All in a day's work

Todays inspiration

I didn't mind traffic that much today, with beachy sleeping kiddos in the back, quiet music playing (my music!) and an ice blended... I liked having time to think...

Packing tape transfers (tutorial)

Today the kids and I did one of my favorite art projects... Transfers... Which is essentially transferring ink from a printed page to plastic.
It sounds complicated, but it is so fun and easy that even Z hung in there long enough to have fun.
This photo is strange, but it shows how we clipped magazine pictures we liked, (princess coupons, Thomas the train ads and for me, a photo essay about a trip to India...)... Anyway, they are super easy... Normally, people like to use acrylic medium to create the transfer,
but waiting for the drying time gets boring with a 2 year old and a 3 year old. So we used an old art school trick... Take clear packing tape (I have tons around here for shipping!) and cover the area that you want to transfer. (glossy magazine pages work best) You can combine layers of tape to get larger area. Rub the tape to the paper, burnishing it for a good bond. ( I sometimes don't rub it, to get a more aged appearance, as demonstrated in this photo).
Submerge the entire tape/magazine page in warm or hot water (we use baking dishes) and let it sit for 1-3 minutes. Then rub the paper side of the transfer until the paper rubs off in flakes. Continue until the tape is left with a clean image.

Transfers are amazing for using in collages and finished art. They layer beautifully for gluing, drawing and even sewing.. This batch is going into my journal and the kids will use theirs for future art projects, but for now, they are working as unsophisticated window clings... The kids are mystified by them and it was a fun, colorful, clean, and tactile activity for all of us... One that left me inspired to pull out my sketchbooks to paint and draw tonight to make places
for these transfers to live...

Appliqué jungle

I took this photo a while ago at anthropologie (of course)... I would
love to wake up in this jungle....

More beanbag doorstops

I love making these... They are the perfect thing to do while watching the Olympics... Except for when I spill dried beans all over the floor because I'm not paying attention... Go USA!

Andy Goldsworthy

So this book is on my list to buy. After perusing through it, I'm thinking this artist is the closest I have seen to those French magazine clippings from a few years ago that I posted about last month. I am blown away by the sensitivity to nature and color and texture that this artist portrays... He will structure a natural type of form in the middle of nature.... Sometimes leave it and photograph it's deterioration... And sometimes take it down immediately... Like a
sandcastle on the shore... Talk about art, for the joy of doing it.... This book is so unbelievably inspirational and that whole idea of art as the journey feeds my soul in ways that all the productivity in the world cannot touch. Hooray for artists. Hooray for art!

Red

Yup. That pretty much sums it up

LA from the east

I have never had this view of LA before, I always drive in from the west or south and if I'm returning from the east it's usually on the 10 - or south on the 110, but this view actually looks like a proper downtown... Like something a lot further east, like a Midwest or east coast city. (I always miss Chicago) I know it seems weird to blog about a different view of a city...Pardon me, for being such a newly converted LA urbanite.... I did grow up in the south suburbs (aka South Bay) and the Westside.... But it just strikes me as so odd to live here for 28 of my 32 years
and to have never seen this view before.... I love the old bridge and lanterns, and I always get a little thrill when I see the art deco and early 20th century aspects of the city which I rarely consider beautiful. Which is one reason why we love our own historic neighborhood...
(and yes, that is a bug on my windshield)

ban.do

okay... so I saw these tonight. oooooooooooh.
now i just need an excuse...
maybe the next time Mr. Libby Dibby gets nominated for an Emmy? (well, we're hoping...)


I think that would definitely justify this one...
oh, and can you just die that they write a haiku for each one?
the poem for this ban.do is:

work that red carpet
award winning look tonight
ultimate starlet

I'm no starlet, but I think that makes this the perfect candidate for a trip down the red carpet.

New etsy postings... super cute, of course

Okay, this is my favorite batch of t-shirts yet. I love all of them - even my hubby was saying that he thinks these are the cutest yet...
we were smiling at them as I took photos today to list them.

This is what a few days of focused time for inspiration and sketching (tuesdays for the past few weeks) starts breeding. I've got a few new fresh ideas... I'm hoping this is just the beginning.
anyhow... hope you like them!

Sample Sale WINNER!

Hey folks.
Thanks for the fun entries....
Courtneycash is the winner of my little contest... I'll post Mom's reasoning below...
(which is fun, because she thinks totally other than me and it was great to see how different a judge she is....)

"I think I like courtneycash. I can see how bummed she is because she is
overwhelmed with 4 kids - one being 2 months old - and feels like she is
a day late and a dollar short. The others were sweet, but I think
this is a need and a real nice boost for her."

So there you go!
Courtney, please email us with the mailing address... thanks!
and Sarah - your post about your friend was so sweet and thoughtful, we were touched, we'd like to send you a little gift for you to pass on to her... please send us your mailing address... as a fun little second prize.

Hi

I had too much fun making these yesterday. There are 4 of them, with a
few more to come... Vintage yoyos and all. They'll be on etsy, if not
later today, then in the next day or so.

Projects

We have had these half made for a while, but I finally finished them
last night... Cramming for a birthday party gift today.... After
making about 8 of these, just trying to figure them out on my own, I
finally came up with the easiest (and best) way to construct them...

a little piece of history - and get to be green!

So my dear hubby grew up in Malibu, but his Worth roots are in the farm country of New Jersey... where the Worth family had a thriving farm back in the day... Papa Worth tells fun stories from the farm and I even got a personal tour recently (in December) when we visited.
Come to find out... the Worths must have had some artsy connections, because they also had the coolest label for their farms.... I loved it so much that I had to make it available to all of our family and friends. So we had these made... and I have to say, this is so much my favorite tote of late, that I decided to make it available to you all, too!

Sample skirt contest

Tell me why (in the comments section) you deserve to have this skirt ... It's one of only two, it's a medium, and super cute for fall...
And we will pick one friend to have it for only $45!!!
(I'll let my mom choose who gets it, so it's unbiased. I see Mom on thursday, so you have until then...)

New bags

I love Pleasant View Schoolhouse blog ... Anna is a total inspiration and I love her etsy shop for
gift giving. I gave an apron to my friend Christy for her birthday, this bag I just received today. I haven't decided if I am keeping it for myself or to give... But now it would have to be to someone who doesn't read this! Oh well. (guess I have to keep it)

new shirts up on etsy

so, i don't get many days with kids napping anymore, but while at least one is napping (before the etsy site went down - ARGH) - I was able to upload a few of my new projects onto the site.
these are either "up" or "coming up" in the shop...

House projects

I nearly always remember to bring my own grocery bags into stores... Getting bags you like and them getting into the habit is the hardest part.. But sometimes I don't bring enough... Or if I ever get groceries delivered, they are plastic bag fools, and I end up with millions of them...
So, I use them in all our small trash cans, and for doggie duty and the worst diapers (I know, I'll try cloth the next time around, if there is a next time, I promise)... Keeping them handy is key, so I've made some of these fabric bag holders where you stuff them in the top and pull the individual bags out the bottom. Getting ready to post some on etsy... They'll be $5
each... Do you like the reds and blacks and whites? Or the other more
brown scraps?
(oh and I have a zillion new beanbags too- they are the best housewarming gifts! I've been giving them with notes that say something about keeping the door open always to new possibilities...)

Good uses of time

I spent the night of the olympics opening ceremony, working on decorating a bunch of Tshirts that have been in a stack to mess with for months now. I finished some of them last night and there are about 10 in all... Nearly all of them have vintage quilt square appliques, or vintage tatting and buttons. I'm really excited about them. I'll post them as I can. 4 of them are for my personal happiness.. About 6 will end up on etsy...
This one is mine... I love it. I've had this shirt for over a year. It's a perfect fit on me, but the text on it said "soul sister" - I got it at a swap party I hosted... Anyhow, my friend Kendra always teases me about it and said I do not qualify as her soul sista and therefore should not wear the shirt... So now I can finally wear the shirt knowing it has more of me well represented... Though I have been told I have soul...

late in the game

I'm such a cyber dweeb.
i just joined facebook today.
geez-louise! It is seriously the most prolific amount of contacts ever.
I've found friends from jr. high... and I hardly remember jr.high!

Modeling starts early for baby Violet

Here she is, 3 weeks old, loving her Libby Dibby Baby sling and her momma... (my chic sister!)

Okay... One more

Yikes. Please note how well worn these are!

True confessions

Ahem. I don't think I need to say any more about this. Except that
it's a sickness.

starbucks self portrait

just a glimpse into my day as I had my Tuesday off...
this was a sweet moment, waiting for my friend to join me at the table and my latte to cool a little.

Marukai

So if you've been around me much, you've probably heard me mention Marukai. Only you would hear me describe it as "the Japanese dollar store where nothing is a dollar"
haha
well, at least it used to be a 98cents Marukai store - but by the time I discovered it, everything was $1.50 ... and recently they've dropped the discount moniker and have aimed straight for the name "Marukai superstore"!
Whatever you call it, it's fabulous. And it's addicting. I can't remember how many people I have turned onto this place, but we all are addicts. Talk about adventures in shopping - try mixing the fun of the dollar store, with the overseas exotic Japanese flair, add in some beautiful inspiration, some confusing packaging and lots and lots of plastic bins and weird kitchen and grooming tools, and you've got the recipe for fun, in my book.











(hint: great place for stocking stuffers!)
today's trip was great... I ventured over into the area where they sell dishes and couldn't help but to pick up about 10 mini plates and tiny bowls for organizing all the fun things i collect. (that was after I got some scissors, hula hoops, and origami paper)

Old times

So today I was able to steal some time at the old studio.. And I dug around and found some of my old inspiration photos and clippings...This is from a French magazine article on some garden competition years ago.. It was passed onto me, but I have always been mesmerized
by this image... I could stare at it for hours and never tell you exactly why...

The opposite of inspiration

Okay... So this is NOT inspiring, but it is so funny, that it had to get posted. I do not need a cactus chandelier ever, but I did love staring at this one tonight as we were out in Burbank after a play.