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Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:00:20 -0800

Hi:)...

I've moved!...Please head over here.

Thanks!!...<3 Krista

New Blog...

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 09:02:18 -0800

Just wanted to give a heads up that my blog officially moves tomorrow:)...Check back here for the link. I'm so excited:)....It is much cuter:)...My fellow Etsian, Emily, did a fab job making it into just what I pictured!!...I've even got a couple download-able freebies!!...

Thanks for checking in:)

Hugs, Krista

Busy Wednesday...

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:03:54 -0800

So, we are in for another round of snow...and I’ve been really hard at work this week with lots of little projects, so kind of looking forward to Niamh’s school hopefully being cancelled tomorrow (*crossing fingers*) and getting lots done!...

I am excited about my new blog, and have spent a lot of time picking out artwork for various pieces of it...even making a couple new drawings just for it! I have a new set of Simply Sassys to get busy drawing...and been commissioned to do a new piece of artwork for a little bat named Joey (check back later for the whole story...it s quite whimsical and fascinating...Can’t wait to get started on the little guy).

Set four of the Simply Sassy girls were released yesterday, and I am so excited to see them colored in and posted on blogs...The design team for the SS Blog did such an amazing job introducing them!...I am in love with all their cards and projects! I think my favorite stamp is the skater girl, as she was an attempt at drawing myself;)...hahaha...I am more of a ripped jeans and tee kind of girl and wear way too many ball hats. My mom has expressed deep concerns that I will go bald someday because of it :)...I think about that every time I throw one on my head—but I just can’t seem to get away from them! Love hats!

Well, happy Wednesday...

Krista

Blog Make-over!!

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:10:06 -0800

Because I am not very computer savvy, I didn’t know the limitations of the site I built my blog from...And, after a few months of feeling dissatisfied, I found a fabulous designer to work with from Etsy!!...I am moving my blog to blogger—but she assured me the transition will be smooth. We are going over the particulars now, colors, fonts, graphics, and header...all of which is incredibly fun when someone else is doing the dirty work!!...Just wanted to give a heads up, so that in the coming week, when my blog moves, you can come party with me at my new home...HAHAHA...

I haven’t left the house but once this weekend—to go to “girl’s night” at my sister’s around the corner last evening. We do it like once a month...eat yummy treats and watch a chick-flick. Besides that, we’ve been hibernating!...The kids and I watched a movie from when I was a teenager yesterday...It’s funny how the movies you remember as “awesome” are so ridiculous later in life!...I still love my “Night of the Twisters” movie, but for different reasons now...Watching it with the kids was a blast (we are obsessed with tornadoes in this house...I’ll save the explanation for another post—but ‘obsessed’ is quite accurate!) At the end of the movie, Niamh looked at me and said, “Mom, parts of that movie were pretty corny!” OMGosh!!...Too funny. I don’t know if that means I was a total dork when I was 15 or if my seven year old daughter just has impeccable movie taste...I’m going with the latter...either way, sometimes it’s nice to hide out with the kids, watch (corny) movies, and laugh all weekend long. Does a girl good!!...

Hope your weekend has been a little lazy, too!!

<3 Krista

Blue Hair, a Craft, and a Winner...

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 12:15:15 -0800

This is a sprinkling of everything today...First, I’ll start with my finished piece of art shown yesterday...Thanks for all the great suggestions!!...After reading xGemmax’s comment, I had to go with blue!...Never even considered it—but what is better for a girl who colors outside the lines?! I like her hair almost enough to try it myself—ALMOST...

Still working on the other girls:)...

I am also posting my first Project Re-Style item...It is a small start...easy and fun...I plan on doing more elaborate projects, but this was perfect for a late night craft. I got a gift card in this tin for my birthday. I normally would have thrown it away, as I really have no use for it...but thought, why not decorate it and pass it along. Next month, my brother’s fiance’s sister has a bday, and since I don’t see her that often to really know what she’s into, I plan on getting her a gift card. Now I have a cute , personalized tin to put it in. Don’t have to buy one myself and it is a tad more thoughtful this way...I really don’t like giving gift cards...They seem like the easy way out—but, at least this one is cute! Plus, the Hippie Chick looks just like Holly!

Finally, Philly picked a winner this morning from a jar. I put in all the names who left comments over the last couple weeks...(someday I will check out that random counter thingy used on most blog giveaways, but for now, we went lo-tech)...

Jane Kyle...please email me your address (krista7smith@yahoo.com)... I will send out your goodies soon. I am waiting on the terribly slow mail for my stamps, but think they must be right around the corner...(still need to check the mailbox today—*crossing fingers*).

Have a splendid Saturday everyone...

Xo, Krista

Weekend Art...

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:07:47 -0800

Today I’m getting artwork ready to color for the weekend. I’d like to try a few different things I don’t normally do...a collage effect and some watercolor...even if it’s just little touches here and there, it is still something new to try...

Sometimes I’ll draw out a bunch of characters and then they sit for a few days while I get ideas on how they should look—is she a blonde with brown eyes or a redhead with blue eyes?...That sort of thing. I get requests every now and then to change a hair color or eye color on a character—which is usually pretty easy, as long as I’m not going from black to blonde (that’s even hard in real life...believe me, I’ve tried!) Sometimes I actually prefer the new version of the girl—like the Alice stamp I did for Sugar Nellie. She was originally a dark haired girl (like the vampire on Twilight)...However, I’ve seen a couple blonde versions of her on blogs and really like her better light-haired. She looks so soft and girly that way.

So, here are some sketches to be colored this weekend. Do you have any ideas??...Love to hear how any of you envision the girls...Maybe one looks like someone you love...I’ve got plenty to add color to, so any ideas are welcome!

Here is my “Tentative Dancer” ... She feels the beat, but being a bit on the shy side keeps her from totally shaking her booty!!...I have a little radio at her feet, which is hard to see...but she is definitely getting her groove on...well, almost!

This is my new artist...like her to be a color-outside-of-the-lines type of girl...so, her heart will be white, and all the colors on the rest of her canvas. I think she looks like a red-head, but I already have one red-haired artist, so maybe gonna do something different. I like her expression...

This started out as an old west saloon girl...but I’d like to turn her into a zombie...I like that story better—a girl in love whose guy turned into a zombie and she just couldn’t bring herself to shoot him...he got to her and now she’s a zombie too...Hopefully not too morbid:)...Don’t blame me, AMC has been having a marathon of the Walking Dead this week...so it’s their fault!!...I am going to add watercolor around the girl for a border...(Not brave enough to paint her in completely:)

Here is my gothic butterfly gal. I’d like to add little paper butterfly embellishments to this artwork...so going to keep the colors simple and monochromatic—so my butterflies pop:)...

Well...That should keep me busy!...I’m starting to feel stir crazy, as it’s too cold to do much of anything outside...but might sneak kids to a movie or a bookstore in between artwork...just to get them out for a little while. Hope you will have a nice weekend, too!!...Remember—giveaway winner chosen tomorrow!!...See here and here. It is Philly’s turn to pick the name out of a hat...so wish the little guy luck if you’ve left a comment over the last few days!!...Check back tomorrow!...

XOXO, Krista

Winter Whites...without the chill:)...

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:02:30 -0800

Some whites I'm liking right now...Trying to look on the bright side of another snowfall:)...

Pretty handmade apples...

An obsession of mine, Amelia Earhart...This is a book about her life and disappearance I hope to start reading in the next few days!

Yummy whip cream...I could put it on everything (almost)...

White curtains to die for...

Make a wish...

My Rhino!!...I finally got him (from my brother and his fiancé)...How crazy cool is he!

Pretty white dress...

White paper roses for crafting...

Have a great Friday...stay safe and warm:)!!

Hugs, Krista

Goodies:)...

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:59:12 -0800

I had a really nice relaxing weekend with Phil...and the kids had a blast with my sis!...Thanks everyone for all the kind birthday wishes!:)...I don’t really look forward to birthdays like I used to;)...but I had such a fun time, I didn’t much care about the number on the cake, err...pie (keylime!...yummy).

We stayed at a beautiful, old hotel (during a light snowfall our first night), ate way too much fried and battered food...and basically just hung out together...saw a movie...stopped at a bookstore. Phil read for hours, and I got to sleep in as late as I wanted!:D....We even had chocolate covered strawberries and champagne delivered to our room the first night—how romantic!!...I’ve always wanted to do room service in a swanky hotel just once—so crossed that off my list!...It was lovely...

Well, back to work now, although my work is hardly work at all...as I really do enjoy everything about what I’m doing right now! I received two requests for zombie art this week, which I’m stoked about—because, you know, I love my monster girls!!...Both are pretty versions, of course...I’ll post them later in the week...Also working on a butterfly piece and a girl with a heart balloon that I just love. They are on my desk now—so will show them once they are all colored up!:)

I am still waiting on my stamps to arrive for the January giveaway...but expect them in a couple days. I have a few things to go along with them...Take a peek!:)

So many girls have left nice comments...and thanks to all my new followers!!...I will choose a random winner on Saturday—so if you’d like the chance to win and haven't already said 'hi', do leave a comment (because I really enjoy all your ideas and thoughts!!) and become a follower if you’d like;)...You’ll receive a few SN Simply Sassy stamps, some pretty embellishments, a pretty plaque for your craft area:), and my set of fairies (5 x 7)...I warn you now—those fairies can be a bit on the mischievous side, so keep your eye on them!...

Hope you are all safe and warm...more snow on the way at the end of this week—I am so over it!...I’m already in spring mode (note that the giveaway embellishments are all very flowery/ spring themed:)...Hurry up dreary winter!!

Hugs!! krista

Invitations...

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:01:18 -0800

There is nothing like a good invitation...Something that wasn’t bought in a store or printed at a local photo center. I so enjoy opening a handmade invite that is both fun to look at and fun to read!...My sister Rebecca is especially good at movie night invites. They come written like the inside cover flap of a novel and often leave you with a smile and looking quite forward to watching her film (even if you’ve seen it three times already...that’s a good invitation!)...

I have done invitations for various family and friends’ events...also for gals on Etsy. One of my favorites *all time* was my sister Jen’s bridal shower invite. The theme of her shower was Halloween in May (no, I didn’t make a mistake writing that;)...So, it wasn’t the easiest thing ever—but once I had her character drawn up (the ghost bride!), it all sort of fell in place.

Lately, I’ve been busy making a few kiddie invites. There was a recent birthday theme of Rapunzel and story books. It was for a brother/sister combo party...the Rapunzel for her, storybooks for him. I even got to step away from character art for a minute and do some engineering of a little storybook tower! I rather like it; although later thought the scale might be off a bit...:)...but then, it is a magical place to begin with, so it’s just an enchanting little effect instead of a building code issue:p

I did another bday invite for yet another brother/sister pair and sent this order out today. The little girl is a princess and her brother, a knight. He is not even one yet, so he needed to sit on his bum. His sister looked like quite a ham of a princess in all the photos I worked from...dressed to a T and looking like a doll! I used lots of mix and match papers, as there were 50 total. None are the same, which makes them extra special in my opinion.

Next, on the plate for tonight, is an invitation to my niece’s 2nd birthday. She is having a Chipettes themed party, so I’m doing her surrounded by the girly chipmunks. She is too adorable for words...I think my nerd with the pigtails looks exactly like her...so I can’t wait to get them drawn up to show my sis!...She may come out so cute I pull her from her forest friends and put her in my shop:). Check for a little sweetheart with a naughty gleam in her eye under the title ‘Reese’ in the coming days!:)

Well, I’m off for some late night art...tomorrow is my birthday (cringe)...Phil is taking me to upstate NY this weekend (YAY!!) ...So, I am taking a little break for the next few days. I will be giving away some pretty scrapbook/card making materials (including some SS stamps) at the end of next week...so, if you haven’t already, leave a comment and become a follower:)!!...I’m sure I’ll come back from a nice party weekend ready to give some nice gifts away myself;)...Thanks for checking in:)!!

Smooooch!

Krista

Swap...

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:19:26 -0800

Sometimes the best discoveries are by accident...I was given an illustration job by a seller on Etsy, impandpetal, for a piece of character artwork they could use for their shop and promotional materials. First of all, I absolutely loved the shop name. It sounds very whimsical and even a tad dark. The shop owner is a lovely girl (that would be petal) married to the other owner (Imp). They wanted two characters—a dude who was more creature than human and a goth girl with a sexy twist. The most important part of the picture was the dreadlocks. Their store is filled with beautiful handmade dreads...all the colors of the rainbow...just really a neat little store. I really enjoyed this project, as my favorite artwork always has a touch of twisted beauty.

Petal sent me lots of photos to work from. I came up with an illustration that incorporated all the elements she had mentioned and also stayed true to my character art. I think it is one of my favorite Etsy projects to date!

While I went back and forth looking at photos and skimming through their shop for ideas, I started really wanting some dreads myself! I have always wanted to do a really different, crazy style...I’ve changed hair color more than I care to admit (not sure I even remember my natural!)...I’ve cut it short and had it all the way down my back...So, where do I go from there in the hair department??...I have never gotten to the point where I can just let it be...So, I ordered my own dreads! My custom order is for 20” and 26” brown, red, and pink dreadlocks...Oh my gosh, I can’t wait!!...It takes about 8 weeks to complete the order, so I’ll dream of them for now, but I can’t wait to give them a try!!

I even let Niamhy look through the shop and decide which colors she would want for the summer. Her choice was zebra (white and black twists), pink, and blue. Hehehe...I always thought it was funny when a mom and daughter matched their outfits—and now I’m doing it with hair!...Oh well, I think she’ll look adorable; and for at least a couple months, I will have a funky new style!

It worked out nice, the discovery of eachother on Etsy. We did a swap of product: her new artwork for a deposit on my new hair. Ha, a funny match, but works for me!

impandpetal