Auroratique's Steampunk Jewelry!

My Mom Joan has always enjoyed designing jewelry. About 3 years ago after a girls day out at my friend Terri's house, a group of us were hosted to a day of jewelry making and fun, with renewed interest, my Mother started re-creating her jewelry again in what I call hyper speed, prior to, she'd create a piece every so often, now its 3 to 5 times a day.

Her collection has grown to over 1,000 pieces, many she has sold at Art Events/Shows, Trunk Shows, Private Sales, at Piddlestixs and online. Our store: Piddlestixs located in Historic Lafayette, NJ has proven to be her star base, over the past 6 months, we have seen a variety of industry professionals walk through our doors from the city (NYC) and have purchased her wares. She has been published and has taught workshops over the past year, which has lead her on a new theme, Steampunk which she mixes with Victorian and Gothic tones.

Since last January, my Mother has been building her Steampunk line of wares from necklaces o earrings, bracelets and now rings, cuffs and hair bands. The obsession with keys, time pieces and vintage apothecary has fueled her passion. Each steampunk piece can sometime take days to complete due to the complexity or design, the parts and the fusing of the metals.
Currently she is working on incorporating some more bling, mythology and folklore themes into her new pieces. All the components which make up her jewelry are a mix of antique, vintage, modern or handmade.

Here is a sampling of my Mother's Steampunk Line. You can find her under: Auroratique on Etsy and throughout the web. If you are in town come visit her and her works at Piddlestixs!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/auroratique


Click here to view more of her works

I hope you have enjoyed a preview of her works, as much as I enjoy seeing them when she finishes, even getting some special ones of my own from her!
Magic and Joy,
Lisa!

New Doll Parts on the Block!

Here is a preview of the latest doll parts on the block:
-Hard Candy Kewpies
-Sweet Shoppe Kewpies
-Candy Color China Heads

These pieces are now available in my Etsy Store!
Here are the Candy Color China Heads:

Here are the Sweet Shoppe and Hard Candy Mini Kewpies:


I hope you enjoy the newest editions to the line in all your projects!
Magic and Joy,
xoxo
Lisa!

Whimsical Paper Rosettes

I love love love paper, you can never have too much as far as I'm concerned, lol! The following projects were created using paper from my scrapbook line, china doll heads from my parts line, additional scrapbook papers, ribbons and other fun items.



Each rosette is thick and has a height between 8 1/4 inches to 10 inches and have been finished using a decorative cut with pinking sheers.
This is a great project to do with left overs scraps of paper, old sheet music, old book pages, even magazine pages or tin. Try layering fabric over sturdy card stock and spray with spray starch for extra stiffness.

Another idea would be to make miniature ones and turn into room swags or room garland, add to party hats, crowns, turn into ornaments or use as the ruffle in a doll head or figurine. this easy to do rosette can be turned into a whimsical story land or distressed and turned into a vintage splendor using piano papers, doilies, aged felt, velvet and broken jewels, the possibilities are endless.I hope you enjoyed some of my paper rosettes and became inspired!
Have a wonderful evening!
xoxo
Lisa!

Steampunk Bat Queen!

This is a mixed media collage on canvas using a variety of techniques, then coated in wax. I have always loved the grunge and distress of items that have aged over time, the eclectic images from our past, old bottles and clocks.

I have been collecting clocks and clock parts since I was a little girl, something so magical about the fantasy of time, something you can't stop, but something you can enjoy if you put your mind to it. Night time, allows us to dream, to cultivate our ideas and try to put them into reality when we awake in the morning time.

The Victorian Era led us down the road of fantasy and the unusual, paving the way into Art Nouveau period, adding to Sir Conan Doyle and Hoodini, where magic filled the lives of many, expecially the occult during the 1900s into the 1920's.

This piece is a result of my love for vintage, grunge, the eclectic, magic and wax!


This is a great project to do with small canvas', wood scraps or onto a box, I hope you enjoy!
xoxo
Lisa!

Mid Spring Nights Dream April 7-9, 2011
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT

The itinerary is Thursday Night, Friday and Saturday April 7-9, 2011
Click on the Registration link at bottom of page to see Class Workshop and Location Photos, and Banner!

The itinerary is Thursday Night, Friday and Saturday April 7-9, 2011
Teena's Workshop

Jenn's Workshop

June's Workshop


The Teachers: Teena Flanner, Jenn Docherty and June Ann, all three are published and well know artisans who each have their own books, printed in various publications and media, tv appearances and product lines.

Thursday Night is the attendee welcome party starting at 6pm:
-Meet and Greet
-Private shopping within Piddlestixs and neighboring stores:
Piddlestixs, The Mill Antiques Center, Rose Petal Porch, Lafayette Emporium, Black Pony Antiques, all hosting late night private shopping and giveaways.
-Attendee goodie bags and fairy wings, class tickets, attendee badges, etc.
-Light fare, treats and more inside Piddlestixs

Friday:
-Breakfast/coffee/tea 8:30-9am
-Class starts at 9am til 1pm
-Lunch 1-2pm
-Surprise Guest speakers 2-3pm

Friday Night Vendor Soiree: Marie Antoinette's Garden theme
Come dressed in your soiree best, lots of pearls, rhinestones and frills.
-Book signings, vendors, etc.
-6pm-8pm, public vendor soiree
-8pm-10pm, private attendee party and vendor soiree
-Location near Piddlestixs inside a 17th century old church

Saturday:
-Breakfast 8:30-9am
-Classes 9am-1pm
-Lunch 1-2pm
-Classes 2pm-6pm

Seats are limited, first come first serve basis, maximum 40-45 students

The new group will open on yahoo in march, for you to host swaps, meet one another and is private only to people participating in the event.

Event banner is located on my blog as are photos of Historic Lafayette and Neighboring Stores, Piddlestixs and More: Faerie Enchantment for you to use on your blogs and sites!


as well as recommended hotels and car service. Newark airport is the recommended airport!
Hotel Recommendations:
Hilton Garden Inn Rockaway, NJ 27 miles from Newark Airport, 14 miles from Event
Newton Holiday Inn Express 40 miles from Newark Airport, 2.2 miles from Event with Complimentary Local Area Shuttle, to from event and local points (recommended)
Airport Shuttle Charge from Newark airport around $40-$60

NOTE:
There are no ala carts, each student must attend all 3 classes in order to attend the thursday night and friday night parties. There are no refunds after students register.

Lafayette, is the only town in the US named after the Marquis De Lafayette and is located in a quaint Anne of Green Gables style town, with over 15 antique and artsy stores all next to each other, with additional antiques within walking distance, and the famous: Chatterbox drive in restaurant straight out of Happy Days!

You are located 35 minutes from Warwick, NY, half hour from Sally Lunn's, there's several B&B's too and the Lafayette House.

This area has been a secret favorite to tons of people, its a favorite photo site for designers and photographers from many publications. Piddlestixs my store is centered in Lafayette above the quaint Millside Cafe.

If you want to reserve a seat, and can't pay instantly, email me for options! This is first come first serve!

Valentine's Day Has Arrived at Piddlestixs!

Just because Christmas is over doesn't mean you have to put away the magic of the season, or any season at that. I have a collection of trees from basic green, to pinks, reds, whites, aquas, blacks, silvers and gold that I have been collecting for 20 years. Its these trees which come alive at different times of the year. The black and silvers at Halloween, the greens, silvers, aquas and some pinks at Christmas, pastels at Easter, golds and rustics during the summer and the pinks, reds and whites for Valentine's Day!

Why hold back the magic and the romance of this season, don't let the drab and dreary month of January and February keep you gloom, put up a pink and romantic tree and celebrate a new magic, like I did at Piddlestixs!

These trees hold Valentine ornaments and Valentine cards, they play home to red and white doves, pink birds and pink lights. They host parties of their own in their little wonderland, everytime I leave for the night, lol!


I hope these enchanted trees bring some magic and inspiration to your day today!
xoxo