Beautiful Arboretums in New Jersey
There are so many beautiful arboretums, secret gardens and historical sites all throughout the Garden State also known as New Jersey. Too many people associate the highway and industrial auto routes which are laced with factories and urban areas, as the label of NJ, cracking jokes such as; "Sure its the garden state", or "Where are the gardens in NJ" or "NJ is all city", that is not the case, if you drive deeper into the state you will find those hidden jewels, the secret gardens, the massive horse and race farms, the dairy farms, arboretums, historical museums and grand victorians and mansions, all awaiting for visitors and NJ-ites to come and discover.One favorite location of mine is Morristown and its surrounding locale. Does George Washington or Jockey Hollow ring a bell?, they are part of Morristown's history as are the industrial revolution's millionaire's homes which sit amongst quaint garden fronts and cozy tree lines streets. Aout 5-10 minutes from the center of town sits Frelinghuysen Arboretum, formely the estate of the Frelinghuysen Family who donated the estate and its picturesque 127 acres to the Morris County Park Commission (MCPC) in 1969, it was formally dedicated as Frelinghuysen Arboretum in 1971 and eventually put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.The "MCPC" is notably considered to be the best park system in NJ and one of the leading park systems in the nation.In 1989 The Haggerty Education Center opened it contains a multi-purpose auditorium and has two classrooms. The goal of the center is to provide continuing horticultural educational programs, arts, events and is also home for various plant societies. There is also a fabulous gift shop with the most unique items, including artworks and books from locals and gardeners, tea ware, cards and jewelry as well, it sun room windows not only allow light inside but are adjacent to one of the many secret gardens and garden architecture throughout the grounds.There are just so many things to see and places to explore, I love the midsummer nights eve style garden over by the gift shop and gardens, there are these two amazing fantasy/grecian style stone sculptures, which also have a Southern Gothic/Nouveau feel to it, surrounding these beauties are beautiful greenery and flowers, a few trellis, a enchanting rock pond, and wrought iron seating.What makes this arboretum even more enchanting like a fairies haven are the majestic flowers which pop out at you at every corner, I could see Edith Wharton, sitting under one of the climbing rose trellis, basking in the warm air over a pot of tea, English pastry and her writting tablet, envisioning the romance of the season.The following is a picture of my friend Alex and I on an excursion to the arboretm, while the local newspaper's reporter/photographer was on hand, interviewed us and snapped this photo which was printed in color in our paper, which was exciting.

To visit more images from my arboretum adventures click on the following link which will bring you to my flickr gallery photo set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonfaires16/sets/72157620131510824/

For more info on the arboretum click on this link:
http://www.arboretumfriends.org/

Jewelry Boudoire!
When asked the question: "What is your fave art medium or technique?" I can't truly answer that with one specific thing, everything inspires me and I love working in every medium, it all comes down to my mood, if I'm in a sewing phase I'll sew everything from aprons to tea cozies to dolls or quilts. If I'm in a illustrative phase, I'll draw, if its mixed medium illustration, I'll draw and paint on everything for that time. My dollies, get made all the time as do class projects and instant inspired pieces which I have to get down on paper and create.

For the past few days I have been in a jewelry phase, it started after I started finishing up the studio organization, that I began to find places for all my jewelry findings. I came across old stuff and new stuff that I recently bought and decided to make some jewelry.My earlier jewelry consisted of alot of seed beading and beading weaving, I could never find a beading loom large enough and cheap enough, so I picked one up at Toys R US about 12 years ago for $15.00 and it works perfectly for small beading weaving works, they are still available in toy stores and crafts stores in the children's craft set section. From these I have made bracelets, belts, beaded purses and amulet bags and its so easy.Seaside Soiree BraceletFor the past 2 years I have been focused on salvage style jewelry, but it wasn't until my first meeting with Terri Ventura (Dimestore Daze) http://www.dimestoredaze.com/default4.asp That I began to dive deeper into salvaged jewelry. Terri and I met at Tinsel Trading and have been friends ever since, her jewelry is gorgeous and so inspiring, now to top it off Terri also sells the most amazing supplies, such as my fave: Marie Antoinette Brass Charms, in many finishes, they are essential to Marie style projects: http://www.dimestoreemporium.etsy.com/ Recently Terri surprised me with a huge package of charms and wares, I nearly fainted when I opened it, she is just incredible. Some other inspirational jewelry atists/books are: Charming Exchange by Ruth Rae and Kelly Snelling http://ruthrae.blogspot.com/ Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee http://www.stephanielee.typepad.com/ and Rejuvenated Jewels by Amy Hanna http://amyhanna.typepad.com/ These books by these fab artists are filled with wonderful inspiration and project to begin or enhance your salvaged jewelry journey.The pieces that you see are my newest creations, the bracelet is called: Seaside Soiree, the necklace is called: Midsummer Nights Dream and the beaded one is called: Lady Chantilly's Tea! All are made from vintage and new findings, the beaded one is a refurbished necklace I made from one I already had, just switched around the beads and handmade beaded balls, which are extremely easy to make.For the Midsummer Nights Dream Necklace I used a vintage bracelet, Vintage gilded back crystals which are similar to mercury glass, blue moon jewelry pieces and findings, a vintage Austrian rhinestone button, and vintage art nouveau style brass pendant, I've decided to keep this piece for myself, and wore it for the first time yesterday.The Bracelet: Seaside Soiree is made from vintage and new findings, blue moon findings and funky clasp. I have made three of these bracelet styles and will be offering two of them in my etsy store today: http://moonfaires.etsy.com/ Lady Chantilly's Tea Necklace is also staying in my jewelry collection, I love how it looks with a white linen shirt or button down, so vintage tea chic.
To Make the seed bead balls:
Materials:
-Seed beads
-Wooden ball bead or jewelry ball or small styrophome ball w/whole in center
-Fabric tac or no sew glue
-Quilting thread (color of choice)
-Beading needle

Directions:
1. Thread needle with 2 feet of thread, tie knot at end, insert needle through ball hole, twice, loop needle through the 2 strands of thread, and knot.
2. Now slip seed beads onto needle to the thread. The amount of beads on the thread should cover the two hole areas, end to end.
3. Once beads are threaded onto thread strand, insert needle into ball hole, come out the other end, repeat, until the whole ball bead is covered with beaded strands, at the last strand, tie a knot, twice, dab with fabric tac glue or no sew glue, and that's it, you have a beaded ball.

-Refer to the last picture for example of the ball bead.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and get inspired to make some salvaged jewelry of your own.

Wedding and Party Glass Vignettes!After my book signing and project demonstration at ACMoore in Allentown, PA, I started making more and more jar fairies, finally completing a custom bridal shower order for a customer in Massachusettes, who ordered 22 medium sized jars.She had wanted vintage wedding shower/garden tea lady style images, with a bit of sweetness, vintage and German Glitter. After my signing I came home and was re-energized, since I did a load of jar fairy demo's. The more you do of something, the more the ideas start to swirl around in your head, always flickering back and forth. As I looked at the jars during the demo, I said their lids need a little dazzle and height, that's when I decided to go with an opera theme, using chipboard pre-cut signs as that added height, layered each one w/designer paper, their first name initial and glitter.When I came home I looked at the half done jars and said they need some height, when you get married, a Bride's head has lots of height, from a tiara and veil. So I decided to do the opera sign on each jar, using the chipboard base, chipboard letter: W (her name is Wendy, and its for her Wedding, so the letter "W" worked perfectly. I layered each jar w/creamy shredded paper, a sheet from a vintage wedding book (1920's), a vintage wedding doll image, vintage reproduction millinery forget me not flowers, German Glass Glitter in Silver and in Gold, with a mini beige tulle veil on the doll. Finally I covered the lid's center w/more glitter. These main photos are the example I made for myself and to show variation on the wedding and fairy glass vignettes!Now I have an order of 12 princess glass jar vignettes for a party in California. The customer has requested they be prodominately pink, creamy, beige, lemonade yellow and silver/gold glitter, lots of sparkle and bling w/ a princess theme.

These jars will have the creamy beige paper base, vintage princess story book pages, a vintage princess doll image, extra pink tulle, and the jar tops will have a handmade rhinestone/pearl and mercury silver seed bead crown/tiara, glitter and sign. These pictures will be up when I'm done in about 3 weeks.

When starting your own glass vignettes aka captured jar fairies, remember the possibilities are endless.
Here is a photo of the jars I did at my book signing and demonstration, these are what sparked my newest jars!These are the original wedding/bridal party jar vignettes I made several yeasr back for the members of the bridal party that I was in. These are the ones that have spun off my jar custom orders. Each one of these was made w/excelsior, vintage images, digital painted opera cover from my image collection, vintage wire, simple embellishments and vintage silk flowers.

Tips:
-Try shredding vintage book pages and use that as the base, what about natural raffia or excelsior for the base, model magic, craft batting, moss, reindeer moss, shells, sand, paper mache, floral foam modeling material (comes in pink color in a bag, when mixed water it hardens to a floral foam texture, but it can also look like cotton candy) the choice is yours.
-try coating a vintage image layered on cardstock with gel medium, let dry. Then glue to inside of glass jar, fill jar with resin for a cool paperweight.
-Use a glass jar as the body of an art doll, build a scene inside the jar and on top of the jar's lid.Here is a smaller jar vignette I made for a dear friend Rose, made from an old jelly jar, excelsior, vintage image (this image is from a larger vintage image that I digitally colored in, tghe full image is available in my book altered art circus and is the image I used for the Pageant Crown in the book).

I also used dried flowers, and a huge wire ribbon that I tied into a bow shape. The chandelier piece is handmade by me, using a mold I made and resin, and a few simple techniques.

I could go on for days, if you want to learn more jar fairy/illustrated jars, glass vignettes, jar fairy cozies (like tea cozies), captured fairy wands and more visit these projects in my book:
Altered Art Circus, Quarry Books!

Have a magic filled weekend!
xoxo!
Lisa!

The China Dollies Have Arrived!They are finally here, the China Dollies, now available in my stores. I currently am offering to versions: The Rosie China Doll Style, which has carnation pink hair and The Maude China Doll Style which has the standard black licorice hair. These doll heads are also available un-finished.Each is handmade/molded, doll heads, made from my original vintage China Head Doll, now available for you to use in your works,already painted and glazed.

Each is made from a lightweight foam clay which won't peel, flake or break when dropped.

These are flat backed and lightweight perfect to use on atc's, in paper projects, as paper doll heads, scrapbooks, assemblage, as charms, and more!

They can be extra painted, inked, aged, glittered, easily use a scewer to pierce a hold through, works well with tacky glue, hot glue, caulk, etc.

Measures length is 2 1/4 inches by 2 1/2 inches wide, one of the largest doll pieces I have available. I also have them available un-finished for you to paint or alter to your liking!I also have other new styles:
Un-Finished Baby Doll Head, Winston Style! Measures length is 3 1/4 inches by 2 2/3 inches wide another larger doll part piece.Kewpie Style Doll Part Measures length is 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/4 inches wide.Here is the Harley Doll Style from my original vintage Harlequin Doll, now available for you to use in your works, 2 un-finished doll heads ready to paint and alter. Measures length is 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches wide.Big Top Charlottes Style, Measures 2 inches wide!Made from my original vintage Marie Antoinette Style Doll, I call this one: Marie Le Rouge, Measures 1.25 (1 1/4) inches wide.

There are many more doll parts in various styles, painted, un-finished, doll part packages and discounts, all in my Etsy Store:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5074220
http://moonfaires.etsy.com/
Visit my Mom's Etsy Store at:
http://auroratique.etsy.com/
For amazing romantic jewelry and artful wares!

The Land of Charlottes!
"Come one, Come all,
to the Land of Charlottes!"
Since late last summer I have been in complete doll mode and it all started from a Vintage Charlotte/Penny Doll that I bought on one of my travels. Since I was a child, I have loved my dolls and toys, always creating stories revolving around them, making clothes, accessories and displays for them, even making dolls of my own from the materials I had in my house.
Here is the First Charlotte I ever made called: Queen Lilly of Charlotteville!
Creating my own imaginery worlds allowed my imagination to soar, I still have many of the toys/dolls from my childhood, and from my mom's childhood, others I have bought throughout the years. My favorite vintage dolls are: The celluloid carnival dolls, kewpie dolls, dolls from around the world, China Dolls and the CHARLOTTE/PENNY BISQUE DOLLS, these vintage delights have become part of my artful world, from a handmade mold, I have been able to reproduce them in a variety of ways, turning them into dolls revolving around different storybook and character themes, used them to create doll heads/parts for my artwork and to sell in my stores for others to use in their artworks as well.These dollies have been sold all over the world, they have been customized through an option in my store, purchased already made and ordered for wedding showers and parties. They have graced the inside of my jar fairies/glass vignettes, inside altered art books, in assemblages, as wands, tassels and in ornamental bulbs. They have become cupcake picks, cake sticks and found on ATCS's, in jewelry, as charms and on boxes and tags. These dollies have allowed me to re-create that vintage world and explore other vintage dolls and story books.Some of the styles are apart of my charlotte doll line such as: The Queen Lilly Style and The Harlequin Wizard Style! Each one of my dolls are pressed into one of my many handmade molds, then smoothed, sanded, painted, triple glazed and embellished with a variety of materials both vintage and new.Some fave materials I use in my dolls are crepe paper, tulle, velvet, sequins, vintage piano paper or storybook pages, tinsel and German glass glitters.This is one of my latest Charlottes called: Betsy Has a Birthday.Here is a later version of Queen Lilly standing next to her friend: Queen Elizabeth!Here is another Charlotte I made, which is my take on the Mad Hatter meets a Victorian Socialite who loves the Garden, Sewing and Soirees, I call her Betsy Winklesby is from New England, A Socialite with family roots from England, South Africa to Nantucket and the Hamptons, currently Betsy resides in Nantucket, who set up a New England Sewing Society, where ladies will crochet, cross stitch, weave, sew and tatt for charity and personal admirement.

Betsy is an advid quilter and doll maker in her spare time, she teaches her children and friends children how to sew and donates hand sewn costumes to the Candyland Ball beauty contestants. Here is Betsy in her sewing best on her way to the Mad Hatters Sewing Tea Party.Here is Lana's Custom Charlotte I made for her called: Sweet Marie: reminiscent of Marie Antoinette in her garden soiree gown which is also similar to a Southern Belle strolling through her plantation garden.Meet Queen Charlotte II, Queen Charlotte is a sweet Queen from Charlotteville who loves dancing at soiree's, the color pink and tinsel tiara's.

Charlotte even has several pink and tinsel ball gowns and sparkly shoes, because you never know when a soiree will come up.Here is Sierra, The Sea Pageant Queen, all ready for the Seaside Ball.Meet another mermaid beauty, her name is Misty Plumbach a flapper mermaid from the 1920's, who loves to party, dance and sing in Sea York City.Meet the Seahorse Soiree Attendees: Maude and Miranda!No under sea party would be complete without the Fiji Mermaid, complete in her coconut throne, and glowing tinsel shells. This piece was made from a broken coconut shell I recycled, my charlotte doll head, crepe paper body, shells, dresden trims, tinsel, glitter and more.

To see over 200 photos of my various Charlotte Dolls, Projects I have made with them and the Charlotte Doll Supplies to purchase, see their images here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonfaires16/sets/72157619461473554/ to purchase these
dolls visit my Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5074220
and Website Store: http://www.moonfairesworld.com/curiosity_shoppe.htm

For custom charlottes which range in price from $25-30, contact me.

Look for my new doll head supplies I just made from 4 new doll molds I just finished, they are: China Head Doll Heads 2.25 inches in size and available un-finished and painted, I have Kewpie Style Heads 1.75 to 2 inches in size, again available un-finished and painted. I have a Large Baby Doll Head about 3.25 inches in size available un-finished, A 2nd Tristan Style called: Harley which is almost 2inches in size, the Marie Antoinette style have been added in painted form today, ujn-finished style added tommorrow, I hoep you enjoy them all!

Magic and Joy!
Lisa!