Mark Your Calendars!

Come to the one stop handmade shop December 5th in Manhattan! The 2nd Annual Holiday Handmade Cavalcade!

MOVING!

A sincere apology to all! I have been in the midst of moving, and well, have barely had a moment to breathe! Please just keep in mind that once I am snugly situated in my new place (with a fabulously large art room/office :D) I will not only get back to my regularly scheduled programming (with pics and all that jazz), but I will be filled with so much inspiration, who knows what's in store!! Being away from my crafty life for almost two weeks now has almost been unbearable, but it makes my return that much more exciting!

Anyhoo, here's a little doodle for you:

I'll be back soon!

xoxo,

Virginia

Five Things with Anke Weckmann!

Good Morning!

So jazzed about today's Five Things with Anke Weckmann! You really must check out more of her work here and find her blog here. :)

1. What's the cutest thing in the world?

Mei in the film Totoro, vintage 80s Strawberry Shortcake dolls

2. The yummiest thing?

home-made pizza, elderflower cordial

3. A music album you think everyone should own?

I wouldn't be able to pick one, but everyone should check out Wisdom Tooth! Lovely lovely music.

4. The most beautiful place (real or fiction)?

Avonlea (where Anne of Green Gables lives), my desk (I love working there)

5. What would the ultimate art/studio space be like?

Spacious, light, with lots of tables for drawing/sewing/packing orders, a separate screen printing studio, it would be warm in winter & cool in summer. It would also be close to the post office, a cafe with free wi-fi and also right next to other people's studios who could come over for tea! A big comfy sofa would be great, too.

Thank you, Anke!

Five Things with Be Happy Now!

Greetings! If you haven't already, you must check out Be Happy Now! Jenny has such a wonderful style and great portraits--it's a pleasure to have her here for Five Things!

1. So Jenny, hat's the cutest thing in the world?

my cat

2. The yummiest thing?

watermelon

3. A music album you think everyone should own?

Music soundtrack of "Cirque du Soleil"

4. The most beautiful place (real or fiction)?

dreamland

5. What would the ultimate art/studio space be like?

a tiny island with a lot of tiny trees and a big table with all my craft tools and my cat with my boyfriend :)

Thanks so much, Jenny! And have a wonderful day, everyone. ;)

Martha's Vineyard

Wishing my mother a Happy Birthday week! She's away at Martha's Vineyard and just sent this picture.

So jealous of this view:

Five Things with Tosya!

So so happy to introduce you to the Etsy shop, Tosya! I simply adore these illustrations--very fun, with so much expression. And today we have Five Things with the artist, Tali. :)

1. What's the cutest thing in the world?

Babies

2. The yummiest thing?

Cornflakes with milk

3. A music album you think everyone should own?

All of U2's albums

4. The most beautiful place (real or fiction)?

Berlin

5. What would the ultimate art/studio space be like?

My ultimate studio space is light, bright, spacious and very white.

Thanks so much, Tali! And make sure to also check out her first shop, Tush Tush!

The Hidden Cameras--In the NA

Check out The Hidden Cameras new album Origin:Orphan.

What I've Been Working On...

Adventures of my dear mascot, Pepe, the pigeon.

Five Things with Sharon Montrose!

Happy Autumn, everyone!!

Today we have Sharon Montrose (one of my most favorite photographers) here for Five Things! I am simply in love with all of Sharon's animal portraits and cannot wait to start collecting them.

1. So, Sharon, what's the cutest thing in the world?

My dog Squeak.

2. The yummiest thing?

French Fries.

3. A music album you think everyone should own?

Soundtrack to the movie I am Sam.

4. The most beautiful place (real or fiction)?

Hearst Castle.

5. What would the ultimate art/studio space be like?

Clean, peaceful, and full of light.

Thank you so much, Sharon! And congrats for being one of Etsy's recently featured artists. Make sure you check out Sharon's etsy shop, and have a lovely day!

Five Things with Lou Lou & Oscar!

Good morning! Today I am so delighted to have Lisa Aaron of Lou Lou & Oscar here today!!

1. So Lisa, what's the cutest thing in the world?

In a face off between Meerkats and Arctic Foxes the fox would win by a narrow margin, undeniably the cutest things in the world. The best bushy tail, the sneakiest face, cute in winter white and summer grey, I love them to pieces. I was on the brink of choosing my 3 year old son at ballet class, so, so cute but I'm obviously completely biased so: Go Arctic Foxes!

2. The yummiest thing?

This one is easy, the yummiest things are white chocolate champagne truffles from Leonidas. If I could get all the nutrients required to sustain life from these I would quite happily eat them to the exclusion of everything else until the day I die.

3. A music album you think everyone should own?

Ok, this one is impossible. I am going to have to cheat! If you took away all of the music in the world and left me with three albums I would be able to survive with: Live At The Witch Trials by The Fall, Histoire de Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg and John Coltrane's A Love Supreme. All three are complete genius and I think everyone should have them in their record collection.

4. The most beautiful place (real or fiction)?

I am lucky to live in a very beautiful place but I would have to pick the house that Cesar Manrique built for himself in the Taro de Tahiche in Lanzarote. I had an intense emotional response to this house, built into the lava bubbles and rivers of the landscape. I love arid places, the outside inside, gorgeous light. troglodyte living and spaces that are stripped down to their essential elements. I want to go back, now! I would love it even more if the whole patch of earth and house could be transported to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. That would be my idea of a perfectly beautiful place.

5. What would the ultimate art/studio space be like?

The ultimate art/studio space would be a repetition of number 4, Manrique's house transported to Paris. I have day dreamed about setting up a space, a kind of open studio, with a library, cinema, boutique, lots of room for seminars and beautiful rooms to stay in if you need a place to sleep. A sort of retreat, for crafty/arty folk I suppose. The lava bubbles would be perfect for housing the different elements. Oh, and it would be walled too, like the secret garden in Frances Hodgson Burnett's book. I adore the idea of a secret garden/studio. It would be open to all but you would need a map and a special key to access it!

Thank you so much Lisa! And make sure to check out her lovely shop and blog!

Have a Happy Thursday, everyone!

So excited!

Featured on Decor8 today! Ahk! Happiness alert!

ooh la la, my pumpkins made front page :)

Yay! I'm in another gift guide!

Check out Etsy's latest Halloween Decor Gift Guide!

From today's Post, Garfield

Had to share this:

For the Love of Toast!

Well, I sure do love toast... New!

Five Things with Pretty Little Thieves!

Happy Friday, everyone!!

Today we have Nancy Mungcal of Pretty Little Thieves here, and boy, what a treat!

1. What's the cutest thing in the world?
the songs and dances my 4 year old niece and 2 year old nephew make up as well as my pug.
2. The yummiest thing?
my sister's lemon bars

3. A music album you think everyone should own?
mazzy star "so tonight that i might see"
4. The most beautiful place (real or fiction)?
the woods by the sea

5. What would the ultimate art/studio space be like?
lots of light, flat spaces to work on (i have a pile tendency), big windows with a lovely view, tons of bookshelves, plenty of wall space to put up my always growing collection of photographs, artwork, and inspirations, a space for my animals, a great sound system for my music, and big doors that open to an outdoor space.

Thanks so much, Nancy! And make sure to check out her beautiful shop here!

(And if you're in the New York tri-state area, make sure to stop on by the 2nd Annual Fall Handmade Cavalcade tomorrow, Saturday September 12, in Beacon, NY. More details here! Happy Shopping, everyone! And have a lovely weekend.)

Yay! Made it into an Etsy Gift Guide!

So psyched! Thanks, Etsy!

Bird Peep (now in color!)

Now in its original coloring, I present to you, Bird Peep. ;)

Olivetti Green.

Just added last night... I have finally begun adding some of my colored pieces to my shop! I hope you are as thrilled as I am. ;)

The Daily Doodle, Birdcage

For anyone who knows me, you have seen that I basically doodle everywhere, anytime, on anything. So to honor all the in-between doodles, I present to you, The Daily Doodle (a flickr set where I intend to post fresh doodles as often as possible). ;)

I present to you: "Birdcage"

Cute Shop

I got a little email from a gal named Julie Friedman yesterday introducing me to her work, and it is very nice work, indeed. Just had to share before I head out for the weekend!

Tootles, everyone!

Happy Friday to You!

Just some cute photos my mom took this morning and sent over to me. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!!! ;)

photo credit: Susan Curry