pamgarrison

a click or two away

Hello all. I've been directed to some fun goings on that I thought I'd share with you. Denise Sharp (studiosharp) has a blog now. Even better is that she's having a little give-away: one of her handcrafted glittered heart boxes. You see it pictured here in the photo Denise took.

SallyJean also has a new blog, one that she's going to be updating regularly. I was dreamily looking at her desktop shown in her current post.

The book artisans of Rag&Bone Bindery have a blog too.  They lost all their comments when switching hosts, and on top of that a little birdie was telling me how they were just saying I have such great readers who are kind enough to take a moment to leave a comment. Check out their blog and leave a comment if you want to cheer them up about losing all their old ones.

And lastly, today is the last day to help the rescued pooches (and kitties now too) over at Bernie Berlin's A Place to Bark foster and adoption animal shelter win a $50,000.00 grant. The 4 US charities that have the most donations- not in dollars, but  in number of donations win. A $10.00 donation, that's all it takes to help them win the grant money.

(Photo of my daughter's pup, Nike, taken by my brother, Dave, who also has a blog, mostly about two of his biggest loves: computers (well, I should say Macs) and San Francisco. If you read it you'll see why I never try to catch up on my computer know-how: it's not possible!)

do you believe yours are achievable?

So many things to do, but suddenly this weekend I fund myself doodling on this board again. Here it was months and months ago. (Bottom right) Sometimes you have to let yourself play, deadlines and all. And, of course, I think you should believe in your dreams and goals. Happy Monday...

more creative stimulation

Really, need I say more about these? If you journal, these are a must. I am soooo happy that Teesha decided to print up some pages from her journals. Can't wait for the second set (hint hint). If you ever get the chance to look through her journals in person, that is a must too, you'll be stimulated for weeks. You can find her journal book set here.

I also have an article in Somerset Life about a couple books I have made. You've seen them on the blog before here, and here, but their photos are so much better. I loved this class from DJ Pettit, and can't wait to make the pages and pockets for the inside.

I'm thrilled that my friend Corey Amaro's new column debuts in the same Somerset Life issue. She will be sharing her Life as an American in France. She takes the best photos and has such a way with words.

And speaking of Corey... her home is featured in the January/February issue of Victoria magazine. The article foreword reads:

"Through the viewfinder of her own camera, transplanted American Corey Amaro guides us through the four-hundred-year-old French home she has painstakingly designed as a haven for hand-me-down treasures and flea-market finds."

Again, need I say more? I think not. I must tell you though, that these photos make me even more giddy about the fact that I will be standing on these very floors, in this very room in a few months. Pinch me! Corey better start nailing things down...

Hopefully, in one of the three books/magazines above you'll find something that suites your fancy. Hopefully you'll get time to enjoy them over the weekend. xo

more "extravagant liaisons"

How fun to open up the mail and see one of my own pieces on the cover of the current Somerset Studios magazine staring back at me. You may remember reading about this project in an earlier post. On the cover is my contribution to the Marie Zine Collaborative hosted by Lynne Perella and Anahata Katkin. So many people expressed a desire to see more once the collaborative started popping up on blogs, that Somerset decided to take their own photos and feature an article so you could do just that. Here's the article inside...

The artwork on the right page is by Lisa Kaus. I love that our project idea seems similar, yet our projects are quite different in the final presentation.

Here is my friend Amy's piece. I always talk about her jewelry, but she is talented across the board.

There are more photo pages in the magazine that accompany the article. Besides Lynne, Anahata, Lisa, Amy and me, the other participants were:
Anne Bagby, Mindy Carpenter, Lisa Hoffman, Melissa McCobb Hubbell, Teesha Moore, Judi Riesch, Lesley Riley, Beryl Taylor, Tara-janelle Walsch, Michelle Ward, and Linda Warlyn. 

If you were itching to see more when the zine first came out, now's your chance.

There are lots of good articles in this issue, I particularly loved Corey Moortgat's article shown here:

I also love Corey's book on the same topic. She has such a unique way of making her work so personal.

And the Sally Jean "Artist Portfolio" was a fun one too. Everyone loves Sally Jean's creations, but this article lets you in a little deeper.

So now, when you see the magazine in the bookstore, you'll know a little bit of the story behind the story. I hope it fulfills everyone's desire to see more of the Marie Antoinette project!

 

kitchen table as is

This is the current state of the kitchen table. I've been working on a fun little assignment involving illustrations. I walked away for something and as I came back I realized that I am "getting to do" things that I've always wanted to. Because I've been allowing myself to play and do them "just because" I yearn to, my world has opened up to "assignments": being asked to do them for someone else, some other reason, a little job. The pay is tiny, but that's not the point. It's a labor of love, and this one happens to be for a friend which feels even better. It's a little reminder to me to continue to give myself permission to do that which my heart desires, no matter how off the beaten path, no matter that I might not know where it leads, no matter that it might not lead anywhere other than my own personal enjoyment and fulfillment. Forever I have heard that saying "just do what you love" and I got it and didn't get it at the same time. "How can my sitting here doodling at my son's football practice turn into me getting to do it for some reason, some other purpose?" It is a lesson I am still learning, but every time I do allow myself to do what I love, even if it's as silly seeming as doodling, I am rewarded, encouraged,in some small way to continue. What do you love to do? Are you allowing yourself to play at it? To do it? I hope you give yourself permission, even if, like me, it's one small, seemingly unimportant step at a time.

goodbye 2007

Although I didn't take many decorations out, I am moving slowly this year putting them away. Finally, these are all that remain. They looked so pretty, I couldn't resist one last photo as they patiently waited to be boxed up.

{the bell ornaments above are actually new reproductions from the Bethany Lowe line.}

 

{Isn't this snowgirl shaker cute? Colleen Moody was selling them at Silver Bella, and the glittered postcards were a gift from sweet Mindy Carpenter,. Cavalini sells them that way.}

Hope you enjoyed your holidays. Ours were pretty smooth sailing, considering the recent move and lack of being completely unpacked. Our guests were so gracious, bringing delicious food, helping find needed things when I realized I had no idea where they were, and generous with the kind words.

Now that it's all over and I'm trying to get organized for the new year, I'm finding that it's shaping up to be a fun one. I'm looking forward to sharing the journey with you. xo