Iowa Arts Festival, 2012

 The Iowa Arts Festival was this past weekend, in our hometown, Iowa City.   We've been lucky to be a part of this show for at least 12 years in a row now!

New this year, was the addition of Friday night art show hours.  There was a decent turnout:  people were getting off of work, heading out to eat downtown and then to listen to the festival music.  The weather was perfect all weekend - low 70s, with Sunday a bit warmer.

We made a new sign to hang in the front of our booth.  It was kind of fun to watch people read the sign, then look back and forth between Laura and I (the two sisters.)  We were going to try to make them guess which one of us was the mother and which was the daughter.  But we didn't.  :-)

our booth - that's Green Girl, probably texting Mamma Winger who was in Austin.

Laura's vertical welcome signs were a big hit and sold out!

my new fav of Laura's:  "Seriously?"

another popular sell-out: Mamma Winger's skinny ABC's

Many of the pieces pictured have sold, but we'll have a bunch of very similar items available at our next show: Sturgis Falls Arts and Craft Fair in Cedar Falls,  June 24. 

Iowa Arts Festival 2012 Starts TODAY!

Join us this weekend, starting TONIGHT! 

Iowa Arts Festival

Downtown Iowa City

June 1-3

New Art Show Hours! 

FRIDAY: 5-8, Saturday 10-7, Sunday 10-4 

(We're booth #25, on the South West end of Washington Street)

Crazy, Fun Sculptures

I thought up these crazy, sculptural pieces as a fun way to showcase some of my scanned artwork- they are basically like these little art blocks that were such a hit awhile back, but on steroids! :-)

I made these sculptures with little components I mostly already had in my stash:  vintage blocks and spools, wood candle holders for some of the bases, scrapwood pieces in various shapes and some very funky knobs off of a dresser that my neighbors got rid of about 2 years ago! (I've been hanging on to them ever since, waiting for the perfect project to come along!)

I also used patterned paper from my scrap paper stash and my new scalloped border cutter. (Fun and easy to make any length!)

 Here they are all finished--

The sides have special messages and doodles too!

Each one is unique and they were so much fun to conjure up! I think my favorites are the ones with the half circle suns.

These sculptures (along with all types of other wonderful new creations!) will be available at THIS WEEKEND'S Iowa Arts Festival, downtown Iowa City!

June 1-3: Friday 5-8pm, Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 10am-4pm. 

Here's another look at the types of items we'll have for purchase this coming weekend.  Can't wait!

Last Weekend's Valley Junction Art Market

Before ya'll get too excited looking at these pictures from last weekend's Valley Junction Art Market in Des Moines, just know that MANY of these pieces pictured were sold!  But here's the GOOD NEWS: consider this a preview of our upcoming two shows!* Yay!  MANY similar items will be available at Iowa Arts Fest (June 1-3, downtown Iowa City) and Sturgis Falls (June 24, Cedar Falls)!

Also, you can now find some of our original pieces at Wicker and the Works in Valley Junction, Des Moines, right along side our Demdaco line "This Thing Called Family."  This place is THE furniture and home decorating store for groovy adults!  If you've never been there - you should go - it's totally worth it!

*Last weekend we held back some special items for the next two upcoming shows - so there will be lots of new things available that no one has even seen yet!

Anyway, here are some highlights from last weekend's art market:

Hope this gets you excited about next week's IAF!  I know we are!

Hey, were you at last weekend's art market in Valley Junction?  Did you find some good stuff?  I bought 2 prints from artist friend Amylee of "Hidden in my heART." Check out her scripture art on her facebook page and etsy shop.  Good stuff!

SOMETHING NEW!!!

Here are some new goodies that will be at the Iowa Artsfest coming right up the first weekend in June!  They are metal on a wooden base.  Kinda cute, huh?!  Yeah, you might want to come downtown and check things out! (items on the wall are mine and are not for sale, no way, no how!!!)

Join Us this Sunday!

Valley Junction's Spring Art Market! 

Sunday May 20th, 11am - 5pm

5th Street, Valley Junction, Des Moines, Iowa

Clicking on the link at the top will direct you to our facebook event (we'd love if you'd invite your facebook friends by clicking the share button on facebook!) where you can find directions and more info about this free family event! Hope to see you there!

New "This Thing Called Family" for June!

We love this new bright version of the TTCF logo!

It's been surreal to think that we have 3 releases of new products this year with our Demdaco line.  We feel truly humbled and blessed by the response.  It's kinda crazy.  The spring color palette that came out in March has been going particularly well - several art pieces and the compact mirrors have sold out already and are back-ordered! 

June 1st will be our 3rd launch this year.  Below is just a sneak peek of all the goodness coming your way.  We especially love that we are able to combine our style with something functional.  That just makes sense for so many of us families.  We, like so many of you, are in the midst of living the nitty-gritty family life with busy schedules and chaotic households.  We've just got to be practical!  Pictured here are some of our new favorites: a magnetic family tree picture board, a weekly chalkboard for schedules, meals or whatever,  a wall clock, a "Hang it Up, Please" board with pegs and a big, fun bowl for mail, keys or catch-all.  There's also new wall art, dimensional houses and more not pictured! 

We can't wait to show you the rest! 

GIRLS!

 

These are some new pieces I just finished and they make me smile whenever I look at them.  They will be for sale at the Valley Junction art sale next weekend.   -Connie (Momma Winger)

Two NEW Winners!

Because we never heard back from 2 of our giveaway winners, we decided that we should choose two NEW winners for the "Do Your Best" box and the double-sided door hanger!


The new winner of the box is Lisa who said:  "Love the box...so cute!"

The winner of the door sign is Lori Leissner who said, "I voted for the sign. For some reason, the closed door is not sign enough that I might be taking a nap. :)"

Congrats! email us your mailing addresses, paperprayers@hotmail.com, and we'll send them out!

My Two New Loves

These are my new Love - these Keens.  Love them.  Don't they look like our artwork, with the combinations of different patterns?

My other new love is Instagram.  It used to only be available for iphones, but now there's an android version!  My user name is thingswithwings - come find me!  If you're on instagram, I'd be thrilled to follow you- leave your user name in the comments!

Like all of things I love, I go through a somewhat obsessed period.  Here are some of my favorite pics so far:

helicopters

Chucks with rainbow multi-tongues?! spotted at Kohl's- NEED!

rainbow colored art project

Smiling swings

centerpiece

Thirsty Lucy - drinking rain water

 * If you're looking for something fun and creative to do with Instagram, you should join us for Curly Girl's Scavenger Hunts.  We're currently on challenge #3, which is all about specific colors.  You can see what I chose for challenge #1-"Inspire" and "Inspiring" on her blog too!