I am having trouble posting a message today...keep getting a html error message...I hate that!!
So I am going to keep it simple because I have things to do...pack for trip to Macon GA, do my hair, and on and on for Artgirlz!

We had some lovely messages from customers this week and we appreciate it very much...I was trying to share them here, but I don't know if that was part of my problem. The picture below was sent to us by Teri Velazquez and this character is hanging from the rear view mirror of Teri's car!

I also want to add one of Robin Beams necklaces featuring Artgirlz charmz and wool felt beads!

You rock Robin!!

Will report when we return to the studio from the wedding festivities in Macon!

...the essence of craft, as a very delicate, tentative, and maybe even private activity, involving preparedness to fail, and try again, and experiment, and tolerate not knowing what the outcome of this process may be "useful" for.
Radical Craft...The Second Art Center Design Conference...By Janet Abrams

I found this quote in an article yesterday as I looked for guidelines for a design team. I didn't have much luck finding guidelines, but did have a couple of people wish me good luck! I loved the "preparedness to fail", and the ability to "tolerate not knowing the outcome"...I don't like the day to day feeling of it, but I would like more serenity around it...

Was in software hell yesterday and am happy to say that a quick run of a disc utility seems to have fixed the problem...we will see as the day goes on...I really want to have a "fun Friday"...the idea being that we would actually play with materials...what a concept. I talked with a couple of business owners this week and we were all talking about how busy we are with no time for creating...maybe something today...

How about passion flowers...we finally pulled some weeds this week. There are many more to go, and I am hoping that we will have a nice downpour in the next couple of days...not looking good in that area...might actually have to water. There is a distinct feeling of fall today. Just last week everyone was melting from the heat. My sisters in Alaska both had run ins with moose in their gardens. One had her vegetable garden consumed, and the other had all of her flowers gobbled up. I had a very funny conversation with a store owner and day lily collector who told me that rabbits are her biggest headache..."nothing a thirty cent bullet won't take care of..." Miss Never Held a Gun had a good laugh. I have a very clear picture of another peaceful, creative person sitting on her deck with a bb gun aimed at the critters sneaking into her veggie garden...

We will be heading back to the "house on the rocks" off of Jamestown, RI this week end for Ed's 60th birthday party. He is working on a recycled cooking oil venture... The photo on the left is the birthday boy...father of my lovely children and his very generous sister Janet...Jan is the hostess of the year!

And here is a grand photo of the group lovingly known as "the girlz" and generally the "we" in this adventure...
Sue, Midge, Allison, and me...

It was a beautiful weekend here in New England and well deserved after the awful heat wave! Another Artgirlz meeting that started off at the beach early Saturday morning, but we decided to head for the screened in porch due to the pesky flies...definining who we are and where we want to go. Here is a quick view of the girlz garden just before the meeting started.
We went thru 9 pages of words and phrases that have been floating around for two years...as usual, we managed to weed out a few items that didn't quite fit and clarify the vision. Is the concept of "Artgirlz Nation" too lofty? No we said...creating a safe, open, diversified, inclusive, mindful group of individuals is what it's all about...so after I write about our Sunday adventure, I will be back at the task of spreading Artgirlz Propaganda...Be Bold, Be Brave, Trust Your Your Own Vison!






Sunday we left the compound and headed for Jamestown (RI) to visit the "house on the rocks"...Al and I lived in Jamestown in our youth, before the bridge. The house, formally known as Clingstone, is behind us on the left. The strip of land behind the house, across the bay is Newport, and right behind the house, in Newport, the Newport Folk Festival was in full swing. We hooked up with Ed (T's former spouse) and Maggie and took a launch out to the 100 year old house to visit Ed's sister Janet. Jan has the house for a month and generously offered it as a landing spot for friends and family.


It had always been a mysterious place for those of us that only saw it sitting there day after day on a very very big rock just off shore, wondering who lived there and what kind of magical life they must have had. It was an amazing huge summer house with lots of bedrooms and bathrooms, an incredible kitchen, huge dining room with massive windows on two sides, a ping pong table room, a deck all the way around, and a roof top deck. Needless to say, the view from the roof top was beautiful! We all wandered around, switching views, talking, studying old photos of the house and bay, had snacks, took pictures (Al hanging onto one of the balconies), waved to the boats going in and out of the harbor...there were sooo many boats ...It was quite a remarkable, dynamic place! And we get to go back next weekend for Ed's 60th Birthday Party!!

Actually worked in the garden this weekend pulling weeds. It would probably take a week to get it under control, but it is a start! The pond seems to have a happy eco system of it's own going. The baby fish and tadpoles are getting big, the lilies are blooming, the water hyacynths are multiplying! Gotta go...the boss is waiting for me...