well...today I wandered into HEAVEN !!
Quite by accident...one link on Facebook led to another which led to another and the next thing I knew...BINGO...I was driving 30 minutes south into a whole new experience.
THE ARTSY SOUL
59 North Main Street, Manahawkin, NJ
(609) 549-6350
I just have to share this experience...cause that's what it was...a visual Disneyland-like experience. Like being in a book store, a bead shop, an art supply store all at the same time...and, with dolls and product and samples everywhere !
Colleen is quite well known for her sculpture and her gorgeous art dolls. I can't say for sure that she personally made all of these dolls (some may have been students in her classes)
but they were simply gorgeous.
she offers workshops with other instructors and there are tons of samples everywhere.
she does very cool things with tin soda cans !!
you have never seen so many supplies and baubles in one place done with such flair !!
a classroom area that can seat up to 12
(R U a teacher in the tri state area...give Colleen a call!!!...SERIOUSLY...SHE'S LOOKING FOR GOOD TEACHERS, dont be shy)
did I say lots of product..??.....LOTS of product
hard to find product.....!!
colorful product !!
exciting product
necessary product
everywhere you look...PRODUCT !! GREAT prices.
papers, and molds I'd never seen before !!
Think UTEE !!
so....what can I tell you....I found a zillion things I HAD TO BUY....(as if I dont already have enough!!)...so, if you want to make a lovely drive to the shore area please be sure to stop at
THE ARTSY SOUL (opens at 11 am)
You can contact Colleen at her email and be sure to like her FB page.
A new destination!!
Posted by: Laury Vaden | February 20, 2013 at 01:06 PM
You look like you were in heaven at this store. Wish it were closer, I'm north of NYC:(
Posted by: Nancy G. | February 01, 2013 at 05:36 AM
Wish it was only a 30 minute drive for me too. Imagine the damage I would do to my bank balance!
Lin x
Posted by: Lin Brown | January 30, 2013 at 01:58 PM
Colleen is such a sweetheart! An excellent and patient teacher, and willing to give of her expertise.
Elaine Allen
Posted by: Elaine Allen | January 30, 2013 at 01:32 PM
I would go absolutely nuts in that place! So glady you found it!!! It looks like a place made just for you, Suze.
Posted by: Evelyn in Oregon | January 30, 2013 at 01:23 PM
now that's my kind of shop!!
Posted by: Steven Macari | January 30, 2013 at 12:11 PM
I bet it won't be the only time you visit... what an attractively displayed shop, as you say - Heaven!!
Posted by: Helen | January 30, 2013 at 08:12 AM
Could you do a guide book for great shopping in the UK, you seem to find such wonderful places in the U.S.A
Posted by: Kathy Gledsdale | January 30, 2013 at 07:37 AM
Wow! Have to stop in the next time we're down that way.
Posted by: Linda | January 29, 2013 at 09:01 PM
What a fabulous place to visit. It's always about the presentation, no? Perfect!
~Linda
Posted by: Linda Cain | January 29, 2013 at 08:21 PM
Ah, Manahawkin! Great place (uh hem -- actually the bottleneck on 72 every Saturday in Summer ... LOL) but actually worth the drive, it appears, as long as it isn't on a Summer Saturday ... This store looks like it is an awesome fun place. Good thing I no longer live in southern Jersey, heading to Manahawkin once a week from around the corner from StoryBook Land in Egg Harbor Township ... and am now over 1000 miles away or I would be even more broke than I am now ... Thanks for sharing this lovely store with us. I hope Colleen and the store do really well in this location! :-)
Posted by: su bee | January 29, 2013 at 06:19 PM
Oh man...what a store! Would go but I think an 7 hr. drive might be out of the question:)
Posted by: Martha Richardson | January 29, 2013 at 06:11 PM
i wonder what i can bribe frank with to take me there? looks like my kind of store.
Posted by: Kathy Nycz | January 29, 2013 at 06:07 PM