The Nyman’s have been participating at events at Kirby’s Mill in Medford for many years.   They display and demonstrate their beautiful nature carvings and decoys.    I always stop to admire them even if I am in the midst of helping with the event.  So today it was a special thrill when Barbara Nyman came into Jersey Made with a collection of their works.   Both Barbara and her husband, Raymond are carvers and their work is exquisite.  

Here are a few photos for you to enjoy.

This bird is beautiful….

This is a ‘pocket’ decoy.   Hunters can carry it along with them….

All of the decoys can be used for display but are ready to float too…

Barbara demonstrated this folk box of birds that come with little pegs so they will stick in the ground….

And these fish decoys are going to be hung from my 10′ antique fishing pole that I have hanging…

Jersey Made is thrilled to welcome the Nyman Collection.   Please stop by to see them all.  I forgot to take pictures of the feather pins but I have some friends helping me find some driftwood to finish up the display for them.  

Ahhh – the crow pin is special!!!   

I was so glad I wore my Seahorse Designs hat to the shop today.   I took alot of grief for taking off the giant sunflower that was attached to the hat.   I purchased it at the Witches Ball and tried to give Doreen the flower back.  Everyone insisted I keep it on the hat but as soon as I got home  I replaced the sunflower with my green winged teal feather pin.  It really was the perfect match and the hat is just perfect now.    Of course I had to show Barbara that I was already a fan of carved feathers and have been enjoying their work for many years.  I am so glad to have them participating at Jersey Made.

There was alot going on in Mill Race Village today.   All the shops were getting ready for tomorrow’s festivities.   Santa Claus will be coming to town and the tree lighting at 5PM.   

In addition to fixing up the shop and putting items on display I thought it would be fun to spruce up the “Cupboard under the stairs”.   So I posted on my Facebook status to see if anyone had some Harry Potter items.   My neice said she would look around and let me know.   Jenn thinks that she has a Hermoine wand.   Shortly after that Allan stopped into Jersey Made.  He had seen my Facebook message and brought this awesome Gryffindor banner.  It is the perfect size for the cupboard..   I am going to gather some items to make a tassel type hanger for it and it will be hung up tommorrow.   I was thrilled with his gift and thoughtfulness!

I did lots of things around the store today in between chatting with customers.   I wrapped up empty boxes with Christmas paper to put outside in the little wagon under the tree.   The little wagon looks cute but as soon as I moved it another wheel fell off.   Perhaps in the spring it could be up-cycled.   I worked on my Leafpile display and made some signs for around the store.

The M A D E letters have been talking to me as I sat at the counter.   The wall behind the counter needed something to catch people’s attention when they come through the door.   So I hung them up and sketched out the Jersey from the logo.   The Jersey will need another coat of gray paint and an outline but I think it looks pretty close to the actual font.   The M A D E letters really like the flash and pop out in the photo.   This is the wall that I painted “Almost Aloe”.  I know it doesn’t look that way in the picture so you will just have to stop in and see it in person.

I have been enjoying my time at Jersey Made this week.   Although I worked just as hard it just didn’t seem that way.   I could play music while I worked or was busy creating something.   The shop is looking great.   Tomorrow will be a busy day in the village with lots of people coming to enjoy the festivities.

Mark your calendars for a few upcoming events at Jersey Made….

Wednesday, December 9th 6PM to ???     Christmas Card Creations.   Bring your own supplies or you may buy a kit for $10   (makes 10 cards)    Holly will have her Christmas scrapbook there with loads of ideas and treasured cards she has made and received over the years.  

Saturday, December 12th 1-4PM   Iron Works Hill Battle -  come see all the reenactors fighting through the Mill Race Village.    and then from 6-9PM is the Chocolate Walk – oh wow!   What a fun event that is going to be.   Plan to spend the day in Mill Race Village but make sure to stop at Jersey Made for some chocolate treats!

Wednesday, December 16th 7PM to 8:30PM    The 1st monthly artist trading card club.  Make 3 ATC’s – see the events page for pics.   Kelly Donovan brings her awesome talents to Jersey Made.  There are still a few openings available.     $15 plus $5 supply fee = $20

Saturday, December 19th  1PM to 2:30PM    Here is a great opportunity for parents and kids too.   Parent shop/Kids craft   Parents will have 1 1/2 hours to shop the Mill Race Village while the kids make holiday crafts.   There will be a few different crafts available depending on the age groups.   This class will be limited to 8.   Parents are asked to plan their shopping at Jersey Made after 2:30PM.    Class fee is $15.   If you are bringing 2 or more each additional kid is $10.   i.e.  3 kids = $35 total

  As always, thanks for reading!  

I joined a group on Facebook called “Artist Trading Cards”.   A friend had told me about a recycle swap that was to be made from at least 50% recycled items.   I am a recycled artist so this seemed right up my alley.   The inspiration was a little slow to come on how to do my ATC’s for the project – probably because there was a wide range of recycled items that could be used that deciding which one was a challenge for me.   Then in the mail arrived this magazine all about chocolate.   Inspiration struck for “Remnants of the Chocolate”.   This is a limited edition ATC card – only 6 were made.    5 will be sent for the swap and 1 will get 4 ATC’s back.   The last ATC will be sent to Kelly as a little thank you gift.

Here is the link for Artist Trading Cards on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=12573&post=82527&uid=2204569726#/group.php?gid=2204569726

Here is the magazine and the playing cards that I used for the card base.

I attached pages of the magazine onto the playing cards.

But then I had to add more!!    Remnants of many different types of chocolate were used.  

I kept adding wrappers and bags.   I made a ‘fringe’ that slipped thru the 2 slots across the top of the cards.  Did you know you could curl candy bags just like ribbon?   hehe

Then I added some words too!!!

Work It!    hehehe

Oh yay!!!  This card is #4 and Kelly will be receiving it shortly…..

On the back I printed out labels that stated my name, the swap and the # of cards that I am trading.

I have been working on this project for a few weeks now – a little at a time as the chocolate vanished from my world and the wrappers accumulated.   Plus I had some help from friends who contributed their wrappers so I could make these ATC’s quite colorful.

One of the classes that is planned for Jersey Made will be a once a month ATC Club.   We will learn different tricks and techiniques and swap a few too!!!

There are a few reasons why I like ATC’s:

1.   they are pieces of art – although they are small

2.  can put alot of time into them but still see them completed

3.  I can collect other artist’s work too!!!

4.   I can use recycled stuff and all the bits of paper that I cannot throw away until I do something with them…..   

5.  fun to do and try out a new technique

My ATC recycle swap are 100% recycled!!!

Now I just have to wait for the post office to bring me the ATC’s from the swap!!!   That is the part I do NOT like…..waiting!

Have you ever had a dream?  

Something you reserached, planned, and envisioned?

Something that just seemed so perfect it could only feel like a dream?

Something that has been in your thoughts and prayers for several decades?

Well perhaps that is why today was such a really big day for me.  

There WAS a store in the Mill Race Village of Mount Holly that was available for rent.   But it’s not anymore because the lease got signed today.  That store will now become the home of Jersey Made.    A combination of artistic handmade items made by local New Jersey artists and a wide range of classes.  

Located 33-35 White Street, Mt Holly NJ 08060  (it’s not too soon to program your GPS or nubie or whatever those gizmos are called  – hehehe)

The entrance to Jersey Made…..

The front porch – oh my!   I have some awesome lawn furniture that a friend passed along to me.  Instead of being under plastic covers under my carport they get their own porch area!!!

Another door on the opposite side of the store.   This will come in handy when Mill Race Village has big events or whenever we need extra flow through the store!

Please notice the holly bushes out front – perfect!!

I was so excited to have the keys that all activity stopped until I could get a picture!!!  This is gonna be so great….    It is hoped to have Jersey Made all set up within the next few weeks.   Mill Race Village is hosting “Creativity for a Cause” on Saturday, November 28th so it would be great if the doors could be open so we can participate – at least a little bit!!!

And it came with a skeleton key for the bathroom door.  LOL!   Why that is needed I do not know but skeleton keys are high on my list of favorite antique things.

So this is where I will be from Wednesday to Sunday each week.   It will be so inspiring for me to be in a creative environment, planning classes, making samples and meeting people!   I’m so happy that Abbie will be participating too – she brings a wealth of talent to Jersey Made.   The logo that she designed is so perfect!!!  

Can’t wait to see this hanging at 33-35!!!!  

I spent a Sunday back in September at the Island Beach State Park’s annual Beach Plum Festival.   I didn’t sell very much that day.   Although there were alot of people looking at everything I had on display many were on their way to the beach or just shopping for some new ideas.   So this left me some extra time for chatting.   I met a woman who was telling me about her 3rd grade art class students.   I often make shadow boxes from old unused items and this was an inspiration for her.   She had a supply of cigar boxes but needed some extra trinkets and doo-dads for the kids to use in their creation.   So I offered to gather up some of what I had at home and mail them to her.   She agreed to pay the postage and I was glad to donate some items that I would probably not use but the kids sure would enjoy them.   My friend Margie had moved a few months ago so I had some things that she had passed along to include as well.

I jammed a box full of stuff.   The post office clerk looked at me funny when he asked if there was anything perishable or fragile in the box.  I had just chuckled because the box was rattling with all the beads, bells, stencils, small figures that were inside.   Nothing was really fragile so I didn’t feel that alot of packing material was necessary.  Plus I wanted to keep the cost down since the teacher was paying for this herself.

Eileen, the art teacher, confirmed by email that the package had arrived.   I was so glad it had gotten there safely.

Today when I got home there was a small padded envelope in my mailbox.   Eileen had sent a check for the postage along with a nice thank-you note.   Her note explained that the kids were not done yet but already enjoying their shadow box project.   Plus, they’ve added a new word to their vocabulary:

“trinket”  i.e.  lots of sundry and varied little objects of interest

Along with the note was this cute little hand-made “something” to thank me for my trouble and sharing my excess.   The label on the back calls it a “Chikagraphy”.    It looks like it was all hand sewn.

It’s always great to inspire kids to make art!   Especially when they get to expand their vocabulary too!!!

This Sunday, September 27th from 11AM to 4PM I will be showing my artwork at Arts In The Park.   I have attended this show for many years and always dreamed I might be ready to bring my creations to such a show.  So I was thrilled to be accepted into this show.   I sort of amazed myself for even filling out the application but I have many awesome friends encouraging me and helping me to go in the right directions.

Check out their website for directions and all the fun things that will be going on this year.

http://www.burlcoarts.com/ArtsinthePark

Please notice my coasters are pictured under the Fiber Art section.  

When filling out the application it asked if I would be demonstrating.   I checked yes.  Hehe!   So once I was accepted the wheels started to spin on what I would make as minor panic set in as well.    I wanted it to be small enough to not need much table room, not involve anything too messy, and something inventive that would capture their attention.  Of course it had to be recycled!!

About a month ago I woke in the morning with an idea in my head.  There I sat wondering why I was barely awake and yet had this clear vision of a recycled project to make.   So I went in my art journal where I had sketched out the idea that day while still foggy with sleep and have come up with a little project that I can demonstrate.   It’s simple, easy, clever, not messy, recycled, and cool!   Imagine all those things wrapped up in one.    So I made a few samples and was happy with the results.

Stop by my booth on Sunday and see the demonstration and I’ll give you a sample and an instruction sheet to take home!!!   This would be a great item to make with your kids!!!

Thanks for reading!!!

Fall is my favorite time of year.  Most likely because I am fascinated with leaves.  As autumn approaches the leaves start to change into the most awesome colors.  Right outside my front door I have a dwarf burning bush.  It’s not so small anymore since I refuse to trim it.  Already the green leaves of summer are starting to turn red.    The colors of fall are so vivid and seem to all coordinate together.

There is change in the air.  The days are not as hot and the nights can be chilly.  Wearing a jacket to work in the morning but then not needing it on the way home.    Change is all around us all the time.   That is not a bad thing at all.   Change often means growth, adjustments, lessons learned and new wisdom gained.  That is where we get the expression “turning over a new leaf”.  Fall is a good example of change leading into the first buds of spring.  If the leaves had not fallen there would be no room for the new growth.

The leaf seems carefree as if it is meant to float to the ground.  

Leaves accumulate.  

The wind blows the leaves into piles.   The stray leaves get raked into a pile (I hate leaf blowers – too noisy and if you have that many leaves you should be mulching them). 

Watching a leaf float from a tree is probably the greatest thing for me.  Alot of this is the reason why I created the Leafpile.   Lately I have been getting questions at shows about the meaning of the name so I figured I would take a few moments on this first day of fall to explain as best I can.

The creative things around me gather one at a time until eventually a pile is formed.   I meet new artistic friends and enjoy sharing in the art they create.   My mind envisions new ideas.   Taking classes to improve my skills helps me to grow.  I am inspired by all that is around me.  All of this gathers in my mind.   Any idea that might become something later goes into my art journal.  Now that I am on volume 3 it is interesting to look back to the previous volumes and see what inspirations turned into reality and those that fell by the wayside.   Some might still become a project so they are stored where I can review each page.

My creative business has been evolving more and more into using recycled or re-used items and creating art from them.   Nature continues to be a big part of that as I strive to keep great things from going to their demise in a landfill.    Wouldn’t it be better to re-create it into something decorative, useful, or imaginative?  I say it would!   At this point in time the only thing made from new items are my greeting cards and even that is in the midst of change.   

Everything I make is slightly unique.  Leaves look similar but they will never be exactly the same.  The colors will change, the size will differ.  I work by inspiration with items that I have on hand.   There is no mass production going on here.   I can recreate the idea again and it might be similar but not a duplicate.

This weekend I will be participating at Arts In The Park.   A few months ago when I send in the application I was nervous and apprehensive about it.  I was thrilled to be accepted into such a large show and now I am more excited than nervous.  It is held annually at the Smithville Mansion in Mount Holly, NJ.  

Come out and see how the pile has gathered and enjoy a day of the arts!

www.leafpile.org     a pile gathering one creative leaf at a time…  

Title: Woofstock Festival
Location: Lion’s Lake Park
Link out: Click here to the Animal Orphanage Website
Start Time: 11:00
Date: 2009-08-29
End Time: 4:00

Being a foster parent to 5 rescue adult cats, I am so pleased to be supporting this event.  My cats keep me company and are part of the family now.   Each came with their own little issues but have adjusted well and all get along well together.  Of course there is Elmer, my cat with a fan club.  He is the most aggressive of the bunch and I refer to him as the King of this Castle.   These cats came to me through Saved Whiskers which also supports the PetFinders group and has been helping to find homes for the homeless cats in this area.   Visit Saved Whiskers at www.savedwhiskers.com.   So I guess that is why this event strikes home for me.   It takes funds for these organizations to care for the animals until they find a home.

This is the 13th annual Woofstock Festival and it is their major fund raiser for the year.  Even if you cannot attend consider a small donation to help the cause.  http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NJ54.html

Please join me in supporting this GROOVY kind of Pet Fair and help homeless pets too!

There will be pets for adoption, pet vendors and rescue groups, food/refreshments, raffle baskets, music, and best of all crafters (that’s where I will be).

The event is $5 but children under 12 and seniors are FREE. Dutchtown Road & Route 73, Voorhees, NJ (across from the Library II Restaurant) at Lion’s Lake Park.

Special gift if you mention seeing this on my website!!!

I have been transforming the little space that I maintain at art/craft shows.  It has been a slow but steady adjustment with a change made for each upcoming show.  Finally I feel like I have the display that protrays the art that I create and is pleasing to customers so they want to come in a browse in my little 10′x10′ world.

At each show I have gotten better.  In this case pictures are worth a thousand words….

This picture was taken at the Handmade Faire: Halloween Edition in October 2008.  It was a mish mash to say the least.  Plus I needed help to transport my large card display.  It was a great display and kept my greeting cards from being damaged from the torrential winds and rain however I just couldn’t get it in my car.  It is now permanently stationed at my home.  Someday it may be cut down to size but I kind of like it and use it to store items I have for sale.   The blue tarp was rather unsightly but totally necessary for the weather forecast.

Art, Wine & Music Festival June 7, 2009.   My wooden window frame/chicken wire display made its first appearance.  Cards were displayed in old drawers but looked kind of scattery.  I like hanging them up on the ribbon grid done in the old window.   This picture really helped me.

Field Dog Expo on the next weekend, July 13, 2009.   This show was a challenge.  I tried to make the best of the uneven ground (notice the 4′x4′ board under the table on the left.  But then the rain came.  I stashed as much as I could under the tables and cover what was left with plastic tablecloths.  The mudslide got the best of me and the rain never stopped.   Many of my paper items were destroyed.  Another learning experience.

Handmade at Om Baby was just last weekend.  July 11, 2009.   I attached my new logo to an old cabinet door but it wasn’t really large enough.  As I looked around all the other vendors had big plastic banners.  I just didn’t want to go plastic!   Still I liked the look of my display and the new card display seemed to help me sell more.    The new tablecloth finished off the look I wanted.  Huge difference!  The 5 yards of eggplant linen fabric look better on my table than they would have been as the jacket and slacks set that had been originally planned for it so many years ago (there was a blog on that one – hehehe).    The area behind me was a mess of weeds.  I had placed some bamboo mats down to keep it contained in the area where I sat and had to walk but I still wished I could camoflauge more of what was behind me.

And now…. The Handmade Faire: Summer of Love on July 18, 2009!   Think I finally got it figured out.   Everything looked awesome.  Took me a little extra time to set up the curtains but I was glad I did.  They were closed in the morning to block the sun coming in that side and tied back in the afternoon to catch the breeze.  A few adjustments to weight them down in the event of wind and they will be perfect.

I took the other “house” display rack and made a 2nd card display.  They looked great side by side on my table and I sold many cards.  I didn’t really need to label them.  It was great watching people sort through them and hear their comments.  My “Not G rated” card got the most attendion LOL!

My new “banner” with my logo.  I used an old cabinet door frame and a wooden plate to create an attention getting logo display.   I was quite pleased with it and got many compliments throughout the day.  Doesn’t look as great in the photo?  hmmmm – come see it in person then!!!

My Charming Again collection was very popular.  I found that many of my customers were in the young teen crowd.  Younger kids liked them too and their adult companions did not mind spending $5 to get them something they could pick out for themselves.  A few of them were purchased as gift items as well.   Expanding on this line because I have many more little things that can be charming again!

So here are my changes in latitude.   I hope the pictures helped to tell the story of how I turned my booth into something rinky dink to a serious creator who wants to sell and share!

My new anti-spam devise is in the form of a secret password.  So when leaving me a comment please mention “recycle”.   I really don’t want to purchase pills or sell the next get rich quick scheme and certainly don’t understand the spam I get that is in some foreign language.  I find that most spammers do not really read my blog.  So I am creating my own little spamguard.    Your comments are really appreciated and I don’t want to miss anything you would like to contribute.

Thanks for reading!

I am really excited about this year’s Art Show & Sale at Kirby’s Mill.  Last year artist, Tom Kimball, created this watercolor and has allowed us to use it as our logo for the event. 

Isn’t this awesome?  It reflects what happens during this event on the grounds surrounding the old rustic mill. 

Art Show & Sale at Kirby’s Mill

Sunday, August 2, 2009   11AM to 4PM

Location: 275 Church Road, Medford, NJ 08055 (at the intersection of Fostertown Road)

Click here to visit the Kirby Art group in Facebook

The Art Show & Sale at Kirby’s Mill has been growing each year. This year we will again have the melodic music of Jennifer Mylod and the Boys of County O’cean. Also we will have book readings for the children. Great art, refreshment and festivities.
Sponsored by the Medford Historical Society
Please mark your calendars and join us….