Back to School Sale Time!

I'm having "Back to School" Sales in both my shops this week.  It's probably the last sale till the holidays, so don't miss out.  I've got lots of new items in both shops:

Block Party Press 20% Off Sale  - Use Code "B2S2012" at checkout

Here are some fun "Back to School" Necklaces:

BOGO SALE at Block Party Prints - Buy one print and get a 2nd of equal or lesser value free(limit 3 free prints per customer) Just put the name of your free print in the "note to seller" at checkout. Here are some new prints:

 

Block Party Prints is Live!!!!!!

I finally got my new shop up and running! I only have a few things listed, but I'll be adding more each day! Stop by and check it out and let me know what you think!

Through My Eyes- The Fungus Among Us

Here are some fungus that inspired me over the last week and some handmade Etsy items that I imagine could be inspired by the photo (disclaimer: I don't actually know what inspired these items, but I am just illustrating how you can take some of the characteristics of the mushrooms/fungus and how they could be translated into art). I tried to find items that didn't scream "Mushroom" to help illustrate how you can use more abstract ideas to find inspiration. Sorry this is kind of a long post, but it's mostly pictures, so hang in there and scroll down to see it in it's entirety. All of the mushroom/fungus photos were taken by me.

I can see the mushroom gills in this beautiful brooch by Tinctory.etsy. The shape, colors and texture are a perfect representation of the mushroom half pictured above.


This one inspired me to think about the mushrooms as a family in their log home. The closeness of the mushrooms and the way they tend to group together inspired me to create the series of pen drawings which I colored digitally. Now while I did use actual mushrooms in the drawings, the real inspiration was the thoughts of closeness and family. I broadened the idea into a set of mushroom illustrations depicting different types of families.

Here's a very cool micro sculpture by elementclaystudio.etsy that could have been inspired by the closeness of mushrooms/fungus. I love the way she interpreted it into a sphere and kept it a simple white. Again taking the idea and even the shape of a mushroom, but expanding on it.



The photo above immediately made me think about frills. I wonder if they inspired the first frills. Here is a fantastic clutch by ElenaMakesThings.etsy. The frill is a lovely translation of a single fungi using the wavy shape and the lovely color gradation.



This brooch by kjoo.etsy could easily have been inspired by the fungus above. Although the colors are very different, you could see the inspiration through the lovely shape and the layers. It really has a wonderfully organic feel.


These wonderful podlike fungi are crazy inspiring to me. These lovely stacking rings by erinbowe.etsy when put together, remind me of the way the fungi is arranged. While the spheres are not uniform, the differences in texture add a lot of interest and an organic feel. The dark patina of the rings is also reminiscent of the log that serves as home for the fungus.



How will these fungi inspire you. Remember to look beyond the obvious. Please feel free to link to items inspired by mushrooms, fungi or any of the photos in this post!

Giveaway Winner & Weekend Sale

Congratulations to melis731 for winning the Beach Ball Ring! She posted my giveaway on her blog, so the 5 extra entries she got surely gave her an edge! Congrats Melissa!

This weekend, I am going to continue the Last Days of Summer Sale! take 10% off all items in my shop & receive free shipping. Just type "weekend" in the message to seller at checkout and I will refund both the 10% and the shipping fees. This offer is good for the duration of the weekend and ends at 12 midnight EST on the 23rd. For past customers: This offer can be combined with the 10% repeat buyer discount, just include that code as well at checkout.

Here are some new Earrings I listed today. You could save $5.50 on them if you purchase them this weekend!!

Inspired by A Love for Chicago - Interview with Nancy & Andy of Circa Ceramics

One of my all-time favorite Etsy shops is Circa Ceramics. I just love all the bright colors, the super fun graphics and the modern shapes they use. I was so excited when they agreed to detail the inspiration behind one of their pieces. So without further ado, here's what they had to say about the inspiration behind these lovely Chicago Flag Bowls ( you can also find Chicago Flag Tea Cups here):

What's the inspiration behind this piece?

Our love of Chicago. This city gets such flack everywhere, it's really sort of comforting whenever we see an artist/artisan/crafter come up with city representing pieces. We wanted to be one of those artisans.

When we came out with our logo, we thought that adding the city where the creation of our pieces took place was enough to show pride (and it is to an extent - People seek us out because we are making ware in the city and brand it as such), but what really set us off was the commercially manufactured souvenir cups we saw online at a boutique here in the city. There's something that's just not right about buying a cup (in our case) to show your city pride, that has no real connection to the locale other than it did make it to the shop shelf it sits on.

Our posting those 16oz bowls on Etsy also coincided with the February 10th Forbes article claiming Chicago was the 3rd worst city to live in - We got a lot of comments on them, all positive - So we know it soothed some a bit!

Can you detail how you translated your inspiration into your work of art?

Our city flag is quite simple & lends itself to many incarnations, and the colour palette is limited - So the transition from 2D to 3D object was easy. I did try to paint the stars at first, using a stencil, but the crispness of a screenprinted image is what was needed, so we went with that instead, and I'm glad we did because it makes a huge difference.


Where do you tend to find inspiration for your art pieces?

Honestly? For both of us, lately it's usually when we see something and immediately decide it needs improvement - It can be from looking at one of our own pieces, or something we see or hear about.

Right now, the lack of colour in tableware out now is what is driving us to come up with colourful designs/layouts. This may also make it to the screenprinted imagery, but we'll see :)

Any advice for someone feeling uninspired?

Hmm...
Take a look around you - See what other artists/designers/crafters/artisans are doing with their work now (not necessarily in your medium) and then look at your work - Write or sketch any and all thoughts that pop into your head - Try not to censor your thoughts! Often, this kind of research shows refreshing insights, and when you take the time to refine them, more things pop into your head.

If an artist/designer/artisan/crafter you like and admire has a blog, go read it - Many times, they write about their creative slumps, and it is comforting to know that it happens to everyone at some point in their endeavors; you may even read about how they pulled themselves out of it - It can be very inspiring & motivating :)

See more Circa Ceramics goodies in their Etsy Shop and be sure to check out their blog too!

Here are some of my favorite Circa Ceramics pieces.



































I love that Circa Ceramic's bowls were inspired by the love for their City! Take some time this week to think about where you live and how it can inspire you. Don't just take in the visuals of your surroundings, but go a little deeper. Look at what makes your city, town, suburb, etc.. unique. What do you love about it? What do you hate about it? What would you like to change about it? What are some of the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding your city, town or suburb? What is the history (good & bad) behind your city, town or suburb? How has it changed over the years? Create something from the answers to these questions.

Can't get enough of Chicago? Check out more Chicago artists found through the "Shop Local" tool on Etsy. Also the ChicagoStyleCrafters/IL Street Team has a Windy City Sampler Bag for sale! Yep, it's a little Taste of Chicago all bundled up in a handmade recycled paper bag :) and it includes some Circa Ceramic goodies!
Get your's here: http://www.chicagostylecrafters.etsy.com

Be inspired by Green, Shamrocks, Leprechauns, Rainbows and a Pot of Gold

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I am a little bit Irish, so it is only natural to take a little inspiration from the holiday! I can only imagine that these items were inspired by St. Patrick's Day. Hopefully they will inspire you!

The obvious inspiration for the day is obviously the color green. I just love the splash of green in this Spring Fern Ring by Tigerlillyshop.etsy. So fresh, a perfect way to celebrate Spring, and it will keep you from getting pinched if your wardrobe is lacking in the green department.
















Shamrocks have a lovely shape and color and their leaves are very reminiscent of hearts. thebrokenplate.etsy found the perfect shamrock plate to create this lovely necklace. To me it says St. Patrick's Day without shouting it and honestly would be perfect to wear any day of the year!


















What would St. Patrick's Day be without Leprechauns? I immediately fell in love with Brady the Leprechaun by luckyd.etsy.com . He looks like he'd take you right to the pot of gold just to see you smile!














Personally, I think rainbows are perfect for any day, but St. Patrick's Day reminds us that there may just be a pot of gold at the end. This little rainbow by urastarhouse.etsy is crazy cute and sure to bring a smile to your face even if there isn't a pot of gold at the end.


















Finally, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If I found Joyfulcrow's fantastic piece at the end of a rainbow, I would be thrilled!












May the Luck O' the Irish will be with you all day and may the inspiration flow like the rainbow to the pot o' gold!!

Check out the St. Patty's Day finds on the BEST blog too!

Through My Eyes - Pinecones

While on a walk this week, we found an inspiring little pinecone attached to a small branch, so of course I had to take some pictures. I tried to get a picture from every angle to really see the pinecone in all it's glory. The overall design is interesting from all angles. I love the almost floral look of it if you look straight down on it. There is also a great pattern if you look at the bottom where the Scales (this is the proper term according to Wikipedia) are tightly packed. Weven the scale itself has a interesting pattern on it which enhances the beauty when they are all toegther. I think the pattern of an individual scale would make a for a lovely earring. Keep an eye out for the different varietes of pinecones. Each offers a unique color, shape and texture. Here are some items I found on Etsy that were inspired by a pinecone.


















These Winter Pinecone Cards by kaiku.etsy.com look like they could have been drawn directly from my photos.

















Pinecone Brooch by Txalteredart.etsy.com create with an actual pinecone.














I love how the pinecone is interpreted in this pendant by zippandesigns.etsy.com


















Beautiful Beeswax Pinecone Candle by berdandbee.etsy.com


















I love this Earthy Pine Cone Wrap Scarf by circularaccessories.etsy.com. This sweet design can also be found in her shop featured on a long sleeve t-shirt and a tie-neck blouse.

Click here to find more pinecone creations on Etsy.
Here are some fun instructions for crafts you can make with an actual pinecone. Some of them could make a great handmade holiday gift:

Bird feeder
Pinecone Thanksgiving Turkey
Glittered Pinecone Holiday Ornament
Pinecone Corsage
Pinecone Wreath

Take a little time this week to get outside and collect some pinecones and then take little time to create something fun. Feel free to leave a comment telling me about your favorite pinecone craft, or link to instructions for or pictures of a great pinecone craft.

A No-brainer....Be Inspired by Fall Leaves

This is a rather obvious inspiration for those of us in the throes of Fall. The bright colors, the texture of the leaves as they dry, the interesting patterns and color combinations created by the transformation and decay of the leaves. Even the sound of them crackling under your feet is inspiring. Watching them blow in the wind is enough to take you breath away and jumping into them can bring out the kid in just about everyone! Here is a post from last Fall where I go into more detail about the inspiration from leaves:
http://blockpartypress.blogspot.com/search/label/leaves

Here are some recent pictures and my most recent treasury list to help with a little visual inspiration.













































































All pictures taken by me (can you tell I've been a bit obsessed with the leaves?)
Check these flickr groups for some more gorgeous leaves:
Fall Leaves
One Leaf
Nature's Fall Canvas

See more Fall leaf items on Etsy here! And finally, don't forget to take some time to jump in the leaves!!