Leaping, Clapping, Whooping for Joy!

I think I can count on one hand the moments in my life which have felt this good!

Any of you who know me, who have been following me on youtube or at this random post in the ether of the web know that my life has transformed drastically in the past year. Flash back one year, when I was teaching double split shifts of multi-level ESL to adult immigrants in Los Angeles and commuting through that infamous LA traffic, I was simply too exhausted to try my hand at making a work of art or finishing a stage play (these were areas in which I had received formal education).  Towards the end of that very humbling period of my life, the only project that didn’t overwhelm me was a card.  So, during down time, of which there was very little, I’d craft my cards.  With no exaggeration I can tell you that this silent, everyday practice literally SAVED ME.  If, after a late night shift, I was unable to wind down, watching a youtube video of an enthusiastic youber crafting a card would lull me to sleep – no joke!

Now, thanks to a supportive and loving partner (he built me an awesome craft room when we moved into this home together!), my days are full of everything I love – painting, writing, gardening, playing with my dogs, sharing new experiences with my man, and papercraft!

And believe it or not, cardmaking has evolved into a spiritual practice of sorts for me. Through the doing of it, I draw my attention away from myself and towards the love I have for another – it’s really so simple and beautiful and I’m intent on sharing the benefits with all of you!  With wild abandon, my artistic mind approaches the card-front as a beautiful blank canvas that is primed to quickly translate inspiration into something tangible.  And here’s the best part – the results, avante garde or not, are going to make someone really happy!

The reason I’m jumping for joy today, folks, is that I just found out that I am now a member of Hampton Art’s design team!!!  I wish you could have seen me when I got the email – I started screaming, “Wooo hooo!  Wooo hooo!”  while running up and down the staircase, wildly clapping my hands above my head, all the while trailed by a barking cocker spaniel!

I knew that this was the next step I wanted to make in my crafty career, and I couldn’t be more pleased to make this endeavor with Hampton Art.  I had used their products from the get go.  And when I found them on facebook,  I was so impressed by how much they interacted with me on their page, how curious they were about the crafty activities of all their fans, how they love walking around Michaels and Jo-Ann’s just as much as I do.  And as I researched their company more, I knew that I wanted to work with them in the future.  When they announced their first design team call ever, I told my man, ” I REALLY want this one. They make all the stuff I LOVE!”

This bit of recognition resulting from my efforts was such a gift, and I’m so eager for what’s to come.  I’m super psyched to share with y’all here and on youtube all the wonderful crafty goodness to be born from my collaboration with Hampton Art and its very first Design Team!

Keep your eyes open.  Better yet, if you haven’t already, subscribe to me here and on the tube!  I promise to get yer’ crafty mojo goin’ on haha!

So looking forward to getting to know you here and getting to see more of your artistic visions as well!  I’ll leave you today with a few recent projects I was happy about:

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My most recent video
My Flickr Gallery
My paintings

Please stop on by the blogs of the other design team members and get to know them.  That’s what I’m about to do!

2012-2013 Hampton Art Design Team

Linda Abadie

Diana Kovacs

Claire Towle

Dana Warren

Gini Williams

Britt Bass

Nina Yang

Beverly Sizemore

Wendy Morris

Vivian Keh <——- that be me!

Gloria Stengel

Jamie Harper

Adora Concepcion

 

Later!