michelle my belle

artful blogging!

i've been featured!!!
come see more on my new blog:

http://www.close2myart.com/blog

artfest silk screening workshop

the 2nd workshop i taught at artfest was silk screening.
please visit our NEW blog for this post...
http://www.close2myart.com/blog

the finished dolls & dudes!

this class was SO MUCH FUN!!! (well, besides our toaster ovens kicking the breaker box 30 times)
it helped that everyone in the class were artists in their own right and had NO LACK of creativity!

i wanted to take them all home with me.

i loved how people's personalities showed through in their creations.
and as you can see, we had an abundance of personality!


thank you to everyone who took my workshop!
you were amazing. each and every one of you! SERIOUSLY AMAZING.

and i'm really sorry to do it this way, but if i'm ever going to actually get this post up...
here is a list of blog/websites of some of the gals in the class where several of them have posted more pictures of their pieces and more details about their artfest experience.
please check them out...
kt40's blog
lemoncholy's
lambsworld
stephanie schleicher
kaleidoscope lane
an li na designs
jill berry
miss mindy
lori carey
danielle daniel
annie hooten
nicci battilana
jessie starling

**i know that i am missing a few people's pieces which i can't quite figure out how that happened. :(
if you notice your missing and have a few pictures you could send me i'd love to add them to this post.**

doll & dudes artfest #2

okay so, i'm still scrambling to catch up from artfest.
and editing and sorting pictures takes a lot longer than i had anticipated.
therefore, i'm just going to show you stage 1 of my doll making workshop...

to begin with, i had a whole room full of crazy talented people!




the creativity was in abundance.

the sensational miss mindy.
when she emailed me to say she was taking my class, i was like- "for reals?".

another intimidating albeit lovely gal in my class- author/artist Jill Berry.

i can't wait to show you all their finished pieces.
they are AWESOME!!!

journal pages & artfest

just wanted to stop in and say hi and i'm still at artfest!
i had all intentions of blogging every day while here, but...

journal pages ©michelle allen 2012

i'm having WAY too much fun and i'm WAY too tired.
i'll be back to regular postings by monday for sure.
hope you have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo-m

doodle doodle dandy

 happy sunday to you. :)

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  John 16:33 

on my desk

i love our new allen designs line of pencil cups!
and for the moment, this is my fave...

it says "born to laugh" on the back.

although with this dreary/exceptionally cold nw weather, i'm feeling more like crying.
2nd day of spring,  and it's pouring rain AND 37º.

i need a hot cup of tea.

mini moo card love

i really adore these little moo cards.
the fact that you can get a different piece of your art printed on every one of them is quite somethin'.

just for fun, i added a QR code this time around.
do you use one?
have you ever scanned one?

my three favorites out of this batch.

they're just so yummy.


i've been slowly getting ready for artfest 2012.
i can't believe it's only one week away.
i'm so looking forward to seeing my crazy art friends!
are you going?

farm fresh eggs & artsy egg cups

my friend reenie of peculiar ambitions gifted us some beautiful eggs from her farm the other day.

these little guys were even standing on their heads they were so excited!

the fabulous egg cups are by artist alison palmer.
i'd love to visit connecticut and take one of her workshops someday!
i've had an obsession with ceramics for as long as i can remember.
i did take some classes once.
i very quickly came to the realization that...
i should just stick to purchasing other people's.

all this really makes me want chickens!
my husband would NEVER go for it.
i will have to settle with living vicariously through you reenie.

here kitty kitty painting

not quite completed but close

part of this weekend was spent weeding through my studio, working on completing all the paintings that are half done.
the bummer is, starting again after not touching them for SO long- i end up essentially repainting the whole thing over again.

perhaps i will grow out of this rotten habit someday!?!?!?!?
PLEASE say you have experience with this and you've conquered it.
give me hope that the whispered words to myself of "never again" are not lost in the wind.

i also managed an 11 mile run on Saturday!
my longest run in over a year.
it feels good to be active again.
and my body seems to be holding up. yay!