The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.
- Dan Weinbaum
Hello there wonderful ZNE Members, Friends and Family!
Another exciting beginning for us all - 2007, here we come! I am reflecting on the past year with a great deal of pride. ZNE enjoyed its' first anniversary, and we look forward to celebrating our second year with equal if not greater aplomb! At times I read a ZNE member "About Me" page and I smile when I read "ZNE is a group of 100 artists..." I remember when 100 of us seemed like an awful lot - and yet here we are at 800+ members - expecting to grow past 1,000 members strong this coming year. WOW. And still, just as in our early days - my favorite things about this group remain: the comaraderie between members, the caring and generosity expressed by so many of you, and the incredible array of creativity that abounds in our galleries, on our websites and in our eBay, etsy, and other online store listings. Some days I do nothing but surf our members' blogs and websites - just to see the incredible offerings created by you all - and as far as I am concerned, those are days well spent!
We have lots of activities, features, and fun stuff in store this month and during the coming year. Keep on reading and join in! Thank you to every single one of you for making ZNE such an incredible group and a wonderful website for me personally to call home. Here is to many more days well spent for all of us in the year 2007!
xoxo - Chel
Did you know that in December, the following ZNE Members celebrated birthdays? :
Julie O'Neil - tisjewel
Kristin Chadwick - cmamma10
If not, have you checked out the ZNE Birthday Club recently? Open and free to all ZNE Members - if you sign up for the club you will get a special little treat from ZNE around your special time of the year. Click the logo above to sign up for the birthday club!
In addition, if you like to celebrate with your fellow members and want to access the birthday calendar and be notified with contact info when a fellow member is celebrating a new year - then you need to join the ZNE Birthday Club Yahoo group! Don't hesitate, join now!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZNEBDay/
As we say happy birthday to a new year, it is a wonderful time to remember to say happy birthday to our members in the coming year, as well!
Oooh! Speaking of new years and birthdays - now that the ZNE Website is over a year old, many of our members are entering into their second year with ZNE as well!
Those of you who joined over a year ago and originally paid with PayPal - will have noticed that your PayPal account was automatically debited for your second year. It is important to note that at the time you sign up for membership with ZNE - you are signing up for a subscription membership. Because we endeavor to keep our costs as low as possible - it is not practical for ZNE to offer a monthly payment plan. Instead, we debit your account once a year.
ZNE makes note of the fact that you are signing up for a subscription payment service in several places on our membership "Join" page, and PayPal also makes note of this fact in the payment documentation they send following your first year's payment. However, we have found that several members have been taken by surprise when they are debited for their second year. We do understand that it comes an entire year after you first signed up, and that is why we are taking this opportunity to remind you all that your PayPal account will be debited at the time of your one year aniversary with ZNE, thus keeping your membership current.
Please note too that if you originally paid with a check, or if your original payment source via PayPal has changed (ie, your credit card expired or you manually changed it) - then we will need you to manually resubscribe to keep your membership current at the end of your first year.
If you need the link to resubscribe or have any questions about whether or not your membership is current, please feel free to contact us!
Now for the good news! Thanks to the generosity of ZNE Member Teresa Stanton (stton on eBay), who used the vintage images of ZNE Vendor Member Luna Girl Designs to create the gorgeous gift tag collage sheet below- we have a GIFT for each and every one of you!
In order to access the collage sheets in a larger size (and download them for yourselves) including a version on a white background - click on the collage sheet image above.
Note though, that these are for ZNE members only! in order to access the page above, you'll need a password - which you can access by going to the following discussion on the ZNE Supporting Member Discussion Boards:
CLICK HERE TO LOGIN IN TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBER DISCUSSION BOARDS FOR THE PASSWORD!
Once you access the collage sheet page by clicking on the image above and entering the password, you may use the images by printing them out, using them your own collage, to decorate your digital artwork, etc. - whatever you do - ENJOY!
(*And thanks Teresa and Karen!)
Altered Postcard, above - copyright Teresa Stanton, 2006
Art above by Christine Shebroe
WOW! ZNE's Art Full Of Heart Program is the umbrella term for our group's good works and philanthropic efforts. As I was reading through old emails and gathering year end paperwork, I found I was overwhelmed with pride at the accomplishments of this group.
Click on the image above to read through a brief synopsis of many of our Art Full of Heart programs, and to everyone involved in these wonderful efforts, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who has mailed in art to be used for our Live Pink program. We are mailing it out almost as quickly as we are receiving it - so keep it coming! If you mailed art to Live Pink in December and it is not yet uploaded to the gallery, don't worry! It has been scanned and will be added to the gallery this month!
We also received one of our first FABULOUS thank you notes from a live pink recipient. Have you seen it? For everyone who is participating in this amazing program, and to JoAnnA who inspired it - thank you thank you:
"I feel the ZNE Live Pink Program art is such a sincere way of showing those living with cancer that other people really do care about them. The art which I received today genuinely lifted my spirit. Thank you very, very much. Please let everyone who is involved with the program how much I appreciate what they have created."
- A note from a Live Pink Art Gift Recipient
Artwork above an anonymous donation by an anonymous artist, to the Live Pink Program. This piece was mailed to a Live Pink recipient in Canada, at the end of December.
Extra thanks from Live Pink go to the Paper Whimsy yahoo group, who elected to donate an entire month's worth of their swap cards (using Paper Whimsy's gorgeous images) to Live Pink.
And ZNE Member Debra Frei (alternique) was so moved by the process of creating art for JoAnnA Pierotti as a part of ZNE's We Care program - that she elected to create additional prints of her cards which she is donating to breast cancer survivors all over the world, including several to the Live Pink Program and to ZNE Members directly. Click on the pink butterfly art below, to learn more about Debra's generous offer!
The ZNE We Care Program
Art Uploaded into the ZNE We Care Member Gallery
Speaking of thanks - once again, I am moved and delighted at the number of members who responded to the ZNE We Care Alert that went out for JoAnnA Peirotti last month. If you haven't already sent her a greeting but you would like to - please check out our current We Care program alerts to learn more.
Note too, that a second We Care alert went up mid month. Shelly (known as Thumpa to her art friends) Paul's 13 year old daughter Michelle is dealing with a recent diagnosis of a chronic crippling disease. Michelle, like her mother, is an art lover at heart - and any small cards, bookmarks or notes of encouragment are greatly apprecaited and mean the world to her.
Once again - be sure and check out the current We Care alerts for more information on both of our current recipients.
Artwork above by Shawn Marie Hardy
Have you seen our new ZNE public web page? Check out ZNE Members Do Good! We are just blown away at all the efforts of ZNE Members to make this world a better place. Shawn Marie Hardy has a website and is putting together a book of art to benefit missing and exploited children, Katey Duly volunteers her time to head up the Artists Choice Awards on eBay to honor eBay self representing artists everywhere, Dale McClain promotes the campaign to end poverty - and that is just the beginning! Click here to learn more about all of the above efforts, and more! And if YOU or a fellow member have been working on behalf of others - be sure and let us know!
(Learn more about Shawn Marie Hardy's program in particular, by clicking the banner above!)
We have a new K.I.S. workshop starting on Sunday January 7! This month ZNE Member and guest instructor Robin Bartoletti will lead us through a fun glitter background technique and workshop. These workshops are so fun and easy. There is no pressure, lots of mutual support and fabulous eye candy along the way. If you haven't yet participated - sign up now! Click on the logo above, or here, to learn more!
(Artwork above produced during the December ZNE K.I.S. Workshop by thishasyournameonit. Click on the artwork in order to see the entire archived workship and more expample artwork!)
SPEAKING OF WORKSHOPS!
ZNE's Altered Everything - Everything Altered Workshop is an in person project workshop that takes place in Northern California on the 4th Sunday of the month, each month. In the past we have made altered wall art, altered dolls and altered journals. In January we will be creating altered cigar boxes and gift tags to go inside.
If you are in Northern California, or will be in Northern California at the end of any month - check out our current workshop and join us! Click on the logo above to learn more!
And Speaking of workshops in Northern California, ZNE is co-sponsoring the following workshop at the end of January, in Oakland California. If you are a ZNE Member who will be in the SF Bay Area at that time, join members of the Pleasanton Craft Mafia, fellow ZNEers Chel, Barbe St. John, and others - at this fabulous workshop on Artist Marketing and PR. Click on the banner below to register now, while space remains!
Finally, while we are on the subject of the SF Bay Area in California - if you don't have plans on Saturday January 20 (or if you do, then change them!) then do join The ZNE Store and other crafty independent artists at a home Trunk Show in Hayward in the East Bay. This will be the perfect time to stock up on Valentine gifts and goodies, and to buy some treats for yourself after a busy December of buying treats for others!
Oh, and hey - it is not only the beginning of a new year, it is the beginning of a new month. You know what that means! It's ZNE Theme Week time!
The theme this month is "Celebration." List your celebratory theme week art on Sunday January 7!
Click on the logo above to see all the guidelines for ZNE Theme Weeks.
And, as always - many thanks go to Emma Fashokun for coordinating this fun monthly activity!
Emma by Emma!
Those of you who signed up for Cercles D'Ame last month, get ready! You'll be receiving information from Lauri soon about which circle journal group you belong to, and how to get started on this wonderful collaborative art project. Those of you who want more information about Cercles D'Ame, just click on the logo above!
AND - we have a bevy of ZNE GUESS contests for you this month!
back by popular demand:
Guess the ZNE Artist!
(The artwork above is copyright protected by the original artist. Please don't copy or duplicate!)
Oooh, aaaah, I love the piece of artwork above - a gorgeous sautered pieced entitled: Her Heart is in the Right Place.
Do you know which one of your fellow ZNEers created this gorgeous piece of artwork? Click here to send your guess! The first correct guess will win a $10 gift certificate to The ZNE Store!
(Speaking of winners, congratulations go out to Kristin Hubick who correctly guessed that last month's art was created by Joanna Grant - *joannabanana*! )
(Last month's tags, above - were created by *joannabanana*)
Congrats Kris! Enjoy your gift certificate!
Guess the ZNE Discussion Thread!
And we are are adding to our fun and games this month! We are having a Guess the Discussion Thread contest! Here's your clue:
In recent months a link to the picture below was placed in one of the ZNE Supporting Member Discussion threads:
Which thread and what was the context?
Do you know the answer? Click here to send your guess! The first correct guess will win a $10 gift certificate to The ZNE Store!
And finally...
Guess the ZNE Member!
Ooh! And one more too! This one is fun fun fun! Another version of Guess The ZNE Artist, but this time - the contest goal is more literal - check out the beautiorific picture of a ZNE Member, below:
So, the question is - who is this beautiful woman?
Do you know the answer? Click here to send your guess! The first correct guess will win a $10 gift certificate to The ZNE Store!
Now don't despair. Even if you don't know the anwers off hand, for all three contests above you can find the correct answers, either on (hint hint!) the ZNE Supporting Member Discussion boards, ZNE Member blogs, or on etsy... Now get out there and sleuth.
Good luck and have fun!
(Artwork above copyright Becky Christian, 2006)
Did you know that the ZNE Supporting Member discussion boards have a special thread dedicated exclusively to congratulating our fellow members, and ourselves? We do! And we'd love to have you add to it!
It would not be an exageration to say that ZNE Membership is one of the most published, acknowledged, award winning, celebrated groups of artists - ANYWHERE! While it might not be possible for any one of us to keep track of all of our fellow members' accomplishments - certainly we can share those we know about, congratulate those accomplishments that have been shared, and deservedly toot our own horns!
We'll kick off a congrats for the New Year:
Congratulations go out to ZNE Founding Member Gwen LeBlanc - veruka_salt - whose adorable little stuffed "Twinkle Start was selected as EBSQ's Art of the Day on December 28, 2006. CONGRATULATIONS Salty!
Gwen LeBlanc - Art of the Day!
Well - what more can we say? (Plenty!) PHEW! Can you believe that we decided to cut this issue short!? Ha! There is just so much amazing stuff going on at ZNE - we could go on and on!
So, log in, sign up, join in, read around, and ALWAYS - Enjoy Creating!
Until next month, again - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
