Thursday, October 13, 2011

Magic Cottage Craft & Gift Sale - A Celebration of Fine Crafts, Artisan Foods, & Festive Decor



As the days get frosty and our thoughts turn to family and Christmas, what better way to kick off the season than with a trip to the Magic Cottage? Work from the heart and hands of multi-talented artists and crafters will be highlighted all snuggled up in our cozy cottage setting. Our crafty little elves have been busy all year long and as the Holidays beckon, we have many new creations and gifts, made especially for you.
Embracing the finer things in life from scrumptious treats, to heirloom gifts, an incredible assortment awaits you, all at reasonable prices. There’s sweets for your sweetie, tasty treats for your tummy and lots of delightful décor to deck the halls. Gypsy Wolf designs from Vancouver are part of this year’s line up with handmade fashion accessories and clothing. Beautiful stained glass pieces created by local artisan Laurie Allen are also new to our list. There’ll be Christmas gifts and trimmings galore, and with a small donation to local charity, you can enter to win a beautiful handcrafted jewellery piece perfect for holiday occasions or the special gal on your list. All draw proceeds donated to local charity.
The Magic Cottage will be open Saturday, Nov 5(10-6), Sunday, Nov 6 (10-5) & Saturday, Nov 19 (10-6), Sunday, Nov 20 (10-5). The Magic Cottage is located at 3945-4th Avenue, between Morton and Maitland, Port Alberni, BC. Just look for the craft sale signs and be sure to come in and browse. It's never too early to discover that special gift for the ones dear to your heart or to enhance your home this holiday season.
 












Christmas in the Valley Craft Fair!


A much loved Christmas tradition is even better than ever! "Christmas in the Valley!" has more room for you to browse and with over a dozen new vendors, along with your old favourites, you’ll have lots of items to choose from. Right now, local artists and crafters are busy creating Christmas treasures just for you, featuring hand crafted items perfect for gifts, or to enhance your home this Christmas.

Browse through the aisles of intriguing items like, festive floral arrangements, hand painted Ukranian eggs, wooden toys and jewellery. You'll find a variety of creative gifts including fabric and needlework, handmade soaps, paper crafts, glass and woodwork, plus a wide assortment of Christmas decorations. New items include Gypsy Wolf clothing design from Vancouver, candles, soap and massage bars, Tie-dye clothing, silver jewellery, birdhouses, leatherwork, and much more. But that’s not all! There’s a colouring contest for kids, a Make-n-Take craft table, choirs singing, refreshments and fun!

Fair hours are Friday, November 11th from 3-8pm, Saturday, November 12th from 10-5pm and Sunday, November 13th from 11-4pm, and admission is absolutely free! So mark your calendars and bring the whole family out to Christmas in the Valley at Glenwood Centre, 4480 Vimy Street, Port Alberni BC. Don't forget to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Bread of Life, Port Alberni Shelter or the SPCA.







Saturday, April 9, 2011

Come join the Days with the Arts at the Magic Cottage!

The Magic Cottage opens its doors this spring for Days with the Arts. We’ve created all sorts of new works with a spring theme of nostalgic birds and vintage Victorian flare. You’ll find mixed media collage work, home decorative items, art cards, and funky fashionable jewellery. Watch our art and jewellery making demonstrations to see how we create our work. Then enter our draw to win our studio prize of a golden robin’s nest necklace with freshwater pearls.

The Magic Cottage will be open Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 from 10am to 4pm, and is located at 3945-4th Avenue, between Morton and Maitland, Port Alberni, BC. Just look for the Arts and Crafts Sale signs and be sure to come in and browse.


 


 


 








Friday, March 4, 2011

Making Crafts for the Alberni Fall Fair

Project: Elegant Crystal Chain and Bird Bracelet with Matching Necklace



Tools for Project:




Chain Nose Pliers Jump Ring Tool
I was recently interviewed by Fall Fair columnist Gillian Shearwater for contribution to her upcoming article in the AV Times. April's article is on accessories for that special Grad and the following contains her questions, my answers and some info with pictures of an elegant yet easy piece of jewellery that anyone can make. You can read more of Gillian's articles at http://albernifair.com/

For the article I chose to do a piece for Fall Fair category “5L-09 - 6 Jewellery, any object”. I created specific pieces for this article because I wanted to show that a complex looking design can actually be fairly simple with the right supplies. The supplies used for this project are from a Vancouver bead store (crystal chain and 18’ chain) and Michael’s in Nanaimo (birds, jump rings and clasp). All supplies are available at Michael’s. I would have used local supplies but the crystal chain and bird charms are not available here; however, you can get jump rings, clasps and pre-made chain at Wal-Mart. I sadly miss our local Hobby Corner (sigh).

Gillian: What’s the best project for a beginner?

Me: For beginner’s it is best to keep it simple. You can still make a beautiful piece of jewellery and save yourself a lot of frustration by keeping your projects within your skill level. This way you can advance your techniques as you advance your skills. Trying to tackle a complex project can lead to discouragement and an unfinished project.

Gillian: What makes a project successful? E.g. design, finishing, appropriate materials for intended use, trendiness.

Me: Many factors make a successful project. Design, colour scheme, quality of supplies and execution of work can make or break a piece. I prefer to use supplies that are made of metal, glass, crystal, or stone, to plastic. They tend to be more pleasing to the eye, but occasionally you can find good quality plastic or resin ware. If you are interested in doing a jewellery project, make sure you do a little research first. Check fashion and colour trends or choose colours and designs that can be worn with many different outfits. This will give you piece more functionality and appeal.

Gillian: What cautions are there for making jewellery and related accessories?

Me: When choosing your project, I can’t stress enough the importance of choosing a simple project to start. You might want to start with a pattern or instructional video. Quality materials also go a long way in making a project successful. Discount supplies usually come with a discounted quality, however if you spend some time scrutinizing the product you can still get a few bargains. Discount supplies can be a good source if you just want to practice; however, spending a little extra on quality supplies can make a big difference in the result.

Gillian: Supplies: What are the best and/or closest sources of supply? Any comments on what is locally available through the dollar stores and big box stores? Any comments on mail order, or internet shopping?

Me: Quality supplies locally can be hard to come by since the closing of our local hobby store. You can find some items in the big box stores and discount stores locally. Internet shopping can be an excellent source for supplies, but be sure to check out the companies shipping prices, and duty costs for any items coming in from another country. Where you get your supplies really depends on what you decide to make. I like to hand pick my supplies from a variety of stores so I can see the quality I’m getting and I get a wide variety of supplies. I always have my eye out for things available locally and have found some lovely vintage supplies in our local thrift shops.

Gillian: Learning to make jewellery & accessories, are there any classes locally? Do you teach? Any internet resources that are valuable?

Me: Local classes are usually offered through our local Parks and Recreation Dept. Unfortunately I don’t teach classes yet, but maybe in the future. To learn how to make jewellery, look for instructional books from our local library, articles in magazine or on the internet for simple designs, patterns, and instructions. You Tube is a great place to find instructional videos.

Gillian: What would be a good project for an experienced crafter to expand their range of skills?

Me: There are so many projects geared to the experienced crafter. I really depends on whether you want to do beadwork, wirework, precious metal clay work or complete metal construction such as silver casting, soldering or riveting. Patterns and videos usually let you know what skill levels are required, beginner, intermediate or advanced. Don’t be afraid to play with new materials, experimentation can lead to some very interesting and creative pieces. I’ve done pieces where I’ve used fabric, ribbon, paper, and even guitar picks. By using your imagination, you can incorporate many unusual items into jewellery. Don’t be afraid to fail, even if a piece doesn’t turn out exactly the way you intended it, it can still be a nice piece. I always say that in art there are no mistakes, just creative redirections.


How It’s Made
This set looks complicated, but is fairly basic. It’s composed of the following pieces: 2 bird charms, 1 - 5 ½” length of crystal chain, 1 matching crystal drop, 5 jump rings, 1 magnetic clasp, and 1 pre-made 18” chain. Tools needed are chain nose pliers and a jump ring tool (see above), or two sets of pliers can be used.

The construction involves opening the jump rings, attaching the pieces together in the desired design, then closing the jump rings. It's best to twist the jump ring apart sideways (one side of the jump twists towards you and the other twists away from you). Do not pull it open or pushing it closed, that will damage and warp the jump ring. I hope you find this post helpful.
Best wishes in creativity,
-Elaine





Thursday, October 14, 2010

Magic Cottage a Celebration of Fine Crafts, Artisan Foods, & Festive Decor

With the days getting frosty and our thoughts turning to that hot cup of cocoa all curled up by a roaring fire, then what better way to celebrate the season than to see what the Magic Cottage has created just for you. Our crafty little elves have been working year round and as the Holiday Season beckons, it's never too early to discover that special gift for the ones dear to your heart. And just in time for your discovery, the Magic Cottage has gathered creations from Island artisans to help you find that perfect treasure for gift giving, or to enhance your home this holiday season.

You’ll find a wonderful assortment of quality giftware handcrafted by local crafters all at reasonable prices. There’s sweets for your sweetie, tasty treats for your tummy and lots of delightful décor to deck those halls. There’ll be Christmas gifts and trimmings galore, all wrapped up in a cozy cottage setting. And with a small donation to local charity, you’ll be entered to win a Holiday assortment of handcrafted wares.

The Magic Cottage will be open Saturday, Nov 6 (10-6), Sunday, Nov 7 (10-5) & Saturday, Nov 20 (10-6), Sunday, Nov 21 (10-5). The Magic Cottage is located at 3945-4th Avenue, between Morton and Maitland, Port Alberni, BC. Just look for the craft sale signs and be sure to come in and browse.