••• Sara's Box •••

Every once in a while an artist is gifted a great commission. This box was one of those commissions. We met the woman gifting this box to her sister in Austin at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. When she saw our work, she knew that a box made by us would be the ideal gift for her sisters 40th birthday.
Ideas were shared and stamps were culled and so began the box. Jon crafted this elegant tapered box in cherry. A fitting and beautiful canvas for me to stamp the desired ideas that came our way. We were given a wide berth in which to create this box and that was appreciated. Giving an artist that freedom usually yields a finished piece that is pleasing to the person who commissioned it as well as the artist.
Such was the case here.
The box is adorned with a wide array of earthy stones. Turquoise, jasper, sea shells, chestnuts, glass and seed beads fall gracefully from the linen cords as well as beads we crafted ourselves. Atop the vessel sits a wolf.



We know that Sara's box will be gifted in the spirit it was made~ with great love.
An artist can ask no more than to give it their all.



Happy Birthday Sara!

Patricia & Jon

The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar

Jon and I are in Austin Texas doing the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar with our TattooDream boxes. Twenty six years of doing a myriad of various types of shows and venues across the country and nothing remotely compares to this! Booths are various sizes which lends a varied and interesting esthetic to what is already an eclectic show. Coupled with the amazing live music from class acts, we feel this is a real treasure and a gift to be here.
Every day we open our booth to the wonderfully fun and interesting people of Austin Texas. They are genuine and most welcoming to us, especially when they hear we came so far. Our hosts, Bruce and Annie have gone above and beyond to welcome us into this Armadillo family. Health issues as they are, we need to make some changes to our show schedule and we hope by doing this show that will allow us the ability to do just that.

To us, this is our Christmas gift.

This year the show runs 11 days. Open daily from 11 am to 11 pm right up to Christmas Eve. In it's 36th season this year. We've spoken to so many artists who have done it from the beginning as well as patrons for whom this has become a holiday tradition.
We've known about this show for a very long time but knew we didn't have the rigth work for it. Now to actually be here doing it it feels very cool!
Our dear friend Bonnie Blandford is here to help us for the first 5 days. Her offer to help us has been hard to quantify. She's given up time at home after a busy year to do this. We are forever indebted. Days are long and morning comes a bit too soon, but the energy within that hall is addictive.
Time away from the booth is good too. Our dear friend David Haun is taking Bonnie and I to the South AustinTrailer Park Eatery tonight for supper. Food trucks in Austin provide some for the best local fare around and this one is sure to please. Bonnies first night here we at at Chuy's. Excellent food and eclectic decor. Loved the ceilings full of hubcaps! Hmmm... I do believe it was here that the infamous Jenna Bush got arrested! (Some rich girls just need to know that laws are for everyone!) Hahaha!

If you are anywhere near here, plan a trip over to the Armadillo. We're in the Palmer Events Center. Plan to stay the day and into the evening! A dim hall, alcohol, fantastic live music and a great place to do all your holiday shopping!
Eat, drink, shop and fill your sleigh!!

Heckers TattooDreams are in booth B4. The one with the puple and blue LED lights and fun boxes!!

A Morning Haiku

Winters quiet light
Breath rises in silent fog
The days peace unfolds.

~Patricia Hecker

Featured box is available for free shipping from my etsy site.
$48.00

Artist Bunny Box

Woman is born to create...in creating she becomes herself, accomplishes her destiny. Her whole life is only an initiation into her creative power. To create is not merely to produce a work...it is to give out ones individuality. Woman becomes creator when, after the numerous stages of adaptation to alien influence, she finally grasps what is really her own, what she really receives, not from men, but directly from God as a special personal message.
Jeanne de Vietinghoff

This quote resides on one side of my Artist Bunny Box

This box and others available on my etsy site.
$48.00

Handmade for the Holidays!

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high
gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --
merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This
... year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine
concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift
giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands.
Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in
a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE - - gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates
from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some
health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American-owned
detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a
book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who thinks nothing of plonking down
the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift
receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or
driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about
a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this
isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town
Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a
local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is
struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local artists and crafts people make stunning baskets, spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, pottery, sculpture, tree ornaments and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at
your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese
lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about
fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to
burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about
us, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow
their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our
communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.
THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion
groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in
your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations,
and TV news departments.
We are the 99%.
We can make a difference!

This is a revolution of caring about each other,
and isn't that what Christmas is about?


This post has been shared and altered along the way by those it touches.
My thanks to fellow artist, award winning basket maker Stephen Kostyshyn.