Naughty or Nice?

This is going to be interesting. Our newsletter went out today and Tamara and the gang thought it would be fun to offer a coupon and see what happens... there's a twist. The question really is have you been Naughty or Nice this year. It won't be up to us to judge when you show up with the Nice coupon and we happen to know your naughty secret(s). Santa will know and if you pick the not-so-accurate coupon you can count on a big chunk of coal for Christmas. But wait, there is an out... you could just not believe in Santa and decide that you know you've been Nice no matter what an old (ancient) bearded man has to say. It's my opinion that our Zinnia friends are all NICE but you really know best. Cut the right one and stop by before December 6th.

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Kelly's Journey Book this Saturday

Don't forget to check out the Zinnia class calendar as there are a bunch of extremely cool classes coming up!! With the holidays coming up, handmade makes the BEST gift!

Saturday, December 5^th

Journey book 11 to 3 p.m.

Kelly Kilmer

Many of my students know that I like to vary the size and shape of my journal to ‘keep me on my toes’. In this class you will create a tall, narrow hardcover journal using a special stitch! After binding the book, we will fill the inside pages with paint and collage learning new mixed media techniques. You will walk out of class with a unique handmade book with layered and textured pages created entirely by you!

Supply list: Scissors, small selection of favorite collage ephemera, bone folder, cork back metal ruler, roll of waxed paper, roll of paper towels, permanent black inkpad, container to hold water, 3 1" brushes to glue and paint (I like chip or bristle brushes)

The count down is really on now. So how many of you went out on BLACK FRIDAY? Tamara and I made it a "Pink Friday" with sweet treats and yummy coffee. The store was jumping most of the day, it was nice to see that every one out seemed to be in a good mood and in high spirits.
I am busy trying to get some art made for sale and for gifts. I was out sick from my 'real job' last week because I got super sick. Unfortunately, I had absolutely no energy to craft. And now I feel like I am behind schedule.
I brought a piece I made last year but didn't get it done in time. So it's back again. I made an advent calendar by using a a framed piece of of steel I found at a yard sale that I painted and decorated in festive colors with stickers and Stickles. I numbered tiny tins and added a little trim and a magnet to each one. The tins open up so you can place a special little something for each day. The Doo-Dad Bar at the store is the perfect place to find the treasure for each tin. You can make this too... aside from the frame I got everything at Zinnia. Tins: 99 cents, ribbon (priced by the yard), Stickles: $2.49 each and assorted doo-dads starting at 5 cents.

(I hate that the tins aren't straight and I didn't catch it)

Alley is up and running around again. She terrorizes anyone wearing a long scarf and long dress or skirt. Not sure how to curb this yet but we are trying and mortified when we don't. She got Jana on Saturday... sorry. From the picture below you wouldn't know that Alley is a terror.

Well, we sure hope that you are well on your way with your gift lists or crafting. Please stop by with any crafting needs or ideas. We have a great selection of gifts and handmade art if you prefer to purchase gifts instead of making. Have a great week.

Christmas at Zinnia

Pictures of Christmas at Zinnia.
These pictures are of the trees we have in the gallery.
Pretty cool huh? My favorite is the Peace theme which
features handmade and/or items made using recycled materials.

The other trees also feature handmade items of course.

Hope to see you soon.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Suki

Happy Thanksgiving from the gang at Zinnia

As promised these a few samples of our Pink Christmas that we have up in the window. It really is something to see.

For Holiday inspiration, embellishments, papers and unlimited gift ideas, stop by Zinnia's PINK Friday for some sweet treats and coffee.

Answer to comment... for 9/21 'Weekend Project'

The wool scraps can be used for all kinds of stuff. From time to time we sit at the store and craft. I've made wallets, decorative mushrooms and cupcakes. I will photograph a few samples and post them later this week. I am looking around my art room and I can't find a sample to show you. The small scraps that we threaded together were a spur of the moment thing. We saw that we had ended up with tons of small scraps and we didn't want to just throw them in a bowl so we decided to thread them together. It was too busy at the store but I did get a chance to make a garland that turned out pretty cool. So I promise to get a few pictures of samples up on the blog later this week.
Suki

Waahhh, I've been trying not to get sick for a few days so I have majorly slacked on catching up with you all.

This week we were busy getting our Christmas merchandise out and pretty. The front of the store has fantastically whimsical PINK trees decorated with adorable glass ornaments of elves and pixies. When you drive by the store at night it looks like a box of jewels. In the store we have three themes featured in the gallery. A Peace Theme, a Traditional Theme and a Woodsy Theme. I will have pictures and details posted tomorrow.

Alley Update:
Alley went to the vet yesterday to get 'fixed'. Every thing went well and she was back today. She was super drowsy (drugged) and just took it easy. She should be back to her mischievous -self in a few days.

A few things caught my attention this week that I want to share.

First: RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK

So I was driving up Pasadena Avenue, in Pasadena, CA (south of Bellefontaine Street) and out of the corner of my eye I see weirdest random thing. A fork in the road... ha ha I made myself laugh. Get it? Literally a giant silver fork stuck in the ground out of nowhere. I drove by the fork a few times every time getting irritated with myself that I for got to take a picture. Pasadena is a one-way street so it's not as easy as making a U-turn. Below is a picture I captured while I drove by earlier this week.. Notice no traffic, I was bring careful. The second picture is a close-up of the first. Come on, what the hell is a giant fork doing in the middle of the road. No seriously, I have been too tired to remember to try to find out. I actually forget about it until the next day on my way to work when I see it again. Besides who would I call? The Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk? Perhaps he dropped a fork. Crazy huh?

Second: 350 Success Story

As you know the 350 Project was a great way to get involved. We had artists from all over that included a range of well known, not-so well known and beginners. Some of our friends of the store submitted work after telling us that they had never done anything like that before. Lori Spotts is one of our friends. She painted beautiful portraits of dolls/girls and she blew everyone away.
This weekend Catherine Just stopped by the store to pick up her unsold panels. She shared with us that she had been so inspired by her participation in the project that she opened her Etsy store and is selling her artwork. Catherine describes her work as linoleum carving printed directly on wood panels, paper or blank journals. Her store is: catherinejust.etsy.com
Isn't that cool? Best of luck Catherine and any other artists that were inspired by the 350 Project and have taken their work to another level. Do you have a story?

THREE: Weekend Project

Tamara got busy and found, washed and dried a bazillion wool sweaters that she cut into squares. (Where she gets the energy I don't know) Our wool scraps inventory had been very low and it was time to replenish it. We cut squares 6x6 inches, 4x4 and smaller. After cutting the squares we found that we had a ton of odds and ends that we decided to string together into a cool assortment of scraps. Check it out.

To this...


To this...


... finally this.