Cinnamon Pink

Check Out Whimsical World of Fairies

I'm a big fan of Debrina Pratt, host of the Whimsical World of Fairies blog. I have purchased her digital collage sheets and they are just stunning. She also creates adorable assemblage works of art for Earth Angels Toys. Here is an example of one of her art pieces.

She is also very generous to her blog readers because she frequently posts the sweetest freebie images. Here is one of her recent freebies.

Please credit Debrina if you use one of her freebie images. And be sure to check out her Land of Enchantment Etsy shop. You won't be disappointed. Why am I telling you all this? I often like to highlight artists whom I admire. We small business people need to support one another.

Check Out the PhotoEZ Complete Starter Kits

Via Angry Chicken, I read about the PhotoEZ Complete Starter Kits.

The kit comes complete with everything you need to create stencils up to 8.5" x 11" - including a Speedball Ink Starter set (six 4 oz jars), plastic canvas, squeegees, plastic frames and a Darice foamie sheet. The site says the kit is perfect for creating larger image screen print t-shirts and other craft projects.

I had decided not to purchase any more art-related equipment this year but I am seriously tempted to purchase this kit. Think of the possibilities. Have any of you tried this product? What do you think of it?

Stencil Art

Via Meggiecat, I saw these great stencils for kitchen towels on Ariadne @ Home. I especially like the eating utensils.

Instead of towels, I probably would use the utensils in a collage. I have never tried stenciling. But if you're a mixed-media artist like me, you want to try it All when it comes to Art.

Visit A Fanciful Twist for a Halloween Celebration

Vanessa, from A Fanciful Twist, is hosting a Halloween Extravaganza. She and the other Celebrants have gone over the top to entertain you.

You'll meet a large cast of spooky and sweet characters. But be prepared to read about tales that are so terrifying that you may leave a light on when you go to sleep tonight. And, yes, there are goodies too. Some may make you feel squeamish while others will provide you with a sweet sugar surge.

Be afraid - Be very afraid - But go anyway. You won't be disappointed.

 

Over the Top Studios Hosts a Halloween Blog Giveaway

Amada, from Over the Top Studios, is hosting a Halloween Blog Giveaway. Hurry over to her site and enter it now.

Check out her beautiful art creations too. I just found her blog and I am very impressed.

 

Check Out Modish and Happy Tape

Through blog hopping, I recently came across Modish, a daily design and style blog hosted by Jena Coray. Jena's goal is to "create awareness about talented, emerging artists and designers." 

"By sharing her favorite handmade & vintage goods, art & photography, fashion & design, she supports the most innovative, independent and sustainable products in the marketplace." Jena's blog provides an abundance of eye candy and ideas. 

You also have to check out Jena's Modish BIZtips section where you'll find creative ideas for your Indie business. There's a good deal of solid information in this section so be prepared to spend some time there.

On Jena's site, I happened to find the shop, HappyTape which offers Japanese Washi Paper Tape. The colors of tape are absolutely gorgeous. I can envision some blue in my future. I guess that's the price I have to pay for blog hopping.

See the Pretty Roses on the Duhbe Blog

The other day, I came across the loveliest site. Luci Ayyat, creator of the Duhbe blog, makes the prettiest roses and sells them in her Etsy shop. A sampling of her flowers is shown below. Aren't they absolutely breathtaking?

Luci is also gracious enough to provide a tutorial on how to make her beautiful roses. If you're into Shabby Chic or Marie Antoinette, these roses would be perfect for those projects.

Many times, I feature blogs, or sites, that catch my interest. I do this because I personally believe it's important for bloggers to recognize and encourage each other.

Each day, I am still amazed at the support that I've received in the blogging world. When I receive a compliment on my art, I am thrilled and grateful. And I thank you all for that. 

Now, take a little break for yourself and visit Luci's blog and shop.

Check Out 1st Floor Flat!

A little while back, I discovered a lovely blog called 1st Floor Flat which is presided over by Susie Jefferson. I heard of her blog through the Yahoo Greeting Card Professionals List.

There is so much to explore on Susie's blog. Not only does she generously provide free vintage photographs and images, she also offers free buttons - and more - for your blog. You can see one of her delightful buttons below. (Please read her copyright rules.) Take some time now to visit her blog - You won't be disappointed.

Spring Place Cards Tutorial from Paper Valise

I found the sweetest idea for Spring Place Cards at Paper Valise. Janice even provides a detailed tutorial (with variations) for readers to follow.

She suggests using the Place Cards for wedding receptions or birthdays. But the small pots are so cute, you might just want to make them for yourself to brighten up your own nest.

Janice also has an online boutique called Paper Valise - Provisions for the Creative Journey where she offers unique and vintage treasures.

Set Some Time Aside for Sketching

One of my goals for 2009 is to sketch daily so I regularly search out new drawing sites. The Pen, Ink and Watercolor Wash Sketching site offers readers free miniature sketch books.

Topics cover:: A Sketch a Day; Face Sketching; Practice Painting People; Ink & Watercolor Sketching Tip Sheets - and much, much more. There is also a reasonably priced ($5.95) e-book, entitled, "A Guide to Pen, Ink and Watercolor Sketching."

Visit the site and start sketching today.

 

I Won a Marie Giveaway

Cassandra, from My Artful Adventures, recently held a Let Them Eat Cake Birthday Celebration. And I was the lucky winner of five Marie postcards. They arrived in the mail today - and they are absolutely stunning. In fact, the postcards are almost too good to use so I'm putting them up on my Inspiration Board for now.

Her Etsy Shop is called Cassie's Creations. She offers a wide variety of Digital Collage Sheets, ATC/Inchies Backgrounds and even Dollar Deals. Check out her blog and shop to see some yummy eye candy. (PhotoShop Elements wasn't cooperating today so I had to use my scanner software.)

Marie Antoinette

I've finally caught Marie fever. Some of it has to do with the anticipation of Stampington & Company's new publication: Marie. (I haven't seen the publication in the book stores yet.) Another part has to do with the gorgeous gowns and feminine accessories of that era.

As I began searching for more information on Marie Antoinette, I was surprised to find such an abundance of blogs and sites on the Queen. Here are just a couple of places to visit:

Marie Antoinette Online contains historical articles, galleries, forums, links and recommended books.

Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution is the official online companion to the PBS documentary: Marie Antoinette. There is a wealth of information on the site and a great list of resources.

 

Check Out the "Let Them Eat Cake Birthday" Celebration!

I just found out about Cassandra's Let Them Eat Cake Birthday Celebration. It is a five-day event featuring lots of prizes and freebies honoring Marie Antoinette.

The Celebration runs April 4th - April 8th. I wish I had found out about this wonderful event earlier. But there still are a few days left so hurry on over and take part in the Celebration. You're invited to the Party!

 

Enter the Giveaway at Retro Cafe Art Gallery

Kris, from Retro Cafe Art Gallery, is hosting a giveaway to highlight a new product in her shop. Here's the product description in Kris's own words, "Paper Cuts are made from acid free card stock. Each image is laser cut and ready to attach to your project! No cutting necessary, and the details are incredible! Even with scissors, you could NEVER get that much detail!"

In honor of the new Paper Cuts, Kris is giving away 2 packs of Paper Cuts (chosen by her) and 6 semi-gloss collage sheets (chosen by the winner from her store). The giveaway is over $25 in value!

How do you enter the drawing? Post the giveaway details on your blog - link back to Kris's blog - and then leave her a comment. Kris will draw one lucky winner (using a number randomizer) on Sunday, April 5th.

In the past, I have purchased items from Retro Cafe Art Gallery and I have been very satisfied. Her products are unique, high quality and well-priced. Here are two of my favorite Paper Cuts:

Check out the Empty Easel Site

I'm always seeking out sources to improve my drawing skills and/or learn more about promoting my art online. Today, I happened to come across the Empty Easel site. And I was very impressed.

The site is an "online art magazine with practical advice, tips and tutorials for creating and selling art." Their "goal is to publish helpful information for both new and professional artists - without any of the vague or confusing 'artspeak' common to the art world."

You can also sign up for a free, weekly e-newsletter. Check them out - I believe that you will like what you see.

Resources for Vintage Clip Art & Postcards

I simply adore Cassie Griffin's Bella Dia blog. She generously offers free, high-quality tutorials and patterns; gift tags and other useful information. She also produces The Crafty Crow blog (a children's craft collective) that features delightful projects for children.

A little while back, Cassie told readers about the Vintage Holiday Crafts site where you can find a wealth of free Vintage clip art. Be sure to read their Terms of Use.

Another resource that Cassie mentioned is the Collectibles (an About.com) site where you can find antique and Vintage postcards. Take the time to thank these generous bloggers for sharing their clip art and cards. And be prepared to take a long time to view the many beautiful images.

This Easter card comes from Vintage Holiday Crafts:

 

This Easter card is from the Collectibles site:

Artist Resources Roundup

I always feel a rush of inspiration when I discover new (to me) creative blogs that are excellent resources for artists. Here are three blogs that I believe will jump start your imagination for the weekend.

1. On the Just Be Connected blog, Melba McMullin's goal is "to create a Home for Creative Bloggers to connect with one another - and a place for Creative Bloggers to openly share." There's a lot to see on this blog. Check out the sidebars for inspiring links.

2. Artist Cathy Johnson offers valuable Art Marketing Advice on her blog, The Quicksilver Workaholic. If you want to brush up on your Drawing/Painting Skills, check out the extensive Art Tips section on her Web site.

3. Katherine Tyrrell's blog, Making a Mark, provides a wealth of information on Artist Resources; Sketching Tips, Techniques and Toolkits; Art Marketing and more. I actually heard about Katherine through Cathy Johnson's blog.

I hope you enjoy surfing these blogs.

Collage Sheets from Gaby Braun

I've mentioned Gaby Braun's blog in a previous post but I have to talk about her beautiful Collage Sheets again. Gaby generously offers free Collage Sheets to readers of her blog. She recently posted some gorgeous Digital Collage background sheets. You can see an example below. I absolutely love this image.

Visit Gaby's blog to see more of her Collage Sheets. She also creates stunning Art work - Check it out. If you download one of Gaby's Collage Sheets, be sure to thank her for her kind offerings.

Check out BAKERY for Small Business Advice

 Erin Loechner (blogger/publisher) and Jaime Derringer (artist/blogger) have started a new venture called BAKERY.  I first heard about Erin through her fantastic art/design blog: Design for Mankind.

According to the site, "BAKERY offers a wide variety of assistance to small businesses and independent shoppes worldwide." Their blog includes useful information and tips.

I especially enjoyed reading the entry: Top Ten Unspoken Rules of Blogging. (I feel a little guilty now because a four-day Migraine prevented me from posting more frequently this week.) See Rule #2 - Update Often.

Check out BAKERY for more information.

Pantone Colors for Spring 2009

Via Apartment Therapy, I came across the Pantone Colors for Spring 2009. These are the Spring colors that we will be seeing in the fashion, home, paint, graphic arts and consumer markets. I try to keep these colors in mind when I'm developing my mixed-media art pieces.

You can learn more about the Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2009 by visiting the Pantone site. What's your favorite color? I kind of like Salmon Rose.

Check Out the New "Background Fairy" Site

Many of you are probably familiar with Karin's The Graphics Fairy site where she regularly offer free vintage clip art. It is so sweet and generous of her to offer free beautiful clip art to the mixed-media artist's community.

Well , I just found another site that she developed which is called Background Fairy. The site provides the most delicious free backgrounds for your blog. Be sure to read the rules for usage by following the link, About the Backgrounds - and thank Karin for her gracious generosity.

Here is a sample of a French Postcard background:

Happy Thanksgiving!

May you all have a relaxing and joyful holiday. This vintage Thanksgiving Day image comes to you courtesy of  The Graphics Fairy. Check out the site's free vintage clip art.

  

Allen Designs Giveaway - Hurry and Enter

I just found out about this giveaway today. Allen Designs is now sponsoring their fourth Goody Giveaway. And what a bonanza of goodies they have to offer! I "heart" the snowman figurine.

You only have until November 24 to enter the contest so hurry and sign up. While you're there, take a look at their products. They have a unique and colorful flavor to them.

 

New Issue of Mankind Mag is Out!

Erin Loechner, from Design for Mankind, recently published the fifth edition of Mankind Mag. Look for more content - This issue is a big 32 pages long. The theme is one that is a favorite to many of us: the Handmade Movement.

The mag is free online. A hard copy edition is available for $8.95. You have to check it out!

Collage Sheets from Gaby Cajubrasil

Via Diane's Mixed Art Blog, I found out about Gaby Cajubrasil's blog. She is a fiber and mixed-media artist from Brazil. She also generously offers the most elegant collage sheets. Thank you Gaby! Check out her blog for some beautiful images.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

 

One Pretty Thing - Check It Out

In case you haven't seen the One Pretty Thing site, you need to check it out. "The daily Web site is dedicated to bringing you inspiring projects for a more beautiful life." Each day, I am amazed by the creative ideas that Rachel Klein brings to her readers.

Site features include: The Daily DIY which is a "compilation of the day's DIY projects and inspiration from around the blogosphere." There are also special roundups and holiday projects.

Be prepared to spend a long time reading the archives. One visit and you'll probably come back for more inspiration.

Have a Creative day, Darlene

Scrabble Tile Pendant Tutorial from Homestudio

If you're like me, you probably spend too much time reading blogs. I tell myself that I should be doing something more productive (like finishing up my products for an upcoming Craft Show.)

However, I reap a lot of benefits from exploring new blogs. I energize my own creativity, get inspired - and find new ideas that I can adapt to my own mixed-media art.

Recently, via MAKE AND TAKES,  I found this Scrabble Tile Pendant Tutorial courtesy of Homestudio. The pendant giveaway has passed. But you can always check out Homestudio's Etsy Shop to purchase some unique pendants. Or you can try making your own pendatns.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

Check Out THE PULSE

Via Sally Turlington's blog, Imagine This, I discovered an exciting online venue known as THE PULSE. Through the blog, The Altered Page, Seth Apter is taking the pulse of today's talented artists in the online community.

In a series of periodic PULSE chapters, Seth interviews and showcases a who's who of contemporary mixed-media artists. His blog gives readers an opportunity to "learn more about their favorite artists, discover some new ones, and add to their list of must-see blogs and Web sites."

Currently, Seth is focusing on the third chapter of THE PULSE: An Artist Survey. Catch up on Chapter One and Two by exploring the blog's sidebar. Be prepared to spend a lot of time on his blog - The interviews are fascinating.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

.

Design*Sponge Biz Ladies

I had to suddenly go out of town for a few days so I haven't been able to post for a week.

I have always enjoyed reading the Design*Sponge blog. But somehow, I missed reading about the Design*Sponge Biz Ladies.

The group holds an event, in various cities, each year to connect local women running their own art and design-based businesses. Here women can gather to talk, network and receive free advice on Public Relations and Marketing and other business-related matters. Check out their site for more details - and great marketing articles.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

 

ArtTrader Magazine - Good Stuff

Via Jennalee's Artrageous Afternoon  Blog, I discovered the web-based ArtTrader magazine (It's in PDF format). The magazine is "focused on Mail Art for trade, such as Artist Trading Cards (ATC), ACEOs, Art Journals, Chunky Books, Altered Art and Altered Art Books."

I am very impressed by the magazine - Check out their Summer 08 issue.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

 

Drawing Day - June 07, 2008

I learned about Drawing Day via Illustration Friday. The site says, "Drawing Day is a worldwide drawing event encouraging everyone to drop everything and draw for the sake of art. The Internet is an open canvas. Help us create 1 million drawings online this day and boost online art communities." Check out the Supporters Section - You'll find a lot of great drawing tutorials.

I was excited to hear about this event because one of my goals for 2008 is to draw daily.This site provides the inspiration that artists need. I've noticed that many mixed-media artists are incorporating more drawing into their artwork.

Have a Creative Day - and remember to participate in Drawing Day, Darlene

The Practically Creative Quarter - Check It Out!

The Practically Creative Quarter is a Web zine that debuted in 2005. The site focuses on all aspects of creativity as the tagline (below) reveals. There are hundreds of articles to explore.

I especially liked the c-ART-egories article which offers a creative warm-up exercise that focuses on categories. Check out the article for more details.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

Doodle Your Way to More Art

I was checking out sites on doodling and found this Squidoo lens on Doodle Art created by Intuitive. Scroll down the page to find a lot of neat doodling links. I did this Artist Trading Card (ATC) doodle a while back for a swap.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene


 

Hip Tranquil Chick Manifesto

I recently found Kimberly Wilson's podcast and blog hip tranquil chick. The blog is "a guide to life on and off the yoga mat." When I read her Hip Tranquil Chick Manifesto, I felt it was written for me. In fact, I think the Manifesto  is especially appealing to artists.

Kimberly is a "teacher, author, activist, entrepreneur and designer." Check out her blog and Web site. Lots of good stuff there.

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

Wedding Washcloths from Purl Bee

I was tooling around the Web when I came upon these Wedding Washcloths,  from Whitney, on the Purl Bee site. What caught my attention is the simple beauty of the washcloths and the luscious colors of the yarn. The name of the yarn is Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton. It is 100% organically grown cotton. Whitney provides the patterns.

Actually I had been looking for an easy felting project - and not a knitting project. Do I need to add a felting or a knitting project to my list? No! However, it would be nice to own that yarn. Hmmmmm! It seems new projects are always calling to me - especially when beautiful fiber or paper is involved. Does anyone else get into this situation?

Have a Creative Day, Darlene

Inspired Ideas - Online Magazine

Amy Powers of Inspire Company has put out a creative online magazine inspiredideas which contains some really fantastic craft projects. The cover of the magazine is below.

Be sure to wander through her online shop too. It's full of lovely temptations.

Have a creative day, Darlene

The Internet Archive: Inspiration for Mixed-Media Artists

Via the MEGGIECAT blog  I learned about the The Internet Archive . The site "is a non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library with the purpose of offering permanent access for researchers, historians and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format." I think the site is an inspirational source for mixed-media artists. Warning: You could lost on this site for hours.

I was especially interested in the cookbooks and children's books from the 1800s. Here is an image from the children's book "Abroad" which was published in 1882.

Have a creative day, Darlene