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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

It Won't Be Long, Now...

So much has happened since our last virtual visit, and I want nothing more that to catch you up on all of that; but there is a *not so much* little matter that has me busting my buttons -- and that just must, Must, MUST come first!  In exactly three weeks from today, I will get off an airplane in KOREA!  ...I will then proceed to soak up as much of the adopted country of our youngest as humanly possible in the almost two weeks allotted to me in said place.  This trip was a gift from my beloved (a combo Anniversary, Christmas, Birthday gift of EPIC proportions)!  I am so very excited!  She is so very excited!  Why then do I feel as tho' I am in some interminable time warp -- plenty of time...  no worries...  E.G.B.A.R. *

Sh*t just got REAL!
...and lucky for me, I found my Passport
Mayhap it is because this week is the first in recent memory that I have not been burning up the road, running like mad to work on one of the many projects that includes my hands (?)  After all, in a mere week and half after my return my creative cohorts, Jean & Jodi, and myself will welcome the inaugural class of ReMe Students to our magical island experience in Ocracoke, NC!  Much of the past couple of weeks has been dedicated to properly aligning the finishing touches and behind the scenes preparations to accommodate each of our crazy schedules, all while making sure that all of the wonderments we have in store for our guests are lovingly attended to!

A Day of Creativity
...and super secret preparations for ReMe Ocracoke in May

It could also be because in spite of everything else that is going on, I took a leap three weeks ago that resulted in the very first commission work for Arrowood Paper Arts!  ...and if it weren't for all that is already on my plate, I probably would have been in attendance at the very event for which I created these oh-so-lovely Journals!  I have made peace with the fact that I will only be there in spirit *this time!* -- but I am sure that this is only the beginning of wonderful things for the amazing KB and her Whiskey 'n Whimsy offerings.


A Strong Offer Made & Accepted
...I'll be raising a glass of the 'good stuff' to toast the
Whiskey 'n Whimsy kickoff in Lousiville, April 3-5th
My seeming 'disconnect' could have a bit to do, as well, with the wild & wacky wintry weather that discombobulated a whole raft of schedules and left the wonderfully inspiring crew of the CMMAG playing massive catch-up at our February/March mash-up meeting, last week!?  We have SO many amazing things happening this year, and not being able to meet in February was a sizeable wrench in the works!  I'll have more on that in the coming months, but if you are anywhere near Raleigh, NC come September we'll have something incredible for you to enjoy!  *...yeah -- that's a big ol' teaser, right there!*

I thoroughly enjoyed a brief reunion with some fabulous Art Friends on Friday (03/14) when we visited North Raleigh Christian Academy for their Spring Art Fest.  Once again, I shared my love of paper and the wonders it holds for the maker of books; twenty six middle and high school students visited with me to make loads of these li'l lovelies!  Lunch afterward at the incomparable Upper Crust Pie & Bakery was just what the doctor ordered -- good food, great company, and batteries recharged to keep on keepin' on!


Little Things Mean A LOT!
...and are often much larger than we imagine
SO...  I am returning to the many tasks at hand, feeling a bit better for having shared the blessedly blissful happenings in my little corner for the past couple o' weeks.  I hope that you are fully engaged in this wild ride called Life, and that each thing you do puts a little more "happy" in your heart!

Until next time,
Onward & Upward!







* E.G.B.A.R. = Everything Gonna Be All Right -- a gift from The Man & my Mantra on most days!



Words of wisdom for today:
 
 





Photo Notes:
   Korea Tourism & Wee Book  - taken with Samsung Galaxy S4
   Whiskey 'n Whimsy Journals  - taken by Kerrie Blazek
   ReMe Creative Day  - taken by Jodi Ohl (Samsung Galaxy S4)


*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*

Thursday, March 6, 2014

It Was Just Two Weeks Ago, Today...

...Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play (?)  Oh, wait, that's not this story!  While there was no "band teaching," there was indeed some very happy paper-based learning taking place.  Wednesday before last, I had the extreme pleasure of spending the day with a lovely group of creatives in the equally lovely town of Pittsboro, NC.  This gathering of friends meet once a month, and call themselves simply Art & Lunch.  They share new techniques and handcrafts with one another, and host local artists for small workshops -- and the Lunch portion of the day is no trifling matter!

Two members of this number are also fellow members of the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild *regular readers of this blog will immediately see the connection*.  They invited me to come and share a bookmaking project with them; in doing so, the Official Teaching Schedule for 2014 began.  Only a couple of the 7 ladies who were there on our wonderful Wednesday together had ever made a book from scratch before.

Preparations under way
...let the 'making' begin!

We spent the morning getting our paper ready to take form:  cutting, measuring, trimming, folding, and learning the lingo of bookmaking.  After taking a break for a phenomenal lunch *accompanied by lavender lemonade! (thank-you-very-much)* and a little time for visiting, we returned to our task and rounded out the afternoon with a passel of pretty new books! 

A Bountiful Spread
...and it tasted even better than it looked!

Our attention then turned toward the myriad uses for our new creations, and various ways to embellish them.  A little "tech-talk" covered several types of glues and the best ways to choose the right one for the job at hand.  With a little time to spare, we added a quick *bonus* activity; everyone folded their own origami heart/bookmark!  ...and as they used to say, in the small-town paper of my youth, "A good time was had by all!"

The Art & Lunch Crew
...my lovely hosts for the 1st workshop of the year

My sincere thanks to the Art & Lunch bunch!  I had a most lovely time sharing my passion for paper and its many wonderments with you all.  Our day together was the perfect beginning to my teaching rounds for the year, and I will carry my warm memories of our time throughout the rest of my engagements.  I wish you all more happy days of learning and lunching together!


Onward & Upward,

 - p

Words of wisdom for today:

"When one teaches,
two learn."
                             - Robert Heinlein

Photo Notes:
    All Photos  - taken with my trusty Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS1

*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*

Monday, March 3, 2014

And the Winner is...

Febrary's Fridays were much brightened by the sharing and commenting provided by the participants of the Great ReMe Blog Hop!  My creative cohorts and I are so appreciative of all the kind folks who visited our individual blogs and the ReMe blog throughout the month.  Today's big announcements mean the end of this joyful jaunt around the interweb, but that's no cause for sadness -- let's join together to celebrate our winners, and know that we have more artful happiness in the works!

Here on Thoughts Askance, the winner of my UH*Os, upcycled Journal is:  Marueen Hayes!
"I have actually learned a lot already from the posts about how to nourish my creative soul, but I was really touched by the post that Jean wrote for this part of the hop on reaching out to others. I think the world would be a better place if we all took the time to do this more often! Thanks for some wonderful food for thought and for giving me the dream of attending one of the retreats some day!"
 
Maureen, congratulations; please send me your postal mail address, and I will have this beauty on its way to you!  Contact me at parrowood@gmail.com.

The Winners from each of our blog giveaways and the Grand Prize Winner can be viewed over at the ReMe Blog.  We had SUCH fun on our very first Blog Hop, and do hope that each of you enjoyed learning more about each of us as individuals and artists as well as more about our beloved ReMe Retreats!  For the announcements on the other instructors' pages, visit the handy links below.
Don't forget to check us out on Pinterest.  Visit the ReMe Retreats Board for more artful goodness and creative inspiration.  The caption below the photo is a direct link ;-) 

ReMe now available on Pinterest!

 
Onward & Upward,

 - p




Words of wisdom for today:

"To be creative is to be in love with life.
You can be creative only if you love life enough
that you want to enhance its beauty,
you want to bring a little more music to it,
a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it."

                                         - Osho

Photo Notes:
   ReMe Banner  - created by yours truly
  Pinterest Logo  - from Pinterest
   UH*Os  - taken with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS1  - collage created in Pic Monkey
  
Jean, Penny, and Jodi - from Facebook profile photos (effects applied in PaintShop Pro X2)

*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*