Adventures in Wonderland...

Dark & Sweet

What a deliciously dark treat this treasury is...and I am so very happy to have my Birth Diorama featured yet again!

Dark & Sweet Treasury by CatatonicDespair

This month has been full...filling orders and getting ready for the Holidays. YAY!
This coming Saturday, December 8th, you can catch Mike and I at the Little Red Schoolhouse Holiday Bazaar in Hollywood, CA. Festivities start at 3pm and go until 8. We'll both be there selling our goodies. Come out and meet us if you'll be in the Los Angeles area this weekend.

◦ ○ LOS ANGELES Area Folks ○ ◦

Come see me & Mikiep Dec. 8th @ the Hollywood Schoolhouse Bazaar
@ Highland & N. McCadden Pl. [Entrance: on N. McCadden Pl.]

We hope to see you there!
xxx
Raven

The Spice Girls... Sex and the Military

I was never a HUGE fan, but I do like their music from the old days, so I'm glad they're back.
These shots are from their performance at the Victoria's Secret Show. I'm just loving the Military look....reminds me of when I sang as part of The Andrew Sisters in highschool. So sassy!

Some of my Etsy favourites...

In the following 2 treasuries [don't ask me how I snagged 2 at the same time, but I did], I have posted some of my favourite Etsy items in time for your Christmas shopping delight.

My first treasury "THINGS I WANT FOR XMAS" is full of many of my faves from Etsy artists.

... and my second treasury is entitled "Victorian Wunderland" and it's full of amazing Victorian -inspired pretties. Enjoy!

Under the Love Tree...and in the Candy Shop

I must have missed these lil' cuties in my post about KisstheFrog and her amazing work, so I've decided to add them today! But, trust me when I tell you that there are so many more sweet pieces to choose from in Maria's shop!

How cute is this little one?!?!? This piece is called "Under the Love Tree"


Oh, there are just sooo many pretties in this shop...I 've just eyed these as well!
"Candy Shop Note Card Set" Get yours in time for the holidays as these would make great stocking stuffers!

Keep up the great work, Maria!! We love your vision!

xxx
Raven

Cuties!!

A sweet new treasury has featured my little cuties, Tweedle and Deedle. This photograph was taken of 2 adorable teeny tiny bisque dolls that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. How happy they must be to be amongst so many other talented artists and their cuties!

CUTIES Treasury West by KISSTHEFROG
Thank you, KisstheFrog!

KisstheFrog is another amazing artist on Etsy. Her "Secret Admirer Gift Tags" & "Mystery Girl Portrait"are my favourites! Sooo cute! Be sure to visit her shop for more Pretties!

The Most Popular Couple on Etsy!

Here's my latest treasury entitled "The Most Popular Couple on Etsy". Please be sure to check it out as it included some of my recent faves that I'm sure you will fall in love with too!

Japan and all its Wunderment...

I have always had a sweet fascination with the Japanese culture....in fact, I am almost positive I was a Geisha in a former life. [I'd love to do past life regression someday soon to confirm this.]

When I was a young girl, I had a pair of those Japanese wooden clogs or Geta.

Geta are made of one piece of solid wood forming the sole and two wooden blocks underneath with a thong that goes between the toes at the front. Geta were not for fashion, but to keep a kimono from touching the ground.

Normally, it takes significant practice to walk in Geta safely and elegantly, but for me as a 7 year old girl, it was if I was born wearing them. I never took them off, wearing them with shorts, pants and skirts. Even now, I have a pair...granted they are a modern day version made of rubber, but they are super kewl...just not great for wearing on the streets of NYC.

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For my last Art show, entitled "Bound" I did my version of the Kokeshi doll made in clay.
The name 'kokeshi' itself is thought to derive from a combination of names given to the wooden dolls in the various areas of their manufacture. In addition to being ornamental, they are also seen as charms to prevent fires or even ward off evil.

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"Hiroko Bound" was the first Kokeshi I did and to this day remains one of my all time favourites. As you can tell, it's not a traditional Kokeshi, but my avant-garde version.

Bound by Beauty.
Bound by Silence.
Bound by Emotion.
Bound by Society.
She cannot be kept.

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I also sculpted smaller Kokeshio dolls in the more traditional style, painted them, wrapped them in exquisite Japanese papers and placed them in dioramas. Note: The dioramas below will be taken out of my store in the next week to make room for new items. If interested, please contact me.

Noriko and Mika Stop to Smell the Roses
On sunny Spring days, pretty Noriko loves to go for walks. Her sweet little bird Mika loves to go with her. Along a pebble path, they discover a pink rose, which has just fallen. They stop to admire its Beauty and relish in its delights. [left]





Kiyoko Walks in the Garden
Sweet Little Kiyoko so happy in her garden with the green grass between her toes! [right]

Tamiko Amongst the Sakura
Tamiko loves to meditate amongst the cherry blossom trees {Sakura} in her garden. She feels most at peace amongst the beauty of nature...with a flower in her hair and a song in her heart. <3>

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So, given my fascination with all things Japan, I was pleased to see that I was featured in Msutil's current treasury entitled "JAPAN"
Msutil is from Madrid, Spain and makes super sweet jewelry. Please check out her shop!
Thanks, Msutil!

From Nobody to Somebody...

Today is a day for a "Raven Rant" on The Dirt!
Yeah, I suppose I should be posting my art, but lately I'm on a celeb gossip kick and I can't help myself, so here goes...

One of my fave celeb. gossips sites forever is GoFugYourself.
If you've not had the chance to check it out, consider this your golden, embossed, hand-delivered by a hot babe in a g-string invitation to do so. You will love it as much as I do, I guarantee it...well, mabie not THAT much, but you WILL enjoy it.

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Today's hand-picked amusement is Kim Kardashian, whom we wouldn't have ever ever heard of if it weren't for the fact that's she's bloody rich , BFFs with none other than Paris Hilton and, oh yeah, made a sex tape too! *Raven rolls eyes* In fact, Kim AND her entire family now have their own reality show on E! no thanks to Ryan Seacreast.

Here is the blurb on Ms. Kardashian from GoFugYourself. Have a laugh!

Fugging Up With the Kardashians

An Open Letter to Kim Kardashian:

Dear Kim,

Okay. Enough. We get it. We all get it. The whole world was cc'ed on your memo. You are hot. Hot hot hot. Hot like fire. Hot like lava. Hot like the flames on the side of my face that erupt when I think about how I'm now supposed to find you interesting enough to have a reality show. Message received.

And here's a little message for you, just a little tip, something that I think will serve you well in years to come: When we can all essentially see the seams of your Spanx, it WON'T HURT YOU TO GO UP A SIZE. No one can see the tag on your dress but you and the individual who unzips you at night! And if that person makes some kind of sizing-related commentary, you best eject him or her from your boudoir and consider that time saved. So, unless you've accepted a position as the spokesmodel for Casey's Sausage Casings and Meat Accessories, there is absolutely no need for you to go out in something this tight, and it actually seems like it might be injurious to your internal organs. Let's give the girls a little breathing room, shall we?

[Photo: infdaily.com]

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My BFFs and I...[and granted, we are nobodies and like it like that] are often amused by the VAST number of people who become famous out of nowhere, because of who they are dating, who they are related to, who they have "done", etc...

Here are some of my favourite examples :

• Paris Hilton herself - Born into an uber-rich hotel dynasty, she was virtually unknown until she let a sex tape of herself out into the public...and, trust me, she KNEW what she was doing.

• Nicole Ritchie - Yeah, she was adopted by Lionel, but was a nobody until she teamed up with Paris.

• Alexis Stewart - We all LOVE Martha, but Alexis is only known now 'cuz of her mum, who puts her in her magazines and in her television commercials.

• Beth Ostrosky - Shagging Howard Stern brought this model into the spotlight. Oh, goodie for her! She's no Linda Evangelista in my eyes. [pic at right]

• Kevin Federline - He helped make Britney Spears the mess that she is and gave her 2 kids to corrupt as well.

• Shar Jackson - Kevin Federline's ex who also has kids to him and several other guys. She's now an actress and rap star! Ok, fairly, she was on "Moesha" and some other shows, but seriously, wasn't a household name until Britney shagged Kevin and "stole" him away from her.

• Kato Kaelin - OJ Simpon's pool boy...ok, ok, ...."house guest"

• One of my faves: Petra Nemcova...she was hurt in the Thai tsunami and now has her own television series and 15 minutes of fame. She's no Linda Evangelista either! [photo: right]
  

• And, possibly my ALL TIME fave "Nobody to Somebody" is Elisabeth Hasselbeck...former "Survivor" contestant and now a co-host on "The View". I don't get it at all! Can someone PLEASE explain her popularity?? I don't want to hear her "view" and I don't need to know what's she's doing on her maternity leave, feeding her daughter Grace, wearing to meet the President or doing with her famous quarterback hubby.
  

Is it just me...or do these "Nobodies to Somebody" irk you too? I know I've left out a lot...like Anne Heche [got down with Ellen Degeneres], Tila Tequila [got nekked on MySpace], Esme [sang in her bedroom on You Tube], etc... but you get the gist. I've posted some of my faves.

I'm off my soap box -for now- and off to do something meaningful....

xxx
Raven

Katie Holmes & her Elfin Escort

I can't say that I've ever been a Katie Holmes fan...and never even paid her and her man Tom any mind until they had baby Suri [SUCH a cutie!].

But, I've got to share this photo with you because Katie looks beyond stunning. The light is hitting her just right and she is glowing. I am enchanted and inspired by this picture beyond words for some reason.

Granted, the dress is pulling down a bit at her lack of cleavage [Kudos for being au naturelle!], but most strapless numbers eventually wreak this sort of havoc. The hem on the dress is a bit heavy looking too for my taste, but all in all, she looks divine. I just won't talk about how Tom looks like a little Elfin escort next to her. Oops...I guess I just did. ;)

Beautiful, Katie...Beautiful!

xxx
Raven

BFF!!

I spent time last weekend with great friends of mine...Afsaneh and her daughter Layla, whom I've not seen in a while.
Boy, has Layla grown since I last saw her!



....Me and Layla....





I originally met Afsaneh years ago when we were neighbours in a courtyard apartment complex in Los Angeles. At the time, Layla was about 4 years old and called me "Wisha" since she couldn't pronounce my name Patricia.
So cute!
The nickname has stuck with me...and I like that.

For some reason [mabie cuz Layla took them] , all of the shots of Afsaneh and me came out a bit blurry...

We had lunch at a little French Bistro and relived memories, laughing till our insides hurt.

Afsaneh has always been a huge fan of my art and almost never misses a show...and for that, I thank her.

Afsaneh with the vintage bag she purchased from my shop Dirty Pretty Things.


















Later, Afsaneh sent me pix of Layla at Halloween dressed as a fairy princess...She wins the prize for best costume for sure!


Love those gold eyelashes, Layla!


See you both soon!

xxx

My Storque Spotlight and all you Pretty People!

I'm honoured to have been featured in "The Storque" which is Etsy's online paper.


Featured was my diorama entitled "Birth" which incorporates a 3-headed vintage doll in Victorian dress. The dolls head can turn manually to show any one of 3 emotions.




This piece was originally featured in my "Desolation" show, where a client of mine and her husband were debating over the purchase of this piece or another diorama of mine. The woman loved it, but her husband was quite disturbed by it for some reason. Needless to say, they purchased the other one.

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"Birth" was also featured on the Lilies and Ether blog:

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Beth is just the sweetest and her work ROCKS! I especially love her take on Marie Antoinette


and the image of Bumbelina

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Thank you Thank you Thank you! to...

Everyone who convo'd me and left comments supporting my Art. Below are only the artists who posted on the actual Spotlight piece. Please make sure you support these artists too! I love what I do and I'm glad that you do too!

...Now, I'm off to fill some orders!
xxx
Raven

Britney Spears, Halloween, Tea Parties and More!

I've been in some AMAZING treasuries lately and I just have to share them with you!

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This first one is the most hilarious one I've seen in a long time entitled 12 THINGS BRITNEY SPEARS LOST by cuzifeltlikeit. It features my new painting entitled "Where's the Party"
Yay!

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Herein lies some gorgeous Beauties on Etsy for your eyes to feast upon! OPULENT DECADENCE by BoringSidney
Included is my giclee print entitled "Recreant Rita"...who get a bit surprised when she dabbles in the unknown!
Miss BoringSidney does some amaaaazing hats that you might like to check out too!

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I love all things Baroque...and Pendientuda has captured it beautifully with her treasury entitled BAROQUE HALLOWEEN. She's also included my set of Dark Beauty Cards featuring dark flowers that Mrs. Addams might have grown herself. Be sure to check out both card sets in my shop: Dark Beauty I & Dark Beauty II. Both sets are almost sold out.

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One of my other favourite types of treasuries is surely any which feature tea cups, tea parties & the like. I've had a fascination with tea parties since I was a little girl {It must be my British blood...}.
I had quite a nice teapot and teacup collection until recently when I decided to start selling them all off.

Tea Time by PinkAngel {love that name!} captures quite a few lovelies featuring the sweetest teacups! She's included my new piece entitled "Lita and the Teacup Full of Birds" which is original artwork I've done where you can customise the background colours....Enjoy!
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More tea time pretties:

My hubby Mikiep {a fellow artist on Etsy...and the hottest MOE ♥!!} has the cutest illustration featuring a tea party in his new Super Hero Series. The print is entitled "Tea Party with Wonder Woman"... [shown at left]

The illustration features Wonder Woman as a little girl having tea with Bear and Bunny. You just have to check it out!
It's definitely one of my favourites that he's done.

Look how cute and quirky everything is...from the tree base on the table to the curling spout on the teapot to the miss-matched tea cups...the way Bunny is reaching out to Bear as if to hold his hand. Ahhhh.... I just love it!

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Thanks again to all of you Pretties ♥ for including me in your treasuries. I am quite honoured.

xxx
Raven

WHERES THE PARTY ?

I've finally been able to list most of the items from my show in my shop. Here's the finished piece of "Where's the Party". I am sooo pleased with the way it came out! It's definitely my favourite painting I've done to date.



I'm so entranced by her eyes....and her lips. I dunno why. I'm easily enchanted. haha

She just looks so sweet and demure...I'm super pleased with the emotion that shows thru in this painting.

Some people say that she looks like someone in particular, but that was never supposed to be the case.
Oh well, C'est la vie! That's what I love about art. It's so open to personal interpretation.

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I still have some others items from my show to list as well. If you were at my show 2 weeks ago, you'll also remember seeing a lot of silhouette pieces. The 2 portraying Lita with the Birdcage and Lita in the Teacup full of Birds will be posted tomorrow {Sunday]. Here's another look at them:


























I also have a lot of magnet sets to post as well as the last of the new scents of my soy candles, which are Oh-So-Delicious! All of these pretties make excellent gift ideas as each are $12 or under! Yay!

More soon!

xxx
Raven

Our trip to Austin, TX - October 2007

We've been in Austin working [and having fun], so blogging has been on hiatus, but I'm back.

I loved Austin. It's an amazing city on the Colorado River, but I don't think I could live there 'cuz I get bored so quickly. Too bad for me, huh?

Anyway, here's a photo of me and Mike at Shady Grove...I did get a haircut in Austin, trusting my locks to a Texas chick named Rachel. I was a bit scared when I saw her Texas-style look and almost backed out on her to switch to the one rockabilly chick in the place, but I stuck with her and she actually gave good hair! This shot is me pre-cut and Mikie un-shaven for over a week.


I loved the fact that our hotel was right on the river with a stunning view of the Frost Bank Bldg, which has to be one of my favourite buildings of all time now. It looks like an Owl from certain angles. Isn't that quirky?
The Frost Bank Bldg, downtown Austin:Our view from the hotel overlooking Austin, the Colorado River and the Bat Bridge, where every night at sunset, some 2 million bats fly out from under the bridge. It really is a sight to see!

The food in Austin was amazing, with lots of green chilies and barbeque. Yee-haw!
...and nary a fast food chain such as McDonald's in sight. I think I loved that the most as I'm so tired of seeing so many chain-style eateries everywhere.
In Austin, it's more down home and I love that.
Some of our fave places to eat [not including the Shi-Shi places obviously] and must-have eats:
The Green Mesquite
KILLER Mesquite Cheesesteak
Cheesy and yummy with Green Chiles that rivals any Philly Cheesesteak

Shady Grove
Green Chile Cheeseburger
Hatch Green Chile Sauce and Monterey Jack cheese top this spicy burger

Chuy's
Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas
Enchiladas with their special Boom-Boom sauce

Whataburger
Even though it is a Texas & Southwest chain, the food there is good. Although we were surprised that they don't serve BBQ sauce...They're in Texas for God's sake! Anyway, they win for best cold hamburger the next morning. No joke. It was even better cold than, dare I say it???... In and Out...and y'all know how I love my In and Out Animal Style. :)

...and winner of the most romantic old-school Italian restaurant goes to Romeo's.
We had a great nite there...and I discovered a new way to make a Mojito...with basil instead of mint! So Yummy!

We spent time working too...Here's a shot on Sixth Street at a night shoot.
Shopping on Congress is FUN....and I found a new favourite store: Uncommon Objects

If you like old, antique and quirky, then this is the place for you!

Over 30 vendors display their wares in a chic, kitschy way. I spent most of my time [and money!] there and picked up soooo many fabulous finds!

Too bad you can't shop Uncommon Objects online, but there are just waaay too many items in the store to make that possible...and I'm sure that their turn-over rate is tremendous as well. It's definitely a reason to visit Austin again. :)




I also loved the store front for Monkey See Monkey Do -->



On our way back from Austin, [...yes, we drove there!] we spent time in other parts of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona taking photos and visiting places that looked interesting, such as small towns, historic sites and, of course, graveyards.

A week after our return, we had our latest show in downtown Los Angeles, which turned out to be a great success. Orders are still coming in! I'll post more about that later, but in the meanwhile, you can see just some of my new art in my shop.

xxx
Raven