Invitation

ArtPrize Opening Reception

DeVos Place will open its ArtPrize exhibition with a public reception on September 22, 2010. Join us on the skywalk to view entries by 53 artists, many of whom will be present, in a celebratory environment of music, light hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar. The John Shea Trio will be performing the art of jazz throughout the evening.

Where: DeVos Place Convention Center - Skywalk

303 Monroe Avenue NW

Grand Rapids, Michigan

When: Wednesday, September 22, 2010

6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m.

Information: http://www.devosplace.org/

It is real...it is really real...oh the frogs and butterflies are all a hoppin and fluttering!!!!

Gloria During ArtPrize, there will be three platforms attendees can use to vote for you Text message artprize.org ArtPrize iPhone application For each platform, your unique five digit codes are the fastest way to cast a vote. Your unique vote codes are: Vote up code: 50751 Vote down code: 50750 Make a note of these codes. You can use them in your promotional materials. For more information about voting, visit the voting page on artprize.org. Text Message Voting Attendees will send a text message to a phone number that will be printed on every artist label (provided by ArtPrize), along with your unique vote codes. Why the up vote and down vote? During first round of voting, attendees can vote an artist up or down. Only up votes count in determining an artist's standing. Down votes are only used to drive discussion and debate. ArtPrize designed voting this way knowing that an artist with the most votes up may be the most popular, but the artist with the most votes up AND down may be the most talked about, thought about and controversial work in the event. If you have any questions, please let us know. E-mail artists@artprize.org. Thank you, Kevin Buist Artist Relations ArtPrize

Welcome, won't you come in? Studio space always in transition. Me hard at work.... photos by Martha

to see this amazing treasury click on this @#@#@#@#&&&

Whop chhica whoop whoop...don't forget that I will be at Art Center Too in Battle Creek MI at 80 W. Michigan Ave from 1 to 4 for their fiber art trunk show!!!

4 treasuries in one day...waahhoooeeeyyy

go to purplecitrus.etsy.com OR

gloriakirk.etsy.com to view

Purple Infusion Treasury..click on these words and it will take you to the page!

Can you take it higher? To a place where etsy shops can be seen... the treasury stats that is. So it is a stretch to pair these words to the song. But do your best won't you? Click on the shops and visit....a lot of NEW baby shops here that could use a

I am getting Kefir grains my husband announced to me this morning. He goes on to explain that the grains are handed down from one person to the next not sold. He also stated that no one knows where the originals came from and that they(I am assuming he means scientists) can not reproduce the grains. "The closest they have gotten is a powder form that dies after two reproductions." mmmcofffeeee anyway. good coffee..... DO I WANT THIS alien form of milk with every possible enzyme making my gut healthy and functional? I am not sure especially if the original source is unknown. No I think I will wait until my husband has concocted his first batch, then a second, and possibly a third before I try his homemade goods!

Now it has been stated that Kefir (fermented yogurt) is the best thing for your body. My husband has been known to come home with up to 4 different bottles of the stuff when one of the boys get sick. Over board? Some days yes ...but he always makes things interesting. When ever his eyes start to sparkle like a kids at Christmas ...I know I am in for a new adventure along his coat tails! Wish me luck?!

ART PRIZE....it has begun

The excitement has subsided...and the work begun. The tree has been marked out and, soon be loaded onto the rack...keep checking back for photos of the piece as it grows! In the mean time look at my public profile: http://www.artprize.org/artists/public-profile/51082 for a description of this two layered piece OR click on the tittle of this post. LET THE ADVENTURE CONTINUE!

Thank you www.sacredcake.etys.com for adding my scarf to this amazing treasury!

Summer Morning

I woke up checked my etsy store...found a coupon YEAH checked the link that was in the etsy convo with the coupon and all of a sudden I had a treasury. Eyes still full of morning sleep I began the hunt. The end result...not so bad considering I had not even had my usual cup O joe!!! Enjoy all!

Falling Tower at Hop Scotch Children's Store

Papa's Blocks Tower Promo from Joshua Leatherman on Vimeo.

glass floats

I grew up along the Oregon Coast two towns north of the California border. The fisherman that fished the Pacific waters used hand blown glass floats for their nets. I remember spending hours along the shore as a little girl searching...hoping to find one of those floats that my grandmother had so many of in her collection. I never found my glass float but someone else has evoked that memory in my home town by placing colored glass "floats" along the black sand beaches during the summer months. How I wished I lived in that tiny little town still so that I could comb the beaches for those wonderful treasures.... I live in West Michigan now nostalgia will have to wait for a cheap airplane ticket or a U-Haul.

The nets are the inspiration for this beautifully lacy scarf made from hand dyed chenille yarn and cotton variegated thread.

It measures around 77 inches long and 5 inches wide.

A Different Shade of Blue

Carribean Dreams

Thank you to http://www.ideasthatbloom.etsy.com for adding me to her wonderful treasury!

Sitting Around the Camp Fire new treasury....can't you taste the smores????

Summer Treasury

Click the tittle "Summer Treasury" to see the "REAL" list....this treasury never ever expires.....ENJOY!

Dandelion Treasury

Timing is sweet. Just happened upon this unplanned treasury last night before a walk and date night. Ending to a perfectly unsmooth day.

TIME.....where does it go?

I sold a bag today and have an order for another! GREAT ...but time...where does the extra time come from? I need a little elf to clean up my room, another elf to feed my child, yet one more to sit in my room with me and keep me on task, oh and one more to manage my Etsy shop/facebook fan page/blog!

Alas my studio sits empty of life but OOOO SSSOOO very full of projects in various different stages. The rest of the house full to the brim of noise, kittens, dogs, and children.

I am not foolish enough to believe if I had a bigger space then I would get more done.....I do long for a more efficient use of my space. OR maybe room dividers that I can just close up when there is a mess that my built in blinders can no longer block..... maybe that would help....yeah right..more space would be nice! SOO what is a girl to do? PUSH, stuff, fold, push, hide, put away and then repeat.

I do realize that my time problem is an age old issue where most find unique solutions to fit their personalities....however until elves become available I will continue to wallow!

Enough of this procrastination...on with the real world of work!

Art In The Garden, Allegan MI

Just one more day to veg after the Art In The Garden show .......before I jump back onto the prep wagon (art walk in Paw Paw May 14th). The show was a great time ....however I must say I was in a state of undo panic the night before. I was UP till 3 ish before my husband came out in a sleepy stooper informing me that I should get SOME sleep! His suggestion and idea that the bag I had been working on looked like it had walked home from a bar to drunk to drive allowed the perfectionist in me to turn off the sewing machine light, take off some clothing (?) and stumble into bed.

I got up at 5:30 A.M tired of the restless cuddled in a cold ball sleep that I was not getting. I woke, checked the cat to see if her kittens had been birthed (no), checked facebook to see if the shoe choice photos that I sent to my friends had been answered (yes confirmation of my husbands choice), then coffee, and on with the morning.

I arrived at the show ready to unpack the second car load containing yarn, Madeleine at the Lake wall hanging, and the two bags with their matching wallets. Then in an unlike me fashion was done setting up well before the guests/customers arrived!

I made tons of new fiber, potter, and photographer friends...sold 4 scarves and one of my FAVORITE lapel pins and walked away from the show with no permanent scaring!