Love and Joy

When I was really little (about 4) my big brother was in the elementary school choir and at Christmas time he came home singing the Wassail Song. I loved it so much that he taught it to me. When I went to watch his performance I sang right along from my seat! It is a wonderful memory, so it wasn't hard to decided what my two young carolers should be singing.

Something new for this holiday season, with the love children have for singing, dogs and snow! May love and joy come to you!

New Look

Say "Hello" to the start of my new identity.
Over the last couple of days I have been working on creating a new "look" for my business. I have had a nagging voice in the back of my head that keeps saying "that as much as you like your logo, business cards, and identity. It just doesn't show what you actually do!" I think people would be surprised if handed one of my business cards and then to go view my art and discover it looks nothing like the art I have on my cards. My logo I love and will keep, but I am going to put it aside for now and do a more illustrated version of my bird, and add my little Emma. I think that it will portray more of what I am currently doing and be a much more relaxed and enjoyable card then the polished and proper identity I have been using the last year and a half. After I finished the art, I thought it was quite cute so I posted it as a print on my etsy shop.

Free Shipping

 

To help make my birthday weekend just that much sweeter, I have decided to share my joy and offer free standard shipping on any item in my shop going any where around the globe.  It's a good time to do a bit of fall shopping and dare I say Christmas shopping with no shipping charges for a few days only.

Shopping For Baby

I am so excited. My "Finding Winter Cardinal" was featured in "Shopping For Baby" a magazine out of Australia!



I had been contacted by the magazine last December asking if they could use my art, they didn't know if it would make it into the magazine but would send me a copy if it did. I have had a large number of my summer (their winter time) sales come out of Australia and with the arrival of my magazine I now know why. I am also currently in a childrens boutique in Australia too. Let's just say "I Heart Australia!" Thank you so much for the wonderful patronage!

Up Coming Exhibit

That's right, entered just in time to send two of my pieces off to an Art Exhibit. Got the news via e-mail this morning that the Art Institute would like to exhibit for the next 4 months in their gallery my new Spring Collection and Rainy Day Mate! Will be dropping them off this Saturday morning all framed and ready to hang.
The reception is on Thursday September 10th from 5-7 if you would like to see the images in person.

Spring Collection

Okay, I know it's a bit late for this, but it's a new piece!!! Totally inspired by my little Emma and her love of ladybugs, butterflies, bees, flowers, her wheelbarrow, grass, and a song she loves to sing called "5 little Ducks" and a book she loves me to read about first words of Fashion...like Spring Collection! While I was working on this piece I was constantly reminded of my good friend Julie who use to be a bird keeper for the Wild Animal Park and her little girl. I think the end result was a combination of all three of these wonderful girls. So happy to have it finally finished after 3 months of work. Let's hope my art starts coming more frequent, after all the holidays are approaching.

Rain Rain Stay Today, Go Away Some Other Day

Happy to announce another remarkable bird to my collection of art reflecting my amazing little Emma. This image was inspired by my love for walking in the rain, London's Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, my Emma, and the joy of nature. I really miss the misty foggy rain and walking through the magnificent park that was the center of London. I walked that park every day we lived there and can't wait to take Emma on walks there. I know she will LOVE it!! I am hoping to have this piece posted up on my Etsy shop for sale in the next couple of days. Once I get the colors and printing looking just the way I want and get it framed and photographed, it will go up for sale as a 10X10 print.

Bella and Lulu

Was absolutely thrilled to get a wonderful e-mail from Bella's mommy. Attached were these two photos of Bella's room with the art work they asked me to create. What a joy this project has been and getting to see my art in a little girls room half way across the globe was wonderful.

Oh, To Be In London

As usual I am missing London like mad. I think how spring is popping up all over the city and how green and wet it all must be. The shopping and excitement and all there is to do.

I recently saw that one of my favorite museums I use to love to walk to (the V&A) is having an exhibit that I wish I could see. That's right the Victoria & Albert Museum this July is Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design exhibition, which explores the trend among European designers to create limited edition pieces that push the boundaries between art and design.


Arranged into three sections, objects will be displayed according to themes; The Forest Glade (inspired by fairytales), The Enchanted Castle (work associated with status) and Heaven and Hell (exploring themes of mortality).

It sounds so magical and an artist dream land for inspiration and ideas!


On a different note but still fashion related...
Marc Jacobs said this lats night when asked about making the LV trunk again.

"Luxury travel is travelling with a toothbrush. That's it, end of story. The people who really live luxurious lives don't need to pack. They've got stuff wherever they go."

Here is a picture of one of my favorite outfits for LV this fall. Oh to be this glamorous!

Jess Brown Doll and the CPSIA

I usually leave my "kid" blogging to my daughters blog, couldn't help to share her Jess Brown doll on my art blog. This truly is a work of art. I love Jess Brown dolls and was thrilled to get to special order mine right from Jess herself. Check out her site here... Jess Brown

Emma with her Jess Brown Doll she has named Emma too.

With everything that is going on with CPSIA and the chance that we could see the end to handmade America for kids, I really want to make sure I get what I can for Emma while I still can. I love buying her special handmade clothes, toys, and furniture. I have a wonderful wood telephone from Canada, a beautiful handcrafted wood chair, my Jess Brown doll, numerous dresses from Etsy shops and loads of other wonderful handmade blankets, burp cloths, and purses. Emma's world would be much duller and not so unique with out such wonderful one of a kind pieces. I don't want her to live in a world of plastic Mattel and fisher price, but that is exactly what the government is doing...Not sure what the CPSIA is and what you can do about it Please by all means check out this link CPSIA Resources

Custom Work

The last month or so has kept me busy with some commissioned work. First up I did two really fun and super cute pieces for a young lady named Bella that is currently living in Europe and getting to see the world. Her room is being done over in a Parisian theme so I got the job of creating a few pieces of art to go on her newly painted walls. I did Bella in Paris at the Eiffel Tower and Bella and Lulu in Paris at the Arc de Triumph. Both were a big hit and are now currently for sale in my Etsy shop. I do plan on updating the colors in both pictures with French colors and Lulu will turn into a poodle so that there is a choice for my shoppers.


I just finished a wonderful watercolor for a good friend of mine. She had a wonderful picture of her niece and nephew that I then sketched out and painted in a large size of 18 X24 inches. It was a nice break to do a more realistic portrait piece. It's been a long time and it was very refreshing.
I did have loads of plans for getting some really cute pieces out for Easter to put in my Etsy shop, but time just didn't permit. I will still be doing them of course but they just didn't make it for Easter. The bright side is that they will be there in plenty of time for next year!

Another Chanel Victory

Yes, Lagerfeld has done it again. All in white, was he thinking of me?:) No, but he was keeping it clean and delicate. I really enjoyed his couture line but was saddened by the presence of pants/leggings. I just don't get putting pants into a couture line. Both Lagerfeld and Armani did it and it was very disappointing. Even though I think Armani was the worst offender, Lagerfeld could have held the delicate look with out the use of such an item. I know it's just one girls fight against all things pants. But even when I walked into Nordstrom to spend my Christmas gift cards, there was but one dress in about every department except for the special occasion dresses (which still had...you guessed PANTS) and the dresses they did have weren't worth looking at twice. I am so glad Anthropolgie understands then need to stay feminine. I refuse to dress as my husband does!! That said here are a few more images from the Chanel show I did like!!

There's a credit crunch, not a creative crunch!

I just love John Galliano. His show was a masterpiece all to itself. With huge influence from Monsieur Dior, and the a bit of Dutch. I am so in love with the courtier line for Spring. But when asked about the recession Gallian0 responded as always so eloquently and quotable "There's a credit crunch, not a creative crunch. Of course, everyone is being more careful with their discretionary purchases. I am. But it's our job to make people dream, and to provide the value in quality, cut, and imagination." And he has done his job so successfully, I know I'm dreaming! Here are just three of the amazing 39 dresses that were on display yesterday. And I love that there are NO pants!! I am still a firm believer that courtier for ladies should NOT include pants! Shame on you Armani!

2 Treasury's

I feel really honored, I am featured in two treasury's today! I have been very quiet with my art of late, letting ideas brew in my head and a bit in a journal. But my head and journal are both getting crowed so yesterday I started on a new piece. Its coming along quite nicely and I am hoping that if all goes well it should be up for sale by Monday. Its wonderful to know that my pieces from last year are still adored.