Hi Everyone,
It has been over a month since I have blogged and shared my world with you! Its been a long month since Art Opera, with closing out Art Opera 2010, meeting artwork deadlines, sponsoring other events, website/shoppe orders, customs, 2 surgeries, workshops and a new store all within one month, its enough to make your head spin.

But now we are in the month of June and I'm ready for much happiness and enjoying a year of positive bliss. During this time I was able to reflex and find exactly who I am and what I am capable of, it has been my love of art that has saved me through the weeks and time after my surgeries, along with my faith in God and all your wonderful emails, posts, comments and most of all support, it has been much appreciated.

Now What does June mean? It means the start of Summer, the half way point of the year, summer vacations and holidays, graduations, ballooning festivals, the boardwalk, warm weather, seaside adventures, flea markets, walks in the park, outside dining and cafe's, bonfires and marshmallows, lakes, boats, lobster, and sunny evenings past 5pm.

To me it means closure, happiness, new products, new adventures, new workshops, and a new store, that's right a live store located in Historic Lafayette, NJ, located about 45 minutes outside NYC, 25 minutes from NY State, and PA, a store filled with all the magic and whimsy that I can create, filled w/vintage items and ephemera, old dolls and doll parts, books, artful magazines, vintage, modern, handmade jewelry, tiaras, septors, 1950's kitchy chic, 1920's storybook, Alice in Wonderland meets steampunk princesss meets Paris and Europe with a touch of oddity, a place for the curious seeker, that place is called: Piddlestixs, Purveyors of Curiosity opening July 2010.

Piddlestixs will have an everyday art party, where you can come in a create one of the weeks 5 or 10 projects, see guest artists works, shop and treasure hunt in the store and neighboring stores.

During this process, I have found who I am, and what I am capable of, I have begun new projects and seeing new ones come to life. Starting tomorrow I would like to invite you to visit the Creative Connection Blog and see my guest post on their site. Visit their blog to not only see my post, but to learn about the many other artists who make up the Creative Connection, the artists who contribute to them, the artists teaching at the Creative Connection and just how amazing this group is and how they can inspire you, like they inspire me.

See me, read my story and the many other fabulous artists featured artists on the site! www.thecreativeconnectionblog.com
You will leave inspired and filled with magic!

Stay tuned this week for pictures from the prom book workshop, birdcage workshop and the latest finds!

Have a wonderful night and see you tomorrow at the Creative Connection Blog!

xoxo

ZNE Convenzione Day Four! Post 5
Hello welcome to Day 4 of Convenzione, today we start off with the first day of the vendor faire/arts and paperie at the fairgrounds, not to mention receiving another AMAZING LATTE from Miss Lana, that woman is amazing and I now consider her a wonderful friend, I miss Lana....Here is a photo of Lana and Me!
Here I am at the booth!This is one of my altered sandwich box displays, I finished it that weekend and gave to Ann-Denise Anderson, my buddy!I also finished the pink display box and gave that one to Mica Garabino, and I kept one to bring home. That's the magic of recycling, you can turn normally thrown out items into works of art or fun.
Most of the vendors/atists arrived early to set up, of course I always arrive later then I want, LOL!, I shared a table spot with my mom, who had more goodies to sell then me, I had lost 12 dollies in the flight, but don't worry they have been mended and are now standing perfectly in the studio.
Here is my buddy Colleen Moody at her booth, this woman is incredible, and super sweet!Notice her Marie Antoinette doll, which can be seen in the premier edition of Marie Antoinette Publication from Stampington and Company!Here are some of my mom's aka Aurora-tique's jewelry, she is truly wonderful that mom of mine, LOL!In this picture are some of my faves: Jill aka Jillz Whimsy, Jenny aka Polka Dot Pixie, Moi and Carmen aka Gypsy Froggie!Me and Miss Claire Bone aka Glitter and Grunge, Awesome!Me and The Great Anna Corba, Can I just say how sweet she is,AMAZING!The Great Colleen and ME!My Buddy Teresa and Me, I was so happy to finally meet her, I took part in the Red Project with her, visit my link on the left to learn more about it.
I just love Heidi aka Birds of a Feather, she was my fellow East Coaster at the event!Here is Kathryn Virello and Me! She is a doll!Me and the snazzy jazzie gals: Yvonne Montero and Jazzie Patti!The incredible Ingrid Pomeroy and Jill! Ingrid surprised me on Sunday with a gift of amazing postcards, I have a surprise going her way next week!Love these girls Mica and Shari, we had a blast! Both are so talented!
Here is where the photos get funnier, Yvonne and her sister Jen gave us all these faux lip blowers to wear and take photos with, too, funny!Here I am in the picture w/snazzy Yvonne now!LOL, here is my buddy Julee and me, how funny is this, we were just cracking up, Julee is amazing!
There were so many fabulous vendors and familiar faces at the show and coming to the show to buy artful delights and see their artist friends, from 11am-1pm we had a book signing for both days, my schedule date was Sunday, along with my friends: Jill Badowski and Traci Bautista! Katie Jean was on hand signing her work as well, all these ladies are AMAZING!The whole day was filled with surprises amond each other, My mom and I would take turns watching the booth and shopping at other booths. LOL! I'd walk over and gather goodies, and put my business card on it and say could you hold this for me, LOL! and I was walking around with single dollar bills and glitter all over me, LOL! My money always has a sparkle to it from the glitter, LOL!

I have 2 more post to go staring with day 5, tomm. Once the Zne posts are complete I will be sharing new art, stories and adventures, while visiting all your blogs.

In the meantime take a moment and visit these fabulous art blogs of wonderful and amazing people, plus visit these extraordinary shops in Pleasanton:
http://www.americanharvestinc.com/site/
http://americanharvest.typepad.com/
http://auroratique.blogspot.com/
http://www.cottagejewel.com/
http://whimandfancydesigns.blogspot.com/
http://www.ivascreations.typepad.com/
http://www.oldetowneantiquesmall.com/
http://www.themuseisin.com/
http://elevenmorningstangerine.com/
http://garb-oodles.com/
http://www.garboodles.blogspot.com/
http://juliebergmann.typepad.com/
http://hkwdesign.blogspot.com/
http://www.itsmysite.com/ruthrae/
http://ruthrae.blogspot.com/
http://kollaj.typepad.com/kollaj/
http://www.treicdesigns.com/
http://www.colleenmoody.blogspot.com/
http://www.handmadeforall.com/
http://glitterandgrungeblog.blogspot.com/
http://sabiiwabii.blogspot.com/
http://katiejeandesigns.com/
http://katiejean.wordpress.com/
http://thebagladysart.blogspot.com/
http://heartcollective.blogspot.com/
http://ullam.typepad.com/
http://theberrypatchcraftgallery.com/
http://blog.couragetocreate.com/
http://annacorbastudio.com/
http://thepolkadotpixie.blogspot.com/
http://jillzwhimzy1.blogspot.com/
http://littlepiecesofart.typepad.com/about.html
http://www.wendyaddison.net/
http://www.wendyaddison.blogspot.com/
http://www.jontroast.com/
http://www.lost-coast-designs.com/
http://www.melissamerrill.blogspot.com/
http://www.hannahgrey.com/
http://kvcreativedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://www.edgarandedgar.typepad.com/

P.S. Magic and Artful Joy to you all!
Lisa!
P.P.S. To see more of the Zne 2009 photos click:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonfaires16/sets/72157617764536165/

A Parcel Sparkle Good Time!
This past weekend was filled a huge artful adventure from beginning to end, all day, everyday from Thursday to Sunday, everywhere I went, I was being filled with inspiration, magic and joy.
To start up things, The Tea Party Girls hosted another adventure, this time, a trip to Montclair, NJ to visit some stores and shop around the fab: PARCEL, located on Bloomfield Ave., in Montclair, NJ.

I lived in Montclair till I was 4 or 5 years old, always visiting the shopping on both sides of town with my Mom, I still do today. So taking a trip to town, meeting with friends and shopping at Parcel, was an instant pleasure.

Everything inside the store is just too cute and so inspirational, as soon as you walk in, you want to start creating and you can never leave with just one thing. But I warn you, bring 4 quarters for the car meters, you could be there a while. I mean we blinked and 4pm became 6:30pm instantly, I felt like I Dream of Jeannie, blink/nodding my head for instant magic, lol!Speaking of magic, look at this enchanting Masquerade mask, the glitter did it for me, I loved it so much I had to try it on, but I think it was rather small, LOL, don't you? I want to make a large size for my face, LOL! I'll keep the smaller ones for making assemblages, and artwork.Notice the cupcake chic bunnies on my red hoodie, I had to wear it for Easter time, plus its one of my fave hoodies ever and makes me believe I am going to a Bunny Carnival every time I wear it, well actually it adds some sunshine to my day. LOL!These masks sit on the Magician Shelf along side the Velvety top hat boxs, small trinket boxes shaped like top hats, just adorable and amazing, just like my fave Queen Bee Marlene, she is just the best, I love this picture of her and I, she is just soooo magical!Now what can be better then art, well candy, and Parcel carries the sweetest confections which makes shopping even better, You work off a sweat and then replenish with some tasty treats look at this candyland section:Now look at this Cupcake Chic Easter Themed Shelf: "GOT RIBBON?"One of my fave shelves at Parcel, Its Circus/Carnival related and filled with all the goodies I love to search and buy! After a few hours of laughter and artful inspiration we all headed to dinner or home to look at all our goodies and start creating something with them.
The Parcel Adventure included: Ralene, Marlene, Zandra, Geralyn, My Mom Joan and Me! Each of these gals is wonderful and full of spirit, all magical, talented and a pleasure to know and be around! Thanks Girls for a wonderful time!

Magic and Joy! Lisa!

P.S. Visit my post from last year from another Parcel visit:
http://faerieenchantment.blogspot.com/2008/09/moment-of-vintage-splendor-other-day-i.html
Visit Geralyn's Blog http://greetingsfromgeralyn.blogspot.com/
Marlene's Blog http://queenbeeofcreativity.blogspot.com/
Joan's Blog http://auroratique.blogspot.com/
for their versions of the adventure!
Parcel: http://www.shopparcel.com/

Zne Convenzione April 29-May 3,2009,I'm Teaching/Signing/Vending!

Come join me and other artists for an artful adventure in Pleasanton, California April 29-May 3, 2009 at Zne Convenzione.

To sign up for my DOLL MARIONETTE THEATRE Workshop click on this link:
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/catalog/item/6444668/6752199.htm
This class is on Thursday 4/30/09 from 10am-5pm, $25.00
Description:
Some samples:

Learn Silhouettes for your theater

Each student will also receive my handmade charlotte doll supplies as well:

The Doll Marionette Theatre Assemblage!

Sit back and envision a vintage world of dolls, magic and mystery, a place where dolls come to life with a sprinkle or two of magic, just like Pinnochio did, but remember to be honest like him or you could become a marionette working in the traveling puppet theatre, performing every night for ever. Come embark on an adventure with me into a world of magic, carnivals, theatres and dolls in my workshop entitled: The Doll Marionette Theatre Assemblage!
The student will construct a shadow box theatre from scratch, which will be layered with vintage images, one color silhouettes, vellum, clay figures and a doll marionette. Learn clay sculpting, doll making and marionette techniques, image layering, silhouette design and cutting, paper design and 3-d assemblage techniques, shadow box construction and more.
Lisa's class will be filled with lots of Lisa Magic, Surprises, and Doll Splendor!

For this class, you will be required to bring and old thick book, or visit the doller store or book store for the cheapest thick hardcover book. This will be your theatre base, plus scissors or fave decorate supplies, Other then that, I'll be supplying everything!

To sign up for my Fairy Tale Follies Box Assemblage Workshop click on this link:
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/catalog/item/6444668/6752178.htm
This class is on Friday 5/1/09 from 10am-5pm, $25.00
This is the class I taught last year at Tinsel Trading, in NYC, now I will be able to teach it in California! So Exciting!

Description:
"In a land far far away where blue birds and sparrows can be heard singing sweet melodies as they fly by, a land where boats don't need water to sail, just a sprinkle of pixie dust on their sails and away they go, sailing gracefully through the sky, over storybook places such as Mother Goose Corner, Wonderland and Mermaid Cove where Peter and his bandits from Neverland can be seen playing mischievious pranks on Captain Kidd and his men.

Come set sail with Lisa Kettell on the Fairytale Boat of Dreams in her workshop entitled: The Fairytale Follies Box Assemblage!

The student will construct a boat form on a box complete with storybook sails, characters and loads of magical glitter. Learn basic clay techniques, image layering, paper design and 3-d assemblage techniques.

This class will be filled with lots of Lisa Magic, Surprises, and more."

I'll be supplying everything for this workshop as well! To see more of my samples for this workshop and the one at Tinsel click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonfaires16/sets/72157606992244834/

If you want to go to the Zne Convenzione but are having difficulty paying please click on this link entitled: Pay What You Can and learn more!http://www.znecon.citymax.com/PWYC.html

If you are attending my classes, let me know, there could be an extra surprise traveling with me in my luggage!
Book Signing Info:
http://www.artandpaperie.citymax.com/books.html

Zne Info
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/page/page/5942610.htm
To register for other Workshops/Classes :
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/09class.html

Schedule of Events:
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/Schedule09.html

Key Note Speaker:
Michele Beschen
Is Convenzione 2009's Keynote Speaker, all ZNE ConvenZioNE registrants are invited to join everyone as Michele shares her inspiration for living a creative life!
Learn more about Michele here: http://www.znecon.com/page/page/5965786.htm

The Art and Paperie
http://www.artandpaperie.com/RPM.html

Fabulous Monday May 4 Add On
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/catalog/item/6444668/6756188.htm

Alamdea County Fairgrounds!
http://www.alamedacountyfair.com/about_us.html

Lodging and Travel Info:
All events take place in and around Pleasanton, California - which is in the San Francisco East Bay Area.
Aproximate Driving Distance from city limits:

From San Francisco - 40 Miles
From San Jose - 30 Miles
From Oakland - 30 Miles
From Sacramento - 95 Miles
Nearest Airports: Oakland International
To reserve a room: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=70547 hotel recommended is the Pleasanton Marriott

Studio Additions: New Antique!
Hello all,
Just when you think everything is in place, boom, you get a surprise, dear friends of my mom's own a wonderful tea shoppe in NJ and were giving her an antique hutch that they didn't have room for, well my mom, can't fit it, so they have given it to me for my studio and let me tell you, its a vintage beauty.

To some distressed wood, is boring, but to me, it looks like it came straight from an olde apothecary shoppe from the turn of the century, a wizard shoppe, a magical shoppe, so vintage and when decorating with silver glittery things, bottles and glam, this beauty will compliment my studio which I have themed: The Faerie Apothecary Shoppe!

Glenn wants to re-finish it, but I kinda like the scratches, gives it more of a natural distressed look, some character, What do you think? Well my new piece will be sitting in the garage until I get back from Silver Bella, then I will be able to devote serious studio time, as I have choosen to not do any swaps, or big deadlines until the first of the year. I've done that so I can update the websites, the stores, work on the zine, take care of things I haven't been able to get to, like finishing my product line items, and preparing for new books.

To test my antique I added some new hat box pieces I made for Silver Bella, by placing them on its shelf and photographing it, I really liked how they looked in there, now I will be envisioning what treasures to store in there, I'm toying with dolls such as my new Vintage Charlotte inspired doll line

or vintage glitters and apothecary bottles, or will it be a specimen case, not sure yet. But when I get it complete, I will share with you the pictures.

Starting Tomm. I will be running 2 blog giveaways, the first is to celebrate my birthday which is Nov.16, and Glenny's is Nov.15. As a surprise to one lucky blogger I will be sending them a free Collage Cd: The Vintage Greeting Card Collage CD, which is available in my web store, etsy and ebay.

Stay tuned for the details tommorrow!

Have a magical night!
Lisa!

My Artful Idol: Mary Engelbreit!

This picture was taken about 9years ago when I was much younger, early twenties, at Fao Schwartz, NYC, for her new doll line w/Robert Tonner.

The story begins, one day I was walking through an enchanting book store in Montclair, I was around age 8 or 9 years old, and I stumbled upon this greeting card, with a tall skinny, colorful mime style clown, I instantly loved it, I asked my Mom, if she would by it for me, and she did. I placed it in my room and began trying to draw that figure in this card. I had always loved drawing and coloring in my coloring books (which I still have), but this picture grabbed me, my final result, well, I was 8 or 9. But not bad for that age..As time grew on, I began to see more of this artist works on greeting cards, collecting them as I went, never writing in them, but framing them, the stickers which I put in my sticker album with Lisa Frank stickers, then a print here and there, boom, she was everywhere and I was so excited. by age 20 I had her toy dolls from Toys-R-Us, figurines, ornaments, teapots, cups, vases, my whole room was filled with Fairies, Mermaids, and this artist.

When I needed inspiration I turned to my collection of greeting cards and now her books, which filled me with so much joy, I knew then I had a passion for everything art. But didn't think I'd be able to make a living from it, so I changed my major in college from art to Political Science, with the hopes of being an FBI agent dealing in antiquities and foregin affairs, but after a major and semi cribbling accident in April of 1999, I knew that would never be, so I turned back to my art, while working in what I though was a new career in Banking/Mortgage.

When I heard this artist who I will now reveal as Mary Engelbreit was going to be at FAO Scwartz in NYC, I had to go. After one failed attempt, when I was 12years old, I ended up having ear drum surgery, so I couldn't go to her signing, I new it was over ten years and I had to go. Well I get there and a security guard decided to cut the line right on me, I was in tears, drove all this way and boom not to even meet her... Well I kept my faith and a person saw my tears ( I was still composed) and she led me to the end of the line on the other side, and led me through the red ropes, and guess what I met her, she signed my doll, and snow queen book, this picture above is the result. She was super sweet and nice, I couldn't even speak, I made her some drawing rolled them up and gave them to her, then I went on my way, happy as a fairy could be.

Now its almost another ten years later and I now have published a children's book: Star and The Milky Way Cafe, a artful set of Zines: Faerie Zine and Piddlestixs, A new about to be released art book entitled: Altered Art Circus by Quarry Books, Several online groups which promote other artists, I teach Workshops at Museums, Stores and Conventions, Invloved in Charities and working on my new product line and licensing works, within this time frame, and guess what she is still one of my idols, I have incorporated some more to my top ten,LOL, but she was my first inspiration. Now on Nov.15,2008 on MY BIRTHDAY weekend I will be vending w/goodies and a pay/play at Silver Bella in Omaha, NE, and as you guessed it Miss Mary will be the speaker at the luncheon on Nov.15, what a present that would be to once again meet the artist who set the tone of inspiration for me, all these years later, now that I'm a professional artist, we will see, I leave that to chance to my Birthday Fairy who hopefully will make that come true..I mean, on my birthday, now that is a one in a million chance, don't you agree. I get this excited over the releases of the Harry Potter Movies on my birthday and birthday week too, my fave modern day novels..I met JK Rowling, at a signing, I'll save that for another post.

Magic and Joy!

Lisa! (P.s. some people have idols like the Beatles, Elvis, Monet, Hannah Montana, mine are art idols who inspire me everyday, as are the amazing art friends I have met and know)