Polymer Clay Classes Announced for January

I am so happy to have back to the studio Alyssa Light.  She will be offering two Polymer Clay classes in the studio in January the first is....  wait for it....

A class for Teens 12 and up where they will learn how to create their own unique beads and pendants using the clay for their jewelry projects!  So fun!!  ...and during that dreaded week between New Years and Back to School.  I hope your teen can join us!!

AND....

A Taste of Polymer Clay for Knitters and Crocheters

I know this class will spark the interest of all you knitters and crocheters out there.  Come and learn how you can create some extra special textural and one of a kind buttons for your yarn (and sewing) creations!  So fabulous!!

Here is the description of both classes.  Registration is open in the online store or by calling Karen at the Studio 519 267 6620

Why not give this class as a gift?

I have Sculpey Samplers and Tools for sale at the studio and Gift Certificates too!  What  a great gift package!   ...and we Gift Wrap too! *wink*

Have a creative day!

Button Covered Beauties....

Carmi Cimicata, one of our instructors at Mixed Minded, posted a post on her Blog yesterday showcasing how she turned some fabric covered buttons into beads for a necklace. I thought it was an inspired idea!! (she has a picture tutorial on her blog so be sure to check it out)

We have the tools and the buttons to cover in the studio. We use them for our sewing projects and I've used them for the Kanzashi Flower centers ... but for a necklace? Yes, I had to make my own version of these.

How sweet, eh? Looks super cute on and took less than 10 mins to make! My kind of craft :) hehe

I used some fabric samples I had in the studio -- the first is fabric from SusieBee Designs (like the paper we have in stock) and the second.....

Hand Dyed Fabric from Alyssa Light - another teacher at Mixed Minded. Alyssa will be teaching how to dye your own fabrics in two different classes at the event. She gave me some samples to play with and I thought this would be a fabulous way to show them off! Beautiful!

Have a creative day everyone!!

Carmi and Alyssa's Classes at Mixed Minded

InLinkz.com

Buttons to cover in the online store - two sizes (I used Size 45)

InLinkz.com

Buntings 2 Ways - USTREAM recap

Hello all...

Thank you for joining me last night on USTREAM. It was an interesting one*smile*

I was creating buntings to hang in my studio window next month for Valentines and our Customer Appreciation Day (more to come on that). One was painted scraps of canvas. The other was crocheted. Yes, I did an impromptu crochet class on USTREAM last night. Who knew? *smile* I suppose you never quite know what will be on my desk on a Friday night in the studio.

Here are the pics.

This is how the canvas Hearts turned out.

LOVE that I decided to sew them with the sewing machine instead of hand stitching them. I think they look perfect! I will clip them to a string with a paperclip when I hang them in the window. See... I have already strung some baker's twine on a few to attach them with. Fabulous.

Here is the crocheted bunting.

I do like the orange chain that I will string the hearts with - it will be visible in my window in that colour. If I change it, it will be to a plum colour. We shall see! Loving me some crochet lately!

Have a creative weekend everyone!

I posted workshops 1-5 on the Mixed Minded site this week. If you haven't already, be sure to check them out. Its going to be a FANTASTIC event! I'm so excited. More classes will be posted Tuesday....

Counting down to Mixed Minded 2012

Each business day this month I will be posting a class that will be offered at our Mixed Minded event this May on the Mixed Minded Website.

Here's the first class ... one that will be offered by me

Stencil Me Happy

The best art comes from Creative Play.

Join Karen for a "playful" class on layering with papers, paints and Crafter's Workshop Stencils.

Play with colour and composition, use different mediums and a variety of our favourite Crafter's Workshop Templates to create a 12 x 16 canvas ready for hanging.

Come find your creative "happy" place

Crocheting again... but....

This time with wire....

I have a blue crochet and bead necklace that I love to wear that I purchased at the One of a Kind Show last year. I LOVE it ... and, when people stop to admire it, I am always asked if I made it. The answer is no BUT, I sure could and one day I will make another one for myself.

Well, here it is. I've been wanting a purple necklace and earring set for a while now and since I caught that crochet bug again I thought -- hey, why not *wink* Love how it turned out....

Hope you like!! and just a hint -- watch for it next month on the Mixed Minded website! *double wink*

Have a creative day everyone!!

Congratulations Donna

I heard some fabulous news today and I had to share.

Donna Funnell, Mixed Minded 2011 instructor and artist from the Milton area, found one of her creations of the cover of the current issue of Cloth, Paper Scissors! Congratulations Donna! I was so happy to hear that from some of your fans today!

Can you see her HOUSE? (be still my beating heart).....

perhaps this image found on page 78 will help -- Donna's is the one the arrow is pointing to.

How fabulous is that?

I was THRILLED to see so many Canadian pieces in this article. Go Canada!!

To celebrate I have ALL ISSUES of CLOTH, PAPER, SCISSORS on sale at the studio and online for $7.99 (that's 20% off). Get them while they're here!!

IF YOU GET SOMETHING PUBLISHED in a magazine, let me know -- I'm happy to spread the word!! Congratulations again, Donna.

Still getting ready :)

for Mixed Minded this weekend! YAY!!!!

I've been getting everything organized and thought, "Hey, this would be the perfect venue to ask for help". YES -- I AM CALLING ALL PLASTIC BAG HOARDERS!!

I know you're out there with a drawer or cupboard dedicated to storing those plastic shopping and grocery bags. Well, I'd love to take them off you hands for our make n take this weekend. All sizes, and colours, any plastic wrapping and bags are welcome. CAN YOU HELP? hehehehe

I will be in the studio today and tomorrow - then at Mixed Minded. Come one come all.... we got to get our craft on!!

I received 12 copies of Tracie Lampe's book Upcycled Accessories yesterday...... wait until you see what you can create with those bags!!!!! Fabu!!

Mixed Minded..

I am neck deep in Mixed Minded Prep and enjoying every minute of it! I can't wait to host everyone this weekend at the Holiday Inn - 4 more sleeps!!!

Nancy Donaldson sent me a couple of pictures of some new beaded wire pendants that she created. Check these out! What a wonderful variation of the techniques that she is teaching on Sunday in her class. I'm in LOVE!!! This is going to be one Fabulous Class!!!

I posted another picture on a few more pendant variations on the Mixed Minded site too. CLICK HERE to check them out!!! Are you feeling crafty?? There's space available in the workshop - hint hint.... :)

Resinating ...

Okay -- so I have been dying to play with resin some more and this week I took the opportunity to try something new.

I received my big Envirotex Light order for Mixed Minded and thought that NOW was the perfect time to attempt adding resin to paper and make - oddly enough.... resin paper! hehehe I saw an art journal created with resin papers at CHA and it looked STELLAR!!! But I thought I'd start smaller. *smile*

This month's issue of Cloth Paper Scissors had a how-to article entitled "Story Flowers" that showed you how to create a 3D armature wire flower on which you felt and stitch fabric to create something special. Although I have been in love with fabric lately -- I thought this would be the perfect "home" for some resin papers. So glad I did this! I love how it turned out.

Have you played with resin yet?
The is room in Carmi's resin Mixed Minded Classes if you need a little shove in the resin direction! :) We'd love to have you join us!

Hey Art Doll Lovers!

I am VERY excited to announce that Laura Haviland (Character Constructions design team member and fellow Canuck) will be teaching a FABULOUS art doll class at Mixed Minded next month -- I hope you can join us!

Fashionista Mermaids will be taught on Saturday May 28, 1:30 - 5pm at Mixed Minded held at the Holiday Inn, Kitchener.

You will be creating an "aquarium" backdrop:

And this fabulous Art Doll Mermaid that will hang in display in front of it.

How fabulous!!

For more details about this class and the other fabulous classes offered at Mixed Minded - please vist the website!

Looks great Laura!! I know this will be a FANTASTIC class!

Swimmy Swim Swim little fishy

Those of you who follow me on FaceBook know that this weekend I had a little down time and felted.

Just playing around I thought I would try to create a "creature" of some sort. As my thinker was thinking, Regan and her fish plight popped in my head. You see, Regan's daughter received some fish for her birthday (something she wanted -- a pet :) ) and all last week one by one they started dying on them. So Regan was telling me about all the dead fish and a very sad little girl. I thought, that child needs a fish that won't die....so I felted it! See... one immortal fish:

complete with felted kale and in a fishbowl too. LOL
Stephen next door (dog guy) thinks I should pour resin in it and make bubbles (lol) but I'll spare you all that!

Have you felted yet? It's so much fun!
If you'd like a basic needle felting class, come on in -- it's free with purchase of the felting tools AND THEN....take a class from the expert, Carmi Cimicata. She is teaching 2 felting projects at Mixed Minded where you will not only use the same tools to felt beads and a brooch but you'll use the tools to add other fibres too! FANTASTIC!!!! I hope you join us!

Okay, Okay....

I've been told. Yes, it's been a week since my last post. Sooooooooooooooooooooory faithful followers. I have been so busy getting things put back together from ScrapFest. I think I am ready to get back into regular scheduled programming now. YAY!!!! Bring it on! So -- wanna know what's new? I got in the ICE Resin order that I made at CHA along with pewter bezels and a fabulous book by Jen Cushman. Yippee!!!! I know more than a few of you have been waiting for this!

ALSO ON THE RESIN FRONT. My friend Carmi started a new blog on behalf of the people who create Envirotex Light (her resin of choice). I'm sooooooo excited for her! Be sure to follow her RESIN BLOG and even sign up for her fabulous class at Mixed Minded. She is teaching TWO classes to do with Resin at the event and I couldn't be more thrilled! Come and learn from the expert!! Congratulations Carmi!


A novice over here.... I took to making my first pours EVER! I started small and on the cheap (as I am a beginner). I have these very sweet bezels for sale here in the studio (the largest is .85 -- so not a big investment in case I mess up!) I started by simply using a circle punch and punching out a piece of pattern paper and attaching it to the base of my bezel. I did this with ..... wait for it..... my XYRON X!!! Yay Xyron (more to come from them soon *smile*)! So happy it worked!! I then followed Carmi's instructions and poured. I placed an old Making Memories embellie in it. Success!! Then I got more daring... Note the Tim Holtz embellie with - small glass beads from the dollar store. Yep .. getting there in my daring "resinating" *smile* So, I thought. That's cute -- now lets add some more stuff!! Here is a punch out of one of Graphic 45's images (On the Boardwalk Line) then I took out my Viva Decor Lovelies!! Yep -- the glitter is the Viva Decor Glitter Liner and the Pearl is the Viva Decor Pearl Pen. LOVE LOVE LOVE how this turned out and the fact it didn't react with the resin! Yahooooooooooooooooooooooo!

So, armed with this knowledge I created a bezel with dried flowers a la Carmi's tutorial...... and thought okay.... that's a flower inclusion, viva pearl and glitter pens, beads... why not vintage book text. OMG.... LOVE the transparency!!!

So, now I'm a pro, right? HAHAHAHA ...whatever!!! :)

But I am definately full of resin confidence now SO I got out something that reminds me of my dad (and something that was his) and thought I would throw it all together to make a special pendant. Note the confidence.... yes, that is a Pewter Bezel from Susan Lenart Kazmer's ICE Resin line. LOVE!

How'd I do? Not bad for a beginner me thinks! I still have lots to learn and lots of playing to do but WHOA this is FUN!!

Happy Creating all!

Me? Felting? Why YES!!!

So there I was, sitting in a comfy chair by the fire, glass of wine in hand, the "Oscars" on and wanting a little something to do. Enter the New Felting Tools that I brought into the studio recently.

Yes, Felting Tools and I am LOVING THEM!!

Carmi Cimicata will be teaching 2 felting classes at Mixed Minded in May and asked if I would bring in Clover's Needle Felting Tool (5 Needle) and the small Felting Mat. Of course I said YES -- cause I've always wanted to felt and this is a great push in that direction. WELL.... you know me, I had to play with it and NOW I'M HOOKED! Or should I say Needled? Hehe. So, now the studio has the 3D Rose which can also applique hearts:

the Daisy the Florets and Berries

the Snow Crystals

the Pen Tool to use them with

and refill needles, and their claw cleaning tool too!!

Anyone else wanna play? hehe

Carmi will be teaching two very different projects using the basic tools (The Needle Felting Tool and Mat) AND,special thanks to Janome's sponsorship, you will get a chance to try out machine felting too! Wowsers!!!

In the brooch class (Saturday May 28, 6:30pm - 9:30pm) you will learn how to create the basic felt and then how to felt other things into it to create something TRULY SPECIAL!

And the beads (Sunday May 29, 9:30am - 12:30pm) -- well, if not knowing how to create basic felt beads wasn't enough, Carmi will also be showing you how to add fabrics, beads and trims to create something magical to wear and enjoy!

Hope you can join us!!
Have a creative day everyone!

Beautiful Banners....

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I received my event banners in the mail.

Well, I wasn't kidding. *smile* Amy and I hung the Mixed Minded and Donna Downey Workshop banners in the windows and they are creating some attention -- YAY! That's what they're there for ....as long as people are still watching the road on Lancaster..... *cringe*

Here's how they look:

I picked up a HUGE floor mounted 6' Banner to use at the show too. (the one on the left is 5', I think)

Whatcha think?? ...sorry about the glare.... I neglected to take this photo earlier and now it's dusk and not ideal picture taking conditions :) But me thinks you get the idea! *grin*

Mixed Minded ... Is Coming Together!!

YES!!! I'm so excited!! I've been busy getting classes posted and registration items together for our BIG MIXED MEDIA WORKSHOP EVENT in May - Mixed Minded!!!

There are more classes to post and I will be doing that soon ... but just to wet your whistle...... www.mixedminded.ca

Have a creative Day everyone.... Didn't get a chance to do the last tag YET... I will post it when I can :)

It's all coming together!!

I can't believe how fast things creep up! ScrapFest is this weekend and I've been busy sorting, packing and prepping. I hope to see you at the Oshawa Event!!

THE BEST NEWS!! All the new items I ordered for the show arrived in time! HURRAY!!!

......Including Claudine Hellmuth's Creative Layers Stamp Sets!!

I played with these a bit today with some people who came into the studio and I AM IN LOVE!!!! Wait until you see them in action! (there are 6 fabulous sets!!!)

Speaking of Claudine, If you love her stuff you'll be THRILLED as I am when I tell you that she's coming here in MAY!!

YES!! You read that correctly!! Claudine Hellmuth will be joining some other fabulous artists in Kitchener at The Art House Studio's "MIXED MINDED" mixed media event to be held at the Holiday Inn Kitchener Waterloo Conference Center (on Fairway Rd) May 27-29, 2011.

Here is the website/blog I've set up for the event..... http://www.mixedminded.ca/

I am finalizing the teachers this month, getting workshops arranged and posted next month and registration will begin in December. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Yes, there IS always something going on at THE ART HOUSE STUDIO!!!

Have a creative day!!