Virginia A. Spiegel

Tuesday is just around the corner, but you can still have my book shipped free to you even if you live outside the U.S.  What a deal!  All the details, including a “click-through preview” of Wild at the Edges: Inspiration from a Creative Life, is here.

The book might seem a bit pricey in hardcover, but I’m willing to make only $4 profit on each book and have limited distribution so that Blurb can take care of all the billing and shipping.  Just one of those tough choices that frees up more time for the studio.

Need a testimonial?  Here is what artist Carol Larson had to say about Wild at the Edges:

The spectacular artwork, combined with the enlightening text, the wondrous haiku and the beautiful photography all combine to make this book a treasure for anyone who loves nature, art or life! Additionally it is such a powerful lesson for women about life on the edge, facing the fear and truly living in the moment. What an inspiration, Virginia!

Thanks, Carol!  Read more reviews here.

If you have any requests for a book you would like to see me create, let me know privately or by leaving a comment.  I have created eight Blurb books so far, but mainly from Boundary Waters trips.  They are books I return to again and again.  I hope you will say the same about Wild at the Edges.

Happy Weekend!

Fifteen by Karen Stiehl Osborn
15″ square; Karen’s hand-painted & dyed cotton cloth and canvas.

My friend, Karen Stiehl Osborn, has a soft heart.  Even though she already had two dogs, she agreed to foster the cutest little rescue dog.  Why?  Poor Chili had a leg amputated and Karen didn’t want Chili to recover in a rescue kennel.

Now Karen is auctioning the artwork shown above to help the rescue pay for Chili’s surgery.

The auction is now open.  All the details you need to bid are right here. Click on over and give Karen a helping hand in her mission of kindness.

Remember my humbling experience with making an art bra?  That bra and seven others were on display at the Relay for Life cancer fundraiser for which my sister is chair this past weekend.  Viewers could vote for their favorite art bra.  All the bras used the theme of  ”Celebrating Women.”  The winner was made by an eleven year-old girl and collected over $200 in donations for the ACS.

This bra was entered by Team Visor captained by Emily Ziemer.  It was created by Noelle Maki Rollins, a very talented artist.  The bras weren’t for sale, but Noelle agreed to part with her artwork for a donation to the ACS.  The title of the artwork is We’re All Pink and features portraits of Sheryl Crow and Carly Simon.  I couldn’t resist this artwork after reading the artist’s statement:

Cheryl Crow and Carly Simon are both breast cancer survivors.  Like the music they create to touch the souls of those listening, we all share an ability to touch others.  Some of our greatest gifts are being able to connect, to share and gain strength from each other.  With one another we have the ability to create a pure, tangible, contagious energy.  We all hold a common bond; we’re all connected.  Just like the symbloci ribbon we all stand behind; inside we’re all heart and all pink.

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Niece Jenny, me, Chairperson and Sister Nancy, Mom  (Sharing our energy to stay up 30 hours and raise funds to beat cancer)

The Relay was a huge success with your generous donations to the Tote Tuesday fundraiser for my Fiberart For A Cause adding significantly to the success.  Thank you for your wonderful support.  My family “Relays” in honor of my Dad, Bob Spiegel, a sixteen-year survivor of colon cancer.

As many of you know from my e-newsletter, Joe and I adopted two formerly feral cats from the Clark County Humane Society in January.  This is Sunshine.  It’s unbelievable how sleek and sassy she has become in such a short time.  Both Sunshine and Sparky are cats that need lots of interesting things to do; I could write a book about cat toys made from boxes, tissue paper, etc.  What joy they bring to our home.

This hardworking no-kill (or adoption guarantee) shelter is seeking to build an addition to rehab puppies rescued from puppy mills through the Refresh Everything online competition.  I hope you will make your way over and vote today and every day until July 31.

Sunshine is sitting on one of our favorite snuggle quilts made by my sister, Nancy.  She also made this quilt:

which she donated as a fundraiser for my Mom’s Ladies Aid.  I love Church Ladies; they are such dedicated do-gooders.  The quilt is all quilt shop fabrics and a super queen (almost king) sized.  The suggested donation is $5 for 6 tickets; contact me at Virginia(at)VirginiaSpiegel.com
You can do PayPal or we can chat about other arrangements.

Logo by Jeanelle McCall.  ”Every one Fits In” quilt by Karen Newman Fridy

Lynn Krawczyk curates Breaking Traditions, an exhibit of 12×12″ art quilts, each year and donates $10 of the $15 entry fee to a good cause.  The good causes this year are Art Now for Autism, founded by artist Claudine Intner, and Autism Speaks.  Deadline for entry is August 21, 2010.

I am more than happy to promo this exhibit as the 2008 exhibit raised $1085 for my Fiberart for a Cause and the American Cancer Society.

My sister and I dubbed our latest Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness adventure “Lucky #15.”  Everything we needed came our way or we avoided potential trouble with seconds to spare.

Nancy portaging in the rain.

A beautiful trip despite some rain, wind, and cold.  Nancy and I shared so many moments of laughter, beauty, and adventure together.

Can you believe wool hat and gloves in June?  I’m treating our water with a UV SteriPen.

Some of the highlights included sharing our campsite overnight with a group of Boy Scouts and their Dads who were caught in a storm, seeing a bear on shore from our canoe, an up-close encounter with a mama moose and her calf, paddling nine miles in rain so hard that Nancy couldn’t see me in the front of the boat, and coming out on a power paddle ahead of big water and rain for which my paddling cadence was, One cup of coffee, two cups of coffee, … fifteen cups of coffee, switch.

I’m a foodie even in the Boundary Waters.  Real eggs scrambled with peppers, onions, and cheese with whole grain toast on the side. The view makes all BW food taste even better.

Cloudy evenings make for gorgeous sunsets reflecting in the water.

Of course, photos are always the best way to share the beauty and excitement of the Boundary Waters with you.  If you receive my e-newsletter, there will be more photos and news in the July issue being released soon.

I invite you to join the community of Patrons and Art Friends who receive my free e-newsletter. Send an e-mail today to Virginia(at)VirginiaSpiegel.com with the subject line: SUBSCRIBE.