And the winner is....

CONGRATULATIONS

SARAH CORBETT MORGAN from Costa Rica

is the winner of the New Year's Giveaway 

helping me to choose what notebook I should use

for my Year of the Fairy Tale online class this year.

A "Butterfly in Spring" notebook

(pen not included)

 and a

Wild Thing! in a colour scheme of your choice 

 will be mailed to you as soon as possible.

THANK YOU EVERYONE

for playing, liking, sharing and suggestions

Fairy Tale Note/Sketchbook Giveaway

I am so excited to be a part of Carla Sonheim's 2014 Year of the Fairy Tale online class, and have begun gathering some of the supplies we will be using. But I'm going to need some help making a choice and that's where you get to play!

Imagine my delight when I came across a wonderful green linen portfolio with a clipboard and solid backing to sketch, write and drawn on, AND four separate roomy sections to store finished artwork or work in progress. A magnetic closure holds it all together. It is in beautiful condition and only cost $ 2.99 at the thrift store!

THIS PHOTO REPRESENTS THE REAL COLOUR GREEN

I began to look through my stash of note/sketchbooks for something that would complement it. I figured at least one for notes would make sense, and pulled out a simple one that looked very efficient and matched the portfolio perfectly. Slim, lined paper... it would do the job.
 

Then I found a "Butterfly in Spring" note/sketchbook with smooth, unlined cream paper that takes writing and sketching well. A ribbon acts as a page marker, there is an envelope at the back for keepsakes and a sturdy elastic keeps it all together.

I came across another one a friend gave me quite a while back simply because it reminded them of me (a lovely thought and much appreciated.)  It has a thicker, smooth, cream lined paper, and a ribbon to mark the pages too.

Last but not least is a 2013 diary another friend gave me last Christmas. The paper is lined, cream, acid-free, rich and velvety to write on. It has an sturdy envelope at the back and two ribbons to mark the pages.

I'm spoiled for choice! Which one do you like the best? 

GIVEAWAY:

Leave me a comment below, and tell me which note/sketchbook you would choose, and why. On January 15, 2014 I will randomly select a name as the winner and send them the following as a "Thank You" for joining in the fun ~

*  "Butterfly in Spring" (approx 3 1/2" x 5 1/2") note/sketchbook 

(the one of the left of the photo) 

&

* One of my "Wild Things" (in the colour scheme of their choice)

because inside each and every one of us, 

there is still a wild spirit... dancing

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Once in a Blue Moon ~ Wild Things Special Sale

In an effort to raise funds for my next Artist-in-Residence trip to the Lighthouse, I am offering a special price on my Wild Things and Wild Thingy's for this weekend:

"Once in a Blue Moon" 

Labour Day weekend only
Friday Aug 31 thru Monday Sept 3, 2012

Special Price on Wild Things and Wild Thingy’s

(Save $ 3.00)

Wild Things $ 20.00 incl S & H

Special Price:  $ 17.00 incl Shipping and Handline

Wild Thingy’s $ 15.00 incl $ & H

Special Price: $ 12.00 incl Shipping and Handling

anywhere in the world!

TO ORDER:

1. Go to the Wild Things Tab at the top of the page
2. Scroll through and choose the Wild Thing(s) and or Wild Thingy(s) that you want
3. Make a note of the reference number(s) you want to order. PLEASE CHOOSE A SECOND CHOICE TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT (I will update sales page as quick as possible but it's a worldwide sale and I'm going to need a bit of sleep...)
4. Email me the reference number(s) at byshena@shaw.ca with your name and shipping address. I will then confirm availability
5. Use PayPay button to make the payment

SHIPPING INFO:

• Please contact me directly to save on the Shipping and Handling for multiple quantities
• Items can also be drop shipped to another address at your request

DELIVERY INFO:

• Orders received by Sunday September 2nd will be processed immediate delivery
• Orders received after Sunday September 2nd please allow 1 week for order processing

PACKAGING INFO:

Wild Things and Thingys are shipped in padded envelopped, packaged in a clear plastic bag with a "By Shena" label with the message: because inside each and every one of us there is still a Wild Spirit ... dancing and includes their story: "Remembering who we are" as seen below...

MATERIALS INFO:

Wild Things are made lovingly from predominently recycled materials ~ Wild Thingy's also... (who are simply Wild Things-in-Training but appear to get into just as much trouble...)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING MY
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE VENTURE

HAVE A GREAT LABOUR DAY WEEKEND

Shena

Remembering who we are

Their history is seeped in the dark recesses of time ~

They began life with their roots entwined with Mother Earth

and were nurtured as the sentinels of harmony and peace

amongst all living things ~

But humanity in time forgot all of its wisdom

and in its ignorance began to purge the Earth of its values ~

Until almost nothing remained ~

And so the Wild Things were sent forth

to intermingle amongst humans to nurture them

and remind them once more of

who they are deep down inside,

and to share with them an ancient and timeless remedy...

that of love, freedom and pure joy ~

For as we remember who we truly are,

wild spirits one and all,

our future as a human race and that of our Mother Earth

is destined to thrive ~

because inside each and every one of us there is still a

Wild Spirit ... dancing

Shena Meadowcroft & Tony Gibson
Copyright 2010

Hanging out at the Clothesline Show

One of the greatest days of this summer was being a part of Coast Collective's "Clothesline" Show held on the eleven acres surrounding the Pendray House, where over 155 artists display year round  a wonderful, top quality, eclectic array of art. 

Overlooking the Esquimault Lagoon, which overlooks the Juan de Fuca Strait, I cannot imagine a better setting for an artist to show their work. Perfect weather, beautiful surroundings, soothing music, great people... and a wonderful selection of art... not to mention great food!

Art lined the avenue leaving up to the house. Hung on clothesline, laid out on tables, leaning against trees, laying on the ground...

People meandered through the displays, pausing to admire the work, chat to the artists and buying that special piece that caught their eye...

I delighted in having my work displayed outdoors, in a more natural environment that is usually is...

 And of course, my Wild Things! were having the best time of all...

 And this is my life?

I have to pinch myself on a daily basis to make sure that I am not dreaming...

But tough as it is...

I'm hanging in there...

Win a Wild Thingy!

I finished a reconstructed piece of clothing last night (my new adventure - tutorial forthcoming) The dress was originally long with spagetti straps and far too small for me but, being an artist, I could not resist the hand-painted design on the front (not to mention that this also has sent me off in a whole new direction...) It wasn't until this morning that I discovered the word "Cuba" written across the bottom above the hem. As this is part of my "Artist-in-Residence wardrobe" I thought I should come up with a clever and relevant (to me, about me, or as an artist) definition of what C.U.B.A could stand for...

With so much else to do, I thought I'd throw out the challenge to my blog readers and anyone else who gets to read this post, as well as those who see me wearing my tunic sometime over the next week or so during my residency (only one or two days... I do have others to wear, assuming they get finished...)

So, for a bit of fun - see what you can come up with:

C            Creative....  Cultural.... Categorically....   Cute...   C ??????????

U

B

A

THE BEST PHRASE WINS A WILD THINGY!

(in the colour scheme of their choice)

TO ENTER:

SIMPLY ENTER YOUR PHRASE IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW

The winner will be chosen on August 31st.

Help me out here... and wishing you the Best of Luck!

A Brand New Show Display

My outdoor art show last month was a disaster. The weather had been fine, then  horrendous wind gusts came out of nowhere, leaving only three tents standing. Display stands full of art work blew over. Painted canvases cartwheeled across the lawn. I'm still in awe of seeing my greeting cards sail through the air, but that was eclipsed by my neighbour's huge tent lifting right off the ground (tent pegs not withstanding) and knocking over three table of jewellery with it... Thankfully no one got hurt from the flying glass... which happened to be my "Glimpses" that I had stayed up until midnight matting and framing.

And that was before the torrential rain hit~ with all the packing boxes in the vehicle parked a long way off...

Oh, and just for the record... my Wild Things really CAN fly!

Over several restorative cups of tea and a comfort food supper later, my friend and I put our heads together and came up with a far better, more stable way of displaying my work. Now, columns of wire cubes stack no more than three high and are clamped to folding TV tables covered with fabric.

Sturdy plastic totes are stored under the back table in the event that fast packing is required.

One side of each cube is left open to insert 12 inch slate floor tiles to provide more stability and form shelves in cubbyholes where I can feature some of my work.

Last weekend I did the Acres of Art down at Coast Collective in Victoria and had a wonderful display. People were able to circulate and delighted in discovering the cubby holes and what they held. I am still paring down my display but really happy with the way it is now looking...

                                

and standing!

Alchemy of a New Idea

I love the alchemy that takes place when a new idea unfolds. A few weeks ago while making the upteenth “Wild Thing” that uses cotton fabric, I came across several scraps of gorgeous quilting cotton that someone had given to me a couple of years ago.

As each piece came to light I kept thinking I should probably “save” them for something else, especially as they were small pieces and would require sewing together before using on the Wild Things, and time was of the essence.

Later that evening I pieced together some of the cottons into landscapes and was quite pleased with the result. I felt they needed more life, and I knew that hand embroidery and beads would provide some of that, but not quite all that I had in mind. Besides, I had two weeks to come up with some new pieces for a Fibre show and again, the clock was ticking.

Silk would provide more luminosity. I grabbed a basket of distressed silk leftover from my last batch of West Coast Reflections with the intention of adding some to the scenes. And then the playing began... Several hours and half a dozen pieces later I had exactly what I knew I was looking for 

And then the metallic pens came out… and other fibres… and other mediums…

What emerged was a whole new series called “Glimpses” ~ tiny land and sea scapes reminiscent of the West Coast.

I’m thinking of painting more silk fabric to use, distressing fabric in different ways, enhancing with gold or silver leaf… because who knows where else this may take me?

Tony, my partner captured their essence in these words:

“You look at them and you know that whether it was in a blink of an eye,

or a moment in time, a certain light,

or simply in your dreams, you have seen this.

You've been there.”