You may be asking what is ‘Quilling’ well it is the art of creating decorative designs from thin strips of curled paper. This age-old art of paper quilling has been around since the Renaissance, or even earlier (it has been documented as early as the 1200) – the nuns used small edges trimmed from the Bible pages to create simple but beautiful forms of artistry such as religious articles and pictures. They used simple tools taking long strips of paper which were tightly wound and released to form complex shapes. This form of art is also known as “Paper filigree“. The paper was wrapped around goose quills to create coil shapes and it eventually became know as quilling. Metal was also used in quilling to wrap around vases and make exquisite pieces of jewellery.

In the days gone by quilling was a pastime for ladies of leisure in the upper classes, where they would spend many hours creating decorative screens, tea caddies, cribbage board, wine coasters, urns and baskets. Only those that were affluent could afford to purchase supplies needed to quill which included materials such as foil, mica or flaked shells which they used in the backgrounds of the designs. Quilling was seen as a proper hobby for the upper-class ladies whiling away their days as the awaited an eligible bachelor to marry.

The settlers brought quilling to America and it is once again experiencing a revival in this millennium. There are many guilds and quilling clubs surfacing and scrapbooking has definitely participated in it’s revival as many use this technique to add to their scrapbooking albums and cards.

My featured artisan in this blog is Quilling Queen Designs by Cheri – Cheri says that her quest is to see that quilling does not become a lost art and she truly has a passion for design in this Renaissance Art with its rich and interesting history. It is exciting to know that when you quill, you are sharing something done by many different people over many hundreds of years and you are keeping this delicate art alive!

No longer to you have to be from upper class to enjoy quilling, as was the case in years gone by, when it was never considered a pastime for working-class women.

Cheri handcrafts and demonstrates the historic art of ‘Paper Quilling’, which involves the rolling and shaping of narrow strips of paper to form various designs. Traditionally it is floral work for inlaid boxes and frames, but in modern times it has many other applications. She has enjoyed quilling for the past eight years, teaching and selling at craft fairs for the last three years and in 2009 she became a member of the North American Quilling Guild. One of the objectives of the guild is to promote paper quilling to ensure it doesn’t become a “lost” art.

For the craft fairs Cheri mainly focuses on seasonal cards, gift tags and snowflake ornaments for the tree. What a great story you could tell about how the art of quilling originated when friends commented on your spectacular Christmas ornaments.

She also creates special shadow box scenes for children’s bedrooms filled with whimsical designs. You may want to commission Cheri to design one specifically for your child. When you visit Quilling Queen Designs at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair perhaps Cheri will be doing a demonstration and get you hooked on it too….I am sure all you scrapbooking enthusiasts would love to learn how you can add this to your creations. Be sure to ask her about the classes she teaches.

The Langley Artisan Christmas Fair is on Saturday, December 11, 2010 @ the Eureka Masonic Hall, 20701 Fraser Hwy., Langley. 11am – 5 pm. Just imagine how fun shopping can be without all the Christmas crowds at the malls – a warm and friendly atmosphere, individual attention from the artisans and being able to give gifts to your friends and family that are one-of-a-kind and handcrafted locally.

See you Saturday! To view the full list of artisan vendors please visit http://www.eventgal.ca/eventgal/artisanmarket.html

Scrap booking and card making is a very popular past time for many, it is also very addictive and you can get lost for hours creating your special projects which are not only pieces of art but a terrific way to archive your adventures in life. Many take this art form a step further and make incredible collages of families, friends, travel and life’s milestones or just getting subtle  and inspirational messages about life across by integrating it into an intriguing design in the way of albums, journals or canvas to be hung on the wall. I am swayed towards the collage or journal aspect and have been checking out Chapters for instructions and there are a few books available that give you some very inspiring techniques on doing a collage and altered art which you can easily incorporate into your card making and scrapbooking.   The great benefit of this is that it continues to inspire and keep your creative side alive and it can also be a very therapeutic activity when you need to just close yourself off from the craziness of life and just design something special – it increases your happy endorphins.

I especially love when you can take your passion for creating a step further and share it with others, whether it is selling your art or facilitating a workshop where you share your skills. Not only is this fun to do it is a way of networking, and sharing ideas for designs and getting feedback, etc. It’s learning that you don’t have to be able to  paint or draw, all that is  required is a desire, your imagination and a willingness to let go and think outside the box and just release yourself and allow yourself to be free to create.

My next artisan profile is about two industrious gals, Mel and Jen, who are the core of Blushing Daisy Designs – now they have a passion for crafting!  They love making handcrafted items to suit an assortment of needs – their beautifully handmade greeting cards, cute hair accessories to their spectacular baby diaper cakes and party favors…they do it all!

Blushing Daisy Designs have been busy little elves creating for the holiday gift season providing you with a great selection of original and unique greeting cards, including colour your own card packs for kids – just imagine how much fun they would have colouring in their own cards for their friends while encouraging their creativity.   They also have a lovely assortment of headbands that would please any of the little girls on your list.

They offer very affordable stocking stuffers that will sure to be treasured by those that receive them.

Blushing Daisy Designs twosome enjoys being able to encourage blossoming talents by offering various workshops and contests to get other crafters motivated. Crafting is such an amazing way to release yourself from the daily stresses of caring for a family and working.

Be sure to drop by Blushing Daisy Designs booth at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair and see their amazing cards and accessories, take care of you stocking stuffers with original gifts and if you have a baby shower coming up be sure to ask them about their diaper cakes.

The Langley Artisan Christmas Fair is fast approaching right along with Christmas, so why not  finish up your gift shopping without the crazy crowds on Saturday, December 11 from 11am – 5pm @ 20701 Fraser Hwy., Langley – a relaxing and fun shopping experience while appreciating and supporting local artisans who appreciate you – see you at the fair.

For a full list of the artisan vendors attending the fair visit http://www.eventgal.ca/EventGal/ArtisanMarket.html

Is childhood conducive to forming a creative life if you are provided encouragement at an early age to discover and experiment with many types of art? Who really knows the answer but for some it was this encouragement and discovery that continued to lead them down their path of creativity and earn a living at it. This could be said for the next artisan being profiled for the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair.

Jennifer of J Lee Art was born in Manila and at a very early age she was drawing and painting. At age 10 she moved from the Philippines to California and was privileged to have teachers who encouraged her creativity and her love of visual art while assisting her in the development of her skills.

Although Jennifer’s studies in university did not include art, she did continue to nurture her creative side by enrolling in various fine art classes developing a unique eye for balance and use of colour. The skills she developed have been very beneficial in her career as a graphic designer.

Jennifer is a multi-dimensional artist – being a self-taught painter, from a very early age, she finds painting very soothing. However, she also creates unique and original handmade yarn art in the form of delightful ‘Girly’ winter hats that any girl would love no matter what your age.

She does custom orders and has hats available in adult sizes as well. Jennifer’s imaginative designs do not stop there she also creates whimsical ‘Matty’s Monsters’ an array of fun monster like creatures that could easily become a favourite childhood friend.

 But that’s not all – she designs incredible surfboard art where each original design is hand painted on a fibre glass surfboard – and yes, all boards are ocean ready, or you can hang them on a wall or just use them as eye candy at the beach. Her surfboard art is available by commission.

Jennifer is a very talented artist who creates in number of mediums, yes there is even more than I have mentioned above – you really must take a few minutes and check out her website http://www.jleearts.com to truly appreciate the extent of her talent. Better still visit her at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair on December 11 from 11 am – 5 pm, 20701 Fraser Hwy., Langley and take home a special one-of-a-kind ‘girly’ hat or a “Matty Monster’ for those special little people in your life.

To view a list of the artisan vendors participating in the Christmas Fair on December 11 visit http://www.eventgal.ca/EventGal/ArtisanMarket.html

Remember the days of childhood when art was a big part of your life – cutting, gluing, colouring red and  blue trees along with stick people families.  You used your imagination and created wonderful works of art – at least in yours and your parents’ eyes. Nothing was better than the pride you felt having your painting stuck on the fridge for all to see.   There is something so very special about children’s art  – it is so free and uninhibited. What seems to happen as we grow older is that we choose not to use our time to indulge in our imaginative and creative side and just have fun with our child within. Really, think about it, when was the last time you sat down and coloured or did something creative and fun?

There are some among us who have managed to hold onto their creative side, never letting go and they make art a part of their daily lives. Others somehow, stumble back onto their creative path  once again discovering joy in expressing themselves in their various chosen art forms. I must admit that over my lifetime I have stumbled along the path and have had what I would call many creative streaks, some longer than others.  I have immersed myself in various art mediums, in my early 20s there was the macramé phase where I created macramé bracelets and necklaces incorporating Moroccan beads I had brought back from Morocco and then selling them at a candle shop in Hepworth, Ontario.  How I came upon those beads is another story, and a wonderful memory – each bead was carefully selected. I have dabbled in stained glass, pottery, and then came creating and sewing home decor decorations, next dried flower wreaths and the list goes on.  My niece, who is another creative soul when the muse strikes her, says she admits to getting into and experiencing many different art forms, which makes her feel she knows a little about a lot  – and has become more knowledgeable about some more than others depending on where her creativity and interests have taken her – than sadly the interest in creating fades or life becomes just too busy. I feel the same way and am excited about my most recent creativity streak after a three-year drought – wire wrap jewellery which has resurfaced the muse within and is bringing me great amounts of pleasure.

 Today I am happy to be featuring  Lisa Randell, one of many talented artisans participating in the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair, she was fortunate to have found a way to return to her creative side allowing it to now be a constant in her life.

Lisa is a “creator” at heart – as a child she loved tape, glue, scissors and yarn.   She has been able to turn her childhood penchant into not one, but two much-loved crafts that she is able to share with others.  Lisa has been knitting for 20 years and continues to expand and grow her knowledge and experience and enjoys sharing this by teaching and introducing or re-introducing art to others.  However, yarn is not Lisa’s only love; she has another, for the past four years Lisa has been involved with paper and creating intricate handmade greeting cards and photo albums. 

 Lisa also does customized work, so here is an opportunity to have that special scrap-book album you really want to create but may be you just don’t have the inclination or the time to do it yourself – perhaps Lisa can help you out. Check in with Lisa at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair on December 11 – she may be able to create and bring that long-awaited album to life for you. 

 You can check out Lisa’s great handmade cards, crochet baby hats, hair bands and blankets at the Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 11 from 11 am – 5 pm at 20701 Fraser Hwy., Langley.

 Just imagine having fun gift shopping in a warm and friendly atmosphere; no crowded malls; a great selection of unique one-of-a-kind quality handcrafted gifts, including individual attention from artisans while you select your gifts for those special people in your life while supporting local artisans who appreciate you appreciating their art….see you at the fair!  

To view the list of artisan vendors participating at the fair click on this link http://www.eventgal.ca/eventgal/artisanmarket.html

Meeting the artisans at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair on December 11 is part of the fun of shopping at a fair. You get special one on one attention as you carefully select your one-of-a-kind gifts for those special people in your life whether it be for your mom, wife, a hostess gift or a special teacher there is something for everyone on your list. Some of the artisans make jewellery, some create beautiful art from yarn that you can wear, some create exciting and unusual photograph cards or paint beautiful landscapes and others wonderful primitive art. The room will be bursting with creativity in many art forms and perhaps it will even waken the muse within you.

Today I am profiling the youngest of the artisans participating in the fair, Marena Skinner of Quiet Liar T-shirts. At 18 years she is already a creative artist and entrepreneur. She loves to draw and design –  looking for something to do during those long lazy days of summer  her and a friend came up with an idea to create a project of designing their own unique t-shirts. She created the design and then painted it onto the t-shirt. She was not aware at first that this was something that would turn into an actual business until she went back to school and friends were amazed at her design and after only one time wearing her t-shirt she received numerous requests to purchase an original shirt. That lead to many more totally original designs of her own which she hand painted onto the shirts. Marena says that some people call her designs weird and random, however you will never see the exact t-shirt on anyone else as all of her designs are one-of-a-kind. She loves to make shirts for people who like to be different and stand out. Most people get a print shop to screen print their shirts, Marena creates hers by hand-painting and silkscreen. What Marena loves most about her art is seeing the final product and having someone buying it cause the think they are unique.
Marena’s dream for the future and goal is to produce t-shirts and album art for bands. She is happy to do custom orders, just let her know what you want and she will create it!
Be sure to check out Quiet Liar T-shirts and meet this budding young artisan when you visit the Artisan Christmas Fair where you can get a creatively designed t-shirt for the teen in your life.

Check out Quiet Liar T-shirts by visiting http://www.wix.com/quietliartshirts/quiet-liar-t-shirts

Hope to see you at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair on December 11 @ 20701 Fraser Hwy. Langley from 11 am – 5 pm.  Happy shopping!

Primitive Christmas Bell

Today’s artisan profile for the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair  is featuring  ‘The Howling Hag – Primitive Dolls and Needfuls’.

Sandra of the Howling Hag creates beautiful and unique Primitive Folk Art. She has always had a passion for primitive things and needfuls.

So how can I best describe what primitive art and needfuls are? The best description that I could come up with is that it is a class of art that embodies a characteristic form or technique representing times gone by. Inspiration for primitive art comes from specializing in things Americana, country, vintage, colonial and prim, including primitive craft patterns.

The Howling Hag’s creations are not only beautiful and

Primitive Extreme Grungy Christmas Santa

original but have a definite whimsical theme that sets itself apart from others.

As a little girl Sandra loved to listen to the many interesting and funny tales her nanny would tell her about her childhood which she could easily visualize what life would be like back then. She is grateful that her nanny passed on a joy for sewing, which compliments so much of her lifestyle today, where she enjoys stitching away the day and designing. Sandra is blessed with getting to do everyday what she loves most – creating. Over the years she has taught many art and sewing courses sharing her love of art with others and making many new and dear friends. All of Sandra’s work is made without patterns using  just her imagination. All of original art work is signed and dated. She has also taken the time to create some patterns to share and you can purchase these on-line and try your hand at creating these delightful pieces of primitive art for yourself. To see more on the Howling Hag visit her site thehowlinghag.com and be sure to drop by her display at the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair on December 11 @ 20701 Fraser Hwy. where you can purchase her  pieces for your gift giving or for your own enjoyment.

Where does creativity emerge from? Does it begin with ideas and influences which inspires us to create something new, something exciting, something amazing or odd but beautiful in its own right? We all are born with the ability to create in some way or another and some of us express our creativity through art. We take our special gift and create art forms for others to enjoy –  how great is that?

My next  featured artisan is Jacquie of Angelque Creations she  finds her inspiration through her travels at sea. During her year-long adventure sailing down the coast from Vancouver, BC to the Sea of Cortez she witnessed so many beautiful bays, white sandy beaches and sea life in abundance which has been a direct  influence for many of her creations. While in the Sea of Cortez she collected shells which she now incorporates in a number of her designs.

Jacquie works mainly with beads where she creates intricate designs, if you visit her website http://www.angelquecreations.etsy.com you will see what I am talking about. I am also including a photo of one of my favorites in this blog. To see more and have the opportunity to purchase one of Jacquie’s very unique and beautiful pieces be sure to visit the Langley Artisan Fair on December 11 from 11 am – 5 pm @ 20701 Fraser Hwy., Langley.

Check back soon for the next artisan profile.  Thanks for reading my blog!

To see a list of the artisan vendors participating in the fair visit

http://www.eventgal.ca/EventGal/ArtisanMarket.html

My intention is to profile the very talented artisans that will be participating in the Langley Artisan Christmas Fair on December 11.

The first artist is Linzy Art & Design. Linzy was born on Vancouver Island British Columbia in 1987.  At 15 her work was displayed in the Canadian Children’s Museum in Quebec after she placed first for British Columbia in a nation wide art competition.
Linzy is a well accomplished artist who is a graduate of Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Vancouver.  She also studied painting at Emily Carr Institute of Design & Art.  Linzy experimented in many forms of art and discovered her true love was with acrylics and textural mediums.  As an accomplished painter  her inspiration comes from places she explores and the beauty that surrounds her, which is depicted in her amazing art pieces of birds and landscapes which are conveyed with emotion and feeling.  She enjoys incorporating  mediums including liquid leaf, metallics, gold leaf and varnishes into her beautiful creations. 

Linzy is now living her childhood dream with her artwork represented in galleries in Vancouver, Alberta and New York City.  She has also displayed her work at:

“Birds of a Feather”, Sept 11- Oct 11 2010 Wallflower Gallery, Poco. www.wallflowersandbeyond.com

“Freshly Stretched”, Aug 16- Sept 16 2010 Art Works Gallery, Vancouver  www.artworksbc.com

Art in Minnikahda Park, August 21-22 2010

Minikahda Lodge, Coquitlam, August 21-22

Art in the Park, June 12-13th 2010 Meadowridge School, Maple Ridge www.artintheparkmapleridge.com

Art in the Garden Tour, May 29-30th 2010 North & West Vancouver

 You can view Linzy’s website by visiting http://web.me.com/lindzarnott/Linzy_Art_Website/Home.html

Be sure to visit her booth at the fair on December 11, where you can purchase one or more of her beautiful art pieces. 

Next artisan profile coming soon – stay tuned.

For info on the Artisan Christmas Fair click on this link  http://www.eventgal.ca/EventGal/ArtisanMarket.html

What is an Artisan? One who professes and practices some liberal art; an artist.
An artisan is a skilled manual worker. An artisan is skilled in a particular craft, using tools and machinery. Artisans were the dominant producers of goods before the Industrial Revolution.
I am so excited about coordinating the upcoming Langley Artisan Christmas Fair. For quite some time now, I have had a vision to coordinate Artisan Fairs to assist in profiling talented artisans while giving them a venue where they can display and sell their work. So I decided at the end of October to quit talking about it and actually do it…..so here I am in the midst of coordinating my first fair. In the past couple of weeks I have registered 15 artisans to participate in the fair, so only three more spaces to fill. There will be a wonderful variety of unique hand-crafted items for visitors to select from. What a fun way to finish up your Christmas shopping without having to go to the mall and wade through the massive crowds. Plus you have the bonus of speaking to the artisans while choosing the perfect gift for everyone on your list in one stop.

In the next few weeks I will do my best to feature each of the artisans that will be participating in the fair.

The fair will be held at the Eureka Masonic Hall, 20701 Fraser Hwy., Langley from 11 am – 5 pm. For more info you can check out this link http://www.eventgal.ca/EventGal/ArtisanMarket.html

I am relatively new to this big world of social networking, thank goodness I have a 20 something daughter who can show me some of the tricks.  I realize that the days of doing print marketing are slowly diminishing and I must learn how to utilize the web for marketing my event business.  It has taken a while just to figure out how the meta tags work so that the so called search robots will pick up my site.  Today my daughter reported that she was able to google and my site came up at the top of the list….wow that is an accomplishment going from nothing to the top of the list or at least it feels that way for me.  I have the twitter, linkedin, facebook  accounts which I am learning to send out tweets, etc. through hootsuite and trying to do it on a regular basis as I understand that I do need to make it a habit to tweet each day.  I want to ensure when I post notes that are of interest to others not ‘hey going for a coffee at Starbucks’, nor just to market my business, so I keep my eye open for interesting events coming up and post them which I hope helps those event planners out as well.  There is so much to learn….blogging is a challenge – coming up with thoughtful topics that might be of interest to others  – and  how do you know if the blog is actually out there where others will read it or am I  just recording my thoughts on-line for my own review at a later date? 

Anyone out there that can give me some useful tips that have worked for them I would love to hear from you.