Featured in Cloth Paper Scissors! Special Giveaway!

This is probably the  closest I will come to having my name up in lights, and guess what..I'll take it! I wanted to share a little peek at my work featured in this month's issue of Cloth Paper Scissors "Graffiti Doodle Houses" and give you a fun opportunity to win a signed copy and one of the pieces 

featured in the article!

I'm beyond thrilled at how the article turned out, my pieces were showcased so nicely and it's always fun to see your name in print!!!

"The Small Things"   (You can win this piece pictured above!)

 

All of these pieces were completed on wood, recycled wood that I actually, believe it or not, cut myself! Even the shaped houses!  I'm lucky to have a good friend  *Mary N. of " Mary's Funky Fish"

who, bless her heart, is teaching me how to use power tools.  Kind of a scary thought, truthfully. I have to say though it's empowering to do things you have always had other people do for you or relied on others to get done.  I want to do more of those type of things in 2014..not necessarily just cutting my own wood..but learning how to do all sorts of tasks that I previously washed my hands of or never attempted.   I think that in doing so, it can help build confidence.

I've been working on this series of fun graffiti doodle style houses for awhile now, probably about 2 years and yet I still find that I get such a thrill out of designing fun make believe little worlds or villages.

I love the thought of finding a happy place where you feel comfortable, wanted, and amongst friends.  That true sense of community where life is good and fun.   Yes..in a lot of ways, I have found that place of my own...in a lot of ways, I'm still searching for all the components to truly make it ideal. Until it all comes together, I will continue to build these colorful villages and hopefully they will transport both myself and those that will come to own them,  into world that first and foremost, makes you smile.

I'd love for you to have one of these pieces and a signed copy of the magazine, so let's get this giveaway started!

How to enter?  Simply leave me a comment and tell me one place you like to go to that brings a smile to your face, perhaps it's a pizza place that you and your friends gather every Friday night. Maybe it's the boardwalk street down at your favorite beach or the once a year fair that comes to your town every July.    Little pockets of memories that bring you joy...that's where the story of our lives reside.

Enter to win today through Friday! Winner will be chosen this Saturday, January 18th, 2014.

:)  Jodi

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Be sure to check out my Etsy shop for tons of new items this week!

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Are you looking to start the New Year off on a creative foot and need a little inspiration to get started? If so, join my new class "Art Journal: The Book" and learn how to make an ez peezy art journal along with some unique prints to get that inspiration started.  This class is featured at an extra special price of only $22.00; 8 videos and over an hour  and 15 minutes of content for you to enjoy 24/7 with unlimited access.

Class begins January 27th.

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Do you want to get your creative on in person?  Join my first group of live workshops coming up in March over at Random Arts in Saluda, NC.  Saluda is a quaint little mountain town right near Asheville, also conveniently located with just a short road trip from Atlanta, Tennessee, Raleigh, and Charlotte.    3 Days of workshop can be purchased together or sold separately but don't delay, space is limited and will sell out quickly!

Here's a peek at my workshops:

Angelic Inspirations

Pods Abilities

Texturize This!

 To sign up for the workshops, simply contact Jane Powell at randomarts@charter.net

Transforming Me...

I've been painting a lot lately.....lots and lots.....which is a GREAT thing...a terrific feeling to be productive. And I need to be, I have 3 shows coming up, 2 of which are pretty big shows, and....if you see the new video link on my blog, you'll find another project I'm involved in  which is going to be HUGE...."Artful Gathering" which is going to be an all inclusive trip to artsyville online, 17 artists offering 6 weeks of amazing workshops.  I'm also working on my workshop which will be a part 2 sorta, kinda, of my Fun with Faux Encaustic, I can't wait!!  This will be a great event, full of giveaways, shopping, creative learning, meeting new friends and more!  (coming this summer....all the details are on the Artful Gathering website)

In the midst of all this painting...I'm realizing I'm moving in some new directions artsy wise. I'm loving this abstract/graffiti work, I've done four pieces in this new collection so far and I want to continue to explore all the possibilities that it offers. It's all about evolving, isn't it.  Something new that ignites that flame of passion for what you are doing. I want to feel that every day!  Not that I'm giving up my whimsical illustrative paintings, I love love love doing those, too...but these techniques are stretching me in a new way and they do lend to working larger a bit easier then the illustrative paintings do...and working larger is something I've been doing more of lately.  In fact, I bought a 36 x 48 painting a couple of weeks ago and it's tempting me.....taunting me...but I'm going to do it!  Go big or go home!  In some ways, it's also business related not just technique related that I want to work bigger at least a few bigger pieces more often then I've been doing....the way I look at it, if it takes me a week to make 5, 100 dollar pieces--and it takes me a week or two to do one LARGE piece for 700-2000 dollars, well then it makes sense to work larger.  At the same time, larger pieces may not sell as quickly as the smaller pieces--but that's okay because I will continue to create in all price ranges. Doing so will help me continue to grow and add to my collector base :)

Life is good...it's full of so many possibilities....

Sometimes it takes a quiet moment to ourselves to discover all of those possibilities...

....or a moment to sit down and reflect on where we've come from and where that road is taking us next...

It's a winding road. I've been feeling it a lot lately...despite my productivity....It's been a challenge for me to do as much as I want to do.  My energy seems to keep getting sucked out of me ALOT quicker than it used to. I think stress is a big factor....but it's just one of many things that play on our overall well being.  I need to reflect on what those things are and make changes to the way I handle it and even maybe ways to eliminate them altogether.   Eat better, sleep more, exercise more, have quiet time, create, don't procrastinate, stay focused and DREAM BIG....all things I intend to do as I embark into this Spring season.  

Come join me making better choices in our everyday life so our tomorrows continue to come as long as they are meant to.  Choices that will make a difference in your world. Leave behind the ones that drag you down or suck the life out of you.  We deserve that, don't we?

I may not be getting any younger, but there's still a few good years left in me :) Might as well make the most of it!

Hope you have a week full of happy choices and productive possibilities. :)