A Very Merry Christmas

A Very Merry Christmas to you all! We are in a winter wonderland in Wisconsin...huge snow piles and crispy weather. This is a shot from my last boutique show of the year in Baraboo. Thanks to the hardy souls who braved the weather and came to enjoy the wonderful selection of artists and the free chocolate and champagne! Mmmmm.

We've survived our blizzard. No better time than now to dream about July and my summer shows. Here's a couple of photos of my booth in Spearfish, South Dakota in July 2010: beautiful hot weather and a lovely setting near an icy stream that is perfect for tubing or wading if it gets too hot.

We had such a great time at the Very Merry Holiday Fair in Baraboo. Despite the threat of poor weather there were great customers, some new and some familiar faces. Thanks to all who supported this wonderful event. It was my first time in Baraboo (!) and I loved it! It is a thriving artist community and a beautiful part of the state. This was my last show for the year and we will now busy ourselves with preparing for 2011...most importantly designing wonderful new things! I have more ideas that we can possibly tackle!

Leaves are raked, patio furniture put away, fleece and wool garments are waiting on the sidelines. No snow yet, but we know in Wisconsin that we are lucky to have made it to November without having seen any. The smart ones in the North take up a hobby in the winter. Skiing, snowmobiling, skating, dogsledding, ice fishing. They can actually make a person anxious for cold weather!

Some new Halloween pieces

Well, it's been a long time between posts, but the summer show season is almost over! Here are a few photos of my booth in Spearfish, South Dakota. The show is in a beautiful little park with a cold, clear stream running behind my booth. Beautiful!

Pagoda Bird House

Our new little hanging birdhouse.

Philadelphia Flower Show

Bright bright bright colors: lime green, aegean blue, citrus, school bus yellow, tomato, happy pinks and wine. The mirror is made with chunky molding and embellished with tin flowers made from salvaged metals.

Philadelphia Flower Show

Our little 12'x12' home for 9 days. We are seeing large crowds coming thru the show this year as our friends in the East are winter-weary and anxious for spring. The show is full of flowering plants and wonderful displays.

Philadelphia

I am going flat out getting ready for our show in Philadelphia next weekend. We have a wonderful following there after many years of selling to shopowners "Out East" and always look forward to seeing our friends. Here's to good weather for our trip!

A New Birdhouse

Tom and I prototyped this little hanging birdhouse this week.....and I rather like it. It will be a second attempt to use reclaimed corrugated roofing steel for a birdhouse roof. Our first attempt failed as each time we tried to bend the metal to make a peak it snapped. Since the angle is shallower on this birdhouse we are hoping it will work. I painted it with layers of dribbles, swirls and drops. My favorite way to paint lately.

We've been making a few mirrors this winter. They take a little time but I love them! The flowers are made of salvaged roofing tin, ceiling tin, and embellished with reclaimed copper grounding wire and chunky ceramic beads that I found in a St. Vincent de Paul resale shop several years ago. I bought a big box full of them (they are vintage beads made for macrame projects. Flash from the past). Sometimes it takes a while to find just the right application for something like that. This funky lime green one will be shipped to Eureka Springs, Arkansas in a couple of weeks. You can see it at Wilson and Wilson Folk Art.

Here's another picture of the new gift shop.

It doesn't have a name yet........I love the

name Higgledy Piggledy but I'm getting

pushback from Tom. I don't think he can

imagine himself saying it!

Who can resist a little green tree frog? Thanks to my friend Blakeley Wilson at Wilson & Wilson Folk Art in Arkansas for this idea. She has a fantastic funky store in Eureka Springs and does amazing artwork with her Mother. A must-see shop if you're in the area! (She is also a great customer and carries a wide selection of our stuff). wilsonandwilsonfolkart.com

Winter's the time to create for the spring and summer seasons. It's hard to get in the mood for summer when there's 10-foot piles of snow in the parking lot and I'm wearing layers and layers of turtlenecks, fleece and down to stay warm! Temps are in the low 30's here this week (HEAT WAVE!). It gives us all hope that Spring could indeed arrive.

I am working on a display area in my studio this winter. Hours will be by chance or by appointment for now but perhaps before too long I can keep some regular hours. I hope to have an open house in the spring for my local fans.

Steel Hearts on a 4-foot tall stake, lovely in a garden or clustered with a birdhouse or flowers.

Corrugated Hearts

Our whimsical hearts are made from recycled corrugated roofing tin and painted with abandon....drizzles, spatters and swirls. My shop floor and shoes look the same after a few batches of these!