Owls for a New Addition

By Kiki from All the Numbers

My friend Jen is about to have a baby - any day now! I was already planning on making her a quilt for her shower, so when she came to me and asked to commission a special quilt for the new little one to go with her nursery theme I was thrilled. A bit of direction would insure that I made something she would love.

She gave me a copy of a note card she had received with owls on it - bright and colorful in blues, oranges and greens - perfect for a little boy. She gave me paint chips showing the colors of the walls, and even picked out some fabrics she liked in her color scheme.

I love creating new designs and this was no exception. The shower was last Sunday and was a great hit, and I hope the new little addition loves the quilt as much as his mama.

BH for Unique Gifts

by Amy of Bumble Belly Designs

I recently presented my wedding gift to friends of mine that were married a year ago. One of my trademarks is that it usually takes me a year to figure out what to get friends for major occasions. The better the friend , the longer it takes me. I just always want to find something unique and relevant.

Thank goodness I belong to Boston Handmade! What a great resource for gifts!
My friends have a definite quirky side, so I thought these great items from Crystal would be perfect!

...and they were a hit!

My friends also love to travel so I got them each a journal from Bexx of White Sparrow Bindery.

They were so impressed by the craftsmanship and the binds lay flat - perfect for travel writing!

I dabbled around with ideas for an encaustic piece using an aviation map of metro NYC. My friend loves anything to do with aviation and we have had an ongoing discussion about pigeons for years now. "Pigeon Propaganda" was the result.

They were really psyched about the handmade goody basket and I loved watching them open each piece! Boston Handmade is my first place to shop!

Thank you ladies :)

Art Projects for Kids

by Nicole of 83west

photo courtesy of BloesemKids

As a mom of three young children, who enjoy art projects, I find myself constantly looking for new projects that will interest them but will also be a nice addition to the art in our home. One of my favorite blogs, Bloesem Kids, has a wonderful array of art projects for children.

BloesemKids is "about design for kids". It features weekly craft projects from four craft contributors each of whom have their own blogs. Projects range from watercolor resist paintings (as pictured above) to puppets and collages. In addition to craft projects, BloesemKids also features cooking with kids, mom stories and various artist profiles.

We've done many of the art projects featured and many of them adorn the walls of our home. I can guarantee that you will enjoy some of these projects as much as your children and some would make wonderful gifts for the upcoming holidays.

Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday- Bold

by Mimi Kirchner

Get a little BOLD with Boston Handmade!
Stonehouse Studio
All The Numbers
Majenta Designs
White Sparrow Bindery
Kerry Hawkins Photography
Christine Marie Art
Sea Glass Things
The Hole Thing
MuchachaK

Things That Go Vrooommm...

by Colleen Baker of Tactile Baby

I’m starting to gear up for the holiday season – literally. Even though I have a boy I’ve admittedly been low on boy themed toys in my shop. 

“Make a toy race car” has been on my to do list since my husband made this great race car for my son’s second birthday six months ago. As soon as we gave it to it he began with the noises.  “Vrooommm” and off he’d speed.  

It was clear to me that I’d need to add a race car or two to the Tactile Baby line up if I was going to satisfy the two year old boy set.

After a few failed attempts I’ve settled on two designs.  The first is a retro style gentleman's race car. The kind you may have round racing at Monte Carlo in the early 1920’s. 

That’s Evan in the photo above pitching the retro car into the “race course” tunnel I set up to occupy him while I painted in my workshop.

The second is Formula 1 style, low and sleek and built for speed. 

Both styles are made from durable poplar hardwood, painted with certified non-toxic paint and triple sealed (for extra durability) with certified non-toxic sealer. And each one has been tested extensively by my two  year old and his playmates to ensure the fun factor adn playability levels have been met.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! 

Cross Country Drive

By Allison of Fraske Designs

I recently drove from the east to the west coast - Boston to San Diego. I took maybe 600 pictures... here is a small sample of what we saw. You can click picture for larger image:

Blurry beginnings in Boston


we put the OH in Ohio!


Nebraska sky. I couldn't get enough of it.


Gas station in Colorado


Driving through the Rocky Mountains at night (bad idea btw)


Utah, my favorite state.


My favorite state with some favorite people.


Vegas, baby!


Straight on into frantic oblivion.


San Diego bike rack


John Lennon mural


Flowers by our hotel in Pacific Beach


... and so many more.

Collecting Supplies... A Family Affair!

by Marla of Seaglass Things

Since I have been designing sea glass jewelry and decor - I have been including my children in the hunt for the supplies I use. Both of my girls started helping me scour the beaches when they were around two years old. My older daughter is now 15 - and for her, most of the magic of sea glass hunting has since disappeared... but my 4.5 year old knows the smell of low tide... can see when the water has pulled away from the shore... and still wonders what treasures it will bring. Living by the ocean makes it easy to slip away for an hour or two and get "lost" by the waters edge - for us... time stands still.

Sidewalk Driver CD

by Allison of Fraske Designs

I recently designed album artwork for Boston based band Sidewalk Driver, for whom I also design show flyers. It was a lot of fun coming up with concepts and executing the ideas for the album artwork. The album title is "For All the Boys and Girls," so our initial idea was to have a kind of Dick and Jane feel, like the old children's books, but with some manipulated imagery:


Then we worked on an alternative concept themed similarly to the Dangerous Book for Boys/Daring Book for Girls covers. We tried for a neutral background color and storybook font:


After some back and forth, the third and final album concept was born: a kid's birthday party. We found a retro kitchen (in the beautiful home of another Boston musician Sarah RabDAU), set up a birthday party scene, and also included some symbols found in some of the songs on their new album (I'm not telling what the symbols are... you'll have to buy the cd and find out!).

Here is the final cover:

Inside left cover:

And actual disc:

I haven't seen the finished product yet. I'll be picking up my copies at their upcoming CD Release Show this coming Saturday, October 3 at TT The Bear's Place in Cambridge. Here is the invite, bring all your friends!