michelle my belle

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

port townsend artfest post #1

sorry about the no post yesterday.
just too much work to catch up on.
let me just start by saying- artfest was once again, AWESOME!!!

one of the highlights for me this year... was a picture-taking-excursion with friends kate daniel

and janne robberstad.




port townsend, wa is such a lovely little town.
it was like one big treasure hunt!

i'll be back tomorrow with more!

i love nyc!

i seriously love ny.
the constant humming of the city.
the endless options of seriously yummy food.
the yummy food in conjunction with crazy-cool atmosphere.
and on this trip the weather has been spectacular.

(times square)

IF ONLY... we didn't have to spend 9 hours a day inside the javits convention center!

(boy do they take their bike locking seriously here!)

it's been fun being here for a week, trying new restaurants and seeing friends.
but i'm totally ready to get back home to my family and my studio!

i have so much creating to do!!!

fruits & veggies... asian style

happy friday!
have you noticed - i'm back to blogging!
my momma and i both made a commitment that we're going to take our blogs more seriously and post more regularly. :)

thought you might enjoy a few more pictures from my china travels...

doesn't look much different than what you'd see here at a farmers market.
except maybe that most the produce was just on tarps on the ground.

oh, and they had cages with live birds...
can't get much fresher than that.

chinese... they are people too!

many people, for some good reasons, have very ill feelings against china.
i understand... kinda.
BUT, they are people too!
they need jobs to provide for their needs.
same as any other country.
they have corruption... WE have corruption...

all that being said... i LOVE my development team and the people i work with!
i feel so extremely blessed to know this group of people.
they are kind, hardworking and honest.
the same things i value in people in this country.


i don't try to cheat them on pricing.
or work them down so that they are forced to underpay their workers, or take short cuts on materials.
we do a good honest business together, which benefits them and their employees and myself, my employees and the independent stores we sell to - that are out there fighting to survive.

just another perspective on doing business in china.

mom, china, food & chopsticks

yes, you guessed it.
i'm in good ole china again.
working on our 2012 allen designs winter line.

something special about this china trip- i brought my momma, karla dornacher!
we're working on an exciting project together...i'll give you a peek later. :)

my mom with one of our humorous hosts!

mom working on her chopstick skills.
and some of the yummy grub we were privy to.


i figured after yesterday's gross post, i'd show you some beautiful food to make amends.

a little incentive not to smoke...

just in case you were thinking about starting up...
seriously.
can it get any grosser than this?

and yum. right next to the tea.

wanna take a guess at my whereabouts?

here's another hint...

the cutest shop in minneapolis!

my friend april owns 3 shops in the detroit area and i love cute, fun stuff.
so the natural thing for us to do while in MN for the creative connection was to visit local cute shops.
patina, digs studio and my FAVE... i like you.
the pictures below depict just how awesomely killer, this all handmade artisan shop in MN just is.

chocked full of lovely art, cheeky quotes, gorgeous jewelry... and a SWING to boot!

even the outside is fun!


and the displays... out of this world!
this one is definitely on my DIY to make list.
i'm scheming of all the crazy items i can hold hostage in an upside down glass!

and let's not forget the absolutely adorable one and only...co-owner sarah sweet!
who makes this magic happen.

the creative connection

the creative connection was awesome!
i met up with gift show friends- april of catching fireflies and leigh of curly girl.
leigh went last year but for april and i, this was our first!

left mid: me, the infamous susan branch and april

i think there was a fancy dessert at every meal.
did anyone else notice that?
my pants are reminding me of it still to this day!

one of the workshops i took was with the lovely leslie shewring.
she was the inspiration for our 2011 allen designs catalog.
it was quite an honor to meet her and see her in action.

april, leigh, kelly rae and me

okay kelly rae, i think you and i need some heels... or new shorter friends!!!

jessica with her sweet washi tape pendant

kelly rae, me, claudine hellmuth and april

lizzy flanagan, leigh and ..... oops...can't remember her name! :(

cute girls from provo craft!

boy, i'm realizing i really hammed it up! 
there were so many inspiring women entrepreneurs, my head was spinning.

i came away with a long list of new aspirations.
i came away encouraged.
and best of all, i came away with new friends and phenomenal memories!
thank you jo packham, i'll be back.

i'm really trying...

there just doesn't seem to be enough time in my days right now.
i still have so much to share but i haven't had the time to post about it. sorry :(.

in the meantime, here are a few Creative Connection posts by friends... Leigh, Lizzy and Lacy.