Craft Show at Maple Meadow Farms

Folk Art Tree Booth

Pins

My lovely assistant

Apple Cozies

Indian Drumming

Children's Activity Area

Inside Folk Art Tree Booth

Buntings, Vintage Hankies and Pom Pom Garland

Lots of Rides

Tractors For Sale

More Booth

It was an eventful weekend at Maple Meadow Farms. We had a microburst thunderstorm that took out a lot of my inventory (picture about $500 worth laying in a mud puddle!) but I sent some wonderful customers home with some free stuff (albeit covered with stinky mud!).  They were hoping to salvage the damaged dolls.  Can't get any more primitive than mudstained, eh?  Saturday was pretty hot and my niece and I didn't plan our seating arrangement very well so we scored some great sunburns....luckily, the flies were few, the people plenteous as they were happily  enjoying the (finally!) summer weather.  The Gregg family works so hard to make the Farm ready for this weekend long event and it is always a wonderful family experience. 

A Jewelry Round Robin

Inspired by an article in my last issue of Belle Armoire Jewlery I decided to ask a couple friends I have met online to join me in an exciting Round Robin. The premise is, you begin a piece of jewelry and begin a journal as you create. You send the unfinished piece and journal onto one of your friends and they add to your jewelry and journal in your journal, while you receive one of your friend's pieces and add to it and journal in their journal. It continues around until all the friends have added their part to everyone's jewelry and you get a finished piece at the end of the project!

So my friend C sent her piece to me for the first round.

She lives on the shores of Lake Michigan and is an outdoor kind of gal. (She sells those gorgeous blue beads in her Etsy shop.) So I have been pondering what I can make that is unique to me that would be a compliment to the style she has begun. I began a little experiment this afternoon and I think it is going to work. I can't show you pics, since we want the bracelet reveal to be a nice surprise, but it is earthy and beachy!

My bracelet was mailed to my friend S. Here is the foundation for my bracelet. You know it HAD to be old stuff, didn't you?

Lovely old buttons and trinkets. I like to imagine who the original owner of these little baubles were. They are such silly things, but so pleasant to gaze upon. I will update our progress as we move along in our journey!

The Great Reorganization

With children leaving the nest, hubby and I have been doing some home renovations which included moving my studio from the upstairs to the first floor. Having worked in the same room for 15 years, you can imagine the accumulated dearth of "stuff" collected over all that time. It has been wonderful to clean out and reorganize, assess some needs (like new tools!) and rearrange my workspace into a more user-friendly configuration.

Although there are still piles of stuff stacked on the floor and desk waiting for their new home on the 12 ft wide wall of shelves (thank you, my helpful hubby), I have organized things to within an inch of it's life and the "done" stage is almost in sight. The room has beautiful blue/green walls, chocolate velvet curtains and

some gorgeous primitive watercolors done by my friend H..... I have surrounded myself with colors, creative inspiration, and objects I love to look upon. I may never want to leave this room again. When it is finished and looking properly organized, I'll post some more pics. I love this organized life.

It is a New Year

As 2010 sweeps gently over into 2011, I have purposed within myself to make some changes. I have been watching my children slowly leave the nest, and every trip they make home becomes shorter and more bittersweet. They are truly becoming men, with their own lives and responsibilities. As much as I sometimes long for a few moments to have them as young children again, I am filled with joy as I watch them grab hold of who they are and what they stand for. A mother's heart can't get any bigger than mine. With less child rearing, I have found more time to reconnect with myself as an individual. "Mom" and "Wife" have been my job titles for 25 years. I will always be a mom and wife, and I will never regret the commitment I made to nurture my family. I have left a part of me within each of them but I wish to re-discover parts of me long buried. It is quieter now, a more suitable time for introspection and rebirth, and I am longing to discover a depth of creativity within myself that defines me as an artist. Therefore, I must diligently listen and respond to that quiet voice. My creative voice. The voice that communicates who I am through works made with my hands. I am mom and wife, but I am also an artist. It is this part of me that I wish to nurture in this season of my life. I must plant new seeds of possibilities and reconnect my hands, my heart and my vision. 2011, I joyfully greet you.

Carla, one of my delightful customers and fellow Etsier posted a lovely blog post about Folk Art Tree on her blog. I tried to be normal....

Carla has another shop selling delicious beads for you jewelry makers!

Thanks Carla!

Early Spring

In the spring, at the end of the day, one should smell like dirt....

We have an early spring here in northern Maine, and I've been drooling over flower and veggie catalogs. Nothing like the faint wisp of muddy earth to bring out the farmer in me!

So I have been playing with some old seed packet images and came up with these little earrings. I just love them!

My Jewelry Making Space

For you, Peggy...
My jewelrymaking workspace I procured from a space in my hallway on the first floor. I have been so happy here in this warm part of the house, working on jewelry, scrapbooking and encaustic painting. It needs to get cleaned up before hubby gets home, though!

Encaustic paints and griddle and 20 cat foods cans are under the desk...My studio is in the cold upstairs, so I will photograph it later, on a warmer day.

My new shop http://www.folkarttreefandangle.etsy.com/ has been filled with products made from this very spot.

New Etsy Shop

I have opened a new shop called Folk Art Tree Fandangle dedicated to my jewelry. I have found I am really enjoying making wearable art with old buttuns, charms and beads mixed with new findings for fabulous adornments. So come check it out!

folkarttreefandangle.etsy.com

My Donation to the Ronald McDonald House Auction

On June 4, the Ronald McDonald House of Portland will be hosting its fourth annual Purses with Purpose, etc. ‘fun-raiser’ at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth. At this patio event, guests will bid on purses, jewelry and accessories donated by celebrities, designers, businesses and craftspeople in the much-anticipated silent auction; then guests will be invited to enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and watch as the fashion show and live auction festivities continue. Admission to the event is by ticket only: $40 per person.

---------------------------------------------------------------------ADDITIONAL WAYS TO HELP THE HOUSE--------------------

Become a VOLUNTEER:http://www.rmhportland.org/volunteers/volunteer-get-involved

Help cut House costs by donating common household items or services:

http://www.rmhportland.org/giving/donate-items-our-wish-list-

Stay connected. Sign up for the House enewsletter:

http://www.rmhportland.org/volunteers/volunteer-get-involved

QUESTIONS? Email Jennifer at

purseswithpurpose@gmail.com

I hope this fundraiser is a huge success! Let's lighten the load for people who are dealing with the stressful situation of a sick loved one.

I finally tried Encaustics

Thanks to my friend Jamie Ribisi (http://www.jamieribisi.etsy.com/) I have tried my hand at encaustics. (She sells a GREAT tutorial and has the paints you need to try it yourself!) I have wanted to explore this medium for a while now, and after my first efforts, I have to say, I'm pretty confident I'll play with them again. So much fun! Thanks Jamie, for your tutorial and paints!


I will be sealing these paintings with resin and making pendants out of them to sell in my Etsy shop.

Valentine's Day is Quickly Arriving

Valentine's Day...Romance...kisses...love...jewelry....what a great day......

Love, country style.....

Bamboo tiles, decoupaged on both sides with LOVE....

I love this one with the soldiers on both sides...being a military wife, I know how bittersweet the partings and reunions can be....

For more Valentine jewelry, check out my Etsy shop: folkarttree.etsy.com.

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with those you love.

Uncommon Jewelry: Etsy Maine Team

The first installment featuring my etsy team members .....

A somewhat wayward artist, Sidney is trained in color theory, painting and art history but has always fostered a not so minor fascination with personal adornment. Her work is born from a love of unusual combinations and proportions, and each time she finishes something the outcome is utterly balanced and wearable. Each piece is named for a goddess, or a wonderful woman who has brought some small meaning to her life. She believes every woman is beautiful and deserves a little something to remind her of just how perfect she is. Her work is also sold at Abacus Gallery in Portland, Maine so if you're ever in the neighborhood stop on by.Visit her on Etsy at http://www.uncommonjewelry.etsy.com/ or www.myspace.com/uncommonjewelry to see more photos and past work.