Open Gate - Weblog of Lisa Cook

"Fruit Salad" on Etsy!

You have to admit that perhaps the title intrigued you just a little bit?  I love these fruit scraps that I bought and couldn't resist putting together little assemblage bundles for My Etsy Shop .  You can either use them as a color inspiration or you can take them apart to use the parts in your own artwork.  An original 3 yd. package of vintage rick rack is surrounded by 3 coordinating yards of vintage seam binding and rick rack; a German made scrap of a fruit image; a little vintage millinery leaf; and a hand made tag.  Enjoy the yummy colors!

Nature Girls

A few Friday's ago I had the delightful opportunity to meet Catherine Moore in person in DePere while visiting my parents.  She taught a class at The Assemblage Studio a shop chock full of vintage goodies for sale and lovely artwork too.  Catherine has some great photos of the shop and her class (C.Moore class ) so take a peek.

Over 2 years ago Catherine invited me to be a part of a year long Nature Study (you can read over the year long blog here full of photos of all the participants' offerings to each other) along with my wonderful friend, Linda Warlyn.  It was such a treat to have the three of us together even if just for a short bit. Linda and I are going to attend a class together in August at Valley Ridge Art Studio with Nina Bagley and I am looking forward to that weekend getaway!

While at the wine and cheese reception, Catherine allowed us to make a paper doll using a seed packet and some of her lovely stamped images.  I admit I was in a hurry to create her because I wanted to visit with Catherine and Linda in the brief time we had!  But she is stunning because of Catherine's creative guidance!

Now I am all ready to see my flowers get in full bloom.  Our spring has been SO wet and cold.  But the daffodils prevail despite it all and the tulips are ready to pop along with the apple blossoms....soon.  And I will take some photos to share!

More Sucessful Soldering

I have to share more of the wonderful results of my class at Valley Ridge Art Studio. 
Judy made this wonderful doll
complete with a royal crown and dangley feet which are Art Girlz products.

Nancy was a whiz with wire and created these pieces:

I just love how Valerie used the old underwear buttons in the bird piece.  She also made us ohh and ahh over the way she placed little blobs and points of solder on the round pieces.

Jean had the wonderful idea to stamp on a smooth stone and solder the edges.  I think it has the feel of ancient cave art. And the way she incorporated wire into the stone at the top has a great ancient feel to the piece as well.

Susie admitted to her struggle to get this soldering right and by Sunday she was a pro!  I was very proud of her tenacity and look what she produced!

Anna put together this sweet beribboned jewel!  She and I are kindred spirits in color.

And my friend Marcella had the best time experimenting with new ideas like soldering the edges of an old wooden box and a large shell.  She took my class last summer and wanted to perfect her technique.  I know she soldered with success!

It is such a pleasure to teach a class like this.  I learned so much from everyone and they all seemed intently bit by the soldering bug.

One of the best giggles I had was when after class one of the students indicated some of them were hiding any burned fingers from me after I said I have never burned myself soldering.  Oh goodness, I did not mean to sound smug!!  I only wanted to point out that you do not have to suffer burns to solder OR burn your studio down! :  )

Thanks to all the participants for your permission to post your work here and for having faith that I could teach you something!

Successful Soldering at Valley Ridge Art Studio

As you can see from the photo, there were a lot of friendly faces in my class at Valley Ridge Art Studio located in the southwestern part of Wisconsin. Spring has not sprung yet, but bluebirds were sited and the robins were singing! 

I want to show you some of the incredible pieces these hardworking people produced over the course of 2 days.  Most students were new to soldering, but heck, you would never know it.  I don't think I have seen a class of people work so intently and endlessly.  My hats off to each and every one of them!
Bonnie made a lovely box with its own set of charms.  Would you believe she made a different one the first day and decided that it wasn't "good enough" and so she made this one on the second day?

Husband and wife team, Nina and Pat used their extensive art background to come up with some unique pieces.  I love how Pat created a unique bird jump ring for this piece:

He also formed this triangular tube and went outside and found bits and pieces of nature to capture inside the form.

Nina created several lovely pieces including nature in her work as well.

Lori was the resident workhorse!  She produced an amazing number of tiny charms.  She admitted she came to the class with lots of pieces ready to solder.  She meant business.

Janet created this lovely piece hanging from a small twig.

I am in love with Valerie's work.  She created pieces that had a unique voice using stones and other natural objects.  I really love to see artists take the basic process and making it their own.

Stay tuned for part 2...

Busy Lady

Sorry to be so remiss in posting on my blog.  Busy times...I just finished up teaching a WoNdeRfUl soldering class at Valley Ridge Art Studio  this past weekend.  I will post some pics to share with you soon.  The participants created such incredible pieces and I learned some things too.  Lots of sharing and hard work by all. 
Meanwhile I have been having fun listing some inspiration with some colorful collage packs and tags at my Etsy shop so check in when you have a free moment!  I even have some unique collage sheets as well.

Tulip Time!

I have a joined a very nice group of women who sell Cottage Style merchandise and supplies on Etsy.  This weekend we are having a "Tulip" promotion.  Go to the CSST Forum Thread and you will find posts by members of the group with links to all kinds of handmade shabby chic, cottagey, vintage tulip items!
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5519264
OR just type in CSST in the tags and titles search on Etsy and you will find listings specific to the "Cottage Style Street Team!"  Most important of all - have FuN looking around Etsy!  It is a wonderful place to shop for unique handmade treasures and supplies for crafting.  You can hit the link to my shop on the left column on my blog to get started!  :  )

Art From the Hands of Babes

As you know from my previous post, I am a high school teacher in "my other life."  Every morning I get to school early to take a brisk walk around the halls for winter exercise.  Another colleague joins me and we have wonderful conversations.  I especially enjoy walking through the elementary hallways where beautiful artwork enriches the environment and always catches my eye.  I am truely amazed at how refreshing their work is and I am astounded by what our talented art teacher helps them produce such Picassos. I finally brought my camera along to show you. Just look at these snow people created by 2nd graders!

And the birch trees - these are 4th graders!!

Abstract prints by 1st graders - I believe they used simple potatoes to print with, but we could all take a lesson in their colorful designs.  Why do we adults get so uptight about our art?  WE need more free abandon in our work.  We need to have FuN!

Go get a potato and make something wonderful this weekend!

I hath been Tagged!

Goodness!  I was tagged by two people two days in a row!  Linda and Opie's Burnt Offerings  and Jeanette Janson want me to play and so I shall. 
6 random things about me:

#1) I have an AWESOME perennial flower garden.  It takes up my whole front yard!  You can see some photos of it here.
#2) I have been a "Home Ec" teacher since 1975, but I never even took a Home Ec class when I was in school.  If you were going to college back in the 60's, you did NOT take vocational classes!  I am sure glad that has all changed.
#3)  My husband and I built our own house with our own two hands and a lot of help from our friends.
#4)  I LOVE Broadway musicals and I know the words to all the songs from all the "oldies" because my mom used to play those records all the time.  So today when I want to emphasize a point, I often break out in song.
#5)  I am a confirmed choc-a-holic and the darker the better and if it has nuts too...mmmm
#6)  My word for 2008 is GRATITUDE.

the rules: 1. link to the person that tagged you - 2. post the rules on your blog - 3. share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself - 4. tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs - 5. let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their site.

Here are my tagees: Jamie from Tales of the Terra-Cottage; Suz from ARTitude Zine; Beth Quinn ; DJ Pettit; Heather Simpson Bluhm; and my own daugher Abbey Cook from The Painted Hand.

Fun in the Bedroom!

Hope the title enticed you!  I just had to share with you how I put together my latest collage packs because I thought the layout was so colorful.  I do find the bed to be a good place to lay my artwork out - it is probably the one place that stays cleared off on a regular basis.  (a gal's gotta sleep...) 
Here is a peek at another pack too.  Make sure to stop by my Etsy Shop to see the Easter goodies I have there: Victorian Scrap, vintage  postcards, seam binding and other fun stuff!

Also type in CSST when you are searching on Etsy.  I joined a "street team" called "Cottage Style" to help promote more of the shabby chic, vintage cottage style of artwork and treasures on Etsy!

Think Spring!

I have to think spring because it is going to be a long time before I see the green grass here in Wisconsin.
So I put together some color coordinated packs of Eastery goodies - vintage wallpapers, ribbons, rickrack, even an old aluminum light reflector that would make a great top for a spring wand! I included German Easter foils and scrap pieces too.  Take a look at my Etsy shop if you are in the mood for spring as well.