Reno 911

My sister-in-law is getting married in just four weeks and while she has her dress and hairstyle all planned out, I am still... well... in the design stages.

It seems only appropriate to draw inspiration from the Style Network star Niecy Nash and "copy" her signature flower style.

I am totally smitten with this piece from ohmydeer! Maybe once I get a dress I can think about a commissioned flower.

Planning my patio garden!

This weekend I have a ton of things to do: my friend, Linda of Little Flower Designs will be at the Fine Furnishings and Fine Craft Show; Val of Bowerbox Press is having an open house to show off her fantastic letterpress;
Black Cherry Puppet Theater latest show feature a giant sock puppet (need I say more?);
and clearly, I cannot forget the Summit of AWESOME!

But I am also hoping to have time (maybe I won't sleep?) to work in our little backyard patio garden. I'm thinking nasturtiums for the window boxes since they will get full sun and can take a bit of a beating. Then definitely all my herbs - basil, dill, lavender - and sing with me "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme." Oh, and we just got some of those upside-down, hanging tomatoes.

All the garden thinking has me searching for some garden print inspiration. You know my Summer Garden print but I am also digging the work of Pittsburgh (by way of the west coast) artist, Noelle Griskey and Pink Bathtub Designs. Check it out!

Baltimore Magazine needs your vote!

Fill out your 2009 Charm City favorites at http://www.baltimoremagazine.net/whowonit/readers_poll.asp. Results will be listed in Baltimore Magazine's August issue. Can't wait!

Happy Earth Day!

It's raining in Baltimore (cannot get the Counting Crows out of my head this month!) but the good news is all my herbs have survived the winter and happy, green shoots are poking out of the dirt just in time for Earth Day. In this spirit, here's what I've got going on so far today:

• For the insider tips on going green in Baltimore - and upcycled art and design - visit Baltidome.
• Three green restaurants that I've put on my list as must-have meals for Earth Day: Dogwood Cafe, Feast@4East and Woodberry Kitchen.
• Come visit me on May 9th and check out my new "green" line at Squidfire's Spring Art Mart. I'll be "wo-manning" the Charm City Craft Mafia tent with Bowerbox Press, HVM Designs and Pink Kiss Pottery.

Thank you, Richmond!

The Richmond Craft Mafia outdid themselves this year with their Spring Bada Bing show at Plant Zero on Sunday. (I am incredibly grateful to the boss ladies of craft for hosting illegible ink at the show.) I met some great fans - a set of sisters who I wouldn't hesitate to hire as marketing reps and a young woman who made my day by telling me my prints "made her day."

The good feelings continued into my work week back in Baltimore as I eye my latest crafty purchases:

My new "Roll with it" print from Brainstorm.
(Good news for you - they are coming to Charm City's own Squidfire Art Mart on May 9th.)

I can't wait to wear my Poppy Tank Smock in brown from our fav, Red Prairie Press.
(I am eyeing her kitchen utensils tank dress next.)

And finally, the perfect card for my sister-in-law's upcoming May wedding from Holly Camp Cards. My husband also got the wine-juggling octopus!

Thursday Night Q & A

Question: What do mushrooms (edible and not so edible), hearts, crabs (blue and some that already hit the hot water), flowering cactus and fortune cookies all have in common?

Answer: They will all be available this Sunday at the illegible ink table at Plant Zero in Richmond. Snap them up and send them as a card or frame one for yourself. Enjoy!

An incredible, edible egg

To celebrate several weeks of new prints, I took a break and settled down on the couch tonight with a sweet treat of dark chocolate and walnut cream. Elsie Oppel (my co-worker's mother-in-law) has been making dark chocolate cream eggs for her family and friends forever. She lovingly lays trays of them out during the holidays and everyone races over to pick out their Easter favorites.

I can only hope to be lucky enough to get a peanut butter cream next year. Yum!

Got refund?

Being the responsible person I am, the first thing I would tell you to do with that refund is make an extra payment towards your mortgage, car or home loan... and the second thing I would tell you to do is come down to Richmond this weekend for Spring Bada Bing and visit me at Table 60. (To sweeten the deal, if you do come visit me and mention this blog, you'll get a FREE cookie print with $10 purchase.)

But what you could also do with that extra money is head to Sotto Sopra for Dollar Pasta Night. For $1.00 you can choose from spaghetti alla Bolognese, rigatoni with eggplant and mozzarella, and penne with salmon and pernod. Of course, there is a catch but it is worth it. The restaurant is asking diners to make a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and/or Our Daily Bread to qualify for the pasta deal.

Poppytalk Handmade's "Green Pop"

Poppytalk Handmade is a monthly online street market curated by Poppytalk to showcase, buy and sell handmade goods of emerging design talent from around the world. This month celebrates the warm weather and springtime sunshine with eco-friendly items.

Mark your calendar for May 11 - June 12/09 - Paper Pops! A papergoods and affordable art market! This popular market (from the response last year) is lined up at the same time as the National Stationery Show in NYC, showcases the latest in independent papergoods designers as well as artists. Submission deadline is April 25th.

pretty little thieves

Happy April Fool's Day!

I'm not fooling around in the studio this month!

This new print for Barbara is entitled, "Love grows where music lives." The commissioned piece includes a bright tigerlily cradling a "CD" of springtime flowers.

Not only has this new piece got me experimenting with new waterbased inks, but I'm also planning my spring garden. Seeds are sprouting on the windowsill!