Amazing how much me I see in these three kidoodles…

Brianna (11) has had a lot of poetry assignments which culminated into this wonderful little collection that I love to have her read aloud to me.  They are so her.  My favorite, so dramatic, is:

Cookies, Gone

Cookies gone
Long ago- –
Dough gone missing
No sugar
Against my wishes- –
Easter dessert
Will never be the same
Cries of children- –
Howls of wind
Echo of empty kitchens
Melt into a puddle of tears.

Did I mention drama?  LOL!  I will always cherish these little snippets of her at age 11.  Completely unafraid to put herself out there and have her work viewed by others.

I'm not quite so bold.  Whenever I have to write a short bio or introduction letter or submit my work for approval or inclusion, this poem, Colors by Shel Silverstein, comes to mind.

"My skin is kind of sort of brownish
Pinkish yellowish white.
My eyes are grayish blueish green,
But I'm told they look orange in the night.
My hair is reddish blondish brown,
But it's silver when it's wet.
And all the colors I am inside
Have not been invented yet."

I don't like the e-mail version of cold-calling and follow through – but it is what it is.  Sooooo worth it when you get to work with these amazing people and companies.  So I'm thinking about what to write some more…and I remember something Courtney said on Sunday…

My Courtney (9) seems to have herself pretty well defined at the moment.  She said:

"I'm severely nice.  But sometimes I wish I could kick someone and not get in trouble."

Hmmm.  I agree with that sentiment.  There are times… but I digress.

And then there is Cameron (9)  — my absent-minded professor.  Hard to get him to focus on anything, but when he does – he is a laser beam.  Wearing rainbow-striped socks and hair askew…

Hmmm.  Must go work on my hair a bit…I'm definitely not presentable even if the UPS or Fedex people come to the door today.  Oh, did I get distracted?  Oops.

So last night, I was going through my to-do list post the CHA trade show…

One thing that was announced unexpectedly during Stacy Julian's Finish Line Scrapbooking class (and I've gotten quite a few e-mails about) is that "Yes!! I am going to be teaching with Big Picture Scrapbooking this year!"  One self-paced and one instructor-led workshop are in the works.  Stay tuned.

And OMG I enjoyed her class.  The woman is mercenary when it comes to getting it done.  Take my blueprints class and stir in Stacy's Ipod and a pinch of no nonsense.  Love it.

So after answering a couple e-mails about that, I finally sent off three little post-CHA e-mail things to see where they would land. 

And then I had an HOURS long phone call with my buddy, Jen about this and that — laughing and gnashing of teeth, bouncing around ideas.  I love this girl.  And meanwhile this e-mail came in… to inform me that I was going to be one of the mini-workshop instructors at Donna Downey’s Inspired Artist Workshop in Concord, NC!  I was so thrilled!!  I looked on the website and saw my name there.  Wow.  Oh yes, it is wasn't spelled correctly – but it was there!

And then I thought, people are going to see that.  And they are going to say,

"Who is she?"

..ranging from inflection on whichever word of choice.

So I thought it might be time to define that a bit just in case the Google hits my blog.

1. I grew up in Kansas
2. I will believe everything you say
3. I will keep my mind and heart open
4. I delight in everything
5. I won't let a craft product or tool intimidate me
6. I don't do Diva
7. I am not Brad Pitt
8. I am woefully addicted to Diet Coke
9. I am passionate about teaching
10. I never met an ink I didn't like
11. No surface is safe from said ink
12. I will let you define yourself to me, instead of accepting others' definitions
13. It takes a LOT of schtuff to make me open my eyes to another's faults
14. Even then I probably have to be kicked a few times before I believe it
15. I have plenty of my own faults to go around
16. I love receiving packages, but hate mailing them out
17. I get disappointed, say 'why me?', cry into my pillow and then my friends lift me right back up again.
18. Repeat Step 1

Oh, I also color on childrens' menus at restaurants.

My children think I rock.  They aren't teenagers yet – so I'm holding onto that one for as long as I can.

And the minute I thought about writing this blog post, I grabbed a canvas and made this super fast.

Ink, fusible threads and fibers, metal hardware, glitter, mica, crayon, felt, pearls, bling, acrylic, doodling and a HI button. 

That about sums it up. 

Um, I did say no surface was safe…

More where that came from in the 'now for something completely different' gallery at bottom of right sidebar.

P.S. I'm goofy.

I am looking forward to a lot of fun with a great group of people and making wonderful new friends too.  So if this is your first time here – or you are already my Facebook friend (thanks for that!) – then 'Hi!'.

Have a colorful day.

P.S.S. – Remember to comment on prior post for the Spica Pen set drawing tonight!