Busy Making Dolls for Sew Bee Mine

We are smack dab in the middle of a giant snowstorm. I've been really busy lately with my new venture Sew Bee Mine, which is designing and creating one of a kind wearable art aprons, bags, dolls, banner, potholders and more, using beautiful vintage and other unique fabrics.

Here's one of the cloth dolls that are coming to life in my studio these days. She is made with a vintage table cloth. Her name is Sweet Honey Bun Snow Angel. She is 22" high. Her hair and face are drawn with a sewing machine with fabric collage. Her hair and shoes are colored with fabric dyes.

Woman With Rooster

We are hunkering down out here on the East Coast for a big winter snowstorm.

This picture was taken outside, so there are a couple of snowflakes here and there.

Woman with Rooster

Acrylic on Canvas 30 x 40

close up

Liberty Carriage House in Phoenixville featuring Wearable Art by Victoria O'Neill

I am no longer selling my wearable art, etc directly. We recently moved and my new art studio is in the process of being built in part of the barn underneath our house!, so really don't have anywhere to spread out to work.

I am starting on a series of fine art acrylic paintings inspired by birds in folk art all over the world. Stay tuned for all that. :)  Once the studio is done, everything will be available directly from the studio, including art workshops for all ages! I plan to apply and hopefully be accepted into the Chester County Studio Tour when I'm ready.

In the meantime, you can go to Liberty Carriage House at 176 Bridge Street in Phoenixville PA (610-360-8080) and find a limited supply of my one of a kind wearable art hooded scarves with matching fingerless gloves, wool fingerless gloves, pin cushions and wearable collage art shoulder bags, plus bee necklaces.......

Liberty Carriage House is a beautiful store, and features comfortable elegant upscale clothes from unique, talented designers plus jewelry/accessories and unique random vintage findings for your home.

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Template to Make Articulated Winter Gnome Paper Puppets

Making gnomes is a fun project for all ages.  Download the template then print on card stock. Color, cut out, add paper fasteners, tape or use staples to attach the arms and legs. Then tape a popsicle stick to the back, and Ta Da!

Small paper fasteners can be found in the scrapbooking aisle at Michaels. There are 100 in a box for around two dollars.  Note: JoAnn's does not seem to carry them any more.

Click on the link below to download the template from Google Documents 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2jIHP9Tzm8AWl96b3FJdktLRms/edit?usp=sharing

 (Directions are on the template too.)

The gnomes pictured below on the left, in front of the template were created by elementary aged kids. 

The gnome on the right was made by a preschooler.

The gnomes in these photographs were made using the full size 8 1/2 x 11" paper. 

If you want to make smaller gnomes just select two images to a page when you print.

Please feel free to share this with whoever you think may enjoy it. 

BOOKING NOW FOR WINTER 2015

Bring some magic into your school, library, party etc  with the delightful Going on a Sleigh Ride Interactive Theatrical Storytelling Event. It's the cutest show ever! Children dress up as winter animals and climb into the expanding sleigh. The sleigh won't move until everyone is in!

Afterwards they make a cardinal puppet to take home.

Call 610-644-8088 or email Victoria at artistvo@artypantz.com

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Queen Bee Necklaces from Artist Victoria O'Neill

                                 

           Come and get your Bee Necklaces in my store.........

Queen Bee Wands at the Philadelphia Honey Festival

                           

I will be at the Philadelphia Honey Festival on Saturday only

with my Queen Bee Wands.....

and necklaces.

Hope to see you there.

Swinging Tail Puppet Making at La Mott Free Library

 Here is a MerCat Cop on the left, and a MerMan on the right.

 She really took her time, and made a very expressive MerMaid with her hair covering one eye...

These were all made by just one girl, who wanted to make a family.

 She was the big sister to many siblings.

Just a few samples from many super creative kiddos 

at LaMott today during the puppet making after 

The Capture and Return of Bald Beatrice the Baby Mermaid.

I LOVE MY JOB!

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The Capture and Return of Bald Beatrice the Baby Mermaid at LaMott Library

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

The Capture and Return of Bald Beatrice the Baby Mermaid

 Thursday July 31st at 11:00 a.m.

LAMOTT LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY CENTER

7420 Sycamore Ave, Elkins Park, PA 19027

(215) 635-4419

I'm looking forward to returning to LaMott for another rip-roaring sea adventure. 

Hope to see you there!

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Going on a Sleigh Ride at Spring Township Library

Going On A Sleigh Ride!
open to the public on
Thursday July 24th at 10:00 a.m.

Suitable for ages 2 to 6.

Children dress up as winter animals and crowd into a sleigh. 

The sleigh won't move until everyone is in. 

Afterwards we will make cardinal puppets to take home.

Spring Township Library
78-C Commerce Drive
Wyomissing, PA 19610.
610-373-9888

Fun Summer for ArtyPantz Productions!

I'm really enjoying the summer shows this year more than ever. For some reason, my 11th year is just easier and more relaxed than the previous years. Most of the places I've been or am going to are places that I've been to many times before. It's such a nice feeling to go into familiar classrooms. It's also great to have so many kids remember other shows they have been in, and what character they played in the story. There are actually six stories to choose from at this point, all with their own set of costumes and props.

In addition to regular and a couple of new places, one standout this year is a collaboration with The Delaware County Intermediate Unit. Their mission is to provide leadership in the development and delivery of quality, cost-effective programs and services to school communities. I am working in various locations with their English Language Learners Program. This is really fun and interesting because the kids are from all around the world! 

The kids are all different ages and we are doing The Capture and Return of Bald Beatrice the Baby Mermaid.  Here are a couple of them making puppets after the show. Very sweet! #lovemyjob!

 baby mermaid!

                                                                                shark!
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Organizing a Studio

These are the after pictures......Things look pretty chaotic but this is such an improvement.

The main goal is to have work space and to be able to see the fabric I have available to make things with, and that has been achieved!

 I considered clearing out everything except painting supplies and "just" paint, but that is not happening at the moment. However that canvas on the floor is going to be painted over and a new one will be replacing it soon.

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Make Winter Gnome Puppets!

Print the template below, on card stock. Directions are on template
Then color, cut out and attach arms and legs. Then tape a stick to the back.
Ta Da!

This picture of my four year old grandson shows a Winter Gnome full size with the template printed on a full 8" x 11" paper. If you want to make smaller gnomes, just choose the option when you print to fit two images on the page. The best paper to use is card stock.

                            For added va va voom, glue a real pom pom on the top of the hat!

Click on the link below to download the template from Google Documents 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2jIHP9Tzm8AWl96b3FJdktLRms/edit?usp=sharing

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Making Cardinal Wands for The 37th Annual Kimberton Waldorf School Craft Show

I'm looking forward to being in this show again. For the past several years it has conflicted with my calendar but not this year.

I love this show so much, and even those years that I have not had a booth, I still go to it to buy presents.

I used to drive all the way from Philadelphia to it with my children when they were very young, just so they could shop in the little Children's Village there. It's the cutest, loveliest tradition for the school. All the gifts are made by the students and offered to young children to buy for their family members. Adults do not come into the village. Each little shopper makes up a list (with parents help) and is given money to spend, and then they take a (real) basket in their hand, and are guided through the Village by an older child. Each gift is carefully chosen and wrapped! and they come out the other end of the Village with a basket full of the sweetest little gifts ever….such as tiny candles made inside walnut shells, a little knitted gnome, etc.

This year I've finished making all my bird wands for the Firebird Festival, and had the idea to make some cardinal wands for this show since it is at a school and there are lots of kids who will be there. So I am in the process of making them right now.

These are on 3 foot dowels. I will be making some on shorter dowels too. I have some other things for kids too, such as sweater balls made with all the left over scraps from scoodies and arm warmers. Also some queen bee necklaces, and indoor snowballs.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

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Fabric of Peace II The Interfaith Connection Quilt in Media

The Fabric of Peace is an on-going project begun in 2008. Women artists from around the world are creating fabric swatches which are assembled into Peace Quilts that are being displayed in the United States and abroad.

The Fabric of Peace is a positive, ongoing and ever growing creative statement by women, connecting our shared interest in keeping peace in the world.

I had the pleasure of contributing two squares to the Fabric of Peace Quilt II The Interfaith Connection.  It is now completed and open for public viewing at The Reformation Lutheran Church in Media, where it is currently on display on the right, along with it's sister quilt, Fabric of Peace I on the left.

Reformation Lutheran Church is located at 102 Rose Tree Road in Media PA 19063 which is just in from the corner of 252 and Rose Tree Road, across from the park 610-891-0600. Hours are Mon-Thurs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 to noon. 

Please stop by and take a look at both of these impressive quilts. They are spectacular in person, so big and beautiful. An amazing array of creative expression comes together in colorful harmony on both them. A third quilt is starting now. (More info on that at the end of this post.)

There was a grand opening/unveiling and presentation of the Fabric of Peace II The Interfaith Connection on August 28th which included an inspiring slide show about the whole Fabric of Peace Project. Various square makers who were present spoke about the inspiration for their pieces, and afterwards everyone joined in fellowship with a delicious pot luck soup supper. 

Included in Peace II are swatches from the United States, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Jamaica and China.

My two squares represent The Baha'i Faith.

One of them is pictured below, in the middle row in this close up, on the far left.

and the other is in this close up in the middle row below on the far right. A nine pointed star, the symbol of unity is used as the foundation on both squares.

The border of this huge quilt features words of peace along the bottom and top, and the names of the artists along the sides. 

Here we are getting ready for supper. Each table had an Interfaith Golden Rule Coloring Book with assorted colored pencils for the guests to color throughout the evening.

What an honor to be a part of this !

Many thanks to Christel Badey, who organized this project, and Valetta, the director of The Regional Council of Women in the Arts West Chester PA who organized  

 Fabric of Peace I.

Here are Christel and Valdetta arranging swatches for The Fabric of Peace II

.

Fabric of Peace III, Peace in the Community is being created right now! If you would like to be involved please contact Mary Hutchins at 267-407-6490.

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