Four Days of Christmas, Post 7!


On the 4th Day of Christmas....

Today I'd like to showcase some favorite Christmas ornaments/decorations for you to make or to just enjoy!

This following piece was made from a broken 3d star ornament that I up-cycled and added a vintage cake ballerina, tulle, pearls, ribbon, Dresden Wings, millinery, stickles and glitter!

Here are some examples of the Dresden Boat ornaments, project supplies, instructions, video and details of this on Spellbinders Curiosities Blog and at Victorian Scrap Works Site!
Here are some chenille chubby stem doll ornaments I made last year, the possibilities are endless!

Here are some kitchy faux felted/spun cotton style ornaments, fast and easy, low maintenance, using recycled Christmas Tree batting skirt/snow blanket & crepe paper!

Here are some of last years Papier Puppen Dolls/Ornaments made from crepe paper, images, chenille, etc., Instructions a few post back and on Spellbinders Curiosities Blog!


Here is a version of my circus toys from my book: Altered Art Circus, which I turned into an ornament:

Here are some variations of the bulb wand from my book: Altered Art Circus, turned into bulb and cage ornaments instead:


More Christmas Magic to follow!
Happy Holidays!
Lisa!

Eight Days of Christmas, Post Three!



"Tree's of Magic"



On the 8th day of Christmas........


We are only 8 days away from Christmas, the true spirit of the season is upon us. Have you begun shopping for presents? What about buying ingredients for the gingerbread and sugar cookies, Sugared Plum Pudding, Candy Cane Bars, Fruit Cake or Anise treats?

Did you locate the family holiday heirlooms, decorated the house and tree, or found the St. Lucia Crown and Candles? Where are the holiday cards? Did you mail them yet?
So much to do and get ready for the closer we get to Christmas Eve and Day. This year I vowed to get my Christmas cards out on time, to have my presents wrapped, the sugary sweets done and the decorations up. I opted to decorate only 3 Christmas trees this year instead of 5 or 6 like I normally due, to keep the theme more homemade and vintage instead of modern. I wanted to create a holiday this year reminiscent of holidays past from the 1940s or 50's in a simple and apple pie time.I choose red as the primary color in the decor such as red berries, red bulbs, red ornaments and red flowers. For accents I wanted white/creams, some green, pink, and silver.The sitting room has been transformed into what I call: Shiny Brite Land filled w/a shiny brite pink tinsel tree and a shiny brite silver tinsel tree which are each loaded with vintage shiny brite bulbs, vintage ornaments and homemade wares. Each tree sits upon a table, homemade tree cloth and adorned with a vintage vignette of sweet finds which I have collected over the years.The main tree stands magically in the family room, a fresh cut green tree from the farm, decorated with a mix of vintage and new ornaments, loads of handmade ornaments, colorful lights, bows, berries and birds.Behind the french doors, you enter the living room, the mantel is decorated w/red berries, Christmas Cards, topiaries and nutcracker, the shelves w/vintage holiday and carnival vignettes, followed by more berries. The banister is wrapped w/a green garland, sugared fruits, berries and red velvety pointsettas. Everything ties into the next, a cozy enchanted, homemade, apple pie mood, warm and inviting, waiting for friends to come over and share some holiday cookies and conversation.


What magic does the 7th day of Christmas have in store? Can't wait!



Magic and Joy,

Lisa!

"Ten Days of Christmas, Post One"

Theme Today: "Cupcake Chic"
From now until Christmas I will be blogging about holiday Crafts/Projects, Handmade Wares, Christmas Trees, Events, Parties and Recipes. To find extra inspiration, search for new and archived projects, see guest designer works visit: http://spellbinderscuriosities.blogspot.com/

This new blog is dedicated to all projects, published/printed projects from me and Moonfaires World Guest Designers.
I'd like to start the ten days of Christmas with a theme I have labeled: "Cupcake Chic" which is a color palette I use to categorize creamy cupcake icing colors, pastels, new brights, wrapped in a 1940's to 1960's color scheme and style, set in a storybook sweet shoppe setting. There is room for fairytale style from the 1920s and 30's, and the Rainbow bright era of the early 80's which can be classified in this category as well. So can distressed whites, pinks and neutrals which when combined with a cupcake color, some peppermint stripes and cherry red, boom instant cupcake chic. Candyland stripes, sweet sprinkles, painted pastel metals, color aluminum, spun cotton, plastic foam, forget me knots, 1940-50's corsages, party wares from the 40s-60s, Kewpies, Celluloid Carnival, Fair and Send Away Dolls, Penny Dolls, Bisques, Cutesy Tasty Cake Dolls, Nancy Ann's, Campbell Kids, Revlon Dolls, Tin Toys, 50s Space Toys, vintage and frou frou prom gowns, feather trees, tulle trees, mercury glass, plastic charms, charm bracelets, rhinestones, honey comb paper and decorations, tinsel, tinsel/foil decorations, kitchy deers and stuffed animals, ice cream fountain sodas and shoppes, 5 and 10 stores, all these categorize inside "Cupcake Chic". I've been working back into this color palette and theme for quite some time, originally I was grungy in colors, moved to bolds, back to grunge, then to bolds, finally finding my home within this theme, my favorite color combos right now are aqua and pink, lemonade and violet, blueberry and violet, a pastel rainbow mix wth creams.


For Christmas this year I started in September, re-dying and painting my display trees a cupcake robins egg blue/aqua color, bringing them to Silver Bella, mixing them with all cupcake chic colors. For Tinsel Wonderland I mixed these same trees with tinsel colors, silvers and creams.At my house I opted for shine brite trees in the sitting room, one is tinsel silver, the other tinsel pink, keeping only vintage and vintage handmade ornaments on these two trees with aluminum foil rolled vintage garland and tree toppers.For ornaments I re-visted the bottle brush material for trees and wreaths which were transformed into ornaments and dolls, By simply bleaching and dying either vintage or new bottle brush trees you can really create some fabulous things which don't have to be reserved for just the holidays. For the project on bottle brush tree dying and the Storybook Toys visit the Art Glitter Blog here:

http://artglitterblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/glittered-toy-blocks-storybook-toy.html

or visit the Spellbinders Blog here:

http://spellbinderscuriosities.blogspot.com/2009/02/dresden-trim-ornament-project.html

Tommorrow I will have before and after photos of the bleaching process of the trees on the Spellbinders site.
I upgraded the tear drop boat ornaments by replacing vintage images with my handmade dolls, decorating with Dresden, bouillion and more. You can see some of them on the Victorian Scrapworks Site

http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/

You can purchase many of the supplies to make these ornaments there. Once you finish shopping visit
http://spellbinderscuriosities.blogspot.com/2009/02/dresden-trim-ornament-project.html

this is the place for the project instructions and video on how to make them.

Stay tuned for the 9th day of Christmas post tommorrow on the Pine Cone Carnival of Ornaments: Fairies, Sugar Plums, Little Bo Peep and Wizard Pine Cones and visit Spellbinders blog for the project instructions!

To purchase any of the finished pieces visit my etsy store at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonfaires

To see more of my holiday trees and pictures visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonfaires16/sets/72157622892468832/

Magic and Happy Holidays!
Lisa!

Dresden Delights, Victorian Scrap Works and Project How-To!

Step back into the age of romance, language of flowers, and fantasy delights, an era filled w/debutant balls, society tea parties, garden soirees, flower rooms, conservatories, painted ladies, gingerbread trim, brim hats, feathers, lace and pearls, prim and proper attitude and the birth of photo collage and manipulation. A time of fantasy, fairy, magic and Coney Island Enchantment, Old Apothecary, gilded golds, silver, tinsel, boullion and DRESDEN......

Wondering when this time could be??? Well its the era known as Victorian, while I haven't touched on the full essence of this spectacular time, I did touch on what reminds me of this age. When I think of Victorian style aka Victoriana, I also envision enormous magical homes with unique architecture filled w/sleepy porches, iron or wood wares, stone figurines, stained glass, dozens of lamps, fantasy wares, flowers, flowers and more flowers, slim bodices, Godey's Illustrations, Angels, Cherubs and Enchanting Christmas. There is nothing more spectacular then a Victorian Christmas and ornaments, each one is a work of art, and can command high prices for antique ones today, especially those famous gold foiled ones, dresden balloons, and boat ships, stars and scrapworks.

After aquiring a vintage Dresden Boat Ornament at an estate sale, I studied it, and studied it again, thinking, I can make this, all I need is some vintage images, boullion, teardrop shape and of course Dresden scraps.

After Christmas last year I came upon a few small teardrop shapes, tinsel and bought a vintage bundle of Boullion from Tinsel Trading that I had been wanting to use, I did just that, making a few tradional style ornaments, some valentine/storybook w/50's pastel. This project I am about to re-share can be altered to fit your color styles and themes, go traditional or modern, that part is up to you.

I am happy and honored to inform you that my Dresden Project Pics, Project and Short Video are featured on one of my favorite sites: Victorian Scrapworks http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/Index.html they have a plethora of materials that you can use for your own Victorian and Vintage Delights such as:
Authentic Crinkle Wire
Doilies & Cards
Wings & Halos
Ephemera
and much more.

For the parts needed to create this project:
Click here for the Tear Drop Ornaments (They have yummy pinks)
http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/Dresden_Trims_Epemera.html
For Victorian Flower Scraps:
http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/AtFlowers_Victorian_Scraps.html
For Victorian Angel and Cherub Scraps:
http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/AtAngels_Cherubs_Victorian_Scraps.html
For Victorian Christmas Scraps:
http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/AtChristmas_Victorian_Scraps.html
For Amazing Tinsel, Crinkle Wire, etc.:
http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/AtDresden_Trims_Crinklewire_Misc.html

For the Project Highlights at Victorian Scrap Works:
http://www.victorianscrapworks.com/AtProjectsPage.html

For the Directions and Video of the project:
http://spellbinderscuriosities.blogspot.com/2009/02/dresden-trim-ornament-project.html

TINSEL WONDERLAND, December 5th, only 6 weeks away...As many of you know I have several events going on besides the Art Opera, this next event is: TINSEL WONDERLAND, where I am hosting a day workshop located in Historic Lafayette, NJ on Saturday December 5, 2009 inside the 1850’s Lafayette Mill Antiques Center and the Old Vaudeville Theatre!



This event is being held in an entire historic and antiques district with so many places to find treasures and hidden secrets. This location has long been a favorite destination for locals and out-towners alike, who travel to here when they are in the region.
The EVENT:
Workshop is limited to 30 students only. ( We have 5 seats left, so email me if you want me to reserve you a seat)

Theme:

Art Nouveau Victorian, Do you have an elaborate, crazy or vintage hat you have always wanted to wear? What about a frilly shirt, ruffled collar or soiree skirt, velvet pants or velvet coat, fur stoll or vintage gloves, rows of pearls, glistening crystals in red, black, clear, green or dazzling aurora, rhinestone pins or a ladies sash? Have you ever wanted to wear these timeless pieces? Then please do, I know I will, come in your vintage best, or just wear that fabulous hat or dazzling necklace, let’s set the tone for the holiday season.

Update Itinerary: (quick time change from 9am to the new start time: 9:30am)

-Event Time is 9:30 am to 6pm
-Breakfast starts at 9:30am inside a quaint Anne of Green Gables Style Cafe which is known for their Gourmet and Simple Foods and is situated in the middle of numerous antique stores and across from my favorite of all: Lafayette Mill Antique Center, this place is also a favorite among other artists. Its so fabulous, that I warn you, you might night leave, the entire up stairs looks like a place straight out of a Vintage Time, filled w/secrets and magic, right out of Santa’s Toyland or Old World Storybook.

During breakfast you will be given your special goodie bags filled with project kits and other surprises.

-The Workshop starts at 10:15am-2:00pm students will make a project straight out of a Tinsel Wonderland, this part of the workshop is called Santa's Toy Apothecary!

Students will make a clay/paper mache christmas tree doll with china doll head face, faux mercury glass bulbs, tinsel bulbs, tinsel sheets and tinsel treasures w/doll house to place her in. You will also make an illustrated and distressed tag to go with your piece.

What you will learn:

-Doll making, clay sculpting, mold making, primitive/vintage painting techniques, how to make your own glitter and faux mercury glass, assemblage and vintage arts. You will learn light illustration and distressing techniques as well from: Lisa Kettell, ooh that's me....

More Information:

-Enjoy hot chocolate and surprise treats as you welcome in the Christmas and Holiday Season, set inside a village straight out of Dickens Book.

-Enjoy a symphony of Christmas and Holiday music to get you in the spirit of the season surrounded by a Kris Kringle Market and glitter as you work.

-After Class we will begin shopping inside the Lafayette Mill Antiques Center and start Treasure Hunting, afterwards we will hit a few more antique shops all within fast walking distance.

-Dinner after the event is optional, but you are invited to tag along to the Lafayette House for dinner as well, please let me know early in the day if you are going to come, so I can make the final reservations.

-There will also be some giveaways and I'll be hosting a swap or two before hand as well, again seating is limited since this is a smaller event and only for one day.

-Price for this full day of workshop, treasure hunting and surprises will be $150 registration will remain open until fill, once sold out, the next big event will be the ART OPERA April 7-10, 2010

-This workshop price also includes your project kits/material fees, scrumptious treats, drinks, goodie bags, room, giveaways, breakfast, so NO EXTRA material fees its all included.


Location/Directions:

Lafayette Mill Antiques Center
12 Morris Farm Road (Just off Route 15)
Lafayette, NJ 07848 (973) 383-0065
www.millantiques.com

1hour from NYC
40 minutes from Warwick, NY
1hr 15min from NJ Shore
35 Min from Morristown, NJ
35 Min from PA border (Poconos Area)
1 hr from Pa border (Allentown Area)
1 hr 15min from New Hope, Pa/Lambertville, NJ
1 hr 45 min from CT border

To Purchase:
http://artoperanj.blogspot.com/2009/08/tinsel-wonderland-registration.html



I visited the location yesterday to finish last minute details and well of course shop. Next year I am planning on opening a shoppe and Workshop location, perhaps in the same area of the center, where I'll host art retreats, Art Sleepovers, Workshops, Various Art Events/Vendors, Signings, Guest Instructors, and more, stay tuned for that as well...
See You There!

Also to see more of the photos click on my link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonfaires16/sets/72157621838297591/