caledonea studio..adorning your world

Change in show schedules

2011-11-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

Wonderful Fall we are having!!

There has been a change to my show schedule as noted in event section. I will not be hosting and open house event this winter...other commitments have come up. I will be at Whyteridge Community Center this Sat November 19th...come down if you need a gift or a little something something for your self!
Ciao!

Dragon boat Festival location update

2011-08-22T04:29:00.001-07:00

Lake Shirley, at the Manitoba Water Ski Park located at 365 Murdock Road, still on the same dates: September 9-11, 2011.

Yes, I am alive!

2011-08-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well nothing like procrastinating! I excel at that...unfortunately.

Figured it was time to update the blog with what I have been up to...

Have had a wonderful time teaching and demonstrating my flame-worked beads and jewelry construction to a few individuals this past winter...definitely individual instruction will be on the "menu" this winter again..email me if you want to be on the waiting list for your private demo/lesson..annette[at]caledoneastudio[dot]com.

This past long winter also got me itching to revisit my fiber art...so felted wool handbags and accessories are in the production phase for Fall/Winter 2011; that long cold winter made me think of woolies, then wool and then felt and it just evolved..like all my ideas....so I got to work with my handy crochet hook and felted away! Yes..like I needed something else to do...but it can't be helped..my attention span is limited! Need variety. Those designs will be launched by end of September at the market!

The St. Norbert Farmers' Market has been going strong this year..weather has been cooperating wonderfully..too wonderfully at times..the heat! Sales have been great and it has been fantastic catching up with all my friends. Check the event section to see dates you can see me at the market the rest of the season.

Great news, I was invited by the Canadian Cancer Society to be the sole jewelry vendor for the Manitoba Dragon Boat Festival this year at the Forks. I am thrilled and honoured to be asked...and hope to have a fun-filled exciting weekend. Come on down to the races..my booth will be set up from:

Friday, September 9 – 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday, September 10 – 9:00am – 7:00pm
Sunday, September 11 – 9:00am – 4:00pm

October brings last Saturday that caledonea studio will be at the Market (October 8th-barring SNOW), then my birthday...and Brandon's Big One second last weekend in October.

November is open so far...a rest will be greatly needed...and then Festive Shopping Event at my studio is scheduled for December...check back for finalized date and time.

I think that is about it for now...

ciao!

cha..cha..cha...changes...

2010-11-30T04:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I am making changes again, a woman's preogative apparently..This time the Holiday Open House will be a Festive Shopping Spree on Sunday, December 12th, from noon to 5 pm.

Refreshments and holiday cheer...along with shopping!

If you are not on my email list and want an invitation to attend, please drop me a line at annette[at]caledoneastudio.com.

All in attendance will receive a small gift certificate they can use towards purchasing my designs in 2011...perfect for my friends who come to the St.Norbert Farmer's Market...

I will also be looking for a few individuals who would like to attend some beta classes on lampworking..what that means is I am in the development stage of organizing some teaching workshops and private lessons..and I need to "test" what works and doesn't work.

See me at the Festive Shopping Spree for details and to see if we can work together..

Cheers!
Annette

I am changing things again! And Oct 12th last market day!

2010-10-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well, if you have found your way here, it probably means you were surfing to my website at caledoneastudio.com and found out I am re-vamping again!

Just an FYI for my regular customers who drop by the market, next Saturday, Oct 12 will be my last day at the market this year. Please remember though, that the St.Norbert Farmers' Market will continue for the next 3 Saturdays after that until the end of October.

If you need to get in touch with me, please drop me a line at annette[at]caledoneastudio.com and I will do my best to answer you promptly. Won't be until the evening as many of you know I work at a "regular" job during the day, only getting to work on my passion a few evenings a week!

Please be patient with me and my website re-launch...I hope you will like the new layout and collections for 2011...yes...2011 will be here soon!

Come see me at the events listed to the right, hope to see you soon!

Annette

exciting news!

2010-07-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

Just found out yesterday that I am accepted as a member of the In Plain View Artist studio tours! Though I am not on the website yet please check out In Plain View to see the wonderful company of artists I am joining!

Even though my studio is 99% done, I am always tweaking and wanting to paint something! The interior is white right now and it needs to reflect me and my love of colour. I am also adding a window facing the house and a screen door so it feels cottage-y and part of the yard. Other additions will also include a new lampworking table and delegating my work bench to metalsmithing. I am dying to practice my newly acquired metalworking skills-thank you Doreen Lapointe,BFA/ Goldsmith-...adding soldering, riveting, piercing...hoping to add value and extend my already handy skills of metal manipulation.

So, lots to do, as always!

See you at the market this Saturday! And remember to check out In Plain View!
Annette

Having trouble getting to the Market

2010-06-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

Well, if you had gone to the Market last Saturday, the 5th, you would have noticed I was not there. Had big plans for the evening so I decided I needed to do some pampering.

This weekend, I am sorry to say I will not be there either...put my back out and have very little mobility. So I will miss you all again.

I am going to give it a try for next Saturday, June 19th....let's keep our fingers crossed.

If you need to get a hold of me send me an email via my contact page on the website http://www.caledoneastudio.com/

Have a great weekend...well at least better than mine!
Annette

getting stuff done is almost impossible!

2010-05-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Been having a rough time getting my massive list even dented! Life has gotten in the way.

I fell on Sunday. Nothing too too major, but old bones and old bodies do not recover very quickly I have found and I ache all over!

My Dad says "those dogs will be the death of her yet" as I tripped over my lovely Margo while heading to the living room to retrieve my glasses. Also, didn't help that I need the glasses more and more these days to see at all! Old eyes too!

Well with bruises and all I will attempt to have some new items ready for June and the St. Norbert Farmers' Market...though it has been even slower going since I got all these boo-boos! Sorry, no open studio this month...will have to save for a big one at Xmas time!

See you at the Market June 5th!
annette

april 2 and it is raining at 7 am

2010-04-02T05:54:00.000-07:00

well...nice change from last April! Sent Angie out of the house to get some peace and quiet (and Margo a well deserved respite from puppy carousing!) and it was raining!

Last April was snow.... it is still wet, but much warmer! And much more mood lifting...yes, I love the rain...I am weird!

The birds are happy about this April weather too...I can hear them chirping outside my window. As is Angie at the back door.

Now to contend with wet puppy and muddy paws......like having to catch a greased pig.....my flooring has taken a beating since her arrival!

Have been working on my new collections for this year. Doing a bit of re-organizing and re-vamping of my thought process in the area of design. The idea is to have a whole cohesive plan; and work smarter and develop groupings that intermix and compliment each other. I am being a bit ambitious I think, but hope to have 8 new collections done by open studio date in May. I will still do my one of a kind pieces, I do have to acknowledge my very small attention span, but I think re-focusing and narrowing my scope will aid me in creating better designs.

At least that is the goal.

The re-organizing has started with my studio...which is actually too toasty since the nice weather, have to turn the heat off!...all the flameworking glass rods are re-sorted or will be, into cardboard map tubes..provided by my lovely sister Yvette and cut down to size by my Dad. He even sanded the edges of the cut tubes...I am greatful to both. Need more tubes though as I have much more glass than I thought I had. Discovered colours to play with that will be in the new collections. So organizing does pay-off...it is just such a pain to keep up.

This past winter I invested in a bead core liner thingy...haven't tried it yet. It will aid me in lining my callies with sterling...big holed flameworked slider beads to collect. They fit my knit wire necklaces, special round-maille bracelet (opps...gave away a design detail) and most of the add-a-bead type of jewelry pieces out there. The sterling will add value and finish them off nicely.

Also purchased an "EZcube" light box...need new and better photos of my designs for web display. Haven't taken it out of the box yet...office area needs to be re-organized so I can set up my table top studio...junk needs to purged!

So you can see my list of "to dos" is long...and getting longer everyday.

Floor has puppy tracks all over it...gotta get out the swiffer!

ciao!

Annette

our angelina piccolina

2010-03-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

new pup...much to Margo's chagrin.
She joined our family in January and life
has not been the same since!

So you can see why I have had no time to update the blog!

Definitely border collie X. This sweetie was found with a litter in Churchill last October. She is now about 7 months and full of p*** and vinegar!

And we love her to death!

open house changed..again

2009-12-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

due to the flu the open house moved to Dec 12..saturday only from 12-6 pm.

people watching at starbucks

2009-10-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

I was at starbucks this am having a much needed coffee...ran out of my morning nectar at home...so I decided to sit and people watch for a bit. It is a pleasant pastime and many times it provides inspiration for designs.

No inspiration today...but I was surprised at the well-dressed lady with her starbucks coffee in hand, go through the raw sugar packets and pocket the lot of them! Did she really need 10 sugar packets to go? Did she think that because they are set out in the "help yourself area", that it means "help your self to all of them"? Is she a kleptomaniac and the small sugar packets were too "sweet" of a tempation to pass up?

Spoiled my small window of me time today..curse you well-dress lady with the sticky fingers...curse you.....

Hope you have great Halloween...

Annette

I will be at st. norbert this sat oct 3rd!

2009-10-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

I know mother nature has decided to send in autumn weather and it is pretty chilly setting up at 7 am on saturday mornings now. But I have pulled out my cold weather gear...gloves, hats,sweaters and even a poncho to kep me warm as I display my wares.

Hope to see you there!

Keep warm and toasty...
Annette

hollow beady...hugh and lovely!

2009-09-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

Thought I would add a few pictures of my new "star" bead..a lovely BIG hollow in medium aqua, ivory and turquoise.

This baby is really BIG...but surprisingly light-weight....not unlike myself.. ;>P

All kidding aside, Mom took a really nice artistic shot of it here...all reflective and dreamy...

Love how the light looks all swirly and magical! Imagine how it will look on you! Go ahead ...close your eyes....nothing better than day-dreaming...especially about such a pretty piece of adornment!

Happy thoughts!

Annette

new studio calendar

2009-09-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

Well it's Sunday evening and I have just installed my Google Calendar to my blog. Listed are the events that caledonea studio will be attending so far for the upcoming season. We will try this calendar to see if it fits my needs...if not...to the chopping block! (I like to change things all the time anyway...that old ADD again!)

If you want to be on my mailing list for my 5th Annual Holiday Open House...( dates to be confirmed shortly)...please drop me an email with "add me to your mailing list" in the title. Then in the body of the email, your name, where you have seen caledonea studios before and any of my designs you have purchased or have been gifted in the past...it helps refresh my memory!
email is annette(at)caledonea.com...substitute the @ sign for (at)...trying to fool those spybots if I can!

Hope to hear from you soon!
ciao!
Annette

another market day come and gone...sigh..

2009-08-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here???

Wonderful weather, wonderful busy day! I really enjoy getting out to the market to sell my "little wares". It gives me great satisfaction to talk to the people in our community and witness their enthusiasm about having the St. Norbert Farmers' Market to go to and experience all the fantastic produce, food and creations from their fellow Manitobans.

This is a pic of my crocheted pure silver, copper and gold plated wire earrings. They have become my caledonea studio "signature designs".

Just a reminder...

If I do not have the style you desire at the market on Saturdays, drop into the Manitoba Museum Gift Shop...they may have a pair for you!

Until next week...

Cheers!

Annette

funky, sassy and BIG!

2009-08-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

No I am not talking about me... ;>D ..., I am talking about RINGS! Nice...big...and chunky...not me again...!

I figure go bold or go home and these are BOLD indeed! I make new ones every week..they are adjustable and FANTASTIC!

Also check out the fused glass pendants...made from the same great Spectrum, Uroboros, and Bullseye glass as my fused funky chunky rings.

Time to head out to the studio and cut, grind and clean glass...must keep all your fingers happily adorned!

Ciao.... until the market on Saturday...

one of a kind...just like me!

2009-07-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

Blue chalcedony, hand forged sterling links and large crocheted pure silver chain.....I love how this one turned out.

Tomorrow is another market day and I am trying to get myself out to the studio to cut more links...have a bunch of new flame worked beads to make into the designs I see forming in my mind...just procrastinating today. Think I will clean the kitchen ... and then stop my dawdling!!

See you at the market tomorrow!

Cheers!

it's about time......

2009-06-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am alive and well as all those who attended the opening day for the st. norbert farmer's market can verify!

I had taken a break from the blog for a while as with working and raising 2 teenage boys and trying to design and create all my fabulous designs..;>)...had taken a bit of a toll on my health and sanity.

So on to the first market day for 2009! It was wonderful to see so many of my friends and fellow marketers from the past 9 years, yes 9 years! It is hard to believe that amount of time has past...I don't look a day older! ;>D

And wonderful weather to boot!
Thank you to all of my treasured friends that came out to support me yesterday and get their "caledonea fix" and to all of the new acquaintances that stopped to chat and comment so positively about my designs...that makes getting up at 5 am and setting up in minus 2 degree weather all worth while!

As you can see, I am still working on the re-branding of my website...lots of tricky links to verify! I am hoping to squeeze the time in for that somewhere amoungst the boys and margo and the rest of life!

Here is a pic of a new design I am particularily proud of and was a hot topic of conversation on Saturday at the market....

Cheers!

new look...new site...new designs

2009-01-03T17:02:00.000-08:00

Well a few days into a new year and it is time for new....new look, new website, new caledonea studio designs!

If you have come here from the new temporary home page of caledonea.com then you know a new website is coming.

There is also a new look to to caledonea studio, my favorite color combo that I previewed at scattered seeds....aqua, lime and chocolate...or turquoise, jade and brown....whatever you want to call it... it is my fave!

As for new designs...they are on the way...

"New" designs exclusively for sew dandee in Osbourne Village are to come as well.
In the development stage is the "new" online shop for caledonea studio...yes!...so designs that will be available in small quantities are in the works
And as always, I will be exploring "new" materials in the creation of my caledonea studio designs...."new" tools, "new" techniques..all "new"!

Happy New Year!

having heart

2008-11-07T05:24:00.001-08:00

I have been thinking about hearts quite a bit lately. I am intrigued by how the molten glass droops and flows when I tilt the mandrel

(steel rod that I build my bead on).

It is like having total control...to a point. You need to know how much to tilt and roll and WHEN TO STOP.

Much like life...so I am being philisophical today...

Anyway....I have an extreme amount of FUN when decorating these little molton glass jewels that I have to remind myself when it is time to STOP.

Here are 2 that I made a while ago...I think they have already found a friend to adorn.

Off to the torch to create more!

Cheers!

annette

events are updated!

2008-11-07T05:14:00.001-08:00

As promised I have updated the event listing. Taking it easy this winter, kinda over did it last winter season with too many shows. So fewer events to come to, but a much higher quality selection at each!
So....win, win!

Working on a new line...will have some goodies at my next show...this weekend....you will have to come down to see!

ciao!
Annette

fantastic fun at scattered seeds!

2008-10-21T05:46:00.001-07:00

Whew! Just finished up a whirlwind weekend of chatting and laughing and selling!
Thanks to all my clients who came down to support my designs and added to their collections. And welcome to all the new clients that sent some very complimentary comments about my designs and my booth my way...what an uplifting way to spend a weekend!
Pictures of new designs to follow in a few days as well as updated schedule of caledonea events.
cheers!
Annette

website is down...sigh

2008-09-03T19:12:00.001-07:00

Hello,
If you have been trying to get to caledonea.com you are out of luck. My website is down as my server has been having trouble for about a week now.

Seems to be taking a long time to fix it. Don't know if I have the patience for this.

If you got here because of going to google, thank you for your persistence and patience.

Time to battle with my hosting company.....

wish me luck!
annette

bringing color to the world..one ring at a time!

2008-08-18T15:19:00.001-07:00

A new addition to my designs that I offer at the St.Norbert's Farmers' Market. Colorful, fun, funky fused glass on an adjustable metal ring! A little piece of caledonea art for your finger....all for a little price.

Maybe hard to pick just one...why make your other fingers jealous? Treat them all!

Ciao!

fine silver has arrived...finally!

2008-08-17T12:07:00.001-07:00

My stock of fine silver wire that I create my crocheted designs with is here! Not that my supplier had anything to do with my shortage of raw materials....I just had been putting off my order as silver is getting up there. Big dent in the pocket book so to speak.

So now I can indulge in creating some of my signature pieces...like the design here, along with re-inventing some of my past designs. Look here soon for updated designs, inspired by the coming season and my love of color!

Cheers!

shoes to die for

2008-07-29T17:39:00.001-07:00

I mean literally, as in if I bought these oh so fantastic wedges from Cynthia Vincent's Twelfth St. Collection, I would actually DIE. By my husband's hand of course as they would cost in the $300 range no doubt.

I actually think they are last years model as I cannot find a site selling them at the moment.

On the bright side, I shall live to yearn another day. Or I can test my fate and go to ebay!

the OC collection....off center that is!

2008-06-29T09:11:00.001-07:00

Just a peek for you of my new fused glass pendants! They are approximately 35mm in diameter and packed with personality..all on an 18" rectangle box chain. Now I normally hand-make my sterling chain, but I couldn't resist this unique box chain when I saw it on beadaholique.com one of my favorite sites to get supplies for my designs. [yes, one can become a "beadaholique"!]
Let's take a closer look at this fab chain!

These are quite great, if I do say so myself. If you would like to add one to your jewelry collection, just drop me a line via my site at caledonea.com. (remember, links to my site don't seem to work on blogger so just copy and paste the link into your browser and voila!) Cheers!

finger bouquet

2008-06-01T06:31:00.001-07:00

I have noticed a lot of really BIG rings out there and since I have been designing these little [big] treasures for a few years now, I thought I might share a peek with you....
Yes, flowers for your fingers! I source out glass beads that are petal shaped and then using my wire like a thread, I "weave" the beads together, creating a flower. Then I add my sterling wire wrapped shank and ..voila!
Very chic I think! Next is my flameworked flower beads as rings...can't wait!