Crafty Peeps

iheartfink - some of our newest designs

2009-10-06T13:53:00.012-07:00

Devil Doll Dress - the dress in our Bust Magazine Ad

some of our newest designs available in our shop on Etsy.

we recently joined ArtFire...not so sure about it, but there were several nice options that made it interesting enough to try. Etsy is far more attractive than ArtFire - but we do want more traffic and customers, so we are open to new things! Trunkt has been great - a beautiful site that is also very organized and has proved to be helpful in getting people over to our shop on Etsy.
we have a small ad in the newest issue of Bust magazine. it's tiny, but we used a bold design that does stand out on the page! if you check out the new Bust, look near the back for a group of small ads.

Bust Magazine
iheartfink on ArtFire
iheartfink on Trunkt

yes yes and yes please

2009-09-18T20:00:00.010-07:00

beautiful coolness.
delicious amazingness.
fantastic gorgeousness.

New Ways for iheartfink

2009-09-16T20:27:00.004-07:00

we have learned so much from our Etsy experience and we are ready to make some changes to make our items available to more people. we have been making one of a kind items from the get go...this won't change. but now, we offer many of the items we make from scratch in large, medium and small sizes at the price listed. because we print each item by hand and make them from scratch without patterns, they will each be unique and special! we will use a standard size chart for sizing and we use cotton knit fabric, so it's flexible and has a nice amount of give for complete comfort.
we also offer custom orders for 25% more. for custom orders we will make the item to the customers exact measurements and custom print the fabric in the desired colors. we love doing it this way so we know we are making something especially for that person.
you know...we just love doing what we do. all of it!

iheartfink has new things

2009-09-06T20:25:00.008-07:00

just a few of our newest designs available in our shop on Etsy.
iheartfink on etsy

I must say, I've grown quite fond of Twitter! follow us here ~
iheartfink on twitter

yes yes and yes...sweet 60s!

2009-08-31T08:35:00.008-07:00

just a little eye candy

new designs - iheartfink

2009-08-26T06:15:00.007-07:00

3 new dresses
iheartfink

*highlight of the week - I got a Bernina sewing machine and well, it's amazing! now Karen and I both use Bernina machines for iheartfink designs. I have been using singer for many years and they are sturdy and fine - but this one...this Bernina!...she is purrrfect!

Accessories by iheartfink

2009-08-22T18:54:00.008-07:00

wallets by iheartfink

we print recycled cotton fabric with our original art, sew the body with recycled plastic for the outside by machine and finish them with lots of hand sewing and a snap closure. Each wallet is one of a kind! Karen (my iheartfink partner and bff) has been carrying one of our wallets around new york and people ask her about it a lot...so we thought we would list a few in our shop on Etsy.

what we get up to....

2009-08-19T17:35:00.008-07:00

We found a few new wonderful sites to promote our designs...we now have a portfolio on Trunkt and have had an image of our hood wrap (London Calling) accepted and displayed on craftgawker. Printing and sewing is what we do most of the time, but it's well worth the effort to spend a bit of time promoting! We are both working on new art for new screen print designs and have a few fun ideas for fall designs.
busy busy busy
*coffee is a good friend in these busy times*

yayy!!!

2009-08-17T15:55:00.004-07:00

Last week was a very exciting week for iheartfink...we were the feature artists on Etsy Wednesday through Friday (midday). I gotta tell ya, when I saw that convo about the interview and being featured artist...I just said to my boyfriend "high five...c'mon...high five!" he said "what? why...oh, ok" then I told him and made him give me like 5 more. and then I called Karen - if we were in the same town there would have been some high fives with her, too! It was really cool and a lot of fun.
I made a little slide show of our work (above) to celebrate. fun fun FUN.
we heart Etsy xoxo

new designs - iheartfink

2009-08-10T18:57:00.009-07:00

more from our studios...we stay very busy!
we only use our original art for the screen printing...and we do all of the screen printing ourselves. we have added some new designs for our prints and always print them in a very artistic way - small batches at a time or for recycled we just print the item then redesign it with lots of sewing. it's impossible to ever have two things be the same with our technique and we love that about what we do!

Bust Ad

2009-07-27T22:51:00.004-07:00

yay! just came out and it's pretty small, but we are happy to start somewhere. We have worked pretty hard to get to this point and are very excited to advertise our work in such a cool magazine!
***August/September issue of Bust magazine***

brand new, you're retro

2009-07-23T19:27:00.006-07:00

some of our newest designs!
wayyy retro (can't help ourselves)
we are in the process of making new screens...that means lots of new art and prints for our designs. we do all of the screen printing by hand using our original art - and we enjoy every second of it! we are always working on new items and list frequently on Etsy, so check out our shop when you get a chance.

new summer clothes by Fink

2009-07-14T19:26:00.012-07:00

three of our newest creations. all of the above are made from recycled materials and screen printed by us with our original art.
these items are available in our shop on etsy!

**we love summer. love it!

Hey! Karen will be at the Brooklyn Indie Market this weekend...if you are in NYC and want to see some of our designs in person, you can head over to Brooklyn and check it out. You will probably meet lots of cool Etsy peeps!
Brooklyn Indie Market

iheartfink...

2009-07-08T08:42:00.004-07:00

our newest creations

Our shop is filled with original designs...raw and fresh from the studio and our imaginations. We get lots of questions about sizing so I thought I would write a little about that today.

We list items that come straight out of our studios and price them reasonably so we can offer custom designs based on the original design. We never duplicate our designs, but we do offer custom versions made to fit each customer. We ask for measurements and it takes from 3 days to a couple of weeks, depending on the fabric design. We print small batches of fabric with our original designs by hand...so if we need to order the fabric then print, it can take a bit longer. If we happen to have large quantities of a particuar fabric, we tend to print like mad and sometimes have enough of that original print to use it for a custom. The great thing about our process is that it keeps things fresh and inspired for us, so each item we create is "alive" and inspired. The great thing about our process for our customers is that every item purchased is a true one of a kind and totally unique.

summer time

2009-07-04T08:17:00.006-07:00

some of our newest creations

now available in our shop on Etsy

we LOVE summer :-)

a real cool time...

2009-06-25T18:53:00.005-07:00

our newest dress...a mini made from two recycled t shirts. we screen printed the green tee with our logo using metallic gold ink...and covered the red tee with our stripe design in a variety of colors...then we put the two together and went to town reforming and reshaping to fit in a flattering way.
we just listed this little number on Etsy tonight!

what we do

2009-06-24T18:20:00.005-07:00

we stay busy. very busy. and it's because we love what we do! we just listed these two new tops in our shop on Etsy this week. lots more to come!
***we just bought our first ad ... ever...in Bust Magazine. it will be in the August issue and we are pretty excited! it's small but ya gotta start somewhere, right!?

bold as love top

2009-06-22T22:17:00.005-07:00

one of our newest tops...bold as love. it's bold and really really comfortable, too.
the cape-like collar is versatile and looks really cute down with an almost sailor shirt style...but up...my god, it's very dramatic and very cool.
handmade from scratch, screen printed with our original cabbage flower design and one of a kind!

lady stardust frock

2009-06-15T19:29:00.005-07:00

our newest design - made from scratch
we used our stripe design and heavily screen printed black cotton fabric in gold and blue
from there we made this far out frock
looks great dressed up...or over jeans or leggings
we just listed this little beauty in our shop on Etsy today.

new fink tunic

2009-06-14T16:28:00.006-07:00

our newest design...the So Mystifying tunic. handmade and one of a kind garment ...original design, original art screen printed by hand by us.
we found this huge recycled cotton tshirt XL...we cut, printed, sewed and loved it into this new form. a lovely flattering fit and also very comfortable and unique.
now available in our shop on Etsy.

new art for iheartfink!

2009-06-13T09:44:00.005-07:00

We are so excited about our newest art! Karen designed the amazing wild mushroom design seen on the purple top...so out-there we absolutely love it! and I designed the onion on the red top...it's been a blast to print. Both garments are now available in our shop on Etsy!

mirit weinstock miss mi project

2009-06-10T08:10:00.006-07:00

Mirit Weinstock found me on flickr and asked me to participate in this amazing fashion project. She sends her clothes to self portrait artists around the world and uses those photos in this amazing collection. The number of girls/photos is growing and it's a lot of fun to look at! check it out ~ miss mi project
my portfolio on miss mi

fink headbands

2009-06-08T16:16:00.005-07:00

two of the headbands now available in our shop on Etsy.
we made these lovable pieces very reasonable...$12! screen printed by hand using our original art on 100% cotton jersey fabric. super cozy. super duper cute. oh...and each one is one of a kind.
we have even more in the shop...iheartfink on Etsy.

new fink tee

2009-06-05T17:35:00.004-07:00

we entered this new top into a tshirt contest...our original fink logo - screen printed by hand on a recycled cotton top. Lots of cutting & sewing to make it figure flattering...then we added black and white striped inserts on each side (our original stripe design screen printed on black recycled fabric) for a bit of flare and fun.

iheartfink - we've been busy!

2009-02-15T22:48:00.006-07:00

...and lots to come!
iheartfink

iheartfink - our newest top

2008-09-05T07:18:00.007-07:00

our newest top - now available on Etsy! we love this pointed hood...oh yeah, there will be more like this to come!

we named this Witchy Woman. check out our shop for details.

http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

iheartfink - new tops on Etsy

2008-08-30T14:18:00.005-07:00

our three newest listings on Etsy.

all handmade from scratch, one of a kind - our original art silkscreened by hand - our original design sewn by us. unique and special!

http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

Upcycled Garments by iheartfink

2008-08-05T16:09:00.005-07:00

Two of our newest tops - upcycled tees altered by sewing and silkscreening with our original art. Each top is one of a kind and now available on Etsy!

http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

a little bit about me - the human behind the blog

2008-07-30T13:59:00.004-07:00

I was looking through blogs today (from the forums on Etsy) and saw a wonderful idea - get to know me better Wednesday. Very cute - I love it. I thought I would start today with some basics ~

I'm a mom. I have an 8yo daughter (the most darling person I have ever known!)

3 chickens, 2 parakeets, 2 sisters

I ride my bicycle or walk. I can drive but don't. I live in Santa Fe (right in town) so it's easy to live without a car.

I have a part time job at a hair salon. My boss opened this salon 4 yrs ago - we had worked together at another salon and when he opened this salon, I went with him... we are pretty much like family. We argue, we laugh a lot, we care about each other. It's a cool job. I basically know how he likes things to be - how to make it all work well day to day - and I know his clients and they freak out if I'm not there *they neeed me : )

I am pretty energetic - I don't sit still for long. I sew (clothing, hats, a variety of other accessories), paint, draw, book binding, lino cuts, collage, lots of other odd creations and art (I have an art blog - http://pillboxproductions.blogspot.com/ , play a variety of instruments, bake pretty good pies, play cards and take lots of photos....

Coffee is very important to me.

Laughing is very important to me. I have some very funny friends - I cherish them.

I can be very impatient, a little bossy and a little edgy sometimes.

My favorite color is green (if I have to pick one, red and green if I pick two).

My house is filled with odd little things that seem to entertain guests. It's very colorful.

I love animals...all of them.

I am really freaked out by spiders.

I am not shy but a little too shy to be a clown - otherwise that is what I would be doing right now. I saw this amazing clown from Alaska - realllly cute, really cool, very funny. Not creepy at all. He made me want to be a clown.

Wow, hope that's not the most boring thing you have ever read!

party time

2008-07-25T14:14:00.008-07:00

My newest hats are made from recycled papers! I use several layers of newspaper for each hat and a variety of fun recycled papers as the top layer - each hat will be one of a kind. I sew them with my machine first then do all of the details by hand (sewing)and finish them with a layer of varnish. The elastic band is sewn to the hat as well. I came up with idea late the other night when I was wondering what kind of hat I could make for under $10 that would be fun for everyone! I started by making the pattern from newspaper - you would think I would have a party hat around to copy...I don't! So I just made it up and it's a bit taller than your average party hat, but I think I like it better that way. Many more to come - the two you see here are available in my shop on Etsy.

http://pillboxproductions.etsy.com/

Unique Cuffs - Girly Stuff

2008-07-16T13:54:00.008-07:00

I really love the cuffs on vintage gowns...that is what inspired me to make cuffs one can add to any dress or outfit for a sweet and very retro finishing touch. I like them as a set and originally imagined them over plain long sleeves. Now I really like them with sleeveless tops and short sleeves, too. I started with sets and now I am working on single cuffs to wear more like a bracelet. My studio is full of wonderful old things just begging to be something new...the ones you see here are available in my shop on Etsy. Like everything I make, each set and cuff is one of a kind and handmade.

http://pillboxproductions.etsy.com/

Work Is Good

2008-07-09T06:32:00.003-07:00

work is gooood. no work is no good - Antonio

Antonio was my neighbor, landlord and friend many years ago in Cambridge, MA. He lived on the first floor of the house and I rented the second and third floor. Very very sweet man from Portugal - he barely spoke English but would ask if I was on my way to work when he saw me with my bicycle...then he would say "work is goood. no work is no good"...then he would hug me! I have been very busy sewing and with art book projects. I love the work (not so much for other people and very much for myself) I am working on new designs and concepts right now between other sewing projects. Very exciting to feel inspired. I love summer.

Fink Wallets

2008-06-11T08:07:00.004-07:00

One of our wallets made it to the front page of Etsy the other day...really exciting since we just started making them! We are working with more recycled materials and will be entertaining all kinds of ideas! We have two listed in our shop on Etsy right now and have more to come. We are printing in small batches and making each wallet a little different with lots of hand sewing and special details. New prints coming soon along with larger bags and aprons!

http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

Mini Indie

2008-04-09T07:08:00.007-07:00

Some of our newest creations are mini indie - handmade and one of a kind for KIDS! I made one little dress for my daughter and it is so flippin cute...had to make more! We just listed the little red mini tee dress on Etsy last night - the other designs will be listed on Etsy over the next couple of days and there will be lots more to come (sizes/styles for children)

see http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

My Melancholy Baby

2008-02-21T21:18:00.003-07:00

Our newest dress is a bohemian style mini with a plunging neck line. Super sexy and totally unique. We use our original art for the silkscreens our original designs for each piece - no two are EVER the same! See our shop on Etsy for a variety of designs, art and colors ~

http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

Fink Designs

2008-02-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

Over the last week or so we have created new pieces for our shop on Etsy. Some of the above are listed and some will be in this next week. We are now working on mini-dresses, hoods, more t's and retro reversible kerchiefs - our vision is retro-sexy yet everyday-modern....nouveau flowerchild chic! Each piece is handmade from scratch, silkscreened using our original art and one of a kind. Check our our shop on Etsy when you get a chance ~

http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

Two Dames

2008-01-21T21:55:00.001-07:00

Karen and I have been friends for over 13 years. We are a couple of crafty girls and have lots of crafty ideas. Our shop is called iheartfink. We are using our original art for our silkscreened clothing...everything is made from scratch - fabric, ink, ideas, love, coffee, laughing, swearing and sewing. We silkscreen the fabric with our designs first (by hand, at home) then make the clothes. Here are a few things we listed recently on Etsy ~ http://iheartfink.etsy.com/

The Mostly Mellow Weekend

2008-01-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Our Mostly Mellow Weekend in Santa Fe

Saturday was all about cleaning my daughters room **alllll day** then we went to a CD release party last night at the Santa Fe Brewing Company. My friend Joe West put on a great show and it really packed the house! We had lots of fun (and a couple of beers) then made our way home. Today was sunny and very casual around the house. Coffee, cartoons, music, a little laundry and just staring out of the window for awhile. Perfect! My delightful friend Gina helped us take loads of boxes to Goodwill then ran a few errands. Mellow yet productive. I always get a little sad on Sunday evening - I heart Sundays and it's sad to see them end!

Girly Girl

2008-01-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

These collars are so much fun to make. I got the cooolest custom order for a collar to match one of my bonnets....I love the idea so much I am working on other matching sets tonight. Here are a few of my latest (the tartan collar sold as part of a matching set, the others are listed in my shop on Etsy)

tiny valentines

2008-01-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

These tiny valentines are made from old 2x2" slide mounts and a variety of vintage papers. This is what I did on New Years Eve. Gotta love LOVE, right?!

a new year

2007-12-31T23:58:00.000-07:00

Hello 2008. Hello. I hope you like me as much as I like you.

Handmade Christmas

2007-12-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful handmade Christmas. There were some commercial toys, but the real magic was in the gifts I got from Etsy or made myself. I made handbags for friends and family this year and a couple of toys! I usually (and mostly) make hats - but I had some fun ideas for bags, so I went with it! My daughter and I made magnets using 1.5" google eyes for everyone - they look pretty funny on photographs or just to give the refrigerator eyes. The Miss Pacman cuff I got on Etsy from inhope for my daughter was a hit as well as the lovely leather rose from Leatherpedia. I bought the coolest Christmas gift for myself on Etsy...a rockin pair of shoes from goodgaudy **I will wear them in Self Portrait Thursday this week**

K Cringle

2007-12-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Deep December already and what the hell have I been doing? I haven't blogged since Dec 10?...woah! Well, I have been very busy making a variety of gifts for my peeps. It's so rewarding to consider each person and make something JUST for THEM. I find myself smiling as I work (rather than scowling at crabby shoppers at some crappy mall) I have a long way to go and very little time, but the ideas keep coming and who needs sleep anyway?!

Miss Lady

2007-12-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

I have a new product - inspired by a gift I received a few years ago from a co-worker. This unusual woman I worked with gave me a vintage faux fur collar. I love that thing. Love. Over the weekend, I made a pattern from it and made a few of my own. I listed two on Etsy just yesterday. They look darling over tops and dresses and really cute as a neclace. I just got started and it's another fun way to use the smallest pieces of vintage fabrics. I made another choker this weekend, too. I used a piece of the cotton rice bag (the one I used for the hat you see in the photos below) I love accessories and continue to find ways to use all these wonderful fabrics I have been collecting all these years!

2007-11-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

This week I relisted a few of my paper flowers on Etsy. I often hear how much better they are in person (that is so much better than the reverse situation!) I hand sew each flower and varnish them (heavily)...so they are very durable yet super light. Each brooch is one of a kind - that is true of all of my creations. I have more brooches in the works, these are just a few I couldn't leave behind! I swear, when I am being creative I feel like I want to live forever....total bliss!

Self Portraits

2007-11-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

This really made my week ~ Mike Steinhauer bought a print of a self portrait I took in October and posted in his blog! I got chills looking at this wonderful variety of self portraits as a group. It's really good and I am honored to be part of it! Self Portrait Gallery ~

http://selfportraitgallery.blogspot.com/

My World

2007-11-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

I took some shots around my house on Wednesday night. Most of the rooms in my house are lit with colorful bulbs (I rarely use white lights) and most of the things I collect and love look best in this lighting (me too, I suppose!) Dark, dusty, grainy, forgotten, lost, old, odd, rusty, broken, sad...mmm, my favorites!

Seven Things (I've been tagged)

2007-11-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by thankyouenjoy

7 things about me ~

1. I put little monster heads all over my house - anywhere they fit...it cheers me up

2. I bite my nails

3. I do not like celery

4. my hair is naturally blonde (though I prefer it black)

5. one of the best complements I have ever received was being called "betty crocker feminist"

6. sometimes just before I go to bed I put on tons of makeup...then I wash it all off

7. I collect old lunch boxes, old suitcases and little handpainted plaster animals I find second hand

the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
tagged:

Wear it Like You Mean it

The Magic Rabbit

2007-11-13T17:09:00.001-07:00

Today I came home to find two packages waiting for me. One from Annette - a VERY crafty peep - and the other was a package returned to me (the dreaded "Return to Sender").

The package returned was a hat sold and shipped to Canada. I have had problems shipping to Canada - mostly just taking waaayyyy to long...but this time it didn't even make it through customs. It had a note saying - no sender name in Arabic Numerals and/or Roman Letters. Um...I wrote my initials KRK and the post office I mailed the package from O.K.'d it. A drag, because now I fear mailing anything to Canada.

The package from Annette was so exciting to open! Annette LeBlanc Cate is my good friend from Boston (neither of us live there now)....she was my boss for the Dr.Katz show. She was the art director of that show and I did animation/art. She is the best...she made that job my favorite - EVER! Annette just had a wonderful childrens book published - The Magic Rabbit. She sent a copy for me and my daughter (I am very lucky, she signed it in the most special way) and sent a variety of other treasures for us to enjoy. It softened the blow of the returned package and her drawings brought back wonderful memories of working together on the Dr. Katz show. I love her drawings ~

***the old lady in the car killlls me and I l.o.v.e. those amazing shoes!

a few links for these things I am writing about!

http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/archive/2007/09/06/book-of-the-week-the-magic-rabbit.aspx

http://www.tv.com/dr-katz-professional-therapist/show/824/summary.html

Love

2007-11-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful collection of sock monkeys and this guy came to me without eyes. I gave him cartoon eyes (eyes that fill the eyeglasses) and now he is able to see again. I took his portrait and put him in this little rhinestone frame to show the love.

Friday Night and Saturday Sewing

2007-11-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

I finally got myself out of the house last night! I made it to one art opening at a new gallery on Marcy Street called Underground Gallery of Contemporary Art (it's in a very cool space below street level next to the most delicious restaurant in town-LaBoca) They had an opening for this fantastic painter Patrick Boyles...a nice turnout and really good art. After that I went to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame to see my friend Joe West and his band. It was packed and I drank more beer than I had planned on drinkin'. It was a pretty good time...but I kept thinking "you can't be too tired to sew tomorrow!"...so I took a taxi home just after midnight.

http://www.undergroundsantafe.com/
http://www.joewestmusic.com/

http://www.santafestation.com/cowgirl/index.html

I have been busy all week with a new hat style and have listed two on Etsy. It was inspired by a fantastic vintage hat I got as a gift when I lived in New Zealand. The one I have from the 60s is made with faux fur...but I love this style in a variety of fabrics. I have all day to finish a velvet version of this hat and will start a new hood with recycled vintage wool (I cannot get enough of this hood style! It's so unique and reallly cute!)

Mini Crafty Peep

2007-11-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

My daughter (8 yrs old) has been working on very colorful projects this weekend. She made a robot card for a friend of ours, a smiley pin using an old slide and several drawings for more slides. I love her colorful designs - they always make me smile!

happy halloween

2007-10-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

my kitchen window this morning

happy halloween

Girls Inc.

2007-10-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to a Girls Inc. fundraiser at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe. My daughter has been in the after school and summer program at Girls Inc. for two years. Today she spoke in front of a couple hundred people to tell them why she is strong, smart and bold. I cried. She said she is strong because she is confident ALL of the time, she is smart because she has designed her own line of robot tshirts and bold because she tries new things even if they are a little scary. She is also in the video/commercial for Girls Inc. talking about being a girl and how she can become everything she wants to be. WOW! I was so impressed with this function and spent the morning smiling, laughing and crying! It was really exciting and if you have a daughter, you may want to look into this program. They work on a sliding scale and take donations of all/any kind. I am really proud of my daughter and proud of the women who make this available to our girls!

End of October

2007-10-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, October of 2007 is nearly over and it was a busy month! My daughters birthday, school Halloween carnivals, guests in town...whew! It flew by for me and I am ready to get busy again with sewing. I spent most of yesterday sewing and made two hats I am really happy with.

I managed to cut my thumb (left hand) with my super sharp scissors and used cotton/tape to wrap it up good so that I could keep going. Later I used New Skin Liquid Bandage and now it almost looks like nothing happened. I really love that stuff - it actually WORKS. It does burn a little when you apply it, but it's worth it - it seals AND heals (no, I don't have stock in that company-though I should!) Today I will spend the day sewing! One more cup of coffee and a little more Etsy and I am ready to go!

I listed the pink floral hat on Etsy yesterday just after finishing it!

http://pillboxproductions.etsy.com/

kind words

2007-10-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

I found this plaque in a thrift store in Trinidad, Colorado this summer. I keep it in the kitchen above the chalkboard I use for lists of things to remember. I think it's very sweet!

X O x o

2007-10-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was inspired to make another ladies cummerbund. I found a wonderful piece of vintage fabric over the weekend and made it into this unique accessory! I used this vintage golden yellow fabric, lace, ribbon, yarn, vintage sew-on rhinestones and a button. This piece is machine and hand sewn (I used red yarn for the handstitched edge and black & red yarn for the x's on each end) A series of X's and O's - hugs and kisses! I just listed this cummerbund on Etsy this afternoon.

New Creations

2007-10-21T16:23:00.001-07:00

I managed to make new hats and brooches this week EVEN with a guest in town! It was some week - my friend visiting and my daughters birthday was on Wednesday...I thought it would be impossible to create more than a birthday cake and a nice place for a friend to stay. I did it! I had some late nights, early mornings, excellent coffee and good conversations to keep me going. Here are a few things I created and listed on Etsy.

My World

2007-10-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

I took a few photos of things around the house today - the light in this old house was just perfect! It was a little chilly but really sunny - I took these photos around 3pm.

Sew Busy!

2007-10-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

I had a busy weekend at home sewing. I drank coffee, listened to music - made a complete mess of my house! I made and listed a new hat in a new syle. It took most of Saturday to make the pattern, then I finished my first one like it on Sunday and listed it on Etsy. I really like this style and have started more like it with plaid fabrics. I have also started more of the quilted version of the hood (I love them quilted!) I have several brooches to list this week on Etsy and a few hats for Etsy and Dawanda. I sold my first hat on Dawanda last night (very exciting!) and it came as a wonderful surprise - I am new to that site. This weekend flew by! I look forward to the days that I have EVERY day ALL day to work on my creations. (Soon!)

Process and Inspiration

2007-10-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

I got up at around 7am today. Coffee, internet rounds (Etsy, Flickr, Dawanda, Indiepublic)...more coffee, then to the studio. First I worked on brooches - my latest version is a corsage. I finished two and have three more that are nearly done. Then I started a new hat pattern inspired by a vintage hat I found at a thrift store for my daughter. The one I found is like a beanie with ear flaps - made with velvet. I found a little guy at the thrift store yesterday that reminded me I had to work on this (his hat is dark green like the hat I found)! I am getting there with the new hat! I am now making the first one with the pattern I made earlier today (so far so good) I hope to have some ready this week for Etsy, Dawanda and an upcoming local Christmas art fair. ahhh, it's been a good day!

Ingeniously Creative

2007-10-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! I love this blog ~ IngeniouslyCreative! The author is Carol - she is very sweet and has a great blog about artists. She just wrote a little something about my work and I feel very special! You will also find links to Carols shop and other great artists shops! Check it out!

http://ingeniouslycreative.blogspot.com/

Coffee Break

2007-10-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

...coffee time! Today I made Turkish coffee. Mmmmm, this stuff is STRONG and very delicious. You are boiling the coffee in this cute little pot with the long handle. You don't want to stir the coffee though once it's in your cup - the grounds will settle at the bottom.

I love the "ahhh, coffee" thread on Etsy (in the forums under Etc.) I get a kick out of the devotion and love for coffee. I am with you Coffee Lovers! Coffee makes getting out of bed in the morning so much more exciting - and gives you the extra energy you need to keep crafting in the afternoon. ahhhh!

Paillettes

2007-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is a display I made several years ago for my earrings - an old lamp shade! These earrings are made with large sequins - paillettes. I have the tiniest ears and I love to wear big earrings, so these are PERFECT! Big, shiny and super light! I made several pairs for myself nearly 4 years ago and people would stop me to ask where I got them - I made several sales just from wearing them around! I take them to art and craft sales, too. What I love about doing these local sales is that I can bring a variety of the things I make - and since I love to experament with different materials, it's a great way to get feedback and show off some good ideas! It's a little harder to do this on the internet because of the listing fees and competition. Even our local markets don't have room for any more jewelry booths. I have been allowed to add these earrings and other odd pieces of odd jewelry because they are ... well, unusual! This is one of those projects that is fun to do between sewing and painting. I will sit down with a box of the materials, put on some great music, have a cup of tea and make a batch of earrings!

Corsage

2007-10-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

My newest creations are made with vintage papers. Like the flower brooches I have been making, they are handsewn and one of a kind. The Christmas ornaments are three sided with sequins, beads and glitter and ricrac trim for hanging. These ornaments will be gifts with items purchased from my shop on Etsy. My daughter will help me with a special batch of ornaments for local homeless shelters and retirement homes!

The corsage is something I have had in mind for awhile - I will be making a series of this style in the next couple of weeks! I am working on some now using old maps, comics, wrapping papers and sheet music! I love these flowers with leaves and they are getting more elaborate (with feathers and more styles of leaves all made with paper!) This comic corsage is the first of this series - I just listed this creation in my shop on Etsy!

Studio Stuff

2007-10-02T14:25:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, the studio! A mess, a workplace, inspirational and exhausting - heaven! Many of these things were collected over the years - on road trips, vacations, local thrift stores and flea markets. I took a few moments to look around the place I spend most of my time and here are a few things I saw.

Lucky

2007-09-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel really lucky! Just after moving into this house I found a box of old wrapping paper in the crawl space (we don't have a basement). It was used and most of it still had little tags and ribbons. I have turned this paper into these paper flowers. More recently I found an atlas and a few comic books from the 80s - more flowers! I love the variety and love how wonderful these papers look in the shape of a flower. Each flower has a pin back - so they look great as a brooch or as an accent in your home (on a curtain or ribbon). This is my original design. I never get bored - the possiblities seem endless! Today I will be listing a few paper flowers on Etsy and over the next week I will share my Christmas ornaments made in a similar way.

Trashy Treasure

2007-09-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

Pillbox Productions Handmade Paper Flowers

Ten years ago I found several 1950s Illustrated Weekly of India magazines in a pile of trash on Cerrillos Road. I was on my bike so I had to strap them on my bike rack and didn't really take a good look until I got home. What a score! Most of them were in pretty bad conditon, but I knew I would eventually find a way to use them. Over the years I have used parts of them for collage and in the last 4 years I have used them for my paper flower brooches. All of the flowers in these photos were made with pages from these magazines. I use several layers of varnish on each flower (after hand sewing the paper into flowers) - so they are very durable!

You can find a variety of these flowers in my shop on Etsy. I am in the process of making these flowers with vintage wrapping papers, comics and maps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Influence and Inspiration

2007-09-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

This is the image I come home to each day - tile work next to my front door. I have been renting this house from the original owner for about 4 yrs. - she is 96 yrs old. This bullfighter and raging bull seem to have influenced my work (the style of clothing - not so much the bullfighting) Almodovar is one of my favorite film makers (All About My Mother, Matador, Tie Me Up,Tie Me Down, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown...) so when I first came to consider renting this house the tiles made it feel "just right". My latest belts, chokers and some of my hats are starting to have the brave and bright look of a traditional performer!

Cherry BunBun and more!

2007-09-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Meet Cherry BunBun! He came in the mail just after 4pm on Friday. I found him on Etsy when I met Moonstr in the Etsy chat room. I love Etsy chat! As you are typing away you can browse other chat room shops and pick favorites to show in the chat room (go check it out!). Cherry BunBun has been a favorite for a long time and I cannot believe it took me this long to make him mine! Moonstr (Anna) makes a variety of magical stuffed friends and dreamy paintings. I am blown away by the two paintings I got from this shop! I am sooooo happy with my new favorite Etsy seller - please check it out when you get a chance!

http://www.moonstr.etsy.com/

The Beauty of Upcycling

2007-09-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

I discovered the sweetest shop on Etsy this week - A World Invented. Hanna Vanderstoel is the shop owner and person responsible for making this shop so special! She upcycles vintage purses, little tins, boxes and pendants using vintage lace, buttons, ribbons, flowers and feathers. One look at her shop and you can see the special attention she gives to each item. The talent does not stop there - Hanna is also a painter AND she and her husband have an art studio for children called Van Grow. See aworldinvented on Etsy for wonderful gifts and treasures!

http://www.aworldinvented.etsy.com/

http://www.aworldinvented.net/

http://www.vangrowstudio.com/

Ladies Cummerbund

2007-09-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

I have been working from the neck up...until yesterday! Accessories are a great way to bring attention to wonderful places. The neck, the head and now the WAIST! I have been working on chokers and headbands - then I imagined them as belts! Here is one of my first, made to tie in the back to get a perfect fit! See this one in my shop on Etsy and stay tuned for more in the next couple of weeks!

the Interview!

2007-09-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

This made me blush! My first interview online - by Hobo Camp Crafts. A really fun blog to read and keep in touch with - and I am so honored that I am in it! Check it out and check out their wonderful shop on Etsy while you're at it~
http://hobocampcrafts.blogspot.com/

Mini Crafty Peep

2007-09-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

My daughter (7 yrs old) is very creative. She made an "I love robots" tshirt for herself about 6 months ago and gets orders for one like it every time she wears it out! She just made this one tonight for one of our friends ~

She has made about 15 of these tshirts with unique and special robots on each one. It kills me how creative and sweet she is! I just had to share the joy!

Paper Flowers

2007-09-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

My grandmother introduced me to costume jewelry when I was very young. Ethal Labelle (best name EVER!) sold costume jewelry from her farm house. She had a wonderful display of rings and brooches - the kind of jewelry that makes a little girl excited to grow up and wear it! I have a collection of vintage brooches and my favorites are handmade. The paper flowers I make are inspired by my grandmother and these vintage handmade brooches.

My original idea for these flowers was to use scraps of fabric - I always have pieces of fabric too small for hats. I played around with that idea for awhile and liked the results but was not "blown away"! So I started to play with paper and made a variety of really cool flowers - but they were hard to make durable enough to be used as jewelry. Finally, after probably 2 weeks of trying a variety of materials and flowers, I came up with the flower I make now. These flowers are sewn by hand. Glue would work, but sewing the petals together makes them stronger (and so old fashioned!). I spend lots of time on each brooch and no two are ever the same. I use original vintage papers - 50s magazines, wrapping papers, comics, maps, sheet music...the possiblilies are endless! I have even made these flowers with photographs of my daughter for family members! You can find some of these flowers in my shop on Etsy! Please let me know if you have any questions!

ART is my Happy Pill

2007-09-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

I get high on art. I really do. Turn the music up loud, talk to myself, laugh outloud...get lost in my own world! It is my favorite place to be ~ the wild world of my imagination. And just like any party, it takes awhile to get warmed up. I get all set up and stand there waiting for inspiration (like waiting for someone to offer you a drink) then I just start...start a conversation with myself with and without words...then the paintings become the conversation. The problems and the solutions! I like to paint on recycled objects. I paint on old records right now - they are easily available because if they are scrached they usually go to the dump. I SAVE them! I also love that they are round. The circle is a wonderful shape. I have some of my paintings listed in my shop on Etsy! Check them out when you get a chance and let me know if you have any questions!

2007-08-31T13:03:00.001-07:00

Fink! We opened a new shop on Etsy!

2007-07-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

mmm hmmm! We just opened a shop on Etsy with our original, hand-made *One of a Kind* garments! Karen lives in Brooklyn and I live in Santa Fe - so we travel!...she was just here to create and list our first group of dresses, tops and hoods! We use 100% cotton tshirt fabric that has been silk screened by hand with our original art. The fabric is covered entirely with our print prior to construction of garments...so each piece is covered with the art. We used a deep orange, dark grey and silvery white ink so the design varies on each piece. No two are EVER the same! Check out our shop when you get a chance! http://www.etsy.com/your_shop.php