As many of you know, I love tea.  I haven’t always, though.  Listening to the advice of my acupuncturist, I gave up coffee well over a year ago and replaced it with tea… black tea. Haven’t been able to warm up to the green or herbal teas.  They seem limp and light weight in comparison to their cousin.  I brew it strong.   I guess I am trying to force tea to be more like coffee… but have come to accept it more for its own uniqueness.

Nina Bagley was just here and we enjoyed our morning and afternoon cups of tea, our trip to Macha’s Tea House on Monroe Street in Madison, and searching Etsy for the perfect tea cup.  I found pleasure in serving Nina high tea in the studio while she taught two sessions of Story Booklace: an Intensive Three Day Journey into the Magic World of Jewelry Designs II.

okay… so this isn’t a cup of tea…

Nina left and a void followed until a few days ago.

A package arrived in the mail….I am thinking, hmmmm… tea???

I opened this package to find an amazing assortment of specialty teas…

Personalized specifically for me…with an extra special emblem…the Bear (ask me or Nina about it):

With a note inside:

Could it be from Nina?????

And here is a toast back at yah.

Thank you Nina.  Thank you for the tea, thank you for your gifts, thank you for your humor, thank you for just being you…. Until next year … Tea for two…xoxo

Randi, a first timer to Valley Ridge Art Studio just emailed me me to let me know about her experience at Valley Ridge Art Studio.  Here is what Randi said, “Meeting Katie and finding out who she is was so great. Being in the same room with so many like-minded people, leap-frogging off the energy in the room, having access to any art supplies I forgot to bring, staying in the farmhouse, fabulous lunches that didn’t make me break my diet (I lost 5 pounds from last week!), having the space to work while not being crowded two to a table (we actually had 2 tables each - and needed it!), and oh yes, learning a new process through it all. Getting away from work for almost a whole week was worth it too (at my physical this morning, my blood pressure was the lowest it’s been in forever! Must have been the lack of stress.”

“Kathy, how wonderful that you had this vision of providing a place for people to come and do art, and what a great place that is a fulfillment of that vision. I’m only sorry it took me so long to hear about it - I could have been coming for years and years. You haven’t put a foot wrong, from impeccable accommodations to beautiful space to inviting lunches to an array of instructors that makes it hard to choose. It makes me sorry I don’t have more vacation time - and grateful that I had enough for this.”

And Randi… we are so glad you found us. Now you don’t have to wait anymore. We look forward to seeing you again at Valley Ridge Art Studio.

Although not the name of Katie’s workshop, the journals we created were just that…. big -  fat - and chunky!  Those kind of  journals that feel great in your hands, that suggest you pick them up and peer inside.  

Katie Kendrick lead us through the process of creating these big  - fat -  chunky books by first starting with cardboard.

Add a little paint and getting  your portfolios out of hiding…

Katie encouraged us to add a bit of thread here and there…

With a little help from your art friends….

and including some collage and mica for safe keeping….

Then take Jennifer’s advice and enjoy a little ….

While Katie gives a  lesson on creative book binding…

and SURPRISE…

a great big….

fat…

and chunky…

Visual Board Journal….

Katie’s Intuitive Mixed Media Collage: Visual Board Journal was over the top fun, creative, inspiring and left us wanting more… more of her, more time, and more information.   But Valley Ridge Art Studio knows how to make that happen.  We are having her back next season.  She’ll be here for 3 days in May and will be incorporating encaustic techniques and teaching a faux encaustic process as well.  These books will be even bigger, fatter, and chunkier.  Could that be?  See for yourself. Here is an example of what we will be creating when Katie comes back May 21st through the 23rd of 2010.  Mark your calendars.

I woke up to this email from Sharon Andrews…. a first timer to Valley Ridge Art Studio. She said,

Because I came to Valley Ridge I am changed for good. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. Until we meet again, Godspeed, Sharon
This is Sharon

And Sharon sent these photos:

Our clothes lineCaptured dancing in the studio

Me and Sweet Boy (aka Bill)

Thanks Sharon.  What a great way to start my day.

Hugs,
Kathy

Up this morning and getting ready to go into Madison.  I have a number of things that I have to shop for before Nina Bagley comes on Thursday.  BTW… there is still a few spaces availalbe.  If you have never worked with Nina, then you have missed an amazing opportunity to learn and be entertained as well.  She is magical.    Stopping at Artist & Craftsman to buy art supplies, Anthologies to buy Laura’s fabric sample cones (will be for sale at Valley Ridge Art Studio), a stop by Bobby Brown’s and Home Depot for some paint to finish the ceiling downstairs for Megan, Joe and Elijah’s new apartment.