Dustbowl Holiday - TODAY!

Just a reminder that I will be at the Dustbowl Holiday Market today from 6 pm - midnight and tomorrow from 11 am - 6pm.  

I'll be there alongside:

Anty Shanty

Doin' Fine

Domestic Fox

Hide the Good Scissors

Pistachio

Ruth Borum-Loveland

Wild Hare Beadery

You Are Constance

It's a small group, but a really great mix of artists and crafters.

Hope to see you there!

Amy

Dustbowl Holiday Market

Live in the Norman area?

I'll be at the Dustbowl Holiday Market this Friday and Saturday.

It looks like it should be a great show -- 

an intimate group of eight other artists and crafters --

 along with live music, cupcakes, a photo booth and more!

I hope to see you there!

Black Friday Sale

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I certainly did.  I'll post a little later about our Thanksgiving, but I wanted to do a quick blog post about a sale I'm offering in my Etsy shop.  Today (Friday) through Monday I am offering 20% off store wide.  Just use coupon code MERRY2011 at checkout.  Enjoy!

And another thing...

Wouldn't you just know it...I finish compiling a collection of colorful objects 

and then (after it's already posted), 

I come across this little guy...

Multicolor Chevron Striped Snap Purse by oktak

Maybe I like multicolored things after all.

In other news, my online shop is looking awfully Christmas-y lately:

I created paper cuts of the text and photographed them over glittered paper.  

The designs are clean and simple, but with a little sparkle...

because Christmas deserves a little sparkle, yes?

View all of the cards right here.

&

I've added lots of new things to the shop recently, but the ampersands are definitely some of my favorites. A perfect way to say "you & me" or "us & them"...or a great gift for that single typography-obsessed friend of yours (you know you have one).

Teal

Turquoise

Grey

Pink

Like all of my paper cuts, each ampersand is made of individual sheets of paper.  They are cut by hand, one at a time, and then carefully glued together.  And framed, so they're ready to hang!

Enjoy!

Amy

Pretty Things

I came across this video today, via Creature Comforts, and it so perfectly echoed what I have been feeling over the last few days, that I had to share it..."make it beautiful". Just like Erin Jang did for this video (for Martha Stewart Living), I try to make pretty things out of simple objects, like paper. I don't have a "mission", per se -- I'm not trying to make a loud statement, or change anyone's mind. I just like making pretty things.

Click to view

This weekend, I was honored to be part of the Girlie Show once again. This is a fantastic show -- incredibly organized, amazingly well attended, and full of really, really talented female artists. This was my third year to participate, and it did not disappoint. Being at an art show is a little surreal. It's not like having an online shop or selling in a boutique, or even being part of an exhibit. In those cases you have very little contact with your customer. But in an art show, you hear every comment. You get real-time feedback from people who are truly excited to finally put a face to the name, or are seeing your work for the first time. It's humbling to receive compliments and to hear nice things about your work, and it's an honor when someone decides to purchase something that you made.

Photo by Nathan Poppe

99.9% of the things I heard people say were positive. There was one girl though who, while standing next to me, made the international sign for "puke" and said "Too much work!" Honestly, I wasn't insulted as much as surprised. I, by no mean, expect everyone to like my work. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But, "too much work"? I guess it's the opposite end of the "Why would I pay hundreds of dollars for something my five-year-old could paint?" argument.

For me, as I would assume it is for most artists, it isn't about the time involved. I create what comes from within me, no matter how long it will take. Am I relieved when I glue down the last piece of paper for a project? Absolutely. But I get equally excited to start the next piece, and that's why I keep at it.

I'm a "love is in the details" girl, so the intricacies are (for me, at least) the best part.

Poppytalk Handmade - Love Transforms

Starting today, I am part of the "Love Transforms" market over at Poppytalk Handmade -- and I'm so excited! In their own words, Poppytalk Handmade is "an online 'curated' and monthly-themed marketplace exhibition site which showcases handmade and vintage goods from around the world."

This month's market includes love themed items (just in time for Valentine's Day!) and items perfectly suited for handmade weddings.

You can visit my table here:

Splendid Finds - Cyber Monday Bargains

If you didn't take advantage of the Black Friday deals (or are still on the hunt for more bargains), you might have some luck shopping online today. I have taken 20% off of several of my new prints, as well as 30% off of some of my older originals, found here. In honor of Cyber Monday, I thought I would include some other Etsy sellers who are offering special savings today as well. Here are a few top picks:

LolasRoom

clockwise from top left:

Bookworm - 8x8 Print ($12.50)

The Shoe Collection - 5x5 Print ($8.50)

Small Things - 8x8 Print ($12.50)

Penguin Books - 5x5 Print ($8.50)

*All print sets and calendars are 30% off. You can select from your favorite images to create a custom print set -- such as any nine 4x4 prints for $24.50. What a deal!

A Look Only You Would Understand (Orange) - $20

I love Ashley G and Drew's artwork, and they are offering 25% off their entire shop through today.

Just enter the coupon code "Holiday" at checkout.

1. Reveling in the Enjoyment of Her Material Pleasures - 8 x 10 Print ($18)

Mincing Mockingbird is offering free shipping to US and Canada through Tuesday, November 30th. You can also purchase their hardcover art book, It is Folly to Assume My Awesome Lies Dormant for 25% off.

2. Golden Blossom Hair Comb - ($27)

LuxeDeluxe is running a half price sale on select items.

3. Sweet Orange & Vanilla Bean Body Scrub - 8 oz. ($10.40)

DressGreen - Select items are 20% off through the end of the day.

4. The Classics - 8x10 ($24)

Emma Kisstina is offering a free 5x7 print of your choosing with any purchase, through November 30th.

Happy Shopping!

New prints in the shop!

I have two new prints in my Etsy shop. These are prints of two original papercuts. The original pieces definitely fall into the "labor of love" category, as they each took about a week to complete. But I love the end result, so it was definitely worth it.

Joy Runs Deeper Than Despair - $20

Truth and Kindness - $20

"Joy Runs Deeper than Despair" is also available as a greeting card, found here.

Enjoy!

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

To continue on with the Christmas theme...I created Christmas cards this year! This is something that I have intended to do for several years, but something always seems to get in the way. I wanted to create something that was clean and modern, but still had some classic Christmas charm.

Besides "Merry & Bright", the text used in the cards are from Christmas carols. I hand cut the text on white paper and then photographed it layered over glittered cardstock. The end result has the slightest sparkle -- a perfect amount of holiday cheer.

Merry and Bright.

Peace on Earth.

Repeat the Sounding Joy.

Comfort and Joy.

They're all available for purchase right here.

New Pieces in the Shop

As promised, I have started listing some of my original papercuts in my Etsy shop. These first three pieces are all variations of ampersands - "&". I love typography, so it often finds its way into my work. I loved creating these little ampersand pieces. The interpretation is definitely open to the viewer: "You & Me", the hope for what's to come, or something else entirely.

Ampersand (Pink)

Ampersand (Grey)

Ampersand (Blue)

They're all available for purchase right here.

The Girlie Show!

The Girlie Show was a blast! I really wish I got some pictures of the crowds, because it was crazy. It was super busy and a lot of fun. I always love meeting customers, and I especially love knowing where my artwork ends up. It makes it much more personal.

Here are a few pics of my booth:

I'll be listing items throughout the week in my Etsy shop -- Christmas cards, new prints and ORIGINALS! So, keep your eyes open for that.

It's Monday, so I thought I would post a video of Marcy Priest, one of the Girlie show musicians who performed on Saturday. I met her while filming some promo videos for the show and she is super nice and incredibly talented. This is one of her songs, "Another Thing":

Music Monday - Gungor

Happy Monday! In honor of The Girlie Show, I thought I would share a song that was part of the inspiration behind one of my illustrations.

This is Gungor, performing "Beautiful Things" at the Relevant magazine office. Gorgeous.

So lovely. It definitely was a big inspiration when creating this piece:

"Beautiful Things, Wonderful Sounds" - available in my Etsy shop.

If you are in the OKC area, be sure to stop by The Girlie Show this Friday and Saturday (November 5 & 6). All of my prints will be $20 each, or two for $35.

Hope to see you there!

xo,

Amy

A Work in Progress

I've been plugging away, preparing for the Girlie Show (which is now just days away!). I get a lot of questions about the process of constructing my original pieces. I was working on one last week and thought I would snap a few pics along the way. They're not the best photos, but I thought it would give you a good idea.

A few steps in. This is the fourth page.

After I finish cutting a page, I then trace it onto the next page. I then redraw the lines that I will cut, allowing for a small margin between the two pages.

Those steps are repeated (over and over again).

The final cuts. Tiny - and nothing at all like the original image.

I then paste the pages together, one by one.

The end result looks something like this:

Hooray!

xo,

Amy

Music Monday + Many Apologies

It's official. I am the world's worst blogger. I haven't posted since...March? Whoops. I had the most excellent intentions, but I have been swallowed up whole over the last few months by a couple of things. The first, and most important, looks a little like this:

This is my niece Sophia. I think it's easy to see why I have been a bit distracted.

More recently, the thing that has been taking up the majority of my time is this:

I'm very excited to be part of the 2010 Girlie Show. It is a must-see if you are in the Oklahoma City area. There are over forty female artists from Oklahoma and beyond. The show is November 5 & 6. If you are not a fan of crowds, loud music, or burlesque dancers, then I would definitely suggest attending on Saturday rather than Friday. But that's what's so great about the Girlie Show -- there's something for everybody. For more info, check out the official website.

Finally, it seemed appropriate to do a Music Monday segment. I feel a bit like a hipster posting about Mumford & Sons, but I do love their new album. It's been the perfect thing to listen to while working in my studio at night - especially since the weather has changed. Enjoy!

Mumford and Sons - "Awake My Soul" from The Tripwire on Vimeo.

Lola Ruth

I recently completed a commissioned piece for a lovely customer. The woman in the picture is her mother. I've done several pieces in this style, but this was my first with a color photograph. It added some new challenges, but neither of us was willing to turn the fabulous blue suit to a dull grey.



This is created with several pieces of hand-cut paper. Super tedious, but completely worth it.

Art Wall

Today marks my very first day on Art Wall. This has been in the works for some time, and I'm so excited to be included. Art Wall is very different than other online art sites, in that it isn't a shop -- it's an online gallery. And even better than that, the pieces that are included on the site are curated as an arrangement on a virtual wall, in a specific room of the house. Such a great idea! All of the pieces are for sale -- it links you to the artist's website or Etsy shop -- and range in price from $5 to $500.

My piece is included in the Master Bedroom. Here's a look:



The piece that Katie, the curator, selected is the Forever print in pink. Just in time for Valentine's Day.



It is priced at $20 and, just like all of my prints, is printed on 100% cotton canvas with a white poly coating. It's also available in orange and grey. Thanks, Katie, for the opportunity!