lisamitchell

On the "Prima Endorsed Artist-Educators" blog...

The scrapbooking products manufacturer Prima Marketing Inc. has created a special blog for its international “PrimaDonnas” (Artist-Educators) as a platform to share information on upcoming workshops and classes, as well as share ideas, techniques and inspiration.

Their latest post on upcoming classes includes our workshop event with Nathalie Kalbach (as she is a PrimaDonna) on 19 September, in Gavà (Barcelona) Spain.

If you would like to see the Prima blog post (scroll down the page), click here.

For more information on the workshops with Nathalie, click here.

I hope you are having a good week...More news on upcoming workshops soon!

An update on the Workshop event with "PrimaDonna Artist Educator", Nathalie Kalbach!

As some of you (including myself!) have been on holidays, and others are soon to return home, and yet others are about to begin them, I thought I would do a quick update on information relation to the upcoming event of Workshops with “PrimaDonna” Nathalie Kalbach from Germany, on 19 September, 2009, in Gavà (Barcelona), Spain.

We will have the wonderful opportunity to spend the day together and learning with this Prima Marketing Artist-Educator in what will be her debut workshop event for Spain!

As a highlight to these workshops, Nathalie will be sharing some of her secrets and techniques for working with what is perhaps a lesser known or less utilized product in Spanish scrapbooking and mixed media circles: Ranger Adirondack® Alcohol Inks.

Both workshops will include techniques using these inks, some of which might be surprising! 

We will also have the opportunity to utilize and learn about how to work with a new product, specifically created by Tim Holtz for working with Alcohol Inks: the Tim Holtz Adirondack® Alcohol Inks Fillable Pen (also a lesser-known product here in Spain).

Click here for the original post on this workshop event, with details on each of the workshops and content.

As I realise there is just over a month left until the workshops, I am starting to get excited!
There are still spaces left in both workshops, however space is limited, so if you have any questions or require additional information, or if you would like to reserve your spot, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly by email (a link for which you will find in the top upper left corner of this blog: “Email Me”, or at "lisamitch@telefonica.net").

NB: for those of you who would require overnight accommodation: there are economical hotel options very near the location of our workshop (and if there are people interested in sharing a room, to bring the cost down even further, I would be more than pleased to help set that up).

I'll be back soon…with more announcements on other upcoming Scrapbooking and Mixed Media workshops for the Barcelona area with other guest artists!!

Holy Holidays, Batman!

Well, here we are and it’s been over a months since I’ve posted. Can you believe that?!?

I’ve been hankerin’ to put together an update for days now, as I don’t like my blog getting so darn dusty. However, the time factor has been a bit tricky since we got back from holidays, what with the unpacking and the piles of laundry and shrapnel to deal with…and subsequent tidying up from that epic process! And the readjustment to an 8-hour time difference and just the general heat and humidity and day-to-day-ness (Daddy was already back at work before us gals came home)…

And of course I had to carry out a complete overhaul cleaning of the entire apartment!! (Doesn’t that happen to you when you get back from holidays?!?). Yep, you heard it right: I spent the entire first week cleaning…!! It’s that feeling of being disconnected from your house when you get back, like nothing is yours…and I just looked around and saw so much clutter and really needed to lighten the load just a wee bit! Feels much better now! :)

And of course, the day-to-day routines with my 4.5 year old, of: what to do all day, of who can we visit (her cousins and playmates are all away at the moment), and who has a pool...or waiting for later in the day to head to the beach. And me trying to avoid having to make meals…HAR HAR! (well, it’s summer holidays, right?).

Another factor was my needing to include visuals in whatever new post I create. And THAT meant going though and selecting photos from the thousands taken over the course of a month in Canada. And tweaking them (inevitable!) so they look all purdy!

So finally, last night, I put the mermaid to bed, said goodnight to Mr. Right...rolled up my invisible sleeves, cracked open the corresponding folder and whipped up an appropriate potpourri of visuals, which I share for your viewing titillation here below:

Our holidays in Canada (part 1…I am sure there will be more!).

I hope you enjoy it!

We spent a month (2 weeks of which was without Daddy as he had to come back to work after 12 days off, so as to save the rest of his holidays for the Fiesta Mayor in his hometown at the end of this month) in my hometown of Lumsden, Saskatchewan (Canada) in order to (among other priorities) attend the wedding of my 2nd youngest brother.

It had been a full 2 years since we had been back to my hometown, so you can imagine the excitement from both sides of the family equation! Annie was very pumped to see her Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie Kiera once again. And me, just plain ecstatic to be back home, back on the prairies, back to my roots, back with “my peeps”!

This gift of this trip for me was a great deal of renewal on many levels: the obvious presence of my immediate and now new political family, as well as cousins, aunts/uncles, dear friends and neighbours…and of course, bestest buddies! But it was also time with a few others with whom I hadn’t spend much time with in past visits...these unexpected meetings also rejuvenated and inspired me in many ways.

Thank you to Everyone, both Family and Friends...who made time for us while we were back!!

I carry you all in my heart-pocket.

Also important was the chance to spend time with the little ones (some of whom I hadn’t even met yet!) of relatives and friends and folks around my home-town. This was particularly important for me, as Annie really had the opportunity this time to experience what it feels like to be Canadian (i.e. Canada Day at the Burlocks!! ;). And I am so grateful that things came together for her to experience that!

So...much to be thankful for. And yes, I was homesick for it all after I got back. It’s hard to leave so much big sky...and that prairie breeze...and my gosh! a land so GREEN (from all the spring rain this year)! And all the people and things dear to my heart (and stomach!).

But I bring it all back with me (in the form of thousands of photos!!). This trip gave me a great amount of peace of mind and heart, much love and joy felt and shared…renewed friendships...inspiration, wonder…

And what with a whole TON of books from Chapters, and even more crap from a trip to Michael’s!!...I’m a happy camper!!

Life is good. And I am darn grateful for that.

I hope these summer months have brought you lots of sunshine (both external and internal), good times, rest and relaxation...Time to enjoy friends and family, and a few wonderful, unexpected suprises!

ps. I'll be updating the information on the Workshops with Nathalie Kalbach (there are still spaces open!) and a couple of new workshop events coming up for October!

 ...Talk to you soon!

New workshops with a special guest coming all the way from Hamburg, Germany!

It is my great pleasure to announce a new event for Scrapbooking and Mixed Media workshops to Spain: on September 19, 2009, those of us in the Barcelona vicinity will have the opportunity to spend the day in the company of Nathalie Kalbach, from Hamburg, Germany, in what will be her first workshop event in Spain!

Nathalie Kalbach lives and works in Hamburg, Germany with her husband Jim and their kitty Niles.
She has been scrapbooking for 5 years now. Her design style is totally influenced by styles and techniques coming from the world of Mixed Media. Sometimes she is referred to as a technique nerd, and you will almost always find paint on her layouts.
Nat loves to scrapbook both about everyday thoughts and experiences as well as about her loved ones. She loves to scrapbook heritage photos with a modern twist and to use street art photos to reflect her inner self.

Nat is currently on the Designteams of Rose Moka (Canadian manufacturer), ScrapArtZine (German Scrapbooking Magazine) and is a regular contributor to the American magazine Somerset Memories, with her column "Nathalie's Studio".

You can read more about her scrappy life here, her resume can be found here.

Nat is very much looking forward to coming to Barcelona in September and meeting you for a wonderfully creative day!

So what is Nathalie going to share with us?

WORKSHOP 1: ETERNAL LOVE

In this Prima Workshop you will create a layout with a lot of fun and inspiring techniques. Use a photo of you and your loved one(s) or even a heritage wedding photo to highlight a relationship in a romantic yet modern way.

You will work with Prima Marketing Products, Ranger alcohol inks, acrylic paint and metal foil, and explore interesting ways to use these media while creating an unique piece of art. The techniques shared in this workshop can easily be applied to future projects as they are very versatile.
Nat will also show you how to easily convert your layout into a beautiful eye-catching piece of wall art for your home.

All Workshop materials and media will be at the studio. A list of tools and additional supplies that students are to bring will be provided closer to the date of the workshops, and after registration is confirmed.

WORKSHOP 2: "TRIBUTE ALBUM"

You don’t need to be a rock star to rock somebody’s world. There are people in our life that we value a great deal. In this workshop, we will take time to honour that special person or people, each in our own individual way through the creation of their own personal Tribute Album.
In this Prima Workshop you go for a spin but you don’t know exactly how it will all end up. Nat will show you fun and playful techniques with Ranger Alcohol inks and embossing powders that will surprise you and add a unique sparkle to your special tribute.
In your workshop kit you will also find beautiful Prima products that can be used in versatile and unique ways.

All Workshop materials and media will be at the studio. A list of tools and additional supplies that students are to bring will be provided closer to the date of the workshops, and after registration is confirmed.

Each workshop has a duration of no less than 3 hours.
Price per workshop: 55€
For questions or more information, please contact me directly by email.