aLTerEd eVeR aFtEr

It's all about the mix.......

Hey I missed you guys at Kane last weekend...but needed to spend some creative time in my studio as we have two of our biggest shows coming up just days apart.. and without a single collage in hand..it was time to get busy..hence conjured...the way to a witch's house is always far...created on the back of a monopoly game board.

 
Anyway, don't have pictures to recap the weekend which was crazy busy...sincere thanks to all that braved our booth and shopped with us and a very special thanks to our friend Kelly who brought us her delicious almond chex mix along with the recipe I asked for..but you know it is always tastes better when someone is thoughtful enough to make it for you...thank you Kelly!! 
 
Already half gone....I am hiding the rest from my grandkids..

 

 
As you see Jill has been a busy creator too gearing up for this weekend at the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts...we loved this fun event last year which is located in downtown Chicago right smack in the middle of Broadway Street...closed for the festival between Belmont and Roscoe..check out the link for more info...and here is a sneak peak of the mix of altered art you will find from Jill and I in booth 7 right in front of the Walgreens and the ATM..how convenient!

 
Spell Babies..that bad old witch has been at it again..

 
and now with a few grungy collages in hand...

 
but lots more work to do...leaving for Junk Bonanza Tuesday..yikes..we hope

 
to see you at the Lakeview East Festival of the ARTS..

Kane County Antique Flea St. Charles Illinois...

 
Thats's where we will be along with these spooky black & white smashed pumpkins..check out the side bar for more info about the Kane County market...and don't forget your hoodie..cuz fall is in the air..come see us for a Halloween goodie or just a little scare..
boo...........

 

The hats we wore..in caps.......

 
 
CREATOR...The pumpkins were a little nervous as we packed them up..debuting at Create amongst such accomplished artists..they did not know what to expect..and they had a long wait in the coat room ahead of them while Jill and I took our class with...

 
one of my favorite mentors..Alisa Burke check out my sidebar..what I am reading for info about her book...Canvas Remix.

 

 
STUDENT: Here she is while doing just one of the many demos we enjoyed...

 

Here is our version of Alisa's Trashy Clutch..great fun making these with our spin on her idea...you can see better pictures of the class on Alisa's blog. Thank you Alisa..we truly enjoyed your class and meeting you....such a cool fun gal she is.

 
VENDOR: The day went by so quickly and before we knew it we were setting up for the Create Artist's Faire.

 
We were so busy all night that I only snapped a few pictures but did find time to meet some of my favorite artists like Sue Pelleteir...Jane Lafzio whose class I want to take for certain next CREATE and Jane Sally...all amazing women! And just when we thought it could not get any better...I was very honored..blown away actually when both Cloth Paper Scissors Editor Pokey Bolton and Cheryl Darrow of Ten Seconds studio took home one of my creations. It was a wonderful event all around that I will look forward to participating in next year.

CRAZY: We got home around midnight got a few winks..repacked the car at 6:00 am...and headed to Chicago where we sold at the Randolph St. Market..on asphalt in 90 degree weather..which brings to mind the song she works hard for the money..donna summers I think..no pics too hot and tired..thank you to all the wonderful people that shopped and sweated it out with us!

 
 
TEACHER: On the way home we stopped at Borders to pick up a copy of Somerset Apprentice...

 
Thank you Editor Jana Holstein and Stampington for including my Fun House!

 
Somerset Apprentice is designed for those just starting out creating with detailed steps for every featured project.

 
Other artists featured in this edition include Misty Mawn, Sara Naumann, Kelly Rae Roberts, & Rebecca Sower..wow such good company! 
FOSTER MOM: M&M was also adopted this week..here he is with his new loving family...MOM..I adopted Snickers..have a weakness for Black Cats you see....

 

Saving or creating them..it's all good. 

 

zzzzzzzCome See Us At The Randolph St. Market.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

This is where  zzzzzz you will find us this weekend after a wonderful but exhausting day yesterday at CREATE...zzzzzzzz so if you find us sleeping in our booth just wake us up ;-)

CREATE With Cloth Paper Scissors..Starts Today! Rosemont Illinois - Aug 25-29

 
Hey Chicagoland I hope you have your creative self enrolled in some of the fabulous classes being offered at the Create retreat where classes start TODAY!!!!! A rare opportunity to learn from today's top mixed media artists. Jill and I will be taking a class on Friday with the awesome Alisa Burke learning to make a Trashy Clutch from plastic bags, junk mail, etc.

  

How cool are these?

Also on Friday we will be vending along with our friend Jan at the CREATE Artist Faire...so my fellow Chicagolanders..if you haven't signed up for a class you can still find some artistic inspiration and  wonderful creations to take home with you Friday night from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm..at the Hilton Rosemont Chicago O'Hare..5550 North River Road, Rosemont Illinois...be there or be sorry you missed it! 

 

 

As the Joker would say...riddle me this........

 
What's better than seeing your own work published?

 
Seeing your sweet, hard working, so deserving, daughter's artwork published...( mother's bragging rights prevail) Read Jill's interview with Kelsi Borland in the  Sept/October 2010 edition of Stampington's Belle Armoire...Congrats Jill!! But...stop the presses..that is not the only thing to congratulate her about....in May 2011 she will be making me a grandmother for the third time, ( her and hubby's first) no joke!... and that of course is better than words can describe. 

 

Highwood Market rates a strong BEE+

We loved the new Highwood St. Market that had a great vibe BEEcause of the awesome music that played most of the weekend and the friendly group of dealers that showed up for the event..the weather was BEEutiful..warm with a nice BrEEze. The crowd was actually BEElow what we expected on Saturday but on Sunday we BEEcame very busy for most of the day. We set up in a great spot up front..thank you Sally & Melissa..the BEES thought so too..we were right under a tree...seems yellow jackets nest in trees.. did not know that and only found that out after reading my care at home package that I received from the emergency room Sunday night..yep got stung twice..yep allergic.   
We would have rated the market higher if not for the BEES which of course is no fault of the promoters...next time I will BEE more careful where I step.. and no more spots under trees in the grass regardless of how BEEutiful..BEElieve you me!   I think I was snapping this picture when I got stung which put a little damper on my plans of taking more pictures so this is all I have for you and this market.

 
Having my new edition of CPS along with me did help make things a little more tolearble as how can you BEE unhappy if your assemblage is in print..Thank you CPS!...BEE sure to pick up a copy today...which reminds me..only 4 days until CREATE where I will be showing my new designs for Halloween 2010..BEE there or BEE square! ok..enough BEES!!

 

You Deserve It Coupon...This Weekend Only...

 
You have done your time.....

 
And now it's time for the little darlings to go back to school..but why should they only get the new goods?

 

Come buy a little sompin sompin for yourself..cuz mama you know you deserve it!

 
Mama or not just mention that you saw our ad..this is for our booth only!! this weekend only!! hope to see you there..check out the sidebar for more information.

Sneak Peak / Links

Make It Pretty Calendar Now Available

http://www.interweavestore.com/Quilting/Merchandise/Cloth-Paper-Scissors-2011-Calendar.html?a=cp100819
 

 
 
Somerset Studios preview  Somerset Studios Sept/Aug 2010  now available for preorder.

http://www.stampington.com/html/ss_so10.html

Live & Learn......

We are not the only ones that had a snooze fest last weekend...don't feel so bad though after reading a post from Gracies Cottage (love her honesty..) at least there were tons of customers at our market and we now know that Location..Location..Location is the main success factor when selling at Bloomington. We coulda /shoulda been in the covered pavilion as that's what type of booth I blindly chose but when we got there the humidity was stifling..and our pavilion was way in the back of the fair grounds.. and then we were told by someone that the buildings were the place to be...so hot & tired on Saturday we opted out of the good space into a bad one..ha ha the joke was on us! We found out after crowd watching that the back pavilion where we could have been is where the they head first..right past the building that we were in.. I'd like to give that market another try next year and you know where we will be setting up..ahhhhh hands on experience..always the best teacher..not listening to your gut feelings..always a mistake.  

 
We did have plenty of time to shop though and managed to cram this beauty into our vehicle...45.00.. did you say 45.00? sold.....

We thought we might have to strap her to the top of the roof but we did end up selling enough windows so she could ride home more respectfully...brown cloth material with a killer iron base..made it worth the trip just for her. 

Onward and upward hopefully we go to try another new market which we have only heard good things about...The Highwood Street Market..from the promoters of The Randolph Street Market...check out the link for more info...hope to see you there!!