Back to the Future

When I started RELICS & ARTIFACTS ® it all began with just a few simple pieces. I have always been a collector of well, just about everything, from rocks, shells and porcelain to jewelry, pottery and ephemera. I still have lots of things from when I was a really young kid. Fast forward to today and while those collections have grown in size I’m still searching out much the same kinds of things. One of the first resin craft blank castings I made were from a group of antique milagros and ex votos. I paired them up with 18th century hand carved angel wings that were actually attached to large figures. Making the molds was tricky it was hard wrangling the pieces and not damaging them in the process. Those first hearts sets turned out to be some of our best sellers and when my original molds bit the dust I didn’t want to risk it again so we discontinued those sets. I finally worked up the nerve to take molds from the antiques again and here we are with several reissued set and some new pieces as well. Hope you love them as much as we do!

Psychedelic ArtFoamies- Projects by Jenn Pipe

I had so much fun working with the stamps in Sandra Evertson’s new Psychedelic line for Art Foamies!

When I first saw the stamps, they immediately served up 1970’s vibes for me. The “Fierce, Fly, Fabulous” project is a tri-fold 70’s-inspired piece. I kept it pretty simple with some stenciled elements, collaged sheet music, doodles, and some fun rhinestones and butterflies nested in their hair. I pulled out the gel plate in order to ink the stamps. The stamps were dipped in the painted plate and stamped directly onto cardstock, creating the two women on the right. The woman on the left was created by pulling the image directly off of the gel plate. Truth be told, she’s my favorite. I love the inverse effect of the white flowers and the darker background colors.

My second project, “The Bee Keepers,” was created on a wooden substrate. I used modeling paste to create the honeycomb pattern and once dried, I painted it with a light coat of yellow and gold paints. I used the new face stamps to create my three beekeepers. Their dresses were cut from an old alcohol ink print, fern stamps became their head dresses, and some stamped bee images finished off the piece. The quote was from a ledger sheet and seemed like the perfect complement to the rest of the project.

The versatility of these stamps is unparalleled! If you let your imagination guide you, you’ll end up with endless project ideas.

(Jenn Pipe is the owner of Self Esteem Through Art, an art-based empowerment and self-discovery studio located in Rhode Island.)

The Psychedelic line consists of 10 stamps, Butterflies In Flight , Familiar Faces , Flower Girl , Flower Power , Lace Veil , Maze 2 , Mobius , Modest , Negative Space , Psychedelic

Delight of Design

Designing and bringing the pieces to life is such a special pleasure for me. It involves purposeful mental observations, a bit of fantasy, some vision, lots of experimentation and finally, the reward, fruition. Its so satisfying to have a finalized set of disparate objects come together to create a meaningful group that not only speaks to me but to others as well. Whether it be resin blanks, rubber stamps, foam stamps or simply just searching out unique and wonderful things to share with you. Our little company is a delight and a labor of love! Thank you all for traveling this road with us and for supporting this endeavor!

Spring Fairy Frames & Fairy Eggs by Relics & Artifact MUSE Jenn White

Springtime is my favorite season. I am so grateful for every single one I have been privileged to witness.

The knowledge that Spring is almost here thrills & excites me.

Every day I watch & listen for the signs. Wild bird & animal behaviors. New leaves unfurling from budding branches. An awakening. Newborns & Reborns.I love watching it all slowly green, & bloom.

It is magic.

Some of the best & most memorable days of my life are celebrated in the Spring.
My daughters were born in April & May. The anniversary of my dream fairy themed wedding to my beloved best friend heralds the Spring Equinox in March.

I delight in painting, decorating & embellishing eggs, arranging bouquets of the Spring flower blooms I grow in my gardens & filling colorful surprise baskets for my daughters & grandchildren.

I incorporate my love of nature & fairies in everything I do.

I have been fascinated by fairies my entire life. I surround myself with them. They are everywhere at my home. Inside & outside.

You have no idea how thrilled & excited I was when Sandra Evertson released & listed her new DIGITAL DOWNLOADS.

They are from a priceless treasured 1840s book full of French fairy prints by artist J.J. Grandville. They are over 170 years old. If you love antique ephemera like I do you will adore them.

I had never seen many of these particular images before so I was squealing with delight & so tickled when I saw them for the very first time! Gasping at their whimsical & delightful gorgeousness.

So many ideas of how I wanted to use them immediately filled & danced through my imagination.

My first thoughts were of framing the images with Sandra's exquisite ITALIAN BAROQUE FRAMES & CATHEDRAL WINDOW FRAMES. Displaying them throughout my home to admire & bring joyful smiles to everyone's faces as they gaze upon them. Happy fantasy daydreams for one & all!

My second thought was to use them in varied sizes on & within Sandra's IMPERIAL EGGS SET & EGG SHRINE. The great thing about digital downloads is you can size them as large or as small as you wish to fit anywhere. Sandra's digital downloads are a fantasy dream come true for me! How about you?

While playing with Sandra's EGG SHRINE I was reminded of my favorite Russian Imperial Egg created by Carl Faberge "Lilies Of The Valley". I created my own fairy themed version of it using Sandra's NOUVEAU SET.

I even made some fairy themed pendant ornaments using Sandra's IMPERIAL EGG SET.

Feel free to be inspired by my creations & create some for yourself & your loved ones too!

Enjoy this Spring!

HUGS! YOU ARE LOVED!

- Jenn White

Product shopping list:

DIGITAL DOWNLOADS:

Les Fleurs Animees- The Et Cafe DD

Les Fleurs Animees - Rose DD

Le Papillons - Partie DD

Le Papillons - Danse Les Airs DD

Le Pappilons - Enlevement de Cypis DD

CRAFT BLANKS:

Nouveau Set

Cathedral Windows Set

Italian Baroque Frames

Shrine

Imperial Eggs Set

PAINTS & INKS

VerDay Metal Paints 2oz. Kit

Moonlight Duo Tint & Hue Ink Pads

An Ode To The Forest Floor by Muse Jenn Pipe

My internal GPS is normally set to the ocean, but today I want to pay homage to the restorative powers of the forest floor. A few years ago, I was feeling burnt out by the fast and furious pace of my 21st century life. The nonstop responsibilities of being a business owner were wearing me down. My husband and I were having a difficult time connecting due to our opposite schedules. And my daughters were involved with multiple activities that had us playing “divide and conquer” most weekends.

I joked one particularly stressful night that I needed some Calgon to literally take me away. Alone. For at least two uninterrupted days. I put out feelers on Facebook to see if anyone had any tips for a peaceful, remote location I could explore. My criteria included no chain hotels, no bed and breakfasts, and bonus points for no TVs or wifi. I was hoping to not see a single soul or feel pressure to remain plugged in.

A friend suggested the Getaway cabins in New Hampshire (they have outposts scattered all over the country), and I was sold! I booked a midweek trip, packed a bunch of art supplies and reading material, and told my family it was my goal to be completely unplugged (i.e. “Don’t call me, I’ll call you”).

When I tell you it was absolute nirvana, I am not exaggerating! Each cabin was perfectly distanced from the others and nestled among canopies of trees. They were also outfitted with all the modern amenities you could want (including the comfiest beds and linens, cooktop, dishes, bathrooms with running water, firepits, and picnic tables)! I was in heaven! That single getaway was a commitment to both myself and my creative process. I drew, wrote, mapped out content for new classes and workshops, and took the most delicious naps after exploring the area on foot. I left feeling more recharged and relaxed than I had in years and I vowed to give myself a gift of at least two of these trips per year (which I was able to do until covid hit).

With this MUSE project, I wanted to pay homage to that forest, those cabins, and the forest floor that cradled and restored me over and over again. 

I started with both colors of Apoxie Sculpt and I sculpted a variety of mushrooms, adding little details as I went. Once the Apoxie Sculpt was dry (*note: the black clay takes longer to cure than the white clay), I coated the mushrooms with clear gesso. Once primed, they were ready for multiple coats of VerDay finish to give them that earthy, mossy vibe. 

I then gathered up some moss and tree bark and got to assembling my “forest floor.” I used a tree slice with a raw edge as my substrate. The moss was adhered with a hot glue gun, and then I arranged my fungi just so and used the hot glue gun to adhere that as well. The final touch was a few adorable little metal acorn embellishments that were also finished with VerDay. I scattered those on the forest floor as well. 

This is different than the work I usually create, but I love how it came out. Just looking at it transports me back to those sublime weekends by the forest floor. I’m going to display it in a place where it will continue to ground me on a daily basis until I can return to my cherished nirvana. 

Thanks for reading! I hope this inspires you to both create AND escape! 

There is always light if you choose to see it & be it - By Jenn White

Art matters. Art has magical healing powers. Art is everywhere & in everything. You yourself are a work of art.

Have you ever been so inspired & uplifted by another artist your sensitive artist's heart swells too big for your chest? So overcome by emotion it causes happy tears to spill from your eyes? 

This is how I felt while watching the first ever Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman's recitation of her poetry. There were many other talented musical artists & speakers there I love too, sharing their gifts, performing throughout the inauguration.

They were all like sparks igniting so much shining light within me. I was positively glowing with inspiration. 

I felt compelled to create many art pieces after all I had witnessed & experienced in the days.

I decided to share one of those creations with you today. 

When I create, I begin by drawing rough sketch ideas in one of my many sketch books. As I look through all the inspiring photos of the products on sandraevertson.com I find so much inspiration there.

It is so pleasing to my imagination to visualize how Sandra's products can be combined to compliment each other in endless ways.

 In this creation, it was the curve & style of the finger petals on the Milagros III craft blanks set & the San Miguel Allende Nicho Kit that began the theme of this assemblage.

 I envisioned flower petals, a bird's tail & a peacock. I instantly wanted to use some peacock feathers with these pieces. The colors in the feathers coordinate so well with the Relics & Artifacts VerDay Patina paints. I love experimenting with the VerDay magic!

I was transported. I felt warmth & light on a cold Winter's day. I imagined myself into a brightly colored shopping bazaar full of Mexican folk art. Such a lovely cheerful place! A colorful feast for the eyes everywhere I looked. I love when my imagination allows me to travel without leaving home.

 I love layering Sandra's products!

I looked to see what I already had in my Relics and Artifacts Stash that would coordinate with the pieces I was about to order & found several to audition. I added one of the Three Marias Statuettes & two coordinating winged hearts. One from Sandra's Taos Sacred Heart set & one from Sandra's Mexican Folk Hearts Ojo de Dios set. I usually start out simply "less is more" but I always seem to end up "too much of a good thing can be wonderful!" 

 While editing the photos I decided my creation was missing something. I felt it needed some bling. I started having "What if" visions. What if I cut apart this silver & gold Daisy Chain Dresden? What if I add this flower petal shaped Dresden Coat of Arms piece? What if I add this Dresden Triangle Trim all around the outside edge? I thought it might be too much but it all ended up being the perfect added touched to shine up my creation

I wanted to incorporate hearts, wings & eyes into this piece to symbolize love, peace, hope & freedom. The awakening & opening of eyes, breaking the dark spell to see the truth & the light. 

I wanted to incorporate all of the miracles that happened for me & my family during the dark times & life style changes of 2020. I wanted to memorialize the loved ones I lost & miss very much. I also wanted to give thanks for the loved ones who reached out to me. I am so happy they have renewed hope & are here with us today.

I am so grateful you are still breathing & I am still breathing & we have more time here to make positive changes in our countries & on our planet. You are not alone.  

Just because I behave in a positive way does not mean my world is perfect.

I am very sensitive but I refuse to give in & let hate win. 

I will shine my light of kindness & help as many people as I can before my life clock stops. 

If you haven't yet, I hope you will decide to awaken & choose to shine your light too! 

Loving kindness does not cost a thing & is a priceless treasure at the same time. 

It will change lives & yours for the better. If we all pay this kindness forward we can make our world a better place.

HUGS! YOU ARE LOVED! - Jenn White 

Relics & Artifacts products used in this piece are as follows:

♡San Miguel Allende Nicho Kit

♡Milagros III Set

♡Taos Sacred Heart Set

♡Mexican Folk Hearts Ojo de Dios 

♡Three Marias Set

♡Mythos sets (the 2 little birds)

♡Relics & Artifacts VerDay kit

♡Relics & Artifacts Patina Spray Refill. (You do not want to run yourself out of this magic!)

♡Dresden Trim Coat of Arms in Silver.

♡Dresden Trim Large Daisy Chain

♡Dresden Trim Small Daisy Chain

☆Remember to add your HEART CHALLENGE submissions on the Relics & Artfacts Tribe Facebook Group by 2/12/2021 for a chance to win a shopping voucher for sandraevertson.com

#2021raheartchallenge 

Please be sure to read the rules in the pinned post at the top of the group page.Thank you & best wishes to you!

Creative Jumpstart 2021

I’m so happy to be participating in Creative Jumpstart this year. It is the 10th Anniversary.

Check out my class which goes live February 8th. In the meantime, here is an interview with Nathalie Kalbach.

https://vimeo.com/463612927

The Art Of Impermanence- Jenn Pipe

Let me tell you about some of my favorite moments from 2020:

The trips my husband and I took to the salt marsh during Golden Hour where we watched a nest full of fledgling osprey learn to fly and catch fish were some of my favorite moments. Or the time the snowy egret perched on the most perfect branch and allowed us to watch it preen and pose—as if it put on that show just for us.

There was the time when my daughter and I were walking around the nature preserve and a baby deer came right out of the brush next to us, as if in greeting, and then bounded down the path behind us. The moment was so fleeting—barely a breath—that neither one of us, despite already having our phones in our hands, were able to catch a picture of it (and I can’t help but think that was by design).

There were those mornings when my internal alarm would wake me up just in time to watch the sun light up the sky and for Mother Nature to paint the most perfect canvas. Mornings where I would rush down the stairs to get a photo from the deck before the light changed and the moment was gone.

Running across the parking lot at the supermarket when a biblical storm showed up, seemingly out of nowhere, drenching us and all of our groceries to the core. Then going home and jumping in the massive puddles that had formed in the yard, not a care in the world.

There were the countless moments of tenderness and spontaneous laughter between my daughters as they quarantined together this year, largely cut off from their respective social circles. Moments that hopefully remind them that they are each other’s first and best friend.

I spent a lot of time watching the massive tree next to our new deck the past four months. I discovered that the tree has a few branches that form the shape of a heart. And if I time it just right, I can capture a photo of those heart-shaped branches cradling the sun. I marveled at the tree’s strength as I watched it weather some pretty powerful ocean storms without losing nary a branch.

These moments are just the tip of the iceberg. And although they are vastly different, they all have one thing in common: IMPERMANENCE. Impermanence is defined as the state or fact of lasting for only a limited period of time. 2020 was a powerful teacher for me and one of the things it (re)taught me was the art of impermanence. Fleeting moments. Wisps of life and love. Gossamer things.

One of my favorite things to say in 2020 was, “But we will never get THIS EXACT moment ever again.” I would say it when I was chasing sunsets, watching storms roll across the ocean, taking a walk in the neighborhood we had walked 100 times before, during beach-combing and sun-bathing excursions, while voting and volunteering, during mealtimes, and when spending time together as a family. It became my mantra: a way for me to seek out joy, be 100% present, focus on the things that truly mattered, and find the beauty in a broken, broken world.

I thought I would like to give this concept a go in my art, as well. I have been feeling kind of flat and uninspired lately. The creative and artistic ideas aren’t beating down my door like they typically do. I thought it would be a good idea to experiment and play and create a bunch of things without gluing them down. Focus on the joy of the process instead of working towards a definitive outcome and see if I could free up the bottleneck to my creativity in some way…

Here’s what I did: I started simple with a piece of square kraft paper. I sketched a very simple silhouette onto it with a white gel pen. This silhouette would be my constant. Then, I gathered a bunch of materials from my office and set out to see what I could make with them. How fun it was to arrange and rearrange things until I felt I had them “just right.” How exhilarating it was to simply sweep the canvas clean and start over when I was done. How representative of life and nature to not glue things down and to enjoy the moment while it is here and then let it pass.

I ended up spending a couple quiet nighttime hours in my home office while I made these pieces. It was really fun to play without expectations or any direction or definitive outcome.

The first of the three is called “Winged Beauty.” In this piece, I started with the crimped pieces of paper that often accompany Sandra’s craft blanks. I turned those into hair. I then cut a piece of the Halo Dresden Trim into eyelash shapes, with petals from a mum as eyebrows. A Mexican Milagro Charm was used as a nose and I found a piece of bark that was perfect as some pouty lips. I used some balloon flowers, moss, and evergreens for the bodice and then I added the word “beauty” as a necklace. A set of Raphael Wings gives this piece an ethereal, angelic quality, while the “crown” was made with a piece from the Milagros III set.

The second piece is called “Grit and Grace” and my favorite part of this compilation is the eyes made from two of the Finger Ring Rosaries! I used an assortment of seed beads for the hair, a piece of a twig for the nose, and felt for the mouth. A sword from the Excalibur set, one of the resin hearts, and the snake from the Hieroglyphs set round out the Relics & Artifacts pieces for this installation of impermanent art.

My third and final piece is called “Undercurrent” and, with the exception of some polished shell pieces I found in my favorite cove, it exclusively uses products from the Relics & Artifacts line. I started with a large wooden Helios for the head, the same Dresden eyes from figure #1, and then a wide assortment of Sandra’s ocean-themed craft blanks. You will find pieces from Siren’s Song, Neptune,Cascara, Grotto, Triton, and Mermaid all working harmoniously together. 

Where this process was entirely new for me (I don’t typically create until and unless I am ready to commit to something), I feel like it opened me up to a bunch of new artistic avenues. I ended up combining materials I wouldn’t normally combine, I played with texture and composition, and it inspired me to want to pull more found items and items from nature into my artwork, whether that art ends up being permanent or impermanent. It was a low-investment, no-commitment way to make beautiful things and free up that creative bottleneck. I have a feeling this process will become part of my regular repertoire and I hope it inspires you in new and beautiful ways! 

I can’t wait to see what you create! Please tag me in your posts! 
In honor of the beauty impermanence and art in all its glorious forms,

Jenn Pipe
MUSE Design Team 2021

Let Joy (and Sandra’s Stamps) Be Your Compass:

Back in the day (circa 2000--), I was a HUGE scrapbooker who cataloged every memory, both big and small. I am a very tactile and visual person and the act of combining heartfelt words with my photographs, pretty patterns, and textures lit me up from inside. It’s a way of storytelling and memory keeping that really vibes with who I am at the core.

My style of art has morphed since then and the way I document our memories has morphed alongside of it. I also have access to a much more robust portfolio of art supplies—which means that a lot of what I create these days is off the page and many times doesn’t even involve a single word or a sheet of paper. As I reflect on it, that evolution has been both a blessing and a curse.

Sometimes, when I’m looking for inspiration to hit, or when I want to get those creative juices flowing, I have an overwhelming desire to get back to my roots. Which is exactly what I did here. I had a few specific goals in mind when I set out to create my projects for this month’s MUSE blog post:

• Work small—each assemblage should be under 5x7.

• Keep it simple and mainly 2-dimensional (paper and embellishments only).

• Use lots of layers.

• Create additional backgrounds with Sandra’s wide array of stamps!

• Make it fun and playful.

I started by pulling out my R+A and ArtFoamies stamps, marveling in the collection I have amassed in a relatively short period of time. I also gathered up some patterned papers and scraps, fun embellishments, and some washi tape. Have you ever tried to create art while simultaneously and consciously limiting yourself to certain materials? It’s a great way to challenge yourself and get the pistons in the creative centers of your brain firing on all cylinders, so give it a try if you haven’t already.

Then I made some backgrounds, primarily using Sandra’s Air, Marrakesh, and Tenango Oscura ArtFoamie. I also used Cupola, Halo, Driftwood Crown, and the Portal series. Then, I unleashed my Inner Child and let her out to play! I tore papers, gathered up some whimsical embellishments, and layered with wild abandon. The result was these beautiful (and fun) multi-dimensional assemblages. What a feast for the eyes!

Are you curious about what you might do with such creations when they are completed? Well, anything you want! But, you can gift them, add them to books or journals, turn them into cards, swap them, pin them to a mood or vision board, or have them be the focal point in a larger art journal page. They can also be the centerpiece on a canvas where you add more 3-dimensional elements like the R+A craft blanks. The possibilities are endless! I chose to adhere them to an oversized folio I have been working in—they act as benchmarks in my artistic journey and reminders that some things come full circle.

Keep creating!

Jenn Pipe

MUSE Design Team 2020

P.S. Here is where I highlighted Sandra’s stamps in each piece. I used Marrakesh and Cupola in “Let Joy Be Your Compass.” In my “Enjoy the Journey” ocean pieces, I used Air, Halo, and the tiniest little scrap of Marrakesh. In “Be Brave,” I used a Tenango Oscura background, Air, and Esoteric from the Portal series. And, in “Forever in My Heart” I used Tenango Oscura, Driftwood Crown, and some of the smaller foamies hearts from one of Sandra’s retired pieces.

Cupula ArtFoamie Velvet Shrine "HOW TO"- Sandra Evertson

When Kristen Powers asked me to create some images for the ArtFoamies collection I was thrilled but have to admit I had never used one before so I was really anxious to try out the samples she sent. Well as you all already know they are a joy to create with! I will show you step by step within this photo series how to create this simple but Fabulous Velvet Shrine and to make it convenient I will leave this post up permanently for you to refer to anytime.

SUPPLIES LIST

CUPULA ArtFoamie

StazOn Black Ink

chipboard

old box

scissors

tacky glue

marker or pencil

small clamps

black craft paint

brush

ruler

upholstery needle

embroidery thread

velvet strip 1 1/2” wide x 16” long

trinket charms

Load the ArtFoamie up with black ink.

Stamp onto a piece of chipboard.

Cut out with scissors.

Make sure to cut out the portion that creates the scallops because we will stitch into those later.

Place Cupula ArtFoamie on top of a piece of old cardboard box and trace around it with a marker or pencil. No need to get into the scallop crevices just create an “arch” shape as this piece will be used as the back of the shrine.

Cut out the arch piece. I have marked mine here to give you and approximate size 2 3/4” wide x 5 1/2” tall.

Use a ruler and trace out a long strip of cardboard that will become the sides of the shrine. Measure approximately 2 3/8” wide x 16” long.

Cut out the strip and begin folding it bit by bid to create and arched shape, its ok if the cardboard wrinkles up a bit it will just add to the vintage and folksy feel of your finished piece.

Continue bending the cardboard to creat the arch shape of the Cupula. Use a small clamp to hold the bottom together, do not glue yet.

Take the back piece and fit it behind the clamped “sides” strip.

Use the clamp to adjust the size of the strip so that it fits fairly snugly together.

Place the front stamped chipboard piece of the shrine on to the top.

Place tacky glue along all the seams and glue together. Use the tape to hold things in place while the glue dries. It take a little finagling but once you get the tape in a few places it will hold together nicely. You will remove the tape once the glue has dried so don’t worry about where you place it.

Just lightly place the tape so you can peel it off later.

Paint the cardboard shrine with black craft paint, first paint the inside.

Then paint the outside and the bottom and along the scalloped back side of the shrine, no need to paint the front portion as the velvet will be covering it.

Gather you velvet, needle, embroidery thread and trinkets to embellish the front of your shrine.

I used a Soldiers Finger Ring Rosary (sold here on our website in the Antiquities section. 

Place your strip of velvet on top of the front of the shrine, start at the bottom right corner. Leave about 1/4” to 3/8” of fabric on both sides that can be folded and glued around the backside edge and into the inside edge of the front piece.

Run a bead of glue along the front edge,

some more along the front inside edge and some more around the back edge, working your way up as you go.

Smear the glue around evenly

and fold the velvet edges over the inside edge

and back edge to cover the frame.

Use the small clamps to hold fabric in place.

Fold the corner into an angle, glue and clamp in place until dry.

Thread the upholstery needle with a very long piece of embroidery thread, but don’t worry of its not long enough because you can always just pick up where you left off if you run out of thread. Begin the first stitch pushing up through the bottom of the right corner.

Hold onto the tread and pull the needle fairly snug through the scallop “niche” then move onto the next “niche” and do the same thing pulling the thread up snug but not so tight that it creates too much tension which will create wrinkles and distort the fabric.

Continue stitching all along the outside edge creating a beautiful finished thread boarder. On your last stitch pull the thread through the back of the frame, knot and glue in place.

I sed a contrasting color embroidery thread and used two stitches to adorn the top of my new shrine with a Soldiers Finger Ring Rosary.

If you desire you can add more treasures, charms milagros, etc. to the front and sides of your shrine to create a very personalized piece.

You can use your wonderful new shrine to showcase a special vintage treasure or even a RELICS & ARTIFACTS® piece you have created! I hope you all enjoyed my little How To Class. We would LOVE to see some of your finished SHRINES and would like to create a MUSE post with them to show off your work! Thanks so much for sharing your time and art with me!