Paper Cuts and Silhouettes

Hand prints and silhouettes are a popular trend in nurseries and kid's rooms. I had a lot of fun doing a self-portrait project this year with my students incorporating their silhouettes. Paper cuts by Olly Moss takes that idea and uses our favorite characters instead. I think this would be a great idea for a bathroom or hallway. Check out the blog for a complete list, see if you can identify all of them!

So many to chose from, but here are a few of my favorites:

Anatomy Illustrations

I love anatomy. I find each shape, structure and function fascinating. I have been going back through some of my old work for inspiration and reminiscing. I used to paint or draw bones when I was bored, not sure when it switched to birds, but feeling the need to revisit this. I also used to incorporate ceramic bones into my work when I was in college. Here are a few samples I have recently posted on my twitter and tumblr if you have missed it.

Zen Shorts Update

A while back I talked about a commission I was working on. Well, I am proud and relieved to say I am done! Thought you might like to check out the end result. This is watching the clear coat dry out on my porch. Can't wait to put my house back to normal. Working on something this big displaced all my dining room furniture into the living room, and kitchen, etc. It took the fun out of making it, because I just felt out of sorts. *sigh*

I did learn a lot! This was first time working with wood panels this size. Also experimented with Minwax's Polycrylic protective finish and will definitely be using this from now on to finish my pieces. It brings all the best traits out of the wood and makes it glow. Love!

Photo of a Photo

Found this very cool website, linking the past and the present through photography. A good reminder that we should all remember those who have walked before us.

http://dearphotograph.com/

Sneak Peek

I have been trying to create fun pictures that would make great prints or stationary. Thought you might like to see what I have been creating lately.



Then I thought she needed to be cut out.



The possibilities are endless what I could do with her now. What do you think?

Robot Crush

Okay, I admit it! I love robots. I collected Transformers when I was younger and loved Johnny 5. Embracing my inner child today I wanted to share some robot inspirations I found on Etsy. I especially love the vintage look of the print by Opafaf.

1. reganflegan 2. Jimbot 3. Pseudooctopus 4. Johnwgolden 5. Opafaf

Industrial Home Accents

I came across these accent tables and had to share since they made me drool a little. . . .

Ever since college when my friends and I lived in warehouses or lofts, I have loved the industrial aesthetic. For me it says built strong and made to be used, not like so many other furniture pieces that are made to just be pretty. I find beauty in peeling paint, rust, brick, and thick chunky wood. All these lovely pieces are new arrivals at Cost Plus World Market.

Aiden Etagere | World Market

 Aiden Etagere | World Market

 Aiden Console Table | World Market

Aiden 3-Shelf Console | World Market

For the Love of Anatomy

I have always been fascinated with anatomy since I was little. I found a designer who has combined art nouveau style with old anatomy illustrations. Fanny Shorter has designed patterns that are based on organs found in the body, such as the brain, kidney, follicle and the womb.  You can't get much more organic in a sense of design than this. 

I also want to thank Indie Fixx for introducing me to this fantastic designer!

Viewing Experience

 Interested in scrolling blogs in a more efficient and exciting way?

 I am without a doubt a visual person. I scroll through blogs, tumblr, pinterest, and the like in search of images for inspiration in design, for my art, or fixing up my house. Everyone has a different preference for their viewing options and here are a few more just to check out my blog.

Well Blogger has 5 great new ways to do so: timeslide, sidebar, mosaic, snapshot and flipcard. To access simply type in /view after the blogspot.com in the address bar above, then choose your preference from the drop down menu.

My favorites being flipcard and snapshot.

An Experiment with Watercolor

I have never done one of my ladies in watercolor on paper before and decided to try it out. Although she is beautiful, I feel I still have some things to work on till I get the effect I want. My favorite parts are the seaweed, coral, and crab arm. They were the most fun to make and turned out the way I would have wanted. Interesting that I love her accessories better than her. I absolutely love the movement in the seaweed.


"Cancer" close-up

"Cancer" watercolor (Taken with instagram)

Now  available at my Etsy shop.

Art Posters

I found a great site for art posters called Poster Cabaret. I like that the art is original and the choices are quite eclectic not to mention you can find something for any occasion or room in your house. I have added Poster Cabaret as a permanent link on my Resources page.

Kiddie Cars by Adam Hayes

Change into a Truck by Tim Doyle

Birdcycle by Methane Studios

Super Hungry by Scott C

Tools of the Trade

My life would not be complete without these items. They are my favorite tools to use in creating. I added the Dymo labeler because it is my newest toy and going to help me get organized this summer. I find there is nothing better than the simplest tools and fine tipped anything (be it pen, pencil, or brush) to aid in the tiny details. Items that are not shown above, but are vital would be calligraphy inks and gesso.

Do you have anything that you use daily that you can not live without?

DIY Project for Recycling Glass Bottles

I stumbled across this cute project over at The Colorful Living Project by Anna Naphtali. Not sure how ecological the spray paint is, but I do think it is a clever way to use glass jars. For complete details please check the post. I love the idea for party idea or just to spruce up your house with a splash of color.

Happy Friday Eve!

My cat loves to play hide and seek. He evidently needs lessons on hiding. His favorite place is the tunnel created between the throw blanket and the sofa, but his rear end and tail are usually hanging out the back. The picture below is him "hiding" in a clear container. On second thought, maybe it is his safety square. All the same, it makes me smile.

photo taken with Instagram

Something else that made me smile today was receiving flowers from a friend of mine. I love spider mums! They are seriously one of my top 5 favorite flowers. A beautiful sunshine yellow that it alone can brighten your day. 

For the Birds

Often there are those times that you get the itch to make something, but nothing inspires me enough to create an original painting. When this happens, I paint birds. It is relaxing and enjoyable. I thought you might get a kick out of seeing some examples. Sorry the quality of the picture isn't the greatest, but it gives you an idea of what I am talking about.

This one I gave to my grandfather.

Zen Shorts

I was just commissioned to do a piece based on the book Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth. The illustrations are beautifully done in watercolors and I can definitely see why it won a Caldecott award. The panda in the story is too cute. This looks like it should be a lot of fun, I can't wait to begin. I will probably be doing this on a huge wood panel. I need to make a trip to my local hardware store to be sure.

Stay tuned for progress pics!

Download This Free B&W Hipstapak for Hipstamatic

Available for the month of June 2011 only!



If you're like me, you love all the photo apps for the iPhone and you love free stuff even more!

AO DLX: Black Border. Powerful contrast and well built tones, the AO DLX film gives your prints a glistening glow like fine beads of sweat on your brow.

AO BW: White Border. Tone your photo physique and max out with the brawny black and white AO film.

Download the two free Hipstapaks at the Nike Hipstamatic website.

Here's a sample picture I took using the DLX film:

This is my kitty Boo (he came with that name).

A Kid at Heart

A family friend commissioned me to create a Constantly Constance version of "Where the Wild Things Are". My brain tingled with inspiration and ideas at the very mention of it. I worked on it in sections as I formulated a complete thought to execute. It took me months to complete, but it was my first painting of this size that I had ever done that was not single subject and that told this kind of narrative. I am very proud of my work and wanted to be able to share.

So, ta-dah!

Growing Success

(I spy with my little eye baby tomatoes)

I raided the $1 bins at Target in March and have been diligently tending to my eclectic mix of baby seedlings. I am proud to say that my mini tomato plants have baby buds on them! The plants themselves are about the size of my hand. To be honest, I wasn't expecting buds till they got a lot bigger.

My zinnias have reached 20 in. tall and are starting to flower as well! Only 1 out of 3 have opened enough to see the color they have been secretly hiding away. When I first started my tumblr account, I was documenting the seed growth, but decided it was silly to post all the time. I have bragging rights now so here they are.






























(Both photos were taken with instagram.)

Logo Design

Who has two thumbs and is designing her own logo? That would be this gal right here!

The first thought to pop in my head the other morning was the idea for my logo design. (I love waking thoughts!) I knew I wanted to do a self-portrait version of what I have been currently using to use as my Etsy shop banner and on business cards. I just finished the black and white drawing and now to ink her in for color options.

This is officially the first time I have ever liked a self-portrait of myself. Stylized of course. My hair is nowhere near as long, but I wanted that art nouveau feeling and movement in the design.

I am still (quite painfully) working my way through the technical aspects of all this. Grumble. Teaching myself Photoshop along the way.

Let me know what you think!