New Footage

So, after dozens of emails from my loving family and friends, directing me to give my foot some attention – I did it.  After after Deb and I shot the new video today, I got into the car and drove to the emergency room. 

They promptly put me where I couldn’t run away.

They asked me if I wanted to pose for some photography.  Of course I said yes, thinking maybe I’d be on their next brochure or something.  But no.  they meant x-rays, of course.

And, of course it showed a hairline fracture. The contusion, the doctor told me, is  worse then the fracture, causing most of the pain, swelling and discoloration.

Lovely Rita did a fine job ‘buddy taping’ two…then three of them together and slipping me into a very comfortable uni-shoe.

It’s an attractive black and white number that will match everything I wear….for the next 4 weeks.  Lovely.  Just lovely.

My Left Foot

Well, it’s been an unusal day. I’m not used to hobbling around, but that’s just what I’m doing.  Last night when coming in from parking the car I bumped into the trailer hitch. I’m not sure how much it weighs…but, it’s a lot.  And, when it fell onto my foot, I do believe it broke it. What do you think? 

Thank goodness we have a crutch parked in the corner of the same garage.  I guess I’ll be using it for awhile.  step…bump…step…bump…step…bump….

Mosaic Installation

An old friend, Ted Badgerow, who did the beautiful tile work in our home 16 years ago, asked if I’d help him with a fabulous art mosaic installation.  He sure knows tile, but the artwork itself was something he needed help with.  After a few sketches and approval from Bobbi and her husband, I did a fully painted cartoon, complete with color value #s.  Ted used the cartoon to layout the tile shapes and then make the huge 3′ x 5′ wall mosaic.  It took 4 months and there are thousands of tile pieces.

 

Bobbi had her kitchen entirely redone and Ted prepped the wall for installation of the backsplash.

Ted and a guest carried in the huge piece.  We all held our breath until it was lifted into place.

They set the work on a ledger board and held it into place with construction adhesive.

Here’s a close-up.  The sky is a blue marble that he cut into the curve, broke from the back, and then reassembled.  I can’t imagine how he did it and could still breathe.  I fear my heart would stop doing that with such a beautiful piece of marble.

After installation the newspaper photographer graciously took our photo.

All the border pieces are Lake Superior rocks, collected and sliced paper-thin by Ted himself.  They are so beautiful, that he agreed to help me redo a bathroom using them.  I’m so excited!

Afterwards, Ted (aka Mr. Victorian) sang for us.  His other job is singing and acting, doing gigs all over Ann Arbor and southeastern Michigan.  (Back then, he graciously sang various pieces from different operas while he laid the tile here – so I have luckily heard him many times.)  He’s a terrifically talented man.  He promised that I could help him with more of this kind of work.  (Little does he know, I’d also like to do the tile itself.)

 

Updates & Catch Ups

Update:  Well, the Orkin lady says the bees were Yellow Jackets.  She found a total of 6 nests.  Whatta mess!  Tomorrow I’ll scrub my studio and try and get rid of the pesky pesticides. Pesticides are so icky and give me the creeps as much as the bees did.

Update:  Stampaway USA in Ohio was fantabulous!  Greg from Marco’s Paper posted wonderful and hilarious photos on his blog.  (Check the sidebar for his link. ) There were thousands of people and for anyone who does stamp/craft/scrapbooking shows, this is the granddaddy of shows, this side of the Mississippi.  That’s Frankie in black on the back left and me in the demo spot.  Greg took this photo – so I sort of ‘borrowed’ it for here.

As usual, Connie Williams (Stamp Your Art Out) went all out.  Between the wonderful ‘Ray Charles’esque live muscian and food array, creative companies and amazing classes – no one left unhappy.  She creates a show that appeals to all of your senses!  Plan on attending next year.  (www.stampawayusa.com )

Update:  In the meantime, due to the USAQ YOUniversity (www.usartquest.com) program, our schedule was getting pretty tight, and I am a tad overextended.  SOOOO, we have cancelled the Fort Wayne, Indiana show and hope that you’ll reschedule and pencil in a trip to York, PA.  As a thank you, Frankie and I will actually be teaching classes there, which we haven’t done to date.  (www.heirloompro.com)

Catch Ups: The Ann Arbor Street Show is really several shows in one, and the largest art show in the country. Nearly the whole city is blocked for tents, booths and vendors of every sort. My favorite is usually the University Show since it is juried and there are new artists every year. This year there were two that took my fancy. One was a wood artist from Florida. His turned wood fruit were beautiful and perfect. It took me forever to select the three I wanted for my dining room table.

They have beautiful pewter stems and each is easily 8″ around and 6″ – 10″ tall. Even the board is turned and shaped. They look great on the table.

This little fairy house was one of dozens I could have chosen, but it was one of the more affordable. They are so charming and made with real copper roofs and there is a little bell inside to let me know when someone comes to visit. Each window is a different color and the copper tubing was perfectly curled to resemble the contorted hazelnut branches. I love seeing it with the flowers on the deck, right off from my studio.  I’m certain I hear that bell ring, but I haven’t yet seen the fairy that lives there.

Catch Ups:  Frankie was here and we worked on a few projects for Pam’s shop and several for the gallery.  One of our wonderful products at USAQ is Studio Cloth.  Frankie sewed these up, and we painted and collaged, then slathered on the PPA to produce a checkbook cover that looks and feels like leather and is water-resistant. These five go to Pam first thing on Monday.

 Frankie also brought a few ‘blank’ mouse pads along with her, that I hope to complete over the weekend.  she has suitcases that are never ending!  The mousepads are painted, then collaged and are so pretty.  Since everyone has to have one on their desk, they’re so much nicer then advertising or just a blank mouse pad.

After scrubbing my studio, I hope to do some other projects. I’ll keep you posted on what gets done.