New Websites to Check Out

This wonderful quilt is one of my Mother-In Law Marti Plager's pieces. She has just gotten her website up and running so if you would like to see some of her other quilts check out her website (Marti Plager) I think I may ave to talk her into a collaborative piece one of these days. (Hint hint)

After working on it here and there for the last several months I finally got my new website up and running. I am sure there will be changes coming too it as I figure out what all I want on it and some of the things I can do with the new i-Web software. Any hints or suggestions are welcome. Visit me (Artistic Kreations and Passions) soon, to see my albums for the BJP you can go through the link on the main page of my website or to go directly (Artistic Kreations and Passions BJP Albums).

Besides getting my website up and running this weekend I have been working to get my September BJP page closer to finishing. I am hoping to get it done on time although poor August is still languishing. Now that my website is done maybe I will have a bit more time to play catch-up. October is almost here and a new page with it.

I am a glutton for punishment but my cardio health is improving. On Saturday I did 75 min. on the treadmill and although I had to encourage myself through those extra 15 min. I managed to do it. I am adding 5 more minutes to my typical 40 min. for my Monday- Wednesday treadmill time. I am hoping that I will show marked improvements with my strength and flexibility now that I am adding pilates 2 times a week. It is almost frightening how bad I am at it, at least I am listening to my body and am taking it slow. Also I am not the only one who is at a very basic level so I don't feel too bad.

I've been published!!!

I couldn't wait to share this bit s0 back to back days with posts. OK, it's not my first piece published but it is the first piece I have had in a book. Finalists in Bead Dreams 2006 were invited to send their piece to Japan for a series of 3 shows. They paid for shipping coming and going and each of us was to get a copy of the show book that was being published for one of the shows. My piece has been home for a while but yesterdays mail brought a global express package from Japan so I knew what it was right away. Not surprisingly they did a beautiful job on the book and there is so much incredible eye candy that it will take me a while to go through the whole thing. Called "Graphic Crafts Artist" it includes more than bead work although the bead work section is the largest. It also has quilting, pressed flower art, preserved flower sculpture and gift wrap. Besides the bead work the most impressive was the pressed flower, Some of the pieces you would never have guessed where made from pressed natural materials. Below is a picture of my page (so cool I get my own page). For those who wish to see more photos of the piece including some of the details visit my Artistic Kreations and Passions website.

Wayne's Birthday

Today is my husband Wayne's 42nd birthday. He is in Iraq and has an inspection so I doubt that it is his best birthday but you do what you must. He called last night so I got to wish him an early Happy Birthday. This is dedicated to him and all of the people far away from family and friends on important days during their life. The photo is one that Wayne took while they were training before he left. It is pre-dawn and the shutter speed was slow. They are in essence "Shadow Warriors". He took a lot of great photos and this is one of my favorites.

I had a private class on Friday and it went really well. I think that my student is going to want to take some more classes before I go traveling for the holidays. I stopped at a grocery store on the way home to get a few things including some beer, one month before my 40th birthday and I got carded. (And yes I Thanked him).

My back is slowly getting better and starting this week I am going to be adding pilates classes to my routine and hope that strengthening my core body will help me in the future. At this point I am doing 3 days at 40 min and 2 days at 60 minutes on the treadmill. The plan is to add the pilates as an addition to my cardio time. Now if I had as much discipline in watching what I eat. I am still doing better than I was but not as good as I would like.

I am keeping busy and hope that as my back feels better I will be more productive. Even when you keep going if you don't feel great it seems to slow you down.

And the journey contiues

For the second time since Wayne has been gone I have gotten my back out of sorts, I think it might have been doing yoga and maybe doing to much to soon, not sure but not happy either.

Except for today I have been doing pretty good with my exercise, I have been doing 40 min. on the treadmill and have gotten much better at it. I usually do it 5 days a week since I do it on the days the gym is open. I have also been doing some strength work as well but keeping that pretty easy at this point. In the last 2 weeks I have done 3 days where I put in 60 min on the treadmill. I will probably try for that 1-2 days a week.

I signed up for an e-course called "Create the Work You Love". The second of the 12 weeks started today. The course is designed by Tama J Kieves who wrote the book "This Time I Dance! Creating the Work You Love". I am hoping that this will help me on the more creative side of the journey and transformation I am undergoing. I do believe that things come to you when you need them or are ready for them and I feel this course is one of those things. I had a similar experience with "The Artist Way" by Julia Cameron when we were in Hawaii, although I had gotten the book as a gift from Wayne's mom , Marti and tried to do it on more than one occasion it suddenly felt right and was "easy" to do. For those of you artist out there who are plagued by your "Inner Critic" I recommend it. I learned a lot about myself and how to listen to my inner child more and not that pesky critic.

I am slowly finding my way and although at times I feel like I am wading through mud I know that every step in my journey will be worth it.

When Life Gets in the Way.

OK, I know I promised a photo of my finished Pop-Top purse like forever ago but finally here it is. It along with my "Dragons Fly Into My Heart" purse and compact and my "Flower Trellis" neck piece are my 3 entries for Bead International. Should hear about that in early October. It will be interesting to see how I do, very competitive. If you would like to see photos of my other pieces go to my website Artistic Kreations and Passions.

I had a wonderful time in King of Prussia (is that not a fun name for a town) near Philly. I shared a room with my friend Roma and her husband Tony and had a great time with them and getting to catch up with Roma. I took 4 classes and learned a lot. I took 2 business classes which I think are going to help me as I move forward in trying to figure out how I want to support my habit. I took a class making Russian Leaves that did not go real well but I still figured out what I was supposed to learn. I took a wire class from Lisa Niven Kelly which was a blast and although I haven't finished my bracelet yet I know what to do just need more time to do it. As you can see from the photo of my purchases above I spent more than I should but had a great time doing it. (Can you tell I love seed beads?)

I got my October issue of Bead and Button and it's Bead Dreams supplement has my Dragonfly purse in it. It is always very cool to see something I have made in print.

The day after I got back from my trip I got the news that Wayne's Uncle Mike had died. Definitely not good news and Wayne was upset that there was no way he could be there for his Father and the rest of the family. It is so hard to lose someone that you love and my prayers go out to all of the family and friends who have lost a wonderful man.

With all of the good news and the sad news I have been bouncing around a bit emotionally in the last week or so. It has been a bit weird to want to laugh and cry at the same time but there have been moments when I have been there. I have been taking a bit of Me time and trying to keep up with things I know will help me de-stress. I have made 4 more collage pages in the last week and spent time tearing up paper which is good for working off a bit of stress.

I am starting an e-course this week called "Create the Work You Love" it goes for 12 weeks and I am hoping it will help me find a direction to go while trying to support my creative habits.

To find out how I am doing on my BJP and my "Physical Enablement" check out my AKP Bead Journal Project blog.

I am a bit behind on several things but sometimes life gets in the way. At least I am not bored with Wayne gone. He is doing well by the way. I hear from him regularly by e-mail or phone and he is keeping super busy. He has lost weight and is alternating running and time in the gym in what little spare time he has, not that he has a lot of that.