Saturday, August 30, 2008

Dirty Pretty Things...Kewpie Love


New greeting card cuteness in the shop...
The "Kewpie Series" by Dirty Pretty Things returns by popular request with cute new sayings such as...

  • THANK YOU THIS MUCH
  • GIMME A HUG
  • SO SORRY
  • LOVE YOU
  • YOU ROCK CONGRATULATIONS
  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY
  • LOVE YOU THIS MUCH
  • YOURE SWEET


..or make up your own saying with a custom card!



Friday, August 29, 2008

Freaky Friday... Dancing Queen


After a concert at the Olympic Stadium in Germany on Thursday, Madonna was caught at security checkpoint in the Schoenefeld Airport in an embroidered "Dancing Queen robe, sneakers and a lot of make up.


The 50-year old singer might not have planned to be stopped by security on route to her private Lear jet, but thankfully she was not shown favouritism...Unless you count the fact that i
f a common person were to show up at airport security dressed like this, he/she would most likely be carted off and practically body cavity searched.



Sunday, August 24, 2008

Pretty Things Spotlight: Heartworks by Lori

Update: The winner of Heartwork by Lori's art pendant "This Bird Has Flown" is PRETTY FUN! Congratulations! Thanks to all of you who entered.

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Lori Patton, the creatrix of Heartworks By Lori, is inspired and moved by art and the world around us.

It has stirred such a child-like feeling of wonder and amazement in her that she is drawn to create timeless treasures incorporating the two.

Turned off by the exploitative prices charged by many high-end boutiques, Lori she set out to craft vintage-inspired jewelry made in brass and pewter that everyone could afford.

Her art has transgressed over the years and she has been able to also incorporate the work of some of her favourite artists in her jewelry as well. Talented artists such as Lori's brother Brad Weinman or photographer Irene Suchocki help to incorporate "little poems for the eyes" into each handcrafted piece.


"My goal is that you would enjoy ...my jewelry...knowing that the hand that
moved it from raw material into art holds no greater joy than knowing I have moved you as well."


Shown in the body of this feature are new lockets in the works by Lori, which are soon to appear in her shop. Incorporating art such as "Lady with an Ermine" evokes a fondness for the luxury of the past while the "Lotus Love Locket" mixes modernity and vintage so playfully.





Tell us a bit about You…
My name is Lori and I'm 30-something (we'll leave it at that). I'm a true Valley girl,
born and raised, but I currently reside in Culver City (a suburb of Los Angeles, CA). I'm the wife of an amazing man and mommy to 3 quirky and wonderful little superhero boys, Josiah-6, Tommy-4 & Jude-2. I've always been a crafty girl, even in Kindergarten, where Arts & Crafts was by far my favorite subject...still is. In Jr. High School, when all of my girlfriends were learning how to bake like Betty Crocker, I was enrolled in Plastics, Metal & Woodshop classes where I learned to make cool Pacman pencil holders and colorful paperweights. Art has always been a huge part of my family and with my brother as an accomplished illustrator, my uncle as an artist, my grandmother as a composer and artist, and my aunt as an artist. I guess you can say that it was inevitable that I would carry that gene as well. My hands are the avenue through which I express myself and my heart guides me the entire way. I always need to be creating something or else I'd go crazy!

What inspires you?
Ultimately, truth and beauty inspire me. Life and art move me and evoke a special passion and emotion within me that spurs me to create. I'm also inspired by the awesome colors and patterns of flowers and cloudy skies, or a breathtaking sunset and they make me want to capture the beauty in some way by creating "little poems for the eyes" as Irene Suchocki likes to say (she's one of my fabulous collaboration partners). I'm drawn to all things feminine, magical, hauntingly beautiful, deep & precious as well as those things that draw me deeper into the pursuit of the profound...those things that are too wonderful for words. When I create a "piece of heart" for my collection, my sole intention is always to craft something so unique and so emotionally evocative that each person who wears my jewelry would immediately catch my aesthetic vision and make it her own. A little piece of me goes with each piece I make.


What has been your most memorable moment selling your art?
My most m
emorable moment selling my art jewelry was when I had the awesome opportunity earlier this year to create a custom collection for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The collection featured art images from the exhibition, "El Greco to Velasquez", comprising Spanish art during the 1600's, set into antique brass frames. Because of the exposure from that commission, I'm currently working on another museum order where I'll create art jewelry featuring the famous art images from Monet, Modigliani and other well-loved paintings from the Master painters. Memorable is such an understatement!

Any advice for fellow artists...
Do what you love and love what you do. If you're in it for
the money, then money will never ultimately satisfy you. True success is creating for the sheer joy of expressing your passion and bringing pleasure and happiness to others from your work. If financial blessing comes from it, then that's just icing on the cake!

If you could be any character whom would it be and why?
I relate to Elastigirl from the movie "The Incredibles" [one of my favorite movies!]. She is very flexible, but at times stretched very thin. In emergencies, she's able to perform incredible displays of courage and strength, all the while remaining calm, practical and keeping her great sense of humor. When confronted with a momentary obstacle, she extends herself [literally] and saves the day and is never bent out of shape, but recoils right back to her normal state. She loves her hubby and kiddos in spite of hard times and as she ages, she diggs her husband even more. Elastigirl is my kind of gal!


Tell us your future plans for your business...
I'm thrilled with the opportunities to work with museums by creating custom art jewelry collections for them and I plan on continuing in that direction as well as having my
jewelry in more boutiques around the world. I'm honored to work with such amazing artists and photographers and I look forward to expanding my art jewelry collections as my collaborators add new stunning images to our line.

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This Give-a-Way is now closed...

Lori of Heartworks by Lori has given away one of
her best selling art pendants entitled "This Bird Has Flown" as part of this week's artist feature. The winner was PRETTY FUN. Congratulations!
This stunning pendant in pewter measures just over 1" and the image inside by the talented photographer Irene Suchocki measures 3/4 of an inch. The winner will receive the pendant only.

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To Enter...
Pick your favourite piece of work from the Heartworks by Lori shoppe and
then comment here to tell us which you fancy and why you like it!
For an extra entry into this contest... Post a comment on any other post on my blog, not including artist features.

How to Comment...

Comment by clicking on "Comments" or the "Post a comment" area at the very bottom of this post and a comment area will come up for you to type in. Then, if you don't have a blog, you may either click name/URL and fill in your name only, leaving the URL area blank or post anonymously. Just be sure to sign your name and leave a way for us to contact you if you win.


Most Important Details...
If your favourite piece from the Heartworks by Lori shoppe is not part of your comment and/or some sort of viable contact information is not included, your entry will be automatically disqualified. Duplicate entries in this post will not be considered.
One entry per person unless you comment on another post on this blog during the week of this feature/contest, excluding artist features. *I DO check every single entry.* Winner has 3 days to contact me with their mailing address. Give-a-way is shipped out via the artist. The winner's name is drawn out of a most fashionable bowl made in Thailand. This contest is open to everyone. All entries must be received by noon on Sunday, September 7th, 2008 PST.

Best of luck to you, my Pretties!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Love Angel Music & Baby #2...


Miss Gwennie Gwen Gwen and hot hubby Gavin Rossdale gave birth to son number two today.

Named Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale, the newest member of the family was born in LA's Cedar-Sinai around 12:46pm and weighed in around 8.5 lbs.

Stefani, 38 and Rossdale, 40 already have one son, Kingston together, aged 2.



Congratulations to the family!



Now, about that name...



Treasury Feature: Life is...

Lot's of super cute things in this sexy little treasury by NaughtyKnits...including my "Dolly says...Let's Get Naked" greeting card {see more below}.


click to enlarge...



My Dolly Cards are customizable and can say anything you can think, naughty or nice at no extra charge.

Featured in the treasury above is my "Let's Get Naked" card, which is my top selling Dolly card for sure...allowing you to say what you really want without actually having to say the actual words... just in case you are a shy little thing.

Go to my shop to see more or convo me to get your own custom card.




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About the curator of the above treasury...
Heather of Naughty Knits & NiftyKnits comes to us by way of the UK. NaughtyKnits features adult novelty knits and NiftyKnits has playthings a bit more tame and suitable for the kiddos. Whether you are feeling naughty or nice, she's got a little something for you. Here, a sampling from both shops:



From Left to Right:

Monday, August 18, 2008

Pretty Things...Such a Teese!


Dita Von Teese recently unveiled her sweet new Wonderbra collection.


Von Teese said the Wonderbra range was inspired by the glamour of the 1940s and 50s.


"It's not about seducing men, it's about embracing womanhood."


We're loving the fact that some of the unmentionables she'd designed to help us ladies dress to please have quick-release magnetic clasps so they can be whipped off in a flash for a speedy strip at a moments notice.





“I love it when you can go about your daily business with the knowledge that you have a little secret of your own on underneath. Lingerie shouldn’t be something you just put on for your lover—you should do it for you,” she purred.



Oooh la la!

The Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese limited edition lingerie collection is in UK and French boutiques from September 23rd.

50...and fabulous!



Madonna turned 50 on Saturday and she's still living it up!

Celebrating with close friends and family during a small private party at the trendy London club 'Volstead', Madge was honoured by daughter Lourdes serenading her on the piano and illusionist David Blaine performing card tricks. Later, the fierce and fabulous danced the night away to a deejay's medley of Madonna's greatest hits.








"She looks better now than she ever has done," her director husband told the 90 gathered guests, according to Britain's The Sun. "I'm so proud. I love her so much." says husband and party organizer, Guy Ritchie.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY!



Friday, August 15, 2008

Freaky Friday... Bad Hair Daze

All three of these images leave an impression...but not for the right reasons.

click to enlarge images...

Left: Poor Petra Nemcova thinks she can pull off anything...even helmet hair. Not cute. Isn't her 15 minutes of fame over yet?

Middle: Amy Winehouse...One word: ICK!

Right: Pink...We had such hope for her in the beginning, but now she's just looking crazy, trashy, uncool. Boo...


Sunday, August 10, 2008

Pretty Things Spotlight: * Katrine K *

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Congrats to Shaumein...winner of the Katrine K. limited edition print give-a-way!
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Inspired by her dreams as well as everyday life, Norwegian artist, Katrine Kalleklev creates a whimsical little wunderland that I myself would like to live in.

"I’m often inspired by dreams, both dreams that I’ve actually dreamt and dreams that I imagine I could have dreamt! My head is filled with little, weird imagined stories."


Her enchanting animals mingle with sometimes oddly quirky little people in the cutest clothing. They inhabit rooms papered with chic wallpaper and furnished with the most beautiful furniture ...or they wander out to play in the sweet starlight countryside.


Katrine's use of muted colours gives each piece of her work an almost ethereal moody feel, drawing us in to each new story yet to be told.



Tell us a bit about You…
Hello, my name is Katrine K and I’m a 35-year old Norwegian artist and illustrator. I have a Master’s Degree from Oslo National Academy of the Arts. I live and work in a tiny village very near Oslo. I have a husband, two children (Gustav and Oskar), --and a black cat called Julius, who is 11 years old and the boss of the family! We live in an old, little house next to the woods…it’s quite romantic and peaceful. I have my studio in this house too, so you can say I spend a lot of time there!

What inspires you?
I’m often inspired by dreams, both dreams that I’ve actually dreamt and dreams that I imagine I could have dreamt! My head is filled with little, weird imagined stories. I am very
interested in psychology and the unconsciousness; dreams have a central part here. Surreal poetry, crazy music and other artists also inspire me. Lastly, I am also inspired by small details of everyday life, -the little things that don’t seem to mean anything…they can mean so much if you look at them separately or in different settings.

Apart from creating things, what do you do for fun?
I enjoy baking very much…Bread and cakes (with spelt, I am allergic to wheat), as it’s a fun thing to do with the kids! I let them decorate the cakes, as you never know what the cake will end up looking like! I also love to watch a good film, spend time with my little family and go to the cafe with my nearest friends. In the summer I just love to sit in our garden, relaxing and perhaps eat one of those delicious cakes we’ve just baked…Or nip to a glass of red wine.
One more thing: It’s perhaps odd,… but I find much pleasure in tidying up in my cupboards and drawers. I like to sort things, look at stuff I’d almost forgotten, make “systems” and “classify” the things. For instance, I put all the red things together in a box…!

What has been your most memorable moment selling your art?
H
mmm, it’s hard to give a proper answer to this one. I think every little or large sale is memorable. I am so honoured every single time I make a sale and think it so exciting that my pictures are bought all over the world thanks to Etsy. My local Library also bought one of my paintings and it now hangs in the Library for everyone to see…that’s very nice.

Any advice for fellow artists...
Stick to who you are, what you stand for and what you do the best. Never give up even when you
meet difficulties! It’s essential that you love what you do and listen to your heart.

If you could be any character whom would it be and why?
I would like to be Amelie from Montmartre. She is a bit of an eccentric loner with a great imagination full of fascination
for the little things around her. She doesn’t care what others think of her, has a strong personality, a good heart and wants to enrich other people’s lives. I’m always so inspired when I see this movie.

Where have you traveled or where would you like to travel and why?
I have this stupid anxiety for traveling and don’t like airplanes very much because they give me claustrophobia. Still, I have managed to travel to Italy a few times and would love to go back soon as it’s so rustic and romantic! I’ve also been to Berlin, a fantastic city, which is so urban and modern, yet so cozy and down-to-earth. Sorry to say, but I’ve never been to the US. Some day I will gp, but then I must fly, mustn’t I? I want very much to visit New York!

Tell us your future plans for your business...
My plan is to continue with what I’m doing: Painting and drawing and doing illustration work on the side. I’ll always try to develop myself as an artist and wish to one day also make a proper living out of being an artist. It’s
so hard but I don’t know what else I could do…I am hopelessly in love in my business and will work until I die…

Anything else you'd like to add about yourself or your work, etc…
At present my work is represented in the US by the Tinlark Gallery in Hollywood (thetinlarkgallery.com) and at 1301 Gallery in Omaha, Nebraska (hotshopsartcenter.com).


Shoppe: http://KatrineK.Etsy.com
Blog: http://KatrineK.Typepad.com



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This Give-a-Way is now closed...

Miss Katrine is soooo very generous with her feature's
give-a-way of her limited edition print "I Do Not Know You". This is one of my most favourite images in Katrine's shop and I'm sure you will absolutely love it too...Yay!

The winner will receive #5 of 50 in this limited edition
7.3" x 10,3" print series, which is printed on archival matte 192g weight paper that resists fading for up to 200 years. This print will be signed and numbered by Katrine.

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Congratulations!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Pretty Things...Fergalicious


"I have always loved fashion, because it’s a great way to express your mood...I’m definitely a shoe lover!” Says the singer, Fergie in regards to her new line of shoes.

…and we can’t wait to check it out when her line launches next Spring 2009!

This week the singer unveiled her new line of footwear for Brown Shoes at the World Shoe Accessories trade show in Las Vegas.


The line ranges from heels and wedges, to sneakers and sandals, consisting of two divisions: “Fergie” {to showcase the singer's confident "g
lam rock" side} and “Fergalicious by Fergie” {trendier, sportier, and more "pop rock}. Ummm,...they sound very similar, so we’ll just have to wait to see what the difference between the two divisions really is.



“I have always loved fashion because it’s a great way to express your mood. And I’m definitely a shoe lover. The right pair of shoes can change the feel of an outfit, and even change how a woman feels about herself. A woman can wear confidence on her feet with a high stiletto, or slip into weekend comfort with a soft ballet flat.”


Sunday, August 3, 2008

Pretty Things Spotlight: * Rachel Rene *

UPDATE:
BLUE VIOLET is the lucky winner of the yummy treats from Rachel Rene...CONGRATULATIONS!
...and a special "Thank You" to everyone who entered! Be sure to enter the new give-a-way {there's a link to it on the right side of this blog}.
.
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Christine of Rachel Rene loves to experiment and create yummy scents for us to delight in... and with scents like Mocha Choca Latte, Strawberry Champagne and Caramel Apple, who wouldn't want to indulge?


Passionate about premium quality, all of Rachel Rene's products are handmade by Christine in small batches to ensure top quality and freshness.


She formulates her body products and soaps with top quality ingredients, including wunderful oils and butters so that they retain their natural glycerin, which wraps your skin with enough moisture so that there is no need for lotion after the bath. And with such busy schedules these days, who wouldn't like to skip a step in our beauty regime?






"My kids inspire me. They like to watch me make soap and bath bombs and have a way of telling me (no matter what I think) that everything I make is beautiful in some way."



Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is Christine Davis and I live on a farm in Tiskilwa, Illinois – say that ten times fast! I’v
e been married for almost 7 years and have 2 children – Rachel and Jack. I named my company after my daughter, Rachel Rene. She’s my biggest fan!

What inspires you?
My kids inspire me. They like to watch me make soap and bath bombs and have a w
ay of telling me (no matter what I think) that everything I make is beautiful in some way. Lately my daughter has been renaming my soaps and most of them are kooky names that I laugh at and say “good one, honey” but sometimes she comes up with something catchy and I’ll base a soap on that name. Yesterday she called my Neroli Lime soap “Sunny Ground” – and I liked it, but it didn’t represent that particular soap so I’m trying to find a nice earthy grassy citrus scent to make.

Apart from creating things, what do you do for fun?
I love to read and ride horses (we have 3) and mostly just spend time with my family. We’ll barbecue and hang out in the yard most of the time or play Bocce Ball, which my kids just le
arned and love! Normal things I guess...although I’m not opposed to going to a bar every now and again and performing a terrible rendition of "Dancing Queen" on karaoke night! :)


What has been your most memorable moment selling your art?
I was interviewed at a craft show for the local
paper...they brought a photographer and everything. I couldn’t believe it. When the paper came out, there I was on the front page of the Community section in full color with my soaps - so I was just floored! Something I’ll never forget for sure!

Any advice for fellow artists...
Love what you do and do what you love. Sometimes when I get down and out (it happens to everyone), I’ll simply rearrange my furniture or craft room to be “more efficient” and then I feel better. That was my mom’s fix for everything. Depressed: rearrange the front room. Lonely: rearrange your bedroom. Bored: rearrange the kitchen cabinets! My poor father couldn’t find anything ever and always wa
lked into stuff when he came home from work at night, but mom was always happy!

Where have you traveled or where would you like to travel? Why?
I’ve only been to Wisconsin and Missouri – I do
n’t fly. I’m scared of planes, so I’m limited as to where I’ll go. I would love to go out west and camp under the stars and ride horses along the mountains though. Hubby and I figure once the kids are grown (a gazillion years from now) we’ll get an RV and go cruisin’!


Any future plans for your business?
I would love to open a small shop in town on Main
Street. It’s always been the goal I’ve looked ahead to since I started making soap. So until then, I’m working on my customer base both locally and online. I’ll continue to provide the best products and customer service that I possibly can – those things will never change! I keep trying to experiment with different scents, ideas, colors, designs. I’m having a blast and always trying to improve everything. I’m bringing in a whole new bunch of soaps and fragrances and will be adding new ones weekly for the next month or so and trying out some new recipes!

Shop: http://RachelRene.etsy.com
Blog: http://rachelrenebathnbody.blogspot.com


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This Give-a-Way has ended...

This give-a-way winner,
BLUE VIOLET, is in for an extra special treat. Christine of Rachel Rene will be sending her 3 sweet items from her shoppe: 4 bath bombs in White Ginger & Amber, Pure Rain & Apples-n-Spice and French Vanilla, a 4oz. bar of her Frosted Butter Cream scented soap and an 8oz soy candle in her Tropical Vacation scent. How very yummy!

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Friday, August 1, 2008

Freaky Friday... Be Grateful Today

We never realise how quickly things can change or how bad things really can get until it happens to us...so take a moment now and be grateful for what you have today.

{Pause here for a moment of silence}

Seriously, did you pause and think of at least 3 things you are grateful for at this very minute?

If you answered NO, please go back to the beginning of this post and start over.
If you answered YES, you may proceed...



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8 Years Ago...
You might remember when this accident happened 8 years ago this past March.
This Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas overshot the runway when landing in Burbank, CA. The plane smashed through the airport fence, careened across the street, ending up with collapsed landing gear...right by a Chevron gas station.

Close call, right? ...This could have really been disastrous!


But, that's truly not the amazing part....