Happy Leap Day!

Portraiture by Lucie Wicker Photography

Back to the Five and Dime

by Sharon Fischer of Stray Notions

A few snapshots from a trip to the the West Concord Five and Ten Cent. I bought electrical tape and vintage sequins but a few hard to find things I could have bought included:

colorful bandanas

contact paper

embroidery thread

notions (um yeah!)

socks for making monkeys and elephants (why didn't I?)

wide choice of bobbie pins, foam curlers and hairnets

Monday Mosaic: A Tribute to the Movies

Curated by Lynne of Cozy Cottage Creations

1. Rose Bud Diner Davis Square 5x7 fine art photo , by Kerry Hawkins Photography
2. Lightning Bolt on Kelly Green T shirt , by An Li Studio
3. Encaustic collage altered book , by Reclaimed to You
4. Ramona Raw Silk 400 yards , by Lady Dye Fiber Arts & Design
5. Tree Pendant , by nancyrosetta
6. Pink Cocktail Hat with pink and gold ostrich feathers , by Elephunk's Trunk
7. Beach Chairs 5x7 Photo Print , by Lucie Wicker Photography
8. piglet noteset , by cricicis design
9. OXIDIZED Sterling Cleopatra's Needle Earrings by Cristina Hurley

Custom Art Framing First Fridays

By Kerry of Kerry Hawkins Photo

FIRST FRIDAYS

at Custom Art Framing

45 Central Street, Norwood, MA

March 2nd 6-8 pm

I will be featuring my framed store window themed photos. I will also have matted prints, greeting cards, wall hangings.
If you have never been to a First Fridays at Custom Art Framing it's time you stopped by. They are always fun. A chance to meet the artists and fellow art lovers. Why not have a bit of conversation, wine and cheese on a Friday night.

I am looking forward to meeting the artists behind the photographs.

Dyeing Yarn

By Diane of Lady Dye Fiber Arts & Design

I have been spending the last couple of weeks focusing on dyeing yarn that I have dyed before and for the most part I have been successful. However, there is one color combination that I absolutely adore that did not work well. I blended orange, purple, and green which in the past becomes this bright starburst candy color.

Instead of those colors, I ended up getting very neutral lighter shades if green, browns, cream, and reds after it was all blended together. I was disappointed at first as I had a new knitwear design pattern that I'm creating and wanted to use the original blended colors I had in mind but I later discovered as I was knitting with the yarn that it actually blended well and looked wonderful knitted up.

Long story short, I truly believe in the quote from the movie Forest Gump: "Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what your gonna get."

New Work on Supermarket

by Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography

Have you heard of Supermarket? If not, Supermarket is on online storefront geared towards designers (their motto is "Great Design, Straight from Designers"). I like this concept and opened an online shop there a few years ago. Recently I decided it needed some revamping so I went in and added a few items. I like the clean look of the site and it is pretty easy to use, very straight forward.

Are you on Supermarket? Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

I Heart Stationery by Charlotte Rivers

by Leah of cricicis design

A wonderful new book by London design author Charlotte Rivers has been published, and I am honored to be one of the many lovely stationery artists featured. The book is called I Heart Stationery, and it's full of beautiful handmade stationery and the artists who create it. Rivers presents many different techniques for making handmade paper goods- from letterpress, screenprinting, and digital illustration- and gives insight into the processes.

The book is beautifully designed and so fun to slip through. There is even a resource section in the back of the books where she gathered information on art suppliers, blogs & online communities, and trade shows from the featured artists.

Next time you're in your local bookstore, take a look for Charlotte Rivers' I Heart Stationery, especially if you value a hand-written note on a beautiful note card, or if you'd like to experiment with creating your own stationery.

You can also find the book here on Amazon, and you can browse Charlotte's wonderfully inspiring blog Lottie Loves.

Always have your camera, South End, Boston

By Kerry of Kerry Hawkins Photo

I try to go on mini adventures quite a bit. I met some friends in the South End for dinner, Sunday night. We had a fun dinner at the Franklin Café. I have recently been to the South End, Boston during the day. It was fun to take some of the same spots at night. Most people not bring their cameras at night but I never know what I will find. So my camera goes everywhere with me.

Super Button Mashers show at OhNo!Doom gallery in Chicago

by Anne-Claire of Hibou Designs

If you are in or around Chicago make sure to check out the amazing gallery OhNo!Doom's new show: Super Button Mashers - It just opened on February 11th.

Super Button Mashers is a group show tribute to the gamers in all of us. I participated to the show with my fellow crafters at the PlushTeam and had the occasion to go to the opening which was a real success.

Take a look at what I came up with!

"Original Frogger with its log" -all hand sewn- felt & cotton thread - Hibou Designs

"Original Pong Arcade" -all hand sewn- felt & cotton thread - Hibou Designs

You can find more details and pics on OhNo!Doom's Facebook page if you wish.

Cheers!

Your Pong lover, Hibou

Mosaic Monday: New Blues

1. A Quiet Bride 5x7 Photograph Print, by Lucie Wicker Photography
2. Yarn Bowl for Knitters, by City by the Sea Ceramics
3. Fish throw pillow, by Hibou Designs
4. Felted Oatmeal Vase, by Cozy Cottage Creations
5. Blue Monarch Butterfly Organic T Shirt, by An Li Studio
6. Cake Stand, by Arthur Halvorsen

Spontaneous Celebrations

by Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography

Over the past few months, I have photographed several events for Spontaneous Celebrations, a group that provides cultural programming and performing arts events based in Jamaica Plain. Last night I photographed their "Tropical Fiesta" which featured several acts including the aerialist in the photo above. I never know what to expect at Spontaneous and I love that!

Handmade is everywhere!

by Kerrie Beck of Cody's Creations

Over the weekend of February 10 & 11th at SureFire Dog Training Center in Westboro the Weston Whirlwinds hosted a Flyball Tournament. Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring loaded pad, then back to the handlers while carrying the ball.

Cody's Creations was lucky enough to be there all weekend during the tournament. I will be back at the next tournament on March 10 and 11th at the SureFire Dogs Training Center.

I introduced a new exclusive Cody's Creations design during the tournament, I thought it was very fitting for the weekend....tennis balls!

It was a great weekend watching such amazing athletes, and showing that handmade items aren't just available at craft fairs. The next event you attend, I bet you can find a local artist that you can support!

Photo Story: Custom Order Saber/Epee Pendant

by Cristina Hurley of Cristina Hurley Jewelry

A client came into the shop about a month before Valentine's Day with a very special request; he wanted me to execute a design he had come up with for a pendant for his wife. Of course I accepted the job and found it to be one of the most enjoyable projects I have ever done. I worked closely with the client and tried to match his specifications. The result was a beautiful pendant with a lot of meaning behind it.

I love doing custom orders and am always willing to talk to clients about executing their ideas into fine one of a kind works of art, that are wearable too!

They met at a fencing class, she fences with a saber, he fences with an epee... Each sword represents them.

We did some sketching to make the piece look like the actual swords. He let me borrow them for inspiration!

The final design takes shape, then the work began.

I shaped the silver into tiny swords...

You can see how they are 2 pieces in this picture. After some elbow grease, a little bit of magic and a lot of love, I hade the end result!

I'm so happy with how it came out, there is nothing like a good dose of fresh inspiration from someone who wants to make a unique, special and meaningful gift for someone they love!

Are you interested in a custom order or have a unique design in mind? Feel free to stop in my shop or email me! I'm always looking for new inspiration!

Cristina Hurley Jewelry

3 Rockland Street

Canton, MA

02021

781-562-0421

http://www.cristinahurleyjewelry.com

Best Business Cards

by An Li Liu of An Li Liu

I’ve never liked getting business cards printed. Once I’d finish a design, I’d hesitate to get hundreds of them printed, and then contemplate whether for only a few dollars more, to print a thousand of them! There are also so many companies who print cards, I’d spend hours comparing prices.

Moo Cards has solved all my anxieties. They have what they call Printfinity, which allows you to use up to 100 different designs for your run. This is great for artists who want to show their work on the cards. It makes for a colorful stack of business cards, and much more fun to give away.

They make a range of products, including greeting cards, stickers, and business cards. My personal favorite is their mini cards. The smaller size saves paper, and the come in a slick little white box. You could adapt them to hang tags as well by punching a hole in them. Their website is well-designed and easy to navigate.

I’m relieved never to have to look to another printing company again!

Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston

by Karen Mahoney of City by the Sea Ceramics

Earlier this month I went to an opening for a friend's show at Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston. My friend Matt Keller shares the show, control.release.transform., with Kelly Slater and John Wilkinson. The show is an interesting mix of painting, drawing, prints, installations, and sculpture. Each artists has a very different approach to their style and mediums, so there is a large variety of work being shown in the relatively small space, making it really interesting to make your way around. The show is up until February 26 and the gallery is open Fridays and Saturdays or by appointment.

Matt Keller

Kelly Slater

John Wilkinson

Happy Valentine's Day from Boston Handmade

Hibou Designs

If life should end tomorrow

And from this world I should part,

I shall be forever young

For you have touched my heart

- Jessie B. Rittenhouse

Reclaimed to You

Monday Mosaic: From the Heart

1. Stained Glass Sacred Heart Necklace , by Parrish Relics
2. OOAK art valentine upcycled and original , by Reclaimed to You
3. My Cold Black Heart , by nancyrosetta
4. 3/8 Wide for Cat or Tiny Puppy in Hearts a Flutter , by Cody's Creations
5. Voodoo Doll pincushion breakup doll , by Hibou Designs
6. Needle Felted Romance , by Cozy Cottage Creations

Handmade Gifts for Men

By Celeste of ElephunksTrunk

Having taken the handmade pledge, I am always on the look out for great hand made gifts for everyone I know. The women in my life are easy to buy for, but I always struggle to find interesting gifts for men. I know I am not the only one to struggle with this, so I have taken the time to put together a list of ideas:

Unisex Ring by Christina Hurley

This oxidized sterling silver ring is a wonderful piece of masculine jewelry. Christina Hurley makes these rings in any size, so you will be sure to get one that fits the special man in your life.

Muscle Marcel by Hibou Designs

This tough guy plushie from hibou designs is the perfect gift for the man who's soft at heart.

Man Cave vinyl wall decal by OldBarnRescueCompany

Does the man in your life need to stake out his own territory? Get him this man cave sign from OldBarnRescueCompany.

Steampunk Kilt from techdragon

For the non-traditional man in your life, how about this leather paneled steampunk kilt from techdragon?

Unexpected Colors

By Evan of Evan Webster Ink

I deal with color a lot. A small cooking gaffe resulted in an unexpected splash of color. I forgot to add the spices (turmeric, cayenne and paprika) to my latest soup project, potato and pea.

Adding these spices later than recommended created beautiful earth tones. I took a picture before mixing everything together.



I'll be on the look out for other sources of unexpected color. Have you ever found color where you didn't expect it?

Sports Fever

by Kerry of Kerryhawkinsphoto

Superbowl Fever was all over New England. Even at the School of Fashion Design on Newbury Street, Boston. I took this Tuesday afternoon before the Superbowl. I love the gown with the Patriots Helmet and football.The Patriots lost but, it was a good game and there is always next year.

Yearly Gift Exchange

By Arthur of Arthur Halvorsen Ceramics

A few days ago we had our yearly meeting at my studio home, Mudflat Studios. Each year one of the highlights is the gift exchange. I was thrilled to get the card set by An Li Liu. They are totally my style and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them as soon as I got them home with me, I wanted to frame them!

I went to IKEA and got simple white frames because I wanted to show off the prints in my room and not the frames. I have to say, I have noticed that I'm collecting owls now, and the guy with the big heart down on the bottom totally stole my heart when he was on top of the stack when I opened my bundle of cards. Thanks An Li!!!