Artfest Pictures, Finally

Finally, here are some more of my Artfest pictures. Michael Jon Peterson taught "Spun Cotton Animals," and here is his finished product (mine isn't done). About 10 minutes into the class, one of the women raised her hand: "Can I just say something? You're adorable!" No argument there.

Here's Donna with her Walter, the apparently (after much discussion) dead starfish.

My second class was with Nina Bagley. Here she is with the sample of our book project in the foreground. We learned various ways to make encased frames for small objects. Next is a picture of one of my bookcovers with a frame containing items I collected at the Ft. Worden beach. I forgot to take a picture of my third teacher, Katie Kendrick, for the class "Creating Collaged Faces." Here's the face I made, which we've decided does indeed look like April when she's nodded off. Next is a picture of Peggy's tiles made in Laurie Mika's class. And I had to take pictures of some of the "wallpaper people" made in Anahata Katkin's class. They were very cool in person. You wouldn't know it from my pictures, but there were about 575 attendees, probably 98% female, at Artfest. I should have taken a photo in the airplane hangar on vendor night--I'm sure we were all there!

Here is Sherrie with her ladybug transporta-tion and attached accommo-dations.

Lastly is Suzanne, object of my raffle winner envy, with her prize of Teesha Moore's succulent fabric journal.

Perfect, Parts I and II

Everyone reading this probably knows I love avocados, so you won't be surprised that I wanted to document the joyous sight that greeted me this morning--a perfect avocado! And I will even share my secret family recipe for enjoying this lovely fruit: Lightly toast your favorite (preferably non-white) bread, spread on a little mayo, pile on some sliced/mashed avocado, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Perfect!

Spring Art Festivals

From late April through May, nearly every weekend you can find an art festival somewhere in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. This weekend was Southlake's Art in the Square and next weekend is the Cottonwood Art Festival. So it is a delightful time of year here, where you can mingle with lots of art AND still enjoy being outdoors doing it. My friend Denise and I originally intended to spend just a short time at the Southlake event, but Friday was such a beautiful day, the setting was so nice, and there was so much art to admire (and perhaps purchase) that we didn't leave till after 9. Today Steve and I took advantage of another fine weather day by going for a bike ride, where I took these pictures of a patch of wildflowers.

Yes, Steve loves to have his picture taken.

Sunday Art Fun

This past Sunday one of my art groups met at my house, and as usual we had a very fun afternoon talking, eating, and sharing art. Here's a picture of the trades made on the theme "Dots and Spots." Starting with the polymer clay pendant clockwise is the work of Denise, Traci, Lisa, Jeannie, Anne, Donna G., and Patti. I love all my new goodies, which look even better in person!

I demo'd a hand quilting method I learned from Teesha Moore, who learned it from Susan Shie. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of everyone's squares, so here are a few of mine, whose use is TBD--perhaps something pink? On the left is a box I made for my friend using this technique. Along with the eye candy seen during several hours at the Main Street Art Festival in Ft. Worth Friday afternoon (and a couple of small jewelry purchases), it was a great weekend. AND I have lots of food left from the meeting to get me through the week. Fortunately some friends are coming over to help me with that, because it includes things like cream puffs and carrot cake, and I hate to think how fast I would devour them on my own!

Artfest Trust

If someone you didn't know (me) handed you a

neon green wristband, would you immediately put it on, no questions asked? At Artfest you would! Here is a picture of "Club 202," sporting our direct-from-the-Art-Asylum wristbands. Although another dorm was our first choice, we seem to have ended up at the right one, and although not all my classes were my first choices, they seem to have been the right ones too, and I'm so glad I was in each one. My teachers--Michael Jon Peterson, Nina Bagley, and Katie Kendrick--were fantastic and more . That's Joan, me, April, Donna, and Peggy in the second picture. The Artfestees were wonderful, and I just wish it wasn't all over so quickly. I can't say enough good things about the experience and atmosphere. Those who have been know, and the memories will linger here in the "real world."