Reminds me of Ballet ……

You know how Ballet always seems so effortless?  Simply elegant? Easy and flowing?  But in reality, it’s really really really hard.  A really good ballerina makes it look easy and a really good artist does the same. 

She takes Simple to a new level.  It’s a good reminder for me to see simple, clean ideas. Simple done right.  I tend to makes things too busy…..whether I’m decorating my table, a wall or designing a layout.

When you visit her site, The Small Object…….you see this first. It’s like visiting the circus for the first time as a child….I actually did close my eyes and smile real big and you know what?  It did get really good.

I saw a simply designed gift.  Less is more.

Or this…….so elegant.  Yes it does say wedding toppers……….she does make wedding toppers.

She can customize it for you, so it looks like you and your spouse to be.

Love the detailing of her dress.  My favorite one.  Then after the marriage….baby comes in a baby carriage…..she has the most delectable baby announcements that also make really cute and original wall art too.She draws and designs the smallest and cutest little things.  She even has a book out.  Stickers and labels of her designs.  Find her book here.      Keeping things simple, she designed this darling way to store your needles.  I’ve never been so sad not to sew. We’ve seen all kinds of banners and we love them. But I’ve never seen this fun paper flower garland.   I know what some of you will be doing tomorrow…..   One of the things that caught my eye were these adorable walnut candles. In that bag!!  Can you imagine the smile on someone’s face when they open this up.  It just screams HAPPY!  Enjoy everyone. Don’t be shy….please leave her a comment and let her know how much you enjoy her talent.  Spread some love.

The Vintage Moth

Oh My Stars!

I am beside myself with a creative twitter (I joined Twitter....have no idea what I'm doing)

This stuff however is a creative crafty beings dream. Oh the projects to be done.

The Vintage Moth

If you're not a vintage kind of person, then you may not be as giddy as the rest of us.

Abigail Mooney has a wonderful site that gives you a FREE...........yes FREE vintage clipart image daily. Did I mention that it's FREE? And daily?!

Love this apple..........but why is it upside down?Bee's.........gotta have em. There are some Bee glasses I want from Pier One, and then there's the bee pillow from Ballard. Waiting for the sale.........but I bet I could copy this image onto an iron on, iron it onto a creamy fabric......have a pillow made, because we all know I don't sew. And I'd have my own bee pillow..............yea.......I'll get right on that.Every cottagy house needs a blackbird.More birdie stuff..........you do know this is all free right?Think how cute this would be as a wrapping paper or a journal cover............GASP!Oh.............eggs...............wouldn't this be a wonderful framed piece?I couldn't leave you without a botanical.............Chinese Poppy, I believe. Stunning.This looks like an image of old wallpaper. Beautiful. This printed and framed with a simple monogram, or use as digi scrapbook paper.This was the kind of inspiration I needed. A walk back in time. This site is full of beautiful images. Enjoy

Don't trip over yourself getting to this site.

Thank you for all your puppy ideas! The trick will be manipulating my son into whatever name we want............I am not above in telling him she was already named by the breeder (debi).......Why not make him believe she's already named..............Oh I'm so horrible. I think I'm brilliant! :)

Soule Mama

I can't help it! I just can't! I must jump on the band wagon and mention this amazing book.......which means she is today's feature! Amanda Blake........SouleMama just wrote the most amazing book. I can't wait to get my hands on one. If you have kids, or grand kids, or you know someone who has little one's, you really really should send them a copy. You will look like the coolest, hippest person alive. Speaking of cool and hip....That must be her middle name. Amanda Cool Hip Blake Soule.

How I wish she would adopt me. Her house looks like the ultimate learning, creative, warm and loving environment for any child..........or adult for that matter.

She is big into embroidering. It's so cute to see her little ones sitting quietly, concentrating so hard on a project. Talk about hand eye coordination. I guess that beats those Dressy Bessy dolls........remember those? Or am I showing my age? Dapper Dan and Dressy Bessy........you don't remember them? Anywhoooo............... Amanda's take on using thread is a bit more creative......and well.......hip.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea. Having children draw your own calendar! Brilliant! And so educational. Home school mom's........are you paying attention? Wouldn't this be a great way to teach something about each month? Love that.

This below.......looks very educational, but creative at the same time. Looks like using art to learn Zones? Flower interpretation? Love how it gives you a feeling of no boundaries.........and really? Isn't that what art........being creative is all about?

These kids have got it made! Pottery Barn has nothing on Amanda. I remember my son's first pre-school. It was at Warner Pacific in Portland (Oregon.............just thought I should clarify since Amanda is from the other Portland......didn't want her to get all excited) His pre-school was very hands on. It had an art room with all materials ready. They didn't believe in stopping a child to put a smock on. They wanted the child to be able to create with out boundaries. Amanda's place reminds me of that environment. That was such a great pre-school. How many times have you tried to get dinner ready with little one's under foot? It's certainly not a Donna Reed moment is it? I swear that's why Kraft Mac and Cheese was invented.......or why pizza parlors started delivering. But of course Creative Mother of the year has a solution! Why oh why didn't she live next door to me when my son was little! I could have used her help. She gives her little ones all the scraps and they get to create their own recipe. Great idea.........I usually tossed the tupperware in the middle of room for him to play with..........good times.I found this photo from her flickr photos. I love buttons! She has so many great shots of images that look creative.........inspiring. Because I love what Amanda is doing..........and because tomorrow is my Blogiversary..........I will have a surprise to give away. Shhhhh.......I bet you can't guess what it's going to be. Wait for it..........wait for it........

girl boxmaker

I stumbled across Rae's blog awhile ago......girl boxmaker.....I think she left me a comment and I ALWAYS check out the blog a comment comes from...........hint hint......

She makes boxes. BOXES! She is a bona fide ( I had first spelled it bonafide......but one of my trusted regular readers has my back and set me straight...thank you!.........when is blogger going to get the spell check fixed?) artist with all kinds of papers.........and I don't mean patterned paper. I mean college type papers that say you spent a ton of money and learned a lot of cool stuff. Doesn't look like she wasted a bit of that dough. Amazing stuff.

Her blog is new and her etsy shop is new. Really, I'm not trying to hock goods........but so many of my featured bloggers have etsy shops and well?............they should. Seriously, if I could make something that someone would buy, I'd be opening up shop too. But don't worry.........My mojo is no where to be found........I really need to get scrapping again. And as much as you all would love to buy a layout with my son plastered all over.......some things are just not for sale. :)
But her nice little journal accordion books are...............This paper above looks like some of the paper that Melanie Gray sent me from Japan. Kimono Reincarnate.
She was a past feature.

Rae is the mother of 3 little darlings and has the most amazing sketches she did while they were sleeping........who needs a camera if you can draw like that? Speaking of a camera.......no, I'm not going to mention my fancypants camera again........even though I LOVE IT!........but her camera died recently and if we ever want to see another photo on her blog........we better buy some of those boxes. She didn't say that..........I did.One of the most fascinating things I learned, was HOW she makes these boxes. She did a little tutorial. mmmm, mmm.

Like I mentioned, Rae is new to the blogging world.........so go give her a big big bloggy hug. Tell her I said hi. :)

Carol Eldridge ~ From the Nest

Look what I found! Carol Eldridge........From the Nest. Yes another nest. Carol is an artist..........well of course she is, or she wouldn't be featured here right? But she actually designs stuff to be used commercially.Like Ellen Crimi Trent, who I featured a few months ago. Carol designed all the art work for all that stuff.........you've probably seen it in a store somewhere. I still get floored when I meet someone who designs the art work for products that I would buy. It makes me feel so important to think that I "know" them. :)

Carol's style is very whimsical.........it's very Mary Engelbreit meets the seashore. I hope she knows that's a compliment.

Carol is a real sweety, her blog is full of hospitality. Right now she has lots of Valentines Day ideas..........I'm gonna need all the help I can get. Valentines Day always seems to get over shadowed by my son's birthday.........I guess it's better than the other way around.

Carol lives in New England..........How I would LOVE to visit! Sounds so romantic.........so storybookish. You can really see the influence of the seashore in her work. She has an adorable home, that I would love to see more of.

Carol spends alot time sketching her ideas. She is inspired by so many simple things around her. She has travled the world..........a lot more places than me that's for sure.........and she has come away from each trip full of inspiration for her next design.Like this...........she saw this mushroom on one of her trips...... and low and behold, she made these cute little mushrooms. CUTE!Continuing with the polka dot theme, she created these adorable little nests with eggs. How did she paint those?Ahhhh, that's how. How clever of her. Now I have to admit that I am guilty of looking at photos on blogs and not always reading what there about. So when I came across this one, I thought "hmmm, now that's an odd decoration" then I read about how she used this cone tree to paint the eggs............how smart! More cute Valentines Day decorations.......she shows a great tutorial. I'm thinking I could actually sew these.One of her designs was made into this rug. How cool is that? Can you imagine standing in your kitchen.........you have a friend over for coffee and when they compliment you on the rug you're standing on.........you could actually say "Oh this? I designed these Strawberries." And then your friend would say " NO WAY!" and you would say "WAY!"

I'm thinking I need to find me some of these. Aren't they adorable? She designed them.

I found this really interesting. This is her booth at a trade show. This is where it all happens folks. This is where the big boys are deciding on what kind of paper plates they think we want. We want Carol! We Want Carol! How fun would that be? I want that job........I want to choose what art to use where. Another woman living an ideal life............she gets paid to do her crafty thing..........she's got a boat named after her........she lives in New England............she travels the world. If she wasn't so cute......I would be really really jealous. Ooops, am I whining?

In my best Simon Cowell accent............OK off you go. Don't forget to leave her a comment. You know how much you love comments right? Me too..............hint hint. :)

Still no spell check? Arg! If you see a typo, but can figure out what I'm saying..........then ignore it. Go with the flow.