Shifting Gears

In the words of my sweet Grandma:  "My STARS!?"  ...it does indeed boggle the mind that our last visit was way, WAY back in July!  I can only assure you that I have been nowhere near as idle as this blog.  Things are well and happy in HoCo, and there has been much in the way of work in all areas -- with, again, the glaringly obvious exception of here.  It seems as though I did that weird "sharing-on-Facebook-because-it's-so-d@mned-easy" thing for longer than I realized.  Mea culpa!  In the words of my own *mostly* sweet self:  "Onward & Upward!"

One of the many things that gobbled up much of my time was the finalization of work for a new show.  As is the case for so many of my fellow artists, I seem to be a pro at the 11th hour dash.  Knowing that the deadline was so far away in January seemed to have fogged my vision.  The back-burner was well out of reach until the time became crucial.  My vision cleared, and work began in earnest.  In the words of my sweet *and equally wise* Mother:  "It always takes longer than you think."  ...and it did...  I could not be more pleased with with the outcome, though!

This suite was created for the CMMAG High Tea Exhibit during SPARKcon in Raleigh this past weekend.  The Guild also has a 2-D, hanging show in the Blake Street Shops through the end of September.  Between preparation and openings for these, workshops, demos,  regular meetings for various involvements, and the day-to-day doings of TSG and home, things have been a bit hectic 'round here.  There is something magical about having so much going on, though!  I don't necessarily want to live in 'overdrive' -- but it does feel good to have the ol' machine running wide open once and while.  It's rather invigorating to blow out the cob-webs and empty the tank -- it leaves one wide open for a bit of reflection before gearing up to ready for the next wave.

The next wave is quite the literal reference, as in merely a month I will be bound for the glorious outer reaches of the Outer Banks of NC -- it is nearly time for the ReMe Redux!  We will return to scenic Ocracoke Island for our final event of 2014.  We have two spots available for the week of October 20 - 25.  Hop over to the ReMe Blog for all the details you need to grab them!

Ocracoke in the fall is a lovely time!  Being a native of NC, I am spoiled by the luxury of the nearness of the ocean year-round.  For folks from other parts of the country, a beach retreat in October may sound the height of silliness.  In reality, Autumn comes late (if at all) to the eastern portion of NC.  It is not uncommon to remain in shirtsleeves until after Thanksgiving.  The average temperature on Ocracoke in October is a daily low of 60 and a daily high of 73 -- utter perfection!

If you, or someone you dearly love, is in need of some Rest, Relaxation, and Renewal please give a thought to joining us.  ReMe Ocracoke October is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be inspired and indulged during a week by shore -- surrounded by people who 'get you' like no others.  Good food, guest speakers, top notch art instruction, grand adventures, and personal discovery await you.  What better way to be rested and refreshed for the quickly approaching holiday season?  JUMP!  We'll save a rocking chair for you :)

Should you have any questions or need any additional information, just give us a shout:  reme@remeretreats.com.  If telephonic is more your speed, please include a contact number and the best time to reach you -- we'll happily give you a call.

With that, I will take my leave -- but let's do this again, sooner than later eh?   The above is a little teaser...  How better to ensure my rapid return, than to have something ready to share with you?  *schweeet!  ...n'est ce pas?*

Onward & Upward!

Words of wisdom for today:

"Happiness often
sneaks in through a door
you didn't know you left open."

                                    - John Barrymore

Photo Notes:

    Ocracoke Rocking Chairs - by Jodi Ohl
    Ocracoke, 2013 - by PLA - taken with Nikon D-5100     remainder - by PLA - taken with Samsung Galaxy S4

Mea culpa...

Hale and hearty greetings, Blog Land!

In my last post, I enthused o'er my new-found technological doo-dad that would allow me to blog from my travels across the sea to Seoul.  Upon landing and getting settled in, I realized that the doo-dad was at home -- many miles/hours away *oops!*  "No worries," I said to myself upon returning home, "I'll get a post up before the next Big Thing (a.k.a. the inaugural gathering of ReMe students/guests in Ocracoke)."  Alas, time did fly amidst the preparations for said Big Thing, and no post was forthcoming.

I have now returned from THAT adventure with even MORE goodness to share, and felt it only right and proper to let you know that it is coming -- all in good time *or...  all in my best efforts to be timely (?)*

It would appear that my 46th year is to be A Year of Great Firsts!  I look forward to sharing each of them with you, right here!  One of them is actually happening right now *multitasking to the Nth degree, today!*  So...  I will leave you with a few 'sneak peeks' of the visual merriments that are to come, and we can look forward to a lengthier visit in the not too distant future!

Magical Moments with Meggie
...snippets of the time spent in Seoul with our sweet girl!

Scenes from ReMe - Ocracoke, May '14
...barely scratching the surface of the wonderments of the week!

More coming, soon!  

Onward & Upward,

Words of wisdom for today:

"I am not the same having seen the moon shine
on the other side of the world."

                                    - Mary Anne Radmacher

Photo Notes:

    All Photos  - taken with Samsung Galaxy S4

    ReMe Group Shot - by Deborah Belica

All Good Things Must Come to an End...

...and so it is with the fabulous, February of Fridays with the Great ReMe Blog Hop.  Today is the day!  But we will not go quietly into that good night *nay, NAY!* -- we are going out with a BANG!

Throughout the month, the organizers of ReMe Retreats have reveled in sharing with you how we incorporate the central message of Rest-Relax-Renew in our day-to-day lives as well as what our Motto means to us with regard to the ReMe Experience.  As much fun as that has been, we didn't want the sharing to end just because the month is over...  We are happy to introduce an all new 'nook on the net' where we can share more ReMe goodness:  our shiny, new, inspiration-packed Pinterest Board!

Follow us for more fun & inspiration!

We are celebrating the latest outlet for ReMe goodness by wrapping up this month of hopping and sharing with one last round of incredible giveaways.  So...  let's get hoppin'!

UH*Os
Upcycled, Handmade Ol' school Journals
Unique, Handy Organizational storage

Here at Thoughts Askance, I have one of my fun, Note & Sketch UH*Os (aka Upcycled, Handmade Ol'school Journals).  These retro-inspired notebooks feature covers constructed from actual 5.25 in. floppy disks (front) and diskette mailers (back) -- providing instant pockets to keep up with the bits and pieces one is bound to encounter on any good creative romp.  The pages are designed *and printed and lovingly cut* by yours truly (based on feedback from actual users), with the front sides mimicking wide ruled legal paper and the back sides blank -- wide open for sketching or free-form note-taking.  Heavy-weight, 24 pound paper makes for the ideal work surface:  thick enough to take broad strokes from your favorite writing implement (be that a dainty ball point, a free-flowing fountain pen, or the big fat marker that was the closest thing to hand when inspiration found you)!

The giving doesn't stop here, tho'...  *not by a long shot!*  Be sure you take your hopping to heart, today -- there are treasures to be found (and WON) at every stop. The Grand Prize over at the ReMe Blog is a marvel to behold!  We are pulling out all the stops, and offering a TRIO of original works to one lucky winner. That's right, gentle reader!  Not one, not two, but THREE lovely, hand wrought creations from the ReMe Founders/Hosts/Instructors!  The winner of this weeks Grande Finale Drawing will receive a Rest-Relax-Renew, stamped copper necklace from Jean Skipper, AND an original painting from Jodi Ohl, AND canvas-cover journal from me!  Hop over to the Blog for photos and additional information.

Visit the ReMe Blog for the details of the Grande Finale Giveaway!

Entering is easy:
   (1)  Leave a comment.  Tell us your favorite discovery from the Blog Hop, or your favorite thing about Pinterest.
   (2)  For a bonus entry, share this blog post with your friends through any social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.) and leave another comment here -- just let us know that you shared, and where you did it.

Easy enough, right?  ...but we're not through, yet!  *what? WHAT?*  Follow the handy links provided below to see what my creative cohorts have in store for the 4th Friday fun.

• Jean Skipper:  Jean Skipper Originals
• Jodi Ohl:  Sweet Repeats

Enter anytime this weekend (by midnight Sunday, March 2nd).  All of the winners will be announced on Monday, March 3rd.  Be sure to visit with us again then for the Big News!  Here's another nifty-cool thing you can do to make sure you don't miss out on any of the happenings with ReMe:  sign up for our Newsletter.  Our subscribers get all the juicy details of new offerings and additions to the ReMe roster before anyone else!  *in Literature, they call this "foreshadowing" -- we just call it a big ol' hint, because we have even more creative collaborations in the works!*

Thanks for visiting, and hopping, and sharing!

Onward & Upward,

 - p

Words of wisdom for today:

"For pleasure has no relish
unless we share it."

                                         - Virginia Woolf

Photo Notes:

   ReMe Banner  - created by yours truly
  Pinterest Logo  - from Pinterest
   UH*Os  - taken with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS1  - collage created in Pic Monkey
   Jean, Penny, and Jodi - from Facebook profile photos (effects applied in PaintShop Pro X2)

*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*

We have a WINNER!

My hearty thanks to all who visited with me this weekend during The Great ReMe Blog Hop - Week 2:  Relax!  A recurring theme in your responses was that finding time to Relax seems a daunting task.  I say we all make a concerted effort to make more time for it!  It's good for us -- reason enough, eh?

Now, onto the business at hand!  Drum Roll, please...

Congratulations, Lynn!  You are the winner of an Arrowood Paper Arts FolioBook!  Please contact me at:  parrowood@gmail.com with your mailing address, and your prize will be on its way to you! 

FolioBook
Winner:  Lynn

For all the rest of my 'commenters' -- if you send me an e-mail with your mailing address TODAY (before midnight, 02/17, EST), I'll send you a little somethin' somethin' by way of thanks for playing along.

Hop on over to the ReMe blog for the announcement of the Winner for that giveaway!  ...as a bonus, you'll get to see Wito in action one more time.

Visit the ReMe Blog to see the Winner of my 2nd giveaway
(Click the Banner)

There's more fun, sharing, and giveaways in store!  Be sure to join us for Week 3:  Renew next Friday (02/21) for an inside look at what the third portion of our Motto means to Jodi Ohl.

Onward & Upward,

 - p

Words of wisdom for today:

"Stop a minute, right where you are.
Relax your shoulders,
shake your head and spine
like a dog shaking off cold water.
Tell that imperious voice in
your head to be still."

                                      - Barbara Kingsolver

Photo Notes:

   Wito (video) taken with Samsung Galaxy S4
   FolioBook taken with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS1  - collage created in Pic Monkey

   ReMe Banner  - created by yours truly

*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*

ReMe Blog Hop pt. Deux! - OR – Destination Relaxation

Hi!  Thanks for visiting with me as The Great ReMe Blog Hop continues.  If you missed last weeks posts, do take time to read Jean’s approach to the first prong of The ReMe Way *Rest-Relax-Renew,* Rest.  This week, I’ll share with you what it means for me to Relax.

All Aboard!
What does it mean to you to Relax?

I have to open by saying that, as a quasi-typical Type A, this whole “relax” thing is not my natural state!  *a running joke around here is that I have two speeds:  Stop and GO!*  Rather, it has been a learned trait for me; one that I appreciate having learned, and continue to fine-tune.  As an artist with full time dreams on a part time reality, I often find relaxation in ways that may look a whole lot like ‘work’ to other people.

Day to day, for me, involves working alongside my husband and our business partner as we run a small company dedicated to providing affordable technological solutions for county agencies throughout NC.  Kevin (aka Resident Genius) designs access control and video monitoring systems that are used by County Jails, Courthouses, and Sheriff’s Offices.  He and Bob are the hands-on, front line fellas – performing installations and service calls hither and yon.  I am the ‘behind the scenes’/Girl Friday of this outfit, manning the office, ordering equipment, billing and paying bills, and assorted and sundry other tasks that keep the wheels of commerce turning smoothly.

In my off hours, I enjoy the company of fellow creatives in both a regional mixed media art guild (of which it is my privilege to serve as a member of the Board), and a local art marketing discussion group.  When not learning/growing/socializing with these dynamic crowds, there are family and friends near and far with which to correspond and connect.

Add to all of that my own artistic business venture (Arrowood Paper Arts), and the newly established joint endeavor with fellow artists JeanSkipper and Jodi Ohl (ReMe Retreats); it becomes easier to see where the notion of only having two speeds comes from, eh?  Fortunately, being actively involved in creative pursuits is its own form of Zen for me!  Quite often, the easiest way to settle my rather active mind is to immerse myself in some sort of creative activity:  sketching out one of the myriad ideas from the mind-tumbler, designing a new class/project, puzzling out a new way to use an old thing, or romping around in colorful a painting/printing session.  Allowing myself to step away from my various To-Dos and indulge in serious play is a fabulous way to recharge my batteries!

Print, Cut & Fold, Print, Print
Serious Play begets Beautiful Work

 

Another, and perhaps the most long-held, means of relaxation is to find a comfy spot and dive into a good book.  For as long as I can remember, I have been an avid reader.  I thought the notion of a ‘limit’ on how many books one was allowed to check out of the library in school was preposterous (!)  From my teen years all the way up to the present moment, the most totally indulgent thing I can think of is to curl up with a book and read until falling asleep, only to rise in the morning and return to reading, while still nestled snugly among the covers *preferably with grand mug of good coffee.*  This scenario can only be improved upon if the weather is either (a) wickedly, frosty cold, or (b) dreary grey and rainy – making such slothful behavior fully justifiable *unless the laundry is calling too loudly (?)*  In the spirit of Full Disclosure, I will confess that the former happens with a great deal more regularity than the latter!

Before you head over to “the rest of the story” on the ReMeBlog, take a moment to tell me what ways are your favorite to embody “Relax” in your day-to-day existence.  Leave a comment here, and you will be entered to win one of my handmade FolioBooks.  They make handy little project workbooks, allowing you to keep track of all the details with pockets on the front and back covers for notes/receipts/ideas-scribbled-on-cocktail-napkins/etc.  Winner to be chosen *in the tried and true manner* by Wito the Wonderdog on Monday, February 17^th (with video verification provided).   Good luck!

FolioBook by PLA
Enter a comment, here on the blog, for your chance to win!

Continue to ReMe, for some of my favorite ways to Relax in Ocracoke…

One down, one HOP to go...
The Great ReMe Blog Hop continues!

Onward & Upward,

 - p

Words of wisdom for today:

"It is nice finding that place
where you can just go and relax."

                                      - Moises Arias

Photo Notes:

   Destination taken with Samsung Galaxy S4 - edited in Pic Monkey
   Print, Cut...   Samsung Galaxy S4 - collage created in Pic Monkey
   FolioBook taken with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS1  - collage created in Pic Monkey

   ReMe Banner  - created by yours truly

*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*

Love Is In the Air!

It's that time of year again...  One can not venture into any retail establishment without being bombarded by glittering hearts, a menagerie of pastel-hued stuffed critters, and chocolate piled to the rafters.  Yes, Valentine's Day is right around the corner!  My creative cohorts at ReMe Retreats and I have another idea for spreading love in this season of Cupid, though.  We are hosting a HOP!  No, we haven't confused the order of our holidays  --  We're staging a Blog Hop :-)  

Let's go to the hop...

 Won't you join us on Fridays in February?  We'll be sharing with you how we embrace the simple philosophy of the ReMe Way -- both in our day-to-day lives, and in the special ways that Ocracoke embodies each notion for all of us.  It promises to be most illuminating -- and, you may just win an original piece of art from us!  It's the perfect win/win scenario:  we win by sharing our passions with you, you win by learning more about the dynamic artists/instructors behind ReMe Retreats, and you might well win an original work of art in the process!

I am super excited to be on this creative journey with two amazing artists who also happen to be dear friends.  As I shared with you last year, our inaugural event is fast approaching (May, 2014)!  Due to the tremendous response to our initial offering, plans were put in place to offer a 2nd ReMe Retreat in Ocracoke in October of this year, as well *registration is now open*!  We thought that the Season of Love was the perfect time to share more of our love for this undertaking.  To do just that, we are expounding on our motto:  Rest - Relax - Renew.

                          Jean Skipper                                               Penny Arrowood                                               Jodi Ohl
                           February 7                                                      February 14                                               February 21
                                Rest                                                                   Relax                                                           Renew

The details:
Visit with each of us on Fridays in February -- follow the link to "the rest of the story" on the ReMe Blog -- leave a comment on the presenter's blog post -- giveaway winners will be announced the following Monday.  *easy peasy!*

What's that, you say?  There is a Friday unaccounted for?  Why, yes -- yes, there is, my astute reader!  Don't you worry tho' -- we have BIG plans for that last Friday!  I hope you'll hop to it, and join us on this whirlwind tour of exactly what it is that ReMe means to each of us, as well as how special we want ReMe to be for you!

Onward & Upward!
 - p

Words of wisdom for today:

"We must always change, renew,
rejuvenate ourselves;
otherwise we harden."

                                                           - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Photo Notes:

   ReMe Banner:  designed by yours truly

   Jean, Penny, and Jodi:  from Facebook profile photos (effects applied in PaintShop Pro X2)

  

*All photos can be seen in a larger size by clicking on them*