MarthaLand

Leafy Alphabet

2010-04-26T19:47:00.004-04:00

I have really neglected this blog! Busy with lots of custom orders and working again. Here's a recent project I finished, staying in theme with my alphabet obsession. It only took me a year to start and finish this! Enjoy!

Pics from the Toying with Art Show

2009-12-10T23:53:00.003-05:00

Here's a picture of my game, way down on the bottom, in green, underneath the big colorful mosaic. I can't wait to visit the Cameron Art Museum and see it in person!

2009 Holiday Ornaments in the Shop

2009-11-24T21:53:00.002-05:00

I've listed three in a series of twenty holiday ornaments in the MarthaLand shop. Each one is made from a big jingle bell with a little snowy slug scene on top! They make unique and inexpensive gifts, or get one to decorate your own tree!

Artist Made Toys Submission

2009-10-26T13:41:00.002-04:00

I've been busy on a project of another kind. My first submission for a show! The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC is having an Artist Made Toys show in November and invited me to participate. My contribution will be a slug themed board game called Journey to the Garden of Eatin', get it, haha! Here are some pictures of the work in progress.

Fox Bride and Bunny Groom

2009-09-21T09:39:00.001-04:00

Another custom wedding cake topper. First time I've made a fox, I think she came out quite nice!

Chowder!

2009-09-16T16:27:00.003-04:00

I wanted to post this so long ago when I made it, but it was a birthday present for a very special gal, and I didn't want to ruin the surprise! We love Chowder. I was sad to give him away, but her reaction was the best! Thanks Katie!!!!!!!

New Wedding Cake Topper

2009-09-12T08:51:00.002-04:00

Here's the latest project I've completed. Another wedding cake topper, featuring two snails and a trio of mushrooms!

Diarama Complete!

2009-09-03T02:20:00.004-04:00

I have been away and very busy. Here's some pictures of the completed Earwax Cafe diarama. Besure to check out real pictures of the actual restaurant (and the rest of my images too) on flickr. Many hours and about 6 pounds of clay later...this was so much fun to make but I miss it already!

Back From the Redwoods

2009-08-20T21:05:00.002-04:00

I'm back from vacation and feeling a bit more complete after visiting the Redwoods and seeing my first banana slug in the wild. Actually I saw a lot. It was exciting!

Custom Wedding Table Topper

2009-08-03T15:24:00.002-04:00

Just finished this massive project. What started as a small wedding cake topper evolved into a table display, mainly because the couple won't be having cake, but other tasty desserts instead! The base is built on a terracotta planter and the bunnies and trees are detachable and connect securely to the base with magnets.

I'm also working on a huge project for another wedding: a gift to the bride and groom comemorating when they first met! It's a diarama of the Earwax Cafe in Chicago. Can't wait to post pictures as I go along!

MarthaLand on Facebook

2009-08-01T03:23:00.005-04:00

MarthaLand is now on Facebook. Become a fan for updates on sales, new items, and more. From August 1st until August 5th, leave a comment on the wall and get a discount code for 15% your next purchase in the Etsy shop.

Two New Illustrations

2009-07-28T02:00:00.005-04:00

Here's two new drawings I did today. The bear took quite awhile even though I had a sketch to work from. The sad mountain only took about an hour surprisingly, right off the top of my head as I went along. I submitted it to Illustration Friday this week, topic is Idle.

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-07-25T21:06:00.005-04:00

I don't know if I can wait until October to see this movie. I feel like I've already waited so long since first hearing rumors that Spike Jonze was making it with live action puppets. The first time I saw the preview I cried! And to be honest I don't even remember the book that well. Maybe it has something to do with the amazing soundtrack by Arcade Fire. You can check out their band site here.

Where the Wild Things Are!! from Matt Krenitsky on Vimeo.

And guess what I discovered over at Roadside Projects...Jayme's been featured on a wonderful blog dedicated to artwork inspired by the book. Be sure to check out Terrible Yellow Eyes for all kinds of amazing art in the likeness of Max and his friend. Very fun stuff. I can't wait!

Look what I inspired!

2009-07-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I'm all about inspiration this week! I just got some great feedback on Etsy from a customer and check out what my little slugs inspired her to make...a pink and yellow slug puppet! I want one. Thanks Theresa! Be sure to go and check out her Etsy shop.

Amazing Magnets!

2009-07-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, I have to nerd out a little and post this awesome video. If I had $24.95 to waste, I would totally buy these!

New Illustration Inspiration

2009-07-23T04:55:00.004-04:00

I've been working on some new illustrations recently. I have always been discouraged by my lack of ability to draw people, even in a funky cartoon way. The other night I grabbed my sketchbook and just started doing some quick loopy drawings without really thinking about it and low and beyond, I think I finally found my style! I scanned all the sketches and digitally colored them, which takes quite awhile, but to me is worth it. Not sure what will become of them, perhaps I'll will do some custom portraits? Who knows! Here's the most recent one I finished today. I tried to use an old color palette from colourlovers called chicken soup and revamped it by switching out a green for a nice earthy brown. I ended up using black and white as well, but I guess that's not really cheating. I found the background photo from my friends M&B's Vermont wedding album. And lastly added to the collage effect with a coffee stained paper I found laying around the studio. You can see some other illustrations here, will no color palette restrictions and plain backgrounds.

Stop Motion Meets Digital Graphics

2009-07-20T20:31:00.003-04:00

I came across this video on Share Some Candy. Just lovely.

Opening from Gabo Gesualdi on Vimeo.

Myke asked me the other day: If you could have any hobby or interest that you wanted, no matter how much it cost or any of that stuff, what would it be? I'd have to say, it would be really super awesome to have a stop motion animation studio and a working knowledge of how to make a quality short film. I don't have the attention span or patience for a full length! I've been dreaming of learning how to make a doll with movable limbs out of polymer clay, but alas, lack of funds and lots of other things to do has left it only a dream. What hobby would you take up if money and other restrictions couldn't stop you?

Forest Hollow

2009-07-20T08:01:00.002-04:00

Here's just a little peek at something I've been working on. Hopefully there will be more to come. I'm expanding quite a bit into the custom market on Etsy, so I need to come up with fresh new ideas!

Slug Hedge!

2009-07-11T13:47:00.004-04:00

You can bet that if I had a house with a massive row of hedges along the side, I'd definately pull an Edward Scissorhands and sculpt out a leafy slug friend like this one in Washington. Found on Flickr. So cool, he has CDs for eyes! No doubt those pesky AOL free trials that used to come in the mail every other week!

Happy 4th

2009-07-04T13:59:00.002-04:00

This has absolutely nothing to do with our nation's independence, but I like it. Enjoy!

Snails are in the Shop!

2009-06-25T20:40:00.003-04:00

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

2009-06-25T15:38:00.001-04:00

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

2009-06-22T17:14:00.004-04:00

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

2009-06-21T16:11:00.004-04:00

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

2009-06-19T20:56:00.005-04:00

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

2009-06-16T21:43:00.005-04:00

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

2009-06-16T13:53:00.003-04:00

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

2009-06-13T03:51:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-06-12T14:07:00.003-04:00

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

2009-06-10T13:06:00.007-04:00

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

2009-06-09T16:27:00.003-04:00

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

Etsy Interview with Gulf Coast Cottage PDF

2009-06-09T12:00:00.004-04:00

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

2009-06-08T20:35:00.008-04:00

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

2009-06-06T11:35:00.005-04:00

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.

2009-06-05T18:28:00.001-04:00

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

2009-06-02T16:05:00.006-04:00

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

New Studio

2009-05-18T20:18:00.006-04:00

I haven't been posting much lately because I was busy setting up a studio space (finally) in the spare bedroom of our apartment. It was stressful to the point that I didn't think it was possible to finish in a few weeks. But look how pretty! I bought all the storage units from Target, like a year ago. That's not an exaggeration! I know have 4 designated areas: my big table for working on projects with all my art supplies within an arm's (or two) reach, a computer corner with my printer set up and all sorts of printing materials soon to be organized, a shipping, and lastly a little makeshift photo studio for taking all my pictures. There is no picture of this area as it's a diaster area right now! There are still more boxes of art supplies to unpack, organize and turn into projects.

I really like coming in here to work and I know someone else is happy that I'm not spreading out all over the living room anymore! In fact my creativity has spiked in the past few weeks. Lots of new ideas and additions to the shop are pouring out of my brain. I don't have the stupid TV to distract me from working anymore. I've been scrolling through my iPod discovering old stuff I forgot I had and finding new little gems thanks to Myke.

Stay tuned for sneak peeks at what's coming up in the shop!

Living Feral

2009-05-15T02:10:00.003-04:00

I had a friend in college who was always collecting National Geographic magazines, snipping them up into tiny pieces and making elaborate collages like colorful mosaics. It was some kind of therapy for her. When I came across Living Feral on Etsy, I was suddenly transformed back to her apartment, Katie perched on the floor in a pile of magazine clippings with a feverish look in her eye and glue all over her fingers. I especially like the middle collage here, as it is titled Alice and the Rabbit: the Later Years. Awesome!

Something new....

2009-05-15T01:44:00.002-04:00

Cute little strawberries, before the finishing touches of course! I imagine a little yellow slug in an endless row of strawberry plants, picking only the reddest ones and putting them in this cute little basket.

Zombies are Baaaaack!!!

2009-05-14T00:23:00.003-04:00

Here's a sneak peek at a new batch of zombies I just completed. I will be listing all five before Friday 5/15 so grab them while they last. I've also got a batch of new mustached slugs and some minis coming soon as well!

I Like White Weddings

2009-05-11T18:51:00.009-04:00

I have been away, but I'm back! I just finished this cute little bride slug for a custom order. She will be a gift for the bride to be at her bridal shower! And in keeping with the marital spirit of an upcoming wedding I will be attending, I put together a lovely white wedding collection of handmade items from Etsy. Enjoy!

1. GarterLady 2. artisanlook 3. amadalebel 4. gSakura 5. LHCalligraphy 6. PomLove

7. ChloeAndCompany 8. blissfulmoments 9. naturefavors

Accessories

2009-04-27T00:39:00.003-04:00

Here's some recent custom accessories I've been working on...fun stuff! Don't worry - the little green parakeet is going to perch in a metal birdcage, so he'll be safe from that kitty! My interpretation of a Tiffany lamp.

My Lovely List!

2009-04-25T14:00:00.008-04:00

Yay for MarthaLand, I have been featured on Where the Lovely Things Are, a wonderful spot dedicated to, well, you guessed it! All things lovely! Mallory, the mistress of lovely herself, has just started this new feature on her blog and my Lovely List is the first one! Stop on over for my long list of all the things I think are lovely and take a check out at all the amazingly lovely things that Mallory hearts! You can send her your own lovely list as well. I highly recommend it. It was such a fun thing to put together and once you get going, you just don't want to stop! And as an added bonus, when you are finished you'll have that warm fuzzy feeling inside from thinking about all the lovely things in life!

Oh, and I almost forgot! My slugs were also featured at Cuteable.com early this week! Another great site for all things cute!

Be Inspired

2009-04-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

I've been a fan of Meredith Dittmar for a long time, in fact her artwork inspired me to get back into working with clay again. She has unbelieveable precision but what's more inspiring are the concepts behind her magical works. Check them out here. Her flickr page has more pictures as well of her newer pieces for an upcoming show in Istanbul. Once again she has inspired me to try out some new forms with clay! Here's a little peek at a digital sketch I did for a new project I'm working on. Who knows if it will ever transform into clay...it's fun to imagine all the wonderful landscapes I can build! It's almost perfect just by itself as a postcard just the way it is.

13 Custom Minis

2009-04-21T01:16:00.004-04:00

Snails are coming!

2009-04-20T00:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a sneak peek at a totally new project I am working on. It's absolutely a work in progress, lots of kinks to work out, but I'm excited and I hope it will expand my market a bit. I toyed with making snails before but could never get the shell just right out of clay. Plus is requires a lot of clay and makes the sculpture really heavy meaning more shipping costs. I also had the idea to use fabric, I love to sew but haven't in such a long time. My mom recently gave me an old sewing machine a friend was just throwing away, so I thought I'd give it a try. The plan is to use old t-shirts in bright colors of course for the shells and stuff them with polyfil. The first one I made wasn't really salvagable! But I liked this one a lot. Because my slugs are unconventional in design, I decided my little snail shells would have to be a bit different as well.

This one has a little elastic strap on it making each slug a convertable snail, if you will! How fun! But I don't like that you can see it so I think I may just attached the soft shells to the slugs permantly. I haven't figured that out yet, but I'll be sure to post lots more photos as I test out new designs and ideas!

Custom Orders in Progress

2009-04-18T18:40:00.002-04:00

Just some pics today, of the many custom orders I am hurrying to fill before Monday! You can see more pics in my shop!

More Color Inspiration

2009-04-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

I've been really addicted to colourlovers.com lately. Here's my current favorite color palette and some inspired digital doodling using it.
Color by COLOURlovers BTW, has anyone seen the previews on SPIKE for the new movie called Zombie Strippers? Seriously? That's just gross and wrong on sooooo many levels and yet, sadly there probably is a market for it!

MarthaLand Turns 1 Today!

2009-04-14T17:18:00.005-04:00

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of my Etsy shop! I didn't even realize or I would have planned a huge sale or something fun. I do have a handful of left over mini slugs, so for the rest of today and all of tomorrow (4-14 5:30pm to 4-15 midnight) if you purchase anything from my shop, I will throw in one of these little mini slugs for free! (while supplies last of course) Just be sure to enter MarthaLand Turns 1 in the notes to seller so I know you saw this post.

And for anyone who is curious, in this first year of selling on Etsy I've made $1648 in sales! I was surprised! I didn't think it was that much. My biggest month for sales so far has been this month actually! I have about 10-15 custom orders I am working on right now. Thanks to everyone who is supporting me! My goal is to get organized with all my paperwork and such and make a go at this full time.

I Like Turquoise

2009-04-12T12:48:00.003-04:00

1. Alight Necklace :: smashing 2. Oh So Faux Gemstone :: treasurefield 3. Tea 5x7 Print :: michelemaule 4. Akingtoo the Bird :: hatchin 5. CUBE - Echino Classic Animals :: Yunisacs 6. Miniature Girl :: ashleyg 7. Cherry Blossom Dessert Plate :: whitneysmith 8. Butterfly Hair Clip :: bluesugarbridal 9. Blue Bear with Jewels :: ememem 10. Shark :: mraaronmorris 11. Blue Bird Nest Soap Set :: loveleesoaps 12. Floople Plush Monster :: mintconspiracy 13. Mini Ruffle Discs :: blueseraphim 14. Oceanic Pop Ring :: PsychoticReaction 15. The Shell Must Break :: IngridDijkers

Be Inspired

2009-04-10T08:44:00.004-04:00

I don't know why I've never shared this before, but color is the best kind of inspiration there is! For me anyway...I've been doing a lot of color studying lately, because its my most favorite thing and I'm always cooking up good ideas when I have no way to record them. Then when I need to remember, it's gone and I waste my time trying to replicate something nearly impossible to recall. I happened upon ColourLovers a while ago and got trapped for hours looking at pretty colors palettes. It's an amazing place for anyone and everyone to create, share and explore with color in it's most simpliest forms. You don't have to be an artist to have fun here! You make your palettes consisting of up to five colors right on the site, publish them and play around with translating them into different patterns. If one of your colors is new, you get to name it too! (This is like my dream job!) Plus for all intensive purposes, you can download the palettes for all sorts of applications: wedding theme colors, interior decorating, fashion and graphic design. The list is endless. Then I kind of forgot about the site. I've been having so many brainstorming ideas lately and I while working on a color palette study of my own yesterday when I remembered the site again! So, I got to work creating a bunch of fun color palettes to share with the world! I have to admit I was up way toooooo late doing it too. At least now I will have a place to store all those eye candy goodies for later, and also find some other inspiration as well. Here's my first one. Be sure to stop by and check out all my other lovely palettes, find me under the username ChromaPop. I'm already starting to rethink the Etsy shop! After all, it's sole purpose is to bring color into your life, so why not do just that! Besides, the graphic design is not going so well....If you come up with any nifty palettes, send them my way! I'll try to post new color inspiration weekly for those of you who just like to look!

Invincible and Cute: An Interview with Water Bears

2009-04-09T12:16:00.013-04:00

When it comes to imagination and a dash of crazy (in a good way of course) this artist has what it takes to crank out awesomeness with each swish of his paintbrush. I discovered Water Bears very early after first discovering Etsy and I always find myself coming back to this shop. Tim, the man behind the puzzling name, is super friendly and was first featured on my blog in the alphabet series I did many moons ago. He also graciously agreed to do an interview for me way back then, and I am just getting around to it now. So sit back, read the interview or don't, but I'm betting once you look at the pretty pictures you'll be just curious enough to need to know a little more and end up reading it anyway! I have to know, what’s the story behind the name of your Etsy shop, Water Bears?

Waterbears are awesome. They are some of the cutest most invincible creatures on earth. I thought it summed up the critters I paint pretty well. Check out this link.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm not completely lazy, I did look it up myself, but it was too weird to be true. I stand corrected! So, tell us a little bit about Tim Boyd, the man behind Water Bears. Is art a full time gig for you?

My family and I own a landscaping business. It keeps me pretty busy especially in the spring. I'm kind of like Batman except I paint at night rather than fight crime. I have a beautiful wife, a gorgeous little girl and two Border Collies. They get every bit of me that is left over at the end of the day.

Give me three words that describe your shop, the paintings and prints you sell.

Funny, Evolving, Wonky

Haha, wonky. Good one! How did you first get started on the track of becoming a successful painter and how long have you been painting?

I have been painting for almost 4 years now but I have been drawing since I was 4. I always wanted to be a cartoonist. I actually did a comic strip in college for a while and published a few zines that only my wife read. One of my professors in college said one of the most important things to me on the first day in class. He looked at all of us eager students and said " So you all want to be illustrators?"...... "Well guess what...you already are. Now you just have to find someone to pay you to do it." I started showing my work shortly after that.

I’m always intrigued by other artist’s work spaces, describe your studio or workspace and what’s your favorite thing about it?

I try to fill my studio with images that will keep my creativity flowing. I hang up doodles, sketches, calendars, photos, patterns, old paintings, etc. My favorite part, however, is the toys. I have a lot of toys in there. Every wall is covered, in some part, with toys. I am inspired by the color and imagination that goes into them.

Your paintings are very graphic and comical in illustration but also evoke a feeling of gritty street art. Where does your style come from? What are some of the influences of your work and other artists or things that inspire you?

I think the hard, clean edges in my work come from my affinity with the Sunday morning cartoons. I am, after all, a cartoonist at heart. I like to tow a certain line in most of my pieces. I like building characters and then putting them in unexpected situations. I like the strangeness of seeing a cute little bunny rabbit in the middle of the woods with toaster oven. I really love listening to kids try to explain what they see in some of my images. They usually have a better grasp than I do. I could list artists that inspire me all day long so I'll give you the short list: Mark Ryden, Jeff Soto, Scott Musgrove, Sergio Arigones, Bret Blevins, Bill Watterson

What is your creative process like from start to finish on a painting? Where do you come up with ideas like a piggy breakfast fairy?

There is nothing better than painting talking food. I don't know why that entertains me so much. Most of my drawings start off as doodles. I have a ton of sketch pads that I am always working in and referring to. But, I'll draw on anything..styrofoam cups, tables, dashboards, other pens. I try to never stop.

How has Etsy influenced your exposure and success? Where else do you sell your prints and paintings besides Etsy?

My wife pushed me to get on Etsy. She is very crafty and has a great eye for talent. She loved the people on Etsy and was always showing me what these people were doing out of their homes. It really is amazing. Etsy has been great for me. There is no better way to be seen by so many like minded people around the world. Its just a cool community. I sell most of my originals at Donna Van Gogh's in Atlanta and Art festivals and galleries around town all year long. Beep Beep and Young Blood carry my prints along with Helix in Athens.

Who are some of your favorite Etsy artists and why do you like their shops?

RustyRoosterMetal just cool stuff

cyberhadji right up my alley

falldowntree whimsical and grungy

hine seriously, who would have thought to make these. So cool.

laurageorge very creative and unexpected

berkleyillustration just pure talent..and also bizarre.

yellena I don't know why exactly but this stuff is beautiful.

What’s your favorite painting that you have ever made?

I made a painting once of two super hero critters standing on a building looking over a sunset. It felt like the end of a good day or the beginning of a long night depending on whatever your mood was. Anyway, I put a high gloss varnish on it before I scanned it in and was unable to keep a quality image for myself. So there has never been a print produced from it. It is the one that got away.

Thanks Tim for the interview and your seemingly never ending collection of funny, evolving and wonky paintings! I never get bored of looking at them, even the ones I've already looked at for hours on end! How do you do that!? Visit the Water Bears shop and grab your favorite bacon-themed, flying toaster and angrily cute critter prints today!

P.S. It's nice to see someone's studio is just as messy as mine! *wink*

Haha, This is Great!

2009-04-09T00:44:00.002-04:00

I made it on the front page of Etsy today, racked up a bunch of sales, so I posted a few new slugs. Then I got a convo from a blog called zombie-pirate-ninjas about this. Go ahead, click on it, I promise you'll laugh. I did!

New Project

2009-04-08T18:37:00.004-04:00

Here's a little side project I've been working on. I want to start making dioramas with hopes of trying to get a gallery show. This is probably just a pipe dream and I will never follow through, but it's fun to experiment and try new things. One of my top five favorite artists of all time Meredith Dittmar was the inspiration behind this project. If you have never seen her work, you MUST check it out at her website. She also has an Etsy shop, but there are no clay figures for sale right now. You can always check out her sold items. This creation I call Feather Girl. She's a crude attempt, but over all I'm happy with the way she came out. I've never made something this big out of clay before. It was a real challenge. A lot of the smaller detailed pieces broke and she is quite deformed. I had fun putting together the feather skirt. Maybe I'll try incorporating other materials on my second attempt.

Around The World

2009-04-05T19:11:00.006-04:00

This is stuck in my head. I love it. Around the World by Daft Punk. Kinda crappy quality, but still one of the coolest music videos ever made. Mainly because it was directed by none other than the super rad Michel Gondry (he's my fav)! And if you enjoyed that, check out Star Guitar, by the Chemical Brothers. This one is less eye candy, but if you listen to the beats and pay attention, it will make you smile! Further proof that Gondry is genius.

I Like Kitties

2009-04-03T19:31:00.006-04:00

I've been missing my kitties lately, Maggie and Mason. When I moved to Florida I had to leave them behind in Vermont and New York. So here is a collection dedicated to all the kitties I know.

1. Gatito Azul :: geninne

2. Monique Felt Art Toy :: fing

3. The Stalker :: alisapaints

4. Cashew's Hand Crocheted Cat Bed :: angelcatbeds

5. Ballerina Pink Kitty Top :: boygirlparty

6. Misha FatCat Focal Bead :: TeriPersing

7. Set of 4 Kitten Notecards :: rodeomau

8. CoCo Dream Cat :: marjji

9. Organic Catnip Slugs :: TrilliumArtisans

10. Sunbeam Print :: nutandbee

11. Kitty Cat Plush :: prettylilthings

12. Kitty One Photo Print :: BACLORI

Disney Eggs?

2009-04-02T15:25:00.005-04:00

This disturbs me. I live in Orlando, so of course I am constantly being bombarded with Disney-related media at all times. Since moving here a year and a half ago I've even been to the Disney parks or related areas more than a few times. I've had fun on each visit going on the rides but one thing has always disturbed me and that was an eerie feeling that the Disney Corporation is slowly taking over the world. Every souvenir shop is crammed full of overpriced stuffed animals and Disney-fied everything imaginable from candy to shot glasses. There are even high end Disney art galleries! It's bad enough that eating in the parks cost an arm and a leg but naming it after everyone's favorite character doesn't make it taste any better, it freaks me out more! For some reason I always envision huge looming food factories behind the scenes, just cranking out fake, amusement park food on a long conveyor belt that stretches as far as the eye can see. Alright, maybe my overactive imagination has gotten the better of me. Since early February I've been seeing these commercials and now I know I'm not insane. This is ridiculous. This is obscene. Disney should stick to what it's good at, amusement and entertainment. And as Myke cleverly pointed out, "it's not like you get the mickey shaped egg mold or anything" so what is the point of buying these eggs! I don't know how much they cost, but you can bet your life the price of having Mickey and all his friend's faces stamped on your eggs is just as overpriced and disappointing as every other consumer product with the Disney name on it!

Sunday Serendipity

2009-03-30T16:46:00.007-04:00

Even though we slept in on Sunday, we still managed to have quite a nice afternoon. After getting lunch, we went over to the new location of Park Avenue CDs in Winter Park. I'd never been and Myke really wanted to show me. Awesome shop! We browsed through the vinyl and plush, picked up a few new blind box toys and got tickets to the Animal Collective show coming up soon! Then we headed over across the street to Stardust Video and Coffee. Super cool, I wish we lived closer, I'd hang out there all day. The coffee was good and even though we didn't rent any independent movies, anything we could have wanted was there, wall to wall, ceiling to floor.

Instead Myke found this cool game we've never heard of called Quits. We played a few rounds while we sipped our coffee and tea. I won best out of three! We liked it so much that we I got home, he suggested I make a board so we could keep playing. Even though it took me a few hours and many failed attempts to create 25 perfectly sized squares out of clay, I finally finished and we played a few more games before we went to bed. Here's a picture of the real game and my rendition made out of polymer clay and art foam.

I ended up making the sliding pieces in the shape of circles, not as smooth to move as square shapes, but still playable! Wooden pieces are definitely the way too go I think. I am pondering improvements on the design and possibly selling the game in my shop, but that's quite a big undertaking! At least for now we've added a new game to our collection, and it only cost about $10 to make.

New Designs at the Chromapop shop

2009-03-28T03:20:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone, I have finally added some new design items to my other Etsy shop, Chromapop. I've redesigned my banner and shop brand as well, be sure to go check it out. I've got premade etsy banners and avatars, project wonderful ads for Easter and etsy business packages for a complete custom design! Oh and it would be super if you would buy something....please!

Shop Update - New Bunnies!

2009-03-27T03:12:00.006-04:00

How cute are these! I just couldn't resist making some cute little Easter bunnies. Don't worry, there will still be slugs, but I've been doing some custom orders and it's got me craving some new critters to put in the shop. Keep an eye out for some more bunnies and chicks too!

Spring is Here!

2009-03-26T05:00:00.002-04:00

It's hard to tell in Florida when spring arrives. It's already starting to feel like summer. But for the rest of you out there who are enjoyed the winter thaw, here a little collection of spring inspired handmade goodness - courtesy of Etsy of course.

1. Yellow :: Erin Tyner

2. Holly Bird Plantable Card :: RoundRobinPress

3. Cautious :: yaelfran

4. Fiddlehead Fern :: theeye

5. Pink Tulip Buds :: serena29

6. Pink Flowers :: urbandesign 7. Pretty Hand Painted Bag :: alangcry 8. Rainy Day :: monkeypowered 9. Dreaming of Spring :: artdi 10. Moss Terrarium No. 48 :: madebymavis 11. Rosette Fascinator Headband :: giantdwarf 12. Seedling Flower Bud :: leafy 13. Robin Eggs Felted Birds Nest :: makeyourpresentsfelted 14. My Busy Bee Pop Up Card :: tracychong

Play With Your Food!

2009-03-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's kind of nice not having a job because I get to make a hot fresh breakfast and eat it somewhere other than the car! Today I made pancakes, yum! I haven't made them in a long time. When I was a kid, my mom made pancakes all the time for breakfast. The best were blueberry, with fresh blueberries from our yard! I miss having a garden and orchard. Sometimes when they were plain, she'd make breakfast extra fun by drawing little pictures and putting my initials on them! I didn't think of it until the last one and my hunger got priority over creativity, but I thought I'd give it ago. Mom, you truly are an artist! I didn't fair so well, but maybe I'll keep practicing. Never done this before? It's easy, here what you do: 1. Pour your batter very slowly in the shape of whatever you like, I seem to remember one extra special breakfast with butterfly pancakes. Remember to keep your batter doodle small enough to fit within the shape of a regular pancake. You have to work fast too. 2. Let it cook until the top of the batter is all nice and bubbly. This is important so your picture will show up! 3. Pour a regular pancake over your doodle, starting in the middle. It helps to move quickly while doing this too. 4. Wait for the appropriate bubbling again, and flip! Tada! 5. Marvel at your pancake artwork while it cooks on the other side! Here's a helpful tip too: whatever you draw will be reversed when you flip your pancake, so if you are making an initial or letter, be sure to draw it backwards!

Best Cookies Ever!

2009-03-25T00:34:00.006-04:00

Mmmmmm...molasses crinkles! These are my all time favorite cookies. I made them religiously the summer I lived in Vermont and yes, ate them all myself! Well, maybe I shared a few with my friends. The recipe comes from my mom's side of the family. I remember making them for the first time with my Aunt Phyllis while I was visiting her. The original recipe calls for butter which makes the cookies nice and flat, softy and chewy. The ones pictured here I made with Smart Balance which makes them light and fluffy and more like gingerbread. You can also use margarine or other vegetable oil spreads and get the same result. I was too impatient to wait for the butter to soften! Not as tasty, in my opinion, but still very delicious. Here's the recipe:

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

set aside

1+ cup granulated sugar*

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth, add egg and molasses. Stir in flour and spices. Cover and chill dough for 2 hours. (this is the hard part!) Preheat oven to 375. Put granulated sugar in a bowl. Form dough into round 1 inch balls, or larger if you prefer. I wouldn't go much larger than 2 inches. Roll balls in sugar and evenly coat. Place on a cookie sheet, evenly spaced. For 1 inch balls, 12 cookies per sheet. For 2 inch balls, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a wire rack, or place on a brown paper bag. Aunt Phyllis taught me this trick! The bag soaks up some of the buttery grease from the cookies (and you don't have an extra dish to wash!) Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies depending on the size.

*If you don't have granulated sugar, like Sugar in the Raw, plain white sugar works fine as well.

I Like Mustaches

2009-03-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

1. Mustache Mug :: BreadandBadger

2. Senor Jelly Beans :: littlepapoose

3. Mustache Mirror :: Girlontherocks

4. Stachetastic :: SunBeamLaserBeam

5. Mustachio Pistachio Plushie :: MyPreciousGrandchild

6. Mustache Hankerchief :: avrilloreti

7. Hearts and Mustaches Mix :: beadeux

8. Sherriff Ring :: AchAchLiebling

9. Mustache Disguise :: lupin

10. Handy Handlebars :: hisss

11. The Original Mustache Necklace :: littleangelsjewelry

12. Penelope Wristley :: MABeLhandbags

13. Mustache on a Stick :: somethingshidinghere

14. Mustache Necklace :: neawear

15. Brown Mustache Key Hook :: benfloeter

Don't forget to check out the new mustached slugs in my shop, more coming soon!

And The Winner Is...

2009-03-23T04:13:00.004-04:00

Wow! I was really amazed at how many great suggestions everyone came up with for this little slug! In the end, it was really difficult to choose even though I had it narrowed down to a few. Without further ado, (insert drum roll here) I am proud to introduce you to Ron Hazardous the demolition slug! Congratulations to Tara! He will soon be yours to cherish forever! And as an added bonus for such enthusiasm and coming up with so many fun names, Anna Incs will also be getting a mini slug for free!

Thanks to all that participated, stayed tuned for another contest soon!

I Like Orange

2009-03-22T00:15:00.001-04:00

1. Elegantly Orange Origami Notecards :: LLillardDesigns

2. Wool Teething Carrot :: melimade

3. Orange Chicken :: your local Chinese Restaurant

4. Goldfish :: Chi Liu

5. Wise Ol' Canister :: anthropologie

6. Extra Pulp Tee :: Chris Sharron/Threadless

7. Little Tangerine Mary Janes :: emandsprout

8. Fire People, Riders :: apak

9. Needle Felter Wool Acorn :: truluxe

Be Inspired

2009-03-21T15:08:00.011-04:00

I'm constantly looking around me for inspiration of some kind. Usually in the form of color, which I find just about anywhere. The other day I was taking lint out of the trap in the dryer and discovered the most beautifully delicate stone blue. It was much harder to replicate with clay, but I made a few slugs a slightly greyer shade! Sometimes I seem to be inspired by certain objects that repeatedly come up for no particular reason. I suppose I should take this as a subconscious hint that I've got something up there in my head that needs to get out. Lately it has been bananas! That hilarious new Denny's commercial with "nannerpuss" started it all. I can't stop buying them...I say buy because most of the time they go bad before I can eat them. I make banana slugs all day long. And I've been itching to play one of my favorite games, Bananagrams! It's always fun to see what other people are inspired by, and apparently like me, someone was thinking about bananas when they made this word game! I never thought of fruit being inspirational as far as recreation is concerned but it sure is fun to play with your food so it only seems natural! And the game really has absolutely nothing to do with bananas, except for its name and the cute pouch it comes in. If you are a fan of Scrabble but don't like the competitive nature of the game then check out Bananagrams. There is a defined winner according to the offical rules, but rules were made to be broken right? When we play it's for fun, and nobody wins or loses. It's a good way to effortlessly come up with words of inspiration too! Some of the words I spelled out today: noodle, extra, frog, juicy, throat, gem, whiz and koi. Here's the commercial...I just couldn't resist!

New Love Slugs!

2009-03-21T03:41:00.003-04:00

Check out this new listing I just put up in the shop for a customized set of love slugs! Super cute! C'mon, you know you want them! How can you say no?!

I like Shoes

2009-03-20T17:38:00.004-04:00

Spring is almost here! Time to get some cute new shoes, courtesy of Etsy. Lucky for me I live in flip flops for 75% of the year, so I'll just be looking instead of buying.

1. Keyhole Flat :: hydraheart

2. Felted Woolen Knitted Slippers :: pawfelts

3. Socks Slippers :: netamir

4. Apple Green Crocheted Guillerminas :: lepiedleger

5. Mustard Mary Janes :: elephantandchickpea

6. Denim Shoes :: thebutterfliesshop

That's So Sweet: An Interview with Jane Joss

2009-03-20T02:24:00.026-04:00

I stumbled across Jane Joss in the Etsy forums and absolutely fell in love with the work in this shop! I'd never seen anything quite like it: house plants you can't kill, but oh so much more. And soooooo pretty! I mean, this is some high quality home decor that's actually affordable. It's fresh and modern yet timeless and virtually goes with anything! I just had to pick creators Alyssa and Joslyn's brains and find out more about the mystery behind this wonderful Etsy shop. I couldn't contain my excitement. The idea of interviewing didn't really pop into my head, it was just a fact I was so enthusiastic about their shop. Tell us a bit about the people that are Jane Joss, what are you all about? The name Jane Joss is a combination of Alyssa’s middle name (Jane) and Joslyn. We’re former college roommates turned sisters-in-law (married to twins!). Jane Joss started with a free sewing machine and a love of cool fabric. We taught ourselves to sew and started making crafts and home décor items. Our target customer is someone who likes to add unique, natural touches to their home. Most of our customers are women, however we love designing for men, teens, and children as well. We keep everyone in mind when we are searching for fabric and coming up with new design ideas. Your line is so unique and original, I've never seen anything like it. Where did you come up with the concept for your Sweet Leaves? In our search for fabric-related craft projects, we stumbled upon leaves made of fabric. With a little trial and error, we were able to construct our own stems using floral wire and tape. From there we experimented with different sizes, including trees and potted plants. With every new creation, we found ourselves saying, “oh, that’s so sweet”. So, we ended up calling them Sweet Leaves! Describe your studio space and your inspiration in your creative life. Our “studios” are our home offices and kitchen tables. We like to imagine ourselves one day working in a beautiful studio space downtown. We are definitely inspired by nature. We love using green and brown fabric so our designs look like real plants from a distance. Also, fabric prints are a huge source of inspiration for us. It’s fun to add a modern touch to our designs by using bold colors and patterns. We are always experimenting with different textures and colors. What is your creative process like? Our creative process usually begins with a brainstorming session. We discuss new fabric options, style ideas and customer feedback. From there we are off to hunt for the perfect fabric. We have the most fun when we get to work together. Sometimes our “other lives” prevent that from happening, so we end up working separately with a kind of assembly line philosophy. For example, Alyssa will cut the fabric, Joslyn will wrap stems, etc. Assembling our product can take hours or days depending on the item. Each piece involves individually sewn interfaced leaves and hand-wrapped stems. The last step in our process involves Joslyn’s husband, Jeff. He is a talented graphic designer who has graciously designed our logo and e-blasts. He is also our photographer.

Did you try other materials or methods besides what you are currently using? Our first Sweet Leaves involved clipping the ends off existing floral stems we purchased. Although cute, that method did not produce a consistent or cost-effective product. We also tried different gauges of wire and various brands of floral tape before we got it just right. We’ve also streamlined our production process to conserve materials and increase productivity.

For being new to Etsy, you've got a few sales under your belt! Do you sell your Sweet Leaves anywhere else? We’re still new enough to get excited every time we make a sale! Etsy has been a huge learning experience for us. We’d never heard of it until we started our business. When we did, we knew it would be a great fit for us and our product. Word of mouth through our friends, families, and co-workers keep us rather busy. We have so much fun consulting with people and designing the perfect Sweet Leaves for their homes or offices. Children’s rooms are especially fun to do. Next on our agenda… craft/indie shows. Our first is the Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar in Oklahoma City on May 9th. We are so excited to get our Sweet Leaves out there!

In what ways do you promote yourselves, online and in the tangible world? We do email marketing to friends and family periodically. We also use word of mouth, blogs, and Facebook and we’re not shy about handing out business cards. Alyssa can usually be found somewhere on Etsy, posting in forums, chatting, or making treasuries, Are there any new additions to the Jane Joss line planned for the future? We are always trying new techniques and styles. We try to stick with our basic leaf shape, but we’ve got a potted plant style that we’re almost ready to debut. We have some Sweet Leaves made from faux suede on the market right now that we just love, and we’re experimenting with leaves made from chenille and corduroy. Bridal bouquets, with a modern twist, are also on our list. Creating new styles and working with new fabrics is our favorite thing about Jane Joss, so we always have something new in the works.

What other creative projects or artistic hobbies are you involved with besides Jane Joss? We are always creating things using our sewing machines. We also both fancy ourselves amateur photographers and interior designers. We love to visit art museums and our favorite thing to do for “girls’ night out” is go see a musical. We both have children, which requires an endless supply of creativity! What would you like to see happen with your Etsy shop or your line in general? We like to envision ourselves in the future working full time on Jane Joss in a beautiful studio, expanding our product line (and customer base) and designing our own fabric. We hope to be there one day because we LOVE what we do!

A huge thank you (so so much!) to Alyssa and Joslyn! Be sure to check out their etsy shop at http://www.janejoss.etsy.com/ and pick up some sweet leaves for yourself!

Have you ever come across a really awesome and magical Etsy shop and been so amazed you just had to know more? You read the profile but it's still not enough...you add said shop to your favorites and spend hours looking at all the pretty things for sale...the mystery eats at you...who is this amazing person who made these pretty things? I must know more!!! I'm a huge fan of the Featured Seller on Etsy, but I feel like there are so many ridiculously cool shops out there, that we miss out on some great ones if we don't go hunting for them ourselves. I constantly search and search, for photography worth a million words, sparkly jewelry I can't afford, art to hang on the wall (which I also can't afford), for super lovable plush and softies. I search for inspiration in the form of color, humor, unlikely pairings, materials and I suppose to check out the competition as well. I'm often left wanting more when I come across a really great shop so I decided to do something about it! Consider this my own special Featured Seller. Here's the first in a new ongoing post series here at MarthaLand. I invite you to send shops my way too, if you find something you love! I'll ask the questions, you get all the answers you ever wanted!

New Slug IDs

2009-03-19T01:12:00.003-04:00

Along with all the new and improved changes to the 3rd edition of slugs, I decided to redesign the slug IDs! It looks more like a driver's license now. Check out the old and the new!

Sneak Peek & Contest

2009-03-15T05:49:00.014-04:00

Here's a sneak peek at the new slugs!

There will be more slugs with mini slug companions sold as a set, like Jonathan and Brad. Perhaps a mother and daughter who enjoy baking together...or a big bro and his little bro who idolizes him? Oh the possibilities! I'm really excited about a group of slug I've started calling the Gentlemen's Club Slugs! They won't be special edition by label, but these gents will certainly be special. Keep an eye out for lots of mustaches, ties and maybe even a pipe or two. There will be plenty, cause I just can't stop making those rad mustaches! The 3rd edition of slugs will also include some new and different accessories, like a bomb, a beer can and bubblegum (+ accessories starting with other letters as well, that was a total coincidence)! Of course I'll keep making some of the old (and popular) ones too: pizza slices, cupcakes, skateboards, cups o' joe, burritos and books. Got any ideas? Send them my way!

A couple of other noteworthly things about the 3rd edition: regular slugs will be more uniform in size as I am making them all out of the same amount of clay for the most part. So in this sense, the minis will really be minis whereas sometimes they were almost as big as the regular slugs in the past. I'm making all sorts of new colors as well, gotten really into tinting everything with black and brown for some rich earthy hues. I'm also offering GIANT slugs, 5 inches long by custom order only for between $20-25. And you fans out there might have noticed that yes, the prices have gone up a bit, but the slugs are looking better than a year ago and this is my only source of income. A girl's gotta eat!

This guy is one of the first new slugs. I'm all set to put him up for sale, but I can't think of a good name! He is definitely a sneaky guy, always up to mischief of massive proportions...he's got a bit of a problem with blowing things up! Send me your ideas via comment to this post and I'll pick the one that fits as I take naming my little slugs very seriously! Next Sunday, March 22nd I'll announce the winner of the contest and you get this explosive little slug for free! Don't forget to check back to see if you've won! But Martha, how will I get my dynamite slug if I win, you ask. This is how:

1.I'll post him in my etsy shop, reserved for you. (He will cost 20 cents according to Etsy because you can't list anything for less than this)

2. You add him to your cart.

3. You complete every step except the payment.

4. I see you "purchase" and have all your info to mail your slug out!

I like Zombies

2009-03-12T22:02:00.012-04:00

1. Sock Zombie Doll :: Yessssssssssss! Two of my favorite things all sewn into one: handmade plush and zombie! Love the puffy paint glitter blood! This one is definitely for your zombie lovin' friends who don't like all the gore but like a heavy handed dose of humor! If for no other reason, you must check this shop out for the zombie interviews.

2. Zombie Octopus :: This etsy artist makes the coolest clay octopi (?) ever! She was the first artist I ever hearted when I discovered etsy, even before I had my own shop. I guess even the ocean isn't safe from the living dead! So much for getting scuba certified...

3. Night of the Living Bread :: This is just so hilarious it's scary...a parody (obviously) on Romero's Night of The Living Bread , which you will notice is nowhere in my collection of zombie favs. (It scares me!) I saw this yeasty version for the first time at like 2am while sleeping over at a friend's house. We laughed for hours, but then again what couple of 14 year old girls don't laugh for hours. My favorite scene involves a very sneaky dinner roll.

4. Zombies Board Game :: Don't be fooled by the first glance of this limited color palette box...this game is sooooo awesome. Two of my greatest friends turned me onto it while I was living in Vermont. We had hours of endless fun fighting zombies and racing to the helipad. It's a bit complicated at first, but once you get the hang of it you'll want to play til you die!

5. 3 Zombie Buttons :: Show your support (or fear) of zombies with this nifty little buttons. Here's another fun etsy artist with loads of zombie merch in her shop. Even little catnip brains for your kitty to chew on. Better watch out though...those brains might be infected!

6. Shaun of the Dead :: Who doesn't love a Simon Pegg movie? My personal Pegg favorite. It's like a parody only better...and funnier than being attacked by sliced bread. The perfect movie mash plot of romance, comedy and horror. Slacker Shaun (Pegg) decides to win his ex-girlfriend back, turn his life around and go visit his mum all in the midst of a zombie breakout, all while his super sidekick, Ed, manages to muck it up. Funny stuff.

7. Zombie Squad :: Zombies for a cause! Based out of St. Louise, Missouri, this community service group focuses on disaster preparedness and helps to raise money for disaster relief charities. Of course their primary objective is to protect you from the undead! Check out the site to learn about other chapters and zombie walks.

8. Zombie Portrait :: Holy crap! This is great for that zombie lover on your list. Artist Rob Sachetto will turn a jpeg image of you into an awesome illustrated zombie portrait! This guy is a zombie genius! I'm saving my money for this one! It's the gift that keeps on living!

9. The Zombie Survival Guide :: The one and only, by Max Brooks. That's all I'm gonna say. Read it. By now you should be scared enough to realize you need it.

To Do List

2009-03-12T19:45:00.013-04:00

It's been almost a month and a half since the "incident" aka the day I got laid off. I'm starting to realize that I'm not very organized (never have been) and I need to take advantage of all this free time and do something about it. I have a closet full of dirty laundry, a studio/computer room that is crammed full of boxes of stuff and the list goes on and on! While it would be great to get a cute little to do list like this one from boygirlparty I think I'll have to grin and bear it and do without. Here's what I've come up with so far...in no particular order.

1. do all my laundry

2. take what I don't wear to Plato's Closet for some extra cash (and donate the rest)

3. add a slug a day from the new 3rd edition to my etsy shop

4. go for a walk once in a while

5. go bike riding with Myke (finally)

6. get ChromaPop up and running with new items (!!!)

7. make dinner every night

8. get crackin on my gift for Make A Child Smile

9. send some snail mail (thanks for the inspriation Joanne)

10. clean this apartment, yikes!

11. take more TTV photos

12. update flickr

13. start interviewing artist for the blog

14. apply to design school

15. watch less TV

16. read a book

17. get the sewing machine out and make some curtains

18. organize my workshop corner

19. start inventory/bookkeeping for MarthaLand

20. do something about the lame header on this blog!

Whew! That's enough for now. We'll see how well this goes....I tend to enjoy the list making part much more than the list completeing! What would you do if you have more free time?

I Like Pink

2009-03-12T06:15:00.004-04:00

Once again, insomnia has led to another marvelous idea of bloggy goodness. Since I've started saving my money and stopped my usual needless shopping, I've become quite the internet window shopper. Here's a little collection of pink that I'd like to have but will settle with just looking at for now. It's fun being a curator of sorts, stay tuned for more eye candy!

1. Magnolia Pod Print :: http://www.artofandrewdaniel.etsy.com/

2. MTV Zebra Tee :: http://www.delias.com/

3. HuesNBrews Teapot :: http://www.target.com/

4. Windermere Craft Paper :: http://www.basicgrey.com/

5. Retro Rocker Satin Raspberry Sneakers :: http://www.rocketdog.com/

6. Buddha Buddha Bank :: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/

7. Vintage Glass Beads :: http://www.dibabeads.etsy.com/

9. Betty Scoop Print :: http://www.boopsiedaisy.etsy.com/

10. Hello Gorgeous Gift :: http://www.lushusa.com/

10. TAKE ME shopping and I'M YOURS Screenprint :: http://www.linocutboy.etsy.com/

11. Peeps Bunnies :: http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/

12. Strawberry Swirl Cupcake Soap :: http://www.loveleesoaps.etsy.com/

Burrito Burrito Burrito!

2009-03-11T18:45:00.001-04:00

I love burritos and if you don't mind me bragging, I happen to make a really kick ass burrito myself! (I am not the only one who thinks so...) I am more a fan of the "Americanized" burrito than traditional Mexican, but I'll try it! I realized the other day that I really have mixed feelings about Mexican food and sadly I think I would rather eat Ameri-Mexican than something authentic. I think the first real mind-blowing burrito I ever ate was at Bombers in Albany, NY. It's a great little hole in the wall with lots of style and great artsy decor. I had a similar experience the first time I ate at Chipotle in NYC, but sadly have not been able to match it since moving to Florida. Although, I have become a fan of their pork burrito lately. Even still, I think I'd rather eat a homemade, handmade chicken burrito with fresh guacamole and sour cream any day of the week! Apparently I have had burritos on the mind lately as I made two little slugs with mini burritos recently! And as a matter of fact, we just had them for dinner a few nights ago! Yum! So here's a little collections of burrito related things, my homage to the delicious wrapped treat!

1. BurritoEater Blog :: http://www.burritoeater.com/

2. Bombers Burrito Bar in Albany, NY :: http://www.bombersburritobar.com/

3. Alex and his Burrito:: http://www.marthaland.etsy.com/

4. Chipotle Restaurant :: http://www.chipotle.com/

5. Fun Felt Foods Burrito :: http://www.mclean2612.etsy.com/

6.Pepitos Burritos :: http://www.beachmusings.etsy.com/

7. I Heart Burritos T-shirt :: http://www.burritoblog.com/

Surfing at 3am...

2009-03-11T03:38:00.007-04:00

Never thought surfing the web would lead to anything productive and good for my karma, but I was wrong! Not only did I stumble across a great blog dedicated to being nice (how refreshing!) but I found an even better website called Make A Child Smile. There are so many kids out there with life threatening diseases and conditions and this website is focused on adding a little cheer and delight to there life...making them smile! You can donate money to the organization or a particular child. But personally I am super excited to make a little personalized slug for one of the MACS kids and mail it off to them! I encourage all of you to take some time to do the same, after all, wouldn't you like it if someone made you smile just because! Just go to the website and under the kids column on the left, click on all current kids or just click here. From here you can see all the kids, read about their illness and find out what kind of interests they have. Just click on the little face/page icons on the left of their name for more info. It includes their mailing address so you can send you gift right away and get to making them smile ASAP!

2nd edition of slugs complete!

2009-03-10T15:33:00.007-04:00

I just finished listing all 100 slugs in the 2nd edition and they are on sale now in my etsy shop. Please stop by to grab one before they are gone! I have been featured in the gift guides and on the front page of etsy again, so traffic is picking up. I'm excited to continue working on the new slugs in the 3rd edition. I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the 1st edition and some from the 2nd edition and also show some that weren't sold in my esty shop (because they didn't make the cut) I'll be having some giveaways of these oops slugs because I can't bare to throw them out!

This is the slug that started it all....the first one I ever made way back almost a year ago. I will never sell him or name him I don't think. It's funny but he doesn't even stand up on his own!

Here are some of the other critters I made in the beginning but never ended up listed them on the shop. I ended up liking them so much I just wanted to keep them for myself!

1. Snurtle - the shop was originally going to have slugs and snurtles. Snurtles are a cross between a snail and a turtle. It didn't take me long to realize this was a bit ridiculous. A fun novelty yes, but really? Snurtles? I didn't like the way they came out anyway. I guess it ended up looking like a snail in the end which would have been a better choice! But I abandoned that idea and focused on the slugs.

2. Special Edition Sprackle Slug - I started making jewelry and beads with this same "sprackle" effect and started up another shop at Etsy called Chromapop. But nothing sold so I again abandoned this idea. I have a handful of slugs like this, but I'm not sure what I will do with them. Can't say I like them very much!

3. Caterpillar - Now this guy I absolutely love! And my boyfriend does too! He wanted me to sell these in the shop but it was quite time consuming to make. I like him a lot, but if I was going to sell more I would have to perfect the construction. I don't like to spend a lot of time on my individual pieces. I'd rather spend a whole day making 20 slugs than spend a hour making just one....although now that I think about it, it usually takes about and hour to make just one slug when you add all the steps together! Interesting....

4. MarthaLand Mascot? - I'm not sure what this is or where the idea came from. I suppose it looks a bit like a generic centipede/worm with legs kind of critter. He was an experiment I tried after the caterpillar. Like my original slug, he does not stand up on his own! I like this little guy alot, in fact he was on my MarthaLand shop banner forever until I recently updated it! He was also the inspiration for my blue wormy napkins holders...still for sale!!!!

And the Winners Are...

2009-02-21T05:28:00.009-05:00

I didn't get a whole lot of responses for my first giveaway, but I did manage to find two wonderful Etsy shops to give a make over! Please stop by to admire my handy work and more importantly the handywork of this amazing artists! Thanks to Fiorella and Priscilla for being my first ChromaPop customers!

Here are the before and afters:

Through the Viewfinder

2009-02-17T17:24:00.012-05:00

I've been itching to get behind the camera lately and create some really moving photos. I get so bored of snapping shots of my slugs and other creations sometimes because there is no creativity in the actual photography, just in the object itself. Recently I've been inspired by the vintage movement, I love the look of old timey photos and more so the old timey look translated onto a modern subject. Sure, all of that can be done with the wonders of Photoshop, and I like to toy around with that a bit but it's just not photography to me, in the true sense of the medium. Then I remembered a technique a photography friend told me about called Through the Viewfinder.

It sounds like a complex project, but it was relatively simple and easy to get set up. You basically take a picture with a digital camera of the image you see when looking into the glass bubble viewfinder of an old school 620 film camera such as the Kodak Duaflex or in my case a Argus Seventy Five. The only DIY project involved is the box you'll have to build to block out light and glare on the base camera's viewfinder and keep your main camera at the proper distance so you can focus. Most tutorials said you should use a DSLR with a macro lens, but I managed just fine with my 55mm lens and I've even seen pictures on flicker of people using their little digital point and shoots, so don't be discouraged! You will, however, need a 620 film camera with a viewfinder on the top, as it is the most important part of the equation. You can find them online at ebay and sometimes at etsy as well.

Way back in college I picked up my Argus camera for 25 cents at a garage sale and haven't used it until now! After some very quick research on the web via google, I set out to build a light blocking box with some customized adaptions for my Rebel xti and a hour or so later was snapping shots through the viewfinder!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T20:08:00.001-05:00

Here's some cute love slugs that were going to be valentines cards...but I never got around to it! Enjoy and I hope you have a lovely day!

Free Etsy Banner!

2009-02-12T22:48:00.005-05:00

So, I have been feeling a bit bored and depressed since I lost my job and the job search isn't going so well. I have been thinking about going back to school to get a second degree in Graphic Design or at least take some refresher courses and reteach myself how to use Illustrator and DreamWeaver. I recently made a banner for my new etsy shop: ChromaPop and just today I revamped my MarthaLand shop banner:

Then a wonderful idea popped into my head! Why not stretch my design muscles and create some etsy banners for my fellow etsians! This will officially be my first MarthaLand giveaway! If you are interested in a ABSOLUTELY FREE etsy shop banner, just comment on this post within 1 week from today. I will pick 3 etsy shops for a free MarthaLand makeover based on what your current banner looks like, what you sell in your shop, and any other persuasions you lay on me!

Y and Z are for....

2009-02-11T14:19:00.006-05:00

The end of my alphabet feature is here. When I came across this giclee print, I just had to combine the last two letters for a big finale... This limited edition print Y and Z by the Canadian etsy shop monkeypowered is super cute! It appeals to me in a playful kid way and in a zany artsy adult way too! If I was going to hang a fun alphabet on my wall, I'd definitely choose this one. I love Mr. Z's little moustache (I've been joining the moustache craze these days)! And if this taste of color and fun isn't enough then you'll really want to check out the rest of the monkeypowered shop! Perhaps its all the bright colors or the super cool illustration style, but I just love everything! Some of my other favorites: Dog's Dinner and Mr. Fuzz. Also check out artist Helen Dardik who also has some giclee prints in the shop like Coffee With My Owl and this ABC poster! But hurry, these prints may only be $20.00 but they are limited editions! Enjoy!

X is for...

2009-02-09T22:31:00.004-05:00

X is a hard one, so I thought I'd feature another full alphabet set....made from up cycled materials, bonus! This Recycled Coke Can Alphabet is the green counterpart to the neon plastic refrigerator magnets we all had as kids...and...ah, some of us still have! It's only $8.00 for the whole set, a bit more pricey than the old school set but well worth it and a steal if you consider all the work that went into it! Loda's etsy shop features handmade goodies all fashioned out of empty pop cans. So clever and crafty! My personal favorite is the cute little recycled piggie brooch! Hurry and grab this one up, Loda's last three sales were all this similar coke alphabets and this is the last one listed in her shop!

Button Your Eyes!

2009-02-08T13:40:00.005-05:00

How totally awesome is this!?!? The new movie Coraline just opened a few days ago and I haven't seen it yet, but I think I'm going to have to beg to go tonight. We were going to wait until my birthday, but I can't wait two more days! I have to go NOW! I went onto the official website to check it out, and of course it's totally RAD in every meaning of the word! I wish I could work on a movie set like this! I would love to spend endless days, months, years making little trees and flowers and all the other creepy cool props and sets. Apparently there is a forest made entirely of painted popcorn! And I heard that the movie took 7 years to complete, the crew turned out about a minute a week. Insane, but just so insane that I would love it! I tried to find the creepiest pictures I could of Myke and I to Coraline-ize ourselves. The site is all interactive and I spent about 45 minutes there and didn't even see half of it. You can of course give yourself button eyes, make weird flowers in the garden and explore all kinds of other places. Go and check it out and go and see the movie!

Jobless...

2009-02-06T16:02:00.002-05:00

I wish I had good news today, but I lost my job. Being a manager is great unless things are going so well, and then all the blame comes down on you. Oh well, I was beginning to get an itch for something new anyway...just wish I had found it before I lost my current job! So I am officially unemployed, which has its benefits. For example I decided to take a nice little mini vacation and drove down to Punta Gorda for a visit with my parents. And at least I don't have to get up at 7:30 every morning, no work on the weekends and no boss! But of course, my bank account is quickly getting smaller and smaller with no income! I will be spending a lot of time making new slugs and trying out some other new ideas. Please check out my shop on a regular basis and please please send everyone you know my way on Etsy. At least I have that little income to rely on right now, but I don't know how long I will be without a job and every little bit helps!

W is for...WOW!

2009-01-26T21:57:00.014-05:00

Okay, so I know I have slacked off on the whole alphabet series. You might even say my effort recently has been weak (since today's letter is W)! It's interesting how I managed to keep up with it during the busy holidays but now that things have slowed down I have almost completely given up! With only 4 letters left, I just couldn't let the procrastination get the better of me! But W is a hard one! I couldn't find much on Etsy for the letter W that really caught my eye. In my search I came across this absolutely amazing shop though...and it made me say "Wow! This is totally rad!" So I guess it's only fitting to feature electricboogaloo for today's letter!

I would much rather consider myself an adorable dork (aka adorkable) but I fear from time to time I wander over into the nerd category. Science was my second favorite subject in school after all and I even was called Envirogirl for a brief period in senior high! So, it came as no surprise that I absolutely loved these Nerdy Baby ABC Flashcards! As Tiffany, the creative mind behind electricboogaloo, points out, nerdy partents have nerdy babies so why not "geek up the nursery!" It's 100% old school flashcard stlye meets biology 101 with super awesome color drawings that look like they are straight out of my high school text books! Now this is an alphabet set worth much more than a mere $20.00!

I was relieved to discover I didn't quite understand some of these flashcards, which no doubt confirms my adorkable status over nerdom! But I still enjoyed them greatly, and any cool kid will tell you that if you enjoy science, you're a nerd. But if the nerdy ABC's aren't humorous enough for you, then check out Nerdy Baby 123 Flashcards....now with more pi! Okay, I'm a nerd. But c'mon, you gotta admit, this gal is pretty damn smart, crafty and creative! If there was some kind of alphabet award, you'd win 1st place in my book, Tiffany! So all you science geeks out there, go and check out this super neato shop whether you have a baby or not. Perhaps you can educate some of your non science geek friends with these informative flashcards and teach them a thing or two about why it's cool to be a nerd.

This is no way to spend my birthday!

2009-01-23T00:12:00.004-05:00

I seriously cannot believe all the crap going on right now with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and their stupid new act! Grrrrrrr! The crafting world is in turmoil and etsy has been a buzz lately. Lots of crafters could be drastically effected by the outcome of this Consumer Product Saftey Improvement Act, if it passes. Yeah, I want the supplies I get to be free of lead, but some of this is a bid ridiculous. I don't really have a lot of child in my demographic so I don't think I will be effected really, but this just made me sad when I read it:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) today expressed dissatisfaction with a public meeting held by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to discuss the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and whether the law, which requires children’s products to undergo stringent testing for lead, should apply to ordinary, paper-based children’s books. Under the current opinion issued by the General Counsel of the CPSC, the law would apply to books for children under the age of 12; therefore, public, school, academic and museum libraries would be required to either remove all their children’s books or ban all children under 12 from visiting the facilities as of February 10.

Really? All children's books could be taken out of libraries on my birthday! This makes me so sad, I love the library! And quite honestly still love the child's section! What is this world coming too? Why are we all so afraid of EVERYTHING!

You can read the rest of this article here at District Dispatch and also more on Etsy and the CPSIA here and if you live in Brooklyn, you can go to a community chat TOMORROW 1/23 at the Etsy Virtual Labs, check out this storque article for more info. You can also go to buyhandmade's new blog here for lots of news, updates and more info. If you scroll to the bottom you can get a badge to add to your blog/website to show support.

Valentines Slugs are Coming!

2009-01-20T19:08:00.004-05:00

I made just a handful of Valentine's Day slugs! I was inspired by conversation hearts and stamped "luv u" on the back of each one then colored it in with red sharpie! So cute and sweet enough to eat! I will be posting them soon, hopefully on the 21st! They each come with their own little valentine's day card as well. Just fill out the to and from, and wrap it all up and PRESTO! Instant valentine's gift, handmade with love of course!

V is for...

2009-01-17T10:13:00.004-05:00

Now for a new twist on things...how about a Spanish translation! This Spanish Alphabet Letter V is a folksy take, hand embroidered and made mostly of felt. And this Etsy shop has the whole alphabet of course! It was fun trying to think of things in Spanish for each letter, I believe Jenna and Mandi of Toodleooo have done a wonderful job, much better than me! Check out the whole series, just $15.00 for each lettered square which is 9x9 inches. My other favorites: Q and C! These would make great gifts for all those bi-lingual families you know or a friend who is learning Spanish perhaps! I also really liked this card featuring two cute pug dogs. Be sure to stop by this new shop!

U is for...

2009-01-06T20:25:00.006-05:00

Well, it's been a while but I am back! I wish I could have finished my alphabet series before the new year, but I ran out of time...literally! Now that work has settled down, I will hopefully be posting more often again. And of course be filling up the shop with more slugs! I have a lot of new ideas for 2009, so stay tuned to the blog to see whats coming up! And to pick up where we left off....

I couldn't resist this print by EmilyBalivet for no other reason that the fact that I LOOOOOVE unicorns! U is for Unicorn Print from the Medieval Alphabet is just one of the super cool prints she has available. While I'm not very fond of medieval art really, this collection is quite nice and I could see it fitting in well in certain decors. Each piece has been painstakingly (well it seems that way to me anyhoo) painted by hand by Emily using acrylic and hide glue to give it the aged cracked effect. Very interesting, I love artists who play science! She has the whole alphabet available in 8 x 10 prints for $15.00 each. Check out her other renaissance and medieval themed pieces as well. My favs: Awakening, Celtic Mermaid Hand Painted Treasure Box and Z is for Zodiac. This gal makes me want to go to a renaissance festival!

And I couldn't resist this new find! I am quite partial to this artist's work because it closely resembles the pages upon pages of scribbles that I have in my sketchbooks. I never knew what to make of them...it awesome to see that Christina of whimsyloo has found a way! All of her alphabet letter, like Letter U are bursting with vibrant colors and fun little swirls and loops...or as I like to call them, twibbles! Her style reminds me a lot of Dr. Seuss, who I love! Check out all the funky prints she has to offer, every letter is a little different and each 8 x 10 print is only $13.00. For more about Christina visit her blog and you'll see some more great artwork and a etsy front page feature!! Congrats to whimsyloo!

T is for...

2008-12-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's another sweet wearable alphabet feature by charlieandsarah! This Superhero Monogram Long Sleeve Shirt is just $32 for kids size and $34 for the adult version. It reminds me of the NYC subway, and this duo does call NYC home, but we'll take their word for it that superheros in fact sport these awesome threads. The shop has tshirts for just about everyone! I especially like the womens Wellies British Flashcard Tee and the Unisex Alligator Hoody in navy. A definate needed additon to my hoody collection! I'll have to be sure to add it to my Christmas list! Thanks Charlie and Sarah for all your great wearable art!

S is for...

2008-12-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's time for more monogrammed hair clips! The details on this little sweetie are superb! From kenzieklips this S felt clip is perfect for school picture day! Unfortunately, the shop is closed until after the new year, but be sure to stop by in 2009 and check out all the cuteness it has to offer! And if you must have your S fix, here is another goodie from exlibrishandmade! This set of 8 S Monogram Cards are really special because they are made from 100% recycled materials and even better, they are only $16.00. The cardstock is from recycled paper and the letters are cut from scraps of fabric! Such a clever idea, I never know what to do with the small little squares left over. I'm not much for quilting! It's hard to tell but these cards are stitched as well! I love Victoria's shop for all the great sewn items she has to offer and the sustainable approach she takes. Her cloth books are so awesome and I want one sooooo bad, but alas, I have no baby to justify getting it for! Check out the custom book she has listed, it's one of my favorite alphabet items! I think I hold a spot for her in my heart because she calls Albany, NY home and I used to live there and frequent the Art on Lark Street art festival every year! Shout to you Victoria, keep up the good work!

R is for...

2008-12-11T08:20:00.001-05:00

Yes!!! Another super cool letter (and font) from fontsupply on Etsy! Today's featured piece, R print is only $8.00 for a 8x10 size print. And I just couldn't resist featuring this artist considering her inspiration for these pieces comes from vintage signs and a "geeky love of fonts!" Perfecto! There really isn't much else to say except check it out for yourself! Lots of different styles and affordable prices so you can spell out whatever you'd like without going broke! I recommend checking her other etsy shop arian for some super cool fine art prints of her illustrations...there's a bogo sale going on! Yippee!

New MarthaLand Item!

2008-12-10T20:07:00.005-05:00

I've added a new item to my shop...tree rings! I am working on opening up a jewelry shop after the new year on Etsy and have been ordering supplies and tinkering around with ideas. These adjustable rings were just begging for a woodsy touch. I had this log laying around, so I figured, why not! Check them out here, I have lots and they are only $2.50 each.

I'll even gift wrap it for you for the holidays if you say please....and pay me an extra $3!

Q is for...

2008-12-10T14:31:00.003-05:00

Q is for Quail by Lindsay Brackeen of the etsy shop lindsayart is today's featured alphabet print. Obviously I really love her work, as this the second time she's been included in my alphabet series. I love collage work, especially when it combines both photographic images and printed paper. I've done lots of digital collage work but nothing that has such a nice fine art quality as these prints! Check out the whole alphabet, each letter print is $18.00 or get the whole set for only $65.00. And of course be sure to check out and all of her other amazing work. Some of my favorites are Peacock Girl and Flirt.

Shop Update 12/10 and more

2008-12-08T19:16:00.007-05:00

I will be adding all of my special edition Christmas slugs to my etsy shop on Wednesday, December 10th! They are a very limited edition and each comes with it's own ID card! Sorry it has taken so long and I wish there were more, but I just don't have the time to create anything new! I am swamped with custom orders! If you aren't able to get a slug that you want, contact me after the New Year and I will be happy to make whatever you like! Also, as much as I don't want to do this to my fans and especially because I am just starting out, my prices will be going up after the new year as well. I really want to pursue selling on etsy as a full time job and I have been realizing that I'm only barely breaking even for the amount of work I put in. I hope to keep most items in my shop under $20, custom orders will vary depending on the degree of complexity. But trust me, I'm up to the challenge and I won't charge you an arm and a leg! This is what I am planning on at the moment: Slugs: $8 Mini Slugs: $5 Any Slug with an accessory: $10 Any Slug with multiple accessories: $15 Custom orders: $10 for a Slug $8 for a Mini Slug $10-$20 per Slug with an accessory Any feedback is greatly appreciated on these prices changes!

P is for...

2008-12-04T21:11:00.003-05:00

This handpainted Monogram Bow Holder is so cute, I love the little birdies! It feels like spring already! Unfortunately this item is no longer available, but check out the other wonderful bow holders by koriclarkdesigns. For $25.00-$40.00 these bow holders are great for older girls that don't really need anymore toys but still aren't grown up enough for tween gifts. All the items in this shop have amazing handpainted details and are made from wood for a sturdy, lasting piece in a child's room. Check out Kori's super cool painted wooden letters as well. And guess what! They are customizable by font and you can order as many letters as you need to spell anything you'd like. Another etsy seller that makes me want to have kids so I can decorate their room!

The second feature of the day is a favorite because of it's children's book illustration quality. P is for Pig looks like it was taken right out of a modern ABC book and I love the lesson on upper and lower case letters! Cabbagesandkingsart has a ton of awesome prints all in a bright and clean illustration style. Including of course a complete alphabet series and an animal series of prints for $10.00 each. If you want something a little more adult but just a much fun, then check of the flower series for simple and elegant two color prints. I really enjoyed all the cards this shop had to offer as well, especially the Sparrow Notecards. If you like the style of the cards then be sure to hit up the sale section for similar prints. Hurry over there today for a big holiday sale, buy 2 get the 3rd free!

Sneak Peek!!!!

2008-12-04T00:32:00.007-05:00

Here is a sneak peek of some of my Special Edition Christmas Slugs....there will be more to come I have about 3 or 4 different designs. I want to do some Hanukkah slugs too, but I make no promises! This time of year its hard to find free time to think, no less do anything creative! Please let me know what you think! I'd like to do a hundred times more next year for the holidays and I want to know what all my MarthaLand fans like!

This cute little couple caught under the mistletoe is a very special limited edition for one of my biggest fans...Nick, who definitely inspired me to make some holiday slugs. There will only be one of these made this year, it was quite an undertaking with all the logistics involved of getting the mistletoe to hang just right and figuring out how to incorporate it to begin with! Hope you like them Nick! Let me know what you think....

And of course, there must be some minis as well! I can't think of anything really, but I thought little presents all wrapped up would be cute, to emphasize their tininess, because well, miniature and cute it twice as much fun! Hard to see the scale in a picture, but the present is about 1 inch tall...I don't know if I will make many of these, it was very time consuming and messy with the super glue to put the ribbon on the present!

O is for...

2008-12-02T15:35:00.003-05:00

I was in the doctor's office today, and stupid Sarah Palin was on the TV. But then it made me think, no worries cause Obama was elected, yay! And that reminded me of today's totally awesome alphabet feature!

By Joshua Martens of dripstick out of Brooklyn, NY Obama 8x8 print is just what I'd like to hang in my house! I love this artist's alphabet series becuase its not about cute little graphics and clever illustrations but rather the concept and imagery of what each letter stands for. Simplicity at it's best. The series was inspired by the periodic table of elements, and together the pieces look absolutely stunning on a wall. This is one etsy shop I can really stand behind, based on their founding beliefs alone: that art should be accessible and affordable for everyone.

Be sure to stop by their website and blog and check out these other great prints in the etsy shop: Lomo Bicycle Fine Art Photography 02, Organic Series - Apple Trees, Monkey Series - Puppet, and French Box Labels Series - Bananas.