Oh Happy Day!!

I recently received the email I have been waiting for telling me that I got into ALL the classes I signed up for at Art Unraveled. I am so thrilled!!

So here is the lineup.
Click on the class name links or the photos to get more information on the class. All photos included in this email are of the classes that I am taking and belong to Art Unraveled and the instructors of each of the classes. Please don't duplicate or use them without the permission of the artist. Thank you!

TUES JULY 29TH
Danse Macabre
Michael deMeng

  

WED JULY 30TH
Intuitive Drawing and Mark-Making with Collage
Crystal Neubauer

THURS JULY 31TH
Maker of Saints
Deryn Mentock

  

THURS JULY 31TH PM & AUG 1ST
Fabric Art Book
Kate Thompson

SAT AUG 2ND
Shopping Day!!
I don't ever take classes on this day because it is just too much fun to walk around and shop for hours!

SUN AUG 3RD
Mixed Media Surface Design
Mary Beth Shaw & Pam Carriker

   

TUES AUG 5TH
Time to Nest 
Diane Cook

   

So that is all of them! It will be a full week of artsy fun and I cannot wait! For the next 6 months I will have these classes in the back of my mind as I shop at art stores and pick of fun finds at estate sales. The next contest I can prepare for is the name badge contest. I can also be thinking about trades. I have never really taken part in the trades before. Maybe this is my year. How many does one make, I wonder?

The prep is half the fun! I hope you are inspired to take one (or more) of these classes with me!

Art Unraveled Registration!!

Ok. So the thing I am most excited about each and every year is Art Unraveled. I look forward to it all year long. Lucky for me, they are great about getting the schedule of classes out in early December and I can register in January even though the event isn't until the end of July. It gives me tons of time to plan and get super excited about each of my classes.

This is my retreat of choice (A.) because it is local for me and I don't have to truly take time away from my family. I still come home for dinners and to sleep. And reason (B.) really has to do with it being the only retreat that I have tried thus far. Obviously it is a good one because I day dream about it for months in advance. And (C.) I have made some pretty fantastic like-minded artsy friends from attending  for years now. I'm thinking this will be my 5th year, but I could be wrong... I'll have to check on that.

One of the many fun competitions that they have leading up to the event is that you can decorate your registration envelope. It is just one more way to earn prizes and artsy goodies. I love to take part in these. I was one of the winners for the envelope contest last year and I hope to be again this year as well. So I thought I would share my decorated envelope with you all. I am proud of it. I think it came out nice. I bet it is so much fun for Linda and Chuck to get the mail each day when all the fun art mail starts pouring in!

Here is the front:

 And the back:

Hope you like it!! 

I'd love to see yours too, so if you have blogged about it please leave me a comment with a link!

Once I hear back about the classes I got into I will be sure to post them in my "Classes I'm Taking" side bar list. So check back. Hopefully we will have a class or two together!

2014 goals/resolutions

I always have the best intentions at the beginning of a new year to better myself – make myself more productive, more organized, healthier, etc. Well, in 2013 I did the healthier thing... and I was pretty successful there. Pilates has become quite a healthy addiction for me. Three times a week and I feel strong and healthy.

So what does 2014 hold for me you ask? Well for one, I will be working extra hard on the productive goal. I have already started a series of paintings which I am super excited about. I have three that I am working on at the moment. I should have them done in the next few days. And then I have three more in my sketch book that will follow those three. My sketches have been leading me towards animals lately. I am enjoying working on getting the general shape and likeness of the animal and then giving them that little twist to have my style integrated in... giving them a life and character all my own.

I also have the goal of flossing every day - no matter what! I know that sounds silly... but I haven't exactly been the best flosser my whole life :) And if this gives you any idea of my personality, I am also one of those people who when they make a list puts down the smallest thing that may or may not already have been accomplished so that I can cross something off right away in order to feel productive.

My list actually is pretty long, so I won't go into detail on all the rest, but here is a short list for you to see what else I have in store for myself.

- take part in more art/craft shows
- build my buisness
- blog more
- submit more art to publications
- take classes
- sketch more
- put more time and effort into building my etsy shop...

I'm hoping that by putting this out into the world I will feel held accountable for making them happen. Have you followed through with any of your resolutions as of yet? I'd love to hear what yours are too!