Open Studios, Great Reviews and New Opportunities

Yeah! It's done and it was a complete success! Thanks to all those who stopped by for Open Studios here in Brookline. A special thanks to all of you who purchased your own Jenn Mason Original artwork, book or necklace while you were here. I'm filled up with joy from all the kind words you left me with and from the compliments on our new digs. This is especially great because it is something I can truly share with Matt who makes my life so complete.

Becky had a great weekend too. She sold ALL 7 pieces of art and is looking forward to next year's show. She beamed all weekend! For those of you interested, she is splitting her profits evenly amongst spending, short term savings, long term savings (college) and charity--what a girl.

Abby had another Lilly show today and there was a great review by the globe too!

Speaking of interesting reads... I saw this new book by Suzan Lenart Kazmer is out called Making Connections. It is available through her website and looks facsinating. I have to get my hands on a copy and when I do, I'll make sure to tell you all about it. If you've read it, feel free to let me know what you think!

Also, interestingly enough I had a chat with a very dear friend today who proposed a new "genius" product. She's also asked me to jump on board with her. How touched am I??? So here I go, jumping on another project that I can't tell you anything about--YET! Stay tuned my dear readers!

until then--(or sooner!)

Time is of the essence

It seems like I'm right down to the ticker tonight. Tomorrow Abby has a final dress rehearsal, Becky has her first performance of Seussical, and I have the rest of the artists coming over to set up their "stuff".

I finished the Open Studio Window display and it looks pretty sharp. I've collected 18 or so bottles of wine for my preview party. I've picked up things that I should have picked up 2 or 3 months ago.

All in all, its looking pretty great around here--even if there are about 20 too many pieces of art hanging on the wall. If you're local, feel free to come by, ther are so many studios open here in Brookline that I don't think you could see them all in two days.

I have two more assemblages I want to finish before Saturday Morning and I hope I can pull it off. I've assembled all the stuff into two piles, now I just have to let the art muse out and let it all come together. But first--I had better clean off my studio table so there is some place for the magic to happen.

MISSING: Blogger!

Sometimes I feel like I spend my whole day going to or coming from school, so this seems an appropriate image today. I just HAD to blog before leaving for California tomorrow. I feel like I've been locked away in a remote location where I couldn't blog!

Rest assured I've just been extremely busy. I'm still working on the new product line for Creative Imaginations. I've also worked on my lasers for my Jewelry book, artwork for my articles, the window display for open studios, the postcard maps for open studios, ordering customized cards, notecards, postcards and magnets for open studios.... and working on a lovely birthday present for my dear friend's 40th!

So now that I've blogged I'm going to be off line for the weekend while I soak up some Southern California sun!
Look for me here on Monday--I'll be here with details of the trip and things to look forward to next weekend.

TGIW (thank goodness it's Wednesday!)

Found Inspiration

What a bounty! Many of you may know from previous posts that I walk a service dog for a disabled woman here in Brookline. Tigger is wonderfully trained so the walk is usually uneventful... Except for garbage day--he will ignore a squirrel but a half eaten hotdog is nirvana! So, most days we just walk in silence--me lost in thought, tigger happy to be out of the house. Many walks I actually find one or two items along the way that I might be able to use in my work, but NEVER more than 2. This picture shows what I found yesterday! Jackpot. Have no idea what I'll use them for yet but I will use them...oh yes I will!

Passports pictures and paperwork

Here it is. This is the picture I'm going to live with for the next 10 years in my passport. I'm hoping to head to Spain in May to visit my college roomate (Hi Heather!) but I realized that my passport expired at the end of February...WHAT TIMING! Geesh. So I've made it a priority today to get thru the paperwork process today and had Matt snap this photo. Not bad--for what he had to work with. I know my nose looks crooked--one half of my body is slightly larger than my other. You can't notice it in real life but I always notice it in pictures. My mom doesn't believe me but seriously--one hand is bigger (different ring sizes) one foot is bigger (I have to try BOTH shoes on), and "the girls" are TOTALLY different. BTW, if anyone ever figures out how to do breast tissue transplants, I'm totally donating. I figure I have enough cleavage to make at least 3 AA women (and their partners) very happy. See how generous I am? All comes from watching the Big Give last night.

I know I have a lot of friends who don't like to watch TV, and especially don't like Reality Shows but I watched this last night for the first time and was truly touched. The participants had 48 hours and $4800 to make a difference anyway they wanted. Some gave in small ways and three of the men formed a team and raised $290,000+ for a childrens home! WOW! It makes me want to rent Pay it Forward again.

I also should report that I successfully snowboarded yesterday and only slightly bruised my knees. My tailbone is finally feeling on the mend from 2 weeks ago too.
Abby really ROCKED the slopes. What a girl! She doesn't have great technique but instead goes from top to bottom her own amazing way. Just a thrill to watch her. Bec won Big Sister of the Day award by using her brand new ski poles to help Abby whenever she could.

So now that I've filled out my passport papers, done a final edit on my Jewelry Book manuscript, RSVP'd to a birthday party, and blogged, I can finally work on my new CI product. YES!

Sore bottoms, cool ego

Today marks two weeks since my first snowboarding try. It also marks two weeks of a sore tailbone. I actually find it more of an annoyance than really a hinderance. It is NOT, NOT I SAY, going to keep me from riding (which Matt tells me is the proper terminology for snowboarding) this weekend! WooHOOOOOO! I just will try hard to NOT fall on my tailbone. I mean really, there is enough padding there to prevent it right!? My desire to be a cool 30 something mom is overriding my need to be pain free. Do my girls know the sacrifices I make for them????

I got some new boarding pants but they're charcoal and boring (and yet really comfortable). I'm wondering how I could paint them and alter them to make them more cool, but I'm not really wanting to mess up their "waterproofness" since I spend a lot of my time on the mountain in the snow!

I really would like to cut some xyron wishblade stencils from laminated manilla cover and spray paint them with a hip paisley design--that would match my cool new paisely ski goggles! (and brain bucket!)

I think I have some research to do here on the paint and then I'll give it a go. Maybe it will be a spring project for me. If any of you have any tips, I would love to hear from you!

now to go find my ski socks and hand warmers---
stay cool!

Illustration Friday: LEAP

Here it is, my first Illustration Friday try! I'm waiting for feedback from my art director and manuscript edits from my copy editor so instead of cleaning my studio, I decided to try this weeks challenge LEAP. I have been sketching this frog for the last week for another project and just had to use him--that along with the theme of leap day (feb 29th) inspired this piece.