christmas ornaments

nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 6 Comments

“Yet my heart loves December’s smile as much as July’s golden beam; then let us sit and watch the while the blue ice curdling on the stream.” ~ Emily Brontë

1. Hello, December — are you here already? How is that possible? Another year has whizzed by. May as well enjoy all that this chilly, bustling, festive fa-la-la of a month has to offer, from bells to baubles, carols to candlelight!

Care to join me for a sleigh ride past a charming New England B&B? After we’ve crossed the covered bridge, we can duck inside for some hot chocolate. 🙂

Today’s charming winter scenes were created by Wisconsin-based artist-illustrator Elisabeth (“Lis”) Dorrian. You may remember we featured her work back in June, before she moved to the Midwest from Maryland. Lis is self taught, has been drawing since childhood, and works in gouache, acrylics, and digitally for her folk art style pieces.

She’s inspired by slow, seasonal, simple living, hoping her art will inspire others to take time to enjoy life’s little daily miracles. I like escaping to her idyllic depictions of children playing in the snow, families baking cinnamon rolls together, the joy of a wonderful ruff ruff surprise on Christmas morning.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 17 Comments

“Happily we bask in this warm September sun, which illuminates all creatures.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

1. Happy September! We’re happy to be back in anticipation of a beautiful Fall, and what better way to celebrate than to bask in UK artist Jenny Jones’s gorgeous art! 🙂

Are you up for a little apple picking, cuddling with comely farm animals, sipping tea in the garden? I was drawn to Jenny’s work immediately for her loving depictions of British rural life and simpler, gentler times.

She’s currently based in Bishop’s Castle, a small market town in SW Shropshire, England, known for its thriving artist community. She studied painting in Florence and at Shrewsbury and Farm Art Schools, has won prizes for her work, and has participated in many group and solo exhibitions. She’s also illustrated a number of children’s books. 🙂

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nine cool blue things on a special tuesday

~ jama ~ 6 Comments
“Alala, aka Hawaiian Crow”

1. Happy November and Happy Election Day! We’re going full-tilt 💙BLUE💙 for maximum good luck in today’s critical race. First, behold several blue beauties from Vermont artist-author-illustrator Ashley Wolff’s A Year of Birds Challenge.

“Blue Grosbeak”
“CA Scrub Jay”
“Peacock”

Each day in 2022, Ashley painted a different bird, an awesome opportunity for her to study one of the most varied and fascinating groups of animals on earth. Love seeing so many new-to-me species rendered in luscious, vibrant gouache.

“Indigo Bunting”
“Grandala”

Each 5″ x 7″ signed painting is a OOAK original, and Ashley is donating 20% of the proceeds to wildlife conservation. Why not treat yourself or a special someone to one of these gorgeous pieces? 🙂

“Superb Fairy Wren”

To see many more birds (of various plumage colors), visit Ashley Wolff’s Etsy Shop. For info about her children’s books, workshops, and other projects, visit her Official Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

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nine cool things on a tuesday (+ 2 extra cause it’s holiday time!)

~ jama ~ 16 Comments

1. Ho ho ho and Merry Merry! Tis the season for sending cool holiday greetings to your nearest and dearest. What could be better than Clover Robin’s gorgeous cut paper creations?

Buy these individually or in sets of 4 large or 5 smaller size. There’s “Joy,” “Winter Hare,” “Festive Wreath,” “Jug of Festive Foliage,” and my favorite, “Teatime.” They’re blank on the inside and come with natural colored 100% recycled envelopes.

You may remember we featured London-based Clover Robin’s charming cut paper collages not too long ago. Check out her Etsy Shop to order these festive cards or any of her other lovely botanical cards and prints.

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2. This one caught my eye because I’m a big Becca Stadtlander fan. Just released in early October, Made by Hand: A Crafts Sampler, written by Carole Lexa Schaefer (Candlewick, 2018), spotlights 14 handmade objects crafted between 1798 and 1950.

A beautiful, one-of-a-kind volume invites readers to marvel at the time, effort, and care that went into creating handmade toys, tools, and treasures of the past.

Whirr, buzz, hum. Before busy machines in factories turned out most of what we need and use, people crafted these items by hand. From a globe to a pie crimper, a butter churn to a rocking horse, this unique collection highlights fourteen one-of-a-kind objects — each one drafted, stitched, painted, or engraved by hand. Author Carole Lexa Schaefer draws inspiration from real historical artifacts to create thirteen short works of fiction, imagining the hands that might have made and used each item. Several artifacts can be traced to their origin, while others remain complete mysteries, making for a fascinating patchwork of fact, guesswork, and imagination. Illustrator Becca Stadtlander breathes color and charm into this handmade history, bringing to life the different objects, people, and times. The result is a singular glimpse of everyday objects and treasures alike — back when such things were made by hand.

I’ve always been a fan of handmade, “heart-made” objects, and can’t wait to see this book. I love the blending of craft + history + a touch of fiction + Becca’s art. 🙂

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Indie Artist Spotlight: Sylvia of Puffin Patchwork

~ jama ~ 22 Comments

While looking for handmade Christmas ornaments last Fall, I happily discovered Puffin Patchwork on Etsy and instantly fell in love.

Fifi the Poodle

 

 

Who could resist the beautifully crafted felt owls, kitties, Airedales and poodles (all with charming names)? Or the quaint little houses and layered hearts? I could tell by the meticulous attention to detail — the lovely embroidery and appliqué work — that everything was made with a lot of love and pride. I like Sylvia’s color sense and how she incorporates vintage fabric scraps and buttons in her pieces. And I like her endearingly neat stitches that give each item a distinctive handmade look.

 

In addition to felt ornaments, Sylvia makes wonderful wallhangings, coin purses and phone cases. She does all the designing, cutting, sewing, and decorating in her seaside home in South-west Ireland, and draws inspiration from the dramatic landscapes and colorful fishing towns. Sounds like an idyllic setting for an artist, don’t you think?

 

I’m so pleased to welcome Sylvia (a fellow Beatrix Potter fan!) to Alphabet Soup today. She’s been making and selling handmade for 30 years, and I know you’ll like hearing more about her inspirations and process. Thanks for visiting, Sylvia! 🙂

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