My ETSY Storefront - OPEN for business!

I am ready to announce that I have opened an Etsy shop on-line purchasing my clay flower and stationery creations! I was a bit reluctant to undertake opening a shop (only because it was out of my comfort zone and I would have to teach myself) and I have been building it behind the scenes for weeks. (Thank you Diane for your encouragement...for the last year!... to get going on this!)

For those who are unfamiliar with Etsy, PLEASE visit http://www.etsy.com/ or you can go directly to my shop at http://www.invitemecreative.etsy.com/. It is truly a collection of unbelievably talented artisans! So proud to be a part of this!

I have listed a few items and am thrilled with the response (I can see how many people click on to view the pieces - other than me! LOL). I will continue to add items as available and have some very interesting and beautiful clay and paper designs planned.

Hey! Just wanted to mention that I got my first sale! Thank you to Jerrilee for being my first customer - I have carefully packaged the arrangement, shipped it...and it is on its way to Oregon, USA! How cool is that?!

Whoo - hoo....as I wrote this post...another sale! I am very grateful for all of my customers who have the faith to purchase online. I hope that you will find my work to be 'even better' in person, even though I try my best with the photos...promise!

ScrapFest U - November 7,8th

For all of my scrapbooking clients and friends, I just wanted to remind you of the ScrapFest U that is coming up in a couple of weeks. The ScrapFest team has such an exciting weekend getaway planned at the lovely Hockley Valley Resort!

So what is ScrapFest U..........Your Ultimate Creative Escape!!
November 7th and 8th, 2009

It is all about creative fun!! Scrapbooking/card making/stamping and photography workshops that are being instructed by leading industry experts, Vicki Boutin and Kathy Thompson Laffoley.


The fun continues into Saturday evening after a gourmet dinner and a special event. I am delighted to be included in this event as one of the hostesses of a special "Holiday Make-N-Take' project!

So picture the perfect location and time to shop, crop, learn and create!! Go to www.scrapfest.ca for more details!

A day at the local Bridal Show

Hello to all of the Brides-to-Be that I met this past weekend at the Cardinal Bridal Show!

A great turn-out on a drizzly, rainy Sunday - lots of modern and traditional plans for upcoming weddings were shared with me. It is such an exciting time for you and your families!

I was very pleased with the enthusiasm of those who had never seen clay flowers before! Thank you for your kind comments and encouragement on the work that I do - I enjoy every aspect of creating unique invitations and fashionable clay flowers for my clients. Eco-chic, scent-free and everlasting...the perfect alternative to fresh flowers! So many of these brides who attended this show are getting married in August 2010 - I am planning for this busy wedding season!

If you are interested in a consultation and more details on invitations and/or clay flowers, please contact me at invitemecreative@rogers.com. I look forward to hearing from you - book time with me early so you won't be disappointed!

PS - my display table was next to a terrific wedding photographer, "FotoGirl" aka Dani Romano, provides stunning wedding photography - she is enthusiastic, young and very talented. Check her out at http://www.fotogirl.ca/

Late Summer Florals

Well...do you hear it? The sound of silence...as the children have gone for the first day of school in our neighbourhood! Some parents silently weep while others sing "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as the hustle and bustle of the school routine resumes.

I thought it was timely to show a 'late summer' vase arrangement, designed two different ways. One is more traditional with a loose triangular shape and the other more contemporary with a more vertical structure. I used some delicate blooms - like white hydrangea clusters, coral coloured poppies and open white peonies complemented with some full roses in shades of yellow, peach and coral. I like how these flowers are balanced and how the burlap rope wrapped vase gives so much more texture.

Leave me a comment about your kids' first day of school...Enjoy the moment!

Summer Hydrangeas - Bloom Forever!

Ah, the beauty of summer hydrangea! Love the billowing blossoms and the abundance of colour, even the annabelle/pee gee white snowballs! Hydrangeas are a very popular flower in wedding bouquets and arrangements, but sadly they have a very short life before they wilt.

There are many hydrangea bushes in our neigbourhood and I have been experimenting with a couple of bushes that I have had for a few years. One disappointment in my garden this year is a 3 year old hydrangea that has bloomed in the past, but after moving it, there were no flowers last year and only one, lonely cluster of a vibrant, almost irridescent blue/purple this summer! I photographed it right away and admired it for a couple of days...then couldn't resist snipping it and bringing it inside to enjoy. I know the proper care for stems and water temp, however this beauty started to fade a day later.

I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to do a floral comparison with real flowers and clay flowers made with ClayCraft by DECO. I snipped a couple of blossoms for comparison (see photo) and I was able to match and emulate the shading of this cluster through careful mixing of clay pigments. When I went to shoot it in the light of day, well...you can see what it looks like today. No one can match the beauty of Mother Nature, but with so many brides who desire hydrangeas on their wedding day, the qualities of clay flowers provide an eco-chic alternative!

Pretty Wreath

This summertime wreath makes me smile! It is just over 14" in diameter and FULL of wonderful clay flowers and ribbon. Peonies, roses, hydrangeas, tuberose buds, lilacs, gerbera daisies, gardenias and more....they're all in there! This wreath would look terrific hung on the wall, but just as fabulous on a dining table with a hurricane or pillar candle placed in the center. Could also be an everlasting head table centerpiece at a wedding! These colours are very happy and remind me how wonderful summer is!

If you are interested in purchasing this piece or having me custom make one in your decor colours, please contact me at invitemecreative@rogers.com . Imagine how rich this clay wreath would look using in the wonderful autumn colours (not that I am rushing summer along by any means) or spring pastels, summer brights...oooh, what about monochromatic?!! Possibilities...endless! Enjoy.

Summer Arrangement

Can't you just smell the peonies! (Many people like the scent - some have an allergic reaction!)

Even though peonies have already bloomed here, I was able to re-create them in a everlasting clay arrangement. Sometimes red and white tend to look 'Christmas-like' or like a Valentines arrangement, so I chose to balance the red and white peonies (and buds) with chartreuse green/white hydrangeas. To add a bit of different texture, I included a few hibiscus blooms - also very delicate blossoms in nature. I think this would look terrific on a dining room table.