Inspired by the lost and the found

2011-08-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

This is one of my latest collages. I've been drawn to the simplicity of working in black and white lately. It's been fun, but I love color too much to stray for very long.

Lines become Life

2011-04-08T01:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I need you're help in voting for a design I created. Everyone PLEASE take a moment and score my design for a t-shirt on threadless.com. It will be up for 7 days, and in that time, I need as much support as possible, in order for it to go to print! If you don't like it - no worries, you don't have to vote. BUT If you really do like it, feel free to give it a great score! If it goes to print i get $2,000, and much needed exposure!

You can score the design by following the link below, or by clicking HERE. (I'm pretty sure noaccount is necessary to score the design). Thank you in advance!

Score This Design!

Moby Dick, Bees Wearing Crowns, A Violion, and Coffee

2011-04-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

What do these things have in common? They are the subject matter featured in my art prints of course! These high quality prints can be produced on paper, canvas, and even laptop/phone cases. Different available sizes makes them affordable for all. You can purchase yours HERE.

Moby Dick (The White Whale)

Griselda

Coffee man

Crown of Bees

Architectual Ceramics

2010-09-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

I thought I would mix it up a bit and focus on ceramics today or more particularly, the work of Cameron Crawford. During my undergrad studies at CSU Chico, Cameron was a teacher in the ceramics department. Recently while cleaning out my closet, I came across a post card promoting one of his past gallery shows. On the front was a picture of one of his pieces - I had forgotten how beautiful they were.

While he has a large body of work, many which are brightly colored, I am particularly drawn to the pieces that have soft neutral tones. To me, these are the most reminiscent of old buildings in a state of decay. They evoke the same reaction in me that I once had in an old abandoned theater. It was both hauntingly beautiful and strangely sad to look at. The theater was filled with gorgeous, ornate details in the architecture and furnishings. Unfortunately, years of neglect had taken their toll. Drapes were torn and disintegrating, plaster was crumbling and the balcony was falling apart. Despite such advanced decay, it was not hard to picture what it must have looked like at the peak of its time. In some ways, it's faded beauty was even more striking now, made prominent in the rubble. What was left had stood the test of time. It was quite moving. Needless to say, Cameron's pieces always remind me of that theatre and I wanted to share them today.

Living Exteriors

2010-09-17T20:02:00.001-07:00

I have recently started getting back into assemblage and I have to say, it has been incredibly rewarding. Day after day I wake up inspired and ready to work. It's as if the pieces just come pouring out of me. And collecting the materials is just as fun. Whether it be beach combing for driftwood, creek walking for stones, or yard-saling it up for discarded "junk," I always seem to end up with something special. I work with found objects, which personally makes it more interesting and engaging for me. I'm particularly fascinated by old scrap wood and hardware. It leaves me wondering where each object has been. Was it once shiny, new and loved? Was it part of someones home? If so, who lived there? It's interesting to speculate on its past and on the trajectory that brought it to it's current state of decay.

The last few days have ended in excellent treasures. Yesterday I was able to nab some ornate table legs, broken statue feet and various other interesting tidbits, after responding to an ad for free scrap wood on Craigslist. Today I explored an old abandoned shack in the middle of the woods, and was able to find all sorts of old rusty hardware and interesting pieces of wood laying buried amongst the ruble. I now have enough supplies to keep creating for several weeks. Just thinking about it makes me happy. Above is a piece I finished this afternoon. I'd like to think i've used these discarded parts to create an intimate little piece of architecture all in its own. I'd be very interested to hear other peoples thoughts or reactions to the above piece.

Time To Spread My Wings

2010-09-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

This year has brought about many changes in my life, which has inspired me to bring about even more change. Particularly, I have been focusing on what I can do to create more happiness and meaning in my life. As a first step, I have decided to start taking more risks (in a good way) and not letting myself be held back by fears and "what-ifs". In the spirit of this new and exciting time of branching out and exploring the world in new ways, I created this collage. It's a friendly reminder that taking chances in life doesn't have to be a scary thing. Infact, many times it can be quite a fun adventure. ...And away we go!

Science Meets Whimsy

2010-09-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

Talk about the find of the day. I stumbled across these illustrations by biologist, philosopher and artist Ernst Haeckel, and immediately fell in love with his work. While I have the utmost respect for scientific drawings, I have always found them to be a bit stark, detatched and lacking in personal expression. Which is, of course, the purpose of them: to portray something as a biological record, not a personal interpretation. It has always struck me as a bit of a paradox really. Yet there is something different about the illustrations of Ernst Haeckel. They seem to have an emotional quality to them, while still remaining faithful to true scientific form. It's as if Scientific illustration merged with Art Nouveau into some glorious new fusion.

To view more information on Ernst Haeckel, who was quite an interesting man, click here.
You may also purchase a book of his illustrations on Amazon, titled Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel

Lin Olofsdotter Illustrations

2010-09-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

These beautifully vibrant pieces are created by artist Lin Olofsdotter. They are full of rich vibrant colors and heavy shapes which she has managed to combined with delicate line weight in each illustration. The result is pure whimsical goodness. For more on this artist, visit her official site here.

Words Create Worlds

2010-09-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

These beautiful images are from a brilliant ad campaign for Anagram Bookshop in Prague, Czech republic. I could look at these all day. They are absolutely fantastic.

Assemblage Using Found Objects

2010-08-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today I pulled out all sorts of objects and art supplies I've been collecting and spread them all over my living room floor. Going through these objects, I'm so inspired! I've decided to start a new series of assemblage pieces. Some will be short projects, that I will complete in a day. Some will take weeks. What's important is that it will be an ongoing process, and I will constantly be creating. Below is the first of my series, made entirely from found objects.

Plight of the Sheep

My Artist Facebook Fan Page

2010-08-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Join me on facebook and get updates on new art, works in progress and more! You can become a fan by following this link here. While you're there, feel free to leave a comment in the guest book (found under discussions) and say hi!

Internet Crazy!

2010-08-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I took a long break from this blog while I finished up my graduate school program, but I can now officially say I have my master's degree in illustration!! It's going to take some getting used to, but I'm actually going to have free time on my hands to focus on building my career as an artist, and creating work that I love!

As a first step, I've been working on my official artist website, which is now up and running. Check it out when you get a chance, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on my work!

http://www.Rachaelshankman.com

Wonderfull Illustrations of Simone Jessup

2008-04-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across these illustrations by Simone Jessup today. I think they are absolutely gorgeous - especially the bird one. Each one of her illustrations are different, and I highly recommend visiting her website.

My Newest Collage

2008-04-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

"Poems by a Little Girl"

This is the project I've been working on for the last two weeks. After being unhappy with my initial version, I was reluctant to start over after so much hard work. But I'm glad I did, because this version was much more successful in my opinion. If you'd like to inquire about prints, you can in the comment section of this post, or by contacting me in my etsy shop at http://www.trublue.etsy.com/ Generally, prints in my shop are priced as follows:
4x6 .................$8
5x7................$10
8x10..............$15
I can also do special orders prints on canvas or watercolor paper. Pricing for this extra service depends on each individual order.

I'm featured today on L.M. GLAM's Blog

2008-04-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

You really must check out her blog. You can see her amazing work there, as well as the work of other featured sellers. You can even have a chance to win some of it! Check it out at http://www.lmglam.blogspot.com/

My Treasury Made the Front Page of Etsy!!!

2008-04-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I missed it! Since I already spend way to much time on there, I decided I would take a break yesterday so that I could attend to some of the other neglected areas of my life. And what happens? My treasury makes the front page. The one day I'm not on etsy and the thing I want most to happen happens. Still you've got to laugh. I'm happy just knowing it made it anyway. But I'd be alot happier if I could find a screen shot of it!

Tips on How to be More Earth Conscious with Your Packing and Gift Wrapping

2008-04-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

I received something in the mail yesterday from ebay, and I found the seller's choice in packaging very disturbing. The item itself was about 3" long, and weighed no more that a few ounces. Yet it came wrapped up in a wad of bubble wrap the size of a grapefruit. This in turn was surrounded by a hefty amount of packing paper, and the whole thing was in a big box.

When I see things like that, it makes me wonder what the seller was thinking. I figure it can only be one of two things: either they don't know any eco-friendly was to package items, or they do, but just don't care. While I can't help with the latter, I can certain provide people with a few tips on how to wrap and package items effectively, while minimizing its impact on the earth. Here are some tips for a greener way to wrap and send your delicates.

1. Get Creative With Your Wrapping Paper:

I found that recycled brown paper makes a very simple and beautiful wrapping paper. It is especially beautiful if you finish with a nice silk ribbon (the brown really offsets the colors) or some sort of natural touch, such as a sea shell or some small flowers. You know that ever-growing collection of brown paper grocery bags that you hate to throw out, but never seem to have a use for? Now you can finally put them to good use, by using their reverse side (the side without the print).

Newspaper is a great alternative to informal wrapping jobs. However, if you need something a little fancier, use pages of book print. Now before you go cutting up perfectly good books, I suggest finding ones at thrift stores or yard sales that already have some damage to them. I was able to find several old books that had been in a flood and had severe water damage. While many of the pages were ruined, a great deal of them were perfectly intact and salvageable. You can leave the book print white, or give it a quick antique look by soaking the page in tea or coffee, then drying them under a heavy item (this prevents the paper from wrinkling as it dries).

2. Lose the Styrofoam Packing Peanuts!
Try these ideas instead:

Use the cast offs from your paper shredder as filler to your packages.

Use your left over plastic grocery bags to pack delicate items in.

Get creative with egg cartons! They are great for protecting a large array of items.

Save and boxes or bubble envelopes that you receive in the mail and re-use them

Take advantage of Cornstarch Packing peanuts. They are truly the best. They are made of 100% cornstarch, so they are edible (although I wouldn't recommend it). They dissolve completely in water and leave no toxic waste behind. These packing peanuts were originally created with the intention of being a breakfast cereal, but because of it's poor taste, it was re-purposed as a packing material. You can buy these from almost any moving company, or on the web. For a recipe and directions on how to make your own cornstarch packing peanuts, click here.

3. A Few Last Things to Remember:

Ship early to avoid having to ship by air. Energy costs for sending a package for next day delivery are four times higher than the cost of ground shipping. So try to use ground shipping whenever possible.

Make sure you use enough material to protect and secure your item, but don't go overboard. Use only what you need.

Now your on your way to greener packaging! Keep up the good work, and thank you for your interest in staying green.

Eco Friendly Featured Artist: Unconventionalida

2008-04-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

She has Always Loved the Trees

Today's featured artist is Unconventionalida. I saw her work and was instantly charmed by her unique style and unforgetable characters. There is a sweetness and warmth to each of her paintings, along with a touch of meloncholy. Unconventionalida sells both originals and prints, with a price range to fit any budget. All of her paintings are done on recycled wood.

Here's what she says about her work:
"I whole heartedly LOVE every character that comes out of my pen. Everything is a magnificent choice for me..the type of wood I will use, the grain, a male or female, old or young...The wood that I use is "rescued" from a cabinet shop in the Bitterroot Mountains.*I can't bear to see lovely wood burned just because it isn't large enough*"

The Queer Little House on the Hill

Bianca, the Albino Twin

The Lollipop Forest in Blue

You can visit her shop at http://www.unconventionalida.etsy.com/

Featured Collage/Photomontage Artists

2008-04-06T22:24:00.001-07:00

"Encounters of the mind"

Click here to view this collage in my shop

I decided to bring some of my collages out of retirement, and sell prints of them in my shop. In honor of this, I decided to focus today's blog on collage. So I hit the web to discover other collage artists out there. There are many different styles of collage existing, but I noticed that I tend to be drawn to similiar types. Here are a few pieces that struck my attention for one reason or another

"The Jack of all Trades" by Mister "Michael David Jerome Hoffmann Koppa" (as he calls himself)

"The Pathway Home" - by Kim Birdsong

"Given" - by David Wallace

Eco Friendly Featured Artist: Infusion

2008-04-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

Half Moon Sling - made from reclaimed cotton and ripstop

Todays featured artist is Infusion, who creates her work from beautiful recycled, natural fabrics. Using such materials as organic hemp, linen, cotton, silk, wool and kapok, Infusion's pieces not only look and feel great, they also come with peace of mind. And with prices compareable to that of traditional fabrics, you can't go wrong.

Here's what she has to say:

"Here at infusion, we are all about Life. There is a new focus needed. Let's work toward sustaining Life. Infusion products are made with reclaimed, recycled, organic and sustainable fibers and fabrics. We love to emphasize what is natural, reduce the toxic load, and lighten our footstep on the earth..."

You can visit her shop at http://www.infusion.etsy.com/

Hemp Tote - Made from 100% Organic Romanian Hemp

Herbal Infusion Pillows - made of reclaimed raw silk, and organic hemp. Filled with Sage and Lavendar.

Vintage Button Bobbies

2008-04-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

I am in love with these. They make me think of lazy summers and old fashioned romance. I have a few pairs that I've had forever, but decided to make a new batch for fun. So I pulled out my stash of vintage buttons that I snagged from my grandmother (isn't it just great when grandmothers clean out their closets?) and I set to work. Who says bobby pins are just for girls? We women can still pull them off in a fun flirty way, and I excercise my right to do so! These are available now for purchase http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10704531

Vintage Sin Ring

2008-03-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

I've got a new batch of rings and accessories coming out within the next two weeks. This is the first in line, and it is up for sale right now in my shop. The text is from an actual advertisement in 1941. How cool is that? I love looking through old magazines, they are so much fun. I found a big batch of old magazines at an estate sale. Unfortunately, many of them had water damage - which is a shame. But the plus side is that I felt fine about cutting them up since they were already damaged. Estate sales really are the best.

Featured!

2008-03-30T10:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was featured on Celeste Jean's blog at http://cjswoodlandshed.blogspot.com/
Check it out! There are all sorts of interesting artist's being featured there.

Recycled Art

2008-03-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

I'm always inspired by what other artists can create out of recycled items. Here are a few featured pieces that I found interesting.

Linda Raynsford made this sculpture, titled "Link," out of discarded painted metal, tool boxes, cabinets, and car parts.

This amazing sculpture, titled "Earth Tear" by Marta Thoma is made out of steel rebar and recycled plastic vodka bottles!

Artist John T. Unger uses recycled steel to create these goregous fire pits.

Photo by Bob Easton

This entire gown is made out of plastic bags!!! Artist Jayne Ottesen used knitted, ironed and sewn plastic grocery bags to create this gown.

Finds of the day

2008-03-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

Bubble World Wall Art by Emma Florence Harrison $24.99

I fell in love with a new website called ModCloth. I came across it this afternoon and ended up browsing for a full hour! Thankfully I was able to justify it because I had just the entire morning cleaning my house ;)

Here are some of my favorite things I stumbled across (they had clothing too, but that will have to be different post!):

These Nature Cute Mini Mirrors are too cute resist - especially at $6.99 each.

I instantly fell in love with this Just My Type Necklace by Tilly Boom $27.99

I was just looking at a pair of these in a thrift store. Perfect for adding 50's flare to your kitchen. Retro Napkin Holder, $11.99 each.

Music Lover Pillow Cases $24.99

New re-created necklace series

2008-03-24T21:12:00.001-07:00

I have started a new series of necklaces using the process of re-creation and assemblage. The idea was born this weekend while visiting some yard sales and thrift stores. I kept seeing all these interesting old bits of jewelry and hardware, and it seemed such a waste for them to be unloved and tossed away. There's nothing I love more than seeing potential in items that others might pass by. So I collected various odds and ends that caught my eye, and came back to my work table to re-invent them into new treasures. I have alot that are still in progress, but here are two that I finished earlier. As always, I had a blast. These will be up for sale in my etsy shop by the end of this week (I just need to take some decent photos of them first).

DIY antique tray

2008-03-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is a fun, easy project using an old serving tray, some paint and some images. For this project I used old wine / liquor labels, but you can use anything from old fruit labels, poster prints or photos.

Start with a plain serving tray. You can pick one up at a thrift store, flea market or yard sale (you can also find new ones for cheap at your local arts and craft store).

Step 1 - Paint the tray

If your serving tray has old paint on it, it can work for or against you. If the old paint is in bad shape, or just ugly, simply give it a quick sanding and a nice fresh layer of paint. If the paint is in decent enough shape, you can add a top coat of new paint (your color choice) over it, then distress it with sand paper so the old paint is showing through. It's especially helpful to do this on the corners and edges where the piece would naturally wear down sooner.

Step 2 - Getting your labels ready

Once you have the background color, you will need to add old wine / liquor labels. You can get these from your own collection, or by printing them off the web (I've added a link to a nice source for these at the bottom of this post). If you labels / images are too white and 'new' looking, you can give them a nice aged yellowed look by dipping them in soy sauce. This is a very effective staining method I stumbled across a while ago. But in this case less is more. A simple dip to coat both sides is good, no more is needed. Do not soak the image, because it will become dingy brown and just look dirty. When the labels are dry, they are ready for attatching.

Step 3 - Attatch your labels

To attatch your labels or images, simply use "Modge Pogde" (again, available at any craft store). Coat the backs of the images and attatch them to the tray, making sure you get all the air bubbles out. Then coat the top of the images of few times to make sure they are permanently affixed to the tray. Let dry. Serve some nice snacks or refreshments on your new tray and impress your guests with your creativity!

The following website has a great collection of printable vintage images!

http://www.treefeathers.com/miniref/Printies.html

Trying my hand at jewelry

2008-03-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Click here to see this vintage inspired necklace in the shop

There are so many jewelry sellers on Etsy right now, I felt discouraged from making any. But then I decided it didn't matter. I was making it because it was fun, not because it mattered whether it sold or not. It just so happened that I had today off. So I sat down, spread my supplies out and did some serious jewelry making! I have to say, it was a blast. I'll put them up in the shop and see how they do, but I'm not too worried about it. I had a great time and that's all that matters. I've also been experimenting in metal work. I made a really cool sterling silver fork ring today.

Antique fork ring

What's new in my shop?

2008-03-17T01:59:00.000-07:00

I recently organized my sewing box, and decided that my measuring tape needed a little vamping up. I decopaged a nice vintage image onto my measuring tape container, then painted the edges for a nice finshing touch. It came out so cute I decided to make more and sell them in the shop. Thus my "retrospects" accessories were born. I will be listing different ones as the week progresses. I can make the borders in any custom color you want, so let me know if you have any special requests. :)

Thank you Eco Etsy!

2008-03-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Eco Etsy had a treasure hunt today in honor of st. patricks day. I participated this morning and won this awesome coffee cup cozy!! I did it for fun because I like browsing people's shops to see what they have. I never expected to win anything, but I'm so thrilled that I did! I'm a big fan of minimizing my impact on the planet, and now when I have my coffee or tea in the morning, I don't have to use one of those cardboard cozies. I can save them and bring my own! If you're interested in purchasing one, you can check out more from http://www.shutterkate.com/

spring pillows

2008-03-15T17:57:00.001-07:00

Maggie Pace is the founder of Pick Up Sticks, an Oakland-based company that produces gift-friendly kits with patterns and yarn to make home and fashion accessories. This Plum Blossom pillow is so adorable, I'm tempted to get into some comfy pj's, throw on a movie and start making my own! It's a really simple design, yet very eye catching. It would be easy to come up with your own design and make one. Or, for those of you that are craft-challenged, or just want to relax and not think about it, Pick Up Sticks offers a kit for this pillow (and many other projects!). The kit for this Plum Blossom Pillow is $32, needles and pillow form not included.

Projects for Spring: Give your lamp a makeover.

2008-03-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

Now that spring is on the way, you'll probably be wanting to make some color changes around the home to lighten things up. Rather than go out and buy lighter colored accessories to make your home more bright and cheery, there are some easy ways to re-invent what you already have. I will be posting different projects on different days. Todays project will be simple ways to re-invent your lamp shade. Get a whole new look without having to buy a new one. These were taken from Better Homes and Garden.

1. Give it a paper or Fabric makeover. Covering your lamp with paper is an easy, inexpensive and effective way to quickly make a new lamp shade. Trace the top and bottom of the shade by rolling it on wrapping paper, allowing extra to fold ends. Cut. Use cut paper as a pattern for a second piece if needed. Place paper on shade, aligning patterns. Fold ends, securing seams with double-sided tape. Glue ribbon on top and bottom. (The same technique can be used with fabric, but instead of double sided tape, attatch the fabric with spray adhesive.)

2. Use stick ons. This fabulous 10-minute embellishment is as easy as peel and stick. You can use just about any self-adhesive sticker, but we recommend these repositionable vinyl-coated die-cut ones from wallies.com ($12 for two sheets) to decorate the outside or inside of a shade.

3. Dress up the inside. A hint of color and pattern is an eye-catching touch on the inside of a shade, especially for hanging lamps. Make a pattern by tracing the shape of your lampshade onto paper, allowing enough to overlap ends. Cut fabric using the pattern, coat the wrong side with spray adhesive, and carefully adhere the fabric to the inside of the shade. If you have difficulty controlling the fabric as you work, first back it with paper to stiffen it, then use adhesive to attach the paper side to the shade. Glue bias tape along the top and bottom edges to give the lining a finished look.

4.Lovely Doodle Designs
To create this fun shade, start at the seam with a black opaque paint marker, draw evenly spaced vertical lines for different numbers and sizes of circles. Every fifth row draw a series of single circles; connect the circles with loose, squiggly lines. Then apply the lighter color paint first, let dry. Next, paint the darker circles.

5. Wrap It with Ribbon
Ribbon wrapped around a plain paper shade creates the look of pleated silk. To keep this project affordable, we hit the clearance bin and found four 8-yard ribbon spools for $2.45 each. Use fabric tape to secure a ribbon end (and subsequent ends) to the inside of the shade. Wind ribbon around the shade, overlapping more at the top than at the bottom if using a tapered shade.

Old Picture Of The Day - Featured Blog

2008-03-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this blog randomly, and I think it is worth noting! If you're like me and you find old photographs facinating as well as beautiful, then this is the site for you! This blog features one vintage photograph a day, and they are all spectacular. I have attatched the link below. Careful though! It's easy to get sucked into viewing these gems from the past. I killed about thirty minutes this morning over coffee just browsing through the archives :) It also inspired me to go through my own box of vintage photos. The ones you see above are from my collection.

You can find today's featured blog at:
http://old-photos.blogspot.com/

New Necklaces on sale now at the shop!

2008-03-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

I've got a new batch of necklaces that are going up for sale in the shop. I made one for myself a long time ago, and I kept getting comments about it. So I decided to put them to the test, and see how they do in the shop. It would be great if they do well because they're alot of fun to make!

Pieces of the day

2008-03-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

While browsing the web today for new artists and their work, I was struck by several pieces, and wanted to share them. It's so inspiring to see what other people are doing, and it always seems to leave me feeling very happy. I could do it for hours. In this particular search today, I was interested in artists who deal with "found art, " in any sense of the term.

“Blue River” By John Dahlsen. Medium: Recycled plastic bags behind perspex

Title: Driftwood Assemblage # 1(Diptych), also by John Dahlsen. Medium: Found objects (driftwood) on plywood

www.johndahlsen.com/lastest_installation.html

"Coffee" by Rosa Murillo. This piece was done by the artist, then left taped to a park bench for someone to find. A note was attatched saying that it needed to be set free, and was meant to be kept. http://rosamurillo.squarespace.com/rosa-murillo-journal/2006/10/17/found-art-tuesdays-oct-17-06-coffee.html

"In the Garden" by Barbara Irwin. Barbara creates assemblages out of found items. They have a very sculptural feel to them. This one pictured above was my favorite. http://foundobjectart.com/

Glacial erratics: landscape found art (and origins of cubism), by Edward Tufte. This artist finds art in Rocks. I love the concept. He wrote: "Helping to build a road today, I threw a rock (about 0.4 cubic feet in volume) into the road bed. The end of the rock shattered and revealed the ultimate source of Cubism. "Fractured planes" is a good short description of Cubism.
Today's fractured rock is on the left; Braque's Rio Tinto Factories at L'Estaque, 1910, at right." http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0001Jt

Spring is Coming!

2008-03-02T10:02:00.001-08:00

Winter is almost over and it's time to celebrate. I have compiled a list of fresh new items to help chase away those winter blues and get you ready for spring!

This "bikini vase" by Chiasso can be found at
http://www.chiasso.com/shopping/modern-home-accessories/modern-vases-planters/bikini-vase.aspx
Or by clicking the title of this post. The best Part is, it's on sale for $14!

Rosebud Door mat. $24.95 by Wrapables. http://www.wrapables.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=A59321

Mini Tomato in a bag. $9.95, also at Wrapables http://www.wrapables.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=A54511

Two's Company Cottage Mirror $39 http://www.estreetdenim.com/product.asp?name=Twos-Company-Cottage-Mirror&pfid=ESD00385&eng=2

Two's Company Insect Citronella Candles. $13.95
http://www.elizabethsembellishments.com/Insect-Citronella-Candles-p-17958.html

Nest Tea Light Holders, by Roost. $34 set/3

http://www.vivaterra.com/pls/enetrixp/!stmenu_template.main?complex_id_in=482007.1301997.1301997.899406.page

Prede'Provence (25g)soap set $14.99
http://www.simplysaminc.com/frenchbathandbeauty.html

Beautiful Paper Art

2008-03-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

My grandmother emailed this artist's stuff to me and I was amazed at how beautiful yet simple they are. His name is Peter Callesen and he creates all of his works using a flat piece of paper. The sharp edges of the positive and negative space give a nice contrast to the soft blanket feel of the white. He truly is uniquely talented.

To view more of his works, visit http://www.iamboredr.com/media/455/Beautiful_Paper_Art/

Gifts in a jar

2008-03-01T14:14:00.001-08:00

Why are gifts in a jar seemingly only given around christmas time? I think these gifts can be given all year round. With endless recipes to choose from you can talor it to fit the occasion. Give one of the recipe soup gift jars for a quick get well to a sick friend. Or give a dog biscuit gift jar for someone who just got a new puppy. Perhaps you have a stressed out Partner? Give them one of the many bath salt gift jars and share a nice cozy bath with them. You can essentially use your creativity to make a gift jar for any occasion. And with a simple tag, they are super easy to personalize. I found some great websites with free recipes for gifts in a jar, which I have listed below. Check em out!

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/index.shtml

http://www.heart4home.net/giftsinajar.htm

http://organizedchristmas.com/index-gifts-in-a-jar

Vintage aprons

2008-03-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

These aprons can be found at Jesse Steele. See link below

I have fallen in love with vintage aprons. Having just purchased one at an estate sale, I decided to check out what is available these days on the web. Good news! There are so many cute aprons out there it's hard to choose which one to get. The prints and cuts are so cute who could resist? It definately adds a flare of fun in the kitchen, but be warned! These aprons may cause an impulsive need to run to the kitchen and try out a new baking recipe.

Here are some great online sources for vintage aprons:

Jesse Steele aprons at http://www.giftitwomen.com/jesthoap.html

sweet pea retro aprons (and matching dishtowels!) at
http://www.sweetpeahandcrafts.com/aprons.shtml

Caroline's kitchen at http://www.carolynskitchenonline.com/_mycarolyn/html/Apron1.html

Rick Rack Attack (over 247 real vintage aprons to choose from) : http://www.rickrackattack.com/servlet/the-Vintage-Aprons/Categories

Or if your feeling crafty, you can find patterns for vintage aprons here:

http://www.sovintagepatterns.com/page/page/1663215.htm

http://www.thecalicocat.com/patterns-apron.htm

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/tieoneon/free_patterns/index.html

http://www.oldpatterns.com/aprons.html

Nature inspired Centerpieces

2008-03-01T12:12:00.000-08:00

Photographs by Christina Schmidhofer

This was a great project that I found in Sunset magazine, by Peter O. Whiteley. I love mixing contemporary items of the home with natural touches to warm up a room. Here is a wonderful centerpiece that looks great, yet is so amazingly simple to make it's almost too good to be true. Perfect for spring or fall.

Start with slender but sturdy dried plant material from your garden or a craft or florists’ supply store.
1. Select your base: a piece of plywood or wood, or a slate or terra-cotta floor tile.

2. Lay out a geometric hole pattern around the candle(s). For safety, ensure that nothing is too close to the flame.

3. Use an electric drill with a wood or masonry bit that is slightly smaller than the stems’ diameter.

4. If holes are too small, whittle stems with a craft knife. Glue in place if desired.

5. Position candle(s); votives should be in glass surrounds, but larger candles can sit directly on base. Use long-necked gas igniters to light.

Other variations of this project:

Tree-like twigs edge a stream bed of green pebbles running down the center of a sealed 30-inch piece of redwood 1-by-4.

collage is your friend

2008-02-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

Why am I so drawn to collage? It seems no matter what creative medium I get into, I always find myself returning to collage (decoupage too!). Here are some collages I did a few years ago. I'm thinking of making prints and putting them up in my etsy shop but I haven't decided. When I made them, the creativity came from such a deep place inside me that they almost feel too personal to sell to others. I look at them and I see an intimate part of myself. Do I really want such a intimate expression of mine up on someone's wall? But on the other hand, each one brings me a warm comforting feeling when I look at them, and so they bring me great happiness. Shouldn't I share that with other people? I think it comes down to the fact that as artists, we are sharing a deeply personal part of our selves when we go public with our work. It almost feels like if the work were criticized it would be a direct criticism on us. So I think it's the old fear of rejection thing. But maybe that's an even better reason to go public with it, even if it makes you feel vulnerable.

On to new and exciting things!!

2008-02-25T20:21:00.000-08:00

I just bought materials for metal work, and cannot wait to start making some crazy pieces of jewelry. It's all new territory, but that just makes it even more exciting. I will be making rings, earrings and bracelets. I'll get some pictures up as soon as I can. I had no idea how inexpensive it was to start up. You need an initial investment, but your tools will last you forever (or until you want to upgrade to something better). Now I just need to find some sterling silver to work with. I couldn't believe how expensive sterling silver sheets were going for. Apparently the prices have been sky rocketing. Since I'm so big on recycling - and saving money - I'm hoping I can find old items made of silver and melt them down to use the metal. My hunt begins tomorrow...

oh etsy!

2008-02-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

New spot on Etsy.com

On sale now: Bottle cap magnets. I make each individual one by hand with alot of love. Each magnet is filled with permanent resin and magnet backs are attached with epoxy. Each one has super-strength abilities and can hold quite a bit of weight. All these factors mean that these puppies are durable and built to last. Comes in a set of five. A gaurenteed way to make you and your fridge very happy!

note: I made a huge mess and had a lot of fun while making these.

The junk yard is calling!!!

2008-02-24T17:44:00.000-08:00

Transforming Trash to Treasures

There is nothing better then walking into a thrift store or junk yard and seeing all the endless possiblities for transforming old unwanted items into new favorites. This is without a doubt my favorite creative pastime. There are endless possibilites with what could be done. My last trip to the junk yard produced two gems for my apartment. I found an old mop bucket, and an old beat up window, and had big plans for them. While waiting in line I called my boyfriend and excitingly told him what I found. People in the store were looking at me like I was crazy. Maybe so. But look at the cool stuff I turned them into:

An old window became an interesting wall decoration, as well as a place to showcase some vintage photographs.

I transformed the $3 mop bucket into an awesome planter full of flowers and herbs. It makes me happy everytime I go out onto my balcony.