Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Donna Sauers Designs! I hope these next days bring you much joy as you share the season with family and friends. Thank you for your support this year... it is a gift that I receive throughout the year!

I have been having fun collecting recipes, gift wrapping ideas, and beautiful photos of the season to my Pinterest board "'Tis the Season" and hope you enjoy some of them too!

'Tis the Season for Cookies, Cooking, and Entertaining!

Some of my favorite childhood memories of Christmas were the massive amount of cookies that seemed to effortless emerge from our kitchen. My mom was a wonderful cook and loved to entertain. I guess that is where I get my passion for cooking. I grew up cooking. It wasn't something you feared, it was joyful, and I wasn't afraid to try new recipes and experiment with my original creations. And taking on major projects was something that I found challenging like the year (I was in high school) that I decided I was going to make Pierogis. I have to say that the kitchen was a disaster...but I ended up with many batches of those wonderful delights with 3 different fillings. I still remember those fondly and wish I could find the recipe for my Aunt's dough that I apparently tucked away for safe keeping and now cannot locate.

Like in many families today, the annual baking events that happen in kitchens everywhere are a time of creating sweet treats made from love to be shared with friends and family. A time for generations to gather to create some of the sweetest edible treasures that will be made in the kitchen all year. I love the tradition and my memories of making peanut butter cookies for my dad and lovingly wrapping in a tin and placing them under the tree. It seems like only yesterday that I was placing those signature cross hashes in the dough.

One of my new favorite cookie recipes is for macadamia nut cookies with a creamy vanilla frosting. A sweet little treat that also looks so festive at the holidays. I always receive requests for these little delights so I am posting it for you to try. You won't be disappointed!

I like to bake, but my first love is cooking and appetizers. There is something satisfying about creating the best selection of delightful little bites for an event. For me I love the menu planning and creating just the right combination of ingredients, textures, color, etc. And like most of my friends who are artists... it is all about presentation! Anyone who comes to my house for a party knows there will be an abundance of food! I can't help myself and I get great joy out of cooking and entertaining for friends. I sometimes cater for non-profits and am always excited by the challenge of creating a menu on a minimal budget. I have also gotten pretty good at making appetizers and deserts for 100+ out of my little kitchen!

I have a slight issue with wanting to collect massive amounts of cookbooks. Seeing a shelf of cookbooks is like dangling something shiny in front of me...I can't resist! And I know I am not the only one that likes to take a cookbook to bed and read them like a good book. Sometimes it is like diving into a fantasy world and deserts I can only dream about making!  And after reading Julia Child My Life in France, I now have a greater appreciation for her books, recipes, and the research and love that went into each one. Some cookbooks I have acquired because I loved them for their specific category, or they have beautiful pictures. or I found myself drooling over the descriptions of the various recipes, but I find that I have a couple go-to books that are my tried and true. One of my favorites is the Antoinette-Pope Cookbook which is my mom's copy. It is dogeared, food-stained, and well loved. It brings back memories of my early days in the kitchen. When I am catering my "bible" is Hors D'oeuvres by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell. And when I need a sugar fix or wonderful recipes for sweet treats I pull out the cookbook from Magnolia Bakery (hmmm... I am going to have to do that soon!)

Two of my favorite cookbooks

Just a few of my cookbooks! I have several more bookcases filled with them.

I hope that you are creating magic in the kitchen during the holidays (or if you don't like to cook have some good friends who do!). I also am a firm believer in getting kids involved early and making cooking a delightful and "artful" experience. Give them tasks to do while baking and cooking this holiday season and contribute to another generation of wonderful cooks who embrace the art of cooking!



P.S. Follow me on Pinterest and my boards on Sweet Indulgence, Entertaining, and 'Tis the Season for holiday ideas!

Give the Gift of Handmade this Season!

The holidays are around the corner and fortunately I have crossed everyone off my list! I need to be done early because during the holidays I am busy filling orders and thankful that my clients have chosen my designs to give as gifts. But I am also fortunate that I know a lot of artists and throughout the year I find treasures for everyone on my list.

Giving the gift of handmade has two benefits. One, you find personalized gifts for those special people in your life that you wouldn't find at a big box store. It is a one-of-a-kind gift that no one else will receive and shows that you have put an extra effort into your selection for them. And two, you support the arts and artists when you buy handmade! In my opinion, many people win when you decide to buy handmade.

So this season shop your local galleries and boutiques that offer handmade items. Visit the websites of those artists that you have seen at the art fairs to find that special gift. It is more personal than a gift card, and I can guarantee that they won't be secretly wondering if you included a gift receipt in the box as they try to put on a convincing smile.

Happy shopping for that one-of-a-kind gift! Let me know if you need a personal elf and I can put you in touch with an artist that can help you be the "favorite Santa" at the holidays!

The Beauty of Leaves in Glass

I was at a show one day and heard someone say "the leaf lady is here". I looked around to see who she was talking about and realized it was me! I love making glass leaf beads and at some point they became a signature element in most of my designs.  

One would think that I was inspired by nature, the beauty of the outdoors, and my love of gardening, but the truth of the matter is that it was inspired by my friend and talented glass artist Jerry Catania of Water Street Glassworks. Long ago I started blowing glass in their studio and Jerry would sometimes incorporate beautiful leaves in his pieces. I loved the look and of course his incredible talent always amazed me. As much as I tried my leaves never looked like his! When I began lampworking I started making little leaf beads. My first attempts did not resemble leaves at all (I recently found one and it took me a moment to realize it was a leaf!). But I kept experimenting and finally came up with a process, and leaf design, that I was happy with. Now it is my favorite bead to make and I love the look it gives to my designs. 

Each leaf is made by hand and starts with a thin disc-like bead. I then let the glass "droop" off  the rod in order to elongate the shape and the molten glass is formed into a leaf using pliers.  There are leaf molds that you can press the leaf shape into the glass, but I prefer to form them with pliers so they have a more organic and individual look to each leaf. I have learned not to attempt leaf beads after a venti coffee! The photos above are the finished leaves while they are still on the rods. No, that is not snow in the studio it is the fire blanket that I use to cool the beads. I like etching the clear glass leaves to give them a frosty glow. It reminds me of elements in Lalique. They are dipped in acid to give them a soft look. These are some of my favorite and I love combining them in my Symphony in White designs.

Symphony in White long cluster necklace

The images below are some of my early pieces and when the leaves started to become an element in my designs. My work has evolved over the years, but the leaves remain a signature in my designs. I knew my customers liked them too since they were drawn to pieces with leaves and when I do custom work I often hear "make sure there is a leaf in it!

Early work and the introduction of leaves

So as I work in my studio watching the leaves fall I am happily making leaf beads. I would rather be making leaves than being out there raking them... but I guess I am going to have to do that too one of these days. But they can wait until tomorrow.

Frequently Asked Questions at Art Fairs - "How long did it take you to make this?"

One of the questions I am frequently asked when I am exhibiting at an art fair is "how long did it take you to make this piece". Yes, any of us who do shows hear this often no matter what medium we are in. Some artists roll their eyes, others have witty responses like "it has taken me 40 years to perfect my art", but for me it is an opportunity to explain what goes into the piece. It is not only the number of hours that it takes to assemble the design, but all the steps along the way to even get to that point. So I thought I would take a moment to illustrate the process that I go through when developing new designs.

The Collection

Before I even begin working on the specific designs I develop the palettes that will be in the collection. I create a Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collection.  The process starts with tracking color and fashion trends for the season and using various websites for research including Pantone and Fashion Trendsetters just to name a few and also attending fashion trade shows. For me I also use Pinterest and pin colors that attract me which could be in any form including nature photos, fabric swatches, artwork, food, etc. It sometimes helps me to break that creative block and you never know when inspiration will strike!

The Designs

My designs are always evolving but there are various elements that remain constant. My work has an asymmetrical look to them and I consider my pieces a composition. There are elements of color, movement, and texture that come together to create an interesting piece. When creating new designs I take time to sketch out rough ideas. Actually I do that on a regular basis and always have some sort of scrap paper with me for those times that I have an idea and know I will lose it if I wait!

The Process

The image above illustrates the various steps that it takes to make a bead. I always get asked "how long does it take to make a bead"? There are many steps and types of beads so it is hard to determine how long one takes! Besides making the beads they also have to be cleaned which is my least favorite part of the process. Somehow standing over a sink with a Dremel cleaning beads one by one is not the most exciting thing in the world. After the beads are sparkly clean I "size" them which is the process of matching "pairs" that will be used in earrings and the rest will be used in other pieces. I call this part of the process TV work since I can do it watching my favorite programs.

Below is my assembly area. It is our family kitchen table from the 50's and a perfect size. I guess you could say I still work at the kitchen table! I have a hard time keeping it neat and tidy.. mainly because when it is I seem to get a creative block. It's like staring at a blank canvas or piece of paper. But also I like it that way because sometimes happy accidents happen and I will find new color combinations or designs because the beads and components come together in ways I hadn't imagined.

And then the finished designs! It is satisfying for me to stand in my booth and realize that somehow it all comes together. And then there is the other question I hear frequently... "did you make all this?"...um...YES! 

Happy 4th of July!

The 4th of July holiday brings back wonderful memories for me since it was a time that the family gathered in South Haven Michigan for a week of barbeque's, fireworks on the beach, homemade ice cream, and yes... the annual art fair in the park. Part of our vacation included volunteering for the art fair since my former mother-in-law was on the committee and us "kids" helped out with the event. That included marking the spaces for the booths, being up bright and early to welcome the artists and make sure they were able to get to their booths in an orderly fashion, and helping out during the show. At the time, I didn't know that several years later I would be one of those artists exhibiting my own work. All those years of volunteering and seeing what an artist goes through to set up for a show provided me with a little insight into what I was getting myself into when I started exhibiting. I knew it wasn't going to be a "walk in the park" and there would be many challenges, but I also saw how rewarding it was. I got to know many of the artists and enjoyed being in that environment.

Volunteers are an important part of an art fair. They are there to help things run smoothly at set-up and are available for "booth sitting" when you need to take a break for important things like the bathroom. My official job on the day of the event was a "runner". Artists would arrive, give us their booth number and I would "run" to the space, make sure there was room for them to park, negotiate with other artists to move their vehicles to make room, and then get the artist to their space. I'm now one of those artists waiting patiently in line as a volunteer helps me get safely to my space. Being on the other side, I have a greater appreciation of what it takes to organize a show especially during those critical load in hours. It is crowded, people are sleep deprived and can get cranky if a glitch occurs, and many times the weather has not cooperated. But I try to be patient and take a deep breath because I know it will all turn out OK. I've also seen volunteers pitch in to help those who may need additional assistance with their booh because of a health issue or recent show injury. We couldn't do the shows without them!

With all the planning and organizing that goes into a show it goes without saying that sometimes things come up that were not in the plan. Like when marking the booths in the park and you hear someone exclaim "they planted a tree!". Yes, a new little tree in the middle of where a booth was supposed to be located. And the year that they delivered bags for the garbage boxes that were too small and the entire family was in the driveway stretching bags so they would fit. I'm sure the neighbors wondered what we were doing and luckily that did not become a holiday tradition.

The art fair was my favorite part of the summer. Over the years I got to know many of the artists and after all our duties were fulfilled it was time to shop! I married into a creative and artistic family and we all enjoyed the show and acquiring new pieces. However, we all had similar tastes and sometimes we would have to put on our poker face and not show that we had interest in a piece. We would then slip away from the group to make our purchase! At the end of a very long day we would return to the house with all our treasures and it was fun see the new work we had acquired. Paintings, pottery, sculptures, jewelry, furniture... we did our share of supporting the arts!

Life takes us on many roads and I didn't know at the time that I would become a full time artist enjoying the shows but now from the inside of the tent with my own work. It was through the encouragement of many of those people I met over the various summers that I took the leap of faith and launched my own business. You never know how experiences and people in your life will help you form your next adventure!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends!

 P.S. For a behind the scenes look at an art fair and my summer show schedule visit my website.

He Made Me the Woman I am Today. Happy Father's Day!

In honor of Father's Day I thought I would write about a man that was very important in life and helped form me into the woman I am today. My father was a unique and inspirational man who taught me to live life to its fullest, embrace the differences in people, and experience all I could. I lost him at the young age of 18 (however I thought I was old and wise at the time), but in those short years he gave me a lifetime of teaching. I believe he was unique for his time (and generation of people staying in the same career until they received the gold watch and retired) since he was constantly reinventing himself and probably the reason I am not afraid of change and dealing with what life throws me.

Collage of my Dad

I am sure I frustrated my dad at times since he had the analytical brain and I struggled with math. He was once a math teacher and having a daughter that prefered the arts over the love of numbers was probably a little disheartening. I blame that on being adopted and not getting the "math gene" from him. However, he appreciated the arts and encouraged me to follow my heart and use my talents. He was the one that got up at the crack of dawn to take me to skating lessons, was there for my dance recitals and every show I was in, bought me my first flute, and let me use his workbench and tools for all of my art projects. I did end up in marketing for my first career and yes, I found that I also had an analytical mind. It just took me a while to find it!

He also taught me other life lessons like driving. He took me to the cemetery for my first lesson where he said I "couldn't kill anyone". Well, I believe he was rethinking that strategy as I hit the gas pedal  instead of the brake and we were headed towards a very large monument of an angel with open arms that seemed ready to greet us. But he didn't give up on me or make me relinquish the wheel to him so we could promptly return home where we were safe.

My dad was 51 when I entered his life and that may not be unusual for this day and age, but in the 60's there weren't a lot of kids my age with dads that "old". Sometimes it made me uncomfortable when people would assume I was his granddaughter but now I appreciate that I had a dad who also had the experience and wisdom of a grandfather wrapped in one. He had so many life experiences and I was the lucky recipient of all his teachings. I will always remember how he could light up a room and people seemed to just gravitate to him. I rarely saw him get angry and he never said an unkind word about anyone. His last career was a social worker and he took me frequently to work. I loved being there with my dad, but it was also his way of showing me that I should be grateful for what I have and opened my eyes to the generous and kind man he was. I will always remember the holiday parties for the kids in the community where he worked as my dad dressed as Santa handed out gifts and I was his trusty elf at his side.

When I returned home from college there was an envelope on my dresser and when I opened it I found a letter with the heading "Some Advise to My Daughter Donna". My first reaction was that I had only been home for a few moments and mom was already setting down the rules. However, I found a typewritten letter from my dad who wrote it the year before he died. I'm not sure what inspired him to write it at that time since he was not sick and died suddenly, but I am grateful that he took the time to put his thoughts on paper. It means the world to me and I have it  pinned on my bulletin board and read at it frequently. His opening paragraph sums it up:

"You may not think so, but I do understand you and know you quite well. When you entered my life at the age of five days, I assumed all responsibilities for your well being. After all you became my daughter and as your dad I have this to say, just as all normal youths are, you are too hasty, impatient, and confident. These traits can be good or bad depending on how you use them. Good because without hastiness you would not be motivated; without confidence you could not grow with modern times and changes - having confidence you will not permit the world to crush you; impatience can help you improve your life as well as the life of others around you. You have a sense of humour, charm, and extra sensory perception. Never forget this. Hastiness, impatience and confidence can be bad should they ever turn you away from those who love you."

You never know what life will bring you and when my birth mother made the decision to give me up I landed in the arms of a warm and generous father. I sometimes wonder where my artistic talents come from since no one in family is quite like me, but I know where my appreciation of life, of those around me, and my sense of "self" comes from. I had a wonderful teacher, cheerleader, coach, and supporter. Unfortunately as a typical teen I was not always aware of that and I lost him early in life. But as an adult I have a greater appreciation of the time I had with him. In that short period of time he provided me with what I needed to succeed.

So on this Father's Day I reflect on those times, thank the universe for putting me in a loving home, and realize that he is a big part of the woman I have become. Life can be challenging and I am not stranger to change, but as he said in a little index card titled "Believe in yourself":

So on this Father's Day I will look to the future and all the joys, challenges, and wonderful people that it holds for me. I'm in the arts because I had someone that encouraged me to explore my opportunities and do what I love. It seems appropriate that I will be spending that weekend at the Cantigny: Art in Bloom Fine Art Fair since we spent any family gatherings there and have fond memories of my dad and uncle taking us on the tour of the war memorial. I know he will be smiling down on me and helping make my dreams come true.

Best wishes to all the fathers, and those that have been father figures in our lives. Be grateful for all the wonderful memories that will become the fabric of your life. Happy Father's Day!