The copyrights of this website are held by Tracy Weinzapfel Studios. No images may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the artist.
The Ramona Rampage have hit the road for their first travel tournament...Las Vegas! I am so thrilled to have this time with my girl and we asked Jacqueline to come along (who loves to drive by the way so bonus!). Friday we hit the road toward Sin City...I mean Basketball City!
A nice road trip of laughing and some shopping at the Barstow Outlets. Upon arriving into town we had a happy hour and the girls immediately hit the pool. Team BBQ was so fun!!!
Lazy river floating for moms and girls until 9:30 pm and we were off to slumber party it for the night. So great to have this time with the girls. I am not taking this quality time for granted with my girl and seeing her have so much fun.
I have lots going on in my studio.....this is what the storage situation looks like right now and I do not do well working under unorganized consitions (I wish I could reprogram that part of my head)
I am so darn thankful for the creative chaos and even more Thankful for Mixed Media Monday that takes me away from it...our creative escape every Monday. Here is the 11 X 14 canvas that came from our evening:
I apologogize for the video issues which are beyond my control but in two parts we did get a show. If you missed it LIVE it is recorded for your viewing pleasure and available on my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TraceB5:
This was all about using my favorite Decoart Paints and Mediums that are lining my floors. Here are some of the finer details....
This morning I started my day with some emails and comments following last night's show and from people sharing life's journey with me. I posted this on Facebook:
"I want to share that life is not always easy...Mondays nights were here for me at a time when I need them the most. I get frustrated for the video issues that arise on occasion but your patience and support keeps me keepin' on. I thank you all for participating, caring and sharing life's journey. Sometimes I share too much, sometimes I feel I share too little, but I feel like what comes back is ten-fold. So on this Tuesday....with your triumphs and tribulations I thank you! Art heals......this I know for sure."
The responses mean the world to me. So for life that just Keeps on Keepin' on. Prayers for those in Oklahoma. I thank you for this sharing this art journey. We may not always know where it is taking us but it sure is an awesome ride.
Thank you again for filling my heart and my Mondays with Mixed Media Mania! I welcome everyone to join the Facebook Group HERE and share your projects! Don't forget our May 2013 Creative Dare too! Next Monday we are off due to my travel schedule but we will be LIVE on Wednesday, May 29th where I will announce all the Birthday WINNERS!
"When you tough it out, hold the line, and stay the course, I
promise you there will soon come a day when you look back over your shoulder,
shake your head in dismay, and seriously wonder what all the fuss was about."
May is not over and I am still celebrating my Birthday Month! I have the 4th GIVEAWAY.....
A great big THANK YOU to my FOURTH Sponsor and giveaway this MONTH.....May Arts Ribbon. I LOVE their ribbons. Who would not love Birthday presents from them?! I happen to have some from them and cannot wait to share! Such a great company to work with!
I will pick two RANDOM winners to win a ribbon variety pack that I am going to put together...I will be picking from these ribbons:
HOW TO ENTER: Subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE by just clicking "Subscribe":
Leave a comment below THIS post that you are subscribed (or have in the past) and/or comment on my Facebook Wall Tracy Weinzapfel Studios AND........please go like May Arts Ribbon on Facebook and leave them a THANK YOU saying that "Tracy Weinzapfel sent you and thanks for the birthday fun"or something like that! For more information on all May Arts Ribbon you can find them:
ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED THE LAST WEEK OF MAY! Stay tuned for more presents! READY, SET, CELEBRATE!
AND........Do NOT Forget we are LIVE tonight for Mixed Media Mondays on Ustream at 6:00 pm (pacific time)! Have an awesome week!!
"Love is risky. Love is unsafe. Love isn’t for the faint of heart. Love takes courage. And most importantly, love and fear can’t coexist. Love means giving life the opportunity to break your heart, but knowing that there are far better things ahead than anything you’ve left behind."
Last week I got back from Las Vegas where I attended the Natoinal Hardware Show with Viewtainer. It was great and a lot of work...
It was so fun to experience a whole new show. I had little time to go about and photograph things but boy was there a ton from Hardware, tools, pet products, farming, housewares, paints, adhesives, and so much more. I literally was blown away with all the cool things I saw. I also attened some cool mini workshops and marketing seminars (aka rest my feet time). More can be seen on Viewtainer's Blog HERE including a slide show from the Show.
Of course I made a little time for fun to see the Wynn and Encore Hotels.....
my mom would be so proud....
If anyone is thinking I may become a Vegas show girl this should about sums it up.......Happy weekend to all! and PS....have to head back to Vegas next week for a travel basketball tournament. I may want to consider another job there.
"When we
approach our lives with a spirit of fun and liveliness, our interactions
provide us with a satisfying sense of pleasure. Even though it may seem that
joking around or playing is not a mature way to be, when we do this we are
aligning ourselves much more closely with our spirit. This type of energy
allows us to be much more aware of each moment and content with how we spend
our time with others. Letting yourself play, joke, and laugh unabashedly will
fill today with happiness and wonder."
It has been a task for me and oh boy has my life changed from a year ago. Taking stock in the leaps and changes that I made....I created. I had a friend message me:
"....how did you/do you balance your job, with your art job, with your kids??!! I just feel like I am dying inside, working just to pay bills etc, its not making me happy...."
I just started typing Tracy's crazy words of advice:
"I fall apart most nights (ok not really but a glass of wine does wonders) wondering if I am getting it all right. 1 year ago I changed jobs, had bills and had to just leap a bit. Plus I wanted to be at home with my kids as much as possible. I have a teenager sucking the life out of me right now so please don't think it is all happy.
BUT........I did it. One year later I work from home most days so I can still do my most important job of being a mom. I earn a living AND I paint. Some people thought this painting deal was nuts some still do and what the heck am I doing....I had to make some leaps...thankfully my parents offered their support (which I can proudly say I nevered needed). I was thankful for that safety net. But I had to get my own medical...sacrifice and those who are not supportive...well adios.
I want to make a difference in other's lives.....and practice what I preach. Live my truth. Remember that you are strong and only you can make changes.
Small Steps...on the side look for another job. It may not be a leap you need but small changes"
We chated for awhile and shared. I ended it with:
"if you do nothing..nothing will happen."
Sometimes we are forced to do something. You hit a wall and you have no choice. Or you mold it as you go along. This chat made me take stock in my moment, what I am creating/ I am always re-adjusting my sails to find my wind.
I bought this journal and have been debating what to do with it. I wanted it for something special and I think I know now.
so of course I had to buy the $8 matching napkins!
Feeling inspired..........time to go Create a Life!
"Today is a new beginning; treat it that way. Stop thinking about what might have been and starting looking at what can be. Say to yourself: “Dear Past, thank you for all the life lessons you have taught me. Dear Future, I am ready now!” Because a great beginning always occurs at the exact moment you thought would be the end of everything."
Monday I returned LIVE for Mixed Media Monday after a week off for work travel. I had a great time but was excited to return back to my studio and get that paint brush in my hand. It was the last page of my 10 X 7 art journal that we started a couple months pack. I wanted this page to be simple yet special to how I was feeling.......Here is what painted:
MATERIALS LIST: Gesso, Decoupage & Paints (DecoArt - Bright Yellow and Saffron Yellow), PITT Artist Pens, Glaze & Gelatos (Faber Castell Design Memory Craft - Acqua, Boysenberry, Watermelon Rasberry, Margarita Mix, Blood Orange, Banana & Snow Cone), Ink (Tim Hotz and Marvy Uchida) and Charcoal Pencil
I used the NEW Faber Castell Glaze over it and LOVE it. Here are some of the finer details....
Thank you so much for joining me on this art journal journey. The book is done and complete! Boy does that feel great! I will post a complete re-cap and video of the completed journal soon. It is so bittersweet to complete an art journal and look back at it. I can remember how I felt for each and every one of those pages. It truly is a part of me that I am thrilled to be sharing.
Thank you again for filling my heart and my Mondays with Mixed Media Mania! I welcome everyone to join the Facebook Group HERE and share your projects! Don't forget our May 2013 Creative Dare too! See you next Monday, May 20th LIVE at 6:00 pm (PST)
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ―Douglas Adams."
The past few weeks have been busy, amazing, challenging and blessed. That is the only way to put it. The challenges have a way of working themselves out but it takes time, energy and patience (prayer!) to get through. For those who know me I don't like to sugar coat it...my anxiety level has been through the roof however I always believe that things have a way of working out and I try to focus on the positive. There are so many positives. I will say that in the past few weeks I have crossed off a few things up on my Life List and took a minute to up-date it.
Zip-lining......CHECK!
Stay in a Bed & Breakfast.....CHECK!
Let me tell you the owner of this B & B was so interesting to talk to. We started talking and he is not simply Stan Miller "The Innkeeper". He is Stan Miller the Audio Producer for Neil Diamond! Of course I had to Google him. An audio pioneer in the music industry. At 72 he has lived a life and continues to do so. I enjoyed that moment while I was making my tea to connect with him. "One needs to move ahead and try new things" to quote him HERE. He likes pushing the envelope and trying new things. He was open and honest about his life. In that small conversation he shared the bumps in the road including health and relationships. For that I was appreciative. I listened. I learned.......I am thankful for that moment making my tea in a Bed & Breakfast.
So this is 43 so far and I have to say.........
It is amazing. I am blessed with so many special and wonderful people in my life that I heard from all day long. It was a birthday I will never forget....thankful.
Those challenges and anxiety are still there. Lessons to be learned and prayers to be said. Life is not always easy as Stan shared. But Life sure has it's moments.....make the most of them. Get those Life List's updated. You never know when you can cross one or two things off. It makes you appreciate that moment. It is your list and I am sharing mine HERE. Not easy to do but I swear when you put it out there it does come true. You just kind of see to it!
"Mistakes and setbacks are simply a form of practice. If the road is easy and free of bumps, you’re likely going the wrong way. The bumps in the road teach you what you need to know to progress down a paththat is all your own. Sometimes things have to go wrong in order to go right. Your journey isn’t supposed to be easy, it’s supposed to be worth it. To never struggle is to never grow. There is no perfectly smooth road to anyplace worth going."
Well yet again I took to the skies for my birthday! At 40 I experienced a hot air balloon, 41 was the trapeeze lessons and at 42 I took a bi-plane ride with my dad. So at 43 I had no idea what was next and then Zip-Lining came to mind. It seems relatively safe and does not mean jumping out of anything at 43,000 feet. Count me in!
We had a great group and I have to say all were daredevils but me. I am not too fond of being up high, thethered to something and pushed off a platform. Needless to say that I was all smiles and jokes before we started...
While everyone was working these kind of poses....
this was mine:
I eventually got a smile on my face and that nervous laughter. You know the kind that makes you want to pee your pants...
Thanks to the awesome group that I experienced this with. Not sure why but they all volunteered to go sky diving and bungee jumping with me...UM NO THANKS! Thanks to the great guides who let us through all 9 zip lines and kept telling me I was great despite the fact I screamed the wildlife right out of the forest...
Great day, great experience and it was Cinco de Mayo so guess what was waiting for me right after...I earned it!
It was a great and special day for me all around.......Blessed this 43rd year of my Life. How about this saying to commemorate my new age.....
43 and Flying FREE!
"Throughout your life you will meet two kinds of people: those who are a drain on your energy and dreams, and those who give you the energy to pursue your dreams. Avoid the first kind and cherish the second."
I am back from a mini BIRTHDAY getaway and from the National Hardware Show where I had a GREAT time! Last Saturday was my officaly birthday and what an amazing day/weekend and month it has been. AND....we are only halfway there! 43 and the NEW ME! (ok, not so new but sounds better then 43 and FREE!)
A great big THANK YOU to my THIRD Sponsor and giveaway this MONTH.....Genuinely Jane. I am so excited about their wood products. Who would not love Birthday presents from them?! I happen to have some from them and cannot wait for them to sponsor our Creative Dare in June! Such great ladies and design team!
Here are the two prizes that they are giving away to TWO lucky winners that I will randomly select:
Tag Wood Album:
Bracket Wood Album
HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment below THIS post, comment on my "Like" Tracy Weinzapfel Studios on Facebook AND........please go like Genuinely Jane on Facebook and leave them a THANK YOU saying that "Tracy Weinzapfel sent you and thanks for the birthday fun"or something like that! For more information on all Genuinely Jane Products you can find them:
I will be picking a random winner from one of those places so make sure I see it! Remember there is still time to enter GIVEAWAY #1 from DecoArt and GIVEAWAY #2 from The Rubber Cafe. ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED THE LAST WEEK OF MAY! Stay tuned for more presents! READY, SET, CELEBRATE!
AND........Do NOT Forget that I am back LIVE tonight for Mixed Media Mondays on Ustream at 6:00 pm (pacific time)! So much to catch up on and time to get creative! I have 6 boxes of DecoArt paints burning a hole in my studio!
"Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain. ―Vivian Greene
and leave a comment below THIS post or on my Facebook Wall: Tracy Weinzapfel Studios letting me know you are sign up and also take a moment to go visit Rubber Cafe's Facebook page and
and leave them a THANK YOU saying that "Tracy Weinzapfel sent you and thanks for the birthday fun" or something like that!
I will be picking a random winner from one of those places so make sure I see it! ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED THE LAST WEEK OF MAY! Stay tuned for more presents! READY, SET, CELEBRATE!
