We're Featured Today!

Hey everyone - we've been featured on Ucreate today! A fantastic blog about home decor and DIY projects. Another chance to enter to win a Single Stone Gift Certificate and experience a truly unique blog full of inspiration!

Enjoy~

Still excited about my Friday night :)

I was so excited all last week to get to Friday night! Not because the work week was over - that's never really over but because the FABULOUS Jen Swift was in Cincinnati!! How did I get so lucky?!? Really, we had the BEST time!

She happened to be in town shooting all the photos for her book with her publisher North Light Books. Mark my word this book is going to be AMAZING! I've seen sneak peeks of the projects, the outline and layout of the book and am blown away! Truly amazed at Jen's level of focus and creativity, drive and grace she has shown through this process. It must be grueling at times but she makes it look easy. The amount of work going into a book like this is immense. She has created 25 projects right from her mind (and hands) and is now moving onto writing the copy for the book. It's titled "Creative Bloom" and is set for release in Oct 2010. You won't want to miss it!

As much as I have loved EVERY project she has created I am so looking forward to reading the book. I love the way Jen writes and she naturally exudes encouragement unlike anyone I've ever known. She's so genuine and sweet. I left our Friday night dinner feeling like I had new goals for myself. To operate as a friend and person on that level. Leave myself out of things a little more than I do. Engage with people in a more genuine way and keep growing in my art. She really taught me something that night just by being around her. I'd like to be that kind of person. I'd also like it if she lived closer and we could do that a LOT more :)

The photo is of a quick little scrapbook I threw together for Jen and I to mark the occasion. Dinner at Ferrari's, Nov 6, 2009. Yummy chicken marsala. A cozy fireplace and great company! Soon, Jen will have a pic of us - it's on her camera, which has not yet made it home along with the rest of her luggage. But soon.

Enjoy your day everyone!

PS - On another note you can click on the DIY Showoff button on the right sidebar and enter to win a $35 Single Stone Gift Certificate as well as many other prizes she is giving away. While you are there check our Roeshel's blog. It's FULL of awesome DIY projects. You can see our decals used in her office and mudroom make-overs.

Note to self:

Don't be this girl.

New Art!

This first piece is truly one-of-a-kind. From our summer trip to the Smoky Mountains we hiked up Clingman's Dome and I took a bunch of pics of the bare pine trees. They were just so beautiful and I knew I could make them into decals. Finally, the art is done and in the shop. I love them!

Nature's Longing
Blossoming Branch

OSU Dorm Room

A few weeks ago a friend of mine and his wife dropped their oldest daughter off at Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) for her first yr of college. *gulp* I don't want to even think of doing that with my kids! Nope, they are going to live with me forever :)

But anyway, they asked me to cut a few decals for Amanda, their daughter and her new roomies. These are the pics. From the lime green, turquoise and hot pink it looks like a sassy groups of girls! I like it!

We did everyone's name, of course. 3 girls crammed in one small room - everyone needs a space to call their own.

Then for Amanda we did some small damask patterns to match her bedding. Doesn't look like the easiest application with no head room and the walls are cement but Carrie, Amanda's mom, did an awesome job as you can see!

Hello, my peeps!

So I've been crazy busy. I keep saying that and I think I am at the time until I find even more to do then I'm even crazier busy or is it crazy busier. Maybe I'm just crazy :) Either way, I thought I'd fill you in on a little of what I'm doing.

First off - I sent a new website design to the programmer this morning!!! Mr. Techy (his real name is Daniel - I think Mr. Techy makes him sound smart, as he is) will be totally reworking our website over the new few weeks. Look forward to revealing that to all of you.

Secondly - you can see a button for the Great Big Home and Garden Expo on the right side bar. We will be making an appearance there in February! We have a booth display and have been asked by the shows producer to do some special projects within the trade show - details to come later. Very fun stuff for us! If you are in the Cleveland area stop by booth 937 anytime from the 5th to the 14th. If you have plans to go let me know and I can get discounts on tickets for you. This is one of the largest home shows in the nation and there will be an appearance made by the one and only Ty Pennington for the opening ceremonies. You know, the Extreme Makeover Home Edition guy. That adds just a touch of excitement to the festivities ;)

So that's a little of what's going on here in the studio "behind the scenes". Busy busy and now it's November - Christmas shopping has officially begun! Personally, I'm counting down till the big Thanksgiving Dinner. My mom makes the BEST stuffing (lots of fresh sage, c'mon!) and my sweet mother-in-law found a pumpkin pie recipe that is lactose free, just for me :) Don't think I can't eat the whole thing! haha

Have a good day ladies and gents. I'm out-

Halloween Fun!

I don't post a lot about the family on the blog but I thought I'd share a couple of Halloween pics :)

Cole 11 and Mackenzie 13

Cole went old-school horror flick with the Freddie Krueger costume while Mackenzie went disco.

Cole and his buddy, Jake, went together this yr. Mackenzie has outgrown going trick or treating with her parents and opted to go with a couple of friends around the neighborhood. Getting Mom some Butterfingers ;) YUM!

And this is me. I think the only pics I've posted of myself were me playing softball. I feel the need to post one of me wearing a little less dirt! LOL

FREE SHIPPING!

Customer Photos!

These first 4 photos are custom jobs I designed for Dr. Megan in Canada. In the 3rd photo you can also see our Safari Growth Chart. The 4th photo was for her husbands office the other 3 were coordinated for her office. All of them are very positive and motivation. Love that!

The last 2 photos are a custom logo for DkDesigns. They create beautiful handmade wedding favors including hand sculpted clay flowers. AMAZING work! You can see their work that appeared on the Martha Stewart Show on their website www.dkdesignshawaii.com We cut lots of logos and can cut yours too!

MC Escher

MC Escher is one of my favorite artists. While other teens had heart throbs on their posters (New Kids on the Block anyone? ok, I did have a couple ;) my room had posters of pencil sketches. I usually bought them at The Museum Store in the mall in northern Cincy. I also had a few pages torn from magazines of ads I found visually appealing. I remember a 2 page layout of a zebra with a bright colorful bird on it's back on a white background that I taped to my closet door. I don't remember the company or product but I can remember the contrast of the black and white stripes with the bold, bright colors of the bird. I still enjoy such contrast in color.

As I was going through my creative file today looking for inspiration this is what I found. MC Escher and his play on concave/convex shapes. He has a lot of pieces like this. I like this one. I also like his self portraits. They may be my favorites of his work. But today, this piece is drawing me in. Am I coming or going? Up or down? In or out? This piece and Deuteronomy 28 have been going through my mind today. I find it an interesting mix.