SALE! Take 20% off Etsy Items through Memorial Day Weekend!

Who doesn't love a sale?

From now through Memorial Day weekend, take 20% off of anything in my Etsy shop. This includes bracelets, hand-bound books and jotter journals and my new bookmarks!

Use code: MEMORIALSALE12 at checkout. 

It's a great time to stock up on summer accessories for yourself, or gifts for that new grad! 

Jotter Journals and other mini journals...

  

Double Wrap Bracelets (and many more, including single, triple, quad and macrame!)...

NEW! Macrame Beaded Bookmarks!

FOLKbarn at the Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market

Are you in the Ohio area this weekend? If so, stop by the FOLKbarn at the Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market today through Sunday!

I am excited to be participating in FOLK Magazine's pop-up booth within the barn. The booth features handmade artisan creations and antique & vintage goods from artisans all over the country. I have sent some bracelets as well as some of my hand-made jotter journals, including:

Moukaite Jasper Triple Wrap Bracelet. Made exclusively for the FOLKbarn!

Pietersite Double Wrap Bracelet. Made exclusively for the FOLKbarn!

Safari Jasper Double Wrap Bracelet. Made exclusively for the FOLKbarn!

 

Orange Star Jotter Journal Set. All jotter journal sets feature prints of my original artwork and include 3 mini-notebooks made with recycled paper. Great for sketches, notes, lists, and more!

Lady Slipper Orchid Jotter Journal Set.

 

Red Tulip Jotter Journal Set.

 

American Red Raspberry Jotter Journal Set.

Use this 10% off coupon towards a purchase this weekend, or next weekend at the FOLKstore in Beaver Dam, KY.

And, of course, you can find more bracelets, jotter journal sets, and hand-bound journals in my Etsy shop.  Happy shopping!

House Portrait - Finished!

I have been working on a house portrait commission this spring and just completed it this morning. This is a wonderful little 1950s brick ranch house. It has a lot of great details on it that made it very fun to draw, including the garage windows, the front door glass inset, the wrought iron porch railing and house number sign, as well as the scalloped awnings over the windows. 

The final portrait is only 10 x 8 inches, so it was a bit of a challenge to get the details in there accurately, but I think it turned out well. It mats up to 11 x 14, so a nice addition to the wall space of the homeowner.

I have a pet portrait next in my queue, so stay tuned!

indiExhibit Member of the Week: Sara Kamla of The Sticky Wrapper!

Got a sweet tooth? Check out this week's indiExhibit member of the week:

Sara Kamla of The Sticky Wrapper Gourmet Candy Shop!

Sara's gourmet candy is made-to-order, in small batches in her home state of Washington. Great for weddings, showers, or any party!

You can find Sara on Facebook and her blog as well as Etsy. 

Check out some of her delicious treats below...my mouth is watering as I type...

Pinata Caramels. With Mexican chocolate, cinnamon and cayenne.

Cake and Coffee Marshmallows.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels.

Studio Update: What Have I Been Up To Lately?

It's been awhile since I have given an update on what's been going on in my studio this spring...so here it is!

I have been keeping steadily busy adding items to my Etsy shop, including a number of new bracelets and some hand-bound mini journals - here's a sampling of my recent offerings:

Safari Jasper Leather Wrap Bracelet. This quad-wrap bracelet features 4mm safari jasper gemstone beads in warm earth tones of khaki, olive green, and rusty red with beautiful camouflage patterning. The stones are wrapped in a rich 1.8 mm red-brown leather with a wood grain button closure.

Moss Agate Leather Wrap Bracelet. This was a custom bracelet done for a birthday present. It features 4mm moss agate stones with 1.5mm brown leather and a unique matching green and silver dragonfly button closure.

 

Carnelian Leather Wrap Bracelet. Some brighter colors for spring and summer include this double leather wrap bracelet featuring gorgeous 6mm carnelian stone beads ranging from fiery reddish-orange to translucent white. The stones are wrapped in 1.8mm pearly white leather with a simple, round, pearly button closure.

Lapis Lazuli Wrap Bracelet. For something a little more delicate, this double-wrap bracelet features stunning, deep blue 4mm lapis lazuli gemstone beads that contain beautiful flecks of gold pyrite. The stones are wrapped in dark blue S-Lon thread and finished with a matching, translucent blue button. It’s like wearing tiny gemstone globes!  

Sea Shell Mini Journal. A compact 4” x 2 ½”, but full of character this mini journal has a sea shell paper cover with rusty red Italian book cloth, 36 sheets (72 pages) of 70lb acid-free, blank Canson drawing paper, and is hand-sewn with natural-colored waxed linen thread. The simple binding contains a little flair of macramé down the front cover, reminiscent of mariner knot work.

  

Blue Mini Journal With Nautical Button Closure. Another compact journal at 4” x 2 ½”, this one is hand-sewn with natural-colored waxed linen thread in a chain stitch or Coptic style, it is filled with 48 sheets (96 pages) of 70lb acid-free, blank Canson drawing paper and covered in deep blue Italian book cloth. An antiqued gold button and knotted, waxed linen thread rope allow for easy closure. The inside is decorated with beautiful sea shell end papers.

In addition, I have been working on a pen and ink house portrait commission for a friend of mine. It's almost done and will be delivered within the next two weeks. I'll post an update when it is finished.

As always, I have more ideas than I have time, but I have some new things planned for the shop so stay tuned!

What has occupied your creative time this spring? I'd love to hear from you!

Focus on Nature XII: Natural History Illustration Exhibition

The bi-annual Focus on Nature XII Exhibition is now on display! 

This Natural History Illustration exhibit, at the New York State Museum in Albany, NY, is "a juried exhibition of natural and cultural history illustration that features artwork from around the world. Artists depict biological, geological, and archeological subjects using a wide range of media, from traditional watercolor to recently developed digital techniques. The basis for selection of these works is scientific accuracy, technical skill, aesthetic qualities, and originality. 

The twelfth biennial exhibition highlights illustration as a means of communicating scientific and artistic observation. Focus on Nature XII includes the work of 72 artists from 14 countries."

What is fantastic is that you can view all of the artwork in the exhibit online. Visit the link above to view a PDF version of the catalog that includes the artwork and a description from the individual artist "regarding the significance, science and artistry behind their work."

I love seeing the amazing work that appears in this exhibit. A true inspiration and such a great visual experience of the natural world. One of my goals is to have a piece accepted into this exhibit someday. Much drawing to be done yet! :)

The in-person exhibit runs Saturday, April 28, 2012 - Monday, December 31, 2012.