Ending The Year on a Good Note

Well I finally finished the New Orleans piece! I actually completed it a few weeks ago but have been remiss about showing the final product. Here is how it turned out--the person who commissioned it seemed very happy with it and I hope his wife was too as it was an anniversary present. I loved stretching beyond my typical narrative to include a specific place like New Orleans-especially since I have such an affinity for that place. I hope to create more pieces in the future around a specific city or place perhaps. Although I plan on continuing my 3D work, for now I think I'm going to take a break from blogging to concentrate on my upcoming Surtex show in May. I might be starting a new blog under the name "Tammy Smith Design" but not sure yet when that will be but I will be sure to keep you posted! I want to say a huge THANKS for the kind comments and support you have given me since I started this blog--it really helped when I felt like I was working alone to know that someone out there was seeing what I did and it spoke to them. I SO appreciate you for that:) Please keep checking my website for new pieces-I still have at least 15 or so pieces under Artwork-Available. I wish you all very happy holidays and a wonderful new year! xo-Tammy

Lovebirds On The Wall

True Lovebirds in Heart Shaped Perch-8x10

In the background are the words "love-adore-devotion-admire"

Lovebirds Under Circus Tent-4x6

On the sheet music are the words "You're the little birds that sing, darling you're my everything"

Bluebirds in Heart-5x5

In the background are the words "angel-darling-sweetheart-sugarplum-honeypie"

Lovebirds in Heart #2-5x5

Lovebirds in Large Heart-8x10

Here are the new 2D mixed media versions of my lovebird cages that I mentioned in the last post. They are constructed with wire, fabric, painted metal, and wax encaustic. They're for sale in my Etsy shop now-just click on this link to take you there!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

Still Life with Stripes

Here's what I've been working on lately--some new cages in some new shapes! A before and after view. This time I've painted some found wooden squares as bases for the larger cages. Do you like the addition of the wood? I'm trying a bit more solid and substantial look. 

You can click here to purchase or get more info on Etsy.

Oh and also a short story about the found wood--my 13 year old son Murphy and I were in the car one day and drove by a house that had a pile of discarded wood laying by their driveway. I stopped to pick it up (who wouldn't) and as I'm getting the wood Murphy started laying on the horn--he was trying to rattle me, but the people who lived there looked out and saw me and just went back to what they were doing....I told him I don't get embarrassed by picking through other people's trash. He didn't understand. I think we may get embarrassed by different things.

and the birds bear witness...

This is one of my new large pieces that I just built recently. I've been working on it for a few weeks. It tells the story of a coaster called the Serpentine that was skimmed by a twister in a small Kansas town long ago. The ticket booth and games tent are the only buildings left standing and the coaster has only three cars left, one of which is teetering on the end of the track. It measures 21" wide by 11.5" deep and 21" high. For more info or to purchase click here.

A new home for my artwork

Alot of my pieces are now in a  wonderfully cool shop in Roundtop, TX called Lizzie Lou's. I have a pic of the owner Mary Lou below in an earlier post.

Here are the pieces in their new home--she has surrounded them with lots of her other finds-do you like them in this setting?

Roundtop Photo Album-Day one

Well we finally got here, a bit later than we planned but no matter. The hall we're in is really nice as are all the people. It's no lie about Texas hospitality--everyone here is so accommodating and helpful. Here's two beautiful Texas women that I've had the pleasure to meet so far-the first is Emma Lee Turney, the grande dame of the Roundtop Folk Art Fair and Creative Market for the last....oh about 30 odd years.

The second is Mary Lou Marks, a wonderful woman who owns a funky shop named Lizzie Lou's right on the main drag in Roundtop. Aren't they lovely?

Next to Lizzie's is a fun place called Royer's...it's the local hot spot for all the vendors and some of the visitors too.

Circus Wagon 1 and Cavalcade of Mischief

Thanks so much to the people who commented on the booth shot in my last post, and for those who requested a closer view of my 2D wall pieces, here ya go- the first one is titled "Circus Wagon 1" and it's made from tent canvas with tissue paper, custom printed fabric, wire and acrylic paint. It's around 13"high by 17" wide. In these photos I'm showing both these pieces without the larger canvas and frame.

The second piece is called "Cavalcade of Mischief" and it's also made from tent canvas, acrylic paint, wire, fabric and fringe. It's 25" high by 15" wide.

Roller Coaster

After thinking and mulling and sketching and thinking some more, I finally put together a roller coaster piece. This one car is meant to look rather lonely and the birds perched above are the only witnesses to the possibility of the car careening off the track. 

I've been branching out lately into other formats than just birdcage circus tents and will put some more pics of the new pieces up soon.

I will be doing a show in Roundtop, TX on April 1-4 so if you're in the area, stop on by.