This was project that started out more like an experiment.   The inspiration came from the large collection of  little honey spoons that have been collecting at Jersey Made.   So I washed up a few.  Normally I avoid washing extra dishes whenever possible so you know this was an idea brewing for awhile.

Using the heat gun I melted them slightly in the middle.   Magically they folded over back onto themselves.    I used a chopstick to avoid cooking my fingers and to keep control of  the spoons.   Still had sore fingers from trying to mold down some of the rough edges.

I wasn’t really sure what they would become.    Actually I thought maybe they would become pendants but the loop did not close tightly.    As it turned out they came out perfect for the people who would receive them.

Page markers for musicians!!!

The page markers were given to all the musicians that came to participate in the all day jam at Pinelands Folk Music & Basketry.    Pinelands is the shop right next to Jersey Made.    I cut strips of sheet music to make a little place to hold them and so the musicians would not wonder why I was giving them a melted spoon.    LOL

The bottom two spoons in this photo were made special for Rich & Mary.

The musicians loved them and I had to make a new batch quickly so everyone had one!!

Recycled AND usable too!!!

“Hey Artists! Why do you do what you do, why is handmade important to you?” This question was posed to me as part of the upcoming Handmade Faire on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at Freedom Park in Medford.   The Handmade Faire is known as being “NOT your typical craft fair”.   With over 100 artists selected to be on display there is quite a selection of handmade items!!!

So after giving this some thought I decided that it would be good to contribute some of them…..

I have been creating forever.   For over 25 years I have been at art & craft fairs throughout the area.    All that has changed for me.   In December I opened Jersey Made, a brick and mortar location that not only sells my own creations but also the handmade artwork of over 30 other artists as well.    My background of doing shows and setting up displays has been a great experience but it seemed like it was time for me to take a giant step forward.

There is something special about giving and receiving handmade items!   I enjoy sharing a little part of me when I create something just for friends or family.    Even if it just a handmade greeting card to brighten their day.  Buying and giving handmade makes a difference and it really does support our local economy as well!

So now I am a shopowner, recycled artist, and also teaching others to create their own handmade art.    It’s a great thing!!!

Ever have an idea that wakes you up out of a sound sleep?

The answer comes just when the question has made you weary.

That is how it happened with the upcoming 35th Annual Quilt Show at Kirby’s Mill.   I have had something new every year to submit for display.   This year was different.   Since opening Jersey Made there just has not been time left for quilting.   Now I am planning to move which has  much of my treasured & partially completed quilting projects being packed carefully away.    Since I am part of the group of volunteers that puts on this event I really wanted to participate!

But how?   I have this “can’t display the same quilt at the same show again” rule going on in my head!!!

That is where the question started!

Monday is my day off.   As I was travelling about doing my errands I had an urgent inspiration to stop at the Goodwill I was passing.   I found this hinged picture display piece for the whopping sum of  $4.99.

I pondered it for the rest of the day.   Sometime during the night the idea formed.   Tuesday I knew exactly what to do.   I spent the day gathering some old quilting magazines.   Using the quilting instructions and patterns from the magazines I decorated the display.

I filled the 12 spaces with my collection of fiber art quilted postcards that I received from some of my Love Apple Quilters friends.    We had done many exchanges a few years ago that included spring, the S’s of Summer (hehe – that was my idea), fall/halloween, winter, and patriotic.

I was really pleased with how it turned out.  My quilted project made it’s first appearance at the Quilt Show at Kirby’s Mill this past weekend.    Although it was incredibly hot in the non air-conditioned mill, many did come out to see the over 100 quilts on display!

Here are my photos from the Quilt Show….

The top left is my wheelbarrow postcard.   It is actually the only one I made an extra to keep for myself.    They were so fun to mail out that I got a little crazy and mailed them all!!!

These were so fun to share with my quilting friends.    Small enough that you could finish a few in a short amount of time.   The real thrill was when you received them in the mail!!!

As always, thanks for reading!!

I always think it is great that people enjoy the handmade items at Jersey Made.   Each time a purchase is made I am happy for the artist and glad that there really are people out there that appreciate things that are handmade.   Or perhaps they just like what they see and don’t even consider that it is something handmade.   Either way – it is still exciting for me!

So why is it that when someone purchases something that I have created I am shocked?    Amazed?   Awestruck???    That shouldn’t be!   But I guess it is extra exciting for me and encouraging as well!

This is my little Jersey Girl Box.   Made from an old drawer.   I covered it with paint and added some flair from an old map.   Inside I stamped the words jersey girl.   Yup – I had to do this upside down and backwards to get it right!   Super duper stamper that I am….

So I finished the box last week, priced it and put it on the shelf.    Yesterday a customer was making a little pile on the front counter of items that she wanted to purchase.   It was so great to see my little Jersey Girl Box added to the pile!!

As always, thanks for reading!   Your comments are always appreciated!!

Handmade in New Jersey

Sometimes inspiration hits me like a bolt of lighting!

That’s how it happened today….

Each week I go with friends to the local flea market.   Many of the people there selling jewelry have these ceramic hands that they use for displays.   Some of them are just sitting there with no jewelry on them so I often ask the price.   A few weeks ago there was a porcelain hand that was a ridiculously high price.    Even higher than the price I got when I had asked the week before LOL!  But I wanted one of these for Jersey Made.   It just seemed like the coolest idea.

Well today it all came together.   I had found 2 pairs of antique ladies gloves that I have been holding onto for many years.    My idea was to use them to create my own hand display.     So I packed the gloves in my purse as I headed out the door this morning.   At the flea market today I saw the same hands but this time I did NOT ask the price!    I had a new price that I was willing to pay and that was zero!!!

I stuffed the glove with leftover quilt batting.   You know the pieces I mean – the ends that are too small for another quilt and great if you want to make zillions of coasters.   I just pulled it apart and it became instant fluff.

Then the search began for how to make my gloved hand stand up.   There were a few failed attempts.   The teacup just didn’t want to support it and that would not have been strong enough to add jewelry.     I’m not even sure I want to tell you about the light bulb idea!!  But I had an lamp that had broken.   It could have been rewired but I had already found another lamp to use in its place.    So I dismantled the lamp.   This became the base for my hand after sanding it and painting it green.

It wasn’t easy getting the fingers just right!   They looked liked Mickey Mouse’s fingers for awhile.   A little fluff was taken out so they would look for delicate and non-cartoony (ok I just made that word up – hehe)

Here it is!   The “Glamor Me” Jewelry Hand Display…..

I wish the letters showed up a little better in the photograph.  They look sharp in person and add just the right touch.   Glamor is a great word (even if you are not a True Blood fan) and jewelry really does add that magical touch to any outfit!!

Just as I was thinking about what jewelry to put onto the hand display, Angela from Electron Cloud 9 arrived at Jersey Made.   I explained to her what was working on and she was willing to have her jewelry shown on my new creation!

Thanks to Electron Cloud 9 and SeaHorse Designs for letting me display their jewelry on my newest artwork!!!

Created by Holly Doyle 5/20/2010

For sale at Jersey Made…..

I have more gloves so I am going to do this again!!!

Here is a little bonus for all of you!   Many of the artists at Jersey Made bring along their kids when they come in with new creations for display.   It was a special treat today to have Julie & Sydney (Angela’s daughters).   While her Mom was busy getting her jewelry read, Sydney asked me if I had any food.   I offered pretzels – she frowned.   I offered popcorn and her face lit up!    After popcorn Sydney went off to look over Parker’s Pickle Sandwich and the new Alex’s Lemonade Stand book.   Julie asked for paper – her project was a secret.    After they all left I glanced at the notebook and found this great artwork!

Great job!!!

The Gallery Exhibit for the 2010 Appel Farm Surprise Art Challenge was so interesting.   28 packages of recycled materials (some close to just plain old junk) were sent out.   Many declined once they received the package and a few more just didn’t return an entry.

16 creations were on display!

I was impressed that some of them had their blogs printed out.   I mentioned this to Kristen and when we went over to where our creations were displayed I was sad when I mentioned that mine didn’t have the blog.   Kristen laughed as she pointed to the whole wall behind me covered with my blog that told of the experience from beginning to end of my project!

Holly’s blog on the LeafPile

And there was my project displayed on the table below.   They even set up the checkerboard!!

I had asked a few friends if they wanted to participate but only Kristen Bossert asked me to forward the information along.   Her penguin was just the cutest.   His nose was the front of the little car and his feet were puzzle pieces.

She also made some jewelry using the puzzle pieces & bottlecaps – very clever!!

This one is by JoAnne Ruggeri.   Really impressive job!

of course I was incredibly excited to see that someone else ‘fussy cut’ those fish from the back of the map!!!

Entry by Doris Nogveira-Rogers – kind of neat how she mounted everything on a recycled piece of wood.

Trudi Herman used the box that the project came in to create a frame for her artwork.   I liked how she re-created the map to be for Haiti.

Very impressed with Emma Frost’s creation entitled “Too Full”.   Emma is almost 13 and it sounds like she is already bursting with creative ideas which just have to spill over when she gets too many….

Melissa Sauk created a whole altered book.   Really enjoyed looking through all of them.   Very creative!!

“Allow your inner mermaid to frolic freely”  - loved it!!!

John Kwasizu created “Finish Line”

“Ideal Mother” by Eiko Fan  was something!!!

She even had a baby in the womb!

Somehow I didn’t get the name of the creator of this one.   Lori R??? is written on the paper below.    But I was still quite impressed.   Apparently she got chapters 1 through 17 of Danielle Steele’s book “Wings”.   I had gotten 18 through the end….     She created a suitcase of a flying romantic interlude using vintage photos and even an  old telegram.

It was quite elaborately done!!

This was the back side of the suitcase!

Just as I was announcing that this was my absolute favorite creation the artist had entered the room.   “Johnny Angel” was just perfect.   She had read the story in the Danielle Steele book that was included with the same name and that became her inspiration.

Johnny was tucked away inside the box.

The glass was broken to symbolize his crash.

Really great job by Sandra Koberlein!!

Congratulations to Carina & her committee at Appel Farm for putting together the 1st ever Appel Farm Surprise Art Challenge.    Great job!   I hope the tradition continues again next year!!

I was invited to participate in the 2010 Appel Farm Surprise Art Challenge.   On April 19, 2010 they mailed me a packaged of  recycled materials.     When all were laying on the table it looked like a bunch of junk!

A piece of the ugliest belt I had ever seen kind of cracked me up.

Never EVER would I wear anything with a red sequin bow so creating art from it just didn’t seem my thing either!!

The package included a funny collection of items.    The fraction of a book was interesting.       The old Family Circle magazine had possibilities but there was nothing inspiring about the little car with the souped up engine.   Then there was the bottle caps & puzzle pieces.

An extra special treat was the old New Jersey map!

Once inspiration struck I set off to work on my project.

The red sequins were removed from the ugly sweater piece.   These was used as fillers for the bottle caps – mixed with plain old white glue.   They dried on a plate for a few days!

The belt was painted black.   I know you will all miss those blue dragons but they had to go back to rescue a princess or something!    An old wine box became my foundation.  A perfect fit with the rustic old clipboard.

I used the small piece of polyester to dab paint onto the side of the box.  The rest of the wine box was covered using parts of  the New Jersey map.

The car just didn’t fit into the plan.   So I dismantled the wheels cause they were kind of neat!

Here it is – the “King Me”  Recycled Checkerboard Set!

Everything is set to fit inside the box.   The clipboard works as the lid and it slides on and off under the twill band that is attached to the belt buckle.

This shows the side of the box that I painted using the cloth.   Yes, I fussy cut the fish out of the map.   All fresh & salt water fish that are found in New Jersey waters.   NJ 081 9-07 is some secret USPS code for getting my package of “art supplies” to me!

The twill tape was nailed to the box.   A “tab” was created to decorate the area.

The checkerboard was created on the magazine.   The pages were sealed together with pages from the book.   It folds up to fit inside the box.

The back cover of the book was used to create a score keeping record.   With titles on top for “me” and “u”.   Look inside the box.   The glass was painted black and holds the bottlecaps for player #1.   The miniature recycling container holds the puzzles pieces for player #2.    Flip them over when it is time to say “King Me”!

I tried to take a photo that would show how the lid slides off the top.   Room inside for all the game pieces, the checkerboard, and the score card!

Well that is my creation for the Appel Farm Surprise Art Challenge!   It was a good challenge for me and although I stepped out of my box just a little I also created it within a box too!   Recycling items to make art has become my niche.    I really enjoy making something that would be otherwise be discarded into something usable and inspiring!

Mark your calendar and come by:

Join us at the

Appel Farm Surprise Art Challenge

Gallery Show

Saturday, May 15 8:00-10:00 p.m.

Free Admission! • Free Refreshments! • Free Your Mind!

Come to meet and greet fellow artists, bloggers and arts aficionados. It’s happening in the Appel Farm Art Gallery! directions

Jersey Made is excited to be a sponsor for Arbor Day / Earth Day 2010.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Plant a tree, make a rain barrel, see the recycled art on display…..

Green is IN!!!    Hope you can stop by to participate!

Creativity For A Cause will be happening on May 1st as well.    25 workshops throughout Mount Holly to support the non-profit organization, Officer Down.   Sure to be an awesome event for a great cause!!

So many ways to make a difference all in one day!!!

It must be spring….the two-lips are here!

Hahaha – sometimes I am just so witty I crack myself up!   Not sure where these ideas come from but it is fun to see what happens when you let those creative inspirations lead you along.

I found an envelope with a bunch of $2 bills.   Spring is just beginning to appear.   The first full moon of spring was earlier this week.    Flowers are popping up from the ground.

Then I thought of tulips.    That somehow led to TWO-lips.

After a few attempts I finally created the prototype two-lip.   I used a $1 bill for this so as not to crease the $2 bills that have been saved flat since 1976.

This is a 100% recycled creation.   The stems are pencils that I had spray painted green for my upcoming daffodil project.  The ties are from fabric that was passed along to me at a recent quilting guild meeting.    The “vase” is a toilet paper tube wrapped with the same fabric.   It didn’t want to stand up by itself so I found a small jelly jar that fit perfect in the bottom and the extra weight did the trick.   The leaves are scraps of green felt.

They are certainly a whimsical and unusual way to celebrate spring but I think that is what I like about them!!!

Happy Spring!!!

I heart your comments……

Last night as I listened to Charlie Zahm sing O Danny Boy in his great baritone voice I suddenly remembered why I don’t watch soap operas…..

Many years ago I was addicted to Ryan’s Hope.   The Ryans were an Irish-American family who owned a bar in New York City.    I would videotape each episode since I was rarely home around noon.   I would watch it as soon as I arrived home.   Life was put on delay cause the Ryan’s had become my second family and I had to know what happened to them while I was gone.

On January 13, 1989 Ryan’s Hope aired its final episode.   I don’t remember why but the bar was closing.    Maeve Ryan sat on the piano and sang O Danny Boy as I started crying.   Sobbed at random for many days, weeks and months after that.   It was like I had lost a large part of the people I had grown to love.   I cared about what happened in their lives.   The grief was too much for me.

I have refrained from allowing myself to be that attached to a TV show or soap opera ever since.    I kept the videotape of the final 2 episodes many years afterwards.   Why?   Don’t know!   I never watched the tape again.

Isn’t it interesting how a song can bring the memories floating back?

Thanks for reading!!!

Oh & kilts rock!!!!!