Vaillancourt Folk Art Weekend … the Results!

Joan, my mentor painter at Vaillancourt Folk Art, has put the finishing touches on the chalkware Santa that I created at Collector’s Weekend earlier this month.  And, it’s on its way to my door.  I can’t wait to see the finished figure.

I’ll be featuring the Vaillancourt Studio in the Christmas issue.  They are one of the few artisan workshops still making things the “old-fashioned” way in the USA!

It’s Spring in Western Ohio … Finally!

Spring Tree Display Welcome to Spring!

Do you have decorating photos to share with others? Please use the “Contact” tab above to let us know!

We’d love to see how you display your collectibles.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Who do you recognize?

From Patty B, IL

Manzanita Easter Tree

Creates a stunning display with
255 mini Patricia Breen Easter eggs.

Patty purchased her tree from manzanita.com. They designed a custom tree to meet her needs.

Manzanita Easter Tree

Vaillancourt Collector’s Weekend 2011

VALFA-Porcher-Speaking

Celebrate365’s Connie Porcher kicked off the Saturday lecture series …

Decorating the Tree … An Evolution

April 30, 2011

Vaillancourt Collector’s Weekend

VALFA-painting-start

Sunday – Painting a chalkware Santa

Joan assists us with colors and plenty of instructions. She has been a Vaillancourt painter for 27 years!

VALFA-Porcher-Santa Each novice painter received a fully-painted sample as a guide. Our Santa’s coat was pre-painted to insure we could work with a dry form.
VALFA-Porcher-Santa

My Santa version is on the left, the artist’s model is on the right. You will see that I took some "liberties" in order to finish within the required time.

Yes, I would have loved holly on Santa’s hood … but I think that I would still be painting!

Remembering a World-Class Collector

Dunwoody, Georgia

Margaret Horner Feit, an Atlanta native, passed away peacefully on April 4, 2011 after suffering a brain hemorrhage while watching the Phillies play the Astros in their season opener.  She was 66 years old.  Born Margaret May Horner on May 23, 1945 in Atlanta, of Jack and Alice Horner, Margaret was a lively child who enjoyed music, animals and watching and playing sports.  She had two children, David and Shelley in the 1960’s who lived near their mother in Atlanta.

Margaret was an innovative businesswoman and owned Jackson Associates, a local data collection firm, from 1983 to 2006.  During her career, she served as the President of the Atlanta Southeast Chapter of the Marketing Research Association, and worked on various committees dedicated to promoting the marketing research industry.  Margaret was a true visionary who wasn’t afraid to take a risk.  In 1983, she bought Jackson Associates from the previous owner, Marilyn F. Jackson.  In 1992, she opened the largest focus facility in Atlanta near Perimeter Mall.  Over the next 15 years, Margaret transformed Jackson Associates into a multimillion dollar business.  She retired in 2006, after establishing herself in the marketing research industry as an entrepreneurial icon. Margaret mentored many young researchers who still impact the marketing research industry today.

She was passionate about her family, baseball and Christmas. If Margaret wasn’t putting up a tree, or decorating her home with some of her famous glass ornaments, you could find her in the first row, third base side at Turner Field. She had a wicked sense of humor and was generous to a fault.  There were four sporting events she wanted to attend during her lifetime — the Olympics, the Final Four, a Super Bowl and a World Series. She managed to do all four as well as see the Braves win a World Series in 1995.

She is survived by her husband Mark, her son David Smith, his wife Sarah, David’s son Tyler and step-children Ryan and Autumn; her daughter Shelley Smith Avant, and her husband Ken and their three children, Alison, Stephen and Kevin; her sister Anne Horner and partner, Rosie Willmot; and her beloved cats, Bonny and Clyde.

Family and friends will celebrate Margaret’s extraordinary life at the Olgethorpe Presbyterian Church on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 3 pm.

Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church
3016 Lanier Drive Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30319-2768
404- 233-5469

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Margaret’s memorial to one of these organizations:

Atlanta Braves Foundation
755 Hank Aaron Drive
Atlanta, GA 30315

Altus Hospice Foundation1 Dunwoody Park, Suite 120
Atlanta, GA 30338
770-673-0011
www.altushospicefoundation.com

Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America
4742 N. 24th St., Suite 400
Phoenix, AZ 85016-4862
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. MST
www.wish.org
800-722-WISH (9474)

Please reference Margaret Feit’s name in the memo section of your check or online donation.

If you would like to send a condolence card to the family, please use the contact form above to that I may send the address privately.

Margaret Feit, Christopher Radko
Radko Display, Foyer
Breen Trees
Debbee Thibault Santas
Ornament Wreath
Breen Event
Artist Party, Atlanta
Workshop at the Golden Glow
Margaret & Luca

Spring is Here!

Summer Logo

Coming Soon — Celebrate365’s Spring Issue

To purchase a single copy of this issue, CLICK here!

Spring 2011 Front Cover Celebrate365 Spring 2011 Back Cover
On the Covers:

Front Cover:

Row 1: Lori Rudolph, Retro Rudolph’s Confused Carrot Candy Container, $49.99, 6.5”; Myko Bocek Studios Easter Chick, $30, 4”; Shelly Lampshire Originals Spring Bunny, $60, 3” bendable figure; Bethany Lowe Designs Fabric Carrot, asst 2; $5, 8.25”

Row 2: Darlene Maciuba-Koppel Shabby Pink Bunnykins, $40, 4”; Debbee Thibault The Angel of Precious Gifts, $275, 5.75”, LE 300; Sharon Andrews for ESC Little So Tweet Chick, $6.99, 5.5”; Stephanie Baker, Old World Primitives Victorian Girl Spun Cotton Ornament, $18, 4”

Row 3: Nicole Sayre for ESC Spring Queen’s Ride, $12.99, 7”; Vergie Lightfoot for Bethany Lowe Designs Febe Bunny with Cone, $130, 18”; Patricia Breen Designs Famille Peep, $30, 1.4”; Robert Brawley, Halloween Fanatic Originals Oh What A Happy Day! $50, 8.5”; Alycia Matthews Springtime Love Bird, Yellow $29, 4.5”, OOAK (brass wire hanger included)

Row 4: Caroline Jones, Bent Whims Studio Lilac Easter Egg, $8, 2”

Back Cover

Row 1: Lori Rudolph, Retro Rudolph’s Large Leafy Carrot Trio, $19.99 each or 3 for $49.99, 4.25”; Shelly Lampshire Originals Bluebird, $60, 3” bendable figure

Row 2: JingleNog Rose Merry, $70, 8”; Myko Bocek Studios Little Yellow Pom Pom Duck, $25, 4.5”; Patricia Breen Designs Mini Eggs: Lotus and Butterfly ($30), Albrecht Rabbit ($40), Ducky Weather ($34), 1.4”; Stephanie Baker, Old World Primitives Spun Cotton Bunny Ornament, $20, 4.5”

Row 3: Heather Myers for ESC Easter Dreams Egg, $5.99, 4”; Maggie’s Memories for Bethany Lowe Designs Chickadee Ride, $36, 6”; Becca Bilas Sugar Cookie Easter Egg, $18, 4”

Row 4: Debbee Thibault Charming Little Bunnies, $120, 1.25”, LE 300; Carolyn Jones Blue Bird Felted Chick, $20, 5”; Robin Seeber for Bethany Lowe Designs Spring Party Chick Ornament, $17, 5.5”

Featured in this issue

Table of Contents

  • Christopher Radko’s Licensed Coca-Cola™ Ornaments
  • Meet Artists Bethany Lowe and Mary Engelbreit
  • Introducing new designs from:
    Christina’s World
    Christopher Radko
    Debbee Thibault
    Elaine Roesle
    Eric Cortina
    Inge-glas of Germany
    JingleNog
    Joy to the World
    Mattarusky
    Old World Christmas
    Soffieria De Carlini
    Thomas Glenn Collection
    Vaillaincourt Folk Art
Bethany Lowe Folk Artists:

  • Allen Cunningham
  • Anthony Costanza
  • Debra Schoch
  • Dee Foust
  • Greg Guedel
  • Johanna Parker
  • Lesa Dailey
  • Maggie’s Memories
  • Mary Engelbreit
  • Robin Seeber
  • Teena Flanner
  • Vergie Lightfoot
Margaret Haire, Connie Porcher

Margaret Haire (Maggie’s Memories) in the Bethany Lowe Showroom, Atlanta

Myko, Bunny Basket

Myko Bocek Studios

Alycia Matthews
Becca Bilas
Caroline Jones
Darlene Maciuba-Koppel
Debbee Thibault
Heather Myers
Lori Rudolph
Myko Bocek Studios
Nancy Malay
Nicole Sayre
Robert Brawley
Sharon Andrews
Shelly Lampshire Originals
Stephanie Baker