Something you should be paying attention too…still.

Here we are a few months have passed since the Gulf Oil Spill, did you forget? I completely understand…life gets in the way and it’s always so soon we forget about major events.

I’d like to just take a quick moment to pass on the info on a great project my good friend Molly at Emerson Street Creative is doing. She’s currently selling prints of her original paintings of Gulf wildlife with 100% of profits going to the relief effort. As of right now she has donated $1,116 to various relief organizations.

Please visit her Artfire Store and her website to find out how you can help and get some great art at the same time. She’s truly an inspiration and it’s an honor for me to call her a dear friend. Plus, she’s one freaking amazing artist with a huge heart.

-Tina

Ginger Blossom

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Originally uploaded by FlockTogether

I was born and raised in Park Ridge, IL a nice city that border the Northwest side of Chicago. I went to school in the city, lived in the city and for a while worked in the city. I’m done with the city. When I was growing up everyone wanted to someday live the swanky city life. Get a job in a high-rise, live in a cool loft or apartment and be a regular to the bustling city nightlife. Been there, done most of that. Done and done. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a great appreciation for the wonderful sites in the city, the Field Museum and The Art Institute are two of my favorite places. For some people Chicago is the place to be, but I have visions of grandeur. I want to live in a small house, with a lot of land, a barn for my studio off a country road somewhere.

So why do I bring all this up? The other day The Woodsman said “I want to take you to a place that I know you will love…” and he was right. He took me about 35 minutes North, right to the border of Wisconsin (he’s a country boy) to a glorious handmade Mecca called Ginger Blossom. It’s a heaven for anyone who loves handmade, eclectic, ethnic art or just has an appreciation for every kind of stuff. This handmade paradise is literally up in the country. This by far is the hardest place to explain so I took a bunch of pictures. I will, try my best to explain it though.

Ginger Blossom is in Richmond, IL. It’s a few buildings situated on a working organic produce farm (you can buy the produce right on the front lawn). Ginger (the owner) travels the world to get the most amazing handmade art, decorations, textiles, and anything else you can imagine straight from the artists that make it. Anything ethnic they have it. Another major draw for me is everything there is handmade, meaning that no 2 things are the same. From the wool socks and hats made in Nepal to the hand carved armoires housed in the barn, this is a place anyone who likes the different would enjoy. It would take days to make it through and thoroughly look at everything in the various buildings.

A big perk of Ginger Blossom is the cost; everything is cheap since it’s straight from the artist. I was lucky to have The Woodsman buy me a $6 pair of hand knit wool socks and an $8 wool hat. These types of things are in abundance since there are 2 buildings just for them. I’ll definitely be going back there before Christmas. Oh, and that house in the country in my dreams, will be furnish and decorated with objects from Ginger Blossom…I guarantee it.

Check out my ‘Ginger Blossom’ set on Flickr!

Can You Tell Me How To Get, How To Get To Emerson Street?

It’s very rare that someone can say they actually get to experience a true artist’s work. To see someone who has creativity and raw talent radiating at all times is quite the treat. What’s even better is when you can call an artist a very good friend…who is this glorious, artistic wonder that I’m obviously in awe of? You may know her as Emerson Street Stamps, Traveling Painter, or what I know her as; Molly Carlson.

Much to my surprise she’s never been featured on a blog, so I figured this would be a perfect opportunity for me to introduce you to her. Born in North Carolina, raised between home and a horse farm. She now lives in the chilly Chicago ‘burbs (yep, took that right from her blog bio…because I can!). She has a genuine love of creating, sharing, horses and her family (including a very sweet ball of fuzz, Kaya). From a personal standpoint she’s my (almost) weekly crafting buddy, craft fair partner in crime, and over all amazing friend. We drink coffee, gossip, vent and of course craft and create. From a fellow artist standpoint, she’s great at what she does and I have the utmost respect for her talent.

Right now she has 2 stores of her work online, Emerson Street on Artfire and Traveling Painter on Etsy. Both of which are very impressive. They showcase two completely different styles but are barely the tip of her iceberg of talent. Emerson Street is a great place to find just about any kind of hand carved stamp imaginable, and then some. Molly has an amazing talent to create anything you’d want as a custom order (I saw her do it at our last craft show). Her Etsy store Traveling Painter, is a shop full of absolutely beautiful fine art prints, original paintings, and illustrations. You can find anything from hand drawn greeting cards to mixed media painting. I am lucky enough to display some of her work in my home.

So….straight to my point, check out her stores or blog to get to know an amazing artist and crafter. She is epitome of sweet. If you’re looking for a little love and plenty of Southern hospitality drop her a line…she loves to chat (stole that little line from her bio too!).

A Circle...

When I was younger I gave people "stuff" just as fast as I could make it (no holiday needed). You name it I’d make it; earrings, necklaces, worry dolls, collages, leaves glued to paper…completely custom stuff! The main recipient of my gifts was my grandma, even if she helped me make the crafts, she still accepted and wore it like it was made of gold and diamonds. Simply, she was my biggest fan, and my craft buddy.

Since her passing I’ve gotten a majority of the things back that I’ve made for her. It’s sort of ironic, getting back the things you handmade for someone. You never really think of the life something will see once it’s out of your hands. I of course, held onto to everything but stored them away. This entry is really about the stuff that I got yesterday, nothing that I made but the stuff that was made by my grandma.

It’s been 8 years coming, it was the first time that I’ve been able to go through stuff that was my grandma’s without shedding a single tear or feel like my heart was being burned out of my chest. I finally got to claim what my grandma left behind. Her 90 years of being an artist and crafter was right there in a few boxes.

Aside from the paintings that I'm going to frame and some of the jewelry that I'll keep for myself, I found an amazing amount of very old costume jewelry. My grandma, being the thrifty lady she was re-purposed anything that was broken and obviously never threw anything out. I don't think I can bear to throw any of this stuff out either. I took a bunch of beautiful pieces and amazingly have become very inspired.

Mixing old with new, it's such a obvious concept but really shines for me in this situation. She was proud of everything I ever made her, wasn't it my turn to keep and be proud of all that she did? It's like the whole circle of life thing...but circle of crafts and handmade. Isn't that why we all do it? Not to turn a crazy profit but to share the love and heart that goes into a piece that specifically came from your hand. That's why I made her all those wonderful macaroni necklaces...and that's why I hand make things now.

This may just be the best therapy I never paid for. Whenever I feel her memory fade I'll use her rhinestone pin and make it the focal point of a feather fascinator. I'll re-purpose a cameo pendant she made and put it on a headband. Take what she's created, make it my own and share it with others...the spirit of handmade.