Love to you...

Happy Valentine's Day! 
Thank you for the love you show my blog by stopping by...hoping you receive some love your way today...

Rustic Luxe - New Year's Eve

With Christmas over and the New Year sliding in soon, this is the last post of the Rustic Luxe series...

I wanted to end this creative series combining the most rustic item I could think of with the most luxurious...
I wasn't quite sure what it would be...until inspiration hit me at work one day in the lumber department...

What is more rustic than rough concrete?  And what is luxe than gold leaf?  What if I combined them together...

My inspiration came from these...

These are dobie blocks, used to hold rebar in place when pouring a concrete slab...I've played with these before - see my tutorial for my bud vase holders here - but for the holidays I was thinking of making candle holders with them...how festive for New Year's Eve...I gathered together my supplies...

Normally these blocks come in a section of 9 or 16 blocks, with divisions between them for separation.  I used a wide rigid putty knife and a sledge hammer to break the sections apart.  Once apart, I formed a holder for each candlestick by first straightening out the wire supports and then, using a metal pipe for a support, wrapped the wire around the pipe.  Once the pipe was removed, it was easy to slip in a candlestick.

I revised my idea of using gold leaf and instead went with heavy body acrylic artist paint in a deep gold color. After taping off sections on the concrete block, I used a stiff brush to apply the paint...surprising only two coats were needed to give a good solid color.

With the candlesticks completed, it was on to the rest of the tableau...

Gold splatters on a length of kraft paper for a table runner was another Rustic Luxe combo...I used a can of gold spray paint which was leaking badly...but I ended up liking the drips and drabs on the paper...the chestnut garland (first seen in the Thanksgiving dinner centerpiece and then hanging from my Christmas tree branch) makes its final appearance with its nutty texture and the glint of gold beads. A few poppy pods sprayed with a bit of silver paint fill the bud vases...

A swath of wide silk ribbon tied around a small galvanized bucket is the perfect Rustic Luxe champagne holder...

























Vintage ironstone plates and silver cocktail forks are waiting for the appetizers...
all is set for this small intimate gathering to begin...

As we close out 2015, I want to thank you for visiting my blog, leaving your comments, giving me your support...
I hope that the new year ahead holds all the promise and opportunity you desire...cheers!

'tis the season!

Wishing all a wonderful holiday season...
wherever you are and whatever you celebrate - cheers!

Holiday Greetings in my etsy shop!

With the turn of the calendar page...its now officially the holiday season!
I've just listed these 6 designs available in my etsy shop...
use them as a quick holiday greeting, a friendly postcard wish, a festive tag for a package 
or punch a hole in the top and hang as an impromptu ornament...
'tis the season!

Rustic Luxe - a nature inspired table

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, preparations are underway for many of us...

The internet is awash with images of gloriously set tables...costing more time and effort than most of us have at this late date...I have a few suggestions here that will lend that feel of Rustic Luxe without too much sweat or strain...

The play of contrasts is the idea behind Rustic Luxe...the rough with the smooth, the shiny with the subdued,
the practical with the whimsical...

To start, I gathered up a well loved linen tablecloth and a vintage wool blanket...there's a sheen to worn linen that contrasts nicely with the woolen texture of the blanket...using the linen alone seems commonplace at the traditional T-day dinner...using the blanket alone would seem a little too picnic-like...layering one over the other is unexpected and gives a great rustic luxe vibe.

Given the time of year and the sense of the season, nature is a wonder of inspiration. I gathered up a slew of fallen leaves as well as dried stems from my garden...the large leaves were pressed and comprise the bottom layer of the centerpiece (if you don't have time to press leaves ahead of time, did you know that lightly ironing will also work to flatten and dry them) An eclectic trio of pitchers with similar tones displays a collection of bird feathers, an assortment of dried stems  and a large handful of poppy heads.

I also collected some smaller dried leaves from my photinia bush - I love how they look like leather. With a border of gold dots, the leaves are stuck into a small bottle for a little flourish at each place setting.

Candlelight always adds to the festive mood...the two candles on the table are made from a pair of worn out wool socks, two recycled glass jars, some linen string and two pearl buttons...the complete tutorial can be found in an earlier blog post - here...


The final touch to the centerpiece...one of the chestnut garlands which kicked off the Rustic Luxe series...the little gold beads mimic the gold dots on the leaves...repetition always helps in pulling a vignette together...










Though we use ironstone and silverplate everyday in our household, I do concur that this is one of the times that I bring out my grandmother's silver...that glint of shine plays off nicely with the simple ironstone...plain striped napkins (which you'll notice have not been ironed...just more texture!) echo the tones of the leaves and those willow branch napkin rings show up again...

In place of name cards, I've pulled together 4 words of inspiration, quickly stamped onto a piece of used manila folder...its a little wonky, I like that...calligraphy would be nice but time-consuming...
one word set at each place...a thought to contemplate for the day...perhaps to spark dinnertime conversation...
I used some sort of galvanized hose connectors that I recently picked up at a farm sale...I don't know what they were, but for now, they are card holders. 

I know what you are thinking...I don't have anything like old hose connectors around here...well, there are options...a tarnished fork, a flower frog, even an old hair clip...be creative...its not about what something is, its all about what it can become...

Well, now that the table's set, time to see if that turkey is thawing...and to take a minute to thank each and every one of you...I appreciate that you follow my adventures - whether here on the blog, my facebook page or on Instagram...I appreciate your support, your comments, your enthusiasm...at this time of thanksgiving, I'm grateful for this community...

Rustic Luxe - chestnuts & willow

A couple of weeks ago I had a neighbor complaining about all the horse chestnuts she had to clean up...I mentioned that I'd be happy to have some chestnuts...and before I knew it, a large bucketful arrived on my doorstep...

You've got to admit that next to turning leaves, 
chestnuts are the epitome of autumn...













With such a bountiful supply, I thought that I'd string them together...so I gathered up supplies...
pulling out some beads to include with the chestnuts...

I drilled a hole through the chestnuts with my Dremel drill, using my drill press attachment which made quick work of the drilling...though I was surprised at the mess of yellow goo since the chestnuts were not yet dried out.

I decided to use rusty wire for stringing the chestnuts...I knew that they would be heavy and I wanted the ability to shape the garland of nuts into a form rather than just having it hang in a drooping loop which would have been the case if I had used string.

Including a silver (or gold) bead along with the clay and wood beads I had, added that bit of luxe.  I finished off each garland with a curlicue of wire that would be decorative as well as practical for hanging.

I'm thinking that such a garland will look grand spread across the Thanksgiving table...

the rustic tones are a nice counterpoint to the linens...

and those gold beads give a touch of luxe....along with the worn silver patina of vintage flatware, its just the right amount of bling...

All of the flatware at our house is old vintage silverware...I like the mix of patterns and designs...I don't bother with shining it up...it goes into the dishwasher so its plenty clean...and once a piece becomes too worn out, it gets tossed in the art supply bucket and I pick up a few more pieces at the next estate sale...










You might notice the willow napkin rings...made by simply wrapping a slender twig of willow into a circle and twisting the ends to secure the circle.  The texture of the twigs adds another layer to the tabletop...

And what I like best about these chestnut garlands...after they have graced the Thanksgiving table, they could easily hang on your Christmas tree...







Joining the Vintage Inspiration Party over at Knick of Time 
and the Weekly Upcycled Link Party over at Funky Junk Interiors...

Rustic Luxe

No sooner than turning the calendar page to November and putting away the goblins and the jack-o-lanterns, do thoughts turn to the holidays ahead...

There is a decidedly cooler chill in the air and the leaves swirling along the sidewalks belie the naked branches above...

I'm all for one to enjoy each day, not wanting to rush ahead...

but I also believe in a little preparation and planning so that whatever holidays you celebrate.... Thanksgiving...Winter Solstice...Hanukkah...or Christmas...can be enjoyed at their time.

I'm starting this series called Rustic Luxe that will highlight simple ideas for the holidays ahead...small touches that can add to whatever you might be enjoying...whether its a big festive gathering or a solitary evening...

Believing in the strengths of opposites, there will be natural elements foraged from your yard combined with glints of gold...

well worn flannel with silken ribbon and rhinestones...

tattered linen and rusty wire with silver beads...

Look for the first post next week...and then randomly throughout the next six weeks...meanwhile, make yourself a cup of tea...relax in your favorite chair...knowing the holidays will arrive in their own time...but this moment is yours to enjoy now.

Happy Easter

a rebirth...a new beginning...a fresh start...oh happy day...

Art Party Portland - Registration now open!

A weekend to hang out with other creatives...in a cool, hip town...with plenty of opportunities to make wild art, scrumptious meals and new friends...what more could you ask for?

The idea of this weekend germinated back in January...and since then has blossomed into a full-fledged event...Beth Huffaker, aka shutterhuf, has agreed to co-host with me and we have been cooking up plans...
Early bird registration is now open...so read on to get all the details...

Art Party Portland - Thursday, October 8 to Sunday, October 11, 2015

First the location - Portland, Oregon - a fun, funky city with plenty of creative vibe. We'll be staying in a grand Craftsman bungalow in North Portland.  It will be a communal atmosphere - as in, we'll be sharing bedrooms and bathrooms but there's plenty of space inside and out for togetherness as well as moments of quiet.  There's plenty of coffeeshops, restaurants and boutiques within walking distance and with Portland's great mass transit system, its easy to get downtown or other areas of town if you want to go exploring. 

Here's a breakdown of the weekend...though it remains flexible to incorporate what ever creative adventures you want to include...

Thursday, October 8

           Arrive anytime to the grand old house we are renting for the weekend in North Portland...the airport is also on the north side of town so it should be easy to shuttle over to the house.  Our first gathering will be dinner Thursday night at the house where everyone will meet.

Friday, October 9

            There are no shortage of activities for a creative spirit in Portland – you are free and welcome to explore whatever you desire.

            But – we will also be hosting a number of workshops (morning and afternoon sessions) that you can choose from...

            Beth will be teaching an art image transfer workshop and an iphone photography session...

            I’ll be teaching a session on altered metal tins and a session on constructing corrugated cardboard journals.

            Other ideas floating about...creative writing, junk mail collage, cooking/baking (how about some handmade chocolate truffles?), a visit to a local artisan who actually is making a living being an artist...

Is there a talent you want to share with the group? Or is there a skill/idea/process you’d like to know more about? We'd love to hear your thoughts to make it your weekend - let us know!

There will be light eating options for breakfast and lunch on this day; we’ll have a large group dinner again this night...maybe some specialty cooking?  wine tasting?

And after dinner...Idea Exchange: social media is all the rage...how can you utilize it to your best advantage...

Saturday, October 10

            Junk Bonanza is in town this weekend...one of the largest vintage markets in the country is being held in Portland for the first time...Beth and I are pumped to go and happy to take along whoever else is game...The admission to this event is on your own...tickets are $10; additional details on the show at junkbonanza.com

            If junk is not your thing...there’s Powell’s Bookstore (an entire city block of literary coolness) the Saturday Farmer’s Market (produce, food, art and tons of fun), Washington Park (great hiking trails and nature photo opps)

             Janet Brown of Janet Brown Studios will be teaching a session on Indigo Dyeing.

             Wendy Lee Lynds will teach a session on creative art journaling. 

Group dinner again this night...maybe another Idea Exchange on how to keep the art mojo going when life interferes...

Sunday, October 11

            Winding down...we’ll have breakfast together and then pack up and head for home...with a suitcase filled with memories and creative spark...

As I mentioned earlier, it’s a big rambling house that's the hub for the weekend...its not fancy or elaborate...very down home...clean and tidy...but funky décor.  Its going to be a group experience...there are no private bedrooms and 4 shared bathrooms.  There’s a combination of twin, double and queen beds – even a couple of bunk beds...one bedroom has 6 beds in it, some have only two...think of it as urban camping...and probably best to maybe bring earplugs along...you know we all snore now...but keep in mind that this communal setting is what is keeping this adventure affordable...

If you think that you would like more privacy or a different setting, there are plenty of hotel options in town...and there is a registration fee for those who are staying somewhere else and are participating during the day.

Are you ready to join us...and be a part of this collective of creative spirits?

Early Bird Registraion is now open until May 1 or sooner if event fills. After May 1, the registration fee will be $400.

         $375 includes

* shared lodging at the house for three nights

* group dinners on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights, light breakfast and lunch for Fri and Sat, 

group breakfast on Sun

* all workshop supplies for whatever sessions you take

* plenty of other surprises and sparks

Here is the PayPal link for Early Bird Registration

Activity only Registration – opens now until September 30

$275 includes

 * staying each night elsewhere but participating in all activities and meals 

 at the house Thurs - Sunday as described above

 * all workshop supplies for whatever sessions you take

 * plenty of other surprises and sparks

  Here is the PayPal link for Event Activity Registration

      

Cancellation Policy - 50% refund up until September 1, 2015, after that time, no refunds given.

Additional details about the exact location of the North Portland house as well as more information on schedule, activities, and creative sparks will be provided to registrants upon payment.  You will be asked for a mail address when you complete your PayPal transaction so we can send a confirmation packet to you.

Have any questions, comments or concerns - feel free to email or call/text me 

amy_duncan@yahoo.com

425-239-6132

or my partner in creativity, Beth Huffaker at bhuffak@gmail.com

It's going to be quite a creative party...Beth and I hope you will be joining us!