Somerset Studios Article!

I was so thrilled to get to write an article featuring my circus lamps in the current March-April issue of Somerset Studios magazine. They did an amazing job with the photography and I can't thank Jenny Doh and Pam Garrison for finding and contacting me. I'm extremely grateful to them both! Also be sure to check out Jenny's newest project site here-http://blog.crescendoh.com/crescendoh/

Lee Lou from harem6

Take a look at this amazing creation. This doll was created by a duo called harem6 from Romania. I just found them tonight and am so glad I did. Each of their pieces is so unique and original! If you have a chance, click here to see more of their incredible work on their blog and in their Etsy shop.

Notes from the BMAC show

Well I'm almost back home from the Philadelphia Buyer's Market of American Craft show that ran from Feb. 12-15. Right now I'm stuck in the Milwaukee airport due to a de-icing delay so thought I'd check in to give an update on how it all went. Despite weather delays getting to the show (I had to move my flight from Wed. to Thurs. afternoon), I was able to get to Philly by 5:30 Thurs. night and work til around 11:30 that night to get my booth set up. Alot of the other artists and buyers weren't so lucky and ended up getting to the show on Friday or Saturday. Anyhow we all persevered and the show ended up going really well. One of my dream goals was to get my work in the American Folk Art Museum shop in NYC and I'm happy to say I met that goal as they ordered some of my pieces for their store! All in all, I met some wonderful buyers and artists and got several new gallery accounts as well as maintaining the ones I already had so I'm really glad I didn't cancel when the weather reports were sketchy. Travel is hardly ever without hitches but all in all it's pretty fun to get to hang out for a few days with people who create what they love for a living.

Circus Apron by Dirty Laundry

My cute friend Jeanee Duval and I did a trade recently--take a look at this awesome reversible apron she made for me to wear at shows! Jeanee not only makes aprons, she makes cupcakes--the kind you drop in warm bath water and they fizz and smell wonderful. Check out her blog here:

http://blog.shopdirtylaundry.com/

Balance, Equilibrium and Juggling

As I've mentioned previously, it seems I've become even busier than when I had a full-time job and at times I have trouble juggling it all. Thinking about how to balance everything-work, family, time with friends, and time for myself-has been on my mind alot. Part of the issue with being self-employed is that you're always at work and having an unfinished project or order in the next room is hard for me to ignore. I just can't shut it off at 5 or 6:00 in the evening and so spend alot of evenings with wire in my hands while I hang out with the fam. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who does this! When my lovely friend Wendi suggested that I include the word "balance" in one of my trapeze artist pieces because so many of us struggle to find it, I realized that she was right--I've been working on trapeze artists and jugglers without realizing how they were an illustration of my own life. Here are the new pieces-they'll be at the BMAC show in Feb. and at the wonderful Lizzie Lou's in Roundtop, TX in March.

uncommon goods!

My crate is packed and on it's way to Philadelphia again for the Buyer's Market show....can't believe we have to get it there several weeks in advance. Maybe it's a good thing that it's done though because I've begun to get busy with orders from uncommon goods. They are carrying 3 of my pieces in their current catalog and on their website, and so far it's going really well! Above is a photo of the three pieces plus a link to them here.

Lovebirds On The Wall

True Lovebirds in Heart Shaped Perch-8x10

In the background are the words "love-adore-devotion-admire"

Lovebirds Under Circus Tent-4x6

On the sheet music are the words "You're the little birds that sing, darling you're my everything"

Bluebirds in Heart-5x5

In the background are the words "angel-darling-sweetheart-sugarplum-honeypie"

Lovebirds in Heart #2-5x5

Lovebirds in Large Heart-8x10

Here are the new 2D mixed media versions of my lovebird cages that I mentioned in the last post. They are constructed with wire, fabric, painted metal, and wax encaustic. They're for sale in my Etsy shop now-just click on this link to take you there!

Happy New Year--and New Work

I hope everyone had a wonderful time at the holidays...I did and it was great with my family at home but also a challenge to get any work done. With that in mind I did a few pieces around the theme of "balance". These women all have different words beneath them such as "equilibrium, poise and grace". Although you can't see it well here, in the background is a repeat of all those words. The trapeze couple piece is entitled "Faith and Trust". To me, trapeze artists encompass these qualities. In the background are similar words-faith, trust, love. Some will go into my Etsy shop soon and some are destined for the BMAC show in Philadelphia in February. In the next few days I'll have some 2D lovebird pieces to show too.

A Bird In Hand....

Isn't this bird just delicious looking? My friend Andrea Ring from Amuck design created this piece and we traded just a week ago. Since then I've been wearing it EVERY day as it goes with practically everything I own! It's a definite attention getter. People notice it immediately. For more of her fantastic work, click here!

More Circus People: World's Strongest Man

Here's the latest circus person in the collection(which right now consists of two but is growing.)

It's hard to get a good pic of this guy as he lives in a 5 x 7 shadowbox frame that is lit by a 12 V replaceable light. It is run by a 9V battery on the top of the frame. The trapeze artist from the previous post is already sold but I will be making more and different trapeze artists and other circus folk! He is made from plus clay and wire. The frame title is made from metal and printed fabric. To see more info or to purchase this guy, click on this link for my Etsy shop.

Now Introducing: Circus People-Trapeze Artist 1

In the last few days, I got these images in my head of what my circus people could look like so decided to add them to my body of work. The trapeze artist is my first but I have more in the works. Please give me feedback--would like to know if you like this new twist!

Pre-Christmas Sale!

Be sure to check my website and/or Etsy shop for reduced prices on select items--starting today and continuing through Dec.10.

Small Hanging Cages with Lights for the Holidays

The entire group of 3 lighted cages hanging together

Lighted Patterned Circus Tent with Nest-This piece contains a new circusy printed fabric of mine that creates the tent top.

Lovebirds on Hanging Plaque with Light-On this variation of one of my earlier pieces, I have added a wire word "Love" near the top of the wood plaque.

Lighted Circus Nest with Lovebirds-In this piece I created a tiny fabric lightshade for the bulb. There is a small rusted metal heart in the bottom center of the cage and a tiny fabric sign that reads "Circus" on the cage front.

This was an entire family project but we have finally succeeded in putting some tiny 12 volt lights in my small hanging circus cages! The lights contain replaceable screw in bulbs and they run on a 9 volt battery that is inset into the back of the piece. There is a small on/off switch at the bottom of each piece. They are now for sale on my website-www.homemadecircus.com or in my Etsy shop.

Ever Distract Yourself ??

Okay today I woke up with alot of plans to get alot of artwork done--I mean, I had taken most of Friday off (to see Men Who Stare At Goats and eat Indian food with my husband) and do a few errands (who else is going to buy the wedding gift and return the jeans), then Saturday was spent trying to figure out a way to add tiny lights to my cages....something that I always thought would take one hour and it took five....more trips to Radio Shack and the hardware store...then today came and I thought--I'm doing it-I'm sitting down at my table and finishing that last gallery order but then--I had to answer emails to friends(that can't wait can it?), go to the grocery store times 2(seems we don't go to just 1 store anymore) so 4:00 comes and what do I do instead of work? The answer is above....and of course I have to blog about it so that takes time. I'd say I feel guilty about it but I have to go put another sheet in the oven...What distracts you?

Cloth Paper Scissors!

Hey kids-just wanted to let you know that I received the exciting news that I'm in the upcoming Nov/Dec issue of Cloth Paper Scissors! Here's a pic of the first page below-you can find it in the artist profile section-page 30. Cate Prato wrote the article and I thought she did a great job. It should be out in stores after Nov. 6!

Spiritile Surprise

I just had to share this beautiful piece that I just received in the mail by Houston Llew of Spiritiles. I met Houston and his fun friends Jeremy and Molly at the Buyer's Market show in Philadelphia. I traded him two of my circus tshirts and was thinking I'd get one of his cool tiles in return. His tiles measure around 5" x 8" so when I got this HUGE package on my doorstep, needless to say I was VERY surprised. This piece measures around 22" square and is made from molten glass on copper, as are all of his wonderful pieces. It's entitled "Circus"....fitting huh?Please be sure to check out his work at the link above and let him know if you love it as I do.

New Stuff in my Etsy Shop

Lg Lovebird Cage on Hanging Plaque
Sm Rollercoaster Cage on Hanging Plaque

It's been waaaaay too long since I added some new pieces to my Etsy shop but now that I've started, I can't stop...each day I'm trying to add at least one. Here are some photos of some of the new pieces-cages that hang from found wood plaques on the wall. I also have a new ferris wheel with a curtain behind it. A few of my lamps will be listed there soon too!

Plaza Art Fair Photos and News

Last weekend's Plaza Art Fair was great-we were so lucky-the weather was fantastic and there were a TON of people there. Also, I was fortunate enough to win a Shared Top Award for 3D Mixed Media!! All in all, it was a great experience and I will definitely be there next year! Here's some shots of the way my booth turned out-so glad we set it up 3 times before the actual event.

New Work for the Plaza Art Fair

Large Light with Ferris Wheel-3' tall by 18" wide

Hanging Circus Light w/ Striped Curtain-18"tall by 14" wide

Hanging Light w/ Circus Wagon-18" tall by 15" wide

Hanging Light w/ Rollercoaster-16" tall by 15" wide

Large Helter Skelter Hanging Light-32" tall by 16" wide

Large Hanging Light 1-34" tall by 18" wide

Ferris Wheel on Wood Base-16" tall by 9" wide

I've been working long days and quite a few nights getting ready for the upcoming Plaza Art Fair, held here in KC from Sept. 25-27. Here's some of my new pieces for the show-I find I really love making the lamps so I've made some new hanging ones that are larger, three of them are almost 3 feet in height and the smaller ones are about 18 inches tall. I've also made a new, smaller ferris wheel with a curtain backdrop. Can't wait for the show!

Have You Registered Yet?

Okay you may already know all about this but in case you don't, if you haven't registered a trademark for your individual logo or artwork "look", then now may be a good time. It takes awhile to read through all the legalease but I found it surprisingly user-friendly. It's not inexpensive($275.00 for each individual category that you want to trademark, i.e. tee shirts and wire sculptures) but it could be well worth it to protect yourself from copy artists! Here's the link:http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/workflow/start.htm

new found freedom-volume 1

Lucky, the new boss
the satellite office
the studio

Well, I got laid off from my job this week. I was an art director at a "large Midwestern greeting card company" for the last 3 years but a designer before that for many more. I've worked there off and on for 17 years or and have had a chance to make some wonderful friends and learn more than they teach in any art school but the business has changed and the company is growing smaller to deal with those changes. Although I'm really sad to leave my good friends and coworkers, I know I'll see them again from time to time PLUS I have alot of orders to fill from the Philly show along with 4 shows lined up before the end of the year-so I look at this as a new beginning. Thought you all might like to see where I'll be going to work every day now-the commute is alot shorter (just down some steps), I'll have a satellite office when the weather is beautiful, and my new boss is also my running buddy. I began this first day by sprinting up two of the highest hills I could find with him, then he told me to get back to work. Here's to whatever lies ahead!