I received an email the other day that I had a sale in my Society6 shop, which reminded me that I had been wanting to update that shop for a while. So, I have just added 10 new patterns and images.
To celebrate, the update and the holiday season, I’d like to offer FREE SHIPPING + an additional $5 off purchases made in my Society6 shop. Use this promo link to take advantage of the great deal.
The promotion expires December 8, 2013 at midnight pacific time. The offer excludes framed art prints, stretch canvases and throw pillows with inserts.
3 days post NaBloPoMo and I am absolutely swamped. I can’t wait to work on some personal projects but they will have to wait until next week. In the meantime I entertain myself with netflix while I pretend to be a worker elf. Today I put on Disney’s Robin Hood, a movie my brother and I used to watch all the time when we were kids. When it got to this spot I knew right away where my brother must have gotten it: calling me Robayre. Robin Hood, Robayre. There you have it.
I just always assumed he was calling me Robayre, like the french Robert, which is probably what Little John is doing in the video above, but now I’m sure my brother had it in his head specifically because of this movie.
And while we’re at it, we can thank this great classic movie for turning out Roger Miller’s music, which would then be used much later for HAMSTER DANCE!
Today for my last NaBloPoMo post I can share with you this brooch I made for a friend‘s birthday present because she has received it now. It actually all started with this picture I took, below.
Matt and I were wandering around killing time in Chicago when I saw these swans. We’ve probably all seen a swan planter before, but to have two and put them head to head like swans do, and in front of that bright blue wall, everything was so perfect. When I originally shared the picture on instagram Ann commented “I want those” and then over time I started noticing that I think she really has a thing for swans. I actually had the idea that I was going to buy her two swan planters but was worried that when presented with two huge blown plastic swans she would actually be like “gee, thanks” but thinking “what a nutter, where on earth am I going to put these things?”
Then I started LOVING making felt brooches and had the idea to make a brooch with two swans instead. Easier to wrap. I got the idea for the tulle wings from another brooch online, but I wish I could take credit for that though. These brooches I have been making are kind of ginormous, so I don’t know if people will really actually want to wear them or attach them to something (like a bag or pillow) where they can just look at them. I’m not afraid of large and bold jewelry, but I know it’s not for everyone. It’s probably about 5 inches wide.
And just a reminder that the tooth brooch I made is still available on Artists Heal PH, which will help raise funds for typhoon Haiyan relief. This brooch is approximately 4.5″ tall.
In 2005 Jeffrey Yamaguchi published the book 52 Projects. I loved this book! I still love this book. After it came out I not only bought it for myself, I bought a couple copies to give to others.
52 Projects is a book that (you guessed it) offers 52 different creative projects for people to do over the span of one year. Project 21 encourages readers to take a picture of the same thing for one month. For years and years I have attempted to finish this project, and for years and years I have failed. I have lived in 3 different places over the span of me trying to complete this project. One year I actually did take a picture every day for one month. Only the pictures spanned over several cameras and then I lost one of the memory cards from one of the cameras, so I couldn’t put all the final pictures together in the end. Over the years that I have tried to start this project and finally finish it, I completely forgot what the actual original project was. I was certain that the project was specifically to photograph a tree changing colors. But as it turns out, that was just my take on the project and it became so ingrained that I thought that was the project. Really, the project is to document something over one month, whether it be a picture of yourself or a scene, then put the pictures together in chronological order and put them somewhere to share. In the time from when the project was first “assigned” to now, gifs have blown up so it is only natural that I would adapt this project to the times. This is my platform for sharing the documentation of our tree changing colors and losing its fall leaves.
A couple of notes about the this project. The pictures were taken daily, mostly between noon and 1 p.m., from the beginning of October to the beginning of November 2013. The difference in lighting is strictly weather, aside from one picture. I was so excited about decorating the tree for Halloween (Heidi Kenney‘s idea) that I threw in one night shot with the tree lit up. The season ended way too quickly here. It may look like I missed some days, but we had one crazy windy night and one rainy day and boom, all the leaves had fallen. I love that it captures the Chicagoland area fall so perfectly with snow showing up in a couple of the shots. After you are done watching the tree, now pay attention to the burning bush next to the tree.
Tonight after work I just crashed. Absolutely emotionally and physically drained from this work week, and it had only been 3 days. After a loooong nap, I woke up around 9 p.m. with so much to do. But, in true Robayre style, instead of tackling anything on my urgent to-do list, I decided to carve this stamp. I deserved that little treat.
I drew out the beginning idea in my sketchbook a week or two ago.
I have carving supplies but I have found that just using an Xacto knife on this soft block carves up so much easier and quicker. On the top finished print, I used a combination of gold embossing powders, one was a metallic and one was a glitter and it had this awesome result. Of course I love it and now I want to print up tons of them and give them to all the cool people I know.
And then, just for fun…
A super quick little demo on embossing. It’s as easy as that. Embossing stamp pad, powder and heat gun, voila! I remember first doing this as a freshman in high school taking Graphic Arts. Well, we were using commercial stamps with logos, but you get the idea.
Starting on November 28th I will be participating in a great artist’s market, Artists Heal PH, where the proceeds will go to benefit typhoon Haiyan relief efforts in the Philippines. The sale was organized by artist Nancy Mungcal of Pretty Little Thieves, along with her sister. There are a lot of amazing artists involved, so please check out the sale, it will be going on through the end of the year.
In the meantime, if you would like to see some sneak peeks of items that will go for sale, you can see them on the artistshealph instagram and tumblr accounts. I have three items that I donated. You can see my little patterned notebook in the top right corner of the picture above.
As well as this wool felt tooth brooch above. I’m kind of obsessed with making these brooches lately. And then I will have a gold garland for sale as well.
What a great way to support the cause as well as take home some goodies for yourself or as a gift for others.
Thanks to Ann of A Beautiful Party for sending Nancy my way. I think Nancy would also accept more donations, if you would like to send something. Please read this post for more details.
I did a search in my flickr archives for thanks and this image 2006 camera phone image came up and it felt fitting.
Despite that it was a Monday and despite that I got called into work for a couple of hours at midnight, I was actually in a pleasant mood this morning. I’m happy about this holiday week, excited for an appointment I have on Wednesday, and then it even started snowing! Everything was great until right before lunch when found out that there are going to be some changes at work. I am not great with change and this is pretty big. I have a lot of thinking to do. I kind of just want to cry and run away but I know I need to put this in perspective. Matt’s family has had some major blows last week, losing 2 uncles, and 1 aunt that was in a bad car accident. What I need to do is not dwell on “woe is me” and instead focus on the positive. I need to recognize all the gifts that I have and be thankful. Thursday is Thanksgiving and so I’d like to share some of the things I am thankful for this year.
-Sparkly deck lights on a timer every evening
-Matt being like a furnace or my own personal heating blanket during the cold evenings
-Owning my very own treadmill
-Warm kitties cheering me up when I am sad
-Etsy for allowing me to have a venue for my creative work
-My whole family that lives nearby
-Snow days
-The USPS allowing me to send and deliver a letter or package anywhere in the world
-Even though I’m a hypochondriac and always worried that I have something that is going to kill me, I’ve actually lived my whole life in excellent health
-I’m grateful for the internet, and the connections and dear friendships I have made because of it
-I’m thankful for Jimmy John’s and their tasty-tasty bread
-Matt loving me and supporting me no matter what
-Our awesome home and my own studio in it
It’s November 24th, less than one week to go. This was pretty much all I could muster after this busy day.
Cleaned the living
Cleaned the kitchen & Dinning Room
Worked on bajillions of garlands (I’m a machine)
Showered and got dressed
Went to the grocery store
Made two huge pots of soup (zuppa toscana and a vegetable dumpling)
Worked on bajillions of garlands some more
Ran the dishwasher
Walked over to my parents’ house
Cut this gelli plate print out and stuck it in my sketchbook, voila!
Hellooooooooo to my most recent Robayre Friends in:
Denver, CO
Adelaide, Australia
Yakima, WA
Carol Stream, IL
Seattle, WA
Phoenix, AZ
Santa Cruz, CA
Red Bank, NJ
Boulder, CO
Portland, OR
Hitchin, United Kingdom
White Plains, NY
New York, NY
Hackensack, NY
Thank you so much for your support in my creative endeavors.
Hello, my name is Robyn and I hatched from a Kinder Surprise Egg. Craft, Art, Design blog. Graphic Designer for a printing company by day, Inspiration Junkie by night. I like front porch swings, trampolines, mailart and etsy.
100 Things About Me
