i heart stamp art (and Klutz Books!)

recently, i had the wonderful opportunity to work with the admirable and super creative Kaitlyn Nichols, and Klutz Books, on some art for their newest activity book, Stamp Art. the book comes with a clear stamping block and tons of clear stamping shapes. the stamps stick onto the block and can be used over and over again to make a variety of fun shapes and creations. the challenge for the artists working on the book was to create sophisticated creatures, plants, and other designs, using entirely stamp art shapes, that the kids could be instructed to make. there are also a ton of fun-themed pages for free play.

fittingly, most of the art they chose to use from me, was ocean themed! my crab, jellyfish, and octopus made a special appearance.

congrats (and thank you!) to everyone on the klutz creative team (especially kate!!!) and all the other talented stamp artists for completing this amazing book. i honestly had a ridiculous amount of fun working on it. the initial limitations of the stamp shapes actually led to more inventive ways to create. which in turn, had me making endless possibilities, with a special focus. this book is endless fun + creativity for your kids (or you!) buy it here.

appreciating the sun

i think i actually was tropical storm irene this weekend. as she came closer to us, i started furrowing my brows for what seemed like no reason, and as she was right over us, i got very sad and upset and had a latest frustration dump/melt down. then when the sun started to shine and it was only drizzling, i felt a little beat up and sniffly, but relieved and squinting in the sun.

thank goodness irene was only a tropical storm around here, and not a hurricane... poor jay would have had to take shelter.

here are some recents. what do you think?

{this moment}

inspired by SouleMama

 
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

today: 3 inspirations

#1
the ocean's never had a shortage of shapes (or colors) to show me.

it's what i choose to do with those visuals that matters. (and then i'm either flooded with 100 ideas, which can cancel each other out and become none. how about i get ONE idea and focus on it. good goal. but is this ever the case? would you ever want it to be?)

#2

#3

fresh from the ground

i did it, i finally signed up (again, and this time i will complete it) for this year's sketchbook project.

imagine painting something this size? it looks so real, like sitting there you could be totally consumed into another world that you're creating. i've been wanting to paint on something really big, i have a 24 by 24 canvas, but this, even bigger, is another for the idea bank. 

the farmer's market last week, was a juicy rainbow. i was so sad that i couldn't buy everything there. at least i can take some pictures, so i can look back in january and torture myself. or, i could be happy in realizing that i was witnessing such a fleeting, prosperous, delicious moment in new england life.

i got an apple cider doughnut and a "sunkist tomato". AND, i don't know why, but i was in such happy shock at the sight of all the bouquets, in ready-to-buy mason jars, with flowers i'd never seen, in many wondrous shapes and colors. it brought me back to wedding choices, thinking of all the berry-like, organic-shaped, fantasy flowers i could imagine, and learning that they actually exist. does anyone know what the fuzzy brain/coral looking flowers are below?

also pictured, a happy little "small trash", and the cutest phone pockets/money holders made by my sister. she loves when inanimate objects "announce that they are small." and is surprisingly, or not surprisingly, a crafty pants.

THIS! these yellow and pink and red fuzzy brain/coral flowers- what are they!?

 thank you and have a good day.

{this moment}

inspired by SouleMama

 
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

snacks for laura

hi! today, i'm so excited to be !!featured!! by my bloggie-friend laura on her site, youstireme. she's a fellow style me pretty bride and NH-ite... with a wicked gorgeous wedding... and an equally gorgeous face... currently living-loving-and-inspiring daily on her blog.  i can't say enough about her passion, eye for detail, and adorably funny commentary. if you need a daily dose of pretty + happy, she's your girl. thank you laura, you made my day!

someday, we'll have a real life new england meet up, but for now... let's pretend.
i made you some snacks as a thank you gift. steamers, pretzels with chive butter, and lots of rainbow jimmies, for dessert snack. and we won't even have stomach aches after that, i promise.

{this moment}

inspired by SouleMama

 
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

a smattering (sorry, that sounds gross)

help!: what do you do when you're feeling uninspired?

i take it for granted that i usually have ideas and inspiration without trying. but there are times when i need to let myself take some time to wander and come back around to something even better. words from the expert: it's ok.
still not satisfied?: take a walk, read something inspiring, have coffee.

yesterday i had some coffee and went here.

... and that stirred up my creativity, for seasons and cooking and baking... here i come. 

next up: outside. 

below =  some more stitching on paintings, testing. and trying to sew on the yupo paper. the stitching works well against the smoothness of the paper, but it's hard to not get the watercolor/pencil all smudgy when sewing on top. clearer, simpler lines would work really well. eh, next time. my favorite is the middle urchin... though it kind of looks like a pin cushion. oh well, it's meant to be a cross between a tomato, and an urchin. imagine that.

recent logo i made for a team of 12 women running the NH reach the beach relay in september. they all don't know each other directly, but though friends of friends they are all running this relay from the mountains to hampton beach. i am super impressed, for real. GOOD LUCK 6 Degrees!!

october wedding invitations for c+b. chris + becky were really fun to design for because not only are they having a small wedding, which allows for extra handmade elements, but they actually ARE the natural + spunk that i love to play with in my work. (they're a combo of these visual elements in my mind... ready?: gardens, pumpkins, smiles, big hair flowers, dirt bikes, laughter, squash, baby zion, bikram, and coffee grinds). are you feelin' it? i printed everything on kraft card stock, used hemp for the tie/&, and used brightly colored envelopes. save-the-dates for their 2-day festivities below. day 2 is a pumpkin-themed party being thrown at their home. i hope they love them, and most of all, i hope they have a happy forever filled with all those things in parentheses.
congrats c + b!!