A Blog Award!

I received this wonderful award from Ingrid at Fashion in My Muse. It's my first-ever award and I love it! I especially love what it's all about.

This is the text that accompanies the award:

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

So, while I'm feeling all warm and mushy from receiving this award, I am nominating the following eight bloggers/blogs to receive - and pass on! - the award!

Anne Huskey-Lockard at el Milagro Studio
Bernadette Ostrozovich at Artifacts
Ulla at Ullabenulla
Lisa at Faerie Enchantment
G at Doves Today
Pattie at The Joy of Nesting
Rhonda at RhondaMum
Peggy at Peggy's Mixed Up Art

These are all blogs that inspire, encourage, and amuse me to no end. They are also written by some of the friendliest, sharpest, nicest people I've had the pleasure to run across on the web! I hope you will read their offerings, if you don't already! These are artists and art enthusiasts and art appreciators. Their participation is what makes bloggerland so darned terrific!

Here, I made this just for you....

I took the challenge from the ladies at Moonlight Hollow! Now I will pass it on to three of you!

The first three-count-em-three-3 people that respond to this post will get something made by me, it will be my choice, but made especially for you!

However, this offer does have some restrictions and limitations (known at the 'fine print.")

***What I create will be just for you.

***You will receive this item before the end of the year, or sooner.

***You will have no idea what the item is going to be or when you will receive it.

***The catch is that you have to respost this meme and put something together to be sent out as 3 surprises of your own!

What a fun way to share our work and get to see others up close and personal!

A LIttle Bit of Fun, a Little Bit of Art - and a Treasure Hunt to boot!

Well, even though it's frigid and snowy here today (is Winter ever going to go away?), this picture reminds me of Spring! It also reminds me that Saturday is the day Ingrid, of Fashion Is My Muse, is having her Mad Hatter tea party! If you haven't signed up yet, be sure to click the link and go check it out! I can't wait to see everybody's hat. I love this one made out of a Paris newspaper! Ooh, la la!

This is what I've been working on. It's a fairly large (for me) 14"x18" collage - though it will probably grow in size, as I like to add things to the top and bottom of things. I've only just started to get the basic layout down. I'm using a lot of gold and copper leaf - which takes a lot of drying time between processes - so it's not going very quickly. I'm having fun adding beads to this - NOT by sewing. I don't use beads very much, so it's a novelty for now. I have plans to use a lot of them, so the novelty will probably wear itself thin very quickly.

This is just a little detail shot. Not much to see yet.

Oh, I thought I should share this totally and completely bizarre and somewhat-frightening special effects photo from the forties. Somebody went through one heck of a lot of set-up trouble to get this shot!






This is just a little Marie Antoinette ATC for the monthly lottery on
Marie Antoinette Mail Art. If you're interested in Marie Antoinette themed work, check it out! Some wonderful artists participate!




And last, but certainly not least!, a treasure hunt! I love treasure hunts! I still have the theatre seat that I had to get on a treasure hunt during college. Actually, I don't have it - my mother has it stored over the second floor of the garage because even though I don't have anything to do with it, I don't want to lose it. So it lives up there, with my yearbooks, and high school track uniform, and other assorted things that city-dwellers just don't have room to keep around!
Anyway. This treasure hunt is being sponsored by the Moonlight Hollow blogspot to celebrate their 100th post. They promise fun, and treasures - and I believe I read something about swords! Sounds like a good thing to me! So click the link, read the instructions and join up!
oh! - and one last thing. I just found this. Take a look. (snicker) You Tube of Tristan on Simply Quilts. You just never know what the world wide web has in store for you, do you?!

If you're someplace warm and glorious, enjoy your day - if you're someplace frigid and miserable, well, enjoy your day in spite of the weather! Now - go make something pretty!

♥´¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

My First Ever Blog Give-Away!

I'm so pleased that in less than two months I've 50 people following my blog ... and, here I was afraid that nobody would ever read anything I was interested in writing or seeing photos of things I wanted to share with others!

So, in honor of my 50th 'follower,' I'm having a giveaway! That's right folks - there really is such thing as a free lunch! - or free paper arts, anyway!

I realize that I have Beverly's Pink Saturdays to thank for so many of you finding me, so I decided that it would be entirely appropriate to offer one of my featured Pink Saturday items as my giveaway.

So, I'm going to send off this vintage style tussie-mussie/display cone to the lucky (or I hope they think they're lucky) winner of the ubiquitous random generator.

All I ask is that you post the giveaway on your blog and link back to me, and leave a message here. If you don't have a blog, I like you, too - so just write something that will make me forgive you for not being a blogger. :-)

So, there you have it! My first every blog giveaway! The winner will be chosen March 10th (one week from today). I'm not going to set a certain time, so I won't worry about being late or early. It will be sometime after I awake on Tuesday and before I retire!

And, most importantly, thank you all so much for your interest, your inspiration, your encouragement, and for sharing your work with the rest of us!

♥´¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

Okay. Maybe I'm the last person to know about

Margaux Lange and her rather macabre, but totally fabulous jewelry. I'm not even a jewelry lover - and I have no interest in Barbie, whatsoever, but I find this jewelry to be amazing! You can see more at her Etsy shop here





That's it. Nothing more. I just had to share that. I am either completely fascinated by these - or utterly in fear of them. Either way, they're pretty remarkable!

Words to live by ...

Well, I don't really believe it, myself. But I do think these words by actor and interior designer Billy Haines are pretty passionate about what he cares most about! He rather makes it difficult to not take him seriously about style, doesn't it?! Personally, I would love to have ultra-refined taste...but, frankly, I'd prefer love AND money! With enough loving care and money, I'll buy the taste or be so in love I won't care if I have it or not!

Going through my ACEO's this morning, to grab a piece that has been sold, I found this one - and decided I really liked it and will keep it. Sometimes I do that. I'll create something, and by the time I'm finished I'm already thinking about the next project and forget that I really like what I'm working on. I'm especially fond of this one because I've used some of the art paper I make - and still really like after making about one hundred sheets over the past year!

I only just discovered the incredibly beautiful hand-marbled papers (and fabrics) by Iris Nevinse. I spent way too much time at her website perusing (and filling up a shopping cart!) with these lovely papers. http://marblingpaper.com/index.html

Ahhhh! Another give-away! Anne Huskey-Lockard of El Milagro Studio gave me the heads up about the give-away at The Yarn Exhibitionist. I don't knit - but I have to admit this is one luscious skein of yarn! It reminds me of a circus-fantasy version of twisted bakery twine. I'm sure the craftsman would be horrified to hear it described as such - but I consider it a great compliment! Click on the skein to enter!
Yesterday I told you all about the circus soiree happening over at The Carnival Soiree next month. As you see, I already have the designer working on the kitchen/family room to get it in the mood for the soiree! Isn't she doing a bang up job?! I still have a hat to make (in addition to the fab hat I have to make for the Mad Hatter Tea Party Event at Fashion Is My Muse!) and a few altered poker chip "tokens." But, at least the designer is getting the interiors done!

and, finally, last but not least, a final party left-over from Pink Saturday yesterday. I had wanted to post this and lost it somewhere on the hard drive. I found it this morning, hiding in the wrong folder. I have no idea how it got there. But I didn't want to wait until next weekend to post it...I love this ad! I love that Helene named her cosmetics after alcoholic beverages. If you didn't look good, you could at least get good and soused!

Enjoy what's left of your weekend ... I'm off to watch "Vertigo" ... for the 73rd time. I think I like it, I really like it!

Thanks for visiting! Only 3 more followers, and I'm going to have a 50 member give-away! Be well, be creative, be kind, and always be ready for a good risque joke!

♥´¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥

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!

♥´¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ 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!

♥´¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ 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 ...

♥´¨)
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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥