Autumn in San Diego

It's fall in San Diego. The only tree that changes color here, is the Liquid Amber.

Pomegranates 

Apples

Blue, cloudless sky. Oh that's right, it looks like this nearly every day of the year in San Diego.

This gorgeous flower blooms rarely and quickly on the grounds of Bernardo Winery.



Succulent... and I do love rose hips..

I took all these photos on my regular 3 mile walk around the neighborhood one morning

Orvieto, Italy

(Photo by Bill Steiner)
Ah, Orvieto! My workshop, Bella Italia: Orvieto Sketchbook is May 20-26. We've got 6 registered so far, with a maximum of 10. I've been lucky enough to teach in Orvieto once before and it was divine. You can see the photos of my 2010 workshop here. Hope you can join us.

Mixed Media Sketchbook

I've been obsessed with drawing with my Tombow, water soluble pen.

I just know you've been hankering for a How to Draw Barbie tutorial. Head over to The Sketchbook Challenge to see my tutorial on just that!

Bead it Like You Mean It! giveaway!

 

You may remember this post, on the influence Lyric Kinard's new DVD, Bead it Like You Mean It, had on me. This is an excellent DVD. Lyric was voted Quilt Teacher of the Year 2011, and I can see why. She is an excellent teacher. Charming, clear, well spoken, straight to the point, and certainly knows her stuff. I've been beading for years...thought I knew it all (ha!). I learned sooo much from Lyric! Even something as seemingly basic as a way to tie a knot on the back, or how to stitch on single beads so they really do stay put or get this, she picks up the beads with the end of the needle, rather than pick it up with her fingers and put it on the needle! genius. Honestly, I was amazed at how clueless I was, and how much I learned from watching Lyric's DVD. I really recommend it. 

So, you can either dash over and purchase one here, or wait and leave a comment on this post and see if you win a copy. (Or, you could do both, and if you win, give one away as a gift. This would make a fine stocking stuffer.)

detail ~ by Jane LaFazio

Two kitties ~ two beds. Thanks to Knitanista!

You may remember, in early September, when the kitties got a new bed from the fabulous Knitanista. Here's BeBop in the new bed, and then Buddy, in the same new bed.
Well, I saw her in Portland and she gave my kitties another bed! so they would each have their own. (of course, you notice in the photos above, they are still want to be the one in the newest bed!) Look at the tag she included on the bed--'no kitty left behind campaign.' and a photo of her kitties in their own beds. waaay cute and sooooo kind of Knitanista! thank you! (And dear readers, if you beg her, Knitanista may make and sell you one of these fabulous beds. She knits then, then 'fulls' them to create a felt-like bed. Needless to say BeBop and Buddy are happy to her spokesmodelkitties and tout the comfort of these beds.)
   

Lavender Sage Art Retreat in Austin Sept 2011

I spent a wonderful weekend at our debut Lavender Sage Art Retreat, in Austin, Texas.

We had 11 participants, plus Pamela Underwood and I as co-teachers.

Texas Red Oak (with some paint)

We spent lots of time making and sharing art.

The whole group at dinner in the studio at Turtle Crow.

LavenderSage Art Retreats

Mundo Lindo starts up again!

The after school art program I created and teach has started up again. Mundo Lindo is one of the best things I've done in my life. Do check out the blog, and see more photos of sweet kids makin' art. An excellent reminder how important art making is---for kids and everyone!

(As you see, we had 31 kids come to class --limit is supposed to be 20---but we couldn't turn anyone away. If you can, please help by making a donation. Mundo Lindo is free to the kids and supported by grants and donations.)

Teaching in Portland, Oregon September 2011

Me, in Jesse Reno's class

Just back from my first time teaching and taking at in Portland, Oregon.
I had a wonderful time, teaching, taking workshops and seeing beautiful downtown Portland.  

Student work ~ recycled circles

   
I taught two classes (and both were sold out, thank you!). Recycled Circles is always fun, because everyone's work turns out so different. 






Student work ~ recycled circles

Student work ~ Sketching and Watercolor: Journal Style

And I taught 'Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style.' Students are always surprised at how well they do!
   



 
I took a workshop from Jesse Reno (that's my hand, we painted with our hands the first half of the class!)
      
Needless to say, this isn't my usual style of painting, but it was fun and freeing and I definitely will use some of what I learned in my sketchbook. 

Radio interview: me and Lesley Riley

Listen to internet radio with Art And Soul Radio on Blog Talk Radio

I love Lesley Riley! She's talented, kind, accomplished, and generous. And she gave me my start by interviewing me for Cloth Paper Scissors magazine back in 2007.

Lesley was kind enough to interview me again, recently, for BlogTalkRadio. Grab a cuppa and take a listen.

New E-zine from The Sketchbook Challenge artists

The Sketchbook Challenge E-zine

is 83 full color pages of creativity, inspiration and projects!

Brought to you by The Sketchbook Challenge artists.

Click here to peek inside!

Inside you'll find:
Learn how to draw a pinecone with me, Jane LaFazio
Exploring Text Collage with Kelli Nina Perkins
Make a Scrappy House Quilt with Jamie Fingal
Working in series by Jane Davies
Make bad art with Lyric Kinard and become a better artist
Sue Bleiweiss shows you how to make a sketchbook sleeve
Carol Sloan shares her remedies for blank pages
Take 5! with Carla Sonheim
Screenprinting for the Mixed Media Artist by Leslie Tucker Jenison
Take your sketchbook out to eat with Susan Sorrell
Stacked Journaling with Judi Hurwitt
Learn how to use your inner GPS to create journal pages with Violette
Learn a trio of pamphlet binding stitches from Diana Trout 

Click here to download  The Sketchbook Challenge Ezine  for $9.99.


Enter your name into a drawing to win a piece of mail art from one or more of the Sketchbook Challenge artists!  Send a link to your published review by 12/1/11  to sue at  to be entered into the drawing.  Winners will be announced in December - good luck!

In the Ezine, there are step by step illustrated instructions from me, on how to draw a pinecone.

Mixed Media Journal pages to a....bib

I used the journal page on the right for inspiration to create some designs on this page for a thermofax screen.

And then,  I used the thermofax screen to print some fabric (in Pokey's workshop at CREATE in Chicago)

And then I made this bib from a pattern! I haven't sewn from a pattern in decades! 

The bib is for my friend Alisa Burke's new baby girl. And, it's reversable. (I had to pay someone to make the button hole for me...)

Dia de los Muertos

This quilt "Dia de los Muertos, Maize" is one of my earlier pieces. It's currently in my JaneVille Etsy shop. Day of the Dead is celebrated the first of November and I'll be helping my Mundo Lindo kids build altars (ofrendas) as the date gets closer.



My artist friends and I are planning a mixed media art retreat to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for Day of the Dead in October 2012. You can follow our Tesoro del Corazon blog to keep up with our plans!