Fairy or Toad Houses

I am embarrassed that I haven’t done this sooner.  I do an article for Clarksville Family Magazine each month featuring a family friendly craft for families to do together.  The month of May I walked through steps to make Fairy or Toad Houses for your garden. 

In the article, I say I will have many more photos on the blog so check it out.  Well, I am embarrassed to say I am just now getting the MAY issues photos up.  I had to have a customer email me asking for more info to get me moving.  SO – here is the project. (sorry for the delay!!).  Come back in a couple of days for June’s article

 

My kids love the new movies with TinkerBell in them – they are always pretending to be flying around like Tink does with her friends. They can never decide which fairy they want to be today! They also always get excited when I take them craft shopping with me; imagining what miniature items would be perfect size for Tink and her friends. So, when coming up with this month’s craft idea, I wanted to combined their current passion with an outdoor craft. So, a home for TInk and her friends seemed to fit the need! And for those boys out there – just imagine they are frog homes instead of fairies.

This craft starts with a wonderful nature walk with the kids, and what you collect will help to create as many fairy homes as your imagination allows! Follow just a few of these steps – then kick in with your own ideas!

Supplies Needed:

· Nature items

· Acrylic paint

· Plastic bottles – 2 liters, juice bottles, etc

· Hot glue gun & glue

· Small buttons, burlap pieces, etc

Step 1 – Go on a nature walk and collection all kinds of small items that you find. Here are just a few ideas for you: pinecones, tree bark, sticks, acorns, moss, beechnut shells, “helicopter” maple seeds, dried flowers, sea shells and more. Once home, spread out all your items on a table to take inventory of what you have.

Step 2 – Cut the bottom of the plastic bottle off, making it flat so you can stand it up on its end. Then cut out a rectangle doorway for the fairy or frog to enter.

Step 3 - Paint the inside of the bottle with an earth tone color that will work with the design you have in mind.

Step 4 – Once the paint inside is completely dry, you can start adding the items in any pattern/design you like. Use the hot glue gun to apply the items to your bottle.

Step 5 – Let your fairy or frog house dry overnight before moving it or placing outside.

Step 6 – watch out for indications you have a tenant in your home.

Happy Scents

The wonderful Patsy Dollar has blessed us with restocking her amazing soaps in her booth.  They smell divine!  I have been smelling this one on my desk since she brought it in this morning.  She has restocked one of her best sellers, and then created several new ones that I have to tell you about.  The great thing about Patsy’s soaps – besides the fact that they smell so amazing – but she makes the so very pretty too. 

Pretty, aren’t they?!  The one she restocked is typically gone as soon as she brings them in (yes, they do smell THAT good!) is Geranium Bergamot.  But in this photo you can see the addition of 2 new scent soaps; bergamont & clove (divine!) and Lavender.  I think she has done the lavender before, but it looks very different this time – and I love it!

But here are more of her new soaps.  The round ones are jasmine – and wow are they!  You can smell them the second you walk into the shop.  Close your eyes and you are in the garden. 

The next 2 soaps are both made with sea salt, so she is calling the Spa Soaps.  The sea salt makes them so pretty, I just love them.  The first one is scented with Lavender, Rosemary & Patchouli – now you either love or hate patchouli, I am personally a lover of it so you know I am taking home a bar of this!  The second sea salt soap is mixed with sweet orange, lime & patchouli – yup, you got it, this is going home with me too!

Had to share!  Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!!

Cheers!

Happy Saturday!

Hi all!  Hope you all have big plans for today ~ and I hope downtown Clarksville is on your schedule!  If not, let me help you change your plans – here is what is happening downtown today!

The Downtown Clarksville Farmer’s Market has begun again!  Join them from 8am to 1pm each Saturday through the summer into the fall.  Hope I see you there!

After you have all the goodies from the downtown market – go right across the street and check out the new store Fleur de Leis.  Incredible stuff!  It is the ladies that used to have a booth here at ARTifacts, Busy Bees, with a partner who has added new items into their mix.

After finishing up there, stop by ingredients to see what neat new gadgets they have gotten in for the kitchen. While my favorite is still the peach chutney they have, I am thinking about the vegetable scrubber they have.  Perfect for the veggies I will have just bought at the market.

Then skip over to the DAC to see Richard Hogan’s art show – which is AMAZING as always – but coming down next week I do believe – and you really shouldn’t miss it.

Next is one of my favorite things about Clarksville.  The Roxy Regional Theatre.  Love this place!  Right now Beauty and the Beast, Jr.  is playing.  My nephew is in it – and while I know I am bias – he is FANTASIC – as is the rest of the cast!  My kids (4 and 8) laughed and laughed, so did I.  The performances where incredible and the singing – INCREDIBLE!  Don’t miss this show

Next over to Hodgepodge for some happy shopping!   Or you can stop by there before the going to the Farmers Market and get one of her new market baskets.  I got mine last week – can’t wait to use it tomorrow!

Then swing around the corner into ARTifacts for a yummy ice cream (we are fully stocked again now that summer is back! We even have a few new picks for you. The silver mint bar is YUMMERS!!!)  Enjoy the sales in LilyBelle Antique’s and Jenni’s booth, check out the new art in Reisa Peter’s booth, and check out the new jewelry pieces in Appealing Designs and Upcycled Jewelry, the new vintage clothes in Relative Collections, New bulletin boards in Oh Baby!, see Eunice Kern’s new display in her new location, Artistic Eye added a few new pieces today, and more – so much more! 

By then it will be time for dinner and the show at the Roxy! 

See – we have your day planned here

Fab Find Friday!

My favorite day!  Fab Find Friday!  It is my favorite day cuz I get to dig around this place and pick a few of my favorites.  I always find something new that I hadn’t seen before.  There is just so much to take in here – even as often as I am here, I still miss items.

First I have to tell you about 2 sales going on here.  First LilyBelle Antiques is having a 25% off sale in her booth – just today and tomorrow – so hurry in.  Here are a few photos of her booth.  I have featured some of LilyBelle’s items on Fab Find before too – here is the link to a set of my favorite canisters in her booth.  But in addition -

LilyBelle just brought in all these fun dollhouse pieces – so sweet!!  And this very collectible doll.  All 25% off.

Don’t forget that LilyBelle has dishes, lamps, great chandeliers, vintage cameras and soo much more!

The next sale is in Jenni’s booth.  Jenni is offering 20% off her entire booth. 

This hamper is so neat! I swear my Grandmother had one like it in her bathroom.  Just love the little touch of vintage this hamper would add – as would your those urns!  Love them too!

Ok – on to our FAB FIND FRIDAY!  I know I just shared several Fab Finds, but here are the OFFICIAL items for today  ~

Relative Collections has just brought in a bunch new vintage shirts, and they are very fun!  I really love the white one in front. Most of them are under $8 so you can’t lose.

I love vintage clothes and there are some fun pieces in here.

Cheers!!

Creation Tuesday!

I really have enjoyed doing this blog each week!  It is hard to do – select just a few items that are created – there are so many wonderful vendors here, I can never pick just 2!

But that is ok – cuz I will another chance next week :o)

Ok – so I had selected my items to feature on this blog – and then one of my vendors walked in with the great creation, and I switched gears!

Oh Baby!  Took an old vintage window door screen and added homemade magnets.  I love this look, it is just too fun. 

Then there are these wonderful bracelets made by Artistic Eye's Pamela Settle.  Pam takes a wood bracelet (she has various sizes and widths) and draws a design on them.  Each bracelet tells a story, that she includes with the purchase.

Here is another one – this one has colored pencils – they are just beautiful!

Each one of her bracelets are completely different – very cool!

What will you create today?

Cheers!

New Vendor – Terry Ellis

I need to welcome a new vendor!  You may have meet him when he was a featured artist at Hodgepodge last month – if not, you should come check out what he has in person!

Terry Ellis, wood carver extraordinaire!  Terry has a wonderful collection of fun pieces and complete scenes too!

Here is a photos of his collection on display currently at ARTifacts.

  I really like this wooden carved dragon.  And i am sure you can see Tommy Lasorda in the background there – funny stuff!

I love these two characters too!

 These pieces are tons of fun! 

Cheers!

And the winners are….

Gabriele Wardiener, one of our many artists here at ARTifacts, offered a drawing this past month in her booth.  For simply completing an entry form – many people where entered into a drawing for a couple of her wildly popular art cards. 

Congratulations to Rhonda Anderson , Jennifer Otto and Hillary Walker! The three of you won the drawing Gabriele Wardiener's booth for artcards! Stop by and pick up your prizes!

And thanks again to Gabriele for offering this fun drawing!

Cheers!

Fab Find Friday!

Time for Fab Find Friday!  Hope that everyone is doing well – and those of you that had any problems with flooding, I hope it is getting back to normal now.  Please let me know if you need anything if you still need help!

So – for this Fab Find Friday – I have 3 items to share with you.

I really love this suitcase in Oh Baby’s booth.  I swear that we had the same suitcase as a kid.  I loved the color then, and I love it now!  What a fun accent piece, side table or turn into a dog bed or something fun like that.  Love it!

I really love this set of vintage monogrammed gold rimmed glasses from Jenny’s booth.  Too bad my last name starts with “W”  They even still have the original box they came in for storage.  Really like these!

Then Relative Collections has 2 (white one shown above) crinoline.  They are soooo fun!  I love them.  There are so many fun things you can do with this bunch of fun!

Well – that covers it for today’s Fab Finds!  I hope you have a great weekend, and try and make it downtown to shop and dine at your favorite shops!

Cheers!

Creation Tuesday

Several Creations to share today!

Starting with some kid’s room decor.  I just love these painting by K(re)at(iv)e Designs.  They are so sweet!  These are available, but she will also do custom work.  She created a wonderful fairy painting for my girls room 2 Christmas’s ago – and I still smile it every time I see it!

Could he be any more adorable?!  And what about these hippos!

Kate has hidden hearts in this painting of the hippo.  Aren’t they cute!

Ok – so maybe you are past this point, or have no need for turtles or hippos.  Not to worry, I will not leave you creation-less this week!

This new painting just arrived in the shop last week.  Painted by Reisa Peters, it is just beautiful!  I love the colors, the amazing detail of the candlestick – and the flowers laying beside to soften the image.  It is definitely going to be a favorite piece of mine.

So-that is this weeks Creation Tuesday!  I hope we have inspired you  - to shop, to create, to share, to stop by!!

Cheers!

Workshop – Earthy Birth Childbirth Classes

As many of you know, we have a workshop space on our 2nd floor.  Starting soon, Rhonda Anderson, a local Doula, will be conducting classes in that space. 

Here is the outline for those classes, and how to get more information about the classes and Rhonda’s services. 

"These classes are focused on the natural aspect of childbirth, trusting our bodies to work the way nature intended. We delve into the myths surrounding childbirth and how it affects the way we birth our own children, and how that affects how we parent. We work on facing and overcoming fears, anxieties, and do some “Myth-Busting” so we do not have to carry that baggage into our birthing room. We do this through “birth art”, journaling, and discussion, as well as through text and video of peaceful, organic birth. These classes are open to all veteran and first time moms-to-be, regardless of your belief system surrounding birth. They are intended to be used as another means of education, and in no way will you be judged for your beliefs, or the way you have previously birthed your children, or intend to birth your child.

Classes will also cover the following topics:

The physiology of birth: What is happening to my body??

The “stages” of labor

Laboring techniques and relaxation skills

Breastfeeding

Relationships

Difficult topics such as:

*Interventions

* Grief

* Depression

Classes are taught by Rhonda Anderson, a local doula and childbirth educator. Rhonda received her Doula training through Doulas of North America and her Childbirth Education through CBI. She has been a practicing doula for seven years. Please visit her website: www.shasthidoula.com or call: 931.561.6373

Classes are $80.00 for a four week session* and are held on Tuesdays, from 6-8p.m. payable directly to Rhonda.

*Rhonda’s Doula clients get the classes at a significant discount.

Summer Hours

It is almost time for summer!  And it is definitely time for the City of Clarksville Farmer’s Market to begin! So, to coincide with this event, and to avoid the late afternoon heat in the summer – we change to our summer hours this week.

Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, May 11th ARTifacts will be open

Tuesday – Saturday 9am to 5pm

Cheers!!

Fab Find Friday? ? ?

I am so embarrassed! I tried to get the blog posted on Friday, but then I realized I forgot my camera!  So, I asked Ashley to pick HER favorite FAB FINDS on Saturday – so she emailed them.  I typed up the post – and …..forgot to post it.  SORRY!  Well, better late then never – I hope!

Here is the original post:

Ashley did a great job for me this week, I had her send me what SHE considers a FAB FIND at ARTIfacts.  Now, Ashley is young enough to be my daughter, and her taste is COMPLETELY different than mine, so I figured this would be fun! 

I was right!  She noticed totally different things that I wouldn’t have.  See what you think ~

This is a really unique and fun apple hook.  Has all kinds of uses!  You can use in a kids room, kitchen or in the mud room!  It is really fun and is a great price.

OK – so I don’t get this one, I admit it.  But Ashley loves it – it is a vintage motorcycle helmet from Jenny’s booth.  What would you do with it?  Give me your decorating ideas for this helmet.  Share your thoughts by commenting on the blog. 

Cheers!

We are having a FLOOD SALE!!

We are all safe - we are all dry here at ARTifacts - but we wanted to do something FUN with all this sadness - so many of our wonderful vendors have decided to do a FLOOD SALE in their booths until Tuesday evening.  It ends on Tuesday since that is one of the days they are saying the river will be back to "normal" levels.  So, come enjoy some great pricing on great items.

Here is a list of our participates so far!
Booth 5 - 10% off
Booth 2 "LilyBell Antiques" - 15% off
Artistic Eye is offering 20% off her house pins in booth 34A
Sharla Jewelry is offering 25% off all jewelry in her booth
Bob the Builder is offering 25% off
Kimberly Martin is offering 75% off her painted wine glasses and bottles
Aigelian Designs, Erin Slauson - 20% off her pottery (and this is the last chance sale!  Erin is graduating TODAY!!!! and will be moving away.  So she is moving out of her booth next weekend!)
Appealing Jewelry Designs by Rachel Ison is offering 15% off
Relative Collections is offering 10% off all vintage clothing & 25% off all special order ABC Architectural orders.
Honey Dog Studio's has 50% off all his leather purses and totes!

You can't miss out on these sales! They are incredible!

Stay tuned - we will have Fab Find Friday later today!
CHEERS!

Kentucky Derby Daze Winners!

 

 

Congratulations to Laurie Gourley!  Laurie is our winner for the Kentucky Derby Daze Contest!

Come in to claim your prize Laurie!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Gabriele Wardiener was voted the best Kentucky Derby Hat!  Congrats Gabriele!!

Gabriele made her hat with recycled bits from the kitchen.  From onion net bags and bottle tops with a galloping horse on them – just fun, imaginative and off the top!  Good one Gabriele!

You win a gift certificate to Lovin’ Spoonful Cafe!  Have a hello dolly dessert and think of me!  My fav!!

 

Cheers to our winners!!

Creation Tuesday

So, today – frankly the last several days - have been surreal to say the very least!  The weather first, then the flooding.  It has just been too much to really truly process.  So, beside the fact that the biggest creation I see this Tuesday is the new river running through town, I will come up with some fun stuff at the shop.  First – I must share photos taken just a few blocks from our shop. 

Our thoughts and prayers are here for so many of those who have been effected by this horrible storm and the following severe flooding. 

Commerce Street and River…well, Riverside is more like RIVER.

This is the pedestrian bridge in the background, normally crossing over a very busy 5 lane road, Riverside.  And yes, that ice box – is FLOATING.  Not just knocked over – FLOATING. 

Mary’s Music and many other small businesses on Riverside are completely underwater.  Completely.  Many prayers to them. 

Now – for the shop’s creations! (trying to think about happy things!)

I LOVE the wonderful leather bags created by Honey Dog Studios.  The accents of the shell or wood pieces, they make the most amazing and unique purses you can find!  AND right now – until the end of the month – they are HALF PRICE!  That’s right, you heard me – HALF PRICE!!  Only 5 left!  Which one do you want?  We have 2 that are the large size – they are large enough to put your school books in – perfect for college books for that graduating senior from High School in a few weeks.  Then there are 3 of the medium size bags remaining.  HURRY IN!!

Oh dear – I just realized something.  I didn’t do the Fab Find Friday this past week.  I am sorry. I am afraid I was sick, all is well now, but I didn’t make it into work – so I promise for a double Fab Find THIS Friday!

And as for this weeks ArtWalk – we still plan to have it – we have HIGH hopes that the water will recede by then!  Keep your fingers crossed for us! 

And if you come downtown to visit the flood – don’t forget to stop by!

Cheers!