The Thingie Revealed

I'm back from Art and Soul. It was an amazing adventure, as always. On Saturday, I left my room at 8:30 and didn't get back til after midnight. There was just too much to see and do! I had a class on Saturday from 9-5 with Thomas Mann. Then, I had my booth to set up for vendor night. And, of course, I had to shop everyone else's booth before the doors openend.  After that, we had Vendor Night from 7-10. Then it was time to load up the van, and do a little socializing.

I've been reading the Vintage Rescue Squad blog for quite some time, and was thrilled to finally get to meet Sue and her sister Michelle. Sue is a junker extraordiaire -a girl after my own heart!

I also meet the fabulous Julie Haymaker Thompson through my friend Elizabeth.  Julie's work is fresh, and hip and has an old-school primitive vibe at the same time. Julie herself is a breath of fresh air. I can't wait to take a class with her in the future. Elizabeth has posted her "Steampunk Lily" class project on her blog. It came out beautifully!

So now that I'm home,  I can post more pictures of the thingie. (Spoiler alert - If you're attending an Art and Soul retreat in the future, and don't want to know what the thingie is - then read no further!)

It was a teapot! I decided to do a memory-jug style treatment on it. I ordered Laurie Zuckerman's memory jug cd for myself two years ago, and finally got to create my first piece. I've been collecting bits and baubles for ages. I was amazed at how many I had that fit the Wonderland theme.

I have so much more to tell about each of  my classes, but it will have to wait for another day.  

Off to Wonderland

I am leaving in the morning to attend the Art and Soul Retreat in Hampton, Virginia. I'm registered for two classes with Thomas Mann and one class with Linda and Opie O'Brien. I had the pleasure of taking their "Who's Your DaDa" class in 2008. This year I'm taking "Alice Meeets the Dali Mama" with them.

This is the setup for my booth Vendor Night on Saturday. I hope you'll come by and see me if you're attending Art and Soul. I'm going to keep this post short, because I have to go upstairs and pack up everything in the booth so it fits in my van. -sigh- Thank goodness for my amazing helpers, especially Janet Moss and my mom. I couldn't do it without you guys!

Art in the Park and the "Thingie"

My booth at Hurkamp Park and my fantastic helper!

This weather here in Virginia this weekend has been absolutely gorgeous, and I got to spend the day outside enjoying it yesterday at Hurkamp Park in Fredericksburg. I have a tent at Art in the Park this weekend. I don't know which I enjoyed the most, the customers or the four-legged-friends they brought with them. Fredericksburg is a very dog-friendly town. My daughter and I considered bringing our own poochables  but decided it would be difficult to help customers and keep track of our happy-waggy girls at the same time.

The show runs again today from 11-4. I hope you'll come out and see us if you're in town. There are fourty-seven vendors with a wide variety of art. I have the good fortune of being located between North Carolina watercolorist Walter Creech and local art-quilter Lori McCown.

As soon as I get home from Art in the Park today, the mad rush is on to get everything together for my booth for vendor night at Art and Soul in Hampton. I'll have photos and a list of the items I'll be carrying later in the week. (These items are completely different from the items I have at Art in the Park.)

In the meantime, my "thingie" arrived in the mail, and I'm using the objects above to embellish it. Art and Soul attendees have the option of receiving a secret "thingie" in the mail to alter and bring to Art and Soul for display. We don't reveal what the thingie is until everyone arrives with their decorated object. It is always amazing to see how much variety is achieved using the same object as a starting point. This year's them is Art and Soul in Wonderland, and the item fits perfectly with that theme.

New Jewelry Work

It's been a long time since I made jewelry, and I've really missed it. As usual, a looming deadline is what drew me into the studio. I had a tough time deciding what I wanted to focus on, so I made a little bit of ephemera-based jewelry, and a little bit of old-school beaded jewelry.After I got into the groove, it was hard to stop.

Each piece is part of a set with coordinating earrings and necklaces. All are currently available at LibertyTown in Fredericksburg, Va.

(Above) Pendant made from a vintage fuse tin, a button, and murano glass. The tin still opens and closes.

Large gray freshwater pearls, brass findings, crystal and czech glass.

Relic baby. (With a copper and mother of pearl "belly button")

Resin pendant with leaf and butterfly motif.

Pewter swallow with amethyst Swarovski crystal on ribbon.

Cherry blossoms and hummingbirds.

Bird pendant with crystals. Hand-strung and knotted.