I am having a HUGE Holiday Blowout Sale!

I cant believe that it is already December, and that we are well on our way to a new year! Despite the fact that we started seeing holiday gear in the stores in August (yuck!), it seems like the season is flying by at new record speed! If I dont get some lights up soon, I will be just in time to take them down!

2008 is going to bring a lot of changes around here as far as my focus and style is concerned. While I will still be doing commissioned portraits for clients, I will be switching gears and re-inventing my works. I have a sketch book that is over-flowing and I am ready to get busy! I am sure that portraits will be a part of the things to come, but I am going to be branching out, exploring and experimenting! I am going to be starting off the new year with a big surprise. . . . I am not quite ready to reveal the details yet, but I hope that I have peaked your interest!

With all of that said, I am excited to announce that the last pieces of 2007 have been uploaded to my Etsy Shop, and I am having a blowout holiday sale to help clear out and make room for the new goodies!! Most pieces have been marked down u to 30%! SO go get some Holiday shopping done! And remember to buy as much handmade as you can!

Commission Crunch Time!

This is one of my most recently finished commissioned pieces, done as a gift for this couples 40th wedding anniversary by their children! It was amazing to learn all about their lives and an honor to know their story!

As far as getting a piece done for your family for this Christmas, crunch time is here! I have been getting a lot of inquiry emails about having custom commissions done in time for the holiday, and so here is the info ya'll need! The deadline for ordering is by Dec. 11th, and that is pretty firm due to shipping time needed. Don't hesitate to contact me after that date, as I may be able to work with you in time, but there is no guarantee for a Dec. 25th delivery.

Anyone local should contact me directly as delivery by the 24th wont be a problem if I can drive it over to you! Download my brochure here. (a PDF will be downloaded.)

Domino Art Gallery

I got an email over the weekend from Holly at decor8 letting me know that one of my prints had been included in the next batch of Domino Magazines Art Gifting: prints gallery! There are 15 different Etsy artists included in the selection, and I have to say that there are some here I hadn't seen before, and LOVE! If you click over, be sure to check out Nina Clough, and Olivia Jeffries! Their works are really cool!

I am, of course, a huge fan of Domino Magazine, and to be included in their online slideshow is really exciting!! The folks over there have such a keen eye for gorgeous design and encourage me to surround myself with inspiration throughout my own home. I really love the features they do on peoples homes. The spaces are always so incredible! I wont lie, to be recommended by them, makes me a little giddy! Thank you so much Domino, and Holly!!!

Eagle Rock Center for the Arts!

This weekends show is going to be one fun day! Not only is it indoors (yay for warmth!), but it features some of my most favorite people in the local craft community! We are going to have a blast! A few have done this show before and have not stopped talking about how much fun it is, so I am looking forward to my first time being there!

There will be live music starting at 11am with a harp & cello duet, followed by piano at noon, Gypsy Jazz at 1pm, Folk Guitar at 2, Theremin-3pm, Latin Jazz at 4pm, and Acoustical Holiday Rock from 5-6pm. AND every half hour there will be a raffle drawing for prizes donated by each vendor, all guaranteed to be worth a minimum $30! Free loot! Woo Hoo!

Here are the details:
Center for the Arts Eagle Rock
2225 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041
DECEMBER 1 Sat. 11-6pm

This is my second to last show of the holiday season! Next week will be the kid-centric Cool Baby, Cool Market in West LA which is going to be rockin' as well! Details on that one later!

Patio Culture

I am so excited to share that my work is now available at Patio Culture in Venice, CA! Karla Stevens, the owner of PC, and her fab sister Kimberley, recently contacted me to see if I would be interested in participating in their holiday boutique.

The shop is all about outdoor living and entertaining and generally focuses more on custom orders, but when I saw the space, I understood why they HAD to go retail! The vibe in this little beach house-turned shop is so warm and exciting! There are some amazing textiles, gift items, and artwork to see!

I love these photographs to the right of my work! Fantastic beach scenes and surf shots that do not disappoint! After all, PC is just steps from Venice Beach, so they are all about the CA Beach way of life!

Karla used to be the costume designer for The OC, so you know she has impeccable taste! The Stevens sisters together are a force to be reckoned with! They have selected the newest and hottest designers to fill their shelves! Plus, they are big on bringing in the lesser know artisans, and getting them seen, so you know there is goldmine of goodies there!

Patio Culture is located at 1612 Abbott Kinney, a street in LA famous for its eclectic shops, fabulous interior design studios, and awesome restaurants! It is a great place to spend the afternoon for brunch and holiday shopping! Friday, December 7th, all of the shops will be staying open late for the annual Holiday Street Event! There will be carolers, magic shows, even Santa! And of course, great shopping! I will be posting more about that next week!

1000 Etsy hearts!

Holy Moly!

New work!

Heads up! Lots of new work was uploaded to my Etsy shop today! I am especially excited about these 3 super colorful pieces! Love the vibrant hues!

This weekend we successfully raised over $130.00 to sponsor a table for a week at the LA Mission! The left over tote bags have also been added to the shop at the discounted price of $12.00. There is only 1 Lola, and 4 To Vera left, so dont dilly dally! Once they are gone, they are gone! Thank you so much to everyone who generously gave to help raise the funds!

Cool Mom Picks!

Thank you to the cool ladies over at Cool Mom Picks for featuring my tooth pillows last week! I was so excited to see the article up, and congrats to April Smith for winning the giveaway pillow! (It will be in the mail today!) You can click over and read the full article here.

Handmade for the Holidays!

Day one was a hit! This fair is jam packed with some truly amazing talent! Cant wait for tomorrow! If you are in the area, you have to come check it out! We are at Fairfax & Melrose, in the high school lot. 11-6 pm! Booth 18, right across form the free gift wrapping table!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I am thankful for loving husbands, hot cocoa on a cold day, laughter, and togetherness.
What are you thankful for?

Funds Raised!

In my Felt Club recap I totally forgot to mention how much money was raised toward donation to the LA Mission! We successfully collected about $84.00, and because we are so close to being able to sponsor a table for a week (only $130.20!) I decided I will be doing the same thing at the show this weekend! So, if you weren't able to make it to Felt Club, and you want to get involved, there is still time to donate to a worthy cause, and grab a great tote at the same time!

(Thank you so much to everyone around the country who has contacted me about participating! Email me if you would like to donate, and we can make arrangements. Through Saturday only please.)

Handmade for the Holidays!

This Friday and Saturday is the Homegrown Market This event is going to be HUGE. With over 150 vendors, live music, a live radio broadcast from the site, games, gift bags, and free gift wrapping, it will just be an extraordinary couple of days! Lots of my favorites, like Henry Road, In Craft We Trust, Pookieville, Random Nicole, Funky Frocks, Whodini Handmade, and Jamie Zollars are going to be among the vendors! I know I will be getting a lot of my shopping done! HannahMade and I will be in Booth 18. Come by and say hi!

The organizers have put together a commercial that is running on TV all over LA! Looks like a blast!

Vincent the Magnificent!

Say hello to our dear friends incredible drum-savant son Vincent. At 3 years old he is kicking drum ass! I love it when he tilts his head and sticks out his little tongue, deep in thought and rhythm! Can you imagine him a few years from now?? Watch out world! Way to go Vincey!

SPC: What I wear, wk3

This morning it is really chilly in my studio! I sit here bundled up in a scarf, knit for me with love by a dear friend, with 30 cables, for my 30th birthday last January. It was her first completed project, and I think of her every time I wrap it around my neck! Now that she lives in NYC, I miss her soooo much, and hope she reads this and wants to come home! ;)

I am kind of intrigued with how it feels to post such a messy picture. Bed head and a scarf over my pajamas . . . if it weren't for the built in camera in the computer, I wouldn't bother to take the pic, but it is so easy. And in that, there is a lot of honesty. More so than I would normally feel comfortable sharing here in cyberspace. I am, after all, a professional, right? Must present myself as one at all times? No?

Then there is the artist in my who loves the honesty of the moment. Steam rising from my tea cup, sleep in my eyes. Hair in every direction. For all the world to see! Not the ideal, but it is the truth. I am just a girl, in the early hours, trying to read my email, and get a little warmth!

To see what other people are wearing, check out SPC.

Felt Club recap!

This winters Felt Club was a blast! There were actually people in line at 8:45am ready and waiting to grab their swag bags and shop 'til they dropped! (Doors didnt open until 11!!!) We had a great time and the new venue was awesome! For the first time, we all had our own tents, as opposed to just a 6 foot table, and it was nice and roomy! There was so much fun stuff to do and see!

The Maker Square was a hoot! This was a 5 foot tall replica of a vintage Atari Joystick that actually worked! Too cool!

A big highlight was when Kate Flannery walked by, and despite not being able to remember her name, I made her take a picture with me so that I could make hubby jealous that he didn't come to FC. Unless you live on another planet, you know she plays the absolutely hysterical Meredith on The Office. In my head, all I could see was her asking Jim to sign her pelvic cast! (she cracks me up!) She was a fantastic sport and very kind even though I was nutso! Thank you Kate!

The now blog-infamous Brig stopped by and decided to give Hannah a bang trim on site, in the dark, with craft scissors! It was quiet a site to see! Despite less than ideal conditions, Miss. Brig was still able to rock those bangs!

You can see the full set of pics I took at the event here.

Felt Club details!!!

Tomorrow is the Felt Club: XL Holiday event, and I have to tell you, I am starting to feel something similar to the first day of school butterflies in my stomach! I feel like the event will be so much more than it ever has before, and I cant WAIT to meet people and have fun and check out the Maker Square!

I was just checking out the class list, and there will be a talk by the very cool Meg Mateo Ilasco all about her very cool book Craft Inc. which is quickly becoming a staple in all of us craft-based business owners library! (met her on Thursday at ReForm School, and she is a doll!) She really rocks the topic and I am sure the class is going to be super informative! One to check out for sure! (Go here for a full list of classes.)

With Thanksgiving next week (can you believe it!), and in honor of how awesome FC is, and how lucky and blessed I am to be able to do what I do, I will be doing my best to raise some money for a local organization. My tote bags will be available for a $12 minimum donation, 100% of which will be going to the L.A. Mission. The bags make a perfect grocery tote or gift, and you can help make a difference! If we raise $130.20, we can sponsor a full table of meals for a week! That is my goal, plus some!

See you tomorrow!!!

Mamacita's Market (11/16)

Friday night Hannah and I are going to be at the Mamacita's Market in Downtown LA on Olvera Street! There is going to be a huge fashion show, featuring lots of indie designers of all kinds! I have yet to do a Mamacita's Market, and am really excited to see how it goes! Sounds like too much fun really! It is going to be one huge party, with Djs and a live beauty salon with trend-setting stylists and make-up artists. These guys do this several times a year all over LA! I know that is is going to be a great party!

Mamacita's Market
Dolores Plaza
Olvera Street
125 Paseo de la Plaza
Downtown LA 90012
$5.00 donation for RSVPs/ $7.00 donation at door
You can RSVP for this event by emailing mamacitasmarket@yahoo.com by 11:30 tonight!

Today is like the home stretch for me. If I can have it ready to be sealed tomorrow, then it ain't making it to Felt Club. More on THAT later! For now, back to the gluing!

Craft Inc. Party!

Come join me tomorrow night at Reform School to help celebrate Craft Inc: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business, by Meg Mateo Ilasco. Make sure you bring your business card so you can enter the raffle!!

Holiday Gift Tags!

Holiday Gift Tags are now available in my Etsy Shop!

SPC, What I wear wk 2

To post about what I wear is kind of silly. Especially this week, when mostly what I will be wearing is t-shirts and sweat pants covered in paint and glue. I am in the midst of crazy Felt Club preps, and leaving the house is no longer an option! So here is my outfit, fit for the studio. Old hanes t-shirt, and gap sweats, circa 2002. And to top if all off, look at the crazy mess of that studio! I am constantly amazed not to have been crushed by a falling stack of paper!

Photo taken with Photobooth. Not too shabby, and a little too convenient really! I had to jump to get in the pants! LOL looks like I am about to take flight! Happy Tuesday!!

Sunrise . . . wish I was in bed!

I am up way too early for a Sunday! Our f-ing cats woke me up at 4 and going back to sleep was impossible. I just lay there thinking about all of the things I need to get done and realize that with every thought, I am further and further away from actual rest. But with so much coming up this week, I don't see how I could sleep! I feel like I have a totally one track mind! MUST GLUE PAPER! MUST PLAN BOOTH! It is like I am possessed!

This image is pretty much what I can see out of the high window in my studio. Generally, it is a very blue cloudless sky framed by my neighbors roof and those 3 Palm trees. Sometimes though, there is a little magic, and everything changes. The sky lights up like a painting, and the clouds to mysterious things!