The Makerie is a creative retreat for adults that happens right here in Boulder, Colorado. During dates in April (and now in shorter Summer dates too), where you can make some space in your hectic life to slow down and get in touch with your creative side.

Whether you are a skilled crafter or sewer, have never picked up a paintbrush, threaded a needle or canned a vegetable, the Makerie offers something for everyone. Each class is led by an inspirational, (and often well known) creative person who is at the top of their field. Many teachers at the Makerie have written their own books about their processes and teach full time.

Images by the Makerie & HN

Recycled and stylish steel letters from the House Doctor, each is individual with rough edges and with the charm of different colors. Available at In My House.

Every week, they feature artist interviews, news, and other art-related goodness on their blog, including regular releases of new work by current and new artists.

Hear about new releases and special offers from their newsletter or follow them on twitter at @hellomammoth

Paint by Number painting its were developed and marketed in 1950 by Max S. Klein, an engineer and owner of the Palmer Paint Company of Detroit, Michigan and Dan Robbins, a commercial artist.

In 1951 Palmer Paint introduced the Craft Master brand which sold over 12 million kits. This public response induced other companies to produce their own versions of paint by number. The Craft Master paint-kit box tops proclaimed, “A BEAUTIFUL OIL PAINTING THE FIRST TIME YOU TRY.” Following the death of Max Klein in 1993, his daughter, Jacquelyn Schiffman, donated the Palmer Paint Co. archives to the Smithsonian Museum of American History.

In 2008 a private collector in Massachusetts assembled over 6,000 paint by number works dating back to the 1950s from eBay and other American collectors to create the Paint By Number Museum, the world’s largest online archive of paint by number.

Images are from the following collectors:

Country Living

This Love is Forever

Jenn Jarnot

Sweet Jessie

Retro Rennovation

Klein Reed

Sometimes I love an artist so much that I want to keep them just for myself, but alas, I have kept the genius of Clare Graham a secret for far too long. Graham has been a recycling champion for years and years, in fact it is the basis of all his artwork, sculpture and furniture. Each piece he makes is based on a ‘collection’ of items be they buttons, bottlecaps, puzzle pieces, game pieces, paint by number art, yard sticks or swizzle sticks.

Graham’s began his compulsive collecting and tinkering during his childhood in Atikokan, Ontario, a town of 2,300 people. Growing up in a working-class family with limited means and four siblings, he had to make the best of hand-me-downs and whatever raw material he could find. “Those kinds of circumstances make you frugal,” he explains.

In the mid 1960s, Graham attended Long Beach State University. A part-time job at Disneyland in 1968 turned into a 25 year career there, by the time he left Disney in 1993, Graham oversaw a staff of a hundred as a senior art director for Disney’s global network of theme parks. This can begin to explain why his work is so dazzling.

Clare Graham’s work could be categorized as outsider art, but his wild conglomerations of bottle caps and buttons show an obsessive drive for perfection, his collecting of the materials being the most difficult portion of the process.  Graham scours swap meets, flea markets, garage sales and thrift stores for the massive quantities of material he utilizes. Just one of his organic, free form chandeliers (my favorites) includes 25,000 buttons, arranged by color and size. He estimates he has recycled close to three and a half million buttons for his sculptures. He works a bit of magic transforming cast off materials of of scant value into usable, functional pieces.

Because his work is enormous in scale —he works out of a warehouse in Highland Park California that was built in 1933 as a Safeway supermarket, the space serves as a gigantic gallery not only for Graham’s work but for the wide-ranging collections of art, decorative objects, anatomical figures, animal bones and other curiosities that he and his partner, Bob Breen, have amassed over many years. In addition, Graham and Breen have set aside 1,200 square feet for the Mor York Gallery, an exhibition space dedicated to presenting the work of other local artists. They host open-houses each second Saturday night of the month where one can witness the spectacle of his amazing creations.

This year, I have to say the Holiday Handmade show in Denver at its new venue, the Sherman Events Center was the best thus far- in numbers and in architectural location. Packed to the brim with customers it was actually a little overwhelming on Friday night due to the ancient acoustics of the building or lack thereof. It did not deter the crowds or the amazing finds there, the holiday goodies were amazing.

My favorite purchase: a hand sewn red turtle named Eric. Another favorite vendor of mine, Beatrice Holiday sews bicycle accessories for all you green commuters. I am waiting for a bike cover in a fabric she ordered, her tagline ‘Wheel Cute Couture”–adorable!

If you missed the show, you can check out their list of vendors for 2010.

Cove Park is an international centre based in Scotland for the arts and creative industries. Founded in 1999 by Eileen and Peter Jacobs, Cove Park’s annual programme of residencies enables national and international artists, working in all art forms, to undertake research and develop new projects.

When Cove Park’s residency programme is not in progress, the accommodation and facilities are available for private and corporate hire.

The stunning location around Loch Long and the unique self-catering accommodation are ideally suited for weekend breaks or longer holidays.

Cove Park is also perfect for company away-days, seminars and conferences. The Centre can accommodate groups of up to 50 people, affording them marvellous views of Loch Long and the surrounding hills.

Recently I have been coming across ideas for creative reuse of buttons everywhere. Most crafters have a jar or two of multicolored buttons laying around their workshops and studios, and if not they are easily obtainable from most any thrift store by the box or jar.

Button Soup Jewelry created this fabulous blue necklace for a nice vintage accessory.

Creation Designs makes delicate sounding wind chimes from buttons and driftwood.

Korean artist Ran Hwang assembles amazing button and pin art by sticking pins through buttons thousands of times on gallery walls for huge impressions of animals and silhouettes. She uses no glue in these oversized mural installations inspired by Buddhist theories.

& You can make your own button art with this fun wreath tutorial for the holidays.

So thrilled to be a vendor at the first annual Firefly Handmade indie craft show in Boulder this December. Yes, our little town is amazing for upstart businesses, so its a wonder the indie scene hasn’t taken off yet–but it will be impressive to say the least.

I will be showing some lovely collage art and various other creations.

The show will be a collection of amazing local talents from the Front Range area–check out the vendor list. There will be delicious food on hand from Dish Gourmet and arts and crafts to keep your little ones busy while you shop, courtesy of Clementine Studio who have a line of eco friendly art supplies.

If you are in Boulder during December 10,11, and 12th, do stop by and check out all of the handmade art and goods.