One of my Favorites!

I follow a lot of blogs, and I can't read through each and every one of them (although, I do try my best!) One of the ones I absolutely read ALL THE TIME is Polymer Clay Ponderings . This blog is always so intuitive, interesting, and fun that I look forward to reading it.



Garritygal makes clay angels, babies, and the absolute best clay cupcakes I've ever seen. It makes me hungry every time I peruse my little clay baby holding a cupcake on my bed post. Her talent is obvious, her prices fair, and her communication top notch.
Please do yourself a favor and check out her blog and her shop... you won't be disappointed. Oh, and did I mention she's got a wonderful giveaway contest going on now? Go see. Go!

2 Fairies Out of One!

Someone in the ACEtsy Team has recently been making ACEOs that stand alone as individual cards, but also go together to create one masterpiece. I was intrigued by this idea, so I decided to give it a try. How did I do?

St. Patrick's Day is coming!

So I illustrated the letter P with green and black designs around it. It's been a while since I worked on something like this, and I had a lot of fun doing so. It's available for purchase for only $4.00 on my Etsy shop.

Thanks for looking!

Daiso!

Ok, so I've been in Cali for what now, 2 months? Something like that. Anyway, today my husband and I went to the mall after the
prenatal visit (every thing is coming along great!) and by the mall is a store called Daiso. It's basically a Japanese thrift store, with most items $1.50. I went in looking for barrettes, but let me tell you, the store is absolutely fantastic! I love it, and I could easily become addicted if I had money. LOL. Thankfully my loving husband told me to get crafty things if I needed them, and of course I need them!

These are actually flat color sticker sheets, and you can draw/cut out the stickers that you make yourself. I can't wait to begin using these to make some interesting ACEOs!!!



Here we have a shape punch, which is primarily used for scrapbooking, but the possibilities are endless. AND yes, this is a SAKURA pen... just like a gellyroll! I couldn't believe it when I saw these... I LOVE these pens!



And we even got some new pencils/markers at Target. So what the heck am I doing on the computer... I've got to go make stuff!!!

Guess what...

4 Glasses of Water???

Yep, you guessed it... off for my first California sonogram (had a few in NY, but they wouldn't tell me what I was having, due to their particular policy at the Health Center where I went). So I'm up early drinking and getting ready to go... I'm due April 11, so I really hope they'll let me know today what I'm going to have. Either way, my baby is a gift from God!

When your finished work is less than ideal...

What do you do when you've worked for a while on something, and it comes out looking poorly? Do you donate it, recycle it, try and add it to something else?



Today is a frustrating Saturday. I'm home alone (prime crafting time!) But every thing I make seems to be falling short... I don't know, maybe I'm off my groove. Perhaps I should take a break, watch a movie or something, but then I feel like I'm wasting my art time.

Eh, who knows. Anyhow, here is what I've been making... where have I gone? I can do so much better than these three...

BIG 4 DAY DAWG SALE

This is a wonderful sale going on over at Etsy, all the way from Friday through till Monday! Come see all the wonderful DAWG Team artists with amazing sales in their shops, you'll find every thing from jewelry to ACEOs and a bunch in between. Just do a search for DAWG Team on the Etsy home page, and you'll find all our items.

I myself am offering free shipping on all items, discounts on select items, and a buy two get a 3rd free on ACEOs... the free one being one of your choice, or I will custom make one for you. How wonderful is that? Come on by!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20200198

Art or Crime?

Here is my latest ACEO, my comment on a growing trend in society... is graffiti "art" or "crime"?



Graffiti artists every where tag walls, spray subways, and draw all over their blackbooks. I realize that your corner grocer probably doesn't want to come to work one morning to see his beautiful white wall covered in graffiti, and a lot of young people DO it simply because of rebellion, but it is not fair to lump all graffiti into that one category.

If you look at it closely, you'll see line and form used very carefully. You'll see colors blended and stark against one another. You will begin to depict style, and tell one artist from the other. I do not use the term artist sparingly. I know that these people take pride in their hard work, just like a sculptor or scenic painter would.

Take the popularity of Basquiat, for example. His work was against the very society that adopted him.

There is room for graffiti, it is not all garbage and done to "mess things up". Seriously, the next time you're out and about, take a good look at the side of that building or decrepit fence... you're partaking in an art gallery experience without paying the admittance fee.

Appreciate art for all it's worth, for remember, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Quilted Inspiration

I don't know why, but I've been on a quilt kick lately. Maybe it's the upcoming baby, and thinking how I'd like to make her/him a special memory quilt some day. That would take a lot of time, however... I piece and sew by hand, never touched a machine. Here is a small wall quilt I made for a baby shower once.



It was the first thing I'd ever quilted, and I really think it came out well. In any case, that was a few years ago. Now, I just make ACEOs that look like quilts. :)



I still have to darken the writing on the pink one, but I like how they turned out. I'm not selling these, as they were made for specific people, but I wanted to share anyway. :)

Bad, bad internet...

... must... get... off... computer... so I can make things!!!

A Little Deviation from ACEOs Today

Today I felt impressed upon to post this Praise Report.

A woman whom I was friends with back in our church in NY had an unexpected stroke the other day. Well, after she was rushed to the hospital, the doctors called the family together and basically told them to say their goodbyes, because the woman would not make it through the night, and even if she did, she would be a vegetable. One of her faith-strong daughters stood up and said "I don't accept that". Well, thank God for His mercy and gift of faith, because not a half hour later the woman was sitting up in bed, fully cognitive and recovering. Glory to God!

It brings tears to my eyes as I write this. We can become all too caught up in the daily grind of life that we sometimes forget how good God really is. Do not become victims of circumstance, or believe the worst because every one else does. Remember who you serve, because He most certainly does NOT forget about you. :)

God Bless!!!
Jen

MY very own Cupcake!

So, inspired by all the cupcakey-goodness going around, I decided to try and make a cupcake-themed ACEO.

I had the perfect pale pink yarn, so I began by making the icing with the yarn in a circular formation. Then I illustrated the "cup" part with ink and colored pencils. I then added heart confetti for sprinkles, and painted around the entire cupcake with watercolor. After that, I made the quilt using pencils and marker. This is the final result. I think I like it (I'm always critical of my work).

Anyway, I'm finished, and I don't think it came out too bad. :P



And in other news... here is an ACEO I made the other day for my brother's girlfriend, who's birthday is tomorrow. Her favorite color is purple, and I hope she likes it!

Cupcakes!!!

OK, for the last two weeks or so, I have been on a cupcake craze. I never really thought about them much in my life, in fact, I couldn't care less. The only memory at all I have of them is that when I was a little kid I brought some that my mom made into school for my bday, and the kids all complained that they tasted like soap. Maybe they did, I don't remember. You know how kids can be.

Anyhow, I've absolutely fallen in love with all things cupcake recently, and in lieu of actually having some to eat, I decided to appease my addiction with what else? Etsy!

Here we have the most adorable cupcake baby hats! I totally adore these, and am seriously considering getting one in the future... (once my baby is actually born, of course!) These wonderful hats are made by NinisHandmades! Go check her shop out, there are plenty more, and all different!

Next, we have cupcake ACEOs! I should consider myself kind of fortunate for not having spending money right now, or I'd buy all of these up, right away! DianaEvans makes fantastic ACEOs. Go have a look!

CraftydsCreations has such adorable embellishments, among many other items for Valentines Day and Easter! Aren't these cupcakes the best???

How about cupcake earrings? PoppyPenny has them!

And lastly, what could be better than a personalized cupcake pillow! Even if you're on a diet, you can totally snuggle up to this beauty with no guilt! Go see KimsMissPrissyshop!

OK, I've so gotta find a job so I can get some stuff... wonder if they'll hire a 3rd-trimester preggo lady who can't hide it anymore???

Favorites!

I've been in the mood today to spread the love, so I decided to make a post today featuring some of my favorite sellers on http://www.etsy.com ! Please take a look at their work, they really are exceptional artists. Enjoy!

I have been following the work of Nati Pierandrei for years now, ever since I first discovered her illustrations. I love her style and subject matter, and really enjoy the expressions she manages to make on her characters. Really beautiful work!

Next, we have the wonderful art of Carambatack! I adore the unique way she uses collage to fill in her illustrated characters hair. It looks hard to do, and they come out fantastic!

Now, JessicaDoyle made this absolutely adorable Deco Bird, that I just had to include because it's one of my favorite items!

Take a look at Paperelle's Shop! She makes wonderful jewelry, and isn't this gocco print card the best? If I am having a baby girl, I'm so using these cards as announcements!

EllieLee makes wonderful ACEOs, especially this one, which actually brought me to tears when I saw it. Positively beautiful! No matter what we're facing in life, we always have something to give thanks to God about.

Well that's it for now. I do hope you enjoy their shops, and this beautiful day. I hear it's on the warmer side in NY for once! It's a little breezy here on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, but a stunning day nonetheless. Now, all of you... get off the computer and go make something!