Today was the first time I tried out my new wood burning kit.   Actually the brand name is Versa Tool.   After practicing on a small piece of wood with a few of the tips, I decided to work on my big project.   My friend Steven had given me some awesome driftwood that I have been using in a display case at Jersey Made.   I had also selected this piece from his vast collection.   He said this particular piece had came from the riverbank in Delanco -  real New Jersey driftwood!!!

First I marked the letters onto the driftwood with yellow chalk.   Pencil lines would have been too hard to see and I was not couragous enough to even think about using a pen or other permanent writing tool!    After doing the outline of the letters I got braver and made a design inside the letters too.     

I think I did mighty fine for my first adventure!!!

It still needed a little something.    I had some of the light gray paint left so I brushed that onto the outer part of the letters first.   Once I was sure I liked that I added the green.    Just want to make really sure everyone could see that Jersey Made was O P E N. 

 Next week’s project will be to figure out how to hang it right by the front door.    I have a few ideas but need to make sure the sign is secure and still easily removed each night.  

As usual thanks for reading!

Come on over to Jersey Made …..

The sign will be hanging every Wed & Fri from 11-6PM, Thurs 12-6PM, Sat 10-6PM, Sun noon – 4PM.

Jersey Made, LLC

Mill Race Village

33 White Street

Mount Holly, NJ   08060

609-914-1536

Much has been going on at Jersey Made.   On Wednesday a bunch of friends came to help move some of the big furniture from my house.   My house is looking empty.  What once was a crowded workspace where 8 of us had room to scrapbook could now host a square dance.   The cats are a little confused and keep walking around imaginary furniture.    Meanwhile Jersey Made is starting to look like something big is happening.   The furniture really brought the place to life.   Just seeing my table in the classroom got me excited.   It looked so small in the big room and there will be plenty of room for classes and clubs!

This is me in the area where my recycled art will be displayed.   The walls are looking awesome with the variety of maps that have been collected.

My friend Hope arrived just as we needed her.  Such a great friend!   She brought along many useful items and display racks, including a little white shelf that we have been passing back and forth over the years.   The sweetest gift was a roll of paper towels and a roll of toilet paper.   She looked puzzled when I told her to put them in the “cupboard under the stairs” but quickly chuckled as she found it.   LOL!!!   Plus a delicious pumpkin pie complete with plates and plasticware!  

There was furniture for everyone to move – even Neil!   He loved playing with this little cabinet table and it kept him entertained while his parents went to get us some much needed food and beverages!   If you look behind Neil you can see my table in the classroom.    Lauren came by with some chairs that had to be made by the same manufacturer and will go great in the classroom.

Hehe – it has no back so it was extra fun!   He began saying hello like me so it sounded more like hellloooooooooooo.   Both of us laughed a bunch!

Abbie did a great job with the maps on the walls.   They really look sharp.   We were laughing that when someone needs directions to anywhere in Burlington County or New Jersey the place for directions will be Jersey Made.  

Many thanks to Kelly & Dave.   Geez they really helped a bunch!!!    I can’t wait for the ATC Club to start on December 16th – that will be so fun making minature pieces of art.   Please check the Leafpile events calendar for upcoming classes and clubs.    Meanwhile Sean is busy getting the Jersey Made website going.

The inspector came for the Certificate of Occupancy and I was so excited when Jersey Made passed!   Came in a little under the wire with last minute repairs but the MRV staff is awesome and really helped out!

This was my entertainment on Monday and Tuesday as I was busy painting at Jersey Made.  It seems the main passtime of the young teens across the street is finding connections to the wireless internet in the neighborhood.   This kid was extra persistant.  It must of been a great game he was trying to play.   When opening the downstairs window did not work he went upstairs.  When opening the upstairs window didn’t work he proceeded to hang out the window.   Further and further I watched him go until finally he was practically out of the house.   He stayed this way for quite awhile pushing the buttons on his little gizmo.   Needless to say, Jersey Made will have locked internet!!!

It’s all very exciting!   Tomorrow I will be setting up my recycled art and other items that I have created.   Artists will be coming in to bring in their artwork as well throughout the weekend.    Abbie has some great ideas for displaying her t-shirts and art blocks.    James, the upstairs neighbor, had some shelves and brackets for the slatwall that is in many of the rooms at Jersey Made.    So every piece of furniture and shelving is being re-used.    Many in unique ways!   Go green……

Hope you plan to stop by Jersey Made soon.    It will be open this Saturday & Sunday but offically open on Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

The Leafpile has accumulated 100 comments as of Tuesday.  I thought that was an interesting milestone.   It also helped me to see that if I want more comments I need to set some goals for that.    

 Step 1 towards this goal - say PLEASE leave me a comment…..

Thanks for reading – PLEASE leave me a comment!!!  

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!!!

I forgot to mention another tail from the Woofstock event. 

There was a bunch of people in my tent at the time.   I heard laughter from a couple looking at some of my creations hanging on the shutters that I had made into a display rack to hang from my tent.  I am used to getting some odd reactions but felt safe in asking the reason for their amusement.  The woman explained that she had just said to her husband ‘who thinks of this stuff?’  The husband quickly chimed in and said ‘obviously – SHE does’ as he wagged his finger in my direction.   I laughed along with them and of course said thanks!  

I never found out which of my items caused this conversation and I suppose that doesn’t matter.  Not everyone sees the same things.   Some people discard things that I would never do.   Many items have been rescued from this demise and found their way into some new creation.

This wooden heart “Follow Your Heart” is a great example.

When I saw these slices off a tree at a flea market I immediately started getting ideas.  The man selling them kept saying “some man can really make something nice out of these” followed by “some man with the right tools could really make this wood shine again”.   I offered him $1 which was a few less than he was asking.   After he agreed and the purchase was complete I said “this woman is gonna make something great with these” and quickly walked away.    My friend who rarely laughs out loud got hysterical and we had to run back to the car quick so as not to upset the old man.

So follow your heart – it may lead you to a dog event selling your artwork, listening to people’s reactions, and having lots of tales (tails) to blog about later.  

P.S. This item is still available.   I am going to try to spend more time listing items in my website store.

It’s not that I don’t already have a bunch of projects in the works.  Since I work by inspiration anything can happen.   Last weekend I had no shows or plans so I decided that I needed a project.  Something besides the laundry and cleaning.  Something that would show an end result and would fill my urge to create something that has no deadline and would just be something I could enjoy doing.  About all me – LOL!!!

My first job was to clear the 2 tables I have in the front room.   I was halfway through this project which involved putting things away, organizing the tools, and putting away the pieces of many different project that had been accumulating all summer.   How do I fit 8 scrapbookers in this room?   You would never guess that we would all fit.  Scrapbookers come with luggage (in case you didn’t know this – hehe).  It is amazing that I can fill up all this space all by myself.

So inspiration struck when I found this old drawer from a sewing table.  I had seen a jewelry display box on Etsy and couldn’t stop thinking about it.  So clearing the tables went to the bottom of the to-do list since I had created enough space to add another project.  I realized that I had the basic components for making it already stashed in my house.   Off I went to gather what I needed.

The black spool holder makes this drawer unique.  So I stood the drawer on end and the wheels of creativity started to spin.  I decided I liked the handle of the drawer on the top.   This gave me a direction.  So I decoupaged old sewing patterns on the inside of the drawer.   Then I added some color copies of antique sewing needle packages, button cards, and rulers.   I had done 2 previous projects with them but since I never know when to stop cutting there were still a bunch left.   Since decoupage dries quickly it made it easy to add to it each time inspiration struck as I walked by the table.   At the end of last weekend this is how it looked. 

Then I had to sand it.  Love my little Black & Decker Mouse.  I just purchased some new sanding pads for it online so I was ready to try them out. I rushed home from work on Monday to do this.   I lost the ruler on the bottom edge when the sander took over the project.  But it looked more rustic and worn after I was done so I was pleased.

 Here is the spool rack on the upper left hand of the drawer.

After all the sanding the edges were a little too light for my rustic look.   Timber Brown Ink by Staz On (available through Stampin’ Up! – see my link on the right) was perfect.  It’s the best color for adding that worn and antique-y look!

It seems that everytime someone gives me a bag of sewing stuff there are boxes of old sewing machine feet, adapters and pieces.  So I started attaching a few of them.   The more the project came along the more I could see jewelry hanging from every area.

One spool of thread just didn’t seem enough.  So I gathered a few spools plus a spool adapter from a trusty old Singer machine.   These were screwed into the bottom of the drawer.   This picture shows a good view of how the Timber Brown finished off the edges so nicely.  Buttons and feet were glued in for some added decoration.

So today I am calling this finished.   I will drill 2 screw holes so that the “Sew Altered Jewelry Drawer” can be attached to the wall.  This is one of those things that required finding a stud to insure that it stays on the wall. 

Can you picture this with necklaces draped from the spools and the adapter piece?   I see rings on the black spool holder.  Bracelets and more necklaces hanging from the cuphooks.  

This “Sew Altered Jewelry Drawer”  will be going with me to my art/craft shows.   My “Charming Again” necklaces will be displayed from it.   After much consideration I have decided that it will have a price tag on it too!   This was fun to create and I like the idea of recycling old sewing items into a useful and decorative accessory.   So many more ideas are running through my head as I write today.

As always, thanks for reading!  

I find joy in the little things so please leave a comment!

Today I visited http://www.smokeybear.com/ and found out that he has recently turned 65.   Does Smokey qualify for Social Security benefits?   He has been putting out fires and spreading the word about fire prevention for 65 years.   He didn’t wait until he was 18 to start working.  He certainly is 100% American and would therefore be more eligible than the many illegal aliens who currently do receive this money. 

Although I really don’t want him to retire.   It’s important to keep reminding people that “only we can prevent forest fires”.   I know that forest fires are something that does happen without human help.  The forest actually thrives after a fire and needs this to happen occasionally for rejuvenation.   It does not need to rejuvenate as often as careless humans leave campfires unattended or discard lit cigarettes out the window. 

So join me in extending birthday congratulations to Smokey the Bear.   We will not be lighting 65 candles on a birthday cake.  I do not think he would want cake anyway and the anxiety of 65 burning sticks of wax could be bad for this old bear.   Not to mention that he strongly reminds us to not play with matches!  

So in place of these standard ways to celebrate I offer this alternative.   Why not become a fan of Smokey’s Facebook page? 

There are many fan pages out there but to get the official one go to www.smokeybear.com and click on the Facebook link at the upper right hand corner. 

Thanks for helping to stop forest fires started by humans!