Archives for February 2011

"What’s Your Story?" Featuring Artist Jo Morphett

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I ran into Jo’s work while browsing Artfire, and had to find out more about her! Vintage, comics, collage, birds, monograms… all unique with a pop that leaves you wanting to snatch them all up. Here are some of my very favorites, you can find in Jo’s Artfire store, Peaceofpi Studio.







Time to hear from Jo herself! Thanks for taking the time to get up close with SBLC, Jo…

About your work:

Where are you located?
Vancouver, Canada

What do you create?
I create paintings and collage with three main areas of interest: Colorful abstract paintings with lots of texture and linear elements, bird themed art with a focus on blackbirds & crows, and collage and typography pieces created from recycled & reimagined comics.

When and why did you set up your online shop?
I opened a shop on Etsy (http://peaceofpi.etsy.com) in early 2008. The prospect of having my work available on a global scale directly from me to the customer was an exciting opportunity. I found a niche on Etsy and my shop specializes in custom comic typography & painted monograms.
In October 2010 I opened my Artfire shop (http://peaceofpi.artfire.com) which features my paintings, collages, and recycled comic art. Artfire is a newer kid on the handmade marketplace block with an impressive focus on helping shops effectively promote their creations all over the internet.

How do you promote your creations?
Admittedly, I’m not a big self-promoter and I’ve had to find a comfortable balance when it comes to creating vs. marketing. I have a blog (http://pistudio.blogspot.com/) that focuses on happenings in my studio and a pro account at flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/peaceofpi/) where several customers have found my work. I also tweet http://twitter.com/peaceofpi
In 2010 I launched my website (http://jomobimo.com) This can be a daunting step for artisans but when you’re ready it’s well worth the time and effort to create and own your personal artisan hub.

What inspires your work?
I feel a connection to the imperfect things in life, and this is an underlying theme in my work.
To me birds are endlessly inspiring because they symbolize the commonplace and the mysterious. They are also a powerful symbol of freedom from the materialism of consumerist culture.
My passion to create using vintage comics stems from both nostalgia and the good vs. evil themes. The idea of having extraordinary abilities, courage and endless adventure is exciting and it sparks real life creativity. Strong women and men acting with courage and strength inspires me about possibilities, what if””””””””s, and maybes.

What is your must have tool for creating?
I think it would have to be tie between matte medium (my favorite collage glue) and palette knives (my favorite tool for painting). Both of these tools are invaluable in the work I do. I actually think I might get a bit twitchy if I felt my glue supply was running low, and I’d start bending up my kitchen utensils if my palette knives disappeared!

Do you have any tips for others wanting to turn their art into a business?
Be yourself. Find your unique spin. Think about what defines success for you and constantly return to this definition. Figure out what you don’t know and find books, blogs & other resources to fill in your knowledge gaps. Set goals. Don’t compare yourself to others. Create what you enjoy creating. Be kind.

Extras:

What good books have you read or movies have you seen lately?
I like biographies. Recent reads are Triumph by Carolyn Jessop (a follow up to her book Escape) & Up Till Now by William Shatner (which almost goes in tandem with this Trekkie fave Star Trek Memories).
I love a good movie. My recent faves are The King’s Speech & foreign film Run Lola Run.

Where was your last vacation?
I’m a fan of the staycation. I love where I live and being a tourist in my hometown is a riot.


What is your favorite pastime outside of creating?
Indoors I love cooking up a storm. Adapting a recipe is definitely a favorite pastime.
Outdoors hiking and dog walking are all-weather activities I enjoy.

Who is your favorite designer/artist?
I particularly like the work of Kurt Schwitters but I have to give a shout out to the simplicity and pathos of Charles Schulz. There I go again, jumping between art & comics!

Spring Inspired Crochet Headband With Free Pattern

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crochet headband pattern
 

I am on a spring headband kick these days. In fact, spring everything, really. Just got back from a sunny, warm vacation and now I am doing all I can to deny what is left of winter here in Indiana.

 
Here is the pattern I designed for the above headband, composed of three granny squares and two triangles made in the round, with slip stitch ties. This beauty works up quick. I used DMC thread size 5, and a size D crochet hook
 
 
Materials:
3 colors of DMC size 5 (Color A=bright pink, B=Green, C=light pink in the above pictures)
Size D crochet hook
Tapestry needle for finishing
 
Instructions: (For a Crochet Abbreviation Glossary, click HERE)
Flower Square Motif (Make 3 total—> 2 using A as center and 1 using B as Center)
Foundation Ring: Using A (B), ch 6, join with sl st to form a ring
Round 1(RS): Chain 5 – this counts as first dc and ch 2; (dc in ring, ch 2) 7 times; join with sl st in 3rd chain of beginning chain 5—8 dc and 8 ch-2 loops.
Round 2: With RS facing, join B (A) with sl st in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, in same sp work sc, hdc, 2 dc, hdc and sc; join with sl st in first sc. Fasten off.
Round 3: With RS facing, join C in back lp of same sc as last sl st, ch 5; working in back loops, (sl st in first single chain of next petal, ch 5) 7 times; join with sl st in first ch of ch-5.
Round 4: Sl st into next ch-5 sp, ch 1, 6 sc into same sp; *work 3 dc, ch 2, and 3 dc in next ch-5 sp**, 6 sc in next ch-5 sp; rep from*twice and from*to**once again; join with sl st into first sc. Fasten off.
 
Triangle Motifs (make 2 using color C)

Foundation Ring: Ch 3, join with sl st to form ring.

Rnd 1:Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 11 dc into ring, sl st in top of turning ch—12 dc total.

Rnd 2: Ch 3(counts as first dc), 2 dc in each st around and in same st as beginning chain 3, sl st in top of beginning

ch—24 dc.

Rnd 3: Ch 3, *(2 dc, tr, 2 dc) all in next st, dc in each of next 7 sts;

rep from * 2 times, sl st in top of turning ch—33 dc plus 3 ch-2

corner spaces. Fasten off.

 

Finishing:

Seam one triangle motif, 4 flower square motifs and 1 triangle motif

together, either by sewing, slip stitching, or single crocheting. When

seaming tog the last square and triangle, at the end of the seam

turn the work and sc along the edge of the joined motifs. Cont

down to the point of a triangle. To make tie: Sl st into st at point

of triangle, then ch 50. Skip first ch st and sl st in rem ch, then sl

st into the st at the point of the triangle again. Cont to sc along

the edge of the joined motifs to the point of the second triangle

and make a second tie. Sc to beg of sc edge and fasten off. Weave

in all ends.

 

Here are some more of my favorite spring colors you will see all headband-tastic in the near future!

 
 

Sunday Hopping

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Come hop with me!!



Shibley Smiles Sunday Blog Hop

Thrifty Thursday Blog Hop Week 13

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***Thrifty Thursday is a little different this week. No featured bloggers. Remember, you must be an email subscriber to SBLC (see sidebar “subscribe”) to be chosen as a featured blogger and receive free ad space***

The general idea is to link to your frugal post, whether it be a DIY, recipe, tip, coupon… if you like it, link it. If you don’t have a thrifty post to link to, feel welcome to join the hop anyway, and link to your main blog.

Other stuff:

*Grab my “Thrifty Thursday” button above and throw it on your lovely site. Let’s grow this!

*I will choose 2 participants to feature the following Thursday, please drop by and say hello to the feature bloggers and follow along. HERE IS THE NEW PART;

Starting next Thrifty Thursday, each featured blog will receive a free week of Ad space in my “Sponsors” box to the right. In order to be featured, from now on, you must be an email subscriber to SBLC. See the box on the far right “Subscribers”. By signing up you will get a weekly reminder to join the hop, and a chance to be featured and get free Ad space. YAY!

*Follow the blogs you love, and feel free to follow anyone who follows you. Leave a comment when you follow so that the blogger will know you are a new follower.

*Leave me a comment and let me know you were here. I love hearing from you.

*Have fun 🙂

Guest Post With Hani; Nylon Lotus Flower Tutorial

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Hello Readers of Saved By Love Creations

 

I am Hani from Craftionary
I am so excited to be here. Today, I am sharing the tutorial on nylon lotus
or water lily to welcome Spring

 

pantyhose_lotus_nylon_purple_flower_craft

 

Use your old stockings and make beautiful flowers this spring.These are very simple to make and trust me they lookbeautiful. I used to see them and think that they might be difficult to make. But seriously when I tried my hand on it; it was so easy and fast.
You will need:
Wire, floral tape, thread, stem wire, stamens and your choice of nylon

 

A complete guide can be found at Materialand Basic Nylon Flower

 

To make the petals simply wound the wire around a round cap or lid and twist the end
 

 

Now cover it with nylon and thread it at the end. Then cut of the excess of nylon
 

 

You will need the material listed below. Note: If you don’t have the rings you can use caps, lids etc of the mentioned diameter. For example: size (4) means diameter 4.
 

 


Wind the thread around any circle. Make a hook at one end of the wire, hook in the thread and twist the wire to close. Then twist the wire around the stem wire firmly. Thread 8 double-sided yellow stamens to the stem wire as well.

 



 


Thread the petals. Starting from the smallest petals moving on to the largest petals. Once all the petals are threaded, wrap floral tape to hide the wires. See the picture below to get my point:

 

 



 

 



 


Open the petals and your done. Don’t you just love the wideness and openness
of the lotus. It’s a beautiful flower I can’t adore it more.

 

 


You can keep it over the leaves and let it float over water in a bowl
or decorate with stones or glasses in a vase.

 

“This season be glad for the beauty around you and instead of picking flowers make artificial flowers to welcome the spring. Still if you love the real thing, please pot a flower and don’t decorateit in a vase. We should care for what we love. After all it’s our world. “

 

 


A few of my favorite projects lately:

 

 

 


Simple Gifts Made exclusive with Origami
 

 


Last Minute Valentine Ideas with Love

 

 

Abstract Painting Using Thread
Thanks for having me Johnnie. I enjoyed being here.

 

Love
 
Hani

 


 

 

Vinyl Wall Happiness; Frugal & Fast, With Flair

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Happiness3

I found another cheap solution to my barren wall space. I haven’t lived in this house for long, and spent the first few months here painting walls and getting settled. You know I am a fan of vinyl wall decor if you have read this post, this one or this one… I could go on for awhile.

I am a big proponent of cutting my own designs with my Cricute, however, this deal at Joanne’s was just too good to pass up. I love the text, with its inspirational message. Not to mention the 3D embellishment butterflies. The colors coordinate perfectly with my living room. The price tag… less than $15 with my Joanne’s 40% off coupon. Can’t beat it. It would cost me a few dollars for the vinyl to cut it myself, and with the time investment it would take, $15 wins! A great way to bring an element of style to your home on a budget! 

"What’s Your Story?" Featuring Artist Nancy Fallon

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I am thrilled to bring you Nancy Fallon as the debut artist in SBLC’s new segment “What’s Your Story”. It won’t be hard to see why I had to know more about this artist. Her versatility and style hooked me. From mixed media pieces to knit coin purses to pendants and beautiful note cards… here are some items I found in her Etsy shop, followed by a detailed interview. Enjoy!




About your work:
Where are you located?


I currently live in Baltimore City, Md.

What do you create?

I have a bit of a.d.d. when it comes to (well, anything) creating, so my products range. I most fully concentrate on my knitwear during the winter season- a line of knit scarves which I’ve just discontinued (attempting to streamline a bit), and a line of knit purses including- coin purses, clutches, medium sized shoulder strap purses, and totes.

During the spring and summer I concentrate on my inventory of miniature card and envelope sets, jewelry, and my mixed media art pieces.



When and why did you set up your online shop?


Back in the summer of 2008, a friend introduced me to etsy and I fell in love with it’s potential. Any artist understands what a renegade thought it is to have the chance to quit your day job and make money doing what you truly love- making things. I was hooked, and in early September I just had to open a shop to see where it could take me.


How do you promote your creations?


This year I’ve actually quit my full time teaching job to allow me to focus solely on my handmades business. I am determined to make it bigger, so this is an area I’m starting to concentrate on. In the past two years, I’ve maintained a blog (http://nfallondesignstudio.blogspot.com), grown my followers through give aways, constant blog reading and commenting, and entrecard. I’ve advertised with project wonderful, done internal promoting on etsy (treasuries, showcases-when you could, forums), and created a facebook fan page.

I’m dreaming bigger this year, currently researching rates on the bigger design blogs and planing to drop a few bones pretty soon in order to hopefully draw in more traffic.


What inspires your work?

I’ve written a few blog posts about what inspires my fine art and my jewelry designs here (http://nfallondesignstudio.blogspot.com/2009/04/inspiration-for-my-contained-series.html)

and here (http://nfallondesignstudio.blogspot.com/2008/10/growth-series-drawings.html)

For my knits and card sets, I’m really inspired by color. I love bright, really saturated colors, and I love finding unexpected combinations that work with one another in oddly attractive ways. For the designs, I just work out something I think I’d love to have or something that would function well with my things. My designs tend to be simple and utilitarian so they don’t fight with the sometimes tastefully outrageous things I have going on in color and texture with them.


What is your must have tool for creating?


Even though I’m admittedly addicted to many different supplies, I have to say my go to supplies are knitting needles. I enjoy knitting most out of everything I make. It’s a repetitive, relaxing activity, with a range of difficulty and potential. Almost every night of the week you will find me settled on the couch, knitting needles in hand.


Do you have any tips for others wanting to turn their art into a business?


You just have to be bold. It’s not an easy thing- you are your only everything- promotor, grunt work doer, maker, graphic designer, writer- you name it, you have to be good at it. Most of us start out knowing next to nothing about on side or the other so it involves a lot of research, patience, and persistence.


Extras:


What good books have you read or movies have you seen lately?


Movies/ shows- We just came to the netflix party, so I’ve been catching up, saw: 500 Days of Summer, Freaks and Geeks (AMAZING!), Brothers, About a Boy, Dexter

Books- Currently Reading- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; Recently read- Wicked, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (series),

Where was your last vacation?


I had the amazing (and unusual for me) opportunity to go to Greece and Italy this past summer. A friend from college is now a high school latin teacher, and asked me to go along as a chaperone. Of course I said yes- it was a LOT of hard work- but an unforgettable, incredible trip.


What is your favorite pastime outside of creating?


I’m a big nature buff. I love hiking and camping, just being in the woods or the country side. I go at least twice a month, 3 seasons of the year. Although, it’s tradition for one of my college buddies and I to go torture ourselves trekking through the snow and ice the first snow of every year…


Who is your favorite designer/artist?


I don’t know if I can say just one. My college degree is in Studio Art, concentration in Sculpture, so I’m largely influenced by modern and contemporary artists including: Eva Hesse, Jessica Stockholder, Anne Wilson, Rachel Whiteread, Do Ho Suh, Tara Donovan, so many others…

Hi From Tampa Bay; Local Doodles

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My adventures exploring the area surrounding our hotel revealed crazy eyed hot dog graffiti and whimsical, fun, artsy reminders to buckle up. Love it. Safety first, followed closely by creativity and aesthetics! The girl in the bottom pic reminds me of Stewart from Mad TV. It is a pose he would strike after setting up with “look what I can do!”.

All this was after a blissful morning run in the sunshine and 70 degree temps. Back up even further to the airport departing gate; I spotted a cross pendant on the ground. I bent over and snatched it up, looking around to try and spy its owner. My husband pointed to a nearby lady (no idea what drew him to her of all the people waiting to board), so I approached her with the pendant. Thus began a new friendship. Turns out she had made the pendant, is a jewelry designer and happens to be the mother of the lead singer of a famous band I was obsessed with in high school. Her soon died tragically in 1995. I didn’t ask my new friend how she felt about being mentioned on my blog, so no names for now. We do have jewelry making plans, and kindred souls. How wonderful that a cross brought us together. Ah the symbolism.
Unrelated: This week I am launching a new segment on Saved By Love Creations, where we get up close and personal with an various artisans. I am so excited about the debut artist, I can’t wait to share her work with you. Stay tuned!!

Crafty Hippo Designs Free Blog Makeover; Hurry!

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Did you see my post from last week, the one where I threw my hands up and cried out to the blogosphere… “HELP”? I was in the midst of attempting to turn a design I made in photoshop into my actual website. Yeah, it was humbling and frustrating – next time I will reach out for help sooner. Really, I was just venting, I certainly didn’t expect what happened as a result of my post…

Jeannette over at Crafty Hippo Designs left me a comment saying maybe she could help. A few emails and a couple of days later, I had my new design, just the way I wanted it. It turns out Jeannette is launching her design services business, and was looking for some sites to revamp for FREE to build her portfolio. How cool is that? The stars aligned, we connected, and I am thrilled with my new design. I will be asking for help more often!

She was a pleasure to work with, very accommodating, thorough and quick. You need to head over to her site and jump on this chance to have your blog redone for FREE. She is only taking two more, so hurry up now. No WordPress at this time, just Blogger. Sign up to follow her new blog and help spread the word. She does great work, and even if it is too late for a freebie, I have a feeling she will be quite reasonable.

Thrifty Thursday Blog Hop Week 12

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Hi all. That’s right, it is Thursday already. This is week 12 of Thrifty Thursday.
Make sure you read on, cause I’ve added a twist.

The general idea is to link to your frugal post, whether it be a DIY, recipe, tip, coupon… if you like it, link it. If you don’t have a thrifty post to link to, feel welcome to join the hop anyway, and link to your main blog.

Other stuff:
*Grab my “Thrifty Thursday” button above and throw it on your lovely site. Let’s grow this!
*I will choose 2 participants to feature the following Thursday, please drop by and say hello to the feature bloggers and follow along. HERE IS THE NEW PART;
Starting next Thrifty Thursday, each featured blog will receive a free week of Ad space in my “Sponsors” box to the right. In order to be featured, from now on, you must be an email subscriber to SBLC. See the box on the far right “Subscribers”. By signing up you will get a weekly reminder to join the hop, and a chance to be featured and get free Ad space. YAY!
*Follow the blogs you love, and feel free to follow anyone who follows you. Leave a comment when you follow so that the blogger will know you are a new follower.
*Leave me a comment and let me know you were here. I love hearing from you.
*Have fun 🙂

Weekly Featured Blogs:
*A Nest for all seasons;

Amy has some wonderful Ikea hacks, and tips on making beauty from what commonly gets thrown out with the trash. I am impressed. This is definitely a go to source for frugal yet beautiful home decor.
I love these bird canvases (here is her detailed tutorial)

I can’t wait to try some of Amy’s DIY tutorials!

*Keeping it Simple; Kaysi has some great tutorials and links going on over at Keeping it Simple. Go say hello and be inspired!

Keeping It Simple
Check out this safety pin watch band…

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