The Green Frog Studio

I need to check up on all my emails...i'm not ignoring you.

I also need to organize my trip to the US...I won't be able to stay at everyone's though, but as i might be going to Art & Soul in October,that will be another reason to visit those i won't be visiting in april...

Please don't take it bad if i can't stay with you for a while...

I'm going to email everyone though...but we'll get to meet each other some other day anyway! And i'm only staying 2 weeks so...i need to organize myself to visit some friends...

I also got a great email this morning : Jenny Doh wants to feature my  art journal LE PARIS DE NOTE ENFANCE in the July/August issue of Somerset Studio along with an article written by MOI ! :) Today is my dad's birthday, won't be an easy day but at least that made him smile and be proud :) and I know Barbara is proud too... 

Thank you is not enough...

I just can't stop crying as i am typing this message...

my heart aches and my head is just buzzing so much... and yet, i have this huge, enormous feeling of being loved, supported by all of you...

What can i say?! What can i say?!!!

Thank you is NOt enough for telling you how much GRATEFUL i am for your support, friendship and love...

I received over 350 emails from you, people from all over the globe, a lot i know, some i've never heard of before...and yet...everyone sent me a note, warm thoughts and sincere prayers...

I am truely BLESSED to be part of your world, of your lives...

I'm so heartbroken but all you've done for years and in the past week...this is priceless...your friendship is priceless...i will forever cherish it and be grateful...but will i ever be able to give you 1% of the love and friendship you gave me? I don't know but I'll do my best to be as good as i can be...

I am in shock and honored at the same time that you all participated and donated money for me...oh my god...I cannot believe this...again, what can i say?!!!! I feel like I don't deserve this! Not only this is a gift to me, but it is a wonderful gift to Barbara : I promised her a while ago when she could still talk that I would never give up on my dreams and projects, she made me promise to keep working, to keep living, to keep loving, to keep doing what i love to do...and i promised...that's why I'll still be going to Artfest...that's why i'm going to teach at a retreat in France next weekend, that's why I'll work on my own book...all i will do now will be for her... that's my promise... And with your donation...my goodness...you can't imagine how i am feeling right now...i am shacking like mad...will i ever be able to do something good enough to thank you ALL?!!!!!

I am truely blessed. thank you.

...
...
...

Barbara is my angel now. And she will be yours for what you're doing for me. She'll keep an eye on all of us.

I will phone Sarah Fishburn and Jen Osborn (identity7) tonight...to thank them...and I'll do my best to reply your emails as soon as i can...

I have over 350 so it might take a while but the least i can do is sending you a little note. And i will write another update pretty soon...to keep you updated on my plans...

I won't be able to stay at everyone's while i am in the US but i'm planning on making another trip to the US for Art & Soul in Portland,OR, so...maybe...we'll be able to meet up there...I'll keep you updated...

Thank you my friends...thank you....

Barbara

Barbara, originally uploaded by thegreenfrogstudio.

My sister Barbara died on Thursday February 16th at 10pm.
She will be buried in Montpellier on Monday the 20th at 10;30am.

She was 20 years old and will be terribly missed.

Because i love those tag things...

I copied this on Tena's blog ! those tag thingies are fun!

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was in grammar school ! I was 14 and had over 20 penpals from all over the world ! Well...maybe over 20 i guess...I've always loved to write long letters and get mail...I still love to get mail ! I didn't really enjoy grammar school, I had way more fun in junior high...kids are cruel in grammar school and as i was chubby (and still am LOL), you can imagine that some mean people used to laugh at me a little.

What were you doing 1 year ago?

I was living in Montreal and having fun in the snow! :D I was finishing my books for the New Directions in Altered Books book and involved in several round robins. I was also planning my trip to Artfest 2005 ! damn...can't believe it was nearly a year ago...

5 snacks you enjoy

brownies

Haribo candies

Lindt chocolate

cheese

apples

5 songs you know the lyrics to

any Pauline Croze songs

What You Waiting For? by Gwen Stefany

Be quiet and Drive by Deftones

Hey Ya by Outkast

Mon Ego by Mathieu Chedid

5 things you would do if you were a millionaire

buy houses and appartments in Paris, NYC, Seattle, Tokyo, Peru and Mexico

buy ALL the mixed media and scrapbook supplies i can find online :D

build children's houses in Africa

Donate money to AIDS foundations

I would dress like a chicken, bring my video camera, do the chicken dance in front of my boss while filming and quit my job! :D AHAHAH!

5 things you would never wear, get or buy again

red lipstick

blond hair

mini skirt

plateform boots

fluo colored clothes

5 things you like doing

reading

shopping

creating

playing video games

sleeping on rainy days

5 favorite toys

laptop

Ipod

scrapbook stuff

my art books

my friends' art all over my room

5 bad habits

procrastination

smoking (again,yes)

too concentrated on things i do (i don't hear people talk to me while i'm concentrated!) LOL

getting to bed late in the night

fat food

YOUR TURN !

New Directions in Altered Books

New Directions in Altered Books, originally uploaded by thegreenfrogstudio.

This is a book that will be out in July 2006 and in which i have 2 altered books!
I'm so looking forward to seeing what it looks like and who is going to be in there as well!!! :D
You can already pre-order it on Amazon!

Replies...

Here are the replies to your questions...

Patty asked "what do you like to do when nothing is working and the creative drive is stuck?"

- Well... I often end surfing online...I know, this doesn't sound much fabulous, but I always get inpired just reading people's blogs and seeing their art online. Or...I might end up playing PS2 !!! :) My favorite game has to be Final Fantasy 10 for a while now...But i finished it last year...wanted to start the 11th one but it doesn't look as good as the 10th... :)

Linda asked "What is you favorite kind of cereal?

- Cheerios for sure!!!! YUM!

Joleen asked "How do you find out/keep track of submission themes + deadlines?

- I rarely keep track of submissions. Sometimes, I really want to send art to magazines with a specific call, but i often end up NOT respecting the deadline. I have to admit that life keeps me busy, with my sister being so sick,and i just can't do everything i'd like to do. I try to stay organized for the bigger projects i'm involved in. I have a diary/organizer that helps me stay organized, I write notes down, to-do lists every week and try to stay focused on what's important. But,as i said,life always rules :)

Helle Greer asked "Looking good my dear, how much have you lost"

- hehehehe...yeah, I lost about 30 pounds...but have to admit that i gained 10 back over the past month...due to stress, worries and sadness...

Tiffini asked "What is your favorite fairy tale?"

- Alice in Wonderland MOST DEFINITELY ! :)

Kathy asked "If you could only pick ONE artist who has influenced you the most in your art, who would it be and why?? (Note - You can only pick ONE!!)"

- Argh...that one is TOUGH ! :) and i can only pick ONE?!!! damn...well hmmmm...really i can't pick just one! LOL Well...I have to admit that Lynne Perrella is the artist who has influenced my artwork the most. Her amazing way to assemble things, paint and construct anything just astounds me. Yeah, I have to admit that she is theone who made me want to be a real artist.

But nowadays, I feel inspired and admire artists (and friends)  like Jen Osborn, Karen Michel, LK Ludwig, Judi Riesch, Melissa McCobb Hubbell, Michelle Ward, Nina Bagley, Sarah Fishburn and Jill Haddaway. Sorry,Kathy, couldn't pick ONE! LOL

Deb asked "what is the average amount of time you spend on a piece of art?"

- It depends...depends on the piece.If it inspired me or not. I can make something in less the one hour or can spend DAYS on just a 4x4 piece !!!!!!! Really,depends on my mood mainly.and you know what?!! i HATE it when it takes days! LOL

Kim asked "Do you dream in color????"

- wow!!! i have no idea !!! LOL well...yeah...i think i sometimes dream in color...does it have a sense to dream in color?!I'm curious now!

Linda asked "what are your favorite things to use in your art besides photos!!?"

- GESSO all the way,baby ! I am mad about this product! I could use it all the time! It' s incredible all the things you can do with it, the layers, the texture...I just couldn't live without it!

My other favorite supplie is paper...i'm a huge paper addict...i love all the new scrapbook papers that are in stores...damn...have you seen the new Basic Grey lines ?!!! OH MY GOSH!

And i'm addicted to Golden acrylics and fluid acrylics :)

OH! and found objects of course!

Misty asked "You have 4 plane tickets to anywhere...where would you go, who would you take?"

- 4 plane tickets...hmmmm...you know how much i enjoy travelling...First of all, I'd go to Peru.That has been my biggest dream since i am a child.I've always been obessed, attracted by this country and its people. I'll sure go there soon! But I'd like to go there alone...don't know why...this is the only place that i feel like i need to go by myself...maybe i need to find something there...maybe i need to be by myself there and wait for something...i don't know...but i feel this way when i think about it :)

Then I'd go to New York City! I am in LOVE with this city! Been there once and man! I wanna win the lottery and buy a condo there! LOL I'd take Barbara there and we'd go crazy shopping everywhere!

Hmmm then...I wanna go to Chile...LOVE this country to bits too!

And then...I'd go to Ireland...always been attracted by this land as well...it's wild...it's fresh...lots of rain...i love rain...poetry...and GUINESS! :D

Corey asked "Oh! What does the purple felt sac look like!?"

- hehehehe!!!! still working on it ! But will finish it up this week for sure! I have 3 day off in a row!(woohoo!)

Andrea asked "What's your favorite tool for applying color on your pages?"

- MY FINGERS! :D and my old bushy favorite paintbrush.

Bec asked "Do you have piercings anywhere else on your body?"

- I used to have my belly pierced but took it off a few years ago because i didn't like it anymore. I only have my nose and lips pierced now...and one tattoo in my back.

Renne D asked "What are you most looking forward to doing at Artfest??"

- Meeting my friends, most definitely! Artfest was a wonderful experience for me last year.Not only i took outstanding classes with fabulous artists but i got to meet my online friends I never met before and boy, that was a BLAST! I didn't meet anyone who wasn't friendly and caring, and to be honest, even if i am going to take wonderful classes this year, i'm mainly going there to MEET my friends and new people! I'm going to see my buddies i saw last year and going to meet friends for the first time this year and oh how excited i am ! :) Looking forward to seeing you all,mes chéries!

Nancy asked "Have you decided to go to Artfest and how are you doing with your pieces for Vendor Night?"

- Yes I'm going to Artfest. I don't know how things are going to be like tomorrow but I have decided to go.Barbara asked me to promise to never give up on my dreams and she told me she didn't want to be the reason of me not going there.All i do is for her and I don't want to disappoint her in any way, so yes i'm going. As for my pieces for Vendor Night, I'm not done yet but I have a bunch of pieces i'm very proud of  and i hope people will enjoy my work there!

Wow!!! Girls! Your questions were pretty tough but i really enjoyed replying to them all! If you have more, don't hesitate to ask! that was fun!

Amour Fraternel journal

Amour Fraternel 4, originally uploaded by thegreenfrogstudio.

Ok...here is my news :)

My Amour Fraternel book, the one I made during LK Ludwig 's class at Artfest 2005, is going to be published in the April/May Issue of Legacy and will grace the cover !!! :D

How can i say how touched, blessed, honored I am...

I made my book for my sister Barbara, wanted to express all my love to her, everything that i've been holding in my heart for years.

She loves the book.

My parents, Barbara and I cried so much when i gave it to her when i got back from Canada last year. So many things needed to be said and the book was the perfect occasion to let us tell everything we feel for each other.

This book is really dear to my heart and knowing that it will grace the cover not only makes me feel proud to do the cover, but it will be a tribute to my family.

I can't thank LK enough for helping me go out of my boundaries with this book and allowing to express myself the best way i can.

:)

Play along with me!!!

this is neat!!!

Interactive Johari Window

Questions...

Ask me ONE question and I will answer to ALL in my next post !!!!!!!! ;)

Feb.4th 2006

Feb.4th 2006, originally uploaded by thegreenfrogstudio.

me a few minutes ago :)