freshlychopped

introducing << wrapping paper

2012-01-12T15:48:00.000-06:00

i'm very excited to introduce my new wrapping paper for betty and dupree! available in 6 different patterns here and at select retailers.

i hope everyone has had a fantastic holiday season!

(the above are mock-ups i printed out some time ago when we were choosing patterns for the collection. when i get samples in i will be wrapping everything in sight. watch out house and animals.)

if you're a shop owner and interested in stocking these please email info@bettyanddupree.co.uk.

life << happy holidays!

2011-12-22T17:10:00.000-06:00

happy holidays! i hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season and a wonderful new year. thank you so much for your support, kind words, and inspiration this past year. it means so much to know there's a supportive community (you guys) who actually care what i'm doing day to day. three and a half years ago i quit my job, moved across the country, and started this journey. now i feel like i can honestly say i've made it work and that's all because of those who have believed in me, supported me, and shared in my success (and at times failure). thank you ever so much and i wish all the best to you and your loved ones!

p.s. i forgot how fun it is to make paper snowflakes.

life << maya is here

2011-12-15T17:24:00.000-06:00

i just wanted to share that the first strike offs for maya are here.

and i need a new pair of scissors.

hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday season!

giving back << alfie's adventures

2011-12-09T21:36:00.001-06:00

images from alfie's adventures

about a month ago i received an email from ray. ray wrote me because a.) she's a fan of my work and b.) she wanted help with a fundraiser she'd been planning in honor of her fiancé, paul. on november 19th paul would have been 23 years old. sadly, he died in january following a battle with ewing's sarcoma (a rare, aggressive form of cancer).

paul was an english major and he loved art, adventures, and little sock monkey named alfie. with all of these things in mind, ray decided she would love to create an e-book full of alfie's adventures, with the basic idea that people donate to write a sentence about one of alfie's adventures. everyone who donates gets a copy of the ebook once it's completed. that's where i come in. with a team of several other artists, we'll be illustrating the ebook based on everyone's sentences and ultimately creating the story of alfie and his adventures.

the money donated will go to snowcap, a charity in portland, oregon that provides food, clothing, and advocacy services to local people and hasl, an independent abilities center in grants pass, oregon which once let paul borrow a wheelchair for several months, free of charge, without which he never would have been able to enjoy the freedom he did.

paul spent the last few weeks of his life on a road trip along the u.s. pacific coast with ray and their adventure sock money, alfie.

if you're interested in learning more, getting involved, spreading the word, or donating please go here. if you choose to donate it will be greatly appreciated. we can't wait to share alfie's adventures with you.

edit: the "please go here" link is now working : )

this weekend << headed to dallas!

2011-11-29T22:51:00.001-06:00

i'm packing up and heading to dallas this weekend for the dallas flea! the flea runs from 9 am to 4 pm at south side on lamar this saturday. it will be my third time at the flea and my first time back in over a year so i'm excited to head back and hopefully see some familiar faces. the first dallas flea i attended was the first show that i didn't completely bomb at, so it's a market that holds a special place in my heart. : )

i promise to post something inspiring or personal and something other than self-promotion at some point! it's busy days ahead as we count down to christmas. i hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far.

collaboration << studio slomo + leah duncan

2011-11-19T10:52:00.001-06:00

my collaboration with studio slomo is here! the set includes a cotton/linen blend tea towel inspired by our east austin neighborhood and six letterpress recipe cards which feature, yes, utensils (we went there)! i'm really happy with how they turned out and they will be my newest item for renegade next weekend. it was great working with sarah, and as i mentioned previously, so nice to stop by her studio to see the works in progress. letterpress is such a beautiful form of printing and adds so much character to images. seeing my work printed in that form always brings a big smile to my face. you can see the full collaboration here.

i hope everyone has a wonderful saturday. i'm off to work, work, work in preparation for next weekend.

come see me << renegade austin holiday sale

2011-11-18T13:23:00.001-06:00

image by kate sutton

hi guys! if you're in the austin area next weekend i hope you'll stop by to see me at renegade craft fair's first ever holiday sale here in austin. i'll be busily preparing this coming week for the show and would love to see you there!

new << dish towels

2011-11-03T20:14:00.001-05:00

i gave a little peek of these back in july. they are finally ready! i often hear that my towels are too "pretty" to use so wanted to go for a simpler set that may be less heartbreaking for actual dish drying. as these are new to me and much simpler than what i would normally do i'll be interested to see the response to them. personally i don't mind things being less complicated from time to time!

i hope everyone has a nice friday + weekend! the weather has been amazing in austin so i hope to spend some time outdoors before the cold weather starts to pass through.

new prints << seasons

2011-10-27T14:25:00.000-05:00

i've just listed this new print series. these are the last of the illustrations i completed for the show at we are 1976. i changed the colors to a sunny golden yellow with accents and decided i would sell them as a series titled "seasons". when i started these i wanted to address the insanely hot weather we had this summer. i was longing for a different season to begin so badly that i thought drawing them would give me a little bit of satisfaction.

thanks so much for your congratulations on the fabric line. having a fabric collection has been a dream of mine for years now and is one of the main reasons i decided to attend surtex. if all goes according to plan it will sell well and you will see many more from me. that's with fingers crossed. : ) i'm heading down to houston tomorrow for the quilt market where the collection will make its debut. wish me luck!

big news << my first fabric collection (!!!)

2011-10-22T17:29:00.001-05:00

images by paige newton

introducing my first fabric collection, "maya", to be released by anthology fabrics in february.

thanks so much to peter, khristian, and everyone at anthology for believing in my work.

if you're a shop owner and you're interested in carrying the collection please email info@anthologyfabrics.com.

pillows << heywood hotel

2011-10-20T14:01:00.001-05:00

i'm just bundling up a few custom pillows to drop off at the heywood hotel tomorrow. the heywood is a cute bungalow that is being converted into a hotel in my neighborhood. they'll be featuring local artists throughout the hotel and will have my custom throw pillows for each room. i stopped by a few weeks ago to see the progress of the construction and to meet with the owner kathy. i'll be so excited to see the completed project and look forward to sending my friends and family there when they come to visit!

new prints << dreams and seasonal eggs

2011-10-15T14:17:00.000-05:00

these are the last of my new 8 x 10 prints from the fallout show. he's a rhino who wishes he had wings. i'm not really sure what to say about seasonal eggs. the title just seemed right. : )

new prints << mountains + let's make a pile

2011-10-13T16:30:00.000-05:00

i'm still working to get all of these prints listed! these are two new ones from the 1976 show. the first, "mountains" was inspired by our trip to west texas. the second, "let's make a pile", was partly inspired by a photo of black birds by brandon who was also in the show, and partly inspired by monsters "sleeping in a pile" in spike jonze's "where the wild things are". chris and i often sleep in a pile with oslo because he insists on sleeping in the bed with us at night. we let him get away with it quite happily most of the time.

new print << i'll be your swan

2011-10-08T17:38:00.000-05:00

this print, "i'll be your swan" has been added to my shops. i don't normally choose or pick favorites between my work, but i feel really attached to this one. it's one of those that just happened perfectly and organically as it spilled out of my head.

this one goes out to chris for letting me be his swan, even on days when i do nothing other than sit around in my pajama pants. : )

new << notebooks + leaves

2011-10-04T16:25:00.002-05:00

i thought my "leaves" print would be perfect to release next since we've finally gotten some lovely feeling weather here in austin. it's been the hottest summer on record for any state here in texas and we've had the wildfires to prove it. i'm happy to say we've gotten rain recently and it feels absolutely amazing outside. i've been working all day with the windows open so here's to fall.

i've also added to my shop these cute pocket notebooks available as a 3-pack. each is printed with vegetable-based white ink on chipboard. they're also filled with blank pages so make great mini sketchbooks. hope you're having a great week so far. : )

new print << follow me

2011-09-29T15:19:00.003-05:00

this is the first of my new prints from the fallout show. this one is called "follow me" and is now available in my online shop and etsy shop. i'm having a bit of an obsession with navy/indigo at the moment as you can see. : )

show << we are 1976 << fallout recap

2011-09-24T19:55:00.000-05:00

i'm back in austin after a night and afternoon in dallas! the show at we are 1976 was by all means a success with moments where i was barely able to find a place to stand. : ) the shop is absolutely beautiful and i was so happy to finally see the space as they've been carrying my goods for sometime now. thanks so much to vynsie, jully, and derek for having us and supporting our work. thanks to whitney for being my photographer and travel partner. thanks to the guys - brandon, roger, and kyle for being amazing at what they do and all-around nice guys. and last but not least, thanks dallas for coming out! if you missed the show and are in the dallas area it will be up for the next month so you can still stop by to see it.

i'll be posting my new work from the show in the next few weeks - i can't wait to share it with you!

show << fallout << we are 1976

2011-09-22T21:20:00.002-05:00

just a little preview of the work i'll be debuting at we are 1976 tomorrow. i'm busily finishing up the prints and will be off to dallas in the morning. i'll have ten new drawings that i can't wait to share. i hope to post a recap of the show this weekend. hope everyone has a great friday!

2011-09-14T16:14:00.000-05:00

i'm offering two limited edition wall calendars this year. each is printed with pigment inks on textured 11" x 17" paper. i'm excited about these guys! i frankly couldn't choose between the two so decided to offer both of them in reflection of my 12-month calendar. they're also now in my online shop and etsy shop. hope you like them!

calendar << 2012 12-month calendar

2011-09-14T15:30:00.000-05:00

my 2012 12-month calendars are ready and available! you can find them in my etsy shop and my online shop. i'm excited and a little bit nervous about them because unlike the past two years they don't feature any of my animal creatures. i was feeling like a little bit of simplicity and was inspired by geometry, nature, and my trip to west texas - plus i was able to use a few of my never-seen-before patterns from surtex. i had them professionally printed on a gorgeous crane lettra paper which brings the most beautiful quality to them. my wall calendars will follow shortly - stay tuned!

show << dallas << weare1976

2011-09-09T13:47:00.002-05:00

it's official! if you're in the dallas area september 23rd join us at weare1976 for a gallery show featuring me, roger peters, brandon thibodeaux, and kyle steed - all very talented guys that i'm honored to share the show with. i'm also excited to finally visit weare1976 who have been carrying my goods for sometime now. we'll be showing all new work in print form. the show starts at 7 pm. hope to see you there if you can make it!

work << new things coming

2011-09-07T15:35:00.003-05:00

i've been working! my studio wall is full of new work to share. a peek at my calendars and work i'm doing for an upcoming show at weare1976 in dallas. olive has learned so much. she had a potential adopter stop by to meet her today and it went so well. fingers crossed she puts in an application for her. : )

new foster << meet olive

2011-08-29T12:22:00.003-05:00

i'm so sorry for the lack of posts lately! things have been busy and on top of that we've taken on a new foster - meet olive. she's a 9 month old shepherd mix who was found in southeast austin narrowly dodging cars by a friend's coworker. we're fairly sure she's never lived in a house, so thus far she's been a lot of work - teaching her not to chew on pillows, teaching her how to play with toys, teaching her not to eat my new shoes, etc. she was extremely shy when we first met her but she's already making tremendous progress. if you know anyone who may want to adopt this little lady she will be available through austin pets alive. you can also have them email me. here's hoping we find a home for her soon!

marfa << part two

2011-08-03T09:52:00.018-05:00

as promised, onto the landscape... a few photos.

marfa is situated in the chihuahuan desert between big bend and davis mountains. the sky was huge, the space was indeed "wide open", and the view of the prairies against the hills and mountains in the distance was exactly the "cowboy country" i've longed for since we moved to texas three years ago. it's a stark, quiet sort of beauty that i was sure only existed in old western movies.

as for me, it's back to business and i'm off to work on my 2012 calendars. luckily this trip provided the perfect inspiration for them, so if i can't actually pick up and move to west texas to live in a trailer, i can at least let my mind escape there for the next few days.

marfa << part one

2011-07-29T14:57:00.004-05:00

we got away for a few days to marfa this past weekend and i think it's safe to say i am in love with west texas. there's a small piece of my heart that wants to move there, drive an old pick-up truck, and live in a restored airstream.

we spent the first night in this yurt.

the rest of the trip we spent in this trailer after the teepee we had plans to stay in got soaked in a storm. more photos of the stunning landscape to come! wishing a lovely weekend to all!

design << new work

2011-07-15T11:38:00.001-05:00

i've been working on a few new things lately. hope you have a great weekend!

shop << summer sale!

2011-06-29T11:44:00.003-05:00

barton springs and austin greenbelt

in honor of summer and days off i am having a sale. use code SUMMERSALE in my new shop now through friday the 1st to receive 20% off of your entire purchase. here's to swimming, ice cream, lightening bugs (fireflies), flip flops, and fun summer days.

work << new pillows online + big cartel shop

2011-06-18T18:45:00.002-05:00

i have a new shop here that includes my new pillows. don't worry, i'm still keeping my etsy shop open which also has new pillows, but hope to eventually have this one fully integrated into my website.

hope everyone is having a great weekend! today i am thankful for water, a nice breeze, squirrels, and air conditioning.

life << weekends

2011-06-15T09:59:00.003-05:00

i've been taking some time off lately... a few long weekends. it's been fantastic.

yoga mat by me, austin greenbelt, photos by abby, studio wall decorating, oslo and friend, home made pizza by chris

studio << shots by abby

2011-06-03T16:40:00.004-05:00

images by abbytryagain

a few weeks ago abby came by to take some photos of my studio for my surtex press kit. these are a few of the images she shot. she made my press kit look amazing! abby shoots primarily in film and i love the mood it brings to her photos - she makes everything look so lovely. you can see a few more images on her blog. i couldn't have been more pleased with how they came out! i also picked up a few of her prints at renegade and can't wait to get them framed.

a few of them were also included in a peek into my home on bloesem where i did an interview last week. you'll see a few other artists in my home, small adventure and ana raimundo - two favorites.

as for me, i'm off to enjoy a weekend off. i'm not sure what i'm going to do with myself, but i think it's safe to say it will include pajamas, sleeping in, and ice cream.

work << acc collection for teroforma

2011-05-26T10:25:00.011-05:00

i'm so, so excited to announce that the acc collection i was commissioned for by teroforma is out!

all images © teroforma by indigo6

i was approached by teroforma to work on their very first artist canvas collection with them last year. i was honored and pleased to be working with such an amazing company who values their artisans and creates products with such thought and meaning.

their approach to the collection was to reflect the juxtaposition of geometry in nature. feeling inspired by a conversation with them, i remembered that austin has an amazing array of wildflowers along its highways in the spring which were all planted by ladybird johnson. chris and i hopped in the car and ended up parking on the side of mopac (a highway here in austin) to get a better view of the gorgeous wildflowers. it was there that the perfect inspiration for the collection hit me - as i was taking in the beauty of the flowers, i looked up to see a gigantic powerline tower looming over me. i glanced to my left and saw cars flying by and as i looked at my feet, i noticed litter, debris, and broken glass. this is what became the base of the collection - not only a reflection of geometry within nature, but a reflection of urban society, beauty, and what we often live with day to day - sometimes you have to look past the urban, the dirty, and the ugly to get to the beauty of things such as ladybird johnson's flowers.

the name of the collection appropriately became "wildflowers & powerlines". each piece in the collection reflects elements from that day - a tray with a powerline tower pattern, coasters with drawings of broken glass, and a table runner with pops of color from the beautiful wildflowers. thanks so much to teroforma - andrew, anna, and jenn for choosing to work with me on their collection and vision. it was an honor and i couldn't be more pleased with the final product.

you can see and shop the entire collection here. it's also available via special order locally at spartan.

p.s. they also created a video of me talking about the collection and austin. it's on their website.

surtex 2011 << my booth

2011-05-19T09:59:00.003-05:00

hello there! i'm back from surtex, i got a nice night of sleep last night in my own bed, and i'm feeling much more refreshed and ready to prep for renegade craft fair this weekend. i got to meet so many wonderful people at surtex! some i knew previously from the online design world and some were people who knew my work and gave me the nicest feedback. i made a lot of contacts, met a lot of buyers, and now it's on to the follow-up portion!

below are some photos of my booth display. i (and my two part time assistants) worked so hard to bring it all together so actually seeing it in front of me was surreal.

me in my booth. this was the first day when i had two of my banners in the wrong spot and one of them upside down. ooops!

this is the booth the second day with my banner issues fixed. what can i say? i was tired.

these are my fabulous business card holders sewn by my wonderful assistant whitney.

these are my custom keds. get a pair with your own design from keds.com!

my portfolios

my table

new pillow + journals + tea towels

my press kit and mood boards

my shelf

my yoga mat! i can't wait to actually use it.

i'm off now to prep for renegade and send some follow up emails. thanks so much to everyone who stopped by my booth and thanks to my friends, family, husband, and wonderful design assistants for all of your help! i couldn't have done it without you.

shows << renegade austin

2011-05-04T20:48:00.003-05:00

mark your calendars austin! renegade craft fair is back in town this year for its second show on may 21st and 22nd. i hope you'll stop by to see me and the other 200 artists!

collaboration << satsuma press + me

2011-04-30T20:58:00.005-05:00

hi guys! just a brief interruption in surtex prep to share my collaboration with lynn at satsuma press. lynn is so talented and i was thrilled to work on this collaboration with her! we've created a set with napkins + notecards and a set with a tea towel + print of my "outer space" artwork. we also have just the print and notecards available. you can find them in lynn's shop as well as my own.

it was so nice to work with lynn. i have admired her work for a long time now and i don't think the project could have turned out more beautifully. seeing my work letterpress printed so gorgeously has been a real treat and lynn's color palette is just perfect. thanks lynn!

Surtex << Booth 656!

2011-04-18T21:24:00.004-05:00

a few years ago (3) i told my husband i was going to exhibit at surtex one day. i put it off for longer than expected. it is the biggest step and biggest investment i have made career-wise to date (even including my first line of textiles). from may 15-17 - just one month from now - i will be making my surtex debut with well over 100 new patterns. needless to say i am excited, scared, nervous - and a little, tiny bit ready.

that said - friends, family, fellow artists, everyone reading this - i would like to apologize in advance for being a crazy person for the next month. this means i may be less patient, more demanding, and less likely to return your etsy convos, emails, and phone calls. i promise i will get back to you as soon as possible and love you dearly. : )

paige newton << fauxtography shoot

2011-04-08T22:08:00.012-05:00

a while ago paige newton did a fauxtography wedding shoot that included my limited edition rooster ceramics. it turned out to be absolutely stunning.

images © paige newton

paige is something special. i was just looking through her blog and the thing that gets me about her photos is she's not just a talented photographer, but a gifted stylist and storyteller who brings such an artistic style to her work. every single shoot i looked through was like flipping through a reel of movie stills. i love how she captures moods, themes, and special moments so effortlessly. i absolutely love her work and am always thrilled to collaborate with her! thanks paige! you can see more of the shoot on her beautiful blog.

p.s. thanks holly and brian for being a part of it!

japan << hearts + hands

2011-03-25T09:36:00.016-05:00

image by lynn of satsuma press

last week, lynn russell of satsuma press started organizing a raffle that i am so very honored to be a part of. she's brought together over 80 independent artists for the raffle and all of the proceeds will be donated to save the children and shelterbox for relief efforts in japan.

from lynn herself, "what has happened and is happening in japan is heartbreaking – and i believe there are ways, both big and small, to help."

raffle tickets are $10 each and will run through april 6th. i'm personally donating a $100 gift certificate to my shop, and three prints - harry had a bad feeling, growing horns, and my heart to your heart. as of yesterday an amazing $7,000 had been raised. i know we can do even better!

you can see the details and the rest of the incredible lineup right here. please help us spread the word.

a few edits! apparently the word "raffle" was a terrible way of going about it and is actually illegal. (oops!) you would now be purchasing a letterpressed card by satsuma press, which enters you in a giveaway with a chance to win work from over 80 artists. you can also receive a free entry by posting about it on your blog, twitter, or facebook - just contact lynn with your post. so much thanks to lynn for her time spent organizing this wonderful chance for us to give back.

** another edit: hearts + hands was shut down by paypal. $8.75 k was raised in a very short time and we thank you so much for your support.

design << dots tea towel

2011-03-23T16:03:00.005-05:00

also new to my shop is my dots linen tea towel inspired by my love of polka dots. it's my very first 100% linen tea towel and i love the texture of it so much - it makes to print look amazing. it's got the added bonus of having a hook for hanging too!

it's absolutely stunning outside in austin today (although beginning to be borderline hot). oslo and i may be headed out for a walk in the sunshine shortly - not to brag - if you're in the north east i'm really sorry about all of that snow. : )

design << new pillow

2011-03-22T18:27:00.004-05:00

you may have seen glimpses of this fabric a few posts down and on my new website. my "santa fe" pillow is now online in my etsy shop. i have one more product update to come tomorrow! hope everyone is doing well. : )

life << one year with oslo

2011-03-16T22:30:00.006-05:00

almost one year ago we walked into our local animal shelter to pick up our latest group of foster puppies. a group of 9 pit mix puppies had been "found on a country road" and dropped off at the shelter. the shelter was full, so thankfully austin pets alive put out a foster plea to save them. we agreed to foster 4 puppies. it was up to us to choose them. when oslo came scurrying out of his kennel, i'll admit, i thought he was a total mess. his fur was frizzy, he had some sort of sticky glue all over his back, and he had little curly bits not-supposed-to-be-on-pit-mix sticking out all over the place. (a boy after my own heart -minus the sticky glue.)

when we brought his litter home i fell in love. he was perfect.

today he's all grown up and more of a joy than we ever could have hoped. in honor of his cuteness, i would like to share with you his bark-squeal which he has worked very hard to perfect. hope you enjoy it as much as we do. : )

design << new website

2011-03-15T13:46:00.006-05:00

hi guys! just a quick note to let you know my new website is up.

it seems to mostly be functional. if you see any missing links, etc. i'd love to hear from you. i'll have a lot more updates for it coming soon + a few new products to post next week. thanks so much to my intern kyle for his hard work and great ideas for it! oh! and the link for it would be here. : )

design << new scarves

2011-03-10T14:17:00.005-06:00

hello! i hope everyone is enjoying some lovely spring weather. it's sxsw week in austin next week so i'm hoping to have some time to relax and enjoy the craziness that inhabits this city during the second week of march.

i'm a little later than expected on updating you on what my latest fabrics will be. incase you guessed it, one of my new fabrics is for my latest silk scarves.

my evie (named after my soon-to-be-born niece) and mae scarves are now available in my etsy shop. hope everyone has a nice weekend!

pop up shop << etsy + west elm

2011-02-14T22:03:00.006-06:00

you're invited to come see me for a one day event at west elm in austin on saturday, february 26th from 1-6 p.m. in collaboration with etsy and curated by abby of abby try again west elm presents we heart handmade art featuring local arts, craft, and food. you can read more about the vendors at this free to attend event here, here, and here. you can rsvp for the event here to help them plan for attendance. i'm excited to meet many of the other vendors myself and would of course love to meet any readers!

design << new fabrics

2011-02-11T13:37:00.003-06:00

it's always fun getting new fabrics in! what new product will these guys be? stay tuned to find out next week...

hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and thanks so much to everyone for your congrats on the target. your support means so much!

art << little paper planes collection at target

2011-01-26T23:19:00.014-06:00

ok, so i'm not doing great at this blogging new year's resolution. i'm working on it, promise! i think the reason i haven't posted lately is i've been a little hesitant to post about some very exciting news for fear it may not actually be real.

it's super-exciting-run-upstairs-and-yell-it- at-your-husband news, then run back downstairs and dance news, then run back upstairs and dance some more news, then drink a BIG glass of wine because you've earned it sister news.

i'm being included in a little paper planes t-shirt collection at target. i've gotten the samples in and they are beautiful!

each t-shirt will come tagged with the artist's name, bio, and website. if all goes well, some of my designs will be included in a big rollout at the beginning of summer. please keep your fingers crossed for me and the other amazing artists - renee garner, lisa romero, and aline of yumi yumi. thanks so much to kelly at little paper planes for pulling all of this together. i'm honored to be a part of the site and this was the icing on the cake.

knock on wood.

design << new tea towels

2011-01-12T22:37:00.006-06:00

i finally have new tea towels in my shop. it feels really good to be getting new work up now that it's the new year. i'm ready for all sorts of new beginnings.

outer space towel

onions and leaves towel

triangles towel

i'm currently snuggled up under a blanket on my sofa with a cup of tea because it's freezing outside. ok, canadians, new yorkers, mid-westerners, people with actual snow - i know it's not really freezing in texas - but it's far colder than a texan should have to handle. we do heat well. cold not-so-much-i'm-staying-under-my-blanket-thank-you.

hello << Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T12:00:00.005-06:00

happy new year! what's my new year's resolution? to be a better blogger! it's been a whirlwind this year and it's been harder and harder to post regular updates. i'm keeping my fingers crossed it will be less sporadic in 2011 so thank you for bearing with me.

a shop update: this small edition of gocco prints on balsa wood with hand-painted gouache is now in my shop. several more updates to follow next week.

more importantly, i'd like to thank you for the support and kind words i've received from readers, shoppers, bloggers, and fellow artists. this year has been amazing for me career-wise and i'm so thankful i'm able to make a living doing what i love and see my dreams coming true every day. for everyone who has bought something from me, shared my work with their readers, sent a kind note - it means more to me than you will ever know. i am so thankful and have a lot in store for 2011 so i look forward to sharing my triumphs with you in the new year!

finally, a shout out to my steppy grandad harley who reads my blog everyday. happy new year harley! : )

shows << renegade holiday sale san francisco

2010-12-06T10:02:00.003-06:00

banner by kate sutton

san francisco, i'm also coming to see you! if you've still got holiday shopping to do and you're in the bay area stop by the renegade san francisco holiday sale december 18th and 19th at concourse exhibition center. tons of great artists, as always! thanks to chicago for a wonderful holiday sale! i'm hopping a plane back to austin this afternoon - can't wait to see my kitties and oslo.

show << 6 + 1 at Tilde

2010-11-25T10:18:00.002-06:00

they're off! these ten 6" x 6" works, "triangles, dots, and raindrops" will be available for immediate purchase at tilde in portland for the month of december. the opening reception for the show "6 + 1" is on first friday from 6-9 pm, december 3rd. the show features 7 artists for a total of 70, yes 70, 6" x 6" finished works!

participating artists are:

Rachel Austin / mixed media paintings

Jenna Robertson / textile visual art

Jen Mercede / mixed media paintings

Jessica Hirsch / laser drawings on wood

Elizabeth Soule / photography

Sam Tudyk / mixed media

and me! / mixed media (acrylic, gouache, pen and ink, stitching on canvas)

for anyone in the portland area, several of the participating artists will be there for the reception. i very much wish i could be, but i will be in chicago. the other artists' works that i've had a peek at so far look amazing - i wish i could see it all in person!

p.s. happy thanksgiving to my american friends!

shows << renegade chicago holiday sale

2010-11-21T23:01:00.007-06:00

banner by kate sutton

i'm headed to chicago next week! i've bought a warm coat, warm boots, gloves, and will be bringing my heaviest scarf. i'm assuming it still won't be enough for my southern self unless i can somehow make a heated marshmallow man suit to wear when i step outside, but i will just have to make do. come see me at the renegade holiday sale december 4th and 5th at pulaski park fieldhouse. over 150 other artists will be there selling their wares. if you're in the area i'd love to see you there!

art << paintings peek

2010-11-17T18:46:00.004-06:00

working hard to get these paintings finished up for a show in portland. more information on the show and hopefully finished works to come. phew!

retail << new shops

2010-11-15T21:29:00.002-06:00

a few new shops carrying my goods!

buk & nola - montreal, quebec

frank and dolly's - geelong, australia

walls - salt lake city, utah

gorgeous and green - berkeley, california

including my second store in australia and first in canada!
more art related posts to come soon.

work << in process

2010-11-10T09:29:00.004-06:00

things are very busy around here! i've got a lot coming up for the holiday season and will be releasing new goods for wholesale and on my shop in january. for a peak at what i've been working on i did an in process post on Simone Leblanc's blog. you can see the full post here.

now i should head out to walk oslo as he's attempting to chew a hole in my desk.

life << photos

2010-10-19T11:33:00.005-05:00

a couple of random photos from my phone. it's funny to look back and see what gave me the urge to take a picture.

texas wildflowers

oslo (this one by the husband)

and a cuban sandwich with plantains

renegade << craft crush + giveaway!

2010-10-14T11:56:00.006-05:00

renegade handmade had a craft crush on me last week! you can read the interview and a sneak peak into my studio on their blog. thanks so much guys! in addition, they're doing a giveaway with my 12-month calendar. enter to win here if you wish by tomorrow (friday the 15th) at noon chicago time. good luck!

press << thanks readymade!

2010-10-08T10:03:00.005-05:00

this week i was surprised and excited to find myself listed as someone to follow in readymade magazine! of course i'm a huge fan of the magazine. thanks so much readymade! i'm flattered to bits! and bits and bits!

i'm easing into work this morning by sipping coffee on the sofa, blogging, and ignoring my to-do list. clearly i've hit my head on something or perhaps it's the fall weather - this is so unlike me. hope you have a great weekend!

art << 12 month calendar

2010-09-28T22:01:00.004-05:00

and the 12 month calendar! each is printed on textured mohawk paper and comes hole punched for easy hanging. the artwork is split between drawings and patterns, each making framable artwork when the month is over. these are available as a pre-0rder in my shop and will ship next week.

design << 2011 wall calendar

2010-09-28T10:10:00.002-05:00

i finally have my 2011 wall calendar up in my shop! the 12-month calendar is soon to follow.

shows << design harvest chicago

2010-09-23T20:13:00.003-05:00

if you're in the chicago area my goods will be with the renegade handmade gang at their home decor pavilion at design harvest next weekend, oct. 2nd and 3rd. (side note: how is it almost october already?) the event includes music, beer and wine, tons of great designers - and even a barn dance! and.... wait, this just in.... hay rides! excellent.

art << feed your soul

2010-09-13T15:31:00.005-05:00

there's a freebie download from me on indie fixx today as a part of the feed your soul project. as someone who quite her job and moved across the country with no foreseeable income, i wholly understand what it means to be decorating on a budget, which makes me happy to be a part of this project that makes artwork so affordable (free!). thanks jen for having me and coming up with great ideas! you can download it here.

life << oslo enjoys a roll

2010-09-09T20:17:00.003-05:00

oslo enjoying mckinney falls

birthdays << 28 and counting

2010-09-01T15:57:00.003-05:00

i turned 28 today. my birthday was accompanied by this amazing card from my nephew and balloons left all over the living room by chris. thanks to everyone for the wonderful gifts and birthday wishes! i am very lucky.

retail<< new shops

2010-08-23T20:45:00.005-05:00

a couple of new shops i'm pleased to be a part of - packages of my goods are either stocked or will be in the next few weeks! from top to bottom:

lotus bleu - san francisco, ca

still life mercantile - woodstock, ny

lark press - portland, or

thanks so much guys!

p.s. lark press are also stunning letterpress printers.

wardrobe << new dress

2010-08-20T21:58:00.005-05:00

i'm well aware of the fact that i generally dress like a flower shop.

but i could not resist this dress today. it's absolutely gorgeous. at least it's a dress with flowers this time, as opposed to a ruffly shirt. it's also nice to have a dress that doesn't fit into my other wardrobe, a blue dress with white polka dots of which i own far too many.

new print << growing horns

2010-08-18T14:56:00.002-05:00

yet another new print this week which is available here. something i've been thinking about through various projects lately... when i decided to go out on my own and make it as an artist and designer, and do what i love, no matter what. that's when i grew horns. it took some toughening up, some courage, and a lot of lessons in not being so fragile.

new print << village

2010-08-17T17:35:00.003-05:00

teepee village. this open edition print will be available in my etsy shop shortly.

it's strange, my great-great grandfather on my mom's side of the family was full blooded cherokee and to be honest i've never felt overly connected to my native american roots, but i see influences of it in my work more and more these days. it makes me happy and i'm really proud to have that heritage. my dad was adopted and my sister and i are completely unaware of what we've inherited from that side of the family as far as blood-relation goes, so it's nice to hold on to and see it emerging subconsciously through my work.

new shop << terrain

2010-08-12T18:42:00.004-05:00

i'm pretty sure i left my brain in bed this morning. it's been one if those days around here. some good news though... i got a package of my tea towels shipped off to terrain, just outside of philadelphia this morning. if you haven't heard of terrain, it is the fourth brand from urban outfitters, inc. (yes!) and was opened as their home and garden lifestyle concept in 2008. i'm really pleased to have my towels included in their selection - here's hoping for some expansions near austin, texas, please?

giveaway << tea towel + print

2010-08-02T20:11:00.006-05:00

pssst.... i'm doing a giveway this week with the ardent sparrow which includes a free tea towel + print of your choice. go here to enter if you wish and good luck!

art << new pattern

2010-07-26T14:09:00.005-05:00

bears.

life << the evolution of me

2010-07-25T17:53:00.014-05:00

i found this when cleaning off my old computer today. me, circa 1984, possibly discovering that cupcakes are awesome, and when consumed, should leave an icing mustache on your face.

life << oslo becomes a man

2010-07-11T17:30:00.005-05:00

today my little guy, oslo, graduated with honors from his puppy training class. he won 1st place in 3 out of 4 competitions - return, leave it, and stay.

he and his mom are very competitive to his dad's embarrassment. : ) he's been celebrating by relaxing underneath the sofa, lying in the grass, chasing the fluffy cat, and chewing on his rawhide. we couldn't be prouder.

new print << rainfall

2010-07-09T17:55:00.002-05:00

i woke up to rain falling on our tin roof this morning. now available in my shop.

hope everyone has a great weekend. : )

retail << new shops

2010-07-05T16:32:00.007-05:00

i apologize for the sporadic posts lately. a quick update to let you know there are several new shops carrying my goods. from top left:

cahoots handbags/paige davidson studio - gainesville, tx

enid - fredericksburg, tx

collected thread - oklahoma city, ok

clay, wood, & cotton - beacon, ny

tomte. modern craft - denver, co

renegade handmade - chicago, il

life << nephews

2010-06-24T14:41:00.008-05:00

this is my nephew jack with his build-a-bear. it's moments like this that make me want to have kids tomorrow. as borrowed from my sister's blog: "we are fairly certain that this is the only camo teddy bear, named mystery fluffigan, with a darth vader costume, in the world." kids are so genius.

lucky for me i get to meet mystery fluffigan when jack visits austintexas.

shows << the dallas flea

2010-06-07T17:04:00.003-05:00

i'll be busy this week getting ready for the dallas flea. if you're in the area i hope to see you there!

design << fabrics

2010-06-01T16:41:00.003-05:00

finally and last but not least... fabrics!

these are just a few of the designs listed on my etsy shop. i ordered these from spoonflower of course. highly recommended for getting your footing and ordering small quantities.

design << scarves

2010-05-30T18:39:00.003-05:00

my scarves can now be found in my etsy shop.

i really enjoyed making these. sometimes it's nice to venture into different territory.

life << oslo

2010-05-28T11:29:00.001-05:00

oslo keeps growing

art << on textiles

2010-05-26T14:37:00.002-05:00

i've added new tea towels and throw pillow covers to my etsy shop. more shop updates to come soon. is it weird that i'm going to be thrilled to finally have three whole pages of work in my shop? almost there!

life << i have missed you

2010-05-20T12:19:00.004-05:00

phew! helloooo! i hope everyone is doing well. my first blog in awhile, coming from a life of being able to shower, sit down for a meal, and change out of my pajama pants, all in one day! it's fantastic. yes, things have been incredibly busy and i'm just recovering from all of my projects. i'll be very happy to share them with you soon.

in the meantime, renegade craft fair was great! i met a lot of neat artsy people and was able to finally put a face to many names. these are pictures from my booth, a little sneak peak at everything i've been working on.

i hope to update my etsy with everything shortly. i will keep you posted. now i'm off to enjoy some fresh air and a walk with oslo.

austin << renegade craft fair

2010-04-25T10:32:00.005-05:00

the very first renegade craft fair in austin is coming up soon! i will be there at booth 50 so stop by and say hello if you plan to attend. in the meantime i will be working hard to finish up items so i will actually have something to sell in my booth. i find this is beneficial when selling at craft shows. ps. the event is FREE! with over 150 artists from across the country, plus music, workshops, and demos it's a great way to spend your saturday or sunday. hope to see you there!

life << our new addition

2010-04-17T16:22:00.004-05:00

well, it's official! we caved and adopted one of our foster puppies.

his name is oslo and he is from a group of 9 pit mixes rescued from our city shelter's euthanasia list. we fostered 4 of them and things have been so busy i haven't had time to blog about them! speaking of which, i probably owe you an email, a blog comment, an etsy convo, or just a simple "hi". things will continue to be very busy for me for the next month or so as i finish up several new projects. i'll be excited to share them when (fingers crossed!) i manage to finish them up. in the meantime i hope everyone is well and having a great weekend!

art and design << product shots by paige newton

2010-04-06T16:42:00.007-05:00

a peak at a couple of the product shots from my photoshoot with the very
talented paige newton.

paige had a vision for how to shoot my work and i couldn't be happier with the result! special thanks to our model sarah, who was a natural in front of the camera. paige and i will be working together again once i finish up all of my new products so keep an eye on this here blog to see more of her beautiful photography and a peak at my new work. this was also featured on decor8 today, thanks so much holly!

shows << 52 is open

2010-03-31T23:01:00.005-05:00

52 is open. i spy one of claire's knitted WW2 bombers, aren't they amazing? looks like a great show - wish i could fly by this weekend. : )

art << harry in his new place

2010-03-30T16:57:00.007-05:00

one of the best things about selling work as an artist is packaging up orders and imagining where they are headed, who will receive it, and how it will be used or displayed in their home. i always wonder about each print's final destination and how it will make the person who receives it feel from day to day. the fact that a little piece of me will have a place in someone's home never fails to make me smile! so, i was really happy to hear from sarah in albuquerque about my harry's new home on her desk.

i'm also having a bit of writing desk envy. i painted a chair this weekend that ended up more of a lemon-y melon than such a beautiful color of chartreuse. thanks for sharing sarah, harry looks very happy in his new place!

shows << 52

2010-03-25T14:29:00.007-05:00

if you're in the UK you can stop by to see some of my work at the new show "52" curated by the ladies at calm air all ice at room 212 in bristol. opening night is wednesday march 31st from 6-8 pm and the show will be open wednesday, thursday, and friday from 12-4 pm and saturday from 12-5:30 pm. the show includes 52 artists from all over the world in many different mediums. you can stop by the blog to see many of the artists included (some very familiar names i was happy to see!) along with mini interviews with each. thanks claire and camilla - best of luck with the show opening next week!

hello spring << mexican plum blooms

2010-03-12T10:06:00.003-06:00

our mexican plum tree is saying hello to spring this week

design << new jotters

2010-03-04T13:27:00.003-06:00

i worked on these mini 5 x 7 jotter/sketchbooks yesterday. i'm working out a few kinks but hope to have them in the shop soon. it's so beautiful today in austin! how does one make themselves stay inside and work on pretty days? my attention span took me for a run around town lake.

birthdays << hubby hits 30

2010-02-23T11:42:00.005-06:00

chris turned the big 3-0 yesterday! oh, the grumpy old man-ness sets in. so what do you get a guy that wants to start culinary school soon? food and anything food related. hence our trip to eat barbeque in lockhart and his obsession with his new book "on the line" by eric ripert (some french guy who cooks well : ) ) that my sister got him. i'm sure he'll start playing with his new pasta-maker from my grandparents soon (he actually asked for this). what guy does that? we visited black's bbq and smitty's market.

above you can see the happy birthday bunting that i put up for him in the morning as well as his critiquing of the meats. i don't eat red meat or pork, so there i am at smitty's having a rootbeer alongside his big pile of meat because they didn't have anything meat-wise i could stomach. his conclusion: black's had the best brisket and smitty's had the best pork. the salt lick still has the best sauce (i could drink this stuff by the gallon) but besides the beef ribs smitty's and black's have better meat. overall a fun day for my new "old" man. of course i'm sure this is all up for debate depending on who you ask.

have been busy with some freelance lately. hope to have new art-related posts soon!

decor8 << take five tuesdays

2010-02-11T22:42:00.003-06:00

i was featured on decor8 as a part of "take five tuesdays" this week. thanks to holly for featuring me again - her words mean so much!

and special thanks to janelle for the super comment. : )

love << be my valentine

2010-02-11T09:37:00.007-06:00

you may have seen this valentine around already, but it's perfect, so it deserves a spot on this here little blog too. it can be purchased from renegade handmade or from the owly shadow puppets etsy shop for your sweetie. i'm rather sure my husband would like to buy this for me. : )

p.s. very excited renegade is coming to austin this may!

life and art << dim sum and sketches

2010-02-04T21:33:00.005-06:00

mmm, dim sum, yum! (sorry, i had to add the rhyme in there)

plus the beginnings of an owl girl:

and her horse friend:

new print << harry had a bad feeling

2010-02-01T16:37:00.004-06:00

i think i'm moving towards a cohesive feeling with my new drawings...

i have plenty of ideas for new ones and paintings... sometimes it's just about getting the actual drawing and composition part worked out. this one is now available on my etsy.

life<< taqueria chapala

2010-01-29T18:39:00.005-06:00

dear austin, my husband and i have found heaven. i would like to share with you taqueria chapala - the most deliciousness to cross these lips in a long time. the prices don't hurt either. and we can walk there.

deliciously scrumptious and now digesting in my belly. this place feeds me. happy friday! please don't tell everyone.

artwork << floral designs

2010-01-26T11:49:00.004-06:00

i added these floral designs to my etsy shop this morning. they come in a set of 3 on linen paper for just $22. they are also available as a 6 card set.

hoping the sunshine stays today! looks like rain tomorrow.

new prints << the window

2010-01-24T22:51:00.004-06:00

i've been in the studio working on these today...

each one has unique stitching - yay for my sewing machine! i asked for it as a birthday present in college and i'm rather sure my mom thought i would never make any use of it. it's definitely coming in handy these days and i actually know how to: a.) thread the bobbin b.) sew a straight line c.) change the color of the thread! most importantly, as a small person, it saves a lot of money when it comes to pants (and moving their tall people hems upward).

life << just incase you're wondering...

2010-01-14T00:00:00.007-06:00

just incase you're wondering what hole i've fallen into, you can take these three puppies, multiply them by two, and add one to see what has been taking up my time lately. these guys were found abandoned and shivering in the cold. our initial names were something like: hey, where are you going?, stop, wait! what are you doing?, come back here!, don't eat your brother, my foot is not a toy, hair is not for eating, and the always wonderful - don't poop on your sister! that makes seven, right? yes, seven.

life << happy holidays!

2009-12-19T13:53:00.004-06:00

i am off to enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation with the family. while i visit them i plan to eat fried chicken, drink sweet tea, and maybe enjoy some wintery snow in the carolinas. i'm debating whether i should wear cowboy boots on the plane - too much? i may even find some time to contemplate new year's resolutions. what do you think yours will be? this year mine was to take better care of my things (ie. clothes, car, house, etc.). it's so hard when you'r busy though, so i probably need to keep the same one for next year. hope everyone has a lovely holiday and merry christmas! see you in the new year!

design << naomi ito

2009-12-09T15:37:00.005-06:00

i snagged this gorgeous weekly planner from etsy shop Christinas yesterday. it turns out the fabric is from japanese designer naomi ito who had somehow managed to miss my radar. i did some research online and now i am dying to have some of her fabric. i think could decorate my whole house with it!

her work is simply gorgeous. i haven't found many places online but it looks like it can be purchased here.

art << tea towels

2009-12-06T21:29:00.004-06:00

after many hours of sewing... i give you new tea towels.

unfortunately i sold out of my moose at the dallas flea, but i'm thinking about doing a pre-order on my etsy for 2010. speaking of the dallas flea it was a good show- great sales and a wonderful selection vendors. most noteable for me were noshii (love, love, love - her work is amazing - you must go take a look at her site ), pamela michelle ( i especially love her birds - it will be hard for me to choose from her work but i know i must have something), and my booth neighbor allyson of about face (she does custom silhouettes by hand - ie. no computer necessary - which blew my mind).