« October 2008 | Main | December 2008 »
I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the people; and I will sing praises to Thee among the nations, for thy loving-kindness is great above the heavens; and thy truth reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth. That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand, and answer me! -Psalm 108:3-6
Blessings of Thanksgiving.................
Lisa
You just have to go...............because I was in heaven when I discovered--Maxine's!!! The most wonderful place on earth..............right here in Seattle.
Isn't it wonderful? Maxine's is located in a neat neighborhood in Seattle/Maple Leaf area. I was referred to Maxine's when I was looking for glass glitter to take to Silver Bella. When I arrive at the store I thought that I had died & gone to heaven. Maxine's is a gift and floral shoppe filled with all kinds of vintage inspired treasures. The front of the store will leave you awe struck with its magical front window.
There are even crepe paper flowers hanging from cloth streamers off the top of the store sign.
Inside there are plenty of great items to decorate your home for the holidays and find the perfect Christmas gift. She has this awesome crepe paper floral banner that surrounds her counter. The banner is just a touch of her endless creativity!!!! There are goodie goodie slippers, pj's, jewerly, purses, scarfs and more for you to fall in love with. And while I don't have any pictures from inside the store...........Maxine's floral arrangements are to die for. That's why I am picking up my Thanksgiving center piece from Maxine later today.
So if you get a chance if you are in the Seattle area...........check her out Maxine's Floral and Gifts at 8811 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA.
While I was at Silver Bella I took 3 classes and the opening workshop that required stitching. Yes, I mean stitching..............the kind that I don't know how to do and cannot sew a button on to save my life (at least to make it look good). Anyway, I always admired Rebbecca Sower and was ecstatic to take two of her classes. Ecstatic that is until I realized how much stitching I would have to do. Well the first class was called Prayer Collage. And I thought......oh this is easy I am used to making collages..............until we had to do a little stitching. Well, this is my not so finished project (it still needs some trim).
Well, see that adorable heart?
It's really not that adorable, so don't let it fool you. It's not adorable because when I was cutting it out I stabbed my finger (pretty bad) with my scissors and couldn't stop my finger from bleeding. You see, stupid me after I traced my heart on the fabric, I tried to cut it out from the center instead of folding the fabric in half and cutting it that way. So, when I stuck my scissors into the center of the fabric it went directly into the tip of my finger. Ouch!!!! I really am an accident waiting to happen.................... If there is a way to hurt myself.......dog-gone-it I'll find it. But, out of bad, good things happen. And the good thing was that Karlene (the angel that she is) stitched and cut out my heart!!!! Talk about good timing................(lol).
The other class I took from Rebecca Sower was Fabric Adornments. Rebecca is such a sweet calm soul. She was so cute teaching us all about stitching. So that's what's got me hooked at the moment. I think I am the type who fails miserably the first time at something but if I keep trying I can get the hang of it. I need to get with it because I have two sewing machines that I hardly know how to use........Sewing that is the one thing I realy want to learn if I would just stop picking up other new hobbies!
In Fabric Adornments we had an opportunity to make a bracelt or a stitching sampler. I decided to focus on just trying to learn a stitch or two. But, take a look at Rebecca's wonderful work:
Wonderful goodness.
I really love these.............we were given a beautiful kit filled with treasures to accent our stitching. And if i can ever do half of this I will be in heaven.
I am so inspired and isn't that what Silver Bella was suppose to be about. And I even have this book now......
So, Karlene don't burst out laughing. She even sent me a package with a band-aid on it to make fun of me cutting my finger in Rebecca's class. She didn't think I saw it smeared on the package; but, I did!
I also got to take a Snow Globe class with Sally Jean Alexander. I became acquainted with Sally Jean's art 5 years ago when I purchased her charms for my store "Tickled Pink." She and her husband are such nice people I was thrilled to take her class. And the best thing is that her studio is located right in Portland, Oregon where hopefully I can go and take some more of her classes. Well in this class, we soldered an old bottle that had been cut open on both sides so we could create a snow globe. Unfortunately, I received a small bottle so I couldn't fit too many things inside; but, here is the finished results:
And the sweet and charming Sally Jean......
She gave us lots of help.
Now, why is Karlene smiling? She is getting assistance in her soldering. Maybe her husband Robin can help her with a little tutorial?
Wow, this is getting to be a long post. Just wanted share some other random photos from the weekend.
Bella Luncheon with Mary Engelbreit-Home Companion Magazine
(Cammy, Jen, & Kelli)
(Diane Jensen-one of 5 Seatttle area girls)
Old Market Omaha
(we had a great dinner here Saturday night)
(Miss Bailey)
(Karlene and I)
(Miss Tammy from Ohio-such a sweet girl)!
Okay, as I promised.........a little more Silver Bella goodness. One thing I can say is that Silver Bella was so well put together and thought out. Even the program was designed with whimsy and and fun. Here take a look:
We even received a gift bag filled with lots of goodies for our crafting adventures.....That was such a nice surprise. And the next surprise I received was my Magical Winter Wand from my friend Karlene who was my swap partner.
I felt the wand I made was gaudy compared to hers (he, he, he). She is more of a minimalist than I don't ya think? Karlene believes less is more and indeed it is. Here is a close-up of the wand.
The theme of "Live With Intention" come from my selection of my word for 2008 which is "intention." Karlene had help on this wand because her sister Kris made the jewel in the center, the leaves, and the bird on the back.
I think next year we will have to twist Kris's arm and make her a Bella too. Kris designs hand made jewelry for her newly opened Etsy shop called Cherished Designs :
Kris also designs custom jewelry such as the necklace show above.
Check her out for holiday gift giving............and remember to buy handmade!!!!
I also wanted to share a project I made for Pam Garrison class-Home For The Holidays at Silver Bella. I have been reading Pam's Blog-One Woman & Her Crafting Tales for sometime and jumped at the chance to take her class. She was a great teacher-very patient and kind.
Pam also had lots of fabulous goodies that we could purchase for our project or other crafting needs. I was lucky enough to purchase a great "flocked wallpaper" package that had some incredible wallpaper samples. I used a blue wallpaper from that package to make my holiday house.
The roof of the house has a vintage looking flower that I found at Fade Elegance in Snohomish,WA. The trim is from Germany that I purchased from my friend Deb Haupt of Haupt Antiek Market in Rosemount, MN. Deb found this on one of her many trips aboard for her shop. If you are ever in the Minneapolis area, a visit to one of her monthly sales is worth the trip.
The Christmas tree is adorned with vintage sheet music topped off on the edges with German Glass Glitter. There is an old bottle attached tied with lace and a vintage pick that I purchased from Pam. The bottle is secured with wire so that you may place water in the bottle for your favorite holiday flower or greenery. I do plan on making more of these houses because they were so much fun and didn't stress me out like all of the stitching I did ( or lack of) in the other classes.
Here are a couple of pictures of some fun girls I sat next to in this class.
And some other ladies proudly displaying their art.
So that's it for now. I gotta run..............more to come!!
Lisa
Well............I am back! Back from Silver Bella, exhausted and enthused!!!! It was an awesome experience and I am so glad that I signed on to be a part of this wonderful crafting experience. It was great to meet so many women who share the same interest as mine & are so talented. The creativity and talent in this group of ladies was over the top!!!! And the energy level electrifying.............I wish I had that much energy that my creativity would be busting at the seams. It was fun to watch all the Bellas in the midst of their excitement about the adventure that was about to unfold.
I woke up bright and early Thursday morning (4:30 a.m.) after not sleeping well the night before (I think it was the anticipation) to fly to Omaha, NE. My flight left at 6:50 a.m. and I had to change planes in one of my favorite places- Minneapolis before heading to Omaha. I finally arrived at the Embassy Suite Hotel at 3:00 p.m. central time, which was 1:00 p.m. my time. My friend Karlene didn't arrive until about 7:00 p.m. just in time for our opening dinner/workshop.
Well, let me tell you.....I failed miserably at our first project. This project require hand stitching and I definitely was out of my element. Our project was suppose to look like this:
And let's just say that mine didn't & I would be embarrassed to post it here. I do have and ideas of grandeur about re-making mine so that it will be worthy of the time I invested in it. Then, perhaps I can proudly display it in my home or give to a dear friend as a gift!!!
I also wanted to share with you my wand that I made for the Magical Winter Wand Swap. My swap partner was my friend Karlene who is a florist in Paynesville, MN. It was hard keeping from her what my wand would like since she was always asking me a million questions. The funny thing is that she also had my name. How did that happen when there was quite a few other gals in swap.
Here's a picture of Bella Karlene:
Doesn't she look like an intense crafter? Anyway here's what she got...........her Magical Winter Wand:
The "bloom" on the crown is for her shoppe called "Bloom Studio." I made the crown out of chipboard that I cut at my local scrap booking store. The paper is My Minds Eye, chipboard letters from Basic Grey, and glitter I think is from Doodlebug Designs.
The other side of the wand features feathers that I remove from a floral stem. The vintage flowers have bronze glass glitter on them adhered with Tack1000. The tag is made of a french book page stamped with a Tim Holtz stamp with Bronze Brilliance Ink. And that's pretty much it --except there is also another Tim Holtz stamp of a girl on the reverse side.
All I know is that now I can breathe a sigh of relief that the magic wand making is over. If I have to make a wand in the future, I have learned a few tricks that would make the process easier and results more "magical." Tomorrow, I will post a picture of the wand I received from guess who-Karlene. Well more on Silver Bella tomorrow-I'm a bit sleepy. Have a great evening.
Lisa
Just a quick peek at some of the things I am taking to Silver Bella:
such fun trinkets..........and this doesn't even began to include the german glass glitter, vintage music sheets, fabulous ribbons & trims, and luscious fabrics. Let the fun begin!!!
And guess what the "Magical Winter Wand" is done. I wish I could show you here but someone might be peeking.............
Okay.......I have been missing in action. Things have been go, go, go around here. My childhood friend Regina from Michigan came to visit me for some much needed "girl time". Regina & I have been friends since I was 5 years old when I moved to East Lansing, MI. We have remained close friends all these years. There were two girls in her family and two girls in ours. We met because our mother's were sorority sisters. Regina and her sister were bridesmaids in my wedding & her sister Felicia my former roommate. So let's just say we go "way back." We've been through a lot together and there have been lots of good times.
Anyway, I have lots of pictures to post but first I would like to show you some photos I took a couple of days before she arrived. I was on the hunt for some supplies for Silver Bella and I decided to try this store called Faded Elegance in Snohomish, WA. The store formerly was located in Everett, Wa-- but now it joins a town filled with antique stores on First Street in downtown Snohomish. I have been wanted to visit Fade Elegance for quite some time but I finally made it there and it was worth the trip. Snohomish is about 30 minutes from my house and not far from my favorite place Kusler's Home and Garden.
Faded Elegance is a mixture of antiques and new home accessories with a European feel. Once I visited their blog I was ready to jump in my car and head on over. Here a couple of pictures I was able to photograph:
Doesn't the store look darling?
Now let's go inside........
a closer view
the view gets a little bit clearer( I am taking these pictures and I probably am not suppose to......so I am sneaking............so part of the fun).
This is just the kind of store that I want to have.....
I love settees
Grey is definitely a hot color
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any pictures of the back of the store where the majority of the antiques were located. I did get some fabulous finds for Silver Bella ( buttons, trim, little birds, and a small bottle that I will use to make my holiday house in Pam Garrison's Home For The Holidays Class. Here are the class descriptions.
I’ll Be Home For Christmas with Jenni Bowlin Do you dream of opening presents by a cozy fire under a snow lined roof for Christmas? Even if real snow doesn’t grace your sidewalk this year, it will grace the Bingo Card roof (in the form of fabulous Mica Glitter!) on your handmade Christmas House. Using Jenni Bowlin Studio papers and products and vintage goodies we will construct a wonderful home to rest gracefully on your mantel this holiday! Tiny Treasures with Jenni Bowlin Big things do indeed come in small packages! Get ready to craft “small” using newly released, Jenni Bowlin Studio products and several vintage items and supplies. We will complete 3 “tiny treasures” ready for display in numerous ways - or to use as stocking stuffers! Portrait Rustique with Kim Kwan What is old is new again. What is rustic becomes elegant. What is rough becomes brilliant. Take a journey through your imagination as we magically combine wonderful old cabinet cards, cartes de visite and vintage game pieces with rough hewn metals, woods, German glass glitter, bits of old textiles, sparkly trinkets and thrifted picture frames. Come ready to sand, paint, hammer, drill and sew with Kim as we each create one-of-a-kind décor project. Winter Faerie Shrine with Kim Kwan You never know where magic can be found…are there winter faeries hiding inside those cigar boxes over there?!? Why yes, but they're a timid bunch, so only a lucky few will be able to coax them out of their sparkly shrines! Please join us as we paint, glitter and decorate these lovely little three dimensional shrines. Just as every faerie has its own personality, so too will be their delightful little shrines! Fabric Art Adornments with Rebecca Sower Wear your art on your arm. In this workshop, I will demonstrate several hand-stitching and style techniques for creating beautiful textile fabric bracelets. Then you will be given the time and materials to create two of your very own in your style (a gift for yourself and a gift for a friend!). Plenty of materials will be provided for you in this class, but please feel free to bring your own trinkets and treasures to work into your projects. Basic hand-stitching experience is highly recommended for this workshop. Please bring your own fabric scissors. A mini sewing kit (needles, threads, pins) isn’t necessary but may make it easier for you to work at your own pace. Prayer Collage with Rebecca Sower The timeless and deeply meaningful Prayer of St. Francis is the foundation for this collage art workshop. Whenever we can work good words into our art, all the better! This class will include many different techniques such as hand-stitching, painting, using gel mediums, layering and composition. The end result will be a 6x12 work of art ready to display in your home. Be prepared to get a little messy in this workshop. Basic hand-stitching experience very helpful. All materials for this class will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own trinkets and embellishments to use. A mini sewing kit (needles, threads, pins) isn’t necessary but may make it easier for you to work at your own pace. Home for the Holidays with Pam Garrison There really is no place like home for the holidays! In this class we will create a beautiful house shaped hanging that will house a flower or two to greet all that pass by this holiday season. Hang it as a welcome greeting on your door, or on a wall, or from the mantle along with the stockings. (As a matter of fact, you could choose to make this in a more neutral pattern and leave it hanging all year long.) You will need to bring an old game board (half of a scrabble board will do-cut where it folds) and a favorite bottle or small tin that we will attach to your house. Your bottle or tin will hold your real or silk flower you place in it once home. We'll decorate the house and embellish till your hearts content. I will have everything else needed to complete your one of a kind house hanging, but encourage you to bring bits of special trim (no more than 12" needed of each trim brought), special buttons and rhinestone baubles, a favorite millinery flower or hanging tassel etc. Permission to flea market! Or even shop for some new, beautiful trim. Better yet, raid your mom or grandma's fabric scrap stash and turn your creation into a true family heirloom! Bringing pieces you selected makes are sure you will love your piece to bits, and make sure it matches your holiday decor. Heck, you could take the other half of the gameboard, another bottle or tin, and use the materials I provide for a second one to give as a gift! I'll have a goodie table too where you can find items to add to your favorites. I can't wait to see your home this holiday! Santa's Secret Diary with Pam Garrison He keeps a list, that Santa does. Not only does he know who’s been naughty and nice, but did you know he keeps a Secret Diary, too? The most wonderful time of the year can also be the busiest for the Santa of the house. This chipboard book is big enough to organize your holidays, yet small enough to tuck in your purse. There will be pockets and pullouts and pages so that you'll be able to keep track of presents bought and received, gift cards, gift tags, receipts, notes, party plans, holiday decorating ideas, to do list, holiday cards sent etc. etc. etc. We'll custom make it to suit your needs. Your kit will include everything you will need to complete your holiday organizer, but to truly make it special, you may want to bring a special bit of bling, favorite paper, button or other embellishment. With this Secret Santa Diary, your holidays will run smother than ever and will serve as a reminder and record of the season. Candy Cane Courtesan with Sally Jean Alexander A circa 1800's Porcelain Doll rescued from the dirt of a now-defunct doll factory in Germany is bearing the holiday treat we all love...a candy cane. Captured under candy-cane-shaped glass is your own red & white artwork framed in silver solder - the most delicious of Christmas candy treats! Of course, a message of holiday cheer within a glass glob accompanies the little Porcelain Doll...it's always about the message. She wouldn't be complete without bling...and there it is...dangling under her message of holiday cheer. In this workshop, students will dress up their doll complete with silver party hat, create colorful candy-cane artwork, and convey a holiday message that will eventually showcase a bit-o-bling. It will all be soldered together to create a special Christmas pin or necklace that can be worn throughout the season. Snow Globe with Sally Jean Alexander This is a snow-globe of a different kind. Snowflakes are really snowballs of white pearls and tiny beads dancing within a "globe" created from a vintage bottle neck and hand-cut glass. Each pearl will represent part of a whole holiday message. The magic is when the snow falls amongst other magical treasures. Students may bring their own, or use what their kit comes with. Imagine silver stars, mini soldered charms, tokens, rhinestone jewelry pieces, buttons, etc., all dancing and bouncing and living it up with the "pearl" snow. In this workshop, students will assemble their "globe" and fill it with personalized snowflakes/snowballs and magical treasures. We will make a mini-charm and embellish our other goodies. Then we will wrap it all together by soldering the "globe" permanently closed. The finished Snow Globe can either dangle on a necklace, or become an ornament to hang from your Christmas Tree for years to come. Partridge in a Pear Tree with Sally Jean Alexander (Sans the pear tree). Not just a line in a song, but when you get down to it, symbolic for the true meaning of Christmas. Something so special shall be handmade with heart and soul. And whether or not it has pears, your partridge will hang in your tree, and elsewhere the rest of the year, to remind you of that special day. In this Workshop, students will use vintage ephemera, antique photos, personal imagery, clip-art, paint, pencil, chalk, pastels, rubber stamps, found text and more to collage a partridge. Their artwork will then be placed under hand-cut partridge-shaped glass and backed with metal which they stamped a special note into. This will all be enclosed by soldering and pre-pared for hanging. The crowning glory? No...not a crown. The twig bird feet scavenged from trees here and there...gilded in silver...because it HAS to have bling. Soldering for Virgins - The Condensed Version with Sally Jean Alexander Do you ATC what I ATC? with Carolyn Peeler Because I see a timeless and shabby mini book with a twist of glamour puss (wink)! We'll be combining a few of my favorite things; Melissa Frances chipboard albums and patterned papers, vintage images from my extensive collection, seam binding, aged crepe papers and vintage findings, we will create an ATC holder like you've never seen. Students will be encouraged to participate in an ATC swap, which will run in conjunction with the workshop! Please bring: • One rhinestone broach or button for the center of a fabric and paper rosette (see photo for example) • One wide paintbrush • Needle and white thread • a small cutting mat and X-acto knife. The Christmas Pageant with Teresa McFayden Venture back to your childhood and relive the night of magic and sparkle of your Christmas Pageant. Learn how to create an award winning shrine from an old book. Watch the Victorian princes and/or princesses take center stage in your vintage theatre. Cure that stage fright by taking on the role of set director and embellish your glitter encrusted theatre with vintage glam; including vintage velvet, mica, glitter shards, and some extra special vintage treasures and ornaments I’m stocking up on…just for the Christmas Pageant. Applause, applause – take a bow! Prada Schmada with Charlotte Lyons You are so going to want to have one of these Bellafied totes on your shoulder at Silver Bella this year. This must-have accessory of the season will hold all your tools and treats for classes on the go. We'll transform a natural canvas tote with potato printing, embellishments and pockets to send you off in style. To make this tote your very own unique creation, you will need: Basic tool kit, a grommet kit (if you have one), kraft knife, a potato, foam brushes, embroidery needle and floss to match: your favorite 7 x 7" square of fabric,15" of 2 decorative trims and a yard of ribbon. A sparkly button or two and any other vintage accents will make this tote completely yours. Holiday House Tour with Charlotte Lyons Oh, how we love those little houses at holiday time! We will make our own from scratch and decorate them with felt (provided by Marcus Brothers), papers and glitter to make darling little houses-- with a potted tree or two for landscaping. I am soooo excited..............I cannot wait to be a bella!!!!Silver Bella 08 Workshop Descriptions
Better Backgrounds! with Carolyn Peeler
We'll put backgrounds in the forefront in this technique based workshop. If you've ever looked at mixed media books or magazines and wondered how they created such fabulous backgrounds, or struggle with attaining depth and detail in your backgrounds, then pull up a seat. We will focus more heavily on technique than a finished project, however, we will aim to complete our collage. We'll experiment with paint, gesso, watercolor crayons, and charcoal pencils. If you are up for getting messy and exploring mixed media techniques, then I'd like to invite you to join me at the mixed media playground! We'll throw caution to the wind and free up our inner critic as we master the art of beautiful, better backgrounds.
Each student will receive a collage kit packed with better background building strategies needed to build a fabulous background and a stack of vintage and reproduction papers and photos, trims and embellishments!
The Prima Bella Instructors!
Tonight I humbly write this post.....with tears of joy & hope! Hope for a better future for the greatest nation in the free world-our beloved country the United States of America. I am humbled & encouraged by the resounding voice of the American people who have elected Barack Obama our next president of the United States.
The American people have spoken for a revolution of change. It is my hope that we as Americans regardless of party affiliation, color, creed, economic/educational circumstances can come together united for change. Change that will provide health care for all Americans, decrease unemployment, improve education, and allow for our families to make ends meet. America we can accomplish anything......... if we work together for change.
So this evening, the world joined the American people in celebrating Barack Obama.
Grant Park-Chicago, Ill.
Indonesia
Greece
Shanghai
Israel
Japan
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Rev Up Your Engines Go Vote!!!!
Right now I am having a love affair with felt. My love of felt started when I was living in Minneapolis, MN and had my shoppe Tickled Pink Home and Garden. One of the vendors for my shop made the greatest things out of felted wool. She hand crafted floral pins and pictures out of felt. I had a vintage picture frame that I had found in my parents garage in Michigan, and she made the coolest design for it. It had an olive felted background with a felted pear in the center. I loved that she was able to repurpose my little treasure with something to showcase in my home.
I also mad about felted flower pins and the purse Mary Ann made for my birthday this year.
These goregous flower pins are by Lori Mari. You can pin these sweet little pins on a sweather, coat, or purse. I purchased them through her Esty Shoppe called Pretty Little Things. She has some great handmade items listed there and she just opened another shoppe called Schmancypants. Her website Lorimarie has information on her career as a self taught textile artist. She has designed for Pottery Barn Kids and been featured in Martha Stewart Living Publications. Check out her Esty shoppes and her web site.....I am sure you will be delighted.
Lisa
Blog buttons by:
