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

Mountain Art & Craft Sale at The Banff Centre

Memories #1 

Encaustic Collage by Tiffany Teske

I have been gearing up all week for the 2011 Mountain Art & Craft Sale, this weekend, Saturday, October 29th, & Sunday, October 30th. This will be the second year I sell my work at this sale, which is in conjunction with the Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival. A great place to find unique Christmas items made by mountain artists from Alberta & British Columbia, the sale takes place in the RBC Lobby of the Eric Harvey Theatre. With close to 30 artists, you can find blown glass, paintings, fibre art, photography, clothing items and more, all made by hand. Come see me this weekend, if you can, and meet all the wonderful people who make this show a place that locals look forward to shopping year after year. Hours on Saturday are 11 AM - 7:30 PM and on Sunday from 11 AM - 5:30 PM. I will have encaustic collage, Polaroid transfers, silver spoon assemblages, bird nest & glass tile pendants, and magnets, available.

Glass Tile Ring by Tiffany Teske 

Ferns

Polaroid Transfer by Tiffany Teske

Bird Nest Pendant 
by Tiffany Teske 

Abundance

Spoon Assemblage by Tiffany Teske 

Blog Giveaway - Sew Mama Sew

It has been awhile since I hosted a giveaway... Two years ago I hosted one in conjunction with Sew Mama Sew's annual giveaway, but last year I missed it. This year I remembered! If you are a fan of giveaways I encourage you to go to the Sew Mama Sew blog for your chance to win HUNDREDS of wonderful handmade items as well as supplies. Many items being given away are sewn but many more are not. There truly is something for everyone.

As for my giveaway, I am offering a dozen handmade bottle cap magnets featuring vintage illustrations of birds, like ones pictured above. I am also offering 24 pre cut images and instructions on how to make your own bottle cap magnets. If you are the winner you will be asked whether you would like to receive Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Western, kaleidoscope, or environmentally themed images. You will need to supply your own bottle caps, adhesive and magnets for completing your magnet project. These magnets make great gifts, as they can be personalized. They are also a great way to save some bottle caps from the landfill while giving them a second life as something useful.

In order to win please leave me a comment below telling me the name and URL of your favorite blog. If you don't have a favorite blog then please tell me the name of your favorite craft book, children's book, or cookbook. Please include your email address so I can notify you if you are the winner (if you do not want to leave your email address please check back on May 26th to see if you are the winner). You must enter by 11:59 PM on May 25th. If you would like a second chance to win, please Twitter about my giveaway. If you like my blog, please consider becoming a follower, but this is not required for a chance to win. On midnight of May 25th I will draw a winner using a random number generator. Your magnets will be shipped on May 30th. I am willing to ship this prize internationally. Thanks very much for visiting my blog... good luck!

Recycled Glass Inukshuk

The world became acquainted with the inukshuk during the 2010 Winter Olympics. It is a stone landmark or cairn built by humans to mark a place such as a trail head, hunting ground, or a food cache. The word inukshuk means "something which acts for or performs the function of a person." Many people confuse inukshuk, which can be just one stone, with inunnguaq, which is several stones places to look like a human figure. It seems that inukshuk is now used interchangeably for either type of marker.


My friend Tawna recently came to Banff, and brought me a gift from her native Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. I asked for something small I could add to my extensive collection of art and handmade goods. Tawna not only brought me something from Yellowknife but something HER MOM made! Rita Brown takes broken glass from the Yellowknife "dump" and recycles and upcycles it into beautiful inukshuks of varying sizes. If you are interested in knowing more please leave me a comment and I can contact you with Rita's email address.

On a side note, we are planning a trip to visit Tawna this summer. I can't wait! We have never been to the Northwest Territories and Yellowknife is the capital. It is always a treat to be shown around a place by natives, and Tawna is known for letting people know about her city wherever she goes. She hands out information from the tourism board on a regular basis. They really should put her on commission... I will be sure to share our trip here so stay tuned.

The Best Little Sweater Ever There Was... it Zips Up the BACK!

My friend Dominique has a lovely grandmother, Rachel, whom I got to know because I would occasionally taught crafts at the senior center she spends time at. I miss those seniors. Due to budget cuts, I have not seen them this year... anyway, for quite sometime I have been coveting the sweaters that Rachel has made for Dom's kids, as well as many, many other new babes in the area. They are ingenious, brilliant, and completely unique to me. I come from Minneapolis, the land of cold, so I thought I had seen everything known to man when it comes to winter wear. These sweaters have a zipper IN THE BACK, so instead of trying to put them over the head of your infant, you can just slip their arms in the sleeves, zip them up, and away you go (or "Bob's your uncle" as they would say in Maine).




It is basically a reverse hoodie but so much cooler somehow. I wish I could knit. Not being afraid to try new things, I have tried. But, I never got past the point of having really loose and really tight stitches. I decided that I would leave knitting to the many talented friends that I have who do it so well and who kindly shower us regularly with hand knitted items. Leave it to the pros. Well, Rachel is a pro, a legend even. When Dom came over with several sweaters for me to chose from, and then quoted me an really generous price, I was ecstatic. I chose a beautiful brown, green, and blue one that looks adorable on Emmanuelle but would look good on a boy as well so I am sure it will make the rounds of all the family kiddos.



I wish I knew how to write about knits, it has some beautiful detailing I would explain if I knew the right words. I think the detailing down the middle front of the sweater is called cable lattice. And I LOVE the peaked, elfin style hood! I have not been able to hang it in the closet, I have just been admiring it hanging on the back of a dining room chair. So, anyway, wanted to write about out lovely new handmade sweater, and to maybe inspire those of you who knit to figure out how to make one as your next baby gift. If you do, or if you know more about this style of sweater, let me know... Here is a link to a free pattern as well as to a blog post that has great photos of this style of sweater.

Handmade in Red Deer Alberta - The Prairie Chick

Polaroid Transfer Prints by Tiffany Teske; available at The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta

I am back from a crazy road trip to Minneapolis for the funeral of my beloved grandfather, Poppa. There were many wonderful things that happened amongst the sadness of the trip. I will be posting about that this week but had wanted to write the following post just before we left so I decided to do it first thing upon our return...


Polaroid Transfer Image Magnet Sets by Tiffany Teske; available at The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta

I love being part of Etsy, the amazing online community where artists, crafters, and artisans come together to sell their work. While it is fun to be able to sell my photography and art online, it is even more fun when non-Etsy opportunities come my way because of my Etsy shop. When I open my email and see I have a convo (like an email) via Etsy, I am always intrigued. Some are people telling me they have put me into a treasury, which is like an online favorites list complete with images and links to the items. Other are people asking questions about my work. And often, it is someone asking me to take part in an exhibit, interview, blog feature, or a print publication. One example of this is the day that Colette Bleakley contacted me to purchase some of my work for her new shop, The Prairie Chick, located in Red Deer, Alberta.


The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta
Image by Colette Bleakley

Colette, bless her heart, was looking for artists and artisans in Alberta because she wants her shop to carry locally made items. We started communicating, and I made some items for her in packaging I have not made for other outlets. It was a nice challenge to come up with and implement some new ideas. Since Colette (isn't that a beautiful name?) was gracious enough to put my work in her shop, I decided that I would like to write a blog feature on her and her shop. The following is an interview with her, some images from her shop, as well as images of my work that she is selling at The Prarie Chick.


Polaroid Transfer Prints by Tiffany Teske; available at The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta

TT: What made you want to open this shop?
CB: I have always wanted to have my own boutique. I studied environmental science and have been working in that field for the past 6 years. I was looking for a change and a way to use my creative streak!



TT: What made you want to represent Alberta artists?
CB: I am a strong believer in shopping local. I noticed that it was hard to find locally made gift items and it was time to open a store that focused on Handmade in Alberta and Canada items.

TT: What kind of items are available in your shop?
CB: Clothing, Accessories, Handbags, Wallets
Bath and Body Products
Jewelry
House wares
Vintage Items
Photography and Stationary
Pottery


Bamboo Pendants featuring Piddix Collage Images made by Tiffany Teske; available at The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta

TT: What has surprised you the most in your journey so far?
CB: I have been amazed by the vast amount and variety of talented artists right here in Alberta.

TT: Are you originally from Red Deer?
CB: I am originally from a small farming community in Saskatchewan. I now live on a farm near Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.


Bamboo Pendants featuring Piddix Collage Images made by Tiffany Teske; available at The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta

TT: Are you an artist or craft person?
CB: I don’t consider myself an artist or crafts-person. However I do enjoy photography as a hobby.

TT: What do you plan to add to the shop in the future?
CB: I am constantly looking for new items and vendors. Check back often for new arrivals!

TT: Chocolate or vanilla?
CB: Both

TT: What inspires you?
CB: My Mom and Grandmothers were my inspiration for the boutique. They are all talented, hardworking, creative, strong women.


TT: Would you like to include anything else?
CB: http://theprairiechickboutique.blogspot.com

The Prairie Chick
5018 Ross St., Lower Level (Can-West Travel Company Bldg.)
Red Deer, Alberta
T4N 1Y3
403-348-2800
HOURS: Tues-Sat 10:00am-5:00pm


The Prairie Chick Boutique in Red Deer, Alberta

If you are in Red Deer, Alberta, stop by The Prairie Chick and say hello to Colette!


Polaroid Transfer Image Bamboo Necklaces by Tiffany Teske; available at The Prairie Chick in Red Deer, Alberta

CanArtisan Blog Feature

On the Road Again Original Polaroid transfer by Tiffany Teske
This image is available for purchase here.

The other day, while checking out the forums for my Etsy teams, I spotted a link for CanArtisan. It is a blog that features the work of "talented, independent Canadian business owners with a passion for creativity and the handmade." It is a new blog that also features a shop directory so you can buy Canadian made. I signed up to have my shop listed there and was pleasantly surprised when I received word from Brandi, of CanArtisan, that my Polaroid transfer of Minis in Australia was featured in a post yesterday. On Tuesdays they feature items for the guys, which is such a great idea. Guys shop, too! Cheers to you and thanks for putting together such a great blog!