3RD ANNUAL LAKE ARROWHEAD ARTIST'S STUDIO TOUR SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

This was such a big deal for me,

to be juried into this Artist's Tour with real Fine Artists.

My husband and I worked our butts off all summer long getting our property

 and the little studio ready for the big day.

My husband woodburned the most wonderful sign (above)

 from a piece of wood I found in the surrounding forest,

 for the arbor (below) he built for me.

For the show we had to put sticks across it because we were scared someone might fall.

The stairs I put in are a bit too steep.

Whoops!

We pulled out the antique table and chairs from the studio to use as a refreshment area.

My husband put together an antique spinning wheel (above)

from the 1840's that was gifted to me recently.

It came in many pieces,

 and Jim had to build back a broken section so that I was actually able to spin on it for the tour.

I put out a lot of seasonal fall colors and accents for a bit of country charm.

And above you can see the picnic table and chairs Jim built for the show.

The weather was perfect,

mid 80's.

All the walk ways and stairs I put in kept everyone's shoes clean before they entered the studio...

so that no one tracked in any dirt on my new oriental carpet (below).

When we bought this property two years ago,

it was all dirt and weeds.

So it's come a long way quickly.

We built the studio 2 summers ago,

then landscaped around it.

On display and sale were hundreds of pieces I've made as demos for my art students from the last 36  years of teaching art at Whitney High in Cerritos,

along with antiques I've found at garage and estate sales that Jim has refurbished. 

Also on display (but not for sale)

were many of my favorite art pieces that I teach with as great examples

 made by my art friends and mentors, 

as well as pro artists from around the globe.

I even had some of my daughters hand knit work for sale.

I met so many wonderful people

 and made quite a few artful connections.

Many asked if I teach private and group lessons,

so I gave them my card.

I even had one gal ask if she could bring up her girlfriends 

and do a tea party with a bit of crafting.

Sure,

what a great idea!

It was truly remarkable how much I was able to fit into this tiny 10' by 12" space.

My son took this pix of me spinning on my very first Ashford wheel 

that I bought and put together in the early 1980's.

Even though I own a variety of wheels now,

this one is still my go to wheel when it counts.

I thought there might be some children with parentals,

so I scattered hundreds of beads and charms in the pea gravel walkways.

A scavenger hunt to keep them busy while their parents looked around.

I even had hand spun yarn on needles so they could string necklaces and bracelets,

but sadly no young ones came that day.

So the beads will just have to wait for my grand babies to pick thru.

My son's hand print (below) from June 2000.

ahhhhh

MY FIRST ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR

This last spring I joined the Lake Arrowhead Mountain Arts Network 

in the San Bernardino Mountains,

and was juried into their Annual Artists Studio Tour :)  :)  :)

I thought I'd share with you the info that goes with this honor.

It's this Saturday and Sunday the 26th & 27th,

from 11:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m.

I have over 600 works of art on display,

almost all of them for sale.

I'm also selling vintage linens & antiques that I've collected 

over the past two years up on the mountain.

And I'm letting go of unique,

one of a kind pieces 

that I've made over the last 35 years of teaching as demo. pieces for my students.

I'm also offering many works of student and professional art that I've bought to teach with

that I no longer use.

So there are some real deals to be had here.

I've been asked to demonstrate 

so I will also be spinning yarn on my spinning wheel

 for my current piece I'm working on.

I hope you will be able to join me.

A FEW NEW ADDITIONS

A recycled garden table finds a new home on the side of my studio.

Bernice Lin aka Ginger Ko,

note the pot of purple tulips your mother gave me at Open House their on the right??

One of the critters up here last night was pawing thru the pot and rearranged the soil a bit.

Luckily the tulip bulbs are still buried deep.

I planted this Clematis (I think that's it name)

 last fall and it made it thru the winter to bloom this spring.

What a cool looking flower it has!

SCAVENGING FOR BUILDING MATERIALS

I'm falling in love with working with nature's landscaping materials.

I take the dog for her walk in the morning up to the top of our mountain,

and collect rocks and interesting pieces of wood as we go.

I pile them together at the side of the road...

and then later go back and pick them up in the jeep.

I found these amazing vintage wood chairs at a store in Sky Forest called Cabin Fever.

They were $50 bucks each but I talked the store owner into $50 for the pair.

What I've found up in Crestline is that the merchants are willing to deal.

There was this area up above our cabin where nothing was growing 

and it seemed the perfect spot to build a sitting area under the big pines

(and telephone poles & wires)

So I leveled it out and carved a kidney shaped area to place the chairs.

Then I had to unload that jeep and gently toss the rocks to the sitting area so I could place them.

A great calorie burning day!!

So are you wondering what my old man was up to?

Taking pix of course  :)

Seriously,

he's just had back surgery so he is not allowed to do any hard physical labor.

Lucky guy! 

LOL

Meanwhile,

I'm up to my knees in mud.

So here's the finished area.

Two weekends ago I found the perfect wood table to set between the chairs

(not pictured)

But oops!!!!

I forgot to document the building of  the pathway that leads from my art studio up to this sitting area.

This winter my son brought up his girlfriend and we tackled this path together,

from the collecting of the rocks and wood,

to the laying out of the design edge with the rocks.

We set the stepping stones and then spread the pea gravel.

It took the three of us the entire day,

and was a labor of love.

Thank you Zach and Nicole!!

But then hold the phone,

I just found out I made the cut for the Mountain Art Network's Annual Artist's Studio Tour

in September,

and the public has to have access to your studio from the street.

So off with the jeep I go for another load.

My neighbor Chris felt sorry for me,

 and helped me gather these big boulders you see here.

I'm just moving them into place.

Cutting in the stairs.

Pounding into place the treated wood ties with 12 inch nails,

the hammer may have nailed me a few times for a ginormously swollen black and blue hand,

and a broken bone in one of my fingers.

But I just kept on trucking.

LOL

I'm a woman on a mission 

who would rather me doing physical labor then working out in a gym.

So here's a shot of the whole nine yards.

The gal from the Mountain Arts Network came the next week for an inspection of our property,

and the word she used to describe the whole ball of wax,

including the exterior and interior of the studio was 

"Enchanting"

My work is done!

Now on the to patching and slurrying of the driveway.

:)

EVOLVING

We added a new addition to my little art studio recently,

a cupola.

 I acquired some old worn out window shutters from the dump store,

 and our handy, 

dandy neighbor Chris was able to transform them into the most adorable cupola ever.

Here he is on the roof installing it and giving it a bit of touch up paint. 

Now all's I need to find is the perfect weather vane for on top.

I really like how I had him tie in the celedon green and barn red into the little structure.

He also installed a solar light so that it's a beacon at night.

Love....   

EXCITING NEWS

Woo Hoo!!!!

I just found out that my little art studio in the woods 

made the cut for the Artist's Studio Tour this next September 

sponsored by the Mountain Arts Network.

So now I need to start stocking it with fibery goodness

and ceramic pieces.

I'm so excited!

More info to come.

A Winter Wonderland

Xmas at the cabin was 6" of fresh white snow and much needed.

The runoff filed our lakes, 

and the snow stayed around for a good 2 weeks before it melted.

I won't have to water for weeks,

 and the bulbs are gonna be HAPPY!

Artisun Studio

A PEEK INSIDE

Our little barn/loft/studio is really starting to take shape.

I found a beautiful rug at overstock.com that's pulling all the colors together.

I'm able to drape my collection of antique quilts over top the loft railing.

And we found the most adorable handmade table and chairs from the 1920's with leafs on the end that fold out.

I've got a lot of built in storage for textiles and books.

And Jim has a place to practice to store a couple of his guitars and amp for when he uses the barn to practice with his new musician friends.

It's nice to come home to, 

music wafting thru the trees.

We found an old hutch for the corner with display space and more storage.

But my absolute favorite is the loft sleeping area.

We've put up a queen air mattress with more of my antique blankets and quilts to keep us warm, 

a hand hooked rug for the floor, 

and if we need it,

 another air mattress for the other side where the cradle is at.

Now all's we need is company!

:)

Autumn Colors at the Cabin