TOOT TOOT TOOT!!

Yep, tootin' my own horn (again). Just so darn thrilled I have to share! Hopped over to ZNE in the wee hours to see what was new & found my latest experiment on the front page. I finally joined the book club there. We are reading Michael De Meng's book Secrets Of Rusty Things. Group members discuss chapters & create their own projects based upon each chapter. This funky flower vase is my interpretation of project# 1 ("Ameratsu - letting daylight out")To find out more about this piece and other ZNE book club projects click here .

ZNE is a gather place for "mixed media & indie artists". It's an amazing community of supportive creative people. There are so many different things going on: ATC swaps, photo challenges, book club, collaborative poetry (finished poems are here ), technique/art supply sharing, a convention , and much more.

Although it sounds corny, ZNE is more to me than a great place to hang out. It was the support of the talented artists I met there that lifted me out of a 5 year art-rut: In 2003 I stopped creating. Last February I joined the group & I started making Art Trading Cards to swap. I started small but now I've got more works in progress around me than I can count! I'm painting & drawing again and trying my hand at something new - jewelry. Through my involvement with ZNE, I've had a piece published in the art book Never Forgotten and participated in my 1st group show in 5 years. I found the confidence to open an Etsy shop & start blogging ( big deals for me as I am not computer savvy or comfortable putting myself "out there").

And I have made some great friends!

If you've read this far, thanks for your patience. I guess, I just want to say THANK YOU! to ZNE founder Chelise Stroud Hery & all of the wonderful people I have met at ZNE. Their patience & encouragement has turned my creative energies right around! Now I just have to find to time to do it all :)