Tales From the DoodleFactory

Snack Time

2011-08-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yep, I failed at the "August Break" goal of posting a photo a day this month. I had a ton of work come in during the second week and I barely left my desk for 4 days straight, trying to stay on two really tight deadlines. Then it just seemed pointless to pick back up on the photo project, especially when it was so hot and muggy outside.

My workday is a little lax today, so I decided to do a little recipe post. I will admit, I am the LAST person anyone should follow cooking advice from, but this recipe requires zero cooking (though you do need a dehydrator, which isn't exactly a staple in every household).

I first tried these Sesame Almonds at a Raw Food/Yoga place in my neighborhood. I didn't have an exact recipe, but it seemed easy enough to figure out on my own.

1. Start off with a cup or so of raw almonds. Apparently, it's hard to find TRUE raw almonds because nut manufacturers pasteurize nuts, which makes them not raw even when they're labeled "raw". These are from Costco, so I'm sure they're not unpasteurized or organic, but they are not smoked or flavored, so it's the best I've got.

2. I used a 1/2 liter mason jar and filled it to the top with filtered water. The next step is to just soak them in a warm place for 8-12 hours so they can plump up. When you soak nuts, you're actually "germinating" them. If they're truly raw, soaking will neutralize the nut's enzyme inhibitors which will make digestion and nutrition absorption easier.

3. After soaking, drain and get rid of the water. Your almonds should be plump and fatty.

4. Next, add some flavor. I add a few tbs sesame oil + some black sesame seeds + Salt (raw foodists like to use fancy pink salt, but all I have is run-of-the-mill white sea salt). Close the jar and shake vigorously to coat. I like to let it "marinate" for a bit, but the raw food lady said this isn't actually necessary.

5. The final step before consumption is to lay the nuts out in the dehydrator for about 8-10 hours (I set it to 105°). Warning: Your house may smell like a chinese food restaurant for the first hour or two.

So why dehydrate something that you just spent 10 hours soaking? Well, the nuts will still stay plump, but now they'll be nice and crunchy. You can taste-test after a few hours go by to see how they're doing. They're the best when they come straight out of the dehydrator so I only make enough to last a few servings. I store the extras in a sealed jar, and sometimes zap them in the dehydrator at a higher temp for a short time if its been a while since I made them. I wasn't a big sesame oil person before this, but these are seriously yummy. If it tastes a little bland, add more salt.

I'm trying to find other nut recipes since I'm more of a salty-snack person, but so far I haven't found anything else.

August Break: Day 5

2011-08-05T21:12:00.001-07:00

I left the house today and brought my camera, but forgot to replace the flash card. Oops! Here's a photo taken this evening from the my apartment window instead.

August Break: day 4

2011-08-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend and I watched the Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead documentary last week, and promptly jumped on the bandwagon and ordered a Juicer which came in the mail yesterday. I am not good with self-restraint and I'm notorious for giving in to cravings way too easily, but our refrigerator is packed with fruits and veggies for this experiment and I'm interested in seeing how long I last. So far I've just been having fun throwing things in and watching it immediately transform into liquid form. Two juice-only meals down...? to go....

August Break: Day 3

2011-08-03T19:38:00.001-07:00

Another cat photo so soon. I know. I did go outside today, but it was so hot, I just wanted to run my errands and get back home. No time to seek out interesting photo-ops.

This afternoon a giant box came in the mail. I got about as far as opening the top flap before Trouble hopped on board and staked his claim. I'll do the reveal of the contents for tomorrow's post.

August Break: Day 2

2011-08-02T18:41:00.001-07:00

A slice of my neighborhood. Parking Lot Backdrop - Spring Street, Los Angeles.

August Break: Day 1

2011-08-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

I'm going to breathe some life into this blog for the next 31 days (hopefully) by participating in Susannah Conway's August Break. The goal is to post a photo (or more) every day this month. Simple! Let's see how it goes.

Today's photo comes from the vet office where I had to take my cat Toby in for some sniffle-fighting antibiotics. He's been a sneezy cat his entire life, but lately its been bad enough to need professional intervention.

Anyway - while I was in the waiting room, I was dying to take a photo of the on-staff counter kitty - a big, white, grumpy-looking Persian. I hesitated for a minute since I was in a place of business, but fired off two quick shots when the cat stood up and proceeded to sneeze enthusiastically all over the counter and the clipboard he was sitting on. It was pretty funny.

Il Volo

2011-06-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking I want to revisit and revamp this blog, but then I get busy or distracted, and the next thing you know, an entire season has rolled by since my last post.

I'm still working as a freelance designer and thankfully, jobs has been steady. There are a lot of awesome advantages to being self-employed, but I'm more mentally and creatively drained than ever. Being creative outside of work just feels like more work. I think I did the most doodling/artistic projects a decade ago when I had a very uninteresting desk job.

Anyway, here's a little bit of work that turned into play. I was asked to make some cartoon characters based on an Italian Opera-singing trio of young guys. They would have been used on promotional materials, but the plan never got the green light. I did the drawings anyway and was happy with the way it turned out, especially after adding some color and texture in Photoshop.

For the record, these guys are supposed to be these guys.

Doodle Doppelgangers

2011-03-28T02:59:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was flipping channels and landed on the Canadian cartoon network, Qubo. They were playing a cartoon I'd never seen called "Spliced", and when this weird chicken-cow character came on, something tickled my memory receptors and I exclaimed to Mike that it looked like a character I'd drawn before! I pulled out the notebook with the original drawing, and Mike humored me saying it looked similar.

I forgot about it until tonight, when I ended up on Qubo playing "Spliced" again. This time they had a character called Oct-O-Cat, which again prompted me to think of a character I'd drawn years ago. I finally remembered a "character design community" I joined in 2006 called "Mojizu". I was into that site for a hot minute, then got lazy/busy/bored and stopped posting after a brief burst. Luckily, my drawings are still preserved there with date-stamps and everything.

My weird chicken mutant character on the left, Scene from "Spliced" on the right:

My Oct O Cat character on the left, Scene from "Spliced" on the right:

For the record, Wikipedia says Spliced first aired in 2009. If you click on my drawings above, it'll link to the original post with comments from 2006. I'm not implying there are any shenanigans going on, but it's a weird coincidence, no?

I (Balloon) LA

2011-03-01T17:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend a group of friends got together in our loft, blew up 400 helium balloons and distributed them around downtown L.A. The idea was born a few weeks ago when we met to brainstorm ideas for a call for 2-minute video projects that would be broadcast on LA metro buses. Mike came up with the initial idea of giving out balloons and we all fleshed out the concept.

We started with 1/3 of the balloons and went to Skid Row - When I say "we", I mean everyone but me. I woke up with a tenuous stomach and felt a little uncertain about leaving the house so I missed that section in my photo documenting. I felt a little better after lunch and joined the second foray which took us from our apartment through Pershing Square, up to the MOCA, Disney Concert Hall, Music Center and finally Olivera Street. I was clutching 50 balloons, which made photographing a challenge, but I took as many shots as I could.

Overall, the response was extraordinary. We were concerned that going into Skid Row to hand out balloons might not be well received, but they were some of the most enthusiastic and appreciative, though many people from all walks of life were rather delighted. When people asked why we were doing this, we said something like "We're handing out smiles", or "Just because". It was actually quite a lot of fun and when we handed out our last balloon, we felt a bit (excuse the pun) "deflated". For a moment we were rock stars, and then just like that we were back to being everyday people.

[View the Full Photo Set Here]

And here is the video:

Mexico, Part Dos

2011-02-15T09:27:00.000-08:00

When I told people I was going to Mexico to attend a workshop, almost everyone warned me to "be careful" and some (my dad) implored me to reconsider. Mexico has an unfortunate reputation, which I'm sure is well-deserved in some parts, but my visit really opened my eyes to a beautiful country where I never once felt threatened or in danger.

The towns I visited (Queretaro and San Miguel Allende) were full of charm and color - truly a feast for the eyes!

ACE Camp - Queretaro, Mexico

2011-02-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

I'm fatigued by the idea of encapsulating my experience in Mexico in words, so I'm going to rely mainly on photos to say most of it for me. I would like to say the trip was worth every penny and anyone contemplating an art adventure would be well taken care of at one of Angela Ritchie's ACE Camps.

The workshop I attended was taught by Geninne Zlatkis in Queretaro, Mexico. Geninne was such a gracious hostess and teacher - she opened her beautiful home and studio to us, and it was so much fun creating in those inspiring surroundings along with 13 other women from various parts of the world.

We had four workshop days where we learned hand-carved stamps, watercolor, collage and journalling techniques. Here's a peek at just a few of the things I made:

Coming from the stamping world from a different angle, it was interesting to carve my own stamps. Geninne uses Staedler Mastercarve blocks as the base for her stamps and we all carved with linocutting tools. I accidentally bought the Speedball Carving blocks which are a lot thinner, and closer to the consistency of carving into a rubber eraser. Either one works, depending on your preference.

I hope to try stamp carving again sometime, as well as watercolors, which I did not really enjoy (at the time) simply because I'm a novice and wanted to be perfect without having put in the practice. I suppose one of the best lessons learned is that talent is important, but dedication and doing is even more crucial to creating exemplary art.

At the culmination of the workshop, we had a little "show" with everyone's pieces posted. I'm a bad photojournalist and don't have images of everything, but here are a few things from the finale.

Those of you on my flickr and facebook pages will have seen the entire grouping of photographs. I won't be posting all 87 here, but I will share more photos of Queretaro and the neighboring town of San Miguel in the next few days.

Flying Away...

2011-02-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not, but in just a few days, I will be getting on a plane to Queretaro, Mexico to attend a workshop hosted by Angela Ritchie's ACE Camps and taught by an art hero of mine, Geninne Zlatkis.

I'm so excited to learn from someone I've admired online, and experience it all in a different country. I haven't picked up a drawing pencil in ages (boy am I going to be rusty when learning watercolor and journaling techniques), but I was inspired by Geninne's work to create this little felted bird. Either I'm getting slightly faster, or birds are just easier to make. I finished this guy in just a few hours in between design jobs yesterday.

Bendable Poseable

2011-01-15T17:39:00.001-08:00

I know I should be using my free time to make more DoodleFactory drawings, but I've been all about felties lately. I think since most of my work exists in a 2-Dimensional and often digital-only world, it's nice to do something off the computer that results in a tangible object.

Here's the latest member of the DoodleFeltery. Mike calls him "Brutus". He's about 3" and his limbs and tail are bendable thanks to some floral wire buried beneath the wool. I didn't model him after any characters I've drawn in the past. I just started felting and let him take his own shape.

Napkin drawing by Mike - he helped figure out what kind of face to give this guy.

I went to Mike's art studio the night I finished. That's some of Mike's tape art, out of focus and in the background of this photo.

Travel Monkey visits Big Bear

2011-01-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I had a very good Christmas and a memorable New Year.

The end of 2010 brought a lot of new graphic design work my way and I've never been busier (or more stressed out). I'm not complaining though - I'm very glad to be generating new business, but I was still very relieved to have some time off between Christmas and New Year's.

We rang in the New Year at a cabin in Big Bear with a group of friends. I had such a great time eating lots of excellent home-made meals and desserts, playing boardgames and having fun in the snow.

Speaking of fun in the snow, some of you may recall the little feltie I made last year. A few months ago, I snuck him onto my boyfriend's pack when he did a bike tour down the central coast of California. My boyfriend returned the favor when he tucked him into my bags when I visited Hawaii. We gave him the uncreative yet apt name: "Travel Monkey", and the sneaky bugger managed to visit Big Bear without me even knowing. My boyfriend snuck outside to capture his day in the snow and I had no clue until we were going over photos later.

(click for bigger)

Original photos by Mike, "vintage" manipulation by me, with supplies by Kitschy Digitals

'Tis The Season

2010-12-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

Did I forget to mention I drew a new Christmas set now available at starvingartistamps.com. It's called 'Tis The Season, and I used a few of the new stamps (plus some from Christmas sets past) for a few cards I put together last week.

These are for my small list of clients. I inserted a starbucks card and a small note in each as a token of my customer appreciation.

DoodleFeltery...or DoodleFeltory?

2010-11-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

I've made another needle-felted DoodleFactory character! Head over to my other blog to see the in-progress photos of this guy coming together (wordpress lets you make neat slideshows, but it shrinks the photos...I have to figure out a better way to share an abundance of images in one post).

DF Ghoulies

2010-09-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

I just wrapped up a couple of Halloween sets, and since time is ticking, Tracey's already posted them to the shop.

This year, we wonked (no, that's not a word) up the DF style even further, and here's what came of it:

For those of you who aren't into creepy cartoons, I've also done a small set of good old gourds n' pumpkins for the autumn season.

Speaking of autumn, I'd really love to see the change in seasons this year. I'm actually leaving on a 9-Day trip to Hawaii today, but when I get back, I want to start planning a road trip that will take me to see some vibrant fall foliage. Any west-coasters out there that can point out areas where the leaves get nice and festive. When does that even happen? My entire life of living in static climates has severely dampened my knowledge of the seasons.

DoodleFactory Birthday!

2010-08-03T10:18:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder what it would be like to have the DoodleFactory gang show up at your birthday? Last month, Crissy Page of dearcrissy.com hired me to design the invitations and cake decorations for her son Evan's first birthday. His party was this past weekend, and I was thrilled to have my creatures at this milestone event.

I custom designed the invitation, but Crissy had them professionally printed and the final product was phenomenal. The colors were just as vibrant in real life as on the screen, and the rounded edges and watercolor stock added a nice touch. Here, I've photographed the invite with two sculpey characters I made as cake toppers. These two weren't the final ones - I'd never used sculpey in this way before, so there was a bit of a learning curve.

Here's Crissy's photo of the actual toppers that made it on the cake:

Cake Topper by Irene / Doodlefactory, originally uploaded by dear crissy.

This is where Crissy went all out. I designed some character buttons that she printed, then painstakingly cut out and assembled on what looks to be about 1000 cupcakes:

Evan's cupcakes, originally uploaded by dear crissy.

The Tower de Cupcake:

Evan's 1st Birthday Cupcake Tower & Cake, originally uploaded by dear crissy.

See more of Crissy's party photos on her blog. You'll probably want to poke around and add her to your favorites. Her site is always filled with gorgeous eye-candy (she's a professional photographer) and lots of great giveaways.

Sitting Pretty

2010-08-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

See the post below for my rambling ruminations on the latest DoodleFactory® release to debut at StarvingArtistamps.com. By now, you can see the entire set at the shop, and even partake in the 3-Day sale going on. I only have two examples to share so far, but you should check out the design team's creations on the StarvingArtistamps blog.

As I mentioned earlier, coloring in people is a ton of fun. In fact, I spent so much time coloring the characters [I have about 5 others already inked up] that I ran out of time on the actual card-making process. All of the characters in these [two] sets are drawn in a seated position. They're made to coordinate with other sets like the DF Boudoir and DF Classic Decor, but as you see below, they can work entirely on their own as well.

First up is "Penny" from the Sophisticates: Take a Seat set. The Sophisticates are kind of the evolution between the DoodleFactory Grace Girls and the limited number of people I've ever drawn before on the DF line. The set of buildings in the background of this card is the DoodleFactory Neighborhood.

Next is "Daphne", who is probably my favorite character because I wish I could pin up my hair in curls like that. She's kind of a nymph and when I was rooting around for ideas, I pulled out my FlowerSoft snow globes that Tracey had sent me a few months ago. When I paired the image and globe with some flowers, I instantly thought of an iconic scene from a movie a few years ago. 50 imaginary points to the person who guesses what scene I'm thinking of. The fur is incidental - I threw it on the top of the card as an easy way to embellish the front, but the flowers [in red] are key. I even had to color a bunch of the flowers myself with my red copic pen since I didn't have enough in my supply.

That's it for now. I didn't get a chance to show you any of the images from the "Cutie Kids" set, so here's a look at everything you can find in these two sets. Make sure you stop by the shop to take advantage of the 3-Day 15% Off Sale and check out the SA blog to see more samples!

"Antidepresstamps: GBB&B" Blog Hop

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's time for the Antidepresstamps Giggle Bears, Birds and Bees blog hop! These new stamps have been designed by someone who always puts me in awe. Nina Aaslund is not only an extraordinary card-maker, but a fantastic illustrator as well. I know I will never do the same justice to Nina's stamps as she does with mine, but I'm very proud to be a part of this release and give you a glimpse of what you can do with this line.

This is the sweetest set full of fun and expressive characters. The bears are so cuddly, but I love the bees the most, especially the wide mouthed one who looks like he's got a smug little secret. I also liked the ice cream cone and how absurdly fun it is to create your own flavors by coordinating with the background papers (or maybe that's just me).

There's so much to do with these stamps, and I know you'll see so many more incredible examples on this blog hop. Your next stop is actually Nina's very own blog. Make sure you visit ALL of the stops because someone is giving away the entire set for free (TODAY ONLY)!

Here's the entire blog hop map in case you get lost, plus the direct links to the shop if you're already convinced you absolutely need this set in your life:
RIGHT NOW:

Start (@ the company blog): http://starvingartistamps.blogspot.com
Irene: (You Are Here)
Nina: http://krumelurkonst.blogspot.com
Donna: http://www.deesstudio.blogspot.com
Juliana: http://www.stampinwinkyfingers.blogspot.com
Lydia: http://www.understandblue.blogspot.com/
Jenn: http://www.jennmcmillan.blogspot.com/
Dawn: http://www.dawnmercedes.blogspot.com/
Laura: http://www.adayinthelifeofthepaperpoppy.blogspot.com
Lori : http://www.inkingaloud.blogspot.com/
Eva: http://muffinspyssel.blogspot.com
Tracey : http://www.stampomatic.blogspot.com

Something Different

2010-06-06T16:03:00.001-07:00

A good friend asked if I'd be so inclined to help her decorate the walls in her daughters' room. I was a bit apprehensive. I've always envied those who could paint, but alas, I never learned myself. Since painting is not my strength, I figured I'd work with what I have, which happens to be a lot of decorative papers, and what I know: drawing silly characters. I came up with 3 collage pieces. The larger is 9"x12", the smaller ones closer to 5"x7".

You might notice the Doodle Factory Neighborhood in these scenes. I drew a few more buildings on the computer and printed, then cut them out. The characters are all hand drawn and mostly colored with pencil and some markers.

I don't know if this is what my friend had in mind, but I hope she likes them!

Return of the Felties

2010-05-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

Remember when I tried to learn needle felting? It's been almost a year since I first (and last) took a stab at it (har har), but I got the sudden itch to craft some creatures this weekend.

I used one of my favorite characters from the Creatures II set as my model. My first attempt came out a bit too small, and didn't allow for the detail I wanted, but he made a good little brother for the second, larger one I tried.

You guys, this may be my favorite thing I ever made with my own two hands. Who should I make next?

Danbo!

2010-05-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

[also x-posted to my other blog]

It ("It" being my OCD obsession of the day) all started when my boyfriend showed me this adorable photo of a tiny box person helping a tinier box person over a sidewalk ledge. The image was so enchanting, I had to know more.

That particular photo was taken by Anton Tang, but it seems to be part of a larger phenomena involving many different photographers and their own box people. The little cardboard robot(s) are actually plastic figurines from Japan, based on a comic character named Danboard, or Danbo.

A little internet sleuthing turned up literally hundreds of Danbo photographs on the web. [HERE] [HERE] and [HERE] just to name a few.

I wanted a Danbo figure to play with too! Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I was too impatient to eBay one from Japan, so I made my own, with some modifications to this handy template someone else made. I deleted the colors and printed it on some recycled paper. Folded, glued, and stuck his head to his body with a toothpick. I modified the face, arms and legs just a bit, and he's got dirty toes, but he still came out cute as a button. I know I'm really late to the Danbo party, but who can resist playing along when even a rip-off version of this little guy is so darn photogenic?

Antidepresstamps

2010-05-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

The uncomparable Nina Åaslund has lent her talents as a stamp illustrator to Starving Artistamps with a fun and fabulous new stamp release she calls Antidepresstamps. Check back on Wednesday, June 23 for some samples, a blog hop and a look at the whole set!

The Wedding Card

2010-05-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

It's wedding season...or at least we've been invited to two weddings within the next month, and I whipped out the craft supplies for a couple of simple cards. No stamping, but some papers, buttons, ribbons, and a couple of beautiful paper flowers sent to me by Tracey from www.starvingartistamps.com.

The Other Half

2010-05-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

Want a peek at what I do when I'm not drawing DoodleFactory characters? I started a new blog for my design work since I haven't put together a portfolio or website yet.

www.irenesilva.wordpress.com

Let's see if I can keep this one updated more than once a month :)

I Wonder if This Will Give Me Superpowers

2010-05-08T04:07:00.000-07:00

I'm really terrible at updating this blog with any regularity. In part, it's because whenever I'm working on DF stuff, it's shrouded in secrecy. By that time a release comes out, it's been a few weeks or months since I last made those drawings and I've already moved on to the next secret thing I can't talk about.

I just turned in the latest set, which is something Tracey has been asking me to draw for ages. It's something new*ish, and sort of unlike anything I've drawn for Starving Artistamps before, but nothing crazy or out there as far as the stamping world is concerned. I'm not sure when this set will release, so I'll distract you from asking me any questions I can't answer with this picture of my lunch yesterday.

I have come to the conclusion that I will never be able to brag about my culinary skills. There are a few meals I can make without destroying, but I'm no Martha in the kitchen. On the other hand, ever since I bought this amazing and affordable little blender, I've discovered a penchant for smoothie making. What could be easier than throwing a bunch of ingredients in a little machine and pressing a button that pulverizes it all together? Plus, look how pretty:

Creatures: 2010 Edition

2010-04-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

My gig as a rubber stamp illustrator started in 2005 with the release of my very first set: DoodleFactory Creatures. Five years, and literally hundreds of DoodleFactory drawings later, I'm back to the beginning with a new spin on 10 more creatures to add to the DF family.

You can see the full release and all of the StarvingArtistamps.com design team cards at the company blog. Here are my two cards introducing you to Zed, Spinkle and Elbo:

Digi Doodles

2010-03-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, my boyfriend bought me this fabulous wacom BAMBOO pen tablet. He thought it would help with my doodles, and maybe save the time in the 3 step process of sketching on paper, scanning, then digitizing.

I have to admit, I mostly used the pen tablet this month to digitally sign the PDF contracts of my freelance jobs (though that use alone has made this an invaluable little gadget!)

Recently, I fired up my Adobe Illustrator program and gave the pen a whirl. I used to have an older, much cheaper version of the pen tablet, and it was pretty much useless. Drawing with this is a much more pleasant experience, though I haven't quite mastered it yet.

There are a lot of ways you can customize the sensitivity, smoothness, shape and size of the brushes you're working with in Illustrator, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I find the perfect settings that work for me. Who knows if I'll ever trade in sketching with a pencil for a fully digitized work flow, but it's definitely fun to make these little digi-doodles for no particular reason.

Coming Soon!

2010-03-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

It's been over two months since this new chapter in my life has started. Sorry for the long absence, but I must say that time has been flying by.

As I mentioned in my last entry, I lost my job working as a graphics manager at a music company, only to take on a role as a freelance designer for that same record company. As a freelancer, I'm now my own boss, which has given me a lot of new freedom and autonomy. It seems like all the extra time I've saved not commuting to work has been eaten up with learning the ropes of being self-employed. I now have to be my own accountant and keep track of invoices and billings per job instead of collecting a handy salary check every two weeks. I've been stalling on getting my professional website running and there never seems to be enough time in the day to get it all done.

As you can guess, I've taken a bit of a breather from churning out DoodleFactory® sets as my focus has been elsewhere. However, I'm happy to announce that there will be a new release at www.starvingartistamps.com on April 1, and I'm not foolin'.

Here's a sneak peek of some of the new characters joining the DoodleFactory family:

Ch-Ch-Changes

2010-01-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

Time for a personal update!

Quite a bit has happened since I last posted. 2010 got off to a rough start with my very first traffic ticket earlier this month. I failed to make a complete stop before turning right at an intersection, and despite being nicknamed a "California Stop", it's illegal to do, even in LA! One expensive lesson learned.

The other lesson I'm currently in the midst of learning is that one can never be too secure in anything. The short story is that I lost my job at the company I've been with for almost 9 years. Even though there were whispers of layoffs circulating, I was still caught off guard on Thursday when I received notice that they were eliminating the Graphics positions in our department. Thursday was a really tough day, but I've already brushed myself off and I'm looking forward to the next phase in life.

I know that losing my job had nothing to do with my performance and it's actually been a great boost to my ego to know that my boss and coworkers were just as shocked and upset about the "change" as I was. I had so many supportive emails and messages from everyone I worked and I have many people looking out for me, and the potential for freelance work with the company to come. Financially, I think I will be fine. Personally, I only see this as a great opportunity for growth and a new direction in life.

I'm going to end this with a little photo-documentary of a hike my boyfriend and I did two Sundays ago. It was a six-mile loop to the Parker Mesa overlook and you can see from the photo below that "getting there" was quite a challenge to me. I'm not the most athletically inclined person, and I was willing to give up several times along the way, but my boyfriend made sure to coax me on to the top, which was completely worth it.

After the hike, we both felt great about spending time in the beautiful outdoors and vowed to do something away from our apartment every weekend. So far we've kept to that promise with a bike ride to the beach last week, and a group bike ride touring some community gardens in a nearby neighborhood today.

*******

And for those of you who actually come here for DoodleFactory news, there has been a new set release in the StarvingArtistamps.com shop. Those of you who liked last year's Classic Decor furniture set should definitely give the new DoodleFactory Boudoir a look.

The Big Day

2009-12-15T14:18:00.001-08:00

It was a beautiful day for a gorgeous bride and everything went perfectly at my sister's wedding, thanks mostly to my childhood friend who did ALL of the planning and arranging. Above is a glimpse of some of the paper items I created - the wedding program, thank you tags and menu, which my friend had tucked into little "tuxedo" napkins. I wish I'd taken photos of the invites before I sent them out a few months ago, but they looked similar to the other items.

Seeing Snow in Hawaii

2009-12-09T00:11:00.000-08:00

I know I have a tendency of abandoning my blog and disappearing for weeks, but this time I have a legitimate excuse! My sister is getting married and I'd been busy creating and designing the menus, gift tags and printed items for the event this weekend. I flew to Hawaii (our hometown) last Friday and it's been non-stop wedding prep since my best friend is also my sister's wedding planner and we're doing a lot of this DIY-style.

I did manage to borrow my sister's computer tonight so I could catch up on emails AND get a glimpse of the blog hop for the latest Starving Artistamps release, DoodleFactory: Arctic. I'm really sorry I couldn't participate this time around, but it was so much fun seeing the design team's creations. It's especially funny to me since I'm at the "polar" opposite in terms of weather here in Hawaii.

Sorry, I'm too late to give you a heads-up on the chance to win this set for free, but I think everyone should still check out the hop and see the awesome cards the Design Team created with this set. I hope none of the ladies mind that I'm going to repost my favorite card from each stop (Please click on their blog links to see the rest of their creations).

Juliana Swanson:

Donna Duquette:

Lori Tecler:

Lydia Fiedler:

Tracey Berkey:

Jenn McMillan:

Eva Andren:* *(By the way, Eva emailed me many months ago with the initial idea for this set which is why we named the little girl eskimo after her. You can also tell the girl eskimo must be my favorite stamp since I picked it in almost every feature card here!)

Nina Aaslund:

Dawn Mercedes:

Normal is Boring

2009-11-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, I made some christmas cards using my friend's gocco machine. I believe it was that same year that my boyfriend gifted me my own Gocco machine for Christmas.

Shortly after that, Gocco was rumored to be discontinued and I decided I couldn't possibly use such a rare resource, so it sat in my closet perfectly untouched for years. This weekend, I finally decided to get the machine out, hoping to make a few little art prints. Suffice it to say, my results were less than satisfactory and I (literally) blew half the screens and bulbs that were supplied. *sigh*

I don't have my final gocco scans to share, but here are some digitized versions of the images I was trying to play with.

A little back-story on this piece. When the DoodleFactory first moved to Starving Artistamps, and I became aware of stamping communities, I would often see comments on message-boards that the DoodleFactory characters were too weird for stampers. I felt like my odd little creatures (my kids!) were being shunned by society. I made myself feel better by repeating my own mantra "Normal is Boring", and Tracey even promised to make that sentiment into a stamp some day.

Since then, I think I've (mostly) toned down the whack-factor in my drawings, or people have become more accepting, or I've just tuned that stuff out. I was going to put the following little guy into the next stamp release as an abominable snowman, but my boyfriend informed me that he didn't look like BigFoot at all. I'm sure he'll be worked into a future set some day, but I couldn't wait the many months before that would happen to share him. Consider this a SUPER Sneak Peek!

Weekend of Art

2009-11-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend my boyfriend was part of a very interesting project called "1 Day of Art". On Friday night, he and a group of a dozen+ artists met with the creators of (t)here magazine where they learned about the project and were interviewed for the publication and documentary. Each artist randomly selected a word, then spent the next 24 hours creating a work of art centered around that theme.

Mike used every one of those hours and didn't sleep all night. Because his project was so ambitious (with the 4 ft x 8 ft scale, and his time-consuming choice of medium), he didn't quite finish, though he probably needs just a few more hours to fill in the rest. I think by the end of the 20th hour, he was ready to fall over from the lack of sleep, but he pushed through and I passed out well before he did on Saturday night.

That's the piece hanging on his studio wall. His word(s) were "Modern/Power" and the photo doesn't quite do it justice. He did his own documentation of the process using his time-lapse camera, and I'll post the video when he finishes. I've posted this before, but here's another time-lapse video he did of a much smaller "tape painting", so you get an idea of how he works.

The film crew for the documentary dropped in on our apartment mid-day Saturday and I hid in our bedroom while they interviewed my tired boyfriend. I was wrapped up in my own Day of Art, working madly on the next DoodleFactory set, which I'd been putting off for ages. I finished! And while I can't show you the full set, here's a sneak peek and huge hint of what's to come:

Deerie Me

2009-11-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

I figured out what I wanted to be for Halloween on Friday night, and put my costume together relatively quickly on Saturday.

I made my own horns out of Ultralight Sculpey, which is feather-light and quite easy to work with. Actually it's almost too easy to mold, so I put a wire in the center to help keep the bend while it was baking in the oven. After it was done, I painted them with watered-down acrylic paint.

Before baking, I also fluted the bottoms and poked holes around the base so I could sew the horns to my headband. This part looked quite "inelegant" as Mike put it, but it was secure and so comfortable I often forgot I was wearing antlers.

It was handy to have an artistic boyfriend around to help with my make-up, which we copied from a photograph I found on this thread.

The final look!

What did you all do, or dress as for Halloween?

**EDIT**For those curious about what Mike dressed as, he went as Twitter. [Here's a photograph].

Tricked Out Treat Bag

2009-10-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

My good friend made a sweet trick-or-treat bag for her son using one of the ghoulies from the original DF Halloween set. But this isn't a stamped project; I sent her the high-res digital file and she printed an iron-on transfer that she affixed to a plain canvas bag.*

Is this cute, or what?

*Please note, mechanical reproduction of DoodleFactory images is prohibited without consent.

Final Frontier Winner!

2009-10-21T11:14:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the technology of random.org, and the ease of numbered comments, I am happy to announce the winner of our one-day blog giveaway is: Anita Hovey!

Everyone else, thank you so much for playing along on our blog hop. If you want to purchase this set, it is loaded to the shop and ready to go. Use "savetenDF" at checkout and save 10%.

While you're shopping around, a little birdie told me another new DoodleFactory set is up at the shop and ready to go as well! For those of you who want to get a jump on your Christmas cards, check out another brand new set - DoodleFactory: O Holy Night

Final Frontier Blog Hop!

2009-10-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Starving Artistamps New Release Blog Hop! I am actually the last stop on the hop, so if you haven't started at the beginning, you should rewind and take a stroll through these fine blogs to see what the rest of the team has come up with:

START HERE: starvingartistamps.blogspot.com, then visit:
1. Juliana Swanson 2. Tracey Berkey 3. Donna Duquette 4. Sandra MacLean 5. Lori Tecler 6. Lydia Fiedler 7. Andrea Cloutier 8. Dawn Mercedes 9. Jenn McMillan

These are my two contributions using the "Final Frontier" set, which you can win absolutely free by commenting on this very blog post! This is a quickie/one-day giveaway, so you must enter your comment before 11AM PST, Wednesday Oct 21. Please make sure your comment includes an easy way to contact you! THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW OFFICIALLY CLOSED! THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Here's a look at the entire set of deeply etched, red rubber stamps that will go to the lucky winner. Of course, you can always purchase your own set at starvingartistamps.com. Use the code "savetenDF" at checkout and save 10%!

October already?

2009-09-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm always dusting the cobwebs off of my blog, but at least it's appropriate tonight since I made some Halloween cards!

First up is the vampire boy from the DoodleFactory Costume Party set, flanked by his two bat friends from last year's Halloween II set. Can someone tell me why red is so impossible to photograph, and don't even get me started on glitter. You can't even tell my Batboy and friends are sparkly. Oh, sparkly vampires - that Twilight audiobook my carpool buddy borrowed for the commute must be getting to me.

The next card uses the three pumpkins, also from the Halloween II set. I kind of struggled with the composition of this one, before adding the ribbon and text. I think I still need to work on my finishing, but I'm feeling okay with the final outcome.

Collage Card

2009-09-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so behind! My day job has been very busy, and this weekend I had a very special houseguest. My sister visited for the first time since I moved to LA. She's getting married in December and we found her perfect wedding dress this weekend. It was such a relief for her and I'm so happy she found something she absolutely loves that was also well within her budget!

Anyway, here's a card I made last week. It's actually a congratulations card for a new baby, but the stork I drew looked stupid and I had to cover it up with some trees. There's no stamping on this card (except for the letters), but the trees are similar to the ones in the DoodleFactory: Into the Woods set.

Trying Something New

2009-09-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be working on another set of stamps (actually there are many in the queue), but yesterday I felt like doing something that wasn't for a project and served no real purpose. I feel like my illustration style has become defined by the stamps I draw and I admit I draw stamps the way I do because in the beginning I somewhat mistakenly thought rubber stamps were supposed to have big bold lines. I knew nothing about rubber stamps when I first started this venture and while its nice that the DoodleFactory has its own distinctive look, sometimes I feel like breaking out of the box.

And so, I sat at my coffee table yesterday with the intention of creating something that was not a goofy character with fat, thick lines. I guess she's kind of like a Grace Girl, but different.

For this piece I used some recycled paper, my mechanical pencil, copic markers and paper-pieced her hair, feather and ruffle. I'd love to draw more people, but I think I only like drawing heads. Bodies give me so much trouble.

It's That Time of Year

2009-09-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

New Release and Blog Candy to win it over at the Starving Artistamps blog!

Nutty

2009-08-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Here's the other card I ended up making this weekend. Again some failure with the embossing powders (which you can barely see in my craptacular photograph), but I'm still stalking (stocking??) it up to more experience gained.

All stamps are from the new DoodleFactory: Into The Woods set. I used a coppery embossing powder on the inset tree, and let me tell you, it's like a science experiment when you apply heat to these things. One moment you've got brown powder, the next you strike gold (or copper) as the heat sets in and reveals the metallic sheen. Must practice more with this stuff.

RAWR!

2009-08-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've made a card, but since it's such a rare occasion, I wanted to make it even more special by breaking out some new supplies I've never worked with before (namely embossing powders and my heat gun).

I should probably have read up on the best way to use these powders, but more often than not, I like to barrel in and pretend I know how to do everything sans instructions. This method has worked for me when setting up the DVD player, but apparently mistakes are messier when craft supplies are involved. One thing I learned is that I really DO need to remove all the excess powder before applying heat. And inking and applying powder needs to be very uniform. Anyone else got any other tips?

So, here's my card. I actually colored the cityscape months ago for a card that never got made. The other day when I was looking at the newest stamps, I thought the city would be the perfect backdrop for the T-Rex Durg to stomp around in (don't tell him he's not Godzilla).

I must get back to my craft (coffee) table. I'm going to attempt more embossing and another card using someone from the new Into the Woods set now.

New Releases

2009-07-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to let you know new releases are up and ready to go at StarvingArtistamps.com!

Here's a peek at what's new:

DoodleFactory:Into The Woods

DoodleFactory:Prehistoric

Tracey is even giving away everything you see above to one lucky winner. The drawing ends this Tuesday, so act quickly and find out how to enter [at the company blog here].

Felt Frozey

2009-07-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

I made my first DoodleFactory feltie! Actually I made it a few weeks ago, but I wanted to give it to Kathy D. who I got to meet in person last Thursday! (Kathy made the card in the background and sent it to me earlier this year). My felt Frozey wasn't perfect, but I hope to get the hang of making my own creatures eventually.

This summer is flying by. I almost didn't realize it because June was so cool and un-summerlike, but the heat finally kicked on and boy is it broiling. We went up to San Francisco for the weekend and even though I was cold through most of the trip (it sure is breezy there), I still came back with a sunburn.

And guess what I came back to in the mail? DoodleFactory® is now a registered trademark! Phew, the entire process took seven months and I had to pay a small chunk of change for this golden seal of approval, but at least I saved a couple hundred$$ by reading the small print and filing myself. If anyone is thinking of stealing the DoodleFactory name, just
don't. The US Trademark Office has my back. :)

Classic Decor

2009-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the next stop on the StarvingArtistamps/DoodleFactory: Classic Decor Blog Hop. (Woah, that's a mouthful!) If you're on track, you probably jumped here from Natasha Trupp's blog. But if you're lost and want to start at the very beginning, head back to the company blog where you'll find the entire blog-hop path PLUS information on the 3-Day special going on at StarvingArtistamps.com. In addition to all the eye candy you'll see along the way, you don't want to miss out on the secret blog candy hidden in one of the stops.

Now onto my contribution to the hop. Playing with this set felt like playing with a 2D Doll House, and I found myself having fun moving the pieces in infinite configurations. I aspired to make one long accordion-style card with every last image in it, but I was feeling a bit rusty and had to reign in my compositions to include just a few stamps to showcase.

As you can see, the style of this set is a bit of a departure from any of our previous releases. There are two new characters in the set, and my boyfriend informed me that they don't look like my "usual" work. I purposely made them more "refined" to go with this "refined" set of furniture...however, I think the good ole DoodleFactory fans will find these images will still work quite well with any of the DF sets.

Both of my cards combine some of the old with some of the new. On top, I used Ambrose, the chaise lounge, pillows, cuckoo clock and frames from the Classic Decor set. The portrait wall is made up of a half-dozen mini-Yapples from the original Creatures Set.

Below, Banjo from the Valentine Remix set is having coffee with his newest neighbor, Ms. Poose. I thought the wainscotting made a pretty good bar when fitted with bark-paper slats, and the side table doubled as a cat stool. See? Versatile!

Anyway, I won't take up much more of your time because there's still plenty of blog hop to go! Next, please point your mice in the direction of our very special guest designer and DoodleFactory's biggest cheerleader: Dawn Mercedes!

Today in L.A.

2009-07-07T18:48:00.001-07:00

Mike and I were two of the 20,000 people who "won" tickets to the Michael Jackson Memorial today. I threw our names into the lottery on a whim, mostly because we live within walking distance of the Staples Center, but also because I have a knack for winning random things and was fairly convinced I'd get this. On Sunday, we both got rejection emails...but on Monday the Powers That Be changed their minds and decided to give me two tickets afterall.

There's so much media coverage and I'm sure you all can't get away from the memorial as it is, so I'll just say it was a touching ceremony and I'm glad we were there.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming! The long-awaited DoodleFactory reveal happens TOMORROW. You'll want to head to starvingartistamps.blogspot.com at 8am PST for the kick off of our 2nd ever blog hop. I haven't seen any of the design team's project so I'm just as anxious as anyone to see what's in store.

DF Logo and How Stamps Are Born

2009-06-18T11:46:00.001-07:00

A short time ago, I collaborated with a friend and came up with this DoodleFactory logo. I thought it would be good to have a stamp made of the design, and Tracey helped with with her infinite stamping wisdom and hookups.

I asked her to send me the metal plate and matrix, which are the tools used to press rubber molds. I thought it would be neat to see/own, and it totally is. I didn't take any pictures of the rubber sheet, but you all know what that looks like.

In other DF news, the target release date has been set for the NEXT and newest DoodleFactory release. There was some delay while the expo season wrapped up, and because we're planning a fun blog hop to showcase this special set. More details on that next week... But if you'd like some insider information: I've actually drawn TWO MORE sets that are waiting in the wings. Yeah, I know this doesn't give you a lot of information, but the DoodleFactory is revving up for the summer and you'll be seeing a lot of new stamps in the near(ish) future.

Lesson 2

2009-06-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

It's too late to take good photos, but here's the next feltie I made. I pretty much stuck to the instructions without any embellishments. I think I have the general concepts down, and I just have to wait until the custom colored wool I ordered comes in before I start making my own designs. If anyone has any good sources for raw wool and felting supplies, please share!

I think the thing I like about felting is that it's so forgiving. You slowly build as you go, so it's hard to make reckless mistakes, but even if you do, it's easy to add or cut away the wool and fix it.

I probably should have filled this birdie's tummy with some catnip for Toby, but he seems to be having fun batting it around and trying to knock it off the coffee table without any added stimulants. Mike said it would be a shame to have spent all those hours needling this thing into existence only to have it destroyed, but I think I'm okay with it serving as a cat toy. I was never into chicks anyway :P.

My First Feltie

2009-06-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

I signed up for an online Intro To NeedleFelting course thru joggles.com. Last night I completed the first project, which was an egg.

So far I like needlefelting and hope to turn some of the DF characters into needlefelted-beings. I did manage to stab my thumb quite thoroughly with the felting needle and it still smarts today (the instructions warned this could happen if I stopped paying attention to what I was doing). I also broke one of the three needles the felting kit came with which was another bummer. So far felting is slow-going, but its amazing what you can make out of a clump of sheep fuzz, and I look forward to learning the more advanced shapes.

I think we get instructions for the next project this Friday, so I'll be sure to share how it goes.

I'm a Technique Junkie

2009-06-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

I'm a few days late in posting the news, but I've been credited with a "technique" and published in Pat Huntoon's Techique Junkie Newsletter. Most of you would have already seen this card if you were around for the first ever StarvingArtistamp Blog hop for the release of the Set the Scene background stamps, but I've had to remove it from my blog until now.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to try this in the stamping world, but the pastoral landscape of the country scene just lent itself to a painterly style (even though I was working with copics) and using dots and dashes as accents came naturally. There was some debate over what to call this, but I was definitely influenced by the era of Impressionism. For the record, it's been dubbed the "Van Gogh" technique and if you subscribe to the Technique Junkie Newsletter you can see Pat's instructions as well as a range of incredible cards created by the Starving Artistamps design team.

If you'd like to give this technique a try, please visit this post on the Starving Artistamps blog and enter your creation. There's even a prize for a full sheet of SA rubber (and no you don't have to own or use any SA stamps to enter, you just have to show your take on the "technique").

From Blogger Pictures

The Poop Palace

2009-05-29T00:47:00.000-07:00

I just finished putting together these two litterbox disguisers. I spent several hours on this project, so bear with me while I use this entire post to discuss the dirty side of cat ownership.

Over the years I have spent a medium-sized fortune on the search for the perfect kitty litter & poopbox. My best efforts have been flummoxed by a certain cat, who will remain ~~nameless~~ Trouble, who has bested the LitterMaid, the Fresh Step Automatic Litterbox, and even the Litter Robot. I guess I just wasn't meant to have a magical self-cleaning litterbox. For a while the best solution was a giant rubbermaid container, but that was an eyesore and I eventually learned it wasn't the size of the box, it was the number that was leading to litterbox ambush and errant protest poops.

(this was the before:)

For anyone out there that uses pine litter (it's the only stuff I buy now), I absolutely recommend the Feline Pine Litter Box. You can't find it in pet stores, so just order two from the website and save yourself some shipping dollars. I'm digging these Cat Washrooms too. They're much better looking than the grey boxes, though the door could have been an inch higher to disguise the lip of the box a bit beter. Still, I think its a vast improvement. Sorry for the junky pics, but I'm pooped (Sorry, I told myself I wouldn't say that but I couldn't help it).

Coming Soon

2009-05-27T17:28:00.001-07:00

Wow, has it really been nearly a month since my last post? Guess May was another doozy of a busy month. Let the critics say what they want about the record industry dying, I've never been busier! Of course, it could have something to do with the layoffs over the past few years. Anyway, I'm happy to have my day job, but even happier to have the dust settle from the madness of a few big releases.

Especially since it means I finally had some time to finish the next DoodleFactory set, which I already clued you in on a few posts back. Tracey is headed to the Rubber Stamp and Scrap Book Expo in Syracuse, NY this weekend (May 30-31), so it may be a small wait before you see the newest stamps in rubber. I hope you like the new stuff - it's a small departure from our previous sets, but just another expansion of the DoodleFactory Universe.

In the meantime, and completely unrelated, here's a pic of my little oasis in the urban jungle I live in. It's not much, but I'm thrilled that my tiny herb garden is growing and even thriving in this narrow window sill. You don't know how excited I get when I pick something from my "garden" and use it in a recipe. Plus, growing your own herbs is way more economical than buying the bunches in the store that don't even last the week.

Any other green thumbs out there? What other hobbies do you all do besides stamping/crafting?

Living With A Split Personality

2009-05-01T23:35:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't a sneak peek of the next DoodleFactory character, it's actually three existing characters morphed into one. I think it's pretty easy, but can you guess which ones?

I don't know why I made this little guy (to be clear it is NOT an upcoming stamp). I was just playing around with my digital files and I must have had the Wuzzles on the brain. Anyone else grow up watching that cartoon?

Has Everything Been Done Before?

2009-04-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if there's a collective consciousness where stamp companies draw their next releases from. Last month it seemed like babies were everywhere, or at least I'd seen a bunch of simultaneous baby releases. I'm sure baby stamps are nothing new, but do you ever notice these things seem to happen in waves?

In January, I'd seen these pillows posted on a design blog and I asked Tracey if we could do a set of victorian furniture as a future release. Tracey loved the idea of giving the DF characters the chance to play house, especially since we'd just started experimenting with the background scenes. But then came Valentines, and Easter, and we'd talked about the people set since last year. Not long ago, I finally emailed Tracey the first few drawings I had lined up for the furniture set and we outlined all the other items that needed to be drawn. I was crushed when I saw the sneak peeks posted for another stamp company which included a victorian chair and some of the items we'd discussed.

I was almost thinking we were going to have to scrap this next set, because I'd hate to be labeled a copy-cat, but I think I just have to chalk this up to that mysterious wavelength in the 5th dimension that we're subconsciously swimming in. Also, I predict classic furniture is going to be the next big thing in stamping. What do you think?

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite card from the batch I made this weekend and the one Michael liked the best, too. For some reason it photographed the worst, though, and I had a hard time getting the colors to look like they do in real life.

This is going to have to be my Earth Day card. I didn't make a earth-themed card, but the background paper comes from the DCWV Green Stack which is 70% recycled, and the other papers are scraps I had from other projects.

I thought I'd make a card welcoming "Heidi" to her new neighborhood.

I'd also like to give you a look at the back of this card so you can see the new personalized stamp I ordered a few weeks ago. A while back, I'd received a couple of awesome cards made by Kathy Daume. I just love this lady's work, and she had the cutest insignia on the back of her cards. I begged her to reveal her source, but she was on a cruise and couldn't get back to me before I stumbled upon a coupon in Martha Stewart's magazine for expressionery.com.

I'm happy with my expressionery stamp, but I really like the selection of designs available at Kathy's source too: www.sweetpapery.com. Speaking of Kathy, she's a finalist in the MFT Idol contest at SCS, and you NEED to check out her blog and help her win this contest, because her work is amazing and she deserves it. She's a StarvingArtistamps design team member, so you'll also see all of her fabulous DoodleFactory cards too!

It's Super!

2009-04-20T21:28:00.001-07:00

I have a subscription to a design magazine, which means I'm on the target mailing list for everything from software to stock photography. Most ads get tossed in the trash, but the ones from print and paper companies are usually worth keeping. The Paper ads and mailers are always printed on premium stock with spot varnishes, fancy laser cuts and eye-catching imagery.

This super cute car paper came from a paper catalog I received in the mail last week, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it would be the perfect background for the SuperDad stamp. The image and colors couldn't have been more perfect and this paper even didn't cost me a cent.

Momma Said...Just Breathe...

2009-04-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Neglected Blog,

I finally have something to post on you. My day job has been keeping me busy and for the past few weeks I've been feeling like the look on Crying Izzy's face. Yes, Momma warned there'd be days like this, but she didn't say there'd be entire months like this!

I won't complain too much because I am grateful to not only have a job, but to have one I really enjoy (not that I still can't feel overworked or stressed out).

The other day a memory surfaced from my high school english class. We'd turned in book reports the day prior and our teacher decided to read the opening paragraph of my essay out loud to the entire class. Before she began, she said: I'm reading you this piece not because it is the best, or even the most well-written, but because it is obvious how much this person enjoyed and appreciated the book. It was all true. I don't even remember the book, but I remember loving it more than I expected. My teacher's comment stuck with me all these years, partially because it was a bit of a back-handed compliment, but mostly because the underlying message was that if you do anything with genuine interest or love, then people will notice (even if you're not the best).

I feel that way a lot with my day job. I don't consider myself an exceptional designer, yet I get a lot of praise and compliments at work. Over time, my skills have and will continue to improve, but I think people like my work because I enjoy what I do and I always try to give the most that I can. The same can probably be said for the DoodleFactory.

The irony is that the more people notice, the more they want, which leads to feeling overwhelmed and no longer enjoying what I do. I need to get better at setting boundaries and developing enough space to keep everything in balance. This weekend I had plans to work on an extra project I've been assigned at work, but I gave myself a break instead.

I spent most of Saturday doing nothing on my list of things "to do", then decided that I really wanted to make things that didn't involve a computer or deadline or any rules. I never expected to become a "stamper", but I really enjoy the various supplies and processes involved. It also doesn't hurt that I now have a killer supply of papers, ribbons and flowers thanks to Tracey and a few of my stamping friends I've met since starting this hobby.

I made a handful of cards, but I'll leave the rest to share another day since this one says it all, for now.

Colorful Characters

2009-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just had time to stamp and color some of the new images from the "Oh, Baby" set tonight. I think "Heidi" kind of looks like the actress from Will & Grace with auburn hair, but she looks totally different with darker hair and a more olive complexion. Can't wait to see how everyone else starts coloring these.

Oh Baby, It's Here!

2009-04-06T19:17:00.001-07:00

Here's the other card I made this weekend using Yoop from the DoodleFactory Easter set. If you have any questions about papers or accessories just let me know because I'm going to move right on to the next thing...

...At long last, HERE is the latest DoodleFactory release all racked up and ready to go at StarvingArtistamps.com

Welcome to our new little neighborhood:

Here you'll find our new Mama Heidi and her cute baby Izzy:

And what town would be complete without a SuperHero or two to overlook the land. We've got a SuperMom and SuperDad ready to care for crying babies and towering piles of laundry. (hmmm...do I need to make a stamp of that?)

There you have it. I hope this release was worth the wait. As always, you can try to win these stamps for free (there are even a bunch of sentiments in the batch!) Check out the company blog for details. If you want to buy them now, remember you can get 10% off by typing in savetenDF when you check out at StarvingArtistamps.com

April Flowers

2009-04-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

I apologize to anyone who's been waiting with bated breath for the release of the next set, especially since this entry isn't going to be a reveal. I can say the new stamps are completely rubberized and if you were in Allentown, PA for the Paper Arts Fair this weekend, you would have been one of the first to see them at the StarvingArtistamps booth. Tracey has been swamped with Show Season travel and prep, so you'll have to wait just a tiny bit longer until she can load them into the shop. The good news is, the next release is VERY close and once they're up, they'll be ready to ship immediately.

Onto something I CAN show you. I've had an insanely busy week at work, so it was nice to just sit and stamp on Saturday. It's been weeks since I've made a card and at first I just stared blankly at my supplies. I tried to look for a sketch to follow, but even that seemed overwhelming. Finally I decided to stamp "Bluebelle" from the Easter set since I've never used her before. The picture is a little fuzzy since my camera is out of commission and I had to use my scanner instead.

I guess I was feeling a bit Springy, because the next card I made featured more flowers (from the Valentines Remix set).

While I was working on these cards, I took advantage of the "Watch Instantly" feature on Netflix and was pleased to discover a follow-up to one of my favorite cancelled shows, "Dead Like Me". It was like a supersized episode five years after the end of the series. Enjoyable because it was unexpected and wrapped up some loose ends, but a bummer because of an unfortunate casting replacement and because the series is still cancelled. After that, I watched "Enchanted", and several episodes of a british tv sitcom, "The IT crowd". I also caught up on the Dollhouse series on hulu.com. That's about 8 straight hours of internet movies and tv. Yes, I am a very slow card-maker.

I know a lot of my friends already know about this one, but if you haven't already entered for your chance to win 72 COPIC MARKERS, head over to charmedcrafts.blogspot.com and throw your name in the basket!

Brand Spankin' New

2009-03-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

Yay, Tracey has indulged my inability to keep a secret and gave the okay for me to reveal one of the characters on the next Factory Line-Up.

Yesterday I thought it would be HI-LARIOUS if I set my FaceBook message to say "Irene is Making Babies", but then I remembered I have coworkers and friends who might take it too literally, so I qualified it with a parenthetical assertion that they weren't real babies. I don't have any children, but I've always wondered what they might look like. Who knew my first baby would turn out like this:

So you can probably guess where the next set is going, but I'm sure you won't figure out everything that's coming.

Tracey is on her way to her first show of the season so it might take a few extra days before these get plated, but you'll see the whole thing soon enough. By the way if you're in the Philly area and want to meet the woman behind Starving Artistamps, go check out the

Stamp Scrap Art Tour
Philadelphia, PA
March 28 & 29
for info: www.stampscraparttour.com

Another New Set Coming Soon

2009-03-25T15:47:00.000-07:00

I feel like a little kid who has to sit on their hands to keep from getting into trouble. I am [THIS] close to finishing off the next DoodleFactory set, but it will probably be a while before I can share what's in store. Maybe if I'm good, Tracey will let me sneak you a peek.

The reason I've been so quiet on my blog lately is because I'd been busy procrastinating. I kept shoving the next set to the backburner because Tracey had asked me yet again to delve into new territory and draw things I wasn't used to drawing. I fretted over how I would tackle these drawings and wondered if I'd be able to find my own signature with something that's been done many times before, just not by me. In the end, I'm pretty excited with the way things turned out, and while these are a little different than the typical animals and creatures, I think they'll fit right in to the DoodleFactory Family.

Anyway, since I have no images of my own to share, let me show you some work from my new Illustrator Idol: Gustavo Aimar. He was featured in a few blogs on my blogroll last week and I was instantly smitten with every one of his charming little drawings and creations.

Siempre amigos, originally uploaded by Gustavo Aimar.

I'd love to see some of your Creative or Crafty Idols. Whose work really inspires you or makes you swoon?

Buttons!

2009-03-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Tracey asked me to make some DoodleFactory buttons eons ago, and here they finally are. Please feel free to post these on your blogs, and let me know if there are any characters you'd like to see on a button in the future, as I plan to (eventually) make more.

*if the blinkie ones don't blink when you drag them to your computer, you can copy/paste these web links into the picture gadget instead:
http://warmdecember.com/doodlefactory/buttons/dffananimated.gif
http://warmdecember.com/doodlefactory/buttons/fixbutton.gif

To add a button to your blogger sidebar, just go to "Customize" / "Add A Gadget" / Select "Picture" and insert the image from your desktop or use the links above, and have it route to "http://starvingartistamps.com/".

Always Late To the Party

2009-03-10T10:09:00.001-07:00

I'm a day behind again, but better late than never is becoming my mantra. Starving Artistamps is hosting this week's sketch at 2sketches4you. If you go to that link, you'll find some goodies in addition to a bunch of inspirational cards.

Here's a peek at the sketch & bonus sketch:

I started off doing the original sketch, but my card wanted to go the route of the bonus sketch instead. I used Buttons and Stella, plus the daffodils from the newest DoodleFactory Easter release. If you look closely, I jazzed up their outfits with some embroidery thread and copper brads. I had something completely different in mind when I started this card, but I'm still happy with the final outcome. The ribbon text is a rub-on I received in a booklet from ScrapAddicted. This is my first time using rub-ons, but I think I may be in love with them!

Just so you know, I was originally inspired by this work by Claire Mojher. I loved the black and white drawings enhanced by the splash of color and texture and wanted to give it a try with my stamps. I thought I'd be giving my copics a rest, but I guess I just can't resist coloring everything! I am going to give it another try though because I really like the look. Too bad I don't have an embroidery machine to make it really perfect.

Oh, and one more thing! Have you seen the monster giveaway over at Craft Critique? Head on over here for The Big Prize.

Esme Thank You

2009-03-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I didn't have anything to share since it's been a while since I've had a chance to draw or make anything, but I just remembered this card has made it to its recipient, so I can post it.

This is a simple layout that lets the paper (from the DCWV Green Stack) do most of the work. I used Esme from the DoodleFactory Remix set and a spot of bling on the bottom that I picked up from JoAnne's.

Also, before I forget, I coerced Tracey into giving me one of the Design Team Member discounts since I've become an honorary member. I have a little button in my sidebar that lets you know you can save 10% on DoodleFactory stamps at Starving Artistamps.com when you use the code savetenDF. Now I have to get back on the wagon and start drawing and making more cards again!

zzzzzzz

2009-03-09T00:13:00.000-07:00

I am so pooped. We just spent 14 hours in Disneyland for our friend Charles' birthday (did you know everyone gets in free on their birthday this year?). The Happiest Place on Earth is also the Most Exhausting Place on Earth, but we had a great time and finished with an awesome dinner in Downtown Disney. I think I'm going to hurt tomorrow, in more ways than one.

The City Dweller's Garden

2009-03-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

When I first moved to L.A., I found a cute little apartment at an incredible price. I even had an outdoor stairwell that allowed me to test my green thumb. Unfortunately, the cute little apartment was seized by developers and I eventually had to move in to Michael's dark, downtown loft which was a death sentence for most of my plants. Now that we're in a sunny apartment again, I've very slowly been bringing back the green. I've been a little hesitant because of the loss of my last plants and I'm still navigating through the challenges of the window garden.

Yesterday, I was lured into a local plant shop by the promise of a giant sale. The savings were lackluster, but I could not resist these lovely succulents. The shop-lady offered to plant them in the box for me, but that would have taken all the fun out of it! I know these guys really love being outdoors, so I hope their new window home gives them enough sunlight to keep them happy.

Owies

2009-03-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Remember when I said I was always losing things? Well, add to my list of terrible habits: a knack for zapping electronic devices. Over the years I've inexplicably killed many mechanical things (including two mac laptops!). I think it would help me understand my losses if I'd done something colossally stupid, like dropped it from a bridge, or left it in the microwave, but no...these pricey little pieces of metal go from perfect functioning order one day to THIS the next:

I swear it was just fine the last time I used it and I have no explanation for this digital mold that has infected my camera. Actually it looks like the LCD screen has a teeny crack where the disease originates, but I didn't even drop it recently (though I have dropped it several times in the past with no adverse effects)!

*sigh*

Luckily, I still have my digital rebel (currently sans-lens-cap), so I was able to take a photo of the card I made last night. Derek is a little boy who was in an accident and suffered 3rd Degree burns last month. Donna B had the story and the update (he is recovering well!) on her blog and offered some blog candy to those who sent Derek some get well cheer. I am late, as usual, but good thoughts are never out of season and I am mailing this card today:

It seems like a simple enough card, but it took me the entire duration of The Bachelor Finale and Post-Finale show to finish. I think that's about 32 hours, seriously more like 2...3? Why are those shows so long, and why did I even watch that train wreck? I only saw the last 5 episodes and I never understood why these girls were lining up to fall in love with that weenie.

Back to the card. I actually got my Easter Stamps (AND a generous supply of ribbon) from Tracey last night, but I thought Derek might like robots better than bunnies, and Bloop from the Urban Set seemed to have the perfect expression for an "owie" card.

If anyone else wants to send some get well cheer to Derek, they can contact Donna for the address, but there is also another need for RAK's (are they random if they're conscious - should it be CAK's?). Sadly there were several recent misfortunes in the lives of Donna's friends. Please read this post to see how your cards or good thoughts might help.

Bunny, Bunny, Bunny, Lamb!

2009-03-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

The latest DoodleFactory release is locked and loaded at the Shop. The set is ready to ship now, but you can also enter to win it free. Just a heads up, you'll have to spread the word in order to qualify: [Starving Artistamps Blog Candy]

The Thing About Me

2009-02-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

One not-so-secret secret about me is that I tend to "misplace" things. A Lot. To the point where I'm convinced there are mischievous elves that follow me around for the sole purpose of hiding my stuff. But it probably goes back to my utter lack of organization.

This week I lost a lens cap (the second one I've lost already), and my practically-new book of postage stamps that Michael kindly bought for me. I'm very frustrated because I have no one to blame but myself. I also have things to mail, but now I can't!! Plus, my camera lens doesn't like being naked.

*sigh*

What are your bad habits that drive you mad?

It's Good To Be Me

2009-02-24T07:14:00.001-08:00

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a stamp designer is seeing the cards and creations others have made with my drawings. I've found that the only thing that tops seeing a card in the blogosphere is having one in my very hands. This month, my mailbox has been gifted with several sweet surprises and wonderful creations from some people I'm so glad to have come to know through this internet/stamping community.

Last night I was completely caught off guard by the arrival of these incredible cards by Eva Andren. Eva is one of my favorite stampers from Sweden and I'm so lucky that she's adopted the DoodleFactory into her work.

A few weeks ago, I was also the lucky recipient of the most thoughtful and jam-packed craft-package sent by design team member extraordinaire, Donna Baker. Not only did Donna send me one of her perfectly-made cards with a sweet note, but she instantly doubled (tripled?) my stash of ribbon and sent me a bunch of those fun flowers I've been eyeballing everywhere.

And working backwards to the beginning of the month, came a super-fun card from the newest design team recruit, Kathy Daume. Photos of this card do not give it justice. When I first held this card in my hands, I just kept staring at it, completely mesmerized, and I'm not even kidding! I don't know how anyone could not appreciate the wonder that comes in a hand-made card.

Thank you again to everyone who makes this drawing "hobby" of mine so satisfying, and thank you for sharing your creations which are all an inspiration for my own card-making. Yes, I'm stealing all of your ideas and techniques!

PS, I don't know why blogger auto-formatted my pictures to make them so small, but you can click on them to make em bigger if you want a closer look at anything.

I Won Something!

2009-02-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

Phew, I spent the whole day cleaning (okay minus that hour around 5pm where I crashed on the couch and took a nap). I think I've vacuumed enough dust bunnies to create a 3rd AND 4th cat, if only I could work some animagic.

Anyway, the point is, I'm done with chores for today and was just sitting down to check my blog reader, and found that I'm the winner of the January Landscape challenge on the ScrapAddicted Blog!!. This is the first "judged" thing I've won with one of my cards and I'm super excited.

You can see all the contributions in this post. Mine was the Robots in Space card just a few posts down in my blog. I certainly got a bunch of mileage out of that card since it also became my Valentine card to Michael.

Speaking of Michael, here's a neat time-lapse video of him making a recent commission made entirely of masking tape:

Ta-Dah! (Well, Not Quite Yet)

2009-02-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the disappearing act, folks. I was caught up in the nitty gritty details of the next set (sure to be seen on the Starving Artistamps Blog soon, if I know Tracey). Here's how this last set went:

(2 Weeks Ago)
Tracey: I need you to draw X,Y & Z - Can you do it in 10-14 days?
Irene: No problemo!
(One week later)
Irene: *sketch*sketch*sketch*sketch* x 10,000 (sends Tracey 3 sketches)
Tracey: Those are awesome!
Irene: *crumple* (that's delete in the analog world) *sketch* sketch* sketch*
(The next week)
Tracey: *ahem* Uh, hows it going? It's day 10!
Irene: *stalling* ohhh, It's going. I changed everything though.
Tracey: Nooooooooo! It was perfect the first time!

Ahh, sometimes I get caught up in trying to get a character 'just right', which is kind of silly because DoodleFactory is all about imperfection. I need to make a habit of drawing everyday so I don't lose my groove. I hadn't drawn anything since January and when my pencil first hit paper two weeks ago, it was like drawing with a lead hand (no pun on my mechanical pencil intended). My first few sketches after a long drawing drought are always comically bad. I should scan them in and show you some day, but I'd probably be too embarassed.

Now it's been two weeks since I've made a card and I've probably lost my mojo on that too. Maybe I need some time management classes. I was really excited to use some new goodies I bought from JoAnne's too. I went in armed with my 40% off coupon, aiming only to buy a paper-cutter so my cards could finally have 90 degree angles. But then the whole freaking store was 40% off and I was a goner.

I have to say, Copic Markers are my favorite "tool" for card-making, but Paper is what really gets me excited. Frankly, I don't think I even need to use the paper, I just like to have it. I get a little tingle browsing paper designs online or at a store, and my heart goes a-flutter when I bring a new pack home. My latest purchase is the DCWV "Green Stack". It's 70% recycled and 100% adorable. I can't wait to load some DF characters onto these, but it'll have to be another day since we're supposed to do a spring cleaning of the apartment :(.

So which crafting materials/tools are your must-haves and cant-live-withouts?

Valentine Teaser

2009-02-13T20:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't made anything new to share, but here's a picture of my boyfriend's valentine gift (to me). He wrapped it himself with some of my basic grey papers. I'm not allowed to open it until tomorrow even though I tried to argue that it's already Valentine's day in some parts of the world.

Hope you all have a sweet day. I'm working on new drawings for the next set and hope to make more cards soon.

"Set The Scene" Winner

2009-02-10T00:58:00.000-08:00

Wow, there's nothing like giving away free stuff to make you feel like the most popular girl on the blo(g)ck. Without further ado, the winner of the "Set the Scene" stamps chosen by random#selection (with the help of my boyfriend) is...*drumroll*...

HOLLY POWERS!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our first blog hop. I really enjoyed seeing all the reveals for this special release all at once and I hope you all did too!

Last Stop on the SADF Blog Hop

2009-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

If you ambled onto this page completely on your own accord, you've caught me in the middle (er, the end, actually) of the very first Starving Artistamps/Doodle Factory Blog Hop! Quick, don't look down and click on Juliana Swanson's blog to start the fun from the very beginning.

For those of you hopped over from Leigh O'Brien's blog, you've reached the end of the road, and you know what that means*. But first, I'd like to share my creations with the newest Doodle Factory Stamps. Allow me to "Set The Scene"...

Tracey came up with this idea sometime last year. She wanted to give the Doodle Factory characters scenes to play in, and I have to admit I was uncertain about drawing and then stamping these images since they were so different from anything I'd done previously. I waited until the last minute to finish my cards, but I'm actually thrilled with the outcome and had a great time putting these together.

There are FOUR scenes total. The first one I inked was the "Jungle", and here's the final card:

Once I colored in the background, I decided to ink up a few characters from the Great Outdoors set. I'm pretty sure bears don't live in the jungle, so I decided to color him in camouflage green and have him hiding out behind one of the ferns (I inked just a small section from the jungle stamp and cut it out for Yoris to hold). I originally wanted the card to say "Where Have You Been Hiding?", but I found the "Feeling A Little Lost?" in the Outdoor Sentiment set instead. As a final touch, I used some flower soft in the grassy area. [Close-Up Here].

Honestly, I didn't think I was going to finish a second card, but I had to give another one a try. This time I used the "CountrySide" scene featuring "Fern" (the doe) who is also from the Great Outdoors set.

[REMOVED FOR PUBLICATION, SORRY!]

I cheated on the sentiment - I added it in digitally because I messed up my hand-written attempt. I'm sure you'll forgive me, especially since I'm going to be giving away what you've all been waiting for....

Drawing closed - will post a winner on Tuesday*BLOG CANDY!!!!,
Leave a comment on this post and you're automatically entered to win ALL FOUR NEW SCENES (plus two bonus pigeons - they go with the city). One entry per person, drawing closes MIDNIGHT (PST) Monday the 9th. Make sure to get some shopping in at StarvingArtistamps.com because you'll want to get more Doodle Factory characters to put in these scenes ;) Tell your friends!

And finally, make sure you check out the other DT members if you haven't already so you can see all of these in action. Here's a quicklist of all the other players:

Juliana Swanson
Lisa Somerville
Donna Baker
Donna Duquette
Kathy Daume
Lori Tecler
Lydia Fiedler
Andrea Cloutier
Natasha Trupp
Heidi Kingery
Leigh O'Brien

2009-02-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates! Mike and I joined some friends in Vegas for a few days last week. I won at the Wynn and lost everywhere else, but I think I only left $100 to the casinos after all was said and done. [What I left to the malls and restaurants is another thing].

The highlight of the trip for me was the Beatles-inspired Cirque Du Soleil show "Love", at the Mirage. I loved Love, and so did Mike, but it made my friend sick :( If you haven't seen a Cirque show in Vegas, it's well worth the money. My favorite is still "O", but this show didn't disappoint.

I haven't been able to make any cards since I've returned, but the next one I create will certainly show up in Starving Artistamp's first ever blog hop coming THIS SATURDAY. The new release will be unlike any Doodle Factory stamps drawn before. And of course there will be some candy hidden along the way.

Robots in Space

2009-01-27T15:59:00.001-08:00

[click for larger]
I made this card for a challenge Nina issued on the scrapaddicted blog. This card is rare because it is one of the few I've made that I'm not super critical about. I'm actually happy with the way it turned out and the only thing I might have changed is to move the text to the inside of the card.

I used my stamps from the Doodle Factory Urban set, with a few modifications. For one thing, Bloop (the robot on the right) is usually a pouting "boy" character, but I gave "her" a happy little make-over by masking out the frowny face and drawing in a blushing smile, eyelashes and a heart. The city skyline was shortened a bit and I placed a piece of transparency paper over the top in an attempt to make it look like a space city enclosed in a dome.

The paper I used had a black tree ring pattern and I highlighted some of the lines with my white pen to give the look of a martian landscape. I love that white gel pen! I also used it to make the stars and handwritten sentiment.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day

2009-01-23T15:16:00.001-08:00

It's a rainy day in L.A., but I have some virtual sunshine in this card I made the other day. The rose is another stamp from the Valentine's Remix set and the papers and text are from Cosmo Cricket.

I thought I was going to be an original with my yellow rose, but Donna beat me to it with her entry to my Rainbow Challenge. Speaking of which, I'm so excited about all of the entries so far and there's still a whole week left for anyone to contribute more.

Help Me Make a Rainbow!

2009-01-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

It's official, I've become a "stamper". You know how I confirmed this bit of information? I found myself plotting out cards in my head while taking a shower. People who merely dabble in something do not start thinking about that thing in the shower! So I guess I must be a stamper.

At the time, I was thinking about rainbows, or the color purple, or elementary school science class, but I can't remember which order. In any event, the end result of these thoughts was my vision for a Doodle Factory Rainbow made up of many single-colored cards.

My own mission was to make a purple card, but apparently I don't own any purple paper. This monochromatic magenta number is what I made instead. Now this is where YOU come in. I'd like as many people as possible to join me with their own monochrome cards (you can make more than one!)

If you're a member of www.papercraftplanet.com, make sure you join the Starving Artistamps group and post your cards in THIS ENTRY. If you don't want to join, but still want to play, send me your link to your card and I'll add it to the final tally.

Deadline is the end of the month. I'll post all the entries on Feb. 1.

Something Old, Something New

2009-01-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

I've had the latest Doodle Factory Stamps cut and mounted for the longest time, with no time or energy to do anything with them. Actually, I made this first card on one of my sick days, but I consider it a "Reject" because I made several mistakes I wish I could fix.

I really wanted a lacy-doily edging for this Valentine-esque card, but I didn't have any lace or doily paper. I figured I'd make my own by cutting a border with my scallop scissors and small hole punch. Nice idea, not so great execution. I also tried to use the new Flower Soft goodies I got from StarvingArtistamps and it looks pretty cool, but I should have gone with a more vibrant color. I think the only thing I'm happy with is the coloring on Malbec, the swinging monkey (from the Valentines Remix set).

Today I made another card which uses the little bee from the Original Valentine Set and the big bee from the Remix Set. The papers are from Sasafrass Lass and the sentiment from StarvingArtistamps.

I made some mistakes on this one too, but they were easier to cover up, so I'm not going to point them out. I'm going to try to make a few more cards today, so hopefully I'll have more to post soon.

Back in the Saddle

2009-01-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

Yikes, I have to wipe the cobwebs off this journal since I've ignored it for so long. I spent the first weeks of the new year in a sick haze and haven't been able to do much of anything. Everytime I thought I was over the worst of it, I'd fall back into a fit of dizzying coughs and wheezy misery.

Today, I polished off another set of Doodle Factory stamps, but I'm sworn to secrecy as usual. You'll see them soon enough, but for now I can only give you a very vague clue hidden somewhere in these photographs I took around the apartment tonight.

Last week Michael brought me some flowers to cheer me up during my illness. I didn't photograph them while they were alive, but they still look pretty in their demise.

These little bonsai trees came as a christmas and birthday gift from my mother. I had this on my Amazon Wishlist and they came packed tightly in a box full of styrofoam peanuts. The UPS guy didn't leave proper notice, so the poor little trees actually sat in their box with our security guard for an extra three days. Miraculously, they were green and healthy and perfectly intact despite their days of darkness.

This is another new arrival in our apartment. Also a gift, but one to myself from myself. Even though I will never use it for brewing, I could not resist this cute teapot when I saw it on the Pre-Christmas sale table at Anthropologie. Oh! I also bought myself the most beautiful bird plate for $3, which is now a trinket holder on my bedside table, but I forgot to take a picture of that.

And finally, I leave you with the view through our living room window. Why? I don't know...Why not ;)

New Years Up North

2009-01-04T23:04:00.000-08:00

A selection of photos from our New Year's in North Fork/Yosemite. We rented a house with a group of friends where we feasted each night and explored each day.

Another Sweet Set (or two)

2009-01-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

I'm back from Yosemite and finally feeling better. I thought I was over the flu, but Mike and I both relapsed after the long drive north. We were sick through the entire trip, but we were in fine company with over half of our friends feeling ill as well. Nine of us rented a house in North Fork (about an hour from the park) and despite the germs, we had a fun and memorable trip. I'll post some photos tonight, but first I need to venture out for food.

In the meantime, I'm a few days behind, but Tracey has revealed the newest release and of course there's a giveaway. Here's one of the sets, below. Go to the StarvingArtistamps blog to see the rest and enter to win FREE stamps.

Nina's Sketch challenge

2008-12-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

I actually attempted two challenges last night, though I'm not sure how well I did with this one. Nina posted a sketch to follow here.

The card actually opens at the half-way mark, so the birds are all on the top flap, and the papers below are pasted to the "inside".

Pink & Green Island Paperie Challenge

2008-12-30T08:41:00.000-08:00

After suffering through a miserable post-christmas flu, I finally felt up to a challenge last night - but only the type involving ink and paper, no heavy lifting.

To celebrate their new online opening, the Maui-based scrapbook store Island Paperie is hosting a challenge to create any paper-based project drawing inspiration from this pink and green hibiscus paper from their signature line.

I grew up in Hawaii, so of course I had to make an attempt (plus who doesn't want to win $25 in paper supplies?). I don't currently own any Island Paperie products, so I used my own mix of papers gussied up with cuttlebug embossments.

Stamps used: Leaves from the DoodleFactory Birds N Fish set
Moki, the hula-dancing monkey from the DoodleFactory Tropics set.
If you'd like to participate, find all the rules [HERE]

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

2008-12-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over, but I didn't get to post my gifts (to others) before the Big Day. Our friend Alan came over last week and willingly agreed to stamp and color an army of Sneeqs, which eventually became my gift tags.

Mike and I celebrated Christmas Eve and Day with his family, where there is always a guaranteed excess of food, laughter and joy. I don't have to go back to work until January 5th, so I'm using my free time wisely by sleeping in, attending and having more friend&family gatherings, and in a few days we'll be heading up north to celebrate New Year's in Yosemite. Hope your holidays were merry and bright!

Seeing Double...or Quadruple

2008-12-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

Here are the ~~fates~~ states of the rest of those Santas (and Frostys)

First up is a card I made for the Starving ArtistStamps Clear Card Challenge. All of these cards have been bundled into envelopes and have traveled through my office building, or are en route to various destinations around the country.

Hah, I didn't realize until now that I pretty much did the exact same positioning and layout in every single card. So much for individuality! I guess its easier to stick to a formula when "mass" producing.

Christmas is in 4 Days!?!

2008-12-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

Just dropping by for a quick post before I head back to the assembly-line. I finally finished drawing the next DoodleFactory set yesterday which means I had time to settle into some Christmas card making.

Ever since I saw Leigh O'Brien's non-traditional santa card, I knew I had to make a differently-colored santa of my own.

Mike will kill me when he realizes I posted this photo of him. You can't even see his face, but he's worried he might get kicked out of the fine-arts world if he's caught coloring cartoons, or something. But who can resist this fun, plus he's a much better shader than I am, anyway. That mess on the table is all me, though. Thanks to Tracey, I now have a million new craft supplies and gadgets which all seem to explode all over the place when I'm working. Are you people very tidy when you're making stuff, because I need some help in that area. I should probably start by working at an actual desk instead of the coffee table, but I can't help myself.

Anyway, here's my first card from the batch. I have several more to go, so I better get back to work. Santa of course is from the Sweet Shoppe set. Dee sent me the ribbon, and overall, I'd say my influence is heavily drawn from my card-making hero, Nina.

The Giving Season

2008-12-04T07:05:00.000-08:00

I'm not one of those people who ever finishes their Christmas shopping early. Every year I vow to get better, but it only seems to get worse. I really enjoy blogs that offer gift guides because it means someone else has done the homework and I get to window shop in one convenient place. So far I've done more browsing than buying.

With all the economic hardships, I think a lot of people are scaling back and taking stock of what this season is supposed to mean. There's a movement to Redefine Christmas and push the idea of charitable giving.

My friend Max teaches 5th Grade students in the LA School District. Max is growing a mustache for 30 days in an effort to win donor support for several of his colleage's classroom projects. Donorschoose.org is actually a nifty organization. The site allows teachers to propose projects that YOU and others can bring to fruition with tax-deductable donations. I put some money into a couple of projects on Max's page, then quickly found myself searching around for more. What they say about giving feeling good is true! Plus, if you give $100 or whatever amount is needed to complete the funding on a project, you'll get thank you letters and photos from the classroom you helped!

Last year the Buy Handmade movement was all the rage (in the blogosphere anyway). Etsy.com seems to have come a long way since its inception. I love that site, but I often get lost wading through the choices. The one shop I never have to question belongs to Lorigami, one of my oldest internet friends. I've bought several pieces from her throughout the years and she continues to create the most lovely and magical things. Her eco-friendly, handmade items remind me of anthropologie, but at a fraction of the price.

I'll end this post with a more commercial item because I received a coupon in the mail and while I'm not purchasing any this year, some of you might find it useful. I bought my friend a gift set from Full Bloom Tea several years ago and she absolutely loved the way the flowering teas unfurled their magic in the glass teapot. The items came in attractive brown and green boxes and when I tried some myself a few years later, it wasn't only delightful to watch, but the tea tasted quite nice as well. If you'd like to get free priority shipping on flowering tea, just use this code in your check out (until Dec 6): free08. It's really a great gift for anyone who enjoys science experiments or a nice cup of tea.

Apartment Update

2008-11-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

I'd promised I would share pics of the loft, and today I finally got around to taking some. It's been 3 months since we moved in, and it looks a bit different now that we have all of our stuff in place.

For one thing, I wallpapered the small bathroom. I like how it looks, but never again! I'm also not looking forward to taking it down, but hopefully I won't have to do that for a long time.

(Those are Nina's DoodleFactory cards framed in the "before" pic. They're still going back on the wall, but are sitting on my shelf for now.)

More Then & Now:

(The large pic in the background is a piece of art Mike is currently working on made entirely of cardboard boxes and tape).
More Pics This Way

Three Things

2008-11-24T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today I have three completely unrelated things to share.

1. The [random] winner of my very first blog candy has been chosen and Rose Ann will be the recipient of the DoodleFactory Poster (now updated to include all the animals I forgot). Please send me a mailing address where you can accept a poster tube.
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2. I had some momentum after I redesigned my blog and offered to make new banners for Tracey's Starving Artistamps blogs. Here's a peek, but you can also go directly to the company blog or gallery.

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3. I love this animated video I found linked on one of my favorite illustrations blogs (www.drawn.ca) today. The song is right up my musical alley too:

Redecorating

2008-11-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

Today I've done a little redecorating. Not in my apartment, but in my blog. I finally did some customization, and while HTML is not my preferred language, I'm pretty happy with the results.

If you read my blog through a feed, here's a peek at the new banner. If you come directly to the page, well then this is redundant :)

From Blogger Pictures

*Special thanks to Eva who's lovely card inspired me to finally make this change today.

Gio's Sweet Pad

2008-11-18T21:13:00.001-08:00

Hey lookit, I made my first step-card (or is it a stair-card? I don't know!)

I wanted to use my newly mounted stamps from the Sweet Shoppe set, but I was having issues making things "fit". In a EUREEKA moment, I remembered the "step-cards" I'd seen circulating the stamping web recently. I googled one of the tutorials but quickly threw all direction out the window. I'm learning I'm one of those "cut-first, measure later" types, but luckily this stair-thing is pretty simple and my measuring indiscretions were all easy enough to cover over.

In its flattened state, this card is a bit crowded, but the accordian steps give Gio lots of breathing room and space to romp around. I'm thinking of running a ribbon through the steps on either edge to help pull the card together (literally), but I need to upgrade my ribbon/thread supply and there's probably no room anyway.

Speaking of supplies - Tracey helped me acquire a bunch of new copic pens (whoo!) and even sent me some special cardstock and inks so I wouldn't have that runny problem I had a few entries back. Worked like a charm - now all I need is a brain that can properly grasp shading and highlights.

My First Blog Candy

2008-11-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for the positive response to my little DoodleFactory "poster" the other day. Several of you mentioned selling this as a print and I love the idea of people being able to color in the characters as they collect them. I'm not going to sell these quite yet, but I would like to offer an 11"x17" print to at least one lucky winner to be chosen at random next Monday, November 17.

Before I tell you the rules of how to enter, I have to confess that my poster is actually quite inaccurate because I FORGOT several of the characters. I'm going to rework the final to include everyone, but in the meantime, I'll turn my mistake into a way to win.

TWO WAYS TO ENTER, (BUT ONE ENTRY PER PERSON):

1. Leave a Comment in this entry with the name of one of the DoodleFactory characters missing from the original poster. [Only named characters, none of the accessories - if you need some help, you can always check out all the sets at StarvingArtistamps.com]

And/Or:

2. Leave a comment in this entry with a link to your favorite card you've made using a DoodleFactory character.

Also, (not required), if you know of any DoodleFactory fans, send them this way!

Every DoodleFactory Character Ever Drawn (So Far)

2008-11-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

Just a silly little thing I put together last night. The original animals and creatures are 3 years old now, but the majority of these guys were born just this year!

From tales from the doodlefactory

A Rusty Robot & A Reindeer

2008-11-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

I haven't made a card since my first attempts this summer, but Tracey asked me to participate in the CPS Sketch that was sponsored by Starving Artistamps last week and I did (but in my general last-minute fashion).

The new Christmas set is rolling out, but I thought I'd give a little love to the original " DoodleFactory Winter" set. Since it's still Fall and it never snows in L.A., I made the snowflakes rusty to go along with Robot Blip from the Urban Set. I hand-wrote the "Hello Dear", which my boyfriend later informed me I should have spelled "Deer" instead. oops!