This project is super easy with beautiful results! Hop on over to You Are My Fave for my full post with instructions.
Happy Tuesday!
A New Postcard Movie
As you may know, I have a postcard business called Late Night Cake. I just finished my second season of holiday postcards and it was crazy good. I love making cards for people. I also love making movies, but rarely have the time anymore. This movie is the second in a three part series on the art of writing notes. I started it almost one year ago. I probably would never have finished it if it wasn’t for last Friday when my 6-yr old was home sick and sat on my lap the entire day. I couldn’t get any actual design work done, but he could help with a little editing (which can be done with one arm…sort of). Anyway, you get the gist…things happen for a reason.
It’s thank-you note writing season, so what better way to get inspired than watching a little movie!
xo Bar
A Quilt for her 13th Birthday
My oldest turned 13 right before Christmas. I have been saving her old clothes since 1st grade for this very day! I made her a quilt a long time ago from her baby-to-kindergarten clothes, but that one was a small little doll quilt. This one was going to be big enough for her bed! She and I revisited these clothes right before I started to cut them up. She picked out the things that she remembered as her favorites, and we had a good chuckle over her early sense of style (let’s just say matching was not a priority). It’s amazing to see how her personality has developed through her outfits.
Born a collicky baby, she basically wore pajamas for a year. Hand-me-downs from my nephew put her in blue stripes for the next year. By the time she was two, she began making her own choices. She spent the next 5 years in dresses. Only dresses. Having missed that lesson on coordinating, her outfits were very eye-catching. Right around 2nd grade, dresses were out and pants were in. Jeans and t-shirts became the new uniform. Nowadays, it’s all labels. She and her friends are like Abercrombie clones. Though lately, there are days when she throws caution to the wind and pulls out her glitter tights and gold boots. I love seeing glimpses of what her teenage style will be. Maybe we’ll even share!
I love these photos that show her personality: Determined – Belting out Annie at age 4 / Protective – Hugging her baby sister / Playful – Discovering that her sister is now a friend / Helpful – Feeding the new baby (in her fave heart sweater) / Responsible – Always ready for a photo op (in her fave plaid skirt) / Funny – Goofing around with her little sister.
Being the oldest is not always an easy role. But she carries herself with grace and poise and has an inner strength that is enviable. She’s a special girl, what a privilege it has been to grow with her!
{Tender Threads quilts}
Old Christmas Cards // Make a Book
I never feel right about throwing Christmas cards away. There is something about personal family photos that make it impossible to just put them in the trash (especially the awkward ones). A few years ago, I decided to bind them together with book rings and hang them up. On Christmas day, we love to flip through them and see how all of the kids have grown!
These are really simple to make, all you need is scissors, a hole punch, 2″ book rings, and some precious time.
Start by arranging them from smallest to biggest. Next, cut off any backs that don’t include photos. Sometimes, I will cut out the greeting and tape it to the back just so we remember ages and names. Next, punch two holes at the edge of the smallest card. Use this card as a template for all of the rest. Lastly, bind them together with the rings.
This project is so easy that I have now enlisted my kids to do it all for me! It’s great in many ways: They can see all of the photos of their friends, get to know some kids they’ve only heard about, punch holes, use the cool book rings mommy has been saving, and lastly…they can all fight about who does what!
Happy hole punching!
One Word Resolutions
Last night we had a few neighbors over, which is always the best way to spend New Year’s Eve. It’s easy, and no one has to drive! I fringed the fridge with one-word-resolutions…a little takeaway for my guests. It was interesting and insightful to see what everyone picked. My daughters and son picked one, too. I picked focus and accept. At the end of the night my husband tore some words off and put them in a hat for everyone to pick. This was a fun way to play, too, because the word you picked become more like your fate. Or, if you really want to stir the pot (and who doesn’t at 1am after a few jello shots!) you can pick one for your spouse. Look out! I picked adventure for my hubby, which got me a giant eye roll. Subtle, I know.
If you want to make a fringe wall of your own, email me and I will send you the templates!
Here are the words I used plus some extras:
love / listen / focus / simplicity / laugh / friends / create / play / read / adventure / patience / exercise / pray / peace / breathe / persist / evolve / connect / smile / appreciate / relax / compassion / forgive / accept / joy / balance / harmony / give / grateful / calm / authentic / remember / release / health / floss / happy
Cheers to a happy 2013 and best wishes for good health, happiness and well being! xo
Snowflakes, Hearts + Hands
Last week, we dropped by my friend Dre’s art studio, JAM (Junior Art + Music) in Sono. I love this place! I wish I could camp out there and just make art night and day. Dre opened up her studio on Friday to anyone who wanted to come in and make hands, hearts and snowflakes for our neighbors in Newtown. We’ve all been affected by this awful tragedy and everyone wants to help. The Sandy Hook Elementary School has been moved to Monroe, a town about 8 miles away. Hundreds of volunteers have been working around the clock to make their new school (a former middle school not in use) look as much like their old school as possible.
There are three organizations who are gathering art for the walls and halls of the new school. These decorations are such a simple way to help. There are some deadlines so read below for details:
The Helping Hands Project: Collecting handprints to be displayed on and around the new school site. Visit the website for more details. Deadline for hands is this Friday, December 28th.
Hearts for Newtown: Hearts will be displayed by merchants in their stores and restaurants, and also the library. Visit their Facebook page for more details. Deadline for hearts is January 7th.
Snowflakes for Newtown: Run by the Connecticut PTSA, the snowflakes will be collected and hung in the hallways to look like a wintry wonderland. Visit their Facebook page for more details. Deadline for snowflakes is January 12th.
The greatest gift that we can give is of our time and kindness. We may think it’s not that much, but it means a lot to those people who need comfort.
Peace, love, and thank you! xo Bar
Garland // Merry + Bright
I had some leftover gift tags from my project the other day that were calling my name. So yesterday, on my 15th wedding anniversary (mentioned to remind myself that I married a very kind man who lets me leave projects out on the dining room table for weeks. Alright, sometimes he does ask about the crap on the table, but still…), I decided to make this cheery little banner. It makes me happy.
Do you want to give it a try? Here’s how to make one, or a variation:
Supplies:
Patterned cards, about 2″ x 3″
Colored paper (for the letters)
Black fine tip Sharpie
Elmer’s glue
Scissors
Hole punch (1/16″)
Yarn (any will do)
Start by making the little cards. I rubber stamped mine, but you can also use recycled holiday cards. Cut them to size and round the corners if you’d like to (but you don’t have to).
Meanwhile, draw your block letters. Here is a great tutorial on creating block shadow letters. They are really fun (and addicting) to make. Use a brush to apply the glue carefully, then sprinkle on some glitter.
After the glue & glitter is dry (preferable overnight), you can cut out the letters. I actually made these letters a while back for something else which was handy! Then glue the letters onto the cards.
Lay out your design and place the pom-poms where you want them. Use the hole punch to create 4 little holes. This will give you a more stitched look.
Thread the pom-poms and cards. I threaded two separate rows: One for the MERRY and one for the BRIGHT. Then I tied them together. I taped the “+” under the “R”.
This project requires a little patience, especially if you haven’t done shadow letters before. But it’s worth it so I hope you give it a go!
Have a happy weekend. ♡
Etsy Artists // Paintings
Last week I posted some great children’s art that I found on Etsy. Today I will share some paintings. Many of these are original paintings, which is the best kind of art. But some are prints since the original paintings were sold. The great thing about prints, though, is that they are affordable!
Donna Walker (above). Fort Worth, Texas. These rich, colorful landscapes are just beautiful. Custom paintings available. Geometric Farm, oil on canvas, 24″ x 24″, $750, Patch of Blue II, oil on canvas, 14″ x 14″, $300. Clouds Roll By II, oil on canvas, 16″ x 16″, $400, Golden Light, oil on canvas, 8″ x 8″, $75.
Jennifer Shears (below). New York. These ethereal paintings are very calming, I think. Custom canvases upon request. Field, oil on canvas, 14″ x 14″, $135, Bay, oil on canvas, 36″ x 36″, $600. Field, oil on canvas, 18″ x 18″, $200, Field, oil on canvas, 16″ x 16″, $170.
Lisa Golightly (above). Portland, Oregon. I love Lisa’s subject matter, and she has such a nice sense of color and composition (I want that Girl in the Yellow Suit). All Together, print, 12″ x 12″, $45, The Swimmers, print, 12″ x 12″, $45. In the Suburbs, acrylic on canvas, 30″ x 40″, $1,650. Girl in the Yellow Suit, print, 16″ x 16″, $55.
Greg Hargreaves (below). Waterloo, Iowa. These midwestern farmland paintings are rich with texture and have a patchwork quality that I adore. October Sky, acrylic on canvas, 16″ x 20″, $750, County Line, acrylic on board, 11″ x 14″, $500. Moonlight Landscape, acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 36″, $1,600.
Melanie Mikecz (above). San Francisco. I love Melanie’s color palette, and her collage-y patterns are happy and fun. Abstract Design, print, 13″ x 19″, $48. Block Abstract, print, 12″ x 12″, $44, Pink Triangle, print, 12″ x 12″, $44. Check Mark, print, 13″ x 19″, $48.
Emily Rickard (above). Los Angeles. Loving these bright and playful paintings – they will bring a pop of color to your home! Something Wonderful is About to Happen, oil on canvas, 16″ x 20″, $575. Eternal Optimist, oil on canvas, 12″ x 16″, $280.
I will continue with this series. Remember…living with art makes for happier people!
Rubber Stamping // Gift Tags
Rubber stamping is one of my many obsessions. It all started when I was 16 and my High School art teacher taught us how to carve stamps out of erasers. I was fascinated with the patterns I could create by just repeating the stamp on paper and fabric. Thanks to Mrs. Thornton, patterns and textiles became my life’s work… I am always daydreaming about patterns, patterns, patterns.
This past year I have been creating my own rubber stamps. I eventually want to print fabric with them, but for now I’m just fooling around on paper to see what I can come up with. These gift tags were easy and so fun to make (for me, at least).
Here’s what you need:
Rubber stamps (Paper Source has some good ones)
Ink pads (by Colorbox)
Ribbon (see sources below)
The key to a good pattern is all in the cropping. With a more organic shaped stamp, make sure to turn the stamp in different directions. It’s ok to overlap colors. With a geometric stamp you could either do a random pattern or try something more structured. When the ink is dry, use scissors or a cutting board to crop the sides. It’s amazing how the pattern comes to life after you chop off the sides. It tricks your eye into thinking it’s part of a larger pattern. So cool!
Thread ribbon from the back, then through the loop and tighten. I find my ribbon from many places: Sundance, Etsy, and wholesale at May Arts and Renaissance Ribbon.
I went a bit crazy with this project so I decided to make little packets of tags for hostess & teacher gifts. I’m glad I stocked up on glassine bags and labels!
Go ahead…try it!
Etsy Artists // For Children
I’ve been gathering a list of Etsy artists for a few months now. Etsy has soooo many artists, and many of them are…well, not my taste. But some of them are quite talented and have lovely collections of work. This week and next I will post some of my favorites so that you can (perhaps) own these for the Holidays!
All of the artists featured here today have sold their original drawings or paintings, so these are all reproductions.
Joel Penkman (above): Liverpool, England. Fabulous colors and subject matter…so happy. Fabs, limited edition glicee print, 15.7″ x 19.7″, $90. Blackrock Pool, limited edition glicee print, 15.7″ x 19.7″, $90, Biscuits in a Line, limited edition glicee print, 15.7″ x 19.7″, $90.
Ashley Goldberg (below): Portland, Oregon. I love her use of muted colors and sparse Japenese style drawings…so dream-like. Love (Closeup), 8.5″ x 11″ print, $20, Lily, 8″ x 10″ print, $20. Laurel, 8.5″ x 11″ print, $20, Windy Day, 8.5″ x 11″ print, $20.
Paola Zakimi (above): Argentina. These illustrations are so sweet. The alphabet poster reminds me of Beatrix Potter. Alphabet Poster, 11.5″ x 16″, $35. Little Print, print, 8.5″ x 11.5″, $20, Sofi and the Fish, print, 11.5″ x 16.5″, $35.
Creative Thursday (below): Los Angeles. I love the storytelling nature of these whimsical prints. The Princess and the Pea, print, 8.5″ x 11″, $42, Baby Giraffe, print, 11″ x 17″, $75. Artists Thrive, print, 19″ x 13″, $95.
Blanca Gomez (above): Madrid, Spain. These graphic posters have a distinct retro feeling. In the Neighborhood, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30, Rainy Night, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30. Monsieur IV, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30, In the Park, print, 8″ x 11.5″, $30.
Hint: I like my art big. But most Etsy artists work small. My suggestion is, since the prints are not expensive, that you cluster 2 or 3 or 4 works by the same artist in one spot on the wall. Avoid hanging a small piece of art on a giant wall. If you have just one small painting or print, then find a nook or a cozy spot to hang it up where it doesn’t feel out of proportion.
More to come!
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