THREE WORKSHOPS FEATURE GUEST ARTISTS

 You'll find a diverse line-up of creative workshop activities for yourself, your family and friends or make it a party! These are great things to do with a group or club too. Designed to be more arty than crafty, these experiences will nurture the creativity of kids and adults alike. Three of the workshops will be lead by guest artists:

Natalie Thomas: Ceramic Heart Garland
Lisa Freeman: Encaustic Hearts Painting
Karen Skillett: Block Print Wall Art

Check them out at peaceinmygarden.com

WINTER CREATIVE WORKSHOPS

You'll find a diverse line-up of creative workshop activities for yourself, your family and friends or make it a party! These are great things to do with a group or club too. Designed to be more arty than crafty, these experiences will nurture the creativity of kids and adults alike. Three of the workshops will be lead by guest artists:

Natalie Thomas: Ceramic Heart Garland
Lisa Freeman: Encaustic Hearts Painting
Karen Skillett: Block Print Wall Art

Check them out at peaceinmygarden.com

CLOSING WEEKEND SPECIALS

NEW COLLECTION OF HANDMADE PAPER BOWLS

We have just completed a new collection of fun handmade paper bowls and you can see them this weekend at Counting Our Blessings.  We'll be open 10-5,  Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

JOIN US TO MAKE A BOXWOOD JUNIPER WREATH!

Don't miss this fun opprotunity to make your own Christmas wreath for your door or above your fireplace. We'll be gather ing from 7:00 -9:00 this coming thrusday evening. You'll learn to bunch together fresh boxwood and juniper and wire into a circulare or square wreath. Add some bling if you desire and be merry! A glass of wine to go along with it can't hurt either! For more info and to enroll visit:  peaceinmygarden.com

BAD NEWS-GOOD NEWS

Damaged Model

 Perfect Casting

This spring Dennis brought a beautifully sculpted angel which he rescued from a church in Kansas City, KS. It was one of a pair; one facing to the right of the altar and the other to the left. The one facing left was lost. He asked me to create a model of this angel and cast it in concrete. It took us most of the sumner to make the mold. I was concerned that the original might be damaged since it appeared to be painted wood. I gave it a coating of polyurethane to protect the surface and we began the mold-making process. Friday, we removed the new mold from the model. I was heart sick as the mold came off the orginal cruimbled into smithereens. It turns out this moldel was plaster over wood, not even re-enforced. So that is the bad news. The good news is that the very first cast came out in perfect condition! I am definitely counting my blessings on this project! These new angels are fulyl outdoorable since they are cast concrete and will be made to order at $95.

Guest Artist: KAREN SKILLETT

Karen Skillett has a great love for gnomes of all shapes and sizes!  Her newest gnome designs feature tiny gnomes cast in concrete from an early 1900's vintage chocolate mold combined with teacups on stakes for the garden or planters. We see the popular gnome character all around, including Steve's new and VERY popular garden gnomes and stones!  But did you know the history of the gnome figurine?

A gnome has been popular garden accessory since they appeared in the 1800s, when the first clay versions were made in Germany. They became especially popular during the Victorian age and again in the 1930s and 40s. They are considered good luck symbols when placed in the home or garden.

 

In folklore, gnomes are small, gentle woodland creatures who wear pointy red hats. They work by night and can live to be four hundred years old or more. According to legend, they help with chores such as sweeping and planting. This is why many traditional gnome statues hold garden tools such as rakes or shovels or are pushing wheelbarrows. 

 

While a garden is the most likely place for a gnome, they are also appropriate indoors. 

To all the gnome lovers out there...come to the From the Summer's Garden Holiday Sale, COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS and browse the collection!  Buying a gnome just may bring you good luck! (And they make great holiday gifts!)

SPECIAL EVENT: Encaustics with Lisa Freeman

Lisa Freeman has entered the world of encaustic art as a fun way to use the beeswax from their honeybees.  Join Lisa for an introduction to encaustic art.  Participants will create their initial on a prepared board and all sorts of hot wax, paints, and textures.

Encaustic workshop participants will be provided with their prepared “canvas”wood block.  Have in mind what letter or word you would like to write on your block.

 Layering of wax begins…

 Fibers are fun to press into the soft wax, then more layering of wax… 

You will also get to play with a heat gun.

 Color will be added to your creations 

with a little “coaching”.

 When you head home, you will have your encaustic block completed and with a nice coat of resin.  It will need to let dry for 72 hours.

Guest Artist: LYNN BAXLEY

Lynn Baxley is making masks again! In keeping with her garden theme each face is adorned with a vine garland harvested from Lynn’s gardens and woods. They will be equally charming on a garden fence or hang indoors on a wall to bring the garden spirit in year round.
She also believes angels belong in the garden all the time! Her newest version is designed to slide over a rebar garden stake or hang on the wall. You find many other fine hand built ceramic pieces by Lynn at Counting Our Blessings. 

 

Guest Artist - CAINFUSIONS

CainFusions has been having a wonderful time with a new technique called “Tapestry”. There are additional steps involved in creating the strips of color that are used, but the results are unique & stunning. We’ll be showing a variety of color layouts in various dishware pieces at “Counting Your Blessings”. We also accept special orders for specific colors in specific pieces. Remember that each of these are one-of-a-kind! Shop early for the widest selection
at Counting Our Blessings. Ipen 10-5 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in November and the first week in December.

COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS VIDEO

We couldn't have asked for better weather to get things in order for our Opening Night next Thursday. This is an awesome October and we are looking for mighty fine weather next week. Come join us! 

CLICK TO SEE OUR VIDEO

Guest Artist: NATALIE THOMAS

For this holiday season Natalie Thomas, owner of The Potter's Obsession Gallery & Teaching Facility, wanted to create height for the holiday table. This can be achieved nicely with her wheel thrown cake stands and pedastal bowls. Some simple, yet elegant in a white glaze while others are inspired by nature. This year she has created a series of serving dishes with impressions of pine needles, stained and glazed in an opalescence glaze. These pieces will bring a soft but festive touch to your table.
We can't forget about our dear fairies and have supplied them with a selection of their own holiday decor. Natalie has created adorable pieces for a fairy winter wonderland. Complete with Santa's mailbox, bird baths, sleds, signs, skate ponds and more. Change up your fairy garden accessories to fit the season! Come check out Fairyland located in the garden and lit up for the holidays at Counting Our Blessings.

COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS GNOMES

These gnomes are waiting to meet you at Counting Our Blessings. The large one on the right is a stepping stone and the little guy in the middle is a "sitter" who can perch on the edge of a step or shelf. He has space between his hands to hold whatever fits there like a tea light or a little star, for example. Finally it wouldn't be a holiday celebration with out a gnome Santa sporting bright stars on his robe. All are "outdoor-able" and made of concrete.

HEARTS AND HOME COLLAGE

This is a series of small hearts and varied house shapes that can be combined in many different ways to make a cool wall collage.  They are made form lightweight concrete with hangers aon the back sides.  Find these amdn many more new things at Counting our Blessings open 10-5 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in November and the first week in December.

SHELL MOSAIC STEPPING STONES

Here is a group of new stepping stones inspired by the ocean. While walking the beach each morning in North Carolina, I collected these really beautiful ocean-washed shell fragments. Sort of like the way the water softens the edges of sea glass, these thick shell fragments had been worn smooth on the edges but retained the striations in the shell surface. We used them in simple mosaic patterns on three sizes, 8" square, 6" x 13" and 13" square.

Guest Artist: FRANK MANGIARACINA

Frank Mangiaracina has used a variety of beautiful woods to create both decorative and functional items for the home including hors de oeuvres trays, ipad/tablet stands, cutting boards, keepsake boxes, and candle holders. He and his wife Kris have worked together to create wall and tabletop decorative pieces utilizing hand-painted tiles inspired by the vivid colors of nature and enhanced with unique frames fashioned from exotic woods.

Frank loves wood, how it smells when working it, it's beautiful grains and colors...his love for the material shows in his impeccable craftsmanship. You can see for yourself at Counting Our Blessings

Open 10-5 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in November and the first week in December.