Kids Haus

Nature Crown

I was just thinking what a great October we've had around Seattle. Sunny and rather unusually warm weather have made it extra enjoyable (except for dipping temperatures and rain today). I was looking forward to picking up C from school last week so we could have a fun afternoon together. After reading about this nature crown craft project from BKids, it just seemed like the perfect project to do together since we could wander through the yard and pick pretty leaves and flowers for our crown. This was the final result...we added some jewels for added princess flare...

The Power...

Wow! I don't know what to say other than that I continue to be amazed by the power of blogs and friends! My thoughtful friend, Esther, at Babyccino blog read my post about the "Under Her Wing" whale print that I created in honor of my friend Marge. All of the proceeds will go to Kylie's college fund (scroll down for the full story). So far, I've sold 14 whales out of 50 - so we're inching our way up there! Thank you to all who have shown your support and love in my effort to let Kylie know that we're here to help her along the way. xo Michelle

Native Vermont

I've been contemplating purchasing one of these Native Vermont prints -- the Black Bear Swimming or the Constellations Polar Bear. They have an air of sophistication with a bit of whimsy. My other quandary is where I would find the wall space to hang one of these lovely bears. Aren't they sweet??

Under Her Wing

This is my new print, "Under Her Wing". Let's see, I'm trying to find a way to explain the meaning behind this print without getting too emotional or sappy but it holds a very strong purpose. At the end of August, a dear, dear friend of mine passed away unexpectedly. I knew Margie in high school but it wasn't until we went to college that we became really close friends. In life, there are a handful of people that bring out the best in us, the ones that make us laugh in the purest form, the ones that support us through everything - you know the type. Simply put, that was Marge. She had a lightness and an ease about her that drew people to her. Sadly, in the last several years, we lost touch but not for any other reason than distance and busy lives. I won't even begin to go into the regret I hold for letting life get in the way of such a friendship. Let me just say that it's made me take a closer look at things.

So now, the tough part, the primary impetus behind "Under Her Wing" is for Kylie, Marge's 8 year old daughter (knocks the wind out of me just thinking about it). She's nearly the same age as my daughter and I can't even begin to comprehend the implications of a young daughter losing her mother...or a parent, for that matter. So, in lieu of flowers, Marge's family requested that friends send money for Kylie's college fund. Education was a big part of Marge's life as she was a Special Education teacher. That's where this print come into play. If I can show my support and love for Marge and her daughter, this was one way I knew how. 100% of the proceeds from "Under Her Wing" will go directly to Kylie's college fund. If you'd like to help me in taking Kylie under our wings, I've printed 50 of the mother and her calf and just put it in my Etsy shop...

Pottock Prints

I'm really, really trying hard to focus on creating another series of prints this month and came up with a whale illustration the other day that I think I like...which is unbelievable, since I'm usually a bit tough on myself. It's missing that element of surprise, but I'm getting close to finishing it. Sometimes, it can be such a long process for something seemingly simple. This evening, while searching various online shops for a present for a friend, I found Pottock Prints via Rose and Radish (one of my favorite indie shops). What caught my eye was this fantastic Little Whales Wallpaper - I love the simple silhouettes! Ah, see? It looks so easy but I wonder how long it actually took him to come up with that fantastic design.

Cookie Mag mention

It's not that Roar Growl is one of my newest prints but it's always very, very flattering to have one of my pieces featured. I was surprised to find that Roar Growl was amongst Cookie Mag's collection of nursery art - there is some fantastic art in the mix. Thank you!

Wilkintie

We're wrapping up a three day weekend around here - the weather was phenomenal (I'm still feeling the Vitamin D coursing through my veins) and Bean had her very first friend sleep over this weekend. It was adorable to be a part of this momentous occasion since I recall the many sleepovers I had as a girl. We made ice cream sundaes, watched a movie and then they slipped into their sleeping bags eager to tell scary stories - which only lasted about 10 minutes before they fell fast asleep. Ah, girls! It was such a fun night.

Anyhow, I wanted to share with you this cool project: Wilkintie evolved from a love of letterpress printing and a desire to collaborate with amazing artists by Carly Hargreaves and Niels Oeltjen, a couple living in Melbourne, Australia. The project is simply: 12 prints over 12 months by 12 artists. Each month they will release a new print by a different artist - it's like getting a surprise in the mail each month...exciting! I'm head over heals with all of the prints - they're just gorgeous. Oh, and if you'd rather not pay for the full subscription, you can still by prints individually while they last, since there is a limited amount of each.

Lotta Bruhn FREE downloadable stickers

Lately, I've been trying to stick to a semi-strict budget (just trying not to be frivolous) and have been on a major path to find creative things to keep my girls' engaged - summer is approaching after all. Lotta Bruhn has some sweet downloadable Space stickers and...the best part...they're free! These are going to be fun and I can already predict that they will be stuck on ceilings, mirrors...everything...thanks Lotta!

And while we're on the subject of Lotta, she's got a rather new addition to her alphabet animals: N is for Næsehorn (Rhinocerous) - isn't he fantastic?

Foxy & Winston

I nearly had a post about our Easter egg coloring venture this evening but, unfortunately, I muddled things up by buying brown eggs instead of white which left most of our sad little eggs looking anything but bright and cheery for Peter Cottontail. It was a good trial run because I was quickly reminded that you can't leave a 2 year old alone with a bowl of colored water and eggs for more than 15 seconds. If you do...well, you probably already figured it out. Of course, we'll be repeating this process tomorrow with white eggs and we'll certainly let you know how it goes.

Now, onto some truly bright and cheerful things. I'm so happy to share Foxy & Winston with you if you've never run across her screen printed works before. Jane Buck, originally from England, where she studied Fashion & Textiles, started Foxy & Winston in 2005. Her illustrations are inspired by nature and the creatures she meets on her travels. She's got a wide selection of cards, limited edition prints and organic tee shirts for kids. I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy clicking through her fun prints in her shop, they just get sweeter and more fun as you go...

Hijkids

Hijkids is a rather new shop on the block that has a carefully selected, beautiful array of classic apparel and room decor elements. Kristine, the founder, had her first child four years ago and always dreamed of having a shop of her own someday. She searched high and low to find quality handcrafted products that resonated with her own sense of style and, from that, Hijkids was born. When I first perused her shop, the dress that my eyes immediately locked onto was the darling green Sugar Cookie Dress (on the left). Then as I spent more time looking around, I discovered the Vintage Lion Artwork which is from Kristine's personal collection. Say no more! I'm even contemplating bringing him home with me. Enjoy perusing Kristine's shop, you can clearly see that it's a personal labor of love...

Thursday On My Mind

Well, I have chosen a random winner for my "My Deer" Gocco print Giveaway using Random.org. Moxie, who is also coincidentally a Seattle girl, wrote "gocco rules! i too, wish everyday were an art day. very lovely". I want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in the Giveaway and for your incredibly wonderful comments -- it's good fuel for the fire!

Since Easter is right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about coloring Easter eggs soon. We're not quite ready for that yet but we're getting there -- somehow April snuck up on me and I have a feeling the long, gray winter may have something to do with it. So, to get the ball rolling with Easter, let's just start with some beautifully designed packaging by one of my favorite illustrators, Lisa DeJohn, for Godiva. I know, it's not something I would normally write about but since it's Lisa, I think it's noteworthy. I would also show you her awesome place mats that she illustrated for Land of Nod but they don't seem to be available on their site at the moment -- I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase so, instead, I'll update you when I find out more.

Then, to top that off, I discovered that since Lisa is Land of Nod's catalog cover artist, they've turned her cover art into prints that you can buy here. They're too cute!!

{GIVEAWAY} My Deer

I spent most of yesterday afternoon printing my new illustration, "My Deer". It's been months since I've fired up my Gocco printer and it was exhilarating to be doing it again. Oh, how I wish I had more days to do my art...someday! So, in celebration I'm having a giveaway! Simply write a comment and I will randomly pick a winner by Thursday, April 2, 2009.

Paper Sparrow

Portland is one of our favorite places to escape to if we find ourselves needing a little break from Seattle. It's a quick 2.5 hour drive and then you're in the land of great restaurants, independent boutiques, galleries, smart city transportation and art! There's art hanging in many shops and cafes and you instantly feel a community vibe -- it's a very fun city. Paper Sparrow is one such artist from Portland who is brimming with whimsical wall art, greeting cards and stationery adorned with darling animal illustrations. I mean, just look at the fox reading the book!

Enormous Champion

I always love to peek at my Etsy shop to see who "hearts" me and found Enormous Champion. It was the "All Good Things" print that caught my eye. I always admire art that looks like one thing from a distance but take a closer look and you'll find the beauty in the detail. Enormous Champion is based out of Brooklyn and they've got a lovely selection of cards and prints in their Etsy store.

Stefaniek

I love art that makes me feel happy! The creative head and hand  behind these incredibly fun and whimsical illustrations is Stefanie Klekamp of Stefaniek. Stefanie studied Fine Art & Design at the Bauhaus University and is an independent illustrator in Berlin, Germany.  Her use of colors and patterns are so lively and inspiring, they just make me smile...

Hand Crochet Alpaca Butterflies

I must admit that I love the look of those framed butterfly collections but I've never been able to get beyond the fact that it was once a beautiful, living creature -- I would probably feel guilty and sad if I actually hung one on my wall. So, what to my surprise do I see? Hand crocheted Alpaca Butterflies by Oeuf! Aren't they just wonderful? Beautifully hand-crocheted butterflies to mimic the real thing so you can display them right next to the Cardboard Safari's Moose Head for that guilt-free wildnerness effect.

Hacienda El Indio

Happy Monday! I've been meaning to redesign my blog's banner for months and finally did it! Bye-bye to the house & clouds and hello to my Roar Growl guys since they seem to represent my illustration style and I just personally love those little fellas. So, without further adieu, let's dive into some cuteness today...

Hacienda El Indio has some of the cutest bibs/napkins that I've ever seen -- not our traditional American-styled bibs. They're extra large and tie around the neck, designed to practically shield the entire front of your child from anything that might fly off the fork (spaghetti sauce comes to mind!). Their illustrations are utterly adorable and have been applied to bags, wall art, jewelry and dolls too.

 

Roar Growl

Whew! I've just finished a second run of my "Roar Growl" Gocco print. I'll admit that I procrastinated re-printing this one because it's rather labor intensive since I hand-mixed my colors and there are three different screens. Anyhow, I'm happy to be done and I've just added it back to my Etsy site. I'm now going to begin focusing on illustrating some new designs and attempt to apply them in different ways, onto different things...we'll see what happens now, won't we?

Petite Picasso

I wish I could have gotten better photographs of this awesome art tube that Donna from Petite Picasso graciously sent Bean for Christmas but the girls were too anxious to break into the paint tubes and markers without further ado. When I first received it, I had assumed that it was an empty art tube to store our larger masterpieces. Upon opening, I was thrilled to find an entire set of markers, colored pencils, paints, brushes, crayons, eraser, sharpener all rolled up inside the nicely compartmentalized plastic case. Needless to say, our art tube is already jammed with past & present works and it's sitting pretty in the corner of the girls' room. She even had the tube customized with Bean's name on the outside which made the whole surprise extra special. I wrote about Donna's business, Petite Picasso, back in December but if you missed it, you'll have to read about her beautifully customized books for your child's art. Thanks again, Donna!

Sweetbeets

Well, if one thing is for sure, you can always stock up on an arsenal of cards, gift tags, wrapping paper and ribbons and feel secure in the fact that you are prepared for any occasion! This has proven itself very true now that I've got 2 kids and plenty of birthday parties to attend. My wrapping closet has even become a favorite destination for Bean when she suddenly feels the urge to wrap one of her creations. For months, I've admired Sweetbeets affordable, eco-friendly letterpress cards and gift tags and even her blog, ModEcoKids. The colors and illustrations are simple, classic and cheerful and would make fantastic artwork to hang in a child's room.

Giveaway Winner!!

I used random.org to shuffle the comments for my "Proud Mama" Gocco print and Lotta Bruhn, the admirably talented illustrator from Sweden, won the print. Congratulations! So, while I'm in the midst of congratulating Lotta, I thought I'd share her free downloadable stickers that I found on her fun blog. After blowing a wad of my holiday savings, it's always nice to have a free perk to lighten the load...aren't they fun? I think they'd make great gift labels too.

Petite Picasso

Donna from Petite Picasso had such exuberance when she wrote to tell me about her business that began out of a pure desire to preserve her children's own artwork. She says that their masterpieces all face an inevitable fate. The lucky ones end up on the refrigerator, only to be later boxed up and filed away, never to be seen again for many years. Donna takes your child's artwork and compiles and prints it into a professionally printed and bound book. The art can be printed chronologically, grouped by themes, colors or the background can coordinate with the colors in the artwork. Each book is a masterpiece of it's own and what an amazing way to keep your child's artwork as a memento or a coffee table book -- something that they would be proud of too. Donna was also so sweet to custom make Ms. Bean an art tube and pencil case (thank you!) and...yes...Bean is a pseudonym for Sabine (the cat is out of the bag).

 

{GIVEAWAY}: Proud Mama Gocco Print

I'm happy to announce that I've just finished another print! Polar Bears! I still haven't titled it so I will call simply call it "Polar Bears" until something brilliant comes along. I've appropriately titled it "Proud Mama".  I'm excited about this one because it's a slight departure from my past style. Originally, I was going to draw the polar bears like all of my other prints but it wasn't translating -- it didn't feel like it had any personality to me. I found myself really liking the pencil sketch and the loose lines for the fur -- so I decided to try something new. With that...I'd like to give one away in time for the holidays. It might make a good gift for someone or you may just want to keep it for yourself. Just leave a comment and we'll randomly choose a winner. It ends this Wedneday (so enter quickly)...

How this works: We'll randomly select 1 winner only. All you need to do is leave a comment, no anonymous comments please, from now until midnight PST on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 (Happy Halloween!). I will announce the winners on Monday morning, Thursday, December 11, 2008. One entry per person please!

Art Sale!

Did you know that the Monday following Thanksgiving is considered "Cyber Monday" for it's ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season? Why not kick things off with some great art since the undeniably talented artist, Amy Ruppel, is having one of her famous art sales Monday at 10am? If you're determined to buy a piece, you'd better be frosty because they sell out in minutes! Her guest artist, Bishop Lennon, will be joining her. I'm in love with Lennon's whimsical alphabet paintings (below)...wouldn't they make a wonderful set to spell out your child's name?

Also, I've applied FREE shipping to all of my Kids Haus Gocco prints thru December 20. I'm trying to whip up one more print this week and reprint a new batch of "Roar Growl", so keep your eyes peeled. Happy Cyber Monday!

A Few of My Favorite Things: Part III

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. We were fortunate to spend it with family and I didn't have to host this year, which made it very easy and fun -- all I had to do was make cornbread stuffing! Today was one of those days that began like a horse out of the gate and didn't stop until just five minutes ago when the girls' finally petered out...nevermind...I take that back...they're still chatting back and forth.

Well, here is the post that I've been meaning to pull together for a couple days now but the holidays took priority. These are a few things that grabbed my attention as lovely holiday gift ideas...

To Wear (top row): Kinchi Kitten Skirt, Blue Sidekick Cape
To Play (middle row): Milwaukee Express, Sevi Push Bike
To Decorate (bottom row): Two Hoos On a Branch, Enchanted Tree Shelf Stand

 

It's True, Really

I said I would upload pages from Ms. Bean's freshly written book from last week entitled, "It's True, Really". The school that she attends puts a heavy focus on reading books so she's engrossed in reading everyday -- which I love (who wouldn't?). The only homework she has every night is to read one book to us and, in return, we read her one. So, I think the combination of her love to draw and reading has spurred on the creation of her many, many homemade books. I'm going to start photographing and storing them digitally so I will have them forever and they won't get ruined. It's hard for me to pick a favorite page here but it's a close tie between the girl and kitty on the trampoline and the 3 girls' eating. You have to read the sentence for each page to get the full effect *smile*. Oh, and a Mommy Disclaimer: I helped draw the silhouette of the cat upon request but she made their faces.* Anyhow, without further ado...here is "It's True, Really"...

Great Gift: Crayon Rocks

I hope you all had a great weekend. We had fantastic autumn weather and I had the girls on a crafting binge all weekend. We also received our custom stamp and I'll upload pictures as soon as I recharge my camera. I wish you could have seen Bean's face when I gave it to her. She was so enamored with the idea of taking one of her drawings and turning into a stamp and actually asked if we could sell it to our friends, J & H, because I think she sees me selling my artwork and it's something she wants to do too. Very cute. 

Anyhow, can we talk about Crayon Rocks? They could almost be the "perfect" gift. The rainbow of colors first grab your attention but the rounded pebble shape is what makes them truly unique and tempting to pick up and play with. Created by a special needs teacher to aid with proper gripping techniques, crayon rocks are designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles which makes them perfect for children with motor disabilities, as well as for every day, fun activities. They're eco-friendly, made of soy wax and tinted with natural mineral powders, so like me, you may want to buy a few for stocking stuffers and birthday presents.

Custom Stamp

Sarah Neuburger from The Small Object writes a fantastic blog called The Small Object Steno Pad -- I'm always captivated and inspired with her abundance of ideas and creativity. Recently, she wrote a post about a custom self-inking rubber stamp that she had made from a drawing that her nephew drew (image on the left). This gave me the idea to turn one of Ms. Bean's sweet illustrations into a stamp that she'll have forever. This little girl (on the right) is from a book she finished last weekend entitled, "It's True, Really". I just sent it off to the Stamp Connection and was called back within minutes to confirm my order. These are the guidelines for sending in custom art. I should be expecting it in the mail within 24 to 48 hours and they were so nice to deal with! I'll share the end result with you next week and maybe I'll scan in a few pages from her book so you can read the story yourself.

 

A Few of My Favorite Things: Part II

TO PLAY
Left: Bag of Apples
Right: Felt River Rocks

TO WEAR:
Left: Marie Monster Hat
Right: Comfy Boots

TO DECORATE:
Left: Mushrooms Chalkals
Right: Letterpress Alphabet Poster

Shinzi Katoh Printed Tape

There's something that strikes a happy chord whenever I see one of Shinzi Katoh's illustrations. He's one of Japan's most famous artists and his illustrations are printed on so many products that I couldn't even begin to list them. With the holidays on the horizon, these marvelous rolls of tape printed with Shinzi Katoh's illustrations would be a fun surprise to decorate packages with. I typically use plain brown paper (post office style) and embellish with my own art or fluorishes and this tape would be ideal to perk things up.

 

November in black & white

Today is a slight departure from my traditional blogging about kids' design. Since the time change and the drastic weather shift in Seattle, there's been less light, more rain and C's sleeping schedule has gotten way off kilter...thus, I've been feeling a little "off" myself. I know it's a transitional season and though Fall is my favorite time of year, it's the darkness and rain that takes some of the glamour out of it. To keep it fun, I still love to cook the comfort foods like soup and roast chicken and we seem to make a lot of hot cocoa around here this time of year. I love it! I recently saw something about how the people of Iceland regularly gather with friends and have dinner and drinks to get through the cold, winter months. That has stuck with me and I love the concept. Perhaps it's time to start calling some friends. Anyhow, one of my favorite blogs, Springtree Road, has dedicated November as black & white photography month. She's not taking any color pictures and challenges all of you to do the same. I thought it was a fun idea and shot a few myself. Though I'm not much of a photographer, I like to pretend that I am...




The top photo is a silver tea pot I purchased as a memento from the four months that my husband and I lived in London in 2001. The Salvador Dali book is from my childhood. I LOVED this book and frequently perused Dali's paintings...I was mesmorized by the imagery. The bottom photo is Ms. Bean's silver high-tops as she left them yesterday after kicking the off from a long day of school. They're no longer shiny...a sign of how hard they play!

{Giveaway!} Jennifer Dennis Potter

Let's kick off another Monday with a fun giveaway, shall we? Jennifer Dennis Potter has got a whimsical body of work that primarily includes photos of plastic animals posed either in an outdoor setting or atop building blocks...there are so many photos perfectly suited for a child's room if you're looking for art with a personal touch. The winner will get to choose any one of Jennifer's photos as a 5x7 print! Good luck...

How this works: We'll randomly select 1 winner only. All you need to do is leave a comment, no anonymous comments please, from now until midnight PST on Friday, November 7, 2008. I will announce the winners on Monday morning, November 10, 2008. One entry per person please!

Space Boy

I finished a new print entitled Space Boy the other day. Part of me wants to add more...so I may embellish him once I figure out what he needs but I thought I'd unveil him anyhow. Ms. Bean likes him and I tell you, there's nothing sweeter than having your own child show enthusiasm for something you've done...especially since she's my biggest inspiration.

Lisa DeJohn Growth Charts

I'm not normally one to peruse the big, corporate kid stores but I AM a big fan of independent artists being hired for their talent by big, corporate kids stores! Lisa DeJohn is a Portland-based artist and I own and covet one of her collages. She manages to get some of the best gigs for an artist, including having her design painted on a water tower in New Mexico. Her most recent gig includes being the artist for the Land of Nod catalog. If you haven't seen it, it's utterly adorable! She also illustrated 2 growth charts exclusively for Land of Nod which are fantastic! I will most likely spring for one since I really should start tracking C's growth and I love Lisa's work.

 

The Mayberry Sparrow

I'm just about to put a couple of orders in for custom bookplate stamps as a birthday present for two of Ms. Bean's friends. Seems to me that 7 year old's start to appreciate personalization and seeing their name on things. A lovely stamp with my very own name and a bird beside it would have definitely been my favorites as a kid -- though every piece of furniture and wall might have been personalized. The Maybeery Sparrow has the sweetest selection of hand-carved stamps -- there are so many I love!