Capturing Play

Alice’s flower - $20.00
Signed and numbered (This is 2/50 (first edition) 6.5” x 9” print of one of artist’s ink illustration done on watercolor paper with digital enhancements, printed on 11” x 8.5” Archival quality paper.

wittyworkshop is owned by Valérie Parizeault, a Canadian Illustrator & designer from Montreal. She also owns Rose Flash, another online store where she sells her “playfully spirited Jewelry”. At wittyworkshop you can find illustrations and prints, greeting cards, buttons, and a little bit of jewelry. Valerie is inspired by whimsical moments, children’s universe and storytelling. As an artist she is living her dream life with her husband and black cat Tokyo by her side. Environmentally conscious with a passionate interest in business, she blogs both in French and English about Eco-friendly causes, Indie designers and her daily life and about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship through her business tip blog called Bite.

The humor and whimsy of her illustration style is uplifting and fun. Valerie effectively captures all that is good about childhood, youth, and play.

If you love her work why not get a print for each month of the year with this calendar?

2008 Witty Calendar - $22.00
Twelve 5” x 5.5” calendar pages of Valerie’s illustrations printed on laser paper and a plastic case that doubles as a desk holder.

Here is a sweet image of a girl holding a bird in a cage that would be great to hang in your kitchen, bedroom or hallway.

Night Bird Print (Very limited edition) - $30.00
6.5” x 9” print of one of the artist’s ink illustrations with digital enhancements printed on 11” x 8.5” Archival quality Hanemüle FineArt paper. This is 1/30.

This one is humorous and has a little wishful thinking for those of you who are having too many rainy days and just wish it would end.

Cutting Rain - $20.00
6.5” x 7” print of one of the artist’s ink illustrations with digital enhancements printed on 11” x 8.5” Archival quality Hanemüle FineArt paper.

To get great gifts, go to:
http://wittyworkshop.etsy.com

or if you’re specifically looking for jewelry:
www.roseflash.ca

Read more about the artist’s activities on her blog:
http://pot-aux-roses.blogspot.com

Read her business tips blog here:
www.bitethebusiness.blogspot.com

Thanks For This Food We Are About To Receive…and Food for Thought

Set of 4 Cards in a pink felt bag - $7.50
This is a set of 4 pink-themed, 4"x 5.5" all-occasion cards which come in a pink felt bag, with button closure and a green vine stitched around the edges. Each comes with their own envelope. Other colors available; contact artist about specifics.

Sarah Orton of SimplySaidBySarah is a graphic design student. Her friends and co-workers in Raleigh, North Carolina encouraged her to put her lifelong love of crafts to work, so she created her business in response to their suggestions.

All of her profits are donated to help provide treatment to people with eating disorders through an organization called NEDA.

These cheery designs make nice gift items and are reasonably-priced. Forget Hallmark and buy hand-made while you help people with your purchase.

Holly Sticky Notes - $1.00
Printed Sticky Notepad measures 3"x3" and has a fun, sturdy cover. This pad has 100 green sticky note pages.

Monogrammed Gift Set - $4.25
set includes 1 sticky note pad with your monogram on it, 1 colored memo pad with a lovely ribbon tied through it, and 1 coordinating gel pen all wrapped together in a cellophane bag. (please specify color you would like and your initials).

It is fitting that I should be doing this particular feature on Thanksgiving Day when food is such a big part of the American tradition. Although a joyous occasion for some shared with love from friends and family, this holiday is no doubt an added source of inner turmoil for those who suffer in a tomb of isolation from eating disorders. Perhaps we should reflect and think to ourselves “but by the grace of God go I” and contribute to this worthy cause so that others might one day enjoy eating and life the way the rest of us can.

To purchase these wonderful paper products and magnets, just go to:
http://SimplySaidBySarah.etsy.com
and to learn more about the artist, see her blog:
http://SimplySaidBySarah.blogspot.com

Celebration!

Image en miroir- Set of 3 mirror Eiffel Tower Tags PARIS -$3.95
Delicate pink parchment cardstock with chocolate brown ink
And ribbons with a little mirror at the bottom with a word on each.

Katie Lyn Sherry of myheart2yours located in Kansas City, Missouri, uses paper in a variety of ways to make her statement. Her other job is working as
a professional math tutor, teaching all levels from Jr. High through college.

"Paper was easily accessible when I was a child" says Katie Lyn. "I remember saving my money or begging my mom to get a new pad of construction paper... You remember? The one with the green cover that had two or three sheets of each color. It was so hard to decide which to use first. I think I always used the ugly ones first.

She embellishes her paper items using a wide variety of decorative parts and different techniques.
"Now that I have advanced onto more spendy papers, I have learned that you can ink, sand, stain, doodle, bend, tear, soak, alter, or otherwise mutilate paper and it still looks fabulous!"

The captions in many of her handmade cards and gift tags show a whit as sharp as the paper's edge. Katie Lyn made her mother a retro card for Mother’s Day and she proudly took it to work and showed everyone. Her somewhat dark humor shows in this tag below;

Humor Me MOMMYS DIET 4x6 inches LARGE Retro Tag - $2.55
Made with Basic Grey Papers or Bazzil Textured Cardstock and finished with Prima Flowers and sequins.

"I have an ebay store that is not yet stocked with products," says Katie Lyn, "but I mainly sell through Etsy.com or through private consignments from personal friends or acquaintances. Person to person is very successful. My items tend to be very full of embellishment. It needs to be touched to be appreciated, no picture in the world can take the place of holding a cool art item in your hand."

12 Itsy Bitsy Etsy Thank You Mini Notes - $4.00
(Set number 2), 3 x 2.5". Each note comes
with a crisp sealable cellophane bag.

Katie Lyn has learned to be sure to charge enough for shipping to cover all the costs you might not think of are involved in mailing the item. "Most department stores or catalog ordering companies charge a minimum of $6.00 to ship even the smallest item," she points out. "There is a reason for this. Of course I don't charge that much! But packaging, pay pal fees, extra goodies, listing fees and everything else included as costs of a sold item can actually make the difference between breaking even or losing money." Her advice to other artists is that they need to "value themselves and their products! Don't be afraid to ask for what it will take to mail your items."

Techniques Katie Lyn is interested in learning are how to solder with copper and Microscope slides.

To prepare for holiday shoppers she has listed with a few Independent artists gift guides as well as promoting on her blog and on etsy.

This scrapbook below has lots of bright colors and can be used as a baby book or for a little girl to put pictures in and precious things she wants to save

Oh Baby Girl 4x4 Wire bound scrapbook— $12.00
One of a kind, thick, and with lots of ribbons, tags, pockets, and other stuff


BLOB ART Gust- $5.00
Measures 4x6, hand drawn, and One-Of-A-Kind, drawn with marker on thick art board. Signed, titled, and dated on the back.


Doodle Blob Art PSYCHOTIC 80s- $5.00
Measures 4x6, hand drawn, and One-Of-A-Kind, drawn with marker on thick art board. Signed, titled, and dated on the back

Long-term, her goal for her business will be to streamline her products listed on Etsy focusing on what has sold the most, and to continue to be unique. "I am also planning on developing a website where customers can purchase supplies, kits and finished art directly from me."

"I sold a custom scrapbook for $250.00. It was worth every penny to the buyer! She was a busy new mom and didn't have the time to do justice to her pictures that she treasured. She gave them to me all sorted by subject and I made a complete baby book for her."

Katie Lyn welcomes special orders and wants to make your dreams in paper come true!

To see more paper creations go to:

http://myheart2yours.etsy.com
http://katiepaper.blogspot.com/

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of

Karen Jinks is a freelance mixed-media artist and illustrator living in Cambridge, UK, specializes in stationery, gifts and accessories for weddings and christenings. She also works in collage, and in textiles.

Many of her works are a compilation of snippets of paper and images painted on top of to add dimension and change context. For instance;

See, a mixed media piece using acrylic and collage on canvas, measuring 40 x 40 cm, shows windows and doors superimposed on handwriting in the background. The disembodied images seem to represent transparency or possibly vulnerability. This piece retails for $180.00 and is ready to hang.


Scrapbook/Photo Album
This handmade scrapbook or photo album has an interesting blue texture on its Indian embroidered silk cover and includes 20 pages (40 sides) of acid free ivory cardstock with spacers to allow the book to keep its shape when full. Page size is 25 x 19 cm approx. $50.00


Asia Greeting/Note Card
Original oriental inspired collage printed on to white linen card. Perfect for a birthday or just to say hi! 100 x 210 mm. Plain white envelope included. $4.00


Custom Portrait
Commission a beautiful pencil drawing of your child and capture that moment forever. The artist uses A3 size quality artists’ cartridge paper (white) or ingres paper (colored) and for best results requires one or two large, well focused photographs to work from. $200. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact her before you order.



Original Rose Photo Print
printed on glossy photo paper with lightfast photographic inks, 8 x 10 inches, including white border for framing. $30.00. Beautiful and vibrant!

For her cards, art prints, originals, and other small gifts:
http://kala.etsy.com

She also makes jewelry which will soon be divided into
its own Etsy shop at:
http://upwiththelark.etsy.com/

See more of her paper items and small gifts here:
http://chalkhillstudio.blogspot.com/

Make Your Mark With Handcrafted Personalized Greeting Cards!

LOOKING FOR A PERSONALIZED CARD? Sandiego-based Earmark creates handcrafted printed and/or personalized greeting cards, note cards and sets. Most of their individual cards retail for about $3.00 apiece while custom birthday cards can be commissioned for $7.50 per card, using the names, any text, colors or images that you might like! They also can create wedding invitations.

From the Whimsical, to the comical, to the romantic of paisley, Earmark's versatility and artistic talent is evident as soon as you go to their Etsy online store; http://Earmark.etsy.com

Pictured above is a lovely notecard called "Orangy Bird" silkscreened on a double thick charcoal grey column paper. Paper is duplexed, meaning it has a second color, white, smooth paper inside making it easy to write on!