I AM SO EXCITED!!!

I can't believe we are a little more than 3 weeks away from our yearly escape!! I mean, retreat! I have so many boxes in this office it looks like we are moving!! And today I got an email that our Tervis Cups have SHIPPED!!! I love those damned things!!!

So who will win this year's raffle present?

NO!! NOT BOTH!!! Just one but isn't it awesome?

Jacquie's Class on Encaustic Painting

Encaustic Painting…. I have taken two classes (hope to take a third before retreat) from a wonderful local artist, Tristina Dietz-Elmes on Encaustic Painting and fell in love with the medium. Encaustic painting is hot wax painting. Heated beeswax and colored pigments are used to paint on a number of surfaces. The technique dates back to 100 AD; it is one of the oldest forms. Those masterpieces survive today. Encaustic painting is considered one of the most archival painting techniques, since the wax doesn't become brittle and crack over time. Although it hardens, you can go back and re-work it years later. Because the wax remains malleable, the painting needs to be done with on a hard surface such as panel rather than canvas. Tristina told us that the Greek shipbuilders developed Encaustic to paint their boats and make them waterproof. Today we use the art form in mixed media art. In class we will be using a mixture of bees wax mixed with damar resin. I have purchased each of you three different panels to work; I will also teach you how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper. If I am able to take Tristina’s third class I will teach you how to do other transfers as well. I think you will all be able to use this in your journal pages, project life and ATC exchanges. I have shared three samples of my work with Tristina Dietz-Elmes. If you want to see some videos of encaustic painting (for those over achievers…) go to www.rfpaints.com and check out Encaustic Monotypes by Paula Roland; Encaustic Paper by Diana Woolf, Judy Stabile, Wendy Aiken; and, Encaustic Collage by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch. Can’t wait to share what I have learned….

Am I Ready?

Yep, another beautiful snowy day.


My new sandals can't wait to get to the Keys!


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My laptop was down. What to do when housework is demanding my attention? Start gessoing something!


Let's gesso some envelopes for the Dragonfly Collage.





Next I'll mix some colors for my faux metal.


Faux metal sheets done.


Canvas panels and goodies for the envelopes.


Time to get my Gelli on.


First layer of envelope.


I finished envelopes. And avoided housework.


Now just 30 more dragonflies to make.


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Just getting by day to day!

Does this ever happen to you? You are going on vacation or there is a holiday coming up where you have some time off from work. Do you ever just "check out" before that time? Do you ever find that you are doing what you have to do but no more? That you are already THERE???? That is how I feel!! So many exciting classes, so many wonderful friends..... can't beat this!

One Month Away

Guess what!?! We'll be in the Keys next month! Yippee!

Here's our schedule of activities:
Sunday.......Karen's Silk Scarf Project (Pat's rapid fire Gelato blowout, time permitting)
Monday.......DJ's Amazing Journal
Tuesday......DJ's Amazing Journal, part 2
Wednesday....Pat's Steampunk Dragonfly Collage
Thursday.....Jacquie's Encaustic Project (3 - 4 hours)
Friday.......Teri's Alberijes and Eileen's Soap Felting Projects (a trip to the post office & evening packing)
Saturday.....Head to the airport and dream of next year's retreat

In between we'll share our Capture Journal goodies, cocktails by the pool, lots of laughs, and plenty of good food.

46 DAYS!!! WOW!!!!

Didn't I tell you that it would come quickly????? So excited!! We are ramping up for our week in paradise! We have wonderful classes scheduled and of course the amazing DJ Pettit!! I can't wait!!!!!!!