Blessed...

- to have Happy Hair (yes I do, thanks to my awesome hairstylist, Saylor.) Thank you, Saylor, I needed hair work so, so much!

- to have hard working Michelle come and set me right this week, helping me get my work mo-jo back (yesss!) Thank you, Michelle :o) You, as you know, are awesome. Plus, we are due for a "Toast Mark" throwing session very soon. (Toast Golf?!)

- to have my oldest son back home, start his new school, and be happy with it (OMG, YESSS!) He actually told me yesterday that there's this class, and he really likes it, and he can't figure it out, but the class just goes by so fast... (he has never said anything like this about school, ever in his life)

- to be invited to an Invitation Only Art Show. (Yea!) I said Yes!

- to get an Intern from High Tech High (technically still working out the details, but I will have one soon!!!) I'm so looking forward to this!

- to feel real, honest, gut wrenching relief at the results our family experienced since Drew came home from Outward Bound...heck, I'm still stunned.

- realizing I've talked enough about OB, feelings, mismatched emotions, etc. I think I'm ready to resume a normality now I haven't felt in a long while. Dang good....

Love to you and yours. Have a blessed week...

x, Val

In these moments

Having fun with my new hipstamatic app on the iphone

I'm learning...

Learning to let go of all the preconceived ideas that have had me trapped... as a parent, as a team player in a family (working so hard on this). Letting go as an artist, as a maker, as a handcrafter (working very, very hard on this). Getting better at accepting myself as I am, learning what strengths are my own, trusting that what I am doing is just right, just exactly what I'm meant to be doing (yes). Learning and accepting that the moments of utter despair and heart breaking disappointments are really ok. Really. It's these moments that transport me (us) to new places, and new levels of understanding. Moments I never thought I could endure or even survive, are actually pathways to a whole new world, leading towards a new reality of truths and ultimately a new sort of happiness. Somehow, I must have signed up for this sort of 'trial by fire' learning (really?), and I am learning to embrace it for all the joy that it ultimately brings my way.

So, yes. These moments are teaching me great things, and for that I am supremely thankful.

(on an entirely different note) Some Tattooed Friendlys will be debuting their cuteness and head-shaking wackiness this weekend at the Coronado Flower Show, where I will be a vendor along with the Austin's Gallery artists. Come and visit if you are a flower show affectionado, or if you just want to get a taste of that aforementioned head-shaking wackiness :o)

xx, Val

Knitting My Troubles Away

Scarlett out of Noro Joy, knit in Matsuri, shade 3

Into each knit stitch, a little of the worry goes

Into each purl, a tuck away of trouble

Stitch away those fears, and what comes to pass?

A heart free from fretfulness...

(And a lovely sweater to show for it!)

One week after bringing Drew home from his Outward Bound course, and we are continually amazed at this sure young man who's come back to us. He has matured in leaps and bounds, and has changed in so many positive ways. We are praying the lessons he learned continue to weave their way in to his very being, establishing this path as the foundation for his moral consciousness. It has all been so very good.

Though I have much work to do in the studio... for I have a big show next weekend... all I want to do is sit, muse, and knit. I've already started my next piece... out of Jared Flood's Shelter. Oooh, I'm so excited to bring it to life! I will certainly be knitting all my little insecurities away. Let's just hope it stays that way! (insecurities... little... away... please!)

I thank you so much for your kind words of care and hope during these last few months. Thank you for being there and listening. It means so very much to me :o)

xx, Val

Best Weekend of My Life

It's the feeling after riding your bike 100 miles in one day and you make it to your destination, or walking back 5 miles to the great looking campground you passed on the train... with a 50 pound pack on your back... or, the backbreaking goodness after doing a solid weekend of restoration work on the old home you love. It's the best feeling ever!

Our weekend with all the incredible people from Outward Bound Intercept was seriously one of the highlights of my entire life. And the best part? Seeing Drew. Sharing in his adventures, his learning, his accomplishments... his failures... his making it back up on top. Meeting his course mates; 7 other young men going through their own personal struggles, and coming to terms with positive change. It was the most powerful, healing, touching, amazing experience, and I haven't cried this much in a very, very long time.

Tears from the heart for the paths we have all traveled.

Tears of relief for the strides these boys have made.

Tears of joy for seeing our son find his moment of connectedness and realization.

Tears of wonder, remembering when I forged a similar experience in my own learning.

Tears of thanks for others who dedicate their lives to helping very special young men and women find their way.

"There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less." -Kurt Hahn

Thank you, Outward Bound. I am a supporter of what you do forevermore.

Needle Felted Russian Frieda and Friends

Ladies, your creativity astounds me! Your willingness to venture into the unknown, wielding a sharp stick (needle), blindly working fluffy wool and taming it into a manageable form, tricking the needles to make your smile look like a smile, and an eye do what an eye is supposed to do (look cute!). Taking a risk to give your sculpted wool a unibrow, buttons on a too wide belt, mixing wool color like paint. You were all wonderful students, and make my "job" way too much fun. For that, I thank you....

Dania went the extra mile with the unibrow. So cute!

Awesome needle felters Linda, Estella, Dania, Tekla, and Penny. Robin and Belle had to scoot out before this picture was taken. Here are their creations, many still a work in progress...

You can still sign up to take this class, wanna-be-needle-felters! Call over to Paper Tales, and sign up quick before all the spots disappear. You will be so happy you did!!

Busy chickies over here

We are so busy over here, that I feel like I hardly have time to take a breath! Greg and I are getting ready to head off to the Bay area to pick our son up from his Outward Bound excursion, and man, are we excited to SEE OUR SON! He will have been gone for a whole month. We are so excited, nervous, and hopeful for his updated outlook on life... are we expecting too much??? We love him so much, and want the best for him. Nothing can be harder than seeing your beautiful child falter and fall in making his way through life. Sending him away to a wilderness program is hard, but it's a step that will hopefully help give him tools to realize he can achieve anything in life he puts his mind to, anything he wants. We have such high hopes and dreams for Drew. He is an amazing young man, and is destined for so much goodness. (Drew, you are the man!!!)

We have found renters for our North Park house, and are busy readying that lovely historic house for a new young family. They will take possession of the house the night before we leave to get Drew. It will be such a load off our minds to know we have done all we can to bring that house back to the brink of "perfect"; painted all the sashes, cleaned behind the washer, updated all the yard clocks, etc. Yes, it feels so good to get all that work done!

I am trying to find a moment to post pictures of the wonderful Needle Felting class I taught at Paper Tales on Sunday, the Russian Doll class. Just wait to see the fantastic photos of all the dolls. There's even a Frieda doll!!! You just won't believe how cute they came out. Stay tuned, I will post the photos before I leave on Friday, I promise!!!

And, speaking of the Russian Doll class, we have added another class. So, yea! You can still sign up to take this class!! The date is Saturday, April, 23 from 2:30-6:30. Call over to Paper Tales to sign up. Last time I checked, there are still 5 spots left. So, get goin' girl!!

Tattoos, etc.

I never thought it would happen to me, but it has. I am consumed by tattoos. The idea of the tattoo. The art of the tattoo. The inking, the drawing, the look.

Except not on me. On the Friendlys... I am obsessed.

OB: Land of Wild Parrots

We really enjoy exploring our new neighborhood in the historic Loma Portal area of Pt. Loma. We've always known this area has long been home to several flocks of wild parrots. Obviously pets that flew the coop! We see and hear them flying overhead in squawking groups of 5, 10, 20 or more. They are so "talkative" that you can hear them blocks before they come into view. They perch in the neighborhood trees, always choosing the tallest and bushiest trees. They call down to Lola and I as we walk by on our daily walks.

Last evening, we took our youngest son and a couple of his friends to dinner at our new favorite pizza spot in Ocean Beach. Pizza Port is as loud and busy as a flock of parrots, with families, college kids, young kids, and even grandparents ranging around, eating that yummy pizza, drinking Pizza Port's own beer brews and their homemade root beer. It's a fun filled place, and we like it very much.

Finding a parking spot was tricky, but finally we did. Upon getting out of the car, it sounded like we were in the middle of the rain forest! Parrots clamoring on like there's no tomorrow! Looking up there were only two parrots in the tree! OMG, it sounded like an army of them!

Photo courtesy of San Diego Pictures

What a hoot! Except I'm not sure you'd be too happy about it if it was your house at say, around 6:15 am... I have heard complaints from people who have flocks of these parrots nesting in trees outside their homes. Now I can see why. They are as loud and boisterous as banshees. Talking to them does no good, they just get louder and more playful! What a happy bunch. I'm glad we got to meet the parrots up close and personal. I'm just glad they perch in OB, and don't take much stopover time passing through Loma Portal!

What wild thing have you had the pleasure of meeting lately? I hope they were as tame as the OB Parrots!

Custom Lovables Continue

I've been working on several custom needle felted dog portraits lately. Leo is a dog whose photo I immediately fell in love with. What a kind and caring face. Certainly a dog one would fall in love with at first meeting.

Needle felting Leo's portrait has been no easy task. Similarly hard to photograph a black dog, it's a daunting task to create a black dog's portrait in wool roving. Creating gradations of black has helped, along with the addition of brown. I felt I had to zero in to Leo's eyes to capture his spirit.

The other thing that is extremely helpful for me (making sure I am on the right track) is to take photos of the needle felting and double checking the nf photo against the actual photo. Since I've started this post, I have made 3 adjustments to the needle felted portrait and re-uploaded the new photo. (I'm sorry I didn't leave the 3 discarded photos on the blog so you can see my subtle adjustments-already discarded. Note to self for next time...)

I think I'm ready to proceed onto the next step now, turning the portrait into a pillow. This is a birthday gift for an unsuspecting friend of the purchaser. I think she will be pleased with her timeless portrait of her beloved friend. What a friend Leo is... indeed.

day dawns...

steel grey day blooms in

natures brightest palette. sun

peeks, chasing brilliance

off. colors hide in wait for

dawn's next muddy colored day...

Why Wool?

My total inspiration is wool.

I guess it starts with the wooly sheep I can never get enough of,

Photo courtesy of Yes and Amen, a favorite of mine!

progresses to the fantastic woolen yarn I so love knitting with,

Follow Jarret Flood's fantastic mill tour creating his wonderful Shelter yarn here

to the endless supply of discarded wooly sweaters that I felt,

and that dare me to cut them apart and make into new goods.

This wonderful swing vest was created as a show piece for the Talmadge Winter Show, and it sold. Heck, before I could wear it once, or even take a quick photo with me in it. Based on lessons I learned from knitting Liesl, it's a piece that fits any woman from XS to pretty Large. I must make more of these. As I know from past experiments, my second piece will be much easier. And I know next time to make a pattern, so I don't have to keep inventing the wheel each time I make something new over here... (sheesh, Val)

So, I am s l o w l y, s-l-o-w-l-y, slowly recovering after taking my oldest son up to Northern CA this week, and dropping him off for a month long Outward Bound Intercept course. We are hoping and praying that he comes home knowing more about the maturing boy inside his young man body. Hoping and praying he finds the way towards making more positive choices. Hoping and praying he finds his true heart and his strong character, and learns they are enough to help guide him in this life of his, so filled with promise. So filled with goodness, so filled with people who love and care for him more than words can ever say...

I hope you will say a prayer for him too, our sweet Drew.

xxoo, Val

How's The Creative Flow?

I think we all are creative beings, no matter whether we paint, craft, bead, computer program, design gardens, manage people, etc. I believe that if we are enjoying what we are doing, we are in a creative state of mind. Some of us don't feel creative at day jobs, and search to nourish our creative spirit "after hours". Hopefully, we all find the way to our best state of being, nourishing that creative state of mind, the zen spot where time, place, and even our own sense of self melts away. If we can manage this, life is oh - so - good!

Time, events, obligations, people in need, even our own self doubt are some things that get in the way of nourishing our creative being. It can be such a struggle to tell your creative side to wait, to hold on, to hold that thought.... while you are busy attending to the more insistent situations life throws our way. Kind of like sprinkling cold water over a boiling pot to keep it at a simmer, pushing and keeping those creative voices on the back burner can be so frustrating.

Nurturing ourselves during those frustrating times can help. Carrying a small notebook to jot down the important ideas, to sketch a simple truth, to quell an insistent thought. To just calm a busy mind. These are things that can, and do help. I am planning to nurture myself with several sketch books this upcoming week. It's going to be necessary, for it's going to be a week of compelling emotions.

How about you? How is your creative flow? What are some tools you use to nurture yourself during anxious days? How do you calm a busy mind and get back to the place of zen.... ?

A Dress Inspired By A Lexus Ad

I'm not proud of being inspired by a commercial, but I'm pretty proud of the outcome...

If you stop the ad at the 8 second mark, you will see my momentary flash of inspiration. On TV, that frame only lasts for a second, and I found myself watching for that ad so I could catch the glimpse of my current muse, my passion du jour... it's the colors, the mood, the intensity. Then scroll down to see how my inspiration manifested itself...

Recycled wool, needle felting and embroidery. Sorry about the photos... not so good. I usually prefer to take them in the daylight. But it's late, and Talmadge is tomorrow. Just had to post my last minute inspiration. Did I mention that I work best under pressure? Just give me a deadline, and I jump through hoops to get things done :o) Now off to packing up and all the rest of what needs to be done at 9pm the night before a show...

See you tomorrow!

Talmadge!

Is this Sunday from 10-4! Yep! Have you been to the Talmadge Art Show before? What? You haven't?? Well, let me tell you, you are missing out, girl/guy! Heck!!!

Woodpecker+Bug quilt style art pillow by Val's Art Studio

Talmadge's winter show will be held at NTC Promenade at Liberty Station, at 2875 Dewey Road, building 177. Click here to get more information on how to find the location. If you are good with maps, here's one for you to study...

So, I have been a l i t t l e - b i t - b u s y with life lately... you will notice my new items are a bit sparse, so make sure to get there early if you want a Val Original. The few new pieces I have are extra special. The magical Woodpecker+Bug pillow above is made in a quilt fashion, and I am in love with it. I know you will love it too as soon as you see it in it's wonderful glory.

So, come out and have a visit, see some art, check it out! Talmadge... makes for a creative day :o) See you there!

Time for a Little Bling

(hee hee!) I bet you thought I was talking about jewelry! Am I right?! Well, Bling is a jewel in her own right. I know you agree with me. What dog in the world is more adorable than little Bling? She's just the cutest! This photo (right) was taken when she was just 9 weeks old. Sheesh, what a pose. I can't stop staring at this little lovable!

I met Bling's owner when she came into Austin's Gallery to film me for an internet spot. I had no idea this was going to happen,

and since I'm at Austin's so infrequently, it was amazing she happened to come in on the right day and time. The interview was all about the pillows I make out of recycled wool, with irresistible needle felted art. Of course I had to talk about the custom dog pillows I make. They are truly more special then you can see in the photos. The texture of the felted wool, the tactile quality of the needle felted art, the wonderful finishing details in ribbon and trims... these make a wonderful gift, even if it's for yourself. :o) Well, Bling's owner fell for my spiel, hook, line and sinker. So, now she will have this awesome pillow to last a lifetime. I know Bling is still a pup, but now she'll have Bling to hug forever in this pillow.

So, did you watch the Westminster Dog Show last night? We did, and we love watching this wonderful production each year. I can't get enough of seeing all the dog breeds, and love the short historical descriptions of each breed, as well as what they have been bred to do. We were so thrilled that our beloved breed won best in class for the Working Dogs: yes, the Portuguese Water Dog won in it's group! We tried to rouse Lola from her nap to celebrate the prancing pup on TV, but she had no interest. However, when we turned on the TV at the beginning of the evening, she couldn't take her eyes off the Curly Coated Retriever... we see where her tastes lie...

Happy Dog Days to you. It's that kind of day for me today :o) and that's a good thing!

From the Val in Valentine...

Photo courtesy of Going Home to Roost. Thanks Bonnie!

Not really. The Val in Valerie, but I just thought I'd take the opportunity to say it. Just because of the day :o) I hope your day is the sweetest, most lovable, huggable, pinkest, kissable, cuddliest, red-hot day. Ever. That's what I wish for you.

xxoo, Val

Upcoming Classes + A Show!

Heck, yes! Finally... I've lined up several classes over the next couple of months at Paper Tales, so get your groove on and sign up now! Paper Tales is a place where you can meet like minded souls, learn all kinds of crafty things to make your heart sing, and find the cutest things on the planet. Paper Tales is the creative place, and a great place for classes!

Here's what you can find on the schedule now:

* Feb 20, Sunday 12:30-4:30: Mixed Media Art Journal class. Prepare your journal cover using a multitude of artistic techniques, and embellish your journal withinspirational images or words. Add a painted heartfelt scene, or a hand stitched element. All the techniques you will learn in this class can be applied to painting, scrapbooking, card making and more! More about this class here.

* March 12, Saturday, 12:30-4:30: Mixed Media Art Painting class. This class is similar to the Art Journal

class, but you will be creating a 6 x 6" painting on board. Painting instruction includes paint mixing and some color theory. Add ons (like the flowers you see here) can be purchased the day of the class at Paper Tales. Find out more about taking this class here.

* March 27, Sunday, 12:30-4:30: Needle Felted Russian Doll class. Learn to make one of these fabulous dolls by needle felting, a wonderful craft involving pushing barbed needles through loose wool. Then take your new skills home to finish making the other two. We will make the medium doll in this class, which measures 2 1/2" tall. Embellish your doll with colors or patterns you love. You will fall in love with this amazing and surprisingly easy craft. More here.

And then, a couple of classes where I'm trying to gage interest level. The Needle Felted Birdie Brooch class (by popular demand!). It's the best class for learning the flat needle felting technique. More here. **Please note, that link takes you to an old class date. Just let me know if you are interested in attending an upcoming class. You can leave a comment here on the blog, or email me at valsart@me.com.

New class! A laminated felted wool heart in any shape of your choosing. Embellishing techniques include beading, needle felting, embroidery, button sewing, wire wrapping... the sky's the limit. Turn your woolie creation into a pendant, a brooch, or a woolen wonderful to gift a heartfelt message to a special friend. Once I determine the interest level, I will figure out the cost for this class. The class will contain a kit with the basics. Add ons can be purchased at Paper Tales for a discounted price on the day of the class. Email me or leave a comment if you are interested in this class.

Then, I will be at the Talmadge Art Show at Liberty Station, which is coming up on Sunday, Feb. 27 from 10-4. Mark your calendar, and don't miss out on this great Art Fair!

An Amazing Journey

Photo courtesy of Follow My Bliss. Thanks Barb!

What a gift this life is! Every single day, we have a choice. No matter what the circumstances are, we have a choice. A choice for goodness, a choice to help, a choice to smile, a choice to love. And the best part of it, is that when we choose positive things like these, they all come back to us! Sometimes not right away, and sometimes not in a way we even notice. But, we get the goodness gift in return! Just think, the more goodness we choose, the more that comes our way. Wow, that's powerful.

I just had to put that out there, in case you needed a little reminder :o) Next up, classes! So, stay tuned ... yes! They are finally on the schedule. Hooray!!!

No Bitchy Bunny Today

Sweet bunny today. But yesterday was an entirely different story... Here's how things went down.

Watercolor paintings were the order of the day, and I managed to get 5 done. Wow, that's a great day of work for me! Pirate friendly sorts were how I began. Things got a little fierce by the end of painting #2. A good fierce, though...

Then, well, things got sort of messy. Bad cats, etc. You can see here how it went.

Just went south from there...

I hope I got it out of my system. Today my first painting is titled, 'love me with a big heart'. It's kind of a relief, back to being me, and all. Not a nasty me, didn't like that much...