Oh Joy!

oh my goodness gracious, you guys! i have been super anxious about the new Oh Joy! for target line and it's finally here! it hit most stores on sunday but our target got the line yesterday.  i cannot believe how lucky i was to score some amazing pieces including the cake stand that i've been coveting since i first saw pictures of the collection.  i got cups, a reusable shopping bag and noisemakers, as well.  there was a green pitcher and a tray i really wanted but my wallet was telling me to take a break. i also picked up a few other small goodies (not party of Oh Joy) including a couple of kaleidoscopes, washi tape, pencils and a hot pink honeycomb ball because... duh.   i had a gift card that i was saving for summer clothes but i think this was more appropriate. i need a good guilt-free shopping spree and it came at a perfect time.  

the best thing about this collection is how inspiring it's been. i have always wanted to be able to design my own products (i know that i technically do that now but i mean in a larger, licensing to places like target, kind of way) and seeing all these beautiful things from a gal who blogs and creates for a living really motivates me to work so much harder to achieve my dreams.  i am happy to surround myself with these colorful reminders that success really can happen with lots of hard work.

now i need to throw a party. i could make a cake... !

check out all the goods on the Oh Joy blog here.

sweet dreams.

end of the break

it is the end of spring break and i still have this obnoxious head cold and all i want to do is lay down. i still managed to plow my way through it and get lots of new things made with lots of ideas for more making.  tonight i added 6 new things to my shop!

remember those watercolor banners that i started and then became overwhelmed by?  i was given the good advice to start with mock-up so i could get a feel for what i was doing. that idea turned into making mini banners. i got three finished and cannot wait to make more and more.

here they are. click the image to see details in my shop.

i also finished two medallion pieces. i know i said i would make five but the little mini baners started to take over my life.  once again, click image for details in my shop.

and, because i sold one of these garlands this week, i made a new one to fill it's place in the shop.

i hope you aren't looking at these pics and shaking your head at me. seeing them all together like this makes me realize that the last two and a half hours of editing was apparently all in vain because the pics are either way too red or way too blue. i swear i thought i was getting better!

i'll fix it when my head isn't pounding.

i've been obsessed with this trailer and the song in it. it's all i've been singing this whole week.  i want to watch the movie but i'm not ready for how crazy sad it's going to be. in the meantime i'll just keep singing.




thank you for looking in on me. xoxo

Fever Dreams

This productive work week has so far been a slight fail.  I am at least blogging regularly and am working in my studio but it is still at the snailiest of all snail's paces. 

 I finished this today. I don't know what to make of it. I kind of love it and I kind of things it's so weird.  

What is weirder is cutting off these animal heads and mounting them on an xacto knife while I cover them in glitter. It's kind of like a big fever dream. I have been under the weather since Monday so that may be why I am moving slowly.  Spring is making it's way back and it's bringing sinus pressure with it but I promise I will not complain. I am so happy to hear the birds chirping again and to see the sun staying longer and longer each day.

 I am working on more medallions and hope to actually finish at least five before the week is done. I think I am really just procrastinating making those banners that I mentioned the other day.  I keep staring at them from across the room and am hoping the perfect idea for them will strike very soon. I am still watching Friends on loop so maybe I should do portraits of each of the actors on them. Friends is still cool, right?

My studio is a total wreck but what else is new? I feel like stopping and cleaning it would just mean more procrastination so I'm going to power through the mess.

Are you on Spring Break? If so, are you booze cruisin' or having a staycation?  Send me postcards!

Hot Cakes

The other day Bryanne came over and we made cakes.  We don't get to hang out nearly enough but when we do we always put our time to good use and work on something creative. 

I have been wanting to make cakes lately really badly. I blame pinterest and all the gorgeous cakes that are circling the 'net.  I thought it was going to be so easy and we were going to make the most beautiful cakes and I was already dreaming about having my own business and making cakes for everyone in town.  

After buying lots of cheap supplies we set to work with very little clue on what we were doing. It seemed like it would be intuitive.  Turns out cake making is really really hard...

The cake above is my first attempt and the cake below is Bryanne's.  Not exactly what I was expecting!  I started out very timid because I wanted it to be perfect. Once I realized that perfection wasn't going to happen I was finally able to go wild.  

I admired Bryanne's fearlessness because she dove in headfirst.  

Bryanne set up a "photo booth" so we could document our cakes.  As we worked we laughed and laughed at how badslashbeautiful the cakes were. They weren't perfect gorgeous cakes but I couldn't help but fall in love with each one.

After we used every last scrap of cake and icing we could find we wanted to take glamour shots of our cakes all together.  Setting up the table for this was just as fun as making the cakes.  

As I mentioned in my last post I have been so afraid of making mistakes with my work but I wasn't afraid with these cakes.  I feel like I learned a good lesson.  I  am already planning my next cake baking session and dreaming of the many candies and colors I will use. And maybe I'll make a triple layer cake that doesn't lean. Or maybe I won't and I'll love it anyway.

Making Stuff

Since the time change it feels like the days are zooming by faster than I'd like. I am on "spring break" this week and I am trying to settle in to my old routine of being a stay-at-home bunny mom.  I rearranged my house and ate cold pizza for breakfast. So far so good.

A few weeks ago I made this skateboard art for a local skateboard art show. It is my favorite thing I have made in a long time.  

Now during my work hiatus I am trying to work on some wall hangings that are inspired by the skateboard. I have been moving at a snail's pace on this because I second guess everything.  And my studio is freezing cold.  And I could come up with a million more excuses if you've got some time...

I am just being a scaredy cat. I don't know why I get so afraid of failing.  I didn't let myself worry when I made the skateboard piece so why is this holding me back?

So I am trying to loosen up and work on these little paper ornaments before I go back to the banners.

And I am working on not taking things too seriously. I am so uptight for someone who uses hot pink and turquoise in my work.

What do you do when you're afraid of art making?