New Love in the Shop

My Valentines Day Designs on my Etsy Site {see sidebar}


New charms just made, will be in the shop soon...



xxoo

Loving Life

Loving Life in 2012. Can you tell, I have not posted since it began! I have been trying to stay on track with all my goals starting with deep cleaning my studio space to reorganize a mess that has been building for years. It has been a real chore, but I must say I highly recommend digging in to those out of control spaces. I feel renewed and inspired. I will post some after shots when the project is complete...maybe in a month or so {I told you it was a real mess}.

I took a photography class...yes something else I have wanted to do for some time now.

Getting into the LOVE of my new found energy, photographic knowledge, etc.. Pictures of hearts found around the house.


Photography was one of my favorite classes in high school and college, of course we worked with something called film. I miss the days of playing in the dark room watching that magic happen when the picture would emerge on your paper when you dipped it in those great smelling chemicals!!! Are any of you with me on that???

Since digital came out, I have only used a point and shoot camera on automatic. I have been very happy with the quality of pictures my little camera gives me, but have wanted to mess with my settings again and have a little more say in the way my pictures turned out. You know like an artist!!!

I have been debating Nikon or Canon for years and doing research and more research and then not taking the next step. Then for Christmas my dear husband surprised me with a new Canon SLR camera {made the decision for me}.

I needed a photography class to get reaquainted with the art of photography and the mechanics of my new toy. My good friend Jeannie emailed me and asked if I wanted to join her for a workshop with Nancy Merkling {nancymerkling.com/} a very talented photographer and teacher. Her studio is in an industrial space that is a photographers utopia. We spent most of the class learning about our cameras, which was much needed and then had some time to take some pictures using our new found knowledge!!!


Look at this place, inspiration everywhere!



Hope this finds you doing what you love in this new year!

2012

Open the new book.
Its pages are blank.
You are going to put words on them yourself.
The book is called Opportunity and
its first chapter is New Year's Day.

2012 make it great!

Tree Lighting in town on a beautiful evening. It was unseasonably warm. Met up with some good friends that were in town from Colorado and ran into other local friends and rang in the Holiday season. Sent drama darling back to college yesterday and already miss her terribly and cannot wait for the holiday break and having her home longer.

I have extended my SALE for any that may of missed the Saturday Small Business day. It will run through today Monday in both my shops, see details on previous post!

Hope you all enjoy time with family and friends this past weekend and through the following month.

The Holidays are here!

Small Business Saturday SALE

SALE on both websites today! See sidebar for websites. Etsy site use code: shopsmall20 and on Tart-Travelingart discounts are already listed.
Help support local small businesses, many listed in my favorites on the sidebar:)


Happy Holidays & Happy Shopping everyone.
xxoo

Natalie Merchant-Kind And Generous

Happy Thanksgiving! One of my favorite songs that seems appropriate for today~



I will be having a SALE on both of my online shops on my sidebar this Saturday for Small Business Saturday. For my Etsy site use this code at checkout: shopsmall20 and for the Tart site select items will already be marked down 20%. One day only!

Enjoy the day :) xxoo

Tart

I have done it all by myself...so proud, actually created my own website from scratch just in time for the holidays. I wanted to create an online boutique that I could sell my jewelry and altered art along with that of other artists that I admire and want to support. I plan on taking it on the road {locally that is, for now} to art shows, home shows, business shows, flea markets, etc.
Please take a look: www.tart-travelingart.com

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what I have to start. The girls at thegildedjunqueyard.blogspot.com have created some beautiful one of a kind pieces for me to debut on my new site. The Snow Divas designed by Lisa are so adorable, created from vintage bottles and pieces. A true one of a kind holiday gift for yourself or someone on your list. Once they are sold they are gone.


Jeannie has made unique one of a kind earrings out of broken china and all vintage components. Each pair is also one of a kind.


I had artist Teresa Sheeley make up some one of a kind bags for me that you can tote your books, knitting, groceries you name it in style.


and some of her tea towels



I will be adding new pieces of jewelry as they come off my bench, here are some of the newest.




Click on the link on top of my sidebar to go to Tart and of course my jewelry designs will always be on my etsy site {also on the sidebar}.

New in the Shop

Time Flies Necklace


Special Order Mother's Necklace & Initial Rings



Ah, yes love rings...Oui & Love Word Rings

The Beauty of Fall

Just wanted to share some pictures of the beauty of dried fall flora and chippy, junky goodness!


Happy Halloween!

I'm Back

I'm Back!!! I have never had such a busy summer!

I did Festival of the Arts and enjoyed another great year. A lot of friends and shoppers came out to enjoy the weekend.







softball, softball, and more softball...this is my favorite picture captured by my dad of the girls running for the ball in flight! Baby girl is in the front (3rd base)


and she got her braces off!!!! Look at that gorgeous smile ((:


Now I have to face the fact that it is time to get Drama Darling ready for college. This is going to be a tough transition in my life and I am just now beginning to realize it. She performed as the returning Gurnee Idol this weekend and now she is packing to leave for college tomorrow. I am so excited for her and at the same time already missing her presence in the house. She has done a good job of getting me used to her not being here by being gone most of the summer. Hanging out with all her friends, working etc. etc. I am packing my tissues for the 5 1/2 hr. drive tomorrow. She is about to experience some of the best years of her life!


I really do think her sister is going to miss her...


I hope to have time to be more present on my blog again. Thanks for any who are still reading me! I have some new things happening this year and will keep you posted.
Hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and I look forward to catching up with all of your blogs too!

ta, ta for today~xxoo cindy