Snails are in the Shop!

I just added two new snails to the MarthaLand shop! There are lots more to come, including cute little mini snails!

I won a Kreativ Blogger Award

Never heard of this fun little blogosphere award, but it sure feels nice to have been given one by Denise at ODDimagination a little while back and more recently by Shelbi at A Game of Twister! Just when I thought I'd lost my momentum and suffered a series of unfortunate delays in getting custom orders out, I discover a lovely reminder that someone out there enjoys what I do!

Tradition dictates that I must list 6 things (or 7 things) that I am thankful/grateful for, inspired by and/or love. So here it goes:

1. I'm most thankful for my family, my mom and dad and Myke. Let's face it, without them, I wouldn't be where I am. I'd have to say I'm especially grateful to Myke who has been very supportive and patient through all of this umemployed weirdness and very encouraging and supportive of my Etsy shop! He always makes me laugh, even when I am mad and there is no one else I'd rather be stuck on a deserted island with! (unless that island is "the island" because then I'd really appreciate it if some other people were there too, like Sawyer and John Locke)

2. I simply cannot live without COLOR! I wish it was tangible so I could swim in a big pool of rainbow colors. I don't know what I would do if I lost the ability to be enchanted by color. It inspires me. I feel happiest when I am surrounded by bright playful hues and it's the driving force behind all of my artwork. If there was a religion that worshipped color, I'd be a very devote follower!

3. I love that I get to play with clay all day long due to being laid off and also receiving unemployment. So, I guess in a way I owe a big thank you to Obama!

4. I love food! This may seem silly, but I am very thankful to have delicious fresh food to eat everyday and that I know how to cook! Fruits, veggies and yummy cheeses are among my favorites and always in stock. If only Whole Foods didn't cost an arm and a leg...

5. I am very inspired by nature and the great outdoors. I was lucky to grow up as a outdoor camping kid and spent a lot of time in the woods around a campfire, canoeing on a lake or canal and sleeping out under the stars. I miss the mountains and the overwhelming green of summer.

6. I also love that I finally have a space to call my "studio" where I can come to make all sorts of fun arts and crafts. I never realized how many art supplies I had until they all filled up a room! I can't ask for anything else than to be able to keep creating and expressing myself though whatever medium I happen to be obsessed with at the moment. Yay for art!

I don't really know who to pass this award along to, but instead you should all go and check out the blogs on my blog love list. Really, it's worth your time. Thanks again Denise and Shelbi!

Custom Wedding Cake Toppers

This gray and red couple was inspired by none other than Beetlejuice! Remember that awkward wedding scene where Lydia is forced to marry Beetlejuice in a red tulle dress? Well, these bunnies may not be as scary but they certainly looking just as dashing. This was a custom request from Etsy.

I Like Lucky Cats

I been having some good luck lately so I thought I'd put together a little collection of maneki neko I found searching on flickr. Enjoy!

1. vanhullekeith 2. dominiqueb 3. joojoo 4. laurence 5. magicbeanbuyer 6. pacifist 7. jon madison 8. pokerwire 9. hundredeyes

Beach Wedding

I've been getting a lot of requests for wedding slugs and even wedding cake toppers. I thought it would be fun to try something other than slugs. Here's a cute little whale couple on the beach!

Illustration Friday

With all the sculpting I've been doing, I have noticed that I miss doodling in m sketchbook and making colorful illustrations with Photoshop and now Illustrator. Illustration Friday is a super website that encourages just such behaviour. Each week there is a different theme and illustrators of all sorts are invited to submit their interpretations. I've visited IF before but never thought about submitting anything myself; that is until now! Hopefully I'll keep at it week to week. Be sure to visit the site and check out all the great work. There are also great links to other contests you can enter, like Happiness: The Tribute21 Plate Challenge. The wheels in my head are already turning, thinking of fun plate designs that represent happiness!

This week's topic: unfold My digital illustration is pretty straight forward and plain, but I like the color palette and geometrically sharp lines which are very different from my usual style.

New Displays for you Slug

I just added this new item to the shop! Little grassy pads to display your slugs on! I have lots made, be sure to get one if you already have slugs or add one you to cart for your future slug purchases! They make unique and fun gifts! The daisy is a pushpin that you can remove. They are 4 x 4 inches and made out of corkboard and artificial turf. Lovely.

MarthaLand Commercial

Snails are Coming to MarthaLand from MarthaLand on Vimeo.

This is my first attempt at stop motion animation using Flash, but not too shabby if you ask me. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but a few short tutorials later, and about 5 hours of snapping photos and getting it all organized I mangaged to make my first movie ever! If only I could get this on network television. Pass the link on!

Sneak Peek! New item in the works!

I've been working on some new items to add to the MarthaLand shop. I'm very excited about them, but they are still in the very basic brainstorming stages. Lucky for all of you I like to brainstorm in 3D so I have some fun pictures to share! Yes, that's a little snail! There will be more to come shortly.

Custom Super Hero Slug

I made this custom slug for a family member. The only information he gave me was that it was for a coworker that heroically saved a little baby bird from certain death by drowning in a hotel swimming pool. I couldn't think of anything funnier that a superhero slug with a cape! He has yellow spots on his back too. I liked the little birdie so much I didn't want to let him go!

Since completing this guy, I've made 3 more superhero capes, so keep and eye out for special edition superhero slugs...you never know when they might show up in the shop! *wink

Shop Update 6.10.09

New slugs, mini cheeseburgers and mini hotdogs. Get 'em while they're hot!

Etsy Interview with Gulf Coast Cottage PDF

While collecting items for my I Like BBQ collection I came across the most delightful and creative little shop! Jen, fellow Floridian, is the creative mind behind Gulf Coast Cottage PDF. Her shop is stocked full of tasty felt patterns for lots of yummy foods and other fun items. I absolutely love her Backyard BBQ Play Set with its adorable little grill, spatula, tongs and of course delicious steak, hot dog and burger with all the fixin's!

Give us three words that describe your Etsy shop:

Fun, Tasty, Unique

How did you come about making patterns for felt food?

I started by making felt food for my kids, I loved brainstorming new ideas and the challenge. Making felt food is addictive- I figured other moms would like to give it a try!

What's your favorite thing to eat?

Gorgonzola cheese and bacon (not necessarily together, but that wouldn't be so bad!)

What's your biggest fear...spiders? Heights?

Depends on the day. Usually germs :P

How do you deal with artist's block and where do you find inspiration?

I get my inspiration from my kids and everyday life. When I have artist's block- I try to think of new and fun ideas. The better I think the idea is- the faster it gets finished.

Be sure to stop over to the shop for a Buy 4 Patterns Get one Free Sale going on now! Also check out her shop announcement to see how you can get a free pdf to make california sushi roll! Thanks Jen for the interview and my pattern, I can't wait to make it!

I like BBQ

I love the smell of a charcoal grill early in the evening at dusk. It's the official sign that summer is here. And it means lots of yummy grilled dinners, weather permitting! This weeks Etsy collection celebrates all kinds of things barbecue from witty aprons to spice rubs for your steaks to faux food. Lots of great ideas just in time for Father's Day! Enjoy!

Picture Perfect

One thing I miss about summers up north is the county fair. These shots were all taken at the biggest and best I've ever been to: the Tunbridge Fair in Vermont. I remember oohing over all the giant sized vegetables (including a pumpkin that weighed 445 lbs), eating the most divinely delicious, warm and gooey apple crisp and watching my very first pig race! We ate so much yummy fair food that we were too full to go on any rides, but it was fun watching the lights swirl and flash into the night.

The new blog is here! I like it much, much better. Can't wait to share all the new and fun things I have been busily working on! Enjoy your weekend everyone.

New Ideas, New Blog

The job hunt is still not going well. And unfortunately, my reserves are starting to slowly run out. All the more reason to get this little slug business of mine going and fast! I'm working on new items for the shop. I know I've been saying this for awhile, but there is a method to the temptation and long wait, I swear! I have so many projects rolling around in my head its hard to figure out which order to execute them in. Here are a few of the major things that will be happening. I will be giving the MarthaLand blog a makeover, soon hopefully. Each week my posts will revolve around a theme of sorts. All the same ole stuff will still be here: sneak peeks, works in progress, shop updates, I like collections, Color Sketches, Inspiration and artist interviews/features. Some things I might add, if it works with the theme: recipes, noteworthy links, sites, etc. and slug factoids. What's that? Who must know what the upcoming theme will be? Well, BBQ season of course!

And I will be starting up a very very very very basic website. That is once I relearn DreamWeaver. I just purchased CS4 with my Etsy earnings, but cannot install in on my computer with out some more pricey upgrades, so buy those slugs people!

But perhaps the biggest change to the business will be the addition of completely new items! YEAH! This is going to take a considerable amount of trial and error. Funds are tight and limited to the income I am making with Etsy sales, so these new projects may get put on the back burner from time to time. I don't want to spoil the surprises, but just to give you a little tease, some of the current ideas include paper goods, display for your slugs and possibly some new original work that will be very different from the slugs.

To all my followers and returning visitors, thank you! And of course to all my wonderful customers, thank you even more for your continued support!

Images by BlackApple, BraveMoonman and LauraGeorge