A weekend with Michelle Ward - WOW

Got home not that long ago from a flight from Wisconsin. Yes, I got to spend a whole weekend with Michelle at the Valley Ridge Art Studio in Muscoda, Wisconsin. If leaving from Northern Virginia, you fly to Chicago, and then to Madison, and then rent a car and head out 1 1/2 - 2 hours to Muscoda. This workshop was called Stairway to Heaven and I loved it.

Evidence of a workshop with Michelle.... paint, and paint, and paint, all over your hands..... We began our first day on Saturday painting our "file" folders with gesso and then she wanted us to get bold and layer on the paint for our "cathedral"...... One done thumb:

I should be ashamed of showing you this thumb - dry skin and ALL. I do want you to know that my Southern Grandmother is spinning. . . she who had perfectly manicured nails..... This thumb is more my German Grandmother who worked in her veggie garden and flower garden and sewed. Anyway, you get the idea of paint everywhere. Just got the paint off with nail polish remover and have hand lotion lathered on my hands.

Just a few shots of the the book we are creating... The cover is slowly developing. Not sure what the final product will look like - this is in no way near done... It was a busy two days, but Michelle is so great in the workshop. No stress. She is so organized and she knows what she wants us to accomplish on the first day so we can literally play with stuff on day two. Next post I will tell you about the charming farm house I stayed at. The Riley Farm run by Jean and Mike Murphy! When I head back there I will stay at there place - about 15 minutes from Valley Ridge. Man, I'm loving this book....... so many hidden nooks and crannies.....