VERDIGRIS STUDIO
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  • Welcome
    • About Us >
      • About Us 2
      • Showcase
  • Workshops
    • Tui
    • Resin Dragonfly Wall Art
    • Resin Bee Wall Plaque
    • Introduction to Resin Plaster Casting
    • Resin Hearts
    • Resin on Wood Mountain Workshop
    • Resin and Glass Picture
    • Workshops 2024
    • Workshops 2023 Term 3
    • Workshops term 2 April-August 2023
    • Workshops 2023 Term 1
    • 2022 Classes and workshops
    • Macrame Christmas Decorations
    • Resin Set Go Masterclass 2021
    • 2021 Term 2 Classes
    • Online Workshops >
      • 1 Heavy Texture
      • 2 Padded Decoupage
      • 4 Rust Technique
      • 5 Decoupage Heart
      • 6 resin Coated Heart
    • workshop registration
  • shop
  • Mocktails and Monet Paint & Sip
    • Class Details
  • Passion for DIY Paint
    • Passion for DIY chalk paint Prices
    • using Passion for DIY paint products
    • WHITE CLOUD TRANSFERS
    • Passion for DIY Gallery
  • Creative Toi Toi Artisan Craft Kits
  • Techniques & Stuff to do
    • Stamped Candles
    • Rusted Metal Tags
    • Background Samples
    • Faux metal look
    • Simple Backgrounds 7-10
    • simple screen print
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Afterpay
  • New Page
  • New Page

My Little Flower Girl

1/1/2019

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Do you ever have random memories just pop into your head, things you haven't thought about in years then all of a sudden without knowing why they just invade your head space. I had one of those moments the other day and it made me smile  so I thought I would share it. 
Years ago we lived on a 10 acre rural block that we had developed from a rundown orchard to a promising, productive market garden and grazing block. In the middle of this block I set aside 1 acre to grow Dried flowers. Helichrysum, Stattice, Poppy Seed Heads, Gypsophlia and any other flower or plant that dried well.
We would hang them upside down on drying racks suspended from the high ceilings in the sitting room of our old farm house, it looked amazing and I loved how I could grow them, dry them and use them in the crafty creations I was into making at the time.
If you don't know how big 1 acre is, it is a large area and you can grow a LOT of flowers so the majority of them would be packed up and sent off for sale to Turners and Growers auctions so they needed to be of a high standard. They needed a lot of looking after, weeding, nourishing and when they were mature they needed to be picked every single day.
This was the part I loved most because at the time my 5 year old daughter Pine and I would pick the flowers together. After school she would get off the school bus, have a little rest and an snack then off we would go down into the garden with our cane flower baskets over our arms to pick the flowers.  I had 3 older children but I would always take Pine because she was the only one who would pick the flowers correctly, she new just how open the flower head should  be, and the right length the stem should be picked at, all of this was important so that you got the best out of the crop and for a five year old to take all of that in was nothing short of amazing. She would get $1 per day for her effort and for
 years after she said she was going to be a Florist when she grew up, I guess somewhere along the way she changed her mind but she will always be my flower girl. As for today, I wouldn't know one flower from the next but I still cherish the memory.
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When I close my eyes I can see my little flower girl.
I love this painting, sorry not sure of the Artist but it perfectly depicts my memory of the sunny days with my little flower girl in our garden. She probably remembers it much differently but then that's her story.
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Chasing a Dream

6/22/2017

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Have you ever had a dream, a dream to do something you only think others get to do. If you need to be inspired to chase a dream them please read on.
For those of you who don't know the story of our PASSION for DIY chalk paint, then put the jug on, sit down, relax and imagine... in colour.
I love painting 'THINGS' and I have collected lots of things to up cycle and  paint but the best thing about it is that my husband Peter loves it as well and he has also been collecting things to rejuvenate with paint. That was going to be his  hobby when he retired which he had planned for the end of this year. Unfortunately things don't always go to plan and his job finished at the end of last year so retirement came a year early and we had to go to plan B. There wasn't really a plan B and  retirement wasn't going to give us the holidays we had hoped for so it was time to unload and upcycle some of the furniture and stuff we had collected from our storage units and try to turn some of them into extra cash. We had been using a homemade chalk paint recipe for the past few years which worked really well, we still wanted the no sanding, no priming elements of the homemade chalk paint but without the mixing of paint and powder. we needed the convenience of just opening a lid to a creamy dreamy paint.  We decided to stock another NZ brand of chalk finish paint but after  a series of events or as it happened non events we turned against that idea.  Now this is where the wheels started turning and they turned really quickly. I was taken aback at first when Peter said "why don't we just make our own", I imagined he meant we should "make" paint in our garage, but as it happened he meant, why don't we take our recipe to a paint manufacturer and get them to make it for us,  what a relief that was. The thing is, it only took a few phone calls to the right people, a bit of too ing and fro ing, I was amazed how easy it was and how quickly it happened. In less than five weeks we had our paint on the shelf.
 I have always had a passion for paint, I don't know why, I just love paint. I love mixing paint, I love the challenge of colour matching paint and mixing new colours,  I love getting paint under my nails, on my clothes and in my hair, It just seems so natural for me to be working with paint and that is where the name came from, PASSION for DIY chalk paint.  The moral of this story is, if you have a dream, persue it and make it happen, for us, our dream was only a phone call away.
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Mixed Media Techniques Time

8/8/2016

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​I am starting my Mixed Media Technique Time every Monday evening from 12th  September. This is going to be a little different than any of my other mixed media courses and workshops, it will be techniques only, we will be using products and resources we have on hand, found objects that we have  lying around and using a back to basic  philosophy where art and creativity doesn't have to cost a fortune.  Don't get me wrong I am a sucker for gadgets and 'must have' tools and products, anyone who knows me can confirm that BUT I am a little bit concerned that the cost of some of these 'must haves' has become a barrier to people even starting on their creative journey so I think now is a good time to get back to basics. 
Each week we will do something different, learn new techniques, develop innovative processes or  make our own home made art supplies  and resources. If you 
Ike learning new tips, tricks and ideas or maybe just putting a refreshing twist on to old ones then come along, join me and have a go. 
Techniques learned will be able to be utilised in all kinds of art and creativity, there  will be something for everyone.
All you need to bring is an open mind and the willingness to have fun.
All of this for just $10 per session. 
Please remember this is a technique time and you will not be doing completed projects although we will share project ideas. 



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Back to it

5/19/2015

1 Comment

 
Wow it's been a while,over a year by the looks. Obviously I have been around just not around here. I just remembered how hard it is for me to continually find the words to write about my journey with Verdigris even though I live it every day. I love sharing my story, my art and my life with others but I find it difficult to sit down and write it down but on the verbal side I can spit out the words for as long as anyone will listen. I am very passionate about what i do, I spend every day in my Happy Place (my studio)  but I think I need a good fairy to take on the writing and updating the website, doing the facebook  or just don't like doing  so i can continue to do the cool fun stuff, that would be bliss.
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Making a difference

4/13/2014

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Sometimes you come across people in your life who inspire you, people who you admire, and people who enable you to do the things you have only dreamed about doing. Sometimes it turns out that you are that person in someone elses life, the inspirer and the enabler, the one who is looked up to and depended on, the one who can make a difference. That  can be a little exciting and  sometimes a bit scary but whatever way you look at it, it is quite an honour. Over the past 15 months that Verdigris has been open I have met hundreds of new people from many different walks of life, they have come into my studio for various reasons, some come and go, many return and even more continue to come again and again and I have learned to accept that what I offer here at Verdigris is something that is appreciated and needed. Those who venture in may come for many reasons, some personal, some social and some therapeutic and I am here, not to try and work out this reason but to enable the inner creative in everyone who walks through the door and allow them to explore and experience the power of creativity. What I do here is not for everyone but it may just be enough to light a spark that will lead them to seek something that is right for them and that is my ultimate reward. 
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Another wee word

4/12/2014

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Aprils inspiring word is "Try". Give it a go! Try everything you can, make the most of every opportunity, try different things and you will experience new adventures.
If you never try, you will never know what you are capable of.         John Barrow
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Trial

3/25/2014

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My little word for March

3/24/2014

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Only 25 days late but I still need to share it.
My chosen word this month was " Think" . Think outside the square, think positive, don't overthink.
"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you're right" - Henry Ford

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My Big little word for February

2/4/2014

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My inspirational word this month is TRUST.
Put Trust in your own creative desire,trust that your creative journey is taking you where you want it to. Trust your ability to ignore criticism and judgement and allow yourself to create from the heart. TRUST is a very powerful word and can have an amazing positive impact especially when used in regard with oneself. 
When I talk about creativity I don't necessarily mean Art. Creativity comes under many different guises and whatever your passion, pastime job or lifestyle is there will be some kind of creativity going on so have a think about it and see if you can put a finger on all of the creative aspects of your life. You will be amazed with what you come up with then Trust that they are relevant and worthwhile, this will allow you to step out onto the path of your creative journey. 
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Clean up or clean out

2/1/2014

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I am loving it, my home made chalk paint, its magic. This week I started on making some things for my self, a little bit of Repurposing of some old bits 
  We are now putting some workshop time put aside for 'Repurposing' which will include small furniture make overs. This is where you can bring along small items of furniture or other articles and give them a new lease on life. I thought Thursday afternoons and Thursday evenings as well as the odd Sunday at this stage so if you are interested to join us please let me know. I have had a blast this week, it's a
bit addictive but a lot of fun and very rewarding..
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    Sue Hogan

    When I am creating I am free, oblivious to the world

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