ma vie trouvée

Getting ready for a collage class...

 

 

I am super excited to be teaching another class at GoldensHill Papercrafts in Clifton, VA. 

This class is Basic Collage 101 and here is my description:

Do you have trouble starting a collage? Not sure what techniques or colors to incorporate? Do you freeze up when it comes time to actually glue down an image? Then this class is for you!

In this exercise we will focus on the different steps of making a collage (i.e. stencils, paint, tape transfer, glue paper, scratch/sand, etc) To create our collage, we will randomly select a technique and limit ourselves and spend only three to five minutes on it. When time is up, you need to commit and move on to the next technique, building upon each previous step.  Instead of speed dating we will be speed collaging! Your finished pages can be mage into cards, or a journal or used for a variety of art projects.

Be prepared to get messy so bring your apron and a desire to explore. Please come to class with a theme in mind, it can be as simple as a color theme. Other good themes are: travel, vintage, spring...

 

 

I love making kits for my class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am happy to share that this class sold out and another one is scheduled for Thursday, May 31!

 

 

My cards at the Chick's Pick show ......

 

 

 

This quote is so true and something that has become a reality for me in the last few months.

I am selling my cards at Chick's Picks this weekend! 

It is a new design I have been working on using batik fabrics from "my collection".

 

 

 

The image below is the advertisement for the show (not my art). 

If you are in the local area - please stop in for a visit!

 

 

  

Hillary (the owner of Chick's Picks) does an amazing job with the display and set up.  Really with EVERYTHING!

This time the show is in a barn with a big brewery right next door to drop off your husband!  See... I told you she does an amazing job with everything!

 

 

 

 

postcard swap

 

I am participating in the 2017 Liberate your Art postcard swap hosted by Kat over at kat eye studio.

The image above is the one I selected for my postcard.  You are not supposed to use original art, but a copy in the form of a postcard.  This piece was created using a gelli plate, stencils, antique Asian paper and a piece of vintage Hill Tribe fabric from Vietnam.

Who doesn't love getting real mail?

 

 

I'm teaching collage classes!

 

 

I am so excited - I am going to start teaching collage and altered art classes at Angela's Happy Stamper in Herndon, Virginia.  When we lived overseas, and people asked me what was I was going to do when we returned to the United States, I always replied - "I want to teach art classes at the Happy Stamper"!  So I am over the moon!  AND very grateful to Angela for giving me this opportunity. 

The first class is called collage for scaredy cats.  I will simplify the collage process and share what I have learned over the years.  And that collages are fun and easy to create. 

The pink one above, and the one below, are samples for the class.  They are jammed packed with many techniques. 

 

 

The next class I will teach is called Gelli Plate and Tape Transfer Tags.   In this one, we will focus on gelli plates, along with several other techniques.  It is hard to tell from the photos but these are oversized tags (#12).

 

 

We have come up with several other classes, but I still need to create the samples for them.

If you live in the Northern Virginia area - I would love to see you in one of the classes!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

– Charles M. Schulz

 

hello blog...

 

 "I can feel every inch of me craving balance"

 

Hello blog... it's been a long time... too long.  I have missed you.  And all the wonderful friends I was in contact with.  I introduced this blog in March of 2010... I was living in Brussels, Belgium.  It is hard to believe, but we just passed our one-year anniversary of living back in the United States after eight years of living abroad (Belgium & Singapore). 

Repatriation is harder that I thought.  The simple Definition of repatriate is - to return (someone) to his or her own country.  Who would have thought coming home would be so difficult?   Even after one year I am still trying to make sense of my "new" old life.  Trying to figure out what is next for me.  I love the quote I shared above by Dianne Fago and Stampington & Company.  I know I need more balance and structure, but it is not easy finding it.

Next month I am participating in an art/craft show where our local food market is held each Sunday.  This is the first time the county is doing a craft/art market in the space.  I will sell my cards and small creations.  This (art/creating) is my "balance."

I also want to get back to consistent blog posting.  This is both my "structure and balance."  I was shocked when saw that my last post was in April.  Where has the time gone?

As my husband reminds me all the time.... that my new life is not so bad.  This week I am roaming the streets of Bangkok ...  a little slice of the "old".

 

 

What do you do to find balance and structure in your life?

 

Happy Chinese New Year!

 

Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái

2-8-2016

“wishing you a prosperous new year”

 

 

This year is the year of the monkey.  According to Chinese astrology, each year is associated with an animal sign: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon (me), Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.  You are a monkey if you were born in:  1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, or this year, 2016.

Monkeys are said to be smart, clever and intelligent, especially in their career and wealth. They are lively, flexible, quick-witted and versatile.  Their gentleness and honesty bring them an everlasting love life. Although they were born with enviable skills, they still have several shortcomings, such as an impetuous temper and a tendency to look down upon others.

Lucky Numbers: 1, 7, 8

Lucky Colors: white, gold, blue

Lucky Flowers: chrysanthemum, alliums

 

 

 

 

I decorated the traditional pussy willow tree again this year.  If you want to learn more about this tradition, visit my post from last year.  It was very hard to find the pussy willow branches here in the US and I ended up ordering them on-line from a store in New York.  I was a little disappointed as I was expecting them to be as large and as beautiful as they were in Singapore.  I really should be happy that I was able to find any!

 

 

 

 

 

I am sending a special wish to all my Singaporean friends - Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái!!!  I wish I were there to celebrate and eat all the yummy delicacies of the season, especially the pea cookies!!

my dream bathroom... and it really is mine!

I am ready for the big reveal of my dream bathroom....

 

 

 

 

We really needed to remodel the master bath nine years ago when we left for our overseas assignment, but it did not make sense to do it while we were renting.  So it became first on the "to do" list when we moved back home.

We started shopping for tile the day we landed from Singapore.  Yes, we actually went shopping for the tile with full-blown jet lag!  And believe it or not, after weeks of looking at tile, we went back to the one we found that day.  We went BIG, the floor has 36x18 inch porcelain tile.  We love them!

 

 

 

 

I spent hours looking on-line and in magazines for ideas.  I knew I wanted an Asian Zen look... Buddhas and all!

 

 

 

 

The tub was for me and this was for D - a Japanese toilet!  Complete with heated seat, automatic lid, and hot water wash.

 

 

 

 

I think it is fun to look at before...

 

 

 

and after photos...

 

 

 

 

We had a bay window installed, which really made a big impact.  We also enlarged the shower by quite a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also redid the mater bedroom. Cosmetic and paint only.  The Buddha painting is from Vietnam.  I painted the sides the same color as the walls because I wanted it to appear as if it was coming off of the wall.  I am still looking for the perfect duvet cover.... this one is temporary.

 

 

 

 

Before...

 

 

 

 

 

A few more of the redo....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The art room should be ready to share next week  :  )

 

Happy Holidays!

 

 

Whatever corner of the world you live in...

I wish you a wonderful holiday season.

May it be filled with

warmth, love, cheer, and happiness.

 

 

 

 

 

Is it really December 8th?

 

 

This week marks four months living back in the USA for us.  I really have no idea where this time went. 

Relocating back to the US is hard.  Really hard.  I am having more trouble adjusting here then I did when I moved to Brussels or Singapore.  Both worlds so different to what I knew, what was familiar to me, yet I never had an adjustment period. 

I miss the hot hot days of Singapore, the exotic travel, the food, my friends, my blog posts.  I was expecting this to happen and was glad the timing of our relocation brought us back during the holidays.  It is the perfect distraction - fun, festive, and busy.

I have always wanted an advent calendar filled with little surprises to help count down the days to Christmas, but no one ever bought me one.  So I decided to create one for myself  :   )   I picked up this advent house when I lived in Brussels, Belgium.  I started wrapping little presents back in 2014.  We were traveling a lot and I was buying so many things that is was easy for me to forget about them, especially when I wrapped each one immediately.

 

 

 

Fast forward.... I have an advent calendar filled with little presents from around the world.  Each little present packed with a memory of a trip I took. 

 

 

Just the little pick me up I need during my rocky transition......

What are you doing for yourself this holiday season?