1. not exorbitant or extravagent by city standards, however in a rural setting (like upstate new york) it is in fact, quite fancy.
2. a wonderful blog dedicated to art, design and other things that are indeed upstate fancy.
READIN' NOW
If you love a fun, easy, DIY project, check out these Teatowels-turned-cushions by artist Sarah Young! Screenprinted onto cotton Tea Towels, you can cut and sew the design into your own little pillows for your bed or sofa! They are so bright and colorful, and if you cant decide on your favorite, you can order the entire set! I think these would make really cute gifts too, for the crafty folks in your life!
I’ve been working hard over the las few months to set up a crowd funding campaign with etsy’s new crowd funding platform, Fund on etsy. It’s been a lot of hard work ( I had to talk on camera AHHH!) but I am really excited about expanding the peppersprouts universe into T-shirts and bags. Now I just need you to help me turn this project into a reality!
Each design started as a pencil sketch, then I spiffied them up with ink before scanning them into the computer for some real nit-picky finalization of the design. I had so much fun during the process, I even made a process video you can watch over on etsy to see how a sketch becomes a final design. For this campaign I have also discounted everything, so not only do you get to help me turn my sketches into wearable art, you get to save a couple bucks off the retail price they will be once the campaign ends!
I would love if you could help spread the word on your social media too! If you don’t know what to say…. feel free to copy and paste “Help @peppersprouts kick start her new apparel line at etsy.me/1GyTn9E #fundonetsy” I’m sure you can come up with something better, but It would mean the world to me if you could help spread the word! There are just 2.5 weeks left in my campaign.
I love knitting! A few years ago my Mother-in_law taught me how to knit, and I just freaking love it! Which of course means, a lot of friends and family are probably tired of knitted gifts! But tough luck! Socks for everyone! I recently picked up a set of watercolors, to get back into some illustration, so for my fist little project I hand lettered this little knitting inspired piece. If you love knitting, or know someone who does.. You can download an 8×10 to print out and frame for your little knitting corner! (personal use only of course, I would fall on the floor and shrivel away if you tried to sell my illustration without my permission!)
As a kid I loved writing my name in the front cover of my books. Especially the Little Golden Books, they had a little illustrated bookplate printed right inside, ready to be scribbled on. When eve I find myself browsing vintage book stores, I love pulling a book off the shelf with high hopes of discovering a germ of a bookplate pasted inside, I have actually become pretty good at guessing which ones will have one and which will not. You should try it sometime when you find yourself surrounded by shelves of those beautiful dusty gems!
I have been wanting to design some bookplates, for quite a while, but have’t found the time or really the right way to go about it. Until now of course! I only have a few styles so far, but I couldn’t be happier with them, and I look forward to expanding the selection over at The Chatty Press, as summer turns to fall and the air fills with the scents of sharpened pencils and text books. I would love to make you, or your favorite bookworm, a personal bookplate that can be stamped over and over again as the library grows. Take a peek at the shop and maybe get a holiday order in to beat the rush!
I hope you all have a very Happy Valentines Day. I felt it was time to step away from the computer and break out my nibs and ink. It’s nice to make things on paper instead of the screen. I hope today you will take time to step away from the computer and spend time with someone special.
This week I found myself having to break out the hoodies and scarves. There is a chill in the air, the leaves here in Maine are starting to turn magnificent colors and I have started getting ready for the holiday season (crazy I know). Autumn really is my favorite season, I love being able to wear jeans everyday and work in the studio with the windows open, I wish it was fall all year long. I have a feeling illustrator Teagan White may feel the same way.
Many of her watercolor illustrations feature adorable woodland friends having a grand time in the great outdoors. If you are dying to to dress up your walls with her cheerful prints you can visit her society6 page, where you can also take home her awesome work on a new iphone case or perhaps a hoodie to add to your wall wardrobe.
I’ve been playing around with textures in photoshop this week. So I decided to mix a little illustration in with some fun textures and create a new desktop background for May. You can download this fun illustration right here for your favorite screen size: 2560 x 1440 • 1920 x 1200 • 1600 x 1024 • 1280 x 1024
I love finding new amazing artists by complete accident. Today I was google-image-hunting (its a thing) for a transit map of Walt Disney World, and I found a really great one on wolfstad’s flickr stream. So then I decided to check out what other cool things they might have pictures of, and I stumbled upon a few shots taken at a craft show and there was one print that was just beautiful I had to know who it was by. Luckily this wonderful flick user had a pretty hi-res version of the photo so I could see the title of the work and the artists’ signature. After a quick pop into google, I found Marina Teraud! I am just in love with her nature and bird etchings and so happy I found them while looking for a Disney map! Thanks Wolfstad you have great taste in art!
Okay, well it’s not exactly a letter from Roald Dahl, but if I received a parcel or card feating these amazing stamps from the UK, I would be just as excited to receive it. Royal Mail has released a set of tribute stamps featuring the illustrated work of the amazing Roald Dahl. If you grew up with his stories, I’m sure you are pleased as punch to see his work commemorated in a stamp. My favorite as a child was Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, the sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but as an adult I am simply spellbound by a collection of his short stories entitled Tales of the Unexpected. I highly recommend this anthology if you like stories with a little twist at the end. If only i lived in the UK and could send out all of my correspondence with Fantastic Mr. Fox.
In honor of a very Harry Potter weekend I leave you with this!
