PINK SATURDAY

Since I pulled a lot of pink supplies out to photograph for last week's Pink Saturday, I figured I might as well make something with them all! This is the beginning parts assembled for a vintage style tussie-mussie display cone. There is lots of vintage pink crepe paper ruffles and fringes and pleats, pink silk and organza ribbons, pink velvet roses and pink paper dusted with diamond German glass glitter...and just enough mint green to keep the viewer from getting sugar poisoning. In this photo they are all sitting and drying from their applications of glues and glitters and sprays. To see the finished product, just scroll down 3 posts to my Flea Market Friday post ... the finished piece is there. It's also in my Etsy shop.

I did want to mention two blogger events that many of my readers might be very interested in! The first event is hosted by Ingrid at Fashion is My Muse blog. She is having a tea party, with photos of everybody's tea party hat! She even posted a wonderful instruction sheet for creating origami style hats - and a few examples of miniature ones that she created! How fun! If you haven't learned about her blog yet, make sure you visit! Her art work is gorgeous - and her eye for beautiful historical fashion is unerring. Visit her blog at the link above, and let her know you'll be there! I'm thinking perhaps a crown inspired hat for this may be in the works!

The next blogging event that is going to be great fun is the Carnival Soiree, hosted by Lisa Kettell (author of the fabulous, just-released "Altered Art Circus" book). Just a few of the things she has told us to expect are -Carnival Tea, Games, Tokens, Giveaways consisting of my collage cd: Circus Follies and an altered poker chip kit, Free Circus images/ephemera, Carnival party pictures, Circus projects, and Stories. Now that sounds like a real event, doesn't it?! Click on the banner below to sign up and learn more about it.
Lisa also has another blog that I'm sure you'll enjoy browsing through. Visit Faerie Enchantment, and tell her Tristan sent you! She makes such really fun little treasures and it's well worth the visit!

Now I'm off to visit all the other bloggers participating in Pink Saturday. Enjoy your Saturday! Make some art, make something fun, make something delicious, make something sparkling, make a big ol' mess!

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

FLEA MARKET FRIDAY

Please scroll down two posts.
My Flea Market Friday offerings are there!

A Delightful Giveaway ...

is happening at The Catskill Country Cupboard. Don't these look like things you need!

candles and potpourri and tarts and towels and tags, oh my!

Click on the image and enter to win this generous giveaway!

I'm getting concerned. My 100th post is coming up in the near future...everybody has such fab giveaways, I'm going to have to really think about what to do to celebrate the milestone!

Speaking of coming up to my 100th post, I really have to mention how grateful I am to have so many loyal followers! I know that I should welcome each new follower - it's only polite, right! But, I must admit: I just never notice the blog follower list "over there." But, I do appreciate all 42 of you that have arrived in the past month ... I'm glad that you enjoy my bog and hope you will continue to do so. I'll do my best to not get dreary, melancholy, religious or political...I'm verbose enough without those working their way in!

And, just one last thing. I found this poem and I thought I'd share it with you.

Paris

Paris
a wonderful city
a place for lovers
Paris
a city to dream wild
Paris
in that river the boats are moving with lovers inside
watching that beautiful sky above the river
and the moon from that beautiful sky
is shining in
the river
Paris
a city that never sleeps
Paris
romance is in the air
Paris
the lovers are feeling the love that are in the air
Paris
that smell of the roses the lovers can smell
Paris
this is the sign that spring is here
Paris

....Aldo Kraas (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

I find it simple and charming and unaffected - as love in Paris should be!

Well, back to working on my Flea Market Friday offerings! Be sure to check back tomorrow!

Flea Market Friday

...and it's here ...
Okay. So we're not actually at the Paris Flea Market ... but we can pretend, right?!
I love the flea markets in and around Paris. They are always overflowing with the most wonderful array of treasures and curiosities - art; romantic vintage memories; shabby chic designs; second hand books and magazines; new items to paw through, searching for the perfect treasures to use in your art or display in your home. I firmly believe, if you can't find it in the Paris Flea Markets, you don't really need it!

As this is my first week participating in Flea Market Friday, I decided to offer items of varying categories. And, as my first week special, I'm offering free shipping on every item! That's a deal, right!

So, shall we start wandering and poking through the flea market? Remember! Whenever something strikes your fancy, click on the picture for a large image and better look. Let's go!

This mixed media collage is on a 9" x 12" canvas ... the total measurement, including the gorgeous vintage glass beaded fringe is 12" x 12". I wanted you to be able to see the composition, so this photo is take head on. However, it's quite shimmery, and the flash created a glare I was simply unable to eliminate; therefore, the next two photos were taken from the side, in order to get photos without the flash glare. The side views also give a peek at the lovely vintage mauve velvet and gold cord trim that frames out the piece.

The materials used include vintage images, trimmings, three inch antique glass beaded fringe, Dresden scrap, mica, transparencies, sequin scrap, vintage jewelry, Victorian die-cuts, silk flower, porcelain doll face, vintage advertisements, and vintage and reproduction papers.

The long glass straws at the bottom of the fringe are actually a more transparent gold color than they appear in these photos. As they are semi-transparent, the pink wall behind them changes the coloring in the photo.

The price of this piece is $175. However, today only, in honor of Flea Market Friday, it is available at half price. Today it is $85. Tomorrow it will go into my Etsy shop at full price plus shipping, and this post will disappear.


Oh! There's some lovely shabby chic treasures! This vintage inspired tussie mussie/display gift cone is 7" high - 14" if you include the bottom tassel ribbons and the hanging ribbon. It's perfect to give as a gift, as a container for a special gift - or a gift for yourself!
The cone is has a strong papier mache base, and is embellished with lovely papers that have been dusted with diamond German glass glitter, vintage crepe paper fringes, ruffles and pleats, reclaimed velvet roses, gold Dresden scrap and a vintage German scrap cherub, gold bullion, silk ribbons and velvet ribbon.

The piece is $20. There are also other pieces available in my Etsy store. Please note, the pieces in my Etsy store are not part of the free shipping offer.

This is a selection of new art bits and bobs from Eco-Africa. Click on the image to get a better idea of the items included. First there are six double tassels, for a total of 12. There are hand-made paper embellishments, All the items, with the exception of the tassels, collected from nature and are Acid-Free, Tree-Free - Lignin Free and pH Neutral. The paper straw beads are wonderful - very exotic. I've used many of these in my work when I'm looking for the right touch to make something have that special African look. There is also sisal cord and a few shaped metal embellishments made from reclaimed wire.

There are 13 packages, retail prices ranging from 2.99 to 8.99. I am offering two identical lots of 13 packages selling for $20 each. If you would like both lots, I will sell them both for $35. Just as a special teaser: I have quite a few odds and ends of these packages which I will include in your purchase! You can probably count on almost double the amount of merchandise in your delivery!

And, finally, several lots of back issues of magazines.

This is 3 issues of Quilting Arts. This group includes 2008 issues December/January, February/March, June/July. The price for all three magazines is $12 with free shipping. Sorry, but free shipping for magazines is only available within the continental U.S.

This group is all four 2006 issues of Quilting Arts: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. The price for all is $16, with free shipping. Sorry, but free shipping for magazines is only available within the continental U.S.

This group of 2007 Quilting Arts magazines includes issues February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November. The price of the five back issues is $20 with free shipping. Please note, free shipping is available only within the continental U.S.

This lot is for four back issues of (the fabulous!) Cloth, Paper, Scissors, 2007, issues March/April, July/August, September/October, November/December. The price for all four issues is $16 with free shipping. Sorry, but free shipping for magazines is only available within the continental U.S.

This is a selection of five back issues. Four are 2007 issues of the popular Somerset Studio and one 2008. They are issues 2007: May/June, July/August, September/October, and January/February 2008. These retail at $8 each. There is one copy of 2007 Stampington Inspiration magazine, retailing at $7. The price for all five magazines is $19.50 with free shipping. Please note, free shipping is only available in the continental U.S. SOLD

Well, these are my offerings for Flea Market Friday this week. I hope you enjoyed your stroll through the offerings! - and perhaps found something that you felt would enrich your life! If you are interested in anything, please email me at tristan@manmadequilts.com and I will give you the PayPal details to make payment and send delivery instructions.

Enjoy the other shops participating in Flea Market Friday ... and be sure to come back and visit next week!

Busier Than a Two Headed Chicken ...

So many things to do today! I didn't get as much time in my studio as I had planned. And, since I'm going to see the classic film "The Bicycle Thief" this evening, I guess not a lot is going to get made today! I'm hoping to get some things put together and finished for Flea Market Friday this week, which I decided to join. If you don't know what Flea Market Friday is all about, click on the logo/link in the left hand column and read all about it - and come back to see me on Friday!

In between errands I ran back home because I had forgotten to take the dvd returns with me, and the postman had left me a package. I'm always buying stuff online, so didn't think too much about it ... until I saw it was from my friend, Peg, at Peggy's Mixed Up Art - that meant it was good mail guaranteed! It was a fantastic not-for-a-holiday gift! Imagine my thrill when I open an exquisite green leather with tooled and gilded leather volume of Shakespeare's plays from 1892!
Isn't it just the best?! I love the feel of old leather books - new leather books are nice, too - but old leather books that have been used so much the leather has grown smooth and velvet-y to the touch are so delicious! The pages are gilded on the edges, and inside was a lovely bookmark created from vintage art reproductions, crumpled ribbon and a sweet little metal (brass?) angel holding a star. Imagine my thrill! I was so glad that I had forgotten my dvd's and ran back home!
The fly leaf has the inscription: "To Grace, from "Auntie" Belle Xmas 1892.
Thank you so much, Peg! I just love this book, and I will treasure it! If any of you haven't been to Peggy's website, besure to click the link above and check out her fun stuff. AND she's running a give-away right now, so be sure to sign up - there's some wonderful stuff to win!

I had to add this advertisement that I found in an issue of Vogue. I don't read Vogue, but my sister sends me her copies after she's read them so I can cut them up and use the pictures and some of the text in artwork. I thought this ad was just terrific - Dolce and Gabbana always have the best ads! - which never have anything to do with their clothes or products! LOL
This is the only work I got done today. It's the makings of a tussie mussie/cone display. I've glued, sprayed, glittered, pleated and ruffled crepe paper; now everything is just drying and I'll put it all together late tonight or tomorrow. Even though I didn't get anything finished, at least I feel as if I've accomplished something by getting the parts ready for a new goodie!
Speaking of goodies, isn't this bride and groom cake topper a real beaut?! It's by, and from, Couture de Papier, who make lots of wonderful bridal and wedding items from repurposed vintage materials. This vintage cake topper is a give-away on their blog. Just click the image and you can go to the site. And be sure to click the image on THAT site, because the enlarged photo really shows all the details and thought that went into creating it!
Well, that's it for today. It's time to start getting ready for the cinema ... can't wait to see a good classic film!

And ... should you ever find yourself in an unhappy mood, just remember what I found out today from this vintage ad. It is really so easy to be happy! Just eat the right stuff!

Enjoy your evening!

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

The Dirtiest Pom in New Haven

It's okay. Tell the truth. Have you ever seen such a dirty dog? He thinks that licking me is going to be enough to keep from tossing him into the shower. Good luck on that Dusty. It's been raining, freezing, melting, snowing, melting, raining - and the world here is one big mud hole. Now, though Dusty acts as if he's royalty in the house, outside he's a common street mutt. He loves mud puddles and dirty piles of salt and ice and is especially fond of mounds of mud that always seem to fall from the sky this time of the year but completely disappear by May. I'm convinced it's either global warning, aliens interfering, or some kind of government cover-up. Now excuse me while I get my tin foil hat.

Speaking of hats ...

really ... Could I add anything to it besides "it existed?" Well, I guess I could say I hope it still exists somewhere, because anything so strong to defy gravity deserves to live forever!

Now, for my last incredible find of the day. Cecil Beaton (the incredible photographer/designer/costumer extraordinaire) always had such a fanciful outlook on life. I mean, could the person who designed the Ascot scene in My Fair Lady or the costumes for Barbra Streisand in On A Clear Day have not needed a reality check?! So it's no surprise that he designed a bed for himself which I would gladly give an insignificant body part to own (a toe, perhaps? a small one?).
Now, I more than likely could never live up to the acrobatics and hijinks that such an enchanted, magical and unbelievable bed rather requires. But - if somebody would just let me have that bed, I'd practice. Much more than I ever practiced the piano as a child. I promise!

Speaking of needing a reality check. I've been working a bit more on the Day at the Beach mini theatre today. I believe I've finished the base - it has lots of shells and starfish - and really - is anything complete without a little Dresden scrap and German glass glitter. Then I hung the gilded 'fishnet' as drapers on either side of the proscenium - which now boasts tiny seahorses. I don't think any underwaterscape in reality would look anything like this. But, as far as I'm concerned, it's the way it should look!

Now ... off to do something about that ratty, dirty, irrascable dog ...

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

Back In the Saddle Again

Wow. I haven't posted since Pink Saturday - it's not like me to stay away for so long! But I had a busy weekend watching movies, and reading trashy novels about serial killers, and taking long naps. I also went to well over 100 (fabulous!) blogs which are written by those who participate in Pink Saturday. I was determined to make it to each and every one - and, unless I slipped somewhere, I did just that!

This photo of Myrna Loy got me back in the creating mood today. If some hairdresser could take the time and effort to put together that 'do, knowing that it would disappear at the first sign of a raindrop or hat or breeze, I certainly should be able to get out of my slump! This was obviously well before the blow-dry-and-toss-the-hair days!
First today, I have to share with you "Elegant Rusalka with Offering of Tiny Fruit" by artist Bernadette Ostrozovich of Artifacts. Rusalka just knocks me out. I think she's gorgeous. Be sure to click on both images and see the detail work and clever use of found objects. Ingenious - and absolutely marvelous! Be sure to visit her blog and see some of her other work. She is one of my favorite found-objects artists. The photos of what she has done to her home are simply amazing. Her home is one big breathtaking and wondrous work of art.

On the Marie Antoinette Mail Group, I was part of a swap of toy theatres with a Marie Antoinette theme - naturally! I received mine from Rebecca, who also has a wonderful blog. It's a delightful confection of crepe paper and Dresden scrap and lace and vintage images ... and it's all created inside a book. As always, if you click on the photo, the image will enlarge so you can get a better look. It's adorable and I love it. It's still sitting on my work table where I can enjoy it while I'm working, so it still hasn't found its permanent home yet!
..
I've also started a piece for a submission call requiring the theme "A Day at the Beach" to be apropos to the piece. I'm creating ... surprise! LOL - a mini-theatre. It's only about 1/4 done. I've done the second story, and am just beginning to start on the main level and the 'basement.' I'm using a lot of my own art paper that I make, as well as Dresden scrap, vintage images, some Angelina fiber, copper foiling, vintage crepe paper, sea shells, bead-and-shell trim, gold buillion and micro-beads. If you click on the second image, you can get a fairly clear idea of what the very top shelf looks like. It still has a long way to go! I'm fairly certain there's going to be a mermaid central character in this theatre - but I haven't decided if I'm going to use a (my favorite) 2 dimensional image or actually create a mermaid character from an antique china pincushion doll I won on eBay. Decisions, decisions, decisions! LOL

Next on the agenda was the creation of a 10 page accordian book themed "Let Them Eat Cake"
Guess where that swap is taking place? If you love Marie Antoinette themed art work, be sure to click the image and take a look around!
This is the front of the book. It's quite small - standard ATC size for each page (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"). I couldn't seem to get a photo which didn't glare on the title - but it says - guess what??? - right! "Let Them Eat Cake!"
This is the 'back' side of the accordian. The blank card on the far left is the reverse side of the cover. I will wait to see who I am paired with to turn this page into a signature page for them. I went back and forth between cake images, Marie Antoinette images, and general "French" themes.
And this is the front side of the book. The fun "drawing" of Marie and the courtier and Versailles and Paris, etc. is from a post that was made by Rhonda at RhondaMum on her All Things French - Book post. I couldn't resist it. It's so clever - and I love children's books!

Well, that was a long rambling post ... that's what I get for taking blog time off for three days! Now it's time to walk the dog, fix a little dinner, and get ready for one of my weekly addictions: Kyra Sedgewick and "The Closer." I'm a pretty cheap date, huh!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by - and please visit some of the blogs I've written about today - you will enjoy your time, I almost guarantee!

Now - go make something nice!

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

Pink Saturday - February the Twenty-First

If you aren't familiar with Pink Saturday, click on the image to the left to read about it. Although it's fairly self-explanatory. :-) Primarily, it's reserving Saturdays for posting pictures of pink things that we have in our lives.

Frankly, pink isn't my favorite color - so I don't have a lot of pink items to photograph. However, because I make so much art and work with so many crafts that have a vintage or antique aesthetic (especially Marie Antoinette inspired pieces!), I have a lot of pink supplies. So I thought I'd share some of those.

Above is my stack of pink fabrics. I very rarely make 2-or-3 color quilts. Although my work tends to be very organized and planned, it is most often described as "scrap" work. In other words, fabrics of many patterns are used in one piece, rather than a standard 2-color or 3-color pattern. Since I don't use a lot of any one fabric, I rarely have more than two or three yards of any one fabric. After photographing all these fabrics, however, I do think maybe it's time to do an all-pink quilt! Perhaps with a splash of orange and yellow for warmth and color, and a little red for emphasis, and - well, that's how my quilts turn very quickly into scrap work

I love crepe paper. Nothing suggests vintage projects and parties more than crepe paper! I have many many colors - and quite a few different shades of pink. I especially like crepe paper 'fringe' that has been sewn and gathered so that it ruffles up as a trim. It's also nice to use when a piece of seam binding has been sewn down the middle of a long strip of crepe to add color punch and interest. It's amazing what can be done with crepe paper - including making clothing! It used to be a very popular material to use for constructing costumes.
Below are just a few of my many trims and fringes and ribbons that are pink. That long piece of palest pink knotted fringe is over 100 years old. I used to have a fairly long piece of it; this is all that remains. I know that it's going to take a very special piece for me to use up the very end of it!
And what would paper arts and paper crafts be without ... paper!? I have too many pieces of pink paper and cardstock to photograph them all, so I decided to concentrate on only one vendor. These are all my Anna Griffin pink papers that work so well when creating vintage inspired pieces. It wasn't until I started uploading this photo that I realized this is only my pink 12"x12" pieces; I forgot to include all the 12"x14" pieces. Oh, well. Another Saturday!

Such is a sampling of my pink supplies. I didn't include things like all my pink threads, pink glitters, pink embossing powders, pink ink pads, pink silk flowers, pink rhinestones and beads, pink....

Maybe I don't dislike pink as much as I thought I did. I do seem to work quite a lot with it! It reminds me of when I thought that I didn't particularly care for yellow or orange - until I realized that almost every one of my art quilts has yellow and orange in it. Now I know that they are really my favorite colors to work with!

Maybe I'll have to add pink to the list!

Thanks, Beverly, for including me in this fun event!

I Love Mail Art...or is that Art Mail?...

I love days when the postman arrives with wonderful art in the mail! Today I received this wonderful fabric ATC from Lenna Andrews who, along with three others, makes up the Color Groupies swap group. Every month there is an assigned color combination, and we each send an ATC to the other four members of the group. This is our second year, and I've received some fabulous art! It's clear, I suppose, that this month is pink and yellow!

However, today, not only was there this wonderful card (which has the legend "he makes art very loudly" which I wish I had thought of to use as my business name a long time ago!), and some wonderful ephemera goodies, but also this INCREDIBLE machine stitched and addressed envelope! I just love it. It looked especially beautiful arriving, as it was encased in a clear plastic sleeve with two (very cool) postage stamps on the plastic - it appeared like a sparkly gift package in the midst of the electric and Target bills!

Having artists for friends is so very nice, isn't it?!? They sure brighten the day!

Antique Textile Vintage Fashion Show & Sale

Vintage Fashion And Textile Show

Sturbridge, Massachusetts

MONDAYS

May 11
July 13
September 7

General Admission
10:30 am $10. - 5 pm

Early Admission
9:30 am $20
Show closes at 5:00 pm
ONE DAY * INDOORS * BRIMFIELD WEEK

Click on Image Above for More Information

I've never attended this show before, but I love the Brimfield week flea market - miles and miles of flea marketers, collectors and vendors! I definitely plan on going a day early to see this vintage textile and fashion exhibit. I'm always up for getting new ideas and inspiration!

Just remembering to keep things in perspective...

Although this business card is from the late 19th century, I loved the mid-eighteenth century image used on it. I didn't really care that it was for life insurance ... I wasn't going to actually use the information about the business - I just wanted to use the image in a piece of art work.

And I had never really paid that much attention to the text. I mean, what do I care about a Louisville, Kentucky life insurance company that was in business in 1895?! However, a friend was visiting and looking through one of my stash boxes, and found the card. When I heard a gasp, I saw his face had a most shocked look on it. I asked what was wrong and he said he wanted to know why I kept something so passively hateful and ugly about. I had no idea what he meant. How hateful can a mint green dress be, after all!

However, when he handed it to me and I examined it thoroughly (for the first time ever, really), I saw what was so objectionable. Can you find it?

It's good for me to remember that, though I love the aesthetic of the 19th - and earlier! - century, I am quite glad that I don't actually live in that period. We have progressed so far - even if our clothes and decor aren't as exciting!

Does this mean that I'm going to stop collecting vintage/antique photos and ephemera and objets d'art? Of course not! But I will probably now always put them in perspective. I'm not sure if I'm glad for that - but it will always be with me now!