This Just Sold

For an artist, sometimes we need to know that what we make is "good", different, unique, and worthy of purchasing. When this happens, it lifts our spirits.....makes us want to create again, and again, and again. At times we don't care if anyone likes it, wants it or approves of it. . . we just wanted to make it.... to express our thoughts in a visual sense. Whichever is the case, let us never cease to create.

This is one of my newest creations, that just sold at The Art Mill in Omaha, NE. Made me smile when I made it, and it makes me smile to know that someone else appreciated it and will smile when they wear it.

Back to the art room......

The Wedding Flowers

After looking at the pictures of flowers on the web for months, I finally decided to place the order. It was the largest single bulk order of flowers I had ever placed.

I was quite nervous, but they arrived on time from two different vendors, Sam's Club and Fifty Flowers. After prepping the flowers, which took 4 hours, I had to wait until the next day to start designing.

With the help of my dear friend, Deb, we managed to crank out 32 centerpieces, one bridal bouquet, 4 bridesmaid bouquets, 2 flower girl bouquets and numerous coursages. My sister-in-law, Cheryl managed all the boutineers. We worked from 8:30 in the morning until 9:30 that night.

The flowers were romantic. In the bridal bouquet we added crystals and rhinestones for a little glitz. The bridesmaids had rhinestones only added to theirs.

The vases for the centerpieces varied. Most of them were footed. They were quite large in scale.

The reception hall needed this, because it had 30 foot ceilings.

Flowers and Gems

I made flowers for the flowergirls hair. I simply hot-glue-gunned the silk flowers to a clip and in the large flowers, added a rhinestone to the center.

Each bridesmaid and flowergirl had hand-made jewelry to coordinate with the wedding colors.

Each set was specifically made for each girl to reflect their personality. One girl's dress had a high neckline, so I made her bracelets instead.

The Wedding Glasses

I painted the glasses for the wedding party. The bride and groom glasses above, were traditional white and black. The bridesmaid glasses each

had their name painted on them. The mother's glasses just had flowers. The groomsmen received Nebraska Blackshirt beer pilsners.

The Wedding

I had the honor of helping my niece and her husband-to-be plan their wedding. We worked on it little by little and over the course of a year, it all came together. The event turned out beautiful, and the bride said she would not have changed a thing. That is what you want to hear!

I designed the programs for the wedding using Pages on the Mac. Ended up gluing a flower to each program to add a little special touch.

The pew bows used were borrowed from a friend, and we added a spray of pink flowers and some greens to finish it off.

Jewelry: Repurposed, Reinvented, Reused, Ready to Wear

Jane, 0wner of the ArtMill, Inc., (156th and Maple) in Omaha, Nebraska, said she would take some of my jewelry and put it in her fabulous retail store, which is adjacent to her open art studio. However, she needed it soon, she had retail space open and it needed to be filled. . . by local artists, not nameless, faceless people from somewhere overseas. . . so the challenge was on.

I took this opportunity to create necklaces that I had been hoping to do for sometime. I had collected vintage chains, brooches, earrings and the works, to hopefully recreate some statement necklaces to sell. Collecting the pieces was half the fun, but a lot of work around here. Flea markets are hard to

come by, so I visited some antique shops in St. Paul, MN, went to a flea market in Venice, NE, went through all my collects, to come up with the right pieces to use.

Here are some of the necklaces I came up with. They are currently at the ArtMill at 156th and Maple in Omaha, NE. Feel free to stop by and check them out in person.