At the open studio yesterday, several people asked about the workshops and took home brochures. They saw the necklaces that Ann Pearce had made from the shard faces and wondered how they could make their own. I promised I’d post the link to the new schedule and the printable brochure, and here it is:
http://www.lynbelisle.com/workshopsjanfeb13.htm
There’s a PayPal button at the bottom if you want to reserve a spot in advance. As usual there is a limit of six participants. It really is fun – you get to play with clay and then see your pieces after firing.

My friend Maria just happened to send a note this morning about her own blog in which she talks about my workshop that she attended – it’s the same one I’m offering twice this time because so many people asked for it. Here’s what she said, and here’s a photo of the very cool necklace she put together with the shards that she made herself during the workshop – thanks, Maria! Timely posting 🙂

I haven’t taken any classes just for me in quite some time.  So I took a class with Lyn Belisle. She is a fabulous artist in San Antonio. We made the shards in her class and then the following week went to Anne Pearces and put the necklaces together!  It was so much fun!

http://mariassecretgarden.blogspot.com/2012/12/an-art-class.html

Arg. Every time I type “workshops” lately, it comes out “wrokshops.” Just had to correct another one – but the new workshop schedule for January and February is up and ready for signup. Yay, I’m excited! So many people have asked me to repeat the shard face workshops in which participants make their own faces and ornaments (and then have me fire them) that I’m offering two session, one in January and one in February. We’ll also have a second part at Ann Pearce’s jewelry studio where we take the fired pieces and turn them into fabulous jewelry. Here’s a video from one of the previous sessions – nice work!

The other February workshop is a variation of the earlier chapbook construction sessions. It will be a Valentine’s day kind of thing with printing on silk and will extend the idea of the chapbook to include envelopes and pockets. That should be fun, too. If you’d like to know more, click on the cover below to get a printable copy of the brochure:

And if you know you want to sign up, you can do it with PayPal on my website on this page at the bottom. And get one for a friend – what a fine Christmas present – totally original <big smile>.

I just got home from Boston last night – a shopping highlight was Black Ink in Back Bay, a great paper/giftie/cool stuff shop. They had some interesting rubber stamps with potential. I admit to scoffing at one time about rubber stamping, but it has a goofy appeal that is kind of infectious. It’s fun to make strange collages by stamping unexpected objects together, and it helps in a pinch if you need a quick gift card. Here are a few stamps that I picked up at Black Ink and just now used for cards:

So it’s not high art, but it’s fun – one of my favorite sources for stamps is Pink Flamingo on Etsy. Checkout this baby from their shop:
They would look interesting with chickens on their heads.Anyone else got good stamp sources or stamp ideas? Yeah, it’s kitschy, but hey . . .

As my printer friend says when talking to her customers, pick any two – but these candle screen holders are all three – great idea. they’re made from waxed paper and use (of course – duh) electronic candles. I saw this on Design Sponge and plan to steal the idea immediately. Want to steal it, too? Check the link.

I love seeing how other artisans use my shard faces in their work. These are some photos posted by Dos Manos Mosaics with a note to me from Connie Stout, the force behind Dos Manos. She’s doing some amazing and inspired work.

Tonight I finished the 22nd painting in the 30 Shades of Twilight series. That’s good, but even better is that I like them all, some better than others, of course. But for the first time, I laid them out together in some sort of order, and they made a good, strong visual statement. So, whew! Eight more to go but those will happen at a more relaxed pace. Here are three that are current favorites, although that changes. Dang, thirty paintings is a lot.