Dollface Design

Wanderlust in My Bones & a Gypsy Soul

2011-03-31T10:00:00.004-04:00

♥Gypsy Rose 12x12 Digital Scrapbook Paper♥

I've always dreamt about being a gypsy. Something about their nomadic lifestyle has always fascinated me, even as a kid. Although as a kid, I wasn't exposed to many gypsies in my fairly tame suburban life, so I latched onto the next best thing, Carnies! Carnies were far more accessible, kind of like the suburban gypsy, not quite as exotic, but just as interesting. Breezing into small towns all over the country, setting up shop for a few days, then simply vanishing in the middle of the night..with only the remains of a deflated balloon or an empty popcorn container to prove they were ever there. Something about the way they seemed to magically appear and disappear, within the blink of an eye, was always hauntingly fascinating to me. You would see their trailers set up along the perimeter of the midway and I always wondered what went on after hours. It all seemed very mysterious to me at the time. As a teenager I hatched this plan that I was going to disguise myself and somehow join a Carnival family, living amongst them in hopes of learning their secrets. I would travel with them throughout the country for one year and then write a book detailing my adventures. It seemed like a fantastic idea at the time, although my mom was quick to point out that I probably wouldn't have much luck convincing them I was a true Carny, and also that it would be unethical to pose as something I'm not in hopes of infiltrating their camp and writing an expose on their way of life. (I also had a similar plan around that time, same scenario except that I was going to disguise myself and live in one of the "hollers" in Appalachia, live there for one year, write a book, blah blah, blah, my mom shot that one down as well). As an adult I realize the unethical nature of my old plan and now know that their are cultural anthropologists that do that sort of thing for a living (without all the clandestine cloak & dagger disguising business, of course). I never did get to join a Carnival family, or live in Appalachia for that matter, but I continue to be fascinated with those kinds of small, fringe, subcultures. And I did have an encounter with real gypsies several years ago when I was visiting Florence. Well not an encounter "per se", but I did SEE them (encounter just sounded more interesting). There was a whole gypsy clan, men, women, and children, spanning an entire sidewalk while we were shopping one day, sitting on several blankets strewn about. The women kind of looked how you would expect a gypsy to look. They weren't wearing bandanas on their heads, large gold hoop earrings, and handkerchief hem skirts, like I used to wear when I would dress up as a gypsy for a Halloween...no, not how you would expect in THAT way, but rather they were wearing lots of layers of clothing. They had dark features, complexion, and hair, one of the shop owners told my friend and I that they were from Romania. I remember that they had several chihuahuas with them and I was disappointed that one of them was on a cell phone...(in my fantasy gypsies DO NOT use cell phones) They had the children begging for money from all the tourists shopping, it was actually very sad, a more exotic version of our country's homeless population. Definitely not the romanticized vision I had as a child. But despite this knowledge, there's still a part of me that's intrigued by their nomadic spirit, enchanted by the seemingly simple nature of their lifestyle...not being constrained by physical possessions, homes, mortgages, car payments, etc. and having the ability to go wherever the spirit moves them...I guess in that way, I'll always have a bit of wanderlust in my bones...

Me + Clipping Masks = ♥ True Love ♥ & a Giveaway for YOU! (ps. that means FREE!)

2011-03-30T10:00:00.001-04:00

She Dreamt of Running With Wolves

Untitled

Ok, so I'm no quick draw mcgraw, but believe or not, I just discovered the beauty of clipping masks a few months ago. Despite using photoshop for years (completely self-taught), I've somehow let this little wonder tool escape my radar. Now that me and clipping masks have been formally introduced, it's been love at first sight and we are currently involved in a pretty racy affair...I mean I use them every night just about, I can't get enough of them! Do you guys know what clipping masks are? The answer is probably yes, you've probably all known since like kindergarten, but for those of you like myself, let me explain. The clipping mask tool in photoshop is this fabulous little function that allows you to literally "clip" select layers to a base layer. In doing so, any layer that you "clip" to your base layer will stay contained within the shape of that base layer. For instance, if your base layer is a heart shape and the layer above your base layer is a scanned piece of antique lace, you simply "click" the lace layer to the heart shape and it becomes a lacy heart! Amazing I tell you! Did that make any sense? I'm not always the best tutorialist, ( I'm pretty sure I just made that word up, but I like it, so I'm going with it ). In essence, the lace layer will only be visible within the confine's of the heart's shape. And it's very simple to do, I'm not sure how it works on a PC, but on a Mac you simply highlight the layer you want to "clip"and press the "option" key while left clicking on your mouse. When you do that you will see a little icon appear that looks like two interlocked circles, and voila! You've clipped two layers together! Very simple in theory and process, but the possibilities in using this function are truly endless, allowing you to create little worlds within the shape of your base layer. The two designs featured above this post were created using multiple clipping masks and "clipping" several layers to the base layer of the silhouette. Can you tell what is making up the profile of the 2nd design? Most people I've asked have a hard time at first and really need to look at it a few times before they get it. Post your comments on what you think it is and the 1st person to get the correct answer will receive one FREE Dollface Design Digital Download of their choice from my etsy shop , yippee! Is that bribing you for comments? I'm pretty sure it is, and I'm ok with that...there's no shame in my game ♥

♥ 20% Off EVERYTHING In My Etsy Shop! ♥

2011-03-16T09:10:00.004-04:00

Ok, It's now March 16th, 2011, or at least I THINK it's March 16th, 2011...if it's not I'm sure I'm only off about a day or so...but that means I have officially not blogged in over a month! Super sad, I know...I may be just about the worst blogger in the blogosphere, or at least the worst blogger in town...either way I'm up there. But I think I'm safe because I'm pretty sure no one is reading this anyway, so I guess I can be an irresponsible blogger without consequences...it's kind of liberating. I was just about to make some potentially false promises about "being a better blogger" blah blah blah, but decided against it in the nick of time. That way I can keep on being a slacker and if I actually do get my act together my one reader (Hi Mom!) will actually be surprised...I like to keep you guys on your toes. I actually do have some important information today, I bet you were wondering if all this rambling would eventually go somewhere and it will, lucky you! In honor of my cultural heritage I'm offering 20% off EVERYTHING in my shop to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, whoopee! Take a stroll over to my etsy shop, make a purchase (fingers crossed) and simply enter coupon code ErinGoBraless20 upon checkout and YOU will receive 20% of your entire order! Why? Because I LOVE YOU! Oh yeah, and I was lying about my heritage, I'm actually Portuguese and Italian, not even a tiny bit Irish, although I do love leprechauns and rainbows, which should count for something. So that was a lie...but there really is a coupon code, I swear! Happy March 16th (I think) ♥

xoxo

♥ Dollface Design's Valentines~ Digital Download Delights That Will Make Your Heart Swoon! ♥

2011-02-14T11:09:00.012-05:00

Love is in the air over at Dollface Design! And I've got a bevy of Valentine Treats that can't be beat over at my etsy shop, including a whole bunch of Valentine Digital Downloads that you can download and print lickety split! And if you're a bit of a procrastinator such as I am (just ordered my husband's Valentine's Day present last night, yikes!) then these digital downloads are the perfect antidote! Why subject yourself to getting bumped and bamboozled in the card aisle of your local big box store (with all the other last minute lucys!) when you can get an original handmade Valentine from the cozy comfort of your casa? Perfect for the non-traditonal Valentine enthusiast, each design is lovingly collaged and created by me for YOU! And you can be sure that you're sweet will be getting a Valentine just as unique and original as they are ♥ And if love's not your thing this year, I've even got an Anti-Valentine perfect for those folks in your life that just can't seem to get the hint (you know who I'm talking about!). Above designs are just a small sampling to whet your whistle, but you can bet there's more love where that came from, take a peek!

What are you guys doing for Valentine's Day? Me and my BB4L (best bud for life, aka. husband) are staying in and he's cooking me my favorite meal, shrimp scampi with homemade pasta, yum! I'll be picking up a delicious desert for us to share, I'm thinking I'll get this mongo chocolate peanut butter cupcake I saw at Whole Foods over the weekend, and we'll just gorge ourselves on sweet treats and love! Are you puking yet? Sickening yes, but we are still newlyweds :) Wishing you all a wonderful day full of sweetness and love!

xoxo

layla

Why Sometimes, I've Believed as Many as Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast!

2011-02-08T09:53:00.011-05:00

Why, yes it's true! In fact, I've probably believed and dreamed as many as six hundred impossible things before breakfast...most as I'm lying in bed at night, trying to fall asleep (albeit unsuccessfully) as my mind is awhirl and atwirl with so many ideas I can barely keep them straight! But that counts as before breakfast...don't you think?

After a long hiatus, (too long), I'm back. I seemed to have separated from my art in the last two years, wandering down a different path, but now that we've found each other again, things seem to be even better...I believe that creativity and the process that inevitably follows, feeds your imagination and one idea seems to bloom into another, and another...and another...and before you know it, your mind is swirling with all the impossibilities you dream of making possible. When I truly began making art two years ago, I was at a bit of a crossroads with myself, it was a time of transition, exciting and unsettling all at once...fast forward two years later and I seemed to have settled into myself. I met the love of my life, fell in love, moved in together, got married, and have a fantastically amazing five year old stepson. All of a sudden it wasn't just me anymore, I had a family, and responsibilities to people other than myself. I thought it would be difficult to settle into, I always thought of myself as a bit selfish...sleeping till noon, wandering wherever I pleased, whenever I pleased, without a care...but it was a role I fell into easily...I guess that's the way it goes when things work out as they're meant to be. But all of those experiences led me back to where I am today...exactly where I'm supposed to be, and I've never felt as settled or as ME as I do right now. I guess I needed that time and that space, uninterrupted by the creative process and the tempest of thoughts and ideas that follow (as I tend to be rather obsessive that way) to allow myself to believe in something other than the possibility of art... and believe in the possibility of love, trust, and family...But in retrospect I realize that it's really not that separate after all...it all intertwines and weaves together, forming a tiny path that you can only see if you look really hard and and believe in the possibility that it might lead somewhere...I'm glad I was paying attention.

This Makes Me So Sad :(

2008-06-05T02:24:00.004-04:00

got an email today from a fellow etsy seller/flickr friend that someone who sells on ebay UK (Seller name Patina-Blue to be exact) is selling notebooks with my artwork on them, currently she/he is using two of my designs....so sad....she/he is also selling notebooks with the artwork of another etsy seller, who i've notified as well...i contacted the seller and asked her/him to immediately remove the listings, but i haven't gotten a response and the listings are still there...i've also contacted ebay and am waiting for their response and hopefully some guidance as to how i should proceed....i'm pretty angry about this...the nerve of people never ceases to amaze me...i usually am a firm believer in the goodness of others, but stuff like this just makes me think that sometimes people really do SUCK! sorry for the rant :( and sorry for the absence too...things have been a wee bit crazy as of late...i'll be back...i promise...until then, hope everyone is enjoying some sunshine and feelin' fine! miss you guys ♥

Me - Plotting against the evils of time!

2008-04-29T00:57:00.003-04:00

Plotting & Scheming
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

I've been away from my little ol' blog for about a month now...feels like just yesterday I was posting about my big adventure to Artfest...time has a way of slipping away from me...I have this wierd sense of timelessness in my life, which is sometimes wonderful and other times frightening...I think it's kind of a like a self-imposed oblivion, created sheerly for the purpose of self-preservation because the idea of time passing is so scary to me...It's wonderful in the sense that I rarely feel that sense of urgency that things need to be done NOW! It allows me to buoyantly float through life with my own gentle rhythym...taking as much or as little time to simply do as I please...You may be thinking it sounds like a fancy pants way of saying I'm a procrastinator...well, I'm that too, but this is different somehow...this is almost like a denial of time itself...denouncing it's very passage by refusing to move at it's frighteningly quick speed...time has no consideration for the moment whatsoever, regardless of how magical, poignant, or important...each moment is just like any other and time shows no favoritism, quickly moving from one moment to the next...this denouncement of time can be a bit peculiar and scary as well...my sense of time is so often skewed and warped that sometimes I will find myself in situations or relationships that I tend to languish in...long after I should, later lamenting why I didn't move on sooner...this fact is sometimes just the jolt of fear that I need to start taking time a bit more seriously...I never want to be that person that wakes up twenty years from now wondering where the last twenty years went...that, to me, would be something unforgivable...I struggle with finding that balance between timelessness and a sense of time's passing...balance is something I struggle with in general, but that's a different post for a different time...I guess I'll continue to buoyantly float, occasionally reminding myself to pick up the pace at least to a dog paddle, in an effort to both deny and embrace time...and find that balance I so desperately crave...

Artfest Here I Come!!!!

2008-03-30T12:06:00.005-04:00

i've been such a bad little blogger lately, but there have been so many changes afoot, that i've had trouble keeping up with them myself. most of them really good and exciting, a bit unknown about how it will all turn out, but i guess that's all part of the excitement, right? i feel like i'm in for a really big transition in my life, a major turning point, and i'm really welcoming it and looking forward to all the possibilities it may bring.
i've also been frantically getting ready for my trip to washington to go to artfest 2008, yay! if you don't know about artfest, google artfest 2008 and check out the site...it's this fantastic 4 day retreat full of art making, workshops by fabulous instructors, and lots of friend making too....i'm a bit nervous, as i'm going into it not really knowing a soul, but i think it's going to be amazing and i'm sure i'll meet all sorts of wonderfully creative people....i've been trying to really push myself this past year to do/try things that scare me...things that i fear...and a year ago, i would never have been able to do this...a year ago this would have been a sweet little pipe dream in my brain, something i would dream about, fantastize about, "wish" i could do, "wish" i could be the type of fearless person that would pick up and travel across the country to spend 4 days with 600 strangers in pursuit of something they loved, always wishing to be that person...hoping to be that person, but never really able to envision how i would become that person....and now, about a year later...i am that person. still with fears, anxiety, and a bit of trepidation, but not the type that keeps you frozen in place, stagnant, unchanging, stilted, a concubine of your own mental/emotional fears , no, not that kind of fear...just a normal healthy dose of everday fear, the kind that gives you butterflies in your stomach and quickens your heartbeat for a moment or so, the kind that makes your palms a bit sweaty and your mouth a tad dry...that's usually the kind of fear i experience these days. so off i will go to artfest on tuesday, with butterflies in my stomach, a quick beat to my heart, a slick palm, and a dry mouth...off to do the undoable and be the person i never thought i would become. ♥

Once I Was A Bird

2008-03-18T11:24:00.001-04:00

Once I Was A Bird
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

Large 19 x 24 inch original mixed media collage created upon 100 lb. Strathmore Bristol Paper. Created in shades of warm sepia, creamy vanilla, antique lace, and snowy white, with hints of cool blue and pale pink, this collage has a very soft, surreal, dream-like quality to it. It features the rather curious connection between humans and birds and the avian fascination many of us posess. Truly a mixed media piece, this collage was created with a melange of techniques and materials, including image transfers, found paper, vintage seam binding, a variety of antique papers, and a vintage photograph. All of these delicate snips and scraps work together to create a beautifully muted palette with loads of texture and dimension.

Once I Was A Bird ~ detail 1

2008-03-18T11:20:00.003-04:00

Once I Was A Bird ~ detail 1
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

Once I Was A Bird ~ detail 2

2008-03-18T11:20:00.001-04:00

Once I Was A Bird ~ detail 2
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

Dollface Design feature on Cuteable!

2008-03-17T17:13:00.004-04:00

Dollface Design feature on Cuteable!
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

my fawn-tastic collage is featured on cuteable today, yay!!! thank you so much cuteable♥ cuteable always has the most amazing finds, so i'm super excited to be part of that, here's the link to check it out:
www.cuteable.com
and be sure to check out cuteable's fantastic etsy shop, http://www.swirlyarts.etsy.com, for tons of super cute handcrafted items!
Yay of Cuteable!!! ♥

The Geometry of Birds - Original Mixed Media Collage

2008-03-17T16:52:00.001-04:00

The Geometry of Birds - Original Mixed Media Collage
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

available in my etsy shop♥

Original mixed media collage created upon a gallery wrapped 5 x 4 inch canvas, featuring a delightful little bird, in shades of lime green and tangerine dream. Perched ever so daintily against a backdrop of sepia toned, antique newspaper clippings from the late 1800's. The muted shades of the newspaper scraps really make the little bird's vibrant spring coat POP! This little piece is full of happiness and cheer and all the good things spring will bring! petite & sweet, this piece is the perfect size to prop upon a shelf, or hang on the wall, sure to bring a little ray of sunshine wherever it goes♥

hope everyone is having a bearable monday!
xoxo
layla

2008-03-16T23:10:00.004-04:00

available in my etsy shop♥

i've been such a busy bee all weekend, staying up to the wee hours of the morn, collaging my little brains out, working my nimble fingers to the bone, so i could add some new things to the shop. spring is coming and i wanted to add some easy, breezy pieces to honor all the good things spring will bring ♥

This is a 9x12 inch original mixed media collage created upon 140 lb. cold pressed watercolor paper. Created in shades of creamy vanilla, antique lace, snowy white, and wispy pink this collage has a very soft, dream-like quality to it. It features a delightfully dainty, frolicking fawn, dancing and prancing through the woods while the pussywillows sway in the breeze. The fawn is a block print that was hand carved by moi and printed upon an antique piece of pale pink wallpaper. There's also lots of snips and scraps of sepia toned antique papers, including vintage book pages, an antique ledger page from 1871, and snippets from an antique french to english dictionary, giving this piece loads of texture and dimension. The edges are also frayed and tattered and a bit asymetrical, giving a wonderfully organic feel.

hope everyone's had a restful weekend full of crafty goodness!
nighty night my peeps!

Mental Photography

2008-03-16T13:10:00.002-04:00

Mental Photography
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

9x12 inch mixed media collage created upon 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. It tells a story of rebirth, awakening, and opening your mind up to the possibility of the impossible. The central image is a wintergreen oil transfer created upon antique ledger paper dated November 1871. The wintergreen oil gives the piece a very soft, dream-like appearance, which lends itself well to the surreal nature of the collage. Additional bits of antique papers, including snippets from an antique french dictionary and vintage book text, were also added and give this collage a wonderful textural feel, as well as a beautifully muted palette of worn sepia tones.

Take it in Stride and Let it Ride!

2008-03-15T22:48:00.002-04:00

Take it in Stride and Let it Ride!
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

Sometimes you just need to let it go..."Let it Ride" is part of my new dolly affirmation series, loosely inspired by Stuart Smalley of Saturday Night Live fame and alcoholic's anonymous bumper stickers. It features hand drawn lettering against a backdrop of super 70's flower power madness, in deliciously vibrant shades of lime green and tangerine dream!
Directions for dolly affirmations are as follows:
1) hang in prominent place
2) repeat dolly affirmation several times while wearing
"free to be me" sweatshirt
3) have fabulous day chock full of self-esteem
4) repeat as necessary♥

Dollface Design T-Shirt

2008-03-15T04:03:00.002-04:00

Dollface Design T-Shirt
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

this is my new t-shirt design, yay! it features my illustrious little, pipe smoking, bird/woman hybird, along with my hand drawn font. i just posted it on alchemy on etsy. for those of you not familiar, alchemy is a section on etsy where buyers & sellers can post specific custom requests, allowing sellers to "bid" on requests and buyers to choose the seller whose ideas most closely coincide with their vision, it's a pretty interesting concept. i'm looking for someone to silkscreen it onto a t-shirt for me, preferably something heather gray, super soft, thin, and vintage-y with a bit of distressing for good measure. i figure it will be good advertising and i think it's pretty cute to boot ♥ i think i'm going to have my etsy shop's web address on the back too, nothing too big or obnoxious, just kind of small and dainty under the neck.
i'd love to learn how to silkscreen myself (add that to my ever growing list of crafty endeavors i aspire to master!). that way i'd be able to offer lots of my designs on t-shirts and hoodies and pretty much take over the universe. i think several of my designs would lend themselves well to a t-shirt, and it would be another way that buyers could enjoy my stuff, other than simply displaying it on a wall. i think people really like the idea of "wearable" art, at least i do ♥ that's why i need to get back into making my soldered charm pendants with my artwork encased inside, so stay tuned because i'll be offering those in the shop again very soon! my dream of dreams, is to one day be able to offer my designs on t-shirts, hoodies, journals, totebags, pendants, cards, and prints...i'm pretty sure that it will happen eventually...i never thought i'd be where i am now, but strangely enough once you stop "thinking" about how you're going to do something and simply start "doing" something, amazing things start to happen. and things you never thought possible seem to manifest, falling into place with grace and ease, and suddenly the things of your dreams start to become your reality and the lines become blurred, the doubts become less and the hopes become more, and suddenly you start to really believe in yourself...it's a good feeling.

Fashion Plate - Patchwork Paper Collage

2008-03-11T21:06:00.002-04:00

Fashion Plate - Patchwork Paper Collage
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

As featured in Somerset Digital Studio, yay! ♥

Available in my etsy shop today!
This is a 5x7 mixed media collage art print featuring a beautiful bevy of patchwork papers, both vintage and new, in the most deliciously happy spring time colors! Bursting with aqua blue, sunshine yellow, and mossy green, in the most delightful patchwork pattern, this little lady is like a sweet breath of spring for your wall! Inspired by my obsessive love for "fashion plates" as a child. For those of you not familiar, "fashion plates" were the coolest thing ever! They were textured plastic plates of various outfits, tops, pants, skirts, etc., along with various women's heads, you would then pick a coordinating head, top, and bottom, arrange them on the special "fashion plates" base, place your blank piece of paper on top, and color over it with colored pencils, creating your own unique, one of a kind, outfit, or fashion plate! Mere words are not doing this toy justice, if you have a minute, google it or search for it on ebay, trust me it is super cool and waaaaaay cooler than any of the toys you see today, it will not disappoint! Yet another reason, along with hair metal and skinny jeans, that living through the 80's (and being old enough to remember the highlights) was pretty much awesome.

THE LEGEND OF SILVER THROAT

2008-03-02T15:54:00.001-05:00

THE LEGEND OF SILVER THROAT
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

available today in my etsy shop♥

8x10 collage featuring the artist otherwise known as "Silver Throat". Silver Throat is a legend around these parts, and one can often spot her ghost wandering through the hills at night, by the light of the silvery moon, a shimmery wood sylph, strumming her guitar, yodeling a haunting melody...legend has it that she will entrance you with her sweet siren song, cursing you into an eternal hell that will only allow you to communicate by quoting the Sound of Music. So beware, as you're frolicking through the hills at night, by the light of the silvery moon....the hills are alive with the sound of...SILVER THROAT!

Thank You for Calling the Opium Den...

2008-03-02T13:34:00.003-05:00

available in my etsy shop today! ♥

"Thank You for Calling the Opium Den"
(this is Viv speaking, how may I direct your call?)

I just started a new moleskine to use as a springboard for new collage ideas...this piece started out as a page in my book, using traditional cut & paste collage and then continued to morph and grow digitally, into the psychedlic spectacular you see here.

This is an 11 x 8.5 inch collage featuring a voyeuristic view into Viv's Opium Den. It's truly a psychedelic feast for the eyes, featuring mushrooms, rainbows, shooting stars in candy colors, and a bevy of swirling, twirling flowers, meandering to and fro. And perched atop a rather large toadstool, just as dainty as can be, is Viv! Sporting her jaunty purple cap with a fluffly little magenta feather, serving up Opium hot and fresh every day with a dollop of sass, a wink and a smile! She's the go to gal for all your Opiate needs...now put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Ancient Archetype No. 1 - The Alchemist

2008-02-29T16:28:00.001-05:00

Ancient Archetype No. 1 - The Alchemist
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

This piece is part of my new Ancient Archetype Series, a series of collages that will explore the multitude of sacred elements that comprise the collective unconscious.

The Alchemist
This archetype's defining trait is the act of converting some form of matter into an altered expression of itself. It often relies on a combination of chemistry, magic, and philosophy and thrives on the mysterious, and often enchanting, relationship between matter and the creation of life. This fairytale insect hybrid is no exception. According to ancient folklore, despite her cumbersome insect casing, she always loved to dance and moved with a grace and spirit that belied her sharp, pointy exterior. In an effort to increase her ease of movement and mobility, she deconstructed her outer shell to resemble an intricately beautiful ball gown, perfect for pirouetting through life.

Head Gear Print on Etsy's Front Page, 2nd time in one week!!!

2008-02-28T00:07:00.001-05:00

Head Gear Print on Etsy Front Page, yay!
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

This is the 2nd time in one week that my "head gear" print is on etsy's front page, whoopee!!! This time it is thanks to Spiderbite, www.spiderbite.etsy.com, her shop is filled with amazing handcrafted journals called "nightmare snatchers", they're so unique and giftable, they seriously are the coolest! Spiderbite (aka Sarah :D) is also a fellow member of the Arts in RI street team on etsy, go lil' rhody go!!! ♥ Just want to send some love their way, I've only been a member of this street team for a short amount of time, but I've got to say that I LOVE it!!! They are such an amazingly talented group of artists, not to mention seriously motivated, supportive, and driven to make Arts in RI the best street team possible, they truly are committed to helping and promoting each and every member, it's pretty amazing and I'm so happy to be part of it, thanks guys!!!
Arts in RI Street Team RULES THE SCHOOL!!! ♥

Bunny Von Ludwig - Fairytale Portrait

2008-02-24T14:45:00.003-05:00

i've been such a busy bee this weekend, coming up with new designs and all that good stuff, i've still got a few more to post to my shop, but just thought i'd whet your whistle with this debaucherous diva, Bunny Von Ludwig! i'll post the others later...hope everyone is having a sweet & sunny sunday, full of pancakes & pajamas ♥

Bunny Von Ludwig - Fairytale Portrait
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

available in my etsy shop♥

This is an 8x10 antique portrait of Bunny Von Ludwig, Austrian Duchess of the royal Von Ludwig family from the late 1700's. It was found deep within the bowels of the Von Ludwig Castle, located on the foothills of the Bohemian Forest...a family steeped in mystery, tragedy, and scandal. Although this is a rather innocent portraiture of Bunny, with her soft, silky ears fixed just so and her demure, coquettish smile, there was a darker, more primitive, seamier side, to this deceiptively sweet, girlish ingenue...a side that earned her the nickname "the duchess of debauchery"...a hedonistic harlot filled with insatiable desires, desires of a not so innocent nature shall we say...is that feathery fan that she's holding merely a fan...or some other type of pleasure device? Only Bunny knows...tickles anyone?

Yay! I'm going to be published...I think?

2008-02-23T21:38:00.001-05:00

Yay! I'm going to be published...I think?
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

thanks to my friend mendy i found out that i may be getting published in a new publication, somerset digital studio...i submitted some stuff back in november, but never heard anything, so i assumed that i didn't get in, but then mendy emailed me this ad from the latest edition of somerset studio and it features one of my submissions...yay! maybe i'm in after all?
stay tuned! the magazine comes out on march 1st, so i guess i just have to wait and see until i can get my little paws on a copy....mendy (flickr name "mendytexas") is going to be featured in the magazine too...i'm super excited because if i am in (hope hope, fingers & toes crossed) it will be my first time being published...even if i'm not in, it was still fun seeing my collage and name featured in the ad....can't wait till march 1st ♥

I'm on Etsy's front page, yay!!!

2008-02-21T22:45:00.001-05:00

I'm on Etsy's front page, yay!!!
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

my head gear print is on etsy's front page, thanks a bunch Winklepots for including me in your fabulous treasury!!! ♥ and thanks so much Reyney for letting me know, you're a peach! ♥
xoxo
layla

I Love You Etsy!!!

2008-02-20T23:32:00.001-05:00

I Love You Etsy!!!
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

i listed and sold my first item on etsy november 13th, 2007 (thank you Heathersb!!!), three months later 1,000 hearts, yay!!!! i ♥ you etsy!!!
i'm definitely feeling the love on etsy, i couldn't have found a more amazing site filled with the most talented, inspirational group of people anywhere...thank you so much to everyone that's supported my shop!
i had my 200th sale today (thanks kandeland!) and that buyer will be receiving a free print...my 1,000th heart will be receiving a free print as well, i can't express my appreciation enough, but that's my little token of thanks from me to you ♥
not to sound like a big fat cornball, but it's been totally life changing and so exciting, the entire experience has blown my mind and really taught me a lot about myself, not to sound all dramatic, but it's true. i've truly met the most creative, kind, and fantastically wonderful individuals that walk this planet, both sellers and buyers alike...i'm really grateful and so looking forward to all the good things yet to come....thank you etsy, i ♥ you!!!

Livin' On A Prayer

2008-02-17T23:24:00.002-05:00

Livin' On A Prayer
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

title of this piece is a nod to my former junior high crush, jon bon jovi, and although livin' on a prayer was not my favorite bon jovi song, it seemed an appropriate fit for this collage. collage print created with a bevy of antique papers and featuring a rather beatific image of the virgin mary, surely dreaming of her favorite rockstar, floating ethereally above a hand written prayer that reads...

"My father hear my prayer before I go to rest, It is thy little child that cometh to be blessed, Forgive me all my sins and let me sleep this night, In safety and in peace, Until the morning light"...

good night & sweet dreams bloggy friends!
♥
layla

Somebody's Darling

2008-02-17T13:14:00.001-05:00

Somebody's Darling
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

soon to be available in my etsy shop♥

this photo is really not capturing this canvas as well as i'd like, but i'm the WORST photographer ever ;D so for now this is the best i could do....that's why i love my scanner so, but my scanner wasn't doing so hot with this either...so you're subjected to my supremely deficient photograpy skills...8x10 collaged, gallery wrapped canvas, i wanted to try and create a little patchwork quilt of old paper with one of my ledger collages as the focal point, papers include antique ledger paper, wallpaper, and bits and scraps from an antique scrapbook...entire piece is sealed and sides are finished with bits and pieces of antique papers.

i'll be writing more later, busy like a bee filling orders, happy sunday!

Head Case Series

2008-02-11T23:32:00.000-05:00

all of these collages are part of my new "head case" series. each one features a lovely, mod, big eyed, 70's beauty with a unique and quirky "hairdo"! the top row features dreaming of spring and bird brain, while the bottom row features head gear, harebrain, and bookish...and each one of these lovelies is available in my etsy shop. my brain has been swirling with tons of ideas of how i can further explore this theme and i've definitely got a few more tricks up my sleeve, so stay tuned for more collagey goodness from this series!

Yay for Poppytalk Handmade!

2008-02-11T23:06:00.000-05:00

i've been a crafty little fool these past few days! crafting & creating my nimble little fingers to the bone has left me little time to post, but i'm back! and i'm here to say "yay, for poppytalk handmade!". poppytalk handmade is an amazing little site that curates a monthly "themed" indie marketplace, kind of like a virtual craft fair, featuring all sorts of fantastic artists from all over the globe. this month's theme is an easter/spring market that runs from today, february 11th, through march 8th...and i'm featured! i'm so honored and excited to be part of such an amazingly talented group of people...you should definitely stop by and take a peek, it's a really cool resource to discover the beautiful work of some indie designers you may not be familiar with yet, i've discovered several new favorites and haven't even scoped out everybody's stuff yet, so it's definitely worth a look....i've also been soldering my face off, creating a bunch of soldered collage charms for a charm swap i'm participating in with some of my fellow soldering flickr friends, they'll be packed up all pretty tonight and shipped off tomorrow, yippee! i've received one so far from my friend mendy and it's gorgeous!!! can't wait for the others to arrive, they'll be like a sweet valentine treat ♥ i'll be back to post a bit more before bed, hope your night is going well my bloggy friend ♥

The Symphony of Life

2008-02-06T01:43:00.001-05:00

The Symphony of Life
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

oh i've been a naughty blogger! not even an official blogger for one week and i'm already missing posts, tsk tsk...that's why i love TartX's theory on "blogging without obligation"...if you don't who TartX is then you need to immediately visit her etsy shop, blog, or flickr stream because they're all fabulous, her work is truly amazing with a very cool, kind of surreal, fairytale like feel to it, i'm a big fan...but anyway, her "blogging without obligation" thing is that you shouldn't look at your blog like a chore or something you "must" do each day, but rather it should be something more organic and flowing, something you do because you want to, instead of have to...so that's how i'm going to be approaching this blog, with total irreverence and freedom...i'm digging it, it kind of feels like the bra burning of the blog world!
the other thing you should be prepared for if you are going to be reading this is that i've completely given up on capitals, i tried to use them in my first few posts and seem all proper and full of grammatical correctness, but i'm over it. i type in lower case in my emails and on forums, so why not on my blog too?...hopefully this will not offend you, if it does i suggest you move onto another blog that it is more grammatically gracious than i, if this does not bother you and you are still reading...LONG LIVE THE LOWER CASE!
ok, enough ranting for tonight...onto this jaunty little pipe smoking bird! this is a little something i cooked up tonight. it's a combination of digital and traditional cut and paste collage, printed on antique paper from the early 1900's. it features a dapper little chippy, puffing on her pipe, sporting a sassy little hat with a feather in her cap! there are some hand drawn doodles along with some snips and scraps of vintage paper. i'll be listing this in my etsy shop shortly, or perhaps tomorrow as it's getting a bit late. goodnight my loves, more tomorrow....or not ♥

Vintage Paper Series II

2008-02-03T23:31:00.001-05:00

Vintage Paper Series II
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

Some of the old favorites are finally available in the shop again, including "bird queen", "my sacred heart", and "the littlest queen"...catch em' while you can ♥ Hope everyone had a peaceful, "easy like sunday mornin'" kind of day, back to the drudgery of work tomorrow for me, ugghh, I dream of the day when I can fully sustain myself financially from doing what i love...*sigh*...someday.

She Devil ~ Vintage Paper Collage

2008-02-03T01:01:00.001-05:00

Hey peeps! (or perhaps i should say, peep?) Yet another vintage paper collage, I've been a crafty fool today, very productive, but my eyes are starting to feel crossed from gazing at the computer for too long...This is a portrait of a She Devil and she's posing with a haughtiness only She Devils seem to posess, seductively sneering with pitchfork in hand. This evil beauty is printed atop Miss Doris Rohl's handwritten recipe for sinfully decadent Devil's Food Cake, quite apropos...

I'm Still Waiting ~ Vintage Paper Collage

2008-02-02T19:56:00.001-05:00

I'm Still Waiting ~ Vintage Paper Collage
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

Another collage from my vintage paper series...I'm gearing up for my feature on poppytalk handmade, so I need to have about 10 pieces that somehow reflect a spring or easter aesthetic, this one may be a bit more valentine-y (or ish?) with the flaming hearts, but I'm hoping that the gracefully swooping bird (perhaps she's a dove? I do believe doves are associated with easter and all things spring) and the flowers override the valentine vibe...we'll see... ♥

Crimson & Clover ~ Vintage Paper Collage

2008-02-02T18:31:00.001-05:00

Crimson & Clover ~ Vintage Paper Collage
Originally uploaded by ms_mod

I just bought another antique ledger and this one is even better than the last, it has layers upon layers of old paper glued upon the original handwritten pages, but because it is so old and delicate, the glue has dried and the top layers peel off really easily, leaving bits and pieces behind, so each page has layers and textures of old paper, including tiny glimpses of scrolly handwriting, as well as bits of old recipes and clippings. This collage is printed on one of those pages and features an antique botanical illustration of a clover wearing a regal crimson crown. The queen of the meadow. ♥

Best Bunnies - Surreal Vintage Paper Collage

2008-02-01T01:59:00.000-05:00

This is my first ever, honest to goodness, blog post, eek, it's a bit scary...I've always been a little intimidated about blogging, but I decided to finally just jump in and give it go. It's strange, I almost feel a bit self-conscious...it's almost like hearing your voice recorded on someone else's voice mail and being like "uggh, i hate how I sound!" So bear with me as I find my blog legs (they're kind of like sea legs you know)...

Here's a quick peek at my newest etsy listing "Best Bunnies"

(http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9281957)

A surreal, anthropomorphic collage featuring two very stylish bunnies, Rab & Tab...both small, both fluffy....collage is printed on an antique ledger page from the late 1800's. Front of the print features the collage, while the back of the print features a handwritten recipe for Mrs. Kettell's ice-cream, yum!...surely Rab & Tab's favorite, besides carrots of course!

This piece is part of my vintage paper series, experimental printing on a variety of old and delicate substrates, including antique ledger paper, antique receipts, and antique book pages, pretty much anything old and printable....printing directly onto these scavenged bits of paper really gives the piece a beautifully muted palette and a true sense of authenticity. You can check out other works from this series in my shop.

Several pieces from this series will also be featured on Poppytalk Handmade's spring market showcase, yay!!! http://www.poppytalkhandmade.com/ Poppytalk Handmade is like a virtual online indie craft fair, full of gorgeous creations from artists all over the globe, so I'm super excited to be part of such an amazingly talented group...thanks poppytalk! Showcase begins February 11th and runs until March 8th....more info. on that soon, so stay tuned!

p.s. sheesh! for someone who has just written her first post, I can certainly ramble, can't I! My apologies to my one reader...(hi mom!)