Indulge Your Senses In Exceptional Work Created By Phenomenally Talented Artists

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Jodi Horgan dropped me a line to let me know that a painting by Rowena was included in an article in the current issue of "Artful Blogging" magazine. Congratulations Rowena!!! If you have a moment, grab a copy and definitely visit Rowena to share a little love and celebration! AND a BIG thank you to Jodi for sharing that information. Way to show support! You are all so inspiring!!

My favorite part of a wedding is the cocktail hour. During that time, delicious treats are delivered right to you while other decadent treasures await on tables. This week's Sweet Treat is like the best cocktail hour I've ever had the pleasure attending.

As you know, some of our TST-ers are currently working on the 2nd Grade Thursday Sweet Treat project which will be unveiled on Thursday, May 21st, so many did not have an opportunity to play this week. However, for those fabulous TST-ers that did, I have one thing to say. The work is incredibly fabulous!! I'm loving this smorgasbord of treats. It was so interesting to see which themes moved artists to create some of the most magnificent works I've ever seen.


This buffet of wonderfully sweet treats includes musical dreams, colorful waves of imagination, joy, and wild celebration all covered in inspiration. I invite you to taste just a little of the magic these talented, professional, exceptional artists cooked up for you!




We begin this week by announcing the launch of a fabulous new shop that is a true celebration of all things creative! Lorrie opened an Etsy store - http://lennymud.etsy.com/ !! Let's give her a round of applause and throw in a little dance, a little wiggle and a little "YAY!!" as we celebrate her.

This Mistress of wild imagination, Goddess of creative spunk and Witty Genius has rolled out the red carpet for all of us to play on her new playground. So many of you have fallen in love with Lorrie's work and now you can take it home! Lorrie is such a wonderfully talented, hilarous, incredible artist let's all head over to her shop and share a little love...WAIT..before you go, check out the treat she created this week.

"I wanted to sum up my experience on this blog so far," said Lorrie. "I feel like you have done an amazing job of encouraging other people to soar. These mugs are my tribute to you and what you have created."

http://www.lennymud.etsy.com/
http://ournameisblog.blogspot.com/

Salvaged Expression created this stunning pendant for the "Just Beyond the Keyhole of Imagination Lies..." theme.

"This pendant is mostly me just playing around with the idea of keys and doors and eyes being windows to the soul," said Salvaged.

http://salvagedexpression.etsy.com/












Carrie Guzzino, creator of Wash My Cloth, created this truly phenomenal purse titled, "Roger - The Not So Jolly Pirate" for the "Poetic Sea" theme.

"I hate instructions and pattern and counting stitches," said Carrie. "This latest bag was almost headed for the trash. I didn't care for the way the eye sat and the smallness of the nose. I had only one skein of yarn, so the nose was the last addition and the smallest. This weekend, I saw an entire season of "Whale Wars" on the National Geographic Channel and have been thinking about pirates ever since. The Sea Shepherd is a ship that attempts to stop or slow down Japanese whaling ships. I admired the courage and strength of these men and women trying to make a difference. I guess it is more Poetic Justice that this rag tag (or so they seemed as one tiny ship versus a whole fleet)can battle an industry on the sea. That is the real inspiration for Roger."

http://www.washmycloth.etsy.com/
http://www.weavergirlguz.blogspot.com/.

















Susan Williams, creator of Yaffa Dreams, created this sensational "Tonight I Am A Star Guitar Pick" bracelet for the "Enchanted Night" theme. This item can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24995923

TONIGHT I AM A STAR GUITAR PICK BRACELET

"I tip my hat to the keeper of the stars
He sure knew what he was doin'
When he joined these two hearts
I hold everything
When I hold you in my arms
I've got all I'll ever need
Thanks to the keeper of the stars"
~~~ Tracy Byrd



"This bracelet is made from black guitar picks that look like mother of pearl," said Susan. "The bracelet is about 7 1/2" long and has a moon and star toggle closure. There are little silver stars dangling from the bracelet. This will come to you in a drawstring organza bag."

shop http://www.yaffadreams.etsy.com/
blog http://www.redheadhomestead.blogspot.com/













Samantha, creator of Jeans and a Sweater, created this gorgeous purse/mini book bag titled, "Red Hot" for "The Warmth of the Fire Within" theme.


"I was very glad that you decided to let us pick our theme this week," said Samantha. "During the week of "the fire within" I just couldn't get it together. I designed a purse and took it all apart because I hated it. So this week I started all over again. I call the purse/mini book bag, "Red Hot". Here's the link for the item - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25005550

http://jeansandasweater.etsy.com/

Felicia Kramer, creator of Another Bright Idea, created this unforgettable piece titled, "Hope for a new beginning" for the "Where the Wild Things Bloom" theme.

"This is submitted for the theme “Where the wild things bloom” which was the first TST I participated in back in February," said Felicia. "This piece may look like a departure in subject matter for me, quite a change from those pretty spring blossoms last week to this gritty image. However, since I live in Michigan , outside of Detroit , I can’t escape the daily barrage of depressing economic news. One of the creative ideas that some community activists in Detroit are pushing is to turn some of the abandoned land into urban gardens, either commercial growers for profit or volunteer gardens to feed the community. It remains to be seen whether that concept will ever fly, but it’s what inspired this image of flowers surviving in the midst of an urban landscape."

http://anotherbrightidea.etsy.com/

Kelly, creator of Backward Glances, created this exquisite "Moonlit Garden" necklace for the "Enchanted Night" theme.


"Moonlight can play tricks, are we seeing reality or fantasy?" asks Kelly. "Are those flowers really black and white? This necklace is a gift for my mother, in black and white at her request. The base is a right angle weave trellis, embellished with vintage flower beads. It's rather simple for my personal taste, but it suits my mother's style very well."

http://www.backwardglances.net/
http://www.backwardglances.etsy.com/
http://www.mackin-art.blogspot.com/

Kris, creator of Lisianblue, created this wonderful piece titled, "The Stars Are Dancing" for "The Joy of Dance" theme.

"Sometimes when I am presented with so many wonderful choices, I have a hard time choosing something," said Kris. "After looking over all the themes and enjoying all the fantastic creations, I had several ideas in mind.

I had started one item with the thought of "Dreaming in Color" but some wonderful broken green bottle pieces that Bird had so sweetly sent me, kept jumping into my hands. I love the shape of these pieces of glass, sort of amoebic, and didn't want to break them into smaller pieces. Most are too big to be a pendant, perhaps a wall hanging of some sort, or - oh wait! These would be cool in a mobile! A mobile would be such a great piece to represent such freedom of movement as dancing.

I love to dance. So, I thought this would be a fun theme to do again. I would need more than these 3 pieces.I also wanted it to do more than move, I also wanted it to make the music to dance to!

Start out with one piece of glass connected to one piece of wire, search for one that might balance, try it, secure it or take it off and try another................
snag marbles, light - glass discs - heavy - already made pendants! Oh wait, what about the wind chime metal pieces! They go in too! - too light, mmmmm need more weight, add beads!
It's all together and as I pick it up, I realize just how heavy this is!
Outside, I'm on the chair hanging it up on my patio overhang, it slips, and crashes to the concrete floor!

I've been up all night - I'm ready for sleep! I asses the damage and find: a broken piece of glass, stressed jump rings (hadn't soldered them yet) letting individual pieces scatter.

Now, where did each piece go?
Put it all back together.
One side is heavier than the other, wrap and solder more glass ......................................the wind chime metal pieces get moved.
Wind chime pieces just aren't working and get taken out, more glass wrapped and soldered! I am out of the larger size jump rings! use little ones.

Carefully, very carefully, (rings still not soldered) pick it up, IT WORKS!

Back on the table, solder all the jump rings. 2 or more for the 28 (29, 30 ....it keeps moving!) pieces of glass.
Of course I'm trying to count them whilte it's hanging up!

Done.

Pictures - 78 to try to capture this thing that keeps moving, part sun, part shade, glare, dark shadows, on the tree, on the patio, on a hanger................................................
edit, edit, edit

27 hours later, here I am - minus 3 for sleep and 2 while talking with my son.

These bits of green, and blue glass, dance in the sun, and now they shine and capture bits of light under the moom.

It grew huge, it kept dancing.
It is tenacious.

And in the middle of it all, my daughter calls - I will have another grandchild sometime in Jan!
I Dance! :-))
This one's mine!

The mobile that is!
"The Stars Are Dancing"

http://lisianblue.artfire.com/

Don't you want to share these treats with everyone you know??


Please share your thoughts, ask the artists questions, leave a comment and some love here. Then, go visit them at their shops and blogs, share some more and tell a friend! Thanks so much for visiting!!