Lauren Ferguson | There are no mistakes in art, just opportunites to embellish. (tm)

Save this Date **February 27 to March 4, 2010**

It is official the cruise is a go!

Artistic Voyage
Mixed Media Cruise

5 Day Western Caribbean Tour

February 27 to March 4, 2010

A new and exciting Mixed Media event the whole family can enjoy!

Enjoy fabulous classes, the luxury and relaxation of cruising, gourmet food, wonderful shows and lots of
entertainment to suit you and your family.

This is a retreat with something for everyone.

With a cruise retreat,
there is so much more included!!

Compare other 5 day events to all that's included in our amazing rate!

5 Day Western Caribbean Cruise including classes, is only:

$638.67 Inside Stateroom, $678.67 Oceanview Stateroom
Featuring a 24 hour private workroom and 2 workshops included in the price!

Take $120 off the above price for non crafters.

Limited number of triples and quads.

Prices are person in US
dollars and include all taxes and government fees.

Suites available on request.

Deposit: $200.00 per person to secure your place, due now.

Fully refundable right up until
final payment.

Final payment due 15 December, 2009
DO NOT BOOK ANY AIR UNTIL NOTIFIED

It is going to be a great time. I am so excited that I can just... well you know what I mean.

until we meet again,

You've Got Mail

I have to say that it is hard designing for publications.

You can't blog about it until it has gone to print.

Finally, in my mailbox today was Altered Arts Magazine.

A friend had just found out that she was having a baby girl. I wanted to be at the baby shower but money, time and distance did not let that happen.

I had always wanted to do a dress form and I finally had the inspiration. I just loved how it came together.

The center piece was a pin that my maternal Grandmother wore on her coat during the winter.

What a way to give an old piece some new life!

until we meet again,

I said "Yes!"

Yep, I did it!

I agreed to be the Newsletter Editor for ISABA.

I know I know, I just took a bunch off my plate why put this on? It took me a few days to figure that out also.

So here is what I have come up with... Stick with me...

What a wonderful platform that is not being used to its fullest potential. I have read through their website and there is some fantastically talented AB Artists.

They just need someone to shout it from the roof tops. What better candidate for the job than me!

I hope that my enthusiasm is contagious.

The gig that I had at the Public Library was from an inquiry made to ISABA.

I started an altered dictionary for my parents. I called it a dedicationary.

DIC - TIO - NARY
Pronunciation: 'dik-sh&-"ner-E      Function: noun
1 : a reference book containing words usually alphabetically arranged along with information about their forms, pronunciations, functions, etymologies, meanings, and syntactical and idiomatic uses
2 : a reference book listing alphabetically terms or names important to a particular subject or activity along with discussion of their meanings and applications
3 : a reference book giving for words of one language equivalents in another
4 : a list (as of items of data or words) stored in a computer for reference (as for information retrieval or word processing)

DED - I - CA - TION
Pronunciation: "de-di-'kA-sh&n      Function: noun
1 : an act or rite of devoting to the worship of a divine being or to a sacred use
2a : a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose or definite use b : to commit to a goal or way of life
3a : a name and often a message prefixed to a literary, musical, or artistic production in tribute to a person or cause b : to inscribe or address by way of compliment <dedicate a book to a friend>
4 : self-sacrificing devotion

DED - I - CA - TION - ARY
Pronunciation: "de-di-'kA-sh&n-"ner-E      Function: noun
1 : an oversized brag book about one’s grandchildren that sits on the coffee table at their new house in Atlanta
2 : a reference book containing crafted memories of grandchildren usually alphabetically arranged with short stories and messages from the little rugrats about how much they love their Nana and Poppy and could not live without them, and who would want to
3 : information about their grandchildren that probably no one else would want or even care to know, but that only Nana and Poppy find meaningful uses for
4 : an altered dictionary that their daughter has turned into a work of art with the sole purpose of allowing Nana and Poppy to brag about their grandchildren and all of their wonderful accomplishments
5 : made with love & care only once in a lifetime

Opps, I digressed...

So I see it as a win win situation. This may be the kick in my butt that I need to get that project done.

Well, off to go design a newsletter.

until we meet again,

Of course I do! Do Yudu?

I give the Yudu 2 thumbs up!!!

I have been in my craft room for the past three days Yudu-ing everything that I can put my hands on.

It is a fabulous tool. I have to say that it surpassed my expectations.

If you want one than you need to get one. You are going to have to weigh the cost benefit for yourself.  But let me see what I can do to push you off the fence.

You must watch three YouTube Videos.

1. The Impatient Crafter presents: I do, YuDu (Home Screenprinting Machine)
2. Tutorial: Provo Craft Yudu Emulsion 101
3. Getting to know the Yudu (it has seven parts)

The hardest part of the process is deciding what image. The type of image you choose will depend on the size of your screens.

There are two size screens 110 (which comes with the machine) and 220.

I have used only the 110s on the images in this post. When I tried to create a detailed image, the holes were too large and it lost the crispness that I was expecting. But I could see how the 220 would have been perfection!

I love bookplates. I had some copyright free images from Dover Publications.

The image on the right is the inverse of the image on the left. You are going to need to make as many images as you want to add layers of color.

The instructions are easy, the process just takes a long time. When Margot says that if you make the emulsion too wet you will be waiting and waiting and waiting... She is not exaggerating.

If you have a blow dryer, use it.

NOT A HEAT GUN!!! 

You will melt it. Trust me... Don't ask.

Needless to say I am the proud owner of a blow dryer.

I hope that with the upgrade, they would put a stronger motor in it so that they could use a stronger fan to cut down on dry time. The screen must be completely dry in order for the ink, paint or dye not to bleed under.

But the light to emulsion ratio is perfect. Just leave the machine set for 8 minutes and you get a perfect, I mean to die for perfect, screen print.

OK, so now what all is good for the machine.

Basically, anything that can lay flat. I have done acrylic, handmade paper, lutrador, manila, chipboard, wood and metal.

It all boils down to understanding what ink, paint, or dye you are going to add to the top of the surface.

I love the black on the acrylic. I can see glittering up the peacock and stitching a book cover. Yes, that is what I have planned for that piece.

You can also use your personal cutter with vinyl to make a mask that can lay on the screen. This would cut down on all the dry time for the emulsion. 

       

As you can tell, it also depends on what order to put the screens on your surface.

I should have reversed the blue and the black.

I loved the red and the silver.

Doing the two colors requires a bunch of patience. You have to line up the images. I was off on a few and that is just fine by me. But it can be done. I did it once.

The possibilities are endless. 

until we meet again,

Fired Up and Ready to Go!!

Yes, I am here to tell it. I have been asked by Crafting Cruises to do my very own cruise!

Yep, you heard it first here. In February 2010, I have been asked to do a Cruise!

I choose this cruise for two reasons:

1) I have a love affair with the Grand Cayman. The weather is perfect all year round.

2) The Conference Room has an OCEAN VIEW!!! DID YOU HEAR ME...

THE CONFERENCE ROOM HAS AN OCEAN VIEW!!

So here are the details.  Assuming all is well, I want to teach a copper etching class on Day 2. Yes, you heard me right.

We are going to etch copper at sea!!

Day 1 Tampa, Florida -- 4:00 pm
2 hour class 8.00pm to 10.00pm

Day 2 At Sea -- Copper Etching Class!!
2 hour class 10.00am to 12.00pm
2 hour class  1.30pm to 3.30pm

Day 3 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 7:00 am 2:00 pm
1 hour class 4.00pm to 5.00pm included in price of the cruise

Day 4 Cozumel, Mexico 9:00 am 6:00 pm
NO CLASS

Day 5 At Sea -- --
1 hour class 10.30am to 11.30am included in price of cruise
3 hour class 1.00pm to 4.00pm

I working out all the details now. I should know more by the middle of the week.

until we meet again,