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!

Yay Productivity!

A beautiful day here in sunny Cali... went to the mall this morning, paid a little on my Sears card, bought a few neededs at Target,
cleaned the apartment with my sister-in-law, made an ACEO that I'm proud of, and tonight, it's bonfire on the beach time! I'm diggin' life. :)

Here we are, the end result of my new ACEO (see the original a few posts down.) I'm not sure how it came out... what do you think?

Aloquin

Hello every one! I hope this post finds you all in good health and happy demeanors.

I have decided (upon your participation, of course) to create a zine of ACEOs. This will be
paperback, 8.5 by 5.5, and black and white, to start (due to funds). Depending on the
success of this one, I may make more.

What I need from you! ANYONE who is interested, please contact me. I am looking for:
ACEO/ATC submissions (work you want featured in the zine), stories or related articles
written by you about ACEOs, your history with them, knowledge of them, anticdotes, etc.

This will be by ACEO lovers for every one! The end result will be sold on etsy. For your
contribution, you will get a copy of the issue for free.

I feel really great about this. What do you all think? Is it something you'd like to be a part of?
Let me know!

Aloquin

Inappropriate Chat Rooms and our Underage Children

I woke up thinking about the above topic this morning due to a certain chat room I saw on etsy last night, and I decided to post this thread:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6019772

Little did I know it would cause such discussion. I am both intrigued by certain opinions, and apalled by others. The only point I was trying to make is this:

etsy.com is a site to buy and sell art/crafts. That is the function of the site. There are plenty of other places on the net to go to have sex discussions other than etsy. Well, apparently not every one feels this way. What do you think?

Crafting vs... time?

It takes a long time to get every thing done, from making ACEOs, to organizing material, getting online and covering blogs, etsy, emails, etc. By the time I'm ready to actually sit down and make something, so much time has been spent already.

My husband tells me that I take on too much. But he doesn't understand... this is what I love to do. Today is his day off, and he wants to walk to the library. It's a beautiful day in Cali, and it probably would be good to go out for a walk. But I've got orders to get together and send off, and then more stuff to make. Oh, I need a widget to manage my time!

Anyway, for now... here is my latest ACEO that I'm working on. What do you think? I will add the color I get done to it later.

Oh where, oh where

did my Etsy go? It's down for maintenance... what WILL I do with myself? OH, there's the bed... perhaps I'll try sleeping. And dreaming of Etsy. ;) Good night!

Oh yeah, and another of my ACEOs sold tonight, and I didn't have to do any promoting this time! Love it when that happens.

And the winner is...

DigitalMisfit! Congrats to you! Please send me your address so I can send you out your Hummingbird ACEO. Thank you very much to all who participated, your comments are appreciated! God bless!

ACEOs in the Sugar Cafe!

Yesterday was spent in the city of San Francisco, completely away from the computer! I spent most of my time here:

http://www.sugarcafesf.com/

working on ACEOs. The atmosphere is fantastic... I am really beginning to love that place! Well, here is one I made.



I will be choosing the winner of my blog giveaway later this evening. If you haven't entered yet, now is a good time!

Blog Giveaway!

Hi! I'm doing a promotional giveaway, and this is the ACEO print of my original illustration that you could win-

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEHksCcxlOGeoD1KR_T40bV2ABXhRSkKxA6HJYoQ5btcMZ8vtwmAruCwkBrCyER5ERzbC_cMNNc0bquwr7G4J2ljw9gM4AgxWhT6d6pf7FEU4Pnn7irIAg52WsN-fLJ1LN92ZngZsVCWv/s1600-h/bird.jpg

It is very simple to enter. All you have to do is comment here on my blog. But there is one catch! You also have to become a follower of my blog. I am interested in blogging for people who really want to read about my crafts and all that's involved. So please, don't become a follower if you aren't going to read. But my posts are always short and to the point, and usually accompanied by a picture or two :).

Today is Friday, Jan 22. I'll be choosing the winner on Sunday night using random.org, and the winner will receive my hummingbird ACEO.

Thank you all for stopping by. I look forward to your comments/support!

-Aloquin

Prismacolor Pencils

I was outbid on Ebay for my Prismacolor pencils! This is war... ;)

In other news, I received my first ever ACEO (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals) yesterday in the mail from http://www.ryanscreations.etsy.com and I am so pleased with it. It is an absolutely beautiful print, and I am so happy to have it.
Hopefully some other ones I've acquired will arrive in the mail later...

Also, wanted to make every one aware of a blog giveaway going on right now, it's one of the coolest I've seen so far. Please check out:
http://www.garritygal.blogspot.com

today and tomorrow, leave a comment, and perhaps you'll win something very cute and precious.

Freebies!

OK, so you know how people usually send a little extra sumthin' special with their ETsy product? Here, I made bookmarks tonight to send to every one who bought an ACEO from me lately. What do you think? I dig how they came out...

Internet radio and crafting?

Who listens to music while crafting? Well, who DOESN'T?

I'm sure every one has internet radio that they listen to, but have you heard the best one yet?

Jump on the bandwagon, and experience internet radio like you never have before! Cyber-FM IS Mainstream for the Underground, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. You've tried the rest, now actually come and experience the BEST-

http://www.cyber-fm.com

Like 50s? What about 80s? Are you a techno-freak? They've got what you're looking for!

Do You MFTU? Check it out!

The WINNER!

Hello every one! As a lot of you know, I had a min-contest the other day on the etsy forums about comments regarding my blog.
Well, the winner of a brand new, never-before-seen ACEO is http://www.metalleaves.etsy.com ! So, congrats to you, MetalLeaves, and thanks to every one who participated!

Here are some new ACEOs that I made yesterday while sitting nearly all day in a cafe in San Francisco. Take a look to the left at my etsy-mini... that's where they are!

The people are so laid back around here in San Fran, it's not like NY at all! I still miss NY greatly, however.

Lost at Sea Original ACEO

Well, I finished the new ACEO I'd been working on (see 2 posts below for the original). I don't know if I'm happy with the colors, but my husband Ben tells me that it came out really well. We'll see. Anyway, here she is, and another one I finished today. Let me know what you think!

Time keeps on slippin'...

I can't create crafts if I'm on the computer! I so need to find a balance between the two... anyhow, I'll post some pics of the recent ACEOs I've made, even though some of them aren't mine anymore (I like making sales, but miss my favorite items). Hope every one else is having a productive day!

Welcome to my blog!

Hello every one, and welcome to my blog!

My name is Aloquin, and I make all sorts of crafts that I sell on the best site on the web for handmade items: http://www.etsy.com. I make every thing from knitted items to soap, polymer clay magnets to illustrated prints, and a whole lot in between!

My latest addiction are ACEOs, which stands for: Art Cards, Editions, and Originals. They are art cards that every one can make, the one and only rule being their size, which is 2.5 x 3.5, the size of a standard baseball card. OK enough with the technical jargon!

I only began selling my ACEOs about 2 weeks ago, but already I've received a lot of support, sales, and, most importantly, friends! I've decided to make this blog to keep up to date with them, while sharing my own adventures in creativity. Please, come back often, as I will update regularly. And, just for visiting, here is a pic of a new illustrated ACEO I'm currently working on!
God Bless you!