One Lovely Blog Award!

I had a comment on yesterday's post from Angie of Angie's Suds 'N' Such, who had chosen my blog to receive the "Lovely Blog Award"! Be sure to click the links above to check out her awesome blog and Etsy shop! Thanks Angie!

Here are the rules:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

These are the great blogs I am passing the award on to:

1) Masa Yume - Dream Come True
2) Tile Me Beautiful
3) Coco Cherie Vintage
4) Gaffer Girls

5) Trudette
6) Katery Designs
7) Inherit Hooked
8) Gemsmins
9) Ooh! That's Pretty!
10) Laurie's Jewel Box
11) Memoirs of Maria
12) Lillyshastyle
13) Pretty {much} Art

14) Out of the Pink Sky
15) Julieannart

Modern Wing - What a Wonder!

Last Friday I had the opportunity to visit the new Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. Although it just opened in May, I had already heard lots of great things and was excited to see it for myself. I must admit, I was so taken with the building itself that my interest in the collections almost became secondary! The artwork I had seen it before, but this building... it's amazing! Built by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, it is light, airy, open and crisp. You are truly looking at works of art while standing in a work of art!

Diffuse natural light bathes everything in the building. The exterior glass walls and roof are covered with louvers which provide wonderful lighting conditions for the artwork and the interior glass walls have pull down shades which can be adjusted in the galleries during different times of day.

The main corridor is breathtaking and open to the top floor of the building with a floating cantilever staircase and balconies on the north side. But for me, the icing is literally on the top of the cake. The third floor galleries house the Modern European collection and seeing the likes of Matisse, Picasso, Mondrian, Kandinsky and Dali in this setting took the experience to a whole new level. Between the canvasses of these great artists are picture-perfect views of the city and Millennium Park and above you, the architectural interest of the louvered roof - also known as the "Flying Carpet".

I was so absorbed in the experience it didn't even occur to me to take any pictures. But it's better that you go see it for yourself! If you can't, be sure to check out the Art Institute website and see what they have to say about it. You'll be impressed with what you see.

Something Different - Learning to Wire Wrap

This weekend I got to try something different.  I took a glass pendant wire wrapping class at my local glass shop, Alpine Stained Glass.  Last year the instructor - Jeanne - offered a fusing glass where I really learned a lot and I had a feeling that I would soon be hooked on this as well.  We started out with some copper wire for practice but we quickly got the hang of it and selected our own cabochons to work with for a finished product.  The pattern she taught us was fairly basic and a great one for beginners.  And boy, there's a real 'wow' factor to doing this!  After laying the ground work for the wrap, you place the cabochon into the wire and suddenly you're working on something beautiful!  I'm thrilled with the piece that I made and have already ordered supplies to do my own at home.  Now, I'll just have to keep myself busy with glass until it gets here!

What do you think of my first attempt?  I'm excited to keep working and learning how to avoid tool marks and trying different patterns.  Keep your eyes on my Etsy shop because I'm hoping some of these will make an appearance in the coming weeks!