Where Bloggers Create 2012

http://www.mydesertcottage.com/2012/06/anybody-want-to-party.html

Hello everyone, I'm so excited to be joining in this year's Where Blogger's Create Blog Party. 

I hope you enjoy your visit.

I'm Thespoena McLaughlin, a mixed media artist and teacher living in Arkansas with my family. It's been an exciting year so far, my studio was published in the spring 2012 issue of Studios Magazine,  I have an article out in the current issue of Somerset Studio Gallery, and I will be teaching 3 classes at Create Mixed Media Art Retreat in Chicago this August.

Last year during the Where Bloggers Create party I was just building my new studio using all recycled materials and if you want to see what it looked like then you can see it here... 

http://vintiquitiesworkshop.blogspot.com/2011/07/where-bloggers-create-blog-party-visit.html 

 

 I thought I would start today's visit by showing you some of my flowers. We are going through a drought right now so we don't use much water, which is why the grass is brown and crispy. 

My Zinnias are looking very lovely thanks to my hubby making sure they are watered, each day we get home from work and they are positively wilted to the ground and each night he waters them and our tomato garden and then in the morning they are back to being beautiful again. It's a good thing they are so resilient.

 My youngest daughter's sunflowers are also doing well.

 The bumble bees are doing their job to pollinate.

 And the crispy grass in the yard, It's a sad state. But we move on...

So this year, the outside of the studio is still not completed but it's getting there. 

I have begun collecting different patterns of ceiling tin to do a patchwork of tiles across the ceiling inside. 

It's tough to find this stuff here where I live though. I guess there weren't many hillbillies putting tin in their cabins, lol. 

But I have made good progress on the inside of the studio. . .

 One of the wals in my studio is covered with antique sheet music.

 A few of my Halloween themed projects.

 Above is one of the projects I'll be teaching at Create in Chicago.

 This is my great grandpa's (on my mother's side) jewelers bench he built himself above.

And below is my grandpa's (on my dad's side) watch repair bench that he built. 

As you can see, I come from crafty genes.

 I actually have two dress forms but one is currently in my flea market booth wearing vintage clothing that is for sale. :)  This one wears my apron and some of my jewelry creations.

 These drawers hold some of my favorite pieces of antique hardware and also some rubber molds that I have made of different pieces of hardware and antique buttons.

 The pegboard I made with an antique frame I painted. And some of my most used tools.

 I found this antique book at a flea market and really couldn't pass it up. It's such a quaint piece. It has a lot of references as to the differences between the roles of men and women at the time, but it also has lots of inspiration within it's pages. It's so fun to read! Plus the cover is just amazing! Embossed with gold leaf applied. "The Royal Path of Life"

 I got that antique paper roll holder for my birthday last year. I couldn't believe it was actually my color, aged blue!

 These are some of my favorite tins.

 The artwork I made with my dad's metal detecting finds and the Magazine that features it on the cover. 

 I'm addicted to rust, if you can't tell. I love my metal detector and love using the things I find in my art even more. That art piece above and my dad's metal detecting finds inspired me to give metal detecting a try myself. It's truly a fun hobby.

 I found some great antique frames recently for $5 each! I love all the details. I plan to make artwork specifically to go inside of each one.

 My sewing area. About to be changed up, I've decided that this giant corner desk is taking up more space than it needs to, so I plan to get rid of it and just put in a small fold out antique sewing cabinet instead. 

 Some wonderful treasures. Some rhinestones and some old lace. 

 I love 1920's leather purses. I've started a collection. 

 Blue glass jars and antique buttons and glass pearls, I shall swoon!

 Some jewelry I'm working on. 

 I can never get enough of fibers, and tiny pieces of fabric, lace, and old textiles.

 I also adore tarnished silver, a perfect place to store my German Glass Glitter. LOVE that stuff.

 Another of my favorite things is old mirrors with pretty etching. 

 A jar full of antique chandelier crystals and a dish full of vintage rhinestone trim.

 I love old keys and old pewter dishes.

 You can see a little of my stenciled floor here and some of my vintage jewelry finds. 

And one of the t-shirts I designed. All handmade myself...

 Behind the curtains, storage for supplies and more.

And my little rust garden outside my studio.

 Well that's me and my studio...

I hope you've enjoyed your visit, I appreciate you stopping by. 

I hope you have a wonderful time at the blog party. Please check out the other guests as well. 

:)