So, I was envious of my girls going to college, and decided I would take some classes for myself! They shouldn’t have all the fun….

I sent myself back to school this spring for a deeply humbling jewelry class (verdict: I need stronger readers!) and a wildly fun doll-making class at Montgomery College. With engineering help from teacher Wendy Daniels, crucial yarn and emotional support from Beth Clawson, and custom face-and-ear sculpting from my daughters, I built a mini-me marionette out of paper clay, aluminum foil, and an Ajax bottle—complete with a chain running from my yin/yang gut to my heart to symbolize my girls. [See photos of the final puppet hanging in my living room!]

A few weeks ago, I had the urge to create some new artwork. For my art, I like to stick to themes that I can carry across multiple projects. The problem that arises from this approach is that it can sometimes inhibit my creativity. Its not about creating a single piece of artwork, but a series. I was browsing through tutorials through YouTube when I happened upon one that intrigued me.

Picture this: the salty air of the Atlantic, the charming, cobbled streets of Portland, Maine, and an entire weekend dedicated to the dazzling, delightful world of beadwork. That’s exactly what a group of us lucky ladies got to experience on a recent mini-retreat at the incredible Museum of Beadwork.

What fun it was for us to partner with this local artist: Mame N'Diaye. We created a series of three coloring books that highlight her magical drawings. Mame was a featured artist at the 2023 Capital Art Book Fair.

During our down time over the holidays, I was able to do some deep cleaning and organizing of our “making” spaces.