Check out my friend Menna's new book, Men, Money and Chocolate. It was a pleasure to work with her designing the cover of the book, which was inspired by the story in which Maya finds the keys to her true heart. I love it and I hope you do too, it transformed my life...

Last weekend, I took an amazing letterpress workshop at Sesame Letterpress with Breck and Matt, and I designed and printed the muchas gracias cards in pink using their letterpress! The circumstances in my life that particular weekend were a bit funky. I was very worried because I was waiting for some test results from the doctor - I went to Mexico in Labor Day weekend and thought I had caught a bad parasite while eating tacos. So I had the perfect setting to cancel my life, not go to the workshop and pout and whine all Saturday. But thanks to Transformation and what I have experienced with my friends from that community, I got myself to DUMBO (down under the Manhattan bridge overpass, a very cool neighborhood in Brooklyn) where Breck and Matt's lovely studio is, and started working with what was in front of me... I had a blast! Not only did the worrisome thoughts stop, but I connected with the other students in the class, and was able to relax and have fun. It is so funny how the mind always wants to pull one out of the present and into worst-case scenarios. I walked around the neighborhood, bought an awesome lucelite black ring for five bucks, got some tasty cinnamon-raisin bagels, enjoyed the cool breeze and then headed back to the city. It was easy to slip back into "oh my god, what on earth is growing inside my belly!" kinds of thoughts, but I just kept going for it... the best part is that the results came back. And guess what? I am clean and healthy!! In retrospect, I can see that there was a moment when..BANG, I could choose to go downhill into "worm dramatics" or stay centered despite the uncertainty and have a sense of humor with my life. I love my new cards! I will be selling them along with colorful lined envelopes at Erica Tanov and all I can say is muchas gracias for this wonderful adventure!!

My dear friends Ariel & Shya Kane's Being Here book is out!! Not only it is beautiful (check out the designer credit ;)... but very insightful, the stories they share are so brilliant and simple, yet profound and touching. Each one is full of magic and the best part is that after reading I have experienced a sense of well-being, centeredness and connection with life. Every little detail of life becomes precious and fresh. I absolutely love it.

Want to share with all of you that my blockprinting class at Make Workshop was featured in this issue of Blue Print 100 Reasons to Learn something see number 89 or on page 131 of the September/October issue... (lots of cools stuff too!) The lovely owl is by Eli, one of the students in the class, he was great!! His cool sister Kate got him a space in the class as a birthday gift!!


The funny thing is that I never buy that magazine and while reading the back pages, I saw the entry in which they recommend the class that I teach now every month, what a surprise!! Transformation has been what made this possible! Check out the Kanes if you are in NY and come to a Monday Night evening, they are amazing.. otherwise download their audios or buy ther books!! Pre-transformation I would have been terrified to speak in public and would have questioned what in the world did I have to teach anyone anyway!! (Like 10 years of graphic design do not count.. ha ha!)

With Transformation and the brilliant coaching from the Kanes, when my friend Diana asked me if I wanted to teach the class after one of her teachers left.. I found myself just saying "Yes!" Now the class has been booked for 4 months solid. The best is when the students tell me they have fun and I see that they "get into it", of course while teaching I tell them that we are not really trying to "get anywhere" but to have fun and experimenting with colors and shapes,... Amazingly they all come out with gorgeous stuff that is a direct expression of who they are... If I get nervous I now know, its just a thought I say thanks for the two cents, I smile and I keep teaching anyway, taking care of my students.

cuadernitos

cuadernitos
Originally uploaded by fern70

This are the new little booklets made with images from Mexican cards used to learn Natural Science. Each has 24 pages and they are hand sewn.

Floating on water teaching at make workshop

Diana from makeworkshop.com asked me to teach the block printing class!
There have been two sessions and one comng up in August 25th. Will post photos soon.

auction

I wanted to share with you that a couple of my prints are
being auctioned at:
http://www.housingworksauctions.com/lot.cfm?lotID=6159

I took them for donation and they put them this week on the window of their 23rd street store! I was so surprised when I saw them! Also I am very happy because the proceeds go to help people with HIV-AIDS.. And that inspires me to paint more!

floatingonwater goes to Sydney

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Rochelle Hall from Iris & Hazel who's store sources a unique array of other exquisite items from New York, London & Paris ordered some of the sweetbags, greeting cards and a new line of journals that feature educational stamps from Mexico. We are thrilled to be selling down-under!