A perfect snowy day for the Winter Girl by Dee Sprague.

I've got this great book of old agricultural ads and I'm going to list the book on etsy.com. I've scanned a couple of my faves to share here.

While looking for something Christmas-y to post to the blog, I came across this sweet cartoon in "Whiskers Annual," a very cute vintage book with vivid illustrations. This is the "Do You Know These National Emblems?" quiz. Go ahead and give it a try and email me the countries that match the emblems - jackie@dinosaurdrygoods.com. I'll have a prize for a winner (drawn at random from the hundreds of correct answers that I am sure to get!).

1. Daffodil
2. Rose
3. Thistle
4. Shamrock
5. Chrysanthemum
6. Maple Leaf
7. Tree Fern
8. Lily

I picked these up because they reminded me of the Roycroft pamphlets from East Aurora, NY. They aren't Roycroft, but the quotes are amusing. And any book named the Book of Smiles must be good.

This photo of our ice crystal window is for my warm-weather friends who have been craving snow. We don't have much snow, but the temp is 15 F with a windchill of 0F. All of our old leaky windows are coated with beautiful ice crystals that look spectacular in the occasional sunshine.

RESOLVED!

What do you resolve to do in 2010? Learn Spanish, keep a journal, start a new body of work, travel more, worry less,...?

Jump start your art year by exploring the creative process.

2010 STUDIO SESSIONS WITH THE OISEAUX SISTERS:

WISH YOU WERE HERE:

Art Making On and Off The Map: Book Forms, Card Portfolios and Mail Art.

Weekend Mixed Media Retreat in Gulfport Florida

JANUARY 15 - 17, 2010

Gulfport Art Center, Gulfport Florida (St. Petersburg)

This is a weekend for playing with paper and a sense of place, taking inspiration from observing and inventing our surround. Possibilities include the view, both built and natural; the wind, weather, water, sky and wild life, as well as local and invented history. Visual enchantment is in these border zones. We’ll examine simple book forms, card portfolios and mail art. We will experiment with color, collage, surface embellishment, stencils, stamps, prints, pleats, folds and tears.

$260 includes studio supply fee, slide talk, and daily lavish snacks.
Limited to 12 participants, register early! (still a few places open)

WORTH THE TRIP, PART THREE, OAXACA MEXICO

Walking, Talking, Drawing: Free mini workshop

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 11 AM – 12:30PM

Meet us in front of IAGO, the Graphic Arts Center, M.Alcalá 507, for an hour’s free play with flexible and forgiving drawing tools, simple book forms and locally available papers. Let us know if you’re coming.

THE TRAVELING EYE
Journey As Method & Metaphor
JULY 18 - 23, 2010*

A Week Long Mixed Media Retreat in Moravia, NY

How do you capture the elusive essence of elsewhere? Whether we go upstairs, around the block, or around the world we expect to come back different. Join us in Oiseaux Sisters Studios North for a joyful and productive week of mixed media exploration. This is a week of playing with maps, souvenirs, books, baggage, figures and wayside shrines and seeing where they take us.

Our well equipped studios are set up for working with wood, print, paper, paint, metal, cloth and papier maché. We offer technique demos and individual problem solving. Focus on one technique and/or format in depth, or sample and mix your media. We’ll discuss strategies for continuity, mechanisms for change, Issues of scale, portability and presentation.

$698 includes lab fee, 5 extravagant, healthy lunches, 2 sumptuous dinners, and daily lavish snacks.

Limited to 12 participants, register early! (still a few places open)

*Special bonus: Session ends just in time for the Route 90 weekend of 50 miles of garage sales!

www.oiseauxsisters.com