Cheryl Ball delights us with yummy candy corn cupcakes!
Pattiewack upcycles an apple tray into a festive cupcake carrier. So inexpensive and easy!
Ann Butler crafts up a boo-tiful holder for your ATCs complete with a black cat!
Glory whips up a super fun and healthy pumpkin-inspired muffin meal for her kids. Love it!
Crafty Chica makes the perfect mask to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.
Maya in the Moment has some face painting fun with her little cousin and of course, hilarity ensues!
Eileen Hull has a ghostly good time creating this cute diecut necklace!
That’s it for this week! If you are interested in playing in the fun Terrorific Tuesday roundup, e-mail Alexa at swelldesigner (at) gmail (dot) com and she’ll send you the details!
Sometimes the unexpected happens – you find something that you didn’t know you were looking for until you see it! Look at this fabulous dress form I found in, of all places, Tuesday Morning. I was shopping with my friend Brenda Pinnick for unique items to craft with when I spotted this dress form. Its perfect for displaying aprons (I have several patterns mentally designed so I could “justify” buying it!)
A few months ago, I scoured the internet looking for the perfect dress form to display aprons and found a wicker one that I liked. Now my wicker gal has a little sister joining her in my studio.
The only downside is that I was at the beach and had to convince my husband that I could pack around it for our trip home – not an easy task with either the convincing or the packing! I know its not the typical beach purchase, but a treasure is a treasure!
Please check back for a Halloween apron that I’m working on as well as for some other special arts and crafts that were created while beaching.
Wow, just imagine – no color! Think of fall without the oranges, golds, and yellows of falling leaves, spring without the pinks, purples, oranges and yellows of flowers, and summer without the green grass and leaves. What would the sky be without blue or the seas without the turquoises and greens?
I am a color junkie with all of my art and fabrics created with vibrant colors. I love color and will buy something I really don’t need, just because I love the color. I paint rooms too frequently because its exciting to change colors (some of my rooms have enough layers of paint for it to qualify as insulation).
My close friend Brenda Pinnick has a passion for color and has founded Brenda Pinnick Color U in which she teaches workshops on color as well as offering color consulting.
Its available for everyone from an individual who wants to know more about color and palettes (such as a quilter, sewer, crafter or decorator) or manufacturers who wants to give their product lines a “wow” with color. Also, retail business can have Brenda’s workshops conducted in their stores as well as learn how to use color in their businesses to increase sales.
Since its almost autumn, I want to show you one of Brenda’s palettes that she created for autumn Isn’t it absolutely the most fantastic combination of colors!
Brenda is definitely qualified as a color expert as an award-winning graduate of the prestigious portfolio school, Creative Circus. There she studied in-depth color theory as well as continuing to work and study color since. So if you want any advise on color or the psychology of color, then Brenda is the go-to person!
Have a wonderful colorful day! (I’m not trying to brain-wash you, just color-wash you!)
I was in Chicago last week to attend the Craft and Hobby Show, the trade show for anything related to crafts (a consumer show followed the trade show). It was exciting to see the show floor filled with people who also seemed excited as well.
While there, my friend Brenda Pinnick and I took some time off to catch the El and go into Chicago to visit the museum at the Art Institute of Chicago. Its a fabulous museum and had expanded with a new modern wing that has been open a year.
The weather was fabulous, much cooler and less humid than here at home so Brenda and I spend some time walking through the city as well. Chicago is so clean and beautiful and there were flowers everywhere along the streets. Large planters divided the street on Michigan Avenue as we walked toward the museum. And there were plenty of sidewalk cafes with vibrant flowers.
Huge planters also lined the street. I just happen to be in front of this one.
I am a huge fan of Art Nouveau and in Chicago, you don’t need to go to a museum to see a lot of this style as its prevalent throughout the City on buildings and other items of interest.
These 2 pictures shows some of the art nouveau designs on buildings.
And here is the famous Chicago Theater landmark on State Street, probably the most photographed building in Chicago.
One final shot – the Chicago River. Didn’t I tell you Chicago was beautiful!
We enjoyed our day and it rejuvenating to have a break. The next day, it was back to the CHA show for meetings and to walk the show as well as visit with friends.
It was a hot time in Atlanta as crowds arrived to attend the Atlanta Gift Market. Mix in some humidity and it was sweltering, but it didn’t dampen our spirits while at the show. I wish I knew how many miles I walked while there. My poor feet wished I had not covered as much ground.
After days filled with meetings, it was fun to meet up with friends. A highlight of my trip was a party held at the studio of Paula Joerling and Tom Haney. Both Paula and Tom are so talented and have the most fabulous studio walking distance from market. Please check out their delightful blogs.
Tom is a master of creating kinetic sculpture art. Here are 2 photos (which doesn’t do them justice since you can’t see the kinetic aspects. Tom’s studio was filled with these wonderful pieces as well as tons of components.
While walking market, I saw one of the products that I designed, a garden flag for Evergreen Enterprises, Chick Power. More products will be out soon based on Chick Power.
Meanwhile, back to more gathering of friends. A bunch of us met at the Westin to get together and basically talk and talk along with a few hugs. Pictured are Jane Maday, Terri Conrad, Martha Collins, Joyce Shelton, myself, Sue Zipkin and seated in front, BJ Lantz, and Carol Eldridge.
And, I was walking by the C.R. Gibson showroom while Jim Shore was there for a personal appearance and signing.
I have finally recouperated and am in the middle of getting work out. Just in time to attend the CHA show in Chicago next week. I’m looking forward to seeing several of you there!
Its always fun to meet someone who you really admire. At the Atlanta Gift Market last month, I had the good fortune to meet Mary Engelbreit in the showroom of Katherine’s Collections. Mary was there for a personal appearance. I have always been a fan of Mary’s as well as appreciate her as a trail-blazer for art licensing.
The past couple of months have been the most hectic of all. Preparing for two major trade show events in January required hours and hours of work. Attending the shows, Atlanta Gift Market and CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) were almost like vacations because while they were technically work, I could lay down my paint brush and ignore my computer for a few days. Plus, its always such fun to meet up with friends.
The day before the CHA show in Anaheim, Brenda Pinnick and I went to Laguna Beach for some much deserved R&R. We shopped and had a great lunch while watching the Laguna Beach surf (which was very high due to the recent rains).
Although the shows are over, work continues with work from the shows as well as the work that was still in progress before the shows.
And, I am happy to say that I just finished a new fabric collection and am really excited about it.
I hope you are all staying warm in all this cold and snowy weather.
Welcome to my turn in a Holiday Blog hop. I’m delighted to be part of this blog hop put together by talented artists. We are taking turns sharing a fun holiday project or craft and hope that you are inspired to make some using our free patterns and instructions. And leave a comment on each of the artists blog and you may win a random drawing for a prize by each artist.
I love to entertain over the holidays and often need more festive dishes or bowls. I painted this terra cotta flower pot to give an extra bowl to hold holiday treats (or even a plant). Since stripes and dots are very popular design elements and which I also happen to love, I used these to decorate it. It’s easy to do and you can make one and use it that night.
1. Use a terra cotta flowerpot the size of your choice – you can make it as big or small as you like. Wash the flower pot and go over it with alcohol to disinfect it.
2. With a pencil, draw the lines for the stripes around the rim. I made the stripes on mine about an inch wide. Also, draw 1/2 inch circles randomly on the bottom of the pot.
3. Paint the red dots and the red stripes, alternating the stripes. Paint the background of the bottom pot white and the remaining stripes. It will take 2-3 coats of paint. Let it dry between coats. Paint the inside of the pot your choice of white or red.
4. When the paint has dried, add small white dots in a line on the red stripes.
5. After all has dried, use a clear satin acrylic to seal the paint.
6. Fill with your choice of snacks, chips, ornaments or whatever you desire.
Please leave a comment to be entered into a random drawing for a prize. Also please visit the other artist that are participating in this blog hop and leave comments for a chance at more prizes.
As part of this blog hop, we are supposed to answer these questions to give some information about ourselves. Mine are below.
5 things we might not know about you that you’d like to share.
1. I love to listen to music when I work and have music of every genre except rap. The type of music I play depends on what I’m working on.
2. I planted lettuce for the first time this fall and was delighted that it turned out so tasty. The only place I had to plant it was in the flowerbed by the mailbox, but the bright greens looked very pretty and my husband backed down from being horrified by veggies growing front and center of our yard.
3. I’m a color junkie and often buy stupid stuff just because I like the color, however anything with great color is not stupid! Like a purple cooler to carry to the beach when we have several in basic red and white.
4. I enjoy social gatherings with my girlfriends such as bunko, girl’s poker, pokeno and book club. And, I don’t have time to read the books so I go to listen, socialize and drink wine.
5. I feel guilty because I don’t get around to exercising as frequently as I want – almost non-existent at this point as I’m working hard on close deadlines.
5 things going on in my creative world.
1. In October, I signed with a fabulous agent, Jewel Branding & Licensing and am very excited about this partnership.
2. I’m working on several new art collections and am looking forward to seeing new products created with my art at the January markets.
3. I’m putting together a quilt e-book.
4. I’ve been creating Christmas crafts to share with my blog readers.
5 things that really inspire me.
1. Color, lots of it.
2. Humor
3. Nature, especially the greens
4. Flowers, even though this is technically part of nature.
5. People – family, friends, and other artists. I’m also really inspired by the paintings of Matisse – love all his work.
Be sure to leave a comment and be included in a drawing for a prize.
I’m inviting you to join our Blog Hop with the Artists. Each artist will post a Christmas project, craft, idea or fun project. Play, post and win – a prize will be given by each artist from the comments made on her blog!
How it works –
1. Between now and November 22, visit each artist blog below on the date listed to Play, Post and Win. Each artist will have some fun projects, free patterns or crafts or How-to’s for Christmas.
2. Just post a comment on each of our blogs when you visit, and you will be entered for a random drawing of a prize by each artist from the comments made on her blog.
So you can see, its fun and easy and you may win! Regardless, you will be a winner from the free projects offered by each artists.
This is my first blog hop and I’m excited to be a part it with such talented artists. Each artist licenses her art for products such as gift items, fabrics, table ware, stationery and much more. Check out their blogs for a chance to win and learn more about each very creative woman.
Today starts with Terri Conrad, so please visit her blog and be sure to leave a comment.
I have been trying to catch up all week from a whirlwind trip to Atlanta for the Gift Market. I always return home tired but inspired – tired from the constant walking because the market is so huge and inspired from meetings, visiting with friends and the excitement that just comes from market.
It was encouraging to see that the buyers there were buying, although more cautiously. A lot of the showrooms were really busy, especially for gifts over home decor items. Also, lower price items were selling better than the really high price items.
I had some great meetings with discussions on new products using my art to debut at the January show. Meanwhile I was thrilled to see some of my new products that I have been working on the past few months. Most of the products were still in sample form, but here is one, a “Chick Power” garden flag for Evergreen that is available in 2 sizes.
I can’t wait to show you my other products but will have to wait until they are completely finished and in catalogs.
Is always fun to catch up with friends, plus make some new ones. I had a fun evening with a dinner with several friends at Azio’s (one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta). From left to right – yours truly – me, Joyce Shelton, Barbara Barnett, Brenda Pinnick, BJ Lantz, and Carol Eldridge. I guess you can figure out what happens when 6 women get together – lot of talk and more talk, and most important – lots of laughing.
I wish you each a fabulous weekend.
Phyllis
Phyllis Dobbs Art & Design Studio
Thanks for visiting!. My art is licensed for gift, garden and home products. I also design quilt and sewing patterns available in my Etsy store.
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SHOWCASE YOUR ART ON PRODUCTS! 105 Photoshop and Illustrator templates.
ArtBizJam 2020- Art Business Conference Virtual, Sept 23- 26, 2020
UNIQUE ART BUSINESS CONFERENCE - Learn more to expand your art business and network with other artists. The 8th annual ArtBizJam conference will be held virtually 2020 with live sessions with product developers Sept 23-26 and other sessions available for viewing at your own time on a variety of topics. The live sessions will have a lineup of experienced speakers for product development from top gift and home companies. For more details, please visit the ArtBizJam website and join the
ArtBizJam Facebook Group
