one last push

This weekend marks my Open House so I have one last push to get a few more things made. Starting with.... what does one do with all their CD's???  make a funky CD shelf, this is on the inside of closet door. 

I added this slightly broken mirror to the closet door so I could have one more full length mirror. I covered the edges with interesting drift wood. 

 This old very solid box is perfect for kids blocks but in order to keep the lid up and away from little fingers, I screwed the lids together and the final detail was a cord handle.

 I plan on having more kids help me with this wall, but in the mean time I need to paint over the remaining white wall.

 This is a mossy green that is a shade darker then the original green I used, perfect for the bottom layer

A little night painting to finish the trim around the window.

Opps, if this was any other colour I would probably leave it but the white is too bright, luckily it cleaned up quite easily.  

Cleaning up the mess for my first studio gathering

Ok....3 months have gone by and now I have to put away the tools and supplies...but where to put them? I will just have to build something.  

This shelf use to be affixed over our very old washer and dryer, so when we finally got new efficient machines we had to pull it down for the space. I knew I could turn it into something.  This is the before picture...

Here is a picture of the finished unit....

I put the unit on it's side and added shelves; it has casters on the bottom so I can move it around my studio and I used up the cedar lattice siding for the door and back. The piece of wood in the middle where the handle is from an old chair I picked up. 

The inside shelves are made of scrap wood, some that where found on the beach. 

I added some detailing using pieces from old handles, an interesting effect. 

I have put away all my tools and pieces of creative inspiration (for the moment) in time for a gathering with my lovely female friends & clothing swap.  The studio is soon ready for guests.

 I made another creative mirror using what was left of the broken mirror with antique hinges and drift wood.  I could keep going but time is ticking....

Seven days left!

I am planning my big Open House for Sunday, April 3st from 1-3:30pm. I hope my friends can make it out.  But there is still much to do, like creating a bit of a puppet show to start...

My work table is covered in material and so is the floor. Along with finishing the studio I am also trying to make art pieces for an art show.

The puppets are happy in their new home, and there is plenty of room for more!

the puppet to the left is the Princess I built a few years ago based the children's story by Oscar Wilde "the Birthday of the Infanta" the puppet on the right is a very new addition I just picked up and hope to use as a model for a puppet building workshop. She is a marriontte that I actually feel I have control over. She will be making her debut on Sunday.

the door is almost ready to open...it has been a whirlwind experience to say the least and of course it will never be completely. What studio is?

Setting up the studio

OK, the floor is painted... and now I am putting things back on the wall. 

 I picked up a funky lamp for $5 and blinged it up with left over accessories, much better I think from the original shades it came with.

one of my ART expressions from a class I taught in Jan/ Feb 2011. Each class I would come up with a new form for Art..from cardboard to wood to sculpture...I recommend trying it.

more inspiration for they eyes...

the inspirational line is growing with more art and photos.

This little fella was given to me at a Flea market and I just can't part with it. My blue doll has been a photographic inspiration for a few years now. 

the floor is painted

 During Spring break my niece (who is graduating this year) came to visit and stated, and I quote "I am so happy to surrounded by so much art" awwww...melted my heart it did.  We spent one day cleaning out the studio of all the wood and swepted so I could finish the floor.

 While I organized my endless amount of stuff, Destiny started making a mouse out of wire, this is the head.

 We chatted about many things, I was educated about bands that wore clown faces while I started painting the last of the floor.

 Here is the mouse and body, she still needs to add more to it, a little door that opens to a bead heart and some little paws... Destiny has the artistic gene for sure... we are going to check out Vancouver Colleges (oh to be young again)

The floor is finally painted and now onto the walls and then....well dare I say it is almost done...and I have less then 2 weeks until my opening on April 3rd.

Making puppets in a display window

On Saturday, March 12, I was invited to sit in a window and make puppets at Bird on a Wire Creations at Main St Vancouver.  I sat making puppets and had an eager participant waiting for me to learn how to make puppets, Erin and I made puppets all day as Karen (the owner) greeted customers. 

When I went next door for a lovely coffee shop Kafkas Coffee   the owner/ manager asked me if I could make a puppet inspired from one of his customers, I took up the challenge.

here is the finished character, I did not have a chance to name him. He may or may not become a permanent fixture of the store, I am waiting to find out.

 Here is Erin making her first sock puppet.

here

 Here is Karen, the owner of the store and Angela Brown playing with puppets.

What do you find in a puppet closet?

and now the fun really begins because I am adding found objects to the puppet closet which will hopefully draw the visitor in. I really want this studio to be as tactile as possible so kids & adults play.

  a velvet box that will house...something...

my Aunt found this wood round box for me, so I turned it on it's side and made shelves to hold small tactile objects.

I came across this lovely bird house design wallpaper (only $2). It is going to be popping up all over the studio.

I attached the apple box to the top of the shelf to ad more space to hold things. a box inside a box.

 This is Maggie Rose, the puppet, she is liking her new stool and above her is a very large door mouse.

 Spot the puppeteer in the next round of photos.