Mea Culpa!

Mon Dieu!  SERIOUSLY!?!  *rabble, rabble, rabble...*

...OR, as my sweet, little Grandma would have said:  "my, stars!"  In case you haven't figured it out, yet, I am beyond flummoxed that it has really been 2 weeks since I was last here :-\  *oh, sna-up!*  This reminds me of a very humorous greeting card I found years ago -- on the front (very cartoon-y) was a young boy with the total SAD face, looking at a rather obviously dead gold fish in the typical glass bowl.  Inside, it read something along the lines of  'sorry it's been so long -- if you were a gold fish, you'd be dead by now' - ha!  I have been careening along, at full Warp Speed; having extremely 'bloggable thoughts' -- not that you would know that!  *especially since I relegated you to a grocery paperback for your Labor Day beach trip by missing my own deadline to tell you about some totally readable tomes - ACK!*

Anyway...  As I seem to be in the habit of playing 'perpetual catch up' here, let's get to it, shall we?  As you will see, there has been plenty happening in my little neck of the woods -- during all of which, The Quest for Floor marches haltingly onward!

The Man and I enjoyed a magical visit to The Moore Boys Farm on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend (after a wonderful, albeit brief, visit with MDP at The African American Cultural Festival in downtown Raleigh).  The Brother cooked up some amazing *read:  make your mouth water, even in the re-telling!* ribs; and my sister in law served up some ferocious sides:  baked beans, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and yeast rolls *mmm, mmm, gooood!*  

The Man required a nap before dessert!
*the mark of an awesome meal!*

As IF we needed any, the dessert was plentiful too - pecan pie and cheesecake (two of her specialties)!  Everything was delicious -- including the time spent with the Angel Babies (not such 'babies' anymore)!  I played checkers for the first time in over 20 years *yep!  thoroughly trounced by the 8 year old!* -- and Wii for the first time EVER!  I LOVE Wii!  I made up for my dismal performance in checkers by way of a solid WIN in Wii Bowling -- great fun -- not to mention much kinder to the back than slinging around a massive bowling ball -ha!

Big, fun, happy happenings in Guild Land from now through the end of the year, too!  We are launching a special project to benefit the Duke Children's Hopsital chapter of Arts for Life; readying for the unveiling of our latest collaborative project, CanvaSynergy, at our return to Art of the Carolinas (AoC) in November (is this really our 4th year!?!); a group of 18 of us are working feverishly on our submissions to The Sketchbook Project 2012; a creative Play Day this Sunday; and...  *whew!* it just keeps coming!

Managed to work in a long overdue visit with the Mammoo!  Enjoyed a chance to get caught up on all of our favorite folks, with the added bonus of an incredible lunch at 'our' Italian place and a quick jaunt to Michael's for additional arting fodder!

Last Sunday, the aforementioned "Sketchy Characters" (the name of our Sketchbook Group) were invited out to Jerry's Artarama for a Re-Binding Day.  Being the Mixed Media gals we are, we knew upon receipt of our books that we would need some heftier paper on which to work our mixed media magic.  I was armed and ready with two different binding options (with different papers) for reworking our sketchbooks within allowable dimensions.  What FUN!  Really, this day deserves a post of its own *and it shall be so!*

THIS Sunday, the Guild will enjoy its 3rd Quarterly Creative Day of the year in the lovely DiGiulio Studios!  I am doing a demo on mono printing; three other members are sharing more creative mojo, and everyone will have a chance to join in the fun by trying each of the techniques being demonstrated.  This is our 2nd Annual Creative Round Robin, and the perfect opportunity to get our creative juices flowing for AoC in November!  Our quarterly events are always highly anticipated, as it is rare that we have the luxury of 4 of 5 hours to spend together making cool things *a favored activity of this amazing Tribe!*

Along with ALL of this life-drenching goodness, I have a set of classes on the books (pun intended) at my 'home away from home' throughout next year!  I will be teaching a series entitled "Adventures in Bookbinding" at Jerry's Artarama in Raleigh, NC from March through December of 2012!  I am over the MOON excited about this incredible opportunity; you, gentle readers, will have front row seats to the 'sneak peeks' as my samples and variations are born!  The website for next years workshops will be up before AoC -- stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.  Since you might be too far away to hear my ululations of utter joy where you are, worry not, I will kindly be providing all the pertinent details as they become available.  *who loves ya'?!*

Wise Words, Indeed
*'nuff said!*

Speaking of books, be on the lookout for a special post about a super cool new book!  *got your attention?*  It is super cool not only because I know the author, having tooled about town with her in my very own cute ute just over a year ago; and not only because it showcases some way cool, down-home talent from right here in NC, in the form of a bookbinding guru and metal-smithing maven -- it also has *are you ready?!?* work by ME!  You could have knocked me over with a feather!  Not trying wholeheartedly to be a tease, but I seem to be making a grand go of it, eh?  *good LORD, people -- if I give it to you all in one go, you'd be reading 'til next Tuesday!?!*

Yep, yep, yep!  The cogs of the writing machine are grinding along with a satisfying hum, now!  *...and I am pret-ty sure it isn't just the incessant ringing in my ears!*  I refuse to believe I am setting myself up for failure!  Yoda is my Zen Master!  There will be MORE!  It will be SOON!  *I can DO it!*

There now!  ...all better *okay, with the obvious, glaring exception of telling you about the reading from my months in self-imposed exile!*  
...it's coming, it's coming!

Onward & Upward!
 - pla

Words of wisdom for today:

"...To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

                                      - Tennyson

 

Photo Notes:  

   Taken with Panasonic Lumix (DMC-ZS1) - set to natural light, slow sync/red eye flash.