Wee Sweet Marie

Seed Cathedral

2010-08-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

image via gabyu

This year's Expo in Shanghai features one of the coolest pavilions ever - the Seed Cathedral.
Built using 60,858 transparent fiber optic rods, each containing a plant seed specimen, this innovative structure sits at the centre of the UK Pavilions site.
Visitors inside can watch in awe as light passes through the fiber optic filaments and illuminates the interior while gently moving in the wind, creating what I'm sure is a very dramatic effect.
Over 25% of the world's plant species were collected to take their place in this otherworldly showcase. How beautiful this must be...too bad it's not permanent.
Read more and see more pictures of this "animate sculpture".

Cargotecture

2010-08-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

image via weburbanist

Could I live in a shipping container? Sure! If it looked anything like these beautiful converted studios and living spaces.
Quite an interesting idea. And it's one that seems to have grown legs in recent years what with a shortage of affordable housing and society's desire to salvage and recycle building materials, either to be more green or simply to fulfill a need for safe shelter. It doesn't hurt that our ports are full of abandoned containers looking for a new home. Many importers choose to abandon them because it's cheaper to buy new ones than to have them sent back, meaning there are plenty used ones for sale. They can be great solutions to temporary housing, having been used as student dorms, hurricane shelters and disaster recovery efforts.
I'm a fan of the more permanent re-imagining of the cargo container. It's a twist on the mobile home that has architects designing new ways to integrate these stackable, durable and inexpensive shells into beautiful office and residential spaces.

One man has been chronicling his adventures in container redesign here.

This one, featured recently in Dwell, is one of my favorites.

image via dwell

Garden State

2010-08-09T16:18:00.001-07:00

swiss chard, carrots, beans, beets and lettuce...yum.

It is good, very good, to be able to grow your own food. Watching our garden grow from seed to luscious, leafy produce has done more than promote watering taste buds, it's helped promote a bond with the earth, the changes in weather, even the birds and deer who occasionally pay a visit to try to steal a nibble.
When I was a kid, my parents grew food in our backyard. I have fond memories of digging in the dirt to uncover golden skinned potatoes, peeking under broad leaves to find squash and zucchini... and not so fond memories of picking beans and pulling weeds. I still hate picking beans.

mom helping out with the garden during her visit this june.

Our modest raised veggie bed that we built at our cabin this spring has yielded some yummy results so far and despite one month with no rain and little supervision, we managed to get a decent harvest when we were up this weekend.

Being the first garden my husband or I have had in our adult life, there are definitely some lessons learned that we can apply to next season. I've discovered the importance of garden markers (I don't know how many times I planted seeds on top of other seeds) and that bean seedlings don't like to be transported 2.5 hours by car and ferry (my poor little beanlings took a beating on the commute from our city home where they were germinated).
Perhaps the biggest lesson of all is to keep a close eye on our cat when he's in the vicinity. Those raised veggie beds nearly became his personal outdoor litter box on more than one occasion, saved only by a last minute squirt with the garden hose. I guess you could say my cat learned a lesson, too.

I want to paint this.

2010-08-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's 10:30pm and I'm at work. As I sit here I occasionally flipping between programs, I catch a glimpse of the image I set to my desktop.

I've been encouraged to start painting again. Real deal painting, brushes, messy paints and everything. I'm thinking this photo I took last week would be a good candidate to get me back into what has become my "lost art".

Road trip!

2010-08-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

My husband and I hadn't had a vacation together since our honeymoon. 3 years ago. Our schedules are somewhat demanding, I suppose, but there's no excuse for that. Fortunately the stars aligned this past week and we were able to book some days off together for an anniversary getaway road trip to the Rocky Mountains.

It

was

awesome.

we started off the trip with two days at our friend's annual ranch party in Princeton...thanks Birmingham family!

from there it was on to Osoyoos, Canada's only pocket desert, for some hiking, jetskiing and sunbathing in 38 degree heat.

this is one of the most stunning places in the country, in my opinion. just outside of Waterton Lakes National Park.

the prairies meet the Rockies in the most immediate and dramatic way.

at Waterton Lake. what a great opportunity to try out my new sigma 10-20mm.

the best way to see the Rockies? on a forestry service road, of course! no traffic, no tourists, lots of spectacular views.

that's not to say we didn't indulge ourselves by visiting some of the old tourist standards. Moraine Lake, Alberta.

Pillow Fight

2010-04-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

pretty and rustic beach cottage pillow cover by myadobecottage

I'm in the market for a few accessories to accent the coastal look of our Pender Harbour home.

Number one on the list is to find a couple of throw pillows to dress up an otherwise drab couch.

tree branch pillows by mariescosycushions

nautically inspired seahorse pillow cover by humble collection

love, love, love everything in this shop - jellyfish in armour by utilitarianfranchise

In a perfect world, I could ditch the couch and just get this loverly chair instead:)

estelle chair by ljindustries

All hail Ter·rar·i·a!

2010-03-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

No frogs or toads were harmed in this process.

n. pl. ter·rar·i·ums or ter·rar·i·a (-ē-ə) A small enclosure or closed container in which selected living plants and sometimes small land animals, such as turtles and lizards, are kept and observed.

I post this definition because today people kept asking me why I had a big bag of moss sitting on my desk. I explained that I was going to use it in a terrarium, to which most of them replied, "What's a terrarium?"

I've always wanted to build one, but having learned some difficult lessons as a child, trapping frogs and toads (and then forgetting that I had trapped them) I thought it maybe didn't suit me. Of course, a plant terrarium - that is something I can probably handle.

So thank goodness for Etsy's latest DIY article featuring 10 or so great little tutorials for fun spring projects. This particular one, posted by tinyterra, caught my eye for being so clever.

Last night was one of the few nights where I found myself slightly bored so I moseyed into the bathroom and finally replaced all the dead lightbulbs over the vanity. Step one of my first terrarium project complete. Dis-assembling the bulb was easier than I thought it would be, but please DO follow the advice to wear safety goggles and gloves. Nobody likes shards in the eye. I used white sand from a beach trip and spanish moss, both red and green. I couldn't find any air plants but it looks just as nice with the moss.

Throwing away lightbulbs is annoying so I'm excited to now have a use for them. With the move to compact fluorescents, better to save our incandescents from the landfill - and make some terrariums!

clockwise from left

terrarium kit by augury

terrarium necklace by woodland belle

air plants (tillandsias)

How to build a great garden

2010-03-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Spring has sprung early in coastal BC and so to get a jump on the garden (before it gets a jump on us) we decided to spend the last couple of weekends up at the cabin clearing out the brambles and cutting back overgrowth. Fun stuff you say? Actually, it is and I quite enjoy it. This is the first time since childhood that I've had a yard so I'm excited to get my hands dirty and work a little green thumb.

I thought I'd share with you a great tutorial on how to build a raised bed for your garden.

soon to be filled with yummy tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers...

We decided to build raised veggie beds for a couple of reasons. When we started tilling we realized the bedrock was less than a foot under the topsoil in some places. Another reason is that raised beds are a little less back breaking to work in (and they look pretty). We followed the design on Sunset.com, with a couple minor adjustments.

- We used spruce instead of cedar. Though not as durable, spruce still weathers well and is half the cost of cedar. We were offered pressure treated wood for its durability but swiftly turned it down. An organic veggie garden isn't very organic if chemicals are leaching into it.
- We used landscape fabric instead of the hardware cloth recommended on the website. Our area generally doesn't have a problem with burrowers and the fabric is more than enough to keep out pesky weeds. It's also a fraction of the cost of the hardware cloth.

To build both frames for the beds only took us a couple of hours, plus another hour to dig the holes for the posts and attach the pvc piping for the bird netting. It ended up costing a total of 180.00 for materials, but considering we'll make that up and more in groceries I'd say it's well worth the effort.

# 9 - Celebration

2010-03-01T09:25:00.001-08:00

It was a perfect ending to an imperfect (but still amazing) winter games. Canada showed the rest of the world that we aren't a bunch of doormats so don't wipe your feet on us when we welcome you to our country. Please and thank you.
We trounced the rest of the world in gold medals, breaking a record for the most won at a winter games and a host country. We broke our own record for total medals won at a winter games.
And oh yes, we beat the good ole' U.S.A in a nail biting OT hockey win that sent this city into a frenzy of high fives, horn honking and WOOOOOhOOOOOOOO's!
If you weren't a fan of the Olympics before, you almost certainly will be now. At least if you live in Canada. And at least for the next few days before the party buzz wears off. What comes next is uncertain. The games have a legacy of lifting their host cities to superstar status but sometimes the come down can be rough. Witness another Canadian host city, Montreal in '76.
But for now, nobody's thinking about it. We just want to revel awhile longer and bask in the glow of what many are saying could be the most successful games ever. Pat yourself on the back, Vancouver. Well done.

...and as the vancouver olympics come to a close, the moon rises over the city, a gold medal in the sky for a gold medal country.

#8 - Mounties!

2010-02-26T10:14:00.000-08:00

Phew! Finally a spare moment to sit and post my latest photos. It's been non-stop around here, what with finishing a huge project at work and entertaining family members who are in town for the Olympics. It's really exhausting, which is a side-effect I wasn't expecting from these games you know, since I'm not competing and all. I think it's just overwhelming, in a good way mind you, but tiring nonetheless. Constant expense of energy and opportunities that you feel can't be missed - like this opportunity for some great photos.

The RCMP musical ride is something I hadn't seen since I was a kid so when a friend mentioned it was happening down at the Olympic cauldron, we pretty much dropped everything and went. Glad I did - I got some great pictures and it was really cool to see the Mounties in all their regalia. Doesn't get much more Canadian than that, eh?

#7 - Sunshine

2010-02-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

my hubby, on the beach in kits

The weather gods have truly outdone themselves this time. After a predicted gloomy forecast and problems with the lack of snow at Cypress, I'm amazed at how well things have turned out weather wise. I mean, you can't ask for a better week. The last few days have been cloudless and warm, perfect for the thousands of people out and about in our city. Dubbed "the Spring Olympics", I've heard few complaints from the people who came here expecting a cold and wintery Canada. What better way to dispel the myth that we all live in igloos and ride dogsleds.

This is my Vancouver and I love it!

a gorgeous day for competitors atop cypress mountain

cherry blossoms, out a bit early this year

it's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood

# 6 - Nightlife

2010-02-15T21:47:00.000-08:00

fireworks after the opening ceremonies

Vancouver's not known for spectacular nightlife, at least not when compared to places like New York, Montreal or even Toronto. But these last few nights in Van have made the buzz in those cities seem more like a fizzle. I've never seen so many people on the streets. The energy is palpable.

revelling in robson square

mobson street

Friday night's opening ceremonies was a frenzy. At one point I was literally swept down Robson by the crowd, caught up in this current of people and unable to break out of the flow until it petered out somewhere around Burrard Street. I wasn't the only one who couldn't find their way...our ex-prime minister needed directions to his hotel.

mr. chretien - which way to shawinigan, hein?

Tonight as I left work, mobs of people were leaving BC Place high off the celebration of a medal ceremony where Alex Bilodeau was awarded Canada's first ever gold on home turf. The whole city has a carnival atmosphere, especially at night when the street performers, pyrotechnics and drunken revellers really hit their stride.

ice skating at robson square - they should have this all the time!

street performer at granville and robson

hotel vancouver with art gallery in foreground

#5 - Protest

2010-02-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

The riot squad was a tip off that something big was headed our way. Within minutes, we could hear shouting and cheering from outside our studio at Cambie and Robson.

It was a protest organized by the Anti-Poverty committee, but once we were down in the thick of it, we could see virtually every cause in the world well represented. From "Jesus died for your sins" to "Stop the Alberta Tar Sands!", this seemed less of an Olympic protest and more of an opportunity seize the world media spotlight.

It lasted only a few minutes at its terminus of BC Place before police, eager to get waiting athletes to the opening ceremonies, broke it up and cleared the intersection. This day's protest was much more peaceful than yesterday's, where apparently some balaclava wearing "protesters" smashed windows at the Bay downtown.
Ah yes, democracy in action.

#4 - Flame

2010-02-12T14:04:00.001-08:00

Phew! Day one of the Olympics and I just "escaped" the mob at the torch relay downtown. What an experience. I'm not usually agoraphobic, but I couldn't wait to get out of there.
I staked out the route a bit earlier and managed to get a spot right in front of the last torchbearer of the outdoor leg, a young aboriginal man who was nominated by his band to carry the Olympic flame. I think a few others caught on and soon I was joined by about 200 other eager photo snappers. I still managed to get a few good shots despite having committed a rookie mistake by not charging my camera battery last night. Thankfully, it allowed me 20 or so frames before completely pooping out.

These photos are from the relay today and the relay last night, as it passed through my neighbourhood in Kitsilano.

Tonight, I'm off to the pub to watch the opening ceremonies with friends and then do a little drunk wandering downtown. Should be interesting to see where tonight takes us!

#3 - Installation

2010-02-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

much more interesting than underwear shopping

Tomorrow the opening ceremonies will take place and so it is that the tourists have landed en masse. They're kind of an installation in their own right, not difficult to distinguish from the usually under-showy with their patriotism Vancouverites.
There are lots of new and sometimes wacky art installations too, popping up all over the place. Today I headed down to the Granville mall (I was actually meaning to buy underwear at the Bay) but I got sidetracked by this.

Lots of interesting things to see and I had to jockey for position to shoot a lot of these pieces.
The photos were taken along a one block strip of the city but there is so much more to be seen and you don't have to look hard. I haven't photographed it yet, but the interactive light show at Sunset beach is by far the best in my opinion. More on that when I get the photos.

Oh yes - I also saw the torch go through our neighbourhood tonight. Got some good pics there too so I'll post those soon.

#2 - Controversy

2010-02-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

the olympic village - always the source for controversy

Of course, it wouldn't be the Olympics without a dash of controversy in the mix. Granted, so far the controversy has been much ado about nothing, but it's still fun to watch people take things so seriously.
I have to hand it to the Aussies for standing their ground on the "flag flap" issue. They succeeded in keeping their boxing kangaroo front and center at the Olympic village while exposing yet another one of the IOC's petty and draconian "laws". Bravo!
And what of the much maligned (and American built) Canada pavilion? A lot of words have been used to describe it thus far : ugly, boring, embarrassing, poopy eyesore etc., etc...
So I went myself to see what all the hub bub was about. Turns out it is all of those things, but I might reserve judgment for what's on the inside. Maybe it's like one of those really ugly jackets that you don't throw away just because the lining is super cool. Or maybe it's a steaming turd inside and out. Oh what fun - we shall see!

aussie pride wins out over IOC ridonkulousness

hey! turns out it IS a poopy eyesore!

#1 - Transformation

2010-02-04T20:24:00.000-08:00

This is the first entry in my Vancouver Olympics photo essay.

our japanese mascots willkommen you!

It's been happening for weeks now, years even, but these last few days it's become much more obvious. The city is changing and you can't go anywhere without seeing evidence of its transformation. Whether you like it or not, the Olympics are an "in your face" affair. Everything's big and bright, primed and policed, ready for the world when it descends upon us in exactly one week.

what, wait - yes they do

larger than life - building wraps are so hot right now

not the biggest flag in the neighbourhood

New Lens

2010-01-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

I got a new telephoto 55-250mm canon lens so I've just been playing around with it a bit, warming it up for all the photos I hope to take during the Olympics. The fact that I work a block from BC place (the hub of this gi-normous event) means that I'll be searching for alternate ways to get there ie. walking. Not ideal if it's pissing rain, but I'll try to make the best of it by taking my camera along and getting as much practice as possible.

Frost is one of Vancouver's 30 Essential Jewellery Designers!

2010-01-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

Hello all. It's been awhile since my last post. I spent the holidays in the dark ages. No internet, no computer. Oh how I've missed you.
But now that I'm back, I can share with you some of our good fortune.
Last month we were nominated to Vancouvermom.ca 's call for Vancouver-based jewelry designers and today we found out we're being featured on their site as one of the top 30 chosen from the nominees! Very exciting!
Thanks to Christine, publisher of Vancouvermom.ca for choosing to feature us and a big shout out to Lesley from Smidgebox for the nomination that kicked this off.

Find our feature and interview here!

Light box

2009-12-14T21:15:00.000-08:00

new photo taken in the Optex light box

I tried to build my own but to no avail. It just never quite got the job done. So when I saw this on sale at London Drugs, I bought it. They have a good return policy so I figured I might as well give it a try. Even in the darkest of dark rooms, it works great. Well worth the $100. A better woman could've persevered with a home made version, but I don't have much time or patience to work out the kinks. So if you're impatient and frustrated with a lack of good lighting conditions for your product shots, I highly recommend this light box.

Mini Moos!

2009-12-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

My Moo cards have arrived! Oooooh...pretty pretty.

The Christmas shopping continues...

2009-12-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

This weekend is the first in awhile that I haven't been working or doing a craft show, so what do I decide to do? Go to a craft show! Guess I just can't get enough.

Today was Got Craft on Commercial Drive, one of the most popular and well attended shows in the city. I have a few good friends who had booths there so I thought I'd stop in for a visit.

Jayson and Jocelyn Thiessen are just about the cutest couple you've ever seen so I guess it's fitting that they run Cutseypoo Toys together. From stuffed rocket pops to cone gnomes, their toys are strange and wonderful, original and will make you giggle (which by my definition makes them perfect!).

My close friend Lesley of Smidgebox was there as well with her hand sewn goods. Her table stood out in the crowd with splashes of colour from beautiful printed fabrics, all impeccably constructed into handbags, fabric buckets and my favourite - the wee chef set. I purchased a tote from Lesley at another craft show a couple of weeks ago. It was supposed to be a gift, but I love it so much I decided to keep it and get another one!

tote by smidgebox designs

New art and the Christmas shopping begins...

2009-12-05T18:31:00.001-08:00

Last night I went up to Squamish for the House of RTS gallery opening. It was a beautiful night for a drive. The moon was out and the skies were clear - the mountains looked gorgeous. Even in the darkness you could see their snow capped silhouettes towering over the valley. This was the first time I've driven up the Sea to Sky highway since they finished the 3 or 4 years worth of construction, widening the highway for the Olympic traffic that's expected in a couple of months. No more hairpin turns, no more getting stuck behind lumbering tour buses or on the flip side, being overtaken by Range Rovers with a death wish. It's four lanes almost the whole way from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish and it's a breeze.

But I digress. The show was the main point of the evening and it was fantastic. This gallery has brought together some great talent and I'm really happy to be a part of it. As I mentioned in a previous post, Josee St-Amour is the owner of the gallery and also has her work for display. I instantly gravitated to her paintings before I even knew they were hers. I never walk away from a show like that without finding something I must have, so I bought one of her pieces titled "Communication". If you're in the area and are in the mood to peruse some really great original art that's local (and affordable, I might add!) then swing by the House of RTS in Squamish.

communication by josee st-amour

House of RTS

2009-12-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to Friday. For the first time, our encaustic paintings and jewelry will be featured together at an art gallery. And I'm particularly excited about this gallery. House of RTS opened this past month in Squamish and is already creating a lot of buzz. The gallery owner, Josee St-Amour, has curated a great collection of work from local artists and was right to recognize the untapped potential of this growing community in the Sea to Sky corridor. With the Olympics right around the corner, this could be a great opportunity to showcase work to an international audience.

This Friday is the grand opening. It's open to everyone, so I thought I'd pass along the invitation for anyone interested in visiting, either this weekend or the next time you're in Squamish!

Portobello West

2009-11-30T17:31:00.001-08:00

our table at portobello this weekend

This weekend we had a booth at Portobello West in Vancouver. I'd forgotten how exhausting these big shows can be. Hours of standing in one place and smiling can take its toll, but it's always worth it in the end. I have to admit, I do enjoy it and getting the chance to meet some other really great artists and designers is always a huge plus.

As always, I managed to get a bit of Christmas shopping done. I bought a lovely leather journal from Patina Designs, which unfortunately I don't have a picture of because I've already given it away! I also got these great Cowichan style mittens from Granted.

We got lots of compliments on our table set up this year. As an alternative to typical jewelry stands and easels, we used things from around the house that went with our rustic aesthetic. An old wooden crate, mason jar and vintage printer's tray were just some of the "props" we used.

kas hammin' it up for the camera

Lawren Harris

2009-11-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

the old stump, lake superior - lawren harris, 1926

One of Lawren Harris' paintings sold for $3 million yesterday. That's a record bid for any of the works by a member of the Group of Seven. "The Old Stump, Lake Superior" is one of the most beloved and iconic paintings in Canadian history and is a beautiful example of the stylized, almost abstract painting Harris was famous for.
He's always been my favourite of the Group of Seven, mostly for his colour palette and bold brush strokes. His work is cleaner, less muddied and dark than some of his Group of Seven counterparts. Some people really like the northern landscapes of Thomson and MacDonald, but prefer Harris.

mt. lefroy - lawren harris, 1930

maligne lake, jasper park - lawren harris, 1924

northern lake - lawren harris, 1923

Open House Craft Fair

2009-11-22T21:35:00.001-08:00

that's what we like to see - a line up for the till!

This past weekend was the first of this year's Christmas craft shows for Frost Collections. It was also the one we look forward to most.

For the past 4 or 5 years, my good friend Linda has graciously opened her doors to fellow crafters and artists and offered to host a Christmas craft fair in her lovely home. It's a warm and inviting place both for vendors and customers who get a chance to mingle with each other in a much more personal setting. Guests are invited to come in from the cold and indulge in some snacks and hot cranberry tea while browsing the many beautiful items available for sale.

This year's artists included Smidgebox (aka Lesley) and her lovely hand sewn goods, Jenny and Judy with their pretty paper arts and many other talented people showing their quilts, jewelry, woodwork and more. Our host, Linda, introduced her new line of lamp work beads that are just stunning and have me thinking maybe I should get a little more experimental with my kiln.

Next weekend we show at Portobello West. It's Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-6pm and I'm always excited about this one. Lots of people and lots of great shopping for me to spend all my profits on :)

our wax encaustic paintings

some of linda's exquisite felt work and jewelry

More studio time

2009-11-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

kas in the studio on bowen, prepping the boxes

Kas has moved to Bowen Island and last weekend I took the short ferry ride across Howe Sound to her new house, high on a hill overlooking the ocean. Her house has a fabulously big room perfect for studio space and much less cramped than our previous encaustic work space (which was basically just a corner of her west end apartment's living room). We spend all day Saturday and Sunday waxing up a storm and managed to get all of our inventory complete for this season's craft shows and gallery openings.

Today was our first show of the season, an annual open house craft fair we do every year with friends in North Vancouver. It went really well (I think!) and I'll post more on that tomorrow.

our encaustic workspace, where the magic happens

post production photo shoot

and a little snack to reward ourselves for our hard work - nick made us crepes, yum!

We need your vote!

2009-11-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

I've been staying late at work for the last few days and unfortunately my blog is one of many things that I've had little time for, but we got some exciting news today that I had to post about.
The game I worked on last year, Punch Out!!, has been nominated in the "best Wii game" category at this year's VGAs. I'm super stoked since our team put so much love into this project. It's been fantastic to read all the stellar reviews (especially the ones pertaining to animation!) and it would be great to cap off this amazing game with a VGA.
Now here's where you come in - the nominees will be judged according to how many votes from the public they receive. Each IP address gets only one vote, so sadly I can't stuff the ballot box ;)
But you can! To vote for Punch Out!! click here!!!
And thank you!

Creative head space

2009-11-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

I just got back from a weekend on the coast and thought I'd share a few pictures. So often I've posted finished work on this blog, but rarely do I remember to take photos of my work in progress. Since our garage studio is a few more weekends away from completion, I've been content to sit at the dining room table in our Pender Harbour home. It has a gorgeous view of the bay and it's a great spot to sit while you work, though I'll admit it also provides its share of distraction. But this is how I like it. A little distraction never hurts and the natural light is so much better to work with. Add to the mix a hot cup of tea and some background music (today it was Santigold) and I'm in just the right space to create.

Serenity Now...

2009-11-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

a stormy sunset, pender harbour BC

The website for our cabin/cottage is published! And it only took a few hours to put this together. Thanks, iWeb. I love my mac.
Check out the site here:
http://www.serenitynowretreat.com

i heart imac

2009-10-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

We have finally taken a bite of the forbidden fruit. After years of pc hardship, replacing part after part to build some hideous, gorgon-like machine, we came to our senses and decided NO MORE! No more spending $100's to upgrade a computer that needs it every 6 months. No more virus invasions despite having "the best" in anti-virus software. And no more cumbersome metal case making click, click, clicking and high pitched whirring noises -what the hell was that, anyway?
No more time to take a better photo...gotta get back to mac!

we sold a car to buy this 27" baby, but the new imacs are oh so worth it...

WTF?

2009-10-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, maybe we shouldn't take ourselves so seriously.
Thanks Linda, for making coffee come out my nose.

Regretsy. Check it.

SOLD OUT!

Prep

2009-10-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, back to business. Now that the suite is done and I have a brief reprieve from the craziness at work, I can finally concentrate on my other creative outlet. With our first holiday craft show just over a month away, I want to make sure I give myself a head start by getting the most difficult pieces done first.
While I still love beading jewelry and will be selling it at the shows again this year, Kas and I decided to sell more of our fine silver work this year. I'm hoping it'll set us apart from a lot of other jewelry artists and besides that, it's just more fun to do.
It's also a lot more labour intensive. Working with precious metal clay is a multi-stage process. One piece can take up to a week to produce. Fortunately, with this nice little assembly line process I've got going on, I can get about 6 or 7 done at a time.
I've never had so much stock all at once and I just had to take a picture since they all look so pretty together. Can't wait to see how this amount times 5 looks on our craft table.
So here is the latest batch from the last couple of weeks.

reversible fine silver photo pendants a la frost collections

Renos complete! Well, almost...

2009-10-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

I guess there are a few more little jobs to be done, but for all intents and purposes, our suite renovation is complete! We're so happy with the results. Kas and Nick did a fantastic job.
This was a massive undertaking for us as we had very little time and money, two things crucial to the success of a reno. But with help from people we trust, it was never a concern that this project wouldn't turn out the way we had hoped. And now to get this baby rented! Oh man...

features include brand new kitchen, hardwood fir floors (the real stuff, not engineered!), lodgepole pine ceiling, new light fixtures and a fresh coat of benjamin moore's cloud white

had to scrounge what i could for a last minute staging, but it works

found this chair in the garage...i think it belongs to kas

kitchen cabinets: akurum by ikea
hardware: varde by ikea
sink: domsjo by ikea
countertop: numerar by ikea
faucet: danze euro from canadian tire
subway tile backsplash: from tiles for less

More wedding pics

2009-10-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

I recently opened a Flickr account so that I could share my pictures with a few people I know who (shocked gasp) don't do Facebook. I thought I'd post a few more of the shots I took for Kas and Nick's wedding. I'm pretty proud of what my little Rebel DSLR can do with little more than its stock lens and some lucky lighting conditions. For my birthday I got a polarizing filter for my lens which cuts through reflective surfaces like water and metal. This Christmas I'll be putting a few more accessories on my list in the hopes it'll help get my photography to the next level.
#1 on my list is an external flash. Great for shooting jewelry since it saves one the trouble of having to build a lightbox or depend on natural lighting conditions.
#2 is a light diffuser for the external flash. Great for shooting people in low light conditions because it brings out a more natural skin tone and softens the image.
#3 is a camera bag, like this one that I can put all of these little goodies into to keep them safe.

Pumpkins

2009-10-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

Seeing as it's October 1st, I feel I'm within my right to start posting Halloween stuff. Halloween is my fave holiday, next to Christmas and I love seeing what creative takes people have on costumes and traditional Halloween items.
Take these amazing pumpkins, for example. Ray Villafane offers a carving tutorial on his website, but somehow I don't think mine would turn out quite this good. I can barely pull the knife out of the pumpkin.

Japanese Fishing Floats

2009-09-29T08:23:00.001-07:00

I'm a bit of a Craigslist junkie. I've been relentlessly pouring over furniture and antique ads looking for inexpensive ways to decorate our Sunshine Coast place. So far I've scored a dining room table and six matching chairs, a patio set and appliances for the suite we've been renovating. I've also sourced materials for the build like ceiling panels and tile. Now that the majority of the work is done and the house is mostly furnished, I've been picking up knick knacks to put on the finishing touches.
These Japanese fishing floats are my best Craigslist purchase to date. I'd been looking for awhile and when these popped up, I couldn't believe it. It's hard to find floats this big (24" and 16") and in such good condition. Got a good price, too ;)
I've been told these floats are the pot of gold of beachcombing but it's not uncommon for people to find them washed up along the shores of the west coast. It's pretty incredible that these glass orbs are able to make their way across the ocean and settle on the rocky shores, sometimes without a scratch.
I kept one for the cabin and gave the other one to Kas and Nick as a wedding gift. They'll look beautiful hanging in the window where they can catch the light and show off their lovely blue-green colour.

A West Coast Wedding

2009-09-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Finally got some pics uploaded from Kas and Nick's wedding this past weekend. Tofino did not disappoint in providing the perfect setting and a perfectly sunny day for the bride and groom. Kas and Nick are very detail oriented people and it showed in their wedding. Guests were greeted to this 3 day event with gift bags full of handmade goods like pottery bowls, jewelry and organic garlic. The coolest part about these gift bags was that all the items inside were made by other guests at the wedding. What better way to bring people together than to share each others craft!
The reception was gorgeous, from the handpicked local greenery gracing the centerpieces to the delicate sea urchin salt and pepper shakers. Bits of sea glass collected over months gave the neutral table runners a hit of colour and each guests place setting was marked with a picture of themselves so you'd know where to sit. On the back of the chairs, handmade favour bags held yet another treat inside for each guest - a bag of almonds (the traditional favour), a compact fluorescent lightbulb (to represent the "green" factor of this wedding) and one of our encaustic paintings (a nod to support of everything handmade).
Indeed it was a picture perfect wedding...and not without some adventure. Turns out that as guests were enjoying the reception, an electrical fire was smoldering in the attic above. No more than an hour after we went to bed, we were awakened by the sound of the fire alarm and hurried footsteps pounding down the hallway. Thank God for a few friends who were still awake and able to bang on doors. Everyone got out safe and sound and the fire was out in about an hour. Now if that doesn't sober you out of a drunken wedding stupor, I don't know what will!

clockwise from top left: chalkboard name tags for children's play room, personalized place settings complete with my grade six photo, local greenery that's all native species, reception table, fine silver cufflinks for the groom, gift bag contents including handmade goods from other guests (and a signed copy of David Suzuki's Tree!)

West Coast Blackbird

2009-09-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

came back from tofino to find this tofino birdy in the gift guides!

Well, we're all back from Tofino in one piece! After 5 days of wedding fun on the west coast, I am now pouring over 300 or so photos I took of my best friend's big day. I'd like to feature more details of Kas's wedding in my next post, including the post-reception excitement that included some faulty wiring and a hasty evacuation.
Upon my return from that adventure, I was pleasantly surprised to find one of our encaustic paintings nominated in Etsy's blog, the Storque. Readers were asked to vote on their favourite woodland themed items and though we didn't come in first place we ended up with a respectable number of votes and a place in Etsy's coveted Gift Guides!
Thanks to everyone who nominated and voted for our West Coast Blackbird!

Tofino Time!

2009-09-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

This week I'm heading off to the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island for a little time in one of my most favourite places, Tofino. The occasion is a very special one as one half of our little art and jewelry business will be getting married ! My business partner and best friend Kas will be wed at Middle Beach Lodge on Saturday and I couldn't be more excited. It's a small gathering, but not too small - 60 people - and it promises to be one of the most stylish weddings I've been to. I'll be certain to post photos here when I get back next week, but in the meantime here's a pair of cufflinks I designed for Nick, the groom. The photo inside was taken by Kas in Tofino so it's a very appropriate accessory for the day. This was the first set of cufflinks I've made so I'm crossing my fingers they hold their own. I'm bringing my emergency glue just in case!

finally something for the boys - fine silver picture boxes on sterling silver torpedo backings

Murder

2009-09-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

This lovely collection of crow art was recently posted on Found Handmade, a place to advertise your handmade, supplies or vintage goodies. Check out our Feeling Blue pendant, one of our fine silver creations handcrafted from Precious Metal Clay.

1. AnabellaDesigns ($35)
2. AdornJewelry ($30)
3. hicknny ($12.50)
4. WildOrchidDesigns ($50)
5. Collettestreasures ($22)
6. meganleone ($18)
7. secretjewellz ($25)
8. studiobijou ($12)
9. mamaslittlebabies ($25)
10. frostcollections ($50)
11. kerribeads ($145)
12. RoseAndRaven ($49.99)
13. celula ($72)
14. wickedgems ($40)
15. beadkeepers ($75)

Frost at Funktional!

2009-09-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that we are bringing our products to the good people of the Okanagan starting this week!
Funktional is located in downtown Kelowna and specializes in unique gifts and home decor. Much of what they retail comes from local artists and designers. They will now be selling our wax encaustic paintings so if you are in the area, drop by and check it out!
A big thank you to Funktional proprietress and curator, Chantal, for finding our work in Tofino and taking an interest!

FibreWorks

2009-09-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

While I was up at the cabin a few weeks ago, I dropped in on the FibreWorks gallery just outside of Madeira Park on the Sunshine Coast. I'd always admired it from the highway as the studio and workshops are contained in about 5 or 6 yurts. Yurts have always fascinated me. From the outside they appear to be little more than tents, but the insides can be customized for electric, plumbing and decked out in finishing touches you'd expect to find in a Yaletown condo. They're a brilliant alternative to mobile homes or even traditional builds, especially if you're looking to get something built quickly. A 28' yurt, for example, takes about 6 people and 4 hours to erect.
But of course, it's what was in the yurts that was of most interest. My good friend Linda Sharp was featured in their August exhibit and was showing some of her felt work. With in-laws in tow, I took a tour of their gallery and studio and was really impressed with the gorgeous work being shown. From intricately woven baskets to colourful scarves made of the softest yarns, everything in there was made by local artists and provided a great cross section of different mediums. There was so much beautiful texture and we were encouraged to handle the pieces (delicately!).
Linda's work was the highlight for me, though...here are some pics of her work, complete with that Linda whimsy we love her for.

container for thoughts about rabbits

empty nest

Bloggity Blog Blah Blah

2009-09-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

I've had a serious case of blog neglect lately. Husband and I have both been feverishly working late nights and weekends, both at our day jobs and on our plans to move a tenant into our suite by October 1st. Plans got trashed when Al got called into work for all three days of this labour day long weekend (irony) so I'll be going up to the cabin on my own to interview some prospective renters and show them around the place.
Work has progressed well since my last post. The kitchen cabinets, counter top and appliances are in. The floor is down. All that's left is to tile the back splash, throw another coat of paint on the walls and doors and finish the nosing on the stairs. Phew...I'll be happy to get a tenant signed, then on to the next on my list:

1) finish organizing company bbq for this Friday
2) finish organizing best friend's shower for this Sunday
3) finish metal clay pendants in process, get them listed on Etsy and DaWanda

Kas and I managed to cross a big one of the list last weekend when we knocked out 60 small paintings in less than 8 hours. The paintings are party favours for each guest at Kas and Nick's wedding. They're getting married in Tofino so this is a perfectly appropriate gift as most of our pictures were taken in and around Tofino.
I may or may not get to post again this weekend (I'm hoping to get back into a more regular routine once the dust settles around here). If I don't post again, have a great labour day weekend!

Out on a Limb II - Frost Collections

Featured

2009-08-20T22:29:00.000-07:00

Storm Bracelet

This week's been a bit slow on sales, but great on promotions.
Made it into two really beautiful treasuries this week, one of which made the front page.
This one is a fp contender too, I think.
I also received two convos on Etsy tonight, both to let me know that we've been featured on a couple of magazine/blogs.
The first one is called Creepy Queen and aims to spotlight the indie artist by providing free promotion. Their site leans towards goth inspired and alternative work. Appropriately, they've featured our Storm Bracelet and we were pleased to be introduced to a number of other really great artists in this particular list. We also thought it appropriate and coincidental that they should post "It was a Dark and Stormy Night" considering the evening my peeps in southwestern Ontario have had!
The second feature is on the front page of My Handmade Registry, a popular site where you can show off your wish list of handmade items you find online. Etsy's Storque blog featured them recently in its spring series "HANDMADE WEDDINGS". One of their members has chosen our Bard Owl pendant for their wishlist.
Thanks to everyone for the features! Now let's see if some of this generous promotion translates into some late summer sales!

Bard Owl Pendant

Coastal Picks

2009-08-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

shell printers tray
photo courtesy of mygreengazebo on etsy

As my search continues for accents to highlight the coastal theme in our Pender Harbour home, I've come across more amazing and creative ideas that would be perfect design additions.
Take this wall hanging, for example. Using an old printer's tray, this piece is a perfect example of wall art that tells a personal story. I can't wait to get my own and fill it with all the beach combing treasures I've found on my travels. Or maybe I'll fill it with the knick knacks I never know what to do with but can't ever bring myself to throw away.
Visit My Green Gazebo for more excellent coastal inspired picks.

Skunkboy Creatures

2009-08-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ophelia the Octopus

Today I'm featuring this cool Etsy shop, Skunkboy Creatures. Their quirky toy designs are made from recycled and found material. I guess I'd describe them as "abnormally cute", only because I wouldn't ordinarily think to cuddle up to an albino lion, or a birthday snail for that matter. These toys sorta remind me of the island of misfits from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Which only makes them more endearing in my books.

Noodle the Narwhal

Gallop the Horse

all photos courtesy Skunkboy Creatures

Under the Sea

2009-08-07T10:06:00.001-07:00

the wyatt sisters

This August long weekend my sister came out from Ontario to visit us at our Sunshine Coast cottage/cabin? (still having an identity crisis here). It was a hot one and the lake just wasn't cutting it so we decided to venture into uncharted waters and walk ourselves out to Daniel Point for a dip in the ocean.
We found a pretty little spot just off the rocks overlooking the hustle and bustle of Pender Harbour. The water was amazingly clear and warmer than I expected. We swam for a good couple of hours and returned the next day to the same spot, this time with our snorkel gear and an underwater camera to take a few pics of the starfish and marine life.
What a treat to be able to snorkel in BC! I love snorkeling but have only ever done it when I've gone somewhere hot on vacation. It inspired me to start looking for some marine themed artwork for our walls and while searching through Etsy, I came across this delightful shop.
I love her art style and colour palette. Very graphic and modern. She is a gifted artist and I've definitely found a new favourite! Oh yes, and she's Canadian! Points for that.
For more on Jessica Doyle, check out her website here.

photos courtesy jessicadoyle.etsy.com

from top to bottom
starfish
urchin
lost at sea...no.2

Can't beat the heat

2009-07-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, so really? Air conditioning still not working in my office? And it's only 9am and already 28 degrees with the mercury rising?
I need to think cool, happy thoughts.

aquamarine ring by mso joies

3 piece dinnerware set by one clay bead

waveform by obey my brain

Lamb

2009-07-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

This pic reminds me so much of the Pixar short Boundin' , which is one of my favourite shorts out of their studio.
Here are a few selections from some Etsy shops that pay tribute to those woolly little babes.

little lamb mary janes by ivory and moss

bedtime blue wool lamb by the craggy moor store

needle felted mini sheep mobile by bossy's feltworks

Cottage Chic

2009-07-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm dreaming of a day when the burden of my dual mortgage will release me long enough to buy some of these fabulous items that I need need need for the new home to feel complete.
Alright, so maybe I don't need the almost $3000 desk but it's my dream so I get to need what I want, k?

barrel stave pot rack by alpine wine design
what a perfect accessory for a small kitchen space. i love everything in their shop but this one item i keep coming back to as a favourite. rustic beauty and practicality!

painted wood crate by extra virgin home
this is a fantastic little multi purpose piece that i can easily see collecting seashells and driftwood from my beach trips or little odds and bits from my jewelry supplies.

vintage metal drawers by extra virgin home
these would make the perfect storage for my garage studio. durable, versatile and they still manage to be pretty.

the surrender desk by the ruppel design group
surrender i would if i could to this beautiful example of craftsmanship. I love all the cubbies and drawers and how it all perfectly tucks away behind the drop leaf table.

Transformed!

2009-07-20T13:09:00.001-07:00

ikea hemnes day bed

It was another work weekend up at the coast cabin.
This week's task included painting the living room. Dated wood paneling gave way to three coats of Benjamin Moore's Ivory Tusk. It is now a crisp, airy space that brings the beauty of the outside view into the room. It also accentuates the beautiful cedar ceiling and makes the space feel a lot more modern but still with that cottage feel.
We also bought a new sofa bed for the living room, replacing the one the previous owner had left behind (for good reason). I love this Ikea Hemnes daybed. It's a trundle that pulls out into a king and is oh so comfortable. Not to mention beautiful.
It was such a dramatic change from what we had before and only took a few hours to complete.
While my husband and I were busy painting, Kas and Nick were in the suite putting in the fir floors. They are gorgeous and feel great when walking on in bare feet. Very soft. Since the floors have gone in though, we've noticed the lodgepole pine we'd put up on the ceiling just isn't selling it like it used to. A white washed effect might be in order to mitigate the obvious difference in the quality of the wood we used.
That'll be something to try for next weekend!

before

after

fir floors

Etsy Tour in Vancouver

2009-07-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

For those who missed the event, here's my wee report...

Last night I attended the Etsy Summer 2009 tour which was held just off Main St. (appropriate location since I consider this neighborhood to be a "cradle of handmadedness").
It was a great atmosphere with lots of lively discussion punctuated by a shared appreciation for each others craft. I spent a good deal of time scanning name tags in the room for familiar shop names and matching faces to the avatars I've seen so many times.
Representing on behalf of Etsy was CEO Maria Thomas and community team members Matt and Anda. Matt kicked off the evening with some funny anecdotes that provided insight into the beginnings of Etsy, which started while he was rooming with the site's founder, Rob Kalin.
Maria's open discussion with the crowd of about 50 or so people was fantastic and offered more than just a peek at what's going on behind the curtain, so to speak. Most interesting to me was not what they are doing to entice more sellers, but what they are doing to attract more buyers. Which of course is the whole point, though sometimes we sellers forget that when we're clambering for better tools and more selling features. It seemed very clear from her talk that they had their feet very firmly grounded to what's important to help this site become even more of a success.
Here are a few main points that I came away with (I didn't bring my notebook so I'm working from memory):

- Etsy is actively working on a wish list of feature improvements for sellers including rearranging your shop, organizing your favourites and continued improvements to the search functions and flagging system. There's much more on the list of to dos but I only listed the ones that stuck out to me.

- Etsy has wisely chosen to approach their marketing of the site with a more viral approach (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook) as opposed to using traditional media and print outlets which don't provide as much bang for the buck.

- Etsy takes copyright infringement very seriously. Anyone with a serious claim to copyright infringement is encouraged to contact Etsy's lawyer, Sarah Feingold, who won't hesitate to help you.

- Etsy lays to rest (for the umpteenth time) that vintage and supplies have always been a welcome part of the site since day one and that their definition of handmade is inclusive of many things that some may not traditionally interpret as such.

-Etsy is looking for more ways to feature buyers as they do sellers so send them your ideas if you got 'em.

and of particular interest to me

- Etsy is holding a contest for short films. The winners will get cash prizes along with the chance to have their video used as part of Etsy's advertising. And yahoo, the contest is open to Canadians!

No major bombshells here, but it was nice to get all this information first hand.
What made this evening most worthwhile was having the chance to meet and speak to Maria, Matt and Anda in person. They are every bit as lovely as you could hope and helped put a face to this company whereas before, I didn't quite know who I was dealing with.
Last night I came away with a lot more confidence in the direction this company will take.
Yes, and I even got myself a handmade Andabandana :)

A selection of items from fellow Vancouverites at last night's meet-up.

from top left clockwise

green leaf denim, small boxy tote by smidgebox

sweet cupcake knit hat by maggie pie creations

cute little wise owl woodburned wall art panel by cabin + cub

cheeky monkey the brooch by smeeta

Fan Page

2009-07-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hey, guess what? I found a new time suck on the internet. Didn't think it was possible, but there it is. The Facebook fan page.
I started one last night for Frost and so far I have 10, count 'em, 10 fans. Okay, so results are not as impressive as Twitter but what I do like is looking at the pages of people who've fanned me and finding some really interesting work there as well. If you have a business and are already on Facebook, you may as well join. It's pretty simple. But since I'm too lazy?busy? which is it? I'll just point you in the direction of a tutorial to get you up and running with your fan page.
And while I've got you here, scroll on down to the bottom of the page on the right hand side and fan me why don'tcha?
Thanks!
Facebook fan page tutorial and info here.

State of the Animation

2009-07-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

What a week, what a week. What a summer it's going to be...
So I haven't posted in awhile (if you consider a week awhile) and I started to feel a bit guilty. My day job has consumed me and I'm not finding much time for anything but animating, thinking about animating and last night, dreaming about animating. Aaargh.
It's not all bad. I do my best work under pressure and I like to problem solve so this project at work is giving those skills some overtime. It's also got me thinking about my craft. I post a lot of inspiration for my jewelry design here but I thought it would be nice to revisit some of the work that has helped mold the animator in me since I was a child. Even if you aren't an animator, check out this great blog as I'm sure you'll appreciate this.

Mary Blair's conceptual paintings for Alice in Wonderland are my favourites

Glen Keane rough from Tarzan - oh, to be able to draw like that!

Happy Canada Day!

2009-07-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Canada House
by The Little Red Door

I may be at work today but wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying the sunshine and celebrating the day!
In honor of our national holiday, here are a few selections from some very talented fellow Etsians.

dreaming of southern Ontario purselette - if you look closely, you'll see my hometown of Fergus
by Gotamago

Birch Trees and Cardinal Pillow
by Sarah Smile Creations

best national symbol ever! leave it to beaver eco-friendly plush
by Stitchface

R.I.P. Michael

2009-06-26T09:25:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to lie. It's been a long time since I cared what Michael Jackson did or didn't do. Probably 20 years. So why should I care that he's gone now?
I remember when I was in the 2nd grade, my mom and dad told me I could invite anyone from my class that I wanted and take them to Chuck-e-Cheese for my birthday. My best friend gave me a present, flat and suspiciously album shaped. Opening it up and seeing Michael's smoky eyes staring back at me from the cover of Thriller, well I was smitten.
Michael became my first star crush and I took that record home and played it so much the grooves almost wore through.
I begged my grandfather to buy me Michael Jackson stickers and took them to school to trade for other memorabilia like Michael Jackson buttons and posters.
And I remember when a kid at our school showed up with a sequin studded white glove his mom had made him and we all made fun of him because it was for the wrong hand.
I think he meant more to some of us than we'd like to admit.

Recycled Notebook by IKC. Design

Messenger Bag by Dunzo Custom Graphics

Wall Art Deca l by Paula's Decal

Unstoppable Dance Party!

2009-06-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

You may have seen this already, but my husband sent me a link to this YouTube video yesterday and every time I watch it puts a big smile on my face. It was filmed at the Sasquatch festival in Washington state. We've all probably had similar experiences at outdoor music festivals, where the collective energy of thousands of people listening to music can break the barriers people wouldn't normally consider breaking. But I've never seen one man create such a chain reaction of uninhibited fun. Wish I had been there.
Listen here for a clip of the music that inspired the most awesome dance party, Santogold's Unstoppable.

Crazy 4 Cult

2009-06-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Shannon Bonatakis
"I Can't"
acrylic on canvas
14 x 20 inches, framed
$1,500.00 - SOLD
(Edward Scissorhands)

Crazy 4 Cult is an annual show hosted by Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles that features the work of many different artists all paying tribute to some of the greatest cult films of all time.
Have a browse through their blog and check out some of their interpretations of these classics. Some are obvious while some, well - aren't. It's kind of a fun guessing game trying to figure it out, anyway.
Here are some of my faves from this year's installment.

Erica Gibson
"Woodchipper"
acrylic on panel
17 x 13 inches, framed
$450.00 - SOLD
(Fargo)

Kirk Demaris
"The Torrances"
colored pencil on paper
12 x 15 inches, framed
$400.00 - SOLD
(The Shining)

Jesse Riggle
"Effervescent Pestilence"
acrylic on linen
18 x 22 inches
$1,400.00
(Evil Dead)

Matt Dangler
"Munchkin's Main Menace"
oil on masonite
9 x 12 inches, framed
$2,800.00 - SOLD
(The Wizard of Oz)

Monster Factory
hand-sewn custom plush
each approx. 20 inches tall
$330.00/ each - ALL SOLD
(The Big Lebowski)

Solstice

2009-06-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

lee bay sunset

Happy Solstice, everyone! We just got back from another weekend at our place on the coast. What gorgeous weather! It was meant to be a work weekend but with the heat, we couldn't resist a swim in the lake followed by a few beers on the patio. We did manage to get some work done, though. For my husband, it was a lesson in drywalling. For me, a lesson in spackling. Woohoo!
But it was good - we got all the holes left from the plumber and electrician patched up. Next step is installing the cabinetry for the new kitchen and putting some lodgepole pine on the ceiling to cover that nasty stucco that's so pervasive throughout apartments.

al spackin' up a storm

all work and no play makes al a dull boy

our neighborhood beach

Garage Studio

2009-06-17T13:14:00.001-07:00

Today the plumber and electrician are in to install what we need for the suite reno at our Sunshine Coast home. Progress! I love to see it. While they're at it, I'm having them install a hook-up for a sink in the garage under the suite so that eventually we can convert it to an art studio for my husband and me. We're not fussy about our cars so they can live in the driveway.
I've been thumbing through some magazines and looking on the web for great examples of what we could do with the space. The inside of our garage is already pretty immaculate (as far as garages go) so we just need to add some finishing touches to make it a comfortable and fun place to work.

no plumber butt here

Here are some pics I grabbed for inspiration.

this is similar to the size of our garage (hmm, i'll probably keep my porsche elsewhere)

way more than i could probably do, but i like the airiness of this space

something like this is more realistic, nice and bright with a little space to relax

Childhood Fears

2009-06-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

We all had 'em (have 'em?). Like my irrational and persistent fear of moths. Even the little white ones you see floating delicately about your garden. Ewwwww.
Thanks to my friend Rob for sending me this link to some great photographs representing some very believable childhood fears.

Frost at Bella Boutique and Gallery

2009-06-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been Tofino then I don't have to tell you that's it's one of the most magical places on earth. I've posted about it before but it's hard to describe in words how beautiful it is. Surrounded by wild ocean scenery and nestled into the rainforest of famous Clayoquot Sound, this little town boasts a number of shops and galleries full of work by local designers and showcasing some of the most talented artisans on the West Coast. No wonder Tofino attracts so many people from all over the world. It really can't be compared to anywhere else I've ever been.
And so it was a no brainer deciding to showcase our work there. Especially considering so many of our photographs were taken in Tofino. It has been a huge inspiration to our work. If you are in the area and would like to drop by, Frost Collections is now retailing at Bella Boutique and Gallery, located just outside of town at a little shop collective called Outside Break. Bella carries both our encaustic paintings and our fine silver jewelry line.

Ikea = Awesome

2009-06-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

No really, I mean that. From a purely money conscious point of view, they really can't be beat. I couldn't find things off Craigslist for any cheaper. And I know we all have our complaints about the stupid allen keys and the extra screws leftover at the end of a frustrating 2 hour assembly session, but in a pinch their furniture will get you through. And it looks good.

Like this bed frame I bought for $119. Perfect for the shabby chic look I'm going for in the master bedroom. A similar queen bed frame was listed for $350, used. It was wrought iron, which would explain the cost diff, but I'm not interested in authenticity if it's going to weigh a ton and cost double. I'm too practical, I guess.
The bed is currently the only piece of furniture in the room, but I've been trying to source some accent pieces from various antique and thrift shops around town. On my list is an old steamer trunk, a small distressed white or cream chair and a pair of pretty little end tables.

I also like the look of this vintage chair. Could be really fresh with a coat of white paint on the legs.

The other big purchase from Ikea was our kitchen for the reno'd suite. I picked up a lovely set of cabinets, counter top, sink and fixtures for only $1500 after tax! Awesome.

First weekend

2009-06-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

Note to self : don't move furniture in sandals

This past weekend my hubby and I moved into the new cottage on the coast. It was amazing - though not without a few minor calamities. But aside from ripping out a big toenail, losing the key to the moving truck and nearly giving one of our two kitties a heart attack, things went rather smoothly. Anyway, there's nothing that relieves moving stress more than sitting on a huge sun soaked deck after a swim in a warm, crystal clear lake.
While we were up, we were able to see first hand the renos to the suite. Things are moving along quite nicely. The wall between the living room and what used to be the bedroom is now completely removed and the plumber and electrician were in today to rough out plans for the kitchen. I'm very excited with the progress that's been made. We also brought up a lot of furniture and now have beds for every bedroom in the main house which means we can start having guests right away!
But the most satisfying part of the weekend was seeing our 12 year old tabby's reaction to the new place. Leo had never been on a long car ride, never been on a ferry and had been an indoor cat for the last 5 years of his life. When we got him up to the cottage, we were a bit reluctant to let him "into the wild" for fear he might bolt after a stressful day of firsts in his life. But quite the opposite - he was more than content to meander about the tall grass in the garden and never wandered so far that we couldn't see him. I don't think I've seen him so happy. This is great because with all the time we want to spend up there, we'd hate to leave him behind. Which brings me to our other kitty, Smuckers. Poor Smuckers. We'd barely made it out of the parking garage when it became abundantly clear he was not going to survive the journey without busting a lung from the constant howling. So for now he stays behind. Perhaps a mild sedative is in order before we try that again (for me, not for the cat).

Leo in the tall grass

Look how happy he is...I mean, really...

Renos

2009-06-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

And so it begins. Yesterday we took possession of our Sunshine Coast getaway and we are already hard at work. This week consists of knocking down the wall to open up the first bedroom to the living room. I've picked out a lovely little kitchen at Ikea and will be trucking that up on Friday to fill the space where the bedroom used to be.
Here are some pics from the demo.

before

apres

after apres

Sitka

Be our 100th sale and...

2009-05-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

...receive a pair of Trio Earrings free with purchase!
That's right, we're closing the gap on 100 sales on Etsy and to celebrate we'd like to give a little somethin' to one lucky person.
To get the free earrings, all you have to do is be the 100th sale by purchasing an item from our Etsy shop. We will ship the earrings with your purchase as a thank you for your support.
The Trio Earrings are made from tiger ebony beads and all findings (including earwires) are sterling silver. These earrings have been featured on the front page of Etsy and most recently in a couple of lovely treasuries.
So if you're interested, head over to our shop and have a look!

Stuff for the cottage

2009-05-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

I'm compiling an Etsy wish list of things I'd like to decorate our Sunshine Coast cottage. I am acutely aware that before I can buy any of this, I need to furnish the place. One step at a time. Meanwhile, here are some of my favourites.

Bigfoot and Abominable Snowman Magnets

Wildlife Bookends

Porcelain Robins Egg

Birch Bark Candle Holder

French Writing Desk

Marie's cottage...

2009-05-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

Our little piece of land - wow, real land!

Well, today my husband and I sealed the deal on a vacation property on the Sunshine Coast. We have been contemplating the idea of eventually moving up there on a permanent basis, but for the next few years we will be using it as our weekend getaway. A place to work on getting our creative juices flowing, to get back in touch with nature and most importantly, a quiet place we can enjoy spending time with our family, friends and each other.
It isn't all fun and games, though. These first few months are going to be busy ones as we take a dingy 2 bedroom suite above the garage and convert it into a stylish 1 bedroom vacation rental. Right now, there's no kitchen in the suite but our plans are to knock out a wall and convert the smaller bedroom into a cute little kitchen area. When that's all done and the suite is rented, we'll move on to the main house, where we'll be staying whenever we go up.
For a house built 30 years ago, it's in remarkably good shape and most of the updates are purely superficial, but there is some updating that needs to be done. I'm quite excited for this, actually. After watching so much HGTV, this kind of project is just the challenge I'm ripe to tackle. I've decided to chronicle the progress of our cottage revitalization here. This first set of photos was taken the day we first looked at the place. I will take more and post them as the redesign develops.

the view, oh the view.

kitchen's not too shabby.

this room has the most potential, but needs the most work.

brand new radiant heat tiles, no work needed here!

Punch Out!! released for Wii!

2009-05-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

That's right...it's out baby! After 15 years since the last version of this classic title released, I'm happy to say that our game is finally available for sale. The reviews so far have been fantastic (89 on Metacritic - woot woot!) but the real test comes now as the general public is allowed its rematch against fighters like King Hippo , Von Kaiser and how could we forget good old Glass Joe. I'm super stoked to get my hands on a copy today and play with friends. Ah, memories of my youth.
Wrap party for the game is tonight so I may partake in a drink or two, or three to celebrate!

On a side note, I found this scarf while surfing some other craft blogs - unfortunately it seems the shop that sells it is no longer in commission so I'd like to commission you or anyone you can recommend to make it for me! Email, twitter, or post a comment here if you're interested. I'd prefer any other Punch Out character to Mike Tyson though, since he's not in our version of the game.

What time is it?...

2009-05-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

It's Adventure Time!
Watch this cartoon by Pen Ward. Besides the fact that it's totally absurd and ridiculous in the best way possible, I love this because it brings me back into my eight year old head. With exclamations like "Algebraic!" and "Mathematical!", it's clearly written for those of us that haven't strayed too far into the land of boring grown-ups to forget what it was like to make up stuff on the spot and have your friends totally understand you. With Rainicorns, Elementos, Abraham Lincoln and a wizard that is such a patoot, you have to watch it to believe that somewhere in the galaxy, this world must exist. Confused already? I don't blame you. This cartoon is worth watching over to get it, but even more because it's just that awesome.
Rombus!

Holy Frick...

2009-05-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

On the FP again this morning! Yeah! Thanks to alibli for including our Printemps pendant in her gorgeous Mimosa treasury. That's the fourth time the pendant has been on the front page in a little over a month. I'm starting to feel spoiled. This also goes to show that being on the front page doesn't guarantee sales (at least not directly). Just lots of hearts and views. Hey, I'll take what I can get!

Pixar coming to Vancouver!

2009-05-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

I guess it was only a matter of time before the world's most talented animation company figured out where the world's most talented animators come from. And so it happens that Pixar is opening its doors in our fair city this fall, with the hopes of hiring between 75-100 animators to work on all of their short films. Not sure yet whether they mean shorts for DVD release or whether Vancouver would be working on their highly acclaimed theatrical shorts, but either way this is going to shake things up in the city in a big way. And it couldn't come at a better time for some. Job losses in the animation industry have hit hard in the last 6 months and though we in the games industry are usually sheltered from these economic downturns, there have been a number of studio job cuts not to mention one or two that have closed their doors for good. So here's hoping that Pixar follows through on its decision and makes a solid go of it in Vancouver. We in the industry all remember what happened when Disney came to town.

Frost on UsTrendy!

2009-05-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

So I joined yet another online venue (because I don't spend enough time on the internet already) called Us Trendy. Though I'm a bit fuzzy on the functionality of the site, it seems like the main purpose isn't necessarily to sell, but to offer a forum to people who want to showcase their work and have it rated by their peers. Listing your portfolio online is free and the only commission comes off your items should you decide to list them for sale. For now, I've listed three of our collections with a few examples of our best work. Nothing for sale, just testing the waters to see if I actually make any connections here. So far, nata.
It seems the only selling venues I've joined that have resulted in actual sales have been Etsy and DaWanda. icraft, Big Cartel and Pink Doodle have all been a wash, aside from helping to drive occasional traffic to my blog. Which is something, I guess. Anyway, the one thing I do like about Us Trendy is the layout. It's really clean looking (don't judge them by their logo) and uploading your pics and descriptions is sooooo easy (oh why can't it be like this for every site!).
If you'd like to see what I'm talking about, click on the logo.

Winner of May Giveaway!

2009-05-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

A big congrats to Yuka who is the winner of this month's giveaway for a pair of Calm earrings! Thanks to everyone who participated. Your comments are appreciated and have been really helpful!
Next giveaway will take place in a month so stay tuned for June!

Press Kits

2009-05-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

One of our goals for the business this year is to sell at 10 retail locations by the end of December. So far, we've made some contacts with b+m shops in the West End, Cambie neighborhood and Tofino and we already sell at Favourite in North Vancouver. One down, nine to go!
In preparation for this, we've been furiously working away at our press kits (which is funny that they're called that since we haven't actually had any press yet). But aside from that minor detail, it's come together nicely. We've included the following in our kits:

- Cover letter introducing ourselves and addressed to the potential buyer specifically
- An "about us" page, detailing our mission statement, inspiration and bio
- Line sheets for both our fine silver and encaustic collections that include photos, brief description, MSRP and wholesale prices for each piece
- A few full page pics of our work and ourselves for a more personal touch
- If we had any press, we would include a page for that as well ;)

I saved this out as a .pdf so that it can be emailed and opened easily. I debated whether to include our contracts and order forms in the press kit but thought better of it since it seemed a bit presumptuous. Better to let them see the artwork first without being pushed into reading the fine print.
We're sending our first one out this week so fingers crossed we get some orders out of it. Of course, we've already given the manager of the store a heads up that she can be expecting something from us. I wouldn't recommend sending a press kit without contacting the store first. That's a personal opinion- to me it just seems a bit pushy.
Here are a few pics from the kit. One day I'll figure out how to make a .pdf downloadable from my blog and you can see the whole thing. Until then...

May Giveaway!

2009-05-03T12:30:00.001-07:00

It's the beginning of a new month and as promised, we'll be giving away another lovely piece of jewelry from our business, Frost Collections.
This time it's something fresh and light, in honour of spring. Our Calm earrings are a simple but sophisticated accessory for a spring/summer wardrobe. They're made from mother of pearl and all findings are sterling silver, including the ear wires.

To enter simply leave a comment telling me which item from our Etsy or DaWanda shop you like most.
All qualifying entries will then be entered into a random draw for the earrings.
Once a winner has been picked, they will be contacted for shipping information and the earrings will be on their way to a new home.
This contest is open to everyone, this includes you international buyers!
The contest closes Tuesday night at 12am Pacific time so get your comments in before then!
Good luck everyone!

Printemps Pendant on the FP!

2009-05-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

And another happy jig I do! I've been lucky enough to have our Printemps pendant featured on the front page of Etsy for the third time in a month. Seems fitting what with it being spring and all. Now if only someone would buy it already...
Here are some of the other goodies featured in the treasury.
Thanks to Wild Woman for including us!

wee little gnomes (being wee myself, I especially love these)
sassy green apple necklace (this one sold already!)
pretty felt flower pin
gelato bracelet (inspiration for this treasury, perhaps?)
a new take on the scrabble tile
hidden cove earrings
vintage seam binding (supplies should be featured on treasuries more often!)
vintage utility box (another one sold!)
beautiful fine art photography
funky mellow yellow
wishing well ceramics

Smidgebox Grand Opening!

2009-05-01T09:36:00.001-07:00

One of my close friends, Lesley, has opened up a shop on Etsy today. She is a dynamo. Mother to two young children, she still somehow finds the time to lovingly hand sew beautiful items like this and that. From cloth baby blocks to pretty totes in an array of colourful and whimsically printed fabric, she has created a beautiful selection in her shop. And this is only the beginning.
So stop on by and introduce yourself to Smidgebox. She's definitely one to keep an eye on!

blue green yellow, cloth blocks

garden gray, medium tote

photos courtesy of Smidgebox :: handmade this + that

Paper

2009-04-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across these pretty paper butterflies while lurking through my friends' Etsy favourites.
I believe they're meant for accenting scrapbooks or handmade cards but I think they look beautiful on their own.
Beach Cottage Studio has a number of them for sale here, along with many other beautiful paper pieces.

The paper wreaths at Haru are carefully crafted with an assortment of found paper, vintage sheet music and pages of English literature. Each one can be customized with a personal message. I like it as a modern alternative to something very traditional.

I've been eyeing these little birdies for awhile. Cotton Bird Designs creates beautiful, hand stitched paper and fabric sculptures. I love their assortment of vintage papers and cotton prints.

LucyandBart

2009-04-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

What is inspiration? How about this - Lucy McRae and Bart Hess describe their work as "creating future human shapes, blindly discovering low-tech prosthetic ways for human enhancement". Their collaborations are a blend of fashion, architecture and animation that are bizarre, surreal and brilliant.
Bart Hess will be showing during the Milan Design week 09.

Experiments in HDR

2009-04-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've been playing around with some different techniques of editing photos. Recently a friend introduced me to HDR (High Dynamic Range) processing. A basic explanation of HDR is that it's a technique used to bring out the wide range of intensity levels between shadows and highlights in your photograph, coming closer to what you might see with the naked eye. HDR essentially makes a composite of a photograph taken with a range of exposures (normal exposure, over exposure, under exposure). The result is a photo that better represents the light AND dark areas, whereas a single exposure of your photo might have areas that are blown out or too dark to see the details.
I tried my first HDR experiment using Photoshop CS3 but found their HDR function cumbersome and unable to produce the results I had hoped for. So I moved onto a program I've never used before, called Photomatix. It was much easier to produce results that came closer to my expectations and was way more intuitive.

original photos adjusted manually for f/4, f/5.6, f/13

final HDR image processed through Photomatix

Admittedly, my final photo is hardly one I'd put out as a great example of what HDR can do but it is my first try. I think part of the problem is that I chose to shoot a subject in lighting conditions that were already pretty decent. If it weren't for my experimenting, there'd be no reason to use HDR for a photo like this since the lighting was even. Another issue is that I didn't use the exposure bracketing function on my camera. I adjusted each exposure manually between taking pictures, which obviously caused some difference in the alignment and also the depth of field.
This weekend I'll be out again to get shots for more experiments in HDR. If I can nail this technique I think it'll be immensely useful for the pictures in my shop.
If you'd like to give HDR a try, there are some great tutorials.

for Photomatix and Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Bridge
for Photomatix only
for Adobe Photoshop CS3
for Adobe Lightroom

Oh, and feel free to leave me any pointers on how to make a successful HDR image!

Artist Interview

2009-04-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

A fellow Etsian, Annie Bierma of Dot and Line, has graciously included me in one of a series of artist interviews to be posted to her blog. Today she posted mine, where I answer a few questions relating to my history as an artist, my inspiration with a glimpse into my creative process. If you're interested, check it out here!
And thanks again, Annie!

from Dot and Line, green and leafy lampshade

Nesting Bowls

2009-04-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

My latest Etsy purchase! I just bought a set of these fabulous Pinwheel nesting bowls from Catherine Reece of Village Clayworks. I've featured her work in my blog before, but I saw these listed recently and just had to have them. They're destined for somebody else's kitchen this time (a gift for a friend) but if they're as beautiful in person as I think they will be, I might have to buy another set of my own.

Punch Out!! on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!

2009-04-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Fallon's guest last night was Morgan Webb, video game expert and host of G4 Underground.
During her interview(which was presided over by none other than Ice-t and Elmo) she demo'd the game that I've been working on for the last 1.5 years - Punch Out!! for the Nintendo Wii! I was stoked to see Jimmy Fallon swinging his arms around madly trying to avoid being hammered by King Hippo. Even more excited was I to see my animation play (check out minute 5:27 in the video) to a huge audience that include a muppet! A muppet watched my animation! Now c'mon, that's pretty damn cool.
This episode is just another in a long line of fantastic press that our game has been getting. I can't wait to hear what the masses have to say when it finally drops on May 18th!

Frost on the Front Page of Etsy!

2009-04-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hooray! We made it on the front page today. I do a little happy dance whenever this happens. It doesn't happen often so I'm always thrilled.
I'm especially excited because the pendant that was featured is one from our new line of textile jewelry. Since we bought the kiln, Kas and I have been experimenting with different ways of working with metal clay. I saw this beautiful silk cord in the bead store and bought it not knowing how I would end up using it. Turns out it looks really nice coiled up into a bezel. The colour combination for the Printemps pendant is my fav, but we're working on some other seasonally inspired colour combos too. We've got summer covered with our Dog Days pendant. Now we just have to come up with fall and winter.
Anyhow, just thought I'd share this since it really brightened my day!

Tofino

2009-04-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

morning light in Cathedral Grove

Just got back from a long weekend jaunt over to Vancouver Island, to the wild oceanside of beautiful Tofino. It was great. But fresh off the ferry and here I find myself perched at my computer again after a weekend "sans connection". So much for self control - in that I'd meant to put off my work brain until tomorrow morning when I actually have to go to work. What can I say? I'm hopeless. But really, it was an amazing weekend. Seldom do I experience relaxation to this degree. It isn't for lack of things to do in Tofino. There's plenty to keep you busy if that's what you want. But if what you want is to eat, nap, take a lazy walk on the beach, nap, eat and drink a few before you nap again for the night, well you won't feel one bit guilty for it. And that's pretty much how our weekend went. Yup, it was great.

Headlands at Middle Beach Lodge

Home redecorating!

2009-04-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

We bought our condo a couple years ago, our little 735 square foot slice of domestic bliss. We are fast outgrowing this space though and hope to sell and buy something bigger.
So in prep for selling, we're going to start redecorating. We've got some ambitious plans to help open up what is a small space, like removing the wall between the kitchen and living area and converting our den into a more sellable 2nd bedroom.
And that's the key - how can we make this condo more marketable in a market that's less than perfect? We're lucky we live in a very desirable neighbourhood so prices haven't dropped so much as they've plateaued. But still, with a glut of condos on the market in the foreseeable future, any edge we can get is good.
I've spent the last couple of weekends painting the bedroom this lovely Polar Sky. I can't seem to finish more than one wall at a time hence the need to stretch out this mini project over multiple weekends. Below is the colour scheme we've used for our home. Spring Rain in the living area, Ranchwood in the kitchen and Bittersweet Chocolate in the bathroom. We've used Cloud White for all doors and trim.
I didn't come to these colour choices all on my own. My friend Kas (who is also one half of Frost Collections) also runs a home decorating company called Cloud City. Kas is a genius with colour and she's going to do up the rest of our home renos real purty.

Spoiler alert!

2009-04-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been keeping up with this season's episodes of Project Runway Canada, read no further.

If you have then you may have seen last night's episode where Brian Bailey visits the designers in their hometowns to get a sneak peak at their collections in progress. My husband and I were watching last night (Yes, that's right. Al loves Project Runway and I'm a lucky wife) and we were both shocked to see that one of the finalists comes from my little old hometown of Fergus, Ontario!
That's right, Jessica Biffi is a Fergusite. That's kinda like a parasite, only Scottish. Now I'll admit, I've been rooting for Sunny Fong to win this competition. His designs are consistently inspired and his construction is always spot on. But Jessica's been hot on his heels this entire competition and her collection for fashion week is looking pretty strong. And now that I know she's from Fergus I'm a little torn as to who I want to win. We'll have to see how they shape up on the runway!
If you already know who wins, please don't tell me!

Jewelry Giveaway - and the winner is...

2009-04-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

...The Giveaway Diva!

Congratulations! And a huge thank you to everyone who entered. Your names will automatically be entered into our next giveaway in May.
Your feedback on our work has been very helpful in telling us which of our pieces are most popular. We're trying to focus our product line so from that perspective this giveaway has been a big success!
Thanks again everyone!

Information and Inspiration

2009-04-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky to have a lot of artistic and brilliant friends who I can tap for knowledge from time to time. My friends have been my best source for inspiration, advice and support while building our business, Frost Collections, and it would've been a much harder and longer road without their help. When they don't have the answers to my questions, in their infinite wisdom (and patience!) they've referred me to some really great books. I thought I'd share just a few of those that have been a great resource and inspiration to the work I do and the work I'd like to do.

1. Craft Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco
This is number one on my list for the simple fact that for such a quick read, it's extremely informative. Full of practical advice, it's a great step by step guide for the entrepreneurial craftsperson. I've already read it twice and keep it close at hand for occasional reference.
Definitely a great place to start when researching how to build a craft business.

2. The Jewelry Sellers Answer Book by Dr. David Weiman
Another great resource for business advice, this downloadable book is a great compilation of all the most frequently asked questions about jewelry business. This could potentially save you hours of surfing through forum threads hoping to find the answers you're looking for.

3. The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
This last one doesn't have as much to do with craft as it does with work in general. The reason I mention it is that for many of us, we aren't just trying to build a business but we're trying to balance it with our careers and family. A co-worker bought this book for me knowing how I've long coveted the shortened work week (who hasn't?) and if my dream of moving to the Sunshine Coast and working remotely ever comes true, I'll have him and this book to thank.

That's it for now - next time I'll post some less business-y books and more of the great instructional craft books I'm reading. If you know of any other really good business books for craftspeople, I'd love to know about them! Just post a comment and I'll be sure to check them out!

Jewelry Giveaway!

2009-04-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Starting this month, I'd like to give away a little something from our jewelry collection at Frost. After all the rain we had in March, I thought it appropriate to feature something from our Rainforest Collection ( though it's sunny today, finally!) .
Our Rainforest earrings are made from tiger ebony and sterling silver. They're simple and that's kinda what I like about them. They're also nice and light for those who are a little squeamish about stretchin' the lobes.
Here are the rules for the giveaway:

To enter simply leave a comment telling me which item from our Etsy or DaWanda shop you like most.
All qualifying entries will then be entered into a random draw for the earrings.
Once a winner has been picked, they will be contacted for shipping information and the earrings will be on their way to a new home.
This contest is open to everyone, this includes you international buyers!
The contest closes Monday night at 12am Pacific time so get your comments in before then!
Good luck everyone!

Punch Out!! Proud

2009-04-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

I just have to brag about this a little more. For the last year and a bit I've been leading the animation team on the upcoming release of Punch Out!! for the Nintendo Wii. Now that the game has been announced and people are having a chance to play it, the initial reactions are coming in. This one was posted a couple of days ago by one of the editors for gonintendo.com. When I read it, it made my day and I'm so proud with the work we've done and glad that somebody out there appreciates it!
An excerpt from the review...
"However, the thing that really struck me—as a Computer Animation major—was the brilliance of this game’s animation. The subtlety of characters’ movements is so nuanced that it borders on the surreal. I honestly couldn’t tell if it was superb motion capture, hand animated from scratch, or (likely) some enhanced combination of both approaches. Whatever it is, my mouth was literally dropped open and left drooling at how gorgeous this game is in motion; someone has definitely put some love into this game. Newcomer Disco Kid is a perfect example; not just his quasi dance/boxing moves, but also his facial expressions and animation. I think saying “OMG I love it marry me please” sums it up nicely."
Thanks CortJezter! Whoever you are...

Pretty Pottery

2009-03-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my family comes from a long line of potters. My parents are potters, my grandfather was a potter, my great grandfather was a potter and so on...
So even though I don't "pot", I still have an appreciation for this fine art. When browsing galleries, online or real world, I gravitate towards those breakable beauties. And I'm constantly amazed by the ingenuity of modern day pottery. Form and function are evolving within traditional methods and new methods are being explored. I bought some pieces recently and took them home to show my dad. He was amazed with their simplicity but I think sometimes that's the best part of the idea.
Anywho, here's a few of my favorites.
I'll start with something on my wishlist...Catherine Reece of Village Clayworks combines two of my favourite things in her design - birds and whimsy. I love her colourful drawings. So charming!

This urchin bowl from Element Clay Studio was one of my first Etsy purchases. It currently lives on my nightstand and I love it.

Kim Westad's pottery is elegant and beautifully detailed. A perfect wedding gift - which is how I came to be in possession of this lovely vase.

Diana Fayt of One Blackbird's work is some of the best I've seen. I reluctantly gave these beautiful glowbowls to my sister for Christmas. I'm saving both space and money for a set of my own. Besides her romantic glowbowls, I love the design esthetic for her more detailed, hand etched work.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

2009-03-29T15:58:00.001-07:00

What a day today. So nice to see the sun come out and the flowers come up - finally! Took my digital SLR out for a tour of my neighborhood. Rows and rows of character homes hugging the ocean shore. It's the best neighborhood in the city (in my humble opinion) and on days like this I'm especially grateful to live here.
I've been slowly trying to figure out my new camera, reading through the manual but getting the best advice from friends who also have SLR's. One of them pointed me to this great light box tutorial which has really come in handy for shooting my jewelry. Check it out here.

And now for something completely different

2009-03-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

Get ready for it! I have a penchant for art that's out of the ordinary and Dance Sippy Dance does not disappoint. Her bloody monsters are delightfully twisted and her "not bloody sculpture" is equally cool. Her characters really appeal to the animator in me. Each one looks like it has a story to tell. If one of them sat next to me on the bus, I wouldn't get up. I'd stay and listen very carefully.

My day job

2009-03-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

It's true that my blog is mostly devoted to my passion for designing jewelry and I've done a pretty good job of showcasing that side of my life. But it's hard for you to know who I am without knowing how I spend 8 hours of my day.
I trained for over 2 years to become an animator and for the last 10 years I've been working hard at it. They say that's how long it takes to become really good at this. I feel like everything I've learned so far has not only made me a better animator, but it's made me a good leader and a better person.
So here's some of my work. My friends are always complaining how they never get to see the stuff I'm working on. That's mostly because I'm under a non-disclosure not to show it, but this is my personal animation so this time, I'm allowed.
It's still pretty rough and there's some work to be done but hopefully I'll have time in the near future to polish it and make it pretty! Enjoy!

Too cute for words...

2009-03-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

...seriously.

Needle felted necklaces at Motley Mutton

Our kiln!

2009-03-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

When it finally arrived was one of the most exciting days I've had in awhile - try not to judge me for that. It's just that I'd been waiting a long time for it and I was so tired of firing metal clay with a tiny butane torch. This kiln has already saved me a huge amount of work and while I'm still figuring out the right temperatures and firing times, once I get the hang of things it will be much more efficient.
Here's a pic from my latest fire. What I especially love about these little Paragon kilns is the fact you can use them at home. I have mine out on my covered balcony. Much better than inside since I'd forgotten how much kilns smell when they're firing (my parents are potters and I grew up above a pottery warehouse.)