Home County Music and Art Festival 2013

 Regretfully I've had to withdraw from the Home County Music and Art Festival on July 19-21, 2013 due to a family emergency. My apologies to anyone planning to stop by and see me. I will be adding many new pieces that were created for this event in the next 1-2 weeks and offering free delivery to all of my customers until August 17, 2013. Please use Coupon Code FREEDELIVERY0813 to take advantage of this promotion.

Take care.....Marian  xo    

Last Minute Details

Three days left before the big show and I'm starting to feel more relaxed as I continue to stroke things off my to-do list. Other than packing, which I'll take care of on Thursday night, most tasks that are left are quick and easy. The plan is to sit down and sew all day tomorrow and most of the day Thursday. Hopefully I can make a few new ties, hats and carpet bags....and necklaces, bracelets, earrings....and rings, scarves, belts, and headpieces.

I never seem to make as many items as I think I should. That's one of my worst fears--that I won't have enough to fill my booth. And fear # 2 is that I won't sell anything....oh yeah-and fear # 3 is the weather. This will be  my first outdoor show and the heat wave that we're currently experiencing is supposed to break on Friday, along with the severe thunderstorms that normally accompany a big change in the weather. Yes, Friday is Day One of the show. So as the British say, "Keep Calm and Carry On". I know in the end that these are normal pre-show jitters and I just try to keep them at bay. Things always seem to work out fine in the end.

I'm still working on new displays and had a last minute thought on a unique way to display my bracelets and Gatsby hand ornaments.

                  I purchased a collection of vintage gloves on Ebay, and with a little batting...voila!

Bracelet displays!



 

 

 

 

This is a Gatsby inspired headpiece that I made for the show in black and silver.....

 

 

.....and stacks of business cards are printed and ready to go!

 

So, I'm nearly set and can't wait to get started. To meet lots of new folks, see some familiar faces, enjoy the music

and fingers crossed, have a very successful show!



Take care.....Marian  xo    

Gatsby Design Challenge

Have you checked out a new online shop called Shopbevel? It's a fantastic site that offers jewellery designers the opportunity to have their creations manufactured and receive royalties for all sales.
Last week a rep from Shopbevel contacted me through Facebook regarding a Gatsby Style Challenge and invited me to submit one of my Gatsby inspired pieces.

The pieces that have been submitted are then listed on the Shopbevel site for everyone to review and cast their vote for their favourite design. The winner's item is then manufactured for a limited time and offered for sale on the site for anyone to purchase. The winner also receives a 15% royalty from all sales. So many amazing designers and gorgeous creations!

I decided to submit my black and gold Gatsby flapper necklace, which I think is very symbolic of the art deco era. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hope to have the opportunity to work with the folks at Shopbevel and have my necklace manufactured.

If you'd like to help by casting your vote, you can head over to shopbevel by using this link:
http://www.shopbevel.com/index.php/vote/gatsby-style/2922-tasseled-flapper-necklace


Thanks so much!

Take care.....Marian  xo    

Tasseled Necklaces

Tasseled necklaces are my absolute favourite. Their long length gives them such elegance, and their sexy sway when the wearer moves makes them so appealing. Most of the originals were created with a necklace made of glass beads that ended in a tassel. Originally these necklaces were called sautoirs, but they became known as "flapper necklaces" in the 1920's when they became the craze with the "bright young things" of the Art Deco period. Tassels also started appearing in earring designs. They were perfectly matched with the latest style of bobbed hair, dangling below the flirty new cut. Tasseled shimmy dresses were also a fashion trend during the same period. The flying beads and tasseled ends created a lively sense of movement when the flappers participated in the latest dance crazes like the Charleston and the Shimmy.

With the release of the Great Gatsby all of the jewellery of the era has become popular again. Lucky me! I've had a great time designing lots of new tasseled necklaces. Below are some pics of my newest creations. For a look at my entire collection, you can visit my Etsy shop by using the link on the right.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and hope you'll come back to visit again!

 

Take care.....Marian  xo    

The Countdown is On Again!!

Well, the countdown is on and I officially have 21 days left to prepare for my first outdoor craft show-and it's a big one! Three days filled with music, food and art in a gorgeous park held in downton London, ON from July 19-21, 2013 . It will be the 40'th anniversary of the Home County Music & Art Festival and it promises to be a fun-filled weekend with entertainment for the entire family. Attendance is expected to be 150,000 so I have my work cut out for me!

I've decided to take a working vacation next week and have high hopes to make lots of new things to sell. I've been busy working on some new displays-some suitcases to display my jewellery, an upholstered screen that will serve double duty as a privacy screen for rest breaks and a chance to eat, as well as a display for my fashion accessories. I've also touched up my business banner with some period details. Just a few more things to tweak and then I'll be making lots of jewellery, scarves, hats, and carpet bags to fill my booth. I never seem to make as much as I would like to, and always worry that I won't have enough. That is, until I set up shop and quickly run out of room to display everything! I always manage to figure it out and I'm sure I will again.

 

Just a quick thanks to my absolutely amazing husband Pat and daughter Jessica. I'd be lost without them, and during the next few weeks they'll basically take over the household chores to allow me to dedicate myself full-time to getting ready. It's truly a family affair and my eldest daughter Patricia will be by my side for the three long hectic days setting up and helping take care of all of my lovely customers. My son-in-law Greg will be helping us transport everything to the city and helping us get our tent set up along with my hubby. Love to you all-I'm so lucky to have you all in my life!! Oh and I can't forget the pups, who wander down to my studio and demand a quick cuddle giving me a chance to take much needed breaks. Never too busy for a snuggle and a belly rub.

We're heading into a long weekend here to celebrate Canada Day on July 1'st. I'll be joining my family for a BBQ and fireworks before getting down to business. To all of my Canadian friends and neighbours, hope you have a great day!

 

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

 

Take care.....Marian  xo    

 

 

 

 

My Secret Garden

Every day I can't help but marvel at how lush this year's gardens are. Everything has grown so thick and full and my gardens have matured to the point where I feel like I'm surrounded by my own 'secret garden'. With the seasonable temperatures and spring rains, everything is green and loaded with buds and flowers. I can't get over how absolutely beautiful everything looks, especially after a shower with the black earth as the perfect background for all of the colourful plants.

I try to get out and do a bit of work in the garden everyday, and the first thing I do is turn on the fountains. The sound of the water is so calming and peaceful....bliss!

Last year I caught the most beautiful lines of a poem that were painted across the back of a bench in an episode of "Call the Midwife". I googled the portion that I managed to write down and I was lucky enough to find the entire poem online. I'd love to share it with you along with some pictures that I took this week. The poem is called "God's Garden" and it was written by American poet Dorothy Frances Gurney.

Enjoy and I hope you're taking as much pleasure from your gardens this spring as I am!



 

The Lord god planted a garden
In the first white days of the world,

And He set there an angel warden
In a garment of light enfurled.

So near to the peace of Heaven,
That the hawk might nest with the wren,

 

  

For there in the cool of the even
God walked with the first of men.

 

And I dream that these garden-closes
With their shade and their sun-flecked sod

 

And their lilies and bowers of roses,
Were laid by the hand of God.

 

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,--

One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.

 

For he broke it for us in a garden
Under the olive-trees
 



Where the angel of strength was the warden
And the soul of the world found ease.

-Dorothy Frances Gurney

 

Take care.....Marian  xo    

 



 

Great Gatsby Inspired Jewellery

I'm not sure if you've had a chance to see the newest version of "The Great Gatsby" yet, but if you're a fan of art deco architecture, fashion, jewellery or design; it's a must see. The reviews weren't particularly great, and I have to agree for the most part, that the movie lacked substance. Fitzgerald's novel doesn't translate very well into film. The writing always stood out as The Great Gatsby's strongest quality, and with the exception of some of the dialogue, nearly impossible to duplicate in a movie.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the movie with all of it's eye candy...the clothes, the jewellery, cars, furniture, décor and houses-absolutely gorgeous. I also enjoyed Leonardo DiCaprio & Carey Mulligan's 'Jay & Daisy' over Robert Redford & Mia Farrow's. But truthfully, the clothes and jewellery were worth the price of admission alone. Tiffany & Prada were responsible for the jewels and fashions, with ad campaigns in all of the magazines for the last few months.

With Art Deco pieces being my favourite, I've been completely inspired by the jewellery featured in the movie, especially the hand ornaments. I've spent the last six weeks working on my own Gatsby inspired collection for my Etsy shop. The response has been wonderful and I thought I'd share some pics with you.

 

A bit of a different take on the hand ornament. I thought this would look beautiful with a prom outfit.

 

 

Pearls, rhinestone pendants and flapper necklaces with tassels were all popular during the Art Deco era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There has been a resurgence of art deco influence in this spring and summer's fashions, jewellery and decorating trends, especially with regards to wedding and prom fashions. Maybe this is why the movie was delayed from its original release date of December 2012. It will be interesting to see how long the trend lasts. Movies are a huge influence on the fashion industry, so probably only long enough until the next movie with gorgeous actors, fashions and jewellery and a huge publicity campaign comes along.

 

 

I hope you'll stop by my Etsy shop and to see my entire collection of Repurposed Vintage jewellery and fashion accessories. Lots of Gatsby and Art Deco inspired pieces that I think you'll love!



Take care.....Marian  xo    



The Craft Show

Wow...I can't believe it's been over two months since my last post. Every time I had plans to sit down and update my blog, life had other plans. I kept hearing this GPS-like voice whispering "recalculating" each time my plans to write went astray. Along with everything else, we've been dealing with a sick pet, Gracie our ten-year old Pomeranian, who lost her sight in a matter of days while battling both diabetes and Cushing's disease. We seem to have things under control, and she's regained a lot of her spark despite her lost sight. Going for walks is still a bit of a struggle, but I'm hoping she'll become familiar with the path we use and get back to enjoying her daily jaunts.

On March 29'th, I participated in my first craft show in London, ON. I was so nervous getting my booth set up, wondering what sort of response I would get at my first show. All sorts of fears and doubts kept creeping in. My husband and daughters were absolutely wonderful and kept assuring me that things would be fine, and as usual they were right.

I had a fantastic time...great sales, terrific feedback, meeting lots of wonderful customers and fellow artists. Everything worked out wonderfully and I was so pleased with how my booth looked, especially for a first show. Here are some pics:

 

 

I was so thrilled with the results and on a high for the balance of the weekend. But, after celebrating Easter with my family I slipped into a bit of a slump-a sort of "post-show" blues. I can't seem to explain why, but think it was likely because I had worked such long hours and dedicated every spare second to preparing for the show; now that everything was over I felt a little bit lost. I'm sure part of it was likely due to being completely exhausted. I realized that having a show on the horizon gives me a purpose, which seems to ignite everything....creativity, energy, ideas. So I decided the best thing to do was to sign up for another show. I started my search and aimed high. I decided I had nothing to lose and applied to one of the city's longest running festivals.

 

I'm so excited to share with you that I've been invited to participate in London's 2013 Home County Music and Art Festival which runs from July 19-21, 2013. This is one of the city's longest running festivals with attendance that runs 125,000-150,000. A huge, fantastic outdoor festival that I'm absolutely thrilled to be a part of. Three days of wonderful music, beautiful art, and delicious food.

 

So with a little less than seven weeks to go, the creativity and energy are soaring. I can hardly keep up with myself. Lots of ideas on how to improve my booth, new design ideas, looking for new fabrics, hunting for new vintage pieces to repurpose.....I love it!!!

 

Over the next few weeks I'd love to share all of my plans and preparations with you, and promise to be back next week with updates on how things are progressing. Until then..........

 

Take care.....Marian  xo