wah wah wah [and I'm in a show]

See this lovely journal? It's not posed...it won't close. This has been the past three days of my studio time. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

I'm in a little home show this weekend and really want to include these next four journals - they've taken a funny turn if I do say so myself. I usually don't show faces on my books, but these water ballerinas were irresistible. (I know we don't call them water ballerinas.)

Anywho - if you're looking for a valentine for your sweet, please stop by! There will be ceramics, and handmade cards and jewelry and scarves and journals and much much sweeter moods than the one I'm showing here. (wink!)

Carla Mash Duncan - Duncan Designs

Jewelry Designer

6170 McPherson

(off of Skinker, close to Wash U.)

Friday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

100 journals

One of my goals for 2012 is to make 100 ephemera journals - or whatever you wanna call them. I'm trying to think of a new name for them, because trust me, the word "ephemera" does nothing for people. I'm leaning towards calling them fortune cookie journals. Here's why: You know when you open a fortune cookie and even though you don't really expect it to reflect your life, you secretly hope that it does and that it is going to give you some optimistic insight that you'll say was just a coincidence and "fun" to see, but deep down, you get to believe a little bit that the hope, dream, issue, challenge that you're thinking of might indeed be about to make a turn or get even better...all because of this little slip of mass produced paper? Well, I think my journals have a little speck of that magic in them too - between the collages all being one-of-a-kind and the beautiful mess of vintage and recycled papers that are on the inside, not to mention the writing, sketching, doodling, journaling that each owner will complete...well, I'm leaning toward "Fortune Cookie Journals".

 What do you think? I'm not totally sold on the name yet, very open to suggestions.

Anyways, they're not my big money maker, but they are my work through and through going out into the world. I sold every one I made in 2011, so I'm going to try to make 100 and see how they do. They will cost $42 each. I'm also going to wholesale a group of them. Do you own a little shop? Would you like to carry them? Wish me luck! And if you need a journal, please stay tuned...

I am in a little Valentines show this weekend - details tomorrow. xo

Here Comes the Sun {mixed media class}

Here Comes the Sun

Sunday, February 26th

1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Art Room

$50 + $12 supply fee**

10 spaces available

The sun will be our muse in this introductory mixed-media class. No previous painting or art experience necessary. In our four hours together, we will learn to prepare a canvas, determine a composition, integrate various art supplies into our work, and make "mistakes" that will be beautifully included in our work. Class fee includes everything you need to create one 12" square wood canvas. Very light refreshments will be served. Please contact me with any questions: corinne@goodnessrecycled.com

**We will be using 12x12 wood canvasses from Dick Blick - $12 is my cost. If you would like to purchase your canvas on your own, just let me know!

The Art Room is located in my home in South St. Louis - close to Grand and Hwy. 44.

Hope you'll join us! xo

Twelve

There was bowling, there were doughnuts. There was tuna noodle casserole and peach cobbler. There were gifts - so many gift card gifts (can't believe we've crossed over to that!) and eggs benedict the next morning. A quiet-ish birthday - food and family. Happy birthday Joey - you are hilarious, you are smart as they come, you are kind, you are our delight. We love you so. xo

February is the new January

Curly Girl said it first and I couldn't agree more! Hi! How are you? Are you still with me? THANK YOU for checking in! We had a great month over here - lots to share.

First though, I wanted to share my sale. I spent A LOT of January thinking about my business and my art. When you're new to this, what do you do with the stuff you make? My skills are not so honed that I can just stop when I have inventory and not practice/make more. But I also want my work out in the world. Is selling it for less to get it into homes and hands "selling out" by artists' standards? At this point - for me - I just don't think so. I will be asking artists this throughout the year (yes, I'm working on my studio tour thursday lineup). But in the meantime, I know that I want my books and my paintings out there. Out. There.

So from now until they're sold, all of my 2011 journals and paintings are 50 percent off in my etsy shop. They are in perfect condition.

I'm so happy (and thankful) to be back here! xo

Make Your Own Journal/Notebook Class!

There was this great line in Sex and the City years ago. David Duchovny's character tells Cary, after she confides that she doesn't know how to hike: "I've got a secret for you. Hiking is walking..." The word "journaling" also seems to produce intimidation in many of us. Well, I have a secret for you. Journaling is keeping lists, scribbling notes, doodling when you're on the phone, brainstorming. It's not all works of art and pre-works of literature. Trust me.  So if you're a person with a concrete journaling routine, or a person who just loves to jot things down (even when we all know our phones can do it for us), this class is for you! Hope you'll join us!

One-Word Intention - Make Your Own Journal/Notebook

One Session - 10 spaces per session

$20/session 

(includes all supplies to complete one book, light refreshments)

Thursday, January 19th 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, January 25th 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, January 31st 10 a.m. to noon

Location: My Art Room, Compton Heights, St. Louis City (44 and Grand)

 "A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow. From my own personal experience, it can be a catalyst for enriching your life." Ali Edwards, artist

Have you heard about setting a "one-word intention" for the new year? This is not a resolution. it is simply a reminder of an essence or idea that you would like to cling to/reach for/honor in the coming months. In this class we will talk about one-word intentions and create one-of-a-kind journals/notebooks to hold your to do lists, your goals, your recipes, your secrets, your dreams. 

We will collage our word onto the cover of an upcycled Readers Digest book. Next we'll find a source of inspiration (an image, a quote perhaps?) for the back. Then we will collage the inside covers to reflect each of our personal styles and loves. Nature, fashion, art, exercise, food...trust me, I'll have the supplies you need to make a book that feels just like "you"!

Collage is simple and fun - demonstrations will be given. No artistic experience or ability necessary! Books will be filled with recycled, top quality writing papers and bound. This is a 2-hour class to give you plenty of time to explore, try a few things and get your book completely finished.

The journals measure approximately 7.5 inches by 5.25 inches - small enough to tuck into most purses.

To reserve your space, please email me at corinne@goodnessrecycled.com. Please let me know how to contact you and which session you'd like to attend. Payment is due three days before class. I can invoice you (cash, Paypal or credit - just let me know). I'm sorry, but refunds for cancellations will not be given unless I can fill your space.

Hope to see you!!!

Want to read more about one-word intentions? Click here or here or here! xo

Hiatus - see you here on February 1!

I'm taking the month of January "off" from blogging. Not really "off" from working, but "off" from my routine certainly, which is exciting. I have so much to get done but I hope you will join me back here on February 1st when I'll start posting my own new year's intentions, new projects and more (to be determined this month actually)! While I'm not here, I will be:

* Cleaning my basement/organizing my family (long overdue)
* making our play-room-turned-art-room, an art-room/family-room (almost there)
* going out for lunch and coffee and lunch and coffee with girlfriends, girlfriends, girlfriends!
* buying jeans and new tennis shoes (I won't bore you with what a difficult task this is for me)

* making myself a journal!
* doing at least one artsy thing just for the hellovit (very excited)
* paying my taxes and beating the January 31st deadline (yes, yes, yes)
* completing a long list of "real business" tasks that I avoided completely in 2011
* taking a deep breath and evaluating my last year's, mistakes, delights, lessons
* taking a deep breath and setting my goals for 2012

* making peace with our family's eating habits. While this is not a health/cooking/nutrition blog, I will be writing more about this in February. I just have oodles of health questions that are connected to nutrition (vegetarianism, gluten-free living, the pros and cons of vitamins, allergy prevention, adolescence and diet and on and on and on). I don't think three weeks of work will put much of a dent in my list but by February 1st, I will have a list and a plan to get to the bottom of some things. More later - hope you'll stick with me while I'm learning.

I hope January is just lovely for you! And I hope you'll pop back in next month - I'm so very thankful to be blogging and to have you visiting here! xo

P.S. Artwork above is by Kristen Powers - if I had a nursery to decorate, I would fill it with Kristen's beautiful spirit angel paintings! This painting will have a prominent place in my art room!