What I did during my Summer Vacation.... and what's coming up

 It's mid July in North Carolina and I am now back from France.. I had another wonderful two weeks at Chateau du Pin on an artist residency this summer... making books, going on walks, playing with friends. And now, I'm back home and enjoying being home too.. but with my heart still a little in France.  

View from my bathroom window... of the 15th century chapel, the giant topiaries, and our artist studios on the bottom floor of the north wing

View from the south side. My tiny room is in the right tower on the second floor..  

View from my tiny room in the tower

My studio space for 2 weeks, in the old laundry room.. cobblestone floors, 12-inch rock walls, 16-ft beamed ceilings, 12-ft windows facing south and the giant topiaries..

Tunnel book of the Yellow Room.. where I slept on my first visit in 2005, 2006, and 2025.

The Yellow Room at Chateau du Pin

Tunnel book of he Blue Room, the prettiest in the chateau...

The Blue Room

The two-week artist residency at Chateau du Pin in the Loire Valley of France is now over. Being with eight other artists in this amazing 400-year old castle, walking the beautiful grounds full of ancient trees, ruins of Roman roads, vineyards, luscious gardens, and a menagerie of goats, cats, birds, frogs, ducks, cows, horses.. and under amazing blue sky in the daytime and starry sky at night was incredible. I am so grateful to my hosts, the Gignouxs' for inviting us artists and also for taking such good care of us. The french dinners were delicious! 

If you get the chance, I highly recommend you renting the chateau (through Airbnb) with your own friends and family. There are seven bedrooms, 5 and a half bathrooms, two living rooms, a gourmet kitchen, dining room for 14, an entry hall with a spiral marble staircase, and a tiny library, and a tinier laundry room and 300 acres of lawn, gardens, trails, fields, and vineyards. The link is chateaudupinloire.com

Now I'm back in North Carolina and already teaching books. The new classes at Blam Studio are listed below.

Pastepaper: Fri 31,  10-4pm: $110 Full

PastePaper: Sat Aug 1, 10-4pm:$110

Tunnel Book: Mon-Tue, Aug 17-18; 10-4:30pm; $150

PastePaper: Wed. Aug. 26, 10-4pm; $110 Full

Paste Paper: Sat Aug 29: 10-4; $110pm: Full 

Painted Fabric book: Fri-Sat. Sept 4-5, 10-4pm, $150: (Full, 6)

Book of Doors: Sat-Sun, Sept 12-13; 10-4pm; $150:/p>

Double Door Box: Wed. Sept 23; 10-4pm$120: 

 Double Gatefold Book: Sat. Sept 26; 10-4; $65

Marbling 2 Days: Mon-Tue, Sept. 29-30; 10-4pm; $170:  

Double Door Box: Sat, Oct. 10; 10-4; $120: 

Carousel Book: Fri-Sat, Oct 30-31: $170

Double Door Box: Wed, Nov 11; 10-4pm: $120: 

Tunnel Book: Tues-Wed. Nov. 17-18; 10-4pm; $150: 

Hope to see you around the Book Tables!