"Saga of the Misplaced Package" or "Lesley Riley as Patron Saint of Good Karma"

I have to admit that as much as I use the United States Postal Service I rarely have problems. BUT when I do have an issue it never seems to be simple.

I mailed a package of my hand dyed fabrics from California to my sister in Ohio. These fabric pieces are for her to create a “sample” book for me of ways the fabrics can be used with different techniques. It was important that she get these quickly so she can work on this project that has (had?) a deadline.

Package mailed on June 15th Priority USPS mail with a confirmation number. Package doesn’t arrive on June 17th, or the 18th or the 19th so……….. on the 20th I use the confirmation number online to track the package. Message says the addressee is unknown and the package is being returned to sender. Huh? I don’t get the package back. 22nd, 23rd, 24th. No package. I have been calling the Post Office and they can’t tell me what happened to the package. Finally yesterday, June 27th the package showed up at my local post office. We realize I had the wrong house number on it 170 instead of 17. But why it took so long to return to me is a mystery to everyone and no one is talking if they know something. The closest answer we got was from my sister’s mail carrier who might have been a little leery of stopping when seeing my sister stalking the mailbox in wait of her showing up.

I retrieved the package yesterday afternoon in a beat up, mangled box that was new when it was shipped. I was so glad to get it back though! Upon returning home I checked my email and noticed Lesley Riley had responded to the message I had sent her earlier about this predicament. And there in that message she said “ Did the box show up? Sending good karma”. I am attributing the return of my package to her sending out the good karma wishes!! Thank you Lesley (and the nice person at my local P.O who helped me more than any of the other employees of that org.)!




Sample of some of the dyed fabrics

Pelon Book for Round Robin

I made this Pelon book in Lesley Riley's class at Art & Soul in Portland, OR. I was recently asked to participate in a Round Robin that was to be limited to four people with two weeks turn around time. I choose this Pelon book for my rr book and decided on a theme of Animal Totems. Here is the start of the book that I will be mailing later this afternoon for the next person to add their artwork on one of the pages.



This book was made by using a large rectangle of Pelon. The middle was slit and then it folds up into a booklet. The Pelon was painted with Golden paints and I used some dyed silks and pieces of organza that I printed on with an ink jet printer to collage onto the Pelon.

SoulCollage® Cards

I made two SoulCollage® cards for an altered art sister who is going through Chemo right now. She's been on my mind and I am planning on sending these to her today to symbolize energy for good healing.

You can read more about this process at Seena Frost's website http://www.soulcollage.com/home/index.php


Half Full and Rising


Good Fortune

Mountain Art Guild show pictures

It's already Thursday and I'm finally posting pictures of my booth from the show this last weekend. The weather was perfect for an art and wine show!

Birds of a Feather DO stick together in ways

I was so thrilled to be the recipient of an art book created by Joanne Huffman. I had seen the pictures of this book at her blogsite. I know she started this book in a class at ArtEscape last year in a class I was interested in but couldn't take. SO when I saw her final result I praised her and in response she was willing to sell the book. She asked me to make an offer, I did, and a few days later it was in my hands. Please go to Joanne's blog site, click on her Picture Trail and you'll see the book titled "Birds of a Feather" She has such clever sayings with the painted and collaged pages! A wonderful work of art.

http://www.picturetrail.com/thiemehuffman






A week earlier I had received a painting in the mail that DJ Pettitt had sent me as a gift. Now I need to get it matted and framed!



I am so blessed to know such talented artists!

Mountain Art Guild 11th annual show

I'll be busy all week getting ready for the annual Mountain Art Guild show. If you live in the area I would love to see you at the show! Here's the info: