Ma and Pop Paintings

I designed these and my husband painted them.  It is a true Ma and Pop collaboration.

I kind of love them.  They seem like the perfect mix of us.  We've never done anything like this before, except for when we got married I made him do all sorts of collaborative crafts (crafty bridezilla! [our party favors were comic books we made]).

We'll be making these throughout the summer.  The surface is super rich and the colors are smart and muted and cool and calm.  I am really proud of them!  Show them some love!

This blondie boy reminds me of Walter, who lately keeps saying, "What the heck?" and looking around confused.  He says it completely out of context and quite a bit, as if he is testing the phrase out in his mouth.  I think maybe he said it once at day care and cracked everyone up and now keeps trying to relive the moment?  He also calls our new puppy Lucy "Ucy".  It's really stinkin' cute. 

A Wee Little Post

 It has been super busy in the studio, but somehow we managed to bring a puppy into our lives.  I can't even explain how she ended up here.  But, her name is Lucy Lou.  Also, I draw on the couch with sharpies!

Two Strong Men Mobiles headed to wee little ones.  You can almost hear the grunts!

Every time I make a new mobile I say it's my favorite.  But, this one maybe really is my favorite!  It's based on a book by James Vance called Wookie the Chew!  Check it out and have your heart melt!  http://www.jameshance.com/books.html

My Husband's Paintings

Ascending and Descending

The Red Guardian

Watchful Night

My husband makes beautiful paintings.  My favorite is "The Red Guardian".  Looking at them makes me nostalgic for those long, lonely, abandoned hours of unstructured free play as a child.  If you want to see more of his paintings you can look at his website.

A Caribbean Family

 This beautiful family lives in the Caribbean.  I always forget that people actually live their lives on island paradises.  Can you ever be stressed out if you live in the Caribbean?  I doubt it.  I imagine waterfalls and big cocktails with slices of fruit in them being an every day occurrence.

The mom for this mobile was really fun.  She is a wedding planner and he is a wedding officiate (is that a Jennifer Lopez movie?), so she wanted their plushie selves dressed that way----so fun.

I like how the little girls turned out in this one.  It would be something to try to make a life-size unicorn suit.   The unicorn is making a fierce comeback, no?  I think I love that.  Unicorns just seem like a protest to adulthood.  I am pro-unicorn.

Mr. Mustache Update

When things get rough (tax time), I like to fill my life with comforting things:  Reruns of Parks and Recreation, tea (heavy on the honey), Chris Farley anything, jelly bellies, and making old friends like these guys above.

They are in my shop waiting to comfort you too, if like me you wait until the final hour to do taxes, or just need extra hugs this week.

Star Wars Mobile

I made this as a request from a super cool gal named Jessica who wanted it for her son.  Now you can have it too!  Here is in my shop just for your wee little babe.  If your wondering how I got that Star Wars font, it's for free here!  I think you should use it in all of your work emails just to heighten the awesomeness in the office.

The Maglebys

This is one of my most complex mobiles I have ever made.  The family it is for is grown and possibly a contender for "Most Interesting Family on the Planet".  It was requested by Julie, the mom.  She had so much wonderful information to share with me.  Her children are all well traveled and have unique and specific interests,  I would love to be a fly on the wall at their Thanksgiving dinners.  I am certain their conversations are a hoot and a half.  Mostly though, I am impressed at the true and clear love they have for one another, even as a grown adults.  You can't get to your twenties without swimming through some murky waters in life, and that can make some family ties a bit strained, so I love to see families like the Maglebys:  full of unconditional love.

I made Julie in her red chair per her request.  She is a self described internet junkie, and she says that whenever her kids come to visit, the first place they check for her is in her red chair.  Her daughter even used it in her engagement photos----only they took it out of the house and into some beautiful environment that I am assuming is a national park.  Her hubs is holding onto picture frames, as he is an art director for a museum.

She's got the puppy above in her lap.

Another reason I fell in love with this family is because they have experienced loss.  Their son/ brother Hal passed away from a brain tumor at the age of 15.  This is also the disease that took both of my parents, so it made me feel close to them in a way that only shared suffering can.  Here is Hal below, a blue-eyed, deep souled beauty.  

I sewed him in this crown and wearing his boy scout uniform.  It is hard to tell from the photograph, but I used golden thread for all of the seams, so if you look closely it looks as if he is full of golden,  Heavenly light.  His plush is one of my favorite I have ever made.

 

The daughter, I put in her wedding dress.   There is real daughter, up above, holding a bucket in her wedding dress for some reason.  She looks like the most laid back, I wanna have her for my neighbor, kinda gal.

Son #2 is holding an umbrella and wearing a top hat because he loves Gashley Crumb Tinies, which I also love. 

Son #3, a costume and super hero fanatic, is Godzilla.  Could you tell?  I was super nervous about his, because clearly he takes his costumes very seriously. 

I loved making this family memento and tribute.  I hope when Julie's grandchildren are playing underneath it that they look up at it then think of a million questions about their family's lives to ask their Grandparents and Moms and Dads and Aunts and Uncles.