I’m proud to refer you here …
I’m not just waving goodbye - I’m doing the art doll boogie!
This collaged art doll is by Stacey Apeitos of Go-Make-Art. She and her friend, Arrigo were going to take over the Happiness-Studio blog from me. They’ve decided instead they prefer a new name: My Art Self. It totally suits what they are doing. The blog launched today - 17 January. www.myartself.com
They’ve started a really neat project called the 100 art dolls challenge.
We will leave this blog site up on the web for a few more weeks at least. (Hmmm - maybe Stacey will consider applications if anyone else is interested in blogging here about how making art can make you happy!)
Thanks for reading Happiness-Studio this past year. Now go check out www.myartself.com
endings and beginnings
The Happiness-Studio blog is owned by Go-Make-Art and I signed on for a year. That year is up and there is going to be a changing of the guard.
If you have been a regular reader, you will have noticed my waning enthusiasm for blogging! Actually, it would be more appropriate to say that my life changed, my priorities took me in different directions - all good for me, but to the detriment of the blog.Â
I gave notice of my resignation, so to speak, and Stacey very graciously responded this way:
“There’s no rule that says a person can’t change priorities. Nor is there a rule that says a blog can’t transform over time.”Â
Happiness-Studio will continue to inspire readers in 2008 with a new format and two new authors - one being Stacey herself. She’s shared a little of her plan with me. It sounds pretty cool!
I’m looking forward to my new role as a Happiness-Studio blog reader, and occasional contributor to Astarte’s Mega-Zine!
Signing off now …
Felicity
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The Story of Stuff
If you’ve never seen this entertaining
yet oh-so-thought-provoking 20 minute
online movie, take a look.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/Â
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The Art of Names
And now for something completely different … Names are interesting don’t you think? This website - www.behindthename.com - would be a good resource for fiction writers stuck for character names.
My favorite page is the “Random Name Generator” which you can program to make names from different countries and cultural groups (and fun groups). My fairy name is Sugarbud Dazzlemist. If I were a hillbilly I’d be Cowplanter Barntoter. My rapper name: Chill Rock Flava-C.
I wonder if I could generate new names for my friends as Christmas presents? It is in keeping with my “homemade is best” campaign!
Doodle Competition
Hooray! I found a doodling/squiggling competition to celebrate two books by Taro Gomi, “Squiggles” and “Doodle All Year”.
It doesn’t end until May2008.
Go here: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/doodles/
You download one of the four sample pages shown on the page linked above, add your own doodling to complete the picture and mail it in.
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Homemade for Christmas
My husband suggested we go Christmas shopping this weekend. I was non-committal.
I’m wondering if we could take on the “No-Buy Christmas” challenge this year.
I bet I could easily make homemade gifts for all the adults, at least.
Kids on the list are a little more of a challenge. Still, if I really gave it some thought, I might be able to make some bracelets for our nieces, or perhaps put together some beading kits so they could make their own. (I’ve got beautiful beads in bulk! Gee, but it would be great to send them to new homes …)
I could whip up some shorts for my little nephew using leftover camouflage fabric I have on hand.
My own kids will be expecting some gifts from real stores. Plus, they need new socks and underwear. Okay, so I won’t be making those from scratch!
The idea of making as many gifts as possible, though, has generated some cool ideas. It is a noble challenge.
If you have a blog, I invite you to take the web graphic I made above and share your own thoughts on the subject with your blog readers.
What is transformative art?
I was trying to explain “transformative art” to a friend the other day and getting lost for words.
“It’s like art therapy for anyone and everyone,” I said.
“It means making art can transform your life into something better.”
And I gave my friend the link to my Squidoo Lens on transformative art . I developed this months ago, and I probably need to add some more stuff to it.
 Does anyone have some suggestions for tizzying up my Squidoo Lens? Please leave a comment on the lens or back here beneath this post. Thanks!
Pretend you’re Jackson Pollock
I found another great online doodle program
at http://www.jacksonpollock.org/
And the best part? No mess to clean-up afterwards.
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The adventure is the journey - not the destination
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.
— Ursula Le Guin
Stop and smell the roses. Relax and enjoy the scenery. Savor the experience along the way.
Life is good. All of it.
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Life is a daring adventure
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.
– Helen Keller
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