A winter wonderland set amidst a vast sea of artistry

 

Brrrr!!!!

Here, in my neck of the woods, things have taken a rather cold but illustriously snowy turn in the past couple weeks and that means staying inside working on things of a creative nature.  Honestly can't complain!

painting by local award-winning artist, Robert Willman of Willman Gallery-Little Falls, New York

This past weekend was the annual Christmas in Little Falls celebration and marked the inaugural event for the Indoor Farmers/Artisans Market. I was privileged to be a part of 27 v vendors present.  I shared a space with my very talented friend, Christina Hoover. You can find her gorgeous creations on display here:

Signs of Obsession

Since my friends hail from all over this grand planet of ours and for obvious reasons could not attend the show, I thought I would share some of my latest creations with all of you here.

This sweet little girl was just too cute not to bring back home with me.

This distinguished lady went home with a friend of mine who just adored her foofy feathered chapeau.

Not your traditional ornament, for sure,  but the woman who took home Miss Holly apparently thought she would add some flair to this year's celebration.  I just adore her flapper-esque style.  I must confess that Miss Holly's real name is Lulu. She was altered from an original design of my friend, Christine Honsinger of Fiddlette Designs. She is part of one of my absolute favorite scrap kits, found here.

This little gal found a home that day too.

These butterfly ornaments were such a find and so relatively inexpensive; just needed a bit of sparkle and whimsy!

Something a bit more traditional.

These girls were my first attempt at the art of paper cornucopias.  I just adore everything Victorian!

One of many of the more simple gift tags created for the occasion.  This guy comes from a classic kit, "Lot No. 87 {ATC Christmas Collection Etcetera}" designed by the dynamic duo (and my friends) Tangie Baxter and Sherrie Drummond available for purchase here.

Our space turned out to be in a bit of a dark corner so the photos aren't the best but I wanted to share them with you all none the least.

There is such a wonderful artistic community of people here in my little town that I am proud to be a part of.  I strongly believe that we all stand to inspire one another with our various gifts we have to offer.  I also strongly believe that artists are a unique sort of people in that they are able to set aside petty jealousy and envy in order to be able to really support one another in their creative endeavors; that has been my experience, at least.  For that reason, I wanted to use this post to showcase some of the super artists that I have had the advantage to meet and in some cases, befriend.  They are people of all ages and from all walks of life but we all share in common that insatiable need to just CREATE!

Did you happen to notice the awesome paper wreaths in the right hand corner of the photos taken of our booth? My friend Christina specializes in beautiful handpainted furniture and signs, but just so happens to also be a very talented upcycling artist. This wreath (made from the pages of an antique book) adorns the mantel in my back parlor.  Isn't it beautiful? I just love it!!!

Christina at the Chicks show!  She just so happens to be manning the Mustard Seed booth; another fabulous shop here in town full of creative wonder.  My friend and fellow Chicky, Juli Webster has such the decorative eye and her entire shop is a jewel.  If you're ever in town it is so worth the stop. 

I just can't believe how ingeniously Christina (and her partner in crime Hubby) take discarded items and turn them into the gems that they are now; an old door gets a bench and becomes a halltree, window frames thrown out on the curb are reinforced and turned into a greenhouse and staircase spindles and decorative woodwork become a candelabra.  Sheer genius, I tell ya!  (Incidentally, that greenhouse sits in my garden right now; teehee.  Check out the photo of my house at the beginning of this post)

Clay is a local guy who relocated here just this past year and has already made himself well-known in our community.  I first met him this past fall at our annual Garlic Festival where he was featuring some of his wire-wrapped bent metal jewelry.   His talents in ice carving were showcased at our Christmas in Little Falls celebration last week.

Emily is someone who I met at this year’s Chicks Along the Canal event.  I gotta tell ya she is definitely one of my favorite Chicks!  She is the owner of E.S.P. Eclectics; a collection of quirky and fun novelties (jewelry, handbags, pillows, headbands, you name it!).  Together with her co-creators, Brit Rose and Megan Foley, their crafty and inventive gifts will stop you in your tracks and say "Now why didn't I think of that?!"
Emily has been featured locally in Little Falls, Utica and Albany and currently has her own page on facebook.

 I just love her little dolls (so does my daughter)!  And this handbag; It's totally mine!  Hands off!

Among the talented people I know, there are also these three who I am especially impressed with because of the sheer fact that they are already at such a tender age displaying the courage to express themselves.  They are living authentically as the creative beings they are and I admire them for that.

I met such a young man, this past weekend.  He was set up beside us at the show and what this kid can do with paper folding is awesome. Visitors and vendors alike were going nuts for this kid! He takes origami to the next level, having been paper folding since he was 4 years old and has come up with 40+ designs of his own.

From bookmarks to jewelry to giant cranes made from flattened sheets of tin and copper, Tristan Dunn, 14, does it all.

And last but not least, my two favorite artists in the whole wide world . . .

My darling daughter, who at the age of 10, has now had two showings of her photos.  She is so gifted in so many ways but definitely has that natural ability when it comes to her photography.

Three of her photos found a home that day (this being my favorite of them all).

My 13 year old son is an aspiring comic book artist and professional animator.  Art has been his passion since a very young age and he has tried his hand in so many artistic endeavors (painting, sculpture, jewelry, you name it) but sketching remains the most satisfying of them all.  He was featured at the Christmas in Little Falls event and is currently working on an exhibit to be featured at the Garnett Art Gallery at SUNY-Rome this next year.

"I'm no angel but . . ."

 So I totally went the other direction with this but I couldn't help it.  This famous quote by the infamously naughty, Mae West was the first thing that came to mind:

"I'm no angel but I have spread my wings a bit." 
What a stinker she was. Love it!!!

This "skinny" was created for the all-new Take a Word challenge blog.  Don't know about it yet?
Check it out!

http://takeaword.blogspot.com/

Into a "Sea of Uncertainty" I go!

Sometimes to take chances in life even when we are uncertain about where our choice will lead us, we just have to dive right in. Often the things we do in life that really matter require us to tread into unchartered, sometimes rough waters. There may even be what appears to be the threat of danger, the things we fear most, looming by, above and behind us but we must be courageous and vigilant if we are to ever find what it is that is hidden beneath and beyond that uncertainty and fear. This layout is a page for my art journal:
After many long years of being afraid, I am now taking a chance on certain things, treading into foreign seas, uncertain of the outcome but confident about my choices to do so.

For full credits to this layout, see my main gallery here.

Come, sit a spell . . . won't you?

I decided to join in on the fun at Sunday Postcard Art this week.
Here is my "wicked" submission . . . a bit of a spin on the classic; teehee.

Credits can be found here.

Three Muses Challenge: Things with Wings

Been in a bit of a "mojo-less" funk lately and thought maybe a little challenge would help. Went to my "Three Muses" for a little inspiration and here is what I came up with.
This week's theme: Things with Wings.

It's here! It's here!

The first quarterly publication of the Altered Hearts Zine is now on sale in 

the Deviant Scrap Shoppe.  

We all worked so hard on this issue and because we had to compress three months' worth into just one issue, this thing promises to be loaded!!! Over a hundred pages of creative goodness, 

you'd be crazy to pass this one up.

I am especially excited (and totally proud) to announce that I have made my first official front cover.  I had so much fun creating her and was so very very flattered when Miss Sherrie asked me if she could use it.  These girls who make up the team are so incredibly creative, hard-working and wonderful and I am so grateful that at this time when I find I am unable to commit to much, I still have the privilege to be a part of what they do.  This issue (as always) totally reflects that love and pride that each of us feels and it is our hope that your creative passions will be ignited to play along with us on the altered side of things!
Click here to be taken directly to the shoppe.  You know what to do from there.  Heehee

Frankie!

I have always had a thing for girls' nicknames that sound a bit more rough around the edges.  I mean no offense to you ladies out there with those proper more genteel names but there's just something about a girl with a name that says "I can stand on my own!, No need, I got it covered!"  and even the occasional "Yo!" (teehee).  Think Jo on the Facts of the Life or Pinky Toscadero on Happy Days.  These were the girls who were my inspiration for this piece.  It was also inspired, however, by this week's Spook-tober Challenge: Frankenstein going on now over at Deviant Scrap.

This one goes out to all the Sam's, Jo's 

and Frankie's of the world!

Spooky!

Not sure what's come over me but I have been put into quite the spooky mood lately . . .

Click here to see what wonderful new kits have me so "deviantly" inspired.

A new take on "Beauty"

For the Altered Artspirations Challenge (hosted by my dear friend, Tangie Baxter) over at Scrapbook Graphics.  It's been forever since I've been able to participate but with this weeks' theme being creating a collage and then ever better doing it "skinny" style, I just couldn't resist!

Here she is, my little beauty . . .

This is my way of challenging what those so called "beauty" magazines define as beauty . . . We are all beautiful in our own way to someone, aren't we?

She is strictly digital but meant to look like her pieces were cut from the pages of those such magazines. her credits are here.

Gracie has found a home!

Gracie, the Little Mermaid (a mixed media assemblage

My very favorite of all of my assemblage/shadow box pieces that I have created is my "Little Mermaid".  She has been on my Etsy page since the very beginning, the first piece to ever be listed and I always hoped secretly that she wouldn't sell.  I almost couldn't bear the thought that she would be shipped to some unknown place to reside in someone unknown's home.  As fate would have it, she had yet to sell in that first month and   I made the decision to bring her with me to the Chicks Along the Canal show earlier this month.   It was there that Kim of the whimsical little bead shop here in town first spotted her.  It's been two weeks since that show and just the other day I received a message from her that she saw her there, fell in love and knew she absolutely must have her.  Though a tad bit sad to see her go, I couldn't have been more thrilled to have her go to such a wonderful place.  I have always felt there is some magical quality about my little Gracie and so am so excited to think of her on display in such a magical little place.

Fall Hill Bead and Gem Shop-Little Falls, NY


Click here for an amazing indepth look at this great little place 

Enjoyed it so much, I went back!

Another attempt at the Zetti-inspired challenge over at the Three Muses Blog . . .

Let go and just had a little more fun this time around.
Check my gallery here for credits to this and all of the layouts featured on my blog.

Entering the World of Zetti yet again . . .

This week at over at the Three Muses blog, Ann has got us entering the enchanted world of all things Zetti.  I love Zetti but have to admit I'm not entirely sure I belong there.  I always seem to struggle a bit with these challenges (perhaps that's why I keep giving them a shot) and am never quite sure what I think of my final product.  Oh well . . . There it is!

A rose is a rose is a rose . . .

 

I have been asked by my friend Hollie (of Holliewood Studios) to be a guest on her creative team for the next month and in honor of her request, here is my latest layout to debut her wonderfully gorgeous new creation,  

"A Rose is a Rose" kit available now at Deviant Scrap.