The Last of the Christmas Customs

It was a great season for custom mosaics.  I finished up this S&K and delivered it today.  Stephen, the "S", gave me lots of wonderful goodies to include to surprise Kristina, the "K".  How cool!!

 This one was too big for a self leveling hook, so I did it gallery style with a long picture wire.

Stephen and Kristina really enjoy music, so this guitar is an appropriate touch.

I just really loved the chunky heart and the stamps are from correspondence between New Zealand the Russia!

Key to their first house.  I tell you what - I am just honored when people trust me to make these pieces!!

And I snuck in one more snowman for Nina who loves hats.

Custom Keepsake Box

I haven't done a keepsake box in a long time, but here's my latest.  They are really fun to customize and this one is going to a little girl who loves the theater and her dog.

Pretty paper is an important detail.  Mosaics on the back would get in the way of being able to open the box, but plain wood on such a pretty box would never do!

And the inside needs to look nice, too.  Now, it's ready for Sam's jewelry and other special treasures.

Wisconsin Badgers Snowman

My latest custom snowman is for a Wisconsin Badgers fan.  His jersey number in college was 11.  Have I mentioned within the last 10 minutes how much fun I'm having with my jigsaw?  The "W" is pretty distinctive and I was happy it wasn't impossible to cut out!

Gingerbread Girls

These custom gingerbread girls are going to someone's nieces for Christmas.  I cut them out of .5" plywood and they are about 11.5" tall and 9.75" wide.  I made the bows and squiggle accents out of polymer clay.  I have about a three day turnaround on my custom mosaics so please contact me if you'd like something special!

Bead buttons.

I'm tired after last night's Zaarly show, but I need to get downstairs and glue a custom snowman.  Next up, an elephant and a trinket box!

Zaarly.com Happy Hour Event

I had a blast tonight at the Zaarly.com happy hour.  I've talked about it before, but Zaarly is a community site where you can finds all kinds of local people who offer goods and services.  The key word here is LOCAL.  There are people who make fine art, can clean your gutters, change your oil in your driveway, put up your Christmas lights, make baked goods, run errands, clean your house . . . the list goes on and on.  Please support local small business owners and help make our city and our economy stronger and more vibrant!!  Here's my table and sign.

Linda Williams and her delicious baked goods.

Jimmy and his adorable family.  He can change your oil in your DRIVEWAY!

 Milk and Honey - French macaron heaven.

Arthur Banks, jack-of-all-trades, including creating these AMAZING cutting boards.

The turned wood ornament on my tree is by Holly Grimwood.  She is an amazing woodworker who does chess sets, scrabble boards, just beautiful creations!!

Zaarly isn't just in KC, either.  They have markets in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Seattle.  Shop local!!

Mosaic Christmas Ornaments

I made some light-weight mosaic ornaments for the tree.  Gingerbread man, bell, and some Christmas lights.  (All sold, thanks!)

Can't Get Enough of the Trees

Here's another funky tree.  This one is fat - about 11.5" tall by about 11" wide.  It has several blue strings of beads and large blue ornament (bead) balls.  The trunk is brown and the whole thing is sprinkled with blue and white glitter to give it that holiday shimmer.  I used a really cool vintage blue and gold-toned brooch as the topper.

Christmas Time is Here

This pink mod tree reminds me of the ones on the lot when Charlie Brown and Linus went hunting for a tree for their Christmas play.  It's sprinkled with a good amount of pink and silver glitter to give it that flocked and shimmery look.  (Sold right out of the gate to a repeat customer.  Thanks, Nancy!!)

I'm currently working on a white tree with strings of blue beads.  Who says you have to be traditional?