A Bird In Hand....

Isn't this bird just delicious looking? My friend Andrea Ring from Amuck design created this piece and we traded just a week ago. Since then I've been wearing it EVERY day as it goes with practically everything I own! It's a definite attention getter. People notice it immediately. For more of her fantastic work, click here!

More Circus People: World's Strongest Man

Here's the latest circus person in the collection(which right now consists of two but is growing.)

It's hard to get a good pic of this guy as he lives in a 5 x 7 shadowbox frame that is lit by a 12 V replaceable light. It is run by a 9V battery on the top of the frame. The trapeze artist from the previous post is already sold but I will be making more and different trapeze artists and other circus folk! He is made from plus clay and wire. The frame title is made from metal and printed fabric. To see more info or to purchase this guy, click on this link for my Etsy shop.

Now Introducing: Circus People-Trapeze Artist 1

In the last few days, I got these images in my head of what my circus people could look like so decided to add them to my body of work. The trapeze artist is my first but I have more in the works. Please give me feedback--would like to know if you like this new twist!

Pre-Christmas Sale!

Be sure to check my website and/or Etsy shop for reduced prices on select items--starting today and continuing through Dec.10.

Small Hanging Cages with Lights for the Holidays

The entire group of 3 lighted cages hanging together

Lighted Patterned Circus Tent with Nest-This piece contains a new circusy printed fabric of mine that creates the tent top.

Lovebirds on Hanging Plaque with Light-On this variation of one of my earlier pieces, I have added a wire word "Love" near the top of the wood plaque.

Lighted Circus Nest with Lovebirds-In this piece I created a tiny fabric lightshade for the bulb. There is a small rusted metal heart in the bottom center of the cage and a tiny fabric sign that reads "Circus" on the cage front.

This was an entire family project but we have finally succeeded in putting some tiny 12 volt lights in my small hanging circus cages! The lights contain replaceable screw in bulbs and they run on a 9 volt battery that is inset into the back of the piece. There is a small on/off switch at the bottom of each piece. They are now for sale on my website-www.homemadecircus.com or in my Etsy shop.

Ever Distract Yourself ??

Okay today I woke up with alot of plans to get alot of artwork done--I mean, I had taken most of Friday off (to see Men Who Stare At Goats and eat Indian food with my husband) and do a few errands (who else is going to buy the wedding gift and return the jeans), then Saturday was spent trying to figure out a way to add tiny lights to my cages....something that I always thought would take one hour and it took five....more trips to Radio Shack and the hardware store...then today came and I thought--I'm doing it-I'm sitting down at my table and finishing that last gallery order but then--I had to answer emails to friends(that can't wait can it?), go to the grocery store times 2(seems we don't go to just 1 store anymore) so 4:00 comes and what do I do instead of work? The answer is above....and of course I have to blog about it so that takes time. I'd say I feel guilty about it but I have to go put another sheet in the oven...What distracts you?

Cloth Paper Scissors!

Hey kids-just wanted to let you know that I received the exciting news that I'm in the upcoming Nov/Dec issue of Cloth Paper Scissors! Here's a pic of the first page below-you can find it in the artist profile section-page 30. Cate Prato wrote the article and I thought she did a great job. It should be out in stores after Nov. 6!

Spiritile Surprise

I just had to share this beautiful piece that I just received in the mail by Houston Llew of Spiritiles. I met Houston and his fun friends Jeremy and Molly at the Buyer's Market show in Philadelphia. I traded him two of my circus tshirts and was thinking I'd get one of his cool tiles in return. His tiles measure around 5" x 8" so when I got this HUGE package on my doorstep, needless to say I was VERY surprised. This piece measures around 22" square and is made from molten glass on copper, as are all of his wonderful pieces. It's entitled "Circus"....fitting huh?Please be sure to check out his work at the link above and let him know if you love it as I do.

New Stuff in my Etsy Shop

Lg Lovebird Cage on Hanging Plaque
Sm Rollercoaster Cage on Hanging Plaque

It's been waaaaay too long since I added some new pieces to my Etsy shop but now that I've started, I can't stop...each day I'm trying to add at least one. Here are some photos of some of the new pieces-cages that hang from found wood plaques on the wall. I also have a new ferris wheel with a curtain behind it. A few of my lamps will be listed there soon too!

Plaza Art Fair Photos and News

Last weekend's Plaza Art Fair was great-we were so lucky-the weather was fantastic and there were a TON of people there. Also, I was fortunate enough to win a Shared Top Award for 3D Mixed Media!! All in all, it was a great experience and I will definitely be there next year! Here's some shots of the way my booth turned out-so glad we set it up 3 times before the actual event.

New Work for the Plaza Art Fair

Large Light with Ferris Wheel-3' tall by 18" wide

Hanging Circus Light w/ Striped Curtain-18"tall by 14" wide

Hanging Light w/ Circus Wagon-18" tall by 15" wide

Hanging Light w/ Rollercoaster-16" tall by 15" wide

Large Helter Skelter Hanging Light-32" tall by 16" wide

Large Hanging Light 1-34" tall by 18" wide

Ferris Wheel on Wood Base-16" tall by 9" wide

I've been working long days and quite a few nights getting ready for the upcoming Plaza Art Fair, held here in KC from Sept. 25-27. Here's some of my new pieces for the show-I find I really love making the lamps so I've made some new hanging ones that are larger, three of them are almost 3 feet in height and the smaller ones are about 18 inches tall. I've also made a new, smaller ferris wheel with a curtain backdrop. Can't wait for the show!

Have You Registered Yet?

Okay you may already know all about this but in case you don't, if you haven't registered a trademark for your individual logo or artwork "look", then now may be a good time. It takes awhile to read through all the legalease but I found it surprisingly user-friendly. It's not inexpensive($275.00 for each individual category that you want to trademark, i.e. tee shirts and wire sculptures) but it could be well worth it to protect yourself from copy artists! Here's the link:http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/workflow/start.htm

new found freedom-volume 1

Lucky, the new boss
the satellite office
the studio

Well, I got laid off from my job this week. I was an art director at a "large Midwestern greeting card company" for the last 3 years but a designer before that for many more. I've worked there off and on for 17 years or and have had a chance to make some wonderful friends and learn more than they teach in any art school but the business has changed and the company is growing smaller to deal with those changes. Although I'm really sad to leave my good friends and coworkers, I know I'll see them again from time to time PLUS I have alot of orders to fill from the Philly show along with 4 shows lined up before the end of the year-so I look at this as a new beginning. Thought you all might like to see where I'll be going to work every day now-the commute is alot shorter (just down some steps), I'll have a satellite office when the weather is beautiful, and my new boss is also my running buddy. I began this first day by sprinting up two of the highest hills I could find with him, then he told me to get back to work. Here's to whatever lies ahead!

Philadelphia Photos

Just got back from the BMAC show in Philly and it went really really well! I'm going to be busier than ever filling orders now while getting ready to do the Plaza art fair at the same time-but it's a good busy.

Here's some snaps of the city, my booth at the show, a lovely boat that we had a party on one night, and some of the wonderful people I met at the show. They're eating breakfast at the Reading Street Market-what a cool place that is!

My Website is Ready!!!!

Very exciting news here on the Homemade Circus front! I now have a full and working website!!

Here's a screen capture of the homepage below--please be sure to visit and let me know how you like it-click here to go THERE!

anyone know anything about Philly?

I'm off to Philly tomorrow for the Buyer's Market of American Craft! I am going it alone however due to cost considerations, so if anyone has ANY suggestions of good but cheap restaurants, or places I just have to see, please let me know asap!

I will be taking my laptop with me and will be checking in and posting photos of my booth--thanks for all your kind and thoughtful comments on my work-you have helped up my confidence tremendously. TTFN!!

work wOrk WOrK!

I've been a bad little blogger lately but only because I've been burning the candle at both ends to get ready for the upcoming Buyer's Market of American Craft in Philadelphia, PA. I'm traveling by myself to this big show for the first time so wish me luck...it scares me a bit but is the most cost-effective way to do an out of town show. I'm excited to be seeing a new city for the first time though and meet some other artists and potential clients! Here's some of the pieces I've been cooking up for the show-the cake toppers will be available in my Etsy shop for custom orders. The small wire tents that hang from found wood are new pieces for me-I'm "branching" out-(ok sorry but I can't resist a good pun...or a bad one) and I'm selling these little guys here in KC at Latteland til late August and again in September at the Plaza Art Fair.

Inventing Weddings Blog highlights Circus Themed Weddings

I got a nice surprise today when I saw that one of my custom made wedding cake toppers was featured in a new blog called "Inventing Weddings". It features wedding themed items from Etsy sellers-check it out!

see Jane wear my tank top!

This is a pic my FB friend and Country Living editor-at-large Jane Dagmi took while wearing one of my Clown tank tops--doesn't she look great in it...of course she could look great in just about anything.

Still Life with Gary

It was such a lovely day last Sunday that I worked outside on the back porch again, this time with my sidekick Gary. He's under alot of stress, as you can tell!  He actually spends more time on his back than any other cat I've seen...must be nice huh?  Anyway, these are some more new small pieces I'm working on for a show at Latteland here in KC from June 25-Aug 23. The bottom photo shows the finished product. I may be putting them on Etsy soon also.