fun cards:)

I made these cards for Madison Park Greetings. What do you think? I think they turned out muchas cute!

inspires me today...

It took a lot of coffee to start my engine today... but, once it's on... it's ON! 

Wanted to share a few beautiful objects that inspire me today. Some are old, some are new, but all are great design.

1. Zebra Rug (Just Scandinavian)

2. Mid-century modern pitcher (1950)

3. Vintage Bird Tile (foxandfound on etsy)

4. Branches bowl 6 (Ninainvorm on etsy)

5. Lipstick Tears (dbabcock on etsy)

6. Alexander Girard 'Madonna' pillow

7. Stig Lindberg dish (via grain edit)

8. Painted Eames chair

9. Apple plate (asmallferret on etsy)

10. Royal Copenhagen Fajance Jar (ModerntoRetro on etsy) 

11. Rondavel Serving Bowl (Anthropologie)

12. Tefal - back of the pan patterns - Doshi Levien (via designmuleum.org)

13. Art Class Pitcher (Anthropologie)

14. Bricka Stockholm tray (DesignTorget)

15. Australian Christmas Carols (letslookupandsmile's photostream)

Thanks everybody for the sweet comments! There were so many, I've decided to give away 3 books! I wish I had 50 and some friends at the post office. 

The numbers that came out of the hat are:

17. katiecrackernuts

22. heather rene

47. m.a.

Please, e-mail me your address (dardik@sympatico.ca) and I will ship you a little package this week!

mooorvelous:)

Top of the Monday to you all! I had such a busy weekend, that today just feels like the continuation of last week... The circle of work within the circle of life. One day I hope to reach the balance between the two.

Here's a little pattern I did to brighten my weekend. Hope you like it as much as I do:) This must be what cows dream of ... delicious flowers and open fields. 

Lil' Giveaway!

Got a few copies of a cute Quiz Book Who R U? in the mail today! Did illustrations for it a little while ago... and here's the finished product! Best part of the project.... getting that little package and seeing the end result. I think it looks super fun!

It's a book of quizzes for young girls. So, if you have a young daughter or want one just because - leave me a comment and I'll announce a winner on Tuesday morning, July 29th!

I'm under a blanket of due dates at the moment... so, see you all Monday:)

wall dress-up!

Move over wallpaper... here comes a whole new way of decorating your walls! You can now find some of my designs (along a whole bunch of awesome LRS artists) at orangepiel. Orangepiel has neat new technology that could make your walls look like candy... literally, if you'd like:) They can create textile prints 16 feet  tall by 165 feet long! Prints could go on the walls or on the ceiling. Anyway... don't make me stop you from checking it out...:)

Genius hack...!

Oh... have I mention that my husband (Mike Sankey) is a luthier? He makes stringed istruments (electric, arch top and all sorts of other guitars). Check out this awesome genius 'IKEA hacked' amplifier he made out of Ikea's Benjamin stool! I think this was a brilliant idea! One of these days I would make Mike a website. He's got so many beauties of  guitars. The electric ones in the pics are also his. Just wanted to brag a little....:)

It's Lola rocking out on the bottom picture:)

wallpaper my way:)

This weekend I went antique shopping with my good friend Rigel, and all the mid century mod magic (most of which I can only afford to dream about) has inspired me to make this wallpaper pattern. I liked it sooo much, I've decided to make little collages to see how if would look in a 'real' world. Here's a pick into my head. Hope you like it:)

* the orange dress is from the retro renegade vintage etsy store

random fun finds:)

I'd like to share a few fun finds with you:) 

A. kitty-craft. Cute little online store that sells awesome fabrics, books and some unique toys. The petit jam bowling game (matryoshkas) is my favorite! 

B. MER-CHAN. Another online store (and gallery) filled with neat stuff. Love the egg pillow:)

C. Can't forget Etsy finds:

1. PEAR SHAPED Hemp Organic Cotton Wrap Skirt Custom Made (a mouthful...) from Jennifer Joy Creative. Love this skirt!

2. Vintage Childs Ironing Board dead birds finds. That saluting sailor owl is hilarious:)

I hope you like my picks and wishing you a fun filled weekend!

in the mail today...

Just LOVE getting packages in the mail! Today I got a couple of Today's Parent magazines in the mail. I did a little spot illo for it a while back... and here it is. 

(The little green boy is car sick.)

my cards on LRS:)

Some of my cards are now available on the LRS! That makes me happy!

The three at the very bottom would make such great rugs. I wish I could order a rug with my design. I'd love that! For now, I'll just keep on dreaming while I work... 

inspired by...

These three fun artists are inspiring me today: Jean Jullien (thanks olivelse), Adrian Johnson & Tim Fishlock. Just shapes and colours, but... so well put together! They are worth checking out:)

cheburashka...

While in Odessa, under pretense that I have kids and they like toys, I've visited every toy store I could find. In most places they still sell the plush versions of the cartoon characters from my childhood. It brought a lot of sense to my weird taste in plush. Cheburashka was one of my favorite characters when I was a kid. He was a misfit toy that didn't know who he was in the beginning, but found himself with the help of friends. I couldn't resist buying him. Turned out - the only thing I bought for myself on the trip. My girls think he's weird. Weird is good:)

happy sounds outside... pattern:)

It is almost impossible to work during summer time. All the neighborhood kids are playing right outside my window. It sounds like so much fun! It makes me procrastinate... I'm so good at procrastination. I doodle. Go downstairs for a coffee. Wash dishes that could easily go into the dishwasher. Notice that shelves got dusty. Make patterns...

Here's the latest product of procrastination. It's all about little pieces of hilarious kid conversation that fly into my window. 

Now...I have to get back to the book covers I'm working on. No more procrastinating. See you on Tuesday (Monday is a bunch of  BIG due dates for me and I better stay away.)

Meet Lolee:)

Meet Lolee! Lolee is the kind of girl that could crash your tea party anytime! Do you like her? Well... not like she cares. She knows she's adorable.

If I had any kind of time worth speaking of, I would make Lolee into a real doll. I feel like the fairy from Pinokio all of a sudden. Well, off to real work with me... 

a little haircut...

Found a few blond locks on the carpet... Surprise!...Margo has decided to give herself a little haircut. It's a good thing her attention span is short and she has moved on to other things after just a little trim at the front:)

This reminded me of the ViCi billboards I did last year. So cool to see your work on such large scale. These were fun to make:)

soft side of etsy:)

I love toys!  I'm itching to stitch a new one up, but there's just no time for such luxury. For now, I'll just have to put that fire out by window shopping on Etsy (lord knows, I already have more toys than anyone should have).

1. Storks - boy & girl - from Amano Crafts

2. Sleeping Beauty from fur will fly

3. Cloth Doll Ginger in Green from area thrifty one

4. Wool Felt Handmade Huggable Dolls from gifts define

5. Dachshunds from alice apple

6. 3 Peas in a pod from Pink Clover 1

7. Charlie Chaplin from Felt Like Stitching'

8. Julie from Rosie Posies

9. Autumn Cat from El gato marico

new pattern:)

Take a bite out of this pattern. Mmmmm... How do you like 'them' apples? 

I blinked and the weekend is over.  Swoosh...Gone...

I managed to squeeze in a fun pattern, though. It's all about apples and how you like them!

Funny story: I come downstairs and find Lola eating a green Twizzler. I say - " How does it taste like, Lola? Green apples?" -"No" she answers, still chewing, - "Better......(chewing) - SHAMPOO!"

Family Circle illo:)

I did a few spot illos for Family Circle magazine a little over a month ago - and, here it is. So nice to find your own work while in line at the grocery store. 

Wish you all a great weekend!

bring back the mod dress!

Nothing could replace casual jeans and a t-shirt for everyday comfort. However...  I think it's time to bring back the DRESS. I have a closet full of cute little dresses, yet the only time I wear them is when I go to a wedding or some other fluffy occasion. What am I saving all this cuteness for? The summer is so short and I'll have plenty of opportunities to cover up during the long Canadian winter. I say - enough with the jeans already! I'm putting on a dress today!

Above: adorable mod dresses I've found at the all-Mighty online store. So girlie and sexy:) Love 'em!

*they have 20% off of everything all 4th of July holiday weekend!

pictures from the trip...

Some more pictures from the trip. Like any parent, I've overdone it when it comes to photographing my kids. I just love them! And, kids are just so photogenic - it's hard to resist!

The trip to the dolphinarium was remarkable! I couldn't believe my eyes! These dolphins were definitely earning their keep. The girls were on top of the world after the show. Too bad there was a huge lineup afterwards to touch the dolphins. I always wondered about that rubbery looking texture. 

We also spent 5 days at a rented cottage on Carolino-Boogaz (1 hour outside of Odessa) 5 minutes away from the sea. It was so beautiful down there. Enormous beaches and a great market near by. The lack of hot water drove me back to the city, but I still think it was the best part of the trip.