juliehaymakerthompson's blissbee

The fairy Garden

2012-05-29T08:09:00.003-06:00

When I was a little girl I loved the idea of creating wee house in the woods. So playing on pintrest this am I found the fairy garden page SOOOO cute !!

2012-05-17T08:33:00.000-06:00

I just discoverd the Mini esty widget for my supply shop !!! it is so cute.

another goal meet !

2012-04-26T09:12:00.003-06:00

Finally another goal meet and I can now cross it off the endless" to do" list!!!! Yippee .
I have many request in the shop asking if I also sell the clothes on line. Well, now I do! Check it out at Blissbee.net! Also we are growing each month . I now have 190 items on our bisbeebliss etsy supply shop too. Our little Blissbee keeps growing each month. But a word of caution to those who are thinking about opening a shop, expect to not have an outside life!!

Thanks Lady's

back from Art and Soul!

2012-03-06T18:38:00.002-07:00

I just got back from Art and soul at Virginia beach. It was such a beautiful place and hotel for the event. Glenny moved it this year to a smaller hotel right on the beach. My desert dried out body loved the water and a long walk after classes at sunset was perfect .The first evening at sunset I gathered shells for my students to use the next day in class . Then I went out for tuna sushi another non desert food sooo YMMMUY!!!!!I met up with old friendsand made new ones and was able to give my down under blog friend Jen Crossley a big hug. Yes, she was there teaching her wonderful art !!!!!! I taught Paper Clay "pups and wheels" and one kitty too. And my 3 times a charm, no solder charm class .My students blew me away as my student always do . Here are some images.

Art and Souls next event is vegas . June 13 - 18 2012.

my class - 3rd times a charm

my class - pups on wheels

one of the fiber arts classes

Wow get a load of this class room set up .....

And the copper enameling class taught in that class room !!

I finally I gave Jen ( Crossley) a big hug we laughed that this was all that we had the time to do .

And yes that is me with my new "real" me look.

I let my hair grow out and I love not coloring it anymore .

The hotel was RIGHT on the beach and this was our view !!!!

I made a new friend too , plus many others with less hair.

Heading back home on the road after a long flight and then a 3 1/2 hour drive to Bisbee .

This is some of the fun to be had class wise at

Las vegas Art and Soul

See the dress on the far right that is "Alterations" one of 3 classes I will be teaching .

The man chair

2012-02-19T19:21:00.004-07:00

The favorite spot in the shop for man and beast is the "man" chair . When I opened the shop one of the things I wanted was a place for the men to sit while the women shopped . The chair is very popular . Q tip ( our shop kitty) is especially partial to men so she has taken to hanging out in the chair and waiting for them to come in and sit down . This is Kim's partner . I have to say I was very surprised how many people like cats. I feared it would be a problem when we took Q tip in, but just the opposite. I would say 99% of the folks just love her and the men do too. In fact one big old farmer type picked her up one day and draped her over his shoulder and said AHHH she reminds me of my big ol' barn cat I lost years ago.

Glad to be back !!

2012-02-05T18:17:00.003-07:00

New things going on at blissbee www.blissbee.net

Life is full-life is busy ....It is going to "bee" a good year for blissbee and me !My word this year is ACCEPTANCE what is your word for the year??

"Princy"- she makes fine shawls too !!

Sweet Baby Jane !! Carol popped into the store like a gypsy selling her wares and I feel in love !!

Lorie Garver - Her angels just fly out the door

"Never more" our new line of body and my altered spoons

New "Eyebobs"( readers ) I love the bifocals, clear on the top readers on the bottom.

more "Princy" over "Magnolia Pearl"

Todays class was "love potions" a soldered bottle, and findings

I also added some charms from the new charm line in our shop .

And Jenny Doh's new book CREATIVE PILGRIMAGE with a how to by yours truly .

Thanks Jenny they sold like hot cakes this weekend . Everyone love you !!

Taking a blog break

2011-10-30T19:02:00.004-06:00

Taking a blog break Please Visit Our Blissbee Web site www.blissbee.net !! Hugs to All Julie

In memory of Steve Jobs ....

2011-10-07T08:08:00.000-06:00

"Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”- Steve Jobs

lusious !!

2011-09-26T08:30:00.001-06:00

Thought I would post some images of the luscious clothing I carry in our shop !!!! Wish I could afford it myself tee hee . I carry three lines- Meg by design- Magnolia Pearl and Vintage Kitty. If you guys know of any hand made clothing artist that are looking for a shop to represent them I would love to hear about them as I am looking to expand more in that direction .

Stepping back in time ...

2011-09-18T08:03:00.002-06:00

Down the street from our little shop is an amazing shop called "Optimo hat works" owned by Grant Sergot . The other day I stopped in for a visit and came out an hour later with tons of photos and a new passion for hand made Panama hats. I have never been in a more beautiful shop ! Hence the reason I wanted to share these images with everyone. One feels like they have stepped back in time over a hundred years ago and yes almost every thing Grant uses to form these hats is from the 1800 and early 1900 hundreds . He also fitted me for a hat using one of his many strange antique contraptions .Well I hope you enjoy these images. PS Grant's lady friend makes hand cut rubber stamps . Hope to visit her soon too !!

types of bows you can select Grant only uses vintage ribbon.

A very amazing hat hand woven into a very tight weave. Grant gets the basic hat forms form artisans in south america and then he forms them into what ever style you want and stretches them to the exact fit of your head .

Notice the weird scary bumps on the side of the pattern taken from my head. Am I growing horns ????

A eye candy post

2011-09-12T13:20:00.001-06:00

I went to the mini fall Tucson gem show and came back with a few goodies . For you bead/jewelry artist the latest trend is AB finishes , large gem stones and HOT is Pearl chalcedony! I have started to list these on my new etsy shop bisbeebliss. Also for those into turquoise my favorite is sleeping beauty from the now closed mine in Globe AZ . Since the mine is now closed it is harder to find. I splurged on a faceted string of A++++ grade and the color is stunning !

Yummy AB facet cut large gems

sleeping beauty !

my town

2011-09-05T21:32:00.000-06:00

We have lived in Bisbee for 9 months now and each day I find new reasons to love this sweet little mining town. I thought I would show some of those reason in the following photos......

new classes at Blissbee

2011-08-29T11:22:00.000-06:00

Just got my classes listed for the next 6 weeks on www.blissbee.net! Most are small easy under 3 hour classes ,unlike my workshops and retreats. I am working on making these smaller classes into kits and already have 3 listed on my etsy site. Boy all this takes so much time. When you come up with this ideas .You think... oh ya I will do this and then that and then this !!! and theeeeeen 2 months later you only have a tad of your ideas done. Why can't the days be 48 hours long and why can't we live a lot longer too ! So much fun stuff to do and so little time. Do any of you every feel this way??

Sew Spookly

Mosaic cupcake music box

Wee Doll

Skelly

Rusted Relic

finger fun

House of wood and paper

Yes you can drill into the doll

2011-08-23T18:35:00.001-06:00

This is an update to Sundays post . I had time to play with the Tim Holtz rusted doll I showed in the last post and YES you can drill into the plastic!! I drilled a hole for the wings so that they are secured with glue and a small nail and I drilled her head and added a wire wrapped hanger. SOO Easy and kind of nifty looking ?? Oh she has a wee real pearl necklace .

Julie's How to for creating real rust finish!!!

2011-08-21T17:46:00.002-06:00

Today I am going to show a mini "how to" on creating real rust finishes on metal, wood ,paper and plastic. I use a 2 part process using real iron paint and then an easy rusting solution .
Both can be cleaned up with water .

I started with a piece of card stock paper , a Tim Holtz plastic

"fractured doll" ,

A wood tag and a tin bottle cap.

Next I painted them all with the "Blissbee iron paint".

2 heavy coats on the wood and paper and 4 heavy coats on the plastic doll and tin bottle cap.

I allowed each coat to dry before re-coating . The iron paint is then cleaned up with water .

I then coated each with 2 coats of the rusting solution. I used a paint brush for this as it agitates the surface a bit . Also use gloves for this process and allow each coat to dry naturally . The first coat will not show much rusting action. The second coat will. You can then clean the solution up with water . Dispose of excess properly.

The iron paint and rusting solution(enough to cover 3 sq. feet) can be bought on the Blissbee web site

www.blissbee.net or right here.

It is 32.50 and that includes shipping

These are Tim Holtz's plastic" fractured dolls" (small 2 " large 3).

You should be able to drill into these unlike porcelain. So an eye hook could possibly be added for hanging. I have not yet tried this but I would add a clear matt sealer to the finish if I was to do so and use it for a necklace .

These can also be bought on the Blissbee web site

www.blissbee.net or right here.

They are $6.30 and that includes shipping.

Thanks for reading and putting up with the "pitch",

I have to say this is one of my favorite techniques .

busy and having fun

2011-08-10T09:14:00.005-06:00

It was off to Art Unraveled in Phoenix this last weekend. A fellow artist friend and wearable art artist
Lorri Scott ruptured her retina YIKESSS!! So was unable to teach and run her booth at Art Unraveled . She asked if Lori Garver, my sister Lorrie and myself would run her vendor booth for the event. It was a shopping frenzy all day as we played Barbie arraigning and rearranging clothes and we sold like mad!!! The rest of the weekend was spent in quite play time as my sister and I journaled at our Mom's dining room table. It was a wonderful weekend all around and nice to get away from the shop . Cal was left in charge there and did a fine job of it too.

On the way to phoenix .Yes this really is the Arizona Desert!!!

A happy customer in Lorri Scott's wonderful clothing .

The Business of vending

The end of the day -Lori , Julie and Lorrie

Journaling fun !!

You are given one little spark of madness.....

You mustn't lose it.

2 pages from my journal - simply dry brush painted backgrounds using Claudine Helmuth paints (which I LOVE ) a few collage elements and some letter stamping.

My week in highlights

2011-07-24T22:03:00.001-06:00

My sister lorrie and my mom came for the weekend. I had begged Lorrie to come in and teach a journaling class for me so I could learn some of her skills she is a wonderful journalizer and the class was soooo much fun . I lOVE taking classes . I have always frozen up when it comes to the collaging elements and the putting down of the text .After her class I now feel more confidant .She was a very gently teacher moved me along with just the right nudge when I got "stuck " now thanks to her help I am over the hump. After class the 2 of us had "sister " time and kept working for about 3 more hours and then it was home to pizza Cal had ordered for us from Bisbee's little brick fired pizza shop. I have also been up to a bit of sewing and have altered some jeans for the shop and a few little tops too!! That too was so much fun that I ordered a surger. It's a refurbished one and I have yet to try it but I am sure it will work fine.. Oh and this was a little altered spool class I taught last week . Much thanks to the influence of my friend Marie Kennedy and her little spools I carry in the shop . My plan is to do a different spool class every six weeks and then at the end of the year those who take the classes will have a fun collection of altered spools. This one was called " Poetry in Motion"

set up for class

Diane is intensely into the mess of creating

Some of the journals drying ...oh such pretty colors !!

a page spread in lorries' class sample

A page spread from my journal with the start of a Mary Oliver poem

My Altered jeans

A dress I altered by turning it into a tunic

"Poetry in Motion" .... Have a poetic week!!!

blissbee news

2011-07-19T17:50:00.000-06:00

Some of the things going on at "Blissbee "this week..

new " meg" clothes came in today paired up with some "Vintage Kitty"

More new jewelry

We carrry Chris Roberts- Antieau

My favorite Fabric folk artist!!!

And then last but not least our class today was

"Cross your heart and hope to fly"!!!! Thats Renee, Ginny and Evelyn. We have a tiney class room for 6 students but just found out we can rent the back workshop space in the store this Fall!!

Have a great rest of the week !

betwixt

2011-07-15T08:06:00.002-06:00

Even thought the store is taking a lot of our time. I am finding time to be creative too . It is sooo wonderful to have my studio in the back room . I even have room for my sewing machine to be set up all the time and I love my sewing machine it is the crafts expression Janome model. Any way a new fun thing I made is this doll she is in perfect mode for the fall season and will be teaching her this fall at Terri Brushes ART CAMP oct 6 - 10th . The event is sold out but there is always the spring ART CAMP . So plan ahead .

betwixt

Blissfully in Blissness!!!!

2011-06-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

I think I forgot how to blog. Yikes!!! But here goes and it will be along post !! It must have been fear or the perfectionist in me or who knows what??? Why did I not post along the journey of creating Blissbee??? HMMM I guess I was afraid to jinks the magic. And it has been pure magic. So here is the picture unveiling and and more of the story . Our water damaged condo in Santa fe (which never felt like home) finally got repaired and finished in April. Cal did all the work traveling back and forth between Bisbee and Santa fe, working on both the condo and the store . On his last trip to Santa fe finalizing repairs he listed the place for sale we felt only a glimmer of hope in selling in this market BUT!!! Low and behold while on the road back to Bisbee the listing agent called him and said there is an an offer coming in!!! We were shocked !! Of course we accepted and closed last week . By by Condo !! What a relief!!! and what a further message that Bisbee was meant to be our new home . Cal and I then put all our efforts into the boutique and also moving into a permeant rental as we had been moving every few weeks from one vacation rental to the next . . My studio was the first to be finished in the back room of the boutique . We also found out that not only is our boutique the old funeral home ( hauntings too) but my studio is the embalming room- ya gotta love it!!! The main boutique room and bathroom followed. Soft linen, whites, tongue and grove and a hint of pale blue cover the walls . In the months of April and May art work began to flood in from all the wonderful artist who agreed to allow me to feature their work . Yummy!!!!! everyday has been like christmas as boxes arrived- except Cal said "YOU CAN NOT KEEP ANYTHING"!!! Anyway the opening kept getting delayed as we had NO idea how long this would take . A super visit from Lorrie and Bruce really helped as I was feeling a bit frozen and overwhelmed and asking myself " Who do you think you are ? and "Can we do this"???? I really needed Lorrie to see it all as a big adventures like this in my life just does not seem real or possible with out her input and blessing. After their visit I was able to pull it together and with the permits ok-ed and the wonderful new sign up which was designed by Ericka it started to feel real. We still have yet to launch the web site which Sara at Sadie Olive is almost done with and it will feature all the news of Blissbee along with this blog. Well here are images . Much love to all of you for your support and I PLAN to stop by and say hi to you all as I have missed you and feel very out of the loop of your lives !!!

Hope you enjoyed the peek into our "baby" BLISSBEE I also hope some of you may be able to come for a visit we plan to launch the in store classes soon which will be listed on the calendar page of the new we site!!

Plan B is for BISBEE!!!

2011-02-21T11:26:00.002-07:00

Big thanks to everyone for your comments and advice !!! We where all ready to move to Michigan and then Mom said no and she was the deciding force as it is her home. I trust the universes so much in all I do as everything happens for a reason and when one door closes others always open .And open they DID !! As of my last post we where still in Bisbee as the our condo was and IS still not repaired!!! We keep feeling that we are meant to move out of Santa fe . The morning after Mom said no , I went for my walk with the dogs which took me downtown Bisbee . As I walked along I passed by this cute old building and noticed a new for rent sign in the window ? My thought was we could never afford the rent for this place but I called any way for fun. WOW it was affordable and we where first in line. WE took a leap of faith and rented the place. The next few days we also found I cute old house within our budget to rent . After a week long trip back to Santa Fe to check on the condo repairs which are NOT progressing .We where able to have the insurance company pay for our move to Bisbee !! Our things are in storage as we do not get the house rental till April . I can only feel that this is meant to be as it just flowed into place . Cal is working on doing stuff to the shop as it has a little room in the back that will be my mess making studio .The shop will carry antiques and art and I will have a small teaching studio offering on going weekend classes both short and long. Tons of cute boutique hotels are everywhere for those who might want to make a trip and take a workshop. Bisbee is well worth the 1 1/2 hour drive from Tuscon as it is so historic and a creative visual meca oh and the airport does offer a shuttle once here everything is within walking distance! I can hardly wait to teach a watercolor journaling class here . Tiny tin roofed victorian houses and old run down miners shacks cover Bisbee's steep hills and tons and steps lead you everwhere - soooo cute. The town gets a fair amount of tourist trade on the weekends and is so unique and cute as a button yet Funky as HECK !!! Perfect for my ex hippie hubby and my free artistic spirit!! As we get a bit more settled in I plan to start a new BLISS BEE blog , that the name of our store . I welcome any ideas and what ever .Wish us luck !!! Oh and p.s. last fall my computer died and it just DID IT AGAIN !!! So I am using Cal's Mac but have no access to my files or old photos . Always by the Apple protection plan as it is well worth the cost !!!

Pictures of the store!! Our's is on the left .

Dear blogger friends I need your advice ???

2011-01-09T09:44:00.033-07:00

SO here is the big question?? How many of you would move back to your home town if you left when you where 18 and where now 52?? Cal and I are thinking of doing just that?! My Mom has a beautiful home in a small town called Allegan in Michigan . It was the last house my father built 30 years ago. This is the reason she will never sell the place. It has 2 bedrooms 2 baths . The home features tongue and grove wood ceilings and pegged wood floors ,pine kitchen cabinets with custom stained glass window inserts that I designed . It heats with a wood stove and back up furnace and has a well with wonderful water . It sits on a wooded lot high on a bluff overlooking a river and a wooden bridge . The town is small about 4500 and is 30 minutes from lake michigan . A large river meanders back and forth through the town with many bridges . The home has a huge 3 car garage as well as a large pole barn featuring a bath room , all with a large paved driveway and parking . Cal and I would open a pretty antique store and also sell cool hand made goods . HINT HINT I would love to feature many of my blog land friends work in the shop !!! Such as wearable art,( Deb Hodge this mean You!) jewelry,( Sharon???) hand made beads( Denise ??) and art work So many of you are so talented I have not the room in this post to list you !!!But you come to mind. I would also teach art classes and bring guest instructors in for weekend retreats . All could stay in town at the Fabulous Delano Band B !! .We would have a small organic garden and chickens( black and white ones of course, Cal said no to pigmy goats ) . Cal is going to take upholstery lessons so he can help restore our finds . I hope he likes working with Belgium linen , natural duck cloth, and my beloved black and ivory check . Oh how I love Ballard design and the new Restoration hardware line!!!I have always wanted to do hand painted furniture in the Tracy Porter and Mackenzie Child style !!! We would open for spring, summer and fall on weekends only and could also have a cute tea/ coffee house on the site . Many people come up from Chicago( 2 hours drive or ride amtrak) to Allegan for antiquing as it has one of the best
antiquing markets held once a month at the county fair grounds and the town is sweet as can be in a northern small town way , close to many beautiful lakes as well as lake Michigan and wonderful Saugatuck Mich. a super tiny resort town.. The only thing is THE COLD SNOWY WINTERS and my past growing up issues.... I could not wait to leave!!! And would my Mom give her OK to this idea, she is thinking on it now . She has not lived there in 15 years but has had a caretakers / tenants living in the place for the last few years they would have to move out and I feel bad about that as thay are family friends . I would love the feedback and yes I know this is a very bad time to do this in a recession and in MICHIGAN one of the hardest hit areas economic wise in the country!!!!!! But on the other hand the building and home site set up for this is already in place, perfect and just ready to stage and it is a very inexpensive place to live .Please tell me your thoughts, are we CRAZY??? Nothing ventured nothing gained ?!

A baby painted turtle from an Allegan Lake . My mom tells a story about me as a little girl. After I had found a turtle ,I was told to give it to my friend .I said no to this with the response that " you can always have a friend but not a turtle" . How do you spell Brat ??? J-U- L-I-E

homeless but not hopeless

2011-01-06T12:43:00.004-07:00

Well in everyones life a little rain must pour , but in our case it came from the sprinkler system pipes over my studio on the 2nd floor. While we have been in Bisbee the pipes froze and broke in our condo back home in Santa Fe and tons of water poured down and the ceilings caved in . The condo maintenance man saw water running out the doors and truned off the main valve . Our friend Fred took these pictures after we called him for his help . I have not had the courage to go home yet and see the mess, but am letting the pros handle everything. We have been advised that these types of total losses are very emotional for home owners .Water flooded down the stairs and walls to the first floor . The entire place now needs gutting as all the walls are ruined and many furnishings and electronics are ruined too. Our insurance company sent an emergency crew over to start the salvage and brought out a large container . Everything will be moved into it and then sent to a place to dry out what can be saved .Books and papers are frozen and sent to Texas to a restoration place. Once everything is moved out the gutting of walls etc. can happen and rebuilding can begin. I am trying to figure out what the universe is trying to tell me . My gut feeling is saying Santa Fe is not for you "my Dear" ( My friend Renee would agree I bet!!! ) as it has done it to you again!! I have had past bad luck in Santa Fe but keep moving away and then insisting on coming back!! I think it is time to let go for good and move on ... trust the universe to open new doors and walk through them to hopefully new opportunities . Any one have any ideas ???? Cal and I are serious!!! If anyone knows of a good very inexpensive place to live and with opportunities for 2 creative people let me know . Cal has great building and handyman skills . Any where in the country will do we are only looking for the open door of change !

New class Jan 19th at Paper tales in San diego

2011-01-05T16:04:00.008-07:00

Paper Tales is excited to Announce

Julie Haymaker

and

Terri Brush

together teaching here in

San Diego.

Jan 19th Wed 4 til 9 pm

$75.00 includes all art supplies and snacks in class.

Regsiter here !!

My younger twin????

2011-01-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's post was about the color "Orange" as I was photographing on my walk with the dogs a women with red hair called to me from over her balcony with a question about Scooty. I of course snapped her picture as she had "orange " hair .When I got home and loaded up my posts pictures, I looked at her image and told Cal She kind of looks like me.?? Funny Rene thought so too as she said in her comment ...Julie you look so rested .. Thanks Rene I do look rested in that photo as a red head and about 20 years younger tee hee .... Here is the photo of the woman with red hair again and one of me .Yes all of us do have many " twins " living somewhere out there!!