It is with my heart breaking and tears streaming down my face that I type this, so forgive me please any of my typos that I am sure to be making.

I have learned, as many of us have, on Facebook that my dear friend, Colleen Burson lost her battle with the flu and died sometime yesterday.

She was a wonderful sculptor, but more than that - she was a positive, loving human being who always encouraged those around her, and supported and loved her friends and family soooo very much. She adored kitties and rescued and saved many and loved all her animals. She loved to laugh, and joke, and she loved beautiful things.

She made AMAZING soaps, creams, and balms, and she taught others how to make them for over 20 years, her craftmanship was stellar and her soaps were a delight.

She had a very harsh hand dealt to her for the last few years, but she was one to pull herself up by the boot straps and forge ahead and she had sooo many new things going on that were finally going her way, when she got ill with the flu.

Nothing i can say will be able to express just how important she was to me at one of the darkest parts of my adult life when my heart and soul was being beaten like there was no tomorrow. When even i was questioning who I was and who I had been, she was there, with love, encouragement and support and reminded me I was okay and good and that someone believed not just me, but IN me. I am forever in her debt for that.

She always had good advice on how to eat or do things naturally and she taught me a lot about life and friends. I wish i could have been a better friend to her - I did the best that i could considering, but i will forever feel that i never did enough. I love her very much and my heart is hurting so bad knowing that I will not talk with her again.

If anyone wishes to help ... she was on extremely hard times and she had no health insurance and her father is extremely ill himself and they have no money for her funeral expenses ... so there is a collection that is being set up to help her family out:


http://www.giveforward.com/colleenbursonfund

I dont really know what to say ... or do, but I do know that she will be deeply missed by many of us, she touched our hearts and our souls, and we were all better for it. I miss you girlie, and I love you very much. May you find nothing but love, peace, and joy where you are now.

The second ever OOAK Online Show is scheduled to run from July 15- to July 31, 2011!!!!

Sign up here: Show Signups Page

You can read the discussion about the show here: OG Event - July 2011 OOAK Online Show

You can view the Show Gallery here: OG's Online Show

It should be a great show ... hope that you will join in the fun!!!

So I am making little keychain tags for the OG to be placed into the EDAC Welcome bags and thought this would be a fun event for others to join in, as even doing just a few will have an impact if even just a handful of folks join in!

This is great for any skill level, won't ask for a lot of supplies, so pretty much anyone can afford to join in.

To learn more or join in the fun, click -> HERE!

I just read today that Hannie Sarris has just passed away earlier today due to complications from pneumonia.

She will be missed by her family and friends and fans of her amazing work. Her creations inspired and awed me, she had such a lovely touch and her creations had such life and spark and magic to them.

Please take a moment to reflect on her wonderful talent that we were so lucky that she shared with us ... and send her family and friends your prayers, good energy, and thoughts during their time of grief.

Here is her website: http://www.hanniesarris.nl


Also posted on the Forum here if you wished to share your feelings and memories and prayers for her friends and family: http://ooakguild.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=147493

Yayyyy!!

It's Show Weekend everyone!!!

And we had a REALLY good turnout seeing how this was put on so quickly!

This gave us a wonderful chance to do a good practice run and see how well it could work!

So please do go and check it out .... everyone there is an amazing artist, and there is a lot of work being displayed that I'd never seen before so it was a real treat to see!

Click here: OG's Online Shows

Then let us know what you thought of it here: OG Event - Online Show Discussion Thread

Okay folks, I am adding in the last folks for the OG's first Online Show!!!

Today is the cut-off point for entering into the show!

For details, go here: Show Details & Sign Up Page

If you are a part of the show already - please go check and make sure that your information in your album is correct. I am still adding in folks as well!

Today marks the day that 8 years ago - the world watched a terrible and tragic event unfurl before our eyes and our world - was changed forever.

Today let our thoughts for a moment think about those who so bravely tried save total strangers they didn't know, risking and in some cases, losing their own lives.

Let us all send our thoughts and prayers to those families and loved ones who were so devastated by this event, as their pain is still there their loss is still great and they have not and can not ever forget. Let us not forget them - for at least one single moment ... on this tragic anniversary.

Take a moment especially to think of those soldiers in the battlefield in the here and now, even still to this VERY day - whether you agree with the war or not - they are there risking themselves because their country asked them to ... and they are far from home and loved ones - send out a little thank you prayer/good wishing to them as well, even if you think the war is pointless, keep them in your thoughts and prayers so that they too ... might come home to their families and loved ones.

Let us all take a small moment of silence today or several of them to remember and pay homage to all those that died and fought and are still fighting for our countries ideals and foundation - please, go hug your loved ones close, call them up, and say I LOVE YOU.

Think about how LUCKY you are today that you can sdo that and go DO it!! Right now. Before you can forget. Hold them close and squeeze them tightly if you can - because you can, for all those that cannot.

If this site had a flag ... it would be at half-mast - no matter the nationality.

May you all have peace and a long life, and know you are cared for and loved.

Well the time is here, so act fast as the show is approaching!!

If you'd like to Signup for the September 2009 Online Show - the first of the online shows that the OG will be producing, just go to the signup page here: Online Show Signups

For more information on the signups and the show, read the signups discussion thread here: Show Signup Thread

Hope to see you there!

We are opening discussion for an impromptu online show for the OG here on the forums:

OG Event - Online Show

Please pop in and give us your feedback or ideas - this will be a quickie - but will help us and learn for the big holiday show that we are in the process of planning as well!

And hey feel free to take the newest poll about it as well!

Online Shows: Good or Bad?

Let us know what you think!

June's Artists Award will focus on the artist that YOU feel has shown some of the MOST ORIGINAL work here on the OG!!

Now we have some AMAZING artists here on the OG that put out some of the most unique and original creations and who demonstrate that they totally love to think outside the box and this is the month to pay a little homage to the one that you love the most!!

So please get your nominations for the June Artist Award for the Most Original to Faerydae via Private Message, and she will set up a poll for voting when the nominating period is over, on June 20th!!!

Thanks for participating!! Now let's get those nominations in, people!