Owls for a Fish

A trio of owls for baby Fish's* nursery in Cambridge.  

*Fish is short for baby's last name: Fischer.

Contact me if you'd like some of your own.

Getting Ready for Sadie: the Bedding

Getting the nursery ready for our upcoming bundle of squish has been really fun.  It's still weird to think that I'm going to be the Mom and that this is all for my own daughter but as our due date approaches (Jan. 1st!) it's becoming more and more real. 

Part of it feeling more real is that my Mom completed the crib set that she made for us for the baby shower and it came out cuter than I could have ever imagined!  We got the fabric from my friend Aurora's store, Fabric Bliss, which is located in Denver but they have a very easy-to-navigate online shopping feature.  I emailed Aurora and told her that I was looking for something "dainty but not girly, that coordinates but doesn't match, has a vintage feel and it can't be pink!"  Immediately she wrote back and suggested the Seaside collection from October Afternoon.  

And it's beyond perfect!!

All of the fabrics coordinate with each other but don't necessarily "match", the prints are dainty enough for a baby girl but not drowned in pink-on-pink and they have an adorably vintage feel that goes perfectly with the vintage feel we are going for in the nursery.  

My Mom also made this precious mermaid-tailed receiving blanket (her own design) and I can't get enough of it!  Thanks Mom!!  You're the greatest!

It's Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown!

Thanksgiving is in 7 days!!  That means I can put my Christmas tree up in 8 days!  Best news ever!!

This year I'm thankful for so many things but I'm most thankful for my disappearing waistline.  My husband and I are expecting our first child in just 6 weeks and for that I couldn't be more thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Candy Cane Treasury on the Etsy.com Superstore

I'm so honored to be part of such a beautiful collection of artists! Thanks Alex & Lena!

49 days to Christmas! Commence Freak-Out!

Picture Frame for Sofia

New picture frame for Sofia.  Contact me for one of your own.  Makes a great Christmas present.

Only 52 days 'til Christmas!!

Happy Halloween Mr. Oogie Boogie!

In honor of Halloween here is my favorite Halloween song of all time.  Happy Halloween!!

Enjoy! 



Tayla's Trick-or-Treat Pail

Hand painted trick-or-treat pail for Tayla in Melrose.  

The green and purple are going to match her Mrs. Buzz Light Year costume perfectly!

Happy Halloween!!

Skeletons in my Closet

No bones about it...Halloween is almost here!  And I can't wait!!

Here's my inspiration for this month's window painting:

Enjoy!!

You've Been Framed: Personalized Frames for Kids

Picture frames have proven to be hands-down my biggest seller on Etsy and in real life.  They're a quick, inexpensive, personalized gift that is perfect for kid's birthdays, Christmas and -as in the 4th picture- as party favors.  Contact me to have your own painted or order one on my Etsy page.  

$5 DIY Googley-eyed Fall Wreath Tutorial

I'm not sure what's happening to me but I felt an overwhelming urge to make an Autumn wreath this year.  I've always been into decorating, and over-decorating, for the holidays but I usually keep it to giant fake spiders, severed hands and glittery skeletons.  Your standard October stuff.  So when I found myself shopping for a wreath making supplies, nobody was more surprised than me.  It was as if I blacked out and woke up at the register with a wreath form and fake foliage in my hands. 

So, I've accepted it, I like wreaths.  There, I said it.  

But that doesn't mean I have to make a button covered, gingham scarecrow country crafts with a giant bow type of wreath.   I can like wreaths and still make them look like me.  It doesn't mean I have to buy high waisted Mom jeans or run out and lease a mini-van.  Not yet anyway.  

So here is my tutorial on how to make a quick $5 Googley-Eyed Fall Wreath:

SUPPLIES (I got the $1 supplies from the dollar store)

$1 wreath form

$1 fall foliage x3

$1 5pk mini squashes

ball of twine (had on hand)

googley eyes (had on hand) 

wire cutters (had 'em)

glue gun/glue sticks (had 'em)

To begin, start by tying the end of your twine to your wreath form and wrap the twine around the wreath for a space about 3" long.  This is purely decorative. 

Next, arrange your 3 bouquets of fall foliage and begin snipping them off of the main branch with your wire cutters.  Arrange the new seperate pieces so that you have 2 equal bouquets (if you plan on making 2 wreaths...which I did because I have a double front door.)

Now begin adding the plastic foliage to your wreath just under the 3" band of twine.  I used hot glue to keep the plants in place and then wrapped more twine around the base of each one- mostly because it looks cute but also to secure it in place.  

When you reach the end add another 3" section of wrapped twine to finish it off.  You can stop here and have a perfectly lovely Autumnal Wreath to hang on your front door but I feel like it's just too regular.  It needs something. 

In my case, that "something" almost always ends up being googley-eyes.  Or "guurely eyes" as my niece calls them.  

From the 5 pack of mini squashes I scooped at the dollar store, I grabbed a couple of 'em and gave them life.  I am not unlike the good Dr. Frankenstein in this way.  

Take your freshly googelied squashes and arrange them at the base of your fallin' foliage until you are satisfied and hot glue them into place.  

**Note: my squashes are made of styrofoam which means they basically melt when the come in contact with hot glue.  Turn your glue gun to the lowest setting if you have that option or put the glue on the wreath first and allow it to cool for about 3-4 seconds before placing your squash so that it doesn't turn into a puddle.**

And finally, add a twine hanger to the top of your wreath and hang with pride from your front door(s).  

Together these wreaths cost me less than $10 and they can be left up through Halloween and all the way through to Thanksgiving.  I hope you like them as much as I do. 

happy fall!

The Apple Pickin'-est Guys Around

Apple picking is a sure sign of better things to come.  Things like sweaters and leggings and tights and boots and scarves!  I love dressing for fall ALMOST as much as I love punkin flavored beverages and punkin flavored foods.  Almost.

 I wish I could give Fall a big squeeze to show it how much I missed it.  Like this guy with his apple.

Happy Thursday and Happy Fall!!!

(nothing personal Summer but I'm so over you)

Stephanie's Cake Fascinator

My beeeeautiful friend, and bride-to-be, Stephanie requested that I make her a piece-of-cake fascinator for her upcoming birthday/bachelorette party.








I started with a cardboard form, iced it with white paint, threw on some pearls and then basically submerged the whole thing in glitter.

The only thing more fabulous than this fascinator is the little lady it was made for- Stephanie I'm so incredibly happy for you and I can't wait to see you in your weddin' dress!!  Tim is a lucky man...but I bet you tell him that all the time.    **MUAH!!**

New Name Frame: Maximus Monkey

New name frame painted for monkey-loving Maximus in Malden, MA.

30 days to National Taco Day

Ok, it's here, the National Taco Day Countdown of America 2012 Edition.

You officially have 30 days to prepare for our nations greatest food themed holiday.  Go!

A little more bacon-y, please.

 I feel like I've come to a good place in life when people know to come to me if they need something to look "more bacon-y".  That was the request for this inexpensive bacon costume bought online by Karen- it just didn't look bacon-y enough so she asked me to fix it.

And it's a good thing because Maya and her pet sheep would have looked ridiculous in that store-bought bacon costume in the annual 4-H costume parade at the Marshfield Fair.  That was a close one!

p.s. please note Maya's custom bacon bow...I think there's a Lady Gaga costume in her future.

Is This Appropriate?

Custom "Is This Appropriate?" speech bubble for when you're just

not sure if your Mom would approve of what you're doing.    

Dog Days of Summer Window Painting

Welp, it's here again, the dog days of Summer are upon us.  Those long hot (and in New England HUMID) days towards the end of Summer characterized by frizzy hair, sweaty buns and bad attitudes.  When people start longing for Fall and the cool nights she brings. 

There are a couple things you can do about this type of weather:  you can complain incessantly about how hot it is, much to the chagrin of your co-workers, I'm sure or you can do like this guy and shamelessly hog up the kiddie pool. 

***  ***  ***  ***

This window painting is a remake of a June 2010 window painting I did- reduce, reuse, recycle! 

Enjoy the rest of your Summer!!

Kids Crafts: My Pet Rock

This is a fun and easy project to entertain kids on a hot Summer's day and, depending on the supplies you have on hand, it could even be free.  

For this project you'll need:

• some rocks
• spray primer (optional)
• acrylic paint
• googley eyes (never optional)
• a couple of kid-friendly paintbrushes
• tacky glue
• some chil'ren

Start out by collecting some rocks.  

This comes as naturally as breathing to my 5-year-old niece so luckily after a day of adventurin' I already had a pocketful of rocks to start with.  If you can't find any "good" rocks, you can always buy some at a craft store.  

Next, using a spray primer lightly coat both sides of the rocks. 

This helps the paint to adhere to the rock's surface and allows bright colors to show up better on darker colored rocks. 

Once the primer is dry (about a 1/2 hour on each side) put some aprons on some kids (some that you know preferrably), put out some paint and let them get creative.  

Encourage the kids to paint monsters with big mouths, stripes, polka dots, animals they like, flowers...anything that gets their imaginations going.  

 
If there are globs of paint on a rock, the googley eyes may be able to stick right to it.  If not just glue 'em on.

Acrylic paint is non-toxic and washable before it's dry.    

And now, if your little people really love you, they might just give you one of the rocks they just painted.  I was lucky enough to have this rock gifted to me.  "She's a girl on this side and a boy on the other"....obviously.

trash to treasure: twine-wrapped planter

I accidentally broke my favorite purple pot (aka my only purple pot) and just couldn't bear to throw it out.  I considered gluing it back together but some of the pieces shattered so there would be holes all over it and the dirt would fall out.  Then I considered smashing it into little pieces and making some sort of mosaic out of it but then I remembered that I don't like mosaics.  (No offense if that's your thing, it's just not for me.)  I also thought about taking a bite out of it like the girls on that TV show but my heart's just not in it.

The only thing left was to fix it and figure out a way to cover the crack and make it super adorable- and I did just that.

Here's how:

For this project you will need the following items:

• a broken pot (or lamp or decorative vase or a little trash can, etc)
• twine
• glue gun/glue sticks
• epoxy

Start off by washing your broken pot in hot soapy water.  **Careful to not burn and/or cut yourself!!**  This will remove any oils or dirt from the pot and make the epoxy hold better.

Next, mix your epoxy and add a generous amount to the break in your pot.  You should wear gloves during this and work in a well ventilated area, this stuff is smelly.   Put your pieces back together.

**You can put globs of the epoxy on since the seam doesn't need to be beautiful because we'll be covering the whole thing with twine.   Smear the extra epoxy around with a toothpick after putting the pieces back together to make a water-tight seal.

Now let your epoxy dry.  Mine says it takes 7 minutes to set.  

 Now you're ready to start wrapping your newly fixed pot in twine.  I turned my pot over and started from the bottom.

 Begin by gluing the end of the twine to your pot and start wrapping, gluing the twine to the pot as you go.  

 I put a dot of hot glue about every 3-5" on the entire pot.  This string's not going  anywhere!!

When you're done wrapping, throw a plant in there and you now have a custom, hand-wrapped planter to wow your friends with.  I'd recommend keeping this pot inside as rain or snow will get the string wet and it could possibly get moldy and gross.  And we wouldn't want that.    

Thanks for reading!

Happy Critters Custom Playground Painting

This custom 24"x36" painting was made just for Vivian who turned 2 last weekend to bring more color to her "not too pinky-girly" nursery and came to me my favorite way, through word of mouth advertising.




Included in the painting are Vivan's favorite stuffed animals, herself and of course, a girl's best friend, her dog, Milo.   

Vivan wasn't home to see the painting in person when I dropped it off but luckily her Mom shot me this adorable play-by-play of when she first saw it:

"I wanted to let you know about Vivian's reaction when she first saw your painting.  She saw it as soon as she walked into her room yesterday afternoon, and did a total double-take.  Then she pointed at Dolly in the picture and said her name, and went to grab the actual Dolly from her toy bin so she could hold her just like she is in the picture.  Then she pointed at each of her "friends" in the picture and named them, and also pointed out Milo.  I asked her if she liked the picture, and she said, "Yesssss!""


Reactions like that make this job even sweeter, if that's possible.

And, as if that weren't enough, piggy-backed on top of all that sweetness was this painting also done for Vivian commissioned by the original word-of-mouth advertiser, the customer I painted Ryan's Safari for.
Little V is a second generation Chinese-American, this is her birth animal, the tiger and her name written in Chinese characters.  It was painted to coordinate-with but not necessarily match the playground painting in order to keep the room from looking too "theme-y" (which is definitely a word) and topped off with a distressed white frame.

Thanks for stopping by and please don't hesitate to contact me with questions if you'd like your own custom nursery artwork!  


...don't be a stranger, ya'hear?