Are you on the fence about coming to Handmade U?

So I have people that see the photos of Handmade U and say - "Wow looks like such a fun time, what a great weekend it looks like you all had!!"  I agree, and say "It was truly such a fabulous time, we have another semester coming up in May, come and join the fun!"  Many times the response then is "oh I'm not an artist, not crafty, I've never learned how to do any of this...."

Ladies, we all start somewhere.

Why not start at Handmade U??

If you've noticed I have had many teachers come through the barn door.  Painting, mixed media, leather cuffs, paper collage, book making, soldering jewelry, doodling, we have covered a lot of crafty/artsy ground.

And you know what??  Not every student had ever soldered, or collaged, or tooled leather, or carved a stamp....some even said they didn't think they'd ever figure out how to carve a stamp for instance...

and you know the funny thing is...they did it, and I heard they even did it again after class!!

So come, don't let your fear or intimidation that your work won't be as good as your neighbors stop you from the joy it could bring you ... if you let go and come for the friendships, the weekend away, the meals someone else will cook for you, the creative process of learning from these amazing teachers, to try something new, you'll open up something within you..I just know you will.

Be vulnerable, be open, be ready for a challenge and some fun!  You might even surprise yourself...

And the one thing I know for sure is true... you'll have a lot of new friends cheering you on!

Come join in!  Your creative side (yes the one you might not even know you had) is asking so very sweetly!!

www.handmadeu.com

Early Bird Pricing for May 12-14, our 10th Semester, ends Oct 31.
-Rach

RECAP :Handmade U Fourth Semester - Class with Dawn DeVries Sokol

Day 2 of Handmade U - Spring 2013

After our fun welcome dinner and vendor night we had a full day class Friday with the talented Dawn DeVries Sokol.  You know her from her many fun Doodle Books.  She had a new release Art Doodle Love and each student received one as a part of the goodie bag!  It is a fun doodle starter book for those of us that stare at a blank page and FREEZE!  Check it out, it's on sale at Amazon as of this post.

We all were excited to get our ART on!  As you'll see we all had our official Handmade U T-shirts on too for our class photo.  We like to be comfy for our crafting!  Plus why worry where the paint might splatter?!

Here is my table space...clean for the moment...not to last long...

The class was a Doodlicious Tape-bound Book that began with the kit above.  Dawn had brought along cereal boxes, dog treat boxes, cardboard, etc.  This was to be the base of journal.  

We started by learning a bit about Dawn's process.  

We collaged using scraps of ephemera, I just pulled out all my swap goodies from the night before and had MORE than enough fun things to choose from.  Here is what my first layer looked like...

I loved how Dawn showed us how to start with a base then to keep adding more and more layers....I always feel bad covering up a layer I just worked to create...I mean you don't see all the detail anymore?!?....then once the next layer goes down you start to see something wonderful forming...a work of art you couldn't have planned in one try!  So here goes....we also learned a little about color choice...she showed us how not to mix colors together that end up as BROWN and MUDDY...unless you like the muddy look, but I was happy to hear how to avoid that!

Here are a few of the attentive students :)

Then we all chose our colors from my tote of paint and the colors Dawn brought along!

I was pretty happy with how mine was coming together...as you can see here I was still sad to cover up the cool ephemera that I had laid down first...but don't worry I get over it later!

Of course Dawn's was look A.MAZING.

Shelley and Jennifer were finger painting away...they both made beautiful books!

Jayne and Tamatha's also came out so cute!

There is just something about paint all over your fingers!

Next putting the pages into the cover with TAPE!

We used an assortment of masking tapes, duct tape, washi tape, etc. to add pages to our book.

Dawn brought some of hers tapes to share, and nearly all the students had a pile of their own!

They make such fun colors and prints of duct tape these days, hot pink was Dawn's choice.

Then we just added pages and pages to the book.

This is how my cover was coming together..

Of course I had to add some of the mustache duct tape....why wouldn't I?

After we all had our pages in and were at a place to start doodling, Dawn gave us some prompts to start us working.  Here we were to create a Doodle Quilt...

One of the others was to create Doodle Lines...

All in all this was a FANTASTIC Class!!  Just look at all these fabulous journals!  Each one unique to the special students we have at Handmade U!

Thanks again Dawn for such a FUN class, so happy to have you as an Alum of Handmade U!  

XOX Rachel

Handmade U - Spring 2013

Hi Everyone,

I am sure everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays like we are here! It seems that things begin to move at a super-sonic rate as the year rolls to a quick end. One thing I wanted to get ready before the end of the year is our plan for Handmade U - Spring 2013!! I know April seems so far away, but it will be here before you know it!


I still haven't finished sharing all the goodness that was our Fall Semester, but as I continue to do that, please consider joining us again, or for the first time for Handmade U - Fourth Semester Spring 2013. We will be in downtown Omaha April 4-6th for our latest installment.

You can find all the details on the new website! www.handmadeu.com Please stop over and let me know what you think of the new site! I am totally biased, but I love it. It really is the Handmade U style.

The instructors we have coming this time will be FABULOUS!!! That is 100% certainty, no if's and's or but's about it.


Dawn DeVries Sokol will be teaching an exciting class called "The Doodlicious Tapebound Journal" Sounds yummy!

Camille Serra McClelland will be teaching a very cool class called "Introduction to Leather Whispering". Ohhhhh love the leather, love creating cuffs!!

Hope to see you when the school bell rings April 4th, 2013!! Visit HandmadeU to signup NOW!!

Happy Holidays!!

Rach

Third Semester Handmade U - First Night

Hi Everyone,

Did your Fall fly by like mine?  I can't believe Thanksgiving is over and we are headed full force right at Christmas!

The other event that I feel is coming quicker than I realize is Handmade U Fourth Semester Spring 2013!!

I feel like we just had our amazing Third Semester which I am going to share about here!  Spring will be here before we know it, and I have secured two AMAZING teachers for two SUPER FUN classes!!  As Handmade U evolves we try new things and keep the fun things you'll remember from all semesters past.  Handmade U will be held at a downtown Omaha hotel this next semester!!  That means just a few blocks walk to the Old Market full of shopping and restaurants!  A quick free shuttle from the airport, and just a fun atmosphere!


I am buttoning up the details and will be sharing the goods with you soon!!  Be sure to write your letter to Santa including your desire to come to Handmade U Spring 2013!!

(L to R: Shelley, Michelle, Hope, Me, and Liesel)

So Thankful for these ladies that helped make Handmade U Fall 2012 so wonderful!!


Now let's remember all the fun we had at Handmade U Fall 2012!  This was our biggest event yet.

Our Welcome dinner Thursday night after our afternoon of Shopping began with Goodies!!  Goodies included a bag of snacks, water, Omaha tourist info for students' stay.  The official Handmade U t-shirt!  A small tote bag embroidered with the student's name on one side and the Handmade U embroidered logo on the other with a fun ruffle at the top (made with much love by my Mom Sara.  Also a Yoyo button name pin!  Of course I must mention the total bag was full of sponsor goodies!!  So much love was shared with our students!!  They appreciated it all so much!

Everyone was excited for the much anticipated classes of our instructors Liesel Lund and Hope Wallace Karney!

  

I was thrilled that Liesel came all the way from Seattle to be with us, and Hope came from Maryland!  Not to mention that this was Hope's first in-person class to teach!  Both did such a great job!  More to come on the classes....

First Dessert....

YUM.  Nothing Bundt Cakes!!  So good.

Next we had Make and Take's.  My 3rd semester Alum and some of my favorite people helped out with the evening activities.

Michelle Geller, a two time Handmade U Instructor herself, taught a cute little journal that some of the girls used to track the weekend fun.  

At the next table over Shelley Overholt, a girl of many talents, showed us how to make her favorite Hexi's.  

Such a cute little bracelet!  This one takes a bit of patience and time, but well worth it!!  

Off to Bed for our students, and onto decorating the Class Room for me and a few elves ;)

More to come on the weekend.....

Be Inspired,

Rach