Hello! Finally feeling o.k. after a bout with dehydration. I am incapable of taking care of myself! I probably wouldv'e died ages ago if i didn't have Greggy to take care of me! Anyway, Im working on some stamp images to ink up, and would appreciate any ideas on what stampers want. I think interesting trees,flowers, creatures would be good.

I have been accumulating loads of unique items for making kits , gifts ,or packages of inspiration for years now and i think i might be ready to make them. We get so many requests for kits and finished jewelry that i think its time to just do it! I have amazing ribbons, vintage beads,hand carved stones ...i love my hoard. My sister Sheila can't believe how much stuff i have, she says im like that dragon Smoag from the hobbit. O.k., i will share. I plan to assemble gift packs I would want, with art, chocolate,and beads. Well, we shall see, maybe doll kits. I love dolls! I will take pics of my girls and see if anyone would like to make poppets of their own.

Sheila and Andrew are leaving for N.Y. soon and i am trying not to think of how sad im going to be. Especially since Sheila is such an amazing nanny. Back to being mommy full time. Well i better work fast while shes here!

Worked like crazy all week. My sis watched Azalea from 8am till 10 pm while i sculpted waxes. I didn't move myself from the table till after midnight. I haven't been this productive in ages! I think this week has been so amazing because i haven't been able to grasp the subtlety of wax carving. My mentor Bob Burkett has tried everything to help me learn his technique (which can only be described as pen and ink in 3-d) but my brain refused to cooperate. Then, on Monday i sat down and said "this is easy, i can do this, dang it!" and put it in The Lord of the Rings and just faded out. I suddenly realized i wasn't struggling or cursing or feverishly annoyed. I HAD IT!!! I couldv'e cried. So, i haven't stopped from the moment i woke up till i sleep. I don't want to break the spell. Today i was sick and my hands hurt so i took a break and slept a lot. I have about 15 pieces that are midway finished...i will show those when done. I hope the new pieces cast clean. I will die if all that work is ruined. The work we make here is so interesting to me because of the many steps that must be followed to get the end product. It is the work of many people.

Speaking of many people, our house has been filled to the gills with company! Our artist friends like to visit and make things (our studio holds lots of fun equipment). I think the atmosphere is really positive, full of a great energy. All the music being created, the art, the conversation has really inspired me. Now im ready to go back to work!

Finally home! There is something wonderful about Asheville, maybe its the air or the people or the mountains-i don't know its good to be home! I think im going to gut my studio and turn it into the best place on earth (for me).

We are currently working on new silver designs and hope to have them available for fall. The cost of silver makes me cringe, but hopefuly this silly price hike will go back to normal. Im thinking september for the new clasps. I love silver and want everything cast in it, but its hard to compete with mexico and their cheap labor. Thats half the battle in the arts, make something good and make it affordable. Or send it to mexico. Its funny i make beads for a living because i went to school to be a painter. Actually, i started out with dreams of being a special effects artist (after seeing The Dark Crystal as a kid) then i saw Jurassic Park with all the 3-d animation done on a computer and switched majors. I think im just rambling. I so wanted to make movies! Well, one day i plan to.

O.k. its late and im getting ready to work, but first, to answer a few comments.....Jeremiah Ketner was approached to do the kids book with his paintings, he kindly thought of me do the storytelling. He plans to hook me up with his connection the next time im in Chicago. So i might get my own contract (fingers are crossed). Im sorry ordering online is disappointing for some of you (kristine.....i want to make you happy! Email me and tell me how i can change your opinion!) but we are putting forth our best efforts! Please remember that Green Girl Studios is just a bunch of artists that are ecststic that we can do what we do, so let us know how we can improve.

im designing all night tonight, mostly clasps. If anyone wants to mention something they always wanted me to make, feel free to comment. I think water is my inspiration tonight. Or pirates. Or voodoo queens. Can you tell I saw Johnnys new movie? Off to work!

Back from Seattle, had an eventful show. So many great ideas to add to the list. The Asheville retreat idea got lots of people excited but i wonder if people would come. I suppose price would be the biggest factor. So, i put up the pieces that i worked on while i was in Florida...i dont know how i feel about them yet. They are much different from the work i usually do (see gallery on www.greengirlstudios.com) but i think its alot looser for me. Egg tempera is so detail oriented, so wonderful to work with, i hope i can incorporate the medium with this new style. Im just happy to be painting anything lately. After my daughter Azalea was born i stopped making finished pieces (i just worked in my sketchbook) and now that shes almost two, i have more time t o do more work (which is good, since im a workaholic).

Im in Cincinatti right now visiting family (home one day.....) and am really excited about visiting my buddy Jessica Wiesel, a talented vision of an artist. She is going to edit a childrens story i finished writing while on the plane to Seattle. My good friend Jeremiah Ketner is illustrating it. I will give more details as it gets closer to the finish line. We plan to have a productive day tomorrow.

I've been in a weird mood the last few days, the stuff on the news lately really made me feel sort of hopeless and depressed. I hate when i hear about people doing horrible things (the gang that hurt the little girl, the bombs in India....) i feel like evaporating. I want to escape. I want to find a magic box that opens to a place of warmth and sunshine , a place where punkass, useless people are disentegrated the moment their atoms connect with my magic box. Ok, a wonderous and delightful thought, i know, but just a dream. So ive been making more pieces in my quiet despair (more like loud agitation) and i will show that stuff later. Im off to sleep.

Im in Seattle doing the Puget Sound Bead Fest, and trying to stay coherent. Im really jetlagged but having a good time visiting my buddies and making big plans. I had this idea that it might be fun to host an art camp or something, with a few teachers and lots of areas to try out different equipment or techniques. So far my friends Kriss Silva (a fabulous jewlry teacher) the fine folks from Zoa Art (also jewelers ) and Bob Burkett (master silversmith) have expressed interest. So we are just tossing around ideas and seeing where it goes. I thought some lapidary lessons would be fun, also wax carving and casting. We shall see....we are putting out feelers for locations to have it at.

I brought some paints and inks with me, im always so optimistic about making art on the road. I haven't yet, all this running around. Im trying to to make collages with my images. its hard. Ill put up some results later.

Im missing my girl like crazy! Azalea is my baby (shes almost two) and i cant wait to see her on wednesday.

this is my second blog for today, just testing out the site.

07-05-2006

Just setting up the new blog site. This will be linked to my site, www.greengirlstudios.com, soon!