Friends of a Feather

Creative Family Traditions...

2011-12-07T22:59:00.001-06:00

I come from a very creative family. My dad was a prominent Kansas City commercial artist and my Mom, well if you've been to our Friends of a Feather events, you probably have seen her beautiful, inspiring gems that she has created with her own two hands. My brother Scott, my two nieces Alexandra and Shelby are all amazing artists, not to mention my two daughters who are wonderful artists and creative women too, but don't give themselves enough credit...

One of my all-time favorite holiday traditions with my family on Thanksgiving is to sit around the dining room table and create a Christmas ornament. Now the tradition will continue with my grandchildren...this was priceless to see Max and Annabelle checking out the art supplies at hand...so busy...my youngest little buddy, Sullivan was napping at this time...he will be able to join in the fun next Thanksgiving...see his photo below!

Notice the turkey T-Shirts that my daughter Jennifer designed and created for the kids.

My little buddy Sullivan...such a happy little guy!

I'd like to invite you to share your

creative family tradition,

by commenting to my post below!

Our Holiday Open House...Just a Taste!

2011-11-28T23:32:00.001-06:00

We are so excited to be hosting our first ever

Friends of a Feather Holiday Open House!

We are opening our doors this

Thursday evening December 1st ~

from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

and will also be open Friday and Saturday ~ from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Come to our unique little vintage house to find a

wonderful stash

of new found one of a kind finds,

beautifully handcrafted ornaments,

vintage inspired home decor, vintage Hallmark ornaments,

lovely repurposed furniture,

among many other wonderful items that might just

be what you are looking for to decorate your home

this holiday...or perhaps find that unique gift

for someone special in your life.

We hope to see you here...bring a friend to share the evening!

Yummy cookies and warm seasonal punch will be served!

Friends of a Feather Holiday Open House ~

2011-11-19T13:19:00.000-06:00

Going on a Treasure Hunt...

2011-11-15T19:36:00.000-06:00

I love to go on a treasure hunt...you never know what you will find, or what you will see along the way... My mom, my aunt, my sister, my niece and I headed west to the Flint Hills of Kansas in search of unique treasures to share at our next Friends of a Feather sale.

We saw many beautiful sights as we traveled along the way...

gorgeous old barns...

old houses that, once upon a time, were filled with family's, who now needs to be appreciated for what they once were...

little towns that seem to have been lost in the shuffle, though if you looked close enough, you could discover their unique, wonderful qualities...

and sometimes you would find a great little spot to stop and do some digging for treasures...

you will have to come to our next sale to see what we found and brought home!

The best treasure of all on this little excursion was the time I enjoyed with

"my dearest friends of a feather" ~

...my mom...my aunt...my sister...and my niece...

~ Happy days to all! ~ Lauri

Sunday...Fun Day!

2011-10-29T21:50:00.003-05:00

This Sunday is "Fun Day" at the

Friends of a Feather Vintage House!

Many items are being reduced...so we can make room

for new goodies that will fill our little shoppe for our

Holiday Open House December 2nd and 3rd.

(more on that later...)

Stop by Sunday, October 30th ~

we will be open 12 to 4.

The Friends of a Feather want to say thank you to all that stopped by our new little shoppe!!

Take a Peek Inside...

2011-10-27T23:23:00.000-05:00

The Friends of a Feather are ready to show the goods...

See you Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday - October 28th, 29th, & 30th!

7612 W. 80th Street ~ near old town Overland Park.

The following photos are just

a preview of what's to be seen.

Come and see the rest first hand!

A Home with an Early Overland Park History...

2011-10-14T11:16:00.000-05:00

I love a vintage home and all of its comfortable charm and "not-so-perfect" unique qualities. This little lovely one was home to my best "Friend of a Feather," (my mom), where she lived for 18 years, before recently moving in with my husband and me, and is now "our new spot" to showcase our Friends of a Feather unique finds and wonderful handmade treasures!

This home at 7612 W. 80th Street has a unique historic background in early Overland Park history.

William B Strang, Jr. (1857 - 1921) was an American railroad magnate who platted Overland Park, Kansas and is considered the founder of the community.[1] In 1905 Strang purchased 600 acres south of Kansas City, a portion of land where this home sits. Strang sold this particular piece of ground in approximately 1908-1910 to one of his employees, Mr. Langdon, for $75.00 so they could build this home in the new community where Mr. Langdon could work for Strang's Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway and live with his family. This home is one of the three houses in a row on 80th street considered "a Strang home."

Come on by to see a bit of early Overland Park history, and shop our new Friends of a Feather venue!

We feel privileged to own a beautiful little vintage home with such a rich history that dates back to the nostalgic times of old-town Overland Park.

[1] http://www.downtownop.org/history.html

Decorating Vintage Style #1

2011-10-09T19:19:00.004-05:00

You will be inspired to decorate Vintage Style, or to embellish your own style, when you visit our Friends of a Feather Shoppe at 7612 W. 80th Street in old-town Overland Park. (Open once a month, or every-so-often...)

The following are photos of a few vintage decorating ideas from a my own collection of unique vintage finds that I have gathered and use to make my house "my home." These are examples of the unique one-of-a-kind finds that you might see at one of our Friends of a Feather sales...we are always on the look-out, searching for unique vintage finds that we can bring to you!

If you love any of these ideas, we would love to hear from you via a comment to this post! We will post more wonderful vintage decorating ideas!

An old blue wooden apple bucket resting on a shabby-looking stool.

I love old crocks with white berries and old blue enamelware
Photography of old houses, barns and schoolhouses in a simple wire frame.

Old pieces of architectural design hung on the wall...
look at these rustic beauties!

One of my handmade paper mache' birds that I make using old early 1900's newsprint,
from the publication "The Home Companion," sitting pretty
with three blue eggs in an old vintage white plate that becomes its nest.
Using old turquoise blue Ball canning jars as a receptacle for flowers.
The texture of old white shutters in the background sets the scene off!

Darling little vintage iron toys sitting on a
cubby shelf with an old blue and white creamer.

Some of MY favorites in blue...old advertising.
The old-style graphics and typography are so interesting.
I love to rest them in a vintage white bowl along
with vintage white crocheted lace and old bobbins of thread
the same color.

I love a vintage white pitcher full of dried off-white flowers
sitting on a vintage white coffee table.

I fell in love with this old potty chair painted such a nice blue...
making use of it with an old crock and some greenery.
Notice the interesting design of the old korbels
sitting in the corner next to an old fun cabinet.

Old title pages of sheet music with just the "right words" of a song
in beautiful old typography resting on an old shabby table,
along with a little bird house that I covered with old sheet music, and a 48 star flag.

The antique round metal architectural piece
makes such an interesting focal point above this bookcase,
along with other vintage finds and
vintage-inspired art, that I create and sell, to finish the look.

An antique bowl full of interesting vintage finds...
old vintage baby shoes, an old metal letter,
arranged with a unique vintage dog lamp,
a fun little bird house all resting on a vintage cut-lace linen.

Vintage-inspired art...along with two lovely lovebirds.

A New Venue for Friends of a Feather

2011-09-24T17:34:00.004-05:00

We are so excited to have a new place to open up shop for the Friends of a Feather events! My mom moved recently, and we are turning her charming, vintage 1910 house into a unique venue for our Friends of a Feather sales where we will continually offer beautifully renewed vintage furniture, vintage-inspired home decor, one-of-a-kind finds, and wonderful handmade treasures!

The home is located at 7612 W. 80th Street, near old-town Overland Park, Kansas. The city parking lot located at the corner of 80th Street and Conser is available for easy parking for our events.

Since this is a permanent, indoor location we will be having sales more frequently, every four to six weeks at this wonderful vintage venue!

Mark your calendars for our first event!!!

~ Friday and Saturday ~

October 28th and 29th ~ 9 to 5

Sunday ~ October 30th ~ noon to 4

A Side Trip to the Country

2011-07-31T11:54:00.001-05:00

My mom and I drove out to the country in south Johnson County, Kansas to find a place called Eclectics recently and discovered a beautiful vintage farm home and several unique outbuildings sitting on a few acres that were filled with a beautiful collection of unique architectural elements, and some of the most unusual antiques! We could not believe the selection of goodies all in one place...

The shed, the barn, a guesthouse, the stables and a chicken coop were filled with all kinds of treasures...

The grounds were absolutely breathtaking when you first pulled into the driveway of the property. It took Mom and I awhile to take it all in...the flower gardens, the pergola, the curving brick pathways, the unique garden art, the entire layout of the property...before we even set foot into the outbuildings where the inventory of antique and architectural treasures were hidden that we could purchase...

I love the color of this gate into the old stables! The owner's cat enjoyed showing us around the property. Needless to say, Mom and I walked away with a few of the found treasures that we now can call our own!

Another Bird Family Moves In...

2011-07-24T12:49:00.001-05:00

Our courtyard with hanging ferns under the
pergola where a momma and poppa house finch found their home.

Here is Poppa bird overlooking
the courtyard from the nearby redbud tree.

I never imagined when I called our little group of like-minded friends "Friends of a Feather," that I would be able to witness actual "birds of feather" making their homes in my garden courtyard. The courtyard that my husband and I designed in the front of our historic home is a beautiful and serene sanctuary for human and birdlife alike! This is the third family of birds to call our courtyard home (see my cardinals and robins in previous posts.) These little house finches found a special place in one of my hanging ferns under the pergola of our courtyard. They are funny, quirky, high energy little birds who love to "chirp, chirp, chirp!"

What a beautiful Momma!

I was able to catch her in mid-flight,
finding her way to her nest in the hanging fern...

...where her little ones were waiting for breakfast!

The natural beauty of these little birds are breathtaking!

It was so interesting to hear their constant chirpful bird language...
they seemed to be discussing who would go for the next food run.

Poppa was bringing in the next nibbles for their little ones.

Here is Poppa again in the redbud tree, looking down at me...
knowing by now that I am no threat to their babies.

My Beautiful Belle...

2011-07-16T13:26:00.000-05:00

Just this weekend, we had our beautiful Annabelle Grace, our second grandchild, spend the night...she isn't quite crawling yet, so we still can keep her "maintained" in basically one spot. It won't be long, and she will be as busy as our little buddy Max!

I love this hand shot...so sweet!

She loved checking out the the black-eyed susan's
from my garden courtyard.

How sweet is this...with Grampa BooBo's hand.

She seems to never tire of me snapping photos of her...
it's a good thing, because I won't be stopping anytime too soon!

She loves to share what is left on her highchair
tray with Cooper, our Great Dane.

"Take me for a ride, Lolli!"

She is my Beautiful Belle-girl!

My Little Buddy...

2011-07-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

My little buddy Max...what a face!! Max is my first grandchild - it is hard to believe that he is now 17 months old. He spent the night last weekend...always so much fun...but also tiring keeping up with this little guy...busy...busy...busy!!!

He played for hours with the hose.

Loves Lolli's daisies!

He was in his own little world...exploring things...

Giving Cooper, our Great Dane, a big, ole kiss!

Sharing his snack with "Daise" as he calls her.
Daisy is our female Great Dane.

More water fun!

Beautiful little boy!

He can be full of the dickens too! Mixing chocolate milk...

Cardinal's in the Courtyard

2011-07-15T10:26:00.000-05:00

Not only did we have a family of Robin's nesting in our courtyard this spring, a family of cardinals moved in too! They weren't as relaxed with us human's around as the Robin's had been, so we were a little more cautious about giving them their space. First, there was one egg, then number two...but only one of them hatched, with a baby cardinal ready to be fed!

Momma watching over the courtyard at the peek of our roof.

The first egg.

Now there were two!

It's hard to see, but here is a shot of momma bird sitting
in her nest, keeping her eggs warm! (In the very middle of the photo).

Here's the daddy cardinal flying from the nest,
after a giving momma a break.

A very new baby cardinal, expecting whoever was there (me!)
to give him some nourishment.

Baby is growing...the eyes just starting to open.
You can see the second egg still unhatched.

Baby continued to grow...but he was a little frightened because
I was so close, so this was the last photo I took of him.

Momma was trying to scare us away, she was not
happy we were in "her courtyard!"

How beautiful!

A Family of Robin's

2011-07-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

This spring we had a family of Robin's nesting

in the pergola of our courtyard.

It was incredible to witness nature so up close and personal,

and to see how this busy momma bird took care of her little ones...

always there, feeding, nurturing, teaching...never tiring!

She did what is innate any mother...without hesitation.

Keeping her eggs warm.

Bringing a big green worm to feed her little ones.

Watching over her brood.

I was always telling her that "she was ok."
Somehow she seemed to understand.

Papa Bird...always attentive...never too far away.

Feeding...growing...feeding...growing...

Making sure each siblings got their share.

"It is time to fly Momma?"

The final lesson...showing baby how to find worms...

Come and Play!

2011-06-27T19:49:00.000-05:00

We have several offerings for creative workshops in my studio, and have reserved a spot for several who want to "come and play." We still have a few openings...so if you have any interest, please call or email me to reserve your spot. vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com or (913) 963-2985.

Refer to my previous post at the following link with all of the details of the workshops that my Mom and I offer:

Creative Workshops

Our workshops cater to women who want to make something, but don't take the time, or don't feel like they can be creative. Our workshops are intimate and hands on...we make it easy for you to create something that you will enjoy making, and love to take home, while sharing time with other like-minded women!

We also have guest instructors that teach workshops in my studio...

Workshops in my studio by Guest Instructors

See the photos below to get an idea of the workshop setting in my studio...

These girls had fun "playing."

Little Birdie Told Me Paper Mache' Workshop

Rustic Winter Ornament Workshop

Little Houses Collage Workshop

Soldering Charm Workshop

A Success in Spite of the Rain!

2011-06-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

We had a great turn out and a successful sale, in spite of the rain! A special thank you goes to those of you who came by the first morning, when we were closed due to the rain. We appreciated you being patient with us! I believe most everyone who stopped by the sale took a treasure home with them that they couldn't live without! A few of you even stopped by more than once!

Guest Instructors at Vintage Arts Studio

2011-06-10T15:54:00.020-05:00

If you have ever wanted to learn how to do Mosaics, here is a perfect opportunity to do it in a small class setting in my studio. Penny Johnson is one of my new guest instructors who will teach this fun workshop. During the workshop the participants will be able to create either a frame or a handheld mirror. See the samples below of some of Penny's work, to give you ideas of color schemes, that could be done in the workshop on your mirror or frame.

Two-Part Workshop - Monday, July 18th and Tuesday, July 19th
7:00 to 9:00 - $65.00 per person

Barbara Crawford is another guest designer/instructor who has been teaching workshops successfully for many years! She is offering a stitchery workshop in my studio where you can select from three Christmas stocking designs. The timing of this workshop is just perfect to create a special handmade stocking before the holiday madness begins! See the samples below of the three stockings you will be able to choose from.

Two-Part Workshop - Wednesday, August 24th and
Thursday, August 25th

6:30 to 9:00 - $40.00 per person

Creative Workshops in the Vintage Arts Studio

2011-06-08T22:02:00.001-05:00

"Wings & Things"

Photo Shadow Box Workshop

Date: Wednesday, July 27th

Time: 7:00 to 9:00ish

Fee: $45.00

Most materials for the Wings & Things Photo Shadowbox will be provided, which includes a shadowbox frame and a few embellishments to choose from. The only thing you need to bring is a photograph that you would like to use. We will make an enlarged photocopy of your photo in the workshop. If you have embellishments that you would like to use for your own shadowbox, please feel free to bring them to the workshop.

"Stories to Tell"

Photo Memory Book Workshop

Date: Wednesday, August 10th &17th

Time: 7:00 to 9:00ish

Fee: $55.00

A priceless gift to give to your grandchildren...a story about their Momma or Daddy when they were little. We will create a four page book in this two part class, you can add additional pages on your own if you would like. Page layout ideas will be sent home with each participant. The only thing you need to bring are some of your favorite photos. We will make color copies of them in the workshop.

"Little Houses"

Collage Workshop

Date: Wednesday, July 20th
Time: 7:00 to 9:00ish
Fee: $35.00

All materials for the Little Houses Collage will be provided, which includes a cigar box to display your little houses. If you prefer to use an actual frame, we welcome you to bring your own.

"A Little Birdie Told Me"

Paper Mache' Workshop

Date: Wednesday, August 3rd

Time: 7:00 to 9:30ish

Fee: $45.00

Learn how to make a Paper Mache’ Little Birdie in this fun workshop. All materials to make a bird will be provided. As each person creates their own little bird, the bird takes on his own personality. No two birds turn out the same!

These are a few workshops that we are currently offering in my Vintage Arts Studio.

Come take a closer look at the workshop samples that will be displayed at the Friends of a Feather Spring Sale.

If you cannot make it to the sale, feel free to email me @ vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com for the workshop that you are interested in participating.

We hope that you will join us for a creatively fun time!

Friends of a Feather Spring Sale

2011-06-08T15:35:00.000-05:00

We are looking forward to having you stop by our spring Friends of a Feather sale which is coming up next week -

Friday and Saturday, June 17th and 18th.

It's Been an Incredible Year!

2011-05-01T13:47:00.011-05:00

It has been an incredible year since our last Friends of a Feather gathering. I became a grandmother, and a bit distracted...in a very good way... by these beautiful little darlin's that are the true joys of my heart!

Max and Annabelle are growing into such amazing little people that I can't even begin to describe in words how much that I adore them! I never could have imagined the depth of joy and happiness these little ones could bring to my life!

Needless to say...the Friends of a Feather gatherings have taken a back seat to these little doll babies...but I am anxious to get back to sharing my art studio and enjoying the comraderie of like-minded, antique-loving, adventure-seeking, creative women that I also enjoy spending time with, and sharing what we "friends of a feather" love to do to keep our souls happy and fulfilled!

Our next Friends of a Feather gathering is just around the corner...so mark your calendars for June 17th and 18th. Our spring sale will be held under a big tent in the front yard of my vintage home with the picket fenced courtyard - 6416 West 83rd Street in Overland Park, Kansas.

We will have a good mix of primitives and repurposed furniture as well as other fun items, and as always, we will feature beautiful handmades by our artistic Friends of a Feather.

We will be serving home made desserts and drinks in the picket fenced courtyard, where you can sit and enjoy the Friends of a Feather experience with your like-minded friends.

I host creative gatherings in my art studio and will have it open for those who are interested in participating in an upcoming workshop. It's always a soul filling experience spending time with other like-minded people in a fun and creative atmosphere!

We hope that you will come shop...meet friends...and nourish your soul at our next Friends of a Feather gathering!

Summer has flown by!

2010-08-18T16:33:00.003-05:00

Three months have flown by since our spring Friends of a Feather sales event and it's been two months since I have posted on our Friends of a Feather blog. I have been enjoying my sweet grandson Max and anticipating the birth of my new little granddaughter and time has just gotten away from me! You can see that this little guy could be a little distracting...in a very good way!!

Though we are not planning a Fall Sales Event at my home, a couple of my Friends of a Feather and I are still collecting some wonderful things to repurpose or to sell at our next gathering ~ we will keep you posted when our next Friends of a Feather gathering will be...

Until then, you can find unique and primitive finds, repurposed and refinished furniture in Cheryl's quaint little store on Santa Fe Drive in old downtown Overland Park called Now & Then.

Nicole is the artful master at refinishing and repurposing furniture. She makes an old piece of furniture breathe new life again in a very nostalgic way. She sells her one-of-a-kind pieces in Cheryl's store.

We headed South from Kansas City...took two cars and two routes...Mom and I in one car, Cheryl, Helen and Nicole in another...Mom and I meandered along our route stopping and taking photos of flowers and other things that piqued our interest as we passed by. We love old worn structures that remind us of days gone by. This old school house was a beauty...

As Mom and I were enjoying our route...the other girls on the other hand, who left earlier than we did, and took an alternate route, ended up with a flat tire...and had to wait for AAA to rescue them and take them to the nearest town with a Walmart to get it fixed! All they wanted to do was to get some where to start digging for unique and wonderful treasures!!!

Finally, we met up at one of our planned destinations, and after several stops that were almost a complete bust...which is so disheartening when you have money to spend and you are just itching to find that perfect something...we eventually found this amazing antique store!

All of us Friends of a Feather LOVE primitives...and this store was chalked full of wonderful finds at excellent prices. We all piled up our found treasures in preparation to take them home with us!

We are all cubby horders...Nicole found this green beauty that she has to keep for herself!

Helen and Cheryl both have short hair...Nicole found a wig in the antique store that had a similar style...so she couldn't resist putting it on...the Three Musketeers!! We were rolling with laughter!

You know when you go antiquing and find things that you just LOVE and you get the wonderful feeling of attachment and excitement...ok...we were wetting our pants...needless to say...we were on Cloud 9!

The woman who owned the primitive antique store directed us to a pole barn full of unique architectural pieces that could be used for repurposing into some amazing one-of-a-kind pieces...

Old doors...who doesn't love them?

The blue paint on the one we found is scrumptious...

We are all anxious to find another road less traveled soon...to build our inventory of great finds to share with all of you other Friends of a Feather out there!!

Little Houses Collage - Friends of a Feather - Creative Retreat

2010-06-14T21:51:00.008-05:00

Mom and I hosted a

Friends of a Feather ~ Creative Retreat

this past Sunday. The gals who joined us got busy right away preparing their frames before deciding what theme they wanted to make their "Little Houses Collage."

The possibilities are endless...I have an enormous collection of inspiring pieces of art to use in a project of this kind. Everyone was enjoying "playing" with ideas...coming up with the perfect choice for them!

Each of the girls had the choice to add a few special embellishments

to truly make it their own...using buttons, lace,

bingo markers, old rulers, scrabble pieces...

Amy added some additional layers to her little houses.

Jennifer decided to use Paris themed art...with memories of

her trip to Europe with her husband last summer 2009...

~ ~ ~

Mary and Debbie are two friends who joined us to share in the

creativity...they enjoyed their girl-time making something together.

Everyone who participates in a Creative Retreat is given a

"Friends of a Feather"

~ Friendship Token ~

For this retreat we made little tags to give the girls...

just a little something extra to take home with them!

As the girls finished their projects, we served little cheesecakes with

fresh berries, almonds, raspberry tea and coffee...delicious!

You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this blog...

so you won't miss our next Creative Retreat!

Friends of a Feather - Our Spring Gathering of Like-Minded Souls...

2010-06-07T21:16:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the delay in posting about the Friends of a Feather sale...My husband Brian and I left town after the sale with our immediate family to renew our wedding vows in the mountains of Colorado - May 31st was our 30th Anniversary...so happy!!

Anyway... our Friends of a Feather Spring sale was an enormous hit...again...thanks to all of those who stopped by to shop our antiques, repurposed items, and our handmades...to enjoy lunch...to share in the friendship of like-minded souls...

We expanded our selling area into my garden courtyard where we featured wonderful iron garden gates, bird baths, stepping stones, stained glass garden ornaments and flower plantings in unique containers.

We created a "Handmade Boutique" in my vintage home for our featured artisans to display their unique treasures for all to enjoy and purchase.

Always a baked goodie to enjoy on hand!

There were wonderful items to choose from that came from several new "Friends" as well as the old, that we displayed on the driveway...we had originally reserved a big pole tent that was put up on the lawn...but, due to the rain the day before the sale, the yard was a bit soggy...so we opted to put everything on dry land!

My husband Brian is always ready to dish up a lunch that he prepared for anyone who needs a little nourishment!

A brother and sister enjoying a snack on the little rocker that was for sale...waiting for mommy to finish up her shopping...

Thanks to my sister Cara and my Aunt Carol from Boise, to help keep the sales "ringing."

From right to left: My sister Cara...Mom...Aunt Carol...Me (Lauri)...my niece Alexandra.

I can't forget to mention my newest little customer...my new grandson Max!

He came to see what Grama Lolli's sale was all about!

Friends of a Feather ~ Creative Retreats

2010-05-17T00:15:00.005-05:00

My Mom and I periodically host Friends of a Feather Creative Retreats ~ Come and join our "flock" where like-minded souls gather together to share in the comraderie of friendship and creativity. We will host our first a Creative Retreat June 13th ~ from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm in my studio.

The Little Houses Collage will be the first project ~ see the samples that we have created here. However, with the materials that will be made available to you ~ the possibilities are endless...

All materials are provided. Refreshments will be served. The fee is $35.00 per person.

Space is limited. Please email or call if you are interested in participating in this fun June creative retreat. vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com or (913) 963-2985.

The Gardenology Girls are Participating in the Friends of a Feather Sale

2010-05-17T00:11:00.003-05:00

The girls from Gardenology are joining the "Friends of a Feather" this Spring...Julie, Karen and Laurie are wonderful women who know how to put things together! I just recently went to their sale in Lenexa and took these photos...so lovely! They are going to be bringing alot of their same wares to our sale this week!

Friends of a Feather SPRING Event ~ May 20th, 21st & 22nd

2010-04-28T18:30:00.001-05:00

Located in Overland Park, Kansas

Wonderful Handmades by Local Artisans

2010-04-28T18:26:00.006-05:00

We have a very talented and all inspiring group of local artisans

that are participating our "Gathering of Like-minded Souls."

Here are the ones that shared photos with me! :)

The following photos are just a small sampling of the wonderful

handmade items that you will see for sale at the

Friends of a Feather Sale May 20th, 21st, and 22nd...

• Paper Mache' Birdies and Shadowbox Art by Lauri Meyers

• Folk art, unique shadowbox creations and pillows by Marilyn Gash

• Sophisticated and heartfelt handwrought jewelry by Julie Pishny

• Fun and quirky mosaic mirrors and frames
by Mary Alice Henderson

• Beautiful stained glass garden spikes and
stepping stones by Bob and Deena Webb

• Unique refashioned heirloom jewelry by Susan Mayer

"Now & Then" ~ A Subtle Blend of Old & New ~

2010-04-28T17:44:00.000-05:00

One of my best "Friends of a Feather" Cheryl owns

a darling little shop in downtown Overland Park, Kansas

called Now and Then ~ "A Subtle Blend of Old and New."

She has a great eye for great things and will be

bringing a bunch to our upcoming Friends of a Feather sale!

She will be bringing a huge selection of repurposed

furniture, some unique iron garden accessories, and

many other items that you will want to check out

for yourself that you probably can't live without!

Where My Best "Friend" Creates ~

2010-04-27T20:30:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Marilyn's (Mom's) home...

Mom has her art studio on the finished back porch of her old early
1900's home in Overland Park, Kansas. She always has her
faithful companion Finnegan by her side...

She has all kinds of things ready to use in her creations...
finding old cubbies and old distressed furniture to
display her goodies is half the fun!

She just never knows what she might need

to create that special something...

Ribbons...ribbons...ribbons...

She has made alot a fun and amazing things

for the upcoming Friends of a Feather sale!

Spring is Here ~ and what a beautiful one!

2010-04-19T22:30:00.000-05:00

Spring is such a beautiful time of year...the flowering trees share their beauty with their new blossoms...everything seems to be so lush this year. I love my old vintage home in the spring more than any other time of year, as it sits nestled in the breathtaking surroundings of springtime.

Our little Flowering Crab was reaching out with her new beautiful pink blossoms...and the sky...was so blue this day!

Cooper ~ my male Great Dane ~ loves to enjoy the courtyard...

I have caught him smelling some of the early blooms himself ~ enjoying the wonderment of spring.

The Bleeding Hearts and the sweet little Forget-me-nots are two of my favorite early bloomers.

Tulips are so amazing...but last such a short time...I love to capture them on film before they disappear...

I was able to catch the sun reflecting these tulips in such a way that doesn't seem real!

I am not sure what this early bloomer is, but it is so sweet and dainty...

And, who doesn't love Lilacs?

I have almost an acre...and we have lilacs that have been here for years and years that nearly encompasses out entire backyard and part of the front yard. The fragrance is so overwhelmingly sweet!

A Gathering in My Studio!

2010-04-05T11:39:00.001-05:00

Another Creative Workshop that I hosted in my studio recently was the Photo Memory Shadow Box Creative Workshop. Each participant brought a photograph that they wanted to display in their shadow box. Cari gathered a few things that belonged to her 88 year old grandmother to incorporate into her design ~ Cari said that her grandma was so excited and pleased that Cari wanted to make a memory shadow box of her.

I provided several boxes to choose from ~ cigar boxes are the best ~ they come in all sizes and depths!

Cari used an old crocheted doily that her great grandma had actually made as her back drop to the silhouetted photo of her grandma. The embroidered piece was something that her grandma had made, and the buttons came from her grandma's personal stash.

The finished shadow boxes were so unique and fun! I loved the way a spring-coil from an old watch was used to make an interesting "moving" element in this shadow box ~ and the old photo made current with a new outfit for the vintage woman to wear!

I had a few items on hand for the gals to use in their creations ~ I had a slew of old keys, wooden block letters from old games, and some old laces and little metal frames for them to use if they needed that "certain" element to finish off their works of art!

Pam had a cute series of photos of herself ~ she used an old book with the center cut out, and the pages glued together to create a perfect shadow box to display them, and with an old metal "P" stencil to give a hint of her identity!

"Charm School" Soldering Workshop ~

2010-04-05T11:12:00.000-05:00

Recently, I hosted my Charm School Soldering Workshop in my studio. Kara Ward and Ali Gripp are amazing instructors who were taught by the well-reknown queen of soldering Sally Jean Alexander!

The gals who participated in my workshop had a great time creating there own one-of-a-kind miniature collage to put under glass and make into their very own soldered art jewelry to wear!

The finished pieces were so fun ~ and so uniquely original!

A Special Little Visitor to My Studio ~

2010-03-20T19:26:00.003-05:00

I had a special new little visitor in my studio this month ~ my new little buddy boy...Max McAlister! He is my new grandson who was born just last month. This was his first visit to Grama Lolli's house and art studio.

My daughter Sara came over to work on a small garland for an embellishment to an Easter basket that the Easter Bunny will leave for Max on Easter Sunday!

G-G (Great Grama) was there too working on her own project ~ she wouldn't miss a chance to see Sara and, of course, her new great-grandson Max McAlister!

Sara didn't have time to finish the project ~ the little eggs still need to be sealed with a coat of Modge-Podge and then they need to be attached to a bright, fun ribbon to hang it from the basket...I guess she and Max will have to make another visit to Grama's soon!

Needless to say...I personally didn't get much done this particular day in my studio...too precious of a time to enjoy with my new little love! Though, I had just recently finished making my new little "Baby Bird" for a friend of mine who is having her own baby boy soon.

A Day at Karla's Cottage

2010-03-20T18:50:00.004-05:00

I was invited to Karla's Cottage for a Craft Day earlier this month. I love to visit Karla's studio...it is such a beautiful, inspiring place to create! Beth, Mary, Marilyn, Shawn and Bethany and I all brought our own creative projects to work on.

After we worked in the studio for a while, Karla invited us into her dining room, where she had the table beautifully set ~ the chandelier over the table was adorned with a few of Karla's personal touches ~ a vintage child photograph embellished with painted fairy wings ~ that she illustrated directly onto the old photograph ~ and a chandelier crystal which dangled from the bottom of the photo was one of my favorites!

Each of our place settings had a special small package with an old Frozen Charlotte doll and our name written on a handmade flag that was tucked into a piece of beautiful folded blue flocked wallpaper and tied with a satin ribbon to match.

Also at each place setting was a special fairy doll who was nestled in the center of a small decorated peat pot filled with all-encompassing little flowers and moss. The fairy was adorned with glittered ephemera wings and a little pink flower petal dress with a lovely piece of lace added for the bodice. So sweet ~ I brought this one home with me to display in my own studio to share Karla's art with all who visit my studio!

As we sat at the dining room table, your eye's captured the loveliness of Karla's surroundings...such beautiful decor...so warm and welcoming...

After we had a lovely lunch (everyone brought something to share) ~ Karla had her dessert cart ready and waiting with scrumptious desserts ~ the made-from-scratch Carrot Cake was the best!

It was such a lovely time that we all had ~ I look forward to another visit ~ soon, I hope!

"Photo Art Frame" Workshop ~ Thursday, March 25th ~ 6:00 ~ 9:00

2010-02-21T23:46:00.007-06:00

I love to make "Photo Art Frames" to display my most cherished photographs. I just became a grandmother recently (what an indescribable joy ~ I must say!!) and made the Photo Art Frame shown above of the new little guy in my life ~ Max McAlister ~ and gave it to my daughter and her husband for the new nursery. I matched the colors of the baby's room, and used a darling little image of a giraffe ~ which has always been one of my daughter's favorite animals ~ and some scrabble letters to embellish the front.

The vintage Photo Art Frame holds a dear photo of my Mom and Dad "sharing" cake at their wedding. I started with a vintage photo album page to make this one.

There really is no better way to display a special photograph than in a frame that you create yourself ~ rather than an ordinary picture frame. I offer a unique workshop in my Vintage Arts Studio so that you can make a special piece of art to frame your treasured photo.

NOTE: These frames are made so that you can replace the photo/s at any time if you desire.

All you need to bring to the workshop is a 4 x 6 photo. I have a nice selection of children's images that you can choose from to use or you are welcome to bring your own. If you have any other special embellishments that you want to use in your design, bring them as well. Otherwise, I will provide the remainder of the materials to complete your Photo Art Frame.

K.C.'s Newest Monthly Antique and Vintage Market Opening ~

2010-02-10T08:02:00.058-06:00

The snow was falling and the fog was settling in, though the temperature didn't feel that cold. My mom and a friend of ours, Lisa, and I went to the opening of Kansas City's newest monthly antique and vintage market in the historic Kansas City West Bottoms ~ called "Bottoms Up."

As we found our way to the location next to the railroad tracks and just north of the 12th Street viaduct ~ it was in an old Holsum Food Products warehouse ~ that had been long closed down, but still had remnants of days gone by ~ how appropriate for searching for antique treasures!

Some of Kansas City's best dealer's were presenting some pretty amazing finds in this 8,000 sq. ft. warehouse setting ~ some very high end, primitive European pieces that were hard to "touch"...but also some very reasonable finds that anyone could bring home.

The old historic buildings that were towering over us and the viaduct that we stood near looked rather ghostly, but somehow comforting, with the snow that was falling over the city this early February day.

Precious Metal Clay Workshop ~

2010-02-08T20:21:00.025-06:00

The Precious Metal Clay Workshop was held last Thursday in my studio. Robin Macintosh was the instructor who showed us how to work with the amazing clay that has a 99.9% silver content that, once fired, becomes a silver charm!

It was as easy as working with play doh ~ but the finished piece was much more interesting! Each participant was able to make approximately 5 charms to be fired in Robin's kiln.

The "Saloon No. 10" Assemblage

2010-01-31T17:56:00.016-06:00

My husband Brian loves history and has always dreamed of having a "No. 10" Saloon in our home for a guy's place ~ (in case you don't know...Saloon No. 10 is the saloon that Wild Bill Hickock ~ was gunned down in Deadwood, South Dakota back in the late 1800's) ~ anyway, since my husband knows how important my art studio is to me, he has given up the idea to have his "saloon" in my studio area. I decided to make an assemblage for him that would reference the No. 10 that he could hang in his existing office ~ and this is what unfolded as I started pulling pieces and parts from my archives of found objects that I have been collecting for years. I think it turned out pretty well ~ and Brian certainly got a kick out of it!

I love old game pieces that have letters and numbers on it...the old antique map from an old abstract, along with the old document with the Spencerian handwriting, was perfect to use as the background.

The little cap gun ~ which says "Big Chief" on the side of it ~ was found at an antique store as I was still putting the project together. I had my eye out for something...and it was the perfect thing to pull it all together!

A Little Birdie Told Me Paper Mache' Workshop ~ Thursday's March 4 AND March 18th ~ 6:00 - 9:00

2010-01-15T14:24:00.003-06:00

You will be shown how to make these fun Paper Mache' Birds ~ each little bird develops his own personality as he is being created by the maker! All materials are supplied.

Instructor: Lauri Meyers

Workshop fee: $50.00

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Miniature Keepsake Scrapbook ~ Wednesday, February 3rd ~ 6:00 to 9:00

2010-01-15T14:13:00.000-06:00

Make a one of a kind miniature keepsake scrapbook to display your photos, ephemera, pieces of lace, buttons, old postcards, or any special memories of your life.

Supplies to bring: Bring 14 different coordinating fabrics no smaller than 15" x 6" ~ all other materials will be supplied.

Instructors: Marilyn Gash and Lauri Meyers

Workshop fee: $50.00

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

PMC ~ Precious Metal Clay Workshop ~ Thursday, February 4th & Thursday, February 11th ~ 6:30 to 8:30

2010-01-15T14:05:00.001-06:00

Precious Metal Clay is made from finely ground silver. In this two part introduction to PMC you will learn the basics of working with this amazing material. It is a clay that once fired, becomes a fine silver (99.8% silver content). You will receive a package of clay. The first session you will learn to work with PMC to sculpt, stamp, mold your pieces. The instructor will fire your pieces. The second session you will finish your fired pieces. This is not a certification class.

Tools to bring: Email instructor with ideas and she will suggest tools to bring ~ sparklein@comcast.net

Instructor: Robyn Macintosh

Workshop Fee: $125.00

Includes PMC, firing and polishing.

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Beeswax Heritage Home Workshop ~ Wednesday, February 17th ~ 6:30 to 9:30

2010-01-15T13:54:00.000-06:00

Come be inspired and create your own Heritage Home to display your loved ones. We will be learning collage techniques using paint, charcoal pencil and beeswax. We will be making new embellishments look like beloved vintage pieces by using Black Patina and Glimmer Mist. Due to the vintage items (key, journal paper, sheet music, button) used in the sample, these pieces may vary. Instructor will be providing all materials including copy of bingo card.

Supplies to bring: Bring your own vintage embellishments to make it truly your own, copies of vintage photos in various sizes measuring 1-1/2" to 2" wide and 1-1/2" x 2" in height printed on cardstock (please do not bring originals as the beeswax will ruin the finish), old paint brush for beeswax, eat gun (if you have one), distressing brown ink. The instructor will have limited supplies will be on hand and will be glad to share.

Instructor: Sheila Rumney

Workshop Fee: $50.00

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Grandmother's Jewelry Box ~ Thursday, February 18th ~ 6:30 to 9:00

2010-01-15T13:45:00.001-06:00

Don't let those memories go to waste. Use those bits and pieces from your loved ones to make a beautiful one of a kind piece of new jewelry with history. Clip on earrings from your mother or grandmother, perhaps an old broach? Turn them into something you will love to wear. You will learn basic jewelry making skills ~ wire wrapping, cold connections, how to cut apart found metals.

Supplies to bring: Old jewelry, old tins, anything you want to incorporate into your pieces. 20 gauge jewelry wire and 24 gauge tie wire.

Tools to bring: Jewelers pliers, wire cutters, tin snips.

Email instructor with questions about supplies or tools ~ sparklein@comcast.net

Instructor: Robin Macintosh

Workshop fee: $50.00

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Paper Memory Quilt ~ Thursday, February 25th ~ 6:30 to 9:00

2010-01-15T13:38:00.001-06:00

Take the ephemera of your life and make a charming piece of art. We will combine paper, fabric, buttons, beads, stamps, just about anything that has meaning to you, into a 9 patch memory quilt. Instructor will provide cold press watercolor paper for background.

Supplies to bring: Paper, fabric, embroidery floss, beads, odd pieces of jewelry, buttons, dried flowers, favorite stamps, ink pads, paints, ANYTHING that will help tell your story.

Instructor: Robin Macintosh

Workshop fee: $50.00

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Charm School Soldering Workshop ~ Saturday, February 27th ~ 10:00 am to 1:30 pm

2010-01-15T13:24:00.000-06:00

You will learn all you need to know to create beautiful soldered charms... the kind that are smooth and flawless! This workshop will take you from "beginner" to "can do it myself" in just three short hours. Come learn from the girls that were taught by the well renown soldering artist Sally Jean Alexander. All supplies and tools are included in the fee. You will come away having completed two charms and with the supplies and know how to create another.

Instructors: Ali and Kara

Workshop fee: $125.00

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Little Diddle Printers Drawer Collage ~ Wednesday, February 24th & March 3rd ~ 6:00 to 9:00

2010-01-15T12:29:00.000-06:00

This is a fun workshop where you create a collage in a printers drawer of all of the wonderful "little diddles" that you have been collecting all of these years ~ each little space measures approximately 3-1/2" x 4" as shown in the photographs. This class is limited due to the fact that we only have 5 of these particular drawers available. There will be a small collection of additional little diddles that will be available for purchase that you might want to use in addition to the items that you bring.

Supplies to bring: "Little diddles" as referenced in photographs ~ color copies of old photos, buttons, ribbons, laces, old hardware, clock faces, tart tins, old keys, typewriter keys. etc. etc. etc. ~ bring it all! Fabrics and some copies of ephemera will provided.

This is a two-part workshop...the first session we will lay out all of the "little diddles" where you want them ~ the second session we will glue it all in place.

Instructors ~ Marilyn Gash and Lauri Meyers

Workshop fee: $75.00 includes printer's drawer (limited to only 5 people)

To register for this workshop call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Baby Keepsake Memory Album ~ Wednesday, March 10th ~ 6:00 to 9:00

2010-01-15T12:10:00.001-06:00

This is truely a favorite workshop...making a special handmade baby album using beautiful papers, fabric, buttons, ribbon and a custom cover using your choice of beautiful old baby/child ephemera. I will have several cover images to choose from ~ or you can bring in your own image which can be made into your very own one-of-a-kind cover for that special new baby in your life.

Supplies to bring: 15 to 20 coordinating 12 x 12 scrapbook papers, 1 yard of a coordinating solid color heavy weight (like a canvas) fabric for the assembly and binding of the album and 1 yard of coordinating 3/4" to 1" ribbon. All other supplies will be provided.

Instructor: Lauri Meyers

Workshop Fee: $50.00

To register for this class call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

Photo Memory Shadow Box Collage ~ Wednesday, March 24th ~ 6:00 to 9:00

2010-01-15T11:47:00.000-06:00

This is a fabulous workshop where we take a cherished family photo along with some pertinent memorabilia and other creative embellishments ~ fabric, lace, ribbon, buttons, etc. ~ and transform a shallow box into a very special shadow box collage.

Instructor ~ Lauri Meyers

Class Fee: $50.00

To register for this class call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartstudio@hotmail.com

Vintage Flower Vase Creative Workshop ~ Wednesday, March 31 ~ 6:00 to 9:00

2010-01-15T11:13:00.000-06:00

Make a unique flower vase by wrapping bottles using old papers and adding embellishments. You will also make three ephemera paper flowers to display in your new vase.

Supplies: Bring a medium sized bottle. All other materials will be provided.

Instructor: Lauri Meyers ~ $50.00

To Register for this workshop - call (913) 963-2985 or Email: vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

November Creative Art Shows!

2009-12-01T16:16:00.001-06:00

Cure' of Ars ~ Annual Gift Gallery

November was a busy month participating in other creative arts shows ~ several of the "Friends of a Feather" group participated in the Cure' of Ars Gift Gallery. Mom and I had our Vintage Arts Studio booth ~ where we sold my paper mache' birds and ornaments, and Mom's beautiful handstitched, wool ornaments, among other handmades...

Kathi and Joan ~ who are quite the creative team and display extraordinares ~ joined forces as Burlap JunKtion in a double booth. They are two of our "Friends of a Feather" extraordinares as well!

Angie ~ a.k.a. Junie C ~ another "Friend of a Feather," also participated ~ her booth was next to mine...and boy, was she busy!! She has quite a following!

Willa had a booth at the Cure' sale where she sold her unique and very stylish clothing and wonderful baby items ~ you can always find her unique clothing at our "Friends of a Feather" sales ~ as she too, is one of us "Friends!"

Steve Hess ~ From the Summer's Garden ~ Annual Holiday Extravaganza!

Three of us Friends of Feather also participated in this wonderful sale that was open every weekend in November. Steve Hess is an amazing artist who makes wonderful garden stones decor, as well as amazing floral wreaths for the season!

Several other local artists also participate in this annual sale ~ there is always quite a selection of wonderful gift ideas to purchase at this creative arts show.

November in the Studio!

2009-12-01T14:57:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Gathering

in My Studio

My studio was a very busy place this past November! During our family Thanksgiving day celebration, it has been a tradition for some years, that my kids ~ all grown up now ~ and I gather in my creative space to make an ornament for the upcoming Christmas.

This year was somewhat different in the fact that Sara, my oldest, is 7 months pregnant with our first grandbaby. She wanted to work on "letters" of the baby's name that she will decorate and put up on the wall in the nursery. She first modge podged old children's literature text to the letters to use as the background ~ we will see where she goes from here ~ since she didn't have time to finish it today!

Jennifer, my second to the oldest, had started on a Christmas garland a few weeks back in my studio. She wanted to complete her project up so that she could display it in her home this Christmas.

My youngest ~ Michael ~ seemed to enjoy making one of the Paper Mache' birds that I host workshops on periodically in my studio.

Soldering Creative Workshop

Another fabulous time in the studio in November was when a duo team of instructors, Ali and Kara, came to my studio to teach a class on soldering ~ they have taken a workshop from one of the best soldering artists in the country, and it showed as they taught this class. I took the class myself ~ I am always looking forward to learning a new craft!

We were first instructed to create a collage ~ a section of the completed collage would be used for our charm...

Kara and Ali were very hands-on instructors ~ they wouldn't let us "miss a trick!"

Placing the copper foil tape around the edges of the collage under two pieces of glass...

Soldering around the edges...not as hard as I thought!

Plenty of flux, and a clean soldering iron makes the solder adhere very nicely to your piece!

This soldering workshop will definitely be on the workshop schedule that I am developing for the long winter months! If you ever wanted to learn about soldering...these are the gals to learn it from ~ right here in my studio!

Miniature Keepsake Scrapbook Workshop

My mom and I hosted another Miniature Keepsake Album workshop in the month of November. Kaki was making her keepsake album for her husband who is a history buff, and has just been published ~ she plans to display old family photos in it for him for Christmas.

Laura participated in the workshop...she wanted to make the album for her Girl Scout leader for Christmas ~ she is a very sweet girl who seemed to "get" how to make the album very quickly!

Lisa had quite a selection of fabrics that she brought with her ~ it was hard for her to choose which ones to use in her Miniature Keepsake Album.

It turned out beautifully ~ we added a little embellishment that I had laying in my studio ~ a unique piece of old round lace ~ just to see how it could be finished off!

"Charm School Soldering Workshop" ~ with Ali Gripp and Kara Ward

2009-11-09T13:47:00.000-06:00

Join Ali and Kara in this introduction to soldering class Saturday, November 21st from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You will learn all you need to know to create beautiful soldered charms... the kind that are smooth and flawless! This workshop will take you from "beginner" to "can do it myself" in just three short hours. Come learn from the girls that were taught by the well renown soldering artist Sally Jean Alexander. All supplies and tools are included in the fee. You will come away having completed two charms and with the supplies and know how to create another. The workshop fee is $125.00. To reserve your place in this fun creative workshop, email me at vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com ~ space is limited and is available on a first come first serve basis. I hope to see you here! Lauri

The Art Girl charm bauble that you see above is one of the charms you will be making for yourself in this creative workshop.

The three photos below represent some beautiful examples of Ali's and Kara's pieces...for reference only...these will not be made in this beginner workshop, but can be made in a more advanced workshop that may be scheduled at a later time ~ to be determined. Here is an example of one of Ali's and Kara's beautiful charm bracelets.

I love this one with the little floaters inside...

and this one is just beautiful!

Talk About Personality...These Little Birdies Are Too Cute...and Fun to Make!

2009-10-28T15:09:00.001-05:00

I taught my "A LiTtle BiRdie ToLd Me" Paper Mache' Workshop in my Vintage Arts Studio. I was excited to have a full class of fun girls that wanted to make these "little birdies." It seemed that everyone enjoyed making them ~ it gets a little messy, but nothing that doesn't wash up easily!

The little birdies started to sing! The photos below are of everyone's finished little birds that they took home ~ talk about personality!

Due the popularity of this workshop, I will be forming another class soon. Please email me if you have an interest in making your own! Lauri Meyers - vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com

A Little Birdie Told Me Paper Mache' Workshop

2009-10-18T18:02:00.001-05:00

I will show you how to make these fun Paper Mache' Birds ~ each bird develops his own personality as he is being created by the maker...if you would like to take this fun class call me (913) 963-2985 or send me an email vintageartsstudio@hotmail.com The class fee is $50.00.

"A LiTtlE BiRDie toLd mE"

Busy week...after the Big Friends of a Feather Event

2009-10-18T16:32:00.000-05:00

The fall is such a wonderfully cozy time to me...the beauty of nature is breathtaking...autumn presents itself in all of its warm and subtly rich hues. It has been a busy and fun week...the clean up and reorganization after the Friends of a Feather Fall Event, having a workshop in my studio, going to The Farmstead with some friends and spending a quiet, (finally sunny) Sunday afternoon with my husband Brian. I had to take some photos in the courtyard while the sun was shining brightly today...the sky was so blue!

These are a couple of my angels in my garden...hand created by Steve Hess.

This week in my Vintage Arts Studio Mom and I hosted our Rustic Winter Ornaments Workshop for a couple of lovely women who were sister-in-laws. Mom instructed them on how to make a couple of the ornaments that she designed using beautiful rustic fall colored wools. Mom is very patient when she teaches...though she will make you rip a stitch if you need to...I remember her making me rip stitches when I was a little girl...as unhappy as I was when she told me to do it...it was always for the best! :)

The Farmstead...if you've been there, you know that this is all you need to say to describe this warm and inviting special place...Cheryl from Now & Then, my mom, Jana (a dear old friend of mine) and I went to The Farmstead owned by Kelly and Ron Littman located north of the airport...it was an beautiful setting...in the winding, gravel backroads of the countryside in Platte County...the sale had all kinds of wonderful architectural pieces, old wooden signage, handcrafted art and jewelry by very inspiring local artists to offer to the discerning eclectic buyer. A couple of the Friends of a Feather vendors were a part of this fabulous sale ~Angie, Junie "C", Mary Alice of Beading Hearts and Sheila and Craig of Odd Folies. This was my most favorite purchase from the sale...a local artist who just recently received the prestigious honor of winning 3rd place overall in the Westport Art Show~ Chari Roberts Peak...she is an outstanding artist!

Friends of a Feather Fall Event ~ Gone...but not Forgotten

2009-10-13T20:10:00.000-05:00

The Friends of a Feather Fall Event was an amazing success in spite of the unusally cold weather ~ the weathermen said it was the 2nd coldest October 10th in recorded history! Crazy... But, regardless, we had an incredible turn out ~ we served hot chocolate and coffee and yummy chili that my husband Brian made. We also had a firepit going ~ so anyone could warm themselves whether consuming the warm goodies or standing by the fire (I think some were warmed by the excitement of a special find that they couldn't live without!) The sun did actually come out for a while...as you can see by some of the photos.

My daughter Jennifer, who is a 1st grade school teacher, makes cupcakes for our event...she gives her profits to the United Way. She made some tasty apple strudel cupcakes ~ they were so good ~ especially with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee!Lots and lots of wonderful goodies to choose from...from handmade creations made by our amazing group of creative "Friends" ... these trays are made by Kathi of TrayBella...Marilyn...my mom... had made some beautiful journals and wall hangings to give as gifts, or to keep for yourself!

These three girls were so happy to be getting Angie's a.k.a. Junie C's handmade head bands....a huge selection of repurposed furniture, flea market finds and wonderful things for your home and creative space were on hand to choose from...

Craig and Sheila from Odd Folies brought some very unique pieces that are perfect for any office or creative space in your home.

Robin Macintosh had some lovely Christmas pins, and ornaments...I can't believe that Christmas is right around the corner ~ and as cold as it was, you'd think it was next week!

Busy...busy...busy!!!

I personally fell in love with the pink chair that you see in the photo above...it is now a part of my Vintage Arts Studio... I sometimes can't resist... :)

These are three "little sisters" that helped at the event. From left to right...Jennifer ~ my oldest daughter's "little sister" ... Cara ~ my "little sister" and Carol ~ Mom's "little sister." I want to extend a special thanks to these three amazing women...we couldn't have done it without you!

Rain, Rain Go Away!!

2009-10-08T16:30:00.001-05:00

Just so you all know...rain or shine, we will be open for business tomorrow at 9:00 as planned!

We are unloading...and setting up, in the rain...everyone has brought some amazing things! We are a little damp...but we won't melt!

See you all tomorrow!

Lauri

More Goodies to Look for at the Friends of a Feather Event this Week

2009-10-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

I'd like to introduce to you our newest "Friends of a Feather" Artisan...Betsy Olson! You can see that she is an amazing potter. We are very excited to have her as part of our event this fall!I was immediately impressed with her work. She has been working all summer on some beautiful pieces and quite an assortment!

The added detail in some of her pieces are very unique and intricate.

These wonderful little "scary" creatures were handmade by Robin Macintosh and will be available at our show this week. They have such personality!

Robin will also have some of her fun little Christmas ornaments she made out of old tin molds. Too cute!

I made these fun Vintage Flowers made with old ephemera and made ephemera wrapped bottles for the vases with embellishments. I offer a class in my Vintage Arts Studio on how to make your own. Be sure to pick up a class schedule in the Studio while at the Friends of a Feather Sale this week.

This is one of my newest creations..."A Little Birdie Told Me" series of paper mache' birds with little sayings. I will have some of these fun little birds for sale, but I will also be offering a class at Vintage Arts Studio on how to make your own!

Craig and Sheila from Odd Folies made this wonderful repurposed printers drawer cabinet ~ fantastic for holding all kinds of "little diddles."

These are some of the other types of repurposed things that Craig and Sheila will be offering at our Friends of a Feather Sale.

Kathi of TrayBella is branching out with her amazing trays that she creates one at a time...with beautiful papers and fun, chunky handles.