Stardust and Magic, Prizes and Dreams

A view from some of my classes at Create this summer.  So much fun was had, words are hard to describe!

Hello Friends!

It's been a wild and crazy creative summer!  When I look at the date on the calendar and see it is September xx,  it seems like time just has whizzed by. I could do a 40 page post on all the adventures over the last couple of months (haha...I won't put you through that) but instead, I just wanted to share with you some of the highlights (AND...some really big news near the end of this post),  offer a little giveaway to show my gratitude for all of my loyal readers and friends.  

To say I met some amazing woman (and a few men) this summer during my travels, is an understatement. The students, artists and fellow teachers alike, that I was lucky enough to rub elbows with, share a drink,  a couple of laughs and to have in class were all amazing. Full of stories of their own calling them to create, each and every person seemed to have this contagious enthusiasm...well it was just the medicine the Dr. ordered to remind me why it is I do what I do now as I follow this new career path.    I have come away from this summer with a pocket full of memories I'll never forget...with more on the way I'm sure.

Since  April, I have put on about 6400 CREATIVE miles on the chariot.  From Atlanta, to Nashville, New York on down to Wilmington,  back North to New Jersey then back South for a quick break home in the Carolina's before  my last journey most recently to Chicago.  The fun isn't over yet as I'll be heading to Rockvale, Tennessee  in a couple of weeks ( check out two classes I'll be teaching at the Art Barn on September 21st and 22nd, Contact Dawna to register for "Paint the Town or Texturize This).  Last but certainly not least,  my final big trip for 2013 will be back up the coast to Stamford, Ct where I will spend the week teaching at Art Is You (one of the most incredible artistic retreats available, and the first major events which gave the opportunity to teach.). I can't wait to be back amongst friends there as well. 

If you were thinking of joining one of my classes at Art Is You...hurry!! I only have a couple of spots in each class left!!!

It makes my head spin!

(For Texturize This, we will be doing projects  that feature a TON of texturizing techniques that stem from the sampler article in Cloth Paper Scissors this month!!)

 "Texturize This"  is one of my favorite new classes designed this year, if you have a chance to join us...please do! I hope to repeat it one or two more times as creating and experimenting with these little tiles is quite addictive....not to mention I have a few more tricks up my sleeve to take the projects to the next level.   Art is so much more about experimenting then most realize.     When you let go of expectations and just explore, you open yourself up to amazing discoveries!

 Here is the Cloth Paper Scissors issue where my article
appears along with a TON of other luscious projects and
cool techniques.    I think we ought to give a copy away, don't
you think?  How about we also give away one of my
pieces created for the article????  Yes, let's do it!
The green and blue piece featured above "Faith"
along with a signed copy of the magazine can
be yours by simply commenting
on this post.  Oh heck, let's sweeten the pot.
I'll throw in a few jars of Silks Acrylic Glazes
and an Ampersand Claybord or two for you
to try this out on your own!
All comments will be gathered through September 14th (which
just happens to be my oldest baby boy's Birthday..Zach)!!

 So much news...so little time.   Speaking of classes and experiments,  if you can't join me in person for one of my classes....why not play along online? I have several offerings currently available with my newest called, "Funky Little Cityscapes" ...oh my, the students have had a ball with this class. Several have done multiple projects and just had a blast creating their own fantasy towns.

For more info, be sure to click on here. 

And now,  I wanted to share with you some really big news about a new venture myself and 2 other close artists whom I am honored to call great friends of mine,  Jean Skipper and Penny Arrowood and I have created an organization called "ReMe" which is our dream of hosting small intimate retreats for guests who want much more than to just learn, they want to have a Remarkable,  Extraordinary, Memorable, Experience.  

 To say we planned out every detail and dreamed of every possible inclusion is an understatement, over the last 2 years or so, we have been putting all the pieces in place to make our dream a reality and it's finally going to happen!  ReMe Retreats, Ocracoke 2014 was softly unveiled roughly 2 weeks ago through word of mouth when we hit publish on the blog.  Here's the part that we are blown away on and so happy I can't even stand it...we SOLD out our first retreat for May of 2014 in less then 48 hours!!!  Oh my goodness, we couldn't have ever anticipated such a positive result so quickly!!! With that said, I want to invite you over to the ReMe blog so you can read more about our event and just get a tiny feel for all the amazing things we are going to do with our students, our guests, and our new friends during our time together.

Here's the thing friends,  after the overwhelming response so quickly for our first retreat,   Jean, Penny and I have been working around the clock to come up with a second event for our first year.  We don't want YOU to miss out on the opportunity to join in on this experience!  Mind you, we sold out without using social media, our email lists, or any advertisements other than business cards and discussions in our classes over the summer with students, so if you even think you might be interested in this event (or any of our future events), you NEED to sign up on the email list on the blog or right here (but do visit our blog so you can read more about this adventure)!! As I mentioned before, we have worked over the last couple of weeks to secure a second location and we are almost ready to announce it and WILL announce it to all our newsletter & ReMe blog subscribers FIRST.  Once we announce our second location, we will put the purchase button back up and the 8 guests who claim their spot first will be able to join us for the next event.  Those spots will surely go quickly so don't wait to sign up when the announcement is made!!!

You know as you walk up these stairs, you are pretty sure you know what's on the other side...but one never really knows until they experience it for themselves.  There is magic that can await you if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other, believe you can do something, and then set out to do it.

That's all I have for you today folks...I know, it's a lot to digest. Life is sometimes like that, when things happen, they all happen at once and it can be a whirlwind!!!  It's all worth it...so worth it!!

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into my drawing for an original artwork, a copy of Cloth Paper Scissors, and some fun art supplies to go with it!!

Winner will be picked out randomly on Sept. 15th, 2013.

xoxo  Jodi

Early Mornin' Risin  20x20