books, books & MORE books...

WOW...THANK YOU

to everyone who has ordered my new book #5!

it makes me happy to see the names of those who ordered/ liked the first 4 & are excited to get book #5...

Rick has made several trips to the PO & our PO workers are happy & thanked him for the envelopes...

there is talk of closing our little post office & the extra packages mean job security for them...

so...THANKS from the Oglesby, Illinois postal workers too!

on to book #2...

Mr. Fed-Ex delivered this beauty yesterday...

It's May Flaum's new book & I'm honored to be included, as a contributing artist...

I like this book, because it's a technique based book...

you know I LOVE techniques & new ways to use products...

and I like that May adds LOTS of tips to each technique...

my technique features tim's tissue tape and Ranger's inks...

to create a fun plaid...

it's fun because it works great on lots of surfaces...

like art parts, grungeboard or grungepaper...

Ranger's manila card stock & MORE...

and it can be done with tim's distress inks, Adirondack Color washes, Adirondack PIGMENT inks & now with the distress stains too...

and you can even add Perfect Pearls Mists to the combo...

here's the cover of the book...

I see it here @ Amazon...

CONGRATS May...it's TOTALLY awesome!

and the post title is books, books & books...

here's book #3 for today...

my studio was featured in Cloth Paper Scissors Studios a few years ago...

I was over the moon excited to see my studio on the cover...

you can see it on the right sidebar of my blog...

that's where I...MAKE ART...

now my friend Cate Prato has written this book...

and I'm included again...

YIPPEE!

when the photographer was here, he took lots of photos, but I haven't seen which ones were used for this book...

so I'm anxious & I guess I'll be surprised when it arrives...

Cate is a HUGE tease...

so I didn't even bother to ask her for a peek...

it's useless...

shhhh...

don't tell anyone...

(what happens on the blog, STAYS on the blog) BUT...

I see my friend in also in this book...

here's a HINT...

the involved party's initials are TH...

doesn't this cover shot make you want to grab it & devour every page?

we have a bit to wait...

but not too long...

it's due out THIS November...

here's the info @ Amazon...

CONGRATS to you CATE!

can't wait to see it...

that's it for me for today...

I'm up to my ear lobes in kits...

and packing supplies to ship to The Stamping Place in Columbia, SC for next weekends workshops...

I hope your weekend is great & that you can take some time for yourself to...

make art!

wendy

studios 490 out takes...

Since my studio was featured in Cloth Paper Scissors "studios" special issue, I've had several requests for more photos.

One in particular made me laugh...
"would you open EVERY drawer & show us what's inside?"..

I think...NOT!

But I did find these lost photos, taken by Jake Krancic.
These were not chosen to be published by CPS...

Jake makes it look huge with his fancy lens...It's not...
it's only 20 feet...

I'd REALLY like to add on...but don't tell Rick.
Actually, I did & the poor guy thought I was kidding...

NOT!

This is looking in from the kitchen...toward the east...
Since we live in the country, I kept the window treatments to a minimum...

I love windows & sun... oh.....and drawers...

When the lights go out, I'm ready to hit the sack...



This next photo was taken from inside the studio, facing toward the north. To give some size perspective...my island is 4 foot by 5 foot...nice sized...but I find myself squished into a one foot square working space most days...
odd...

I stand to work, but I do have an overhang for sitting...
you'll see that on the right, in the photo below...

There is just a small circle top window on the north wall, since that's where the road is...



This shot was taken facing the south...


NEXT.........

Here's a shameless plug for my friends @ Cloth Paper Scissors...

The next "studios" issue will be on the newstands or in your mailbox on March 31st.

Guess who has a 6 page spread???

The first name starts with a "T"
...the last name starts with an "H"...
Check it out!

It's a TOTALLY different style than mine and you'll see that it's TOTALLY AWESOME...

I'm just saying.......

you don't want to miss the next issue...

Have a good day & take time to...
Make ART!
wendy
ps...today I'm working on studio 490 stamp release #3!!
The first set name is...

The ART of the ...?

OOPS...I think it's too soon to say...a girl's gotta have some secrets...
stay tuned!

A *signed* book giveaway!

I met Cate Prato when we worked on the current issue of "studios". She's an editor for Cloth Paper Scissors.

She teases me endlessly...but hey...what are friends for?? At least that's her thought........Someday...I'll get even..............

Anyway...Cate has published her first book & I got us a free copy. Pretty cool!!

All you need to do is leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. I'll be back on Wednesday morning to announce the winner. Enter your own comment & pass the word to your friends too.

This is fun!

I LOVE free stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And...sharing is good!

This book is loaded with great photos and a ton of helpful tips & hints to get you going. I've not done the "self portrait" thing yet...but like Cate says...you don't have to show anyone...make it just for you! I like that!

I asked Cate some questions...here's what she had to say...

1. Why the emphasis on self portraits?

Artists have made self-portraits since the beginning of time, but recently two events prompted us to do this book. First, in 2005 Quilting Arts Magazine, for which I’m the features editor, hosted a reader challenge based on an article on creative self-portraits by Yvonne Porcella. It was phenomenally successful. We got hundreds of wonderful art quilts—funny, poignant, thought-provoking. More recently, the rise in blogging in the art community gave birth to the Self-Portrait Challenge (SPC) online, with artists around the world making photographic self-portraits based on a different theme every week. Also phenomenally successful. So, at Cloth Paper Scissors, Quilting Arts’ sister publication, we decided to put our own mixed-media spin on it in a book.

2. What's your favorite exercise to get the creative juices flowing?

Well, probably because I’m a writer, I like the exercise in the book where you take just a few minutes to jot down your life story, then highlight the most important moments and themes and base a self-portrait on that. Conceptually, I like it first because it takes you out of the idea of a "physical" self-portrait and focuses on some of the events that made you who you are. Second, I think when you do an exercise like this where you are forced to think quickly, things pop up that might surprise you. For example, Elin Waterston, who did this exercise for the book, made fabric postcards based on the numbers from her previous addresses and the patterns of her father’s shirts.

3. I know you frequent flea markets. Tell us what you look for.

The triumvirate is buttons, china/glassware, and linens. I love anything with that cornflower/periwinkle blue color and faded cherry red. And Nile green. When I’m at a flea market or yard sale, my eyes just scan for those colors and textures, like a reconnaissance robot on a seek-and-acquire mission.

4. What's your very favorite flea market FIND? Will you actually USE it or hoard it?

Oh, my favorite find is usually the most recent one—or the next one! I have to say one of my favorites is the typewriter I used for my self-portrait in the book. It’s a turquoise Smith-Corona portable I picked up for $5 about a year ago. I had one just like it as a teenager. The flea market where I got it was in a parking lot and we had actually gotten into the car, the kids were strapped in, and that’s when I spied it. I said, I have to look at that; the kids just shook their heads and rolled their eyes. I hopped out and when they said it was five bucks I did a little happy dance inside. When it came time to do my own self-portrait for the book, I said, "I’m going to alter that typewriter."

I like to use things, especially my linens. I get great buys because I buy the imperfect ones with a couple of stains or a small hole, and then I don’t fret about using them and enjoying them. In fact, the only ones I regret are the perfect ones, because I’m afraid to use and "ruin" them.

5. What advice would you give to anyone who feels self-conscious about making a self-portrait?

Buy the book! Seriously, we address that issue in the book from many angles—essays, exercises, tips for getting started. As I said before, nearly all artists do self-portraits of one kind or another. Self-portraits can help your art and your life; they can be just for fun or as part of a healing and growing process. You don’t have to show anyone. It can be just for you.

Thanks for donating the book CATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure some lucky blog friend will be happy to give it a good home!

Congrats to you and.........

CHEERS!! Here's to continued SUCCESS!

wendy

Just in time...

My copies of "studios" arrived yesterday. Just in time...I'll read it cover to cover on my flight to South Carolina this morning. It's absolutely loaded with eye candy.

The folks @ Cloth Paper Scissors did an excellent job. I was thrilled to see 4 full pages of photos. I had no clue what would be included on the inside...YIPPEE!

THANK YOU...Cate, John, Pokey & Larissa. It was a pleasure to work with you.

Special thanks to Jake Krancic...the photographer. This guy is totally amazing. He's responsible for the cover photo.

Here's a little look...inside...






A few inks...........



A simple floor plan......


And...the cover again...



Ok...time to shower & head to O'Hare.

South Carolina or bust...

SC Girls ...I hope you're ready for a fun inky weekend!
Get ready to...
MAKE ART!
wendy

tim + QVC = FUN SHOPPING!... and "studios" update

Enabler warning...

Just incase you missed tim's blog update...he'll be on QVC tomorrow @ 3pm eastern time. It's a special segment called...PAPERCRAFTING WITH THE PROS.

Did I read something about a new limited grungeboard book? I wonder how many I'll NEED........


I'm wondering what surprises he has instore for us...

While you're on his blog, leave a comment & get a chance to win one of his very cool T SHIRTS. Lucky me...he gave me one @ CHA!



And...on the home front...

I guess some stores already have the new issue of "studios" from CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS.



I stole this photo from Candi's blog...I'll be out by the mailbox waiting for my copies to arrive. The suspense is killing me!

So...start looking for this issue in your stores...

Ok...I got my seat reserved...and my credit card is within reach.
Who says you have to buy groceries every week??

PRIORITIES!!

Tuesday...3pm EASTERN... QVC...
Be there!
Happy shopping!!
wendy

Under Cover, out takes, stand in actors and stash...

Incase you don't get the emails from Cloth Paper Scissors...I thought I'd show you what they sent out yesterday.

Last week, Cate emailed & asked the name of the first cat I used. I had no clue why...

Here's the scoop...direct from their newsletter...

'Under Cover' with Studios, or 'How'd you get that cat to pose?'

We and cover studio artist Wendy Vecchi have received many comments about the cat who graces the cover of the fall Studios Issue, on newsstands October 7. The most common remarks are:

"Please use the version with the cat," and, "How did you get the cat to pose?"

First, the story of the cat vs. no-cat covers. The cover you may have seen on our website without the cat is the original photo that Wendy took herself and sent to us as part of her Studios submission. We liked it so much we decided to use one like it for the cover.

However, for various reasons covers must be shot with a very high resolution camera. We used Wendy's original photo in our promotional pieces online and in our other publications until the cover shot could be taken and processed. So don't worry: the cat stays in the picture!

Second, how did we get the cat to pose? As anyone with a cat knows, felines are not predisposed to do what their humans tell them. In fact, Wendy's cat Ringo, who was originally "booked" for the shoot, got quite affronted and was uncooperative. So her other cat, Ranger, was brought in, and this time Wendy was prepared: she bribed him with his favorite treat, fried chicken. Result? Good kitty, and good picture.

Now that you've gone "under cover" with Studios, be sure to reserve your copy now by pre-ordering on our website.

And just so Ringo gets his "second of fame"...here's the original actor, in a shot I took.

Cute...but this guy has a mind of his own. ATTITUDE...to the max...

Besides the comments about the cat, I've gotten a boatload of emails asking what could possibly be in all those drawers.

So...after I get my copy of STUDIOS & see which photos were used on the inside... I'll open some of them & show you THE STASH!

***

And speaking of stash..............Look @ what arrived yesterday!

The gals in our classes @ For Keeps Sake in St. Louis get to christen these new studio490 stamps this weekend.

Ahhhhhh...There's nothing as exciting as a box FULL of new rubber!

THANK YOU TED & MICHELLE!

We'll have fun with these!!

Have a great Wednesday!

I think I'll go look @ some stamps....

wendy

FINALLY...I can spill some beans...

I'm a COVER GIRL...

Well...not exactly, but my STUDIO & Ranger the cat are!!!

This is the secret that couldn't be told...BUT...today I got the word that I could finally share this exciting news.

Take a look!!! Click on the photo for a really big look!




I was thrilled when I got word that some photos of my studio would be included inside this special issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. It's called...STUDIOS. Hmmm...that makes sense...


Then...the story got better when it was considered for the cover. And the worse part??? KEEPING MY LIPS SEALED...geez...it about killed me!


So...we had a conference call...then a professional photographer came...and above is the result.


The process was very cool. He took photos, we emailed them to Larissa @ CPS.

..she made suggestions.

..we bribed the cat.

..and ended up with this shot. The photos were tricky because the room has 5 windows & 4 skylights. The lighting for me, as an artist, is perfect, but from a photography point of view...not fun to deal with. The shadows changed by the minute. But he did a great job & I'm beyond thrilled with the photo.
***

The photographer is Jake Krancic. He's an amazing photographer & all around GREAT GUY!!
THANK YOU JAKE!
***

The first issue of STUDIOS was such a huge success that they were bombarded with requests for a second issue. It is loaded with great photos and TONS of tips for organizing. If you haven't seen it...it's a must have.
***

I have to tell you that dealing with these folks was THE BEST experience. I've had many emails from Cate Prato...threatening to come steal my drawers...


she was kidding...I THINK??


She wanted a photo of me...I declined...she threatened to "photoshop" the cat's head on a body & say it was me...


she was kidding...I THINK???


I guess we'll see when this gets released on October 7th.

So...preordering info is here. It will be on newsstands on October 7th...


I'm anxious to see what's on the inside. I sent several room photos & some closeups.

I'm expecting LOTS of great photos from other studios & more organizing tips too. Floorplans, inspiration & MORE!!!


That's my story & I'm sticking to it!
The end!
wendy