bunny embroidery...

Thank you LOVELY READERS for leaving me such warm comments! I truly appreciate all the LOVE!

The giveaway winner is Melanie O. Please send me your address and I will ship you a copy.

I wish I had 115 copies of the book for this giveaway... but ... I don't. However, I could promise you cute and free embroidery patterns once in a while (just 'cause:). Today's pattern is of a girl bunny (to celebrate spring)!

If you click on the bunny pattern it will open larger in its own window. Feel free to copy it and  use as you please:)

Out on April 1st!!!

Ta Da! My book (embroidery for little miss crafty) is finally coming out!!! Yeah! I'm super exited!

It's a book for those who haven't embroidered before or crafty moms with young daughters. There are 12 fun projects, all the basic info and a bunch of cute patterns! The projects are easy and fun and I know that 'cause I made up and executed all of them for this book:)

I've got a few copies... and I'll give one away (A GIVEAWAY!) to one of my lovely readers:) Just leave me a comment and I will randomly pick one on Tuesday morning.

PS.: Amazon link HERE:)

fun with watercolors - part 3...

I'm not going to rest until I find my true watercolor self. Well... it's not that serious. Ok... it's not serious at all. I'm just having fun with paints:)

Matte's felted action figures...

I cannot think of anything cuter at the moment than these felted little sculptures by Matte Stephens. I can't even take this much 'adorable' in one seating... That crafty Mr. Stephens... what will he do next?

Pssst... got everything one needs to start felting about 6 months ago... read books, sketched ideas... pocked my fingers 100 times... left felting to people with patience.

organic surprise...

With this pattern I've limited myself to 2-3 colors... which is always a bit of a challenge for me (being an equal opportunity colorist that I am). I could really see this pattern in the lining for purses and corduroy jackets. Kind of - surprise upon opening - type of pattern. 

ceramic display...

If you are interested in finding out how these plates got their new look... hop over to wee gallery blog where you'll find a step by step tutorial. 

Thanks Surya:)

Coraline...

I finally went to see Coraline this weekend.... in 3d! WOW! That's really all I have to say. WOW! Fantastic story, breathtaking visuals and the 3d really takes it to a whole new level. Too bad I can't show it to the girls just yet. Must wait until they are at least 9 or 10... to avoid nightmares.

the anti-cover...:)

I have border line unhealthy fascination with vintage match box covers. The one that I particularly remember from my childhood had 'don't play with matches' written on the cover. I couldn't wait to grow up and play with matches. "How much fun could they possibly cram into this little box?"

Anyway, I've designed the anti-cover for that match box label... just because!

watercolor experiments... part 2

Here's a peek into some watercolor studies I did. I tried some outline over organic shapes. The pigment is less concentrated this time. Felt like doodling with watercolors. Fun!

breakfast pattern...

This is my 'next best thing' to making ceramics. I like how it turned out.

See you guys on Thursday (as my to do list is wagging it's disapproving finger at me).

Click...

They say that 'happiness is being satisfied with what you already have'... and so I have found a perfect cure for the ' I wannnaaa' syndrome that makes us all buy new things that would possibly meet the same fate as the things we already have - 'forgotten'. The cure is temporary... but it works:) Here it is:

Try taking pictures of the things you already have. That helps looking at them in a different way and reminds you why you got it in a first place. Sort of - fall back in love and realize how great what you already have is!

That's what I did this weekend:)

letterpress love...

Got my lulu dee prints last week. They are lovely! Simple lines and colors instantly de-clatter the space around them. They make me want to tone down the everyday toomuchery. Now I'm on the lookout for a worthy frame (which is never as easy as it seems).

Where is Mary?

I was about to write...-"This has been a crazy busy week for me..." and than I remembered... every week is a crazy busy week for me...that's just life keeping me in motion.Tho, I'd like to have a boring day or two for a change. The kind of day when no one is pulling at my skirt with a billion tiny requests... the sun is shining... dinner gets delivered and e-mail answers itself. Does anyone know hich wind brings Mary Poppins?

Anyway.... Mothers day is coming next month:) Something to look forward to:)

Above: my new thank you card. I just love the way vector looks against wood grain.

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Margo has been staying at home all this week with a strep throat and putting almost all of her freshly found free time towards developing as an artist. She's already better than me at watercolors... and I can't wait to see what's next:)

vintage stamps...

I'm almost as crazy about retro stamps as I am about matchboxes from the 50-60s. When I look at these stamps I see mini posters. 

Found these on a blog dedicated to graphic design from 60s-80s called So Much Pileup.

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Once in a while I get commissioned to make invitations for kids birthday parties. It's always fun making an illustrated version of someone. In this case, someone is Mr. Richard - who is turning 10 in a short while. I hope it's a fun party:)

nursery zoo...

My schedule for today is almost as tightly packed as this new animal pattern. This one is destined to become a part of some awesome pajamas:... or ... receiving blanket:)

weekend project:)

This weekend passed way too quickly. I blinked... and here I am... Monday. How come the older I get the faster the time flies?

Well, I did manage to accomplish this little puppet project with the girls. We were very ambitious in the beginning and were going to make the whole 'Red Ridinghood' play cast... but, my attention span is just as short as theirs:) We made the lil' Red Ridinghood and  left the rest for another day. For now we just substitute with some plushies:)

KLUTZ-what about you? book...

Last summer (seems like forever ago) I've worked on a few page spreads for a KLUTZ book of surveys for 8 y.o (and up) girls... and here it is. It' always fun seeing the finished product:)

pattern at work:)

This 'thank you' card (made for Madison Park Greetings) is now available at heliotrope (which is full of fun stuff:).

Thanks Print and Pattern for letting me know:)

A new pattern to show you today:) Just a happy peaceful bull... no matadors in sight... just some sunshine, flowers and simple thoughts... the opposite of what my life is like right now.

Well, I'm off to work on a billion projects that are waiting for me.

hooray for books!

Made these book labels for me (and the girls). but thought it would be fun to share with you all! If you click on the image - it will open up in its own window at a high resolution (true size). Copy that to your desktop and feel free to use:) If that doesn't work for you - e-mail me at dardikATsympatico.ca and I'll send you 300 dpi jpgs.

I've been on a vintage book buying spree lately and the kids library is starting to look pretty impressive. Lola started reading last year and she keeps her favorite stories on her dresser. Few things make me happier:)