She Brews

As Promised........

I have been working on things to take to Land of Lakes show on Saturday. I promised pictures. I have to leave today because I have a show tomorrow in Lac du Flambeau. I feel like I really put the hours in this week and I pray that it pays off. Here are some pictures and a little tutorial of sorts.....

I got so excited about these that I didn't take pictures in the barnboard before putting the glass in, but I will try to take more when I hang them on Saturday.

Since doing the wedding invitations, I have broken out my trusty dip pen, but it is a lot more finicky and hard on my hands, so I only use it occasionally now.

I wanted this title to stand out more so I used this stitch and did the little tree.

Here, I decided to try to embroider the lake shape. We will see how well it is recieved. I have never done that before.

This is my little tutorial on calligraphy tags. I wash the paper with a diluted ink water and then tear the edges to the size I want. I then add another layer of wash around the edges covering the tears if possible, it gives it the age look. Then I sew the corners or make stitching randomly around the piece to another contrasting piece. Then I draw lines and add the verse.

This time I chose to do a little illustration because I knew I would have room to spare. Drawing it with waterproof sakura pen. Then lightly watercoloring it after I write out the verse. Many times I have lost the piece at this point, misspelling a word, or leaving out a word, or the wrong word, argh........

It was a lot of words, so I didn't use the dip pen, as it takes way more space.

Here I have added it to the piece, it is coming together nicely.

Now you get the idea of what I have been doing this week. Well, I am off for another four day trek. I will see you Monday or Tuesday. Please let me know you stopped by, it really revs me up so I can keep working. Thanks friends!

Artarama 2008 Eagle River

I told you that I would show you pictures from the show. Jay came over speedily this morning and worked out my camera problem.......*hugs*  I don't think we know exactly what it was, but it got resolved. I am hoping that my next pictures will download. I am working on some new and interesting projects.

Here is a picture of my set up at Artarama before the show started. I didn't take the same pictures for a before and after because I had no idea I was going to do that.....

Just make a note of how full the boards are.......

These are both pictures from inside the booth, but you get the idea. I usually have no more room to hang anything. It has helped me to work on stuff for this Saturday at Land O Lakes which is one of my top three shows. I really made a lot of progress today working, but now I am ready for bed. Here is the beginning of my new things, I will come back and post finished pictures:

These are uniquely 10 x 20 pictures, one of a kind. If you went to the Artarama, I didn't have anything like them. You will surely see a lot of new things at the Land O Lakes show. I am doing Lac du Flambeau on Friday, so I have to leave Thursday. Another long weekend and short week. You can believe I am tired. Well, I will post pictures before I leave on Thursday.

Is that a Problem?

I am back early......because I had a really good show. I planned on staying over on Sunday (today) and doing the Flea Market on Monday, however, I was picked over so well that I felt I needed the two days to regroup for Saturday's Land of Lakes show. It is one of my top three shows, so I would feel terrible not to bring new stuff. I worked like crazy today, but my camera won't unload my pictures (Jay, I need to see you right away)---I think the connection is worn (the computer part).

I have pictures of my nearly empty display panels and also of the stuff I worked on today--in progress.

 My eyes are really tired and I must go to bed shortly, but I was awakened last night around 1:30 am and couldn't get my thoughts to go to sleep. I imagine I will have the same trouble tonite.

After I see Jay, I shall be back to posts some pictures. Come back, will ya? Thanks for all the nice comments you left on my latest embroideries. It's really nice to get them.

Embroidery Booklet Covers

Well, I managed to finish a few of the covers this weekend. Here they are:

I will show a closeup of them, but bigger ones will be on my Flickr pages. I haven't sewn them yet, or made the notecards, but the covers are done on these.......

Marching teddies, ta dum!

fishing with my buddie......

walking.....

best friends.......

well, I put in a long day today and I am spent. I will be back soon.

My Weeklong Weekend......

Yeah, that's right. I got my first ribbon of the year! It came with a $50 dollar check---oh, my! I was very, very pleased. It was a long weekend, and I didn't take pictures at the two shows I went to, my displays were not all that different, and nothing too exciting---. Other artists aren't too keen on you taking pictures of their stuff, so, I couldn't even show you their interesting things, either.

Then I came home to 39 emails and one of them was about this:

My first treasury exposure on Etsy!! Whoo, hoo! Here is a close-up. It will be changed on Wednesday, so, I am glad to take a picture of it--I don't know how to save it otherwise!

I finished a lot of embroidery, so tomorrow I will take pictures and post them. I have a lot of work to do before Friday----this weekend it is Artarama in Eagle River!!! I hope the weather is fine, I could use a good day. We were nearly blown to the next state on Saturday! See ya later!

Booklet Wips.....

You remember the three booklets I made, embroidering the covers and making matching notecards? Well, I received an order for six of them, so during my four day art/craft show weekend I spent time working on them...

This time I prepared the booklets for stitching while I sat at the show. I knew that it was going to be a long weekend and I would lament losing four days I could work. Here I have stitched all the outlines and finished one and started on another.....

This is my sailors---best friends, of course.......I am thinking about a light wash of color for their faces.....otherwise, I am quite happy how it turned out.....

Here another 'best friends' idea, but this is how far I got before the show was over on Monday. I actually was quite busy on Monday and didn't do all that much stitching, but I think it attracted attention while I was working on them, and perhaps, enhanced my sales......at one point, people were going through tubs of work that I hadn't put out because I was worried about the threat of a storm (which was predicted, but never happened)---so, I hung only what I thought was a sure sale......go figure----for they purchased out of my tubs anyway.......(I am smiling) 

Anyway, that's it so far.....I will post again soon. Let me know what you think of these, will ya?

Soda Pops

You know, I am not really a risk taker type person, and when I do risk something it's usually all kids stuff to  the really daring person......lol. Well, discovering this Soda Pops store in Eagle River has been delightful, and I chose this risky drink to show how daring I can be. I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I drank all the brew.....what if it really did turn me into a pirate? lol.

Its just nestled between a diner and a bar on Railroad Street. There is another store around the corner where you can buy the soda by the bottle or six pack or four pack.......you can mix and match all the flavors and companies they carry. Such fun!

ookay, somehow I got two pictures and I don't know how to delete just one of them, so here ya go! Anyway, these varieties line up along the walls. It would take you awhile to try them all. (Their burgers are really, really good, too).

Lots of oak and hardwood floors and tin ceilings.......

Well, that was one of the highlights of my four day art/craft weekend. There were other things, but I didn't have my camera with......the weekend turned out to be profitable after four days. Today, being the best sales day.......I was up at 3:30 am to wait in line at 4:30 for a good spot.......didn't rain all day. Here is a picture from Friday, Sat. and Sun show......

I was really surprised at how little I had to pack up today. The framed stuff really sold well. I have been encouraged once again and will find going back to work exciting. I am supposed to go to St. Germain for a show on Thursday, but we are having issues with our truck, so we might have to wait and go for the show on Saturday at Arbor Vitae........I will let you know what we decide to do....

New Banner Design

You probably noticed that I changed the banner. Lately, I have been enjoying the works of William Barclay so much that, for now, the Cafe' Mocha and the Study Bible are my self-portrait.......lol. I like change when I go to a blog, although, I have my favorites. Some blog banners should never change, they describe the person so well. But, I feel when you shop regularly at a store, it helps if the window displays change from time to time. *shrug*  Even magazine covers change although their signature logo usually doesn't......

I recently removed the dogs and rabbits from etsy because I took them to a consignment store for the summer. I thought I would try them out there and see how they do. I want to do new projects for the etsy store and get some freshness there. I have plans for some more embroidery booklets. It will take awhile because I have an order for seven of them to do first.

The Feeling Stitchy banner contest was extended, so I will be gone when the winner is chosen. I am leaving tomorrow and won't be back until Tuesday---so, I probably won't be blogging until then, either. It will give you time to catch up with me......lol.

Pam, thanks for your awesome comment on the last post. I am not sure if you are directing it to the painting, but I think so. Artists need all the encouragement they can get----we are usually very insecure about our work.......

Some spools and painting

I got these great wooden spools from Jay today. Jay came over and we painted together.It felt good to have an afternoon slushing the brush and catching up on what Jay has been up to.

 Since the weekend disaster at Cedarburg----I didn't even bother with pictures, it was so disheartening with rain and wind.......the best part was the town is loaded with real coffee shops.......

Matt and Addy's wedding is coming fast---so I have been addressing envelopes the last few days I have been off......

I would love to show you the lettering, but then they are real people.....so, I guess I can't.......lol. A little of my studio you get to see.......now, I will show you how the painting is coming along....it seems to have found some direction.....

It doesn't look anything like the last photo I posted. It was the orange one with the white swirls. I know this will change a lot before I take pictures again, but at least I wanted you to see that I was working on something. The girl is from a Harrison Fisher postcard print and I just added to the background with my own paint....the postcard is from a popular resort in Eagle River, Jackson's Lakeside Cottages. I used an Eagle River postmark. Since posting it, I can see somethings that I will definitely change.......keep up with me, will ya???? lol.

Busy Outhouse.....

Besides a few other pieces I did today, I finished this busy outhouse one. I think I may have started something here, however, it depends on well it does in market......I sure did like this one when I finished it!

  I keep imagining what I would feel "wall worthy" when I am creating a new piece. Sometimes the quote tips the hat, because a good quote is worth wall space. It was the most gorgeous day today, but a little humid for me....this is not going to be an easy summer........*sigh* Well, here is the beginning of the piece, where I lay down all the color or things I am sure of, and then let the rest tell me what it wants to be.....

 

There are some more pictures in my Flickr, but here is one in a frame:

This is a fairly small piece, half the size of the last one I did. This one is about 8 x 5.5". I don't remember exactly. Well, I am starting to fall asleep, so I will end the post, but keep up with me, will ya??? loll.