Save the Dates

I was asked to design Save the Dates for digital distribution (the bride-to-be wanted to email them to friends and loved ones so that she can spend more money on the wedding invitations). After a few sketches, she approved this design and layout:

 

I created this design that features Peonies, a favorite flower of the couple.

The design was created using original floral illustrations and existing fonts.

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Happy Earth Day

Today is the day we celebrate our Earth and try to make it a better place for ourselves and for future generations.

While I may not be the person with the smallest ecological footprint, I do take steps to minimize my impact whenever possible. As an artist, I try my best to find paints and inks that are nontoxic and papers that are made from recycled materials. I recycle shipping materials like tissue paper and packing bubbles and reuse them in outgoing packages. I am a hoarder of fabric scraps and I’ve even got a project in the works that makes use of many of them! The list goes on…

I also recently made a wonderful hand-painted chalkboard globe. It is painted with nontoxic chalkboard paints (THANK YOU Martha Stewart!) and was created with  love and extreme care). Each landmass was carefully painted with layers and layers of paint. The oceans were given the same amount of TLC. I did find out, however, that the black paint takes more coats than the blue paint to cover evenly. Who knew!

While it looks lovely on my bookshelf, It would look even better in a children’s room. It is the perfect addition to a nursery or a bedroom for a child of any age. As it is made with chalkboard paint, you can write on the globe. It is perfect for children learning the continents. Practice the names right on the globe.

The globes are also PERFECT for weddings. Use a permanent gold, white, or silver paint marker to write a personal message to the bride or groom. Customizable messages are also available.

More colors and more designs are soon to come to Pink Toe Press!

MonDIY: Make your own Craspedia bouquet Part 1

It’s Monday and it’s cold. I’ve been wanting to buy some flowers to brighten up the house. But with the bitter cold and the fact that most spring flowers currently available are a bit malodorous to me (pollen allergy), I just haven’t gotten around to it. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Craspedia flower, a member of the Daisy family and an oh-so-cute flower indeed. They are super-popular for brides, so lots of people sell them online. I bought some seeds last summer with the intention of drying the flowers, but they did not grow this spring.

I was just about to order a few dried bunches online the other day when I realized something: I could DIY that. With supplies I have at home.

Time for som MonDIY: Make your own Craspedia Bouqet!

Supplies needed for making your own Craspedia flower bouquet.

Step 1: Gather your supplies.

Everything that I used for this project, I already had in my craft supplies. Feel free to substitute some of the “ingredients” like glue or paint for your personal preference.

*Wool Felt Balls. I chose a variety of sizes and colors for my bouquet. I wanted something warm and springy or summery, so I chose an orange and yellow patina. Order online or find at your local craft store.

*Glue. I love Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue

*Wooden/Bamboo Skewers. (for grilling) I got mine at the grocery store.

*Paint. Scottish Highlands (High Gloss) by Martha Stewart

*Jar. I used a mason jar that I do not use for food. This will be used to dry the paints and glues. (and even to display the finished project!)

*Scissors, Paint Brush, Vase (if you are not going to use a Mason jar)

**You can use a different color paint or different color felt balls. Also feel free to use a favorite vase or bottle to hold the bouquet when you are done. Switch it up by adding string or twine too.

Painted bamboo skewers. Scottish Highland and Mermaid Teal.

Step 2:

Paint your skewers. Grab the sharp end and use your paint brush to paint a generous layer of paint along the entire skewer. I found it easiest to paint by holding the sharp end and twisting the whole skewer as I painted. Don’t worry about getting 100% of the sharp end painted as that is the end that will be covered with the felt. Set aside to dry. They will dry rather quickly as the wood absorbs some of the paint.

Meanwhile, prep your wool felt balls. Using an unpainted skewer, “pre-drill” a hole in each felt ball. Some felt balls come with holes for stringing, if yours have that, skip this step. All others, take the sharp end of the skewer and make a hole in each felt ball, make sure it goes in fairly far but not so far that it passes through to the other side. This will make the bouquet more durable and you will be less likely to have “flowers” fall off their stems.

Stay tuned for Part 2!