Flatwoods Folk Art

Happy July 4th, Give Away and News...

Happy Independence Day Everyone!!!

I know it has been a while since I have posted but I have been busy with swaps, finalizing things for the book I am collaborating on and preparing for classes in Connecticut at Art Is You.  Speaking of Art Is You.......

Everyone that signs up for one of my classes at Art Is You in Hartford, Connecticut will be included in a drawing, at the end of each class, to see who will receive a bag full of collage and assemblage goodies as well as an original piece by me.  That's two give aways, one for each class, so if you are registered and attend both of my classes you will have 2 opportunities to win!!!  Each goodie bag will be worth $30.00 not including the original piece of art.  So pop on over to the Art Is You website located at www.art-is-you.com and register for either my altered book class or my altered tin class and make sure your name is in the hat!  :)

So for three bits of news.

#1 The book is almost ready for you to purchase!  It's been such an interesting time working on this with Cindy, Sheree and Elizabeth.  Hard work (much more so for Cindy), new ideas, late nights and a lot of fun!  I'll keep everyone posted as this moves forward.

#2 I am working on my website finally so as I post items to sell there I will be looking for feedback from anyone that may be reading the posts here.

#3 I am on JoAnnA's Design Team for Moss Hill Studio!!!!  How exciting is that?  Check it out here at www.mosshillstudio.com and I promise you won't be disappointed!

Now on to doing a bit of cooking, cleaning and creating (not in that order).  Have a safe and Happy Holiday weekend everyone!

xoxo,

Lesley

What a whirlwind of days.....

Good Morning Everyone,

Wow...these past 2 weeks have been unbeleivable!  So busy at my office and then trying to get everything together for Art & Soul, which I take my first class today.  :)

My allergies are going crazy here though, eyes burning and itching, sneezing.  YUCK, it seems the allergies didn't leave me when I left the valley.  Oh well, I'm sure once I get into class and start creating that I'll be fine.

Will write more later and hopefully have some pics to show you.

Namaste,

Lesley

An ATC Swap with a twist...

Happy Monday Everyone!

I have been asked by Sherry to participate in an ATC Swap, kind of a Pay It Forward.  I send out 6 ATCs to the list I receive and then I find 6 other people to participate and they send out 6 to the list they receive and so on.

I am going to participate because I love working on these little collages and would like to find out if there are 6 others out there that would like to be my invited 6. 

I know I have a couple of Roanoke artists...yoohoooooo Linda over at Groggy Froggy and Tricia....would ya'll be interested?

Tami would you like to participate as well?

I love doing these kinds of swaps because you get such a diverse set of artistic visions.

If you are interested please email me at flatwoodsfolkart@aol.com.

Thanks!!!

Lesley

The cover of the book.....

Below is the cover of the book that I have been working on with several other artists.  This has been a long journey but it is down to the wire now and we wanted to show people what we had been working so diligently on.

I'll keep you posted on when and where you can get your copy of our book!  :)

Lesley

The owners of the house...

Here are the owners of our home. Cagney is in the first photograph. He came to us from Roanoke Wildlife Rescue. He is blind in one eye and weighs about 15 pounds. Precious Squirrelene is in the lower photograph and we adopted her from the Roanoke SPCA in September, 2007. They are both beautiful and loving cats an they have us very well trained. :) Lesley

Pieces of my personal life...

Here are a few snippets of my personal life. The hallway with vintage pictures and mirrors, the guest bathroom with original tile, the "red" room (one of our guest rooms) and the other guest room with a vintage lamp, photo album and old enamel top table. I love all things vintage and love incorporating them into my home. I'll be posting more pics as time goes on to give everyone a "sense" of me. Hugs, Lesley

Can you say EYE CANDY??????

If you are in need of some eye candy on a beautiful Friday you must take a trip to "One Hundred Wishes"!!!  http://www.onehundredwishes.com/

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm when I get back from lunch I am going shopping!!!!!  Can you say BONUS!!!  She is giving away a free glue stick for all orders placed in April!  Woohoo!!!!

Please go check out Andrea's site and her blog...they are both amazing!

Okay, now I have time to add a bit of my personal experience shopping with Andrea at her fantastic site.  Everything I have purchased from her has been beautiful.  It comes to you beautifully packaged and in perfect shape.  She is the sweetest and kindest person you could ever imagine and it makes you happy just to go take a look around and see what she has been up to and what new goodies she is offering.  I am in awe that all of that talent comes from a single source but soooooo very happy that I am able to be on the receiving end of her beautiful wares.

Namaste,

Lesley

2 new items for Etsy...

I created these two altered hangers and placed them on Etsy today.  Please let me know what you all think.

These were a lot of fun to play with and I am working on more now.

Namaste,

Lesley

From my gardens....

I promised some photos of my Spring welcoming committee so here they are.....

I hope you enjoyed these as much as I am enjoying looking at them in my yard.

Namaste,

Lesley

Good Morning Everyone.....

   

Wow, what a tough few weeks this has been.  I would never have believed how draining this ick was if someone had told me.  Talk about a true energy zapper...this has been it.

The last couple of weeks I have created a few pieces of artwork.  Some for trades, some for sale and some for the book I am collaborating with some fellow artists on.  I am also trying to get prepared for Art & Soul in Hampton that will be the first weekend in May.  I am very excited about attending this retreat as I always feel very empowered and energized afterwards.  I highly recommend attending retreats like this if you are at all in a position to do so.

I am in the process or setting up a class to teach from my home that will have lunch included and I am a member of a Yahoo Group of artists in Virginia and I am sending an email out today asking if I can teach a workshop in June for them.  I am teaching a workshop on the Yahoo Group The Artists Circle the month of April and I am very stoked about that. 

DH and I planted some herbs and a few flowers this past Saturday...it was warm and so nice to be outside getting some fresh air for a change.  We woke up Sunday morning to above freezing temps but with some ice/snow in the flower beds.  It doesn't seem to have done any damage and may actually do some good since it is acting as Mother Nature's own watering system as it melts.

On Thursday I will be showcasing one of my favorite blogs and hopefully will do this each week on Thursday.  It helps spread the word for all of us artists out there so please stop by to read and then go and visit their blog too.

I will be taking pics of my flowers that are still in bloom this evening (daffodils, mini hyacinths and the Bradford Pear tree) to post on my blog as well as some other pics.  I said I would be showing you some of my personal life here and that is just what I intend to do.  Please, please, please...if the personal posts begin to bore you please stop me.  :)

I ordered some Moo Cards yesterday so that I will have them to take to  Art & Soul and I am working with a web site designer for new graphics for my website.  It is up but nothing truly on it yet but here is the addie:  www.flatwoodsfolkart.com

Post a comment/message on the site if you feel so inclined...the encouragement might just do me some good LOL.  The design on the site is just temporary until I get my new one up and running.  What kinds of things would you like to see on it?  If you have a website please send me your link and I will start adding links right away....please add me to yours too.

Ohhhhhh, I mailed my altered tin off for the Spring swap I am in and I used a beautiful quote along with a vintage transparency over vintage paper and then I added true vintage millinery flowers and a ribbon.  I hope whomever receives my tin loves it and that they feel happy to receive it.

I also figured out a new technique while making some charms for a A & S swap I was in.  I am going to put that in the book I am working on with Elizabeth, Cindy and Sherre.  Be on the lookout for this book (I'll let you know when and where you can get it).  It has some wonderful projects and, well, some great artists too!

Have a happy and blessed Tuesday everyone!

Lesley