I'm getting ready to leave for Northern CA to teach at Sanctuary Studio in San Anselmo. I'll try to update the blog before I go but I can't promise that I'll be able to do so!!

The most recent journal page-using rub ons (Hambly), stickers (Chronicle), white sharpie poster paint pen (waterbased), acrylics, and a picture of little Kelly! Tristan and I have been reading Howard Zinn and Rebecca Stefoff's "A Young People's History of the United States: Volume 1 Columbus to the Spanish-American War" (There's also a second volume that covers "Class Struggle to the War on Terror"). It's interesting as the book begins with Columbus-the real story of Columbus. It's very interesting that Tristan is just starting "Social Studies" at school at the same time and they're learning about-Columbus. This page pretty much talks about Tristan's experience with raising his hand and telling the teacher what he knew about the "Indians" and Columbus. I'm very happy that he actually raised his hand and tried to answer something in class ('cause when I was a kid my hand was always down!! I did not like talking in class). I'm irked that the teacher said "I don't believe you." instead of trying to engage him in a dialogue. Oh, but wait, this is school and I guess we're just teaching them to sit down, shut up and do what they're told to do. *sigh* Frustrating, indeed!

A page I painted over the weekend-scrubbing acrylics with a paper towel. I love the page on the right how it looks like a shadow of a person..hmm..wonder what I will do with that one.
I started reading The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam last night. I'm a 1/3rd of the way through it and I love it! I had a hard time putting it down last night. Anna Marie Fleming's way of writing is just comfortable-like she's talking to a friend about her Great Grandfather. It really does read almost like a journal at times. I love the combination of illustrations, photographs, stills, and more as you learn the story of Long Tack Sam and his Great Granddaughter's quest to find out all she can about him. There's also a film (which I haven't seen yet but hope to do so once I finish the book!)
*****

I've written about the Jena 6 on the blog before. Democracy Now covers more of the story today and the walkout that is scheduled for October 1st.

It's been a GREAT mail week. Look what I got in the mail yesterday!! PAPER from The Paper Studio! I was going to wait until my trek to Frenzy Stamper in Scottsdale in October (I can't wait!!) to hit Paper Studio but after thinking that they are having the big journal event in early October, I decided I'd better order what I want now!


Then, look what came today: An eye popping-ly decorated package from my friend, Andrew in New Jersey!
Look how cool this is?!?!?! I was tickled pink, needless to say! Gorgeous handmade paper in pink (and yellow as well!!!) just for ME. Andrew told me he was compiling a goodie box for me in my favorite color and he (obligingly) added a dash of yellow-another favorite color. Yellow is SO hard to find as far as handmade and decorative papers go. Ever notice that? Yellow and orange!! Weird, eh?
I am quite eager to start ripping up and using several of the beauties in this package! Even the package itself was wrapped in pink, nestled in pink and overflowing with pink. Totally made my day!!!
Aren't these gorgeous?? Andrew made me color copies of several of his handmade papers, itajime. You *must* check out his blog and his website. He's one of my favorite artists and an all around nice guy!!! Thanks Andrew for your generosity. Your package is going out in the mail tomorrow (Yes! I do trade papers and fun stuff from time to time if anyone is interested! Andrew wanted me to tell you that he does too!!)
I'm blaming Tammie for getting me into trouble and whipping out my credit card (that I shouldn't be using!!) and ordering this book from England, Julie Arkell's yummy book filled with her artwork. Oh YUM. I can't believe how fast it shipped.
OK, You all know I've had Jesse Reno's book for almost two months and how much I LOVE it...

But, look! A coloring book by Jesse Reno. Powells in Portland had it for $5, and well, I couldn't resist.

*****

One of my favorite artists, Bwana Spoons has a blog, a website and a shop.

*****

Hit Meltdown Comics and found this little nugget that I had been looking for, The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam. It resembles a journal. I can't wait to dive in and read it! I thought it was worth picking up just because of the style and lay out.

*****

Baby hedgehogs and ultra cool art! Who could ask for anything more?

I'm trekking back up North this weekend (September 29 & 30th) for a mixed media art retreat at Sanctuary Studio, outside of San Francisco nestled in San Anselmo. I'll be teaching a variety of mixed media workshops including:

A Few of my Favorite Things Journal-

Followed by my Graffito An Artist's Book class:
Then my Wonderful World of Color Theory class-
And lastly, my Avant Garde Journal Class-


Space is limited! Sonora is still taking sign ups via her website here. Questions about the workshops? Please email me.

This will be my second trip to Sanctuary Studio and y'all know how much I love teaching there!!! It will be a special weekend-lots of fun, tons of NEW ideas, techniques up the wazoo AND it's Sonora's birthday so we will be having a little collage ephemera packet exchange.

I'm looking forward to seeing YOU there!

Find more "oops" comic panels, covers and more here.

More of what I did this weekend (actually, what I did Sunday):I love the fall colored tights-I might have to go get a pair...

The tree page on the right isn't anywheres near done but I started it late last night...
My ramblings on journaling and why I do it...and why I think others should too:
Ding Dong! What's that? The mail lady is here with TWO packages for me?? TWO? It's not even my birthday yet...two packages for ME? Ya sure? I'm totally blaming Tammie for one of them...because of Tammie I ordered Julie Arkell's book and I *love* it. Taylor, you are going to want this one. It's like the small books one would buy from Paumes or Kinokuniya but guess what, this one is in English! Hurray!

Hmm...what's the other package? OMG OMG OMG. PAPER from The Paper Studio. Can you see me doing my happy dance? Four 6 x 6" Basic Grey Papers and several parent size sheets of Pure Joy and Bliss. Doesn't take much to make me happy. I'll try to take pictures of everything later gater and post it to the blog tomorrow!

Hi ho hi ho, it's off to shower and clean the car I Go...or at least, get ready to go out and then attempt to start to clean the car before the temperatures shoot up again this week. UGH.

What I did this weekend:

More journal pages from the last couple of days...

(the above is a postcard my friend Suzanne sent me from Greece-lucky!) I adhered the postcard using stickers I found on sale at Staples labeled "Personal and Confidential". Once they're stuck, they're stuck.

Another friend gave me the checked baggage tape. The rose stamp is hand carved by Hollyn. I bought it this past year at the Artists Nook in Fort Collins, CO. I bought it in two sizes and I LOVE it. The black flowers are rub ons from American Crafts. I used acrylics, colored pencils, Versafine (black) inkpad, and paper I bought from The Paper Studio in Tempe, AZ.

The car is still not cleaned out yet...That will be for Monday *or* Tuesday. I'm ecstatic 'cause it rained-poured in buckets at times. We really needed the rain so this is a very good thing indeed!

I started reading a new book last night (it came in the mail yesterday), Trudy White's Table of Everything. I bought her Could You? Would You? book last week in San Jose. I love her ideas and illustrations...Reminds me of an Australian version of Keri Smith! Love 'em both-they're both different and yet both have great ideas combining words and illustrations...

*****
Hey, since when does the U.S. Senate take away our rights of freedom of speech? Oh yeah..never mind...

If you read just one book this whole year...


My friend Taylor recommended it...now, anything Taylor recommends is usually "most excellent" so when I was shopping at Green Apple with Bev and Shoshanah, I found a copy in hardcover and for a price I couldn't resist. It's one of those books that once you start reading it, it's "Oh, I can't put it down yet...15 minutes more..." and it's after midnight and you have to get up at the crack of dawn to take your boy to school but you still can't put the book down. It's the kind of book that even though you have a ton of work to do, an apartment to clean, errands to run and a car to clean out, you forgo doing everything to lie in bed under the blankets on a cool day and read this book. It's the kind of book that makes you want to schlep to the bookstore and check out more of her books.

*****

If anyone sees a redhead in West Hollywood doing a rain dance, it's me. I've psyched myself up over the last few days that it was going to *POUR* out today. It's almost 2 in the afternoon and no rain. No nothing. Some people thrive on sunshine? I could live under clouds and splashing in puddles all of the time. I am going to be a very grumpy girl if the skies do not open up soon.

*****

This came in the mail yesterday. I ordered it ultra cheap from Amazon used...of course I didn't use tortoise delivery. I picked hare delivery instead. I told you about Emma Magenta the other day after finding her book, A Gorgeous Sense of Hope at Anthropologie a week ago with Bev & Shosh.

*****
Here I am still pissing and moaning-but I'm REALLY pissed about this-

WHY is this boy still in jail?? I've talked about it before on the blog and I wish I didn't have to repeat it (Mychal Bell should be OUT of jail and there should not be any charges at all for a school yard fight. WHY is no one speaking out about the damn white kids that hung the damn nooses from the tree in the first place??? THEY are the ones that need to learn something!!) Find out more about the Jena 6 here. Um, isn't this supposed to be 2007? Why are some idiots living like it's pre 1960? Mother Almighty what the hell are people thinking??

Going back to an old friend...this is a journal I created a couple of years ago. I've "altered" the spine a bit (hiding the original stitch) and added the rose stamp...other then that, it's all the same. It was blank until two days ago.

Here's what I've done so far-I'm just getting warmed up and started in it...

For some reason I keep finding these unusual pictures of Tristan to use (color copies) and so far the first two pages have his little face plastered all over them...Remember, I'm just getting started...So far, no paint on the backgrounds just Caran d'ache Neo Arts. I have been too lazy to get up and paint. (The Caran d'ache order has taken over my living room/work area!!)
Guess what arrived?!?! Those of you that ordered Caran d'ache Neo Art Watersoluble Wax pastels from me will be very happy to hear that the missing crayon arrived last night at 7:08 pm! About 10 of you will receive the full order you asked for...the other crayons have been back ordered. I've written notes to those of you that will be having to wait a wee bit longer for your crayons (the notes are in the boxes with your crayons). I was told about 5 weeks. I am mailing ALL of the crayons out today via priority insured mail. So, at least you have some of your order now :) I appreciate your patience. The crayons are being shipped from Switzerland to NY to me. Trust me, I will ship them out as soon as they arrive. I've already sorted through over at thousand crayons and it is NOT fun (hours of work-ugh ugh). I'm not sure if I will order them again like this any time soon but we shall see...


*****

File under, it's a comic book, damnit! (Or Graphic Novel, Percy) (Or whatever the hell you want to call it) Or file under get a life. Sheesh. And to think I was reading Stephen King, V.C. Andrews and a whole lot more when I was younger then the 14 year old in this article. I didn't go running and whining to my parents. I wasn't traumatized. There's nothing in Eightball #22 to be traumatized over. The parents and the girl should grow the frig up.

***

I'd be more traumatized over OC Police tasering a 15 year old autistic boy. Now THAT is something to be upset about...and I know I'm not the only one angry.

Um, does anyone else look at the back of this shoe and think of Norge, The Refrigerator Repairman?

What were they thinking??

I have to clean out my Toyota (yup, the red one)...and this is how I feel:

or maybe it's more like this:

I

do

not

want

to

have

to

clean

out

this

car.

Has anyone ever heard of a car cleaning party? You know. You invite a group of friends over and they help. Why am I bitching so much? Well some of you have seen my trunk and know what it looks like. I do not want the "new" (used) car to look at all like this. I have a ton of class stuff in the trunk (ton is an understatement). ACK. What do I do? Toss? Keep? What? UGH. The whole idea of having to do this is just overwhelming. I'm not bitching or whining. I'm just stating a fact. It's overwhelming. I told David I'd buy him a DVD if he did it. I want to tell my sister I'll fly her out (on credit of course! :P) if she'll do it. I wish I could wait until October and maybe my Mom would help me. I want to be like Samantha in Bewitched and just twitch my nose. What I think I really want is just the company-someone to make me laugh-while I dig deep into my trunk and get rid of crap that hasn't seen the light of day in ages...UGH UGH UGH. I should just wait til Tristan gets home and have him help...or at least talk to me. He'll talk my ear off.


This is my Vail, CO doggie that will be moving from our Red Toyota to our Green Toyota. Hey, Christmas colors!

*****

The 6th Annual Edward Gorey Auction (Goreyfest and Alphabet Auction) has started!! I told David I wouldn't mind some of Edward's jewelry for my (upcoming) birthday. (I know the pieces will go for a small fortune that I can't afford but I can dream, right?) They gave me a slip to donate artwork but between losing my Aunt and traveling to teach, life has been crazy! Hopefully I can do it next year!!


*****
I am still looking for a copy of Tom Judd's Everyday. In the meantime, he's starting work on Volume 2.

***

Linda & Karen's Journal Revolution is out! I have not seen it *yet* but Linda said she received copies of it-woo hoo!

What new books have graced your shelf recently? Thanks to "Jane", I mean Taylor, I am reading The History of Love. Two thumbs up so far. Anything Taylor recommends, I usually make a beeline for it. I ordered two books (used) from Amazon the other day. I'll letcha know about those when they arrive. I also ordered a book from far away...I am on pins and needles waiting for that one. It's madness, I tells ya, pure madness!

OK I'm off to go make some more excuses for not cleaning my car out.

I mailed off samples to Stampers Warehouse and Paper Post today...Here's one of the books that is on it's way-it's my Avant Garde Journal:






I just started work on a brand new journal...I'm going back to my "roots" and my early teaching beginnings. I'm bringing back some of my old classes as "new and revised" -and they will be completely new and different classes then before. I'll be adding onto the handouts. Even if you took them years ago, you'll find them all new classes and totally fresh!!! I'm very excited about this opportunity to even push the ideas even further and take them to a whole new level!

University Of Florida Student Tasered At John Kerry Speech

WTF??? Search at youtube for "UF Student tasered John Kerry" and you'll find MORE videos. This one while done on a camera phone started at the beginning. There are clearer videos online. WHY was he arrested?? We can't ask a question any more without being arrested and then tasered?!?!! WHY was he arrested for asking a QUESTION? Oh, probably because this is America and there's a freedom of speech until you start to ask the right questions!!!

Update on my Crayon Order-


Just a quick note,

I received a HUGE box of my Caran d'ache Neo Art Watersoluble Wax Pastel order *but* there was an error in the shipping-they shorted me 10 boxes of one color. I'm waiting for the box with that one missing crayon color to arrive. I'm hoping that they arrive this week (as the box is taking up my floor where I work!!!) As SOON as that missing crayon arrives, I will ship out the orders. Now, the first 10 people who ordered will receive the full set of 20 crayons. There are several crayons on back order so those of you that ordered a little later will receive what they shipped me now and the rest of the crayons as soon as they arrive (which may take as long as 5 more weeks I've been told as they are coming from Switzerland to New York to me). I am so sorry for the delay. This is one of the reasons why I stopped selling online. I have no control over what people ship me and what they back order. I do apologize. As soon as the crayons come in, I will ship out-I promise!!! Huge huge thanks for your patience,

Kelly

Meet my Hostesses with the Mostesses:

Shoshanah Jennings (aka Hannah Grey) and Heather Simpson-Bluhm (aka Bluhm Studios AND Portals Zine):

Yes! I am home again home again jiggity jig from a FUN filled ART filled ART PLAY weekend in San Jose courtesy of Shoshanah, Heather, their families (huge thanks to Mike, Bronte and Grey-high 5 buddy!) and all of my wonderful students!!!

The fun started Friday afternoon. I arrived at Shoshanah's front door about 4:30 (not a bad 5 hour drive). Shosh took me on a tour of her home (LOVED it!!! Her family are book hounds like my family is so we got along awesome). I dropped my bags and we headed out to pick up my friend, Bev. We had a BLAST! We went to Santana Row and raised hell at Paper Source, Anthropologie (Shoshanah dragged us in there and I proceeded to buy a hand towel with a bird on it-I NEVER EVER buy stuff like this but I LOVED it and it was a rare treat) and THREE books (hear that flapping-that's money flying away) but OMG the books are so cool-
A Gorgeous Sense of Hope by Emma Magenta;

Could You? Would You by Trudy White

and The Persistence of Yellow by Monique Duval and Joanna Abbott Moss.
I have spent many minutes over the last couple of days looking at these books again and again and again...

We also ate the yummiest soup and pizza at a very popular pizza restaurant a couple of doors down from Paper Source. Lots of laughs, great company and good food!

Afterwards the 3 of us trekked to Green Apple Books in San Francisco. Oh. My. God. How come I had never been in there before?!?! This was one of the BEST bookstores, if not THE best, that I have ever been in. If it wasn't so late when we arrived (and oh so much later when we left) I could've spent all day in there! I walked out with two bags (which I later condensed to one doubled paper bag LOL) with goodies for me, David and Tristan...*Huge* thanks to Shoshanah and Bev for such a fun fun night.

Saturday morning came bright and early. Shoshanah obliged my need for black unsweetened iced tea and we trekked off in search of caffeine for both of us! We arrived at the shop to set up for classes. We were greeted with many of the students already there eager and waiting to CREATE. Shoshanah and Heather went out of their way and treated us to snacks, food, lunch and just an amazing weekend. Our creative spirits and appetites were nourished and full by the end of the weekend. I had an amazing AMAZING time teaching-seeing many familiar faces was a great treat and meeting new faces was just as awesome. I am already counting the days to my next trip to San Jose to PLAY again with Shoshanah, Heather and the gang!! *Huge huge HUGE* thanks to all of you so much. It was an awesome weekend.


*****

I can never have enough of Northern CA! I will be heading up to San Anselmo at the end of this month (Sept 29 & 30th) for two fun filled days of mixed media workshops (bookbinding, art journaling, collage, acrylic painting, and oh so much more) at Sonora Beam's Sanctuary Studio in Northern California!! There is still limited space in some of the classes so if you are making up your mind, think fast! I'm already making MY plans for that weekend...