Garden Deva, The Pearl & Leon Russell Road

This past week was the 11th Annual Garden Deva Open Studio Party!

Beautiful Elaine Sutton jewelry from Taos, NM. Elaine has been beading since she was 12!

Colorful hand-painted scarves from Terri Higgs

Amazing artwork from Cynthia Brown (paintings)

Plus awesome pottery from Joe Staskal (whose incredible giant multi-hued sun-yellow bowl sold before I could grab it!!). Vicki Deane from New Mexico, brought her gorgeous botanical gold and silver jewelry. Maggie Connolly and Heidi Big-Knife had terrific new jewelry items: including recycled pieces and hand cast work. I had my fiber art and pillows-of course!!



The party took place inside and out, in the historic Pearl District of Tulsa, where Artist and Metal-Sculptor Extraordinaire Lisa Regan's Garden Deva Studio is well established. Behind the outdoor stage/lawn is the (also) historic Church Studio where Tulsa icon Leon Russell and many of his famous musician friends brought the Tulsa Sound to life! On the evening of the Deva show, the street dedication took place: naming this section of 3rd street:
"Leon Russell Road".

Several musicians and Leon's daughter were on hand for the fireworks and celebration.

Early morning street shot with Church Studio in background

Nothing like art, music, history and a community to bring a Native Son, a neighborhood, and a Friend of the City together!

Thank You Leon!!
Thank You Lisa!!
-EE

ilovefiberart FUN with Garden Deva!

If there is anything more fun than sewing & making art & craft...it is doing it with great friends! Last weekend's Garden Deva show in Tulsa was a grand success, with fun had by all! Lisa Regan aka the Garden Deva once again showed that she is a generous supporter of local artists, musicians & craftspeople by hosting 2 days of party & show.

Suzi Swinford's & Joe Staskal's incredible pottery & stoneware were among my favorites! Also, Lisa Regan's furniture & fireplace screens, horse sculpture garden-stakes, Maggie Connolly's jewelry, Angie of Blair B Design's relic jewelry & Terri Higgs' silk scarves were amazing!

Here is a shot of my booth, with Suzi Swinford next to me & Lisa Regan's whimsical Garden Deva Sculptures on the wall behind. How about that neon PINK tree? I found that, as well as a pretty PURPLE one at Garden Ridge...already lit & on sale for $29.!

This artist knits & spins..with live demonstrations on her wheel!

Shopping & getting into the spirit!

More show photos & Suzi at her booth.

Maggie Connolly & her terrific silver & recycled jewelry....

Milling about with Betty Boop on her handbag....

Angie B. with one of my teeny-tiny embroidered birds-in-acorn hat nest...she attached one to a delicate square-beaded rosary chain for her beloved daughter Blair, for whom her company is named.
Happy & inspired crafting & collaborating!
-EE

Button-Button Treasure Boxes

Who's Got The Buttons? While perusing a few art-worthy sites this morning (anything to procrastinate a little & enjoy my warm Tazo tea!), I realized that the blogs that I found most interesting share a little, inspire a lot & teach me something new...so here goes....

peace, love , sweater blog looked fun & made me feel warm & fuzzy about earth-friendly parenting-which I am all in favor of.

On the inspiring subject, I love Johanna Parker's work in progress photos she shares on her blog, In "A Frenzy to Finish" (August 2008), you can see the artist at work...something I love & appreciate! So, here is a peek at what is in the works here this week-directly from my kitchen table! One of these days I will share some images from my messy sewing workroom/studio (my daughter's friend commented that it looks like the mom's studio in "Yours, Mine and Ours"..you know Renee Russo's piles & piles of fabric-If only my room were that tidy!)

OK..now the project part...these are treasure boxes I am making for a studio show at Garden Deva Sculpture Company. Though I am making pillows & fiber pieces, I love doing mixed media, too. Garden Deva aka Lisa Regan, has been written up in various magazine including Southern Living. She is a very talented metal sculpture artist, recognized on a national level for her work...and she really know how to throw a party! Her 2-day Studio "Party" is local music, local food & lots of handmade art. If you are in the Tulsa area in early November, come by for fun & local flavor!

To make these tiny treasure boxes you need only buttons or beads, plain brown paper mache boxes (approx. 1 3/4" x 2 1/2") from your local craft store (they run about 99 cents & are sometimes on sale for 1/2 price!!), glue (I use E6000 after a little incident with Gorilla Glue that I won't mention!), acrylic paint, & embellishments for the top, if desired. I attached tiny embroidered birds, my new favorite three-dimensional art perched upon little wool or silk fiber-filled acorn "hats" retrieved from my back yard. I painted these with gold paint, & glued them into center. You could easily use bird beads or charms.


First, paint boxes, inside & out & let dry. Then glue buttons or beads on one side of box at a time & let dry before turning box. Be careful when you attach buttons to back side of box that they don't restrict the opening of finished box. Glue a rectangle or four tiny dots of felt on bottom if you need to cover sticky part where price label was attached on paper mache box.

Fill with treasures of your choice. I think I will include the mini red velvet stuffed hearts that we made last Valentines Day! (see Feb. 2009 post).

Good Luck & Have Fun revisiting your button stashes!
-EE