graphite contours

I'm Moved!!

2012-01-22T08:51:00.001-08:00

I've moved! I took the leap and decided on a fresh start. Here's my new blog:
http://crystalsmithfineart.blogspot.com/

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My First Real Meal in My New Apartment

2012-01-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

Broke in my kitchen tonight, pots and pans flyin'. Found out that my oven is quite cool, and my stovetop is quite hot. Good to know.

Made a delicious mango and scallion chutney to go with orange glazed pork. (I changed the recipe, since it was supposed to be plums and I couldn't get any!) Added some butter lettuce with blue cheese and pan fried toast with a bit of cajun spice. Oh, and some carrots for color. Delicious!

And the best part? Leftovers for tomorrow! Made up my bento box and now can't wait!

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My Favorite Bakery

2012-01-13T18:31:00.000-08:00

Just by my house, beside the skytrain station is this great little Japanese bakery! It's called Kam Do Bakery and every single thing they make is separately wrapped in little cello bags. Really cute and delicious! Picked up some "White Buns" (?) and had them deliciously drizzled with honey at home!

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Saving Nine

2012-01-05T21:13:00.000-08:00

In honor of finishing a giant crochet blanket (finally) I'm posting this self portrait I did a while back.

No, your not going blind, it's supposed to look blurry.

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Best of the Christmas Snapshots!

2011-12-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

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My Art Up Around Town!

2011-12-17T20:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I put two exhibitions up around town! One at the Noodle Box on Douglas and one at Fresh Cafe. If you're in Victoria BC, take a look and drop me a line! Here's some pics!

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Illustration Friday | Separated

2011-12-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

"First Day of School" some separation anxiety!

To bid or look closer go here.

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A Painting A Day - Ducks and Eggs

2011-12-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

New Paintings! To bid or see it closer, check out my DPW page.

"Let's Make A Break For It!"

"Wanna Play Ball?"

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Christmas Snapshots

2011-12-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

Setting up lights, with the dog's help of course. Nativity scenes and cookies!

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Illustration Friday | Brigade

2011-12-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

Brigade:

a. A military unit consisting of a variable number of combat battalions or regiments.
b. A U.S. Army administrative and tactical unit composed of a headquarters unit, at least one unit of infantry or armor or both, and designated support units. A brigade can be commanded by a brigadier general or by a colonel
c. A group of persons organized for a specific purpose: formed a bucket brigade to carry water to the fire.

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Orange A-Peel

2011-11-30T21:48:00.000-08:00

New Daily Painting...this one has appeal (hahaha). Colors a bit dark, but overall like it. "Mandarin Skin"

To bid or look closer go here.

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Illustration Friday | Round

2011-11-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

Pen and Ink illustration
Giclee now available at my shop.

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My Weekend with Chickens

2011-11-29T09:54:00.000-08:00

Visited a good friend in Comox for the weekend and she's got chickens! (see pics below) Had a cold, wet, windy fantastic time! Lots of pics below. Definately got me in the Christmas mood as well as a whole boatload of ideas for art projects.

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New Snapshots of the Week

2011-11-23T20:25:00.000-08:00

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Illustration Friday | Vanity

2011-11-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

Vain about her tentacles....the Siren. She very much LOOKS vain.

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Painting A Day - Times Two!

2011-11-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

Was busy today! Two paintings! 8x10s in oil on canvas board. "Birthday Wishes" and "Airing the Laundry".
Bid or take a closer look here.

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Bird and the Big Blue Sky

2011-11-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

Newest painting a day. Black bird on cactus in the big blue sky. Love the color the sky turned out. This is a 5x7 canvas with oil. Bid or take a closer look here.

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Big Yellow Scoop - Painting A Day

2011-11-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

Thought it would be a fun change to do a giant truck or such for my daily painting. Although not all the angles are quite accurate, I believe it at least looks friendly.

Bid or look closer here.

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Illustration Friday | Silent

2011-11-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Silent Bird in Snow
Click here to bid or look closer.

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My birthday DAY ONE

2011-11-11T20:09:00.000-08:00

my first birthday day was awesome :) Pancakes, bacon, and omelettes were divine. Not to mention nice moist carrot cake cupcakes with orange (orange-y?) cream cheese icing. My sis gave me the best presents that were TOTALLY "Me". And then thrift store shopping, crafts (with sparkles and dinosaurs) and HP. Best day ever.

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Levitating In Victoria

2011-11-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

First attempt at levitating was a success! More to follow!

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Painting a Day | Red Bird in Snow

2011-11-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

In hopes of the upcoming snow season #crossingmyfingers I've painting a lovely red bird at a feeder in the snow. It's my "painting a day" and done in oil. 8x10".
To bid or look closer go down this path.

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Levitating and Other Things

2011-11-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Well, my birthday is coming up! Nov 12th. My sis and I are going out on the town friday and one of the things I want to do is try these awesome levitating photos! Yowayowa has a great idea and they look amazing. I think it's all about the posture and facial expression, to stop it from looking like you're jumping. Well, results this weekend so stay tuned!

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Illustration Friday | Stripes

2011-11-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

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Illustration Friday | Scary

2011-10-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

Appropriate for Halloween! Here's my pic with lovely giant red moon. Prints available if you go down this road.

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Sad Circus with Balloons

2011-10-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

And another one is finished :) Love the balloons in this one!

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Sad Clowns and Wet Hair

2011-10-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

More finished pics from the "Last Show" sad circus shoot! Look closely and you can see wet hair and soaked clothing.....I love my models!

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The Last Show - A Sad Circus

2011-10-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

My sister and I had a photoshoot this weekend, with very unfortunate weather! It could not have rained any harder. But moods were light and pics were plenty. And you can't see the rain in the shots! Here's the first finished shot, complete with vintage editing.

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New Website Up and Going!

2011-10-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

Finally designed a site I like! See my new website, it has all my past artwork and projects including my wearable art projects. Quick and easy to navigate (hopefully), and bright and colorful. Check it out and tell me what you think!

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Day Of The Mermaids - Site Launch

2011-10-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Day of the Mermaids vers.1.1 is up and running! Feedback and comments encouraged. Let me know what you think.

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Illustration Friday | Scattered

2011-10-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

How can I resist posting my scattered acorns? Watercolor on paper, 8x10. If your interested the original is for sale here.

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Beautiful (Crowded) Spaces

2011-10-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

As a "collector" (#packrat) I know what it's like to have too many things and not enough space. Crowding things is an art. Not only do you need to be organized, but using colors as a way to calm the mess is a good idea too. Try crowding warm colors together, and cool colors somewhere else. Leave spaces of "minimal" furniture or decor where you can in order to give the eye somewhere to rest. Large patches of one color, such as a big red blanket thrown over the couch or a wall hanging, can give you a purposeful feel among the piles of collections adorning your home. Here are some great pics of crowded spots.

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Delicious Treasuries!

2011-10-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

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Happy Thanksgiving - Thoughts From Children

2011-10-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

Some more thanks giving pictures from my kids at work!

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Snapshots!

2011-10-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

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Illustrations Friday | Contraption

2011-10-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

A Fun Contraption!

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thought of the day

2011-10-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

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Curious Cat - Painting A Day

2011-10-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Painting a Day! Oil on Canvas, 8x10. Bid or buy here.

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Violinist Finished!

2011-10-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Although it's not quite what I had in mind when I started, I have finally finished my violinist!

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A Child's Thanks Giving Book

2011-10-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

In my class at work we are getting the grade 3, 4 and 5s to make little books about all the things they are thankful for. We talked a bit about other countries and the freedoms and peace we enjoy. This is just the first day of these Thanks Giving Books, so stay tuned for more!

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New Autumn Photos in My Shoppe!

2011-10-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Exciting new photos in my shop up today! Take a turn here to find them.

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DIY Autumn Napkin Rings - Follow Up Pics!

2011-10-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I did the napkin holder's with my grade 4 and 5s and they had a great time! It was easy enough that they could sit at the round tables and socialize, well still producing something they were eager to see finished. The next morning a number of them came in and went right over to see how they looked when they had dried, and were very happy with the results. Success!

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DIY Autumn Napkin Rings

2011-10-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Spruce up the table with these cute and bright napkin rings! Help the planet at the same time by using recyclable materials and natural finds.

Start with a coffee cup insulator, any brand will do! Cut up some tissue paper into small squares in various fall colors. Using glue mixed with water (1 part glue to 2 parts water) and a paint brush, glue the tissue paper onto the insulator making sure to get glue under and on top of the tissue.

When letting the ring dry, use a cup to make sure it keeps it's shape.

Let it dry, and do a second layer if necessary.

Find Autumn type dried flowers, feathers, acorns, pine-cones, ribbon, candy corn and other fun accessories to hot glue onto the front. You can even add each person's name on their own napkin holder and send them home as party favors.

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Tree Houses - Pinterest

2011-10-03T20:44:00.000-07:00

My first pinterest board! Some beautiful home decor ideas! Would love a tree house...

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Throw Pillow Fight - Bright vs Neutral

2011-10-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

I've often thought about bypassing the whole "sofa" thing and just piling up the pillows on a big shaggy rug. Comfy and much more versatile. Looking through Etsy, I found quite a few pillow designs I loved. However, there's always the big question, "neutral or bright?". One day I'll want bright bold colors, the next I'd rather have brown and grey neutrals. (My wardrobe suffers from this problem as well).

(cottageonthecoast, nicework, hannahsboutique, thehomecentric)

(preciousknits, mutualmuses, upcycledpillows, ladyshipdesigns)

Soft and Comfy Dreamcatchers

2011-10-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

Emmajeanbutterbean has a fantastic idea! Dreamcatcher pillows!! And look at these beauties, wow. Have to get me one of them! Twelve inches, hand-printed. Only $35.

Sad Circus - Last Performance

2011-10-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

So my sister and I are putting together a photoshoot for the end of the month about a sad circus. We're going to do it near an old train, which should be great. Almost have all the costumes and things ready, except for a jacket for the ringmaster! Oh, and some clown clothing. Here are some inspirational pics to get our butts in gear.

Nomad Inspiration

2011-10-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

Wanted to visit the past and post the whole set of pics that inspired my Nomad's photoshoot. From before the year 2000 I believe.

Beautiful Pictures That Inspire Me

2011-10-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

LOVE this turquoise hair. I love how it's very casual and not "in your face". Maybe when my hair is longer.

This is one of the photos that actually inspired my Nomad's photoshoot! From an OLD Vogue.

Talk about cool photoshoot.

Stripes - Painting a Day

2011-10-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well this one took a bit longer than a day, three to be exact. The stripes weren't the problem, it was those dang bottles. For some reason doing stripes inside bottles and then trying to make it look opaque and not cartoony was a big problem. Not super happy with the bottles, but I like the cups!

Funky Decor I Love

2011-10-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

love that antlers holding jewelry. and especially the pallate head board.

must get giant clock! maybe make one...cause even if it doesn't work it still looks awesome!

probably only looks awesome with a brick wall in the back, but I love the stacks of frames.

hanging lamp DIY!

my ideal house, but of course a bit unrealistic.

Kikkerland | A Treasure Trove of Cool Things

2011-09-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Saw these cool paper straws for six bucks in my fav store downtown the other day, and looked up the company. Turns out they do lots of fun stuff! Check out the bambi soap dispenser, and the awesome animal erasers! Take a turn down this road to get to their site.

CAMERA pencil sharpener. Coolest thing ever.

Illustration Friday | Hibernate

2011-09-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hibernating through the long winter months in fluff and stuff.

Wreath of Flowers in Your Hair

2011-09-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Wish everyone wore head wreaths. Could come up with lots of cool ideas I'm sure. Next summer I'm going to make head wreaths and wear them. Let them stare.
For more of my headwreath pics travel this direction.

Autumn Dreams and Other Beautiful Things

2011-09-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

to see the rest of my autumn dreams on 'we heart it' go this way.

A Touch of Christmas in September

2011-09-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

When the weather starts turning cool and the leaves start falling, I get a bit in the Christmas mood. I turn on soft brass Christmas music and browse some Christmas craft and decor sites. Here are a few of the finds.

Can't wait to make a ton of snowflakes!

Soooo cute. I'd make them...but seriously they look like a LOT of work.

Nice red bird napkin holders.

Have to remember this as a table/plate decoration.

I LOVE petite fours, and these ones are so beautiful!

Old style decorations! Def want to make some of these.

Party Today

2011-09-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

Had a party today with kids at work. Lots of balloons and cookies. An autumn celebration!

2011-09-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Can I just say how awesome these two pics are? I love the whole eye-patch look! Rory and Amy are a bit scary but in a good way.

Ideas and theories on Doctor Who:

-Doctor who is not the real DR. who. (wrong shoes, and did a rubix cube despite earlier saying he can't)

-Doctor is a ganger and will take the real DR's place getting shot.

Questions:

-Why did they need the astronaut suit?? What was the point of manipulating earth to have a space program just because they needed a space suit.

Beautiful Body Art

2011-09-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

Some beautiful body art.

Jar of Spools - Painting A Day

2011-09-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

Oil on Canvas

5x7"

Bid or buy here.

Fall Treasuries

2011-09-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Lovely Sushi

2011-09-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Delicious sushi pics. YUM.

Rainbow Connection

2011-09-27T19:39:00.001-07:00

Parlimentary

2011-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Parliament buildings here are super beautiful and photo worthy. In fact, walking past them, I couldn't help but imagine a cool photo shoot complete with props and costumes....then I remembered I'm in the middle of setting up for two other shoots and promptly slapped myself.

Halloween Craftiness! Which house for the witch?

2011-09-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

First Halloween crafts of the season! In preparation for the ghoulish month I am making some demos for my class. We are going to be doing a Halloween town (thanks to my sis for the idea!) made up of "gingerbread" style homes but in Halloween colors.

Here you can see my first attempts at a home! It's made from a cereal box with cut out windows, bubble-wrap roof, and shiny sparkly things.

But what makes a house a home? Why a witch of course! She's a friendly cute witch, at least she is now that I've added hair. One of the kids commented that she was "much too bald and scary" so I gave her golden locks.

The witch's body is simply a pipe-cleaner attached to the wooden head. I made a circle cloak, and a quick felt hat to match. The broom is a rolled up piece of cut felt with slices through it to make it look like straw. I could picture a number of these flying around our Halloween town!

henrique oliveira - wooden places

2011-09-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Henrique Oliveira builds places, environments, and installations out of aged wood. It creates a moody, earthy, and natural look that somehow also seems incredibly modern. Smooth creations that are "semi-organic and arabesque". Indeed they are places I would like to live, or explore more at least. The blend of different colored, aged, and textured wood creates a beautiful collage.

Henrique Oliveira's Portfolio Online.

Mornings - Painting A Day

2011-09-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

"Mornings"

8x10 oil on canvas board

To bid or buy go here.

eric knoche - vessels of earth

2011-09-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

The vessels of Eric Knoche are incredibly natural in texture and shape. The earth tones of each piece, or series of pieces like the "puzzle vases", are beautifully soft and warm. Eric was featured in Ceramics Monthly May 2011, and rightly so. He says that his, "pieces are based on abstractions of the human form, machine parts, landscapes, algebra and bones." Like castoffs of the earth, they stand as witnesses of mother nature's potential.

He says that his works are meant to be enjoyed visually and tactually. The textures are delicious, and a deliberate brilliant mix of the "materials, forms, placement in the kiln, and firing technique."

Eric Knoche Website.

chris kirby - negativity

2011-09-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Chris Kirby's industrial designs in "negative series" defy gravity. The smooth surfaces make me want to reach out and stroke them. The stacked rectangles remind me of bath shops with shaved piles of heavily scented soap blocks. Each piece consists of cut unfinished looking pieces artfully stacked to create a moody and complex design.

By using only white, the stacks of shapes are all united and have a modern feel. Instead of a bored bricklayer using up scraps, we see an artist carefully rendering his sculptures.

Chris Kirby Portfolio Online.

Pears at a Picnic - Painting a Day

2011-09-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

My second painting a day!! Pears at a Picnic! You can read more about it here at my "Painting a Day" blog.
You can bid on it here.

Illustration Friday | Ferocious

2011-09-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

Acorns on Blue - Painting A Day for Sept 22

2011-09-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

My first "Painting a Day" piece! "Acorns on Blue" watercolor on paper 8x10".

To bid on my piece go here.

To check out my "painting a day" blog, go here.

Catching Art

2011-09-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

I`ve started a new blog! It`s going to be a place where I blog about artists that inspire me. Why not use this blog? This blog is specific to me and my work, life and art. I may post now and then about my other blog, which I'm calling "Catching Art", btw.

Check out Catching Art here.

September Joys

2011-09-20T12:03:00.001-07:00

Sushi Love!

2011-09-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Had some fantastic sushi the other night! Love the way sushi is always displayed, makes it more appetizing and unique.

A Few Disneyland Memories

2011-09-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a seven day trip to the happiest place in the world!

Trip highlights include the new Little Mermaid Ride, awesome updates for Star Tours, character breakfast at the Plaza, Captain EO, the Mary Poppins float in the parade, and delicious chinese food.

Girl with Purple Stockings...

2011-09-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Another fallish-Halloweenish ink piece :) Prints available at my shop.

Autumn Treasuries

2011-09-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Just In Time For Halloween

2011-08-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with some inks and watercolor for spooky and moody Halloween prints! Up now in my etsy store here

Dramatic Ducks

2011-08-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Treasured Spots on Etsy

2011-08-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

A few treasuries featuring my items:

Super Secret QR code hidden in my shop for a coupon!

2011-08-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

My photography shop OlivePoppy now has a secret QR code hidden in one of the listings.

You have to click on the listings to check whether it includes a second photo, which is the QR. Scanning this code with your smart phone will lead you to a secret coupon code for my shop!!

Happy hunting!

Blue Mermaid

2011-08-13T15:22:00.001-07:00

She seems a lot more interesting in blue...lol.

So Swell

2011-08-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

I think a ferris wheel is really swell!

Faces in Ink

2011-08-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Having fun with faces in ink, experimenting with mermaid hair etc. Some turned out, others didn't. But here's the lot!

Back to Black

2011-08-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

Some quick ink faces for mermaid inspiration. A brow of scales and long wet dark hair. Hmm....mysterious?

Two More Mermaids

2011-08-08T21:56:00.001-07:00

Forgot about these two!

Day Of The Mermaids

2011-08-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

The Upcoming "day of the mermaids" project (which will take longer than it sounds) is coming along at least in my head. Here are some very rough idea sketches of some of the mermaid costume ideas I'm going to create and photograph. Those will then be used in a collage/mixed media story based series. Crossing my fingers of course.

The idea behind the mermaids is to show that the destruction of the ocean through pollution, oil spills etc. is so bad that it is even seeping it's way into our children's dreams, thus the plight of the mermaids who have washed up on shore, covered in oil and nets.

New Photo Shop!

2011-07-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

I've moved my Etsy photo shop! I wanted to change the name, so I moved it to a new account!

Visit Olive&Poppy and see all my photos!

Ink Hair

2011-07-24T23:14:00.000-07:00

Some fun with ink and water as I try to capture some movement in hair.

Remedy | Illustration Friday

2011-07-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Remedy for almost anything!

(original available in my etsy shoppe here)

Always the Florist, Never the Bride

2011-06-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

The difficulty with being a florist for three years, is that when people find out they always recruit you to do their flowers. Although I enjoy it, it's still stressful, and today's flower choices were tricky to put together. However, it finally did get finished. (pics of the finished arrangements tomorrow)

Illustration Friday | Midsummer Night

2011-06-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Tea Towels For Me

2011-06-23T10:01:00.001-07:00

I've decided I want a tea towel collection! I'd love to put them out depending on my mood and sense of humor for the week. Here are some I like:

Things I Want For My Apartment!

2011-06-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

A little fake-shopping on etsy gave me this beautiful list of things I would love in my apartment.

Random Sketches

2011-06-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Some Animal Friends

2011-06-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

A few animal studies from my sketchbook.

Sketches

2011-06-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

People watching, at least catalogs and photos.

Treasured Treasuries

2011-06-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Some fantastic treasuries today! Also, not sure what the food/fruit/vegetable theme is, but apparently I'm missing the boat!

The Many Faces of Holly

2011-06-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Catching my sis on camera all day! (She's still single guys!)