I have been bustling around my house decking the halls and making holiday treats.
In year’s past I have been known to have up to four Christmas Trees up at a time but this year I have kept it to only two. The one room of our house where we gather to play billiards has been adorned with a festive, glamorous and shimmery spectacle perfect for a fun lounge atmosphere.
It’s a more modern spin on holiday décor with a fluffy, shiny silver garland along with some of my hand painted glass ornaments which to me seem like small abstract pieces of process art.
…and I can’t forget the treats! A recent favorite among my friends and family is fresh homemade marshmallow. I’ve taken it a step further with the addition of our home grown organic almonds and drizzled with dark chocolate; a creation I like to call Craggy Cul de Sac. It also wouldn’t be a homemade delectable from me without the personal packaging to take the gift over the top.
Come shopping at the Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar and help support SLO High School Band!
Photo by Katie Coordt Yeah, that’s me…I just love the Holidays. A quick shot snapped unbeknownst to me by cell phone and sent to me sometime last summer as “fodder for blog posts”, gotta love family.
For many families it’s the holiday season that inspires and creates fond memories for years to come. Gathering for meals and performances of The Nutcracker, sitting down to watch Frosty the Snowman or Christmas Vacation, no matter the event they are all surrounded by holiday flare. Sparkling, colorful lights along with the fresh scent from the wreath on the door add to the warmth of the scene. The carefully decorated Christmas tree being the focal point of any holiday celebration is where I gain my devotion to create my hand painted glass ornaments. If one of my ornaments can help recall that special Christmas memory for years to come then I couldn’t be more honored.
My studio has been turned into a holiday workshop for my one of a kind, hand painted glass ornaments since early fall.
This week sets off the biggest selection of my ornaments available in schemata as well as a few new locations if you want to see them in person.
The Art Works…Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles Art Association Showroom…Paso Robles, California
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art~CraftArt Market…San Luis Obispo, California
The Gallery at the Network…San Luis Obispo, California
Marque…Laguna Beach, California
Moyaboya…Creemore, Ontario, Canada
And for one day only, Saturday, December 4th…at the Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar, a fundraiser for the San Luis Obispo High School Band.
Shopping for handmade holiday gifts? The annual CraftArt Market is happening now at the San Luis Opispo Museum of Art ~ a showcase of artisans who create high quality jewelry, handbags, scarves, folk art, mini photos, prints and paintings, sculpture, home decor, ceramics, art glass and other handmade fine craft items on sale at the Museum of Art from the day after Thanksgiving until New Year's Eve.
Available in the show are my hand painted glass ornaments and collection of one of a kind beaded jewelry.
CraftArt Market open daily 11-5, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve until 3.
Earlier this week I was a member of the volunteer group to hang this year's Small Treasures show for the Paso Robles Art Association. This spectacular fund raiser features a gallery full of 8 x 8 inch (20.32 x 20.32 cm) original artworks along with several small 3-D creations (only rule is that it fit in the gallery gift bag)~each piece of art...only $100. This year's show started off with 165 pieces that will continue to be added to as artwork sells. It's a fabulous variety of styles and subjects worth taking a look at. The show runs from now until December 12th in the Showroom.
My contribution to Small Treasures~
She's Not Interested-original acrylic on canvas, 8 x8 inches (20.32 x 20.32 cm)
I have been busy, busy preparing for a hopping holiday season in schemata. With a few hundred hand painted ornaments now ready for upcoming shows, galleries and online browsing I am happy to share some handpicked sets. I personally went through all my finished ornaments and mixed and matched a few coordinated collections to make your holiday trees the envy of all your friends. These sets include four or five various shapes and sizes to give you a well rounded showing of my creations. They come thoughtfully packaged in an attractive clear paint can for storage or impressive presentation for gift giving.
Look for more sets to be available next month at the Paso Robles Art Association’s show Small Treasures and keep updated with all my craftiness with SchemataCraft on Twitter.
So. It's 106 degrees here today and I am focused on cold-weather accessories and holiday decorations...what's wrong with this thought process. I'm an organizer, a devote planner and lover of the perfect presentation~none of which happen at the last minute.
Hence the look ahead at what in a few short weeks will be on everyone's mind~fashionable, unique fall accessories...
I present to you my latest hand knit scarf Blueberry Puree created with a variety of yarns and fibers against a 100% pure Merino Wool body.
Speaking of "blueberries", need a tasty accompaniment to your morning coffee? Nothing beats the softness and pure summer flavor of fresh blueberry scones...
Okay, back to work now...I have been loading schemata with a rainbow of new hand painted glass cube ornaments...you know, there are only 122 days until Christmas?
I am a self admitted holiday fanatic and celebrating Christmas in July would be perfectly fun for me. I could go with a more tropical approach to the usual holiday traditions. Find a sturdy palm tree to decorate with bright colored twinkle lights and all the fun surfing Santa’s and pink flamingo ornaments I have collected. Host an evening summer feast on the porch with fresh fruit salads and tantalizing pineapple infused cocktails. Instead of carols by the piano, we’ll have Mr. with his acoustic guitar at sunset. A surfer girl can dream…
My early Christmas dreaming is the result of preparing for the busy holiday season by creating new hand painted glass ornaments. I am looking ahead with many new glass cubes to add to schemata. Since each ornament takes about a week to complete with all the layers and drying time between I tend to work in multiples. Below is a glimpse at the steps an ornament goes through until completion.
My Christmas in July gift to you…free shipping in the U.S. and $5.00 shipping everywhere else with the purchase of 2 or more items available in schemata.
Only 161 days until Christmas…
This week Artisans Gallery has taken on the challenge of designing the perfect artisan wedding-from the gifts to the decor to all the little extras that make any wedding day a memorable one.
1 Signs by Diane, 2 The Joy of Color, 3 Marci G, 4 Sewn Natural, 5 Zoe Chen, 6 Sarah John Afana, 7 Piping Hot Papers, 8 JL Wood Turning, 9 Two Left Hands, 10 Illuminated Perfume, 11 One Clay Bead, 12 Kathi Roussel, 13 Schemata, 14 Noble Gnome, 15 Earmark Gatherings, 16 Ali Herrmann, 17 The Little Red Door
Still, any bride will tell you it’s
all about the dress (original acrylic painting on rag board, 11 x 14”).
My best wishes and congratulations go out to Christine and Lee for their upcoming wedding. Recently Christine commissioned a portrait of the couple to give to Lee as a wedding present. I was honored to be but a small part of their celebration.
For about four years I have been creating hand painted holiday ornaments for Christmas, always describing the process as being a lot like dying Easter eggs. The dyes seem to make their own patterns and much of the colors created are a bit out of my control. This year I was able to find clear glass eggs, something I hadn't found in the past, and from there my spring has become a lot more colorful. I have starting joking that "these eggs are what the Easter Bunny would make if he could use an airbrush". 
Holiday Open House at The Source Salon & Boutique-It's a fun party to kick off your holiday season. Food and spirits will be served; door prizes will be won and unique handmade gifts to be shopped. The list is long of beautifully crafted creations including one of a kind jewelry, festive ornaments, fine hand knits, stylish aprons and much more. This year the Open House introduces two new members to the team-Michelle Ferrari and Sarah Conatser.
Stop by and join in the fun Friday, November 20th from 4-8pm.
The Source Salon & Boutique, 945 Spring Street, Paso Robles (805)226-8655. Can't make it to the party? You can still find my hand painted glass ornaments and handmade scarves in schemata.
Holiday season is here, now! Only 43 days 'til Christmas and I'm already feeling the pressure. Along with the usual decorating, shopping and entertaining that goes along with this time of year I have the added joys that come with creating a seasonal find. I have been making my hand painted glass ornaments for about five years and selling them locally at The Art Works in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo Art Center-CraftArt Market. This fall I opened schemata; a second shop on Etsy featuring my fine art crafts. I have been busy creating enough ornaments to keep all my galleries stocked with a variety of shapes and colors to choose from. They have gotten rave reviews from shoppers and those who know what to look for in one of a kind creations-recently featured on MyShoppingConnection and soon they will be available on Fey Handmade.
