Tea, Tea, Tea - Craft Cafe Does a Second Round of Tea Blending

 Vanilla Chai, Goji Berry Green, Peppermint Licorice, Blueberry Bang Rooibos, Red Espresso Rooibos, Cougar Tea (a custom Banff blend that pays homage to the animal, or maybe...), Sadie's Chamomint, Jasmin Dragon Tears, Jasmin Matcha, Izu Gyokuro Matcha, a beautiful new locally made mug, an awesome sleek tea cup from Japan... I had been saving up for this latest Craft Cafe and my family is now completely set for winter. Sheena & I once again partnered with Susanne & Siona from the Banff Tea Company, to bring our participants an evening of tea blending. The Banff Tea Company is locally owned, carries over 180 teas, and they always give 25% of their profits to charity!

Even though the weather outside was frightful, it was warm at Wild Flour Bakery, our usual home for Craft Cafe. We were booked to the maximum, only lost a couple to the nasty roads, and my cousin, Maxine, from Ottawa, was even able to join in during her visit. Our evening began with some tea education and tasting. From there, we walked over to the Tea Co, where everyone was able to blend their own flavour of tea to take home. Before leaving we were able to shop for ourselves and for holiday gifts thanks to Susanne offering 25% off anything in the store. I went a little overboard, but I LOVE tea. I recently traded, without even trying, my one large cup of dark roast swiss water decaf with brown sugar, for a morning cup of chai or an earl grey blend. I was like a kid in a candy store...

Thank you to the Banff Tea Co and to everyone who came out to blend tea, especially those who had to drive from afar. The winning tea blends of the night, worth mentioning for the titles alone, were Mint Country and Iron Maiden Tea. Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement for the next Craft Cafe.

Do you have a favourite kind of tea? I would love to know what it is. Please leave a comment...

CAAG Small Gems Show - December 2011 - New Encaustic Collages

Pretty Bird

Encaustic Collage

12x12"

$175

I have work in three group exhibitions this holiday season; at Cube Gallery in Ottawa, at The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in Banff, and at the Canmore Artist and Artisan Guild (CAAG) Gallery in Canmore. Running until December 27th, 2011, the CAAG Small Gems show has a wide variety of photography, collage, paintings, pottery, and mixed media pieces. It is at the CAAG Gallery, 950 8th Avenue, in Canmore, the same building as the Canmore Public Library. I have 6 pieces in the show...

 Back When Life Was Simple

Encaustic Collage

9x12"

$175

Spread Your Wings (Fly)

Encaustic Collage

9x12"

 $175

Play

Encaustic Collage

9x12"

$175

He Love Me (He Loves Me Not)

Encaustic Collage

12x12"

$150

Rolling Stone

Encaustic Collage

9x12"

$175

Canmore Artist and Artisans Guild Mini Art Sale

 If you are in the Bow Valley this weekend, come and see me in Canmore. I will be part of the Canmore Artist and Artisans Guild Mini Art Sale. It is at the CAAG Gallery, 950 8th Avenue, in Canmore, the same building as the Canmore Public Library. The show is on Saturday, December 3rd, and Sunday December 4th. I will have a selection of my visual art, bird nest pendants, spoon assemblages, and feather earrings for sale. I hope to see you!

My Work in GREAT Big Smalls VII at Cube Gallery

The Strength of Nature

By Tiffany Teske

Encautic (Wax) Collage

12x12"

My works will be part of Great Big Smalls VII at Cube Gallery in Ottawa, from Tuesday November 29th, 2011 to Saturday December 31st, 2011.

Vernissage: Thu Dec 1st, 2011 — 6:00 pm - 11:30 pm Fine Art, Music, refreshments, fun.

Cube’s seventh annual show of small works with BIG heart. The show features 65 artists, from the established to the emerging. There will be cultural gifts for everyone and at all price levels. Start your collection – or round out your existing one with some great small pieces. All works are original, small and suitable for Christmas, Chanukah or any other holiday tradition you celebrate.

Memories are Beginning to Fade

By Tiffany Teske

Encautic (Wax) Collage

12x12"

Featuring these great artists! Sam Vainola, Gayle Kells, Norman Takeuchi, France-Marie Trépanier, Pina Manoni-Rennick, Monika Seidenbusch, John Felice Ceprano, Sanjeev Sivarulrasa, Jeannine St-Amour, Victoria Wonnacott, Katherine McNenly, Mahshid Farhoudi, Wendy Stevenson, Joejene C. Santos, Kathy M. Haycock, Juliana McDonald, The Latest Artists, Joyce Burkholder, Karen Goetzinger, Gilda Pontbriand, Adrienne Herron, Olaf Krassnitzky, Shannon Whittle, MaryAnn Camps, Barbara Gamble, Ingrid Dabringer, Jessica Sarrazin, Rebecca Mason, Reid McLachlan, Lindsay Watson, Karina Kraenzle, Denis Larouche, Linda Sorensen, Monique Martin, Russell Yuristy, Jennifer Gibbs, Meghan Myres, Barclay Guinn, Chris Johnson, Patti Normand, Peggy Hughes, Richard Purdy, Gerald Trottier, Suzan Mandla, Kristy Gordon, Karole Marois, Megan Hinton, Anne Barkley, Tiffany Teske, Doug Cosbie, Garry Bowes, Katrin Smith, Janet Moore, Pansee Atta, Paul Schibli, Sue Ukkola, Eric Walker, Mary Wong, Jean Jewer, Dan Austin, Gwen Best, Don Monet, Beth Levin, John Shea, Tony Clark, Anita Utas, Aili Kurtis, Keith Bell

Change Your Life

By Tiffany Teske

Encautic (Wax) Collage

12x12"

Leave No Stone Unturned

By Tiffany Teske

Encautic (Wax) Collage

12x12"

I Hear Your Voice (On the Wind)

By Tiffany Teske

Encautic (Wax) Collage

12x12"

Its Time to Make a Change 

 By Tiffany Teske

Encautic (Wax) Collage

12x12"

Craft Goodness - Feather Earrings at Craft Cafe

While the snow gently fell outside in the Bison Courtyard, 9 people gathered inside the Wild Flour to make colourful feather earrings this past Sunday evening at Craft Cafe. It was a nice way to wind down the weekend. Surrounded by all the necessary supplies, piles of gorgeous, vivid feathers became new accessories for the participants and also for gift giving.

Stay tuned for more Craft Cafe fun. We have three dates planned during the month of December...

More Art This Weekend at the Whyte...

Lone Pine (Norquay)

Polaroid transfer original

3x4"

By Tiffany Teske

$150

I just posted about the Kaleidoscope of Crafts sale at the Whyte Museum this weekend, Friday November 18th, and Saturday, November 19th. If that was not reason enough to make a trip to the Whyte, there is also an exhibition opening in the Swiss Guides room of the Museum on Saturday. It is called Small Treasures, and will feature the work of Alberta artists, many of them local, with an emphasis on smaller, affordable pieces for gift giving. The show will run from November 19th to January 17th, 2012 with an opening reception from 1 - 4 PM on Saturday, November 19th. I have four pieces in the show and will be at the Museum during the opening.

Winter Sun

Polaroid transfer original

3x4"

By Tiffany Teske

$150

Frozen Shadows

Polaroid transfer original

3x4"

By Tiffany Teske

$150

Winter Blossoms

Polaroid transfer original

3x4"

By Tiffany Teske

$150

2011 Kaleidoscope of Crafts at the Whyte Museum

Oh boy! What a week... probably the busiest week of the year for myself, my husband, and my daughter. For my husband, who is the GM of a ski resort, he is wrapping up projects for getting the season underway.

Quinlyn as a bumble bee...

For my daughter, she had her first ballet recital, with extra practices and two nights of performances. Isn't she sweet...

For me, I have been creating work for three gallery shows coming up in December. The last of that work must be sent off/dropped off on Tuesday. And, I have an art sale this weekend, another in early December, and I am going to have an open house at my home. Phew.

The upcoming art sale is called Kaleidoscope of Crafts, at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, 111 Bear Street, in Banff. It runs tomorrow, Friday, November 18th, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM (the off to the Library Gala Fundraiser next door). The sale continues on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.  Please come by if you can, it is a great place to find handmade goods for yourself or gift giving.

Be Still

Mixed media (wall hanging) 

by Tiffany Teske

$45

Bird nest pendant 

by Tiffany Teske
$30 (with chain)

You (are a beauty)

Mixed media (wall hanging) 

by Tiffany Teske

$45

Tea Cup Gardens - Our Best Craft Cafe Yet!

Last night, Sheena & I had 26 lovely and creative women join us for Craft Cafe! That is a record. We have had close to 20 before, but this was just amazing! 21 people preregistered, something we have been having trouble getting people to do. I am not sure if it is because the weather is getting colder or if it is because the back to school fall rush is over, but I hope it was because of the craft. I have a tea cup fetish, and I love to come up with ways to use them for things other than just drinking tea, partially because I want to collect more of them. When my friends held a blessingway days before I had my second daughter, I made them all soy tea cup candles, you can see the tutorial here. She is 2 1/2 now, and I haven't done much with my tea cups since. I was in the mood, so with Craft Cafe in mind, I designed what I like to call a little tea cup garden. As a master gardener, in what seems like a previous life, I have done my fair share of using non traditional containers as plant pots. From crockery to work boots to tea cups, I have used them all as planters. The thing that was different about my tea cup planter this time is that I incorporated my current obsession of collaging spoons. When I make a wall hanging out of a spoon, I usually use a large real silver spoon. For this project, I wanted to continue with the theme of recycling vintage elements, and to put to use all the vintage souvenir spoons that I find at the thrift store. In some cases I like the spoons as is, but for the most part they beg to be reworked. Their little size, make them the perfect tea spoons to fit with the theme. I decided to make a sort of garden marker, which didn't need to be a literal marker that contained the name of the jade plant, but instead to contain a sentiment, in this case, Grow. I love to use text in my work, and I love it more when it contains double meaning. So, I designed my little demo, put it up on the net, invited our loyal crafters, and they turned out in droves. More than one of them said they came because the craft is "so unique". Yippee!

Below you will see what was made. While the weather was wet and blustery outside, we were warm and dry in the Wild Flour, planting our jade plants, while chatting with friends. Tables of kids, tables of moms and daughters, table of girlfriends, created their little gardens, which were little works of art. One girl used sand on top of her soil and built a little sand castle! The same girl lined her saucer ring with buttons and collaged her spoon with a great pattern, pulling the whole thing together. Other women covered their saucer with little circles cut from collage sheets, vintage flower fairies being the favourite. Which brings me to the side note, I made some of these with my daughters the other day, as mini fairy gardens. We are still working on our spoons, and I will post about it later. For now, check out what everyone came up with, with very similar, and simple materials. Then, go make one for yourself, and a few more as gifts....