BRAVE GIRL CAMP - What a Trip!

And, we "tripped the light fantastic" didn't we girls?! How to describe the journey of 5 days in the forest north of Boise, Idaho with 20 artists (yes Margaret, you are now an artists). And then there were the "worker bees" and some of their family. And finally, there was Melody and Kathy - sisters to the core. Wow!

READY? SET. . . GO!

Suzi and me

Above photo is Suzi Blue and me getting ready to get on the bus for the 2 1/2 hour windy bus ride with Jim, our trusty driver. Thank goodness I brought along 4 sets of wrist bands to deal with motion sickness. It's also a little cold and blustery.

The New Me - NOT!

Playing on bus with Elena's head band and #1 reason why I should never wear one. Should this be my new "avitar?"

FUN

Crazy Elena
(not to be confused with Crazy Rachel. . .)

Me with head in fish at potty-break on way to camp

Mignon and Melody "kickin' up their heels"

I am sooo proud of this photo since I caught it the FIRST TIME they did it with my itty bitty skinny Sony camera. Everybody else seemed to have theses giant cameras with giant lenses. I timed it just right. Love it when I finally do something right! Of course, they then turned around and everyone else's photo is with them facing them. . .

Speaking of "itty bitty". Learned phrase from our new friends Cheryl and Haley - "itty, bitty, shitty committee." I take this to mean the thoughts we have gathered inside our mind from people we shouldn't be listening to - every.

Here is the video Suzi made and posted. How does she do it and do it so quickly and professionally? Enjoy.

The Great Room with the Red Carpet

The Great Room - 3 stories high!

The Food

What was fantastic? Well, to start with, the food! The most gourmet food from the moment we arrived until we left. Three main meals a day then the 3 "snacks" (ha, ha, ha). Yes, scheduled snacks! With an announcements starting 15 min before each dining experience with Marq, Melody's husband, coming to the art room and turning off the light and announcing "15 minutes, until snack or some meal." Returning and announcing "5 minutes, until food." "Time to eat!" Nothing was spared. The quality of what they were serving was the best.

Chelsea with daughter assisting

One of the afternoon snacks

Where we all ate every meal

The Refreshment Bar Something for Everyone

Viewed from above

Up to my old tricks
Hope my daughter doesn't see this!

After returning home and reading all the information everyone sent about themselves including the "worker bees" I have a challenge for Kathy - chief cook and bottle washer - create the most incredible low fat meals for one of the future camps. Knock your self out finding the best and lowest calorie meals and snacks you can create. But, please don't forget to make available for purchase all the recipes from this camp boxed in one of Melody's beautiful tins. I truly don't care how much you charge. I want it and I am sure so does everyone else, even if they don't cook. They will want someone in their life to create theses meals again!

The Art Room

"How big was it?" The perennial questions. . . At my age, a whole new meaning. "Big enough" doesn't begin to describe it. Six work areas that allowed six artists per table plenty of room at each set up. A table with a sewing machine, an old fashioned type writer and a Selphy printer provided by and demonstrated by Elena (Scrapbook Royalty) and Canon printers.

Art and Scrapbook supplies lined the perimeter of the room from top to bottom. Everywhere on the floor and shelves was every product you could image. All provided by Melody and including Melody's products. You truly did not need to bring one thing yourself. Paint, buttons, jewelry, paper, ribbon, fabric, Tattered Angels (provided by camper Liz). All of Melody's products and camper Angela's Unity Stamps provided by Angela including Melody's stamp line (we also got theses stamps as gifts to take home). Be sure to visit their online site!

Beads, ink, foam stamps, Modge Podge, scissors provided by Cheryl (a previous camper and Fiskar representative extraordinaire). More scissors provided by Westcote, Scrapbook Royalty's new sponsor. Chip Board from Melody, all her latest products. Tattered Angel's mists supplied by Liz AND glitter! Do you get the picture because I am not going to show you a photo? I want you to have an "OMG" moment when you enter the art room for the 1st time!

Campers/Artists

Suzi, me and Siobhan (from England)
A shout out to Siobhan!

Rhonda, Kathy and Lynn


Liz, Cortney and Veronica


Rachael


Angela


Cheryl, me and Haley


Margaret


Elena and Cortney


Maureen

Lori and Kim of Express the Moment


Lorraine

From all walks of life and from as far away as England and Poland. All with a story to tell! They spoke and we listened. . . and cried, hugged and loved and supported each individual. We were all rewarded.

Some of the Worker Bees

Jeri Lynn

Mignon and JedMaria


Myrna Jean and Me The two oldest women there!


The Gang of Worker Bees
including Marq, Melody's husband

What I Learned

We all learned what it is like to be part of a very large family. We saw real examples right before our eyes with Melody and Kathy's families present. With Melody and Kathy's mother, Myrna Jean and 4 generations of their family present and working together we learned anything is possible.

Every group needs a leader and compliant "worker bees" that like(LOVE) each other and find ways to turn any job into "fun, fun, fun." Not to hurt anyone's feelings but I have to single out the most fun worker bee who was possibly also the quietest worker bee - Mignon! They were all great, but Mignon had those moves. . .














What Amazed me the Most. . .

That you can really young children present, and if you give them the love and attention they need, they aren't demanding and they aren't spoiled. There was no "mommy mommy" (or for that matter "daddy, daddy" - since there were daddy's and uncle's present. We could have our big group meetings around the red carpet with one woman talking at a time, and the children present in the same room and you didn't realize there were children in the room.

What I Learned

That my house is sacred. I can set boundaries. I can love someone but still "send them to the moon." There are acquaintances, friends, families and best friends. Protect your heart and soul and family from negative influences. You can love your family members but still "put them on the moon" if you find they are too toxic. It's never too late. Remember, today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Saying Goodbye to "The Family". Could I look much tireder? And the family looks just fine including the mom, Myrna Jean. All the girls inward and outward beauty came directly from Myrna Jean, as you can see for yourself!

Me and Melody Ross

Me, Myrna Jean and Kathy

Mignon and me

In closing, thank you Suzi Blu for inviting me to come with you and travel to Idaho. Thank you Brave Girl Camp for being available and getting the word out. Your dream, Melody, has made this world a better place to live in for those who have experience your camp and your family experience in the forest. We will go forth and spread the word. Thank you!

Good Night. "Don't let the bed bugs bite you!"

p.s. People keep asking me "what is Brave Girl Camp?"

"It is where you heart, soul and tummy get fed until you think you will burst!"

Be sure to visit Brave Girls Club and see what all the fuss is about! And, lastly, thank you Suzi Blu and Melody. Without you two I would not have been able to go.

Mermaids and Frying Fish

The Art of Frying Fish and Creatures of the Sea

What a weekend I had and how much fun can one person have?

First off, I received an email from Jenny Doh inviting me to be a Guest Curator at CRESCENDO. What a surprise and an honor. I am somewhat overwhelmed at the moment contemplating the responsibility this represents. But, most of all I am thrilled to be telling my story to a larger audience of how art and the people I have met through art have changed my life in the most positive way. I will be featured for a week in October. Stand by?

Back to Saturday and Stamping Details in Poway, CA, and Suzi Blu's Mermaid Class. I sat between Stamping Detail's worker bee extroidaire, Vicky and one of my play day friend's Kat. Across from me was a friend I hadn't see in a long time, Angela. And then there were all the new friends I met and made.

To begin with, last fall Suzi and I had gone to this wonderful Christmas Year Around Store in San Diego called City Lights Collectibles and taken photos of various hanging ornaments. I knew I would eventually be doing mermaids and so took some photos. Here is the sheet of photos for ideas for Mermaids that I printed out for inspiration when I began sketching.

Contact Photo Sheet

Sketches made from above photo sheet.

I had drawn three mermaids on Friday thinking this would take up so much of my time on Sat. and really wanted to work on paint and design. Of course, Suzi had already thought of this. and had printed out 3 of her own mermaids for us to work with so that we could concentrate on the face with colored pencil and the back ground and putting it all together. She came with tons of stuff for us to play with and to spark the right side of our brains.

Closeups of unfinished Mermaid

I went home totally satisfied with a promise to myself to finish the project at home. The photo of my mermaid is still not finished. I am going to put pink bubbles down the right side from the top with the letters spelling "Enchanted" inside the bubbles. Suzi suggested I have some pink there and Vicki came up with what it should say and another new friend suggested bubbles. Obviously, "It takes a Village" of wonderful friends to complete my project. Thank you all.

Artists

Christine and Vicki

Artists

Angela and Kat

Artists

Susan and Michelle

Artists

Alisa and Ann

Artist Thinisha Magallanes and Her Painting

Another Beautiful Artist and her Painting

Artists

Kristine and Corrine

Shannon's Birthday

Beer Battered Everything
Celebration

Now we move to Sunday and my daughter-in-law's birthday celebration which was over-due. In my family, a new tradition has evolved. We all cook together for birthday dinners. The birthday person picks the menu. We collaborate on the recipes. Plus, one rule, it should be something I have never made so I don't end up being the boss just another cook with more experience. There is my daughter, Kari; my son, Erik and his wife, the birthday girl, Shannon.

Shannon and Erik on left. Shannon and Kari on right.

Shannon, Erik and Kari

Onion Rings and Zucchinis staying warm

The menu was Beer Battered Everything plus OMG Peanut Butter Pie for dessert. The recipe for this was from my favorite restaurant in my husband's home town of Rochester, New York - The Dinosaur BBQ Restaurant.

For appetizers we used a recipe Kari and I had gotten at a Great News in Pacific Beach cooking class - beer battered onion rings. Oh, of course, everything was deep fried. . .

Halibut and Hush Puppies

Cole Slaw recipe from my cousin in Virginia that was so excellent and no mayonnaise. Great for picnics! We also used my cousin Susan's recipe for the fish and the creamed corn hush puppies.

We started at 2 pm and finished at 9 with some "time outs" to let our stomachs rest. What a feast and how much FUN!

So, the kitchen is finally clean and free, once more, from grease until the next time. My Mermaid awaits me and the recipes need notes added for the next time, documenting all that we learned together.

We once more asserted that the art of anything is a collaborative venture and only gets better each time you participate.

Finished Suzi Blu projects

Blessed are the Peace Makers


I finally finished my angel on a 12 x24 wood canvass. I didn't deviate from Suzi's design yet it is still (of course) different. I am planning on using a photo of this for my 2010 Christmas cards.



What did I learn from this exercise? How to apply texture to your paintings using stencils, stamps, glitter, Gold Leaf, Permanent Markers, Golden's Light Molding Paste, etc. etc. etc. I really think all the texture adds to the interest of the painting. (Recently in our part of the woods, Michael's has started to carry some of Golden's products. They are full price, but with a coupon, my friends and I are purchasing something new from Golden each time we have a 40% off coupon).

I learned not to sweat the small stuff. If we don't know how to draw hands, blow up some line drawing of hands from a Royalty-Free Design book. Suzi provided us with the hands and body if we needed them, that we could print out on our own printers and glue down with Gel Medium from Golden. I purchased the Dover book FAIRIES, ELVES, AND GNOMES myself which also comes with a CD. To me they are all just angels.

I am excited to start painting my horizontal Angel that is entirely my design, or rather taken from my interpretation of drawing. I did the wood burning a couple of months ago at Suzi's and then shaded the Petite Doll face at home with my Prisma Colored Pencils. It's still waiting for me.

I also finally finished my two "Madonna" 6 x 12's *. Thank goodness Suzi stresses layers because theses two have more than their share of layers.

White Veiled Madonna's


The one on the left turned into the one on the right. There is something I like about each one. Look how her eyes changed as I continued to go over them.

The finished product is the one on the right, that I feel looks better in person. But, I love the simpleness of the one on the left.

Should I have just left it like it was? I never seem to know when to stop.

Blue Madonna's


Again, this is another case where I kept messing with the eyes and the texture. The texture is very interesting in person, but I wonder if it detracts from the painting?

The flower on top of her head and the veil, seemed to take on a life of their own.

Gypsy Woman in Red

A little photo of my favorite 6 x 12 that I have done is in the back of Suzi's new book Suzi Blu's Student Gallery 2009. It can be purchased through Lulu.com. I call this painting, "Gypsy Woman in Red."

Sally's "Gypsy Woman in Red"

If you are interested in purchase this book (not because I am in it - please. . .) but to see all the amazing photos of other student's work, just go to Suzi's Les Petit Academy and scroll down. There is a slide show that lets you preview a few pages of the book featuring the art work which Suzi selected from student who were enrolled in her various online classes over the past year. The book is beautiful and every page is glossy.

I am so honored that Suzi featured me in her first book and has 6 pages devoted to my artistic journey via Suzi's instructions in one short year. I have never had so much fun for better or worse learning to draw and embellish my drawings.

Jenny Doh talks about the healing abilities of art on her Crescendo website. I'm not sure I needed healing. But, I certainly needed a way to slow down and use the right side of my brain. If I am stressed about anything and can't clear my mind of worry, I just go for a walk and think about what I am going to either draw next or what to do with what I have just sketched. In the evening I curl up on my couch with my sketch pad and pencil and practice, practice, practice. Perhaps to some that sounds like work. But to me it frees my mind to go to this oasis in my mind that is not filled with day to day worries. I call this preventative medicine!

Also, ast week was the week that featured Suzi Blu on Jenny Doh's Crescendo website. Suzi made a great video talking about what art means to her. I hope you will watch it.

Right now I am at the beginning of Suzi's new online class on the Ning network called Piety and Passion. I am learning to draw 3/4 faces. What I love the most about Suzi's video's is that you can download them after purchasing her class. For my 65th bday I received a Dell NetBook. With my little netbook I can go anywhere and not worry about wi-fi or 3G. My video is on my computer. Plus, I don't have to wait for buffering. If I stopped at the 13 minute mark in a 40 minute video and I can go directly there and continue where I left off. I can only watch my other online classes at home in front of my computer or somewhere there is wi-fi for my netbook.

Suzi believes when you purchase one of her on-line classes, it's just like buying a DVD from her. That once you purchase it, you can do whatever your conscience feels is correct. What a wonderful attitude that is not filled with fear. Plus all her free videos available on YouTube and if you are signed up for her Ning network, she has just made a bunch of her older class videos available to those already in the Piety and Passion class. She is such a generous person and artist.

I still have projects not started or almost finished. I'm sure I am not alone stating this fact. I look forward to sharing those when they are completed.

* Well, once again I altered the eyes on the blue Madonna. I thought both Madonna's were finished until I posted their photos on this blog. I did not like the blue one's eyes. I liked them before I had started messing with them. I believe what I really need to do is start all over from scratch and do one more Madonna, incorporating what I have learned along the way into a final one that I really feel good about - like my Gypsy Woman.

CHA with Scrapbook Royalty and Suzi Blu

Suzi Blu, Elena and Sally

On Friday, January 22, 2010, Suzi Blu and I drove to Anaheim for CHA. We were carrying in our car all our own stuff plus also things that Elena needed for Scrapbook Royalty. At 2 pm we met Elena and in the rain, dropped off what she needed at the convention center and then went back around again to the Hilton which we were sharing a room with Elena.

Back to the convention center where along with other loyal Scrapbook Royalty Volunteers, we worked our little tails off until 9 pm and then to dinner with Lisa Bebi and her daughter. Then off to bed to be fresh and alert for Scrapbook Royalty's World's Largest Crop. From 8 am until noon, I did all I could for Elena and her worthy organization including retrieving donated raffle prizes from anywhere down below where CHA was setting up. I certainly got my walking exercise in that morning.

While I was running errands, Suzi arrived and captured events on her video camera as the Crop unfolded. At noon, on Saturday, Suzi and I hit the Scrapbook Expo also downstairs where we could purchase products. Suzi was wearing one of her wild wigs that you see in her YouTube videos and in her online classes. People recognized her everywhere requesting photos with her. What a fan club Suzi has. I also saw many friends and scrapbook store owners from the San Diego area including Diane and her husband plus Vicki (worker-bee on steroids :) from Stamping Details in Poway, Liz and Krystal from Scrapbook Your Life in San Diego and the sweet owner of Paper Tales in Point Loma.

We go there just as Carol Duvall set up at the Judikins, Inc. store. Suzi took lots of video of Carol and asking both well known artists and the public the question of the day, "What does Carol Duvall mean to you?" Be sure to visit www.icraftnetwork.com and also e-mail Carol at icraftwithcarol@yahoo.com.

Here is the video Suzi Blu made at CHA that is also on her site. Thanks Suzi for letting me post it here also. "Bring Carol Duvall Back!"



At 7 pm we returned to the 3rd floor of the convention center and Elena's World's Largest Crop to see artists like Lisa Bebi, Alisa Burke, Traci Bautista present donated art they had created to be raffled or bid on for charity. The final artist/publisher was Jenny Doh previously publisher extraordinaire of all the Somerset Magazines and now creator of Crescendo and online magazine. She told everyone about her vision for Crescendo and Art Heals.

Sunday the doors opened for CHA. I was particularly excited to see what Melody Ross' product line kiosk was going to hold. I had been lucky enough to be included the Tuesday before CHA to go to Gail Lopez's home and experience first hand the new product line of GCD Studios, Inc. featuring Melody Ross's new product. The display was innovative and eye catching. It had been created at Gail's home and had tall panels of wood that turned and displayed all the new products. Plus there were demo's and make and takes.

I also wanted to see Prima's new line of products. Last year, they were the only exhibitors that left a lasting impression on me. And, of course, Ranger Products/Tim Holtz and Claudine Hellmuth giant booth where the line for demo's was sometimes 3 deep.

At Provo Craft, the New Cricut Cake Cake Personal Electronic Cutter Machine 2010 had maybe the largest display where they were introducing the Cake cutting products plus new dies/embossing plates for the Cuddle Bug. You must go to their sight to see what all is new for this year. Everyone was proudly wearing chef hats that they had received.

And at another very large exhibit, everyone was wearing pink aprons that they got from the Making Memories/Slice exhibit. I didn't get a hat, but I sure got an apron!

By Wed. morning, we were ready to go home, Suzi and I. We had come back earlier and earlier each night once CHA opened. And there we read and sketched and painted with our newly purchased wax batik tools.

I had also purchased from the Barnes and Noble Book Store a bunch of art books. It was wonderful to have them there and only art books on display. I purchased image transfer WORKSHOP by Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson. This seemed to cover every method out there and says that it is Mixed-Media Techniques for Successful Transfers.

My First Fairy

This is the Dover Clip Art that inspire "My first Fairy."

Fairy #2

This is the Dover Clip Art that inspire my Fairy #2

I also purchased a Dover book with CD - FAIRIES, ELVES, AND GNOMES. I am always in need of prompts for my drawings. Above are two that I made in my Moleskine back in the room. The faces are mine and I got the ideas for the bodies and background from the book.

And one of my most favorite artists and teachers, Chris Cozen was there with a new book Mixed Media and Color Fabrics, Quilts, Canvas and Papers. I am currently enrolled in she and Julie Prichard's online class that started January 24. It is called Color: Beyond the Basics. I've watched the first two videos today and have much work to do to learn colors using Golden Paints.

I also acquired three books for free! The first is a little book called Cupcakes edited by Lynn Koolish. "30+ Yummy Projects to Sew, quilt, Knit and Bake," it says on the cover. It's only 6"x6" in size!


Khris Cochran autographed her book called The DIY Bride Crafty Countdown for me. "40 Fabulous Projects to Make in the Months, Weeks & Hours before Your Special Day" it says on it's cover.


But, the best I left for last. I got to meet Angela Cartwright and have her autograph her new book In This Garden Explorations In Mixed - Media Visual Narrative by Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn.


Susan Seddon Boulet continues. . .

And lastly is what I consider my best sketch so far. True, I am just trying to copy Susan Seddon Boulet SHAMAN's original, but for me to even get close - I find this amazing. After I sketched her painting as a 9x12, I then scanned and printed it on just computer paper and colored it with Prismacolor Pencils. All this has been possible because of my first Suzi Blu Class - The Poet and The Goddess.

Susan Seddon Boulet original

My 9x12 Pencil Sketch

My sketch with Prismacolor Pencils