Into the New Year!

Oh my, how time flies! 

I intended to get here and wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  Oops!  That didn't happen because I was swamped with custom order work, and then I left to spend time with my family over the holidays.

I intended to get here and wish you all a very Happy New Year.  Oops!  That didn't happen because I sort of crashed when I got home.  I mean, I did NOTHING for the first week back! 

Now we are already 11 days into 2014 and I am finally here!  So, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm starting the new year off with some exciting news.  I was selected to be the Featured Artist over on the PFATT Marketplace site.  YAY!!  I'm still so honored to be represented on that website with so many fabulous folk artists.  And to be chosen as featured artist for the month is really icing on the cupcake! 

 

So head on over there and check it out!  http://www.pfattmarketplace.com/

 I also am offering three pieces on my Marketplace selling page that are exclusive to PFATT Marketplace this month.  Two snowmen (well, one is really a girl!) and an adorable Valentine Bee. 
http://www.pfattmarketplace.com/apieceoflisa.html

 

 

In other news....I'm remodeling my studio!  I've had thoughts of doing it for a while, but this week I WENT FOR IT!  I emptied the whole room out and put it all in the next bedroom.  It looks like an episode of Hoarders should be filmed!  OH MY!  There will be some purging happening before the studio is reloaded.  No more details for now!  But I will keep you posted! 

 

I'm off to Home Depot!

Lisa



Happy Valentine's Day!

This year I had bees buzzing in my head for Valentine's Day.  I showed you one of them here.  Well here is another version of Bee My Valentine, sculpted in polymer clay.  He is still available in my etsy shop.

 

 

 

 

With the bee theme in mind, I also made this really cute Valentine card:

 

 

I used my Cricut machine with the A Walk Through My Garden cartridge to cut the bee and the turquoise flower.  The yellow fringy flower is a premade brad from American Crafts.  I love the glittered heart stickers from K&Company. 

 

This inside message, BEE mine, was stamped with black ink using acrylic stamps from two collections:  Mile High Caps from Clearly Wordsworth, and Writer's Type from The Paper Studio.

This card, along with some made-from-scratch chocolate chip cookies, is for my Valentine. 

I hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day! 
Lisa





 

 



A Little Bit of Romance

Valentine's day is quickly approaching, and Romeo is ready!



This charming tuxedo cat is dressed up in a fancy crepe paper collar with a dotted satin bow and sparkling Swarovski crystals down his front.  He is carrying a lovely bouquet of bright pink satin ribbon roses.  Who could resist this handsome fellow?

You can find Romeo here, in my etsy shop.

I'm heading off to New Mexico early tomorrow morning for my annual visit with my BFF Marian!  YAY!!  We always have such a great time!  I hope to be here a time or two while I am gone, to share some of our fun.  We always make time for some creative project.  No idea what it will be this year, but we always come up with something!

I'll talk to you soon!
Lisa

A New Approach to Photography and a New Buzzy Bee

I mentioned a few months ago in this post that photography has never been my strength.  I have always been a point-and-shoot kind of girl.  Luckily, husband David has developed a taste for real photography and has acquired really nice equipment in the bargain.  This has come to be very helpful to me, as great photographs are imperative to selling online.

David did my photography for quite a while, but it got hard to find a time when both of us were prepared and the light was good to have a photo shoot.  Last summer he taught me enough about his fancy camera that I could venture out on my own.  I think overall I've done a good job.  I feel my etsy shop photos are better than most, but certainly not as good as some. I think there is always room for improvement. This weekend, we tried a different approach.

Instead of relying on natural light and using a bluish-grey backdrop, we decided to try using a light box with a white backdrop.  We found a reasonably priced kit at the camera shop that included the box, backdrops in four colors and a pair of lights.  Sunday we set it up and experimented.  The beauty of digital photography is that you can take hundreds of pictures and if you don't like them, you just delete them and begin again.  We had a couple rounds of trial and error, but finally came up with something that seemed to work.  At least for now. 

So, here are some pictures of one of my newest Valentine's Day creations, taken using the light box. 

 

 

 

I'd love to hear what you think, of both the photographs and the bee.  BEE MY VALENTINE is available in my etsy shop right now.  I think he's absolutely adorable, but of course, I'm a little bit biased. LOL!

 

Time to get back to work!

Lisa



 

 

Monsters for Valentine's Day??

Why not?  Monsters need love too!

A couple weeks ago I was trying to come up with something different for Valentine's Day.  I enjoyed making my little green goblin for Halloween, so I thought, why not?  Let's give it a try!  Here are three little spooks, looking for love.

Lots of Love

This purple monster is looking for love.  He carries a string of pink and red glittered hearts.  He might look scary, but he's really not.  He just wants someone to love him, quirks and all.

 

Be My Valentine

Green Monster might be ugly, but he has a big heart.  He is hoping you will be his Valentine.  Would a few red roses and a box of chocolates help convince you to love him? 

 

How 'Bout a Kiss?

Pretty in Pink?  Well, maybe not, but he really wants to give you a kiss. His lips are puckered up and ready to go.  No?  Then how about a chocolate kiss?  This one is sculpted from clay and wrapped in foil.  Fooled you, didn't I?  

 

Each of these quirky little monsters is available in my etsy shop right now.  How about giving your Valentine something unique this year?  These little critters are sure to bring a smile!

 

Happy Monday!

Lisa

 

 

 

 



Cupid, in All Sizes

As I've mentioned before, I used to make miniature figurines.  Lots and lots of miniature figurines.  I had a very successful run with them for many, many years.  I sort of hit a wall with it when the craft show market went sour, the shops I was selling my things in closed, and I was going through a difficult personal matter all at the same time.  I took a much needed break.  When I came back to my love of clay, I reinvented my work into the larger, more whimsical one-of-a-kind pieces I do now.  I still have some of these charming little mini pieces available though, so I thought I would show you a couple today.

Cupid with Valentine Heart

 

Valentine Cupid with Bow

 

I have always liked these two adorable Cupids, in all their nakedness. These little darlings are only about 2-1/4" high.  I think they are very sweet.  Both are available in my etsy shop right now, for a very good price of $12.00 each! 

 

Here is my new version of Cupid:

 



Looking for Love

 

This one-of-a-kind Cupid stands about 5-3/4" high and his white feather wings span about 5-1/2".  He is dressed in a crinkled fabric toga and carries a handmade bow and arrow. A Valentine heart sits at his feet.  I love the expression on his face!  I have this adorable fella listed on my Pfatt Marketplace page and in my etsy shop. 

 

I love polymer clay for its diversity.  Look how different these cupids are, and they were made by the same artist!  I still have a soft spot for my miniature pieces, because they have been good to me over the years and have brought me to where I am today.  But I am really enjoying the new stuff.  I like the size and scale of the pieces, and I like that each one truly is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. 

 

Tell me what you think!  I love to hear from you!

 

Have a great day!

Lisa 

 



 

 



I'M BAAAACK!!!!

I'm sorry it's been so long!  I can't believe it's January 10th already, and I haven't even wished you all a Happy New Year yet!  So, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I took a bit of a break from blogging, facebook, and my etsy shop over the holidays.  We spent 10 days out in Western Nebraska with my family over Christmas, and it was wonderful.  Tiring, but wonderful! (I have a BIG family!)  Since I've been home I've been a bit under the weather, and have also been tending to all the un-fun stuff that comes with Christmas.....the un-decorating.  LOVE to put it up.  HATE to take it down.  I mean, I was ready for it to come down, I just don't enjoy that.  Does anyone, really??  Now I'm in the process of ANOTHER studio reorganization.  I'll tell you more about that later.  First, let's look at something cute!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! I know some people claim that this is just a made-up holiday.  That it is all just a big conspiracy by Hallmark, florists and the chocolate companies to grab a bit of your hard-earned money.  But some people find it very romantic, and they celebrate it willingly.  Not with just cards and candy, but with special little gifts.  Tokens of their love. I think those of you who enjoy this fun little holiday mid-February will appreciate this:

The Key to My Heart

 

 

This pair of adorable love bunnies are ready for their romantic date on Valentine's Day.  Each is dressed in a fluffy, pink crepe paper collar.  Her big red clay heart is accented with a tiny pewter metal lock.  He holds the key that fits.  They make a perfect pair!  They can be displayed separately, or with their arms linked as shown.

 

This cute couple will be available this afternoon here, on my Pfatt Marketplace page, along with a darling cupid and a very dapper snowman.  Go check it out!  And be sure you take a look around at the other wonderful artists featured on Pfatt. 

 

Have a LOVELY day!

Lisa