I <3 cooking.

I love cooking. I love crafts, and i love how many beautiful things you can find on the internets. Check out these three very talented folks! :)



















Taylor's Typographical Art Posters


I truly love all things for the kitchen and this poster is just stellar!

I love the mixture of type and images.
















This little miniature kitchen set up is somewhere I'd love to dine! She has loads of other fun miniature images.



















Michele Maule is one of my favorite artists. I'm not even a coffee drinker, but this print makes we wish i did. :)


enjoy!

Mucho smiles,
Jenipher

These are a few of my favorite things...

A few of my favorite things...

a) Saving lives during the day, and creating during the evenings, EMT Sweeetie makes intricate, yet delicate greeting cards.

b)Sadly, there aren't many items on the "Lucky Little Dot" page. But what does have are really cute. I can't wait to see the rest of her collection!

c) I can't say much about the amazing work of Sarah Jane that most of you wouldn't already know. Just when you think she's make the sweetest little print you've ever scene, a few days later, there's another on her site that takes your breath away.

d) Lindsay from "dot dot dot"makes really cute cards, wall hangings and wreaths. I was captivated by her sweet style last year, and have been intrigued since.

e) Holly from "Gollybard" makes really unique prints. Make sure to also check out her other shop too called "The Beehive Press".

f) I am a sucker for color. And these awesomely colorful bags and wallets from Lusitania were lovely for the eyes.

Typewriters, Irons, and Artwork! Oh My!

I've been admiring Michele's work for AGES!!! I just look at her work longingly, wishing i could buy all of it!! (or at least any of it, and one day Michele i promise i will!) Buying things right now just aren't in the cards right now, so I'm just drool over her work. And you should too!! Not only is her work amazing, but she's super friendly. And inspiring to anyone who is just waiting for the day they would like to take their art to the next level and make it their full time job. So sit back, look at the pretty pictures and look at the stellar work before you.

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*How long have you been crafting?

I have been making things and art for just about 8 years now, but ever since I can remember I have loved to create things. Art was always my favorite activity in school, and it's something that I have always been driven to do.

*Did you always craft in this genre?

I have always stayed pretty close to the fine arts. Both of my grandmothers tried to teach me how to crochet. They also tried to teach me how to sew and hook rugs, but I never really took to it. However, I did really love drawing and making watercolor paintings for people.

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*Who or what inspires you?

I like to find inspiration in things that make up my everyday life. A favorite cup, a vintage typewriter, my favorite water towers,certain flowers...these are the things that surround me. I have always liked the idea of art as a journal, or a story, and that is what I am trying to achieve with my work right now.

*What defining moment made you decide to turn your hobby into a business?

I don't know if there was a defining moment, but there was certainly a defining time. I recently moved to Pontiac, Michigan while my boyfriend attends graduate school at Cranbrook. I had been looking for a job for almost two months. I must have turned in over 30 resumes, and had several interviews, and still I had nothing. I have almost 6 years of experience working as an assistant department manager for a couple of health food stores, and had actually had three different interviews for one here. However, they wanted to start me off as a cashier, and I had promised myself 2 years ago that I would never, ever, cashier again. Out of all the various jobs I have had, that is my least favorite...and I swore I would never do it again no matter how much I needed the work. So, when they offered that job to me I said no. I said that I would much rather keep looking for another opportunity, or work on making art my full time job...and here I am :)

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*What changes were made to your regular schedule to make this go from a hobby to a business?

I didn't have to change a whole lot, because this is what I started doing full time. However, there are a few things that I had to learn to do to keep myself on track. I always make a to-do list. If this doesn't get done I feel like my head is spinning in circles. Also, I had to learn to take breaks. I would try to get everything done in one go, but things just don't work that way. I had to teach myself that it's ok to take breaks and stretch my legs every now and then.

* You have an amazing talent, with great product! What do you find is the best way to market yourself?

Well, I am still pretty new to this, but I have found that having a blog is a great way to promote yourself. It gives people a chance to see what I am working on and it gives them a little bit of a sneak peak. It also allows people to connect with me, as an artist. People can see where I am coming from through the writing in my blog. They can get to know me on more of a personal level, and I think that is really important when it comes to viewing art work, or even when making a decision to purchase a piece of work.

My blog address is http://www.how2drawacupofcoffee.blogspot.com just in case you'd like to check it out.

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*What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?

One of the biggest challenges is that there is a lot of competition in the art world. Sometimes it's all just a matter of being at the right place at the right time, or even knowing the right people. I am not much of an outgoing person. In fact I have had a really hard time talking to people, especially about my work. Unfortunately, this is something that is REALLY important when it comes to selling art and making all those right connections. But, I am working on it, and I think with the help of the internet I am building more and more confidence in talking to people and discussing my work.

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*If someone from out of town were visitng you, what key places would you bring them to? (galleries, coffee shops, parks, museums, etc)

Well, the Detroit Institute of Art just finished their big remodel so I would definitely take them there. There is also a handful of great little boutiques and cool art related businesses in Royal Oak. One of them being the 323 Gallery on East Third in Royal Oak. Also in Royal Oak is an amazing Farmer's Market where you can literally buy a weeks worth of groceries for about $20-40 bucks. This includes breads, meats, cheeses, herbs...all from local farmers! It's really amazing and I shop there every Saturday :) I love promoting local arts and farmers, because I think it's SO important, especially here in Michigan, to support small business people, and the environment.

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Head over to Michele's etsy, or her blog (where she posts on a daily basis, with pictures!). Enjoy!

Adorable Avocados

Abbie from Miss Avocado has adorable drawings of women. I really enjoy her style and unique layouts for her art! Although the image below is what 1st captivated me to message Abbie, i really really enjoy the cafe girl, and the angel man on the unicycle.

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How long have you been crafting?

Growing up, my Mom kept a range of art supplies around: sequins, fabric, poster paints, construction paper, and more. I guess in light of this you could say crafting has always been a part of my life. I grew up making homemade gifts and sewing (although I have to admit I knit some outrageously over-sized sweaters as gifts when I was first learning).

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Did you always craft in this genre?

For Etsy I've been producing collages and prints of my illustrations mostly. I do really enjoy working with textiles though and tend to knit and crochet a lot (easily mobile crafts are the best).

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Who or what inspires you?

Old bookstores, good coffee, reading blogs, my nieces, going for walks, random trips to the library, design magazines, and new sketchbooks waiting to be filled up.

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What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?

I think a challenge for me is finding the balance between the creative, right-brained side and developing smart business practices (keeping records, research for instance).

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Check out Abbie's other prints at her Etsy site. :)

See the Spray Blue Artwork.

Katrin from Sea Spray Blue is a wonderful painter. I was interested in her work once i saw her "..And then he kissed me." print.

1. I've been drawing since August 2007. I sold my first print in the beginning of September 2007.

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2. Before August 2007 I've been more into photography. I really enjoyed working the whole night alone in my own dark room (our bathroom). Also I had specified plans for a short movie with my friends.

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3. Music inspires me. Some years ago I was listening to the Morrissey song "Lifeguard sleeping girl drowning". After listening I had a picture in my mind how I imagine the scenery of this sound. I kept it in my mind for three years and then painted it in acrylic as a gift for my boyfriend. Now it's hanging in our living room.
Also going for a walk with my little son in his baby buggy and looking at the surroundings or people. 'I can wait' came into my mind this way.
And in the very moment before falling asleep there are sometimes pictures that come into my mind. The most impressive ones I can still remember when I wake up again. For the 'coming home' print I even switched the light on again.

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4. Until now I found no challenges. Far from that. I'm glad that some people like you find my artwork and make it visible to a broader community beyond etsy. I've never done a bigger promotion (except on etsy) by myself. But this year I go for having my own first website. I guess this will be my first challenge in my new artwork life.

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She has many other beautiful prints and cards for sale in her Etsy shop. I think you will find them inspiring! :)