wishing all a blessed and happy new year!  stay tuned in the coming year for tutorials on everything from making soap to painting furniture.  and thank you for following along with us at the dancing goat studio!!!

jingle all the way

 

santa claus is coming to dancing goat studio! we are shining up the sleigh bells and prepping for a holly jolly christmas season.  the dancing goat has artful giftables under the tree and decorating ideas galore.  for example:

 

-fill a vintage ruffled bowl with shiny brite ornaments for use as a festive tablescape. 

 

-re-purpose utilitarian canning jars with hot chocolate and marshmallows for a quick party hot chocolate bar.  add a couple of clear glass holly coffee mugs and candy cane stir sticks.

 

-add a red accent table or chair to a corner of your home for instant holiday cheer. or invite your guests to cuddle up with a recycled sweater pillow found at the dancing goat.

most importantly remember that the holidays should be infused with tradition.  honor the old and begin some new traditions to make the season all that it is meant to be.

 

 

home for the holidays 2012

 

vintage decorating carries an air of nostalgia that can't be found at a big box store.  mix-up what you already own with quirky retro decor found at the dancing goat studio.  this season find an assortment of  brightly colored "shiny brite" ornaments, strands of vintage christmas lights and fresh cut greens for an old school spin on the season.

 

create an "up-north santa look" with red/black plaid found here in pillows constructed from  american made woolrich wool and repurposed sweaters/flannel shirts.   metal lunch boxes from yester-year make functional table-top accents or work well as unique christmas cookie gift boxes.

 

snow-white reindeer can be found in all corners of dancing goat and make for great season round woodsy accents for your home or porch. add old crates and servicable glass jars filled with ornaments or cookie cutters to add a touch of shabby chic.

 

simplify your holiday season with decorations that carry your home into the long days or january/february. stop into the dancing goat for great decorating ideas and artful giftables. 

 

check out our expanded holiday open dates for bonus shopping opportunities!  enjoy a blessed holiday season and thank you for another great year at the dancing goat studio!!  

autumn 2012



we apologize at dancing goat for being behind on our blog posts.  fall is a busy time of year as we scramble to paint furniture for the upcoming winter, before the cold minnesota weather settles in.  many d.g.s. photo's from september - november can be found on the "dancing goat studio" facebook page.  just "like" us online and recieve updates and photo's on a more frequent basis. and as always, thank you for visiting the dancing goat studio blog!!!!

one week to september event

september theme at dancing goat studio is a riot of subdued color. working on grays, blues, espresso, cream and khaki colors. the theme is feeling nutty with acorns, blue skies and squirrels in mind.

here's a sneak peek to what is coming up:

retro revival and art fair fun

dancing goat studio is stepping back in time to mid-century decorating. bright orange, robins egg blue, avacado and berry pink paired with cool black make this fall inspired fabric the perfect backdrop to our groovy theme. fun fall leaf ceramic decor finds it's way into the dancing goat and hanging swag lamps make a bright comeback. rustic retreat plaids in red , blue and orange also create a cabin kitsch nook.

the weekend of august 17 and 18 will bring in an artsy fartsy crowd with new london's fine arts fair and music festival. so stop in to say hello and see what's new. there is always so much to see at dancing goat studio!!

 

book purse special orders are starting to come in at dancing goat. consider a funky altered book purse for the gifting season and pick out a perfect one of a kind present for someone special in your life. special orders are easily made via e-mail and photo coorespondence. contact kim at kwendlandt@tds.net for more information.

summer bounty

typically this is the time of the month that i pre-view fabulous re-design photo's from dancing goat studio, just prior to the second weekend occasional sale. but instead, i am showing pictures of 'what i did instead'.

the motto of dancing goat is to recycle, repurpose and
re-design. at dancing goat the phrase 'earth friendly' is thrown around a lot. often times the term is used to describe the buying of a repurposed book purse or a repainted wood table, instead of buying box store wanna-be's (pleather and pressed wood). the main concept at dancing goat, is the idea that it is better to recycle what we have instead of filling, the already overflowing, landfills with our castoffs. in short the recreating of and finding beauty in the seemingly ordinary and less than perfect.

many of you already know the story behind the name 'dancing goat' but here is a refresher for you and a reminder to myself: i have been teaching papermaking to children through 'artist in residency' programs for 18 years. the kids make paper out of recycled shredded paper from the school offices and together we discuss recycling and how important it is to our environment. during these some 18 years of teaching, my husband, children and i moved to a hobby farm and our first farm animals were goats. we also began an enormous vegetable garden that produced far more bounty than we would ever be able to consume in a summer. often times, tomatoes and zuchinni in the garden would grow too large for consumption and would become 'goat food' for our two crazy goats: butterscotch and baxter. every fall, my husband would clean out the straw (aka goat poop) in the goat pen and cover the garden with it's nourishing goodness. at some point through the years, i realized that being 'earth friendly' was not a new concept. following the first earth day in the 1970's the term 'green' was coined and escalated in status in the 1990's. the idea of being earth friendly was not a term used by farmers through the years, but it has always been a way of life. so the dancing goat studio name, is a nod to what farmers have been practicing for years. so when you drive down a country road and get a wiff of a farmers 'manure pile', understand that he is and always has been the ultimate 'green living' model.

with all this in mind, please forgive me for canning the vegetables in the garden, instead of working diligently on the dancing goat august redesign. we have been open several weekends in a row for special summer events and have worked hard to keep the store restocked at all times. there are many new items, but the new august theme 'retro couture' will be done for next weekend instead, august 16, 17 and 18. of course, unless we have a bumper crop...

rustic retreat with a kick

tangerine, fire engine, sunset, cinnamon, rust. any form of orange is hot for the upcoming seasons. not just for fall anymore orange is popping up in unexpected places. at dancing goat this month our theme is rustic retreat, so of course we built our theme around an orange ten point deer skull. paired with gray, black, cream, pinecones and birchbark, orange is making a statement in july.

campy decorating accents fill the nooks at dancing goat. we have vintage coolers, metal minnow buckets, thermos's and wire fishing baskets in orange, blue, red and gold. stacks of metal tackle boxes are ready for use on the lake or on a coffee table for convenient storage.

vintage fabrics cover benches, chairs and pillows, while old footlocker style chests have been re-purposed into cheeky sofa tables. overall, we are spilling over with saturated color and snarky re-do's at dancing goat.

the artful farm

june is dairy month and in honor of the farmers of kandiyohi county and the cows that give us cream for our morning coffee, the dancing goat is kicking off the summer season with farm fresh decor! the theme is the "artful farm" because here at dancing goat we enjoy elevating everyday humble and useful objects to that of "art".  we have chicken salt and pepper shakers, cow creamers, gingham checks, milk cans and tractor seats, to farm-up your country kitchen!

for the lakeside dwellers we have an "up-north" corner at the dancing goat that is stuffed to the gills with glavanized minnow buckets, plaid metal coolers, rustic thermos, willow and wicker accessories, wooden bowls, and piles of plaid wool blankets, all in the colors of the big woods.

retro colors are still hip in aqua blue and avacado green, paired beautifully with wooden compotes and vintage crochet.

we are wild for colored metal catch-all boxes arranged in a row beside a jar of antique bingo balls.  great as t.v. remote caddies, recipe boxes or for whatever creative use you would like to emply it.

and of corse, in honor of july 4th and the service men and women of our united states of america, a display of red, white and blue to set the mood for your summer family gatherings.

"blooming junk"

spring chickens, garden love  and lakeside living share the spotlight at dancing goat for the may occasional event.  colors throughout are vibrant and saturated.

farmhouse fresh decor with gingham checks, quirky chickens and pyrex dishes remind us of  country kitchen "lunch" and simpler times.

a once gold ornate mirror takes on a whole new vibe when covered with  a coat of carribean blue paint.  furniture once meant for a formal dining room look at home on a chalkboard wall or in a lakeside boat house.

"crochet chic" love is evedent in every corner of the dancing goat, proving our obsession with  vintage afghans and pillows. while garden rakes, childrens rusty toy trackers and wool flower pins mimic the flowers just beginning to bloom in our spring gardens.

spring and summer are all about fun!  pull in some bright quirky decor to let your whimsy show. and find it all this month, at the dancing goat studio!!!!

stocking the patio

red junk, blue junk, old junk, new junk!!! just in time for mothers day and fishing opener in minnesta!! here is  a sneek peek at what's coming out on the patio at dancing goat studio for our may occasional event.

open thursday - saturday from 10am - 5pm (til 8 on thursday for ladies night out)  stop in and catch some fun!!!

more photo's tomorrow!!

prom dress pink

april at the dancing goat is a rainbow! colored in hues of tulip pink, lemon sherbert and mint green, we have great new lamps in passionate pastels and quirky vintage fabric pillows. everything inside and out hints at the colors of our gardens yet to bloom.

our riverside alley patio entrance is stacked high with bright colored primitive benches in red, mint, turqoise, white and black. also find retro metal plantstands, rusty buckets and quirky containers for your violets and petunias. all standing ready to decorate your spring porches and garden landscapes.

floral and geometric patterned fabrics take on a fresh new twist when mixed and matched on covered benches, chairs, step stools and lampshades. pair them with funky painted furniture in every color of the rainbow for pure decorating bliss.

also find spring entertaining extra's with sweet luncheon sets, bright colored glassware and mix and match dishes. we even have a milk glass punch bowl for that special shower or tea party on your spring schedule.

with prom fast approaching, dancing goat has oodles of "one of a kind" jewelry. necklaces, rings and bracelets are re-mixed using vintage jewelry parts and lot of creative whimsey. also find a fun assortment of fabric, wool felt and crochet flower pins created as a "stand in" for that same old/same old prom dress corsage.

minnesota spring is a time to open the windows and let in a fragrant breeze. a time to sweep out the porch and invite the sunshine in. and a time to re-mix the old decor in our homes with a rush of color...just in time for our spring garden blooms. as always dancing goat has flea market chic ideas to help you decorate on the cheap.

going green in march

love the play on words for this months occasional event. not only is dancing goat an earth friendly "green business" with an emphasis on re-purposing and up-cycling, but we are absolutely OBSESSED with the color green.

spring green, avacado green, mint green and all shades in between are hot for spring 2012 and beautifully paired with grey at dancing goat this month.

funky fabric lampshades take the spotlight in our going green display, with mid-century modern drum lampshades covered with geometric patteren atop chic painted lamp bases.

peeks of spring kitsch fill dancing goat in the form of mushroom motifs, birds, bees, bunnies, nests and bird cages. and as always dancing goat has fabulous jewelry and one of a kind book purses for the fashion diva in us all.

minnesota pre-spring

minnesota winters are a bit of an unusual event...we almost always have snow on the ground in march, when many states are welcoming spring tulips and gentle rain. as an occasional store owner, i am torn between creating minnesota appropriate displays or following seasonal trends. march is a challenge. so my compromise is felted wool sweater flowers. using scraps from sweater mittens created by my very talented friend and neighbor, kris, i have designed a garden of repurposed sweater and fabric flowers!!! come check out the full effect during the occasional event at dancing goat studio this coming march 8, 9, 10!!!

february occasional sale - red hot!!!!

i LOVE romance. i love poetry and love songs, hearts and flowers, candy and cupids, and i absolutely LOVE valentines day!! everything from the shape of hearts and the color red inspire me, and so without a doubt, february occasional at dancing goat is RED HOT!

a fire-engine red, vintage bike hangs from the ceiling at the dancing goat this month. setting the stage for valentines day and hinting at a season of warmer weather, knocking on our igloo doors.

re-purposed fabric is in the spotlight again this month with thrift store clothing that have been re-designed into fabulous re-versable pillows in a variety of colors and textures; such as boiled wool, cable-knit sweater and leather.

book-page heart garland offer a sweet and simple "green" decorating idea alternative and crochet heart ornaments are available for multi-use valentine kistch.

nothing says "be mine" like white chenille letter heart pillows and scrabble tile magnets, which literally spell out your sentiments on a favorite chair or a metal tray chalkboard.

artful heartful valentine giftables are ready for february 14th giving. red velvet cuff bracelets have antique lace detail and romance novel book text quotes to heat up the mood. fabulous jewelry re-mix is all glitz and glamour with rhinestones, hearts, keys and steampunk style aplenty.

and as always, altered book purses are ready made and available for special order, to accessorise your favorite little black dress or gift to someone special. so have a "red hot" february with cheeky style found at dancing goat studio.

quirky pillows with pizazz

a winter wonderland and some colder weather has finally settled in over minnesota. mornings have found me admiring the hoar-frost on my backyard trees and has triggered an instict to sew. any other time of the year, sewing seems a bit of a waste of time. projects are only completed as a means to an end. but for some reason, winter allows me the luxury of being able to sew, simply for the sake of sewing.

earlier this winter i had the great pleasure of discovering a new clothing-only thrift store in downtown new london. sponsored by an area church, the store has lovely volunteer staff and piles of colorful clothing ready to be up-cycled into something fabulous.

earlier thrift store projects included; sweater pillows, sweater votives and sweater covered lamp shades. i later discovered some gorgeous wool and leather jackets begging to be purchased and re-purposed. the red pillows pictured above are created using an old wool blazer and is embellished with mismatch fabric covered buttons. the pillows also feature jacket pockets still in tact. the other photo allows a sneak peek at projects in process and a view of my messy fabric stash. sooooo many possibilities.

this post is a reminder to myself and my readers, to slow down this winter. allow yourself the luxury of creativity. open your mind to the creative use of new/old materials.

and remember always, to re-use, re-purpose and re-cycle.

"baby it's cold outside"

almost on cue, minnesota's weather changed from an un-seasonably warm 50 degree tuesday to a "something below zero" wind chill wednesday, just in time for
the january sale at dancing goat.

AND baby it IS cold outside.

dancing goat is rockin the winter blues and snowy whites, with painted furniture and lamps. eco-chic accessories warm up the cool mood, with up-cycled sweater decorating accents.

you will find sweater vases, sweater pillows, sweater lamp-shades and sweater scarves, in shades of beige, aqua and cobalt blue.

skates, ski's and sleds add a touch of winter fun to the decorating landscape, while sweet heart pillows, created from a well worn chenille bedspread, leave spelled-out sentimments around the studio.

as always, the jewelry re-mix display is overflowing with glamorous baubles to dress up your winter day and the book purse selection is well stocked for that special gift buying or splurging opportunity.