Teri Teri

Teri gets a personal performance by the impromptu Teri Chorale of the Teri Song.








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My Happy Work Place

Day 5 in Paradise.











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DJ In Da House!

Who is better than us? We got DJ at our retreat. What a delightful time we are having!


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BOXES RECEIVED!!

Pat, I received your boxes today.  We also got a box from Tracy! She sent us some gifts.  God I love that woman!

A PRESENT FROM LILLIAN!!!

I picked up Lillian at the airport this morning.  It is so great to see her!

She had been teasing me about something she was making for me.  Look what she painted!!!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love owls!!!!  I ADORE this!!!

Thank you Lil!!!!!

Retreat in A Box

When people can't come to the retreat, sometimes the retreat must go to the people. Because Gina & Marita put so much consideration into the Pillow Fairies, and Tracy couldn't make the trip this year, I sent each one a retreat on a box.








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ink pads???

hi Ladies....do we need to bring ink pads for anything this year????
My bags are getting full!!!
3 more sleeps!
Sue

Mexican Folk Art

These little critters are getting ready for their Mexican folk art painting appearance!

GENIUS!!!

FOUR MORE SLEEPS!!!

WOW!! I remember when I started this blog this year the retreat seems IONS away!!!  And here we are already!!  Lillian comes in tomorrow and the rest of my sisters will be here SATURDAY!!  I can hardly STAND the excitement!  LOL!!!!

My staff has been amazing in helping me organize everything for this retreat.  I don't know what I would have done without them.

I don't know about you guys but always a few days before a vacation or a holiday my mind just shuts down.  I am totally useless in the office and can think of nothing else!  I am taking the week after our retreat off for vacation also.  I don't know if I will actually NOT come into the office but I am going to try.  I want to do nothing but sit at home, watch TV and play in my studio!

What are your last minute preparations????  What will YOU be doing for the next 4 days????

All I need to do are the groceries!!!

RECEIVED CARLA'S BOX TODAY!

Carla, your box is here safe and sound!

Ladies, I asked a few days ago if there was anything I needed to pick up for anyone.  I have the creamer orders.....  I will be doing groceries on Friday ..... tables and chairs ordered.... working on your goodie packages.... I ordered the paper from dickblick for DJ's project ... We have TONS of paint thanks to Lillian and Deco Art... we have ________ and __________ and ___________ and ________ and ________....

Keys4Art Fifth Anniversary Soundtrack

Jen asked me to post this for her. In her unique and completely melodic style, she has made a CD called "Keys4Art 5th Anniversary Soundtrack," with a bonus CD included, for each of us - wrapped and decorated as only Jen can!  My toes are tappin and my fingers snappin already!!

Sing me a Song journals

Hi Ladies...so...did we decide to bring these down to exchange,or just send them after everyone gets home?
I won't be home until April 19,so I could bring mine anyway  to exchange,so as not to delay the start...
Sue

Away They Go!

These 2 boxes are the first to go to Elena's office. Yep, I'm living on the edge and putting my faith in the post office. Next time I see them I'll be in delightful Key Largo (or Marathon) surrounded by some amazing women.



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FRENCH CORSET KIT

I LOVE CORSETS!!  Always have.  So when I saw this kit from Alpha Stamps I could not resist.  I got one of these for each of us.    It's a simple kit to do during out "down" time!

PS:

You don't need to bring your aprons.  SHHHHHHH.... it's a secret!

TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM AIRPORT

Emerald Transportation will be picking everyone up at the airport.  They will meet you guys the same place they did last year - at the lobby bar at the airport hotel.

Since the last flight comes in at 3:30, they will be there at 4.  Obviously he will wait if anyone is delayed.  There will be EIGHT of you.

Sue
Eileen
Teri
Pat
Jen
Daisy
Carla
Karen

They charge $36 per person per trip (to and from the Keys).  They will collect the money when they pick you guys up.

Lillian is coming in on the 19th, DJ on the 24th and obviously Jac and I are already here!  I have already got boxes and tape for our packing so that we don't have to run out and get them!

I assume everyone wants the priority boxes from the post office????  If not, let me know and I will get other boxes.  That will avoid the last minute running around!

Please let me know what time the earliest flight leaves on the 29th so that we can arrange the pick up!

A WEEK FROM TOMORROW!!!!

Woo HOO!!!

Please let me know if there is something that you will need that you have not been able to get.  I still have a few days to get whatever we need. 

So is everyone packed?????

IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE?

When our retreat ended last year I was a little bummed for a couple of reasons, (a) it was over way too quickly (b) I was going to miss you guys and (c) I felt there was no way in HELL that we could possibly have a better retreat!!!

Well, somehow I think we will have an even more extraordinary retreat this year.  First and foremost we have each other!  Then we have DJ!!!  I have wanted to take classes with her FOR YEARS but she doesn't teach that often and the last times I had checked I had to fly to ITALY to take a class with her!!  LOL!!!  The fact that she wants to come down and spend time with us and teach us her wonderful techniques is a blessing.  I will be forever grateful to her for sharing her time with us.

The house????  Fabulous.  Just fabulous.  We have a pool, a place to just hang out and watch the sunset over the water.... lots of space for everyone to be comfortable (no couches this year!!!).

We can not get the house until Saturday morning so I will be sending the car service to pick everyone up at the airport while I get it all together.   From what I saw everyone should be in by no later than 3:30 so I will have the service there at 4.  They will wait for everyone to get there in case anyone is delayed.

As I look around at our "stuff" I am so happy!! Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful event.

EILEEN AND SUE!!

Your boxes are here!  Two for Eileen and one for Sue.  The only other one I have is Daisy's.  ELEVEN DAYS!!!  I wish I could close my eyes today and reopen them on the 22nd!!

A Peek at Our Week

Here's our schedule for the week. We'll have pockets of downtime and lots of flexibility so this will be a relaxing retreat. 

Saturday, March 22    Arrival/Project Life Swaps
Sunday, March 23      Jacquie's Encaustic Class
Monday, March 24     Pat's Steampunk Dragonfly Canvas
Tuesday, March 25    Karen, Teri, and Daisy Classes
Wednesday, Mar 26   DJ's Journal, part 1
Thursday, March 27   DJ's Journal, part 2
Friday, March 28       Eileen's Felted Soap & Washi Tape, Pat's Gelato Fun
Saturday, March 29    Boo Hoo Hoo: we leave

In between there will be a trip to the Blue Marlin, an artist's studio, and perhaps a surprise or two. No doubt this will be the best Keys 4 Art E.V.E.R!!

Out of Africa

Hi Ladies....if anyone has ever been or wants to go to Africa...I put a few pix on my blog. I say "few" because I actually took over 1500!!!!
Here's a tease:

Alebrijes

What are they?  

We'll talk more about this at K4A, but alebrijes are a form of Mexican folk art painting on fanciful paper mâché or carved wooden animals.  Here are a few examples. (0urs will be much more modest undertakings.)

TWO WEEKS FROM TOMORROW!!!

Can you BELIEVE it?????  I am so tempted to post pictures of all this "stuff" but I really want it all to be a surprise this year (for a change)!!! 

I was wondering how I was going to get it all organized and done by the 22nd but I have enlisted my staff and they are all IN!!  LOL!!! Thank God for good friends!

The weather promises to be amazing.  There is a sign they sell here that says "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of working."  Well, likewise, "a bad weather day with my friends is better than a good weather day without them!"  The weather is supposed to be in the low to mid 70s in the evening and low to mid 80s during the day so we will have lots of pool time!!!  DON'T TELL ME YOU DONT' WANT TO WEAR A BATHING SUIT!!!  LOL!!! Who the hell CARES that we don't have perfect bodies!!??  We are here to have fun and there will be nobody there but us!!!

Let's see.... what CAN I tell you???????  Okay, I can give you one (you KNEW I couldn't resist right?).  Though I am getting nervous because I have not received them yet, we will be receiving an entire set of all of Julie's new stamps!  They are much smaller than her other ones and absolutely perfect for making cards and tags.  I think you will love them as much as I do.

DO NOT bring any glue.  I bought the glue sticks and the Aileen's tacky glue for everyone.  The paper just got here yesterday.  Our journals have been here forever....  Muslin for everyone.... Duck Cloth which I can share (I don't know if it's enough for everyone but there is plenty).

BEAUTIFUL paper pack on its way.  NO - I am not telling you which one!  LOL!!!

What else??? What else??

What are you guys doing???  How are you preparing for your trip?  We have been waiting for it all year and it will go by so darn quickly!!! 

Naked Dragonflies

A pile of freshly made dragonflies ready for a coat of gesso.


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packing/sharing supplies ?s

Hi Ladies...I posted this on Wiggio but am also posting it here,since some people don't seem to get the Wiggio posts...

Just trying to get a box ready to be shipped down...just double checking on a few things,to save packing space(cause I am staying on as usual in Siesta Key,hence my suitcase will be fuller than most!)......my brain is still in Africa,I think!

So,if I remember,Elena got enough duck cloth for everyone,but we still all bring our own muslin?

Eileen,do we all need to bring our Gelli plates for your washi tape lesson,or can we share?  Same for the Pearl Ex???(What if everyone brings a different color instead of everyone packing 2-3...my faves are True Blue and Spring Green...I'll bring those or one of them)

We don't need to bring acrylic paint?...I remember Lill sent some down??

Anyone want to share my Silks acrylic blue and greens? I have Iris Petal and Ocean Wave blues,and Olive Vine...

Daisy,I don't see what we need for your cuff class???

Anyone else need to share stuff,let me know...I'll be glad to do it!
thanks.XO Sue

Shanks for the Memories

I went on a shank button shopping spree today. Only 2 styles are in my color palette, but I couldn't resist these beauties. There's even a cameo shank button. And those starfish insisted on joining the others. I hope I can incorporate the tassels in the journal. Otherwise I'll have to wear them.



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DECO ART!

Received two more HUGE boxes from Deco Art!  That makes THREE!!!

Thank you LILLIAN!!!

No real reason for inserting the logo except that I LOVE it!!!  It's my favorite logo of the five years we have been doing this.

I AM SOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!

BOXES! BOXES! BOXES!!! LMAO!!

Our tumblers are AMAZING!!! Thank you Teri for the GORGEOUS logo!!!

MORE AND MORE BOXES!

As more and more boxes come in, my excitement is out of control!!! LOL!!!

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REMINDER: The only people who have sent coffee so far are Eileen and Teri. Please remember to bring/send the coffee of our preference!

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I am waiting for a couple more things and we are READY TO GO!

We are in March!!!!

When we first start putting the retreat together, it seems like it is so far away.  Sometimes I tell myself that it's too soon to start.  And then, all of a sudden, it's here!  Unfortunately, like every event that you look forward to, it goes by very quickly.  We are so blessed to have this event to look forward to every year.

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We are truly blessed to have forged the kind of friendship that we have.   The most amazing part about it, is that we are so involved in each others lives throughout the year, that getting together for a week is just the highlight of that year.

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This year will be just as great as the previous years.  Our retreat has evolved from the first one we had in 2010 which was four days in my house.  We have been blessed with wonderful artists who have not only come to teach us, but who have been influential in the evolution of our art.  We all have different strengths, and we each complement each other.  

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I am very grateful for the opportunity to share this week with all of you, and I'm so looking forward to March 22!