Art and Soul... it sure was fun!

So, I hope all of you who were artisans enjoyed your experience at Art and Soul. I really enjoyed getting to know a number of you better, and hope to get to know even more of you next year. Although this year's sale is over and done, the blog is going to continue.

We're going to keep this blog as a "meeting place" for all of us. First off, send me pictures and comments about the sale so I can post them here. Second keep us posted throughout the year on your new projects or skills. Finally, maybe we can even plan some Art and Soul get togethers in order to spend some time together just creating, or teaching, or hunting down supplies at flea markets, auctions and sales.

All in all, let's keep this blog going year round and not lose touch. AND... let's let people know we're already planning for next year so that their excitement builds and builds as the year goes on.

Thanks everyone for a great show! Thanks Vickie, April and Hope for all the behind the scenes work that you do to make this event a success. Hope has been working on keeping signage up for all of us, April keeps contacts going, ideas flowing and encouragement growing and Vickie... well, you ALL know Vickie... she's the soul of love and compassion and caring and she keeps our heart alive. (Not to mention arriving early, staying late, and generally making all the community contacts for locations, ads and commercials!) Thank you ladies for your care for us!

Blessings,
Kim

p.s. Here are a few photos we managed to capture of the "during" and "after" phases of Art and Soul. Sorry I don't have names to go with all the booths... or pictures of all the booths. Help me out.. send names, send pictures, send ideas!

Midwest Magpies... April Strasler
She always has cool vintage finds and wonderful creations.

Whimsy and The Word
I was blessed with a lot of space and being able to show
off the Happy Trees. 

Hope's table is ALWAYS a treat to view and visit!

"Made for You" is a new booth by Missy  Cooper. 

The remaining pieces from "The Little Red Porch"... 

Bella Luce... bravo LeAnn and Janet... it was a lovely booth!

Purely tuckered out by all the shopping!

Bella Luce

I would like to introduce LeAnn Luce of Bella Luce. Here is what she has to share about her business.

"Bella Luce means beautiful light, and because my name is LeAnn Ernst Luce I thought it would be a nice tribute to my artistic gift that God has given me. I consider myself and Artist and Purveyor of Whimsy and Charm... Taking all things of the past into consideration.

Bella Luce specializes in a Recycled, Repurposed, Decoupaged, Collaged, Entourage of found objects and especially sought after home and lifestyle decor with particular Vintage Vavoom.

I don't like the word Antique, preferring instead to call my findings with a past, artistic treasures in the making...that are even more cre-artive the second time around. My work is a mixed media conglomeration in which I use tons of *Gobbledygook. I love WORDS ... so much of what I create is inspired by a *Hodgepodge of quotes from history, poetry, literature and signs that I have seen or things that people say. I carpetbag images of and the artwork of impressive muses of history, literature and music. I have shopped consignment, estate sales and Goodwill stores for years ... I picked up this habit honestly from Mother, grandmothers, and aunts (and even uncles). Most of my career I have worked in academic settings as a history teacher, and as a program manager for the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. I am a living history interpreter, gardener and herbalist, Wife, Mother, Grandmother. I dabble in writing, reading, cooking, daydreaming, and fantasizing about times and things of the past.

I cre-arte using various medias such as *Gobbledygook: door keys, old photos, heirloom china or silver bits, tiaras of all shapes and sizes, vintage dinnerware and plates, artificial birds, homegrown flowers, herbs and forest botanicals, salt and pepper shakers, apothecary or mason jars filled to the brim with buttons, ribbon, knick-knacks, old time pieces, tea towels and linens, tablecloths and napkins, lacy pillow cases, lunch boxes or picnic baskets, used books, baskets and bulbs, vintage photographs, mirrors, kitchen collectibles, shells, starfish, sea glass, small boxes and picture frames, ephemera, strands of pearls, brightly colored costume jewelry, postcards, glittering eye glasses, feathers, fur textiles ... *Hodgepodge: Beatrix Potter, Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Joel Chandler Harris, James Whitcomb Riley, Madeline L'Engle, William Shakespeare, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, Lucy Maude Montgomery, Amelia Earhart, William Morris, Jane Morris, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Queen Elizabeth I, William Henry Harrison, Anna Harrison, Thomas Jefferson... and the list goes on!"

To see more of LeAnn's Cre-artians come visit her booth on Saturday, from 10-3 at Chapman's. 

More Scarf It!

Here are a few more glimpses of Jay's work... again, many thanks to her beautiful sister for modeling these for us!

I believe this is one of the infinity scarves.

and another one... while you're at the booth ask Jay to show you how to tie  these lovely pieces

a gorgeous fringed scarf

I love the rich shades of rose in this scarf.

a simple loop that allows the fringe to show

this is nice for when the days are cooler and you want something warm at your throat

For more scarves visit Jay's booth, Scarf It, this Saturday at Chapmans, from 10-3. 

Whimsy and The Word... The Spa Feeling

No exciting pictures, but some news... I began experimenting last year and have come up with some fun products for this year. 

• Dead Sea Salt scrubs
• Epsom Salt Scrubs
• Sugar Scrubs
• Dead Sea Salt Bath Salts 
• Soaps... glycerin, coconut oil and Shea butter

I've managed to create some nice pairings here:

Rose soaps and rose sugar scrubs

Lemon and Lavender Soap and Bath Salts

Peppermint Scrubs and Peppermint Soap

Citrus Soap and Orange Scrub

and, just for the holidays...

Cocoa Peppermint Sugar Scrub

I hope you'll enjoy using these as much as I enjoyed researching and making these. 

Look for me at "Whimsy and The Word" on Saturday, November 17, from 10-3 at Chapman's. 

TIME CHANGE

I have no idea how I've messed up... but the show is 10-3, NOT 10-4 as I've been listing. Going to change each listing, but pass the word... oy... I really messed up!!!! So sorry. 

Kim

Kleindorfer's Crafts

Barbara likes to keep things simple. When she was deciding on a name for her business that was her inspiration, simplicity, hence the name "Kleindorfer's Crafts."

"I love crafting!" 
says Barbara. "I enjoy knitting, crocheting
 and hand sewing. I started crafting by teaching myself to knit and crochet before my oldest son was born."

 In anticipation of having a lot of time on her hands she stocked up on yarns and needles. She jokingly comments, "Well, you know how that turned out! I still had time, but not near as much as I thought I would. Two kids and many years of working out of the home later... crafting has helped me keep my sanity! Creating something or recycling something that is not used any more is just fun!"

One of Barbara's felted purses.

If you'd like to see a bit of Barbara's fun then stop by her booth this Saturday, November 17, from 10-3 at Chapman's. 

Scarf It

This marks Jay's third year with Art and Soul. Jay is a very talented artist, with a degree in textiles. 

Jay's business is "Scarf It" which is self-explanatory... she designs scarves. These aren't your every day, run-of-the-mill scarves, these are wearable art. I own several of her first scarves and receive many compliments each time I wear one. They are gorgeous, of excellent quality and a joy to wear!

When asked how she started creating Jay had this to say, "Now there is a long and twisted story. It might sound cliche but I've always loved making things from stories to images. When I was younger I did a lot of cross stitch and other fiber related work; however, it was only more recently that I came back to the fiber scene. I took a textiles class at IU and discovered all of the other wonderful things that are possible with fabric. Scarves are something that I love to look at and they allow me to simply play with the material and colors. It's simply a pleasure for me to make them."

I loved Jay's reply when asked about her favorite medium. "I guess it would be hypocritical of me to say something other than textiles, since that's what I have my degree in. However, I find that the medium I prefer to work with depends on my mood. Sometimes images appeal to me more than fabric and at other times words speak. In the end though, textile processes seem to be the form that truly does what I want it to, artistically and not merely for fun.

I then asked Jay about her favorite piece for Art and Soul. "I think my favorite thing this year are the new infinity scarves that I found. I'm also quite fond of a few of the new projects that I tried this year including sewing some of my own scarves, one of which happens to be my sister's new favorite. :)"

Don't miss Jay's booth. I'm sure you'll find an amazing array of textiles, colors and styles. Be sure to stop by on Saturday, November 17, from 10-3 at Chapmans',  for the Fourth Annual Art and Soul. 

Thanks to Jay's model, sister Anna, she did a great job of showing the beauty of Jay's work!