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Nitza had a wedding and lovers in mind when she created this magical dance of dragonflies, the spirits of lovers and the script paper with gold ginko leaves. Her background is music with words about love and being together forever. What a sweet and tender expression of loving spirits! ...

Above image is Marie's mixed media piece "Tell Me Your Dream" Time stood still in the CollagePlay mixed media class yesterday; we were definitely in the flow of creativity. We created together, shared ideas, laughed a lot, and the day just flew by. We didn’t want to break for lunch, but knew we needed nourishment to keep going—that’s the only reason we stopped at all! I was so delighted with everyone’s finished piece, and, more importantly, so were they. I shared several techniques—ways to start, backgrounds, making your own stencils from chosen images, sponge painting, along with some basic tips on design and composition. Honestly, beyond all that, I think what made the time extraordinary was the supportive and encouraging environment that the group created together. The collective energy of creative spirit was with us yesterday. At one point we made a rule (actually the ONLY rule we had all day!) that we would have an apology-free day; no apologies necessary! You know that automatic response “Oh, I’m sorry…” to any small thing we did or mistake we might have made? Well, it was verboten yesterday! The creative flow we experienced may also have something to do with making art ...

Anteo's story poem The Space Chicken Adventure I am the wonderful chicken king I wonder what it would be like to fly in space I hear the universe calling me I see stars and planets with my telescope I want to be a space chicken I pretend to fly in space I feel like I could float forever I touch the very edges o the universe I worry about my other hens I cry for I'm not able to reach space I am going to build a barn ship I understand now that space travel is quite long I say to Leiutenant Bajajara "Put the warp drive at maximum!" I dream of touching the stars I try to go to the nearest star I hope there will be life I am the space chicken king ...

Silas's story poem: I am a dragon I wonder if the sun I hear my scales shivering I see the water I want to dive in cause I am a sea dragon I pretend I'm a fish I feel alone I touch the seaweed I worry that I go up to the sky with two wings I cry in the sky I am a walrus I understand that I go in the water deeply I say I'm a whale dragon I dream I dunk down and my eyes bump against seaweed I try to stand up I hope I climb up to the top I am a dragon ...

Ilari's story poem: I am a snowy owl I wonder that I wish I had a little chick I hear other owls that look cute... I see angels I want them to come here I am happy I pretend that the other owls are going away I feel great I touch the angel I worry that the angels are going away I cry because I think they are going away I am super happy that they are not going away I understand that the angels are happy I say they are pretty I dream that they angels come to me I try to make them come to me and they do come to me I hope they are not leaving I am happy ...

Thea Wren (6 y/o), Anteo (10 y/o) and Channing (7 y/o) take turns talking about their MeCards and sharing their story poems ...

Thea Wren's story poem: I am a fairyI wonder if fairy cats will play with meI hear birdsI see flowersI want cats to paly with meI am sad I pretend they play with meI feel a soft bird's tailI touch the birdI worry that the cats won't play with meI cry because I feel the bird's soft tailI am so happy I understand that cats chase birdsI say "Cats! Don't chase birds!"I dream that the cats will play with meI try to feel my heart beatI hope they will play with me tomorrowI am happy ...

On Saturday afternoon, March 8th, I offered my first MeCards4Kids class. It was much more fun than I even imagined it might be. Being around children definitely brought out the kid in me and the class flowed along quite comfortably and joyfully. There were five children, three grandmas and one mom in the Down to Earth Studio. As the photos show, the kids made some amazing cards and story poems. The photo featured here is three year old Silas and his "One Winged Dragon" MeCard. The kids took a few play breaks now and then, but they created for a good two hours down in the studio making their MeCards. They were thoughtful of one another and shared images (“Oh, you like space? Here is a picture of a star galaxy for you.”). Ten year-old Anteo gave one of his cards away to 7 year old Channing saying “I think one story poem is about all I can handle.” It was encouraging to watch the kids work and play together so happily and easily. There was a lot of laughter and I so loved having the energy of kids in the studio. And, as with the SoulCollagers who gather here, ...

"Birdsong" 10" x 14" Mixed Media - Glenda Goodrich February 2014 will go down as the year I cross-country skied in my own Salem neighborhood. What an unexpected treat. After complaining about no snow in the mountains this year for skiing, snow came to me. What would've thought? If you would have told me a couple of weeks ago that my Saturday Poetic Word Art class would be canceled due to snow, and I would be skiing to LifeSource to get my groceries, I would have laughed at you. Besides skiing in my own neighborhood, the other joyful part of my snowy weekend at home was watching mixed media art videos on CraftDaily.com. I came across Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. I nicknamed her “Balzer to the Walzer” because of her enthusiasm and messy over-the-top style. She’s a “color outside the lines” type of artists, and just what I need to help free up my own work.I’ve been looking for ways to challenge my love of symmetry and repeated patterns in my work. Don’t get me wrong, I like my work. But artistically I think it’s fun to find my edge and then push it just a little. Do you know what ...