Wednesday Wonder- Woodwife Wednesday

It is a wonder to me how many giving and talented people there are out there in Blogland.
How can it get any better than that?
I know all of them!!! ;-D
My friend the Woodwife is a multi faceted, talented woman.

I love this tutorial, here, http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/to-antique-or-not-to-antique-part-5.html simple, effective, and quick, 

and the Woodwife, Donna, took some of my pieces and included them in one of her works of spirit.

I love being able to be a piece of this love charged piece.

And this is what she did with them.

Cool huh?

Nice touch. Everyone can use a guardian angel.

I adore the colors on these.

Great Job Donna!!! Donna has a couple of Etsy stores too.
The Woodwife Wares http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewoodwife
Blue Otter Arts http://www.etsy.com/shop/blueotterarts

PCCMMR- another story- altered art puzzle pins

I have a post today that is about Pccmmr-Polymer clay collaborative and mixed media retreat I went to in West Virginia in June.
Read about it here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/pccmmretreat-arriving.html
Here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/05/polymer-clay-collaborative-mixed-media.html
Here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lovely-meta-part-deux.html
or search PCCMMRetreat on this blog in the google search to the right.
They are getting ready for 2010 (can you believe that, 2010 weird)

My friend Meredith writes about Susan Z here: http://mereditharnold.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/creative-queens-like-susan-zacher/

One of the all time highlights of my time there was the final demo of the week long retreat.
Susan Zacher had done her preparation and this was sooooooooo much fun.

She had painted puzzle pieces with Lumiere paints front and back for our substrates. Those were beautiful by themselves. I love Lumiere paints, I can use them for almost any surface and they are permanent. I LOVE the Metallic Olive Green in the first picture? My fave. Plus I carry them too, it is a blatant plug. I love products that can be used for tons of things.
Anyway... then she brought out all of the things that we could embellish the puzzle pieces with.

OMG!! a ton of stuff and some things I got to work with that I never had, so much fun.

Stickles, black and white old timey images, plastic jewels, words printed on paper, she even had clay pieces but I didn't do those (sometimes I just have to put down the clay), stamp pads with different inks, stamps (I used some word stamps that I had from ERAGraphics), metal pieces, fabric stuff, feathers, and so much stuff it was unbelievable.

It was like walking in to a portable craft shop.

Crazy fun and I could have done this for hours. 

Check out how she made up words directed at a polymer clay group, such consideration in the gesture.

One of the best demos I have ever gone to.

She supported us with encouragement and showed us how to use some of the products worked if we had never used them. Guiding with out making us do it her way. She would say "well you could do this, or this, or this", or "you might want to do this" or "you can do whatever you want".

OMG!!! I can do whatever I want??? Hee hee hee, gets me every time.

One of the best parts is when I asked if I could make another and she said..."Make as many as you want". Geesh I didn't move, I was on a mission then. You know, I don't sit down and do many demos, I watch them for a moment and then move on, but I am so glad I did take the time to sit in on this one. 

We put pin backs on them (she brought those in several different sizes) left them to dry a bit and took home this pirates booty of wonderful, personal, and brilliant art from our hearts.

Susan, Oh Susan you are coming next year, right??? 

Thank you from the bottom of my pointy heart, this is a jewel in my life and I love you for sharing this with me.

I had sooooooooooo much fun.

Coming together and creating...

Laurie Langhorn from Lorelei Designs is an incredibly talented artist and she has a way with findings, metal, and beads that just sings to me. She is also my Bead-space.com buddy, which is how I first met her. I thought “I would love to do a collaborative piece with her” and then as what usually happens with me; I blurted that out in one of our conversations. It was one of those times when I thought, “OMG Marie, you have stuck your size 7 in your mouth yet again”. Well … after doing that all of my life, I tend to let it go and think “well if she wants to, she will and if not I will move on yet again”. But to my relief and wonder Laurie said “Really? How does this work?” YES!!!!!!
I sent her some stuff that she liked of mine and this is what her unique mind and talent came up with. Now I am saying to myself… "this is a gift and I am so glad that I asked her and maybe she doesn’t think I am a total loon” (well… maybe she does, but she is so gracious).
I love doing this with other artists; it is a way to see my work from the perspective of another mind and with their tools. It is a way to make my mind a bigger hard drive so to speak and to live outside of my self imposed rules and usually… it is always a gift, a wonder to behold and a way to expand, hopefully for everyone that is involved. I love a win-win and I think there is power and magic in these pieces. How can there not be? It is two or more minds coming together to create and that in itself and alone is magic, but when it is beautiful… it is blessed. Thank you Laurie for humoring me and I am forever better knowing you and your talent.

Find Laurie and her other wonderful works here:

http://www.loreleidesigns.etsy.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loreleidesigns/
http://twitter.com/loreleidesigns
http://bead-space.com/LoreleiDesigns

As for me, the Carlos Santana of Polymer clay, I just want to jam with friends!!!

Another mind expanding collaboration I am lucky enough to have experienced is Gail Friend, also a Bead-space.com and My space friend.

You can find Gail and all her wonderful work, beautiful attitude, and insight at,
http://www.gailfrienddesigns.com/
http://cupcakesandcutestuff.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/gailsfurryfriends

Always a pleasure to play with, my sister-friend Dawn Schiller.

My favorite, Viktor

You can find Dawn and everything Oddfae at,

http://www.oddfae.com/
http://www.oddfae.etsy.com/
http://bead-space.com/oddfae
http://www.oddfae.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/oddfae

I am indeed blessed!