The Dream IS Within Your Grasp.....

While looking at the WONDERFUL brochure about Orvieto, Italy I have fallen in love with this quaint and picturesque village. What a ROMANTIC and ARTISTIC adventure to ponder as I dream of the experience that lay ahead.







DEPOSTION is a beautiful marble sculpture created by Ippolito Acalza and dates to 1579. What details and OH, how it has survived the passage of time. I can hardly believe I will stand close to it and observe it's beauty first hand.









The Renaissance cloister of S. Glovanni church founded in the year 900 then was rebuilt at the turn of the 17th century. WOW! I have only dreamed of seeing this timeless beauty close up.











The senic view of the this BEAUTIFUL and CAPTIVATING village where art abounds and creativity is felt in every breath. I can hardly wait to watch the sunrise and sunset surround each structure with a colorful glow.




Tracie Lyn and I are planning a nonconventional journal class for our students. We want them to capture the surroundings in a way that will continue to remind them of the fun and excitement of walking the enchanting streets of Orvieto. We plan to show how to incorporate the botanicals and other elements available into a journal filled with memories of a time with friends whose talents and creativity come together in a place where the greatest of past artists also gathered and created.

We would LOVE to have you join us on the FANTASTIC journey! It will be time to go before we know it so if you are thinking about going please contact Kirstin and Bill for the details. You will be traveling and creating with friends so this is a GREAT opportunity to see Italy in a way you would not see it on an ordinary trip. This experience is planned with the creative soul in mind.

PLEASE PLAN TO JOIN US!!!

Getting Ready for ArtFiber Fest

Getting ready for ArtFiber Fest has been a lot of fun. I have spent many hours creating away in my studio.




This is the pin cushion for the swap. Very serious little guy is keeping a quiet watch over me as I prepare for the trip to Port Townsend.















Next I started working on the plushy swap. Making these little octopi for the plushy swap has made me laugh during the entire process.



As each one was created it seemed to be watching me making the rest of its friends. They look so angry that I can't stop laughing everytime I look at them.




I gave Tracie hers and she,too, says she laughs everytime she looks at that angry little face. I hope that each person in our plushy swap has has much joy with these little ones as I have had.

Artful Experience!!!

Teaching classes is something I dearly love! And the students are BEYOND terrific! The artful experience of Art & Soul was again filled with the LOVE of SHARING, HUGS from FRIENDS, and every breathe fresh from CREATIVITY!

Each class, every moment is a memory that I have lived over and over since my returned home.

Tracie and I began this adventure with teaching the Painted Nature Fabrics. Each student created a most BEAUTIFUL piece...filled with color and unique creativity! Tracie has the pictures for this class on her blog, so please visit and gaze at these treasures!

Next we taught the Yummy Fused Papers. The students were eager to learn and the results speak for themselves. The bookmarks and tags were made using pressed botanicals from my garden. The gift wrap papers are just BEAUTIFUL also! Wouldn't you love to get a present wrapped in these?!!

Here are some of the LOVELY creations these ladies did on Thursday evening:









































Friday began with a meeting of our Nature Gathered group. Jan Harris, Andrew Borloz, Paula McNamee, Bee Shay, Cynthia Mooney, Tracie and I loved the "coffee" talk" and planning for our future creations. I feel so humbled to be in the group with these talented artists.




Friday....Tracie, Jan Harris and I went to visit Katherine Dunn at Apifera Farm. What a TRULY LOVING lady! She is as giving and kind as her blog reflects! We loved seeing her studio where she creates and then the walk out to see the animals was FANTASTIC! These captivating creatures see Katherine and they come running! She loves each one and you can sure see the love is reprocated. Here are a couple of pictures we took with Katherine......





















Later on Friday evening we taught the Lusious Layered Fusion Fabric class. The classroom was filled with talented artists eager to begin creating these BEAUTIFUL fabrics....










Sadly Saturday morning we had to return. My day job as a Medicare manager required that I return to those daily duties, however, the memories, fun times, new and old friendship have a SPECIAL place in my heart!