All Aboard! Train Leaves PicardCreative Today!

Did you sleep well after chuckling through PicardCreative's studio? Thank you to all who visited and to those who bought magnets.

Remember to come back to discover another little town on the Crazy Train line. I know this artist well, and I hope you like her.

Updated Artful Seniors on Fire Roster

Acadienne	Crocheted items and gift baskets
AdornmentsbyBJ	Artisan Jewelry to fit your style
Alisuns	Swarovski , gemstone, and glass jewelry
AnnMadeStuff	Bags, accessories, and children's items
ArtbyJoan	puzzle greeting cards, Acrylic canvas paintings
ATouchofGlass	Stained glass art
ByDorothyLouise	Ceramic and vintage jewelry and collectables
CastinClay	Polymer clay art
Casual Cottage	an eclectic collection of fabric items and painted porcelain
Cherry Tree	Ceramic sculptures
Crazywomanglass	lampwork
CurlyCurvyWire	Handmade rings and adornments
DLCreations-AL	gemstone and crystal jewelry
EclecticOddities	She has some of everything here: jewelry, upcycled and new, fabric art and garments, note cards… ah, go visit her studio! Hehe
Eliswoodgifts	No two items in this studio serve the same purpose. Come see!
EllaBellaMe	Vintage look jewelry, vintage patterns, baby items
Franciebagsetc	OOAK bags from fancy to casual
ImagineArt	Vintage and art supplies
Kizington Place	Upcycled dominoes and strung jewelry
Krschurr	custom athletic wear
Ktdesigns	OOAK jewelry
LindaLewis	an eclectic collection of items from paper to fabric and needlework
MaggiesMarket	Jewelry supply, craft supply, jewelry for you and your electronics and your wine
My Sassy Glass	fused glass
Nossubgallery	Bead woven jewelery and 8strand braids
OldCroneBeadWorks	Vintage and Vintage style jewelry
Pepper	crocheted and knit items
Piscesmagick	Family (and pet) jewelry
SassyClayCreations	Shop was empty at time of posting
SecondHandRose	Vintage and sewn accessories and clothing
SimplyUniqueJewelry	Her name says it all
SpiritDance	All things spiritual and beads
Storybookquilts	Her name says it all: and she personalizes
TheChicadeesNest	this n that OOAK cards
tiedyejudy	If it's fabric, she dyes it!
VelmaGeorge	Crystal, gemstone, foil glass and more kinds of jewelry
VintageIntent	Very eclectic shop. You'll have to stop in to get a feel for it.
VintageNotionsLady	Her name says it all
UniqueEmbroideries	Baby items and embroidered patches and notions
Wooley Creek	Tribal and Ethnic jewelry
Zzazz	fabric housewares, and crocheted items

ArtFire Seniors on Fire Addendum 3

Remember you only have 6 days left to find all the letters and unscramble the cryptogram for the Easter Egg Hunt. And on the 17th you will be busy trying to find all the hidden treasures in the ArtFire Jewelry Design and Jewelry Supply Guild's treasure hunt and giveaway. CCTexan is moving and wants to reduce inventory before she does. Everything in her shop is BOGO. She will refund within a few hours, except on Sunday, when she will be away from her computer longer than usual.

Don't forget to go see the little town of PicardCreative on the CrazyTrain. Go ahead. You need a laugh today. We'll wait.

Now that you are chuckling, the last two members of the Artful Seniors on Fire Guild as of the seventh of April are AnnMadeStuff and SecondHandRose. As usual, we'll let the artisans tell their story.

Of AnnMadeStuff, Ann says, "I love to sew and machine embroider. I do some bead work as well.

Items are made in a smoke free, animal friendly environment."






























Of herself, "I am happily married and have 3 grown sons. I have lived in France, Switzerland, Maine, Florida and have come back to my birth state of Virginia, after being away for almost 40 years.

I was recently interviewed for the local newspaper because of my crafting!"































Anne is in the process of stocking her studio. She has plans to sell accessories and children's things. She has one apron listed so far but most of her product is bags of all kinds.

As an aging Trekker, I'm dying to ask her if the other side of this bag says, "Shoot to Kill."

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SecondHandRose is a seamstress who enjoys upscaling and vintage jewelry. You can find a variety of things in her brand-new studio. She joined ArtFire on March 29 and has some categories not filled as yet. I can't wait to see what goes in them.



Of her studio she says, "Welcome to Second Hand Rose! We offer the finest in altered, upcycled and vintage clothing and accessories. Here you will find hats, purses, jewelry, skirts, jackets and much more. Please stop in regularly as we will be adding more lovely items daily."

Of herself she says, "In high school I made my own clothes, and altered gowns for prom. Once I was married, I decided to make the baby layettes and bibs, then dresses for the daughters and dress pants for the boys. I also make my hubby western shirts and square dance dresses for me. Then later on I needed to make a lot of my own clothes once again since we had a large number of children to outfit! So this shop is a new venture in that I'll be altering ready made clothing, shoes, jewelry and other accessories and not starting from a pattern. I look forward to providing you with lovely altered items to wear and give."


























So let's welcome our two newest members of the guild by visiting their shop and letting them know what's best about it.

I hope you enjoy today. Have fun!

ArtFire Seniors on Fire Addendum 2

Before we step into the ASF Guild, some reminders for you:

The ArtFire Easter Egg Hunt is still going on until the 17th, The Jewelry Design and Jewelry Supply Guild has a treasure hunt and sale starting on the 17th, and don't forget to take a ride on the Crazy Train to meet more new artisans. AmyDesigns is donating 100 percent of her sales today. "In honor of Dean's 21<sup>st</sup> birthday on Tuesday, April 7, I will donate 100% of my sales to the National Association for Down Syndrome. This organization offers wonderful support to parents and their kids, and we were so glad we found them when Dean was born."

Today's new members to the ArtFul Seniors on Fire Guild are UniqueEmbroideries and LindaLewis. SassyClayCreations' studio is still under construction.

UniqueEmbroideries "specialize(s) in machine Applique and embroidered quilt blocks, appliqued iron-on patches,handmade baby items and much more." I saw baby hats and burp cloths, to name two things sold other than quilt blocks.
































Of the artisan, "Thank you for coming by! I hope you will enjoy your shopping!!

I have been selling on-line, since 2001. I started with Ebay,but with all the changes there, I left, and now I sell on different venues.

I am excited about this site and hope it continues to grow!



























I started sewing when I was very young. Have tried just about all the arts and crafts there are, at one time or another, crocheting, ceramics, sewing, quilting, etc. Now I mainly sew quilt blocks, iron-on patches, misc. items."

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SassyClayCreations is still under construction.

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LindaLewis says, "Celebrating life by adding handmade items to make each day better! Handmade, hand-painted, unique - AHHH!" Walking into her studio is like walking into a Hallmark Store. I didn't see wrapping paper, but I might have missed it! She does cards, mosaics, stitching, ornaments, plaques, and more!






























Of herself, Linda says, "Former teacher, secretary, medical transcriptionist, reading clinic owner, I started trying to create when my friend died of breast cancer in 2000. She challenged me to do whatever I could to do what I wanted with my life. In 2000, I started my website, Creative Artworks! http://www.creativeartworks.cc with only my own work, then expanded it the following year to include the work of others. My life is so rich, full, and rewarding now. I've met wonderful people on the Internet. :0) "






















The decorations on the note paper are not stamps. They are hand paintings!

I hope you enjoyed this visit with our new guild members and will visit their shops to see what else they have in store for you. Have fun today!

And don't forget to take a ride on the Crazy Train

ArtFire Jewelry Design and Jewelry Supply Guild Treasure Hunt

The "Spring Cleaning & Treasure Hunt" event will begin on April 17th and run through May 1st. All studio members will have a special "Spring Cleaning" Section in their studio showcasing wonderful items on sale or some fabulous specials.

Prizes: There will be 3 jars--one for each category 10,15, and 20 discovered studios. Three names will be picked at random from each jar--the 3 winners of the 10 studio category will receive a lovely handcrafted pair of earrings, the 3 winners of the 15 studio category will receive a beautiful handcrafted bracelet, and the 3 winners of the 20 studio category will receive a fabulous handcrafted necklace.


Have you found the letters in the Easter Egg Hunt? There are some hints on the blogspot now.

And have you taken a ride on the Crazy Train? Some new artisans are waiting for you to discover them!

I hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

New Artful Seniors on Fire Members

These are the new members since I posted the roster:

03/29/2009 - AnnMadeStuff
03/27/2009 - LindaLewis
03/19/2009 - SassyClayCreations
03/19/2009 - UniqueEmbroideries
03/19/2009 - curlycurvywire
03/17/2009 - AdornmentsbyBJ

We'll visit them here in order of joining the Guild:

AdornmentsbyBJ is a new Guild member, but not new to the hand made world. Her slogan is "Artisan Jewelry to fit your style" and she has crystal, gemstone, and natural products components in her jewelry and yes, a wide range of style.

Here is an item for the bride:





























Of the studio she says, "Unique Artisan Jewelry Sets to Reflect Your Originality, Style and Personality. All one of a kind, quality handcrafted necklace and earrings sets."

And here is a silky necklace:






























Of herself she says, "I am a wife, mother of three daughters and grandmother to three granddaughters and three grandsons. Besides designing and creating artisan jewelry, I enjoy playing the piano, gardening, and playing frisbee with my Jack Russell, Eddie.

Creativity in jewelry involves passion for the art. When an artist puts passion into their creativity, it often leads to striking results! Come browse and see for yourself!

My shop contains a diverse collection of handcrafted, unique, quality jewelry sets (necklaces and earrings) to adorn even those with the most discriminating tastes. Consider visiting my shop and browsing through the photos and descriptions of my creative style. I will custom make a design and create a one-of-a-kind piece for you.

My collection contains jewelry, all quality made with the finest of materials, to fit any budget, style, or special occasion whether it be casual or formal or somewhere in-between. Adornments to reflect your persona.

Materials of choice include semi-precious Gemstones, Pearls, Swarovski crystals, Wood, Shells, Sterling Silver, and a recent addition: silk or braided cord for Chinese knotting. I also love discovering vintage jewelry to use in my creations.

Memberships include S.R.A.J.D. (Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer #0517), I often post photos of my jewelry on Tribe.net, MySpace.com, Flickr.com, as well as Indiepublic and many other sites as well."

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I've seen CurlyCurvyWire in the forums and I want every single thing in his shop! I don't often wear anything but my engagement and wedding rings (the engagement ring is an amethyst that goes on my right hand), but I would definitely love to wear these!

Of his shop he says, "Thanks for stopping by my shop, I am very grateful. Your interest in my products is very much appreciated. Curly Curvy Wire creations are individually crafted in my home studio (smoke and pet free) with special attention to quality of construction and visual beauty.

See something you like, but it's not your size? Please contact me! With a few exceptions, most rings can be made to order in your size. Enjoy your time here browsing!

My Blog is: http://ireffacs.blogspot.com/"

This ring is enamel coated to fend off any allergy or green stain:
























And of himself, "The use of rings for adornment may be traced as far back as history itself takes us. Besides the actual beauty of a ring, it often was a sign of authority. Rings are also commonly associated with love, marriage and friendship simply because of the symbolism attached to the never-ending circle.

This ancient custom of wearing wire wrapped rings is once again in vogue today, and Curly Curvy Wire is a source for a variety of classic as well as uniquely designed pieces. Rings are for wearing, giving, cherishing and enjoying, and it seems one can never have too many.

As a genuine southpaw (left-handed) I fall into the 10 or 12 percent of the population that are afflicted with this trait. I say afflicted because it goes without saying that most if not all the instruments and gadgets we operate with our fingers and hands, are developed with the premise they will be used in the right hand. However, I’ve heard it said that lefties tend to be more artistic, than perhaps their counterparts. Truth or myth, I’m not sure, but it does seem that most all my hobbies are slanted toward the artsy crafty type of things.

It seems I’ve always been interested in pursuing hobbies where my eye for the artistic could show through; painting, drawing, sign engraving, photography - and crafting rings is no different.

There is a lot of satisfaction in creating something of beauty from a length of straight wire, and ring making affords me ample opportunities for creative design. As you can tell by the items in my shop, I especially like working with copper. Copper was known to prehistoric people and was probably the first metal from which useful articles were made. Copper objects have been found among the remains of many ancient civilizations, including those of Egypt, Asia Minor, China, southeastern Europe, Cyprus (from which the word copper is derived), and Crete. Copper has long been used in the fabrication of many jewelry items, not just rings.

As a senior, and retired, I seek to remain active both physically and mentally. Quality ring design and fabrication is both stimulating and very rewarding.

A long time ago an old friend of mine once told me; 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever...' Certainly, that is still a true statement even today."


























Two very talented additions to our guild. It seems as we get older, we DO get better!

I hope you enjoyed this visit with our new guild members and will visit their shops to see what else they have in store for you. Have fun today!

And don't forget to take a ride on the Crazy Train!

Artful Seniors on Fire Spotlight #13

Hurray! What a great Friday! Today the ArtFire Crazy Train pulled out of the station! If you are confused by that statement, go here to find out about it.

It's the third day of the Easter Egg Hunt, so there are only 14 more days to get that cryptogram completely right and submit it.

And we have the last two studios of the original roster posted for the Artful Seniors on Fire, but don't think we've run out of things to show you. There have been a few new members since I posted the roster. We'll spotlight them, too, then post a new roster with them in the alphabet :)

Today we'll visit WooleyCreek and zzazz.

WooleyCreek is familiar to me from the forums. She's trying to act like a curmudgeon and failing dismally. Any profit from her art is earmarked for her dream cabin. Her family is helping her build it themselves to save money.

She does ethnic and American Indian jewelry. Her website as a lot of mexican jewelry, and her ArtFire shop has a plethora of woven seed beads. She complains she can't see ... I wonder why! All of her items are beautiful.

Aren't these earrings gorgeous?































Of her studio she says, "Welcome to my shop! I love Tribal and Ethinic Jewelry of every kind. As you can see, I specialize in Native American beadwork and crafts. I am new to Artfire so I hope you will enjoy my shop.

We Will ship anywhere! Just contact us."

And something both ethnic and traditional:































Of herself she says, "I have been beading since 1990. We also do other NA crafts. My husband and I set up at Powwows and Flea Markets to sell my crafts and Vintage Native American Jewelry. We also sell on Ebay. under the name of Wooleycreek.

I am disabled and spend most of my time doing things I can sit at the table to work on. Beadwork helps pass the time when I can't walk!"

I know I have my eye on a few things in her studio, so don't buy those ones!

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I've seen zzazz a time or two in the forums, too, but I'm less familiar with her work. I do remember seeing her signature pillow covers, though. And this patriotic afghan is beautiful!


















To celebrate her new studio, "SPECIAL PROMOTION: FIRST THREE PURCHASES RECEIVE FREE CROCHET DISHCLOTH"

I've been washing with crocheted items for decades. I prefer them over the scrubbies.

Of herself, she says, "I am a wife, mother, and grandmother. I enjoy sewing for the home and crocheting for the family and home. Everything I create I do as if the item were for my own family. Hope you enjoy my items. "























I do, I want to get some of her place mats after I get the bead stuff relocated and can use my dining table again!

I enjoyed this walk through these two talented artisan's studios, and I hope you will go to their studios and see what else they have for you.

Have fun today!