what it means

So I am in two magazines - what does that mean? I think it means, to me, anyway, that I have not just been farting around the last four years, that I have made something good, that other people respond to, that maybe I am an artist, after all. Do I think it is necessary to have outside validation to call oneself an "artist"? Not really, but I have always thought that "artist" is not a title you give yourself. I mean, did Wayne Gretsky call himself "The Great"?

This doll was made on the sewing machine, just sewing thru cardstock to draw the body, arms, legs and crown. My favorite thing about it is that there is no glue involved.

And I leave you with a quote that I repeat to my girls ALL the time:

" You miss one hundred per cent of the shots you don't take."
--Wayne Gretsky

I think this applies to EVERYTHING, not just hockey.

2

So I couldn't wait any longer and I went - with my mom and sister - to Barnes and Noble. There it was - MY magazine! How exciting! I took a picture of the mag open on the B & N magazine rack and that photo became the body of this doll. On the way to pay for Cloth Paper Scissors, I grabbed the new Somerset Studio, the Paris issue and flipped through it. You'll never guess what! My work was in that one, too. I had submitted a book for the Paris theme way back in February and had no idea it had made it into the magazine. TWO magazines in one day - are you kidding me?

The wings, hem and necklace are all made from a Starbucks coffee cardboard holder thing I got at the B& N Starbucks yesterday. The same hot pink ball fringe that is on the Little Pink House of Cards is on the bottom of the dress. I just love it when artists refer back to their own work in new pieces. Even if it is literal and cheesy.

no cps yet

My copy hasn't come yet in the mail. I am not patient and not looking to become more so.

Halfway

Today is the halfway point of my yearlong paper doll challenge. Please look at the new issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. Click on the picture of the cover with the dress form on it and you will see a link to my artwork which is in the issue that comes out next week. I have looked at the site more than a few times! This is the first time I have ever been published and I am SO excitied I can hardly stand it!!

The hairdo on today's doll reminds me of Brittany Murphy's character in Girl, Interrupted.

Back to Normal

I feel human again and caught up on sleep. My energy level is back to it's ususal state so I can get some stuff done around here. I have the strongest urge to work in the yard and plant flowers this summer. Last summer I didn't do anything cute in the yard because I was so sad over my grandmother passing in May.

I am working on an embroidered velvet camera case. There is just no soul in those black nylon bags. I'll post a pic when it's done.

I just read Valley of the Dolls - what a hoot. I MUST see the film right away. I am going to the video store this afternoon to see if they have it. I saw the film on tv when I was about 11 or 12, but I didn't get it and it HAD to be edited. My favorite thing about the film is that it was released in the Best Year Ever - 1967!

so tired

I got home from my week at Arrowmont at about 10pm Friday. I has slept a total of maybe 14 hours for the week...I just can't sleep at that school. It's a combination of being hyperfocused on art and uncomfortable in the heat and the dorm room with people I don't know. I could not wait to get home. Yes, I missed my husband, too.

I felt ok yesterday morning, but felt more and more tired as the day went on. We went shopping for new soccer cleats for our youngest and I just tried to be quiet because I was so out of sorts I was afraid I would say something mean. I skipped lunch and that combined with the sleep deprivation made for a brain busting migraine. I notice as I get older that I am more sensitive with my headaches. I have to have everthing just right to stay pain-free. My head hurt so bad last night that I had a panic attack.

By the grace of God, I survived the night, but I feel lousy today. I managed to get through church and brunch and a load of laundry and I still need to go to the grocery store and get stuff for the girls to take their lunch to British Challengers soccer camp this week. When I was at Penland in '04, Shanna Leino and I were talking about how we are so tired after a craft school session. She said next time we shoud go to a spa for a couple of days before heading home - so true. I feel like I have to be right back into mom mode and I don't feel up to it, but that's really not fair,so I plug along and guzzle coffee.

England won and I am glad. David Beckahm is a work of art.

Happy Book Day

This doll's body is a book because it's my Book Day - exactly 4 years ago today, I made my first book. THis trip has not been long and strange; really, it's been more short and joyous, so far, but I know the best is yet to come.

i'm still here

i just haven't posted for a week. too busy and too over the paper dolls. oh i'm still making one a day - and i have remade my book for them - much mo' better than the first one i had.

i'm getting ready to go to ARROWMONT the best place on the planet. i finally get to meet legendary DOLPH SMITH. i'll keep you updated.

Happy Birthday Chris

OK...this is really today's doll

Happy Anny, ma -n- pa

Today is my mom and dad's 42nd anniversary. They got married in 1964, just after they graduated from high school. My dad had just turned 18 and my mom was 17 (October birthday). No, they are not cousins; they just got married young. I wasn't born until until three years later.

Update on the Cloth Paper Scissors thing I told you about - I will have work published in the issue that comes out July 5. I actually talked to the editor, Patricia Bolton,last Wednesday. She was super nice and asked to see some pics of my other work. I started Thursday morning trying to put together an up-to-date portfolio. I wound up making a little book with lots of photos ow my work over the last four years. It was so cute, even if I do say so myself. I didn't have to buy anything to make it. That's the thing about making lots of stuff - you get pretty fluent in you own design vocabulary so when you buy paper on sale at hobby lobby, you just are able to pick out the stuff you know you will use and then when you sit down to make something, you have everything already.

One of my goals for 2006 was to get published in a magazine.

JUNE JUNE JUNE

The best month ever invented! MY month! My birthday is next Friday - 39 - I'm getting a new 'do Thursday, my kids are going to camp for 5 days AND I get to go to ARROWMONT on the 18th and be gone for a whole week doing ART!!

Just the beginning

May is over, but it's just the beginning of what is shaping up to be a great, monumental summer.

I saw on Bravo that the Runway will be on this summer. I am still not over Santino. It will take somebody fantabulous to top him.

May is waning

May is fading away, but it already feels like July around here...so hot and humid. It's only 3 weeks til I go to Arrowmont. I can't wait. I have already started gathering materials I want to take with me. I am thinking of giving myself a challenge within the challenge. I am thinking about challenging myself to use only the materials provided in class and the stuff I bring - NO SHOPPING IN THE ARROWMONT SUPPLY STORE. This would be hard - I live that store. They have so much good stuff and it's right there and I always get so many great ideas while I'm there. It would be a good challenge for a couple of reasons. One is money. I could save the money I usually spend in the store and get a super cool airbrush t-shirt. The other is to stretch myself and see all the possibilities in my materials.

I don't know if I'm gonna do it or not.

happy memorial day

Danica was really 8th. I 'm not really a Fanica, but I don't really care for auto racing of any kind at all - NOT EVEN NASCAR. How is that possible? A midwestern girl who doesn't like nascar? Don't worry folks, I like Blue Collar Comedy and Tanya Tucker's Delta Dawn was the first record I ever owned.

See, I represent.

pinch me

It looks like I am going to have something in Cloth Paper Scissors. Is that possible? I thought they only wanted real artists like Nina B and Claudine H, not art teachers from Bedford, Indiana. I cannot believe it. Pinch me.

Art Teacher Dolls Continued

This is Libby "Loves the Beatles" Borodach. I think her cell phone rings yellow submarine. Too bad about Paul and the fashion designer. I heard John Lennon was shot from Bryant Gumbel on the Today show. I think George is Sheryl Crow's favorite Beatle.

I'm back

Happy Birthday

Latest Project

In addition to the paper dolls, I have had a slew of other projects to work on, not to mention running the girls everywhere under the sun.

Here are 3 of the 15-or-so Teacher Appreciation Week gifts my kids are giving their teachers.