Bella Faire - The Art of Gardening, Cooking and Living Life.

Tulip Tree Blossoms on the University of Washington Campus

2010-03-15T11:52:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by MarthaHughes
Ah...Spring is here. A little early, but who's to complain. Now the work in the garden will start in earnest - or as soon as I can get myself out there. I'm a fair weather gardner - I like to be warm but not too warm. I'm quite miserable when there's a chill in the air and in the ground. This is the year that I will string my "fairy lights" along the eaves of the house and hang my hand-made candle lanterns in my cherry tree. I plan to live outdoors as much as I can. Right now I'm dreaming of those hot and glorious few days of Summer we get in the Northwest.

But reality has set in and I must get back to work - doing what I do to support my gardening habit.

Plant Sales Galore!

2010-03-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Spring has gotten a jump start here in the Pacific Northwest. The other day I saw the cherry trees in the Quad on the UW Campus are getting ready to burst forth in bloom and there's plenty of work to do in my garden. Which is where you'll find me this weekend - hopefully the weather will cooperate and give me some sunshine and warmth to work in.

This morning I received a timely an email from Plant Amnesty this morning listing all the plant sales that will be happening in the Puget Sound Region. There are few I plan to make it to and thought you might like to know about them also.

Sunday March 7 11 am - 3 pm

The Northwest Perennial Alliance is experiencing March Mania at Bellevue Botanical Gardens! Hellebores and ephemerals are the focus of this plant sale. Details at http://www.northwestperennialalliance.org

Friday, March 12, 9 am - 4 pm

The Northwest Horticultural Society's Spring Ephemerals & Companion Plant Sale is in the NHS Hall at the UW Botanical Gardens. Over a dozen specialty nurseries offer plants for winter and spring interest. Details at http://www.northwesthort.org 206.527.1794

Saturday, March 20, 9 am - 2 pm

Get a jump on the growing season at Seattle Tilth's first-ever Early Spring Edible Plant Sale! Choose from the best selection of edible fruits, veggies and herbs in the region! Get details at http://www.seattletilth.org.

Saturday April 3, 10 am - 3 pm and Sunday April 4, 10 am - 2 pm

The Rhododendron Species Foundation Plant Sale. Get details a http://www.rhodygardens.org.

Saturday April 10, 10 am - 2 pm

The Arboretum Foundation's Early Bloomers sale offers a great start on spring planting with hundreds of favorite and unusual plants. Trees shrubs, perennials and more! Details at http://www.arboretumfoundation.org

Sunday April 18, 10 am - 3 pm

The Northwest Perennial Alliance holds its spring sale at North Seattle Community College. You'll be able to choose among thousands of plants from over 20 specialty nurseries, as well as the famous NPA borders and members' gardens. Check out the garden art, too! Details at http://www.northwestperennialalliance.org

Saturday April 24, 10 am - 5 pm and Sunday April 25, 10 am - 3 pm

It's FlorAbundance at Magnuson Park! The Arboretum Foundation's annual plant sale is the largest in the Puget Sound region, and the one that Anne Lovejoy called "The plant sale of the year". Dozens of specialty nurseries offer favorite and rare perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, grasses, vegetable starts, and more. Details at http://www.arboretumfoundation.org

Saturday May 1, 8 am - 5 pm and Sunday May 2, 10 am - 3 pm

King County Master Gardeners Plant Sale and Learning Fair at CUH has everything you need for your Spring garden! You'll find edibles and ornamentals from Master Gardeners and local specialty growers, personal shoppers, and advice from over 100 Master Gardeners. Special programs include quick, practical tips and fresh ideas for your best garden yet, and Bring-A-Plant problem diagnosis for ailing plants (bring a sample in a baggie). You'll find garden art, children's activities, and the ever-popular Zoo Doo, too! Details at http://www.kingcountymg.org

Saturday May 1, 9 am - 3 pm and Sunday May 2, 11 am - 3 pm

Seattle Tilth's popular Edible Plant Sale takes place on the Good Shepherd Center grounds, featuring the area's largest selection of organically grown heirloom and rare vegetable starts. Get details at http://www.seattletilth.org

Saturday May 8, 10 am - 4pm

The Northwest Native Plant Society's All-Natives Spring Plant Sale takes place at the beautiful Bellevue Botanical Gardens. Come shop for your favorite native wildflowers, ferns, grasses, sedges, shrubs & trees. The great selection of rare plants goes fast, so come early! Details at http://www.wnps.org

Pacific Northwest Gardening Resources...

2010-02-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

As I build this blog I will be adding links to great nurseries and informational resources for the gardeners in my part of the world (Pacific Northwest) or any gardener in a Maritime climate. Here are some of my favorites to start with:

Resources:

University of Washington Botanic Gardens - Elizabeth C. Miller Library - Specifically the calendar for upcoming garden tours and plant sales in the Puget Sound Region (Portland and British Columbia also!)

Plant Amnesty - The source on how to prune a tree.

What's New in the Garden of Paghat the Rat-Girl - An entertaining and informative blog about gardening.

Colvos Creek Nursery - A great nursery on Vashon Island specializing in native plants and trees. Thoug this is a business, I've included them as they're a great resource for those of you who want to garden with native species.

Ketzel Levine's Talking Plants on NPR - She's local (Portland) and she know's a lot about this zone.

Master Gardners of King County - A great resource for those of us who garden in Puget Sound.

Binetti Garden - "Ms. Binetti is a northwest horticultural expert, dispensing gardening tips and answers on HGTV and the Discovery Channel. Plus, her weekly gardening column appears in the Tacoma News Tribune (Wednesdays) and numerous other newspapers. She lives with her family in Enumclaw, near Seattle, Washington." -- from Marie Binetti's web site

Hortsense - Presented by WSU Extension - Home gardener fact sheets for managing plant problems with IPM or Integrated Pest Management

Articles:

A gardener’s year at a glance: Grab a calendar, make a plan - Marie Binetti

February brings time to plant - Marie Binetti

Nurseries:

Molbaks - Woodinville, Washington

Flower World - Maltby, Washington

Swanson's Nursery - Seattle, Washington

Peninsula Gardens - Gig Harbor, Washington

I hope that you find the links to these resources, articles and nurseries useful and informative. Also, if you have a great resource, please share by leaving a comment.

Happy gardening.

martha

Cherry Blossoms

2010-02-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Cherry Blossoms
Originally uploaded by MarthaHughes

This is a photograph of the cherry tree in my yard. I have to thank my neighbor for saving it when our house was in the throes of a major renovation. Our house had stood abadoned for 8 or so years when the contractor bought it to rehab and flip it. He had plans to re-landscape the property as it was overgrown with weeds, plants and lots of trees that were overgrown or sick that needed to be cut down. Thank god, my neighbor was able to persuade him to save some of the trees. I just can't imagine my yard without my cherry and locust trees. The beauty they add to my garden is priceless and the shade they give me on our more frequently occurring hot summers days is beyond measure.

Spring is my favorite time of the year and I think the Pacific Northwest is in for an early one. My cherry tree is starting to show buds and there's lots of new growth appearing in my garden. In a few short months my locust trees will be covered in blossoms, sending the intoxicating scent all over the neighborhood. I can't wait.

As thrilled as I am at the prospect of an early spring I have to say to anyone who's reading this blog on the East Coast is: I'm sorry - I don't' mean to rub this in.

The Wish List for My Garden...

2010-02-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Amar and I have plans for the garden this year - big plans. Last year we removed a holly tree to open of the space between the garage and the house. It's a shady spot and grass doesn't grow there very well so we've decided to put in a deck complete with a fire pit and nice long banquets to lounge on.

Then there's the breakefast patio Amar want's to put in that's right off the back porch. Right now a mallow and a rosemary bush occupy the spot - they've sort of taken over the space and will need to dug up and moved somewhere else. Once we get that done we'll have a nice sunny spot to enjoy coffee during the summer.

Our last big project is the secret garden - which will run along the northside of the house. I'm envisioning a grove of bamboo on one side to give provide us a little privacy from our neighbors and on the side against the house I'll plant fushias and other shade loving plants and maybe a water feature. It will be a sweet, serene little spot for me to escape to after a hard days work.

Then there's the rest of the garden - it's divided into 4 sections: the inferno strip (the west side of the yard, and a south facing bed along the fence line and the parking strip), the woodland garden section that's under the big locust trees, the dappled shade garden on the other side of fence from the inferno strip and the shade/part shade garden under the cherry tree and the full sun section that faces the south that's inside the fence and along side the house. I've got my wish list for the plants that I want to put in my garden:

Lily of the Valley - to go in the woodland and shade/part shade section
Rudebeckia - to go in the inferno strips
Sicilian Mint to plant between the patio stones in the shade/part shade section
Ornamental grasses for the inferno strip
Sages - for the full sun and inferno strip
Violas - shade/part shade and woodland garden section
Daisies: both Shastas and Marguerites - anywhere they'll grow!
Bears Breeches - in the woodland garden
Herbs: Lemon Thyme, Basil, Chives and Lettuce - in the kitchen garden
Purple Coneflower - to go in the inferno strips
Hardy Fuschias - the secret garden
Day Lilies - for the full sun and inferno strip
Sea Holly - for the full sun and inferno strip
Lavendar- for the full sun and inferno strip
Coreopsis - for the full sun and inferno strip
Hyssop - for the full sun and inferno strip
Hostas - shade/part shade and woodland garden section
Dicentras - shade/part shade and woodland garden section
Anemones - shade/part shade and woodland garden section
Poppies - for the full sun and inferno strip
Cat Mint - for the fun sun and inferno strip
Geum - for the full sun and inferno strip
Deutzia - shade/part shade and woodland section
Crocosmia -for the full sun and inferno strip
Chocolate Cosmos - shade/part shade section

For those of you living in the Pacifice Northwest you might want to check out this great resource for choosing plants "Great Plant Picks" presented by Elisabeth Carey Miller Botantical Gardens. It list over 800 plants well suited for those gardens in the maritime Pacific Northwest. To save money I'm going to try and grow as many of my flowers from seeds and/or bulbs as possible. So I will be using this guide to help make my selections. Bulbs are no problem - but seeds are another story - so far I haven't been able to grow anything from seeds.

I love my garden. It's a lot of hard work and there are times where I'd rather do something other than to go out and dead-head blossoms, weed or even water. But let me tell you - it's such a joy to sit back and be able to see the fruits of your labor.

Getting Back to Work

2010-02-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those glorious spring-like winter days that we get every now and then. The garden hummingbird was out and about and running the garden. He (or she) ran another hummingbird off and I think I irritated him because he dive bombed me a couple of times when I was in his favorite part of the garden. Nothing excites me more than having butterflies and hummingbirds in my garden - it makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

Not wanting such a beautiful day to go to waste, I decided that I would take this opportunity to work in my garden. I was expecting that it was going to be tough going as I didn't spend anytime looking after my garden last year and it shows. Happily, I found that pulling weeds and chopping back the over-growth wasn't that hard and I got a lot done. It felt good to get out there and work. I saw lots of signs that spring is on it's way. I saw lots of new growth pushing it's way through the dirt. A new addition to my garden are these little white flowers - Snowdrops. They're "volunteers" as I didn't plant them. Each year I get these little suprises in the garden - lillies, scilla, forget-me-knots, foxgloves and those cute little orange poppies. Most of the gardeners I know will pull out these plants but not me - I like the idea of a natural garden and treat them as wildflowers. Pretty soon I'll have tulips and daffodils galore - and I'll be able to see them! Of course, this morning I'm feeling a little achey and I have been reaquainted with muscles I forget I had.

One of the things I like about working in the garden is that it gives me time to contemplate my life, to think, to make plans, to daydream while I'm pulling weeds and dead-heading plants. I'm the happiest when I'm working at a task - even if it takes me forever to get to starting the task (I'm a procrastinator extraordinaire). Amar and I have lots of plans for the garden this summer and I'm sure I'll have lots opportunity to think/contemplate/daydream while in the garden.

Welcome to the newest incarnation of Bella Faire!

2010-02-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

I wanted to start a blog dedicated to cooking. Then I re-thought that idea and have decided that it really isn't feasible to do so right now. After all, that I have enough challenges maintaining the three blogs I already have. My latest ideal is to modify one of my existing blogs and this is the blog that is under consideration. First of all, my readership is very small as it gets the least amount of attention of all my blogs.

This blog started out as a way to promote an art fair that I was helping to organize a couple of summers ago. However, it doesn't appear that "Bella Faire - Art in the Garden" will ever happen again. So, I renamed my blog "Bella Faire - The Art of Gardening" and I had grand plans of writing all sorts posts about gardening, resplendid with photos of the neighborhood and local gardens and, most importanly, my garden. Nothing really happened after that. For one thing I didn't spend much time in my garden last summer (too hot! lost interest - didn't have money to spend in the garden.) and I haven't been gardening that much lately (it is winter after all!). All in all, a dismal failure.

That brings me to cooking. I do a lot of it - it's my most practical creative outlet. And I like to eat, love to eat in fact. I'm a good cook and I have all these aspirations of starting a "cooks garden" this summer - growing mostly herbs and lettuces with a few tomatoes plants thrown in to create the beginnings of the perfect salad. So, you can see where I'm going with this - I'm combining my interests in gardening, cooking and photography into one under utilized blog. How perfect is that I ask you???!!!

In the future you will see this blog filled with photos from my garden, planting tips, recipes for my favorite things go cook and maybe a few "favorite blog features". I see all sorts of possibilities for this blog and all of them are great!

Stay tuned for more.

Best,

martha

Our Summer Vacation

2010-01-30T14:17:00.001-08:00

Amar's sister and her family spent their summer vacation with last year. We really enjoyed spending time with them and I was there with my trusty camera to document just about every waking moment we had with them. I hope this video goes beyond your ordinary, average vacation photo album.

Art in the Garden

2009-08-28T08:24:00.001-07:00

T Rex Lives!!!
Originally uploaded by Martha {Dancing Monkey Jewelry}

Saw this in my neighbor's yard on a walk - I love it. My dog, well, let's just say he doesn't know what to think of it and did a fair amount of growling when he first saw it.

I love art in the garden. It adds interest and gives you something to look at during the winter months. I intend to add some statuary in my secret garden and maybe a water feature - though I'm not sure if either of those would be considered "art".

When life has other plans...

2009-08-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

This post isn't going to be about gardening. Though there's plenty to write about. My garden has been terribly neglected this year (to the point of being embarrassing) and it's also been the first year a hummingbird has staked it out as "his" garden - I've been dive bombed a couple of times when I get to close to the buddelia that he favors. Also, there has been abundance of butterflies this year. So there you go - a little good to go with the bad.

What do you do when everything seems to be going wrong for you? Me? Well, I can't seem to hold back and next thing you know I'm calling my family, texting my friends, posting on my social network sites and write about it in my blog. For some reason it's very therapeutic for me - let's me work out my angst and I get words of encouragement from those who know and love me. The problems don't go away but it's nice to know that other's have similar experiences and have come through relatively unscathed.

I've been on vacation for the last week. We have family visiting from England - Amar's sister and her family. For the most part it's been quite nice getting to spend time with them. Throw in a couple of illnesses, a cranky old dog (seen in the photo above) who isn't tolerating small children and the transmission going out in my car in the middle of an outing and I'm telling you I'm seriously considering not taking a vacation for a very long time. What's even more stressful is that I've got one week left of vacation and I don't think I'll be able to survive week two if it is like week one.

What are my plans? Well...I'll be relying on public transit to get to work and home for the new few weeks. Transmissions repairs are quite expensive my web research has told me - so there will be a fair amount of scrimping and saving. And then I'll be trying to generate some sales in my on-line shops (hint, hint). All in all, this hasn't been a banner year for me (along with a lot of other people) so I'll be happy when 2010 rolls around - I just want to be done with 2009.

So...if you want to help out a fellow crafts person/photographer/blogger and make a purchase from one of my shops (or even leave some words of encouragement on my blog) I'd be most appreciative. Right now I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a swamp and I've lost my path to land in front of me and there are alligators snapping behind me. Not the best position to be in but at least I'm still standing. And there's plenty gardening to keep me occupied as long as the hummingbird doesn't mind.

The Beginning of the Secret Garden

2009-06-02T12:37:00.001-07:00

DSCF2523
Originally uploaded by Martha {Dancing Monkey Jewelry}

When Amar and I bought our house there wasn't much of a garden. Sure the contractor planted a few boxwoods and a rhodie bush and called it landscaped, but in truth it wasn't. Our house had stood vacant for several years and the yard was quite overgrown with weeds and several trees that were dead or dying and the contractor did a good job of cleaning the yard and clearing out the overgrowth and dead trees and left with two Honey Locust trees, a cherry tree and two Holly Trees. It was a nice start.

Since then Amar and I have added a fence, a tree, several bushes (Red Honeysuckle, Mock Orange, Forsythia, and a Dwarf Lilac), garden beds with many plants. It definitely doesn't look the same.

Our next big venture will be to add a "Secret Garden on the northside of the house, a patio and a garden gate. Our patio will be in the spot you see in this photograph. We've removed the tree that you see by the fence and Amar will be putting down a patio, turf or deck - it all depends upon his energy and our funds. We would like a fire pit, comfy furniture and some privacy in this spot. It's going to take lots of work but when it's done it's going to look fantastic.

Changes for "Bella Faire - Art in the Garden"

2009-05-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about this for quite sometime and I've decided that I'm going to change the focus of this blog. It started out a venue to showcase local artists who participated in last year's "Bella Faire - Art in the Garden" art show. This year there will not be a show and it was hard enough to get the participants of last year's show to submit information for this blog so I'm going to change the focus of the blog to gardening. Specifically, my garden and the gardens in my part of the world - both community and private.

So, welcome to the first blog of "Bella Faire - The Art of Gardening". I'm going to combine my love of photography, gardening and writing in this blog. Spring is a time of renewal and there's lots happening in my garden. I'm excited about the new direction I will be taking this blog. I hope to bring you lots of good information, photos and stories in the coming months. So stay tuned. I'll be back in the next couple of days with a good post for you to read.

Best Regards,

martha

Coming Attractions!!!

2008-07-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

It's safe to say that the first Bella Faire - Art in the Garden was a total success. Though there were a few glitches along the way, we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day - the show went off without a hitch. The weather even cooperated with us - which a great gift as weatherman threatened rain showers on Saturday. In a couple of days photos from the Saturday will be posted on this blog.

Last but not least, the Bella Faire - Art in the Garden blogged will be updated regularly so that you will know where and when the next faire will happen. Also, any updates that come our way on the participating artist will be published here. There may even be a mailing list in the works to keep you posted on the happenings of Bella Faire and the participating artists.

Thank you to everyone attended - we wouldn't have been a success without you!

Bella Faire - Art in the Garden

2008-07-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

On July 26, 2008 several artists from the South Puget Sound region are getting together and are hosting a fine art show in a lovely garden in North Tacoma. This will truly be an exciting event for both those attending and participating. The venue will provide an intimate setting so that so that you'll get a chance to meet and get to know artist and learn where they get their inspirations for the art they create.

In this blog you will be introduced to the artists you will be able to meet at Bella Faire - Art in the Market.

The Garden...

2008-07-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

Bella Faire - Art in the Garden will be hosted in a private garden in a North Tacoma neighborhood. This venue will provide an intimate setting to provide an opportunity to meet the artist and learn about their art. Enjoy light refreshments while strolling through the garden, taking in the visual delights of the flowers and creations of our artist.

Get to know the Artists: Martha Hughes of Dancing MonkeyJewelry

2008-07-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

Tell me about your shop. What will I find there?

Dancing Monkey Jewelry is a funky little jewelry shop that offers limited edition and one-of-a-kind hand crafted artisan jewelry. I love working with sterling and fine silver, Precious Metal Clay, semi-precious stones and fresh water pearls.

How long have you been in business?

Officially, 7 months. I've been selling my jewelry to my friends, family and co-workers for 5 years.

Where do you sell your creations?

I have an online store: www.dancingmonkeyjewelry.etsy.com and I sell at local craft fairs and art shows.

Do you have a blog or web-site?

Yes, I have a blog: The Dancing Monkey Jewelry Chronicles. It started out being a journal of my first year as a new business owner but I soon grew bored of that so I've branched out to include other topics.

Who is your favorite crafts person/artisan or favorite web resource ?

Demitra's design on Etsy

Robert Socha Photography on Etsy

Parkhust Pottery on Etsy

Team EtsyRain - Etsy's Seattle Street Team

And where it all began The Bead Factory - the premier bead store in the Puget Sound Region

Are there any upcoming craft fairs/art shows that you’ll be participating in this year?

Aside from Bella Faire - Art in the Garden, nothing is set in stone just yet. I have a couple of shows that I've applied for and I'm just waiting to hear from them to see if I've been accepted as a vendor.

Get to Know the Artist: Jeanne Velling - Sweet Talk Stationery

2008-07-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

I started Sweet Talk Stationery in the early 80's when I was home with 3 young children. I wasn't feeling really productive. I knew I could draw, I loved flowers and working in my garden--hmmmm--so I decided to put down some creations on paper AND started selling cards and stationery at gift fairs and gift stores in various locations around Washington. Making art hasn't been my main source of income, but it has ALWAYS been a source of joy and release. I have very artistic children, and I do get inspiration from them-what a great concept!

Get to Know the Artist: Mitzi Lindgren

2008-07-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

Tell me about your shop. What will I find there?

My studio is in Enumclaw, WA. There, you will find a variety of book structures and & binding styles, along with letterpress printed pieces. You will also find custom boxes and enclosures designed for my books and prints. I love exploring and experimenting with new materials and surface design techniques used in my work.

How long have you been in business?

I have been bookbinding since 1995. I printed my first letterpress piece in 1997 while attending Western Washington University and have been hooked on paper, book arts and printing ever since. I am currently restoring a C&P Pilot Press used for letterpress printing. As a Ranger U Certified Instructor, I enjoy sharing and teaching these techniques with others.

Where do you sell your creations?

Aside from Belle Faire, my work can be purchased by contacting me via e-mail at: www.certifiedre@yahoo.com

Do you have a blog or web-site?

I do not currently have a website. However, photos of my work can be seen at:

http://www.featherstonearts.com/art_mlindgren.php

Do You Teach Classes?

I will be teaching upcoming fall, 2008 classes at the following venues:

October 4, 2008 Highline Community College, Des Moines, WA:

http://www.highline.edu/home/

Ben Franklin Crafts, Bonney Lake, WA:

http://www.bfranklincrafts.com/HomeBL.html

Feartherstone Arts, Maple Valley, WA:

http://www.featherstonearts.com

Get to Know the Artist: Eloise Haroian of DreamArt Designs

2008-07-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Tell me about your shop. What will I find there?

Elegant pillows and tuffets for the home using exquisite trims, high, end fabrics, and antiqued brass pieces. Boutique clothing with multiple fabrics and fun trimmings at reasonable prices. Antique/vintage button bracelets, necklaces and earrings with an elegant flair. Elegant home decor tassels. Unique labels for jars, containers or scrapbooking. Chic pet wear including coats, collars, and leads to make your pet the talk of the town. Purses, totes and sundry

How long have you been in business?

I have been in business for about 13 years.

Where do you sell your creations?

Aside from the Bella Faire – Art in the Garden, I am not currently selling any where else.

Do you have a blog or web-site?

Not at this time.

Are there any upcoming craft fairs/art shows that you’ll be participating in this year

I will be participating in a holiday bazaar in November at a friend's house here in the harbor.

Get to Know the Artists: Barbara De Pirro

2008-07-15T21:35:00.001-07:00

Tell me about you create.

I am a Painter, Photographer, Multi-disciplined Eco-Artist, Teacher and Lecturer.

How long have you been in business?

I’ve been a self supporting artist now for 10 years. Prior to that, I worked in a commercial design field for 25 years, but always creating and selling my own art on the side.

Where do you sell your creations? Are there any upcoming craft fairs/art shows that you’ll be participating in this year?

Here’s my list of exhibits, shows and representation:

Festivities
111 Main Street
Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 712-0342
www.festivitiesfinegifts.com, festivities weblog

Museum of the Northwest Art
121 South 1^st Street
La Conner, WA 98257
(360) 466-4446
www.museumofnwart.org

Annual Art Auction – June 21, 2008

ArtsNowGallery
201 Fourth Avenue North
Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 640-1243
www.edcc.edu/artsnow
July 17 – August 29, 2008

Eco-Art:

BellaFaire – Art in the Garden
2701 N Mullen Street
Tacoma, WA
Saturday, July 26, 2008
10:00am – 6:00pm
www.bellafaire.blogspot.com

Proctor Arts Fest
North 26^th and Proctor
Tacoma, WA
Saturday, August 2, 2008
10:00am – 6:00pm
www.proctorartsfest.com

Bellevue Art Museum Store
510 Bellevue Way NE
Belleuve, WA 98004
(425) 519-0722

Goods for the Planet
525 Dexter Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 652-2327
www.goodsfortheplanet.com

BKB & Company
1744 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 272-6884
www.bkbcompany.com

Do you have a blog or website?

www.depirro.com

Who is your favorite crafts person/artisan or favorite web resource?

These are some excellent resources for artists that I’ve listed as links on my site:

http://greenmuseum.org

http://www.artlex.com

http://www.artisttrust.org

http://www.4culture.org

Anne Elrod Studio

2008-06-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

Anne Elrod is an award winning Northwest mixed media artist. She draws inspiration from her passions of nature and travel. Using paper, fabric, threads, paint, beads and found objects she creates visual expressions of those passions.

"My desire is to add beauty to the world. I am on a continuing journey of translating everything around me into color and texture. I love making art!"

Barbara De Pirro

2008-06-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

“Plastic in its design to be indestructible has become…. in our waste, environmentally destructible. I’m always looking for new ways to reuse and recreate with this material. The transformation of reclaimed plastic bags into organically inspired art, seemed not only a creative challenge but a poetic statement. Our society has a general lack of consciousness in regards to plastic and its destructive affects on our natural environment and wildlife. The excess is huge, the supply is endless, the basic material is unattractive…but once transformed, it takes on a whole new existence. Saving the planet one bag at a time."

Barbara De Pirro is a Painter, Photographer and Eco-artist. She currently resides in the Pacific Northwest, perched on the edge of the Puget Sound, where she continues to live closely with nature.

Mitzi Lindgren

2008-06-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

Mitzi Lindgren is a bookbinder, letterpress printer and artist. A graduate of Western Washington University with a Bachelors in Graphic Design Production/Printing, she combines her love of bookbinding, printing and surface design to create one of a kind artist books as well as edition bindings.

Mitzi enjoys learning, teaching & sharing. She is constantly exploring new materials & techniques. In her workshops, she teaches a wide variety of book structures and bindings. When working with elementary students in the classroom, she designs projects that tie into the current curriculum, covering the history of the binding and printing methods used.

Her work has been shown in both juried and invitational exhibits throughout the Northwest and has been published in "The Art & Craft of Handmade Books."

Dancing Monkey Jewelry - Martha Hughes

2008-06-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

My name is Martha Hughes. I am the designer and owner of a small jewelry design studio, Dancing Monkey Jewelry, in Tacoma, Washington. I specialize in limited edition and one-of-kind, hand-crafted artisan jewelry. I focus on using sterling silver and semi-precious stones in my creations. I started making jewelry as a much needed creative outlet. Once I started wearing my jewelry I was pleased that see that not only did people like my jewelry they also wanted to buy it.

My work can be found in my online shop on Etsy: www.dancingmonkeyjewelry.etsy.com and at various art shows in the Puget Sound Region.

DreamArt Designs by Eloise

2008-06-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

Eloise Haroian is a multi talented artist. She has primarily worked as a fiber artist but notes that she is curious, adventurous and likes new challenges and experiences. As a result, she has also made jewelry, home accessories and done interior design work. Her items are often luxurious but she also has fun, whimsical items as well. In her business, DreamArt Designs by Eloise, she has high end pillow, tuffets and Christmas Stockings. She also makes jewelry from vintage buttons, heirloom clothing and clothes for your beloved pooch. Eloise strives to make pieces that utilize multiple materials combining them to create an image and statement that set you apart from others.

Sweet Talk Stationery - Jeanne Velling

2008-06-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Jeanne Velling of Sweet Talk Stationery is a retired Dental Hygienist and has been an interdisciplinary artist since age 5. She has been making stationery of different sorts for years, but her favorite and most intricate is her hand made paper and pressed flower cards. Cards and gift enclosure cards included in her collection.

Currently, Jeanne has created this lovely art form using flowers, leaves and even weeds for her garden. Jeanne has sold her creations at a variety of gift shops. Her items are available locally at "Bella Faire - Art in the Garden, Saturday, July 26th.

Lynne Farren

2008-06-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Artist's Statement:

"For as long as I can remember I have been making art and when I'm not making art I am thinking about making art.

Ideas for art are everywhere and I like to explore many media's using paint , paper, fabric, glues and all kind of found materials. I paint, collage, sew and make assemblages