Marionette Theater Workshop, Snibbets inside the Candyland Theater!
Here are some previews of the almost done Marionette Theater for my workshop at Zne Covenzione in California.
In the previous posts you have seen the making and buying of the supplies for this theater, now I am giving you a look inside the almost complete piece which I have entitled: Candyland Theater, with Miss Nellie Sugarwish, The Queen of Candyland, the Star Marionette!Come with me and explore the origins of Candyland, who is Nellie Sugarwish and why is she the star Marionette? the answers will first be revealed in class, then eventually on this blogAnother question I have is: Do you love Candy, Cupcakes and Sugary Sweets? I do and so does Miss Nellis, her favorite treat is cherry cupcakes with creamy vanilla filling, she also loves pink opera cake and coconut cookies.There is magic and enchantment lurking behind every corner or theater curtain, waiting for you to discover. The halls are lighted with Parisian bulb lights, candy fountains and lollipop containers. Confectionary Girls walk down the isles with treat filled carts filled with many of your favorite snacks such as Bon Bons, Chocolates and Sweet Pretzels.More Snippets Inside The Candyland Theater Tommorrow!

Have a Magical and Sweet Night!
Lisa!

The Purple and Gold Art Challenge!
You can find inspiration everywhere and at any time. This past Easter Glenny surprised me with a bottle of one of my favorite perfume's ever: Alien by Thierry Mugler, no. 2 would be Rapture-Victoria Secret, Venezia by Laura Biagiotti, Gres' Perfumes such as Cabaret and Cabotine, I also love Sud Pacifique Perfumes too.

http://us.boutique.thierrymugler.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=11201

My art challenge to you is create something using only purples, golds and very little cream for glowing effects and perhaps some hints of blue or bits of black. But keep the main colors as purple!

It can be an atc, a doll, an illustration, the choice is yours. Visit the site above and experience the magic within, its filled with fabulous perfumes, collections, cosmetics, graphics and storytelling too.

Thierry Mugler is a French Company and also the creator of the famed Angel Perfume.
Here is the caption for this perfume from the site:
Do you believe in the extraordinary?
"Thierry Mugler tells the tale of a sun goddess, Alien, eternal, adorned in gold and light, spreading peace and magic with her lucky perfume. Alien radiates light from her golden temple, a place of happiness, inundated with a beneficial aura: a palace decorated with precious stones of various powers, irradiating fullness and positive energy."

Here is an atc I made called: Get Your Magic Beans using a violet purple as the main dress color and deep eggplant purple for the top hat, with hints of blues, blacks and creams for the rest of the atc. I actually took a pencil and drew around the dress, then colored in with prismacolor oil pencils and a bit of acrylic paints, did the same technique for the whole card, including the background and the checkered floor.

The Story of this ATC:
Ashley took a job this summer as The Magic Beans Box girl, after 2 days into it, she is frustrated, especially today, for Ashley will be missing out on the Mer-Tail contest and Sundae fest at the Beach. But what's more important saving up for a new Wimble Pix Stix with extra dust or a contest?

Here is another atc I made called: The Spider Wizard!
This atc was made using sturdy water color paper from Daler-Rowney Watercolor paper and inks, Strathmore Bristol board, Prismacolor oil pencils, drawing pencil, vintage images and lettering.

I inked the background of the water color paper using various blue and purple inks and water using a brush and brayer. I drew my spider image onto the bristol board with mechanical pencil, colored in with prismacolor pencils and more inks. I cut out and glued to inked watercolor paper. Then I double layered the vintage head image onto watercolor paper using modge podge, cut out and glued to top of the spider image. Now Finish with more vintage images, paper lettering, watercolor inked hat, distressing inks from Ranger Ink and glitters.

This ATC Story:
Meet Starla, the spider wizard from Peeksville, whose special talent is transformation. Starla can transform into anything at anytime. Today she has transformed into a spider, because she needed more hands to finish a detailed spell for an important client from SleepyWillow!

I will make a new piece with this challenge as well, can't wait to see what you come up with!

Magic and Joy!
Lisa!

Sweet Supplies for Marionette Theater Workshop at Zne Convenzione!

I have been shopping and making doll parts and pieces for the my workshop at Zne Convenzione, where my student attendees will receive a variety of goodies to play with including a gift pack of my handpainted doll pieces. In this picture you can see some of the ribbons, the doll parts: Yes Miss Sugar, the Queen of Candyland is missing her arms, that's because she is a Marionette and will have them attached during class, other parts will include a doll head/body where you will attach arms and legs so she can move, like well....a marionette puppet. There will be some cool Bohemian ribbon and trims, felt trims, pre made cupcakes, paper clay vintage style frames, dollie and vintage images. The student will also learn how to construct a sweet faux cake, cupcake, or candy tree, the main base for the marionette to dance upon. There will also be Sugary Sweet Colored Glitters, Martha Stewart glitters, Ranger's Stickles, Cupcake Chic Acrylic Paints, Claudine's Studio Paints and Mediums, Chalk Board Paints, Vintage style wrapping, scrap and wallpapers, sheet music and lots more.

All students are to bring an old shoe box, that is the base for these theaters.Play with a variety of ribbons, and learn a variety of paper building, altered, collaged, pierced, illustrative, sculpting and assemblage techniques, and leave creating a whole new world of magic of your own.

When:
Zne Convenzione April 29-May 3,2009, in Pleasanton, California April 29-May 3, 2009 at Zne Convenzione.

Sign up now for this class at:
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/catalog/item/6444668/6752199.htm
This class is on Thursday 4/30/09 from 10am-5pm, $25.00

Sign up now for the The Fairytale Boat Assemblage Class:
http://www.znecon.citymax.com/catalog/item/6444668/6752178.htm
This class is on Friday 5/1/09 from 10am-5pm, $25.00

For class samples of The Fairytale Boat Assemblage Class visit my Flickr photostream at:
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

Happy, Healthy and Magical Easter!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy and Magical Easter! I hope each of you had a day filled with Easter Sweets and Treats, Celebration and Family, Friends, creating new memories and magic!

Enjoy a mixed media and watercolor painting I did awhile ago called: Tippy, The Bunny Bee. It's a mix of themes revolving around some fave's, LOL, Bunnies and Bees. The base is Watercolor paper, washed with coffee and tea, outlined in pencil, colored in with watercolors, inks and oil pencils!

Magic and Joy!
Lisa!

Mermaid Tea Party, Sign up Now!
Hello All,
Its here the Mermaid Tea Party, coming Saturday April 18, 2009 all day, sign up now, for a day of magic and mermaid enchantment. Come with me and have tea by the magical coral reef with mermaids of her shape, size, and style, swimming to the party from every land from all over the world.

Share stories among each other of mermaid folklore, seaside tea recipes, projects, ephemera, and some giveaways. Ask yourself, "Are you the Little Mermaid?" or "The Fiji Mermaid?" " Do you prefer Seahorses of land horses?, or both?" "Do you love salmon sandwiches or dill and cream cheese?" "Salt Water Taffy and Salt Water Pearls?"

Speaking of pearls grab a vintage pair, or two or three, and extract the power of wisdom they have ready to share with you, but you might have to get past the King of Clams to get to them. If not hang out on the pier over a creamy ice cream cone or sweet funnel cake and let the salty fresh air seep in.

Now that Spring is here, Summer will soon follow and promise us all new adventures into the seaside-scape. Beach goers, collect a shell or two to remember your day, or Sansibel natives, share your shells in a post or send some to a friend. Queens of the sea wear your seashell crown and blinging best, deep sea divers find us a treasure and Pirates, play it safe and have a soiree on a deserted Island with all your treasures and wares and please don't forget the rum, LOL for the mojitos.

Are you at the tea party soiree yet?, I am, see you on April 18...If you want to join in the fun, leave a comment here and I will sign you up for a day of fun, treasures and giveaways under the sun.

Xo!
Lisa!

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/

Vivs Whimsy's Easter Egg Hunt!

Miss Vivian Neroni aka Viv's Whimsy has hosted an amazing Easter Egg Swap, Where you make 2 altered Easter Eggs and get 2 back, then join in on the Egg Hunt on Sat. April 4, 2009.
I took place in the swap, but un-fortunately couldn't attend the actual egg hunt, which after visiting all the egg hunters blogs, was sad I couldn't hunt with them, because each blog was more magical then the next. Vivian has put together a wonderful swap, can you imagine going to the post office with a car load of packages to mail? I can, now that's dedication, visit Viv's blog to see all the egg hunters names, viv's egg posts and the events leading up to the hunt as well.
http://www.vivs-whimsy.blogspot.com/
Here are more photos of my eggs for the swap:
I made these eggs from craft store eggs, painted pink, and rolled in tiny micro beads and gel medium. Then embellished with a Galerie Des Modes Fashion Plate image from my Fashion Plates CD, scrapbook papers, K & Company paper banners, lettering, floral pearls, floral sequins, pink tulle, ribbons, glitters and my handmade mica flakesm dyed with pale pink coloring and stickles.

I received 2 gorgeous eggs, sent by Vivian from my swap partners, I'll post those soon.
Please enjoy these freebie vintage postcard images for your artworks. Just right click and save or click, go into my flickr site and save there.

Sunday April 5, 2009, Artful Adventure at Visual Arts Center!
On Sunday from 10am-5pm, The Summit Visual Arts Center http://www.artcenternj.org/ was holding The East Coast Art Expo, hosted by Jerry's Artist Supply, with many of the industries top art suppliers such as Pebeo, Colorfin, Daler-Rowney, Art Molds, and More.
I arrived with my mom Joan, around 11:30am to meet up with friends Suze, Bonnie, Linda and Lennis, together we explored the Expo, buying things from many of the booths as we came upon them. What was even better was many of my fave art suppliers were on hand selling their fabulous products at expo prices.!Here is Suze and I shopping and smiling.

To start I found the girls at the Colorfin Booth, which is beyond amazing, more of their produts in a minute.
Then we came upon Art Molds Booth, and lets just say I was there for a bit, they have every kind of molding product and solution I could think of from latex, plaster to resin supplies. Whats even better is they are located on Bank Street in Summit, NJ, Ed McCormick was on hand to show me some techniques using their products, I can't wait to drop by their location for a visit(I might not leave). You can visit Art Molds/Environ Molds at http://www.artmolds.com/ plus they also teach workshops, classes and have a wonderful lesson book out called: Lesson Plans That WOW, Vol.1, I love it! I mean after all, my studio looks like a secret doll factory with my own doll molds everywhere.

Afterwards I found Pebeo and it was like entering the Emerald City, or land of Art Candy, their products make my heart sing, literally, look at these new paints from the High Viscosity Acrylic line: Now look at these paints upclose on canvas: I have been experimenting with Pebeo's products for years and love the results from their glass/ceramic Paints to acrylics, now with these new High Viscosity Acrylics, I can't wait to start mixing them into my mixed media projects and canvas illustrations, plus I want to pick up some of their textured paints which have sand in them, they could really add some nice dimension. Couldn't you see a mermaid fin with sand texture? You can visit Pebeo Products at www.pebeo.com

Above is a picture of Me, Heather (SVAC) and Johanne(Pebeo), we had so much fun. Johanne was beyond nice, and I'm so glad we met

Now I found my way upstairs and said I need to sit, because I entered the room of another fave supplier: Daler and Rowney, they are one of England's Premier Art Suppliers who have been in business since 1783, I have been using their products since I started experimenting with fine art in High School, and loved them ever since. I use their FW Artists Inks in many of my illustrations, they consistancy and richness in my opinion can not be beat, their drawing supplies are wonderful and now I can't wait to try their watercolour paper, its so sturdy, perfect for extreme painting, please visit their site at http://www.daler-rowney.com/ I promise to share my new illustrations soon using their products.
Here is Mom and Suze at the Center before we headed to lunch.
Here is Mom and Me at the Diner.
Now we all broke for lunch, art shopping can be exhausting, the 6 of us headed for the vintage and authentic Summit Diner, which serves breakfast only on Sunday's til 1:00pm, I opted for the French Toast, it was delicious. If you are in town, its a must do.

Now we all headed back to the Arts Center to pick up our purchases and see some more things. This was when I actually had the time to explore the Colorfin Booth and I am so glad I did, to start let me say one thing when I met Berni, it was instant wonderful, she has to be one of the nicest people I have met and so passionate about the products, both Ladd and Berni were showing me how their products work and techniques, I can see why Bonnie, Suze, Linda and Lennis were there forever, I was too. Their Pan Pastels are Artists Pastels that are in a class of their own, I have never seen such rich velvety colors and vibrate chalks before, they hold to the paper wonderfully. I highly recommend these chalks to everyone, they are so versatile, easy to control and can work with other art materials as well, plus they are fully erasable as well. Can you see the possibilities, try using them to fill in a stamped image or blended with other paints on watercolor paper, use with pastel sticks or with paint. Their soft tools are equally as wonderful to learn more about their products visit http://www.colorfin.com/ to learn about sofft tools visit www.sofftart.com

Visit Suze Blog for more photos and story from the day at:
http://suzeweinberg.typepad.com/suzeblogz/
Bonnie's Blog at:
http://bonnieegenton.blogspot.com/
My Mom's blog is almost done, I'm sure she'll have some posts about the day as well.
http://auroratique.blogspot.com/
Visit Jerry's Artists Outlet for AMAZING prices and supplies:
http://www.jerrysartistoutlet.com/
There's nothing like spending a day with good friends, sharing stories, laughter and well ART! If you can dream it, you can create it and when you have great supplies the possibilities are endless.
Xo! Lisa!
P.S. Visit me at one of my workshops at the Summit Visual Arts Center as well at:
http://www.artcenternj.org/ I'll also have some of these supplies on hand for my next workshop The Illustrative Assemblage, which you can experiment and play with on your projects!

Mixed Media Magic: Watercolors, Pen and Ink!
Magic and Mayhem, Parties a must....Meet Lacy whose dressed in her party best, having fun with her friends at Sadie Roulette's Costume Party. Every year Sadie holds 2 parties, a Carnival Costume Party and a Halloween Masquerade Party, in her beautiful garden set in the majestic countryside.In this illustration we meet Gretchen, a mermaid who lives in Honeycomb Bay off the Florida Coast by Flamingo Sound! An avid treasure hunter and pearl seeker, Gretchen swims with her sisters Hailey and Coral, back and forth from Flamingo Sound to Sanibel looking for unusual treasures.Florence Seagarten is a Baithing Beauty by day and a Mermaid by night, who lives on and just off the coast of Nantucket. The only ones who know her secret are Shelly Bellows and Methany Headgrove! Soon she will have to make a choice, Baithing Beauty or Mermaid.Meet the real Queen of Wonderland, her name is Alice, Queen Alice! Shes loves hosting tea time soirees in her secret garden, and is actually friends with the Mad Hatter.

All these illustrations are made with watercolor, acrylics, pen and pencil on watercolor paper by Strathmore.

Have a magical night! Lisa!

Tinsel Queen, Is she a Doll, A Tree Topper or a Hat?

The Tinsel Queen is all three, she is a tree topper who sat on top of my pink christmas tree in my studio this past winter, then Queen Tinsel sat on top of my wire dress form, a just a doll, finally becoming a hat for the day at a small gathering I had, theme: Dolls in Wonderland.

Queen Tinsel was made from a a basic cone shape, and vintage doll head image from my own collection, which was photocopied and layered onto thick card stock, cut-out and attached to the top of the cone Now I added aged tinsel(Watch my You-Tube Video of aging new tinsel), then I attached the tinsel to my cone and sprinkled with my fave glitter: Antique Silver Glitter from Martha Stewart, followed by crepe paper, more aged tinsel, vintage trims from Tinsel Trading, German Glass Glitter, more Antique Silver Glitter from Martha Stewart Glitters, vintage pearl buttons, Dresden Trim and more dazzling items, I found searched for in my studio.


STORY:
The Tinsel Queen is the Queen of Tinselville and ready to spread some vintage magic to all, her castle is made from the finest tinsel from Germany, and her wardrobe is exclusively designed by Pixielust Designers of Paris, and her wands are designed by C.L.Pufflewiff. If you ever come to Tinselville please stop on by the castle!

For full instructions on how to make Cone doll hats perfect for your holiday trees, dress form tops, centerpieces or well, your head, lol, visit the full instructions in my new book: Altered Art Circus, under the Marie Antoinette Soiree Project!

I hope to see some of your stylish doll hats soon!
Magic and Joy!
Lisa!