Look for this booth tomorrow at Little Lake Park and get your goodie bag of freebies from fabulous Etsians! Featuring super cool things like:

Drink of the Week

Busy week deserves a shot! Since fall is right around the corner, and the leaves are already starting to fall, how about a Caramel Apple Shot?

1 part apple pucker
1 part butterscotch schnapps

Shake over ice, strain into shot glass(es), enjoy!

In the morning, when you're sober again, think about enjoying the last few gorgeous days of summer and check out the Art and Craft Show in Little Lake Park here in beautiful Grand Rivers, Kentucky? With over 100 vendors, fair food, demonstrations, and more, there's enough fun for three days! And while you're there, register to win a gift certificate to my shop and grab a grab bag of handmade goodies from several Etsy talents- all for free!!

Spray Paint Fun Part 3

This week I am scrambling to get everything done for the KWW Arts and Crafts Show this week, and needed to make some sort of display for my mini paintings. Maybe I'm cheap, or maybe its my eco-friendly raising that makes me dig through all the junk around the house before I buy anything, maybe its a little of both. After searching in vain for the right kind of wood to construct such a thing, I finally settled on an old, broken poster frame that has been sitting in the garage since I moved in. After fixing the frame with good ol' Gorilla Glue (that glue rocks!), I painted it lime green to match this cheap easel that's been collecting dust for several years now. Then I cleaned up the plastic "glass" from the frame and painted one side with glass frosting spray paint. I then hot glued the plastic in the frame to make sure it was secure, and then laid some of the same cutouts leftover from the necklace display board project and sprayed bursts of white and blue spray paint. The last thing was to add some shelves to put the paintings on, so I searched some more and came up with trim scraps from another household project and screwed them into the frame. Voila!

Be sure to come see what mini paintings I have- at marked down show special prices- this weekend! While you're there, pick up a goodie bag of handmade samples from me and other Etsy crafters, like these swell potscrubbers handmade by Mary Ellen's Crafts. I used one myself and can tell you firsthand, these nifty things really rock! Get one free and find out yourself, and then swing by her shop and show her some love!

Fun with Spray Paint #2

My second fun thing to do with spray paint? How 'bout this fab necklace display I made from boards that came in the back of frames, push pins and corsage pins, and spray paint? All it took was a few cardboard cutouts, a good base coat of one color (also spray paint, of course) and several swooshie (yes, its a word) layers of different colors as I moved the cutouts between colors. The only cutouts I didn't move was where you see the light blue doves- the dark blue dove was a stencil dove I made and painted last.

Be sure the come to the KWW Arts and Crafts Show this weekend in Grand Rivers and check out the all new and rad pendants and necklaces I put on the display! While you're there, register to win a gift certificate and recieve a wonderful goodie bag full of handmade samples from other Etsy artists, like the super talented and very, very funny Annie Rexic!
At annierexic.etsy.com, you can get fresh and funky handmade pins, clothes and jewelry, all complete with hysterical descriptions that will keep you in stitches! She has some of these fun little handmade pins included in the goodie bags for you to take home. So be sure to drop by and say hello!

Fun with Spray Paint

Josh brings me bigs cans of Rustoleum industrial enamel whenever he can. Somehow, he is always surprised how quickly I can go through spray paint. From outfitting retro hard plastic suitcases, to jazzing up the mailbox, spray paint is good for everything! This week, I'll be showing you all the fun that can be had with a few cans of spray paint! Today's fun:

margaritas and free samples!

Its been a busy week of getting last minute things done for the big arts and craft show next weekend. So make yourself a Margarita and relax with me!

Margarita:

1 1/2 oz tequila

1/2 oz triple sec

sweet and sour to fill

splash of Rose's Lime juice

garnish with a lime after pouring in a salted glass, and enjoy!

I have been busy today putting together fun "goodie bags" chock full of handmade with love samples from other Etsy artists to give away, so make sure to come out next weekend and get yours while they last! A taste of what to expect:

And from me:

Art Lessons

I spent the morning giving art lessons to Sierra and two other homeschool girls. We had beautiful weather for plein air painting, and the girls turned out lovely paintings of the landscape around them in only 3 hours! I was very impressed! Interested in art lesssons for yourself or children? I offer private lessons for the same price (often less) than typical art classes where there are 20 people to one teacher. The price also includes use of my studio, equiptment, and even some supplies. Learn more on my website, or call me at 270-508-0622.

xoxo

New Work

I have been hard at work making new jewelry in time for the biggest art and craft show of the year in this area, Kentucky Western Waterland's Annual Labor Day Weekend Arts and Crafts Festival. Whew! What a name! Here are two of my newest favorite pieces, my butterfly and roses earrings (above) and this pretty daisy chain bracelet:

Its been a hard decision whether or not to post all my new, fun jewelry and other art in my Etsy shop before the show. I finally decided I will be posting some new pieces, but not most of them so I can save some surprises for the show! In addition, I will also be giving away promo bags with an assortment of handmade samples from other Etsians at the show. Stay tuned to see what some of these items are as I get them!

Speaking of Etsy and jewelry, have you checked out this fellow jeweler/ blogger/ Etsian? Teresa of Inspired Designs makes mainly copper jewelry that is beautiful with a rustic elegance, and her blog is interesting and amusing. Check it out!

xoxo

Painkiller After a Long Week

School started this week, its still hot outside, and you've spent all week hard at work waiting for Friday. Sound familiar? Maybe you need a Painkiller.

Painkiller

In a rocks double glass with ice, pour in:

2 oz Pusser's Rum

2 oz cream of coconut

equal parts pineapple and orange juice to fill

garnish with a dash of nutmeg and a maraschino cherry

Enjoy! While you're sipping your pain away, check out my newly revamped website. Yeah insomnia!! The photos on the gallery page are improved and easier to see, the look is different, and hopefully everything is easier to use. Check it out and let me know what you think! Thanks! Enjoy the weekend~xoxo

Kitschy Pendants and Earrings

My new pendants and earrings feature vintage/ retro photos printed on super durable and lightweight plastic. I have everything from squirrels (of course!) to guns to these fun jukeboxes:

Check back to see my flowery and paisley patterned pendants! Coming in the next week! I love paisley more than I love squirrels, believe it or not. xoxo

Inventory Clean Out Sale!!

I have spent the last few days hard at work taking inventory of everything I have made in the past two years. In doing so, I have found things I have forgotten all about!! All of this hard work is in preparation for the craft shows I have coming up- the KWW's 33rd Annual Arts and Crafts Show on Labor Day weekend, the Paducah BBQ on the River Festival September 25th ,26th and 27th and Hunter's Moon Festival October 10th. Check out this little pretty:

To celebrate cleaning and organizing all my inventory (no small feat, if you have seen my studio!), I lowered all my prices in my Etsy shop!! So even if you have been there before, go back and look again! Almost everything is 25% to 50% lower than before!!

xoxo

Shout Outs

I spent all day Saturday at Green Turtle Bay for Marina Day doing facepainting and launching my new line of graphic design and photo pendants. I probably gave 150 kids and even adults painted "tattoos" and bedecked cheeks with turtles, hearts, anchors and sailboats, and got great reception on my jewelry as well. The weather was gorgeous, the food was wonderful, and a great time was ad by all! In addition, I recieved a shout out on the blog, Laura K Finds Her Way, a clever, funny, and well written account of life and current happenings here in Western Kentucky.

In looking at this whole shout out phenomenon, I also discovered this fun little blog dedicated to art made in the round-robin style, where the same thing travels all of the world to a circle of crafters and artists who all add something before sending it on. Flory's Crafts is a little peek into a wonderful concept! In addition, the multi-talented Flory has a poetry blog with lovely musings and prose. Check it out!!

Drink of the Week

In honor of Marina Day tomorrow at Green Turtle Bay, I present to you, the Green Turtle Madness Cocktail!

In a rocks double glass with ice, mix:
1 oz vodka
1 oz Malibu Rum
1 oz Midori
Pineapple juice to fill

Enjoy!! Remember to come see me at Marina Day, tomorrow from 1 to 5 at Green Turtle Bay! Have a fabulous, fun, refreshing weekend! xoxo

Marina Day this Saturday

This Saturday I will be facepainting and having a demonstration and display booth at Green Turtle Bay to celebrate Marina Day. Marina Day is a national event to celebrate the importance boating has on communities across the country, and in our village between the lakes where there are more than twice as many slips as houses, Marina Day is a big event! Featuring a full day of free fun for the whole family, be sure to come down and enjoy everything from free sailboat rides and children's activities to the street dance at night ending with a fireworks display on the water. Learn more by visiting the Grand Rivers website. I will be there from noon till 5 pm Saturday painting faces and answering questions about my art and jewelry. So stop on by and say hello!!

xoxo

Blog of the Week: Have you checked out Skwiggazine?

Have you checked out Skwiggazine yet? Part online interactive magazine and part social networking site for artists, Missy Skwiggler started this site as a constant source of information and new art by artists, for artists. I was even featured all July with my paintings on Wednesdays! I also write the Interview Me! column on Saturdays, interviewing a different up and coming artist every week. Check it out!

xoxo