Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa

Hello All!

On the way to downtown Athens for brunch I just HAPPENED to see a lot of stuff going on. This Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa was something I had not heard of and it was evidently tee-tiny last year. It was great and as it is only in its second year (Mother's Day AND Graduation weekend -- how crazed is that??? Artists! Sheesh!), you can actually meet and greet. One lovely artist, Ruth Allen, took me almost literally by the hand and introduced me to Serra Ferguson, the organizer and chief everything (she looks 15 if a day but I know that can't be true. Can it?). Lots of food and drinks (free) for a dollar donation and tons of fun, live music, sizzling art and wonderful people.

It was already viciously humid and hot but I met several folks and talked to a great gal from Atlanta named Sara Hindmore (I hope that's right), who also makes books, etc. We discussed her possibly coming to Athens sometime to hold a day long workshop on that and "other". I will keep everyone posted. I am so excited about this... like where have these folks been? Two or three artists said, "We are so scattered." Mmm... I should feel right at home then.

The poster was just a gorgeous little work of love. Unless I misunderstood, the tree is this very cool, happening art festival's Logo. Hopefully you can read all the fun goings on. T and I wanted to just kick ourselves that we hadn't known about this! But next year, there's going to be a whole lotta shakin' goin' on. I see a booth in my future...

The other photo, well, what can I say? I needed a nice place to hang up some roses while they dry so that I can do something with them other than just let them hang around the kitchen and take pictures of them. And the cats obviously didn't mind -- yeah, its a little dark. This camera is just like a computer or an Old Testament god... lots of rules and no mercy, to paraphrase Joseph Campbell.

Later!

Candace

A Real Redhead

Will the REAL Woody Woodpecker please stand up? Sorry you can't see him any better than this. We get all kinds here. Taken from six feet away thru a screen with the Kodak Easy Share. At least he didn't fly off as soon as I appeared in the window frame. And if you look not at the top of his head but just behind that wicked pointy bill and just in front of his eyes, yes indeedy, you can spot the telltale red. I would love to be able to get a photo of the nuthatches.

Speaking of flying, T and I are flying out of here in November. Like I said, we're doing T'Day in Britsville with Miss Jeanne. It's never too early to plan on a good vacation, if you ask me. I have two days off -- one, in two weeks for a wedding, and another in -- oops! brainfart! -- before the REAL deal of a week in London UK. Yep, I get the tix tomorrow.

Amazingly enough, despite the new mergers, escalating fuel prices and whathaveyou, they will only cost me an arm as opposed to an arm and a leg.

Kitten tells me she experimented on some dark burgundy roses and that -- oh well -- after 20 minutes, the burgundies turned a deep teal green. I think we should all talk about our not so great works of art as well as our greats, sometimes. I asked her if she had taken a photo. If so, maybe I can talk her into sharing it.

Later!

Big Hug to all My Peeps,

Candace

Late Tuesday PM

This is what I live for -- the nature of art and art in nature. Vice versa and round and round. Here is also a series of pix I took the first really great sunny day last week starting out with Yours Truly -- sort of.

Some of these florals were gifts from birds, no doubt. Other wildlife scattered other bits and pieces of neighbors' or strangers' gardens all over my back yard, front yard, side yards and other secret places. The birds flock to the feeder constantly, even the woodpeckers. The geese and crows are around as well, and there is a hawk that I see and or hear. Alas, no foxes this year but we have plenty of deer.

Oddly enough, however, no fawns this year. Two years now we have had the Fawn Dawn of Spring Parade where the mothers and aunts come through the entire back 40, slowly and elegantly, with their babies. Spine-tingling yet so serene. Life goes on.

But not this time. Plenty of does. But no bucks. And no fawns. The neighborhood is changing...

Later,

Candace

An Aside

Yep. That's Chelsea Clinton on the left. Yep. That's my niece on the right, Miss Mathematics Herself, Laney. Now I have no idea where they were, how they met, whathaveyou.

No matter how one feels about the political arena one of these young ladies comes from, this is the future... not all will be blue eyed blondes. But some will be. Not all will have good teeth and shining futures. But some will. Not all will be the girl next door and next door won't always be Pennsylvania Avenue. But some will.

Heck, the future won't even all be girls. But there will be a LOT of them.

Look lively. Here it comes. Closer and closer. And some will be artists...! Hooray!

Later

Candace

Artists Bearing Gifts

Hello there, all. I cannot do justice to Kitten's work so here is the link so you can all see for yourselves this amazing delicate work. Her works practically glow from within and she has graciously agreed to allow me to photograph her going through the entire process one day.

http://www.vetiverandlace.com/

This is the link to her blog. (BTW, Kitten is her nickname, her real handle is on the site! So go and find out! Lol...)

Wow, this woman is really something -- and there are these miniatures she does as well! Knowing that reading and writing is a very big deal to me, she showed up with a gift today. And here is a photo of it...

It is a book! She did everything. Doesn't it look like she found a little faerie book? Well, she made this little faerie book. She sewed in the teeny tiny pages too. And like everything faerie, it is being taken very good care of, coming in its very own little faerie book bank. I meant to get photos of her today but that will have to wait. Gosh, too much going on! This book isn't as big as one of my fingers. Absolutely mindboggling in its execution.

On a serious note, I had a boutof vertigo while visiting with Kitten and a couple other friends. It worried a couple of them and T had to go grab the pills. Embarrassing? A little, but aggravating? A lot!

The beautiful weather we are having here is surpassed only by the pollen. Everything looks like it has a fine layer of gold green dust on it.

Later,

Candace

GOODY GOODY GIVEAWAY

Hello! Is that Goody Goody Giveaway photo great or what? It's from Michelle Allen's fantastic Goody Goody Giveaway. I have a link to her blog right over there in the right hand column (Michelle My Belle). Get over there and when you arrive you are going to want to sign up for a chance to win these too cool items. She gives you three ways to win, and as they say, third time's the charm. Thanks Michelle!

(Michelle's daughter has a really wonderful blog as well and I visit it almost as much as I do Michelle's -- daily!) .

It's 5AM. I must be totally insane. Company tomorrow at 2PM and you would think ...!!! but not me, take my word for it. My house is more or less taken care of but I am taking a break from arting around. I have this great idea for two triptychs I am going to be working on -- so needless to say, I am stoked!

Mmm... wonder if I'll fall asleep in the middle of an "ore durve"?

Have a good one.

Candace

May Day and Beyond

So here is another older piece (I promise I am showing new stuff soon!). This is called "The Quilt". Again paper and color put down on another colored paper background before framing. Ooo.... in the new Artful Blogging is an article about Paper Art. FABulous! I had pieces this intricate as well but guess what? Remember that post I made about selling my paper goods and not having photos of them... yep. sigh... a lesson hard earned. I think I have photos, so if photos of photos work, I will put them all in a slide show.

How fortunate I feel to have a new face time friend who is into the same types art I am. We connected immediately upon meeting and are getting together tomorrow just to visit, along with some other friends, too. Social butterflying this weekend, rather than just "arting around". Faye's birthday was today. Wonderful wonderful time, plus Michelle and Chris showed. (Michelle, Tia and I all work with Tony. Tony married Faye last September, a marriage made in Faerieland, believe you me. They are just two lovely and magical people.) While Tia, Joe and Pita are my constant friends and pals, it is nice to have made these other connections as well as strengthen the bonds of Pal-dom I felt with Michelle. Michelle is one of the few folks who knows about my art, and my writing. (She is so smart she really should wear a seat belt around her head so her brain doesn't pop out like an air bag!)

Michelle's baby bump is showing now and she looks fantastic but tires easily. Classes are over for Tia this week before she starts up another session. AND I have started a nice little ATC for Miss Jeanne! VERY London heavy. I will show that off soon enough.

I have been remiss about posting this week. No. 1, work is incredibly b.u.s.y. And secondly, it hs been good to simply read Judy Wise's blog about the fantastic workshop she attended in Carmel. Check out her blog. Nina Bagley should be well on her way to Oz by now. Her blog, Ornamental, posted on the right here as well is worth checking out. She says she will be checking in occasionally. What a wonderful opportunity for us all to see this through the eyes of someone as talented and generous as Nina!

And on that note --

Hasta la Pasta!

Candace