Happy 2010!

Yesterday my husband Bip and I started 2010 with a visit to Arshille Gorky: A Retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (the last day is next Sunday, January 10th). Gorky has been one of my desert island artists for a long time. Then we had a relaxed lunch at the London Grille nearby, a favorite stop of ours in our daughter's old neighborhood.

It was refreshing to find a space between the whirlwind of the holidays and the giddy promise of a New Year's clean slate to just enjoy and be inspired. I hope we can all find those spaces in the year ahead! Isn't that what it's about anyway?

A Divine Holiday weekend...

Sunday my step-daughter Anna of EttieOglePress helped me out at the Divine Studios Holiday Craft Show in Soho. It was a cozy little affair with a great holiday buzz in the air. At Anna's elbow was the divine Kimberly of Chez Sucre Chez and it was my good fortune to be elbow to elbow with Fritz Karch the Collecting editorial director for Martha Stewart Living Magazine. He spent much of the day pulling out one Christmas treasure after another and I spent much of the day eaves-dropping as he talked to customers about each one's history. This beautiful goose feather tree with gold ornaments was practically tickling my ear and I couldn't get enough of it.


A couple weeks ago a few of my Z-Town friends and I made some pine cone elves from the December issue of Martha and Karen of Skylark Studio fell in love with her little guy (see here) and whispered in his ear several times "I love you." Karen, this pic is for you, but I'd stay away from the evil elf in the front.


And what is with these guys? Fritz said they were made in Japan. What is with those cheeks? Maybe they had some of those amazing salted chocolate caramels that were floating around the show.

One more thing. Today is the last day for ordering from my Etsy shop if you want to be sure to have it by Christmas! I'd also like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has made my first year on Etsy a happy one! I wish you all a meaningful and merry holiday!

Divine Studios Holiday Craft Sale!

This Sunday, December 13th, I will be at the Holiday Craft Sale at Divine Studios in Soho! I will have lots and lots of Tinsel Time tea towels, Julia aprons and towels, and if I get off the computer, red and green napkins. Fellow Z-Towner, Kimbelry Scola of Chez Sucre Chez will also be there. If you are in the neighborhood come visit us. It's a first for me, but I hear it truly is divine!

There's a new girl in town!

My lovely step-daughter, Anna, has just launched her own Etsy shop, EttieOglePress. Anna is a talented printmaker with tons of imagination. You can also visit her blog here.

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood...

What a nice end to the week! I'm feeling all cozy nestled in with 2 of my Z-Town girls in (almost our neighbor) Tara's blog, Scoutie Girl today. You can see it all here. Enjoy the weekend!!

Have an Artsy Fartsy Christmas!

How nice to see my Tinsel Time tea towel (say it fast) featured today on the blog Artsy Fartsy Shopaholic! I recommend checking out her complete post here because there are some very cool items included that I think you'll enjoy.

Cyber Monday - Last day of my sale!

I've been having lots of fun with my Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale on Etsy. One highlight has been the inclusion of my Tinsel Time tea towel on the Storque yesterday: Etsy Finds: Deck the Halls With Free Shipping and Holiday Sales. The towels are nearly sold out so if you were thinking of buying one now is the time!

Black Friday - Cyber Monday Sale!

I hope everyone had a truly wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! I'm kicking off the holiday shopping season today with a SALE in my Etsy shop. So keep those PJs on, grab a cup of tea and stay away from those crowds (come on, who really wants to be trampled by cranky shoppers)?
It only lasts through Monday, November 30th so chop, chop...

Here's hoping my Etsy shop will look a little bit like this tonight!

Tinsel Time Tea Towel!

My new holiday tea towel "Tinsel Time" is now available in my Etsy shop in both white and natural linen! Let the kitchen festivities begin!

Turkey help from Julia!

After a very fun day at the From Scratch show yesterday, I've been enjoying an indulgently lazy Sunday morning laced with too many cups of strong Irish tea, the December issue of Martha Stewart Living, and knitting mittens. How lovely to read this post by Erika of blooma finds (which is a wonderful find in itself) about my line of "Julia" aprons! Could the day get much better? Visit the original post here.

Erika's post reminds me of a story told by Alex Prud'Homme in a wonderful Thalia Book Club interview with both Alex and Judith Jones: One Thanksgiving, Julia and Paul are on their way to Alex's parents house in Connecticut, but they get lost. A neighbor is in the midst of making her turkey (Julia's book open on the counter) and it's not going well. She responds to a knock on her door in a frustrated state and there stands Julia Child! Can you imagine? Julia helps her out with her turkey and the woman directs Julia to the Prud'Hommes; happy ending! So you never know what could happen...

From Scratch: Nov. 14th!

For those of you in the Allentown, PA neck of the woods, on Nov. 14th there will be a funky new craft show called From Scratch! It's perfectly timed to start off your holiday shopping before the panic (your own) sets in. Imagine if you could kick it all out before Thanksgiving (and it would all be handmade)!

Fellow Z-Towners and myself will be part of the fun, so please stop by to see us! In addition, there will be lots of yummy things to eat so we can also get started early on those extra holiday pounds.

Planting Garlic

For those of you who still want to sink their hands into soil before the snow flies (and I hope it does), here is a great Step-by-Step guide to growing your own garlic by my friend Robyn Jasko on her very cool and informative blog, Grow Indie. I love the pairing of these buxom bulbs of garlic with the pattern on my napkin!

Clay Wood & Cotton Grand Opening!

My aprons are now available at a new shop in Beacon, NY. It's a collaboration between Kristy Reichert, Kristen Couse, and Kelly Kingman. In their words, "Clay Wood & Cotton is your source for the best handmade items for your home. We look for artists who combine beauty with utility, and who put a sense of fun into their work:

I'm honored to have my work included in such a beautiful collection of products. "Thanks" to Kristen (who I met this summer at Renegade, Brooklyn) for the invite and good luck to the three of you! I wish I could be there to do some early Christmas shopping and have some of that pie! More information is available here.

I heart Pablo

I'm feeling a deep need to start my week off right by reconnecting to my own creative roots. A heartfelt nod is long overdue to one of my earliest heroes. I've been in awe of this man's genius since I seriously took pencil to sketchpad. There's little I can say that hasn't been said. So I won't. I heart Francoise too, I fell in love with her when years ago I read her book, Life with Picasso.


See what I mean? My heart flutters when he leaves a glimpse of what lies below (lower right corner).


I couldn't resist. I wish you all an inspired and joyful week!

The peas get a chance

Woo hoo, I was on the Front Page and in an Etsy Treasury (thanks RuJu) yesterday!

Hello, Hello Bluebird!

Tonight I'm off with fellow Z-Town Made girls to the Grand Opening of Alex McCarty's gorgeous new shop in West Reading, Hello Bluebird. The pictures above (borrowed from Jan Dicintio's Daisy Janie blog) tell the story. As Jan is a friend of Alex's and "in the know" I recommend visiting her post here.

Melanie Linder's prints look fabulous against that red wall (top shelf under the stairs). You'll find other handmade items from fellow Z-Towners among Alex's lovely collection.

A peak inside...

Here are some photos of Modern Printed Matter's beautiful new studio and store taken before the grand reopening last night. I wish I could have been there myself but these photos, by owner and designer, Anna Cote will do very well in the meantime. It's lovely for me to see my linens in a shop setting. If you are in Rhode Island stop in, it looks well worth the visit! You can see Anna's own post here and more photos here.

Modern Printed Matter

I'm very excited to announce that my products will now be available at Modern Printed Matter in Warren, RI! I'm honored to be included with such a fabulous collection of artists and products. The grand opening is Tues, Sept 1st. Good luck Anna!!

Forgive me Julia!

I can't believe I missed it! I've been so busy filling "Julia" orders that I whizzed right past her birthday. At least I was at a picnic savoring good food if not cooking one of her recipes. Thank goodness others remembered and I'm flattered that Rex & Regina's Blog featured my apron. So does that excuse me for my birthday neglect? You can see the full post here.

A week of Julia

Check out this beautiful Etsy Treasury, Julie and Julia by Photographicamy, thanks Amy!

Front Page of Etsy today!

Well, Julia seems to be my lucky star!

Cookn in the Kitchn

It's been a good week and I'm feeling very grateful (and a wee bit embarrassed) by such nice mentions on so many fabulous blogs! I was flattered and surprised to catch this one today on Apartment Therapy's The Kitchn (by the way, Karen Stanford sure does rock that apron). You can view the entirety here.

I also owe a heartfelt "thank you" to my muse, Julia Child! She has inspired many more than cooks and chefs. Ironically, I've been so busy keeping up with orders that I haven't been able to see the movie yet (arghhh), but it's all good and I hate crowds anyway. I'll get there soon!

A little Bedlam does one good!

I've had such a nice response in the last week to the new Julia line which makes me feel quite happy as I sew away in my studio. It's obvious that Julia Child stirs up more than recipes (no pun intended). For many of us she touches the soul. I'm better with patterns than I am with words but Bradford of The Bedlam of Beefy's heartfelt writings are definitely worth a read. Today's post has given me somethings to ponder on today and I'm touched to be a part of it! You can read the entirety here.

My copper bowl runneth over...

I was already feeling happy yesterday about the launch of my new Julia line and the enthusiastic feedback that was starting to come my way. Just as we were leaving last evening to join friends, Jan, of the fabulous Poppytalk, sent me this post. I couldn't be happier! She "got it" and she wrapped "it" up together with a big blue and red bow! It truly is a gift to be able to sit back and look at your work through another person's eyes (detached from your own constant critiquing) and think "wow, I did that, and I think it actually works!" Thank you so much Jan! You can view the full post here.

Friday scout out: French Food

Thanks Tara, for including me in this Frenchy collection!! Her post can be viewed here.

It's all about Julia today...

Sweet! One of my new Julia aprons showed up along with this Food & Wine Magazine piece on The Storque (scroll way, way, way down)! You can view its entirety here.

So I sing a song of love, Julia...

I have just launched a new line of linen aprons and tea towels called Julia in honor, of course, of Julia Child and fueled by the much anticipated movie, Julie and Julia. The prints are based on the covers of Volume One and Volume Two of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. You can view the entire collection in my Etsy Shop here.

One of my very first posts here was "I heart Julia" where I write a little bit about her influence. I am so excited to have found an opportunity to honor her with these prints. In fact, I'm a wee bit giddy at the moment (I actually have butterflies, that's a bit over the top isn't it)?

In addition to the new design, linen tea towels and natural linen (as a color choice) are new to my shop. I'm trying to keep it fresh and new!

Thank you Karen for your legs and Kimberly for you stove and beautiful blue wall!

Hello August!

What a sweet summer we've been having (with only a few muggy exceptions). The brown nose on the left belongs to one who steals and eats green beans one at a time. She stretches out on her belly in the straw and savors each one like a lollipop.

Speaking of food, I've whipped up a new line of linen aprons and tea towels to be introduced early in the coming week...

Gift Guide for Moms

Wow, Tulip & Bluebell is on a roll. Fascinating how it has made the rounds in the past two days! What a hussy! No, seriously my ego is feeling quite good and I'm grateful and flattered by all who have featured my apron. It's been my favorite of late, glad others like it too! You can visit the complete collection here.

I'd also like to give a nod to CraftCult. I only recently found out about their site. If it wasn't for them, I'd never have known that I'm on a gift guide and that yesterday, I was featured on the Etsy Front page. They even provide widgets so I could add it to my sidebar!

Light and Sweet

My tulip and bluebell apron is making the rounds this week and has popped up again in today's Etsy Finds "Light and Sweet." You can view the whole collection here.

Blue breezy summer

What a sweet Etsy Treasury that Tara Gentile's (of Scoutie Girl & HiP) Mom of Rosie's Whimsy put together! How flattered I am that she included my apron. Thank you!

Midsummer Green

Pack up a picnic basket! There's a new color napkin in my shop, "GO" green. Without planning it, I realize that my Stoplight line of napkins is now available in red, yellow, and green! In keeping with the midsummer theme, imagine a game of "Red Light/Green Light" at dusk using these as flags. You can really whip them around, I've tried it!

Dutch Treat

I'm still in the PA Dutch mode. I picked up this feed sack fabric in the antique section of the Kutztown Folk Festival. It blows me away that feed came in fabric printed in 5 colors! Lucky chickens. I bought two matching pieces large enough for curtains, bed pillowcases, several tea towels, napkins, an apron even, or dare I make a skirt? According to the feed sack article linked above, I could even make under-roos! My head is spinning.

If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much!

That's a saying I grew up with, referring to the Pennsylvania Dutch, (I'm not that Dutch but my maiden name, Brasted, derives from Holland Dutch so it worked for me too). Dutch fever is breaking out amongst the Z-Towners (see here and here and here). Why not, these wonderful folk motifs are part of our everyday life. For myself, I live on the "Hex Highway," where I drive regularly by barns adorned with hex signs and my house was previously occupied by our friend Eric Claypoole, the authority and master painter of hex signs and barn stars. In a few weeks you can see him at work at the Kutztown Folk Festival (and buy one of your own).




So you can probably imagine where this is all going. Stay tuned, the wheels are turning... The images below are off of True Up, thanks for that link Jen).

I had to include this one because 1964 is the year I was born. Very cool!

OK, I'm on a Dutchy roll here, this is a detail of a pint-sized hutch my grandfather built and my grandmother painted for me when I was little. It's a terrible photo because the poor thing is in the attic (shameful), needing a good cleaning, butcher's wax, and a loving place in my home to display it... but where, it's kind of short?

Two down and one to go...

My 3 weekend marathon of shows (Art Star, Renegade, Best in Bloom) is almost complete. Karen Stanford (above) and I had a great location across from the gate at Driggs & N. 12th. There were only about 35 booths in our part of the park while there were 200+ across the street. We worried that people wouldn't realize there was another leg to the show and would migrate to where all the action was, but locals assured us that everyone in the neighborhood typically walked though our section of the park. Regardless, there was a really good vibe in our area, shade, plenty of dog watching, and really nice people relaxing on their weekend. It was an enjoyable experience and the sales were good!

To make the event even sweeter, I have two local friends who came to visit. Ellen brought a few of her incredible kids one day and husband the next. My dear friend Keith waited on us the entire weekend. He was an endless source of drinks, snacks, lovingly homemade sandwiches, entertainment and good company! He also took Karen and I to bozu for a very delicious dinner. I have a handful of meals that go into a "food memory" bank and that will be one of them. Not bad either, were the Peter Pan donuts Kimberly provided. Boy, I wish I had eaten more now.

Thanks to all who visited our booth and to all my new customers! On to Emmaus, PA for Best in Bloom with the entire Z-Town crew to finalize my tour! For more Renegade/Z-Town recaps go to here and here.

Post-Renegade Therapy

Late Monday morning, still in pajamas and groggy after my weekend at Renegade, I came across this post by Apartment Therapy! It cleared the fog for at least 30 minutes. What an honor! You can read the rest here.

Renegade this weekend!

Well, here it is, the big one! I hope to see some of you this weekend in Brooklyn!! I'll be in booth #18 not far from the main entrance at Bedford Ave. and N. 12th St. with Karen Stanford Skylark Studio and another fellow Z-Towner, Kimberly Scola Chez Sucre Chez will be in #4.

Everything is coming up roses...

It felt so good to take a break from the world of craft shows with Gracie in the garden yesterday.

Art Star with Z-Town Made

A little recap of our weekend at the Art Star Craft Bazaar:

My aprons on the rare occasion they weren't horizontal in the wind.

My awesome booth mate, Karen Stanford Skylark Studio and her fabulous silver jewelry.

Melanie Linder Spread the Love and Kimberly Scola Chez Sucre Chez shared the booth next to us.

If you are in Brooklyn, NY this upcoming weekend, you can visit Karen and me (booth #18, look for this sign) and Kimberly (booth #4), at the Renegade Craft Fair (we will miss you, Mel and Jen)!

Thank you to all who came to visit us!

Art Star this weekend!

At the risk of being redundant, here is one more promo for the Art Star Craft Bazaar on Penn's Landing this weekend. I'll be at booth #31, flanked by 3 other Z-Town Made artists, Karen Stanford, Skylark Studio Melanie Lindner, Spread the Love, and Kimberly Scola, Chez Sucre Chez. We'd love to see you, we're going to have some great stuff (I think they are all "art stars")!

Am I crazy???

4 days to go until Art Star, my first of 3 weekends in a row of craft shows and still 100 napkins to sew (curse those mitered corners)!! Ha! I'll be happy if I can get half of them done. What was I thinking messing in the garden? But the tomatoes couldn't wait. You've got to make hay while the sun shines!

There is not enough tea in the world!!

Hee haw, fun with straw!

Whew, what a crazy holiday weekend! Sewing for upcoming shows and trying to catch up in the garden with the husband (I can hardly move today). I love the look of my garden nest! The tomatoes, peppers, and basil are now in and I'll savor the order as long as it lasts.

Next weekend, Penn's Landing!

Wow, it's just around the corner now! I'm furiously printing and sewing aprons and napkins for the Art Star Craft Bazaar. If you're in the Philly area next weekend please stop by and say "hi." I'll be at booth #31. Weekend after that, it's Renegade in Brooklyn. More on that later...

Mid-May Magic

OK corny title but couldn't resist a bit of alliteration. It's been too wet and I've been too busy prepping for shows to do much in the garden. The poppies have taken over, beautiful but crushing other plants. The azalea, I put in last week or so, hope it looks this good every year!

A proud and windy day!

Yesterday Anna graduated with a B.F.A in printmaking from Tyler School of Art. Her Dad and I are so proud of her! You can see some of Anna's work here.

Z-Town Made takes it up a notch!

I'm excited to announce the launch of Z-Town Made's new web site! We are a cozy collective of woman artists living near or within the small town of Kutztown, PA. We're here to prove that "Pennsylvania Dutch Country" is more than hex-signs and funnel cakes (although we love those too). I'm so proud to be included with this talented bunch of women! Please visit us here.

Hot day in April

I spent Sunday (a beautiful hot spring day) printing up t-shirts with friends, Wendy Osterweil, Lori Anselm, and Ellen Vandevort Wolf. The design is Wendy's, you can see more of her work here. Lori designs gorgeous handbags from vintage fabric. You can visit her Etsy shop here.

While the others were working hard in Wendy's studio, I couldn't help grabbing this shot in the sun. Sorry guys!

New table linens, finally!

They've been a long time in coming and no excuses for that, but here are the latest additions to my Etsy shop , just in time for spring. I've added placemats sporting the Raindrops pattern and added a new item, a 16" x 70" linen table runner in the Stoplight print.

By the way, the pitchers and vase in the photos above were made by my talented mother, Sandra Rulewich.

Berks County Spring

This unexpected scene on my walk today was just the cheer up I needed!

My dear sweet Karen

I lost my very special friend, Karen Malandra this morning to that ugly beast, cancer. I know this isn't the kind of post people expect to see, but Karen was an artist/printmaker in her own right who pushed me to follow my dreams. Today I'd like to share some of her work. These are both cards she sent to me along the way. The second one she sent when I was going through a very difficult time. In one sense today, the words seem ironic and false, but in another they make absolute sense to those of us still here. Be at peace now Karen! And the rest of you, don't forget to live your day!

Philly, Brooklyn, here we come!

I am happy to announce that I'll be selling my wares at two awesome Indie Craft fairs, the Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia May 30th & 31st on Penn's Landing AND then again the next weekend, June 6th & 7th at the Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Park in Brooklyn. What a great kick-off to the summer that will be!In addition, I am honored to be sharing a booth at both shows with the spectacular, Karen Stanford of Skylark Studio, a fellow Z-Town Made member. She makes the coolest jewelry I know!


Wait, it gets even better! Kimberly Scola of Chez Sucre Chez will be also be appearing at both shows. Hope she's going to be nearby!


And, I could almost burst, because Kimberly will be sharing a booth with Melanie Lindner, of Spread the Love at Art Star.

So please, grab your flip-flops, eco-totes, and wallets, and visit some of the best Indie Crafts that Kutztown, PA has to offer.

I heart Lucienne

Lucienne Day is one of my most favorite and influential textile designers! She and her husband Robin were considered the British counterparts of Charles and Ray Eames in the 1950s. For more, check out this book, Robin and Lucienne Day: Pioneers in Modern Design. My copy is well worn.

Monday pick me up!

Such a nice boost on a Monday morning! One of my aprons has been included in this lovely Etsy Treasury. Thank you Donna!

Well deserved!

Congratulations to fellow Z-Towner, Mel of Turtle Bunny Love Design for this nice feature on Scoutie Girl! See it all here.

Something different today

I just picked up this awesome gift set of Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass. I loved his Christmas Album and yesterday I decided I needed more. It's total feel good music! Too bad it's a bit early for a cocktail.

New Aprons for Spring

My new apron in my newest colorway (tulip/bluebell/charcoal) is now available in my Etsy shop. Modeling credit goes to my 2 girls, Anna, 22 (who is an awesome and prolific printmaker and will graduate from Tyler this spring) and Gracie, 2 (who can't sit still).

I will also be re-listing an older design Swags (robin/fern/cloud) soon, which hasn't been available since the first few weeks of opening my shop. Stay tuned...

My old friends!

I've just been featured on the fabulous blog paper n stitch! I will always remember them as my first blog mention ever! Thank you Brittni, you did such a nice write up and presentation of my work. I'm feeling very lucky today! View the rest here.

Happy Monday!

Still bleary-eyed, and adjusting to the time change this morning, I was tipped off my my friend Jen of Clothesline Designs that my placemat is on Etsy's front page (for the moment). I'm awake now! Thank you Jen!!

Kim, of One Perfect Thing, posted my dove on coal napkin on her blog today. If you need a moment of calm in your hectic day, do visit her blog. It is so lovely and serene. I am flattered that she included my work with her collection. You can see it here. Thank you Kim!!

Thursday Treats

I was just tipped off by Kim of One Perfect Thing (it's a beautiful blog, by the way) that one of my aprons made it to the front page of Etsy! Of course it's already gone in the blink of an eye, but I'm so glad I got to see and capture it. Also, I just hit 100 Etsy users who heart my shop! I am so flattered, thanks everyone!!

Meet Tulip and Bluebell

I've come up with a new color combo for the pattern I named Aqueduct. It will be stitched up soon as some sweet new aprons. I don't know why, but I like to make up names for my colors and my patterns. They are often the first things that come to my mind and maybe don't make a lot of sense to everyone else but I just go with my gut in this case. I've dubbed these colors Tulip and Bluebell. The gray is just a lighter version of Charcoal who you've met before if you know my work; it's the color I use the most.

ahhh...

Sorry for the tease, I know I'm jumping ahead almost two month here, but the mild weather today and the little buds on this very tree has me thinking of spring. I'm a big time snow lover, but since this winter in Eastern PA gave us nothing but ice and sleet, I'm ready to give up hope for those magical 6+ inches and move on to sweet smelling and gentle days.

Inspiration everywhere

Hmmm, this pile of new placemats is giving me ideas for a new print design. I love the combination of these four colors and the pattern created in the stack.

Sneak peak

I'll be introducing a new item this week in my Etsy shop! I'm adding linen placemats in the Stoplight pattern to match my line of napkins and expand my table linen collection. They will be available in two colorways, the classic: Cherry/Charcoal/Dove, and a new colorway (drumroll...): Curry/Charcoal/Cloud!

Print, print, print...

Here are some linen aprons in progress. One more color to go...

Cotton Candy Sky

I took these a year ago, February 18th (if my photo info is correct), from my house in PA. There was a cold front coming in. I remember thinking that the sky reminded me of something from the Simpson's, I guess I was thinking of Marge's hair.

Oh wow!

I was welcomed this morning by the nicest write up on Scoutie Girl that I've received yet (not to mention the greatest photo spread)! I am truly touched, flattered and honored. What a way to start my day! Thank you so much Jan!! To view, click here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sweets from the sweet. My clever husband topped my traditional (since I was a kid) heart-shaped box of nonpareils with a perfect sized cookie, iced with white chocolate. Yum! I love iced cookies, but its so pretty, I don't want to destroy it. I hope your Valentine's Day is just as sweet!

Mimosa anyone?

This morning I discovered one of my aprons on 2x2 Designs. I didn't know that I chose a color close to Pantone's "color of 2009," mimosa. Maybe this will be the apron of 2009?? Thank you Aiah!!

Z-Town ladies... do dah, do dah...

Kimberly of chez sucre chez, another Z-Towner, also made it to the front page of Etsy tonight with her cross-stitched owls! Woo-hoot!

The birds in the trees, tra la, tra la...

How cool is this? My friend and fellow Z-Towner Karen of Skylark Studio's beautiful bird pin was picked for the front page of Etsy. Congratulations Karen!

Magic on my sidewalk

I had to share this, it was such a lovely surprise this morning.

Hello Monday!

To kick off this week, I'd like to share my happy little pencil jar. It always makes me smile!

Oh My!

My aprons were just featured on Poppytalk! Thank you Jan, I am truly honored! To view click here.

Sweet Cherry!

One of my red napkins was included in this Etsy Treasury. Thank you Annica!!

I heart Julia

Julia inspires so many of us! In my Etsy Shop I wrote: "My line of butcher’s aprons are inspired, in part, by aprons my grandfather wore when he cooked. Julia Child wore a similar style apron with a towel hung from the waist. She wrote, 'its a working apron, not a dainty thing. Dainty doesn’t look professional in the kitchen.' But let me add, Julia wore some pretty amazing printed blouses to complement her denim chef’s aprons and that’s where my prints come in." I tracked down some photos of a few of those wonderful blouses.

My first blog mention!

It was a total surprise when my friend Kimberly of Chez Sucre Chez tipped me off that one of my napkins was featured on Paper N Stitch's blog! I love how it fits in with the other beautiful objects selected. Thank you so much Amy and Brittni, you will always be my first! You can view the rest here.

Catching up

I listed my first items on Etsy in late November of 2008. The doodle on the left became my first born apron. It was supposed to turn into a painting, but I can wipe my hands on this!

Groundhog Day

I took my dog snowshoeing today, and this berry-filled nest in the brambles caught my eye. Sadly, I only had my camera phone along but I couldn't leave this image behind.

And so it begins...

This is the center of my desk, in my studio. It's not heated and I don't like to suffer, so I'm in a warm room in front of my computer. I'm creating this blog as an alternative place to post my art, new products, works in progress, and sources of inspiration. I hope it will help to keep me honest, productive, and actively engaged in the creative process.