Magazines!

Oh my goodness do I have a lot of new and wonderful magazines. For those of you who have been waiting they are here (Stuffed, Handcrafted, Studio, Life) For those of you who have been looking you search is over. I carry almost all of Stampingtons magazines and they are all here in one location!

Summer is starting to heat up and it is time for outdoor cooking, swimming pools, and lots of watermelon spitting contests. I love summer. There will be a few days that the shop will be closed so that I can spend some time with Noah the prince of boys. I have promised him some Lake days and a camping trip. This shop has always been about friends, neighbors, family and community. Nothing is more important than spending time with a nine year old.

There are a few small but good changes coming soon that I am excited about, I am going to keep them secret for just a little while longer but they will be worth the wait.

I know I am not alone when I say that there is nothing like a copy of Where Women Create, a bubble bath, and a piece of chocolate cake. I love taking a peek into those beautiful studios I drool and dream of a perfect studio with great lighting and treasures in all the right places. Many of my good friends have been featured so it makes it extra exciting to see what they have created in print.

I also have a few friends who have studios that are just as important and just as beautiful in their own way. Not all of us have lofts, barns, spare rooms, or even garages that can be done over. Many of us have carved out a corner somewhere in the house or simply use the dining room table. One person I know uses her laundry room as a workspace, she has a plywood "Table" she sets up on the washer and dryer when she is working. It is the prettiest laundry room I have ever seen! Another friend uses her guest bathroom as a darkroom. It smells like chemicals and there are clothes lines everywhere with prints hanging to dry (yes some people are still photo purists and I love them).

I want to celebrate the women who may not have color coordinated chase lounge for lounging with a sketch pad or a wall full of windows that face a garden. I want to celebrate women who find a ways to create no matter where they are no matter what they have.

Send me your studio pix, even if that means it's a suitcase full of craft supplies, or a two drawers in the linen closet. Beauty and good ideas can be found in the most unexpected places. Tell me a little bit about your space and what you do and I will post them on a special page on the website elevenmorningstangerine.com

Make some iced-tea, find a drippy ice cream cone and enjoy this wonderful season.

Make Art=Be Happy

Candy...

The lovely Lisa Guerin stopped by last night. I opened the shop up for her so we could have a little play date. Paper is Lisa's second skin, scissors a fifth appendage. We had a very nice time sitting around making stuff and chatting. I got a sneak peek at her proofs for WWC. Her studio is bright, simple, organized and inviting. I get a little jealous when I see such tidy work spaces!

It has been a little quiet at Tangerine, school is getting out, there are graduations, summer camps to prep for etc. The down time has given me an opportunity to think of some new idea's make some cute birdies and play a little.

I have all these new Stampington magazines to read and I can't wait to dig in.

Michael Demengs classes are starting to fill up, October is too far away! I bought a case of old doll parts that I just finished sorting and will be putting out in the shop. I have all kinds of creepy ideas for the Demented toys class; big heads, small bodies and arms that are different sizes, maybe wheels for legs and eyes that do more than just blink.

I am dieting and that makes me grouchy but many of you understand the middle aged muffin top dilemma most of us face at some point in our life. I have chosen Sparkpeople an online diet plan, support group, one stop everything. I love it. It is a networking sight for people who are trying to take back healthy bodies by eating well and moving around a little more. The tools are free, simple, and eye opening. I am at day three.

I don't need to live to be 100 but I would like the years I have here to be healthy and productive. I don't believe in lose it quick scams, diet drugs, or anything that turns your life upside down. It is easy to make a few better choices, go for a walk a couple days a week, and drink more water.

As artists we do a whole lot of sitting and snacking. Getting outside, walking, and clearing your head improves creativity and helps prevent all that stiffness we get from working hunched over our workbench all day.

I don't need to look like Barbie but I do need a healthy heart and a Strong body.

I may be eliminating the candy in the store. I know, I know, it is wonderful but I could use that space to stock up on some really cute stuff, and great ephemera. I may have a big fat candy sale!

Lisa Guerins motto is "Think good thoughts" How can go wrong doing that! So think good thoughts, Make art, be happy, get outside today and take in the color all around you.

All that Hot Air!

Thought I would let you see what Iva's class will be making on June 27th!

These are a few of the lovely hardworking ladies who were in Iva's Private workshop, they rocked the place apart! It was a great day.

This is going to be a terrific workshop, there are a few spaces left.

marbelizing paper and veggie beds...

Poo-on-a-stick I just couldn't wait until next week so I have all my marbleizing supplies out and I am going to do a dozen sheets and see how they look. This is way too much fun to be calling "work"

Lisa Guerin just sent me her class samples and they are beautiful. Little altered journal covers using all the good stuff we hoarders collect. Lisa has a beautiful eye for composition. she will be here on the 15Th, her classes are always fun and productive.

I am putting together a few play dates this summer. These are not workshops and there is no class fee. It is simply a group of creative people getting together sharing ideas, eating treats and re-connecting with real live people outside of their studios.

1.Marbleizing Paper
2.Sewing little stuff
3.Binding and upcycling old the old paper stash.

If you are interested give me a call or shoot me an email.

It isn't too late to put in a little veggie garden. It doesn't have to feed the planet but there is nothing better than a meal prepared with something you grew yourself.

If space is an issue try a small raised bed or containers. I once grew the most obscene tomato's from a ceramic pot on a patio.

A good friend of mine does community gardening. She has a friend in town with a descent space for a garden. They created a small group and they tend the soil, plant, water and harvest together.

Most kids think food comes from the grocery store. Introduce them to seeds and seedlings. When I need an herb or a green I send my little guy out to the back yard, he loves it.

I have three raised beds. They are very small and a big change from the huge gardens I use to have. I don't have as much time and passion for it as I use to but I can not go a whole summer without something edible growing in my yard. Our yard has a little more cement than it use to, a trampoline, a little outbuilding and other stuff that eats up an already small space. Over the years we have planted dwarf fruit trees so that we could have fresh fruit without having acreage. I have fig, cherry, apricot, apple, Asian pear, nectarine, pomegranate and two overgrown walnuts courtesy of our squirrels. They all live in my back yard and don't take up any more space than ornamental shrubs would have.

The cherries are long gone (we ate them as soon as they got a little red) The apricots and pears are firm little nubs waiting for the sun to make them big and sweet.

Don't be afraid to get outside and get dirty, run in the sprinklers or read on a blanket under a tree (even if it isn't your tree) There are a million ways to fill the creative well, explore.

Michael Demeng

Oh Yes!

Every medium has it's Rock Star and Assemblage has Michael, holy cow this guy makes art that rocks me upside down. The best part of all is he is ours for three whole days!

Senior Demeng will be stopping by Tangerine in October to teach a three day series of classes before he is of to Mexico for his fabulous Day of the Dead art fiesta. If only I could take the time off; art, mojitos, mole, and alters...oh my.

If you want in on all the fun you gotta give me a call or shoot me an email. I am taking early registration and I hope to have the classes all filled by July. I have it on good authority that he will be teaching demented toys...oh yipee!

Don't be shy, you know you wanna.

I am personally giving up my morning Starbucks (iced green tea and blueberry coffee cake) and slipping the money into my secret envelope. It is a painless way to pay for all three days. Hey if you have to tighten up the belt, do it creatively.

Next week I will be marbelizing paper if you want to play come on by.

Iva is teaching the Hot air balloon class, it is going to be a small group so you will want to get in on the action early.

Lisa Guerin is going to be here in June. She is so much fun, a great individual, a creative soul, and a real person, I just love her.

One of my favorite customers is Stephanie Jordan. She comes in at least once a week to buy grapefruit gummies and look for treasures, she's a ray of sunshine. Have you ever met someone who just knew how to make the most out of any situation? Stephanie has exchanged corporate America for a a creative life. She is brave and determined, her positive attitude is infectious. You can watch her YouTube videos for some fun and easy tips on how to use some products you may already own but havn't explored. Ms.Jordans website is Diviacity.com

Stephanie makes art and is happy.

Summer is here! Skinny dipping, otter pops, lawn sprinklers, public pools, cut-off shorts and flip flops...divine.

Barb Saint John, bones, workshops and citrus...

Barb St John Came to Tangerine for a visit. I liked her the second I met her. She is warm, interesting, kind, creative, and just amazing! She brought an old jewel box full of treasures for me to explore.

I can imagine many people cruising by her work sure they know what is on the table but for the few people who take the time to take a second look...well, we are the lucky ones. Barbs work is smart, ironic, naughty and fun. She isn't just throwing it together, each piece is carefully planned and wonderfully joined; text, fragile bones encased in resin, sassy images, vintage rhinestones, chunky metal, clock parts, it all equals beauty.

I asked her to teach a few classes at Tangerine and she agreed to share some of her secrets with us and teach a couple jewelry making workshops. In one of them we will be making pendants with secret perfume compartments, and yes we will be making our own signature perfume to fill them with. I am pretty excited (huge Grin) about this one.

We have quite a few workshops coming up, if you are not finding them on the website elevenmorningstangerine.com then give me a call and I can fill you in. I hit a little web-site hurdle but it is being repaired and is up and running. (Please read the disclaimer about my lack of technical expertise)

It has been a slow week at Tangerine which means the universe gave me an opportunity to do the books. Ahhh numbers, lots of them, rows and rows of them all needing to be crammed into a program that does magical things with them. There aren't many things I like better except a pap smear, getting my teeth cleaned or being run over by a very big truck with mosters painted on it!

I am almost done with this horrific task and I am chomping at the bit to start making Marie dolls. Ladies in waiting: The Soire is just around the corner! I will be throwing a Marie Party/Workshop soon where we will be making Maries out of old dolls parts, wire, wool, ceramic pots and vintage fabric. I even saved some terrible lace from Paris for this party! This is going to be a messy, fun, and long workshop. If you are a doll maker, want to learn a little bit about found object sculpture or just love cake then you need to hang out with us!

New Goodies, even more Catherine Moore Stamps and an even cooler space to make stuff (Played Tetris with the store and viola, more space!)

The weather is so nice, throw on some shorts, find pomogranite blossoms, baby pears, and ripe cherries.

Make Art = Be Happy

Bind It!!!

Zutters are here!

Many of you are familiar with Zutter Bind-it-all but this little chicken had no idea they existed!

I was looking for a binding solution. I love binding by hand it's beautiful but I wanted to make 20 art inspiration journals and the though of sewing all those pages made me dizzy. So I went a hunting for the perfect tool and I found it. Not only did I find it but I ordered a dozen pink ones for Tangerine.

The workshop I will be teaching this summer has a lot to do with deconstructing your story but it will have to be constructed so the binding tool is a must.

Many new workshops check out the website (elevenmorningstangerine.com) for the new stuff.

The word is out, it is official

Michael Demeng will be teaching October 18-19-20

if you would like a space in one of the classes you will need to send me an email and I will put you on the VIP list. His classes are going to fill very quickly.

I will be posting class photos here in the coming week.

Thank you to those of you who attended the ZNE convenzione workshop here at Tangerine. We had so much fun and if I didn't give the queen of ZNE my camera by accident (I think I was looking for an excuse to get together for lunch with her) the event photos would be up. As soon as I can wrangle her I promise to post the pics.

For those of you who have asked the answer is YES! the question is< " are you getting more Catherine Moore stamps?" They are on the way and the lovely Ms. Catherine is packing a big fat box of stamps as I write this post. We are keeping her busy, her stamps fly out of here!

This shop is wonderful because the people who hang out here rock it upside down.