Day Three of the Ten-day Collage Challenge

Here is Wednesday's collage finally getting posted on Thursday. I continue to challenge myself to use only the junk mail and cast-off paper that I've gathered off my kitchen counter. One more collage using the junk mail and then, for Day 5 I'm going to go into my magazine scrap for a different look.

Today was a beautiful day. We finished up our landscaping, bought some plants that will need planting tomorrow and took a convertible cruise to the Minnetonka Drive in. These warm summer evenings are the best! Hope you've had a great day!

10-Day Collage Challenge #1

I'm participating in a 10-Day Collage Challenge. Here's my first. It's made of junk mail that I found on my counter. I've always been intrigued by the many lovely patterns on the inside of envelopes. I'm featuring two of them in this piece. I love words and text and thought these would be interesting in this piece...and I WANT that shirt that I found in a Kohl's ad!

Thanks Lynn for the challenge and the motivation to do some of these fun, spontaneous collages. Check out Lynn's web site for her collages and those by the other participants. Lynn is a master collage artist. I met her through my artist/writer friend, Sue. Sue shared Lynn's collage book a few years back (yes, Lynn gave her permission) and I have been a fan ever since. It's fun to be a part of a creative coalition. Stay tuned and check out the other art.

Yes, I know, I'm already one collage behind..maybe I'll do another one tonight. :) Cheers! Happy creating.

OK...so I did a quick second collage to catch up. I continued my theme of using junk mail and again, feature the inside of an envelope. It celebrates our individuality and the rise to be whatever we can be in spite of the pigeon-holes we find ourselves in.

Trunk Show Photos

Last Thursday's Stonecrop Trunk Show was a very fun evening. I debuted my lamps which got a great response. The candle holders were popular and I introduced my mini-paperweights or "Desktop Treasures" as I'm calling them. Thanks to the friends who came out for the evening of art, treats and treasures.

Thank you Jim and Kathy for hosting the evenings events. Thanks for your support and encouragement!

Stonecrop Trunk Show

Stonecrop is one of my favorite shops. Kathy has carried my products going way back to my Oak Leaf T-shirts and rubber stamps. I am grateful for the support and encouragement she has given me over the years and am very blessed by her friendship. I began working at Stonecrop last September and am delighted to be a part of the staff, but mostly so inspired and encouraged by being in the environment at Stonecrop.

This Thursday I am pleased to be a part of a trunk show that Stonecrop will host. There are four artists participating.
Kim Hondel of e.r.i.n. designs with her wonderful and unique domino and beaded jewelry and I hope she'll bring some of her felted pieces (especially the very cool scarves!!)
Wendy Richardson from QT Studio, with her beautiful dyed linens http://www.qtstudio.com
Christy of Urban Sweetpea, unique personalized jewelry
And myself, Designs by Linda Thiltgen
I’ll be bringing my candle holders which debuted with great success at the Mudd Lake Show. I have small 4 x 4 inch canvas pieces with inspirational and fun fortunes, some of my framed pieces and some new paperweights. Today I'm working on lamps that I hope will become part of my line. Let me know what you think when I see you on Thursday!

Trunk Show Thursday June 18 from 5 - 8 pm
Stonecrop
13728 83rd Way
Maple Grove, MN
763 416 4035

Come by for a fun evening at one of my favorite shops. Meet the artists, have some treats and enjoy an evening of inspiration and calm.
Check out the Sweet Riot chocolate “peaces”, too.

The Joy of Creating Art

My cousin, Karen, lives in Eden Prairie. I visited her home today while her husband, Bernie worked on my car. While I waited for my daughter to pick me up, I sat in Karen's "outdoor studio". There was a cute little metal table with two chairs and all the equipment she needed...brushes, paint, water, a paper plate for a palette, paper towels and her raw materials...smooth stones. Karen had all she needed to create her wonderful, whimsical pet rocks. She gifts these little creatures to her "children" on the bus route she drives at the end of the year. The kids have even started bringing pictures of themselves and their pets in hopes that Karen will make them a special portrait. Her little creatures grace her garden; peaking from knots in driftwood, perched on rocks and a school of fish swims in front of a pot of pansies. They are really cute.

Today was a good reminder about the spontaneous joy of making art. I have been in the midst of preparing for shows and trying to launch products and I have forgotten to have fun in my studio. I have been busy trying to second guess myself as to what products will be most profitable and writing a business plan. Even tho these things are important, I think I need to do more creating for creating sake. Get the ideas out of my head not because I think they would sell well but because these ideas need to be free to become the art they are to be. I love the quote, "Do what you love, continue to do it and it will take you where you need to go."

In Karen's "studio" today there was a peacefulness. The birds were singing, someone was mowing their lawn, the smell of flowers was in the air. There was a simple joy. It was a good reminder. Next week I think I'll take my sketch book outside to my beautiful gardens and enjoy creating something alfresco.

Thanks Karen for a nice visit, for the tour of your studio and for the reminder of the joy of creating.

Spreading Joy One Topiary at a Time

Have you seen this special on HGTV, A Man Named Pearl and His Garden? It is an incredible story. His accomplishments are remarkable and his motivation are so commendable. If you can't catch the entire story on HGTV, I've linked this post to the web page where you can view the gardens. Not only is his work extraordinary...but he created it from cast off plants! It's a story of one man's determination and how each of us can make a difference, working for peace and love in the world. Bit by bit, inch by inch...or in this case leaf by leaf.

Help Needed

Can you help me find this fabric? I love it. I've seen it on pillows and chairs in Buffalo MN at the occasional sales. If anyone knows where I can purchase it or the company that printed it please let me know. I want to use it in my living room.
Thanks for your help.
Linda T

Mudd Lake Farm

Well, the "Ken's Big Barn Adventure" art sale is behind me by a day. It surprises me how much energy it takes to get ready. I usually let everything else slide so today, after this post, my task is cleaning house and putting things away in my studio. I don't like doing it but I like the results afterwards!

It was a fun weekend on a hobby farm in Watertown, west of Lake Minnetonka. It was fun to hang out with friends and fellow artists. Mudd Lake Furniture is a treasure trove of old and new furniture, unique accessories and this weekend, ART! The owner, Bob Kratsch is a former NFL linebacker with a passion for furniture and beautiful things. I was amazed at all the wonderful pieces. After numerous trips around the place I was still discovering things I hadn't seen before. I especially liked the screen house at the back of the property and immediately asked Mark if he thought he might be able to build one in our back yard. (Those of you who know Mark already know his answer or more importantly the look on his face after me asking him!) The farm was complete with a burro, sheep, goat, pig and a gorgeous peacock. (Wow are they noisy birds!) He (or she) even obliged us with strutting about with full-out feathers. It really is incredible how big those birds are and so marvelously beautiful!

Special thanks to those who ventured out the to farm, My Mark, Donna and John, Beth and Jon, Glenn and Paula, Mark, my sister-in-law and loyal fan, Pam and my Mom and my sister, who drove down from Silver Bay yesterday just to support me for a couple hours! How cool is that!?! I was happy to be able to hang out with my buddy, Sue Seeger who was in the show as well and had the cool metal art at the entrance to the barn. Thanks to Ken O'Brien for organizing the event and including me in his "adventure". I look forward to many more. I am grateful for all your encouragement and support.

Next show is a one evening affair at Stonecrop on Thursday June 18 from 5 - 8 pm. I love this shop. After being a customer for many years I now work there part time and am pleased to be one of their artists. Kathy carries my tiles which are licensed to Studio Vertu, selling them individually in small easels they make a great gift; inspiring and encouraging.

Enjoy the photos from this weekends show and have a great day!