FREE WORKSHOPS BY YARISWORKS
I attended a free workshop sponsored by Toyota's new car Yaris. The art program is called "YARISWORKS" and they tour the U.S. offering all kinds of really neat instructions on art, hair styling, cooking.
The one I attended was held at this really cool Art Gallery/Boutique called "GhettoGloss" in the Silver Lake district. I was interested in attending because the workshop was on bookmaking. I didn't know what to expect, but it was more than I hoped for. Maybe they'll do this again and then I can attend some other workshops I missed.
These Yaris cars were parked on the parking lot. The set up was pretty cool...they had the cars with music playing.
There wasn't a big crowd when I first arrived, but slowly people started piling in. I enjoyed the event...they had food, a live DJ who was rocking the house, and lots of brochures and free stuff. Thanks Yaris for doing this...I loved it.
I 
met a really cool girl by the name of Sara, and she and a bunch of her friends go around the city and create works of art in very creative ways. One in particular she mentioned was a T-Shirt mural.
The "Chap" bookmaking class was taught by Jon Rolston, that's him in the hat. I was all ready to make these books, something bound by cording, or rivets, etc. And then he pulls out packs of cigarette boxes. We had fun, but I was certainly surprised that he considered these books. To me they were more like little notepads. But hey who am I to judge?
Jon even made some from boxes of macaroni, cereal, etc. It was a lot of fun, and the idea is pretty cool. I chose a yellow "Spirit" cigarette box since it was so bright. I could have gone with a more well known brand, "Winston, Marlboro, even Kool", but I don't want anyone seeing the notebook in my purse and thinking I'm smoking. But I have found myself collecting discarded cigarettes boxes on the street. :0) I found one the other day that had Asian lettering on it....that should be cool when it's finished.
The boutique has really cool clothing too, some are on consignment, and others are from up and coming designers. Here are a couple of models wearing some of the vintage clothing that they sell at the boutique.
The boutique has a lot of funky fresh accessories, shoes and they even sell dolls. Right now they have this doll from Japan that they're promoting.
I like the clothing and accessories, but a lot of it's pretty pricey, so I know I won't be buying very much. I'll stick to buying a few art pieces, or some accessories unless I see something I absolutely can't live without. Let's hope not, 'cause it could break the bank.
I will definitely be returning to GhettoGloss, they have some really cool artwork there. Thanks Fiora and Rachel!
LaLa'sLand..Lesley Riley
Just yesterday I picked up a book from the library entitled "Quilted Memories". The author, Lesley Riley, is one of my favorite fabric collage artists. Her work is unbelievably simplistic, but enormously ingenius. I know that doesn't give you much to go on, but you will just have to go to her website and see the work for yourself. I'm thrilled with this book because she is imparting some very valuable knowledge about being an artist, and providing tools and resources to fulfill one's dream of putting one's work out in the universe. I just love what she is saying because it's validating my work and confirming that I am on the right path. I thank God I saw this book!!!!
H-E-L-P
I am seriously getting frustrated with posting pictures on this blog. I haven't done any html editing for years, and I cannot figure out how to do this (right now). When I write, I write on a stream of consiousness, and if I remember that I have a picture to download to illustrate whatever that topic is...then it's too late and I can't download anything else. BUMMER!
Anywhoooo! I'm learning different techniques on this blog site as I go along, so perhaps I'll be able to do some other cool stuff. That's what I do....I love to make things nicer, cooler, prettier.
If you notice, I have 5 (one of which I just deleted trying to format this post---DANGIT!) pictures above because before I even got started writing, I said to myself "let me add all these pictures now and just type whatever I want around them." Well that didn't completely pan out because I was only able to add a certain amount. So maybe that's just it....you're only allowed so many pictures per post. OK if that's the case, then say that somewhere! Don't keep saying in your instructions..."just do this, or just do that!" Like I said, I'm frustrated.
If this is the case, then I'll have to do a little forethought and plan these out as I go...and you don't plan out journaling when you write....you just journal. OK so I get it, in the "real" world there are restrictions, but in the corners of my subconscious, I CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT. A life without pictures to tell your story is just plain boring Okaaaay???
WILL I EVER GET RID OF MY STORAGE SPACE??
Money down the tubes every month....but I keep holding on to all that stuff I have in storage. They're getting so paid off me. :0( This weekend I am committed to cleaning out a bunch of stuff in storage so that I can get my overflow of possessions to a minimum. I plan on taking the bulk of stuff....clothing & shoes to consignment shops, one in particular "Buffalo Exchange" in Studio City. They pay for this stuff if its in good condition. And why shouldn't I get paid for this excess that I've been holding on to for years, and years, and years.....it's time to purge baby in a big way. Every year the rent is increased from 4 years ago when I first moved my stuff in there.
I haven't been there to clean up in a long while so it's time. I have to do it so that I can know what's what. I remember a time when I had my futons in there and every single time I wanted to get to something, I had to pull two huge futon mattresses down and wrestle with them getting them back in there. Have you ever seen an angry sweaty woman wrestling with futon mattresses??? Oh believe me...not a pretty sight. Thank god I learned how to lift and push and use every part of my body to move them around. I am sooo serious! I had to fold the mattresses in half, push them up to a certain point, then hoist them onto my head and push more until they were perched precariously on other boxes. I tell you, all I could do when I finished was thank god....and swear that one day I wouldn't have to do it. When I finally moved them into the apt. I had help. But I also took great pride in my strength and know-how....who could I ask to come out there with me and move that crap around? There ain't that much friendship in the world. So, I'd thank God for giving me strength to endure, go home and pass out. But I got it done.....'cause I'M A STRONG BLACK WOMAN. Yes I am!
Oh but that's not the end of moving....yea you know that. You have to get that stuff hauled off to the Goodwill or trash. I don't even know where the junk yard or dump is. Then, if I bring stuff home, my little matchbox elevator only holds so much, AND THERE AREN'T ANY DOOR STOPS TO KEEP THE DOOR OPEN SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE SOMETHING IN THERE.
You have to incorporate this system, where you open the outer door, prop that against your back, slide the inner door open, prop that with a foot, get in, close the inner door, and then the outer door....you think I'm kidding? Every time I make groceries I have to go through this. Somedays I forget and buy too much stuff....or am treated to a COSTCO run....and there's tons of groceries. Well when that happens you just prop something in the doors the best way you can. You find your system and it gets in and up to your floor.
When me and my cousin Nita first moved in we had help, and we found this cool block of wood. Well wouldn't you know that by the second day of moving...the block was stolen. Who would steal a block of wood ya'll? Anyway we managed. So if you ever need help moving and you just don't know how you're going to do it with all you have to do.....DON'T CALL ME I'VE GOT MY OWN PROBLEMS! LOL
FOUR BY 4 BY FORE or IS SOMETHIN' STRANGE GOING ON???!!!
Ok tell me if you think this is weird or what? I had a girlfriend who told me that there is this system of living your life by numbers or whatever. It's some kind of science that helps you understand how to plan or plot your life out. She swears by it and said it was the most interesting thing she's encountered...maybe it's numerology. It probably is, but that's what I'm calling it for a frame of reference 'cause I dont' have a clue what numerology involves.
I often read my horoscope and clip the really neat and inspirational predictions. So I believe there's something to Tarot cards, reading palms etc. But check this out. After moving here, and finally getting on my feet I noticed the following things.
1) When I moved into my storage space...I got a space on the 4th floor.
2) When I moved into my apt. it is on the 4th floor.
3) When I got my job....it was on the....4th floor.
OK 4 x 4 x 4 = 12; 12 inverted is 21, my birthday; 1 + 2 = 3, I was born in March the 3rd month, and I am the 3rd girl child in my family....need I say more??? So maybe there is something to this, you think? What does it all mean?
I just made that all up!!! LOL But really, I figured it out just now because that's what it means to me. Maybe that's what numerology is all about. Oooooh spooky stuff. :0)
The other interesting thing that really trips me out is when I'm journaling in my books. I will be writing like I said, in a stream of consciousness, and I'll notice that certain words will line up exactly on the page....one word right under the other exactly!! OK, I know you don't understand what I mean so I will prove it to you. I'll go home, hightlight it, scan it and show you. I notice it all of the doggone time. I think it's fascinating because I'll just be writing all kinds of stuff and it's like my brain will repeat that word or something at the exact moment....so that's why I'm even mentioning it. I want to know what the heck is that called, or can it be just a coincidence (over and over again)?
(Ok go back to the top of this page and look how AOL lined up...am I lyin'...am I lyin'??!!! You see what happened.) Ha,ha, ha.....I TOLD YA!
So as I continue to write these blogs....you'll hear more about my strange occurences. Strange by others standards I guess...but "heavenly" by mine.
I leave you now (speaking in a mysterious voice) .....as I float away onto another spiritual journey. Au Revoir!
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