Margarts

Creative Holiday Decorating

2011-12-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Loved this wreath I saw in a shoe store in soho NY this weekend.
Also a favorite was this mitten tree in Anthropologie's window in San Fransico last year.

Say it ain't SNOW!

2011-10-30T07:32:00.001-07:00

Let's hope this is not a sign of things to come this winter!

Peace "'Sign" of the season

2011-10-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

I don't always know who buys my art or what it will be used for so it's always a surprise to come across one unexpectedly. Found this one in Walmart in NJ.

Could avoid it no longer...

2011-10-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

With the exception of the occasional wedding or funeral I have managed to avoid going to church since I got to the age my mother could no longer "force" us to go & that's a long time. So I found it at the very least amusing that I paid 32 pounds for me & Callan get into West Minster Abbey, my treat since It's the first time I "made" her go to church!I lit a candle for my Mom
This statue was the first thing I saw when I entered, she so looks like I feel sometimes!
I found the ceilings to be the most beautiful part.
One last note on the Abbey, they should take part of the admission fee & put it towards improving the rest rooms. How does a church that size only have a 5 stall bathroom & not all in working order? Funny part is it was a unisex bathroom so the guys who are usually in & out got a taste of what we ladies go through on the line for the "loo"!
And finally the lesser known St Margaret's Church is right next door, smaller and less ornate but free & very pretty.

Liberty London

2011-10-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

What's not to love about this bag. I came so close to buying it but the reality is I'd use it once, maybe twice & then it would hang with the rest of my collection of bags & I would go back to my messenger bag that I have used every day for years. I own a bunch of shoes, yet I wear the same ones everyday & when they wear out I try to find the exact same ones to replace them. I'll buy the same top in 6 different colors & I'm set for the season. A bag this fun does not belong hanging in a closet so I did the mature thing & took a photo & left it there for someone whose more flexable in their wardrobe to take out on the town!

Renegade Craft Fair London

2011-10-20T12:09:00.001-07:00

When planning our trip to London & Paris we scheduled it so we could attend the first ever Regegade Craft fair in London. I was a little dissapointed that it was so much smaller than the one we attend in Brooklyn every summer but that is probably because it was new to London. I got a new tote & Callan was delighted with her new crown! Best of all it brought us to an area of London we would not have discovered otherwise.

Inside the Musee du quai Branly In Paris

2011-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is a museum dedicated to the indigenous artworks of the Americas, Oceania, Asia & Africa. The interior is really nicely designed and flows organically throughout the gallery space. On display there are large totem poles, ceremonial masks, textiles, jewelry, clothing, sculptures and much more. Personally I enjoyed this museum much more than the Lovre. If your going to see the Eiffel this is just a couple of streets away & worth the trip!
PS. It is dark inside & there are floor to ceiling glass cases that I had a few near misses with so watch your step!

Musee du quai Branly In Paris

2011-10-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

I loved this bent metal architectural element in the museum gardens, a version may turn up in my own garden!

Musee du quai Branly In Paris

2011-10-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things I saw in Paris was the Musee du quai Branly. It is awesome inside & out.

Giant Elephant in Union Square

2011-09-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spotted a giant elephant standing on it's trunk in Union Square, it wasn't pink & I was not under the influence...For more info click here

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

We sit atop a hill so we didn't flood but a big tree around the corner came down taking power lines with it Saturday night leaving us without power for a very long 28 hours! It was actually quite nice working by candle light, unfortunately the battery only lasts 4 hours!

Nice office eh!

2011-08-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

Working from home...Got to love it!

Guardian Angel

2011-08-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia's Magic Garden

3 - milestone!

2011-08-02T08:10:00.001-07:00

This morning I ran 3 miles for the first time ever! Not a big deal to some but for me it was huge! I only started running 2 months with the patient coaching of my son who would stop & start & keep pace with me no matter how slow I was! I'm still slow but I'm going for endurance not the win!

It's Zucchini time!

2011-07-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

I picked my first zucchini of the season today! I got a late start on the garden this year so I was very surprised to have one already. The plants are huge, with lots of flowers so hopefully I'll have a better crop than last year, which only yielded 3! - Quality, not quantity - right!

Kutztown Folk Festival 2011

2011-07-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

I am regretting that I didn't take a ride in the oil drum nascar ride!
Virginia is getting too old for all that bending so we got her this raised bowl stand. She's trying to figure out how she going to pick up the bowl & bring it to us when it's empty now! Have I mentioned what a smart girl she is!Loved these, so simple, a ceramic top glued to a stick. And they look so much better than the real ones that keep growing in my garden!
How cute is this guy, they had a mama duck with a bunch of ducklings following her but with all my other buys I could only get one.
My guys spotted this one, made from a real hand grenade, too clever to resist so home it came!
This must be the year of the snail as I have aquired so many
Last but not least, a propane tank pumpkin - love it!

Gryphon envy

2011-07-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

My next door neighbor aquired this wonderful creature last week and I immediately fell in love! Since he's in the process of selling his house I was hopeful to aquire him myself... He promised me that if whoever buys the house doesn't insist on it being part of the sale then it's mine....let's all hope a non gryphon appreciator buys his house! Did I mention he's 500 lbs!

Mr. Big in the Big City

2011-05-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

Felt very touristy stopping to snap this photo walking down 45th street yesterday.

These turned out swimingly!

2011-05-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is boys swim. It's especially gratifying to see the art produced as I created it, in the colors I chose. These looked awesome in the store...if I do say so myself!

Happy Mothers Day 2011!

2011-05-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

Another great card to greet me this Mother's Day Morning, It makes me smile every time I look at it. Thanks Cal, love you!

Flip Flop Dinnerware

2011-05-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

After 30+ years in the biz you do get somewhat used to seeing your art in the market but yesterday I came across one of my prints in BB&B & Truth be told I got a real kick out of it.

What turning 55 gets you!

2011-03-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

I turned 55 a couple of weeks ago & these 3 guys were sitting on the floor in the kitchen to greet me! I could not have been more thrilled, thanks Joe you really out did yourself this time! Now if it would only warm up me & my 3 new friends could go hang out in the garden.

Callan also made me this beautiful card & a really nice post about me on her blog which you can check outhere

"Pratt & Paper & Ralph Pucci"

2011-01-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

It wasn't snowing, or raing ice, or below freezing so when I was passing Macys Herald square today I actually looked at the windows! They have an amazing display by some very talented students from Pratt. If your in the area take a look.
For more info click here

Happy Holidays 2010!

2010-12-24T04:14:00.000-08:00

Like Mother Like Daughter

2010-12-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

It's always fun finding things you've done in the stores but a real treat was finding Callan's dog print blanket next to my skull print blanket on the same shelf while shopping in San Francisco.

Time to start a new collection!

2010-12-10T07:14:00.000-08:00

Susan Boss & Mark Brown make fun, one-of-a-kind mixed media sculptures and clocks in their backyard studio in Easthampton, Massachusetts. I discovered their work in Sausalito, and this little robot clock is the beginning of a new collection!

Signs of the times.....

2010-12-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

For me this year has been an extreme mix of the best & worst of times so when I saw this sign it spoke to me!
This one I don't agree with at all but it did make me chuckle.

Brooklyn Street Art

2010-08-07T17:42:00.000-07:00

Spotted this guy "running" for the train in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. If he wasn't bolted to the street he may have made a trip to Staten Island instead!

Happy 23 Joe!

2010-07-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

The "Welcoming Committee"

2010-06-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Click on photo to enlarge

Gee can you tell I do my own curb appeal?
I'm always glad to come home especially with these guys to greet me!
Click this link to see the gang Callan & I createdThese guys ROCK!

RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR

2010-06-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Had a great day at the Renegade Craft Fair Saturday.
I discovered the wonderful world of silk screening in High School back in the 70's and it took me on a winding path in my career to where I am now! After going to college for what was reffered to as "Commercial" art I decided I wanted to persue a job in silk screening so I spent years doing Rock Concert Tees then moving on to fashion doing everything imaginable leading up to being a full time freelance surface designer.
Below are the silk screened posters I purchased, each has a link below it to check out more of the artists work.
Click this link to see when the Renegade Craft Fair will be in your area.Renegade Craft Fair
For more info on Vahalla Studios click Here
For more info on Strawberry Luna click Here
Still sentimental after all these years (27)! I really can't claim to be one of those people who never go to bed mad, my husband will tell you that no one holds a grudge like me! But, even when I'm mad I'm always glad he's there when I wake up! For more info on Seattle Show Posters click here

I had to buy this for all the obviuos reasons!For more info on Dwell Deep clickHere Last but certainly not least...How could I resist this little bird!

CALLAN turns 25!

2010-05-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALLAN!!!!! I think the milestone of turning 25 has been weighing on her this past week but I think she will find that this year like every previous year will once again prove to be her best yet! The dino theme is in honor of her prolific dino creations for the wonderful world of surface design.
CALLAN THEN & NOW
Callan back in the day wearing one of her original works of art I transfered to a jumper. Callan has been filing sketchbooks since she could hold a pencil, needless to say we have gone through a lot of pencils & paper in 25 years! The now picture was taken last night with her friend Coleen.

Can you ever really have enough Epson Paper? ... No you can't!

2010-05-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

I use a ridiculous amount of this paper so when I realized that Staples had it on sale 50% off all my plans for the day changed! I went to 3 stores, got 5 at the first, 7 at the 2nd & then I hit the mother load at the 3rd with a whopping 22! My stash is now securely back up in the 50's! PS. My arms feel 2" longer than they were this morning from carrying a ton of paper & my back is killing me but it was so worth it! Hurry sale ends tomorrow!
Now if only I could find 50% off the ink!
FOLLOW UP....Would you believe 3 days after purchasing all this epson 8 1/2 x 11 paper I ran out of 11 x 14 & had to go get paper! Once again you can never have enough epson paper on hand!

This I know to be true.....

2010-05-10T04:09:00.000-07:00

Like a kid on Christmas morning I wake up knowing I will find propped on my desk a wonderful card from Callan. I'm lucky to be so "Ruffed"!

Mother's Day Past

2010-05-08T05:14:00.000-07:00

It can't be easy living in Callan's creative shadow, she is afterall the best. Today I thought I'd show you just 2 of my most treasured Mother's day gifts made by Joseph back in the day when I could still get him to make me art! An older kid taught him to play poker when he was 4, as he later told me he's really quite good at it, hence the use of the cards. The heart was done with Fabric crayons (my favorite medium) when he was just a toddler. Now in all fairness when it comes to certain things like math & computer technology & poker Callan is living in his very big shadow so it all evens out! I'm a lucky Mom!

Life is better in Orange shoes!...just sayin'

2010-05-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

My friend Betty turned me on to Keens about 3 years ago and I have worn them every day weather permitting since! Winter is obviously out of the question but the first nice day, out they come. After 3 years they still have a lot of mileage left in them but I retired them to be my garden shoes & bought a bright new pair for steppin out!

This little guy was a TURTLE Surprise!

2010-04-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

Some girls like jewels & such but nothing could have made me happier then when Joe came home with this little guy he made me. It was completely unexpected & a total surprise! Love it & him!

Worst book that I ever Read!

2010-04-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I posted anything that it's not even snowing anymore! I've been wanting to do this post for awhile & tonight I'm finally making the time. Like most people I find there are not enough hours in the day to do all I have to do never mind any left to waste. This is where the worst book I ever read comes in.
The movie "Up in the air" with George Clooney got so much good press that when I saw the book in Costco I picked it up thinking as I often do...if the move is great than the book must be way better! Am I wrong on this or hasn't that always been the standard? Well that theory has forever been altered. I have a habit of finishing a book no matter how dull or bad thinking maybe it'll get better. Well that is over now also! I finally saw the movie & no surprise the movie did not resemble the book at all, it's first step towards success. I never read reviews on books before I choose one, I've even bought books simply because I liked the cover art - not always a wise choice either, but after this experience that may also change. I looked at the reviews after I finished the book & everyone agreed this was the worst book we all read! So bad in fact it went straight into the recycle bin not to be mistakenly mixed in with all the good books to be donated & enjoyed by others!

Snow Man NYC style

2010-02-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Give me your winter weary huddled masses yearning for spring....
Spotted this Lady Liberty Snow Man in the City Hall Park in NYC today

"Irish Twins" - "Irish triplets" - "Irish Quadruplets"

2010-02-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Pat! For one month every year my sister Pat & I are the same age. We are what's know as "Irish Twins". We grew up being called this, in fact as you might guess by our age (53) it was a very common thing. What I didn't know was that we are actually considered "Irish Triplets" because my younger brother Steve, Pat & I were all born within 2 years - can you imagine!
EASTER 1963 Steve, Pat, Margaret
BELOW Summer 1963 Pat, Steve, Margaret & Tom
I feel bad leaving my older brother Tom out, he is 18 months older than me which eliminates him but 4 kids in 4 years we're making him an honorary "Irish Quadruplet"! They say that the "Irish Twins" "Triplets" etc tend to be very close because of the closeness in age and I think it is very true. They are 3 of my favorite people. We have 2 more sisters but they are much younger and spaced further apart.

HEART OF STEEL

2010-02-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

I "HEART" what Joe made me for Valentines Day. It's made from 1/2" thick steel plate & weighs a ton. The 24 is our house # and also our anniversay day. I got him a big ice cream cake which made him happier than anything I could possibly make him!

2010 Year Of the Tiger

2010-02-14T17:53:00.001-08:00

Wishing my friend Betty a Healthy, Happy & Prosperous New Year!

SNOW OVER IT!!!!!

2010-02-11T09:34:00.000-08:00

I heard a reporter on the news yesterday say she was "Snow Over it" and I couldn't agree more. Virginia on the other hand loves it... until it got too deep for her to move!

Out with the old... Make room for the new!

2010-01-03T17:57:00.001-08:00

Yes Virginia There is a Santa!

2009-12-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

Here's Virginia sporting my best scarf for her Christmas walk. For those who don't know her name is Virginia because when we adopted her they told us she was rescued from Virginia.

I am so thrilled by the gift Joe made me. Now I did put the suggestion out there that he could make me some peace signs for the garden, but never in a million years did I anticipate the end product! For the larger of the 2 he used an aluminum transmission gear from a diesel boat engine. The other is a steel fly wheel from a small crane. I'll post photos in the spring when the garden is in bloom meanwhile I put them in the snow to have a look. Thanks also to Joe's buddies Neil, Mohan, & Jonathan who all had a hand in the project. Peace!

Callan's secret identity... Santas helper

2009-12-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

Callan was about 5 when she made me her first pillow shown in the photo. 19 years later not only do I still have it but I still use it in my car everyday! Last year I got a new car so I asked her to make me a new one but it never made it out to the car...this year I got her to make me another one by saying that everyone else is always using my pillow....and thus a new tradition is born. Can hardley wait for next year! Check out last years pillow Christmas "Present"

85 DAYS TILL SPRING!!!

2009-12-25T11:16:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas for the past 4 years Callan has made me a calendar comprised of her work. To ensure that this tradition remains a tradition I start inquiring in late October if she has started my calendar and move on to nagging in November! Here's a group shot of the new & the old. Most importantly according to my new 2010 Custom Made Calendar By my favorite artist Callan Molinari there are 85 days till Spring, let the countdown begin!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2009!

2009-12-16T18:12:00.001-08:00

To make this years card production a little ( a lot) easier I treated myself to a paper cutter. Now I can't imagine how I survived all this time without one!

International Ornaments 2009

2009-12-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

I bought the Turf Shamrock & the Angel ornaments in Ireland. The Angels were made by Eastern European Artists living in Ireland. Callan brought me the Delft bell from Amsterdam & the Sun Star from Tuscany. Ironically It survived the long trip fine but broke once it was home.

Monkeys & Cupcakes

2009-12-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

Browsing through Etsy & came across a fabric I did the art for. It's always fun to spot something you did & in the case of fabric to see what someone else has done with it.

Happy 1st Birthday Blog!

2009-12-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

Today is my Blogs 1st Birthday! It's been great fun & I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to look or leave comments.

Eco Friendly Objects @ Union Square Holiday Market

2009-12-15T15:12:00.000-08:00

It was a great day to walk around Manhattan yesterday so after taking care of work related errands I stopped by the Union Square Holiday Market. It's always disappointing to me when there aren't a lot of hand made items so I was delighted to find Artist Fernanda Bekerman's booth Loco Deco, Eco Friendly Objects. The 3 pieces I bought were little gourds, Santa is only about 2 1/4" tall. She had all kinds of designs in a range of sizes & a collection of plush items. If your in the area drop by her booth.

Bring your dog to work day

2009-12-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

There are so many benefits to working from home, but by far the best is that everyday is bring your dog to work day.

Banner year for ornaments

2009-12-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't put my tree up yet and judging by the amount of new ornaments I've aquired this year I may need a 2nd tree! I just went on etsy & this seller was featured, I love the bold style of her work. This snowflake ornament is the newest to be added to my collection. Check her out with this link shoshona snow ceramics

Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Fair

2009-12-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Fair in Manhattan. It was a very nice event as one would expect from Martha. About a 1/2 hour wait to get in but once you were in you could take your time & it wasn't overcrowded. I bought a "lil purse" $10.00, a scroll work ornament $15.00 and a hot chili pepper Santa for $7.00, a great deal for handmade unique items! The stars in the 2nd photo seemed to be a big hit @ $30.00. A lot of people were leaving with them, I would have also but I had several other stops to make & given the rotten weather I passed on it, there's always next year!

MIRROR MIRROR....What's the cutest gift of all?

2009-12-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

Here's another personalized I gift I made for co-workers & friends one year. These were fun & easy to make, ( good thing because I made 25 of them! ) The overall size is 5 1/4" square, the mirrors are 3" square & the easel backs are 5" both bought @ Michaels craft store. When I did the art I left a white box in the center to help in placing the mirror. Click on the images to make larger.

Easy Personalized Gift

2009-12-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

Here's an easy personalized gift to make. I did mine in illustrator but these can be done in a variety of ways, rubber stamps, hand drawn, even using photos. Using an oval shape that fit nicely on the hanger I did the art lining several up on one sheet & printed on Epson premium presentation paper. I then put twin tac (double sided adhesive sheet) on the back & I put a laminate sheet on top to protect it. Next I trimmed the ovals, adhered them to the hanger & used a bone folder to burnish them. I made 21 hangers for co-workers one year so we would each have our own hanger, they were a bit hit!

These guys ROCK!

2009-11-28T16:17:00.000-08:00

After 6 months of procrastinating and living with 2 boxes or rocks on the kitchen table, Callan & I finally painted our rocks. I think you'll agree these guys definately ROCK! My favorite is the alligator Callan painted, he'll be living in my office while the others will hibernate till spring when they will have a summer home in the garden.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

One day my dog "Virginia" was barking at the door so I went to check what was going on. When I opened the door there were 4 turkeys on my doorstep! I don't know who was more surprised me or Virginia! Now this may not be unusual in some places but it's not what one would expect in a borough of New York City!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!

2009-10-31T20:45:00.001-07:00

Can you guess how old Joe is?
Nope......No......Not even close.......!
He's 57, Unbelievable right! Proving life with me must be pretty good! Barely a gray hair in sight & still strong as an ox! I'm one lucky lady!

Things I learned on my vacation....Driving

2009-10-29T15:59:00.001-07:00

We had heard that Ireland had the highest accident rate in western Europe but for some reason that didn't bother us, until we got in our tiny rental car & hit the road! Life altering to say the least, I aged 10 years from the airport to the hotel. We alternated between cursing & laughing so hard we could hardly breathe. Don't underestimate the learning curve of everything being opposite, even the gas guage works in reverse. We did have GPS, a few flaws with that were we had no idea what distance a kilometer or meter is so when instructed to turn in 250 meters we were at a real disadvantage. Also the streets are not clearly marked with standard signs, in standard places, like on a corner, like we're used to. The GPS spent more time "re-calculating" than anything else. We had also read that while the roadsides are beautiful they tend to be narrow & curvy, that was the biggest understatement of all! We had to back down a windy road until we came to a driveway to go in so a truck could pass us, another day a car had to back off a little bridge so we could pass. The highways are roomier but they have these things called "roundabouts", the name says it all! Now when all is said & done and we swore never to drive in another foreign country we were quite proud of overselves for not adding to the high accident stats!

I'm Baaaaaa Baaa Back!

2009-10-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Things I learned on my Vacation...Fly Direct!
Just got back from Dublin with a few new rules for traveling. Most important new rule is to only fly non stop from now on! Last night on our incredibly long journey home we flew over New York (Home) and 1 hour 40 minutes later landed in Atlanta Ga., 4 hours later got back on a plane to New York & 1 hour 40 minutes later landed in NY! INSANE!!!!
To pass the time on the plane I read Kathy Griffin's Memoir which I very much enjoyed, unfortunately I finished it before I hit Atlanta (oh No!) She had a line in the book that totally spoke to me.... "Even vacations start not to feel like vacations after 5 days: They become the thing that keeps me from working." It's good to be home & back to work!
More rules & photos to follow soon!

ATLANTIC ANTIC STREET FESTIVAL BROOKLYN NY

2009-10-04T16:14:00.001-07:00

These are the treasures I picked up at the fair.
The adorable card is made by fiskandfern
The christmas ornament is by delongceramics
The silverware piece is made by a guy who's name I didn't get but he did say that he is usually set up in front of Whole Foods by Union Square in NYC every Sunday.
I had to include this photo, this is a bus I remember riding as a kid (my age is showing again!) The transit Museum had a bunch of old buses that you could check out and board.
Did you ever want to do something but then didn't because you didn't want to go by yourself? Well I found out this morning that this fair was today but for a variety of reasons my choice was to skip it or go alone. It was a beautiful day out so I went alone, and I'm glad I did! Granted it would have been way more fun with company but it was very liberating. It was in an area I wasn't familiar with so when I got off the subway I had no idea where I was, but I found my way & when all was done I found my way back! This fair was HUGE, there were a ton musicians playing all kinds of music, there was a stage with a belly dancer and another with go go dancers! There was a great variety of food, my treat today was a potato on a stick, tempting as it was I didn't have any fried oreo's! There are a lot of antique shops on Atlantic Ave so there were many fun things for sale like the robots in the photo, there were even big inflatable things for the kids to bounce around in. Something for everyone. For me it's all about the local artists and craftspeople, GREAT stuff.
For more info on the Atlantic Antic click here

NYC, Picture Books, afternoon with Callan, just a few of my favorite things!

2009-09-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday Callan & I went to the Housing Works Bookstore open air street fair in Soho where we both added to our childrens book collections. We each bought 5 books @ $1.00 each, mine were all picture books, Callan got a mix of picture books & art books so it was a really great deal! One of my books is in French (I think) but it's all about the illustrations for me. When my son was younger & he would have a Dr. appointment he would be a little embarrassed by the fact that I would sit there looking at the picture books instead of a ladies magazine like all the other moms!
For more info on Housing Works click here

Brooklyn Flea

2009-09-19T16:11:00.001-07:00

Aren't these fishnet floats great! I think they would look great in the garden, maybe next time!

I've been wanting to get to this Flea market all summer & since this is the last weekend of the summer I decided to take a little break from working & enjoy the beautiful day. I only spent $4.00, the shelf was $1.00 & I found a great little book "My Father Can Fix Anything" illustrated by Bill & Bonnie Rutherford circa 1965 for $3.00. My dad was a guy who could fix anything & luckily enough so is Joe so once I hit the shelf with a couple of coats of black paint I'll have him hang it in my office. Click here to see more

The Feast of San Gennaro

2009-09-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

As predicted we made it back to Little Italy tonight and to our delight Callan joined us for her first feast experience. Joe & I have been practicing taking photos of ourselves in preparation for our trip to Ireland, & believe it or not these are the best so far!

New Flickr - Old Projects!

2009-09-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

I made this birdbath about 13 years ago. It's made of stacked terra cotta pots. The cat on the base was our cat Tinkerbell. Because it was so labor intensive to make I never put it outside in the garden for fear it would be ruined. This year I swore I'd put it out but once again it remained indoors, next year for sure it'll be in the garden! Click here to see more

Anything this GOOD can't be good for you!

2009-09-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

Joe & I made our annual visit to the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy Sunday. It was a beautiful day for a festival & a walk in the city. The feast has events & carnival games but really it's all about the food! There are a ton of resturants if you want to sit for a meal but for the feast we prefer the festival food from the many venders with booths set up along all the streets. Lots to choose from. Traditionally we always get sausage & Pepper heros. This year I discovered fried oreos, talk about guilty pleasure! I'm just grateful I didn't know about these sooner! The feast is on until the 20th of September so if your in the area there is still time to go get some fried oreos, we will definately be there again before it ends!

BUILD IT & THEY WILL COME!

2009-09-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

Truth be told when I started making birdhouses it was purely because I liked the way they added whimsy & color to the yard. I never expected how much I would enjoy watching the birds that took up residence in them. The fact that so many birds have used these houses for shelter & for nesting has given me such a great feeling. This little bird was born this summer. We watched as both parents spent all day flying back & forth feeding the baby, their work was endless. My dog actually alerted us that the baby was out of the nest because she was crying by the steps & there was the baby bird.

After the baby was born we cleaned out the house for the next resident. We remove the bottom of the house & this is what the nest looks like. As you can see they use a lot of different things to build the nest. Joe & I saw a squirrel run up the tree with one of Joe's socks for his nest, I suspect that nest probably looks like the floor of my sons room!

Spotted some Sheep!

2009-08-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

I spotted this sheep print I did in Target on girls PJ's. The design staff created the art for the top using elements from the print.

SHARK MAN - Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty

2009-08-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

I did this illustration of Sharkman to participate in the 3 year anniversary of a great blog Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty set up by illustrator Aaron Zenz to showcase the great art created by his kids Lily, Grace and Isaac. What a creative family! Aaron sent out an open invitation for artists to do their versions of his kids' art. He is accepting submissions till the end of the month. Sharkman is a character created by Isaac.

MONEY CAN'T BUY TASTE

2009-08-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

If you appreciate a great story to go along with a great find, then Erin Green's very funny blog MONEY CAN'T BUY TASTE is for you. This is one of my favorite blogs, she's a very clever writer & she always makes me laugh.
Not being as clever as Erin I won't even attempt to be as witty, I do however love to repurpose great finds so I'll share a few with you here. I'm a very lucky lady because my husband brings me many great "gifts", no not flowers or jewelry.... Here are a few of my favorites.
Joe got this M off the name plate of an old tugboat and welded quarter rod to it for stakes. I can't tell you how delighted I was when he brought this home!

My best friend Sue gave me the top of this bird bath and told me to do something with it... it was Joe who came up with the idea for the base. Also from a tugboat, the base is a brass shaft cutless bearing.

How clever is this door mat! Once again Joe brought this home, it's a conveyor belt from a skimmer boat (ironically it's from a sanitation boat) used to clean up the water. It is a little rough on bare feet though!

This little guy is a recent "gift", I'm sure many will recognize him as the hood ornament from a mac truck.

Here is the most recent treasure to be brought home; 2 Lobster pot markers that got caught up in a propeller. I have no idea what will become of them but I'm sure with a coat of paint they will grace my garden next year, stay tuned!

"TOADALLY" SWEET

2009-08-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

Surprise surprise more frogs! I came across this one in JCPenny girls dept. It just never gets old finding your art out there, especially when it's been reproduced so well. There were only minor changes from my original print; the words toadally sweet were removed & some minor color changes but I think it looks great!

Frogs have been "toadally" good for me this year!

2009-07-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

Another froggy print I did at Joann Fabrics. Hummmm.... maybe this is tmi but I got my first wart ever this year, small price to pay for all the good fortune the frogs have brought me!

HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY JOE!!!!!

2009-07-20T09:51:00.001-07:00

Today the other great love of my life turns 22, boy that went fast! I guess it's true what they say "Time flies when you're having fun!" I'd post photos but then he would get mad & that would ruin the day ( no fun in that!)

I've made my mark...(Tattoo Update)

2009-07-09T15:30:00.001-07:00

Ta Da! Here it is... the healed tattoo, as you can see it looks a good deal different than my original design. When we met with Anil for the consult he made some very helpful suggestions, he felt it was too colorful and too feminine so I "manned" it up a bit, lost the flowers, distressed the banner, moved the names & dates around & left the color up to him. Since it was in honor of our 25th anniversary he chose to use red and blue, red to represent passion and blue to represent the calmness, a good mix for a successful long term relationship. It sounded really good, besides red is my favorite color & blue is Joes!
This photo was taken right after it was done, it took about 2 1/2 hours but that was because we had almost 20 years to catch up on! It was fascinating to watch it being done, I'm so tempted to get a little one myself!
I met Anil Gupta 20 years ago when we both worked for the same garment company. Over the years I heard a lot about him and his tremendous success in the tattoo business. I even saw him on several tv specials. One of the things he became quite famous for is his miniature reproductions of the old masters paintings, amazing work, as is his portrait and fantasy work (I could go on & on!). His place is not your typical tattoo parlor, there are no stock designs. He does all the art custom for each client ( some very famous ones), they either give him a concept or just leave it up to him. Because he also respected me as an artist he clearly made an exception by using my art but his suggestions made made all the difference. He has a tremendous following, which keeps him booked for months in advance but because I knew him he squeezed us in without the long wait! It finally paid off knowing someone! Check out his website (link attached), he's an amazingly talented artist and a really nice guy.Anil Gupta

Kutztown Folk Festival

2009-07-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

The Funnel Cakes alone makes it worth the trip!This 4th of July Joe & I went to the 60th Annual Kutztown Folk Festival. As always we had a wonderful time. When our kids were young we would go every year, planning a camping trip to the area and going to the festival on multiple days. It is a great family outing, a ton of things for the kids to participate in, lots of history, music, square dancing, petting zoo, horse drawn merry go round, crafts etc. For the Adults there is a wonderful variety of high quality handmade items, with a lot of the artists demonstrating their crafts. Rumor has it that the beer in the Beer Garden is ice cold too and always seems to have a croud! There is a good variety of food and if you’ve never been to an OX Roast, this is the place to go! It’s an annual event I highly recommend! Next years festival dates are July 3 –July 11 2010 Kutztown Festival Gotta love recycled garden art, and for me this was love at first sight! Bill & Margaret Tamburino of "Funcrafters" created this dragonfly and they have several more pieces that I look forward to purchasing in the future. You can email them for future show info; Funcrafters@enter.net
Wherever I go I’m always on the lookout for hand made Christmas ornaments made by local artists, this year I hit the jackpot! I bought quite a few but by far these by the “Tin Tinker” are my absolute favorites! Tin Tinker

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

2009-07-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

In honor of the 4th of July I added these American Inspired birdhouses to my etsy shop. Check them out between the BBQ & fireworks! Have a great Holiday!

Going to the Beach is for the birds!

2009-06-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Posted 4 more birdhouses on my etsy. I lived in a beach community for 20 years, I only wish I had lived in a house as fun looking as these!

Just listed in my etsy shop...

2009-06-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm going to make the time to start putting some of my birdhouses up on my etsy shop. Hope you enjoy them!

"F" is for Friday, Frogs, Flowers & Fun!

2009-06-12T05:45:00.001-07:00

I have drawn more frogs in the last year than I have in my 30 year work experience! As long as they keep selling though I’m “HOPPY” to keep making them! I’m not a big frog collector but I did buy these pj pants @ Sears since I did the print & they are very comfy!
IT’S ALL ABOUT COLOR! I barely recognized this one when I came upon it because of the color changes. What happens is that a store will have a color palette for their line that they will then re-color bought art / prints into. I actually did this for fall so I was also surprised to see it in a summer line. Forgive the blurry photo, I used my phone to take the shot, you have to be quick since taking photos is frowned upon in most stores. If you get caught you could try telling them that you did the art but no one would ever believe that! Trust Me!

HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY CALLAN!!!!!

2009-05-31T06:01:00.001-07:00

24 years ago today I got the greatest gift I could have ever wished for, a beautiful, Incredibly smart, amazingly talented, all round wonderful daughter…and it wasn’t even my birthday! How lucky am I!Some Photos from"Back in the day!"1.) One day old Callan with Joe (2.) Hey it was the 80’s so no laughing at my glasses! (3.) My 2 favorite “girls” my mom & Callan (4.) Cal’s 1st birthday with Joe & cousin Patrick (5.) Cal’s 6th Birthday.

LOOK WHAT I DID!

2009-05-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

I've been sooooo busy this month I haven't had time to update as you may have noticed. Seeing lots of my art & prints in the stores, here are just a few. Stay tuned...Lots going on that I'll update soon for example; Joe got his tattoo!

These guys ROCK!

2009-05-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
What do you get the woman who doesn’t really have every thing but doesn’t really need any thing either? Much to the dread of the men in my life (husband & son) the answer is to make her something! I took this photo about 20 years ago in the hall of an old tee shirt factory and I’ve hung on to it because it always makes me chuckle. My idea is to have the family each paint a rock for my garden, what a “rockin” Mother’s day present that will be!

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

2009-05-08T06:54:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Gina and Vicky! Thanks for your wonderful comments hope you enjoy the chimes!

HOOORAY I WON!!! "CHIME" IN IF YOU WANT TO WIN TOO!

2009-05-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I won Helen Dardik’s “lil giveaway” orange you lucky so I thought I would pay my good fortune forward by having a lil giveaway also. Since I don’t have any of my professional art to share I thought I would give away 2 fun chimes I made. Just post a comment, let me know which you prefer the bee hive or the lady bug & I will randomly pick 2 winners Friday morning! Good Luck!

HAPPY EARTH DAY LITTLE LADY!

2009-04-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

In honor of earth day I want to share this re-cycled art project.
For my birthday this year I told Joe instead of buying me a present I wanted him to do a project with me, ( like most guys he would have preferred to crack open the wallet & make a trip to the mall) BUT being the nice guy he is we made this ladybug. Joe isn’t an artist but he does come up with a lot of clever ideas, making the lady bug from a helmet was actually his idea and as a bonus he has access to welding equipment! I claim credit for the antenna made from the plant hanger though! Thanks also to Neil & Jonathan who helped Joe with the cutting & welding.

This turtle has the distinction of being not necessarily the "best" present Joe ever gave me (that would be a diamond anniversary ring) BUT it is my absolute favorite present! We were walking by an art supply store on 33rd st. in Manhattan one day & I saw this turtle and commented on how cute he was. Several months later he was under the Christmas tree. Rarely does such a surprise get by me & my extreme holiday snooping! He has sat in my garden since, the older & rustier he gets the more I love him! He was also the inspiration for our ladybug.

SEW EXCITING!

2009-04-20T07:20:00.001-07:00

I’d like to dedicate today’s post to my mom who would have turned 76 today. Sadly she passed away 21 years ago at the too young age of 55. She taught me how to sew when I was young and by the time I was 12 I was making all my own clothes. Now in order to sew you need fabric, and every seamstress has their stash, usually a ridiculously large stash that you’ll never put a dent in but you keep adding to it, buying fabric that you just need to have! I think we sew as an excuse to buy fabric! She got to see my art in a lot of places but I think she would have gotten a real kick out of going into joann fabric stores and seeing so many of my prints. I haven’t sewn in a few years now but this weekend I did add to my stash, just in case…!

Here is just a little sampling of what I have there, also a couple of links to more.

cute as a cupcake
froggy

LIFES A BEACH... BETTER DRESS FOR IT!!!!

2009-04-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

The best part of what I do for a living is the wide variety of art I get to create. Truth be told though I've always been partial to the fun subject matter I get to use in boys art. As you can see I tend to use a lot of bold color and arrows both of which don't always make it all the way to the selling floor. These are available in Babies R Us.

Gone Ape For Art!

2009-04-09T08:18:00.001-07:00

I ventured away from my computer yesterday for a little inspiration shopping at Khols. Surprise surprise I came upon a boys tee that I did the art for, it's always fun when this happens because it's unexpected. I posted the original art beside the production so you can see the process. The main difference is that in production there are color limitations.

SWEET ART!

2009-04-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

I came across these photos of cakes I made back in 1995 & 96 for family, friends & co-workers. They were great fun to make for some special people, tasty too!1. At 8 my son Joseph was all about money & all it could get him. 2. Callan LOVED to read & for those who know her now they can see her love of hats goes way back! 3. Pop was into crows. 4. Joe's childhood nickname is "Bootie" & his Birthday is halloween 5. Can you guess what Tese was into?!
6. Thanksgiving cake; the most time consuming one I made 7. This cake was for Ed a co-worker, he was the life of the dept., he had a new story everyday! 8. Joni lived on pretzels 9. Arlene was a runner 10. Our friend Sue was the shipping manager & I made this cake for her 40th bday. 11 & 12 were for the same person, Earl who was into 2 things, the Lord & chocolate, he's the only one to get 2 cakes & both were chocolate!

Woooah!

2009-03-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

Happy 12th Birthday to my niece Abigail! Abby is a young artist that loves to draw horses. Me; I'm an old artist that never draws horses, but in honor of her big day I gave it a go.

Ignore the SNOW falling! SPRING is here!!!

2009-03-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

I count down to March 20th like a kid would count down to Christmas; not because it's my birthday but because it's the first day of spring! Aside from a handmade card from my favorite card maker Callan, is there a better birthday present than longer, warmer, sunnier days!

Despite her jet lag Callan once again rose to the occasion with this wonderful card. I've had the privilege of a sneak preview of all her sketches & photos from her Amsterdam & Paris trip so check out her blog to see for yourself

Check the brakes, fill the tires, we have another 25 to go...

2009-02-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

If you’re like my son you may be wondering...”What’s with the bike theme?” Back in the day... when I was young & single & lived on flat land at the beach I was an avid bike rider. For out first date Joe asked me to go on a bike ride. It wasn’t until much later that I found out he had to go out & buy a bike to go on that date! Not to worry though, It was a worthwhile investment; we have been riding ever since!

Anyone who knows Joe knows he doesn’t ask for much... but for as long as I can remember he has been asking me to design a tattoo for him. When he finallly gave up on me he started asking Callan on a regular basis. So this is not only for Joe but also for Callan (for all you do for me consider yourself off the hook now!)

How “tweet” is Callan? I’ll tell you...she is the “tweetest” person I know! Oh & she is also the best card maker too! Love it & you Cal, thanks!

It's a JUNGLE out there!

2009-02-19T18:44:00.000-08:00

No matter how many years I do this it never gets old to see my work in the real world. Because I freelance through an agency I never really know where my art will turn up, sometimes it's a collection in Babies R Us, boxer shorts or in this case a needlework catalog!

Another wonderful card from Callan

2009-02-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

A holiday wouldn't be complete without a card from Callan, Thanks, I love it!

Christmas "Present"

2008-12-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

The best part of any holiday or occasion is opening the present that Callan makes for me. This year she made me a new pillow for my new car to replace the one she made for my old car! (Thanks Cal, I love it!)

First Post, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2008-12-16T20:22:00.000-08:00