{featured friday}

modern radar

bella bella

magic jelly


matte stephens

operation paper cut

yael frankel


studio benben

recycle::reduce::reuse!

I couldn't wait until Friday to Post this great find. While on Etsy this morning, i came across a great little shop called remake

They have up three different products, all of which have been created with the idea of sustainability at hand. I couldn't decided on just one to be my favorite so i made two out of the three my favs!

These are hand silkscreened decrative lables, great for formal mailings or even for labeling storage bins!

Set of 5 handmade envelopes with flat cards. can you believe that these are actually old security business envelopes turned inside out! who would of thought they could ever be so stylish inside!!

I really enjoy seeing people recreate and reuse old things and turn them into something that can fit todays lifestyles. Thank U remake for "making" my day!

incoming!

so last night i finally got a chance to get the upcoming new book collection organized and ready to construct. lets just say that it's going to be "beach friendly"... This time around i will be launching a new book style, for those "on the go" peeps! I'm really excited for my upcoming adventures, i hope you are too. here some behind the seens shots...

this is what happens when i have a new idea, i dive right in and experiment with multiple prototypes until i find the best way to construct it. i fully believe in experimentation, don't ever be afraid to just dive into something, you gotta let it out somehow!!

{featured fridays}

I've decided to try my hand at doing "series" posts (thats what i call them!) I've collected so many favorites after setting up shop on etsy that i felt like it would be a shame to just keep them to myself. I'm going to TRY and make a post every friday that highlights my favorite creative minds on etsy, but the catch is that you have to have at least 3 items in a "featured item" vinette! of course i had to make it hard, it wouldn't be fun if i didn't! so are you highlighting your favorite items for sale? we'll see....
My first list will probubly be the longest cause i got carried away just now, eventually i'll select a few of my favorites each friday to show off, here is "round 1"!
12 fifteen

A to Z

blossom creations

circa ceramics

erinzam

freshlyblended press (lol)

jhill design

joom

kim westand ceramics

kirin and co.

maditi photography

pamela tang

papered together

rachel austin

I'm still here...

No, I haven't disappeard off the face of the planet (even though i wish i did right now!). I've been fixing, cleaning, drawing, thinking, collaborating, sneezing, researching, sleeping, and planting.
Even though what summer brings to me in the form of inspirations and ideas for my work, it also brings the hassle of revamping my gardens every year and we all know that it doesn't get done on it's own. I do love working in the garden but i'm realizing that i'm starting to put more attention to being outside rather then getting work done. I guess thats what happens when you only get warm weather about three months out of the year! Oh and that big piece of metal you see up there is my new little friend, mr. c&p guillotine! more pics here.

call for crafters...

Shanna Murray is bringing a new and fantastic craft fair to Rochester New York! The second storie indie market is a little edgier then your grammas craft fairs, think more along the lines of Renegade and Art Star.

The event will take place Friday, September 7th with a kick off party {complete with live music!} and Saturday, September 7th. The festivities and market will take place at the a|v space at the Rochester Public Market.

Now here is the important part, Shanna and her clan are looking for just the right fit for both artists and shoppers alike. Participants will be selected by jury because space is limited. Think you have what it takes? then grab and application here! You can also join the second storie flickr group to see who else will be there (can you find me?) I am super stoked about this! thanks for bringing a little excitement to us upstaters shanna!!!!

Aline Yamada :: yumi yumi

These fantastic prints are from the talented hands of Brazilian born artist, Aline Yamada
I discovered her through etsy and instantly fell in love with her work, I'm not only partial to books but also to watercolor done non-traditionally. (I was mainly a watercolorist in my heavy illustration days, love the medium!)...okay enough about me and more about the yumi yumi shop!

If you read Aline's bio you'll learn about her eclectic list of influences which range from nature to childhood monsters to modern design ...see, it's good to have variety in your life! So do yourself a favor and take a gander at the yumi yumi shop!!! I think you won't be disappointed!

green

This weekend was strictly for household chores and being outside gardening. I got this green thumb from my mother who is a jill of most trades, the past few years i've let the green instinct take over and i really do apprechiate it! I needed a little outside R & R after a tuff week of work dealing with rescuing my computer from a crash. So hopefully i'll come back tomorrow feeling better and ready to get back to fb press and other things. I hope you all took a break for your selves as well, it really is an important thing for all of us to do these days.

cielo blu

I had the great opportunity of talking with Michele Luminato of Cielo blu studio at NSS this year.


We got to chat about her hand silkscreening process and where she draws inspiration from. We also got to chat about one mini trend that alot of papergoods designers are branching out to this upcoming season, and that outfitting babies and lil' tikes with designs used in the stationary products. Michelle said "most of us are having babies these days and we are all just sick of buying the same unappealing baby cloths, so why not make our own!", thats exactly it! why not make your own! Now i don't have any of their upcomming baby gear to show you ( it was at the time i ran out of memory at the show) but Michelle was sweet enough to email me some new paper goods to look out for very soon!

NSS Friday

I'm a little late on this last coverage post...hectic friday. Anywho, it was fun to show some of the great inspiration that i got out of the stationery show this year, but now its back to work i go.

The last two booths i have here have a common ground, they are more elegent then whimsy and rely on mother nature inspirations to make stunning pieces! Meet Olivine!

and Wiley Valentine...