Wednesday, June 30, 2010

New Etsy Items!

Here's a sneak peek of a few new items in the Paper Prayers Etsy shop. I found a really cool vintage spelling workbook and have had fun incorporating some of that paper into some of my new pieces!

(Click on each item to view more pics and info.)




More new pieces to be added to Etsy soon!



Saturday, June 26, 2010

I found this taped to my wall the other day. We may need to initiate a new member into the Things With Wings club.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Etsy Update

****SOLD!****

This piece reads, "Normal Day, Let me be aware of the treasure you are."
-Mary Jean Iron

New in the Paper Prayers Etsy shop! More to come in the next few days!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Here's What We'll Be Doing On Sunday!

43rd annual
SNAKE ALLEY ART FAIR
Burlington, Iowa
Sunday, June 20, 2010
8 am - 4 pm
The Snake Alley Art Fair is a daylong celebration of creativity and community, centering on a love for the visual arts. Growing from a start more than 40 years ago as a small gathering of local artists who set up for the day along Snake Alley — the crookedest street in the world! — the fair is now an annual event with an estimated attendance of more than 6,000 people. SAAF encompasses much to see and buy from more than 100 exhibitor artists and craftspeople, plus art-making activities for children, music, and food. The fair happens in Burlington’s Heritage Hill Historic District, along winding, sloping Snake Alley as well as on two leafy residential blocks of North 6th Street above the alley.
The date for SAAF 2010 is Sunday, June 20. In keeping with long-standing tradition, the Snake Alley Art Fair coincides not only with Fathers Day, but also with the final day of the Steamboat Days American Music Festival on Burlington’s Mississippi riverfront, bringing thousands of additional visitors to the area.
RAIN OR SHINE, THE FAIR GOES ON! In case of truly inclement or dangerous weather, the Snake Alley Art Fair moves to its alternate site, the Des Moines County Fairgrounds at Southeastern Community College’s West Burlington campus, approximately 3.5 miles west of Snake Alley.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

What's With All the Hoopla?




Another fun article to check out in Hoopla this week about Connie and Laura! You can read the shortened website version here or the full size version here, by turning to page 17. Or if you're local you can go pick up a copy here.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

a Different Tuesday Post

This is a different kind of post today by Mama Winger Connie. It seems like lately we have been kind of boasting and tooting our own horns, with so many great things happening to Things with Wings. We so desire in this high time to remain humble. I want to share a paragraph from a devotional book I pulled off the shelf, randomly turning to this page last night. "Dear Lord, Thank You that You oppose those who exalt themselves, and that You exalt those who humble themselves, giving them Your grace. As the Master Artist, You are able to take my wounds, scars, blotches and the messes I make and blend them into a beautiful design, to the praise of the glory of Your grace."
Having shared that, these little babies are what I use for cutting paper - small things. They are probably the most serious tool I've ever owned. And here is the bandage where I managed to stab myself in the arm with this cute little tool. I seriously thought I was going to pass out from the pain. It bled like crazy. My husband brought me ice, antibiotic, bandage and love to ease the pain. Then I was back to work on my next project. Don't even ask how one manages to do something like that because I have no idea, except that I'm very clumsy, but at least there was no damage (or blood) on my "masterpiece" - glory to the Master Artist!



Monday, June 7, 2010

Iowa Arts Festival

Last weekend's Iowa Arts Festival was the best ever! Record breaking!
If you are visiting us for the first time, we are so excited you're here! Let us show you around a bit. Over on the left, you'll find a list of other events we will be at. Be sure to keep checking back for updates! We have two Etsy shops that are fun to browse through and you can link to them from the sidebar as well. Also, we'd love it if you'd "follow" us - so you can keep up to date on all that's going on! If you're on facebook, we'd be honored if you'd join us on our Things With Wings page! And if you haven't heard already, we've got really big, exciting news about our new licensing adventure! You can read all about it here! And now, for some pictures of our weekend:We had great weather - Saturday started out rainy, but it stopped mid morning and only sprinkled briefly a few other times. Although it looked like it could rain any minute all the rest of the day, it didn't keep people from coming out! Sunday was beautiful! The humidity went way down, it was sunny with a nice breeze. You couldn't ask for better weather. We're always prepared for anything during IAF weekend, because we've been through storms, strong winds, and vicious heat. When we get actual nice weather, we are THRILLED!!! My hubby rigged up this 'addition' off the back of our tent, using pvc pipe and one of the sides of our tent and we use it anytime we've got room for it! It's perfect for keeping us dry or shaded!



Mom's dolls are always a hit!

Cute kid-sized chairs were a hit with the kids! One little toddler girl even came up and gave it a kiss!
This is pretty much what our booth looked like most of the time: full of lovely people!

We're feeling very grateful for a wonderful weekend!

Friday, June 4, 2010

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

Remember my wood scrap neighborhood?
Well, look at it now, baby!
It was so much fun to embellish the sides of the houses with little doodles.

All of these new houses will be for sale at the Iowa Arts Festival this weekend!

You Plus Me...

...equals Happily Ever After.
These new pieces are ready to go to the Iowa Arts Festival tomorrow!


Then there's this big guy:

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

DEMDACO Announcement!

Things With Wings has an exciting new opportunity that we're proud to announce! It is truly beyond our wildest dreams!

We've partnered with a nation-wide company called DEMDACO
(makers of the popular Willow Tree Line, The Kelly Rae Roberts Collection, and The Christine Mason Miller Collection) to produce a line of wall art and other decorative home decor that will be introduced in January of 2011!!!! The name of our line is called, "This Thing Called Family" - and it focuses on the theme of Family Values. So be looking for us in specialty and gift shops early next year!

Retailers interested in carrying our line can visit the DEMDACO showroom in Chicago, Atlanta, or Dallas or contact their local DEMDACO rep for details.

We'll be keeping you all updated as the time gets nearer!

BIG, DREAM-COME-TRUE NEWS Revealed!


Remember we told you all to stay tuned for our Big News? Well it has been 'officially' announced in a very special way! Hoopla Magazine has a feature called "Made In Iowa" and Paper Prayers is the featured art this week! Green Girl and Mama Winger will be featured in weeks to come! (As if that's not exciting enough, there's even BIGGER news than that!***)

Hoopla is a free, weekly entertainment magazine that features all kinds of cool things going on in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor. You can view the shortened online version of the article here, or the full version (with more pictures) that's in the actual printed version here ('flip' to page 14.) I love how they cropped my pieces and shadowed them so that they really stand out on the page! Locals, if you want your own copy, you can go to any of these places to get it.

***If you read the article you will find out what our BIG NEWS is!

....Or we could just tell you.

OK. We can't really keep it inside much longer anyways!


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Iowa Arts Festival THIS WEEKEND!

We are continuing to get ready for the Iowa Arts Festival, in downtown Iowa City THIS WEEKEND!
Saturday June 5, 10-6
Sunday June 6, 10-4.

Our space is #21 - on Washington Street, between Clinton and Dubuque. We're looking forward to an awesome time, and great weather!

****Keep checking back with us later this week. We've got some HUGE news! HUGE.

Whirlwind Weeks

Wow! It's been a whirlwind here as the youngest member of Things With Wings came home to Iowa for a 2 week visit! She's on her way back to Austin this morning. While she was here, we celebrated two birthdays: Her's and Green Girl's! I never did hear whether she fit that big guy in her suitcase! I might be mailing it to her...
Mom made Green Girl a bag that has pockets for switching out pictures. She used pieces of our old baby quilts (originally made by grandmothers) for the trim.