Paper Flowers

 I do a lot of my crafting, painting and paper play at night... Making a few oversized paper flowers for a wedding this weekend!

Play Time

playing with image transfers and washi tape... what else. 

Mail Art

I've been sending a lot of correspondence lately... These are a few cards I made one night when I was stuck in a hotel room on a bitterly cold evening. I bought a kids set of brush markers in red, blue and yellow and used them to make these postcards... I really like the results of having the limitation of 3 colors. Sometimes, I think all the choice you have when at home in your studio can keep you from creating...

Artists Book Workshop

Excited for the upcoming Artists Book Workshop at SFCB. Just a few spots left... sign up here!!!

the last day of 2012

Today is the last day of 2012... wonder what 2013 will bring? Love and good wishes to you all in the New year!  

NYC

I went to New York for the first time. It was amazing. There was snow on the ground when we arrived at 6AM on a Friday morning, and the sun glinted off icy roof tops as we rode from the JFK into Manhattan.

I went to the Strand bookstore, which has been on my list to-do since forever. And I asked the guy behind the counter to recommend the best coffee, which led us to Paradis which was tiny and warm and full of amazing baked goods, homemade jam and tiny tables and chairs occupied by happy New Yorkers eating breakfast.

I saw my favorite Brooklyn girl, and we dug around a tiny shop filled with stamps looking for that perfect image... and then I met this boy Keat, who makes stamps and draws zines and I bought his book.

And I saw amazing displays and bought beautiful objects.

I rode on the Subway.

I walked the streets of New York from morning til night and saw many, many things.

I saw beautiful art.

I saw miniature art.

 
I saw cool art.

I ate good food in good company.

and I took many, many pictures. Thanks, New York. I hope to see you again soon.

Paper Doll Witches Workshop

Halloween is my favorite holiday so its no surprise that I was thrilled to teach something spooky for  Creativebug. Check out my Halloween Paper Witches Workshop and create some sassy and spooky paper witches for Halloween! These guys are so easy to make and so much fun! Enjoy!

Pin it to Win it Contest on Creativebug

My friends at Creativebug just launched a new contest that I think you might LOVE. Starting today (October 3rd) and running until October 16th you have three ways to win their grand prize worth well over $400, including a free THREE-month subscription to Creativebug and a heaping pile of materials and supplies that will enable you to complete many of the projects found on the site. There will also be 4 bonus prizes that include 2-month subscriptions to Creativebug plus materials. FULL list o' prizes seen here! Yowza. 

Grand Prize:

- 3 months to Creativebug +

- Alabama Chanin Kit including: 2 yards Alabama Chanin Jersey knit, 4 spools of Button Craft Thread, sewing needles, and Alabama Studio Sewing + Design by Natalie Chanin

- Radmegan's Needle felting Peeps Kit including: Wool Roving, Needle felting needle and foam, and instructions

- 2 skeins of Debbie Stoller's Alpaca Love yarn + 1 year subscription to BUST magazine

- 1 skein of hand-dyed yarn by Jill Draper Makes Stuff

- 2 Fiskars Hand Drills + 1 pair Fiskars scissors

- Assorted Rebecca Ringquist Samplers + needles + hoop

- Hello! Lucky Cake Topper Workshop Kit

- Found Bead Necklace Workshop Kit

- Herringbone Necklace Workshop Kit

- Little Things to Sew by Liesl Gibson

- Gertie's Book for Better Sewing by Gretchen Hirsch

- Heather Ross Prints by Heather Ross

- Weekend Handmade: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Crafting by Kelly Wilkinson

- Improv Sewing: 101 Fast, Fun and Fearless Projects, by Nicole Blum & Debra Immergut

- Mod Podge Gift Pack including: Mod Podge, Podgeable Papers, Podgeable Shapes, Gold Glue and so much more!

- Washi tape 

(4) Bonus Prizes:

- 2 months to Creativebug +

 - One of these books by Jenny Doh: We Make Dolls:Top Dollmakers Share Their Secrets & Patterns,Signature Styles: 20 Stitchers Craft Their Look, Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids, Creative Pilgrimage: An Exploration of Artful Gatherings and Discovery of Innovative Art Techniques

- 1 skein of Debbie Stoller's Alpaca Love yarn

- 1 Rebecca Ringquist sampler + 1 hoop

- 1 Liesl Gibson Straight Stitch Society Pattern

- Assorted Patterns, Fabric & Yarn 

- Hello! Lucky Cake Topper Workshop Kit

- Found Bead Necklace Workshop Kit

- Herringbone Necklace Workshop Kit

- Washi tape

How does it work? 

Creativebug is enamored with Pinterest (who isn't!) so to participate in this contest, you must first be following Creativebug on Pinterest, then create a Pinterest board that includes at least 5 projects you have made, or projects on Creativebug that you would like to take, plus an official contest pin from the Creativebug I made this! Contest Board at http://pinterest.com/creativebuginc/. Call your Pinterest board "I made this!" and then go to Creativebug's blog at http://blog.creativebug.com/i-made-this-contest/ and enter the link to your Pinterest board and your email address so they can contact you and tell you when you WIN!

To increase your chances of winning, after you build your Pinterest board you can leave a comment here on MY BLOG with just your name and email address. You can also visit the blogs of my fellow Creativebug instructors, and leave a comment on their Creativebug contest posts. Each comment counts as one more entry! (Limit one comment per blog though.) Here's the list of my participating Creativebug pals:

Improv Sewing http://www.improvdiary.com

Hello! Lucky: http://www.hellolucky.com/wordpress/

Rebecca Ringquist: http://www.drop-cloth.blogspot.com/

Jody Alexander: http://wishiwashistudio.blogspot.com

Liesl Gibson: http://oliverands.com/blog/

Jill Draper: http://jilldraperblogs.blogspot.com/

Cal Patch: http://hodgepodgefarm.net/

Rad Megan: http://radmegan.blogspot.com

Natalie Chanin: http://alabamachanin.com/journal/

Courtney Cerruti: http://www.papermusingsblog.blogspot.com/

Megumi Inouye: http://giftwrapbymegumi.blogspot.com/

Heather Ross: http://heatherross.squarespace.com/journal/ 

Creativebug is also accepting tweets about the contest as entries if you follow @Creativebug on twitter, and include the hashtag #Imadethis and @creativebug.

To read the full page o' rules, click here http://blog.creativebug.com/imadethis-terms, but in the meantime, start pinning!
Good luck to everyone!

Beeswax Collage at Teahouse Studios

Still a few spots left in the Beeswax Collage class at Teahouse! Come make something with me!!!

Collagraph Printing

Spent some time doing monoprint gelatin prints the other night... I'm addicted!!!

Upcoming Workshops

Come take a workshop with me! Image Transfers at SFCB is a great place to start for anyone who wants to play and still get really professional results. You'll learn a dozen ways to transfer found images and text to other surfaces. Sign up here for the August 29th class... spots limited and this class usually sells out!

I'm so excited to be teaching at the Teahouse studios in Berkeley again. This beautiful space is the perfect place to spend a weekday evening making an original little beeswax collage. Using photos, paper ephemera and other findings create a sweet little tableaux on wood. Sign up here for the September 27th class. 

If you've always wanted to make your own little books, cards or zines this is the perfect class for you.  In Intro to Bookbinding at SFCB we'll cover 5 basic structures that allow for great variations and modifications. From here you'll be able to make dozens of structures and be ready for your next step in adventures in bookmaking. Sign up here for the August 27th class.

Hope to see you in a workshop!

Blacklight Wall Art!

Working on a 30' x 15' DJ backdrop for a blacklight sweet 16!!! Check out the progression of the first 15' canvas!!! Inspiration for this fete here...

Drop in painting

Tonight's painting!

a little installation

had the pleasure of working on a petit installation last week... just a little set up of my work and some found objects... enjoy