The new show is up! COME SEE!!!

“All That Glitters,” is the  annual holiday exhibit at the Lafayette Gallery, 50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette, California 94549.  Painting, prints, photography, ceramics,  watercolor and mixed media art works  feature memories and personal expression. The gallery artists’ work takes on a reflection of hope.

Select gallery artists create artistic ornaments and cards to welcome the season. The exhibit opens November 3 and continues through December 24, 2009.  

A gala holiday reception is planned for December 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.  The opening reception coincides with the lighting of the nearby Lafayette  Hospice  Tree of Lights.  


All are invited to celebrate  with a visit to the Lafayette Gallery.

Gallery hours Tuesday-Saturday 11 AM – 5 PM.
Phone 925/284-2788.www.lafayettegallery.net

mixed media ornament by Julee Herrmann (hey that's me! what an honor to have one of my pieces grace the gallery's holiday post card!)

Catch up GIRL!!!

Cozy fall love

Summer Time Learning and Teaching

Business Rolling Along

I spent the summer months playing with Mermaids and Gypsies. No, really its true! I learned so much from my friend and fellow Mermaid, McCabe, and shared it all with the local Mermaids... what a blast! More to share with the growing Mermaid population and I just can't wait to glue, splatter and roll all through the Winter months. My daughter's school has invited me to participate in their Enrichment Programs with two classes - Art Journalling meets Scrapbooking is in store for those kids! I've been inspired by my summer courses for sure, but Spilling Open has touched my mind, body and soul in a way that is just about to ooooooooze out the corners of everything I do! I SWEAR! We'll be painting on the walls (AGAIN) any minute now!!!

I learned some life altering portrait techniques from my new friend Suzi Blu... I can't wait to show those fun techniques to the Mermaids... can you imagine? Mermaids painting Gypsy style? Wreckless Abandon here we come! Thanksgiving week will be a new experience for SURE!

I am getting used to being the Mommy to a READING and COMPREHENDING 6 year old... ahhh the questions! Don't even get me started on how few answers I have! *blush*  I can hear her reading out loud as I type this. She's reading an anatomy book... I already KNOW that she's about to ask me all about inspiration and she doesn't mean the creative kind... she's reading about lung function! AT SIX!!!

And lately I've just been busy trying to keep up with myself! Lafaytte Gallery has agreed to carry my jewelry! YIPPEEEE!!! The charming Cami Walker has blessed me with as much soldering work as I can handle and my dear little-sister-friend Marcey who is opening two spas in the Bay Area has blessed me with as much cuff stitching work as I dare take on... I love it all... What a time we're having here at the HeArt studios!!!

And speaking of the studio its current state is *UPSIDE DOWN*. I'm spending today - a teacher work day - playing with Alexia, tidying up, stalking Facebook, and putting things back to rights in here!

Oh and did I mention that I got to teach some grown up mermaids on Saturday? Well, I did... we soldered little inchie charms - I was so out of step that I forgot to take any pictures, but we had a sold out crowd and everyone had FUN! I can't wait to do that again... I'm thinking that there will be a holiday ornament class at Daniela's in December! Think soldering meets, scrapbook paper, charms, family photos, AND chandelier crystals... oh yeah... you know you want some! :)

Lafayette Art & Wine Festival

Today is the big day!

Join the folks from the Lafayette Gallery at the Art & Wine Festival from 10am - 7pm

We'll be in the tents near Chau and the Art Room

Get started on your holiday shopping with Great Show Specials!

Basic Soldering with Halloween Flair!

Announcing the Mistresses of Macabre - Part 2

with

Classes from the lovely and talented
Julee Herrmann and Daniela Costa
The Art Life Studio Walnut Creek, CA
Saturday October 10th - 10am - 5pm

Catered Lunch and Goodie Bag Included
Price $100

Julee’s class will be learning the craft of soldering. We’ll make several tiny pendants that you can use as independent charms or link together to make a bracelet or long pendant! Gorgeous silver soldering will be your new obsession! Kits will be provided, but if you have your own soldering tools bring them and we’ll show you how to make them your new best friends!

Daniela's class will be taking a fantastic “Artist Tray” that is by 7Gypsies and alter it.  It just came out this Summer!  It measures a little over 12x12 and we’ll fill it with all things spooky, vintage, and The Art Life stuff!  Daniela promises you’ll LOVE it! 

You'll have two 3 hour classes with each instructor; catered lunch and a wonderful goodie bag of The Art Life goodies.  Class will start promptly at 10am, lunch then another class as soon as lunch is over.  The Art Life store will be set up and all the new CHA goodies are hoped to be in place by then!  Wait until you see what she has in store for us!

You can sign up on the right hand side of my blog with the PayPal widget . If you want to pay half your fee to secure your space you may, then you'll receive an invoice from her on September 15th for the final half of your fee.  There will be also a button to pay for the classes in full.  You may cancel your spot for a full refund up to 1 week in advance, after that you can either find a replacement (or if there are still people on a waiting list, it will be taken care of) or you may receive a kit.  

Any questions, please let me know!
julee@heartcollective.com

Ties That Bind

Scrapbook Royalty is selling raffle tickets to raise funds and awareness about ovarian cancer. The prize is this amazing art piece filled with lots of love and tons of charms made by artists from around the globe. I'm honored to have one of my favorite altered domino charms included with the works of talented artists like Ruth Rae, Michael de Meng and Tim Holtz to name a few. 


The project is now also available to the world in the form of a gorgeous gorgeous book. 100% of the proceeds from the book are also going to ovarian cancer research. Get your book here http://tinyurl.com/lesnkv the art is amazing, the photography is stunning, and the quotes are touching. Best of all lives will forever be altered by making these donations.


xoxo
jul

Two Updates about Stacey for Today

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ---
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Just a quick update. Last night around 9:30PM ET Stacey had a spill... she was getting up off a chair by herself, which she has been doing for over a week, and slipped and fell. The doctors and nurses examined her and do not think she has a "break", but they are doing a CAT scan right now to see if there are any damages to muscles or small hairline fractures. Remember that Stacey has very brittle bones because of her inability to absorb calcium while she was in liver failure, so she has already had small hairline fractures in her back and hip.

She is in a lot of pain today and we hope that the CAT scan will show that her pain is from the jolt and that there were no serious injuries.

9/3 Update...

Posted 18 minutes ago

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it” --- anonymous

Hi all! Happy almost Labor Day...

Gary called me a little while ago with an update on Stacey's condition after the fall. The x-ray (or CAT scan?) showed that she does have a new fracture in her hip, but she can bear weight on it and the doc's believe that it can heal on its own. There were no visible injuries to her shoulder, but she feels pain in that area also.

She may have pain from the fall for the next couple of week, but besides making her comfortable, the doctors do not see a need for any procedures.

The good news is that this injury will not stop her from moving out of ICU and onto the 3rd floor at Mayo. That hopefully means that moving from Mayo to their nice apartment in Jacksonville will happen soon also! I'm sure Kittie Star and Maggie (the dog) will be anxious to see her.

That's all for now and hope everyone had a great day (and is staying cool, if you're in the Bay Area)!

Take care, with much love, appreciation and light,
Marcey

News on Stace...

9/2 Update - reposted!

Posted 12 minutes ago

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” --- Buddha

Gary called today and gave me an update on Stacey. She is doing well off of the ventilator, but my dad could tell this morning that she was getting a little more winded on their walk. Of course, Stacey does more than she is asked to for walks and physical therapy. Such a role model!

Yesterday's ultrasound shows "beautiful" pancreatic flow with the stint, which is fantastic. The doctors were able to identify a 'disruption' in a pancreatic duct that can be causing leakage. They are hoping it heals on its own.

The doctors will also continue to 'tweak' her anti-rejection meds to make sure her levels are where they should be. Her vitamin D level is a little low, so they are going to give her a supplement. As some of you may know, Stacey's old liver was in such disrepair that her 'absorption' levels were almost none. This is a problem for such things as calcium, medications, vitamins and nutrients. We believe she will return to normal absorbency rates as her body continues to get in balance with the new liver.

She had pancakes for breakfast, seems to be feeling better and is getting up, standing and doing some walking on her own. She continues to reclaim her independence and heal through the love of her new liver, the medical staff, this group and her own power. It is wonderful to see!

Love and Light (as Stacey says),
Marcey