Friend Angela Burk's Creative Studio

Friday I made a little visit to my friend Angela's house. We spent some time in her studio where she creates. I took a few pictures. They do not do the space justice. We had a sweet time and did some planning for the Spring Fling and our workshops that she will be helping with.

Busy Busy Busy

Well here it is February 27 and where goes the time? I am busy getting my creations ready for the Funky Finds Spring Fling on March 13. I have made collage, jewelry and more jewelry to sell, plus I am getting the info together to present the workshops I will be offering in May. I am also pondering what I am going to take to the big south Texas show in Round Top/Warrenton, Texas. I will have a 20'x40' canopy down there and I must fill it. I will be down there for at least three weeks. It really is a long show, but very worth it. There is never a boring moment. Fun, friendly, people from all over the U.S. Lots of live entertainment on the weekends and always some late nite shopping to attend after hours. I will be blogging from down there again, as I did last show in the fall, so watch the blog. It will be very informative and lively!

Great Old Finds

Take a look at this sweet little German Child's Paint Set. I gauge it to be from the 1930's. I love the illustration on the outside of the wooden box kit. I don't know who the illustrator was, but I thought it very typical of 1930's French illustrations. I was so happy and delighted when I found this! This little artist's kit measures 9"x13". I believe this child was so thrilled to get this little kit.


These are some of the old tube paints and crayons that were in the kit itself. The tube paints were labeled in four languages. This kit had many sheets of drawings that the child had sketched and painted, including one that was a picture of his/her house labeled "Our House -the finest".

This is the top tray of the paint kit with all of the brushes, oil paints, water colors, crayons, and instructions book. This tray lifts out and the sketches were kept underneath.


Another Little Orphan

Here is a sweet kangaroo I picked up at a recent estate sale. As you can see, he is fabricated of felt. He was well loved and cherished, you can tell, by the way they took the time to patch his neck, foot, and several patches on his tail. I don't know why, but I am attracted to, and must take in all little orphans of his type and give them a home in my studio. I have other pictures on the blog of my sweet little orphans. He is about 14" tall.

Welcome to February

Hello and welcome to February. This month is ushering in many new things and I am so glad. Last year went out with a sad sigh.

Today I decided on colors for my workshop area. I am living in a house that started out as an investment flip house, but as it goes, it is becoming quite homey and comfy. It is a mid-century modern that the original builder added Frank Lloyd Wright features to. My whole neighborhood is like that. Some have more FLW features than others. Well, anyway, my garage is being converted to a workshop/garage. I still need to park my little Miata convertible somewhere. But is is going to work out quite nicely. I picked out the paint today and it will probably be painted tomorrow.

Next, I have been playing with some new images I found on Etsy from a girl in Italy. I want to have a new business card by the time the Funky Finds Spring Fling comes up on March 13 and I am trying to design it myself. By the way, it doesn't work to click on the link above. I don't know why. I have also been designing an ad for their colorful, beautifully glossy magazine that is available for free at the venue. The Spring Fling has me sooo excited! I am trying to get some unique jewelry made, workshop examples put together, flyers, display ideas, and so on. You can click on the little Funky Finds doggy at the top and see what they are all about. Joe and Jessica Dougherty are very talented promoters, not to mention great illustrators and blog/web savy. I don't think there is anything they can't do. I am going to ask Joe how to add to my blog so I can start offering free images.

I vended at Canton First Monday this past week. Boy was it cold, but I still sold alot of stuff. A wide variety, some old frames, small pieces of furniture, two old military bags with eastern writing on them, books, jewelry, toys, and just a wide variety in general. I even parted with a few of my old cabinet cards. Sold them to a lady that uses them in making her custom jewelry. I may go back next month. Maybe it will be warmer!

Now you know what has been going on here. I can't wait until the workshops start again. Get to see my artsy fartsy, old and new, workshop leaders. Swell people that have really added color to my world.

Whoever is out there reading this, give me a shout and let me know your interests and ideas. I would love to see some of your art. If you are local to Ft. Worth, Texas and offer workshops, let me hear from you. If you have a workshop idea, let me hear about it.

Take care and I am as near as my little netbook. Isn't that comforting? :)

Peace and Love.

Happy New Inspirational Year

Well here it is a new year. I am excited about this new year! I have a new studio to work in and a workshop space also in the makings. I will do my "soft" creating in the studio and the "tool type" creating in the workshop. I hope all of you have in some way started something new as well. Whether it be a new piece of art, a goal, resolution, I wish you great success in this new year. Everyday is a new day to start over and start again to reach our goals. I believe we were created to be successful in our talents and desires. Faith plays a big, big role in how we face our challenges and the changes in life. I choose to be the best I can be this year.

I want to say a big hello to my friends and Followers. I know I have been slack in adding to my blog, but the past three months have been a challenge for time, emotion, and energy for me. I had to deal with several issues, but I'M BACK! I hope you will enjoy the new pictures I have added. These are things that make me happy, creative, and amused. Some of these things I will have with me forever and some of these things will be incorporated into workshops.

I want to tell you about a great artist venue that is coming up in March. It is the Funky Finds Spring Fling. It is March 13, from 9am-3pm. It will be held in the small exhibits building (poultry) at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, located at 3409 Burnett-Tandy Dr., Ft. Worth, Texas, 76107. It will be filled to capacity with artists and creations of every kind. There will be raffles, music, and the Humane Society will be there for pet adoptions. Eight pets were adopted last year. I will be vending there as well. If you were interested in vending, there is a wait list. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT! Tell everyone you know and come make a day of it. Last year I bought some wonderful homemade soap, a cute headband, a felted bird's nest, and lots of assemblage pieces. Now that's a variety. You can click on the little Funky Finds dog icon to the left on my blog page to check the Spring Fling out and everything else that Funky Finds has to offer, including online shops, advertising, and giveaways. As an artist, I just cannot say enough about them. Funky Finds website lists art venues and goings-on all over the U.S.

I wanted to let you know that all of the pictures I have posted tonight (Sat. 16th, 2010) are current pictures that I took today, but I did not update the date option on my camera, so looks like they were taken back in 08. WRONG! All pictures are new and current.

Let me hear from you and I wish you happy trails.

Hidy Yall. Just a little post to let you know that The Altered Muse is working really hard on getting the studio and the workshop complete. I have run into a little delay due to a terminal illness in my family, but I am still very excited about my studio and workshop and am doing alot of planning for workshops. Angela that does the soldering workshops is going to be working with me to get things up and running and we have some exciting thoughts and plans. The Funky Finds Spring Fling is going to happen in March. If you click on the Funky Finds icon at the first of the blog, you will read all about it. There are artists coming from everywhere in the U.S. to participate. Talk about inspiration. I love to see what everyone is creating these days. Not just painters, for example, but recycling, refurbishing, re-using, reinventing, all those good words describing inventive ways to create and save the planet. That is what I am for.

I want to take this time to wish you all Happy Holidays. Be safe and be blessed.

Pam...The Altered Muse

Things Are Winding Down

Well good friends and followers, the physical location of The Altered Muse is about to come to an end, but everything else is still going strong. The closing sale has gone wonderfully and people have been coming in to pick up their favorite things on sale. I will be blogging about new locations where I will be selling and creating. Tuesday will be the last day. I have been moving stuff out for about 2 weeks. I am taking the cream of the crop...the creme de la creme...bee's knees...of the assemblage, ephemera, metal works, textiles, and just all the really great stuff to my studio at home and am leaving the rest to those that can create with it. The studio is all a mess with pieces everywhere just waiting to be put in their new little drawer or cubby. The studio is all abuzz with the new arrival of wood, metal, and texture. Can't wait to take some before and after pictures to show you.

Well I know I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks and I wasn't going to say anything, but I lost my precious little momma eight days ago and it has been a bit overwhelming as you can imagine. She was a jewel and definitely the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. I had that read at her memorial in her memory.

I hope you all have a great week and I will be writing again soon to show you the new studio. Take care.

NEWSFLASH

Hello Dahlings...just wanted to catch you up on the latest. The Altered Muse is "taking it to the road". I will be taking my mixed media components, assemblage pieces, antiques, and accoutrements in general with me when I do antique and art shows. I will no longer have a physical location. I had to make this decision and it was tough, but when the store is closed for two months at a time for outside jobs that are very lucrative, I had no choice, but to go with the most profit. I will still be blogging from interesting places, sending little email notes and reminders of where I will be, and just news in general. I have a little studio at my house, but I am going to expand into a workshop there also. I will continue to do workshops, starting in January, I hope, and will be inviting great instructors to continue their workshops. I have an estate liquidation service and have been quite busy with that. As you know, I just came back from Warrenton, being down there for almost a month. I am glad to be back.

I want to take this time to give a shout out to some great artists and instructors that have presented classes at the store. Michele Mayfield, Sue Gordon, Renea Hipp, Shirley Hand, Angela Burks, Carrie Gunning, and Ann-Denise Anderson, the crepe paper queen and featured Somerset artist. I so enjoyed having a fun workshop area at the store for artists to come and explore their talents. The workshop at my home will be just as fun and whimsical.

I want to say how much it thrills me to see the faces of the followers of the blog. Dare I say I would love to give all of yall a big ole Texas hug? I know a few of you are my personal friends, but more of you maybe watch to see hats, dogs, or amusing pictures, workshop info or whatever. In two weeks, my PC is going home with me (ooh thats scary, 24 hr access). I still didn't get all of the pictures on of Warrenton. That is not to say I won't though.

A GREAT BIT OF INFORMATION: March 13, 2010, will be the great Funky Finds Spring Fling in Ft. Worth, Texas. I will be there along with others who have done workshops here at the store. Jessica and Joe Dougherty have done a wonderful job of promoting artists, crafters, merchandise, and just plain informational (is that a word?) fun. Just type in FunkyFinds.us or click on the funky green little pooch at the top of this blog, and you will go to one of the most informative and fun blogs or websites in the the art world. Everything you need to know.

Well I think this is enough for today. Don't want you to get red eyes from reading or anything. I will be be back on here soon enough with some fun pictures. Please take care of yourselves and at this time remember our military and their families. I think we are blessed to have these dedicated warriors watching out for us.

Hidy Yall

Hi yall. Just wanted to say Hi really fast. I am in the thick of the estate sale in Burleson. Whew! Lots of stuff and people. Thanks for all of your comments recently. I have been away from the PC for about three days now I think. News to come on workshops and locations. Back at you soon. Take care. Pam

Just Checking In

Well boys and girls, it is already Oct. 25 and I haven't blogged since about the 19th. I have been busy working in Burleson, Texas on an estate that I am going to liquidate Oct. 29 (Thursday) thru Sunday Nov. 1. It is located at 420 Penny Ln. There are many antiques and collectibles there, including furniture, jewelry, art, presidential and commemorative items, depression glass, about 75 needlepoints and 65 or so paperweights, plus so much much more. It will take me four days just to sell all of that. So that is what I have been up to yall. I haven't gotten the last of the Warrenton pictures posted yet, but never fear, I will.

I haven't forgotten about the giveaway that I promised to those who left a comment on any of the Warrenton posts. Just give me a little time. After this sale in Burleson, Texas, I will be back at the store and making changes that I will announce later.

Angela Burks is going to give two more of her FAB soldering workshops in November. November 14 and 21. $80. Search "soldering" on the blog to see the past workshops, the soldered pieces and just all the fun that was had. Give me a call or email asap with your interest or intentions. 817.319.0112.

Yall take care and have fun!

Junk Gypsy Junk O Rama Prom at Warrenton, Texas

This is me and the original Junk Gypsy, Amy. She buys some of my more girlie stuff at Warrenton, like a pink velvet, button and tuck headboard to use as a couch backrest. Amy has been featured in Country Living more times than I can keep up with. Country Living loves the Warrenton, Texas show and loves to put pictures and stories in the magazine about it. Amy is a very sweet gal and everyone just loves her and her show setup. She vends her gypsy stuff in front of Zapp Hall under a great big white circus tent filled with everything catering to the Texas gypsy-spirited woman including T-shirts, tattoo leggings, hats, jewelry, prom dresses, canvas gypsy bags, vintage pearl snap western shirts, and all things fun. She really does represent the gypsy-spirit in all of us flea market, antique hunting, junque searching souls caught up in this antique/junque world. I wanted to mention that there was a film crew (as usual) down at the show, filming her and her technique for finding and selling junk (really good fun stuff actually). She will be featured in a television documentary showing what she does. It is the same production that does Ice Road Truckers so watch for it. By the way, she always has on the killer of all prom dresses every show.

Can you spot Amy amid all of the Elvises? You can barely see her peeking out. They jumped out of a white limo and stormed the dirt dance floor. What a big surprise for the Prom.


This is the all-girl group that the Junk Gypsies had playing the night of the Prom. They were fantastic. Reminded me of the Dixie Chicks. They were excellent. I didn't get their name though. They were playing a mandolin, fiddle, and guitars.

Me and my shiny shirt friend Mike. That is definitely a shirt for the Texas Prom. Can you tell we both needed the table to stabilize us? Did I mention that it is permissible to walk and drink all day long in the town of Warrenton. Of course, I am not saying that is what we did. But at the end of a long day and on prom nite...it's okay. You see beer at 10:00 in the morning being transported in the hands of serious south Texas women and men shoppers alike. That's Texas for ya. Need I say that everyone has a good time at Warrenton? It is a free spirit, shop and have fun event.

Well I wasn't sure if I wanted to put this picture in as the Prom or Hat category. He looks sort of like his own double date if you know what I mean. I wouldn't want to make him cross, get it? He reminds me of grandpa met Sally met pink panther! It takes all kinds.
Janis Joplin met Robin Hood met Day of the Dead! It's a fun time for all personalities.



Can you tell these gals came to PARTY? There are always at least two sets of friends that all come dressed alike. These gals and the gals in the red prom dresses. It really is a big thing this prom and I captured only a small percentage of the prom goers! Hundreds show up for the prom.

I wish you could have seen her beautiful black umbrella. She was dressed all vintage and beautiful. My friend Cathy and her friend. He is kinda ZZ Topish isn't he?


One of five Elvis's that showed up and the gals he delighted with their picture.

The prom is for funky attire including hats. I don't know the origin of this little hat, but she sure had fun wearing it.


Texas Glamour Girls



Hey, I'll get my big Texas hat and you get dye your hair pink and let's go to Prom!

Let's go to Prom in pink. These four girls were having a good time!


I didn't have on a prom dress, but I did have on my Magnolia Pearl attire. You can't see all of me, but if you could you would see $350 walking! You only live once and attend as many Junk O Rama proms as possible. (I'm the one on the left) in case you don't know me.
I think that urn was full of Everclear. See how they are grinning?
Who knew there were that many red prom dresses in Texas! Gun and holster too! Only in Texas do you wear your prom dress and tote your pistol.

Coming Soon More Dogs Hats Prom Oh My!

It is great to be back in Ft. Worth, Texas. We had so much rain down in Warrenton, Texas I thought I would never dry out! Rain boots were the fashion down there. It poured and flooded the last weekend of the show. Traffic, of course, was down. The tent guys are still down there, bless their little hearts, taking down those some 60 tents. I have many more pictures to show you including hats, dogs, the outrageous Junk Gypsy Prom, and my visit to Magnolia Pearl that set me back about a grand! For the pets, look under Sweet Pets, for more hats added, look under hats, no blog for the prom yet, but soon coming. You just gotta see it. You won't believe it!

Hi Pat at Burleson, Texas Antique Mall

Here is Sherry Saunders with her good friend Donna Carpenter. Many great friendships are renewed every Spring and Fall. Tried to get some pics for you Pat, but light was not cooperating. Sherry said Hi back at yall.