Well, Thanks, Caitlin!

I opened my email this afternoon to find the following message from Stampington. Needless to say, "pretty happy" doesn't really begin to cover it. If you are one of the 7500 who can get your hands on this digital edition, my work is on pages 12-17. I am honored to have been chosen to be among the other 21 artists whose work fills the 75 pages of this publication! The featured pages of my work are the ones that went with the magazine which had my Sew Scrappy Journal on the cover, which is also one of the classes I will be teaching at Art Unraveled in August. So, well, thanks Caitlin and Stampington. You made a good day even sweeter!

Dear Jane Eileen,

Congratulations!  Your artwork that was previously featured in the Summer 2009 issue of Sew Somerset has been chosen to be included in our Facebook 7,500 Celebration Issue! We have offered this free digital magazine to all of our Facebook members who helped us reach our goal of 7,500 fans.  

We are proud to share your art and be able to link other artists to your website!  We hope you enjoy this special issue!

Sincerely,

Caitlin Hawekotte

Marketing Assistant

Stampington & Company

Thanks, Girls!!!

I just wanted to say a public thank you to the "students" in my in-studio class yesterday! You were all so amazing, and I loved every one of the journals you made. I would love to see them again after they are full of whatever you put on the pages. You made a "summer cold" day so much fun!
If anyone is interested, you can see Jeane's finished book here. Yes, she's my firstborn, but I would think she was amazing, even if yesterday was the first time she was ever in my class.
I'm sorry I don't have pictures of everyone's work who took the Double Double class. It is just so interesting to see all the different combinations people come up with using the same directions and boxes of supplies. You just make me smile! Thanks, Girls!

Fabric, Anyone? Part 2

I don't have any available fabric left for sale that I recently posted about. Thank you to everyone who emailed me privately about it. And thank you to the friend who pointed out that it should be more than $9.oo. considering taxes. I know. I was trying to help out a few friends who had asked where they could get some since they do not live in LA.
I might be able to find more. In the meantime, google away if you still are interested.

Announcement

I have known about this for a little while but was waiting for the right time to make the announcement. I will now be teaching two classes at Art Unraveled. My "art mom," Marylin Huskamp and her daughter-in-law, Tracie Lyn Huskamp, will not be attending this year. I was fortunate enough to be asked to substitute for them. I have taken on their class called Fused Mini Clutch. I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity. Linda, the goddess of AU, has posted the clutch I made along with the one Marylin made so students can see both of our work. Mine is the pink one above and also on the AU site, and Marylin's is the green one. I know these ladies will be sadly missed at the retreat by many people, including me, but I look forward to next time.

Check!

I had a bunch of partly finished journals, ones that only had covers and no pages, ones that needed labels, ones that I started in classes and only did part way with fabric to use for demos, and one that is part of a new big idea I have. Today, I just got to where I had to drop everything and get them all done. I need things for my Art Unraveled Artist's Table on Shopping Extravaganza Day, so on this Sunday with no other obligations, I set off to finish as many as I could, and I made some serious headway. Above are the newest batch, all of which will be for sale in August. Afterward, I will likely list any leftovers in my etsy shop. If feels good to be done with them. I have created an insanely long to do list for myself in the studio. So for this little job: Check!

Retail Therapy Complete

Earlier this week, my daughter, Jeane, and I went over to hang out with my art daughter, Kelly, play in our journals, and do retail therapy in LA and the surrounding areas. I know we were in Pasadena, Glendale, Hollywood, and LA, but beyond that, I just sat in the back seat and went with the flow as Kelly took us all the places we needed to go. I couldn't keep track and didn't have to worry because I knew we were in good hands. There were some crazy and fun things that happened on the trip including arriving at out hotel to be told our reservation had been moved to another hotel because they were completely full there. When I asked to speak with the manager of the hotel because I couldn't believe what I was being told, not only did we get a room, we got one on the top floor that included free breakfast each morning and fabulous munchies and beverages at night and free cold bottled water around the clock, access to a computer and free internet service, fax machine, big screen TV, and all the kinds of stuff the big boys pay for. And upon returning home, I was delighted to find an email with a refund for half of our hotel bill. I guess it pays to just be polite and explain nicely about your side of the hotel situation. And then there was the earthquake. It only lasted a few minutes, but when you are on the 15th floor and the curtain pull is seriously swaying, the conversation does get interesting. I just kept thinking about how there are people trained to design buildings for these types of scenarios, and I was hoping a top notch one had had a hand in the building we were in. Again, luckily, it only lasted a few minutes. Anyway, above is a bunch of pictures that I got while there. In no particular order, they are of Jeane and me opening surprises from Kelly, all of us trying out the over-sized furniture in the hotel with me holding my nose because of the smell of the fresh paint on the tote bag, the chihuahua that met us at the door of Mood fabrics, flowers we saw on a walk, part of the aftermath of the retail therapy, the "appetizer" for one of our meals, and the store we found in the fabric part of the fashion district ironically called Journal Fabric. I honestly have no idea how they came up with that name and just kinda think they had no idea where most all of the fabric I got there was really headed. When I asked for half yards of some pieces, the guy looked at me like I had no idea how little that was and then he actually pulled that much off and pointed it out. I politely told him that was the correct amount I wanted. He just looked at me and then I just told him I wasn't making a dress, and that it was for an art project. Then he smiled and nodded his head. What I really wanted to say was, "Didn't you see the sign on the store when you came in to work this morning, Pal?" but I refrained. Ahhh, LA!

Kelly Loves Pink (and orange).

I thought I had everything I needed and was headed for the cutting table. (story of my life) That's when the screaming started. I turned around not only to see the fabric of the day for me in blues and greens, but one in pinks and oranges saying, "Kelly, Kelly, Kelly!" The question was not whether to buy it or not, but how much. I got all that was left on the bolt. It has now become Kelly's purse. Kelly likes big purses with long handles, and hopefully these are long enough. I put in pockets so she can carry pens and brushes or sunglasses or whatever she wants and made it big enough for her to carry books in. Kelly loves books, too. The fabric still screams, "Kelly!" It wants to go to CA in a big way.
Soon, fabric, soon. Catch some sleep. S0mething tells me you're gonna be busy when you get your job in Hollywood.

What Fun!

Just want to say thanks to all the ladies who took the Double Double class today at Frenzy Stamper! We had several students with no fabric journal experience and they all turned out amazing. Every. Single. One! Debbie has the photos on her blog. Fun times!!!

The Party Continues til June 30!

I have a confession. I usually like my birthday to last 3 days (long funny story), but this year, we're gonna celebrate 'til the 30th.
Melissa, the seller of the tags I mentioned in the previous blog, loves US all so much she is offering 10% off on orders from her website through June 30th. She saw my blog post and wrote to tell me she has even more coolio stuff there than in her etsy shop. What??? Guess who's doing more retail therapy tonight.
Be sure to use the coupon code below, Double check that you spell it like she has it here since it is a tad different than the spelling of my name.

Code: janeelieen10

I don't even know her, and she is joining our party! What's not to love about a girl like this? Here is her website. Thanks, Melissa
Now, back to the cupcakes!

 http://prettylittlestudio.bigcartel.com/product/starburst-number-tags-set-of-31

Call Me Lucky! Wanna Come to my Party?

I am one of the luckiest moms around. As a birthday present, my daughter Jeane bought me my art daughter Kelly's new online class called Memories and Reflections which has a boatload of cool ideas, prompts, and all things amazing including how to make not one, but two amazing books. Now that's my idea of a party that's gonna last a long time. Above is a sneak peak. I hope Kelly doesn't mind me showing you. I don't think she will 'cause now you know how to get in on the party, too! We could have virtual cupcakes and all kinds of fun. Right?
Now, see those little round numbers? I have no idea where Kelly got hers, but lookee here what I found the other day cruising through etsy doing some online therapy! I don't know the seller, just that she has a TON of stinkin' amazing stuff, the prices are great and the shipping extremely reasonable, especially when you buy additional items. I got my items super fast.
So thanks, Jeane and Kelly! You girls are the bestestest.
P.S. Jeane says don't be goin' there and getting ALL the good stuff before she gets a chance. Save some for her. K?
Update: See the second post of this day for a discount at the website of the person who owns the shop mentioned in the lookee here part above. Note: See the post above for a discount from this seller, good through June 30th.

Lucky Number 7!

A few months ago, I sent in three items that I have kept secret from all but a few people; a laptop bag, a purse, and a little tote to carry a paper back book in. These were all made from old quilt pieces I picked up from the Hannah Grey booth at Art Unraveled's shopping extravaganza event last August. I did some new stitching, added some ribbons, and stuck in a funky zipper making "Grandma's quilts" into something more fresh and funky. They went to Art Quilting Studio, but sadly after I sent them, the magazine contained a letter in it stating that was the last issue. Next to Sew Somerset, that was my favorite magazine. Today the disappointment showed it's silver lining, when I got an email telling me the items had all been chosen to appear as a feature article in an upcoming edition of Haute Handbags. It is presently scheduled for the next edition which will be released in October, unless space becomes an issue, and then could be bumped to the following issue. This is twice in a row for that mag and 3 times altogether. I have the photos stored in my computer, but I'm keeping the pictures secret and safe for good luck because this will be my lucky Number 7 in the world of getting art published!
Postnote: This article is now scheduled to appear in the April 2011 edition. Space did indeed become an issue.

One Week 'til Class

Lest anyone think I fell in a hole, it was only a proverbial one. The last six weeks have been crazy, to put it nicely, with what seems like a hundred extra things on my mind, sometimes to the point that I couldn't even think straight, remember important stuff and wah, wah, wah. I don't need any sympathy. I'm just esplainin' my mental and physical absence on several fronts, including this blog. Uninvited guests removed items from my home and car, including my cell phone with all my numbers, and my camera with the memory card which had all my art photos. I have a new one of each and I am getting my numbers back in the phone but still haven't gotten my computer married to my camera yet, so be patient 'til things are back to my version of normal. I hope to have that done in a week.
School is now officially out for the summer, but not for the staff, so there will be more work than play for me this summer before the kiddos come back in August. Again, no complaining, just sayin...
Anyway, to the title, Friends. Next Saturday, June 12, is the Double Double Round 2. If anyone is hanging out and wants to stop in, we would love to have you come play with us. Last time, it sold out, so this is for everyone who wished they could before or just found out. Register online for class at Frenzy Stamper or by calling the store 480-946.0007. More details in the sidebar, too. If you don't own a sewing machine, let me know, and we can work something out.