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....

Papier Mache Treasures

The response to my new book has been great! Lots of readers buy it for eye candy, much as I would a jewelery making book.It is available from me or Barnes and Noble online, Amazon etc. I included projects in which you don't need  a mold so you may just experiment with the papier mache process as well as molds. Molds can be bought on ebay and well, it has been fun!

teenaflannerstudio@yahoo.com

I had to pick which way to spell papier mache (paper) ....and stick with it! search engines , you know! I decided the fancy way, after all writing a book was very fancy for me!

If you purchase the book and have questions, feel free to ask me, I will try to help. If you send me a check for $19.95 , plus $8 for priority shipping, ($8 can ship up to 5 books) your address, how you would like it personalized, I will be glad to send you a book! My studio address is

820 Kurtis Drive

Elm Grove,WI 53122   

Teena                                  snowy winter, gorgeous!                                           if you purchase my book, would you mind rating it on Amazon? that would be very sweet!

www.amazon.com

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

Victoria , the beautiful magazine is back!

www.teenaflanner.com

Victoria the lovely magazine is back! The first "new" issue will be near the end of the year. People have inquired which issue featured my papier mache . Here are 2 pages from December 2001. It was a fabulous experience. The editors and photographer were wonderful. They arrived from NYC in the morning and after the work and after lunch , we wandered around an old section of Norfolk and found an old bookstore. One of our group collected vintage etiquette books...oh ,how we have changed!.. and we found one she did not have.

My daughter Susannah helped us do the styling and it was a memorable day.

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

Little blue desk

Last week I found a little desk at the local Goodwill store. It was $9.99, a good size for a small child or even for me. It was painted in primary colors with some wood tones so I just applied a $1.00 can of "oops" paint from the home improvement center. I softened the shade with a bit of cream color.It is so sweet, the perfect Peter Rabbit Coat blue ,and now sits in a corner of my office.

Grumpy Old Men

Re-visiting this classic movie and enjoying all the WI, MN touches. Especially today while finishing Easter orders, in the midst of a pre spring blizzard.Told Susannah when she gave it to me that it would depress me to see Ann Margaret with Jack Lemmon! Sus said" get over it! It is hysterical!" (Sophia with Walter!?) Despite the fact that should I choose to date again, this would be my dating pool! What happened. One day I was so young and fun. Still fun and a little young!

My mother went to her 60th high school reunion , a few years ago, in Gonzales, Texas.  Upon her return, she said,"all the girls were with old men" We all thought it funny, but now I understand.

Movies are so different when watched in different stages of your life. Grumpy Old Men is  funny and life affirming. I rarely watch a movie, just a fun background because I live alone.The soundtrack is good too. You can be a luscious Ann Margaret and have fun in the frozen north. Life is what you make it.

Teena

daffodils and tulips!

Happy waning winter, a time to dream of spring when all is still snowy!

teenaflannerstudio@yahoo.com

The Easter is in a few select wonderful shops. If you are interested,please email me. If I have a shop in your area ,I will direct you, if not, I will quote you a price. All of my work is ltd edition, signed.

Teena

studio shots

A place all my own to work and sit and to find  inspiration.