In and around STUDiO 28

A wonderful week in Paris

2012-03-18T18:30:00.001-04:00

We had another wonderful week in this bustling city! We are both keeping a journal now of daily events, and that's a good thing since there is so much to do and see each day that it's easy to forget what we did when!
Highlights from this week included a sun-filled walk for a lunch of hand-stretched Chinese noodles at "Les Pâtes Vivantes". It was such fun to watch them stretching the noodles right there as we ate!

This amazing lunch was followed by a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral. It was such a rush to be back at Notre Dame. In high school, our choir came to sing here and we were the first Canadian Choir to sing the Sunday mass! To be back now MANY years later and just be able to walk about calmly and quietly and take in all of the beauty of this structure was wonderful. The stunning windows glowed as the sun shone through them...they were magical.

On Wednesday, we were fortunate to be able to get tickets to see Sting at "Le Zenith"!! He and his musicians were amazing. It was a GREAT concert.

Another highlight was visiting la Musee d'Orsay and being so close to such amazing art...sculptures and paintings that were just so beautiful that they seemed to beg me to reach out and touch them to feel the chisel marks and brush strokes...but the Canadian in me didn't want to get into trouble.

We went to see the Eiffel Tower this week and I was so excited to see blossoming cherry blossoms in the park behind La Tour Eiffel! I am in awe of the Tower itself...how it was created and built when it was, how they repaint it every 7 years or so with a very specific brown paint( a make work project if you ask me! ),

but I am not a huge fan of the chaotic energy around the tower where the lines of people go on forever.
I've decided that I don't necessarily need to be places where cotton candy is sold(or la barbe a papa as it is called here)! Marly is in agreement with moi! To me La Tour Eiffel is more magical from a distance-peeking out from behind a building somewhere in the city, or twinkling its lights at night. I have fondly named it the "Twinkle Tower".

As for the cherry blossoms I mentioned earlier, I have had such a "thing" for "Sakura"(cherry blossoms)ever since I lived in Japan. They are now in bloom here and my heart skips a beat every time I see a blossoming tree!
Here are some I photographed beside our "Batobus" stop.

We decided to get a "Batobus" pass this week to explore the city via a boat on the Seine...a "boatbus" or water taxi of sorts. It's not a tour. It gets you around to many of the major sites based off the Seine so you can walk and then watertaxi around when you are too exhausted to walk anymore! It's fantastic!

I shall sign off today with some other beautiful spring blooms, magnolias by l'Hotel de Ville.

Le printemps, c'est merveilleux!

Getting to know the Paris Marais

2012-03-11T17:09:00.001-04:00

We have lived in the Marais district of Paris for just a little over a week now and have already fallen in love with our little studio apartment and neighborhood. It was rather daunting to look through all the Paris apartments for rent, but Angie's hours of research paid off and we have just the perfect place for us. Would you like a little tour of our Paris digs? O.K. Follow me! Below is a picture of our apartment building. Our windows are the top two on the far right.

Go through the turquoise doors and you'll come into an inner courtyard...

Turn right and go through the glass doors to the old and winding stairway....

Now, look up...way up...take a deep breath and start climbing the five stories...

Catch your breath when you reach the top of our landing and look down to see how far you've come!

Impressive, isn't it? Our built-in fitness program to help justify that extra croissant!
(why do my pants still feel too tight?) Anyway...welcome to our home away from home!

A small but efficient kitchen means we can make our own meals whenever we want to. We have already established a rhythm to our days and love slow mornings with simple breakfasts of sliced fruit, hot coffee, and fresh baguette from our local bakery!
The apartment has a contemporary feel, with all the modern comforts but still maintains the original charm of this old building with wooden floors, a hewn beamed ceiling and large windows to make it bright and airy.

It's fun to people watch from our lofty perch.

A view from our window...

We love living in this area of the Marais district. It is such an interesting and vibrant neighborhood. You can literally walk in any direction to see historical sights, museums, cafes, bakeries, and artisan shops of all kinds. We quickly discovered delicious baguettes and decadent desserts just around the corner at a boulangerie called Hure (pronounced hooray...which is what we say every time we go in!)
Here's what's in their front window...

There's Angie at the back of the line at a slow time of day...usually the line is out the door and onto the street...

The Louvre is a 20 minute walk away...

The river Seine is nearby,

With amazing views of the Eiffel Tower...

The Pompidou Centre, housing the largest modern art museum in Europe, is literally a block away from us. Its collection includes the works of famous artists like Kandinsky, Picasso, Modigliani, Matisse, and Miro. We were so excited to have the place almost to ourselves when we visited there one evening last week.

And, of course, the Parisians just love their outdoor cafes, no matter what time of year it is!

Rick Steves describes the Marais as " containing more pre-revolutionary lanes and buildings than anywhere else in town and is more atmospheric than touristy. It's medieval Paris and the haunt of old nobility."

"After the aristocrats left, the Marais became a dumpy bohemian quarter so sordid it was nearly slated for destruction. But today this thriving, trendy, real community is a joy to explore. It looks the way much of the city did until the mid-1800's, when Napolean III had Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann blast out the narrow streets to construct broad boulevards to accommodate armies and tanks, thus creating modern Paris. A big Hausmann-type boulevard was planned to slice efficiently through the Marais, but World War II got in the way." from Rick Steves' book, "Paris."
We love our new neighborhood and the history and charm it holds. And we still have so much more of the city to explore!

Joy Rising...continued...

2012-03-04T15:45:00.001-05:00

We have arrived in beautiful Paris, France. I'm not sure if my brain has completely processed this information...at times it still feels like I'm walking around in a dream! The area we are staying in, the Marais, is an absolutely amazing location. I don't think we could have picked a better place to call home for the next month...there are fresh fruit vendors on our street, some small groceries, an authentic Greek "traiteur"(with delicious hummus), one of THE best boulangeries in Paris and a plethora of restaurants and brasseries.
The Centre Georges Pompidou is a 2 minute hop skip and jump away,

(Centre Pompidou at night from the apartment)

the Place des Vosges which we visited yesterday(it was home to Victor Hugo)is a 15 minute walk, as is the Musee du Louvre, which we visited today as it was the first Sunday of the month and hence, free admission day! Since it was a drizzly day, we packed our umbrellas and wore our raincoats...perfect plan since it was cool and damp. As we arrived on site we had our first view of another famous Paris landmark...the Eiffel Tower, la tour Eiffel!

I had visited the Louvre for an hour in Grade 11 on our choir tour(broke a heel on my shoes coming down the marble staircase)and saw the Mona Lisa then. I brought my mom and dad here when I lived in France(it's 20 years ago this year), but we only had time to walk through the Jardin des Tuileries and see the Louvre from the outside, so being able to go inside today after such a long time, was exciting. It was packed though, so perhaps we'll visit again on a calmer day.
There was a lovely cafe there which we will visit again on a less busy day. Marly REALLY liked it...I wonder why?

It was wonderful to walk around the grounds also and admire this impressive building...

I was in awe of its majestic beauty...if only the walls could talk and tell me the tales of what has gone on here. Much of Paris feels this way to me....there is such a sense of history as you walk about...as is the case with Europe in general. I just LOVE it!!!
Walking about the outside of the Louvre, we walked behind a woman with very striking blue hair which I loved also.(This tidbit will mean more as you read on!)
We then veered off to take some more photos and grab a warm coffee at a little stand on the Louvre grounds named...Paul! That's Marly's brother's name!

What was on the menu? We chose a delicious "tartelette" with rhubarb custard! We smiled as we ate it and thought of Marly's mom, Mary, as she loved rhubarb custard pie. I think she was enjoying the day with us!
Later, walking up rue du Rivoli, there was a line of photographers with their cameras aimed toward us. Really? Was this our moment of fame? There were no flashes or photos taken, so we passed them and stood to the side to see what/who they were waiting for. The blue-haired woman with large dark sunglasses(whom we had walked behind earlier)and an entourage walked out....

It was Katy Perry! As we watched her and her 'peeps' get into the black unmarked vehicles

and the paparazzi get onto their motor scooters and wait,

I felt so fortunate for us and a bit sad for her. We were able to walk about and enjoy the day and just be, while there she was with cameras flashing, bodyguards about, people staring...stardom/fame has a HUGE price.
This was a sticker on one of the paparazzi's scooters....

What a sad statement. We left the excitement of the Louvre to go and check out another "famous" place...L'As du Falafel

in the Jewish quarter(which in fact, our apartment borders). As much of Paris is closed on Sundays, the Jewish quarter is a wonderful place to be...it's alive and bustling!
Apparently this falafel place is Lenny Kravitz's falafel of choice, so, since it was rainy and damp, why not warm up with some delicious falafel. The line wasn't too long, the service was fast, and for 5 € each, we had the most amazing falafel yet(and I've tried A LOT of falafel sandwiches in my life)! It was stuffed to the brim with pickled cabbage, hummus, tahini and falafel...we stood under an awning in the rain and "dug in" to eat off a section before walking home.

Marly under an awning where we munched away on our sandwiches...the falafel shop in the background)

Paradise in a pita...I predict many a return visit in the next month!
We walked home and as we walked, found a shop very dear to my heart...Pylones! I dedicate this photo to our dear "amie", Ruth!

We made it home with a light drizzle of rain, unpacked and sat down to finish the amazing falafel sandwich experience when all of a sudden....downpour of rain. Hourray! Safe and dry inside with a delicious supper!

Joy rising...indeed! I wore my pendant today on our adventures.
Trees are symbols of strength, and I felt this in the last few days as we gathered strength to deal with flights, finding our way through streets and subways with luggage(perhaps someday I'll share my story of getting caught in a subway turnstile...or maybe not), switching languages, and adjusting to new situations.

Since the dragonfly is considered by some to be a reminder of living each day to its fullest, I think we were channeling that joy and appreciation as we meandered about today.

That's my wish for you reading this...find the special moments in each day, wherever you are, treasure them, and feel the joy rising.

Joy Rising

2012-02-26T21:12:00.007-05:00

Moments of joy surround us every day. Sometimes we are too worried, busy, or stressed to notice them. A cardinal's song in the morning, the smell of homemade soup on the stove, or the sound of the furnace on a cold winter's night. And then there are those big events in our lives which make us literally feel joy rising through our entire being. Angie and I have had a dream of traveling to Europe for many years. And in just a few days that dream will become a reality! Next week, we'll be blogging from our little apartment in the Marais district in Paris. Unbelievable!

Angie created a piece of jewelry to take on our journey...a piece to serve as a reminder to look for joy rising in each day.

Joy rising is the "inner message" of this piece. Angie will show you the outer design of her pendant in next week's blog. Until then, au revoir et à bientôt!

Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry

2012-02-19T19:15:00.015-05:00

Thanks to our friends, Lulu and V, we were recently introduced to a delicious taste of a Korean Glass Noodles Stir-Fry they had made using dangmyeon or sweet potato starch cellophane noodles. It was love at first taste...yummy sesame flavours infusing the veggies and "glass noodles"-made from sweet potato flour and water! No really, that's it for the noodles...simple dimple.

I knew immediately that this was going to be a new favourite and addition to the ever-widening repertoire of recipes I love to make. I did an internet search for a recipe using these glass noodles, and found this one on herbivoracious.com by guest blogger Alice of Savory Sweet Life.

If you love the taste of sesame oil, veggies and LOVE noodles (as Marly and I both do), I highly suggest trying this. It's gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian friendly. It makes a HUGE amount of "deliciousness" and makes meal prep for the days following super easy...i.e. reheat and enjoy!

The veggies suggested in the recipe are great, but you can add, omit, change as needed, still using the sesame oil, salt and pepper for the "flash sauteeing".

Here's a photo of the veggies I used when I recently made this...

Mmmmmm...yummy...mushrooms, yellow and red peppers, carrots, red and green onions, garlic, broccoli, kale.

Here's the recipe I followed...the veggie prep and cooking time takes a bit of time, but it's worth it. Hope it brings you and your tummy much joy!

Vegetarian Jap Chae

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free if you use gluten-free soy sauce (San-J makes one)
Serves 2-3 as a main dish
Serves 4-6 as a side dish

1 bundle of potato starch cellophane noodles called dangmyeon (most packages contain 2-3 bundles and can be purchased at any Korean grocery store or most Asian markets)

1/2 bunch of fresh spinach

1/2 medium yellow onion, julienned

1 carrot, peeled and cut into match sticks

1/2 red bell pepper, julienned

8-10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 stalks green onions, sliced in 1.5” slices (green parts only)

½ block of firm tofu, cut into small rectangle pieces (approx. 1.5”x1”x.25”)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Olive oil or Canola oil (amounts will vary, please see directions)

soy sauce (amounts will vary, please see directions)

sesame oil (amounts will vary, please see directions)

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

. Boil one bundle of noodles for 5 minutes until softened and al dente in texture. Drain the noodles and do not rinse. Add noodles to a large mixing bowl and cut them three times with kitchen shears.

. Add 2 tablespoons (each) of soy sauce and sesame seed oil. Toss noodles until sauce is evenly distributed and set aside. Using the same pot as the noodles, add enough water to boil spinach for 1 minute. Remove spinach from water and allow to cool just enough to squeeze as much water out as possible. Cut spinach in thirds, and massage it while seasoning with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add spinach to the large noodle filled bowl.

. Heat a wok or large frying pan on high. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook sliced onions for 2 minutes stirring them as they start to turn translucent. Season with a 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add onions to the large bowl of noodles. Repeat the same process as the onions except reduce cooking times to 30 seconds for the carrots, 2 minutes for the bell red pepper, 1 minute for the shiitake mushrooms, and 10 seconds for the green onions. Fry tofu squares for 1 minute per side – but do not add tofu to the large bowl of noodles.

. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of ground pepper to the large noodle bowl and toss everything until well mixed.

. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot wok and add minced garlic. Allow garlic to cook for a few seconds and add the entire bowl of mix noodles and vegetables to the wok/pan. Stir-fry everything for 2-3 minutes and turn off heat. Gently add tofu and transfer noodles to a large serving platter. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!

I like to add a garnish of fresh cilantro when serving-not traditional in the recipe but adds a nice flavour IF you like cilantro. If not, don't add.

As Julia Child would say... (just recently watched the movie Julie&Julia again!)..."Bon appétit"!

Working with Sterling Silver Metal Clay

2012-02-12T18:47:00.000-05:00

We were excited to hear the announcement that sterling silver metal clay was being introduced to the market in December 2011. Sterling silver is stronger than fine silver so it works well especially with rings and bracelets that take more "wear and tear" than pendants or earrings.

Angie and I ordered some sterling silver metal clay in January and decided to try it out by making some rings in the studio. We liked the feel of the clay and it worked very well in forming and picking up texture. There are several methods of making rings out of metal clay but the method we like is to first choose a ring template to determine the shape and the width of the ring band.

Then we wrap the band around a step mandrel that has been taped and oiled so the ring will come off easily when it has dried.

The tricky part of making metal clay rings is determining the shrinkage rate of the clay in order to get the right ring size. I read quite a few blogs about the shrinkage rate of sterling silver clay and noticed that some said it shrunk 3 sizes and others that said it shrunk 3.5. We decided to make our first rings 3.5 times bigger than the desired size. We used the step mandrels which are easy to work with as one has full size ring measures and the other has half size ring measures. If you want to make a ring that is size 8, you would wrap your band around the 11.5 step to factor in the shrinkage ratio.

Unlike fine silver clay, sterling silver has to go through two firings, the last being in carbon because of its copper content. The first firing is in open air, where the rings are fired at 1000 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour.

After the first firing, the rings are buried in activated carbon. A steel ruler was used to measure a 1/2 inch layer of carbon in a steel pan.

Then the rings were set in place and another 1/2 inch of carbon was used to cover them.

Now, they were going to go into the kiln for their second and final firing. Although the directions said to fire at 1500 for 1/2 an hour, I had read on a few blogs that there were sintering problems with that short of time so we lengthened the firing time to 2 hours to make sure the silver was sintered and strong.

After working with carbon firings with copper and bronze, the two firing process for sterling silver seemed straight forward. However, we had inconsistent results with the shrinkage rate. One load shrunk 3 sizes and another 3.5. Intriguing results... same thickness rolled out, same design, same sizes, same pack of clay. We'll do some more testing and let you know what our findings are.

Once the rings were fired, it was time to brass brush, put on patina, and finish them!

Here's a ring I made!

Angie made some beautiful triple spiral rings that she was commissioned to create.

We are eager to continue creating with sterling silver clay, especially when making rings, as we know its strength will be a great asset to this type of work.

The "Magic Box"...a.k.a. the iPad 2

2012-02-05T16:44:00.025-05:00

We weren't planning to buy an iPad but when we found out about the "Kudos"system for accepting credit cards with an iPad or iPhone, we happily discovered that we could pay for an iPad in a year with the savings in banking fees from our present set-up. "Kudos" is the equivalent to the "Square" in the U.S. where small business owners can accept credit cards on their mobile devices without having to sign contracts or pay huge minimum monthly fees.

Great justification for getting an iPad for our business!!! It truly is a magic box with so many wonderful apps to choose from. There are books to read, interactive magazines to enjoy, games to play, music to listen to, movies to watch, and we are discovering more and more all the time. This past week, I decided to try out some great photography apps and I'm having SO much fun! Now I am realizing there is just as much creative play after the picture has been taken as there is in taking the picture in the first place. The app I am enjoying the most is called ColorSplash. It's a great little app that turns your photo into a black and white photograph and then you can bring back the color is specific parts by painting with your finger! For example, I took this photo....

...and turned it into this....

I took this photo of a door in Carmel...

...and turned it into this....

By taking away the background color, the color you put back in really "pops"!

The only thing I have against this app is that it is totally addictive! I spent most of the day yesterday coloring! Here are just a few more more examples of ColorSplash with jewelry photos that Angie took...

I really didn't like the blue tinge on the white background of this jewelry photo I took, so I "ColorSplashed" it and like it a lot better!

Here are some photos that I took this summer on Little Cranberry Island in Maine, the home of Barb Fernald...

...and California poppies in Ruth Baillie's garden...

...and a maple leaf here in Ontario.....

O.K. I'll stop now. What it so much fun about photo editing on the iPad is that the process of editing is just as fun as seeing the final product. A whole day of coloring...mmmm...brings back good memories even if I didn't get anything on the "list" done!

A Riveting Afternoon

2012-01-29T17:45:00.015-05:00

I've always loved riveted jewelry, that industrial, contemporary kind of look. Last fall, we purchased a small hand-held riveting machine from Metal Clay Findings as it promised to make the riveting process easy.

Angie tried it out before our November show and made some very playful copper reverse dome earrings with rivets as decorative elements.

One of the goals I set for myself this year is to create more riveted jewelry. So last week, I decided to play with some brass and copper strips and to finally try out the riveting machine.

First, I started by taking a 1/2 inch wide piece of copper strip and textured it with a texturing hammer.

Then, I got out some metal punches and made designs on a 1/4 inch wide brass strip.

I measured the length of strip I wanted with a Sharpie and cut the strips with some metal shears.

Now it was time to rivet the two pieces together. The riveting machine has an attachment on one side that makes a perfect rivet-sized hole and the attachment on the other side beautifully bends down the rivet to hold it in place. Although it felt a little awkward on the first try especially because the earrings were so small, the process itself was very simple.

Now that the rivet was in place it was time to put Baldwin's patina on the metals to age them and to highlight the textures.

The last step was to drill a hole in the top of the brass center to attach an earring wire.

Voilà! My first pair of riveted copper and brass earrings. I decided to put them on a long pair of sterling silver earring wires.

I really enjoyed the process of making these earrings and it was fun to change from working with metal clay to working with metal sheet-and I love the riveting tool! I have a feeling there just may be some more riveting afternoons in the future!

The Sunday Edition - Pebble Play

2012-01-22T10:29:00.009-05:00

Before we created our own blog, Ruth Baillie kindly invited me to be a guest blogger on her blog called "Inside the Artisan." She asked that I pick a day to submit a blog post and so "Mondays with Marly" was born. Now that we have our own blog, I am finding that weeks fly by and I realize that I haven't posted anything. As in many things in life, a little structure might help me to make time for things that I enjoy. So, with that in mind, welcome to Sundays at STUDiO 28. Sundays are often a reflective day in the week, so what better way to spend part of it, than writing a blog post. So expect to find a blog post here at least every Sunday!

I have written several blogs on my love of beach stones and how happy I am to be able to incorporate them into jewelry.

When we bicycled over from the cottage to Inverhuron beach last fall, I was delighted to find little tiny pebbles in many different colors and shapes that I thought would be perfect for earrings. When I got back to the studio, I looked through the little mound of pebbles trying to find pairs similar enough to make into earrings, and made these.

As I continued to play with the little pebbles, something magical happened. Two little "moongazers" appeared...

...and a little piece of art was born!

Now I have these sweet little pebble "moongazers" hanging on the wall along with a picture of the view from the cottage deck. When I look at them, I am reminded of happy summer memories, which I particularly enjoy on these dark, cold wintry days!

Beginning a New Year

2012-01-01T09:52:00.004-05:00

We enjoyed putting on the lights, opening our doors, and sharing the longest night of the year with some of you during our Solstice Open House on Dec. 21st. As we reflect back on 2011, Angie and I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel, learn new things, meet new people, enjoy friends and family, and to spend more time in the studio. We are thankful and humbled by the amount of support we have felt this year for STUDiO 28. It gives us enthusiasm and energy to continue on our creative path.

Winter brings a quietness and stillness after the busy fall and Christmas season. We are looking forward to this time of reflection as well as planning new adventures in 2012.

A friend sent me these words of wisdom written by Carrie Newcomber. "As we enter a new year, may we let go of old behaviors long past their usefulness, finally allow the old wounds we've carried to heal. All that was, has passed away. It cannot be changed. So be it...let it be....breathe in...breathe out. Take all that you have learned and spin it into gold, turn it into commission, wisdom, and love. Nothing is wasted, it is only transformed."

Happy New Year everyone!!! May 2012 be your best year yet!

Celebrating Bailey's Local Foods

2011-12-04T12:11:00.007-05:00

If you live in the K-W area and are interested in supporting local food growers and artisans, Bailey's Local Foods makes it easy. Each week during the growing season and monthly in the winter months, members can go online and order locally grown food from a variety of categories. Members then pick up their orders at First United Church at the corner of William and King in uptown Waterloo during a designated pick-up day.

Delicious local foods ready for members to pick up

Names of local farmers and businesses are hung above the produce

We love Bailey's. Ordering online is so convenient. If you are out-of-town during certain weeks you just don't order. You are able to support local farmers without having to commit to a weekly box during the growing season. It's a great system! We have really enjoy supporting and getting to know local food producers and love to support Bailey's Local Foods.

We'll be joining a few other artisans at Bailey's in December and we'll have a table of our mixed metal and fused glass jewelry on display for sale. We'll be there, tomorrow December 5th from 3:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m and also on Monday, Dec. 19th from 3:30-7:00 so drop by and say hello! Even if you aren't a member, you can check out what delicious food and treats Bailey's provide on their "spontaneous" table and buy some locally made Christmas gifts as well.

Angie sets up our display at Bailey's last year

Once again, we'd like to thank everyone who came to our studio show last weekend! It was our best show ever and we really enjoyed seeing lots of familiar faces as well as meeting new friends! We are so grateful and appreciative of the support we receive from all of you.

Fused Glass Jewelry and Art

2011-11-24T13:23:00.019-05:00

We thought we'd give you a quick glimpse of some of the new fused glass art and jewelry that we have created for the show. We are excited about our new line of Japanese paper pendants that combine fused glass with these beautifully patterned papers!

Some pendant and earring combinations....

Many different kinds of fused glass bracelets....

Some reversible circle pendants....

and their reverse sides....

And, finally, some new fused glass collage art panels....

There will also be fused glass candle holders, nightlights, vases, and lamps for sale.

Now back to cleaning up all the creative chaos so we're ready for the show tomorrow!

Hope to see many of you this weekend!

Our Fourth Annual Studio Show and Sale is Next Weekend!

2011-11-16T21:15:00.023-05:00

STUDiO 28 SHOW & SALE

Friday, November 25th, 2011 4 to 8 pm

Saturday, November 26th, 2011 10 am to 5 pm

Sunday, November 27th, 2011 1 to 5 pm

Please email us for directions to the studio!

(studio28waterloo@gmail.com)

Our Studio 28 Show and Sale is only a week away! Needless to say, Angie and I have been spending wonderfully long hours creating in the studio. We enjoy being able to focus on the creative process during the weeks before the show and to let the usual routines and demands of daily life take less priority for a change.

It's always an interesting process to decide what new projects and designs to embark upon when working towards a show. This year, both Angie and I decided to expand on our some of the design series we have created in the past. Here is a small glimpse of some of the new pieces we have created for the upcoming show.

Some new versions of my "Lake Sunset" series...

And the reverse side...

A "Lake Sunset" series pod shaped necklace...

A new series called "Zen Lines"...

And the "Basketweave" series.

Bracelets with textures from various series...

And more with bronze and copper clay...

And now some of Angie's jewelry from her "Bamboo Series"...

And the reverse side...

And some new bracelets in the "Fern and Leaf Series"....

In the next few days, I'll post some of our new creations in fused glass. We hope you enjoyed this preview of some of our new silver, bronze, and copper creations.

No More Tears!

2011-10-31T12:34:00.013-04:00

The last few weeks have been grey and rainy. This cold, damp fall weather has been great for working in the studio and for making big pots of our favourite soups. The most challenging part of cooking for me has been cutting onions as the process has always brought me to tears. I have tried lighting candles, running water, and various other suggested ideas for lessening the sting of onion tears but nothing has really worked for me! Not until Angie bought me these "way cool" onion goggles. What a joy to cut and sauté onions without crying!

Here's our one of our favourite soup recipes. Goggles came in handy for both the onions and the leeks! The ingredients are simple and it tastes delicious! We use a Cuisinart Hand Blender to purée our soups. You can use it right in the pot so it saves the mess of putting the soup in a traditional blender. This blender also makes great fruit smoothies!

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

1 large onion, chopped

1 large or 2 medium leeks

2 large or 3-4 medium potatoes

3 cups soup stock or water (if using water, add bouillon cubes to taste)

Sauté the onion and leeks in a bit of olive oil in a large pot. Add stock or water and bouillon cubes and potatoes. Cook for 20-30 minutes.

Purée the soup right in the pot with the hand blender. Water (or milk) can be added to adjust consistency. Serve with a toasted piece of sourdough bread (homemade, if possible). Enjoy!

The only drawback of the onion goggles is that they don't fit over glasses. I got around that, though, by perching my glasses at the end of my nose!

Who needs to dress up for Hallowe'en?

A Wonderful Studio Tour Weekend!

2011-09-28T14:31:00.011-04:00

What a whirlwind leading up to the studio tour this past weekend.

We were busy finishing jewelry and fused glass pieces, putting final touches on displays, and creating our Mary Allen Studio tour sign to put in front of the house. The weekend started with a "walkabout" on Friday night for artists on the tour to see each other's work.

Even though it was dark and rainy, we were happy that quite a few artists stopped at our place to see our final set-up. It was great to travel to some other locations too, and to meet and chat with other artists on the tour. There's so much artistic talent among the Mary Allen Studio Tour participants!

On Saturday morning we put out the signs...

opened the front door...

and waited to see who would arrive....

What a busy weekend! We reconnected with friends and neighbours and made lots of new friends, too!

Thank you to all who were able to come to the studio tour. It was such a boost for us to have such a good turnout and to see your enthusiasm for our work.

We have spent the last few days catching our breath at the cottage. Yesterday, we got out our little foldable bikes and went on an adventure to Inverhuron to find some raw materials for our beach stone necklaces! Such an arduous task! Now we'll take a good look at our beach stone collection and start creating for the November show!

Happy Birthday, Angie!!!!

Mary Allen Studio Tour & Sale THIS weekend!

2011-09-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

It's almost here! It's time for the 23rd(WOW!) annual Mary Allen Studio Tour and Sale. We are thrilled to be part of the tour this year as two of the 9 NEW artists! It will take place this Saturday, September 24th, from 10am to 5 pm and Sunday, September 25th, from 12-5 pm.

We have also posted our workshop series for the fall. Check out our website workshop page for more info.

It's always exciting to get ready for an upcoming studio show. We have hidden away in the studio for the last few weeks and have been happily creating some new jewelry and fused glass art for this weekend. Here's a sneak peek at some of the things you'll see!

A new line of fused glass Japanese washi paper jewelry...

New framed fused glass art panels...

And some new mixed metal jewelry....

We hope you can take some time this weekend to stroll through Waterloo and see the work of many local artisans! We are Stop A on the tour! Please drop by and say hello!

The Wisdom of Grandmothers-A Special Workshop

2011-09-13T22:40:00.018-04:00

Grandmothers are our link between heaven and earth. They give us a warm place to land, helping us feel rooted within our families and inspiring us to reach for the stars with limitless belief in the possibility of our accomplishments. Grandmothers take the time to acknowledge us when our parents are too busy. They give us a glimpse of a past that we can only imagine through their stories. They encourage us to carry forward values and skills that would fade out of existence without their tutelage. We need to take the time to celebrate the influence of older women: their wisdom and strength, the importance of their presence in our lives, and the beauty of the memories we hold while they are here with us and after their passing. What they have given us in terms of experience and understanding lasts long after they have left this world. May we all cherish the wisdom of old souls. -Bonita Summers-

We ended our summer workshop series in a very special way. Friends Sharon and Judi and their daughters, Jaimey and Jordie gathered here on a beautiful, sunny day in late August to take part in a workshop we called "The Wisdom of Grandmothers." Everyone in the circle shared stories of their grandmothers and the gifts they had given to us. Gifts like unconditional love, joy and anticipation of family events, sharing of delicious traditional foods, constancy of traditions and routines, creative resourcefulness, serenity, and love of nature were a few of the gifts we talked about in the circle. Each person chose a glass circle, stringer, piece of coloured glass or a kiln paper shape to represent their grandmother's gift and gave this to others in the group. At the end of the sharing, each person had the same group of design elements to incorporate into their piece of fused glass. It was a very meaningful sharing circle and it was wonderful to see how each person incorporated their design elements into their tribute piece to our grandmothers.

Judi and daughter, Jordie working on their fused glass pieces

Sharon and Jaimey work on their fused glass projects

Jordie's piece before firing

Jordie's framed fused glass

Jaimey's piece before firing

Jaimey's framed fused glass

Judi's piece before firing

Judi's framed fused glass

Sharon's piece before firing

Sharon's finished night light

Even though each person had the same decorative elements to work with, each piece of art was beautifully unique. It was such a special experience to spend time creating with such wonderful mothers and daughters! A big thanks to Sharon, Judi, Jaimey, and Jordie for helping us to end our summer workshop series on such a high note!

Reflections on 9/11

2011-09-11T20:47:00.007-04:00

We decided to spend this weekend at the cottage. We were enjoying our supper on the deck last night and savouring the last rays of sunlight, when we noticed an unusual cloud formation on the waterline. As the sun sank under the horizon, an amazing city scape seemed to appear.

We had never seen such an unusual configuration of clouds. It seemed exceptionally uncanny that on the eve of September 11, that what seemed like two glowing towers would appear on the horizon.

Was Mother Nature herself mourning and paying tribute to the tragic events of ten years ago?

We decided to mark the day, today, by watching a beautiful film called "Beyond Belief." It chronicles the journey of two widows, Patti Quigley and Susan Retik, both who were pregnant when their husbands were killed in New York on 9/11. That experience led both of them to learn more about the plight of widows in Afghanistan. They didn't know that between 300,000 to 500,000 Afghani women were widows in a country where constant war, destruction, violence, and poverty have become a norm in everyday life. They felt compassion for these women and their families and raised money to help them become more independent and self-sufficient and actually went to Afghanistan to meet some of the women and children who had also been tragically affected by the violence of war.

We were both touched by the courage and compassion of these two women. What was so eloquently shown in this film is that each one of us has the power of choice. Do we react to what happens to us in life with anger and revenge or love and compassion?

There are so many people in the world who have lost loved ones and have been traumatized by violence, revenge, anger, and war. As history is shown, nothing is ever solved by violence.

May the tears and sadness of the children who have lost fathers and mothers, parents who have lost their children, and husbands and wives who have lost their partners in all countries and parts of the world inspire us to remember our common humanity and to choose compassion and co-operation over violence.

Fun with Fused Glass

2011-08-30T08:41:00.011-04:00

Our summer workshop series has now ended. We really enjoyed teaching and creating with different groups of people in the studio over the past few months. The fused glass art panel workshop was a popular choice and it was exciting to see the beautiful work that participants created. Here's a glimpse of a few workshops we did.

Participants choosing glass colours for their art panel

Ines measuring a piece of glass

Ines chose beautiful shades of blue for her piece

along with corded clear glass and an Asian symbol representing

good fortune and happiness to be carved into glass with kiln paper

Jennifer cuts different colours of glass to fit the design

she made on grid paper

Jennifer used blues and greens along with

beautiful specialty glass to create a panel she will put on a vase

Lois grinds a piece of glass to make the edges smoother

Lois chose rich shades of red, orange and red

specialty glass, black stringers,

and glass circles to make a framed art piece

Josie and Johanna work on designing and choosing

colours for their glass piece

Johanna chose beautiful red, orange and peach

shades for her fused glass panel

Josie chose a combination of blues, browns

and specialty glass for her panel. The dragonflies

are punched out of kiln paper, and put underneath

the panel when firing so that when the glass is hot, the

dragonfly shape will be impressed into the glass. This technique

is called kiln carving.

For most of the participants, this was their first time working with fused glass. Angie and I were very excited to see what beautiful panels could be created as a first time project! If you are looking for some opportunities to learn and create, we hope you will consider joining us in our next workshop series!

We will be in the studio full time in the upcoming weeks getting ready for the Mary Allen Studio Tour which takes place the weekend of September 24th and 25th. Brochures for the tour are located at Vincenzo's, Waterloo Public Library, Wordsworth Books, and many venues in Waterloo and surrounding area. We hope you'll take the time to drop by and see us and visit various local artisans that weekend!

Summer Rhythms

2011-08-19T09:13:00.005-04:00

photo by Angie Karst

"There is more to life than increasing its speed" - Gandhi -

Yes, it is true. We haven't added a post here all summer. A friend emailed us and said "Haven't seen much of you on your blog, but I kind of assumed you were passed out on your kitchen floor in some kind of bread/carb coma." (see previous post.) We love Sue's sense of humour! Well, the carb coma passed as it's been much too hot to bake bread. It's not that we were too busy or didn't have the time to blog. It was more that we were consciously trying to be "unbusy" and have some "retreat from the world" time...a time to find some balance. We are discovering that to be truly present and engaged with others, we need to find equal time to disengage, retreat, and find the inner quiet in ourselves. It seems that in that quiet lies a rich world of creative ideas, inspiration, dreams, and reflections.

Already we are sensing a shift in the world to "pre-Labor Day" stress. Maybe it comes from being teachers for so many years, but by mid August, summer rhythms start to change to more structured, and faster-paced ones. So, we are grateful that we took a little time to slow down this summer-because it sped by anyway!

The Joy of Making Artisan Bread

2011-07-05T10:40:00.011-04:00

We kept checking the precious cargo in the cooler as we headed back from Maine to Waterloo. We had been given some "Miss Isleford," sourdough starter from Barb and this would be the key ingredient in our new bread making adventures. We were so excited when Barb offered to take us through the process of making sourdough artisan bread during our visit there. With the sourdough starter, the only ingredients needed would be flour, water, and salt. We carefully measured portions the night before, fed the starter, and tucked everything in the fridge overnight.

The next morning we turned the dough several times in the bowl, shaped it into loaves, and let them rise in a willow basket to give the bread a beautiful design on top. Barb showed us how to put the loaves into a cast iron dutch oven to bake.

And voila, our very first loaf of artisan bread!

How exciting! Now the real test would be making it at home on our own! On the way back from Maine, we went shopping for a cast iron dutch oven, a willow basket, and a kitchen scale. We wanted to have everything we needed to bake bread as soon as we got home! On our first day back, we bought some OakManor bread flour which is milled nearby in Tavistock so that our bread could be truly local. And now it was time to remember all that we had learned at Barb's! She gave us this beautiful dough shaper bench knife to help shape the loaves perfectly!

The bread dough doesn't have to be kneaded, only stretched and pulled.

We couldn't wait to see the results!

Amazing! We did it! Could have let it get a bit browner-next batch! O.K...now let's brag about the texture! Perfect!

Now...to taste it! Our very first veggie bacon and tomato sandwich on our own sourdough bread! Could life get any better! What a sense of accomplishment! Now we can hardly wait to do it again...and again...and again!

(Couldn't wait to take the picture BEFORE tasting it...i.e. notice the bites!)

Summer 2011 Workshops at STUDiO 28 in Waterloo!

2011-06-29T18:12:00.016-04:00

Summer has officially begun and we are excited to be back in Waterloo after our adventures in California and Maine. Hopefully, summer will bring a more relaxed pace for you and opportunities for travel and trying new things! Angie and I have put together a new series of summer workshops just in case exploring your creative side is on your summer "must-do" list!

We'd love to spend a summer afternoon or evening creating with you in the studio. If you'd like more information about the workshops listed below, please check out the workshop page on our website.

Textured Wrap Ring

Thursday, July 7th

Intro to Silver and Bronze Jewelry

Part One - Tuesday, July 12th

Part Two - Thursday, July 14th

Glass Pendant and Earrings with Japanese Papers

Thursday, July 21st

Pandora Style Tri-Metal Beads

Part One: Tuesday, July 26th

Part Two: Thursday, July 28th

Fused Glass Art Panel

Thursday, August 4th

Intro to Bronze and Copper Jewelry

Part One - Tuesday, August 9th

Part Two - Thursday, August 11th

Dates offered not suit you? Have a friend or a group that would like to create together? Please email us at studio28waterloo@gmail.com to arrange a mutually convenient time! We invite you to spend some time in the studio with us this summer !

A Perfect Sunday picnic on Baker's Island

2011-06-26T19:42:00.023-04:00

We are now back in Waterloo after a wonderful visit to Maine and Little Cranberry Island. It is hard to believe that exactly a week ago we experienced a very special outing with Bruce and Barb. We were delighted when they suggested that we pack a picnic lunch of lobster sandwiches and take Bruce's boat, the "Barbara Ann" over to nearby Baker's Island. It was a beautiful sunny day and although the winds were a little high, we decided to venture out to this special place. We gathered together our picnic supplies and headed for the Islesford dock.

Bruce rowed his skiff out to the "Barbara Ann" and picked us up at the dock.

Along the way, Barb pointed out some special places on the island such as her family's island home where she spent many happy childhood summers.

Bruce anchored the "Barbara Ann" and we took turns getting a ride in the skiff to the shore of Baker's Island.

After dragging the skiff high onto the shore, we headed off across the island. No one else was there so we had the whole place to ourselves. We walked past a group of old, abandoned houses and saw one of the oldest lighthouses in the area. If only these houses could tell us the stories of the people who lived there!

After a beautiful walk through a wooded area, we arrived on the other side of the island and found a perfect picnic area amongst the huge slabs of rose granite-the "dancing stones".

We all enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch and had fun trying to capture the perfect picture of waves splashing on the rocks.

As we walked back to the boat, Barb shared stories and special memories of times spent with friends on Baker's Island through the years.

On the way home, Bruce showed us how he pulls his lobster traps. The trap he pulled had one lobster in it. He showed us how he measures the size and determined that this lobster was a "keeper!"

What an incredible day! Really, quintessential Maine! What a gift to get a glimpse of lobster fishing and island life! Thanks, Bruce and Barb!

Adventures on Little Cranberry Island

2011-06-18T21:49:00.017-04:00

We were SO excited when we met our friend, Barb, at Northeast Harbor in Maine so we could catch the 2:30 mailboat that would take us to her home on Little Cranberry Island where she lives with her husband, Bruce. It didn't take long for the magic of the island to envelop us.

After we got settled in, Barb took us on a walking tour of the island. The first order of business was to look for stones along the beach.

Then we went to see where the island library is, where many community events are held, and where Bruce plays badminton...all in the Little Cranberry Island Neighborhood House...

...past a beautiful field of lupines...

...over to the post office and general store...

...and then to the dock to see the pottery, several galleries and a shop called Winters Work which features many local artisans including Barb who sells her jewelry there.

At the end of our walk, we went back to the house where we were treated to a delicious meal of fresh lobster caught by Bruce, himself! What a perfect ending to a great day! We are so grateful for the opportunity to get to know Barb and Bruce better and to share, first hand , the experience of island life with them. We've been having so much fun together there has hardly been a moment to blog! More adventures to come...!

Surrounded by Beauty

2011-06-02T21:09:00.012-04:00

It's hard to believe that Angie and I have been at Birdland for almost three weeks now and soon it will be time to head home. We have been enjoying day trips to interesting and picturesque villages like Glen Ellen, Sonoma, Napa, Kenwood, Healdsburg, Berkeley, Sebastopol, Occidental, Point Reyes, and taking in the beauty of the many vineyards, wineries, gardens, and rolling hills along the way. However, the best part of the day has always been to return to this beautiful retreat, to be welcomed by Harold with his many "hellos" and to stroll around the garden or sit on the porch and enjoy the incredibly beautiful vistas. What a gift to spend time here!

Ten Things We Have Learned From Harold

2011-05-29T08:39:00.006-04:00

Angie and I have been taking care of Harold, Ruth and John's parrot for a week now. We had some time before they left to learn about Harold's routines, his personality, and his likes and dislikes. We are all getting to know and trust each other a little more each day, and each day, this little being finds a bigger place in our hearts. Harold has already taught us a lot of life lessons this week. Here are ten things we've learned from him so far...

1. A diet of fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds keeps you very healthy.

2. Singing with your friends puts you in a good mood - so does whistling a tune - so does taking a little nap in the afternoon...AND a shower will make you feel downright perky!

3. Cartoons can teach you all kinds of things (especially the ones on PBS). They just might encourage you to "go go go go...on an adventure!!!" (inspirational quote from "the Cat in the Hat")

4. If your food falls on the floor, don't worry about it!

5. If you're lonely, call someone and say "Hello!"

6. Looking at something upside down can give you a whole new perspective on things!

7. Some days you just have to squawk more than others.

8. Take time to chat every day at cocktail hour-and DON'T forget the cashews!

9. If your feathers get ruffled, pluck them.

10. At the end of the day, remind those you love how good they are, and don't forget to include yourself. You are a good boy, Harold. We love you!

The Birdhouses of Birdland

2011-05-28T16:52:00.020-04:00

As you stroll around Birdland, you will notice birdhouses of many shapes, sizes, and colors. They add to the whimsical magic of the garden and can be found peeking out from a variety of tree trunks. What makes these birdhouses even more fun is knowing that they have been painted and decorated by various guests who have visited Birdland. Ruth and John have a fun tradition of asking visitors to paint a birdhouse while they are here and to choose a tree or location where their birdhouse will hang.

When Angie and I first visited Birdland three years ago, we were given our own birdhouses to paint and decorate.

It was great fun to playfully paint with bright colors and to see our birdhouses come to life!

My birdhouse after painting....

And Angie's....

It brought a big smile to our faces when we went for a walk the other day and found our birdhouses, three years later, still happily hanging in the wooded area near the house.

Not bad for three years later! I love the tradition of birdhouse painting here. It's nice to imagine those little birdhouses in the woods of Birdland when we are far away in Ontario and to know that a "little piece" of us remains here until we visit again!

Fun Times at Birdland

2011-05-23T12:46:00.021-04:00

We've had a great week with Ruth and John! Some highlights were joining Ruth for her Aqua Aerobics class, eating Thai food in Sonoma and then going to the local theatre to watch the epic movie "Lawrence of Arabia", enjoying the local Glen Ellen scene at the Fig Cafe, sipping on delicious Birdland Merlot, enjoying cocktail hour and singing with Harold, the parrot, and shopping together in Santa Rosa. A special highlight was going to San Francisco on Saturday night to hear Ruth sing music composed in the eleventh century by Hildegard Von Bingen with her quintet, the Vajra Voices. It was amazing to hear the hauntingly beautiful music performed by these five gifted women.

In between all this fun, we actually had a bit of time to spend together in Ruth's studio.

We were excited to learn how to make anodized aluminum bangles. Ruth showed us various techniques she uses to decorate the bangles and away we went. The possibilities were endless for color choice and design. I decided to "tangle" my bangle, (hey, that rhymes!) with some designs from Rick and Maria's site called Zentangle and a site called Tangle Patterns. Here's my first bangle!

For my next bangle, Ruth taught me how to use this clever little riveting machine from Metal Clay Findings. It made it easy to attach the two parts of the bangle together.

I was excited to learn the process of riveting! I'm anxious to try creating designs with rivets when I get home. And I loved using these "Telesight" magnifiers. I've had trouble with some other magnifiers because of the prescription in my glasses, but these worked really well. The magnifier part of the glasses just flips up when you don't need them. Now I've got to get a pair of my own!

Angie made a bangle using a Queen Anne's Lace design which is one of her favorite wild flowers. She loved the deep red background color that she achieved.

We loved learning some new techniques with Ruth. It's always so much fun to spend creative time together.

Yesterday, we said our goodbyes to Ruth and John and wished them a wonderful time in the U.K.

And now our adventures with Harold begin...

You're a good boy, Harold!

En Route to Birdland

2011-05-20T12:54:00.018-04:00

In our last blog post, we left you on the shores of Moonstone Beach in Cambria, California. We instantly fell in love with the beautiful and rugged shoreline and the little town of cafes, galleries and friendly people. We had a most memorable dinner at the Black Cat Bistro and even had a visit at our table from the chef who created some amazing vegan specialties just for us! We spent quite a bit of time meandering along the beach, looking for stones and dodging the occasional big wave that would try to chase us as it crashed into the shoreline.

We reluctantly said goodbye to Cambria and headed north to our next stop, Pacific Grove, next to Monterey.

Along the way, we were treated to breath-taking scenery and soft, beautiful rolling hills.

We arrived in Pacific Grove and were happy to be treated to more ocean vistas.

There were seagull guards on duty, hired to protect precious possessions. No one was going to steal these running shoes!!!

At last came the day to head up to Sonoma County to visit our dear friends Ruth, John, and their bird, Harold at Birdland.

The hills and vineyards of Sonoma County

Angie and I met Ruth who owns Birdland Creations at the 2008 PMC conference at Purdue University. Angie and Ruth took the first BronzClay class together there and soon we all became close friends! We've really enjoyed getting to know each other over the past three years and have been inspired by Ruth, not only as a gifted jewelry artisan, but as a kind, generous, and loving person, too! We feel so fortunate and grateful that Ruth and John have welcomed us into their lives and that we can share Birdland with them for a little while- a beautiful place to dream, enjoy nature, and create together. It didn't take long before Ruth, Angie, and I were creating together in the studio. We'll give you a peak of what we've been up to in the next blog post.

It's wonderful to be back at Birdland!