"New die from Elizabeth Craft Designs"

Tomorrow afternoon, Art 'n Soul's Journal Club meets at 4:00 p.m. at the store. It's always so inspiring when they all gather. The meeting is open to anyone and is free. If you want to see a lot of art 'going on', please stop in!


While you're at the store, be sure to look at the work by our new Artist of the Month, Sharon Wolvin. She hasn't saved much of her work but Sharon has brought in some cards featuring her use of Memory Box die cuts, Elizabeth Craft Designs' Silk Microfine Glitter, and the art of zentangle. Most of her work can be seen on the electronic frame that displays photos of her work; Sharon also prides herself in photos that she takes.

Sharon Wolvin, Art 'n Soul's Artist-of-the-Month & New Employee

by Sharon Wolvin

by Sharon Wolvin

by Sharon Wolvin

by Sharon Wolvin

"Talent in the arts runs in my family. My bent, however, of most of my life up to the time I retired in 2000 was primarily focused around sciences and the skills of the health profession I practiced within for 40 years -- Public Health, primarily nursing. After retiring, I focused on redefining what I wanted to do with my new found opportunities such as leisure time and freedom from a schedule. Photographing & exploring my community, Tacoma, from sidewalk level and travel were major foci for the first few years of retirement. Enjoying the freedom to decide each day what I wanted to do. At home I learned new computer skills and created photo slide shows and videos, gifting them to friends and family.

About 4 years ago one of my sisters introduced me to card making and creating with craft tools. She dragged me to scrapbooking and rubber stamp shows and parties where many new skills were demonstrated and I was hooked and worked integrating my photography into the cards I made. I was surprised and inspired by the joy I got from this new hobby.

While at the 2010 Rubber Stamp Show at the Puyallup Fair Grounds I kept being drawn back to three booths -- Sue Cochia's Animal Spirit Stamps, Lisa Yang's Local King Rubber Stamps & techniques, and the Art 'n Soul booth's wonderful selection on stamps, pens and other media they created with. I wanted to experience [it] further in their shop.

It took me a few false starts to find the Art 'n Soul Shop in Lacey, in fact a year slipped by before I actually made it through the doors in the summer of 2011. I had found photographs of zentangles on a Flickr photography site that spring and was fascinated by the possibilities and overjoyed by the relaxation I experienced while learning patterns and following their process. Deb (Kuttel) was the staff person in the shop when I came for the first time asking about classes. I was bedazzled by the creativity of the cards lining the walls of the shop. I took a class from Susie on use of colored pencils that summer and on basic zentangle in September from Deb. I have met many people & enjoy playing & learning at the shop with them. I haven't looked back since that first visit and I haven't stopped learning new skills and enjoying my developing new found identity as an artist."

Sharon Wolvin -- January 2014

Here is a video clip from Elizabeth Craft Designs that features one of their new pop-up pivot dies by Karen Burniston that are being introduced at CHA starting on Saturday. Being a real fan of dies and Elizabeth Craft Designs, I can't wait to see the actual cards in person. I think you're going to like these because they appear to be quite simple and easy to use.

"New die from Elizabeth Craft Designs"

"Will be in stores soon."

From the Memory Box blog, another beautiful card featuring one of their newly released dies. Art 'n Soul's order is supposed to arrive at the store tomorrow or the following day. Stop on in and see if they've arrived because you won't want to wait to find out 2 days later . . . you know how fast those dies sell out!

Go to this link to see how she made this card:  http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/outsidethebox/

It's time for me to organize my supply kit for the classes I am taking tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. And if I'm quick about it, I can stream the new episode of Downton Abbey!

See you tomorrow! It may be late but I'll be back. In the meantime, treat yourself by stopping in at Art 'n Soul! My sweet husband Tom is bringing more Copic paper and my class samples to the store tomorrow since I'm out of town . . . what would I do without him!