A Brush with magic

For the past 10 days I have been traveling in  the state of  Washington and  the last portion was  without internet service. Hence once again I am behind in blogging  and visiting blogs.   My eyes have not feasted on so much moisture in ages !!! Moss grows in  all shades of greens against  backdrops of  rust and browns .  Mist floats in the spring air!! My first  stop took me to Terri  Brush's tranquil country home in Cehalis Washington . 3 days filled with soft rain ,bits of blue sky, sunshine   and evenings sounds of crickets and spring peepers ( tiny spring frogs). From the moment  I walked  into Terri's  home  I was greeted by old friends  I had just meet . Terri had invited them all over  for a surprise birthday party for me!!! Candlelight, wine ,   and a house of treasures surrounded me and an  awesome feast was set before us .   Warm conversation filled the evening  with harmony ! Terri's home and heart where  a pure joy  for the soul . Touches of lovingly created  and artful vignettes  filled every room  from wonderful artist  and artwork I adore .  I  slept  in big  cozy bed like a queen . The nights magical  dining room was  transformed  into a light filled studio during the next 2 days of the  workshops I was lucky to teach. My students embraced  their fears and  jumped  past them to learn new techniques and in doing so  created work that gave me goose pumps as I was so proud of them and their creations  .   The time flew by so fast and I was having so much fun that I forgot to take  a lot of pictures ( Plus  I was busy running my mouth).   You must pop over to Terri's  site  and her blog   for a visit and to see what she has planned and is up too. If you ever are in   her area  please consider  taking a workshop as this is not just about taking a class but  about a day of  stimulating  your  senses with art , food , friendship and  beauty .Trust me this can become habit forming. Oh when you pop over to Terri's  link from there to the Art Camps on the beach. I get to go back in the fall and teach at the fall   Art Camp . After the weekend at  Terri's it was on to  teaching at Art Fest in Port Townsend !!! I  think am ready for a  tv show "Julie's  artful Journey"...   Sound fun???

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Terri ,our Hostest

 

Night magic 

                                                                    Day light and art

Spring moss

                             

A few of the "enchanted" pieces created. See what I said , they are simply wonderful!!!

 This is spelled BRUSH but it means Welcome

Gift from God

The last year for me has been one of major challenges ,with that always comes the doubts the questions and the soul searching. Hopefully with all of this, one comes out a wiser stronger and better person. For me that would be the hope that I would learn to take things a little more as they come and just know and trust my God given intuition . The last few days have been ones of peace for me as I feel a little stronger in knowing that what  ever the answers have been, I trust they are the right ones for me and have come from a higher source . My sister leads her day with the thought  that when she lays  her head down on the pillow at night, she rest in the assurance that her actions of the day have been motivated by  what  will bring her peace that night. I have been trying to follower her lead and it seems to be working. Let go let god !! Thanks Lorrie for your wise example. You are a gift from God too!!

In Memory of Renee

Sometimes our candles burn the brightest just before they go out. This post is  for Renee her family and for all those affected by cancer . My heart is with you. circling my head

Classes for Washington area folks !!

The house is filling up again with kits for classes . In less then 2 weeks I head to Chehalis March 20  21   to teach. Normally my skin would be craving some moisture but we have had tons of rain here this winter. Well, any way we still have a few  open spaces in the class "Rusted Whimsy"  on March 21 You will have enough in your kit to  to make 2 fun images with frames .You will  learn some  dry brush painting and collaging  .The use of aging   and adding detail with a stabilo pencil and how to make whim-some faces and the oh so wonderful real rusting technique  too!!!Chehalis is about 1 1/2 hours from Portland and Seattle. Terri our host has wonderful studio and serves us lunch as we create.  She is available to answer  any questions you may have too. Terris Studio and contact info 

Walking Rusty and Steampunk Lily

Some of you know I am venturing out and teaching in the bigger venues! I just got back from Art and Soul in Las Vegas and I must say I was blown away at the students .They taught me. Well, Glenny added me to the Art and Soul line for Portland and Virginia. Virginia is a long shot as I am late to get on the teaching list so we thought we would give it a try. It is a chance for any of you who live on the eastern side of our country to take a class form me .We are offering 2= Walking Rusty and Steam punk Lily .These are the images. If you have never done one of these art retreats you are missing out on the best of times!! They are life changing at least they have been for me when I took my fisrt years ago at Art Fest

Walking Rusty

Steam punk Lily

Hope versus Goals

Today I am writing  about hope and goals . Hope is an essential for living  and for me so are goals . I think I have made   hope the same as  goals . But am not sure . When my  goals are not meet I tend to momentarily loose all hope . It is dawning on me that goals are more an earthly thing  and hope needs to be  more spiritual. Up till now  it seems that  when I loss one the  other  gets lost too . This  then becomes deeply discouraging and immobilizing . Somehow I need to figure out how to keep the 2 separate. I guess this means that I have a new "goal"  and that is to "hope"  to keep the 2  separate.

The Box

Last week as I was teaching, the subject of " thinking outside the box " came up . Funny as what we where learning was " thinking about the box" and learning to make one. But anyway as we talked everyone began to add their own twist to the phrase  like .... "I need a ladder to get out of the box" ... "What is a box?? " ..... etc. I thought it would be fun for everyone who stops by to try  and leave a comment as to what their personal version is to this phrase ..... or what it means to them.  Go for it !!!!