Beach Reading: Magazine Giveaway for Newsletter Subscribers

You may have seen ads for Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Designs in Cloth Paper Scissors and in Somerset Studio.  I've been a long time reader of both magazines and it was, and still is, a real thrill to be advertising in them.  We're also going to have an ad in the August issue of Quilting Arts, and in the fall, you will also begin to see our ads in Belle Armoire Jewelry and in the annual Stampington Publication, Jewelry Affaire.

As part of the advertising process, publishers send you issues of their magazines so you can review them and assess how they fit with your business.  So, I have a lot of wonderful, extra magazines that I would like to offer to my newsletter subscribers. Here's how this will work:

*With your paid purchase at Bumbershoot Supplies or Bumbershoot Designs, you may request one magazine, and I will send it at no extra charge. In fact, I will pay for the extra postage required to send the magazine to you together with your purchase. 

*My international subscribers are, of course, also welcome to request a magazine with paid purchase and I will cover the extra shipping fees for you too.

*First come, first served, newsletter subscribers only.

*One magazine per paid order and per customer.

*Your paid purchase can be any dollar amount.

*It's never too late to subscribe to our newsletter, sign up here. 

*Yes, as a newsletter subscriber, you can combine special offers. So, you can have the July special as described in our July newsletters PLUS your one time free shipping PLUS a free magazine.

*An up-to-date list of the magazines available will be on the main page of Bumbershoot Supplies. The magazines range in retail value from $8.00 to $15.00 and I have a total of 16 magazines available. Here's a few titles to tempt you:

Premier Issue of Jewelry Affaire by Stampington, Spring 2010

Stampers Sampler April/May 2010

Somerset Life April/May/June 2010

Stringing: several issues from 2009

Cloth Paper Scissors: several issues 2009 and 2010

Cloth Paper Scissors Studios

Where Women Create

Belle Armoire Jewelry Mar/Apr/May 2010

La Vie Claire Spring 2010

Keep an eye on the main page of Bumbershoot Supplies. I will update the list of magazine availability in real time.  Of course, you can also contact me at any time if you need more information or assistance.  

Art Journal Pages Using July's Free Digital Images from Bumbershoot Designs and Supplies

I've been promising myself for a long time that I would do some art journaling, and as a birthday present to myself, I have begun.  To make it easier to begin, I'm working on pages that are about 6x6 inches, a size I like for making art quilts. I have a kraft colored journal, I like the organic brown color and already there are no white pages to overcome.

These particular pages are not finished, but I wanted to share them since I used the digital images we are providing free to Bumbershoot Supplies and Designs newsletter subscribers this month. I have some Victorian calling cards that are most unusual in that they are desert scenes.  Jim sized them so they can be used as a base for artist trading cards (ATCs) and inchies. I printed the images out on card stock and used both sizes on these pages. The larger image above is only attached along the side, so it is a flap that can be lifted and you could journal under or even on the back of the flap.

I created a mosaic border on the opposite page, using the inchie sized images and some small rubber stamps from Inkadinkado. On both pages I have glued down some tiny sapphire glass star flower cabochons as accents.

So far, so good.  Now this two page spread is ready for whatever comes next. 

Featured Artist: JoAnn Ouellet of Au Naturelle on Etsy

I'm thrilled to introduce you to the work of JoAnn Ouellet of Au Naturelle on Etsy.

It's a funny thing how I locate various artists.  In this case, JoAnn purchased a custom length of the lovely ivory vintage French ribbon I sell at Bumbershoot Supplies (a special 1940's ribbon, and it has been on the front page of Etsy, too). I loved the name, Au Naturelle, I wondered what she was up to with all that ribbon, and so I was enticed to visit JoAnn's shop.

I am so glad I did.  I was completely captivated.  I still am.  Plus, I purchased some of her products, so I can attest to her work from the perspective of a fellow mixed media artist and as a customer (excellent customer service and quick shipping, by the way!).

JoAnn makes fine soaps and body products from pure ingredients, with additions from her organic herb garden.  I purchased the lavender soap, one of my favorite fragrances.  JoAnn's is absolute heaven.  This generously sized, beautifully sudsing bar feels great on your skin and smells just like the lavender in my front garden.  It came shrink wrapped, and then wrapped in gorgeous, thick, hand made paper that I'll find a use for. It is shown in the very first photo.  I also received an olive oil loofah bar, which has a luxuriant, creamy feel.  Plus I tried the lavender ointment, which is really soothing. My skin loves it.

It's hard to imagine it getting any better than this, but it does. JoAnn offers a selection of hand stamped ribbon, muslin bags, and cards and tags, for beautifully coordinated packaging.  This is absolutely wonderful because I could (and did) purchase not only the soap, but the presentation materials.  Having these items all in the same shop gave me some great ideas for future holiday gifts, and I felt really supported in my efforts to bring together a gift that was elevated to something special. JoAnn made it really easy and efficient for me to come up with a truly lovely and luxurious artisan gift at a very reasonable price.

I hope you will enjoy a visit to Au Naturelle.  If you do, tell JoAnn I sent you :)

Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, Sunset on the Pacific Coast

...sunset at the Oregon coast...

The setting sun, and music at the close,

As the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last,

Writ in remembrance more than things long past.

~William Shakespeare

New at Bumbershoot Designs. Fleur. Earring Design Featuring Vintage Copper Fleur de Lis from Bumbershoot Supplies

This is Fleur.

There isn't much cross over between Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Designs. By that I mean that you don't see too many of the supplies I purchase for Bumbershoot Supplies ending up in the designs I offer at Bumbershoot Designs.

I'm not exactly sure why it has worked out that way, but when I purchased these vintage copper fleur de lis for Bumbershoot Supplies, I knew I wanted to design with them.

I threaded the prongs through a Vintaj brass filigree, and pressed them down. They easily fold securely onto the filigree and it is nice and neat at the back. I had some lovely bronze-ish vintage baroque glass pearls, which I adorned with more Vintaj - the brass floral bead caps.  Then I wire wrapped using antiqued copper ball head pin to the filigree and finished with antiqued copper leverbacks.

Warm, rich earrings, with a lovely and subtle mix of metals, naturally aged patina, lustrous pearls. Works for me! Fleur is in the vintage pearls section of Bumbershoot Designs, or just contact me.

Wishing you a great weekend!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. 24 New Items Since July 1, and Counting!

Since July 1, we have added 24 new items to Bumbershoot Supplies.  Wow!

Here's just a few, we'll have a more complete update in our July 15 newsletter.

A word about our newsletter: We send it out on the 1st and the 15th of each month, with product updates, information about the products we offer, and special offers for subscribers only, including such things as free shipping, free beads, cabochons and other products. We sometimes have surprise free shipping days for subscribers, we've had a raffle for a gift certificate for our subscribers only, and we have a special freebee planned for our next newsletter on July 15, think beach reading...  It's fun and just signing up gets you a free shipping coupon, for anywhere in the world, because we appreciate our international customers too.  We ourselves are a mixed nationality family business. 

Still not sure? You can see our past newsletter issues because they are archived here on our web site.

Now onto the goodies...

New in vintage Japanese glass, these stunning heart shaped focal beads (in the vintage beads section)...

These romantic vintage glass cabochons, also from 1950's Japan (in vintage glass cabochons)...

Some beautiful vintage brass sunflowers (in vintage findings, charms)...

Some restocked vintage Swarovksi cabochons, just like liquid sunshine (in the vintage glass cabochons section)....

The list goes on.  We have also just received some more vintage 1940's ribbons and some vintage lace, so expect those to be in Bumbershoot Supplies over the coming week. 

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Featured Artist Update: Olivia Suero Velasco

Remember Olivia Suero Velasco, our featured artist from March?

She now has a new Etsy shop, Adornos con Arte! So far just a few items, but very beautiful ones, illustrated cameo pendants featuring her original drawings, some female nudes and some portraits. 

Check it out!  Best of luck to you, Oli!

The Pleasures of a Long Weekend, Art for Fun

Art for fun. For no purpose whatsoever. Just to be creating something.

With Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Designs, I am surrounded by things artistic all the time. It is a true blessing. Most days are very full, and that's why I love long weekends, because there usually is some open time to just potter around the studio.

When I want to create for fun, for no good reason, I usually turn to mixed media art, where I began.  I love the lack of rules.  I love that anything goes. It feels like me.  

This past long weekend, I wanted to use some of the wonderful supplies I received from Sarah Elder at mysocalledjunkylife on Etsy.  You may remember her as our featured artist a few weeks ago. I love her trim tags and other wonderful vintage art supplies, and I treated myself to some. 

The heart, lace and seam binding are from Sarah.  I tea dyed the tag, stamped it with gesso, and collaged with some painted, stamped and foiled vintage sheet music. Stitching, that makes a piece feel complete for me, plus some rhinestones, the little ones are from Bumbershoot Supplies.

I didn't begin with this in mind, however, this tag is going in the mail to London today, a birthday gift for my greatest friend Susan, who never reads my blog, so the secret is safe here :) 

Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, Wisteria at the Japanese Garden

wisteria, Japanese Garden, Seattle

Perhaps it is possible

to be gentle no matter what, to seek not restraint

but surrender entirely, to turn

from the snarling reproach not into the keening

dismissal of hope but to whatever bright

fluttering is next, the bright fluttering

of wisteria petals...

- From "Fuschia" by Charlie Smith

We Have a Winner! Bumbershoot Designs and Supplies Happy Birthday Gift Certificate

Congratulations to Alissa G!

She is the winner of the Bumbershoot Designs and Supplies Happy Birthday Gift Certificate Giveaway!

We waited until midnight June 30, 2010 and randomly drew one of our newsletter subscribers to receive this gift certificate.

It's good at either Bumbershoot Designs or Bumbershoot Supplies, or both, any time in 2010. 

This was SO MUCH FUN! We'll do it again for sure.  Stay tuned.

A big thank you for all your birthday wishes!  They made for a wonderful start to my new year!