Flea Market Find

Before I moved to Minneapolis, I visited the Tulsa Flea Market. I was delighted to find a house shaped nic-nac that I could alter....and for $2.00 too!

After the wooden house was cleaned, a coat of painted was applied with a dry brush. Papers were added to the back using a gel medium. I added lots of "stuff" that was previously thrown into a box of "someday I will do something with this".



I've added a few other items of interest to the various cubes.








I also purchased a large printer's tray at the Flea Market. I use to own several, then sold them all and now after taking a Tim Holtz class my interest has changed! But I am only going to own O N E (1), uno, printer's tray!

I will post photos after I alter it....

A La Salsa

A La Salsa was voted Minneapolis's best Mexican restaurant! I agree and now I am a frequent diner!

Lorenzo is a dynamic and personable owner who invited a few friends for a private Sunday brunch. He surprised his guests with this delicious dessert, the Pineapple Tamale!

He has two great locations.....you gotta go!

Art on the Lake

This was my first Minneapolis summer art festival to attend. I attended the festival with Kimberly, Carrie, Patty, and Linda. We had an awesome time! The couple in the photo are the artists who made the blister pearl ring that I purchased. I also went back about thirty minutes later and purchased the matching bracelet. I enjoy wearing both pieces of jewelry and will look forward to visiting their booth next year!

You can see that the art tents are right next to the lake. This was such a delightful area. For more information, click on the link below.

Excelsior, Minnesota

Strictly Social

I attended recently a talk presented by Christine Clifford held at the Women's Club of Minneapolis. This event was my first time visiting the Women's Club and first time learning about Christine's personal breast cancer survivor story. She is definitely is a moving motivational speaker.

Her words of inspiration came to me at the just right time!

RangerInk Swap

I couldn't resist the RangerInk swap challenge of the 6x6 swap of "no theme" and using Ranger products to create and to embellish. I love "no theme" challenges because I find creativity flows easier for me. With Halloween approaching I thought of using Tim Holtz's rubber stamps for the season. Good thing I had these on hand. Ninety percent of my rubber stamp collection was in storage.

Alice in Wonderland

My art group this past year was involved with an Alice in Wonderland themed book round robin. Each artist made her own book, made a page or two and sent it on to the next player.

Below are the pages that I personally made for each artist's book as it arrived in my possession. We had thirty days in which to create the art and mail it on to the next player. My challenge was using what I had on hand which was a limited supply compared to what I was use to! You can tell that I definitely fulfilled on my challenge as I used the same images, papers, and embellishments over and over again.

The photos were taken using my digital camera. I didn't have my scanner available and I really missed it when it came to recording my artwork!



This page I made for Allie. I found what I think is the perfect text from the book for this particular scene of "Advice from a Caterpillar". Tim Holtz grunge embellishment was painted black and was added as a dimensional element.






This is the second page for Allie. I love the telescoping Alice and again found appropriate text. The different size numbers in various colors were added as embellishments along with a "Drink Me" playing card.

I thought Allie had a clever artist's sign-in as she used coin envelopes and tags. Previous artists used references to the pages they created on their tags so I found the text in the Alice in Wonderland book where Alice wrote a note to her feet along with matching papers that I used on Allie's pages.






I loved Susan's book page size. I was able to do a lot of layering on her page with the Cheshire cat image, the reproduction image of the title page along with a red label to highlight a teapot I added on top of a tiny label. I added a clock embellishment to one of the rosettes and the others have a black rhinestone in the middle.

I don't think the photo shows it well, but I added a white ruffled ribbon to his collar.

The last two embellishments that were added were the grungeboard letter "A" painted in red and a key with striped string.

Her layout was an accordion book style. Each artist only made one page.




I am not 100% sure, but I think these pages were made for Judi.

I used a grungeboard "A" painted in black and then glitter glue was added on top. Alice's crown is made of rhinestones and her boots have red rhinestones as accents.





This is Judi's second page with the ruffle ribbon added to the White Rabbit's collar. I tied a bow using a narrow red silk ribbon. It took me about thirty minutes alone to do this one ribbon which is why I never added it to any of the other pages where I used the White Rabbit image.

I like the Graphic 45 paper where I cut out the playing cards and rolled only one edge.

When Sharon's book arrived, I realized that her book was made from large size playing cards. It was the same set that I owned so I was excited to be able to add a page to her book which allowed me to make a silhouette of the White Rabbit.

The black ribbon embellishment that I used on her first page made it easy to add a Tim Holtz clock embellishment.

I cut the phrase "At Last....from Graphic 45 paper. I especially love the Graphic 45 collection!






The White Rabbit with his jacket and watch. His paper doll jacket is stored in a pocket on the next page.

The red flowers were cut from a lightweight drapery sample. Rhinestones were added as centers.






This is the final page. I added text to the back of the White Rabbit that gives a possible explanation as to why he is late (Internet source).

I used Graphic 45 papers for the last page adding the same ribbon embellishment as on the first page and glittered letters spelling Alice.




Marsha's book was one of the first that I worked in. The little girl with a bow in her hair was in my collection of antique photos. I decided to make her the original Alice. Copic markers were used to color her dress and I added blue rhinestones as buttons both on her dress and shoes.

A key and keyhole stickers along with the fabric red flowers were added as embellishments.

Alice holds a teacup in her hand.


I "think" these pages belong to Minori. She loves the different holidays so I thought I would make her pages using the Graphic 45 papers of Halloween.

She had prepunched her pages and I added copper eyelets to my page.








I added a grungeboard letter "A" painted black and you can see the three playing cards tucked into the envelope made using the Graphic 45 paper.









Jan made a Coptic book using playing cards which gave a sturdy surface to work on plus it opened flat. I was able to use an image that I had of the tea party and position it as a double page spread. I was careful about where the fold would occur. I wanted to do layering on her pages which would give more interest and that's when the red checkered clock idea came to me. I decided to use rose stickers for the numbers and according to the Madhatter's quote about being always "6:00" is why I only used the numeral for 6 and not any of the other numbers.




Jan's favorite color is green which is why I painted the grungeboard letter "A" in green. It's not viewed on this photo but in the one above.

I like using black card stock as a background for quotes. It's easy if you use the Xyron to apply the adhesive first, then cut and place.




I enjoyed making the art in this round robin immensely. I have received my book and will be scanning the pages soon. First, I need to connect my scanner but even before I do that, I need to locate my scanner in the many boxes I have yet to unpack!

Adorable Roo

Roo is her name and she belongs to Kimberly. She absolutely loves the smell of dirty laundry! Of course she just had to pop into the basket as I was unloading the clothes for washing at Kimberly's apartment.

My two adorable cats have been permanently adopted by my sister Annie. They are now Iowans and have experienced "hot lunch" as my sister describes their hunting adventures. They have adjusted well to farm life and that's a good thing.

I'm Back!

Thank you for patiently waiting for me! Moving has been an adventure, however, not an easy one! When the travel time is approximately ten to twelve hours, depending on your stops, it takes a whole lotta out of you!

(This is me at a spring art festival in Minneapolis.)

By the way, I live in a neighborhood called "Tangletown" which is a delightful place to live. I have included information about the neighborhood at the end of the post if you're interested.










Welcome to my home....a house that was built in 1922. I love the colors that are in this home and will definitely use many of the same colors in our home when we buy in Minneapolis!
















Since this photo was taken, I have added artwork to the walls and moved the antique trunk to the entry way. A large wooden coffee table is now in front of the couch.










This is the view from the dining room looking into the living room. I love all the light from the many windows and open space.











The built-in buffet was almost taken out of this house when the owner made updates! I'm so pleased that didn't happen. It is filled to the max with my Alice in Wonderland dishes, Christmas dishes and special china pieces.

The door to the right goes to the huge kitchen and the door to the left leads to the attic.

Off to the left of the dining room are the first floor living areas. I am claiming one of the rooms as my studio space. Photos will come "after" the transformation!






Our guest bedroom....so now you'll know where you'll be staying when you come for a visit!

The antique dressforms are from NYC and a gift from my daughter. The tiny one is a children's dress form.












The guest bathroom has been completely rennovated. It has nice tile colors and a great window for light.














Matt's Moving Company had been hired several times to unload the moving trucks. And just how much stuff can one own anyway??? The answer is easy.....way too much! Bill's stuff??? Dang...he doesn't have much! So the truth must be.....it has to be my art studio!!! And where does one par down when you are mixed media artist? The paints? The fabrics? The assemblage possibilities? The rubber stamps?....bite your tongue!

I am sorting boxes and taking out items that I can live without and making local donations. Donating is a good thing!

Tangletown, formerly Fuller - Location and General Characteristics

Tangletown neighborhood, located in southwest Minneapolis, is bound on the north by 46th Street, on the east by Interstate 35W, on the south by 54th Street and Diamond Lake Road and on the west by Lyndale Avenue South. Minnehaha Creek traverses the southern part of the neighborhood. The name Tangletown alludes to the street layout, which does not follow a traditional grid. Until it was renamed in 1996 the neighborhood's name was Fuller, after its elementary school named for Margaret Fuller. Fuller was an American feminist, poet, essayist, journalist and educator during the latter half of the 17th century. The school was torn down and the land converted into Fuller Park in 1977. This small park, a center of community life, offers many activities and features a flower garden.

Hiatus

I wanted to let you know that I am taking a hiatus. I am in the process of a final move from Oklahoma to Minnesota. Finding the time to make art and post is non-existent. I will be back in a couple of months with stories and art to share. So I hope you will check back with me then!

Thank you for all your wonderful wishes and support! Just in case you're wondering....the photo is the view from the living room balcony.

Penelope

Penelope's name was inspired by the character in Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, my favorite author. When I would sit and read in the living room, Penelope would rest on the parlor table next to the couch and watch me read and turn the pages of a book or magazine.

Hopefully SOON she will be moving to Minneapolis with the most important man in my life, Bill!

Sights & Sounds of the St. Patrick's Day Parade

Our friend, Shannon and his family came for a weekend vacation. Our first adventure together was experiencing the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The weather was perfect and we had only to walk a couple of blocks to get a wonderful front sidewalk view!






Can't you just hear the bag pipes?




























And then there are other Irish bands.













Of course, the parade would not be complete without horses in my opinion.










Oh, these young girls are great!




























There were lots of Irish wolf hounds!







The Vulcans were celebrating the arrival of spring. He has the green dauber ready to paint a clover leaf on my daughter's cheek and then mine! We're supporters of the Vulcans!




This is their antique fire truck....the same one we had a chance to ride in the Winter Carnival's snow sculpture contest.





It looked to me like a leprechaun was driving the Whiskey truck!









The original Riverdance is beginning their five shows here in Minneapolis.









This group was all about recycling and I couldn't help but find her sign very funny. But in reality, he is only away on a work assignment.







And the little children in the back of this truck made me smile!