather's philosophy is that clothes should be art in themselves. The store was beautiful and well, the clothing, lets just say I saw many masterpieces in that little shop.

The art walk turned out wonderful. The town was full of colorful characters and lots of students. I enjoyed many conversations that evening. She had dj's playing the most wonderful music. Old French garage band music. So much fun! The darling dj, Emily handed me a CD at the end because I loved it so much. Thank you Emily...I listened to it all the way home on Sunday! I had my book, Collage Couture, displayed for all to look at and I'm happy to say I had rave reviews on the design and look of it!

Being the capitol of natural foods, I ate well over the weekend. Gluten free and dairy free pizza and cheesecake. Delicious! Sorry to say girls, I did have to have my frou frou coffee the following morning!

Davis being such an artsy town, I thought I'd share a few pictures of my walk. It's the little surprises you find along the way that get your creative juices flowing.

The mural on the local art supply store

Bench outside the barber shop

Don't know what the building was, but loved the color. This was all ceramics I believe.

Thank you Heather and staff for a great weekend.   The Wardrobe

Could it Be?

It has been a most dreadful, stressful week. One of those weeks where nothing goes right from pressing the start button on a copy machine that won't make 900 copies to bill mix-ups that require being put on hold with at&t for an eternity! More car issues, our dog of 15 years getting ready to leave us, yep, it's been one of those weeks, where you really have to press into that inner being for the positveness and the learning and growing experiences that come from one of those weeks!   

And then.....

I come home from a morning of madness to find a lump under the doormat.
Is it? Could it be? It is!!!!

It's my book! two copies of my.....MY book. Collage Couture. I ate my lunch really, really fast and then sat down and savored the pages...one by one. Every page, prettier than the last.Then it dawns on me. It's not just MY book. It's a whole team of creatives...editors, photographers, and designers that translated my words, feelings and art into this beautiful little book. This book just really captured exactly what I wanted it to. It's whimsical, girly and I hope inspiring. The photos are nothing short of stunning. The design IS me and yet I had nothing to do with the design. Northlight Books is just a giant group of the most talented, creative people, who after spending a week with me captured my spirit into 128 pages of pure bliss.

Collage Couture