Love Letters

All over the map!

(list updated 1 Feb 08... thanks so much for visiting!)

This is a list of all the places recent visitors to my blog are from... I'm just amazed and delighted and certainly humbled! Places like Moscow, Mexico, Trinidad, France, Bangkok, and Dublin, to name just a few! And Montreal and Los Angeles, and Kansas City and Piscataway, New Jersey!!! I can't tell you how much fun it is for me to see where all my visitors are from, and I'm so thrilled to look at the world map and see people have actually been to see my blog!!! I'm like a little kid over this, so thank you from the bottom of my heart... it really brings a smile to my face and I appreciate it SO much!

BTW, the background for this post and the past two posts, have been from a recent Rolling Stone magazine issue... pretty cool, huh? I wish I could say I painted it, but I did not... but one of these days I'm going to do something a lot like it! You know... when I get around to it... (just don't hold your breath)!

I'm happy to report that I am participating on a project Seth at The Altered Page has put together... talk about cool and thought provoking! Seth has put together some amazingly cools posts and his artwork is to die for, so be sure to check him out!

This is Seth's Roll Call image... very, very cool, Seth! I have to go now and try to figure out how he made this...

More "angry art"...

Whew! Made it through another successful dentist appointment... I worry SO much before I go... and yes, Dr. Bob, I KNOW intellectually you're not going to hurt me, but clearly, this is not a rational fear!!! And yes, I've assisted in many, many bloody, messy, yucky procedures as a nurse... but it wasn't happening to ME!!! It's sort of like what they say about "minor surgery"... it's only minor if it's happening to someone else!

This July is going to be a big month for me, one way or another... yesterday I sent off the registration check for the 2008 Chicago Calligraphy Conference, which takes place July 19-26. Once I get the registration information, I'll be able to make a decision about how many days I'll attend; because I've committed myself to ride in a Make a Wish Ride, July 25, 26, & 27 with Team Alex, in honor of a local teen who lost her battle with cancer. I know both events will change my life, without question, for the better, and I am excited and scared at the same time!

Am I right or am I crazy?!?

I've been grumbling a lot lately, here at home,
about having to go to work... like a little kid,
all I want to do is exactly what I want to do!
(And trust me, going to work isn't it!!!)
Is that so wrong?!?
My darling husband gets to do that all day long,
every day... I want to be just like him when I grow up!
Seriously, when I die, I want to come back as a man!
(No offense intended, men out there!)
I'm really getting kind of fed up with feeling like
I'm living my life for everyone but me!
Honestly, if I never hear "what's for dinner?" one more time,
it will be just fine! What is it about dinner that seems to bring
out the worst in me?!? I'm a terrible cook,
I have no imagination when it comes to making a meal,
and I really don't enjoy it!
No one in the house particularly enjoys my cooking,
so why do they even ask?!? I really suck in the kitchen...
sometimes I worry that I suck as a mom, and I KNOW
I suck as a role model when it comes to eating a balanced, healthy diet!
How'd I even get on this topic, anyway?...
this isn't what I meant to talk about today!
I don't know, but I do know I need to go walk the dog
and then get ready to go to work, where I will act like I enjoy my job,
and I will pray no one calls me to ask "What's for dinner?"
AAGGGGHHHH!!!!
If there's anyone else "out there" who shares these sentiments,
I would really, really appreciate hearing from you...
I need to know I am not alone... I might be crazy,
but I don't want to be alone and crazy!!!

Calligraphy Collage

Calligraphy doodling 2...

I've put together another new banner design, as you can see above... this time made using my own calligraphy... I just can't decide whether or not it's a keeper... I used the letters as a design element, rather than to convey a specific message... & if I squint my eyes, the letters along the bottom sort of look like flames, which I think is fitting, since I'm a Leo with a "fiery personality". This year, I've made a commitment to myself to really focus on calligraphy... rather than flitting about from collage, to jewelry making, to knitting, to collage again, with a smattering of calligraphy thrown in for kicks here and there... I'll never make any real progress that way... I'll definitely have fun, I always do, but I'll just stay stuck and frustrated if I don't concentrate on just one medium. I thought I was alone with this sort of problem until I read Hanna's blog, and realized she has the very same issues with staying focused. Does anyone else struggle with this sort of artist ADD? It's a gift and a curse, I think... the gift is that there's so many things I really love to do... and the curse is that I don't feel like I'm successful. Which I guess then begs the question, "what does success mean to me?" Hmmm... gonna have to ponder on that one!

Back to the calligraphy commitment... I'm hopeful that I'll be able to attend the 2008 International Conference of Calligraphy and the Lettering Arts this July... I'm really, really late in registering, and I may not be able to pull it off, but it's such a great opportunity, and relatively close to home... so many excellent teachers in one place, how could I not go, right?!? So thanks to my dear friend MW for all your encouragement, and to all my other new friends in our blogging community who have also been supportive... you've helped to give me that gentle "push" to grow and try new things.

Perhaps you've noticed the little map widget over on the left hand side of this page... let me just say thank you to all of you who visit my blog. Like a little kid, I can't wait to check my computer every morning and every evening after work, to see how many hits I've had and who has visited me from somewhere far away. It may seem silly to some, but for some reason, it just tickles me pink to think someone who doesn't even know me, would take the time to visit my blog. And comments... OH MY!!! What a nice thing to do for someone... (so far) the comments have all been very positive... and I appreciate each and every one of them. So if you don't have a blog of your own yet, DO IT!!! If you have a blog but don't have the map widget, GET IT!!! It just makes it all that much more fun... and isn't that pretty much what it's all about?!?

Please help...

This photo is from "A Place to Bark & Meow", a website dedicated to saving dogs & cats in Tennessee from euthenasia. I'm not sure how I stumbled onto this site, but the gal who runs the private rescue is an artist who specializes in Faberge style eggs. She's asking for donations as she is completely self funded, other than donations and grants; and for a few more days, donations are being matched by an agency of some sort. I can't think of a more noble thing to do, and if I could, I'd work right along side Bernie, picking up dog and cat poop and singing out loud!

A message from Bernie

Greetings from Bernie Berlin and "A Place To Bark", I am writing to you, in hopes you will help me make a difference... As many of you know, I have been doing animal rescue for now, 8 years. We have grown over the years from helping 10 to 25 a year to now for "2007" over 400 animals. Never had I planned to walk this road for so many years and finally come to the realization that this is going to be a part of my life for a long time to come. Just recently, we have been given a HUGE opportunity. The first is a matching grant from the "Zoline Foundation". Any donations made to "A Place to Bark" via the badge link below, will be matched up to $25,000.00 until June 1st, 2008. In addition to the matching grant we are currently in a contest called "America's Giving Challenge" all donations made, will be counted and if we have the most individual donations by January 31st, 2008, we will win a $50,000.00 grant. If this happens we can build our much needed shelter. Now, the EXCITING NEWS IS: We are in the top ten!!! http://www.sixdegrees.org/Top.aspx But we can get knocked out of the running, if we don't keep going!! We need to be in the top 4 to win the grant money. 16 days left till the contest ends!!!

We all have a voice, something the animals I help don't. They depend on us to care for them and I have seen a world of neglect since I have moved to the south. Bad things happen everywhere I know, but I focus on what I can do and the good that is being done. In the past two years my program has saved over 700 animals. I've put it out to the Universe that this is something that I have dedicated my life to and will continue to do so and also continue to do my art in tandem:) What I am asking of you, is if you can to make a $10.00 donation to increase our chances of winning 50k grant money. Please help me to spread the word. We are all powerful individuals, who can create change if we put our hearts and minds to it. If you don't feel comfortable spreading the word, that is fine too, no pressure. I have to exhaust all my resources for my cause.. If it is meant to be, all things will work out as they should and I will be picking up dog and cat poop the rest of my life:)

If you donate, you will receive a receipt immediately, all donations are tax deductible. I am a registered 501(c)3 with non profit status

To donate, go to Bernie's Blog and donate via the badge. Whether we win or not we still will receive the matching grant. Please help spread the word, we so want to make our vision a reality. There is also a video of our current kennels here if you click on the link that is on the badge. I Thank you for your time and truly appreciate any help you can give.. My Best to you... Bernie Berlin "A Place to Bark"

In rescuing dogs, I lost my mind, But I found my soul. Author Unknown

Letter play today...

I've been feeling really stuck of late, artistically speaking... and I'm not sure what prompted me to try a little "calligraphy collage" today, but I'm glad I at least made the attempt. Later, I stumbled onto Calligrapher Denis Brown's video showing him lettering, (video embedded for your viewing pleasure below), and I was completely humbled and even a bit chagrined. I mean, it's not like I thought what I put together this afternoon was all that spectacular, but I was fond of it... I'm leaving it on my post today, even though I'm not especially proud of my first "calligraphy collage". It's a start at something I'm not all that comfortable with, something that may help me grow and improve if I keep working at it. (Wish me lots of patience, please!)

The video below shows Irish Calligrapher Denis Brown practicing his craft... this man is a master and I am in awe and amazed at his talent. Thankfully, his work inspires me to keep practicing, rather than contributing to my own mean-spirited, nasty, jealous critical voice that whispers "You'll never be that good... who are you kidding?!? Why even bother, it'll just be a waste of your time and you'll just end up frustrated!"... Do you have one of those tapes that plays in your head? It's important to learn to ignore that voice... that voice will be the death of an artist's creativity and it's just plain wrong. The only way we won't improve is if we don't keep practicing, if we give up because we judge ourselves harshly. We need to treat ourselves the way we'd treat our best friend... we'd never trample on our best friend's efforts, so why do we treat ourselves so badly?

I hope you're feeling inspired to try something new, too!

... for Jennifer

This is a card I made for my BFF Jennifer, who lives in Breckenridge, Colorado... she moved out there to open her own business approximately three years ago with her hunky husband and beautiful children. Sometimes I miss Jenn so much I actually ache... we have SO much fun together... I'm thinking it's time for a trip out West!!!

This card is 4x6", and I started out by inking the edge about 1/2" in, all the way around, on the face of the card. Then I adhered a transfer photo I made of a big white coneflower from my garden... the photo is intentionally faded and scribbled on, with torn edges. To that, I glued scraps of paper... tissue paper (that's how those white sort of opaque swirls got on there, cool, huh?! I'd give anything to find more of that paper!), dictionary definition scrap, marbled paper scrap, accounting ledger paper scrap, painted tyvek squares, and a punched heart from painted watercolor paper. The "J" is a rub on transfer letter, and I applied the rest of Jenn's name in Photoshop using the "selfish" font. For display on this blog, I added a couple outer borders of color and a drop shadow in there somewhere. Voila! (Or as I sometimes like to say when I'm lysdexic, Viola!), there you have it! This is why I NEVER throw away any scrap of paper larger that is pretty or useful in some way. I have drawers and drawers organized by color, of paper scraps from other projects. I'll post photos of my collection of paper tonight or tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Friday, January 11 post

2008 Journal Review continues...