Saturday, December 24, 2011

Friday, December 16, 2011

Cookie cutter ceramic tags



I've been playing with cookie cutters in holiday shapes




with ceramic clay rolled out




and the little snowflake stamp




creating one of a kind gift tags



and holiday ornaments


for embellishing and decorating...



Sunday, December 4, 2011

Merry bling, bling, bling





with vintage finds ...



and a simple silver beaded wreath,



layered on top of another wreath



this one a little larger


and the process continues ...



until I am happy,

or maybe there is no more space !




I LoVe layering

throughout my cottage home and garden,

in my wardrobe,


in my creative endeavours


and here with all the sparkly treasures

used to create this holiday wreath !


Merry bling, bling, bling,

makes my heart sing !




Saturday, December 3, 2011

Holiday decor

Welcoming the holidays with a wreath,



inside or outside the home



is perfect for the beginning of fall season

right through the holidays.



On this traditional style wreath

I especially liked using rose hips instead of the

traditional berries

and the quail rather than a dove.



For a coordinating look in the dining room,

cut a burlap runner and layer it over a white tablecloth

then create a garland down the center

with similar greenery and embellishment.



Consider embellishing with burlap roses with pine cone centers,

and quail eggs with found feathers.



Holiday decorating continues around the cottage...


Friday, November 18, 2011

Tabletop treasures




Romantic Homes Magazine asked me to share a few

tips and tricks...

for adding holiday sparkle to our tabletops in this months issue.

.

Here are a few suggestions...

Consider using mirrors in a variety of ways on your tablescape,

mirrors are wonderful for reflecting light & colors

and even better when paired with candlelights flickering!

Silver with whites are great neutrals.

Add a pop of your favorite holiday color to the neutral color scheme

even pink or turquoise,

by piling your treasured ornaments into a beautifully cut crystal bowl.




Costume jewelry is great for additional holiday sparkle,

raid grandmother's jewelry box for embellishments

on place tags, napkin holders, wreaths and Christmas stockings.

Grandfather's pocket watch adds family history,

sentiment and interest.

Combining old, cherished pieces with new purchases creates original recycling chic,

especially when using collectibles with a family history.




Silver spray paint on dried leaves, berries and pine cones

are rich embellishments and cost so little,



displayed with a nest created out of tinsel

and a bird topping it adds to the sparkling nature scene.



Consider decorating the table with positive quotes

in place of name tags

or as the focal point of the centerpiece.


Whatever you choose to do,
enjoy the process and have a happy holiday !


To view how the mirror tree was created click here


Grateful for the opportunity to share the fun !


Sunday, November 13, 2011

Snowflakes ...




.beginning with this little stamp for a template





and thinking icy cold

for the color scheme,

I choose silver & blue

and doodle on paper first



enjoying the process

( shown here )



I pull out a bisque dish,

just back from firing

and continue playing with multiple blue glazes




for a new dish design.




Then using the original sketch I create this sweet card.





...just a little Sunday fun in the studio today




Saturday, November 12, 2011

Playing with Lisa Letterista !




It was pure

JOY

playing with Lisa Engelbrecht

and all the cool supplies she has.

Beginning with this simple stamp she shared




and my imagination took off.


Not being one who likes coloring inside the lines,




I began doodling with various calligraphy pens

and gold polish

( actually, nail polish )

and expanded on the original design,


over and over

again.





I highly recommend taking the time to play.

My imagination is spinning with all sorts of other possibilities!


.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Hunger Bowl...


created for the

silent auction of the

Annual National Hunger and Homeless

Awareness Week





Check out the other uniquely designed bowls donated by local and renowned artists.



And it's for a great cause, so please bid generously !


Read more about the event here





.....................'tis the season of giving !


.

Friday, November 4, 2011

The quote of the day




...just a little creative fun in the studio today

using bits and scraps



the white knotted handle off a gift bag

entwined with a remnant of black satin ribbon

bits of an old nylon luggage strap cut

to fit around a pastel pencil

then fabric glued and pinned in place until it dried



a gessoed board bordered in black

and 2 holes drilled at the top

then the center painted with chalkboard paint



and the quote of the day

added for inspiration becomes

the perfect gift for your Francophile friends !



Saturday, October 29, 2011

It's all in the details



I spied the tunic length Zone Bleue design

in a charming little clothing boutique

on Forest Avenue in Laguna Beach named Duet

that specializes in unique and often hand made pieces

from all over the world.




I was drawn to the feminine ruched collar
and asymmetrical design.
.


It fit beautifully,

but the color of the top was not flattering for my skin tone,

it being a grey/beige hue





There was enough cotton in the fabric contents
that I believed it could be dyed to a warm beige color.
Upon returning home with the new acquisition
I filled the kitchen sink with warm water
to wet the entire garment
then drained most of the water and added in the contents
of a pot of coffee that had been sitting for half of the day.
I let it soak for about 15 minutes before gently rinsing
and hanging the garment to dry,


fortunately the color came out exactly as envisioned.

As I was pressing the piece I wondered why

the designer had chosen to leave so much of

the over lock stitching exposed on the edges

of the ruffles.


Was it a conscious decision to meet a certain price point?
Maybe I've been watching too much of the show "All on the line"
on the Sundance channel with Joe Zee.
Either way, in my world I couldn't seem to let this charming
design just be as it was created,
something inside me causes me to tweak it and make it my own.


Possibly it is the possessing of a cachet of delicate delights
needing to be seen and not tucked away any longer.

I felt it needed a little more and began foraging through my
cluttered studio to find the perfect vintage laces and trims to add
to the top covering the exposed seam edges.



I chose to also dye the lace pieces selected
for embellishing in coffee
before attaching them to the garment


and pieced several laces
together for additional detail
on the diagonal seam of the back of the tunic.



The lace you see at the collar of this sweet piece
was originally going to be an underskirt on the garment
but after pinning it in place
I realized it was adding too much bulk along the bottom
and found instead the lace was the perfect embellishment
to add along the bottom of the ruched collar



and included it on the sweet tie at the collar
and then recreating the tie into a rosette.




supplies needed...

miscellaneous laces and trims
needles, scissors, thread, sewing machine optional
pot of coffee
a creative imaginatio
n...