Sasha Fitzgerald

ACEO's & Art Card Trading

2012-02-26T01:56:00.001-08:00

I miss doing art card swaps, so I decided to join a website called ATCsforall.com and get swapping again. It should hopefully help that damn art block I've been going through over the past few months, and get me painting again.

There's some really neat group swap themes that I'm thinking about joining:

Mermaids, May Day/Beltane, Magical Earth Element Swap, Corsets Bows & Lace

Here are some of my past cards.

'Clouds in the Sky'

'Rainy Day Hideaway'

'Rainbow Sprite'

In other news, I spent a very productive day sketching out the rough draft of my short comic, God Father Death, in Manga Studio. It is such a pleasure to work in such an intuitive program. I can't recommend it enough! :)

Here's an example of my quick sketching for a rough draft. It helps me work out my ideas, and really visualize them outside of my own head.

I can't wait until it's done, heehee! I'll be submitting it for potential publication in a Fairy Tale comic book anthology. I hope I make it in ^_______^

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Blue Lace Agate Pendant

2012-02-24T19:46:00.001-08:00

I'm just having one of those days - it's rainy and gloomy outside, I feel drained, my head hurts... I want to sleep. *yawn* and it's only 7pm. I know that by the time 10pm hits, I'll be wide awake. I'm such a night owl. I work so much better at night. Do you guys work better in the morning, afternoon, evening, or night?

I finished packing sending a bunch of orders and took them to the post office. It always amazes me the different people who order from me, their interesting names and street names, and the diverse parts of the world they come from. It always amazes me to think of how many lives we small business owners touch, even in the smallest of ways.

I recently sent out orders to France, Florida, Washington, and Georgia. I hope to visit each one of these places one day. (I have been fortunate to visit France, but have not seen Paris).

Before I pass out, I'll leave you with a photo of my newest pendant. I'm very proud of this one. I hand twisted everything (with pliers of course), designed it all myself, and then hammered the wire, and weaved it together with thin wire. I even made the bail too! (the part that connects the pendant to the chain). This piece took quite a while to make, and I'm very pleased with it. It'll end up in my shop tomorrow or the day after, but it's a piece I'd love to keep for myself, hehe.. Oh, and the stones are Blue Lace Agate - my favourite semi-precious stone. I'd love to hear what you guys think of this design. :)

Night Night!

Hand Hammered Pendant
Materials: Silver plated wire & chain, Blue Lace Agate

A close up shot of the details. <3

Sketches in Manga Studio

2012-02-24T00:34:00.002-08:00

Never have I EVER used a ,more lovely program to do sketches.

A handsome young man. He will likely be the character 'Death' in my short comic.

Sketches of cute girls. I love to draw eyes and hair!

More pretty ladies. The one on the right was inspired by the fashion of the characters on Xena.

Glass Leaf Beads & other Pretty Things

2012-02-24T00:25:00.001-08:00

Hello Lovelies!

Forest Elf Ear Cuff

I've been selling quite a few of these ear cuffs lately - simple silver wire, with a glass leaf dangling at the bottom - and I've started running out of the leaves. I contacted my supplier, who I bought the leaves from several years back, and found out they've stopped selling them! I searched online, but to no avail. So sadly, it seems that only a few more of these will be made, and then the twisted leaf will be gone for good.

They will however be replaced by some of the new leaves I purchased today. I'm excited to try out some new shades of green and turquoise, and new shapes of leaf. I think they will be perfect for my Elven Fae Ear Cuffs. :)

A deep forest green glass leaf

A light olive green glass leaf

An unusual turquoise blue glass leaf

I was on shopping roll and got a few more things while I was at it.

Pink Opalite

Antiqued Bronze Ferns

White Rondelles with Lilac Finish

Gorgeous Blue Tear Drop Crystals

I'm really excited to get to work with these new materials. I find the colours and textures just so inspiring!
This is just the beginning though - my mother and I have a huge plan in the works, that we hope to share with you in a couple of months time. Until then, it's top secret! :P

2012-02-23T13:05:00.002-08:00

Just a little update on my mom and her chest & back pain -

So she went to the doctor, and they did various tests and x-rays, took her blood pressure, etc... and she is fine! Well when it comes to heart problems and cancer. We're very relieved! She was prescribed these really strong de-inflamatory meds that make her all dopey and drowsy, lol, so she doesn't want to take them for too long.

If that doesn't fix the problem, we're thinking massage therapist or chiropractor. We don't have much experience with this type of thing - I tried giving her a massage and didn't do much good - so if you guys have any experience and tips with back pain, we'd love to hear it! :)

Little bits of this n' that

2012-02-22T23:40:00.001-08:00

When I'm in the process of making jewelry, I often create things that go unfinished for a little while. I guess you could call them jewelry in progress. Most of the time I know what they will turn out to be, but sometimes it's a surprise even to me!

Hammered Silver Wire Heart, & Birds Nest Charm

A wire weaved copper pendant

Lately I've been watching a lot of Xena on netflix. (I tend to have movies or music playing while I work)
Anyway, back to Xena - I haven't seen this show in a long, LONG time. I was 12 or 13 years old when it was on tv, and I remember just loving this show to death. I idolized Xena's strength and beauty as a woman, the magical world she lived in, and the mythical and spiritual themes of the world. I don't really remember any plot specific elements of the story, so it's almost as if I'm watching it anew for the second time.

Dyed Agate Semi Precious Stones

When I was a kid, I didn't really notice the campy acting/plot/characters, or the impossible and often silly fighting scenes. I still think this show has a good, strong core, though. I love Gabrielle and Xena's strong friendship, Xena's ability to kick everyones ass (even Ares the God of war). I also love the strong femininity of the show. It portrays women as... people. Not a girly girl and a manly man, or a butch girl and an effeminate male... it just portrays people as people, in the vast and complicated array they come in. (Yeah there's still stereotypes, but it's a tv show, what can you expect).

Copper Wire Wrapped Rings
Left: Freshwater pearl
Center: Glass star bead
Right: Shimmery purple crystal

They were also quite liberal compared to other day time shows of the 90's. For instance, in the last episode I watched, Xena had to enter a beauty pageant to protect the women & find out who was trying to kill them (think Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock). In the end, a man who had entered the contest dressed as as a woman won (and then kissed Xena on the stage!). One of the best episodes so far!

Wire Wrapped Star Ring

I've also been feeling very inspired by the jewelry and accessories in the show. Xena and Gabrielle both wear their hair in a natural way - it doesn't look primped, preened, or dyed. It's long, sometimes they have bangs and braids, and they put handmade clips and things in their hair. The style of the clothes and jewelry make me think of my own wire jewelry... A lot of the techniques I use to create my jewelry were used thousands of years ago. Wire wrapped/hammered jewelry is one of the oldest techniques in jewelry making. It's kind of like being connected to crafts people from thousands of years ago who loved to create beautiful things with simple materials by hand. I also think it's the type of jewelry preferred by Faeries and magical creatures, for it's organic feel and intricate wire weaving.

I'm sure chatty tonight. Hope you liked the pictures :) Scroll down for some more lovelies.

One of my fave new Ear Cuffs. Love that Crystal!

A flower bracelet I'm experimenting on. I hand made
the flowers with wire and fresh water pearls.

Steampunk Rings. I'm thinking of offering commissions of these.

Necklace design ideas

2012-02-21T15:05:00.001-08:00

Some sketches I did of necklace design ideas. Click to enlarge image :)

Shopping day

2012-02-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

Owning and running your own creative business involves a lot more than simply creating and posting a handmade item for sale. You have to take care of packing and shipping materials, displaying and photographing your items, and researching how best to position them in the handmade online market.

The pleasant part to this, is that you feel very proud of your work, and are willing to invest far more than 8 hours a day to make it a success. You also aren't chained to a desk from 9-5, and have the opportunity to go out and drive around, appreciate the beauty in the world around you, while doing errands/picking up supplies.

As a person with anxiety, this type of work suits me well. I find one on one customer service rather stressful, and the buzz of real market places tend to overwhelm me. Being able to work from home, create and share my work online, and only venture outdoors when I feel comfortable, is a great relief to me. I hope to slowly build up my online shops so that I can make a full time living from home.

1. ~~Pick up packaging stuff at the print shop.~~

I love the people at my print shop, Minute Man Press.
They are very dependable, affordable, and realiable.

2. ~~Appreciate Art & Nature in the city~~

Beautiful murals adorn many of the older buildings.

You can see the beautiful cloud covered mountains poking out.

Birds on a wire.
There is something so graphically pleasing about this imagery.

Our famous Science World dome is centered in the photo.
You can also see numerous Canadian flags on the left hand side.

I've driven past this tree for years, and it always has the same two
giant nests. I can't help but wonder if squirrels live there or something.

~~3. Pick up jewelry display stuff & packaging materials~~

I sneakily took some photos inside the packaging supplies store...

My favourite display, full of organza bags!

I bought this black velvet bust display for my pendants.

~~4. Go to jewelry store & get supplies~~

My jewelry store is located in a beautiful, quaint little village area.
The lights on the trees are always on. :)

Mom walking toward the jewelry store.

Yay! Pretty jewelry crystals, charms, and chain.

5. ~~Dinner time~~

Yam cones are the best!!!

6. ~~Work~~

Something new I'm making called Ear Drops

I hope you enjoyed this little look into my day. [:

2012-02-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

My beautiful friend, and surrogate sister, Lauren, has been officially signed with a modeling agency. She is the one who has often modeled my jewelry. She's only fifteen, and has gone after her dream. She is very independent and motivated, which I really admire. I think she has a very bright future ahead of her, and I couldn't be prouder. :) She is naturally blonde-haired and blue-eyed, which she has inherited from her Norwegian descent. She's never dyed her hair!

In other news, my mom has hurt her back (we think strained a muscle), and has been feeling a lot of discomfort for the last few weeks, which is why we haven't made the soap video yet. She's in her fifties now, and worries about the possibility of heart problems, so she's going to see our doctor on Monday. I really hope it's nothing serious.

Anyway, I'm going to upload the photos from my adventures yesterday. ^_^

2012-02-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

Today's another busy day.

First, I have to pick up some copper wire & ear hooks from the jewelry store.
Then I have to go to the print shop and pick up my product cards (that I attach my jewelry to).
Then I have to go into the city to pick up some gift boxes for necklaces, a black bust to display necklaces, and organza bags.

And finally, when all of these things have been purchased and I'm back home, I have to wrap up orders and bring them over to the post office.

I think I will chronicle my journey with photographs and post them here hehe! =p

2012-02-15T15:31:00.000-08:00

I feel super productive today!

I've listed a bunch of new items in my shop (and will keep updating it all day)
Renewed my website's hosting account
Paid all of my etsy shop fees
and am almost done a new pendant design.

Later on tonight, I hope to get a chance to check out all of my blogger friend's blogs, comment on your posts, and reply to your comments here. ^_^ Thanks for all of the support everyone! Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's!~

The Versatile Blogger Award

2012-02-14T20:46:00.000-08:00

My lovely friend and fellow blogger, Hilde, from Norway, has nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award! Thank you for the honour my friend, I'm glad you find my blog interesting! :) Make sure to check out her blog. :)

The Versatile blogger award rules are: that you should pass it on to 15 blogs you thoroughly like to read, and let the bloggers know they have been nominated.

Then you have to share seven things about yourself.

Finally you have to thank the award giver and link back to them.

Nominees (I hope you don't mind if I share some pieces you've made):

Erin Kerr - Erin is a really good friend of mine who also happens to share a passion for art and manga. She makes beautiful art nouveau-esque illustrations, and her attention to texture and detail is just astounding! She also creates adorable paper dolls, and writes and illustrates her own comics. You don't want to miss her!

Plantie Bee - Christina is a very friendly artist living in Sweden. She works primarily with acrylics, depicting beautiful feminine women, in a fantastical atmosphere. I always look forward to Christina's blog updates because she often shares her work in progress! It's absolutely amazing to follow one of her pieces from start to finish. Watch out for Plantie Bee, because I think she's going to be the next big artist in the fantasy/pop surrealism movement.

Crystal Rainbow - Crystal Rainbow, an artist from Cornwall, creates beautiful Goddess paintings, with bright bold colours, that really celebrate the Pagan way. She also shares photos of her adventures which are lots of fun to explore!

Mitzi Sato-Wiuff - Mitzi is an incredibly talented digital artist. Her work has a very Japanese manga aesthetic, which I adore. I always look forward to seeing Mitzi's newest artwork for the Enchanted Visions project, which she contributes to regularly. I wish you all the best in your future career Mitzi!

Nati Pierandrei - If you haven't heard of Nati, you must live under a rock! :P She's an Italian artist, with a manga style touch to her work, and a colour pallet that reminds me of the old masters paintings. She makes paper dolls, comics, and lots of other nifty things. I definitely recommend you check out her blog.

Seven things about me:

1. My name is Sasha, (pronounced Sahhh-Sha). I'm 25 years old, single (hopefully not for long!), and live in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I'm a published fantasy illustrator and comic artist, and I also dabble in jewelry making.

2. My zodiac signs describe me very well; I'm a Leo & Tiger, and both under the fire signs.

3. I love post apocalyptic, dystopic zombie infested worlds, as well as the Victorian Era with all of its particular rules and manors of society, and fantastic literature. I have very conflicting interests, lol.

4. I love to learn. My love of learning has motivated me to learn many different skills, including drawing & painting, photography, web design & basic coding, and jewelry making. To stay forever young, is to never cease learning, I say!

5. At one time I had dreams of becoming an archaeologist, and even took some courses in college related to that field, but found myself day dreaming all the time. I was more 'in love' with the romantic idea of finding lost treasures and going on adventures (think Lara Croft Tombraider or Indiana Jones) than doing studies and writing fifty page reports. I began to discover that being creative was my true calling, whether in the form of art, stories, costumes, or jewelry - it had to be full of imagination and creativity to satisfy me!

6. I have a funky little anxiety disorder and I'm currently very overweight. While both these things, in their nature, suck, they have taught me many important lessons, and given me strength. Through these experiences, I've learned to be less judgmental of others, have compassion for those with mental illness, and know how to fight for what I really want, even if at times I'm battling against myself. Possibly the most important thing I've learned (and am still learning), is to value yourself for your positive qualities and negative qualities. We're all works in progress.

7. I absolutely LOOOOOOVE conspiracy theories. Aliens, Gov't Conspiracies and Cover ups, and the like fascinate me. I'm not a believer or disbeliever (unless there's proof, what's the point?), but I love imagining all of the possibilities that lie hidden in our universe.

I do, however, firmly believe that life outside of Earth exists (whether plant, animal, and/or intelligent), and hope that within my life time proof of that is discovered and shown to the world.

Thanks again for the nomination Hilde! It means a lot. Go check her blog out everybody! It's awesome! :D

Paintings and Sketches

2012-02-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

A painting I started over a year ago. I was working on Arches Cold Press watercolour paper, which I found really difficult to paint on, because my illustrations are so line-dependent & detailed. The only areas I tend to leave for
happy accidents are the background elements. Hopefully I will find the inspiration to finish this piece one day soon.

Dragon Lore is coming together. I've gone with a purplish pallet for this piece, along with some frosty grays, to emphasize a cloudy, stark atmosphere.

An illustration I drew a while ago of mermaids. It's not finished yet
(obviously, lol). When finished, it should look somewhat like this piece:
http://solarissky.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d1ugl7y

An ink drawing. You can really see my love for
the Japanese manga aesthetic. I also have a love
for fashion, which is why I didn't finish the arms,
lol.

Another example of my messy sketches.
I was planning out my ideas for 'A Dark Undercurrent'.

Spindly Spider Lashes.

Yummy things

2012-02-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

Garlic Chives + Tomatoes + Beans + Asparagus

I've always wanted to make my own garden. I live in a condo with a small balcony, and have decided to transform it into my own mini Secret Faerie Garden! I was inspired by my friend Hilde's plans to grow a vegetable garden, and decided to pick up some seeds and try growing my own. (Any tips from experienced gardeners would be much appreciated).

The second part of my plan is to transform the balcony into a magical oasis. A place where I can sit in the summer time and paint; be inspired by flora and fauna, and maybe see a pixie or two! I have some interesting ideas for sculptural pieces I want to make for the garden too. I'll definitely be blogging about this project, so keep watching for updates. ^_^

Strawberry + Raspberry Green Tea

Some yummy things, as promised. I absolutely love Lipton's raspberry tea.... it tastes and smells so delicious! I also love strawberries, and happened to find some that actually taste really good at this time of year. I'd love to plant my own strawberry patch, but I haven't found the seeds yet...

The Results

2012-02-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

The jury results are in, and I didn't make the cut. We're still waiting for my mom's results. I always feel disappointed when this happens... so chocolate is a MUST today. :P

I really wish I could be a vendor at the fantasy themed conventions and faires, like Faerie Worlds and Faerie Con, but right now it's just too much money to travel there. It's one of my biggest dreams to meet the Froud family (who's work has inspired me so much). I'd also love to meet Amy Brown and Stephanie Law.

Anyway, I'm off to work on my submission the next market, wish me luck! :)

Hope you're all having a wonderful day :) Soap video should be up on Friday.

Mini Jewelry Displays for the Jury

2012-01-30T19:54:00.000-08:00

My wire jewelry display.

The wire display turned out just how I imagined it; simple with a modern + minimalist design. The only thing that didn't quite turn out was my table cloth! My mom and I fought with it for hours trying to iron the wrinkles out, but nothing seemed to work. Do you guys have any magic tricks? :P

Copper Wire Ear Cuffs

I'm addicted to making these things. I love to make the swirls - each one is as individual as a snowflake. I get great satisfaction from creating the 'perfect' swirl, until I make a new swirl that is in fact 'perfecter', lol. I also love adding the beads, which I do at the end. They really give each ear cuff its own personality.

My newest necklace inspired by leaves.Will be available in the shop soon.

This is a little treasure that I've actually been wearing a lot lately. It's kind of ironic, but I don't really wear jewelry... ever. But I've fallen in love with this design of Papa Leaf, Mama Leaf, and Baby Leaf :3 I sure hope the jury liked it too.

Rings

The ring in the center is my favourite! It looks a lot like the one I previously posted, except this one is made with a rivoli crystal, which sparkles like a rainbow. While the ring is Steam Punk inspired, it's also inspired by the beauty of Spiral Galaxies.

Sidhe Ear Cuff Set

I made a companion ear cuff to my original Sidhe ear cuff (on the right), and put them as a set for the jurying. I wanted to be sure the jury would understand what sort of jewelry this was, and how it's worn, so I included some photos of them being worn.

Art Pendant Display

This was my second display for my art pendants. Unfortunately the close up shots of the pendants didn't turn out too well (cause it was too bright in the room). Like my other display it's very simple and minimalist. I find this one a little sparse though, and wish I had brought more pendants to show.

I bought the vintage wooden frame for $15 from a seller on Craigslist. I painted it cream white with acrylics, and then glue gunned black fabric (embroidered with roses) on the back, and tacked up the necklaces. My mom picked up the flowers (Chrysanthemums) which I've fallen in love with, and plan to replant in a pot and put it on the balcony.

My mom also set up a display for her handmade soaps, which I just love! It's rustic, simple, and has soothing warm colours. Here's a picture I took of it:

We will find out between Friday & next Monday whether or not we've been accepted. Wish us luck! <3

A Cute Earring & Ring Set

2012-01-28T12:41:00.000-08:00

A cute set of handmade earrings and ring for a friend for her birthday. I'm thinking of starting to make jewelry sets for my shop.

Cute earrings in baby blue!

A cute ring. The bead matches a bead in the earrings.

Also...... The big jury date is tomorrow! I've been working hard on my displays, and really, REALLY hope I am accepted into the market *fingers crossed* I'll take some photos of my displays tomorrow at the jurying when I'm setting up and post them for you guys to see. I heard we'll also find out tomorrow if we get in, so I'll announce that too! :)

Vasya & Honey

2012-01-21T17:14:00.000-08:00

Wintry greetings to everyone! <3

Last weekend we adopted a second cat into our home. His name is Vasya (pronounced VAW-Suh), and he is three years old. He's on the right. Honey, a cat we adopted last July, is a year and six months old, is still quite tiny, and is in the lower left. We chose to adopt adult cats for two reasons - one, it's hard to find homes for them because kittens are more popular, and secondly, kittens are a lot of work and fuss. I much prefer a big cat that likes to snuggle and purr.

They are both Long haired & pure black, and have a similar facial structure. Neither one likes to be petted for long, but they do like to snuggle, and roll around, belly up.

Honey and Vasya have seemed to take quite a liking to each other. For the last day and half they've grown much more comfortable, and are now chasing each other (in play), and sleeping next to each other. It's very cute, and they both seem happy.

As for Vasya's behaviour towards us, his human caregivers, he is quite indifferent. I think he prefers my mom to me (which is fine because I have my Honey). He also scratched us up the first few days (which we attributed to nerves and stress). He's not doing that anymore, especially since we started using the spray bottle for behaviour problems.

I hope it works out for Vasya, and that he will become a permanent member of our family. He's already passed the most difficult of tests, and befriended Honey. :)

A Pearl Ring

2012-01-21T01:46:00.000-08:00

A couple journal entries ago, when I posted a ring I made, my friend Karen said she would prefer something simpler in design. So that great feedback inspired me to create this ring ^_^ and to say thanks for the inspiration, this ring's for you!

Sketch Dump

2012-01-20T00:20:00.000-08:00

My favourite one first! This sketch makes me think of the Green Lady. I imagine she would have wild hair that waves in the wind, with bits of bark and leaves and critters hidden within.

I have a tremendous fascination with long necks and elongated limbs. They're so alien, yet so elegant. Reminds me a bit of an article I read in National Geographic about a tribe where the women wear rings around their neck and it elongates it over time. It's interesting all the ways different cultures treat body modification.

I draw a lot of profiles. I really love the crisp defined shapes of the nose and lips in the profile view.

As you can see, my sketches can be rather haphazard and scribbly. This is pretty much how I start my paintings too - accept the lines are a bit lighter. I try not to worry about anatomy or making sense in my sketches. It's all about experimentation.

I love exaggerating anatomy and perspective; It's fun to break the rules sometimes ;P This sketch makes me think of May Day and a deer woman with oak leaves in her antlers. Something very feminine and pensive.

This is an example of a sketch that's inspired by my love of anime. I love how expressive eastern eyes are. Expression is something I'm trying to work on in my illustrations ^_^

Thanks for taking a peak at my sketches. I'd love to hear what you think [:

New Designs

2012-01-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

I've been playing around with jewelry, laying all of my pretties out, deciding what needs more work, what's ready to go, etc... Below are a few new designs of mine. The butterfly was made just last night ^_^ Let me know what you think! [:

My handmade jewelry collection aka my treasure :3

Handmade Silver Butterfly Pendant, with Onyx semi-precious stones

La Petite Hibou - silver pendant with Aqua eyes

Silver free form ring with three dark bluish purple Fresh Water Pearls

Another angle of the ring. Skin close up is strange looking.
Almost looks like interwoven reptile scales or something cool like that. :)

Dragon Lore & Spirited Away Art Updates

2012-01-17T02:46:00.000-08:00

Bonjour!

Thought I'd share some photos of two illustrations in progress for Enchanted Visions. The concepts behind them are so weird and cool that it's got me super excited （*´▽｀*）

'Dragon Lore' is getting there. Oh, and is that a finger attacking the dragon!?

A little close up of our beasty friend.

Pretty Pretty :3

Handmade Wire Wrapped Steampunk Ring

2012-01-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Hello!

Lately I've been tinkering around making handmade rings. They aren't perfectly crafted yet, so I'm weary to put them up for sale until I've made a few more. I just thought I'd share some photos of my new favourite design that I made last night. I think I may have to keep this ring for myself because I've fallen in love with it! I'd love to hear what you guys think of the design. ^_^ If you're interested in seeing more of my handmade wire jewelry, take a pop over to my little shop.

Rocky Point Park - mini blogger walk

2012-01-12T16:50:00.000-08:00

Rocky Point Park - mini blogger walk

One of my favourite things to do is go out for a walk in the forest, or at the park. It's one of the great benefits of living in Vancouver, British Columbia - you get a great mix of city, suburbs, and nature. After running a bunch of errands, my mom and I decided to take a little trip to the park. Here are some photos from our adventure. [:

Map of the trails

A giant tree covered with moss.

Mom standing beside the giant tree.

Me & Mum

When the tide is out, you can see the lovely beach of mud.

A shot of a fresh water stream mixing into the salt water of the Burrard Inlet

A lovely nest.

An old Ginko leaf (one of my favourite plants.)

A view of the Sea, and snow-capped mountain, through the brambles

Birch Tree Wallpaper

2012-01-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

I have a mad little love affair with wallpapers. Seriously. ಠ_ಠ

Via Cole & Son

Specifically this wallpaper at the moment: Contemporary II - 'Woods' by Cole & Son
I'd plaster it inside and outside my house, and wear it for clothes if I could. I seriously love it. Seriously. So now I shall go forth and spam you with photos of its beauty (and a history lesson).

Cole & Son, a company producing gorgeous wallpapers, is a very special company, with an interesting history.

In 1875, the company was founded by John Perry, of Islington, North London. The company was situated in a wallpaper mill, in an area famous for print blockers, and handmade wallpapers.

While other wallpaper companies began shutting down, John would buy all of their printing blocks, which carried all the popular designs of the time. John passed away in 1940, and his family decided to sell the company, along with the huge archive of printing blocks. This was purchased by A.P. Cole.

Another big decorating company, named Cowtan & Son of Grosvenor Gardens, put their collection of printing blocks up for sale, and Cole bought these too. These blocks' designs had been used to "furnish many stately homes, palaces, castles and theatres throughout Britain and overseas, including the wallpaper designs of A W Pugin for the Palace of Westminster. The amalgamation of the two businesses in 1941 meant that Coles owned the most significant collection of wooden printing blocks in Britain."

"Today, the Cole & Son archive consists of approximately 1,800 block print designs, 350 screenprint designs and a huge quantity of original drawings and wallpapers, representing all the styles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Amongst these are some of the most important historic wallpaper designs in the world. Coles is now the prime source for entirely authentic period wallpapers printed by the original method and has provided wallpapers for many historic houses, including Buckingham Palace and the White House."

Via StyleState

via NibsBlog

via Christina Murphy

via The Style Files

Dragon Lore

2012-01-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Hello Hello! ヽ(^。^)ノ

Here's a little snippet of Dragon Lore, my newest illustration for Enchanted Visions.

The concept behind this illustration is transformation. The little girl is receiving her wings from the dragon (the process doesn't look too pleasant, eh?). I'm still trying to decide on the rest of the colours for the piece. I'm leaning towards misty greys and purples, and trying not to go nuts with the colour like I usually do.

Lady Gaga & Product Placement

2012-01-08T20:20:00.000-08:00

Oil Painting of Lady Gaga - by me (Sasha Fitzgerald)

After watching Lady Gaga's music video 'Telephone', I suddenly have a hankering for Wonderbread & Miracle Whip Sandwiches, Virgin Mobile, and Plenty of Fish. Why's that?

Her music videos are full of random product placements. I decided to go on a treasure hunt to see how many I could spot in her nine minute music video 'Telephone' ft. Beyonce. Here, I present to you my findings.

The music video 'Telephone'

Lady Gaga's brand of ear phones. I want the ones in red.

A tasty blend of Diet Coke Cans & Chanel Glasses

A fellow inmate sneakily grabs Gaga's LG cell phone (Note: Virgin Mobile)

Then they go for a close up shot to make sure you can read the screen
and see the phone flips open with a little keyboard.

HP Envy ‘Beats Limited Editon’ laptop from Monster.

Aha! The security guard is caught looking for love on Plenty of Fish.

They go in for another close up to make SURE you can see this site is
about online dating.

Lady Gaga, spokeswoman for Polaroid, using one of their cameras to take
shots of Beyonce while she's singing and driving.

Then they go in for yet ANOTHER product close up shot. Notice every
thing is out of focus except the brand name 'Polaroid'.

OH WHAT?! A polaroid BOOTH?!

And just in case you missed it, they zoom in on the word 'Polaroid'.

Then there's the Chevrolet, or as Gaga & B lovingly call it, the 'Pussy Wagon'

A little close up of the Chevy

Gaga holding a bag of WonderBread

A close up of Gaga closing the lid on the Miracle Whip

What's your stance on product placement in music videos, television shows, and movies? Can you spot any more product placements in this music video?? Do you suddenly have an urge for a wonderbread sandwich and an LG cell phone, too?

Shades of Blue Faerie Painting & a Free Colouring Page!

2012-01-02T00:12:00.000-08:00

My newest Faerie Illustration!

The colour pallet was inspired by the Enchanted Visions theme 'Shades of Blue'.

I absolutely love designing enchanted Faerie fashions; I'm very inspired by Victorian fashion, gothic intrigue, and earth tones. I'm very pleased with how this dress turned out, and would love to see it in real life. If only I could sew (one day I'm determined to learn).

Some of my favourite details in this are all of the faces painted into the stone ruins, the little black birds, and the black mushrooms. What an oasis of enchantment! ^_^

Anyway, I hope you like this piece!

Do you like colouring pages?

I've made the original line art to this illustration available to download, print out, and colour. If you'd like to colour it, click the image below, press the download button on the right hand side of the new page that will pop up, right click, save.

If you decide to colour my line art, please comment here and let me know. I'd also love to see a photograph of your coloured picture [:

*Please note* This line art belongs to me, and is not to be used commercially for ANYTHING. Feel free to post your coloured version online, but please credit me for doing the line art, and give a link back to my website www.sashafitzgerald.com

A photo of the instructions to download the line art

Happy New Years!

2012-01-01T23:33:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone! May all of your hopes and dreams come true in 2012! *hugs*

Here are a few little photos of my Christmas tree this year.

Left: Christmas tree star

Right: A little Stocking ornament I sewed when I was ten.

Christmas Tree

Christmas tree with the camera set for a 2.5 second exposure

What are some of your hopes and dreams for 2012? What are some things you're glad to leave behind in 2011?

Some of my hopes & dreams:

I hope to move into a house in the Spring/Summer (I could really use an extra room to turn into a studio)
I hope I get into some big craft shows, that would be so much fun!
I would also love to make my own Faerie Garden (which I may blog about later, and include random inspirational internet photos) but I live in a small condo so there's no space for a strawberry or pumpkin patch :P
If finances allow, I'd love to take an Alaskan cruise in August, and see the native towns along the way, and if I'm lucky, see and photograph the Aurora Borealis.
I'm also going to try and stick to my 'eat healthier & get exercise resolution'

A sketch of my jewelry display

2011-12-30T18:23:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to say I was accepted to jury into a very prestigious local farmers market. [:
I've heard from other vendors that it's very difficult to get into, especially for jewelry, so I'm excited to even be accepted for the preliminary jurying. I plan to jury three different style of items - fantasy art, wire wrapped jewelry, and art pendants. I wonder if any or all will make it in!

So I've been doodling out some ideas for my small jury display, and looking into having the piece made by a very talented Etsian. If I do end up having it made I'll post photos of it with my jewelry all prettily arranged inside. ^_^ Here are some of the sketches of the design:

The jury date is a 'to be announced' date near the end of January/Early February. Wish me luck! :)

Boxing Day!

2011-12-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!

I hope you've all had a Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Holidays! [:

In celebration of Boxing Day, I'm having a huge sale in my wire jewelry shop! Everything is 30% off until 5pm PST, December 27th.

I rarely do big sales, so this is a great opportunity to pick up a unique piece of handmade jewelry, made by yours truly ;) Feel free to request a custom made item too, and I will also take 30% off of the price.

Make sure to use the coupon code ILOVESALES upon check out, to receive your discount.

What Dreams Dwell in Your Heart?

2011-12-22T16:57:00.000-08:00

What dreams dwell in your heart?

Kandee Johnson, a celebrity make up artist and popular youtube entertainer, is such an inspiration to me. This is one of her more personal videos, where she talks about some very hard times she's lived through, and how she persevered through them, and is living her dreams. I hope you feel uplifted and hopeful about conquering your own dreams after watching her video. What dreams dwell in your heart?

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to wish all of my Faerie Friends a happy holiday season, and a Fairy Christmas!

A painting I put on my Christmas cards last year (painted by me)

Along Came a Spider - WIP

2011-12-19T22:41:00.000-08:00

A little shot of a work in progress. I experimented by laying down a wash of light peach (in watercolours), adding red to the shoulders, cheeks, nose, etc... and then when it dried I shaded using Copic Markers. Interesting effect, though I wish the shading looked smoother. I'm still deciding on whether to paint the hair a whitish beige, or blacks and greys (drastically different choices, eh?). I'm also wondering about the dress.. and am thinking of doing a lace pattern (but black or white lace?!)... :]

This piece is inspired by the Enchanted Visions theme of 'Along Came a Spider', and the fae's name is Astrid (named after a friend of mine), and is pronounced AUS (like AUS-tralia) Treed. ^_^

A close up of Astrid

Salmon + Rice + Asparagus = YUM

2011-12-19T22:29:00.000-08:00

This was my dinner tonight. :]
Simple to cook, hearty meals, are often more delicious than the most expensive meal in a fancy restaurant!

Salmon, floured on both sides, pan fried with olive oil, and a mixture of spices (Kosher rock salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper). The flour creates a thin, crispy crust on the fish, and really brings out the flavour and spices.

Cheese rice C/O Uncle Ben's (wild rice is great too).

And my absolutely favourite green, ASPARAGUS! I drizzle a bit of olive oil on the asparagus, sprinkle salt and pepper, and toss. Then I place the asparagus in a roasting pan, put the cover on, and cook at 230C for 10-15 minutes.

A delicious meal. Not calorie light, but it definitely keeps you full for a long time. Also, left overs make a great lunch for the following day.

Blue Themed Pendants

2011-12-18T17:34:00.000-08:00

Lovely new art pendants, themed with the moody, wintry colour of BLUE!

I hand painted them all, and the square one measures just under 1 inch x 1 inch. It's quite a fun challenge to create miniature paintings like this. I use a super tiny paint brush, and carefully paint the light penciled drawings. I'm always amazed by how much bigger and glossy-er the images look when the resin is sealed on top. It's truly a magical moment when I see all of my lovely art pendants laid out on the table. They're my little treasures. ^_^

I plan to update my shop over the next few days with all of the new art pendants. It's a bit too late to make it for Christmas shopping, but they'd make lovely New Years gifts! :)

Which one is your favourite of the three? I'm quite partial to the unicorn on the left, myself. :)

My first video!

2011-12-18T14:41:00.001-08:00

Custom Hand Painted Art Necklaces

2011-12-17T21:09:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody!

Just a quick update of a pair of custom necklaces I made recently. It's a set of best friend necklaces with Heartegrams (a symbol created by the lead singer of HIM, Ville Valo). I used a black ink that bleeds when you paint on it, which added a really cool 'grunge' effect to the design. I inked the Heartegrams with solid black ink, and then used markers and watercolours.

During this process I discovered that custom hand painted necklaces are a lot of fun to make! So I may start offering custom necklaces in my Etsy shop. ^_^

Anxiety and Depression - Some Personal Thoughts

2011-12-13T18:10:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!

I try to keep the intimate details of my life private, but I also believe that by sharing the difficult parts of who you are, you can help others who suffer from similar problems, and also help educate those who have never experienced it.

I have a big problem with anxiety, panic attacks, and on occasion OCD in the form of scary thoughts that run rampant on repeat throughout my mind. I've had these problems since I was twelve years old, and they went unidentified until I personally discovered what was wrong with me, at age 22.

Some of the physical feelings that I feel when I am having a panic attack, include sweaty palms, racing thoughts, extreme faint feeling, hunger, shaking, and just feeling very lightheaded and 'tripped out' or like out of my body.
These physical sensations cause further distress, and make a normal person feel like they're going nuts! It is absolutely terrifying.

The worst part of it all is that while you're going through this terror, the sensible part of you is still there, and alert, and knows that everything you're feeling is not real, and is just a physical reaction. So the part of you that is feeling scared and physically ill, is in a constant battle with your rational side that thinks it's all silly and annoying.

I'm writing this because I recently read a brave young woman's post about her own struggle with depression and anxiety, and it inspired me to share my feelings as well. This is what I said to her, and I want you to read it too. I think it applies to people whether they're going through anxiety, a divorce, or lost a loved one... it's about finding the strength within yourself.

---

I've just read your essay about youranxiety and depression and how you've found a way to deal with thatthrough tending a small garden.

I have severe anxiety, panic attacks,as well as OCD (thoughts). I struggle with a lot, and sometimes feellike I'm going crazy. I have trouble leaving the house alone... Theother sensible part of me laughs at this, and thinks that it's justsilly that I struggle with something so weird. The medication helpsme deal with this, but I never really feel 'normal'.

The thing that keeps me going is mypassion for art. I think it's a bit like you creating your garden. Itneeds you, just like my art needs me. We're creators giving life andsharing our creations with others, and bringing them joy. It's one ofthe best feelings in the world :)

Depression and anxiety will come and gothroughout our lives. That's just what genetics has set out for us. Itry to remember that, and know that none of the negative feelings Ifeel are actually real. They're just the result of some chemicalsthat are not balanced properly in my brain mixed with memories of badexperiences. I try to accept that, but also try to fight it, so thatI can be the best that I can be (even if I'm not feeling any betterfor having tried, because the point is that I am always trying andnever giving up, not ever). I am determined that as long as theseproblems are mine, and as long as they keep trying to bring me down,I will continue to battle them right back and kick their ass.

A quote that I find inspiring is this:

Lifeis a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight onemoment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man iswhat you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm andshout 'Do your worst, for I will certainly do mine!'

---

Thank you for listening. :)

Inspiring Music

2011-12-13T16:46:00.000-08:00

A collection of music that inspires me and my artwork. These are pieces that help me transcend the mundane world and jump into my imagination. Let me know what you think of these pieces, and also if you have any favourites I should check out :)

Within Temptation - Our Solemn Hour

12 Girls Band - Freedom

I pretty much love all of their music.

Loreena McKennit - The Mystic's Dream

This woman's voice is just amazing. A voice truly from our Celtic ancestors.

Loreena McKennit - The Mummer's Dance

A piece that has inspired many of us. :)

Vanessa Mae - Toccata & Fugue
Truly empowering and amazing.

Bonus! Pretty image of Loreena McKennit!

New Jewelry Designs~

2011-12-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

I've been working on quite a few new jewelry designs and I thought it was time to share some photos. Which one's your favourite? The Tree of Life pendant & the Gypsy Fae Four Elements pendant are my two favourites... although I am loving the little cute owl too hehe. Let me know what you think!

Click the image to enlarge.

Christmas Season

2011-12-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Well the Christmas rush is almost at its close.

This was my first year getting into business, and I feel that I've come a long way. I learned many important things, explored so many different mediums and crafts, and had my first customer interactions.

I have to admit that things got pretty crazy around November/December on Etsy. Over the few months I had been on Etsy, averaging one-two sales every week or two, it was a bit of a shocker once Christmas season hit. I had a huge increase in sales, and started running out of crafting supplies as well as packaging supplies! I had to restock envelopes, wires, organza bags, beads, ink cartridges... oh my!

Having your own business also means having a lot of worries. Such as will it fit the customer? Will they like it in person? Will it get lost in the mail? Will it reach them quickly?

Even with the added stresses that owning your own business can bring, it also brings you many positive things as well. You arrange your daily schedule, control the artist vision, have one on one interaction with your customers, and you don't have to work for 'the man' (instead you work for many lol!).

I also realized that every handmade item that I make, has a piece of me in it... my original ideas and designs, whimsical notions and random feelings... And some amazing people out there are putting value in that. It's really very neat. ^_^ So I suppose this is a bit of a thank you to everyone who has been checking out my shops, and supporting me and my artwork. Thank you. :)

Here's a shot of some of my packages that went to the post today. They are from a mixture of my three, yes, THREE Etsy shops: NecklineDesignz SashaFitzgerald PositivelyPetite

Packages!~

Wowza! Terri Windling Auction Update

2011-12-09T16:07:00.001-08:00

I'm pleased to say that the auction for my two items is going very well! I'm so happy that my work is going to help someone I truly admire get through a tough time. Thanks to all who have bid on my items! <3

I'm going to see if I can cook up a new set of items to put up for auction for Terri. This is part of why I love to make art. To make people feel good, and encourage their imaginations (and to share my own), and also to help out in some way. This just feels so rewarding. Thank you to everyone who bid. :)http://magick4terri.livejournal.com/97406.html

A little questionaire from Nedda's blog

2011-12-09T15:26:00.001-08:00

1. Make a list of 5 things you can see without getting up:

Soap... hundreds of bars of handmade soap curing on racks.
An old oil painting I did in School of a girl in a pink poofy dress.
A little black lantern with stars on the top. I got it on sale at IKEA a few years back.
The sun setting outside my window, casting lovely shadows all about. Also lots of tree branches in silhouette. A beautiful, earthy toned, ceramic mug handmade by a friend's mom, and given to me for Christmas.

2. How do you style your hair?I don't really. It's long and very straight. :)

3. What are you wearing now?A tank top and pajama pants with a cherry blossom print.

4. What's your occupation?I run my own business. I sell my fantasy art and handmade jewelry. I love being creative whenever I get the opportunity.

5. What do you hear right now?My mother in the room typing on her old computer.

6. Who was the last person you hugged?My mum! <3

7. What was/is for dinner?We had a lazy dinner today. Just a frozen lasagna and a glass of coke.

8. What did you do today?I've been packaging up orders and mailing packages. It's amazing how much of your time is spent preparing your handmade items to go to the post.

9. What was the last text message you received?I don't use a cell phone, so no texts for me! :P

10. What websites do you always visit when you go online?I have a regular routine hehe... I check facebook quickly, see what's up, then head over to my email, and then I check my deviantart quickly, and then my three etsy shops.

11. What was the last thing you bought?Christmas card making supplies! I bought two kinds of Christmassy sticker boarders for greeting cards. I love the velvet texture of the stickers, and the way they're cut out reminds me of art nouveau.

12. If you could afford to go anywhere in the world, where would you go?I would love to see ancient ruins! Stonehenge, the Egyptian & Mayan pyramids, old castles... Stuff that for the moment, lives only in my imagination!

13. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?I hope to have a very successful business, find someone special, and own my own house. With a faerie garden. I'd also like to travel.

14. Where's your birthmark?I have two birthmarks. One is a light one on my leg, and there's another darker one on my back. Strange story - when I was a little kid I was over at this girl's house. She was being really rude and cranky to me, so I just ignored her and sat next to her older brother and started playing nintendo with him. She saw us having a good time and FLIPPED OUT. Seriously, she went nuts. The next thing I know, she's behind me, and is clawing at my back. I screamed. She removed a big portion of my birthmark on my back. I never spoke to her again.

15. What are you doing this weekend?Hopefully painting! Definitely making some new art pendants to put in the shop.

16. If you could play any musical instrument, which one would you play?I've always loved the sound of the fiddle. The rich tune makes me think of my Irish heritage.

17. How are you?Pretty good! Just lazing about, getting ready to go to the jewelry store and pick up a few crystals for an ear cuff I need to make for an order. I always end up buying a few more crystals then I intended too though.. hehe..

18. Do you have any pets?Yes, I sure do! I'm a big cat person. I absolutely love felines. I'm the proud companion to a beautiful, pure black, Norwegian Forest Cat, named Honey (her eyes are a bright honey-yellow). I love her dearly.

19. What's the last thing you have regretted?Staying up until 4am on a writing binge. Sometimes inspiration just strikes and you can't stop the flow.

20. What is the last thing you have been proud of?I received a daily deviation a week or so ago which just blew my mind. I'm a total Deviant Art addict, and to see my work featured on the DD page just... wow.*

I tag whoever would like to do this. Send me a link to your questionaire ^_^

Auction for Terri Windling

2011-12-07T18:50:00.001-08:00

Reknowned author and artist Terri Windling is in a serious financial crisis.
A wonderful auction has been put together, featuring so many lovely items to bid on! The proceeds go to help Terri out.

Two of my handmade items have just been included in the auction.

A signed, 8.5 x 11 inch print of Moondancer, an original illustration by me, printed on archival paper with archival inks.

Also, a lovely Elven ear cuff, made with silver toned & silver plated wire, featuring a handmade Japanese glass leaf.

Check out the auction here: Terri Windling Auction

Sketch time!

2011-11-30T21:28:00.001-08:00

A sketch of my original character, Blythe Talon.

I don't tend to work digitally that often - I get tendonitis in my hands/wrists/arms if I'm on the computer too much, and my eyes really start to get sore if I've been staring at a screen for too long. I think my age may be catching up with me!

I got a new Tuque!

2011-11-30T15:17:00.001-08:00

Don't you just love getting packages in the mail? It's always a wonderful surprise when they do arrive.

Recently I did an Etsy trade with MadamePeace, and I've just received my beautiful, hand-knit,

'Victorian Soft Knitted Accordion Slouch' tuque/beanie in the mail.

It's so beautiful, and soft, and warm. I LOVE IT! ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ

The hat is absolutely perfect for our chilly, rainy weather. It's just what I needed! :)

If you have any gifts still on your list, I recommend you go and check out her shop. Her items are beautiful, and amazingly affordable.

Here are some photos of me wearing it ^_^

Make sure to visit her shop here!

Hand Painted Pendants - Progress Shots

2011-11-28T21:54:00.001-08:00

Hello all! How is your November?

I've been busily making up new art pendants... There's over 50 new designs coming soon to my Shop. I think they will make perfect Christmas gifts (there's a few I want to keep for myself, hehe!).

I'm also very excited to be working with Kelly Angel, a fantastic digital artist in the United Kingdom. Her work is very iconic, often humourous, and always beautifully rendered. Make sure to take a look at her Website, Here.

I took a bunch of snap shots of the pendants after I poured in the resin. Let me know what you think!

Illustration by Kelly Angel

Left - Kelly Angel | Right - Sasha Fitzgerald

Various assorted circular pendants, with my illustrations

As you can see, crafting sometimes gets messy!

I can't wait to see these pendants all spiffy with a chain. :3 Let me know what you think, if you have any favourites already, or if you have any ideas for future pendants I should make. C:

New Original Acrylic Paintings!

2011-11-27T17:34:00.001-08:00

Two new paintings!
This time with acrylic paints (which I don't use very often) on board. This is my foray into whimsical and surreal art. Hope you like them! I hope to have a third one finished tonight.

Fly Away and Join the Circus - 8.5 x 11 inches

Original Painting for sale in my Shop

Balloons and Bunnies - 8.5 x 11 inches

Original Painting for Sale in my Shop

Yay! I got a Daily Deviation Today!

2011-11-27T16:19:00.001-08:00

Greetings friends!

My lovely friend Kelly, also known as Kangel on deviantart, suggested my piece, The Countess, for a daily deviation!

This has been a big dream for me for several years. I've always looked at the daily deviations and wondered if my work could ever achieve that honour. Over 5000 people have viewed my piece of work today, and that just amazes me!!! :D It feels really great to know that that many people wanted a closer look at my illustration. A bunch of them even favourited it! :)

Thank you to Kelly, thank you to http://sphilr.deviantart.com/, and thanks to everyone for your continued support!

Next journal will be an update of new paintings.... Hurrah!

Boys and girls of every age Wouldn't you like to see something strange?

2011-11-24T16:28:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to make this post for quite a while, and now that it's almost December, I better do it now!

These are some photos I took of Halloween decorations around my neighbourhood (quite a few people, along with the help of volunteers, deck their houses out for Halloween and collect donations for important charities like Unicef). I was happy to donate and they were happy to show me around. :)

Me acting crazy! C:

Next blog will be photos of my Halloween decorations. ^_^

Walking the Cat er.. Human?

2011-11-18T22:36:00.001-08:00

Hello all of my Faerie friends!

We had our first snow fall last night, it's amazing how quickly the seasons change. Only a couple of weeks ago there were still leaves on the trees! Winter is here!

I was walking my cat a while ago - yup, walking my cat, leash and all - and decided to take a few snapshots. She's such a beautiful kitten; pretty sure she's a Norwegian Forest Cat, she's also pure black. She meows conversationally (which I adore), purrs incessantly, is slightly bitchy, and drapes herself across my lap so I can rub her belly for hours. :3 she's my babeh!

Click image to enlarge

I love all things hand made, and have pledged to only give out handmade Christmas gifts to friends and family. Well, Honey, my cat, is family, so I got her a little something off of Etsy for Christmas...

These lovely handmade balls of needle felted catnip wonderballs were made by the lovely Fernwistleglen, on Etsy.

Faerie Garden

2011-11-12T21:47:00.001-08:00

One of my dreams is to create a garden. Not just any ol' garden with some flowers here, veggies there, and a bird bath or two - but a Faerie Garden. Since I was a child I've been inspired by the story of the Secret Garden - the idea of finding a skeleton key that opens a secret door into an abandoned sanctuary where magic lives has always appealed to me.

On Halloween day, I decided to go out and take some photos of some of the decorations people were putting up (and I happened to meet many friendly neighbours). Then I found this lady and her Faerie Garden, Halloween was forgot, and I clicked away!

Spirited Away has been inked! Hurrah!

2011-11-12T02:52:00.001-08:00

A close up of my inked illustration.

A little shot of the WIP & my messy work area haha!

Spirited Away - Enchanted Visions

2011-11-10T15:55:00.001-08:00

A sketch of a painting I'm working on for the Enchanted Visions project. This month's theme is Spirited Away. Let's hope I can make the deadline!

My Work Space

2011-11-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone!

I've been busily working away on quite a few projects and have lots of updates coming for you!

Here's a peek at what I'm working on right now - 50+ new pendant designs for my shop, Positively Petite. I'll let you know when the pendants are finished and in the shop.

The kitchen table has been my work space lately. ^_^

Mini watercolour paintings for new pendants!

A little sketchbook where I jot down ideas for pendants.

My Two Page Spread in Vampire Art Now!

2011-11-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

My first major publication that is in the hands of people all across North America and Europe. A book that will be in bookstores. Definitely one to check off the bucket list! :)

I'm so excited to share this with you guys! :)

Autumn Leaves

2011-11-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

I love the cozy feeling of Autumn - wrapping myself in a warm knit blanket, wearing sweats and big white socks, with a cup of Ginger Peach Tea in one hand and a Victorian novel in the other... ahh heaven.

I felt the inspiration of this colourful season take over, and demand I go outside and photograph it. Enjoy!

A little Haiku I jotted down:

Autumn

Fleeting Autumn leaves

Whistling gently away

Leaving trees barren

Autumn is Here!

2011-10-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

Isn't Autumn gorgeous?

I was taking a walk outside today, on one of our rare days of Vancouver sun, and was just amazed by all of the colourful leaves; bright reds, deep crimsons, burnt oranges, golds, and a few remaining greens - nature's pallet is absolutely stunning!

With all this Autumnal inspiration at hand, I've been working on a new illustration. Just the thumbnails on some small scraps of paper to work out the composition, but so far I'm pretty excited about it. The theme will be Autumn Harvest, with a dash of Fae and Halloween magic.

I collected some of the fallen leaves for a future project. I have them being pressed between the pages of a thick book. I hope they don't become too dark or brittle. I'm not entirely sure what I'll be using them for, but I think it may become part of my Halloween decorations for a little Halloween art jam/movie night I'm having with a friend.

I'm still trying to decide on a costume though. Part of me wants to dress like a Steam Punk Faerie, and another part of me wants to be a terrifying zombie. Decisions, decisions... :P

Does anyone have any plans for Halloween?

*PS* My computer has died on me, and I won't be very active for about a week or two (need to buy new one).

'Tell Me a Story' said the baby dragons

2011-10-20T17:35:00.001-07:00

'Tell Me a Story' said the baby dragons, a photo by solarissky on Flickr.

It's finally finshed!

The colours turned out a little on the bright and crazy side, but it was fun to experiement and doodle around. :D

Tell me a Story - Artwork in Progress

2011-10-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings~

Just a little sneak peak at an illustration I've been working on. Finally I have some time to paint! I'll update you guys when I've coloured it a bit. [:

A Faerie sits within the castle ruins, telling ancient tales to the baby Dragons.

A close up of my illustration

To Do List

2011-10-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

***edit*** feels good to get a majority of work done! Lists for the win!

When running your own business & working from home, I find it easy to get distracted, or forget the main priorities of the day. Making lists is a simple thing I do to keep organized.

Here's today's list. I'll keep you updated with photographic evidence of my progress :P

TO DO

~~Fill out Market Forms~~
~~Work on Website - specifically design a splash page~~ >>>>See it here!<<<<
~~Mail Orders~~
~~Paint~~ (I've been putting this one at the bottom of my priorities for far too long. Today I'm making myself a promise to paint and will post the work in progress here.)
Write Graphic Novel Scripts - I have two main ideas floating around in my head. One is set in a fantasy world where people have magical powers, and the other is set in a futuristic dystopic world with zombies and star ships and a character named El'Rae
Sculpt a miniature Faerie Village (this is on the list for a project in the future)
~~Collect Sticks to paint white for jewelry display purposes~~

I just couldn't resist...

2011-10-07T18:10:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist these terribly cute deco tapes and stickers.

They're just... too.. darn.. CUTE!!! I had to get them!

What shall I use them for, you ask? Why for you of course! My lovely customers shall receive super spiffy envelopes so that when they see them in the mail box they will never have to ask who they came from ever again.

I'll be sure to post some photos of the spiffed up little packages when I get my stickers and tapes! :)

If you'd like to check out the wonderful little shops I purchased these sweet things from, here are the links:

Dancing Platypus & The Spring Leaf

Future Goals Questionaire

2011-10-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

I answered a little questionaire by Creatrix in the Etsy business forum.

Who would your customer list and target audience consist of?

People of all ages with a liking of bohemian, faerie, victorian, and gypsy inspired lifestyles.

How many hours would make up your work week?

As long as I can keep my eyes open. Everyday.

Would you/do you have a studio, office or designated space to work from? what would that look like?

I have a vision of what I would like it to look like... and hopefully one day it will become a reality. I'd love to have a studio office outside of the home, maybe in a large shed of some sort. I'd also really like turquoise walls and cheery ruby red accessories, and artwork plastering the walls.

What type of marketing would you be doing?

Right now I'm really only doing little, affordable craft fairs and farmers markets. In the future I'd like to do big shows all over the world. I use blogspot, twitter, facebook, etc... and I've been connecting with some really great people. :)

What would it feel like to know you are fulfilling your entrepreneurial dreams?

Euphoria.

Krafting with Kids

2011-10-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Nearly every weekend my mom's friend comes and stays with us, with her two children and dog (otherwise her commute to work would take 5 hours there and back).

It's my opportunity to get away from the computer, give the crafting, painting, business, and Etsy a rest, and just have some fun. Last weekend I brought out the polymer clay, beads, and paints, and the three of us set at creating!

Here are some highlights from that day (accept the first photo) Click to enlarge:


Us at Playland gobbling candy apples. I'm wearing the hot pink scarf.

This is ten year old Marcus' Leaf. He sculpted and painted it all by himself!


This is fifteen year old Lauren's abstract piece. I love how colourful it is!

Marcus asked me to sculpt something boyish for him.

So I made him an evil alien scull pendant!

He painted it gold, an I attached it to a chain for him.

I also painted red flames on his hand. :P

My Faerie Door

2011-10-06T15:58:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been experimenting with polymer clay (specifically Super Sculpey), in an attempt to make a Faerie Doll.

I got a little side tracked when I saw the Faerie Doors/Portals of Royal Kitness and just had to try and make one of my very own.

I wish I had taken some before photos of the Faerie Door, it looked A LOT different from what actually came out of the oven.

So I burnt my first sculpture pretty much to a crisp. It got all warped, blackened at the top, and looked really quite strange. But after the smoke cleared, and the stinky/toxic smell of the clay went away, I kind of liked what I saw. The piece took on an unexpected, slightly unnerving, macabre, and twisted appearance.

This is my little Faerie Door! It's full of Red Capped Toadstools/Agarics, surrounding the entrance into the realm of the Fae. I brushedit with gold paint, accentuated some of the back details, and from wire I'd baked into the clay, I hung some Swarovski crystals.

It really makes me think of something straight out of the movie the Labyrinth. It must have been so much fun to design those sets!

Here are a few more shots. I added a touch of atmospheric setting to them. Click to enlarge them.

Treasure!

2011-10-05T23:38:00.000-07:00

A small treasure arrived in the mail today!

I wonder what steampunkery I shall make with these little gears and watch bits, odds and ends?

Faerie Doors

2011-10-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love RoyalKitness's Faerie Doors.

Simple Rustic Fairy Portal

Each one is a fantastic piece of art unto its own. I love the wood grain texture sculpted into the door frame, the found accessories such as beads and buttons, and the cute little rope hinges that 'hold' the doors open and closed. They are truly special items!

Since I was a child, I read tales of the mystical moors, filled with faeries. It was a dangerous place to venture off to, especially on one of the Solstices, particularly on the longest night of the year, the mid summer night solstice.

Sewing Fairy Magical Portal

It just so happens that out in the moors, on the hot mid summer night, the Faeries come up through their Faerie mound, and break through their portal, into our realm. It is said they have wild parties, all appear to be beautiful, the feast lavish, and the music enthralling. They dance and dance until the sun rises.

If a poor mortal soul wanders into their gathering, they are welcomed to join the party. Unfortunately, mortals are not generally blessed with Faerie sight, and cannot see the trickery right in front of their eyes! For the Faeries are not beautiful (in human terms), with their large, knobby hands and feet, scraggly hair, and pointed ears and eyes. The feast is nothing but nature's floor, on a slab of wood, decorated with moss and dirt.

It is said that if a mortal eats or drinks the Faerie food, they will fall into a trance, be dragged down into the Faerie mound, and become a slave. A hundred years later, when all you know and love have passed from this world into the next, the Faeries will release you. Once you pass through the portal, and take your first step into the moorland, all of those years you've been gone will fall on you.

Make sure to check out her enchanting shop: Here!

Stay tuned for my own interpretation of the Faerie Door...

The House with a Clock in its Walls

2011-10-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

A wonderful book I read as a child.

The House With a Clock in its Walls - published in 1993, written by John Bellairs and illustrated by Edward Gorey.

When I was a little girl (about ten years old), I remember a librarian suggesting this series of books to me, and I was hooked!

As chance would have it, I recently found a tattered copy at a used books sale at the same library, and wonder if it may have been the copy I had read years before. For 25 cents it was mine! It's rather beaten up, the pages are yellowed and the corners creased, but I think it gives the book character! Imagine how many happy children like myself were reading this same book?

Here's a little synopsis from Amazon that describes the story quite well:

Lewis always dreamed of living in an old house full of secret passageways, hidden rooms, and big marble fireplaces. And suddenly, after the death of his parents, he finds himself in just such a mansion--his Uncle Jonathan's. When he discovers that his big friendly uncle is also a wizard, Lewis has a hard time keeping himself from jumping up and down in his seat. Unfortunately, what Lewis doesn't bank on is the fact that the previous owner of the mansion was also a wizard--but an evil one who has placed a tick-tocking clock somewhere in the bowels of the house, marking off the minutes until the end of the world. And when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead on Halloween night, the clock only ticks louder and faster. Doomsday draws near--unless Lewis can stop the clock!

The second part of this post is about the illustrator, Edward Gorey. His work is just fascinating to me. He illustrated many childrens books, using his charming inking techniques. I first heard about him in my illustration class, when a student had chosen to do her presentation on him, and his artwork resonated with me. It was familiar, and I just couldn't place where I'd seen it before. A year or so passed, and the name Gorey stuck in the back of my mind.

When I found this book at the library a few months later, it all came back to me. I looked through the book, appreciating his illustrations in a new way; with a mature artist's eye. The simplicity of the characters, and how much it told about them. In many of the pictures, you never even see Lewis' face. I think that really says something about Lewis and his own self-confidence issues. I love the richly detailed backgrounds, and patterns, textures, and ink work. Absolutely amazing and inspiring.

I poured over his online biography, where I read that even though he had illustrated MANY, and I mean MANY childrens books, he didn't actually consider his illustrations for children specifically. In fact, "although Gorey's books were popular with children, he did not associate with children much and had no particular fondness for them.[wikipedia]".

That made me smile a little. A lot of people associate my illustrations with children. I mean there certainly are a lot of fairies, elves, enchanting characters and scenery, etc.. so isn't it for children? The answer to that is yes and no. It's really for anyone who likes the genre. To me, my art is a representation of the Faerie Realm, whether it's real in reality or just the imagination, it's a place my mind settles in and runs wild. I have to wonder if Mr. Gorey ever thought that way about his artwork too.

He also created wordless books, and was quoted to have said that, "ideally, if anything [was] any good, it would be indescribable." He experimented with pop up books and match box sized books, and wordless books filled with pictures of inanimate objects. I've seen many of these themes in products on Etsy and have to wonder if Mr. Gorey inadvertently began a trend of some sort, or was following one himself. Perhaps neither.

Both the story and the art in this series make for an incredibly fascinating reading experience. I just couldn't put the book down (even as an adult). I love the gothic tone and imagery, the original characters, and mysterious plot. It is a book I will definitely pass on to my children, if I happen to have any!

First Post

2011-09-28T17:12:00.001-07:00

Greetings, and welcome to my blog!