Christmas Fun @ Creative Kharma

A big huge THANKS!! to Barb & Cilla. They helped us decorate the front of the shop for Christmas. We had a blast with greenery and snowmen, and of course the giant waving Santa that Barb loaned us for our 4th annual Holiday Open House!

Check out the extreme cuteness...

Was a gorgeous sunny day!

Love this! Galvanized, greenery, old pickets and concrete deer.

What more could a girl want!

And the giant Santa, on duty! Amazing how those electric cords

didn't register until seeing them in a picture. ~OY~

Ah well. I never claimed to be a photo stylist.

Our Open House went well. It was nice to see lots of new faces! Christmas shopping was in full gear and there was some Christmas eating, too. Barb made snowballs, and I have to share this one. Donut holes with cream cheese frosting, rolled in shredded coconut. Mmmmm!

Joyce made yummy everything but the kitchen sink cookies, and Cilla made what I lovingly refer to as choco-nut nummies. Mix in some hot cider, Holiday tunes and the smell of fresh greens and there you have it. A lovely day.

And, just when I thought we'd had all the good fortune we could expect with the media...(the Spotlight mentioned us one week in the gift guide and did an article the next week here: http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=129123677276801800 ,) one of the amazing artists who shows & sells her fabulous art at the shop - Helen Knaupp - was featured in the

Oregonian Homes & Gardens section today. See it here: http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2010/12/st_helens_artist_helen_knaupp.html She very kindly spoke of us, and spoke very kindly of us as well - and we were mentioned several times. Before opening, we had our first visitor who came because she read about Helen and the shop & wanted to see her fabulous art.

And so it went all day.

We feel blessed, Paulette, Dee, and I - by this circle of supportive humans that come together around Creative Kharma. We had no idea how many warm wonderful people we'd meet, both sellers and customers, nor could we have guessed how many people would pray for our survival as a tiny little shop in a brutal economy. Or how many people would come together to shore us up thru family tragedy. Our little shop is unique - and maybe a little odd some days (mostly when I'm working. :-}) but it's warm and welcoming and over the top in the best way possible.

We sincerely wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, a prosperous New Year, and always, Good Kharma.

Heavenly Scents of Christmastime

Can I just say"Oh Yum!" without you thinking I'm losing my mind?

I didn't think so, but I had to ask!

The Holiday Soy container candles are in and the scents are absolutely fabulous! For your enjoyment we have:

Oh Christmas Tree - A clean fresh cut evergreen scent.

Kickin' Eggnog - One of our best loved scents. Super rich eggnog with a nice kick of rum scent.

Home for the Holidays - A nice blend of evergreen, cinnamon, apple, vanilla and butter. Think Christmas tree and Apple Pie.

Cinnamon & Balsam - A really nice Holiday scent. Clean cinnamon and balsam pine.

Bayberry - My personal favorite. Clean rich traditional Bayberry.

Hazelnut Espresso - Super rich, mouth watering hazelnut coffee "yum."

And, a special edition vintage glass pot (4 in stock) containing our Cherry Amaretto scent. Yum, Yum Yum!

We also have some of our other scents available, such as Birthday Cake, Pumpkin Spice, Apple Spice Cake, Powder Rose, Lilac, Violet, Gardenia and more.

All our candles are 100% Soy, all natural, hand poured and contain the maximum scent oil that the wax will accept. Almost all our scents are formulated with a soy carrier oil, our wicks are primed with soy and we recycle every jar returned to us by our customers. (We offer a discount on your next candle for each jar you return, cleaned.) These are a totally green product and 75% of the proceeds from the sale of our candles stays in the local economy. (The other 25% goes to Shay & Company, a small family owned Portland wax/scent oil/soap & lotion base etc. supply company, where we buy our wax. See them here: http://www.shayandcompany.com )

Why Soy? Soy is a healthy alternative to petroleum based parrafin candles. Soy candles support American farmers, not oil companies. They burn longer and cleaner than parrafin. Soy will burn approximately 10 hours per ounce and will be completely consumed, unlike parrafin, burning a tunnel in the middle and leaving you with 2/3 waste. No toxic carcinogens released into the air, as with parrafin, makes soy the best choice for your health as well.

Schedule & Descriptions...finally. :-)

(New workshop descriptions added 11/16)

The holidays are almost upon us. Egads where did the last year go?

We've been working toward getting the shop holiday-ed, but I'm really looking forward to next week. The "classes" we have scheduled are some of the more fun sessions I can think of.

We're going to try something different and are looking for some feedback from our participants. We will be offering a 20% discount to participants who sign up and pay for their session/s 72 hours or more in advance.

We will also be posting a list of available workshops to choose from each month and scheduling each session as we have 3 or more people signed up. (It's not nearly as much fun being the 1 and only participant.) As we build more interest, we will go back to the set time schedule format.

All that said, here is the lineup for the 15th thru the 30th of November. If you see something you're interested in you can sign up by phone @ 503-366-7973, by email - creativekharma@ comcast.net, or by dropping by the shop Tuesday thru Sunday 10am to 6pm. Don't forget to pay for your session early and receive a 20% discount.

We will offer morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend sessions. Please indicate which works best for you when reserving your session.

Also, Dee and I will be adding more sessions to this list,

so check back often for more exciting workshops!

Bear with us, we'll get the kinks out eventually. :-)

Background Check
In this session you will learn many different methods of building backgrounds. Build skills that will transfer to all facets of your mixed media work, from ATC's to assemblage to room sized murals. Work with paper, paint, pastels, water soluble crayons, ink, and much more. You will leave with at least one sheet of background paper. All materials provided. $25.00

What's This Thingy Called?
In this session you will learn the names and uses for various jewelry "parts". In the hands on portion of the workshop, you will learn how to form a balanced composition and assemble beads on a "head pin". You will learn how to form the loop at the end of the head pin and how attach several together to form a finished piece of jewelry. You may choose to assemble several pairs of (pierced ear) earrings or a bracelet from your completed head pin assemblages to take home with you. All materials provided, however you are free to bring any special beads you would like to use. $25.00

Domino!!
In this session you will alter several actual dominoes in your choice of decoupage, collage, alcohol inks and or paint. When you are satisfied with your design, we will finish them to hang from your choice of chain. You will take home one or more completed pendants. All materials provided. $25.00

Fly Away Home
In this session, we will form a wire bird nest pendant complete with a lovely lampwork egg to hang from your favorite chain. A fabulous vintage heishi bird fetish will finish the pendant nicely. You will leave with one completed pendant. All materials provided. $25.00

Serendipity Squares
If you love unexpected results, this session is the one for you! You will prepare an 8x10 background then cut it into 80 squares. Those 80 squares become the basis for your work of art. You will leave with one or more beautiful art pieces to hang in your home or give as a gift. All materials provided. $25.00

My Art Journal
In this workshop, you will alter a composition notebook in your own unique style. Options include paper, fabric, wallpaper, old photos, personal photos and found objects, the list goes on. We will add pockets, ties, and envelopes to your notebook to add inspirational notes, photos, bits from magazines, etc. Although this is a stand alone session, I recommend that you have some basic knowledge of attaching various materials to books and to each other, or that you have taken one of our collage or background workshops previously. (This helps ensure that you can take full advantage of this session and complete a journal.) You will leave with one complete journal, or a nearly complete journal and the skills to finish it. All materials provided. $25.00


Paste-Paper-Repeat is an introduction to collage. We’ll get our hands dirty and learn how to attach lots of different things to a collage. All materials provided. $25.00

5 Part Harmony is an introduction to altering random items. You will get your choice of random goodness to alter in 5 steps of your choice. Materials provided, but you are free to bring “stuff” that you’ve always thought you could do something to and make it cool. $25.00

Collage in the Round will build on skills you have. You will work in 15 minute increments, then pass your collage to the right for the next person to work on, for 15 minutes. This is a fun class that has fabulously unexpected results. All materials provided. $25.00

Added 11/16/2010!

Mixed Media Art Dolls
In this workshop you will create your own one-of-a-kind art doll. Materials provided will be tiny porcelain “body parts“, bamboo tiles, copper wire and mesh, buttons, beads, metal pieces and any other odds and ends I can come up with. Building these pieces is fun and great therapy! J
Feel free to bring to class any little trinket or other item that would personalize your art piece or make it special for you. Workshop size will be limited to four students and scheduled as often as we have 2-4 paid participants.
$45.00

Fairy Abodes
This is a fun workshop in which you will build a whimsical “fairy house” using your inner child imagination. These can be used outside as bird houses, under cover, but are wonderful pieces to decorate for the holidays and display in your home.

All materials will be provided ……. abode forms, bark, twigs, tiny pieces of fabric for curtains, accessories, holiday decorations, wood pieces for furniture (we all know that fairies need tiny little beds!), moss, glue guns and a few surprises!
Sessions will be offered each time we have 2-4 paid participants.
$42.00

I did snap one shot of a completed "Collage in the Round" piece. This is from last Saturdays session. Now ~I~ need a class, on how to photograph the finished pieces, because this doesn't do it justice in any way shape or fashion. :-\

"WHO ART thou?"

Week 2

.
What an exciting first week! I want to thank everyone who participated in our 1st three classes! You made it a really enjoyable week. I am such a newbie that I forgot my camera, but that will not happen again!

In this 2nd week, we have alot going on, getting ready for our open house November 20th, so we will not be offering any classes this week, but stay tuned for next weeks schedule, packed with fun! Fairy Houses, Leather Jingle Bells, Serendipty Squares, ATC's, What's That Thingy Called, and more!! Class descriptions wil be posted with a full schedule later this week.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the Open House, watch the Chronicle for details!

The class schedule is up...

.
for the week of November 2-7

Nov. 2nd 3-6pm Paste-Paper-Repeat
Introduction to basic collage skills. We'll get our hands dirty
and learn how to attach lots of different things to our collage.
Materials provided. $20.00

Nov. 4th 3-6pm 5-Part Harmony
Introduction to altering random items. You will get your
choice of "randomness" to alter in 5 steps of your choosing.
Materials are provided, but you are free to bring random
"stuff" that you've always thought you could do something
to/with and make it cool. $20.00

Nov. 6th 6-9pm Collage in the Round
Build on skills you already have. You will work in 15 minute
increments, then pass your collage to the right for the next
person to work on for 15 minutes...and so on. This is a fun
class with fabulously unexpected results.
Materials provided. $20.00

Creative Kharma is pleased to announce that we will offer 3 classes per week minimum. We hope to offer full-day workshops soon, and will be offering open studio time to artists and crafters in the community. Come to learn something new and/or to meet new people!

Gift Certificates available!

A little about us:

Dee has an extensive background as a seamstress and heirloom porcelain doll maker, pouring and firing the dolls, assembling them and costuming them. She also works in papier mache, makes art dolls, assembles fabulous fairy houses, and much more. She was co-owner of Apple of My Eye in St Helens previously and has sold her work in major doll shows and many bazaars in the area.

Elizabeth finds special joy in altered art. She has worked in a variety of media including soldering, stained glass mosaic, mixed media work on canvas, wood, and various other substrata, papier mache, recycle art, jewelry making, woodcraft, pyrography, metalwork, painting/faux finishing, collage, assemblage, and so much more. She has sold her work at Creative Kharma and Crows Nest.

With nearly 100 years combined experience in art and craft, we offer something for everyone.

We will be accepting suggestions for future classes - whether skills based or project based. If there is a skill you would like to have or something we've made for the shop that you would like to learn to do, let us know and we'll do our best to oblige.

We will strive to keep classes affordable and will provide materials whenever practical. If you have favorite materials, a favorite brush, stamp or adhesive, or special mementos feel free to bring them to add your personal touch to your projects.

We will focus on the no fear approach to everything we cover. Showing you the basic skills so you can work to unlock your inner artist is our goal. For that reason we will encourage experimentation. We will encourage working through "mistakes" and finding the lessons behind them. All in all, we hope to provide a fun, laughter filled and supportive environment and to foster a sense of community between the emerging artists who participate in our workshops and classes.

If you have questions, please feel free to call 503-366-7973 Tuesday thru Sunday 10am to 6pm

Welcome!

3 years in, it seems funny to be making a first post to a new blog.

The impetus? Change. And in a big way. The shop has undergone immense changes recently, with possibly the most exciting being the addition of our very own studio.

Beginning November 2nd we will be offering classes. "In what?", you may ask. Wow...the list is mind bogglingly long. We are jazzed, and terrified. Over the next week I'll be snapping pictures galore, as our studio takes shape. (Right now it is a huge "clearance sale" area. But tomorrow!!)

Come join in the fun, as we embark on yet another new adventure.