Ranger Warehouse Sale!

It doesn't get any better then this a mix of: Sale, Ranger and an art day among friends, oh and did I mention encaustic wax too!

The friday after I came back from LA my mom and I headed down to south Jersey in Tinton Falls for the Ranger Ink http://www.rangerink.com/ Warehouse Sale. Pick from stickles to inks, ink pads, embossing powders, UTEE, paints, foam pads, and loads more. I stocked up on stickles, inks, ink pads and embossing powders and some paints, many are going to be brought to Tinsel Wonderland Dec.5, 2009 and to the Art Opera supply table in April 7-10, 2010.
I'm extremely excited that I am Ranger certified from a company of excellence and supreme products, their staff is AMAZING in every sense and the owners AMAZING as well, each of them welcome you with warmth and joy, I'm so glad they are in NJ.... After meeting up with the girls at the sale, Suze came by, then she, Mom and I headed for lunch at Red Heads, fab restaurant near Ranger. We chatted and dined on wonderful food, sharing stories and fun, gearing up for our next installment of the Tiara Chronicles being held the next day on saturday at Suze's studio.Stay tuned for my next post of the Tiara Chronicles Meeting, a day of artful fun!

My Studio Transformation!

I'm not the biggest fan of re-organizing, why? because I get so involved in it, that I lose creating time as a result, lol, however it is good exercise, LOL!

Over the past 5 years I have seen my studio and new location really evolve as I have evolved as a person, as an artist and a designer. My first was located in a small room at my mom's old house, the walls were lilac/grey shade called Twilight, the shelves were basic white from home depot, each shelf was lined with my books by theme and filled with my fave goodies. These shelves reminded me of my childhood and some were filled with those memories encasing my 80's smurfs, sea-wees, strawberry shortcake and rainbow bright, the others with my vintage loves: old fairy books, alice in wonderland, steiff, kewpies and other old pieces.
My desk was basic and had a memory board with atc's and artsy swaps attached to it. The closet was turned into a desk area and workspace with my computer. It served its purpose, but I was not complete.

My studio at this time wasn't a showplace, nor did I want it to be, I wasn't decorating elaborate vignettes, just filling the shelves and organizing by basic rules, themes, height, size and color. Then my parents were moving, and the studio had to be re-located, to my house, which I was reluctant to give up one of the guest rooms, but knew it had to be done. Here is where my journey was about to begin, I would declare myself the traveling gypsy artist, now I would have 2 locations for the studio, my parent's new place and at my house, LOL!. Its not so bad, honestly, it gives me time to create with my mom, incorporate the help from friends or their children for shipping and orders (this can be chaotic, LOL!) and time for me at my house, my secret world. The extra room became: The Fairy Apothecary Shoppe of Artful Magic. I completely switched in my colors and themes. I kept the walls neutral and bought rich black shelving. I have always loved the Pottery Barn look, just not their prices, so I searched and found that Wlamart offered me the best budget: $28 per 6 1/2 foot deep shelving in rich black, bout 3 of those sexy shelves, next I rescued a buffet piece in black from Homegoods, it waqs damaged, the pull out drawers were broken, so my price: $50, not $450, Glenny fixed the drawers and put putty and paint on the scratch. Now it holds all my rubber stamps inside of it. Now began the organization, how can I get this studio in shape, to give me a feel good and inspirational feel, after all this was going to be my Fairy Apothecary Shoppe. I started to do what everyone does, fill my fave eye candy collections in jars. Then I began to dedicate shelves to my vintage bottles and glass bulbs/orbs layered inside glass containers, overflowing for the look of magical crystal bulbs, LOL. I just love glass stuff, when the light hits this shelf I get a prizm effect, like a giant rainbow. Anyone remember the prism seen in Pollyanna with Hayley Mills????Next was to find a piece for some of my papers, I was given a freebie from the inside of an armoire, with wheeled sliding shelves, Glenny and I painted it and turned it into a faux Printers cabinet, price: $0, now I had to decorate the top, with more sparkle and tinsel collections, oh and some of my fave dollies.
Next was to fill up even more jars with my fave thing: Shells, I love love love shells in all shapes and sizes, they are truly one of Mother Nature's Magical Treasures, they are gifts for us to enjoy, one trip to a beach and boom, free artful treasures, or for mere pennies, pick them up at the store.Now since this construction of the studio at my house, my collections have grown, and so have my artful experiments. Now we are adding cubby 12inch by 12inch shelving and a wall length table with some shelving underneath, the closet is getting 2 more shelves and items will be transfered to wrapping paper wrapped office boxes for practical storage and with a nice appearance. Everything is getting moved around, The Fairy Apothecary is now going to meet the Carnival, the studio will now be The Carnival Fairy Shoppe of Magic. A big top ceiling top will be created, a circus tree, new lighting, and a new doll display. Lots of pinks, reds, creams, vintage aqua/sea foam greens, silvers and sparkle are being added.
The studio at Mom's will also be re-done more for her with a regency and victorian feel, with tea and romantic tones. Now I've begun the mental task of finding new storage solutions and organization, stay tuned for the complete transformation.
Some quick recommendations:
1. Visit Walmart or Target for fabulous, cheap and reasonable storage solutions such as shelves, tables, glass bottles, jars, boxes and baskets, and more
2. Dollar Stores for more jars, boxes, gift bags for holding fun stuff, wrapping paper, dishware and silverware, plus other artful supplies.
3. Homegoods, TJ Maxx and Marshalls for fabulous furniture and items at a discount
4. Ikea for even more reasonable finds: Furniture and Accessories.
5. Spring Cleanup drives around your neighborhoods, you never know what is being thrown out and its free.
6. Town recycle centers for more finds: Books, Magazines, Furniture, etc.
7. Salvage Yards
8. Rummage Sales, Garage Sales, Church Sales, Flea Markets, and Book Sales.
9. Ebay and search for local pick-up, Craig's List and the Newspaper.
10. Friends and Family freebie's
11. Home Depot and Lowes
12. Offices, stores and companies getting rid of furniture, and again it can be free.

Hope these shopping locations work for you to make over your studio or start a new one!

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!

A Day of Artful Magic and Studio Play!
What can occur when two girls get together for some artful fun, why, Magic of course. On Tuesday Suze took the 90 minute drive to my house from South Jersey, passing quite alot of trees and enchanting pumpkin patches on her way to my house, which seemed hidden in the woods from the main road...

Upon arrival Suze and I immediately began sharing stories and posing for pictures, she took over 90 pictures, I slacked off with close to only 70 pictures, LOL! I'll make up for it, I promise. Here's a picture of Suze's wearing the tea cozy I made her, as a hat, doesn't she make it look like a real hat, perhaps from Asia or Vintage Coronation Hats, Now We know there is more to a tea cozy then meets the eye!LOL.

While Sue shows off a tea cozy hat, in the next picture I actually look like I am preparing for a masquerade, wearing my handmade mask and giving a smile, Wish I was on my way to a Masquerade, but wearing this mask gives you the feeling you are, it gives you some added inspiration and vintage flare.

After taking loads of fun pictures, Suze and I began playing with supplies and experimenting with several techniques, the first was showing Suze how to make homemade glass glitter, using a rock tumber, Ranger alcohol inks and some magic.
Here is a picture of the colored glass
Here I am with the tumbler (photo from Suze's Blog: http://suzeweinberg.typepad.com/suzeblogz/

After we did the glass glitter basics, it was off for some brunch: An Egg Fritata with grilled chicken, onions, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, red pepper and parmesean, Jersey Tomato salad w/Fresh Mozzerella, herbs and garlic, a Garden Salad, Chedder Crisps and Baked bread, followed by some apple pie I baked the night before and my famous double chocolate Cupcakes with creamy whipped buttercream, coffee for me, and tea for Suze and my special guest, Joan, my Mom! So this next picture would be fitting to post, my collection of confections: Sweet Licorice and Sour Cherry Hard Candies which I carry with me and leave in the studio in new glass jars, these treats get me through the day!

My love for glass can be seen through out the studio, which I am transforming into what I call: The Faerie Apothecary Shoppe! I love the look of vintage European confectionary Shoppes and want my studio to reflex that as well as my love for all thinsg magical and enchanting, keeping true to my artful muse, which will be in complete utopia when it is all done. Here's a glimpse into my jar collection filled with unique and vintage oddities

The following is a picture of Suze standing against one of my studio shelves.



Here we are playing with art once again, trying various things and using loads of Ranger products and fun supplies, We found another fab technique by using Ranger Colorwash sprays on finished beeswax. This is a fun fun shape I covered in piano papers with Claudine's Gel Medium (this stuff is amazing)http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com/, 2 coats, for a sturdy wood like weight. painted, sanded and covered in Suze's beeswax, I did this to two pieces, and hot glued an accordian atc sized cardstock to both covers to transform into a book. Once the beeswax cools, its ready for more fun. Suze and I sprayed Lettuce Color Wash on it, wiped it off and got a wonderful color which adhered perfectly to the beeswax. We also played with paints and mediums using Claudine's Sticky Back Canvas, I love this, my new fave art item.

When to artists get together its always going to be playtime, remember playing with your dolls and friends in the 1rst grade or making clay pots in the 3rd grade and you were so excited, or the thrill of an antique sale, its that same feeling when you can create things with friends, its a pure magic from within.
Here are some other snippets of my studio:


My fave photo of my Enchanted Glass or what I call Magic Glass!


Above the two of us having a Bewitching Time!wearing our Witches Hats (I have about 40 of them getting ready to be transformed for my next show).
Some carnival gift bags as painting or light storage, aren't they fun. Followed by my Carnival Queens rivaling for head Carnival Queen! After all they are dollies!

Here is the latest doll creation: Beeswax covered bisque doll with crepe paper and sweet trimmings!


I hope you enjoyed our artful adventure and some of the new technqiues we came up with! Have a Enchanting Night! Lisa!