Artful wording.

I love words. To me just writing a word the right way is art. Sometimes when I doodle before bed (I know most people read but not me) I get fixated on a word. I will write it 100 times in different handwriting, cursive, printing, block or bubble letters. When I find the right feel for that word I work on how to bump it up even more giving the word the feeling I want it to give. When I get THE word down I come up with a little ditty that has the word in it and do the same with all of those words. Add some doodles (in this case of noodles) a little color and walla you have a little word art. I am hoping to teach this creative word class in a venue or two this year. Actually am even thinking of doing a little retreat right here in Manitowoc in spring. If that sounds fun to you let me know what other classes and what teachers you would like to see in a Midwest affordable retreat! Now go get some paper and doodle your words away!

New work and a busy busy week!

It's a good thing I had an inspirational week last week! I got a few paintings done, about 30 bracelets, a couple dozen pairs of earrings and some great little paper mache snowmen. All this in preparation for the upcoming Holiday on the Lakeshore. I am planning on a huge sale for this event with deals that I usually only give my wholesale accounts. Pendants will be just $5!!! and I will have $6 earrings and $12 bracelets. It is going to be a crazy good time so hope to see you at the Holiday Inn! You can shop Friday evening beginning at 4pm I believe and Saturday 10-4.

On Saturday at 4 when Holiday is done I have to quickly pack up and rush home to get ready for Chairs for Charity! I am so excited about this event this year. Heather Doucette the event chair and the whole committee did such an awesome job making this a fantastic event.
All in all we have 145 pieces to auction off on Saturday! That is incredible!

So get out this weekend and give and get. All proceeds from entry into Holiday on the Lakeshore go right back to the community and then at Chairs for Charity in the evening it is the same. What a perfect weekend to get all your Christmas shopping done and give to your community at the same time!

Going on a little trip!

I am as happy as a 4 year old next to a bubble machine! (Brilliant by the way..a store in Minocqua has one outside I want one for my store) We last minute decided to take off Saturday morning for Baraboo! I love love love Baraboo! It was kind of the place I really found myself and really really loved our life there. I think someday we will likely move back to that area...I love it. Well the Summer Art Classic is on Saturday so we will go to that and also meet up with a few old friends who I cannot wait to see. I am also bringing some stuff to my friend Mary's new space in an antique store. She had a shop next to mine when my store was in Baraboo. So excited about that! After our day in Baraboo we are going to Spring Green to spend the evening with our good friends Jeff and Laura. They have a fabulous house that they are letting us crash at. We are so poor right now it is very good to have those kinds of friends. We will likely have a great dinner, drink a couple of beers on the deck and watch all the kids play until they crash. I cannot wait!

So in case you didn't figure it out...the store is not going to be open tomorrow....August 8th. I will open back up on Monday at 10ish...see you then!

Spring Art Tour!!!

Come join us for a weekend of art and fun for the 2009 Spring Art Tour. The tour will be starting off with an open reception at We Are Art at Brenda Lynn Burtard Studios at 1006 Margaretha Street in Two Rivers. The reception will feature music by Pick and Squeeze, refreshments, and great art. There will also be a silent auction of original birdhouses created by members of Art and About. Prior to the event you can see the birdhouses on display at the Rahr West Museum. The proceeds for the birdhouse auction will be donated to Hayden's Hope. Hours for the opening reception are 6pm-9pm.

On Saturday you can tour 9 local galleries/studios. Take a peek into the environment where artists create their works! With demonstrations throughout the day you will get to see the techniques and materials used to create beautiful works of art that will also be available to purchase. For exact demonstration times and locations you can pick up your map and tour guide and any of the galleries/studios listed below! Here at Persimmons we will have guest artists Dani and Adam Morantez and illustrator Annette Wimmer. Come watch Dani and I make some mixed media art, listen to Adam sing and watch Annette sketch! Weather permitting much of the action will be in the backyard! Many of the participating galleries and studios will also have a giveaway for a chance to win art originals! It is a great FREE event that is very family friendly. Hours for the Saturday tour are 10am-4pm. Hope to see you there!

The Dolan Gallery....4910 Nicyssa Lane, Manitowoc

Petals Plus Gallery and Gifts....7014 Center Road, Manitowoc

Full Circle Products...1332 S 26th St., Manitowoc

Gallery East...930 S 7th St., Manitowoc

Best Western Lakefront Hotel Cafe...101 Maritime Dr., Manitowoc

Persimmons...314 N 8th St., ManitowocEvans Custome Jewelry...1119 N 12th St., ManitowocMartin Pottery Studio & Gallery, LLC...1304 Memorial Drive, Manitowoc

We Are Art...1006 Margaretha St., Two Rivers

Fall Art Tour

Don't forget to get out this weekend and do the Fall Art Tour! This tour is going to be a good one. It kicks off with a reception at Petals Plus at 7014 Center Road in the outskirts of Manitowoc. We will have a pumpkin carving contest (weather permitting) live music, refreshments and lots of art chatter. It is sure to be a great time. Any questions visit our blog or give me a call at the store!

920-684-3006

I will be closing early on Friday too so come to Petals Plus...not Persimmons tomorrow after 5:00pm.

Saturday you get to tour my studio! Yeah you get to see my organized chaos with your own two eyes. I am sure it is a sight you will not soon forget. You may even look at me in a totally different light knowing what my favorite space in all the world looks like???? I have a lot of stuff.

Board Books.

I got a bag full of tiny board books a few weeks ago from Vinnie's. I looked at one of them the other day and decided to tackle it. I started by giving it a coat of primer. I just used the primer from our walls instead of buying gesso. Works just as well. I let that dry and then added a coat of yellow acrylic. I stuck the pages together while they were wet and then pulled them apart to give the inside pages a cool veined effect. See it in the corner of this picture...Then I came up with a theme. I decided to go with follow your heart you'll love where it takes you. It just so happened there were just enough pages to fit a word a page. I started layering papers, stamps, labels, paint, oil pastels, ink and whatever else I grabbed. I got lost in this project and didn't want it to end. After I got the ephemera and art just so I drilled a few holes to add charms and such. I put some yarn in the spine...using leftover pieces from crochet projects...never throw anything away...and hung all different fun things from the ends.

I could have kept going but decided to stop and call it done. It was lots and lots of fun and I can't wait to make more!

We are all the same inside.

I made a creepy little box yesterday. I am really having a lot of fun with the little sample pack of Golden products I got. It is really hard to tell from the picture but I did a fun molding paste texture in the background of this box which when I painted red then dry brushed turquoise reminded me of veins. I recalled in my heaps of junk seeing a picture of circulation and thought up this little masterpiece. I used a zipper, some old stamps, a tape measure, and a few bones (from what I do not know) that I found on the beach to bring the creepiness level up just a tad. I am feeling happy but you couldn't tell looking at this. I love it.

I'm confused...help

So I got a new email account today because I really want to open a supply shop on etsy. I went to the sell section and found myself chickening out. Will I have enough time to check 3 email accounts or even remember to check them all for that matter. I have ALOT of stuff (vintage fabric, good paper, buttons, ephemera) and traffic is pretty slow this time of year in the brick and mortar so it makes sense to try and sell some of this stuff and I just think having a supply shop and then a separate shop for my finished stuff on etsy makes sense. So all you who have two shops give me some advice. Should I do it?

By the way do you love my vintage sunglasses I found on a recent thrifting trip. I do. Even if I look a little funny...I like that.

Don't forget about THE CONTEST!

Holy crap.

I am having so much fun making stuff this week it is scary. So is this little piece I made for my art exhibit at Stumpjack....

Seriously folks I am giddy with this creativity.

My talented child.

This is Glenn
This is me





















I don't really think it is right for a 2 year old to be this darn good. We were laughing for an hour when she whipped out these portraits of us last night.

Recycle.

So Wednesday is ARD...America Recycles Day.

I am going to have fun recycled art demonstrations all day long. You can even make and take home your own recycled art charm bracelet for only $15. It really got me thinking about little things I could do to make a few green moves. I am a magazine freak. I love them and get many. I sell a lot of small items and just thought how can I use these magazines and came up with these small bags. Yeah it'll take me some time to make them but it will pretty much be free and I will feel good about it too. I have also recently gotten canvas bags for shopping...now if I could remember to bring them to the store! We can really all make small changes that will make a difference.