Teena Flanner

Grandbabies, Atlanta and summer!

Photos ... of my life and a few of the little characters in it!

Home from Atlanta! When I tell people I revived glitter and in all those showrooms there was absolutley no glitter, I get a strange look. That someone as small as me did that!, oh well! I love my niche.

The absolute fabulous thing about going to this market is the people! First the amazing shops who believe in American hand created art and have the courage to promote it! I may be the " smallest" artist there, with no employees, which I love. I may be understaffed but it is my choice and I love it!

The truly inspiring and wonderful thing about market is the fellow creative spirits that I meet. We get to hang out for days at a time, in between customers. Almost a week from 9am-6pm.

2 blonds are daughter Susannah and her friend from Norway, Trine

The rest you may know! Katie and Jack, Chris and Abbey, 4 leggeds Will and Norman and big brother Jack and little sis Abbey! And my son Chris, Abbey and me . Skiing, Chris and my wonderful son-in-law Joe in Lake Tahoe.

This market I met a new friend, Michael, a true original! Extremely knowledgeable about each subject that would arise, fun! and a great source of little chocolates! He is forming a company sometime in the future and I will let you know! He was a joy and a instant friend!

My roommate Donna, from Hearts and Ivy in MN, this year we bounced about ideas on the changing of the marketplace since we began about 15 years ago. One night I went swimming in the Hyatt pool for 2 hours but usually we just talked.

Lynda and Hank Hawley from their Hawley Collection of delightful Santas and all the new shops who are discoveing both the collection and the Hawleys.

Tannebaum Treasures from CT, Gary and Judy Vaillancourt from MA, Bethany Lowe from IL (has a new book with my publisher, Sterling and the ever delightful and fun Bruce of Hobgoblin and Oscar fame!

Two shows !!!!!! no relation bewtween the 2 Traditions except that they are both spectacular!

Traditions in Canoga Park CA October4

Traditions in Winter Park FL to be announced

Have a lovely and super fun summer!!!! I am working hard in my studio but going to beaches, gardening and having a blast!

Babies, lilacs, life!

My life has been rich and bountiful, joyful and like any life well or otherwise lived, has had sadness. My mom died in March and we all memorialized Elnora Marjorie in Colorado.  My son-in-law, Joe , drove his very pregnant wife Katie, 2 year old Jack, sister-in-law Susannah and me ( his mother-in-law, yikes!) across many, many hours of black ice in Iowa. I thought it was a wonderful tribute to a grandma who has not recognized any of us for years , for all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren to assemble as family. My son Chris chose to drive  instead of  fly, from Nevada , so we could all meet his "newish" 12 year old german shepard Miranda. Color group photo is "us" in Colorado at one of our favorite, corny,  fun places.

On April 9 our newest and still sleepiest ,little person arrived, Abbey Jane. A doll of course!

My shops have been patient because at this stage of my life and career, I shut down my studio for long periods to enjoy and experience life. After my long ago divorce in 1991, I did nothing but work and take care of my children , as their sole support. Now I work when I wish, plant and garden, travel a little bit, get up in the morning and walk my dogs or today, pick huge fresh bunches of lilacs, tulips, iris, some transplanted from my home in Virginia. What I am trying to say is that during the long, cold days of winter I may work all night, when my grandbabies are busy I put in long hours . I love my papier mache and will probably never stop creating new and old pieces.

My largest order for this month came from a lovely shop in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, Christina's of Stone Harbor. It was great fun, all mermaids and patriotic children and fun, summery stuff. Christine's in Mountain Brook Alabama ordered some lovely wedding pieces, the flower basket from my book and the beach children.

so now some photos to accompany the words above!!!!

This season is so beautiful that I can hardly stand it....

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Happy holidays to mall!              

some of these creations now live in North Carolina with my new friend Susan............My son, Uncle Chris, reading to Jack ABOVE!

icicles over my studio..................................

Teena                                                                             Midwest Santa

Thanksgiving! Pilgrims! turkeys!

  Such a busy time of year for everyone. I am getting ready for a nice Thanksgiving week-end with my family. Packing the last of the orders for shops and trying to enjoy these unusual warm autumn days, planning a speech I am making and for an upcoming book signing at our library. Just enjoy your pre-holiday activities! Perhaps I can take Will for his last fetch and swim day at the beach!

Teena

Learning

I once read that there are 3 types of learning. Anyone who has read this blog must realize that I really don't know what I am doing in the blog department.I went to the library, checked out a book on blogs and started. I do not understand a trackback which is perhaps why my readership is low.

In my own words....type 1 in the learning  "curve" gathers the best supplies, let's go with knitting as an example. She will find the best yarns, the finest needles, instruction books, everything possibly necessary for her goal. She will study and learn the ins and outs as thoroughly as possible, in her own environment, before she lifts a needle.

Ty pe 2 will take a class and get the supplies necessary per the instructors list.

Type 3 (me), will gather a bit of what she needs and just start. She will blunder about, privately and just do it.If she purchases more than the minimum, it will be for the beauty of it not the practical stuff. Each style probably is limiting but it is very difficult to change.      

So, photos are just for fun. 1 is me at 4 or 5, the other my beautiful mother, Elnora Margery ( Marge now 94 and healthy in body only) and my older brother Andy. Other photos ...my nanny's teddy bear in his little worsted trousers, an image of one of my favorite books and a little nest Andy and I found in Colorado this year, etc etc

Teena

Things are a bit unruly!

Things are so unruly that I must take control. I am so envious of anyone with an artistic and organizational mind all wrapped into one person! Yikes, I cannot even imagine.I have always thought that perhaps a few fiber artists are like that due to their neatly folded fabrics. Anyway, it is not me.      

    So today on this 90 degree summer day, I started in the attic.Over the winter the squirrels had families and wrecked havoc up there. They tore down the insulation, so today I dressed much like a bee keeper and removed the pink glass fiber embedded stuff. This is only the beginning of the fun projects I need to tackle. Photos are from my closet!

When my grandmother  was 107 she fell off of a ladder and broke her hip. Everyone has always inquired why she was on a ladder? Well, I have said forever, "because she was single!", of course!

Teena  odds and ends

Family wedding!

It would be so wonderful to have my creative mind and

be technical. photos from "wedding "are all a jumble!

The little threesome is the recent bride, my niece, Kara, surrounded by her groom Mark, (with the top hat) and brother, my nephew Kyle. I use molds for my work but a little customizing is quite fun, hair color etc. The bride and her brother have dark shiny hair and the colors were a luscious fuchsia and orange. It was a wedding that all weddings should be, beautiful, friendly and a re-gathering of far extended family and family of the heart. The bride had a personal handwritten note at each place. Just a memorable affair, perfect actually.

May

  In Elm Grove Wisconsin, Memorial Day is classic. We have a wonderful parade down the main street, Watertown Plank Rd.The road is named this because it was a road of wooden planks to Watertown in the 1800's. Rose, from Little House on the Prairie  was born near here. I live a few blocks from the route so we gather in the morning. We have often worn our ski jackets as May in Wisconsin can be chilly. I have marched as a girl scout leader, a cub scout leader and my children have both walked and biked the route. We have distinguished soldiers of all ages in our parade. I have been amazed that there are so many people to watch the parade as everyone seems to be a participant. Afterwards there is free ice cream and hot dogs.

April

April was all about travel. I went to Reno to visit Chris, my son ,and meet his newly adopted 12 year old german shepard, Miranda. It is wonderful to see your children one at a time as well as all together. We drove to Lake Tahoe and talked and ate and just hung out. He has completely found his niche. Reno has soaring, skiing and an interesting engineering job.

Then I flew to Denver to see my brother and sister-in- law and Mom. Lovely trip!

My niece, Kara, had a wedding shower in Madison and the second photo is of my daughters and I at that event. Grandbaby Jack had his 2nd birthday with lots of family and a train cake made by Susannah.

weddings

My niece , Kara, is getting married this July, to a wonderful guy name Mark. The wedding is right in the middle of my summer show. I want to be there because I have missed many important events for years and years with my travel schedule. Surely I  am old enough now to get an alternate plan!

My geneticist brother Mark, a different Mark , is flying in from D.C. tomorrow, he ordered "warm weather" yikes, this is Wisconsin. He is no stranger to snow as we are all from Colorado and he goes almost each week-end.We are all so excited!