Visionary of Our Time

There are people on this planet who think differently.
For them I am grateful.
They reinforce that mental solitude is not futile.
When the brain is playing it is working!
Any artist knows the best work comes from letting ones self play.
It is when visionaries build in their heads
that they create
ideas that integrate into reality.
They take chances.
Some are artists.
Some are poets.
Some are designers.
Some are all of these.
Steve Jobs is one of them.

On the right side of my blog are the words from the 1997 Apple ad campaign.
There's not a single day I have not let those powerful words resonate within me.
They have become my mantra.

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits. The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do
is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones,
We see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world,
Are the ones who do. 1997 Apple Campaign


Steve at Stanford giving the commencement speech.

New Work from TattooDreams Studio

We have been busy here at TattooDreams Studio on Purple Hill. Our collectors will reap the reward of our efforts! If you see something here that ignites your soul- contact us jphecker (at) bluemarble (dot) net. We can help make this part of your collection!
~Jon and Patricia Hecker
TattooDreamers



The Artists Palette
Roughly 12" high. On this palette resides a wonderful quote from St. Francis of Assisi. Speaks to the creative spirit of craftswomen and artists. A must for your studio!
125.00




Affirmations Mirror
Black stain on oak adorned with positive affirmations. Affirmations are of various heights and are accented with a raised copper tacked edge. Very hand hewn!
Excellent for an entry way to your home or business or wherever the tone of positivity needs to be prominent!
20" x 28" Can be hung horizontal or vertical. Wired on the back with stainless steel cable.
$650.00



Quilted Reflections Mirror
Hand painted and air brushed patterned pieces adorn this bold mirror. This matches everything!
Wood is stained black over oak. Patterned shapes are of various heights and are accented with a raised copper tacked edge. Very hand hewn!
20" x 28"
$850.00



Affirmations Mirror
20" x 28" Cherry with raised words in black. Affirmations are of various heights. A wonderful way to set the tone!
Cherry copper tacked raised border.
$650.00

Stuffed Spinach and Cheese Shells Recipe

• 1 box large pasta shells. I used Tinkyada as they are gluten free and available on Amazon
• 16 oz. Ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• Large chunk of mozzarella cheese, cubed
• Parmesan cheese
• About a pound of fresh chopped spinach
• Ample garlic, black pepper
• Fresh or dried basil and oregano
• Fresh or jarred pasta sauce

In a large bowl mix ricotta, egg, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach and spices. Set aside.
In a large pot cook the shells till al-dente in salted water. Rinse with cold water and drain throughly in a colander.
Pre-heat oven to 375º

In an oven casserole dish, add a small amount of sauce to bottom of pan. Fill each shell with spinach cheese mixture.
Place open side up in rows. Squish in any extra empty shells or mixture.
Add sauce to top to coat and sprinkle a little more parmesan on top or decorate with small pieces of mozzarella.

Bake uncovered till bubbly. Usually about 35-45 minutes.
Enjoy!

Served with a rustic artisan bread and tossed salad- I must say - this meal rocks!

~Patricia

☀ What I Learned at Ann Arbor ☂

What I Learned at Ann Arbor
Sometimes life's lessons are best learned from watching nature. In our case, it was ants.
Yes, the lowly often stepped upon ant.
Sales were exceedingly slow in the 100º heat at Ann Arbor this year. I sat on our grey utility box behind our booth on Friday evening. The low box gave me a great vantage point to ant watching.
It had cooled a little. Streets were full but no one buying much. I had time on my hands and lessons to be learned!

A colony of ants found some broken chips on the sideway behind our booth. Perhaps remnants from us feeding Timmy the baby squirrel behind our booth earlier in the day. Timmy and his Dad inhabit the grounds in the front of Angell Hall on State Street. They must love the artists coming to town each year since their diet becomes infused with a new array of snacks and friendly animal loving artists to play with them. These cute squirrels were fed, photographed and befriended by many of us! Timmy loved peeled grapes cut in half, pistachios my husband shared with him and gluten free edamame chips. Only the best for Timmy!

The ants however added a whole new dimension to what occurred in my hundred square feet of overly expensive 'real estate' for four days!

Lesson One: Ants don't work alone.
They take on huge tasks and work in groups. Overwhelming to most insects they whittle away the sides of big things making them smaller and lighter, providing nourishment at the same time. They took on huge tasks and broke them into smaller tasks they could handle.
Brilliant!

Lesson Two: They communicated with one another! If they can do this, why can't our politicians manage this task? Why can't we do this with one another?

Lesson Three: A few leader ants rode atop the small chip and gave directions! Clearly female ants charting the course not wanting to get lost and willing to ask for directions should they become disoriented along the way. Never needing GPS they were guided by instinct. What better way to live! It's the journey people! I digress....

Lesson Four: They traveled out of the path of being stepped on by moving their chip into the crevasse of the sidewalk. They stayed low and did their thing! Honestly, I don't think they cared that I was watching them. What a blissful state to travel through life in!

Lesson Five: They accepted help along the way. Other ants took over when the fist squad got tired. Something we all need to remember. We can help one another!

Lesson Six: When the rain came and splashed on their efforts, they took cover under the leaf I gave them and picked up where they left off despite their chip being relocated. A few inches to us, probably miles to them! They did not cease!

Lesson Seven: Past errors need not be repeated. We can learn from them and move on! A good reminder!

Lesson Eight: Sometimes it's Gods smallest creatures that can teach us life's biggest lessons - if we are willing to watch and learn!

They never gave up.

I can learn from this!

~Patricia

Frida Kahlo- A Mexican Icon

The amazing Frida Kahlo is the theme of this warm cherry box. The box is handmade by my husband and rubber stamped by me. All the designs are permanent and will not fade or wear away. Sealed with a protective spray. The intricate designs are a wonderful mix of sayings and images of this iconic Mexican artist. My one of a kind boxes are quickly becoming collectable and can be purchased from me here or at selected art fairs across the country.

This box measures 8" wide x 3.75" deep x 7.25" high. Perfect for holding thoughts, dreams, tea bags, artist trade cards or anything you desire!

Adorned with magenta pink feet and and red fringe. A fun Fiesta creates the knob on top. Lined on the inside bottom with black velvet. Wonderful details make this box one to covet!!
If you chose, fringe can be removed-that's up to you!


TattooDreams 2011 tour schedule is posted on my website http://TattooDreams.biz

More boxes can be found on the rest of my etsy site.

$55.00

FREE Domestic shipping!

Home Box

Home---
a state of being.
Being where you are comfortable
find shelter
grow
flourish
create.
A place to stay safe
entertain
retreat.
Retreat from
life outside
become yourself inside
renew
begin again
hide.
A house is a building.
A home is a soulful dwelling.

~Patricia

Smoky Hill River Festival- Salina, Kansas

TattooDreams hits the road once again. This time we head west to Salina Kansas to do the Smoky Hill River Festival.
This unique show is like no other. Part art festival, part music festival, part homecoming. The entire town comes out for this annual event. The park is decorated from top to bottom- every tree, the pond, the bridges - everything.

The event takes over the town and is preceded by a search for a lucky medallion. Each year the medallion is hidden and clues are given. The lucky person who finds the medallion gets all kinds of things including admission buttons to the show. To say this is a unique venue is an understatement. Show director Karla Prickett is one of the best! She is boundless energy and ideas all packed into one of the sweetest people I know!

I was asked to place 3 of my pieces of work on the tables for the Collectors Breakfast the first day of the show. I made these vases especially for that purpose. I only made a few so orders can be taken. They hold a recycled plastic water bottle so real flowers and water can be used.

There is something wonderfully gentile about this show. It harkens back to homecomings and reunions when everyone in town knew everyone else. A familiarity seldom found these days. A stepping back in time, at least for a summer weekend. One where I hope to leave my story boxes behind and bring home good memories from people who wanted to buy my work.

~Patricia
This vase can be ordered by going to my etsy site: http://tattoodreams.etsy.com

$68.00