Wonderful wake up call

Today was a first...I slept in a bit after a late night and was woken up in the late morn by a friendly gentlman who is the Editor in chief of a large magazine. Kinda went like this:

Hmmm..yes, I am Dani.
Yes, I would love to do a two part interview with you about SpookyTimeJingles.com.
Your calling from where? Really....your kind of far, how did you hear about STJ?

You are doing a story on Halloween Collectibles and the fast growing industry that it has become for original folk art and my name keeps coming up to interview?
(heart and tummy are doing the mambo at this point).

ok...
blah, blah, Halloween, Blah, Worlds finest artists, blah blah.
(I blathered on like a tween crushing on Justin Beiber)

40 minutes later.......
yes we can finish this in our next conversation when you have the rest of the questions ready.
(he actually wants to hear more from me...holy hell!)

Get you pictures of Halloween pieces and 3 artist referrals for additional interviews...ah sure... (who the hell do I choose?)

Yes, I look forward to hearing from you too. Thank you~ hung up.

SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a way to start the day! I love my job!!!!!

My Story is featured on CRESCENDOh this week!

Those of you who follow my seemingly never ending shenanigans, may know that I have had some fun features done about moi, moi art and SpookyTimeJingles. Well, the excitement continues with an upcoming photo shoot in September for a nationwide magazine that just blows my ever lovin mind (happy dance here)..but more about that later before I jinx it right out of the picture!
Ok....
But also, today starts my week of being featured on the uber amazing site, CRESCENDoh in their Art Saves Series!

http://blog.crescendoh.com/readers_share/2010/08/ambitious-designs-its-always-been-about-the-art-by-dani-nelson.html

My story shared, is the short version (someday I will share the whole enchilada) of how art saved my life (sanity) after a severe head trauma 3 years ago, rehabilitation and subsequent diagnosis of Fibromyalgia (head traumas-the gift that keeps on giving).
Now, Crescendoh is not uber amazing simply because they are featuring moi as one of their stories...no they were way cool in my eyes before that. You see the creative Jenny Doh, former editor of MANY a Stampington Mag, created CrescenDOH (see last name;) to show that ART SAVES!
Her goal is a dreamy recipe of: Creative Passion, Authentic Community and Focused Compassion! Now, stop and reread those lovelies and marinate in them..they are good for the soul, indeedy!
Is she just genius to verbalize those elements so perfectly, or what!?

For those who do know me, know just how much effort I put into building up the artist community. It is so important to me and I am somewhat unsure why I am soo driven but I am and I love it. So, when I was told I would be featured on Crescendoh, I was so pleased as Miss Doh and I seemingly have the same mindset about an art-filled community full of genuine good souls helping lift one another up! I say Hoo-rah! Thank you Jenny and the Crescendo team for sharing my story and pictures of SpookyTime Jingles artisan pieces, ads and even a fan photo!

Hugs and Happy Creating!

~dani~

SpookyTimeJingles New Group that is Open to all "creatives" on the Hive ONLY!

SpookyTimeJingles New Group that is Open to all "creatives" on the Hive ONLY!

I have wanted to start a group for a long time now, that combines STJ artists and STJ fans who also like to share in creativity and the process..whatever that may be for you (sketching, painting, scrap booking, poetry, etc...).

This type of group makes sense to me since, I often would like to add more artists to SpookyTimeJingles but cannot due to size constraints. When a marketplace gets too large in size it causes the viewer to lose interest because their is too much content to take in. Hence the reason for our 6+month wait list to join us plus we just do not have a lot of turnover.

So in creating this open group, I would so love a place where other creatives with the same interests (holidays) and goals (kindness and inspiration) as STJ could commingle and share in this holiday goodness together! I believe the HIVE has given us the perfect venue to make this happen.

So please come join in the HIVE: http://creatingthehive.com/signup/spookytimejingles

And then join our STJ group on The Hive: http://creatingthehive.com/group/SpookyTimeJingles

~Hugs & Happy Creating my friends~

My 1st Magazine feature!

this is my best Halloween pose ;)

I am soo pleased to announce that I will have a SIX page feature in the upcoming Fall issue of Studios! Studio's magazine is an extension of Cloth, Paper, Scissors and will feature my Halloween Studio. My studio is part work space and part Halloween Gallery. I worked with a wonderful photographer named Andrew Wilkinson, owner of WilkinsonMedia.net.

He was wonderful and guided me through the entire process. He was even excited to shoot my studio space and liked looking at all of my collected works and especially my cabinet of curiosities. We actually live in the same town and have since attended some of the same art shows. He was kind enough to drop off a goodie bag filled with doll parts for me to alter! Amazing how things work, you just never know who you will meet and if you will make a new friend. The entire experience has been magical and I am grateful for these Happy Days!

I really adore the fact that my favorite artists that I have collected Halloween pieces from will be seen in print in my article!! I hope it brings them some extra exposure and maybe even sales! How cool would that be?!

page 102 -A Visual Treat! Yeah, I made it to the Table of Contents too! ;)

Studios by Cloth, Paper, Scissors can be purchased at many Barnes & Noble, Joann's, Michaels, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore's. They tend to sell out quickly so you may find ordering easier.

You can pre-order the issue now by clicking here!

howdy do!

Hi all. I hope everyone is doing well. As usual I am a month late in coming to the party ;)

These pictures give you a pictorial time line of my last 6 weeks. hugs~

Went to see Nickelback in Atlantic City (thank you Lord above...was beyond amazing)

Turned another year older :)

Miss Brandi Mckenna flew in from North Carolina to help me knock out the STJ collector Tree that we are raffling off (winner drawn any day now) in all of it's Halloween glory! I love me some Brandi and know in my hear she is my long lost sister ;)

Wicked ass tree topper Brandi made for the Halloween raffle Tree

Went into NYC for a second time to see the Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA

We also got to spend the day in NYC with Miss Marie and her simply awesome daughter Laura
Please note only the Patterson girls could be this happy in a NYC taxi ;)

Got to finally meet the sweet Zan, she is a true blue soul for sure ;)

We all had lunch together and I had what may be my last Bento Box from Takashimaya, NYC :(
they close June 5th, 2010

Went Buck wild in M&J trim

I got to meet a Jenny of Polka Dot Pixie (a personal fav of mine) for a quick 10 minutes at the airport. We had a small window until she flew home from Newark from a teaching event she just finished...from when I dropped Brandi at the airport to get back home to NC.

Was meant to be ;)

I unwrapped (to inspect) and rewrapped HUNDREDS of pieces of original Halloween art for The NHC (Nat'l Halloween Con). All art from my SpookyTimeJingles.com artisans. The BEAUTIFUL Marie Patterson helped me and saved my sanity (what is left)

I stuffed Miss Wendy Leaumont in my car with loads of boxes for the National Halloween Convention. This doll of a friend flew in from Louisiana just for me..well ok for the National Halloween Con too but..whatever ;)

~Wendy's Art business- My Brain Child~

I met some amazing peeps at The NHC and Loved it!!
~Made some new friends and hugged some old ones~

I kept the "staff" in line..ha!







Photo ops everywhere!!

Wore my Queen of Halloween Crown made for me by Marie Patterson
plus she gave me The Art of Tim Burton book as a bday gift! SCORE!



We SOOO Flippin RAWKED the NHC!!










We had FOUR full Booths!!!

I had a dreamy photographer come to my abode and shoot me and some studio/art pics for an upcoming publication! How exciting. Andrew's photography skills and English accent left me smitten ;)

And truly there is much more but this is enough, yes?



So, I know I act like "it" is no biggie and I flit around like a tweaked up chickie. But the truth is, I have amazing friends and family that support and help me at every turn. I could NOT have gotten everything done without my Dr.'s, meds, friends, family and the power naps that saved me ;)
Fibromyalgia does sometimes knock me out for the count but I am getting better at managing it and asking for help. My point in sharing this is, that chronic pain and illness suck the big one BUT I am not giving up until someday I am pain free and not just pretending like I am.
~Go give a "soft" hug to the chronic pain sufferer in your life.~

Oh.....

I leave you with these pics I just found in my iphone.
I need iphone anonymous..I LOVE this phone!

And at some point I took these stupid random pics of myself..HA!







~Hugs abound~

My sweet jetsetting escapades !

Hey gang! Wow...3+ weeks since I planted some deets on this bad boy..EEP! Well here is the quickie version of my escapades!

I flew to North Carolina and spent a dreamy week with Miss Brandi (She's Off her Rocker) and family. We had a fantastic time of it. Seriously, Miss Brandi made me laugh until I hurt. I didn't know it until recently that I have been in serious need of good 'ole gut busting laughter. Brandi is so much fun and has such a carefree fun nature to her. It is pure joy just being in the same room as Brandi. Her sister Dusti (makes HOT jewelry) is the same way. Both are true blue with a beautiful moral compass for everything around them. They are WAY fun and creative and find value in all styles of art-Love that! Two, well rounded beautiful souls that I am lucky to count among my friends and I know it! Cannot wait to see them again ;)

My recent travels have afforded me this joy and I feel rejuvenated in so many ways. I actually felt SOLID joy. Now, I know that sounds sad and all but truth is for a long time it has been difficult for me to have that actual feeling of true joy. The type that encompasses your entire mind and body. You know it when it comes and it is nothing short of beautiful.

Missing that feeling, I have chalked up to the aging process combined with a busy schedule and the stupid *%&*#%@! health issues of the last few years (FU-Home Depot..thanks for the 10 foot steel pole to the head which doctors believe is the reason the Fibromyalgia came on (head injury)..the gift that keeps on giving). So, a big thank you to the Harlan sisters for bringing a big smile that is still stuck on my face ;)

Do to the short flight to NC of only 1.5 hours and usually pretty darn cheap, Miss Brandi and I will jetsetting back and forth a lot more often to work together!

Now, while there we visiting Robert Brawley aka Halloween Fanatic! Mr. Brawley is a kick azz collector who recently went back to his own artistic roots and is creating some fun holiday pieces of his own! Mr Fanatic opened his home to us and showed us his wonderful collection of original holiday collectibles. We had a ball with Robert and family and are smitten with him. He is a true delight and I hope to see him again in the future!

I was so rejuvenated when I came home that I actually tore the azz out of my studio space and cleaned and organized it! I am so happy, I made the time to do it. Perfect time for Spring cleaning and enjoying our home. Please take the 2 min. tour of my studio and see some of my sweet & spooky collected pieces from many artists' you will recognize.

Tickle Me Smitten

Look at these darkly wondrous lil goodies that totally tickled my Fatuitous fanny this week! Feels SOOo good to find things that make me smile, laugh and pine away for one!!

~Exquisite Corpse Doll~

Look at the cover of the newest ADQ- Art Doll Quarterly, February 2010. I am so kRaZy over this cover doll.


This doll was designed by two different artists' each making a different component in separate work spaces! They had general guidelines set before they started but how amazing is this doll that they constructed. I AM SUCH A SMITTEN, KITTEN~ ( besides the fact that my dear friend Marie Patterson (Studio) has her doll pictured 4x inside! Go Marie (hope she autographs it for me;)!!

Ok, Next on my Tickled Smitten list is: Tim Burton's Tragic Toys for Girls & Boys Series.. Sweetly Spook-a-licious!

I just collected my first set from my free ebay bucks certificate and they arrived today!!! Miss Janell turned me onto these sweet & spooky lil characters with lil sourly sweet stories in the book, written by Tim Burton. I will leave you to learn more about the sweet & silly characters but the one in the middle is "Stain Boy"- What's not to love I ask!??

~I excitedly look forward to adding the rest of the crew over time~


Filmmaker Tim Burton is known for his unique ability to mix intelligent wit with highly original visual intrigue.
In this wonderful little volume, Burton gives birth to a cast of gruesomely sympathetic children--misunderstood outcasts who struggle to find love and belonging in their cruel, cruel worlds, where destruction and misery lurk in every corner....Burton's lovingly lurid illustrations convey both the sweetness and tragedy of his macabre, partly human creations.

My final Tickled Smitten is this darkely divinely designed Kookshi doll original made by Janell Berryman.
While visiting Janell in Oregon, I snapped this up and snuck it in my suitcase. Yep, I STOLE it. I knew if I told her I wanted to buy it she would just give it to me (she is too nice to me, I tell you). So, I stole it and just paypal'd her the money. he he he~

Now, go google-a-away my sweet and spooky friends and gets yours!

Surprise!! 12 Extra Sales Days on STJ this December!!

~Click This Badge to go directly to the 12 Days of Christmas sales page!~



Help SpookyTimeJingles.com countdown the 12 days of Christmas!
Beginning 12/1-12/12 we will be listing a few new ooak goodies each day!

Just look for this first avatar if you go directly to the STJ Main Page each day!


It will take you right to all of the one of a kind handmade artisan pieces that make for perfect gift giving! Many pieces are under $35.00! Wow!

Happy Gift Giving!

HUGE ARTIST on SpookyTimeJingles tonite!!

Be sure to be at SpookyTimeJingles.com tonight at midnight (EST)
when we update with our newest goodies.

You will not believe who our surprise guest artist is!!

Also, here is my one Halloween piece offered for October 2009

Halloween Pieces on Ebay!

Click Frankie to see the rest offered!

center>Yepper that's right! For 5 days only I am going to try it since I had 5 free listings given to me from ebay.



Everything starts at only $9.99 or less! What? Crazy-ness!!
Now, go peek and bid, so I don't cry..(shameless)!


I will finish listing the rest within 24 hours so that they end before I leave for the Halloween shows!
http://shop.ebay.com/ambitionsdesign/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25

or search for
Dani STJ!!