My New (revised) Triptych Book Class

In 1999 or 2000, I taught one of my favorite book forms, my triptych book. After some time, I decided to bring the form back but alter it a bit. Here is my new triptych book class a la 2008. The binding is completely different and the book has shrunk! The construction has also been changed and more signatures have been added. I'll be debuting this class a week from Saturday (Dec 20th) in Thousand Oaks. I'm REALLY looking forward to teaching this book form.

If you're interested in the Thousand Oaks class on Dec 20th, you can email me to sign up.

I spent last night making a couple of new books. Tomorrow I'll show you my new "Reclaimed" book I made (it's small and I LOVE it!)

New store *alert*!!!!

There's a NEW store in Los Angeles!! It's called Millie Papercrafts. My friend Kara told me about it last night. My jaw dropped when I saw it!! What a cute space filled with paper that I *love* and stamps too!!!!!! And *the* cutest dog (next to my sister's dog, Dewey) named Millie. Millie wanted to shower me with love and kisses when I walked in (what a cute pooch!!) Jennifer, the store owner was great to talk to!! The store is extremely inviting and chock full of fun stuff. They even have space in the back for classes!!!

The store is open:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 11 - 7
Wednesday 11 - 7
Thursday 11 - 7
Friday 11 - 7
Saturday 11 - 7
Sunday 12 - 7

Millie Papercrafts is located at
138 N. La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Between Beverly and First
Parking is available in the back
(323) 934-4900

This is dangerous ;) a store that is a mere 5 minutes from my house!!! I'm very excited!!!

*****
David, Tristan and I went to see a film last night-RASHOMON at the Academy on Wilshire (cheap tickets for one of our favorite movies-yay!) Any ways, there were a LOT Of Japanese people-FROM Japan - there because it was recently restored, etc...Amazing that people traveled so far for this event-it's a tribute to Kurosawa's brilliance. We sat in the back row. After the film ended, we were the first ones up and out (to go see the director, Akira Kurosawa's exhibit of his personal items, diaries, photos, stamps (!!! he carved his own chop style stamps), etc... So, we all go down the stairs and I turn to my right and see a Japanese film crew (!!!!!!! ACK!!! I KNOW what's coming!!) Sure enough-we start to book it across the hall (for some reason we seem to be a magnet for film news crews). The lady news reporter starts FOLLOWING us saying "Excuse me...excuse me..." I stop (David and Tristan kinda kept going...) and she asked if we could be interviewed. I really don't like being interviewed (and David and Tristan are worse then me!!! SHY!) So I look at David and I really don't know how to say no to this lady (she was very polite). Any ways instead of interviewing the 3 of us at the same time (which would have been BETTER and would have worked) they interview us separately starting with ME (ugh-I was horrible), David was great...then they go to ask Tristan questions and he starts to run away!!!!! ha ha ha ha ha!!! I am still laughing. I shrugged my shoulders and told the lady again "I said he was shy!!" LOL!! It was very funny!!!! I still can't get the sight of Tristan RUNNING away out of my mind and am still laughing about it!!!

Those of you in L.A. should visit the Academy's lobby and 4th floor gallery space to check out the vast amount of Kurosawa memorabilia. Check the website for specifics.

You can also see Akira Kurosawa's drawings online here.

The 4th floor has a catalog available (for $25) of some of his artwork. Amazing, beautiful work. Towards the end of his life he wasn't writing scripts, but solely working from his drawings, paintings and sketches. His work is pure poetry in motion.

To think that he was almost completely blind when he directed Ran...the majority of the artwork that is at the Academy is post 1985!!!

Go rent Rashomon, you won't regret it.

These are the little booklets that I was telling you about last week. I didn't have as much time as I thought I would to work on these while at Comic Con, but I managed to get some pages done. I am totally TOTALLY in love with these little books. I fit 5 of them (though I ended up only bringing 3) along with a ton of collage crap in a little blue wet ones bin. These are a brand new class I will be debuting this Fall and I hope you will love them as much as I do :) They are portable and all you need is a glue stick and a pen, and you can bring them anywhere!!!





FYI,

I have two classes this coming weekend in Thousand Oaks and in L.A. More info can be found here. Both classes are a GO. If you are interested in the Thousand Oaks class, please email ME to sign up. If you are interested in L.A., please phone the store.

In a week, I will be leaving for Art Unraveled. I'm teaching 4 workshops and I can't wait!!!

After AU, I will be home for a couple of days and then Tristan and I jump on a plane and go back East. I'll be teaching both weekends. The first weekend I will be at The Stamp Act in Marshfield and the following weekend, I will be at Ink About It in Westford. There are samples in the store and I will post more pictures on my workshop info blog about the MA classes next week.

Posting may be erratic...I'm just trying to get everything done before we leave! :)

Photos of "The Storyteller" workshop that I taught Sunday at Stampin' From The Heart:This is the demo book I made while teaching. I had a great GREAT time and *loved* what the students did. It was a ton of fun!!!! LOTS of layers!!




There's another sample of one of the Storyteller books here.

I will be teaching at Zinnia in So Pasadena on July 5th.

In the meantime, here is my schedule for the rest of 2008:

June
13-15^th Stampers Warehouse Danville http://www.stamperswarehouse.com/
21^st Zinnia Pasadena What Next?
22^nd Stamp Addict San Diego Snippets
25^th Stampin From The Heart LA Goin’ Postal
28^th Private Home in Thousand Oaks “Day by Day” Book workshop open to the public (please email Kelly to sign up)
29^th Art Bar Santa Ana Snippets

July
5^th-Zinnia So Pasadena The Storyteller
6^th-Stamp Addict Fukuro Toji
11^th & 12^th-Artful Living Ojai Snippets Book and Some of Us Are Brave (Please contact: artfulliving@ojai.net to sign up!!)

13^th-Art Bar Fukuro Toji
19^th-Private Home in Thousand Oaks Fukuro Toji, workshop open to public (please email Kelly to sign up)
20^th-Stampin’ From The Heart LA-The Artist & her symbols

August
2^nd-Private Home in Thousand Oaks Workshop The Storyteller, workshop open to public (please email Kelly to sign up)

3^rd-Stampin’ From The Heart LA Prompted

4-10^th Art Unraveled Phoenix, AZ www.artunraveled.com

15^th and 16^th The Stamp Act Marshfield MA www.thestampactstore.com/
22^nd and 23^rd Ink About it Westford , MA www.inkaboutitonline.com/

September
6^th & 7^th Artful Living Ojai TBA
13^th Zinnia So Pasadena Fukuro Toji
14^th Stampin From The Heart LA TBA
20^th Private Home in Thousand Oaks workshop TBA, workshop open to public (please email Kelly to sign up)
21^st Art Bar Santa Ana Storyteller

26-28^th Great Art Adventure Spokane , WA TBA

October
3-5th Frenzy Stamper Scottsdale, AZ www.frenzystamper.com
11th Zinnia So Pasadena TBA
12th Art Bar Santa Ana TBA
17-19th Stampers Warehouse Danville, CA www.stamperswarehouse.com
25th Private Home in Thousand Oaks workshop TBA, workshop open to public (please email Kelly to sign up)
26th Stampin From The Heart LA TBA

November
1st & 2nd Artful Living Ojai workshop TBA
7-9th Artists' Nook Bellvue, CO http://www.theartistsnook.net/
15th Private Home in Thousand Oaks workshop TBA, workshop open to public (please email Kelly to sign up)
16th Stampin' From The Heart LA workshop TBA
22nd Zinnia So Pasadena TBA
23rd Art Bar Santa Ana TBA

December
6th UCC Venica, CA TBA
7th Art Bar Santa Ana TBA
13th Private Home in Thousand Oaks workshop TBA, workshop open to public (please email Kelly to sign up)
14th Stampin' From The Heart L.A. TBA
20th TBA
21st TBA
27th Zinnia So Pasadena
28th TBA

Fukuro Toji Book class this Sunday at Zinnia in So Pasadena

I'll be teaching my Fukuro Toji class THIS Sunday at Zinnia in So Pasadena (626 441 2181)

I love the size, shape and appearance of this book! It’s small enough that it will fit in your purse. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face as you work on the pages. Learn how to combine scrapbook paper, various ephemera, tape, layered writing, acrylic paint and more to create this unique journal unlike any you have seen before. Learn a new way of sewing the “4 hole Toji” stitch a la Kelly Style. Not only will you walk out with a book with several pages completed, but you’ll walk out full of new and fresh ideas guaranteed to put the kick back into your artwork!

Supply list: Clear Packing Tape, Please bring a small stash of collage ephemera (color copies, handmade/decorative papers, etc…), scissors, bone folder, cork backed metal ruler, one permanent black ink pad (like Versafine or Memories), full roll of paper towels, full roll of waxed paper, container to hold water in, 3 1” bristle brushes or favorite brushes to paint and glue with.

Questions? Please drop me an email. To sign up, please phone the store. Zinnia is open 11 to 6 Tues- Friday and 10 to 5 on Saturdays (Sundays-call first).

Journal pages-


I hope that everyone's been having a nice weekend. I taught on Saturday at Janet's house. We had a ton of fun and made not one, but TWO two needle coptic books. Good group!
Sunday, Tristan and I got up early to make the $6 9:45 a.m. showing of Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull at Century City's AMC theater. The movie was "good" (not bad, but not great). The acting was good...it's just that the story line wasn't the best and it made a better sequel to Close Encounters then the Indiana Jones series.

I've been trying to finish up a sample for my new class called "The Storyteller". It's a journal form I've never taught in a class before but one I think you will all be very excited about. We'll also be exploring (hands on, diving right in) new collage and mixed media techniques. I'm loving the size and format of the book (and I hope you will too!). I hope to post pictures of it tomorrow on the blog.

I received issue #2 of Lines & Shapes. I really like this little book. It's pricey at $25 an issue, but so far I have been very happy with the issues I've bought. You can see some of the "insides" of each book on their site. I suggest looking through it though as it's not something everyone who reads this blog will enjoy (but I love it!!) I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from books like these.

I also received my three "Paumes" books that I ordered from Japan. WOW! I think some of you know that I collect and treasure these little books. The ones I ordered this time were the new ones:
PARIS BOUQUINS
ATELIERS DE FILLES 2
PARIS BROCANTE
If you go to their site and click on "book", you will see more pictures, etc...
The one thing you need to realize is that the books are not in English. They are in Japanese (sometimes they are in Japanese AND French). I just love looking at the pictures in each one.
With the rapid decline of the U.S. dollar, the shipping cost was high ($20 to ship all 3). It was about the same cost to buy them through Kinokuniya in the States. Again, not something everyone will enjoy, but I adore them!!

*****

I have three workshops coming up this week. If you're interested in learning the 2 needle coptic stitch book, sign up now! I have new classes that I'm eager to debut and won't be teaching this one again for awhile :)

Wed night, May 28^th Stampin from the Heart 2 needle coptic 6:30 to 8:30 310 391 0466

Sun June 1^st Zinnia So. Pasadena Fukoro Toji 626 441 2181

To sign up, please phone the store. Questions? Please drop me an email. :)

Two more journal pages from AZ:
This Saturday, I will be teaching a BRAND new class that I am very eager to debut at Stampin' From The Heart in L.A. (310 391 0466). It's called What Next? It's a class for EVERYONE-from beginners to advanced. It's a workshop I developed after students asked me for another workshop where we bring our books back to class (or papers if you'd like!) and work IN the books (or ON the paper). It's chock full of brand spanking new mixed media techniques (yes, paint AND collage). I guarantee you will *love* this class.

What Next? 4 hours You’ve made your journal, your altered book, your artist’s book. In fact, you’ve probably made more the one. You’ve got the gusto, now get the inspiration, the ideas and new techniques you’ve been craving for. In this workshop, we will spend the class working hands on IN the pages of your book. You will learn new mixed media techniques (yup, we’ll cover it all-all NEW ideas!!) that will have you reaching for your paint brush or glue stick on a regular basis! You will need a journal or several sheets of heavy cardstock for this class!

Supply list- Students should, please, bring to class: Journal (see description), Scissors, bone folder, cork backed metal ruler, 3 1" bristle brushes to paint and glue with, container to hold water, small selection of collage ephemera to use, roll of waxed paper, roll of paper towels. Questions? Please email Kelly

*****
Interesting article on flying in the States...

Ephemera scraps in a journal...



Here is a list of my workshops for March-June. I will also be teaching in the New England area in MA (at The Stamp Act Store in Marshfield and Ink About it in Westford) and in AZ at Art Unraveled in August. I will be in AZ at Frenzy Stamper in May and at Stampers Warehouse in No CA in June. Hope to see you there!

March

Sat 29-Zinnia So Pasadena About Face

Sun 30^th The Art Bar Santa Ana Inspired: More Inspirations for an Artist’s Journal

April

Sat 5^th-Private Home in Thousand Oaks “About Face” workshop open to public

Sun 6^th Stampin from the Heart L.A. Fukoro Toji or little Bound Book

Sat 12^th Zinnia Pasadena Snippets

Sun 13^th Stamp Addict San Diego Inspired: Inspirations for An Artist’s Journal

Sun 20^th Art Bar Santa Ana Day by Day Book

Sat 26^th Creative Courage Woodland Hills About Face

Sun 27^th Zinnia Pasadena An Artist’s Journal

Wed 30^th Stampin from the Heart L.A. Soft & Gentle Whispers

May

2-4^th Frenzy Stamper Scottsdale

Sat 10^th Stampin from the Heart LA What Next?

Sat 17^th Private Home in Thousand Oaks “Inspired” workshop open to public

Sun 18^th Zinnia Day by Day Book

Sat 24^th Stamp Addict TBA

Sun 25^th Art Bar Snippets

Wed 28^th Stampin from the Heart 2 needle coptic

Sat 31^st Creative Courage Woodland Hills Snippets

June

Sun 1^st Zinnia Pasadena Fukoro Toji

Sun 8^th Stampin from the Heart LA Storyteller

13-15^th Stampers Warehouse Danville

Sat 21^st Zinnia Pasadena What Next?

Sun 22^nd Stamp Addict San Diego TBA

Wed 25^th Stampin From The Heart LA Goin’ Postal

Sat 26^th Private Home in Thousand Oaks “Day by Day” workshop open to the public

Sun 27^th Art Bar Santa Ana Fukoro Toji

*Please note: I do travel! :) If there is a store near you that I do not teach at please contact me! Local So CA stores: Art Bar 714 558 2445;Creative Courage (818) 884-1771 ; Stamping from the Heart 310-391-0466; The Stamp Addict 1-866-667-5060; Zinnia 626-441-2181

Getting ready for my workshops this weekend at Stampers Warehouse! I'll be teaching FIVE Mixed Media classes that have been extremely popular and are some of my favorite classes :)
There's room in all of the workshops so if you're interested, check out the info here and phone the store at 925 362 9595~!

Some journal pages I did yesterday at the library-

It's the last trip to the library for awhile. The pens I used were all bought at JetPens online like the Latte pens and thePentel Pocket Brush Pen.
I also used acrylic paint on the backgrounds and a variety of handmade/decorative papers and various images on top. I used a "permanent" glue stick.

Started this page but haven't finished it-
Leaving for Danville early tomorrow (Thurs) morning. I probably won't be updating my blog from there. Looking forward to hanging out with my friends Alix & Kathy tomorrow. We're planning on visiting Flax and some other fun art stores. They're always a ton of fun and I'm happy I can spend some time with them!!

Starting Friday-Sunday, I'll be teaching 5 workshops: An Artist's Journal, Soft & Gentle Whispers (Mixed media background techniques), Inspired: More exercises for an Artist's Journal, Not Your Kid's Crayons (techniques for water soluble crayons) and About Face.

I am REALLY looking forward to it!!! See y'all there!

Three New Journal Pages-Two about the "old" and "new" cars...

It's a lovely Saturday morning except for the little fact that our landlords are harassing us again (I hate these bastards!!)...Life is being made "wonderful" because one evil tenant with talons wants a parking space. We just found out that we are probably the only ones who have been paying $20 a month for the past 12+ years for a parking space. This evil tenant is the same person responsible for the landlord and the city removing the one tree that provided shade (hence and a little weather relief) for the building. Needless to say, I am not happy.

Three new journal pages done within the last 24 hours. Can y'all tell I am in love with Hambly rub ons (I bought these at Zinnia the other day). The page below talks about how worried I am that the damn government and news media are beating the drums for war against Iran-the damn drum beats keep getting louder and louder. When will it ever stop?

Yup. That's me courtesy of David's wonderful photo taking ability getting ready to drive our '92 Toyota Tercel out of the drive way for the last time *sob*. This was the car that David picked me up at LAX for the first time in wayyy back Christmas '95. This was the car that we drove to San Pedro to get married in, a week later. This was the car that we drove to and from the hospital when Tristan was born. This was the car we had our first fight in (not that we've had too many of those). This was the car I schlepped all over So CA to teach workshops in from Ventura to San Diego to Lake Elsinore and everywhere in between!
You can get a glimpse of the "new" (6 years old) green car in the picture. Anyone else notice that our cars are Christmas colors?


I'm teaching at The Art Bar tomorrow from 12:30 to 5:30 so if I'm a wee bit late on updating the blog... y'all know where I am ;)