Life is a Trip...

I've been a bad, bad blogger. My only excuse is that I've been live, live, living. After my surgery in August I had some complications which landed me back in the hospital for 5 days with an L P and the possibility of a second operation. Thank you God for my amazing family, friends and doctors who carried me through a terrifying ordeal with kindness, humor and love.

Just 2 days after I busted out of the hospital I had my 1st day of school at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Talk about diving back in. Wow- did starting a new semester in sculpture feel surreal. I really felt intimidated those first few weeks considering my only exposure to 3D art involved play dough, but I soon found my voice and my first piece made in clay turned out to be something I feel proud of. We are now working in wax which will become a bronze ststue when it is all said and done. i am loving this project and received lots of kuddos from my teacher today. That is the most amazing feeling!

I'm also taking a Metal Arts/Jewelry Design class which is basically the fundamentals of black smiting...super duper cool! This class is so amazing and I have an aptitude for it which makes me extra enthusiastic. We learned how to solder, patina, make jump rings and other findings in the first few weeks and now we are creating hollow forms. In 2 weeks I'll turn in my midterm project made out of sterling silver. I did a mochette of my design which I had to present to the class last Wednesday. Some thought it was too ambitious but I heard lots of great feedback about the overall concept. We'll see how it comes together... The cabachones I ordered arrived today and they are not anything like their photos...Disappointed! So I've been skowering Etsy looking for something amazing.

Work has been really busy - really good - but really busy.. I' working with 2 talented artists helping them with their Etsy shops and the merchandizing of their artwork. Stephanie of Fabulous Vixen Designs (www.fabulousvixen.etsy.com) and Patti- Zipartist (www.zipartsist.etsy.com). Both of this women are stricken with incredible talent and I am honored to be a part of their creative journey.

What has really kept me busy, busy, busy is the photo archiving and scrapbooking part of my business. I'm working on several heritage albums for one client and I just started a new project with another. That and my Etsy shops (www.jillienedesigns.etsy.com & www.jillienesvintageshop.etsy.com) take up 3 days week of my time. I am so grateful to have aseveral different facets of my business - I get to be creative with my scrapbooking services and the Etsy shops allow me go on treasure hunts so I can provide amazing vintage items at terrific prices. All of this has put my own designs on the back burnert but that is OK because my abilities are evolving while I am learning all the new techniques at school.

Speaking of learning, I have had the opportunity to teach art to a home school student this Fall. What a wonderful treat! She comes to my house once a week and we discuss different mediums, tools and techniques and then she keeps an art journal for her homework. Next week we are going the San Jose MOMA to identify the things we are learning in various kinds of art. I hope that I will have future opportunities to do this kind of work and am adding this course to my list of services. I'm hoping to link up with one of the home school progrms in the area.

The kids are doing great! Aidan just pulled off his 4th 100% in a row (plus all 4 bonus words) on his spelling test. I'm so proud of him because spelling was never my strong suit. As a reward, he is getting a goldfish which he wants to name Gary Monda.

Eva turned 4 last month and I am not sure who had more fun celebrating, Eva, me or grandma. We went to afternoon tea with Aunt Mary who came for a 2 week visit to help while I was back in the hospital. It may have been the highlight of my year. What a joy to be able to do girlie things with 3 generations of family.

what else?

I guess that is all for now... i will be editing this entry and adding pictures tomorrow as I am writing on the train on my way home from school and have limits to what I can do from my cell phone keyboard. I just wanted to reconnect and share all the artistic joy in my world these days.