purses

Made these purses awhile back. Had sent them off to Somerset Studio's Haute Handbags but they didn't make it in. Man, there are some great purses in that publication- bought my copy today. I'm a little disappointed my work didn't make it into print- even though I know there's a tons of choices for the publishers to pick from and only so many pages to actually fill, and not getting into print doesn't make them bad. I especially like the cup of tea bag. Its just so nice to see them in print.

Guess I'm having a doubt day. Doubting myself that is- sometimes I think I'm much better at spending $$ and collecting supplies than I am any good at what I make. I say, why do I need all those rubber stamps and all those drawers of fat quarters or fabric scraps? But then that little voice in my head says- you like what you make, you have fun making them, and THAT- is what is important. Not that you make it in any magazine, and since I've been in magazines before, its not like I've never been published.

I tell myself, you don't have to be this big published artist with some big money contract- or some little money contract or being asked to teach classes at various stores and retreats to be an artist. All you need is to love it, right?

Finally Friday

Not a slow week by any means, but BUSY! Between a field trip, sitting in the car repair shop one afternoon, the quarter ending at school (which means KIDS constantly trying to wrap up whatever assignments they still can, grades needing to be updated, exams to get togther), Dave working until 9 or 10 every night, Harley getting spring fever and hearing some kind of critters in the yard at like 3 a.m. and me having to get up at 4:45, Katie having mid-terms at her school and wanting me to quiz her every night...not to mention yesterday-

My lunch exploding and overcooking in the microwave, my cell phone dying, my glass of wine when I got home not tasting quite "right", Emma the cat not letting me get ready in the morning without clawing me in her attempt for attention, the school copier printing dust onto the surface of my zoology labs so the kids could wipe the lab right off the paper with their lab gloves...

Makes Fiday such an exciting day.

I will say yesterdayI was quite naughty- but that made it SOOOOO good. I stopped at Barnes and Noble's on the way home and bought 5 new magazines- (Quilting Arts, Stamper's Sampler, Inspirations, The Creating Keepsakes digital scrapbooking guide, Somerset Memories-wow- these are great reads!!!!! I have to check them out when the come out) and a couple of great craft books on altering clothing and making trims. I could have bought like 5 other books- the store was full of some awesome craft books and I used major restraint...spent enough $$$$ it would make Dave gag if he realized! I only wish they had Somerset Studio's new handbag edition (wonder if my coffee and tea bags made it in0 but I doubt it if I haven't heard anything at this point).

So now its Friday. Almost lunch- and my 2 afternoon classes are both going to be busy and not require me to stand up and lecture...then I can finish grading the 2 sets of labs I have left-

I also can go to the P.O.- my wooden stamp mounts I got on eBay have arrived and this weekend I can mount as many stamps as my sticky foam will allow- have so many unmounted stamps I rarely use this will be like getting a whole new bunch to play with...

Sounds like FRiday will bring a good weekend ahead-

Museum a month project

This is my project for 2007. It was one of those ideas that just kind of dropped out of no where into my head while at a Museum for a 1 day education workshop last month.
The project goal: I am going to try to visit a different museum each month. I would like to visit either a new museum or a new exhibit. But just getting to a museum fits the parameters I set up for myself. Can't make it too difficult or it stops being fun, right?

So far so good:

January- Harvard Museum of Natural History (new for me) ,
February- Credit Union Museum of America (who ever heard of such a place? new for me) ,
March- banner month- 3 trips:
Boston Museum of Fine Arts- Paris Fashion Week ( new exhibit) ,
New England Aquarium- just been a few years and they had a cool new jellyfish exhibit ,
Darwin Exhibit of the Boston Museum of Science (new exhibit) .

April- Should be easy- I have a field trip scheduled to the Harvard Natural History Museum on the 20th and then we're off to Ireland where I'm sure I will visit lots of museum type places.

May- Have a date with my friend Vicky to go see the Joseph Cornell exhibit at the Peabody-Essex Museum. Am so excited to see this exhibit- Joseph Cornell's work was something I had seen photos of but when I visited Chicago last spring I saw a lot of his boxes in the Institute of Art there- and WOW! And I have never been to the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts- which I really want to see anyhow- so it should be a doublely great day.

Then I need some new ideas. I haven't been to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston for a good 20 years- would love to go back. Also, in Wolfeboro, NH- the town just noth of where I live, is something called the Libby Museum- which has anthropoly and natural history of the region of NH where I live. There's not open in the winter off season, so that's on my summer list. There's also a dusty stuffed old museum in Dover, NH called the Woodman Institute. That could be fun. And I've never done the Freedom Trail in Boston- although I've lived in New England all my life. Have some time to come up with some new places since it's still March and April/May are already pretty full.

If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Biology Hat

Today I went to the Boston Museum of Science to a workshop. The morning speaker I heard was great- but what I really got a kick out of was the Darwin exhibit. The photo on the right is Darwin in his old age- he died in his early 70's but he looks so ancient compared to people today. Anyhow- at the exhibit- They had lots of his actual specimens from when he took a 5 year voyage on the Beagle. Actual specimens- from the 1830's. Plants mounted under glass, a few fossils. Labeled by him. They had some of his tools- a magnifying glass, a rock chipper- to think his hands were actually was wore down the newness off the handles. And lots of his journals and letters- a little sketch of an evolutionary tree in 1. (See photo). The other photo was one they had at the exhibit too- an old daguerreotype of Darwin and his first son.Plus, there's this PBS series called Evolution- and the first film in this series is about Darwin, where actors play the roles of different people in his life. Well in 1 movie scene- his brother Erasmus finds his journal with the lists of whether to marry or not to marry. (The gal was his cousin Emma Wedgewood by the way.) Well they had that actual journal pages there- one side was titled why he should marry and the other side was why he shouldn't. His microscope was there too, in a small reincarnation of his study/lab at Down House where he lived. There were also the caption's journal from his trip on the Beagle, a first edition of his Origin of Species-writings of Malthus (the guy who said the world could only make enough food to feed so many people) and Alfred Russell Wallace (a guy who took a long ocean voyage also and came to the same conclusion as Darwin, which forced Darwin to publish since he had already come up with his idea- but was shy about presenting it. Interesting how he was rather an odd duck so to speak, yet a genius, and also how he hated controversy.

Pick your poison

Let's try this.
My collection addictions...

When I was 8 or 10, I was big into stamp collecting. I still have them and use them in my art. But I can't say I really collect stamps any more.

I have silver spoons that one of my aunts collected for me. A few people have given me some as gifts during the years also. Although I haven't actively gone out and bought spoons, I enjoy having something to remember my aunt by.

I also have my grandmother's collection of china teacups. Their dantiness is not really my style, but I enjoy having them as a memory of her.

So what do I love to collect?

Rubber stamps, art supplies, craft books- need to explain?

These are Swedish tomte. (I probably mangled the spelling- sorry to those of you who can actually read and write Swedish). My daughter and I get one each Christmas from one of my uncles, and a few I brought home from a trip I took there ages ago. My heritage is 75% Swedish- 3 of my Grandparents were from there so I love how these colorful wooden carvings keep that piece of my ancestry alive. These tomte are suppose to keep misfortune away from the house where they are found. That's another good reason to have them around.

I also have a collection of Swedish dala horses, which are carved out of wood and brightly painted. They are now a common symbol of Sweden, but I read that they were originally made by soldiers back in the 1700's in order to get soup from someone. I read that the soldier would present a horse painted in the traditional red (a common available color) to the woman of the house and she would give him soup for dinner in return. I was in Chicago last spring and visited Andersonville (of course- my maiden name was Anderson) and took this photo of this big local landmark.

I also love little storage cubbies. This is a photo of one I found at a local antique shop. It came from the mail room at the University of New Hampshire, and most of the cubbies are labeled with building names. I have it hanging behind my studio work table. I keep some small stamps and fun little "toys" in it.

Another collection I have is small rubber and plastic animals. I actually discovered these critters when my daughter was young and realized very quickly they appealed to my inner child. I especially like sea creatures- but don't want any snakes.

I collect books to read- someday.

I collect salt glaze pottery. We have a famous studio fairly local- Salmon Falls Pottery, and here is a photo of some of my collection.

Lastly- I collect sandals. I like shoes, but I'm not really a shoe maniac- I could wear the same pair of clogs or boots ever day for weeks-except for sandals. I wish I could wear them year round- but I live in New Hampshire and that means we have a real winter. I have more pairs of sandals than any other shoe in my closet, and I'm always on the look out for something exciting. This year I have a hankering for some red ones.

more hockey

Last night we beat St. Cloud 4-1. Tonight its UMASS- who beat us 4 times recently. Should be an exciting game- and I have to go to a birthday party. Hope we can tape it or something.

Go Black Bears!

That's me last year on my birthday. LOVE THE SHIRT!
Tonight is a big hockey game against St. Cloud.
GO MAINE!

Happy Dog Photos

These are from yesterday. Harley was having a blast.

Amazon.com: 1,000 Artist Trading Cards: Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs (1000 Series): Books: Patricia Bolton

Published in my first book!

LOOK! I am published in my first book. And it is absolutely a fantastic volume. I am so excited to be included in it with some incredibly talented people. I wasn't sure how many ATC's would be included, but I had sent in 3- a spring garden set- and they all made it in. YAHOO!

I've included the web site for the book on Amazon above.

spring but not quite

Tonight it becomes spring but it still isn't quite spring like- that's life here in NH- March can be such a tough change over month. She teases and teases and then turns her nasty side. Miss Moody-that's what March is. My least favorite month even though you gotta feel the hope of spring. It will arrive, and not just as a date on the calendar- I keep telling myself that.

A few more scrap pages that I finally loaded onto my computer. Last August Dave, Katie and I took a trip to Vegas, as well visiting some of the National Parks in the area. Had never been to Vegas before- thought it was a fun and crazyplace to spend a few days. We wandered around, saw Mama Mia (do a little disco memory-lane dance), went out to Hoover Dam and of course hit the Hard Rock- Katie's trip MUST. You can see the temperature page- that's when we were driving home from Hoover Dam around the shore of Lake Mead- out in the middle of the Mojave in an August mid-day. Nothing like we have here in NH- 15% humidity is so low compared to a hot humid day here at home- gotta love the adventure rush from exploring. (especially with Dave and Katie- my 2 favorite people!)

Leo at the door

This is one of my cats- Leo. He is a big 18 pound orange tiger cat who is the biggest softy in the world. He also follows me around a lot and since I stepped outside with my camera, he came to the door to see what was up. You can barely make out my dog Harley in the background- there's part of his chest and a couple of front legs for him.

You never know what Leo will get into or where he will be found. I've come home and found closet and cabinet doors opened from him. The screen on one of our skylights is sometimes hanging so he can get out through the skylight. Tonight we were eating dinner and he came rushing by rolling one of his cat-toy balls. He has this very long tail that sticks up high enough that usually you can't miss that- or his loud verbal comments on most things. I think in many ways he is more dog like than feline- as he definately prefers a lot of human company.

photos are below

A couple of more scrap pages from our 2003 trip to Yellowstone National Park. I had the books out yesterday and was taking photos, so thought I would share a few with you.

The Saturday photos are from Wyoming (as we drove to Cheyenne from Yellowstone), Quebec City in Quebec, Yellowstone and Las Vegas- some of our other trips we've been doing lately.

a couple more pages from Yellowstone

Some great scrap pages from various albums!

how the backyard has changed this week

today!

Wednesday

afternoon

more snow expected

another art project by me! hibernation

These photos are backwards- but this is a book in a box-made it last month during our very cold snap. Its called hibernation, because that's how I felt with the bitter cold- and I hate being cooped up in the house so much. I used an old jewelry box to make the cover, and there's small book on watercolor paper inside. I didn't show all the pages, but you can get the idea.

So big storm coming in this afternoon and tonight and tomorrow morning. Up to 18 inches I've heard, but this morning channel 9 is saying 6-12 inches only. Only. Better than 18-especially since its March 16. However- this is not unusual- in NH spring is really just a word to mean we are knee deep in mud and the weather can be warm one day and bitter cold the next.

Off to UNH for some workshops today- UGH- this is the dreaded every 2 year day the whole seacoast goes for these usefless generic workshops. Would rather stay home- take a nap since I still had to get up to get Katie off to school- and do some scrap booking to finish my Zion National Park book that is just about finished. Also, once again doing some organizing upstairs in the studio. Trying to do another clean out like I did last spring so when summer comes I can sell some more stamps I don't use on EBAY and make room to buy more- its an addiction with me like the need to travel. Today I could stand to head out before I have to watch the snow- someplace south and warm like Florida I guess, or better yet, California- only I'm off to UNH and what I expect will be a useless day. I envy my kids from school-getting to be home.

the Ides of March

Its Wednesday!

It hit 73 degrees today! Wow! My road and driveway are soft and muddy. Surprise my car didn't sink up the mirrors! And they are saying snow Friday! Can't you tell its March?

American Idol is on. There's a couple of great women singers but so far most of the singers aren't too exciting.

Visited my favorite craft store today- Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA. They had so many new supplies that it would have been easy to spend hundreds of dollars. New Tim Holtz stamps, these Karen Foster mini liscense plates, these little suitcases you can put ATC cards in, some great St. Patrick's day supplies I bought and put away for when we get back from Ireland. Check out their website if you happen to be in the neighborhood- or like me- an hour away. http://www.absolutelyeverything.com/

60 degrees

Why does this blog insist on putting words along the edge of the picture-vertically? Its so very annoying to me, and I can't figure out how to fix it. Can anyone help?

A few photos of a project I did last month for Valentine's day. Its a tiny accordian book in a cinnamon tin- still smells rather spicy- about a meeting of 2 people who hit it off- love at first sight. I titled it rather uncreatively "The Meeting". On the back of these pages it says- They met outside the library one morning in October.

I think these photos aren't the best show of the piece, but worth posting since love is partly a tease at times, so is today's weather here in NH.

Its the BIG tease of spring-60 degrees outside. The snow is MELTING-yahoo! (But we know its still March and this is NH and therefore- we aren't out of the woods yet. We could get a blizzard anytime- though this week looks pretty safe and rather warm.)

Decided I don't mind this time change- I like it being light until about 7 this early on. The mornings are a bit tough- and I was asleep about 9 last night- another episode of 24 missed- but its nice to come home and have some light and some energy.