Going up... next stop Savannah

We were sorry to say good-bye to our Floridian friends, but we would now be traveling a bit north to meet up with old friends.  Lemmonhead (Jeff) from Pennsylvania, Kathy & Joe from Ohio, Miss Moneypenny (Susan) from North Carolina and our daughter Faron flew in from Kansas.  We had all made plans to gather in Savannah for a few days of friendship, sightseeing and spirits.  We all arrived at different times on Monday the 13th.  We descended on the hotel commandeering the commons, we sat around the fireplace watching the KU game, catching up on each other and sharing a meal.  Valentines Day found us shopping at the Paris Brocante, Paula Dean's, the Savannah Bee Co., SCAD shop and a variety of establishments in historic Savannah.  The Brocante is always my favorite as I dig through the antique French documents for artful imagery.  And yes I did find a stash as the cashier wanted to make sure I knew how much I was spending on the mere sheets of old paper before she totaled me out.

Paris Market Valentine Window

Faron, Susan, Lemmonhead, Kathy

French document

Upstairs at Paula Dean's

Notice the Y'all fan in the flowers?

The day continued with a tour of the most haunted house in Savannah, the Sorrel-Weed house.  

This house saw its share of death and murder over the years.  

Sorrel-Weed House, Savannah GA

basement

Just a note, there was no red light in this room.  It only showed up on the camera.

We tried to get cupcakes at Mabel Francis Potter's Cupcake Emporium on Valentines Day, but they sold out early so had to wait a whole day for our treats.  Yummy!  In fact, I'm finishing the last one as I post this blog.  

After we sugared up, we visited the Mercer House for a tour.  

This was the murder house from the book and movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil".  

Mercer House

And later that evening we went on a ghost tour with our guide Nicodemus.  We were surprised when we met and he wasn't an old black guy, but a young Aussie actor.  (ranked the number 1 ghost guide in Savannah)  Now we would get the real scoop on the murder mystery and not the polite version the the Mercer House guide recanted to us.  Stop by when I get home and I'll fill you in on all the dirty little secrets of murder, mayhem and voodoo. 

Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the locations for the murder mystery.  It is such a beautiful place that I always have to visit while there and take my camera.  Here a couple of the shots.

The Colonial Cemetery is now a city park, but was closed at night in the late 90's as it had become a midnight sacrificial alter for the voodoo priests and priestesses to perform there rituals.

Traveling to the South...

I've been trying to find time to blog my travels to this point, but we have been putting in 18 hour days so the blogging had to wait for me to catch my breath.  We started our journey almost 2 weeks ago visiting our son and daughter in law in St. Louis, and of course the grand pups.  Continuing our travels we headed south to Jacksonville Florida and "A Small Cleverness".  Donna and all the Floridians so graciously welcomed us.  We taught classes Tuesday through Sunday.  We so enjoyed everyone and loved seeing what they created.  We got them started, but as you can see in the pictures, they put their own twist to the projects that went above and beyond.

Artful Illusions Stamps

Class Time

Mark at work.

Pass the Peas Please

Pass the Peas Please

On Saturday March 24th I'll be home for a few days and I'll be teaching at Mrs. O'Leary's.  We'll be making Pass the Peas Please.  A vintage fork is turned into a necklace and bracelet set.

Art Unplugged "4" 2012

I've been cleaning things out like a little buzz saw.  We are revamping our classroom at Mrs. O'Leary's adding and organizing our metal working equipment and related work spaces.  The classroom will be all bright and shiny and waiting for you as Art Unplugged "4" will be here before you know it.

I'm sending out the info for it now as I've had so many asking the details so they can sign up.  I know we had lots of traveling friends coming in for the event and I want to give everyone a chance to join in on the fun.

close up of some of the textured pages

The long and winding road ahead.

We are leaving for a long teaching / buying trip in just a couple of weeks, but I'm still fitting in 4 classes and 2 open workshops before we take off.

We will arrive in Jacksonville FL the first week in February for a jam packed teaching marathon at "A Small Cleverness".  http://asmallcleverness.com/newsletter.htm

We will be teaching soldering basics, card making, jewelry and we'll also be introducing several new classes.  If your available to be in the area or just want to get away from the winter chill, give Donna a call.

After we leave our teaching gig in Jacksonville, we'll be gathering friends to meet in Savannah and then  onto the Mt. Dora Antique Extravaganza back in Florida.  Heading to Texas, stopping briefly in Houston and then onto teaching at Stamp Antonio in where else, San Antonio.  http://www.stampantonio.com/.  The next week will find us in Plano as Stamp Asylum stampasylum.blogspot.com/ to continue the teaching tour.  A short return home for 2 days to regroup before heading to Santa Fe for bead buying at Beadfest.  Well be heading back to Texas to Round Top flea market for more junk hunting.  Mid April will find us teaching at Artiscape in Ohio.  One of our classes is already sold out, but we will also have a booth there selling kits, supplies and finished goods.   May will take us to California to attend the Create Art Retreat and learn more stuff.  Yeah!  And then June is Art Unplugged....  read the following posts.

Copper Transfer Bracelet

New Steampunk Design

Copper Book Necklace - NEW project

Canvas & Crystal  NEW project

Domino - the Bone Pile