Come Dance With Me!

Many of you may have noticed that I belong to a number of Ning.com sites by scrolling to the bottom of my blog. Ning is a wonderful networking site for artists' to exchange thoughts, ideas, and creations. Unfortunately, one site in particular (I have removed the link from The Vintage Vignette and those that remain continue to have my wholhearted support) has experienced a huge influx of fighting, arguing, and bashing between members and it's creator. Many artists' on this particular site wanted to promote their art, careers, and creations. The site moderator was enraged by this prospect and instantly stifled and destroyed all "efforts to put oneself out there."

This tragic turn of events got me to thinking about what I wanted for The Vintage Vignette. It forced me to look at some of the reasons that people seek out and join new blogs or networks in the first place. The answer was obvious to me. People join to blog, comment, and of course Network!

It is for this reason that I decided to establish and lay down some ground rules for The Vintage Vignette.
The first rule is that there ARE no rules here! If you want to comment, participate in challenges or just keep up on new posts', please be my guest. Feel free to email me anytime with questions, concerns or whatever! If there is something you would like to see here just let me know. As long as it is not objectionable, hateful or otherwise offensive.

One of the reasons for this major brew-ha-ha on the networking site is that the creator was not open to others self-promoting or trying to expand their own resources and careers. This is so NOT what I want for this site! I WANT to promote you! I want you to promote YOURSELF! If you are doing something fabulous and want additional exposure, just ask and I will gladly "Pimp" you as it was so referred to on this other site. Getting your work out there, your blog off the ground, etc. is no easy task and instead of competing with fellow artists', I want to work with you to build you up in anyway I can. I have been planning to do an artists' spotlight post on a regular basis featuring the art, blog, etsy shop or website of artists' that I find inspiring. Can you believe that some people actually discouraged this idea stating that it could cause a distraction from my work or affect my google ranking (or lack thereof..he..he)! To this I say "Hooey!" I am not in this for rankings, or to simply sell a product. I want The Vintage Vignette to be about good content NO great content! I want it to be about promoting and self promoting. I could go on and on but there is no need to get my blood pressure up or my panties in a bunch.

So in short, I invite you all! Each and everyone of you is welcome to promote yourself, promote others, direct people to your blogs in your comments, submit requests for your latest projects to be featured, advertise your site's giveaways....Whatever! All you have to do is drop me an email and I will gladly share your information with The Vintage Vignette's growing audience.

I invite all of you following my blog or not, linking to me or not, to wholeheartedly kick up your heels and "Come Dance With Me!".

Cindy Shea :)

One Feisty Dame.

My Grandmother was truly one feisty woman in her young womanhood. My mother tells me that growing up, her family was always goofing around in one way or another. Grandma's brother would dress up in her girdle and missle-cupped brassier for photos. Her sisters were known to be quite silly as well. Apparently my great-grandmother found her children quite amusing too. Every photo that I have of her shows her sitting with her adult children and laughing as they goof around. I find these photos of my granmother particularly intersting. They were taken of her during the 1940's and really speak of her great personality. In the first photo she is pretending to be the Mata Hari who was a Dutch exotic dancer during the first world war. The second photo pictures her toking a cigarette (long before it was known to be harmful) and looking very much pregnant with my mother. The third photo shows her in one of those "old timey" baby cribs suckling her favorite bottle of choice! She was the most loving and attentive grandmother that a child could ever ask for. She would sit for hours as I played "dress up" with her and would let me adorn her in whatever makeup, jewelry or hairstyle I chose. Happily for my family, her playful sense of humor has transcended generations and in this silly way she is always with us.

*Click on the photo to see the images larger and in more detail.

More Eye Candy!

Since I had so much fun sharing with you how to make the glass tile pendants and recommended that you make several ahead of time to give as last minute hostess gifts, I thought you might enjoy a quick video showcasing some lovely pendants created by the very talented designer Susy P. from earthexpressions.etsy.com. She does gorgeous work and offers her creations for sale on her Etsy shop. She has also graciously extended a 20% discount on her unique creations for all registered followers of The Vintage Vignette blog. Susy also hosts her own informative blog at byearthexpressions.blogspot.com so please be sure to take a peak.

*Please remember to scroll down to The Vintage Vingette Radio button below and press pause or you will continue to hear music while you are trying to watch the video.

Supply Saavy!

We have all been there before. It's the night before a dinner party or small gathering of good friends. Your host has always gone above and beyond to make her guests' feel welcome and you know a hostess gift of some kind is rightly deserved. The problem is that its Friday 5p.m. rush hour, the kids are at home waiting for dinner and your bladder is about to explode if you don't go straight home and handle your business! With no time to stop off for a hostess gift, you rush home and tend to your evening responsibilities. Dinner is done, hubby is asleep in his chair, and you are stuck washing dishes when you remember that you still need that darn hostess gift! There is absolutely NO way you are "getting back in the saddle" as they say and venturing out to any kind of store. What do you do? If you have even the slightest amount of artistic talent or are even just a little bit crafty having the following supplies on hand at all times will save you from numerous gifting emergencies. To assemble your kit you will need the following:

1. A bottle of Diamond Glaze that can be found at most craft stores.
2. A pair of needle nose beading pliers.
3. Bottle of black acrylic paint and paintbrush.
4. Assorted glass tiles available at art stores, Etsy.com or hardware stores.
5. Beading chain.
6. Jump rings.
7. Decorative Papers.
8. Jewelry Bails.
9. *Most of these items are readily available at craft stores and art shops. Etsy.com is another online resource where you can find endless variations of these supplies.
   

To Assemble Your Gift:

1. Cut the beading chain to size. Standard size is usually 18-36 inches depending on the size of your recipient.
2. Place glass tile textured side down over decorative papers and align.
3. Lift glass tile and apply a coating of diamond glaze to the back of the tile. Spread evenly with paintbrush.
4. Adhere to decorative papers as decided, pressing down into paper and Let dry for 20 minutes.
5. Trim excess paper from around glass tile. You can use scissors or an exacto knife.
6. Once dry, apply a thin coat of black paint to the back of the tile.
7. Take jewelry bail and apply a small bead of diamond glaze and adhere to the back of the pendant.
8. Paint the back of the pendant with a thin coating of the diamond glaze to seal the paint.
9. Add charms, beads, or any other baubles lying around to the chain to your taste using the pliers and jump rings. Add a clasp to the end using a jump ring threaded through each end of the chain and close using pliers.

The finished piece will be a wonderful and handmade expression of friendship and appreciation. Your recipient will be sure to think of your thoughtfulness and talent every time she wears it.

From start to finish this project takes less than one hour to create. The cost to assemble this kit should run between 30-50 dollars but you will be able to make numerous pieces out of one kit. Why not make several ahead of time ready to be given as handmade hostess gifts? It has never been easier to show how much you care.

Papier-Mache' Dress Forms.

Have you ever wondered what you could do with those papier-mache' dress forms you find in the craft store bins? Well I did. I would see all these different shapes and sizes piled high in bins and wondered what in the world people used them for. It wasn't until I discovered the wonderful world of decoupage art that I discovered what exactly they were used for. On my next visit to the craft store I looked at them and thought "Hey! I know what I could do with these!" I purchased the papier-mache' dress forms for just under five dollars and decided to make a jewelry stand with them. After studying the construction of the dress form I realized that it would have to have some kind of stand to keep it from falling over. I cruised the aisles looking for something to prop it up on when I ran smack dab into the perfect support. It was a bin full of wooden candle sticks! They looked as if they were just waiting for me to round the corner and discover their fabulosity! They were made of unfinished pine and appeared to be very sturdy. Purchases in hand I headed home. Like most of us that are busy with multiple projects at any given time, I let them sit in a box for a almost a year before I finally decided to get started on my projects.

For the body I adhered layers of collage papers and Royal Coat decoupage medium. I also burnished the final coat with metallic wax. I then painted the candlestick and hot glued it to the base of the dress form. Since I wanted the final piece to be able to hold jewelry I drilled two small holes into the arms and threaded several cut wire, coat hangers into the holes and sealed them with glue. Next I took my needle nose pliers and rolled the tips of each end of the wire. I then added crackle glaze, more metallic wax and a final coat of paint before spraying the whole thing with a light coating of polyurethane to seal it and add shine. I then added marabou feathers around the armholes and hemline to give it a more elegant look.

I loved the way this piece turned out so much and wanted to keep it for myself but my Mom had always wanted one so I ended up giving it to her as a gift. What kind of person would I be if I turned down my own mother! So off to the craft store I went to get another set of materials to make one for myself. I decided to make this one completely different from the first and it ended up being more of an art piece than a jewelry holder but in the end I was very pleased with the final result.

*Sorry for the sideways photo but I could not figure out how to get it turned in the post for the life of me!

What A Mess....

I was recently inspired by the publication "Where Women Create" from Stampington and Company. This wonderful publication featured the studios and art spaces of some of the most creative women in the field of Mixed Media Art. It was so beautifully done and artfully illustrated that I couldn't wait to get some pictures of my home studio up on my blog. Mind you I am aware of what a disaster area it looks like now but it was not always this way. I can only imagine the horrified look on the editors face as she viewed a photo of my art space if I had really had the nerve to submit an entry for the "Where women create" piece! Eventually I do plan to get in there and do some serious organizing and de-stashing. But alas tomorrow in another day. If you would like to know where you can find this great publication visit stampington.com for information on where you can obtain a copy.

*Getting organized is my top priority this month.

*Jars and Jars of foam stamps.

*Boxes of slides, embellishments and old photos.

*Shelves of stamps, paints, glitters and embossing powders.

My husband has threatened to "Put price tags on everything and have a sale!" What a brat huh!

*I have a definite weakness for ribbons and lace.

*This is my actual work table. It is quite small compared with the rest of the room. You can see there is barely any room to work!

*I have shelves and shelves of card stock, paper, and paints and perfect pearls.

Great Beeswax Tutorial By Suze Weinberg.

For some time now I have been wanting to make a beeswax tutorial of my own but have just not had the time. I then came across this one by Suze Weinberg and thought it did a great job of showing some of the really neat projects you can do with beeswax. I have used several of the techniques myself and think that even a beginner could handle these ideas with ease. I talk a little bit more about my own personal preferences when it comes to beeswax so be sure to scroll down and read on. Also be sure to visit Suze's website and blog at www.schmoozewithsuze.com *Before you watch the video you will want to scroll down to the Vintage Vignette Radio button and press pause or you will continue to hear the likes of Frank Sinatra or Tony Benett crooning while you are trying to watch the video! :)

My First Choice for Pelleted Beeswax.

I have received many inquiries as to where and what kind of beeswax I use in my projects. I prefer the "Pelleted" beeswax from Ranger Industries. I prefer this over the hunk type beeswax that you can find in the candle making section of most craft stores because of its ease of use and cleanup. With block style beeswax you have to literally hammer or break off a piece and hope that it fits into your heating element! If not you'll have to beat it some more until the size is just right. Sounds ridiculous huh! With the pelleted kind all you have to do is pour as little or as much as you need for the specific project you are working on. Another reason I prefer pelleted to block beeswax is cost. Block style can run you up to $20.00 a piece whereas the pelleted costs' as little as 4.99 a jar. It also comes in natural and bleached white to allow you to adjust the color of your finished piece. Although you can probably find Ranger pelleted beeswax in craft and hobby stores, I have found that Joann.com has great sales on it from time to time. Recently the pelleted beeswax was listed for $2.99 a jar as opposed to 4.99 at regular price! I jumped at the opportunity and purchased 8 jars at once to keep on hand. I also noticed that the online sale price was listed far lower than the in store price so if you can I would wait until it goes on sale and then stock up. I have provided a direct link over to Joann.com for those of you who wish to check and see if it is on sale in your area. Just click on the link or you can call the store's 800 number listed on the site for more info.

Jilted Love.

I think we can all relate to this scenario in one way or another. It need not be as dramatically serious as this case but it could be that we were dumped by a childhood boyfriend or a love in young adulthood. Whatever the case it was no doubt painful to watch our love with someone else. How did we react to such a situation? As I looked at this piece and imagined her to be real, I wondered if she was able to go on, move forward and start anew. Would she continue to look back and pine away for her love? Would she be able to say "good riddance" and finally move forward? This vignette spoke of such raw emotion to me. The look of anguish on her face, the complete disinterest of the one who promised he'd be true and worst of all the total satisfaction and look of victory on the bride's face! Makes you want to reach right into this imaginary scene and slap that smile right off her face right? Well, in my imaginary vignette she does move on. She turns and looks forward and moves on to bigger and better things. But as she walks slowly away she stops and pauses to think. Then she turns back once more and says "Now that I think about it, I guess I do have the better dog!" She then moves on leaving the two of them in her dust because after all they do deserve each other don't they!

Announcing Our Very First Design Challenge And Fabulous Prize!

I can not tell you how excited I am to announce the vintage vignette's very first design challenge and fabulous prize! The wonderful people at planetgiftbaskets.com have very generously donated a top quality, luxury spa gift basket valued at over $80.00. It features wonderfully scented blackberry currant spa products, exfoliating loofah slippers, soothing lavender sachet, decorative door hanger, terry hand towel and soap artfully arranged in a keepsake wicker basket with personalized ribbon all to be awarded to the prize winner! The grand prize will be shipped free of charge (including tax and shipping!) to the design challenge winner anywhere in the continental United States.

Planet Gift Baskets Is a premier, full service gift basket company offering top of the line products to consumers at all price points. This industry leader specializes in gourmet, spa, personalized, baby and new parent gifts. They offer beautiful products with personalized service and can even accommodate custom orders. I thank them graciously for their generous donation.

*Now here are the design challenge rules. To participate in the challenge you Must:

1. Be a registered follower of the vintage vignette blog.
2. Be able to submit your entry to cserafin123@roadrunner.com in email format.
3. Be sure to provide your contact information in the email so I can contact you if you win.
4. Enter only 1 submission per person, so send your very best!
5. Create and enter an art project of your choice featuring the theme of Vintage Romance!
6. Include a vintage couple somewhere in the design.

And that's it! The challenge will run starting Thursday April 23rd through Monday May 11, 2009. * All submissions must be received by midnight (pacific standard time) on Monday May 11, 2009. The winner will be chosen by the founder of Planet Gift Baskets and will be notified by email. The winning project will be featured in the vintage vignette's blog the following week. So get those creative juices flowing and go make something dazzling!