Awesome!

As I have mentioned, I am getting involved in serving our homeless and working poor community. A friend of mine, Steve, has been serving among these people for several years. He is a writer/poet who travels to different cities just loving people on the streets by his written words, practical gifts of food, socks, water, clothing, etc... and art! He was just interviewed on a podcast with International Arts organization based in NY. If you have a few minutes, listen to his podcast! This is what I am getting more involved in!
http://media.city-gates.org/podcast_episodes/889/audio/Hope_Thru_Art_original.mp3

update

My friend Joanne, is not doing well. After removing part of her skull to allow for swelling, she ended up being put in a medical induced coma yesterday due to seizures and other things. Today, the main prayer request is that the swelling in her brain go down. It is critical. Please, please pray that the swelling goes down. There are some other things going on as well, which I can't really detail but please continue praying for this family... but especially for the swelling.

A New Local Class!

If you are local, this is for you!!!!

We are all familiar with the tried and true Composition Notebook. They have a sewn binding making them very sturdy and they are great for those who need a lined journal.

Join me on Saturday, January 22, for a class in my home where you can create your own altered composition notebook! I will provide all supplies. We will start at 10:00. The class time is estimated at 3 hours but you may stay longer if you need to in order to finish your journal.

I have included photos of a few altered composition notebooks I have created. You will learn several techniques with collage, adding images and other embellishments, paint, and a bit about composition as well. Techniques learned in this class can transfer to canvas or other mediums for artwork as well.

The cost of the class is $25. Lunch will be included! (Please let me know if you have food allergies or things you just don’t like!) You just need to show up in clothes that can get messy and be prepared for some fun with collage and paint!

Please r.s.v.p. to reserve your spot! (princessburninghair@cox.net) Space is limited to 6! If I have more than 6 sign up, I will start a second class that same day, at 2:00.

If you would like to take the class but cannot make it on this date, please contact me to schedule another class! I am happy to create a class especially for you and a few friend. I love teaching! If you check out my work on my flickr site and see something that catches your eye that you’d love to make, let me know and I can create a class for you! If you gather 5 friends to join you, you get to take the class for free!


Hope to hear from you soon!

Desperate prayer request

No, no.. not for me, for my friend. Joanne Heim is a talented writer and lover of Jesus. I met her along with her husband and kids a few years ago. They moved back to their home in Colorado last year and we have mostly been in touch after our meeting through her blog, blog comments, Facebook, messages, e-mails and such. She's a beautiful, young woman... younger than I am, and mom of two beautiful daughters whom she home schools. Well, yesterday, while exercising, Joanne had a massive stroke. You can read that latest updates on her blog and subscribe to stay updated as her husband or sister write. As of this morning, she had to go back in for surgery because of massive swelling in her brain. They removed part of her skull to allow for the swelling but significant trauma has been done to her brain including her brain stem. So much is unknown to us right now. But I know One who knows everything going on. Many prayers by thousands of people are being said on her behalf right now. Please join me in praying for Joanne and her family.

Sundance

Ya'll do know about Sundance, don't you? Well, if you don't, you should. Not that I have ever been able to purchase anything from them but oh, how I love everything in their catalog. I'm dreaming of owning this top. I just love it... size M please! ;) Sundance has a great story that you can read here. And, well, Robert Redford started it so that should be enough, don't ya' think?

Well, I'm still in the midst of my Sketchbook project and now, I'm at the point that I just want to be finished. I want to move on. I want to paint. So, I'm going to eat breakfast, do some quick clean up around here and get back to that sketchbook. The deadline for mailing is in 5 days and the rest of my week is consumed with work and kids so... today is the day.

Busy bee

I was in my studio almost all day today. I finally had to get out of my pajamas about 2:30 to be able to go do kid pick up after school! Ya' see, months ago.. yes, MONTHS ago, I signed up to be part of the "Sketchbook Project". I received my sketchbook and given theme of "Lines and Grids"... but do you think I even started it until a week before the mailing deadline? Uh... well... I just had too many ideas and couldn't narrow them down. Yeah, that's it! Actually, that is true. Even until yesterday when I finally started, I didn't know how to narrow down. My mind just goes like a tornado with ideas and it often takes a while for the dust to settle. So, I decided to take my sketchbook apart. I'm creating my own pages.. different pages. I will then rebind the book. I'll have to completely reconstruct it as it will be thicker than it started! :) Tomorrow, I was originally scheduled to work but I was called and told I wasn't really needed so, I'll be in my studio most all day tomorrow too. I will be going to help feed homeless again in the morning but will be in my studio the rest of the day.

I know I am completely obsessed with the sky lately. Here in Phoenix, we have the most amazing sunrises and sunsets. I just cannot contain myself watching them. I watch for them. I mean, literally. Not if I happen to be out somewhere and notice. No, I watch the clock and watch the sky.... daily... every day. This evening, the sunset was splendid. Breathtaking. I finally pulled out a ladder to get a better view for my camera although it's soooooooo frustrating that I have buildings behind me or electrical/phone wires draped in my view... or trees. It just makes me mad! But the ladder helped a bit. Here are some of my shots from today. They uploaded in reverse... The photos were in progression but you'll just have to look at them backwards! Oops!

See what I mean about all those wires ruining my view?

Well, it's late and I"m getting up early so, I'm heading for bed. I'll try to remember to take some pictures of my sketchbook stuff tomorrow, ok? I'm hoping to finish by Monday so it can get mailed off in plenty of time!

I'm baaaaaccckkkkk

Ok, so maybe not exactly 100% but almost. I just spend the last few days, several hours worth (and I do mean several) turning in proposals for CREATE being held in May in Costa Mesa, CA. I sent in 9 proposals and now crossing my fingers, saying prayers, and waiting to see if I am accepted! While I"m not crazy about the fact that I'd need to drive, I would be crazy about doing it and am thankful that it's only about a 6 hour drive to haul all my supplies. I can't afford to go further and have to ship all this stuff! I'm anxious to find out what it's really like to go teach out of state. With the proposals, I had to send in a couple of photos of myself. I don't have many since I'm always the one behind the camera so today, I had Hannah take one while I was at work! Here I am in my favorite section of the store, the handmade parent sheets of gorgeous papers!
I'm going to try my hand at making homemade chicken and dumplings for dinner tonight for the first time. I'm almost ashamed to say that seein' as I'm from Mississippi and all. I'm a disgrace to my family. It's shameful that I can be from the south with southern family, and be 46 having never made chicken and dumplings! OK, I'll admit, I hate ice tea too. So there....

I have hungry boys so I'm rollin' up my sleeves and getting that rolling pin out.... More catch up later.