Wonderfull Illustrations of Simone Jessup

I stumbled across these illustrations by Simone Jessup today. I think they are absolutely gorgeous - especially the bird one. Each one of her illustrations are different, and I highly recommend visiting her website.

My Newest Collage

"Poems by a Little Girl"


This is the project I've been working on for the last two weeks. After being unhappy with my initial version, I was reluctant to start over after so much hard work. But I'm glad I did, because this version was much more successful in my opinion. If you'd like to inquire about prints, you can in the comment section of this post, or by contacting me in my etsy shop at http://www.trublue.etsy.com/ Generally, prints in my shop are priced as follows:
4x6 .................$8
5x7................$10
8x10..............$15
I can also do special orders prints on canvas or watercolor paper. Pricing for this extra service depends on each individual order.

I'm featured today on L.M. GLAM's Blog

You really must check out her blog. You can see her amazing work there, as well as the work of other featured sellers. You can even have a chance to win some of it! Check it out at http://www.lmglam.blogspot.com/

My Treasury Made the Front Page of Etsy!!!

Unfortunately I missed it! Since I already spend way to much time on there, I decided I would take a break yesterday so that I could attend to some of the other neglected areas of my life. And what happens? My treasury makes the front page. The one day I'm not on etsy and the thing I want most to happen happens. Still you've got to laugh. I'm happy just knowing it made it anyway. But I'd be alot happier if I could find a screen shot of it!

Tips on How to be More Earth Conscious with Your Packing and Gift Wrapping

I received something in the mail yesterday from ebay, and I found the seller's choice in packaging very disturbing. The item itself was about 3" long, and weighed no more that a few ounces. Yet it came wrapped up in a wad of bubble wrap the size of a grapefruit. This in turn was surrounded by a hefty amount of packing paper, and the whole thing was in a big box.

When I see things like that, it makes me wonder what the seller was thinking. I figure it can only be one of two things: either they don't know any eco-friendly was to package items, or they do, but just don't care. While I can't help with the latter, I can certain provide people with a few tips on how to wrap and package items effectively, while minimizing its impact on the earth. Here are some tips for a greener way to wrap and send your delicates.

1. Get Creative With Your Wrapping Paper:

• I found that recycled brown paper makes a very simple and beautiful wrapping paper. It is especially beautiful if you finish with a nice silk ribbon (the brown really offsets the colors) or some sort of natural touch, such as a sea shell or some small flowers. You know that ever-growing collection of brown paper grocery bags that you hate to throw out, but never seem to have a use for? Now you can finally put them to good use, by using their reverse side (the side without the print).


• Newspaper is a great alternative to informal wrapping jobs. However, if you need something a little fancier, use pages of book print. Now before you go cutting up perfectly good books, I suggest finding ones at thrift stores or yard sales that already have some damage to them. I was able to find several old books that had been in a flood and had severe water damage. While many of the pages were ruined, a great deal of them were perfectly intact and salvageable. You can leave the book print white, or give it a quick antique look by soaking the page in tea or coffee, then drying them under a heavy item (this prevents the paper from wrinkling as it dries).
  

2. Lose the Styrofoam Packing Peanuts!
Try these ideas instead:

• Use the cast offs from your paper shredder as filler to your packages.


• Use your left over plastic grocery bags to pack delicate items in.


• Get creative with egg cartons! They are great for protecting a large array of items.


• Save and boxes or bubble envelopes that you receive in the mail and re-use them


• Take advantage of Cornstarch Packing peanuts. They are truly the best. They are made of 100% cornstarch, so they are edible (although I wouldn't recommend it). They dissolve completely in water and leave no toxic waste behind. These packing peanuts were originally created with the intention of being a breakfast cereal, but because of it's poor taste, it was re-purposed as a packing material. You can buy these from almost any moving company, or on the web. For a recipe and directions on how to make your own cornstarch packing peanuts, click here.

3. A Few Last Things to Remember:

• Ship early to avoid having to ship by air. Energy costs for sending a package for next day delivery are four times higher than the cost of ground shipping. So try to use ground shipping whenever possible.


• Make sure you use enough material to protect and secure your item, but don't go overboard. Use only what you need.

Now your on your way to greener packaging! Keep up the good work, and thank you for your interest in staying green.

Eco Friendly Featured Artist: Unconventionalida

She has Always Loved the Trees

Today's featured artist is Unconventionalida. I saw her work and was instantly charmed by her unique style and unforgetable characters. There is a sweetness and warmth to each of her paintings, along with a touch of meloncholy. Unconventionalida sells both originals and prints, with a price range to fit any budget. All of her paintings are done on recycled wood.


Here's what she says about her work:
"I whole heartedly LOVE every character that comes out of my pen. Everything is a magnificent choice for me..the type of wood I will use, the grain, a male or female, old or young...The wood that I use is "rescued" from a cabinet shop in the Bitterroot Mountains.*I can't bear to see lovely wood burned just because it isn't large enough*"

The Queer Little House on the Hill

Bianca, the Albino Twin

The Lollipop Forest in Blue

You can visit her shop at http://www.unconventionalida.etsy.com/

Featured Collage/Photomontage Artists

"Encounters of the mind"

Click here to view this collage in my shop

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I decided to bring some of my collages out of retirement, and sell prints of them in my shop. In honor of this, I decided to focus today's blog on collage. So I hit the web to discover other collage artists out there. There are many different styles of collage existing, but I noticed that I tend to be drawn to similiar types. Here are a few pieces that struck my attention for one reason or another

"The Jack of all Trades" by Mister "Michael David Jerome Hoffmann Koppa" (as he calls himself)


"The Pathway Home" - by Kim Birdsong

"Given" - by David Wallace

Eco Friendly Featured Artist: Infusion

Half Moon Sling - made from reclaimed cotton and ripstop

Todays featured artist is Infusion, who creates her work from beautiful recycled, natural fabrics. Using such materials as organic hemp, linen, cotton, silk, wool and kapok, Infusion's pieces not only look and feel great, they also come with peace of mind. And with prices compareable to that of traditional fabrics, you can't go wrong.

Here's what she has to say:

"Here at infusion, we are all about Life. There is a new focus needed. Let's work toward sustaining Life. Infusion products are made with reclaimed, recycled, organic and sustainable fibers and fabrics. We love to emphasize what is natural, reduce the toxic load, and lighten our footstep on the earth..."

You can visit her shop at http://www.infusion.etsy.com/



Hemp Tote - Made from 100% Organic Romanian Hemp

Herbal Infusion Pillows - made of reclaimed raw silk, and organic hemp. Filled with Sage and Lavendar.

Vintage Button Bobbies

I am in love with these. They make me think of lazy summers and old fashioned romance. I have a few pairs that I've had forever, but decided to make a new batch for fun. So I pulled out my stash of vintage buttons that I snagged from my grandmother (isn't it just great when grandmothers clean out their closets?) and I set to work. Who says bobby pins are just for girls? We women can still pull them off in a fun flirty way, and I excercise my right to do so! These are available now for purchase http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10704531