Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful blogger friends. May you have a safe and happy holiday season!

Wendy

Handmade goodness.

How are you doing on your Christmas shopping so far? Have you been able to get some handmade goodness for someone special or maybe yourself! Here are a few from a long list of favourites on my Etsy shop.

Grichels

Robinwade

Naokosstoop

Pixie Hill Studio

Well if you haven't finished your shopping yet I hope this gave you a few ideas.

Don't forget to leave a message any time this week to be entered into Monday's tag giveaway.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Monday Tag Giveaway.

Okay I know I missed a week but I'm going to pretend I didn't. What can I say it's December and my body decided to take a much needed physical break so my blogging didn't happen. Enough said on that, on to the good stuff.

Since it is December now I thought I'd get into the Christmas tags for my giveaway. We've had a few snow flurries here but nothing that stayed for long yet. I'm one of those that is happy if we just get a little snow for Christmas. I can dream can't I?!! Any who, to enter to win this snowy tag leave a comment anytime this week and I'll pick the winner next Monday.

The last tag giveaway winner is Peggy. Congratulations Peggy I'll send the tag out to you as soon as I get your info.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Uniquely Goulbourn

I'm looking forward to the Uniquely Goulbourn show on Sunday. It's a lovely little local show in the Goulbourn Museum. I've ordered my Poinsettias so I can pick them up there and I hope to get some home baked goodies since I don't do much of it myself anymore. Check out some of the Artisans that are going to be there on the museums lovely blog.

Hope to see you there.

Wendy

Christmas Open House

Dragonfly Dreamers

Each year on the last Sunday of November I host a Christmas Open House where I invite a few fellow Artisans and open my home to those who like to shop handmade in a relaxing no pressure environment. I think there are more and more people wanting to do this. Wouldn't it be nice if we could do all our Christmas shopping this way. A cup of coffee in one hand, a little something sweet in the other and wonderful local handcrafted items to admire. Above, as you can see, is my display.

This is Clare from Clare's Old Farm House Soap with her wonderful selection of handmade soaps and body products. It smelled wonderful in my house that day!

Here is Sharon who is my favourite knitter. She makes the most awesome socks and scarves. I have a few of her scarves and always get lovely remarks when I'm wearing them.

I thought I was doing so well, remembering to take photo's the day of the Open House but then when I went to post them I realized that I forgot to get one of Sheila Cain-Sample. So here is one of  her display at a previous show. She does amazing graphite and colour pencil work. You can find more of her work in her Etsy shop too.

So how is your Christmas shopping coming along? Are you buying handmade this year? I've bought a few handmade things. If only I could figure out how to make Xbox games!

Don't forget to leave a comment anytime this week for a chance to win Monday's tag giveaway.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Monday feature and tag giveaway.

This weeks Monday Handmade Goodness feature is Amber Campbell of Dizzy Girl Designs. As you will see from her creations, Amber is a fun loving inspiring Artist who works with a wide variety of mediums.

Owl stuffies

These owls are just some of the many Stuffies she sews, with a multitude of found and upcycled  material.

Upcycled hat

I love her hats made from upcycled sweaters and clothes. You won't find anyone else wearing the same hat as this.

Mixed media

Her wonderful whimsy comes through in her mixed media art as well. To see more varieties of each, click on the photos to get to her great web site gallery.

I like Amber on facebook so I can keep up with all the new designs she's always coming up with. 

Well that brings us to this weeks tag giveaway. You know the drill. Leave a comment on my blog over the next week and you will be entered to win the "A little birdie once told me" tag. Don't forget to leave your e-mail address or a link to get to your address so I can find you to let you know you've won.

Now for last weeks winner. I'm reaching into my vintage mason jar to pull out a name...and the winner is Brenda. Congratulations Brenda!

If you were at my Christmas Open House yesterday you can check out the winners of the door prizes over on my Facebook page.

Well that was a inspiring creative start to the week. What are you creating this week?

Happy Creating!

Wendy

How's your weekend looking?

So what are your plans for the weekend? For me it's all about shows. I have two shows I'm participating in. They're both small home based shows that are going to be so much fun to do and oh so tempting to buy some handmade goodies!

First off, on Saturday from 10am- 3pm I'll be at Handmade Here Ottawa. This is in the Westboro area of Ottawa at 516 Brierwood Ave. Click on the photo to get to the event page for more information. There will be 9 vendors with quite a selection of unique creations. I can't wait to see what the other vendors have.

And then on Sunday I'll be having my Christmas Open House at my place at 3557 Munster Rd. from 1-4pm. This year I have 4 vendors. Click on the photo to get to the events page for more information. We've made a few changes this year to spice things up a bit. Each vendor has donated an item for a door prize for each person to enter to win.

 But even if you don't win a door prize everyone will go home with a little something handmade. Sheila who will be here Sunday was nice enough to help me make these cute little tree ornaments for everyone that comes to see us. Well until they run out that is!

So I hope to see you this weekend, maybe a few times!

Don't forget their is still time to leave a comment on any post this week to get in on Monday's tag giveaway.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and get out there and buy handmade.

Happy Creating.

Wendy

Metal embossed book workshop

I had another great group of creative women in the studio for a workshop last weekend. This time they made metal embossed books. Just take a look at all the variations.

Charlotte

Louise

Janice

Julie

Lucie

Pat

It was very motivating and inspirational to teach such a creative group. I wish I had more time to play with my metal but times are busy. A few more shows to get ready for this weekend.

Remember all the comments made this week will be added to the Monday tag giveaway. So let me know about what inspires you today.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Blizzard ATC meeting

I have to admit when the theme for Blizzard came up for November, I was a little worried we may be cursing ourselves. I mean you never know when that white stuff is going to start flying around here. But it turned out the blizzard stayed on the cards. We even had a wonderful sunny day for our meeting. And as usually the variety of cards was amazing. Just take a look for yourself.

Louise

Lucie

Marie

Sarah

Olive

Veronica

Wendy

Virginia

Nancy

You just gotta love the DQ Blizzard!

Don't forget if you leave a comment any time this week you will be eligible to win Monday's tag giveaway.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Handmade goodness and tag giveaway.

Kobo Touch case

   Good Monday morning fellow lovers of handmade. I'm glad to see you're back for some more handmade goodness. Today I'm featuring a lovely lady I met through Twitter and became friend with over coffee.
     Rosa Yorke sews the most amazing goodies as well as creating with other mediums. She is the owner and creator at Gabry Road over on Etsy where she sells a wide array of  unique sewn items such as Christmas stockings, aprons,  bags, etc.

Utility half apron.

I have to admit that although I think some of these items would be great for people on my Christmas list I've kept a few for myself. I have a Kobo case like the one above and I own the most beautiful  full apron that hangs in my kitchen. I think it's just so lovely though that I haven't been able to bring myself to wear it to cook in. I know Rosa I'm suppose to use it and one of these days I will but it looks so nice just hanging there. It makes me happy even if I don't use it!

Shabby and Chic stocking.

As you can see on this stocking, it's the attention to detail that Rosa puts into her creations that make them so special. I love the little extra things, like extra trims, buttons and lace. I'm thinking it may be time for a few new stockings on the fireplace this year!

Rosa also has a great blog where you can follow her creative pursuit at Gabry Road.

In keeping with Rosa's beautiful sewing, I chose this tag to give away this week. Sewing's not my thing so this tag is inspired by all the wonderful sewers in my life. I'm so grateful to have you in my life so I don't have to sew any more. 

If you want a chance to win just leave a comment any time this week and the winner will be drawn next Monday.

As for last weeks winner, sorry I'm a little slow at the draw since it was suppose to be Friday. You know sometimes life just happens and it gets away from you. Hence the reason for changing the draw time for this week. No excuses you have a full week of chances to win this tag.

Okay enough already. The winner is Liddy McLaughlin. Congratulations and thanks for playing along. I will get the tag sent to you as soon as I get your info.

So there's another Handmade Goodness Monday. Have you started your Shopping yet? Any handmade items chosen for those special people on you list?

Wendy

Art journaling

This fall I started an Art Journaling group that meets once a month. My motives were purely selfish. I wanted to do more art journaling and thought if I had a regular time set aside for it that I would hopefully make more time during the month also. Our first meeting I showed everyone how to make a journal from one sheet of 22"x 30" 120lb watercolour paper like the ones I did here. This month we discussed and worked on backgrounds. There are so many ways to do backgrounds that it was hard to know where to start. After much thought before the meeting, I realized the method I use the most these days is the left over paint method. This just means that any paint left over from a project either my own or a students gets slopped into the art journal to be pondered over later. This method has been great to challenge myself with colour combinations that I wouldn't usually use. I tend to stick to my comfortable warm browns, oranges and copper. 
   So that is how this page started out. Another favourite technique lately is using stencils or masks. On this page I used paint with the stencils but sometimes I use inks or glimmer mists. I also used markers on this with the stencils. Just making some random shapes here and there instead of using the whole stencil. It got me thinking, how else can I use stencils other than the obvious!
   Once the background was complete I thought it had an airy feel to it, hence the 'how to fly' idea. 
   I completed the background during the meeting and left it out on my work table so I could play with it every once in a while over the next few days. So I guess the art journaling group really did work to get me going!
   Do you do some art journaling? What's your favourite background technique? Share it with me in the comments below.

Have you left your comment here to win this weeks tag yet?

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Handmade goodness and giveaway.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Do you buy or make all handmade gifts? I'd like to say that I do all handmade but I think realistically that's not possible although I would be happy to receive all handmade gifts I don't think others in the family are willing to go that far. I do buy and make as many handmade gifts as I can. It's so wonderful to get such unique and creative things and feels so good to support other artists. 

I find this time of year I come across so many talented people, that I would like to share some with you. So each Monday I'm going to feature some handmade goodness as well as doing my tag giveaway.

Kettle

My first featured artist is a very close friend of mine, Sheila Cain-Sample. She is a graphite and colour pencil artist who does amazingly detailed work. The "Kettle" above is my favourites. I never get tired of looking into her kitchen from days gone by.

Baby Shoes

These baby shoes are a drawing that Sheila did earlier this year. She has a special feature on her blog called "Draw with me" where you can follow along with her creative process and see this picture come to life. It's so interesting to learn what tools she likes to use and watch the creative process along the way. She also does custom Heirloom drawings of your own special items. What a great way to display an heirloom or give as a gift!

Sheila's prints make a great present for the person that is oh so difficult to find something for. She has a great selection of items in her Etsy shop to chose from. I know I've given a few of her creations to people and they're always greatly appreciated.

So that brings us to this weeks tag giveaway. This tag is full of texture and layers. The clock is a shaker I made by sandwiching some packaging together with beads inside. It reminds us to enjoy the journey which is what really matters in the end.

For a chance to win this tag leave a comment on this post or on my facebook page and the winner will be announced on Friday of this week. Good luck!

Do you have some favourite handmade goodies you'd like to share? Add them to your comment for us all to enjoy.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Handmade books and winner

 Last weekend I was able to find a little time to stop by a local show, something I don't get to do as much as I use to and I miss it. And of course I couldn't resist some of the handmade goodness.  You may remember last year I picked up a few of Mary Kritz's books (you can see them here).  This year she had an even more wonderful array of books to entice me. It was hard to choose but I went with the books that spoke to me first.

This is a Japanese stab binding book. The art work on the front just mesmerized me and I kept coming back to it.

Then when I looked inside and saw this lovely Japanese marbled paper that she had embossed gold trees onto I knew it had to come home with me.

 With so much of my own work, texture plays a huge roll, so when I come across something as textured as this book I could not pass it up. This is made with Lokta paper. I hadn't heard of this paper before but was intrigued to find out it is made from a bush from the Himalayan mountains. 

Here is a little bit closer view of the texture. To see more of Mary's amazing creations and to learn of an upcoming exhibition she doing check out her blog.

This weeks tag giveaway winner is Jennifer. Congratulations Jennifer I'll get that mailed out to you shortly.

Each year I think about and try to make and buy some handmade goodness for my Christmas giving and this year is no exception. There is so much wonderful talent out there I think we should support them more. So this year I've decided to do some sharing here on my blog. Along with giving away a tag each Monday I'm going to share some of my favourite handmade goodness that I've come across on line. 
See you Monday with this new feature.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Show set up.

This past weekend I was at the wonderful Handmade Harvest show. I get a lot of complements on my booth so I thought I'd share a peak at it today. It's taken me a few years to get to where it is now and it's ever evolving. I enjoy trying out new displays, changing things up here and there although the overall vintage feels continues to be my main theme. 

 For this show I picked up a new cloth but when I got it home I realized it was  a little too close to  copper coloured to have my jewelry show up well. I do that a lot. I love the warm copper colour so sometimes everything becomes the same tones and nothing stands out. Not a good thing when you're trying to show off your jewelry. I was determined to try the cloth so I brought some vintage linens I had and placed them here and there on the table so the jewelry could be placed on them. I think it worked well and will try it again at the next show. It helps to have the pictures to see after how things look too. The suitcase on the right was the Tin Man's grandmother's and is my favourite piece in the display. I had a few people at this show wanting to buy it!
 I get a lot of comments on my shutter too. It's a great way to display a lot of earrings. The Tin Man suggested I paint it white after seeing one I have at home that is white(well you know grungy white), so I plan to give it a white wash for the next show. I'll just put that on my to do list.

I had an extra corner at the end of my table to do a small display but had to make do with what I had with because I didn't know ahead of time that this would be available, so again the Tin Man came to the rescue and set up some extra suitcases that I had with to carry things. It made a nice extra little space for more jewelry.

Well that is my small tour of a show set up for Dragonfly Dreamers. I have a few things I still want to change up and try, like making a sign and changing the colour of the black necklace displays, maybe to burlap or antique linen. There is always something to think about.

What do you think? Any suggestions of things I can try?

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Angel tag giveaway.

This weeks tag for the giveaway is this lovely angel and butterfly. She's one of my fav's so I hope she finds a wonderful home. I'm going to change up the drill a little bit. Leave a comment here and/or on my facebook page and you will have a chance to win this tag or two if you do it both places. Good luck and pass on the love.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Nail art and tag winner.

Have you discovered nail art yet. I stumbled upon it earlier this year on Pinterest. I thought it was kinda neat. I picked up a few colours of nail polish to try out and next thing I knew I was hooked. I can't believe the things people are doing with their nails. It's so creative and a lot of fun. Here are a few things I've tried so far.

 This is what I'm wearing right now for my show tomorrow. Copper of course! To do this I started with the lighter colour and then I used some decorative scissors to cut tape to mask off the part that I wanted to stay light while I did the other part black. I used a Matt effect top coat. It was the first time using the Matt and I really like it. It tones things down a bit, very effective. 

 Here was my Halloween version. I had some technical difficulties. Sharpies didn't work so well, so I had to go get some black polish! I only had this on for Halloween day.

This was my first attempt at nail art with 2 colours. I discovered that a toothpick works well for dots. Have you tried any nail art yet?

On to the winner now. Sorry I'm a day late. I'm not sure what happened to Friday. 

AND THE WINNER IS: Cynthia from Galeria 46. Congratulations Cynthia and thanks for playing along. 

See you on Monday with the next tag giveaway.

Happy Creating!

Wendy