Great News! we have recently reopened the boutique here at our funky farmhouse at 1578 Rt. 212 Saugerties N.Y. We are right smack between Saugerties and Woodstock near the Glasco Turnpike 4 corners. We are chock full of vintage clothing, jewelry, and all kinds of fun fashion goodies and gifts. Old, new, and handcrafted.Come and visit us on face book and get a sneak peek or Call Rayann  at 845 -246- 4492  https://www.facebook.com/RayannsCreativeInstinct

Back To The Village

I probably shouldn't call this Blog Rayann's Tea Room anymore as the tea room was sold this past year and I no longer do the dress-up tea parties. It had a great 16 year run but I have moved up and away to new and adventurous things.The past year or so I have found my self bringing my Etsy shop mycreativeinstincts) back to life. I feel like now that there is  Facebook in my life I have a much better audience and a worldwide market at my fingertips. I love the way it allows you to have a link on your facebook fan page as well  (Rayann's Creative Instinct).
I have also taken my handmade and vintage finds Back to the village of Saugerties.
Although I don't have my own free standing store,what I do have is a space located at The Saugerties Antique Center at 220 Main Street.You can find my goodies all the way in the back of the center as well as up a secret staircase that leads to a very special pink room that's doors are only open when I am there.
Currently I am in the midst of liquidating a rather large collection of 1970's Bohemian Gypsy clothing.
The collection is from a little local boutique That was closed down for many years. I had long since been out of the vintage clothing scene and moved more towards my art about 5 years ago.However when A friend got in touch with me to show me what was once her mothers boutique back in the day.,my jaw dropped and eyes popped when she opened the door and broke the seal of the rooms that held this marvelous collection. All the rich colors and amazing designs filled my senses in a way that only an artist can feel. 90% of the garments held the label India Imports. A common fashion house hold name that we all grew up with. Some say hippie some say Bohemian (boho) some say gypsy.No matter what you say its all just amazing free spirited 100%cotton and definitely distinctive in design .We call it dead stock or NWOT (new without tags) .It has never been worn washed or moved for that matter .It had been boxed, bagged, hung, and stashed for 40 something years as the doors of the shop had been closed due to family health reasons .
Now mind you I had no intentions of ever getting back into the vintage clothing scene. I have been on and off with it mixing it in with my period costume and set design, teaching of fashion history, and Dress up tea rooms stints.Heck I even had a few little cafes and art galleries along the way to boot But when a person like my self who has an ingrained vintage fashion guru mark stamped on her forehead whether I want to or not .there was no way on this Gods good green earth would I ever be able to pass this amazing opportunity up. For those that know me, you will probably recall that I mostly preferred the outlandish and amusing fashions to surround my presence with. I love the thrill of the hunt to find the old, odd, and unusual pieces that make a screaming fashion statement .This collection
 is so diverse and consists of nearly 1000, pieces none that match another all different in size, color,design and print. However to me it is still all the same.I don't want to say I'm bored of it. Lets just say I'm over it. I played with it for the last 5 months or so I have done photo shoots,  sold online, , fashion shows and a few music videos. Now I'm done. I love it but its ready to move along .I want to get back to my own creations in my home studio and the online audiences.I don't want to sit in a store I don't want to cater to the rich and famous I don't want to explain another thing. I want it gone and that's that.That's where you all come in. As we know This fashion is the hottest and priciest thing going at the moment therefore there is not much time as the attention deficit disorder in fashion designers will take hold shortly. I want to move it while the going is hot! I want designers collectors shop keepers and vintage lovers to take it off my hands so I can crawl out of this blanket of India splendor and spread my creative wings once again

Who will want it? who will buy it? who wants to become famous owning it? Not me is it you ? 

Spoon Love

I have been working feverishly to finish up holiday orders. As much as I hate to admit I some times wish I didnt take on the custom work. I feel as if it almost defeats the purpose Of being my own boss. When things have to be done the way some one else wants it it is no longer yours .Sure its all good but I always find my stress level rising when Im creating something for some one else. I find that I worry the whole time that they will approve .

One of my favorite remedies to cure this kind of stress is to just go to my studio and start sifting through my stash of goodies and just force my self to make something out of whats immediately in front of me .This week what was in front of me was a little velvet bag I picked up along my travels this summer.Inside the bag was some of the loveliest pieces of antique silverwear that screamed with artistic element.Thus what was born is "Spoon Love".I love it as it was done solely out of pleasure for myself .It is for me, I will wear it, Iwill love it. Doing this creation just for my self was a quick remedy to get me back on track to fill the rest of those pesky orders.Of course I write in jest as truly I feel blessed to be able to create those special one of a kind treasures for those who come to seek me out.Heres hoping all my artist friends will find there own private muse to take them away from all the hectic holiday stress .Cheers to you all.

Holiday Goodness

Well the season is upon us and the tea room and shop are starting to bustle. Now that Holloween is behind us Im looking forward to creating some things for my self Instead of makng everyone elses costumes.Dont get me wrong as you know I love creating costumes and enjoyed a great 22 year career in .But I am starting to shift somewhat and create more things that heal the soul.

I personally decided to be the Funky Queen of hearts this year. Believing that halloween is the best time to imagine ourselfs in a state of alter Ego.therefore I chose the queen. reason you ask/Because she is . some what hoity toidy yet shes also a cool chick and gets to enjoy both worlds in totally confidence.What more could a women ask for ( besides chocolate)

One of our big events and most enjoyable this month was the Hensons Tea Ball

I was lucky enough to be invited to take the show on the road to the Muppet Mansion and host a tea party for there Daughter Sidney who turned 6. I am truly blessed to have a Mom for a best friend. She is a multi talented mom who always helps me pull stuff like this off.She is a professional photographer as well and it really came in handy for the slide show and photos she created of the celebration. You can view the slide show on my facebook fan page by searching Rayanns Creative Instinct or click on the link http://www.facebook.com//profile.php?id=1130433062&v=feed&story_fbid=174861072093#/pages/Saugerties-NY/rayanns-creative-instinct/47494228556?ref=ts

Superfun when my Muse came knocking on my door this week .The snowflakes, scissors, and sparkles were flying.I managed to pump out almost 20 collage cards .Some may be a little off the track for me but I've decided I cant keep creating things that only I like .Not everyone shares the qirky and sometimes bizarre taste I posess. All In all not for nothing it was fun to play the Christmas Carols and get into the creative groove. Once started I couldnt quit any and all who came to visit were recruited to my studio and got a glue stick slapped in to there hand .

My Long lost Blog is back

Well here we are nearly a year later and I have come to dust off this long lost lonely blog of mine.The poor dear has been cast aside like an ugly red headed stepchild.Her older siblings like Face book and Etsy have really caused me to kicked her to the curb.However on the bright side had it not been for big sis Etsy I may have not been inspired to take the girl here back in to my life once again.You see I have been a part of a great group of mixed media artists in a forum I found nearly 2 years ago on a place called Etsy. Now being a lover and creator of mixed media I have been enlightened on so many aspects of the wonderful world of mixed media.
Now within this little group of gals has formed another group or shall we say a team . Many of these women are published artists and noted teachers.They have named them selves Melange.It is my desire to be a part of this wonderful group and in order to do this it is in my best interest to keep a blog therefore I'm Dusting off the old girl.
Melange has weekly challenges with a given prompt word. The artists are to create a piece according to the word. Now me I personally create my pieces over time when it allows and when I have the inspirational muse before me.Therefore even though this weeks challenge pieces were started before I knew the prompt, they were unfinished pieces that I finally finished in honor of the team. This weeks prompt words "Abundance" and "Flight"



This is a shadow box piece that I have choosen to represent "Abundance".
I call it "Harvest Hat"
Starting with a copy of vintage text as a backround I then included a watercolor painting of an Edwardian Gibson girl I painted last year.
She is adorned with many little snippets and drawings of fruit, flowers, and leaves that top her hat.There is also a real dried Blackeyed Susan flower from my garden and a sprinkling of vintage swarvoski crystals.


I have chosen this as our flower garden provided us with an amazing overabundance of flowers this year and served us such a lovely backdrop for many a portrait taking sessions!




Flight Is another shadow box. I started with a great
piece of vintage pink flocked wallpaper.My little fairy is salvaged from a favorite greeting card, she is adorned with a precious pink applique from a 1930s party dress, that gives reminiscence of wings. Shes holding the tiniest bouquet of vintage flowers in a pale pink with one little stray for her hat.She is finished with spray of feathers and a sparkling jeweled square.

Lots of gardening at the tearoom

The garden is almost in full bloom at Rayanns Creative Instinct

Lots of new goodies

Lots and lots of fall findings have found there way inside the doors of Rayanns this week.My husband Jacob has been busy knitting and crocheting all sorts of cozy creations. One of his newest creations are crochet rugs and mats that are made from recycled laundered sheets that are ripped into strips.