Cheryl Strait

As I promised, I have some very exciting news to share with you, here on the blog.

While I was at the beach in Norfolk, Virginia, I once again found myself reflecting on my life, thinking about childhood memories and wishes that I had for myself growing up. One of which was to be a “Cover Girl” as I remembered this memory, I had a tingly feeling come over me out of the blue, I felt I needed to go back to my son’s, to check my email( For some unexplainable reason), after trying to get online time between the two of my sons Dyllan and Ryan who are big time Gamers, I succeeded to find an email from the editor of Belle Armoire Jewelry titled “Cover Artist”.

I was shocked surprised and ecstatic “The Abstract Heart necklace” that I worked so hard on was chosen as the cover for the Autumn 2oo8 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry, along with several other necklaces, that I have created within this past year.

Tears welled up and I almost cried, but my sons were looking at me in the most strangest way!

I often find that I feel my life circumstances are not going the way I think it should, and then Surprise— The Universal (Spirit) Energy rewards us in a most unusually appreciative way… I am absolutely truly grateful to the editors and staff at Belle Armoire, a sincere “Thank You” for creating such a wonderfully creative outlet for Jewelry artists. I can hardly wait to get my hands on this copy…(grins)

Here are a few pictures, Photo credits Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine.

To purchase Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine click this link!

http://www.stampington.com/html/ba_jewelry_autumn08.html

I’ve been awarded the Arte y Pico blogging award by my friend Mary Ellen  at www.an-artkissed.blogspot.com

  Thank you Mary ellen!  There are many great blogs and it’s hard to choose just 5 but pick I must, so here they are.

Arte y Pico is meant to be paid forward to five bloggers who you want to recognize for their creative talents, interesting material, and overall contribution to the blogger community…helping to make the world a better place, one blog post at a time! And now…the envelope please! (click to see their blogs):

1.  Monica Magness www.girl-gone-thread-wild.blogspot.com

2. Kris Tuey www.collagecontessa.blogspot.com

3.  Ellen Legare Purtgill www.artandellen.blogspot.com

4.  Joanna Pierotti http://www.mosshill.blogs.com/

5. Donna Engstrom http://www.donnaengstrom.blogspot.com/
 

www.donnaengstrom.blogspot.com/
Arte y Pico blog is in Spanish. To read it in English, click
 

here.

If you have been selected for the award, please pay it forward, following the steps below:
l) Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award based on creativity, design, interesting material, and overall contribution to the blogger community, regardless of the language.
2) Post the name of the author and a link to his or her blog so everyone can view it.
3) Each award-winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4) The award-winner and the presenter should post the link of the “Arte y pico” blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) Please post these rules! - Be my guest to copy and paste from here.

Back from Virginia, and settling back into my artistic life, and about to do the last outdoor Summer show for the Season, this weekend.

Photos from Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, Virginia. www.artisticartifacts.com

Judi Gula’s Artistic space is wonderfully decorated and stocked with lots of artsy treasures, however, I could just kick myself because I only took pictures of the workshop area.

Workshop participants

Here is Judi on the floor with her skirt all hiked up enjoying the heck out of the disc cutter…

Judi was such a great hostess, and I found that the workshop participants lead extremely interesting lives.

Vacationing at the beach.

The first few photos are from Virginia Beach, the temp. was in the 9o’s and we only stayed a short while because the heat was just too much for my daughter in law who is very pregnant…(LOL)

This is my son Ryan and his very pregnant wife Kristine….

After recovering from our first day at the beach, I decided to venture out to the community beach in Norfolk,

I made friends with a few seagulls, At first they were not too happy to be getting their photos taken but after a while the seagulls started coming up to my blanket and posing. I did not do too much swimming after almost stepping on a jellyfish and then seeing one floating in the water beside me.

I am so relaxed from my visit, but I discovered that I need more time at the Beach!

Please stay tuned because while at the beach I received some very exciting news, which I will share with you here shortly!

Over the weekend I faced the elements, of the outdoor art shows, pouring rain, thunder storms and lightning strikes, Not to forget super curly, frizzy hair if you will!

I saw many old friends from Art Continuum days in Cleveland. We chatted like it was yesterday since we had last seen each other.

To my surprise a lady wandered into my booth wearing a t shirt with a logo on it that I had recognized from etsy, It was Mary Ellen the woman behind the fabulous art of “Artkissed” www.an-artkissed.blogspot.com

Mary Ellen was so bubbly she had me cracking up…

We had the most delightful conversation, and I told her that I admired her work, and she grinned and said the same. I hope to see a little more of Mary Ellen at local art venues, and spend time chatting it up online. Please visit her blog to see pictures from the art fest this past weekend…and check out her etsy shop for more great art.

One last note… I may be missing in action for a short while, Because I am packing as we speak, I am scheduled to teach at www.artisticartifacts.com in Alexandria Virginia, and then I am off for a vacation at the beach in Norfolk Virginia. Imagine that, I am taking a mini vacation. I have not had a vacation for probably 5 years. It’s time to be good to me!! Yippee…

I am actually going to visit my son Ryan and his wife Kristine, who are expecting their first child in August…

Sand, Sun, Beach what a life!

I will send postcards from the edge…(ROFL)

Have you seen the illustrated version of the Hilda Conklin Poems?

This book is a collaborative effort by Collage Artists,

Amber Haegerty, Bev Froese, Cassandra Walters, Cheryl Strait, Christine Shebrow,

Debby Harriettha, Fiona Mortimore, Gale Blair, Heather Robinson, Joan Ellis,

Joanna Pierotti, Laura Robberts, Lucinda Morse, Peggy Gatto, Rande Hanson, Rella Gauthier, Sandee Hyde, Theresa Martin.

With out the persistent, dedication, of Gale Blair(www.paperwhimsy.com ) this book would not be. Thank you Gale, for creating such a wonderfully, visually graphic book.

For purchasing information visit:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/194896?utm_source=TellAFriend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=194896

My friend Pamela Huntington http://PamelaHuntington.typepad.com , one of those East coast Girls, sent me this very sweet award, to which I graciously accept. Thank you Pam! Right back atcha…

It was a big surprise, it took me 2 days to get my act together to post! ROFL

The rules for receiving this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
   
   
   2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
   
   
   3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
   
   
   4) Add links to those blogs on yours.
   
   
   5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
   

    

A little about the blogs I picked, some I chose for posting their true honest opinions about art and life, some for the pretty pictures, and some for the intriguing person behind the blog, all in all I hope you enjoy…

Tay Macintyre

www.foundobject.squarespace.com

Monica Magness

http://girl-gone-thread-wild.blogspot.com

Donna Engstrom

http://www.donnaengstrom.blogspot.com

Amber Dawn

http://inventivesoul.blogspot.com

Kris Tuey

http://collagecontessa.blogspot.com

Alma Stoller

http://almastoller.typepad.com

Lorraine George

http://lgeorge.blogspot.com

Sorry no pictures today but I will have some for you shortly…

This morning as I was checking my email, I came a cross one from an artist friend of mine Ellen of http://artandellen.blogspot.com

Ellen and I met thru Artfest 4 the Soul, we have been carrying on such lively conversations via email, during one of our conversations in our attempts to get to know each other, I said to Ellen “all the men in my life” I use it to describe my 3 sons who are all growing into fine young Men, and of course some people would tend to think I am running a brothel when I use this phrase…ROFL!

And some might even say what a “trifling hooka” as I mentioned to Ellen.

Well this fine morning Ellen being the jokster she is, and really wondering what I am all about, presented me with these absolutely fantastic canvases the first one I responded by saying how cute, I did not really see the details because I am squinting without my glasses at the pc screen,

after a brief email I realized exactly who it was and I just had to laugh actually I cracked up, what a way to brighten up my day… do you know this woman? If you do go to ellen’s blog and post a comment.

Seize the day and go make art!

I realize that Summer, has just begun but Fall is right around the corner, For those of you who are unfamiliar with Art is You, it is a Mixed Media/ Altered Arts Conference, held in Cromwell, Connecticut, This year it is on Columbus Day weekend October 10-13. Registration is open and classes look oh so inviting, take a look at all the fabulous Instructors that are lined up for this event, and don’t forget the Pie Prom, for those of you who missed your prom, bring your tulle skirts, baubles and bangles and crowns and tiaras ,won’t you come and join us ?

http://www.art-is-you.com/pages/schedule.htm

As I was surfing on the ever so popular Etsy, I came across these fabulous found objects, my brain is in overdrive with new designs to work these into…

My friends over at that always creatively happening blog http://girl-gone-thread-wild.blogspot.com/ would like me to pass this info onto to you…





.

PSSST.

The charm exchange

for

a

certain

special

fundraising

event.

~ ~

It’s going on NOW.

Please pass the word.

. . .



Details can be found here:

~*THINK PINK CHARMS EXCHANGE!*~



. .. . . .

The extra 2 pieces sent in from each artist

will be used to create bracelets which will be used as a prize
in The Pink Artist Drawing August 1-October 15, 2008.

See the recently listed Found Object Bangles, and more bracelets at http://urbanRomantic.etsy.com