Nothing says "Happy New Year" like fresh paint.

January first. New Year's day. Stereotypically a time of new beginnings.  We woke up after a fairly sedate New Year's eve of Family Movie Night with the teenagers (Guardians of the Galaxy) and faced the fact that one of my favorite people and long time vendor and tenant has given notice so she can concentrate more on shows and less on day to day retail. So faced with an empty room ( and ghosts of fabulous sewing and lovely jewelry) I picked

 not surprisingly the color of spring seas to cover the walls. Theory being we are turning the space into a self contained Gourmet Market to showcase our food & wine artisans and the bulk of their packaging is black white and red. What better color to make those shine than S&C Aqua?

 Started at 9:45. By 2pm with the help of Charming Husband and Reluctant Except I am Paying Him Son the "new" Gourmet Shop was taking place. I am actually VERY impressed with how much we got done.

 Also impressed with myself I didn't make the family do the Do It Now Death March to do ALL of the moves I am visualizing for the shop right NOW instead of rolling it out over the next couple of months...

Reworking the coffee station (pot is too crazy big) so one can buy a cup of coffee in Falls Church that is roasted by a local guy and not by a big chain. More soon.

Book and Art Supply Give Away! - Lesley Riley's TAP

 Toot my own horn time!One of my favorite TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) projects got featured in Lesley Riley's new book.  Creative Image Transfer features a wide range of projects sure to spark your imagination on how to use this versatile product.

For those that aren't familiar with TAP it is a polmer sheet that can be printed,  drawn or painted on and then transferred to almost any surface.  From metal to fabric to chalk & clay paint, it makes a lovely transparent layer to add to your art work.

"Fiona" here ( and instructions on how to make her ) was featured in the book and (I say proudly!) on the intro page too! I blew up an old 60's newspaper fashion ad and used TAP to make a pixelated transfer of the outline of Fiona. On "Copper Fantasy"  I transferred and vintage image of a bird onto copper.  I love how you can see the glow of the metal coming through!

 

To celebrate the book launch Lesley is giving away copies of the book AND packages of TAP.  The Giveaway dates are  August 6-10. To find out more check out Lesley's blog.YOu can sneak over there right NOW   http://www.LesleyRiley.com/weblog And let me know if you win!

You gotta pay the --- Cellist??

Cellist's creator Eloa Jane's is S&C Featured September Artist

You know that old adage about "paying the piper"?  I feel like I have been paying EVERYONE in the last couple of weeks.  School fees, car expenses, government fess for my helium tank (REALLY?). Seems like every thing that rolls around periodically but is NOT factored into my budget is due at the same time.   But then I think that is how I work to.  I am not so good at budgeting, doing a little bit everyday of something,  I make 9 pieces of art or none.  Rearrange the entire shop or nothing.  Cook 4 meals at a time or eat cereal.  Read a 400 page novel in three days or pick up nothing heavier than a magazine.  Not sure WHAT that says about me except for maybe that I enjoy "the Zone". 

Have you signed up for Area's 718's Karen Mullarkey's mixed media classes yet? There is one this weekend!

You know the zone, that Zen, timeless place, where the world ceases to exist and you are in whatever is in front of you.  Bliss.  When I was a headhunter I used to drive my boss crazy because I would bill a month's worth of income in 4 days because I worked in "batches", seemingly incapable of doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that.  After I injured my neck a few years ago I got rudely tossed from the "Zone", because my arm and legs would go numb whenever I stayed in the same position longer than 20 minutes.  So I moved to "Timer Land" where I would literally set a timer to make me get up and move a different muscle group.  I have survived and still yet don't feel I am thriving to what I am capable of.
Maybe it is time to go back to the Zone with Middle Age Restrictions - like Eating Right, Exercising & Going To Bed At A Decent Hour SO I Am Not A Mess The Next Day.

Cindy, here's the gratuitous chair shot!

 Why does that sound so UNappealing?  Why do I get SUCH a thrill from the big move, the big start-up, the big project started, worked and finished?  Hard to understand why one is wired the way one is.  But I am learning to live with the fact that maybe at 51 I should take better care of myself so I DON'T have to fight my nature when it is most creative...

Sunny flower pastel sketch from my daughter to brighten my thoughts.

me & ...

 The interesting thing about meeting people that you have read about or seen on TV or whatever is that they are well, people.  The illustrious CeCe Caldwell came to a regional meeting for her Chalk and Clay paint and gamely came to our house and enjoyed a typical Stifel Happy Hour.  She was fun, easy to talk to and frank in her opinions about her business and philosophy.

 I admit it I am a groupie fan girl FREAK about Mary Englebriet.  I admire her, how she has persevered in her art career and re-invented herself numerous times over the years to keep herself and her family sane while not comprising her art and her style.  I was trying really hard to be cool when I posed for this picture so I would n't chase her off!  Her comment before this photo was taken? "Boy, I just love having my picture taken. " Really Mary?  Perhaps not. But she was so gracious and charming.  I was flabbergasted to find someone with international reach and influence was shy and somewhat nonplussed at all of the fuss being made over her.

 My husband, on the other hand, has never met a camera he didn't like!

 I need to take more photos with our FIRSTfriday artisans.  This is one of only THREE I found and we have been doing this event for almost 6 years (EEK!) - with the lovely Isabel Zito.

 Been throwing a Mardi Gras party for twenty years. How many shots of me & my guests. TWO - one with Bruce Mogensen.

 We've had SIX birthdays at S&C. ONE shot of cake - with Ashleigh Collens of My Two Monkeys.

 Hanging with the neighbors for 20 years. ONE shot with the lovely Howard Cincotta.

 Artist shot #2 - with poet & artist DJ Gaskin

 more beach pics than anything else. My happy place but I am not it the bulk of the shots.

 Did I ever mention we went to the White House at Christmas?  Bob was mad at me because I didn't linger longer.  Was worried about slowing other people down.  This I will ever go again? Probably not in the cards  as the hubs no longer has a clearance...

Did I mention we faced the paparazzi

 or sat in our jammies on Christmas Morning?  I REALLY need to document my own life.  It would be so much fun to have more of my Mardi Gras table mates (here with Ted Timberlake.) Why don't I have pictures dancing on his patio?

 But I have this very bad habit of thinking planning and pondering the future and not not actually living in the present.  And being self conscious about pulling out the camera and taking photos to capture moments. Mind you I do know I have other bad habits too.. No comments all.

 I owe my bestie & unflagging cheerleader Laurie O'Bryon a phone call.  I seem to be keeping up with her through her boyfriend's Facebook posts (sorry about the deer in the backyard, Laurie).

Bob may look surprised but I am increasingly aware that time is FLYING by.  I need to take not just more photos of the people I care about but more time with them too.  Tick, tick, tick...

Happy 6th Birthday to S&C!

 You might have thought after the blog hop I would have been so inspired to run right down to my studio and MAKE something but no, I was making a mess and then cleaning in up -AKA rearranging the entire shop so it would be ready for our annual Birthday BASH!  Lots of fun this year.  We did have an enthusiastic yet wilted crowd.  The weather in DC has been BRUTAL. The triple H's Hazy, Hot & Humid. You know you are getting old when you talk about the weather and how it affects you...  And then add to that Mother Nature's gift of hot flashes and I just wanted to stick my head in an ice bucket!

 What did get for our birthday?  Lots of well wishes, a few (hysterical!) birthday cards and a SHED!  In a fit of fortuitous timing we got our neighbor's shed for the price of hauling it off their lot.  Amazing.  What a blessing to have a little extra room for cool pieces that we couldn't hold any other way.  One of trickiest thing about this business is that you have to buy things when you see them, whether they are seasonal or not (like the 8 turkey platters Bob just picked up from a client!) or not.

Our mission?  NOT to crap it up with things we will get to "later".  Stay tuned, my friend, stay tuned!

Polished and Polka Dots- TAP class Give-a-way!

Those of you that have been reading this week know that I am a big Lesley Riley fan.  I think she is a great example of preparation meeting opportunity.  If you have ever heard her speak about her career she talks a LOT about how things seemingly fell in her lap after she worked long and hard to be ready and was prepared to accept the project/book deal/ endorsement that fell into her lap.

In mixed media circles Lesley is known as a innovator in transfer application for collage.  So when the Manufacturers of TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) were looking for a professional to use and endorse their innovative product, they came to Lesley.  The rest is (transfer mad!) history.  Some folks are a little scared to try TAP or are unfamiliar with all of it's uses.  To that end, Lesley is giving away an e-class!  You can read more about it below.  I used TAP to enlarge some groovy mid century black and white images from a 1967 Newport News, VA newspaper fashion ad and transfer them onto fabric.  Then I embroidered and collage all of their colorized groovy details.

"Judy" by Theresa Wells Stifel

 Scope out this class; just leave a comment below to win a chance to take the class for FREE.  

Please tell me which of the girls are your favorite and you will have be entered to win!  I will be announcing my winner on July 9th, at the conclusion of the blog hop.  There will be one class giveaway per blog in the fun Blog Hop for all of the participants below!  You can leave one comment per blogger to be entered to win. So vote early, vote daily.

You can also visit Lesley's blog and leave a comment there to win a free 5-sheet package of TAP. Fun for all!  :o)

"Fiona" by Theresa Wells Stifel

 TAP was named the Most Innovative New Product at CHA in 2011

 TAP can be purchased online from LesleyRiley.com, Amazon, Joann.com and more.

  Also look for it (or ASK!) at your local art, craft and quilt shops.

"Sharon" by Theresa Wells Stifel

Here are the details on Lesley's class. Thanks for stopping by today! Visit the other artists below to learn more about Tap and possibly win a class to learn all the trick of the trade on how to use it!  Lesley is drawing winners from all of the TAP fans who leave a comment on their entry. You gotta play to win!  
June 26 - Christine Urias - Scraptime

June 27 - Karen Watson -- The Graphics Fairy

June 28 - Judy Coates Perez - Judy Coates Perez

June 29 - Theresa Wells Stifel - Stifel & Capra

June 30 - Lynn Krawczyk - Fiber Artysta

July 1 - Claudine Hellmuth - Claudine Hellmuth

July 2 - Gina Rossi Armfield - Joyful Purpose

July 3 - Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey

July 4 - Liz Kettle - Stitch Journeys

July 5 - Jane LaFazio - Janeville

July 6 - Joanne Sharpe - Whimspirations

July 7 - Pam Carriker - Pam Carriker      July 8 - Theresa Martin - Theresa Martin 

Who is the making of YOU? - TAP class giveaway day 2

I have only taken half a dozen art classes in my life and one was a fun workshop taught by Lesley Riley when she was first introducing TAP (Transfer Artist Paper).  Lesley pre-printed a bunch of images and we were supposed to experiment with transferring the images onto different surfaces and then bind them into a mini book.  Subversive me did not do this of course.  I took all of the little transfers and shifted them and incorporated them into larger pieces of art.  I THINK 3 years later I have actually used them all! (No one ever claimed I worked in a linear fashion!)

For this piece I lopped off the dunce cap on this little girl (because she is obviously NOT a dunce!) and transferred her onto the paper toweling I was was blotting my brush with, combined her with a doily that was too spotted to use au natural and voila'! a great card for mom.

Have fun blog hopping across the internet to see what these other amazing artists can do with TAP.  You can even win a video class with Lesley below.  If you are local to the DC Metropolitan area please check out our fun workshops at www.StifelandCapra.com.  We are in the process of getting more dates together for the summer so check back often!

There are a BUNCH of new changes happening at the shop artists moving out of town and therefore leaving me (SOB!).  And BIG decisions on what to do with the space.  Bob & I have made the command decision (gulp!) to expand our classroom space so we have more elbow room and turn the former classroom/sunroom into a SALE corner.  Rather than have markdowns scattered throughout the shop we will concentrate them in the hope that shoppers will be magnetically drawn upstairs!!!  After all who doesn't love a bargain?

Here are the details on Lesley's class.  Visit me on the 29th and the other artists below to learn more about Tap and possibly win a class to learn all the trick of the trade on how to use it!

June 26 - Christine Urias - Scraptime

June 27 - Karen Watson -- The Graphics Fairy

June 28 - Judy Coates Perez - Judy Coates Perez

June 29 - Theresa Wells Stifel - Stifel & Capra

June 30 - Lynn Krawczyk - Fiber Artysta

July 1 - Claudine Hellmuth - Claudine Hellmuth

July 2 - Gina Rossi Armfield - Joyful Purpose

July 3 - Carolyn Dube - A Colorful Journey

July 4 - Liz Kettle - Stitch Journeys

July 5 - Jane LaFazio - Janeville

July 6 - Joanne Sharpe - Whimspirations

July 7 - Pam Carriker - Pam Carriker      July 8 - Theresa Martin - Theresa Martin 

Pearls of Wisdom

20% off Joie de Bead Pearls all through April!
 

 FIRST Pearl of wisdom? To quote Ferris Bueller "Life moves pretty fast." My daughter turns 17 today. I, on the other hand feel like, uh 105 as I got up at 4 am to take her to crew practice. As you gasp in horror wondering, no, the kids normally practice AFTER school but it has been so windy here lately that they called a practice this morning. Glorious but cold.  The first regatta is Saturday so I am guessing that actually practicing on the WATER as opposed to training inside , is a good thing.

Sabrina Cabada - Featured S&C April Artist

 SECOND Pearl of wisdom? DON'T drink coffee at 4am.  The dock bathrooms aren't open until later.

Mommy Daughter ZipLine Bonding

 THIRD Pearl of Wisdom? Sometimes fast decisions are the best.  When another mom chickened out of the zip line and offered us her tickets, my daughter said, "Sure! We'll take 'em, right MaMa'?"  GULP, "Sure, sweetheart, let's go!"  I am apparently more adventurous than I think I am.  LOVED IT.

Bob's Ganache is the BEST

FOURTH Pearl of Wisdom? My husband is the best cake maker in the world. 'Nuff Said.


Rather be headed toward the sign on the right!


 

FIFTH Pearl of Wisdom? Being Self Employed is not for Sissies.  Yes, there is freedom and creativity, but there is also copious amounts of juggling: family, schedules, finances and decisions.  Hopefully the Lessons Learned from these Pearls are all positive ones.  If not, now, then when we make our millions by perfecting the Ultimate Guide to Getting It All Done.  Now THAT is what I want for my birthday...

More IS More

Figure Studies by TW Stifel

 You know, just when I thought things were getting a little stable around here and I could focus on some of my big long term projects around here I got hit with some major changes.  I was facing the fact that folks that have been with me for years (some since the beginning in this location) literally have out grown their Stifel & Capra spaces and are moving on. 

Twin Oak Studio Signs and "Brooklyn Bound" by TW Stifel

 The myriad of feelings run the gamut. Panic as I am scrambling to find new tenants in the midst of being sick for the first time in years and all I want to do is lay down. Overwhelmed as folks come out of the wood work presenting all of their lovely wares. Chagrined over the feeling that I am rejecting some one's best efforts because it's not a good fit for the shop or my style.  Enthused as I bask in other's artistic efforts.  Motivated as remember how I love to foster creativity in others.  Fear as I wonder whether all of the folks who SAID they wanted to take classes really WILL.  Sad as I recognize despite protestations of getting together I won't see the "departed love ones" once they are ensconced in their new routines.  Grateful for the "thank you for your support" & the "don't worry you will be fine, I believe in you" conversations.

NEW CeCe Caldwell Paint Display

The most overwhelming emotion is one of bemusement.  It bewilders me that people are astounded I am giving out direction postcards to Kelly's new Stylish Patina   home a mile down the road or talking up to new Studios and & Gallery at Gallery Underground in Crystal City .  Why wouldn't I?  The fact that these new venues are opening is amazing.  It means business is hopping and life is getting better for a lot of folks. Two Falls Church gift boutiques closed about the time I opened 5 years ago and I was constantly flummoxed by the people who asked if I was happy they weren't still in business! 

I am a FIRM believer in the "More is More" theory.  The more you have, the more there is to share.  Think of a thriving downtown with lots of dining and shopping.  Think of parties with people dancing, more is MORE!  If you have ever had a meal at the Stifel house you know we believe that there is never enough food.  

Estate of the Nation Chair, Handbasket Yarn Scarf

 I try really hard to provide an extremely eclectic offering of vintage goodies, art and craft at  Stifel & Capra.  I try to avoid having artist work that are too similar in the shop because what kind of choice would you have if they were all alike?  Not these artists & artisans .  With all of the talent in the world and all the great American Pickers out there I think there is room for everyone to be in the business of helping our patrons create happy birthdays, happy anniversaries, happy holidays and happy homes!  Do you agree?


Persimmon Street Ceramics

Done & UP!

I have emerged from my cocoon.  Well, you can't really call working from dawn to dark to get things done on a deadline being in a coccon, but I have a quite exhausted, yet satisfied feeling of delivery.

Got my awesome patron BJ's order sewn and delivered.  In between chastising myself for not having it done sooner (although I did have it done when she needed it so WHAT is my problem???) and loading the car & picking up my buddy and curator Debby, I took a VERY deep breath and tried to recalibrate.

I felt like a cartoon chacter that shakes it's whole body in the air and goes "balalalalalup" to recenter.  Happily had a lovely time with Debby hanging the show to lots of compliments from the show director and musical director at 1st Stage.   The photo above is our work in progress!

The musical "Alter Boyz" opens Friday.  My Artist Reception is 5 to 7pm on Sunday December 9th.  A bunch of us are staying after to watch the show get your tickets at the 1st Stage website if you care to join us!

For now?  Waiting for my kids to get home from school so they can help me put out new merchandise for the BIG shopping weekend at Stifel & Capra.  Wish me luck!

Black Friday Brunch - Nov. 23rd

Join us at the civilized hour of 10 am for our yummy annual Black Friday brunch. Bagels & champagne (while they last!)plus one of a kind gifts for you from or resident artists and artisans. Who needs doorbusters? Open 10am to 8pm

Small Business Saturday - Nov. 23rd
To say thank you for helping us serve you by following our dreams, enter to win drawings throughout the day for Stifel & Capra gift certificates. Grand prize? $100 to buy a present for our favorite customer - YOU! Open 10am to 6pm

Cyber Monday - Nov. 26th
New this year! If you don't get want to brave the crowds, shop vintage at S&C's website to get 20% off! Go to theStifel&Capra Shop and be sure to use coupon code 2012Cyber20 for special savings!

Putting on my dancin' shoes.

 So, here is "Brooklyn Bound" with a new hair do, SOOooo much better than the first attempt.  I wish I looked that good waiting for a train.  I will admit that even in my heyday I wasn't much inclined to ride or drive a couple hundred miles for a party.  Now, it just makes me feel old.

 Another thing that makes me feel old is how many people don't understand Bob's "Sincere Pumpkin" sign.  Don't people watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" any more? 

 Next collage profile?  My daughter in MY dancin' shoes.  Well, actually they are more like my standing around trying to look cool and I never wear them because when I do I am seven feet tall shoes, but a girl can dream, can't she?

These snappy Italian loafers a la' Ellen DeGeneres are probably more my speed.  Mary had these at our last flea market.  Watch the Stifel & Capra Facebook Page for all of the details for next month's Holiday market.  Last outdoor shopping extravaganza of the year.