Rohling Studios

Sam I Am

 

HURRY!  I just visited my friend, Sandy's blog and saw her invite to her blog.  I had to pass it on even if I was a little bit late!  Sandy is a fun friend and artist.  She is really multi talented...go and see for yourself...need a banner...a painting...a piece of jewelry...a really cute card?...You will find it here!

The Honey Girl Studio

If you want to see Art and Halloween combined hop on over to Tootie's blog, The Honey Girl Studio.  I love this little pendant.  Isn't it adorable? 

 

She is so full of creativity!  I don't know what I like more.....

This little cute ATC image she entitled, "The Pumpkin Hunter", or this.........

 

little shadow box called "Keeper of the Crows" , or.....

if any of those didn't get your attention how about this cute little elementary school sized chair all painted up and pretty!  She calls herself "a three hour artist".  Go over and visit her and you can ask her for yourself what she means!

Ed Emberley

When my children were young I picked up a cute little book by Ed Emberley that taught ways of using shapes to drawing the most adorable little things.  We drew trucks, cars and boats.  Then we drew cats, dogs and people.  We got hooked on drawing the little figures!  I have to wonder how many children grew up learning how to draw because of Ed Emberley.  As you can see.....this post and the new banner was done to pay tribute to a man who has gotten people of all ages to pick up pencils, fingerpaints, and crayons.....to cut and paste and color their hearts out!  Ed Emberley has gotten parents all over the world to play with their own creativity while teaching their children to draw.  I designed my current banner using the Ed Emberley Drawing Book of Halloween.  Be sure to check it out on Amazon.  And while you are there buy one or two of his books and try drawing the Emberley way!

Red Shoes Blog

                          

Meet Catherine Thursby, artist, seamstress, shop owner, and designer of Red Shoes.  I love the eye candy in her blog, and on her website for her little shop located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Aren't these pillows eye catching?  The little soaps, each with its own colorful face peeking out are cute for any child or for some of us who still treat ourselves to fun little things. 

  When visiting her, be sure you have lots of energy to keep up! I have a feeling that Catherine is overflowing with ideas and that a paintbrush, needle and thread are attached to her at all times!  Here is what she says about herself:  "I like to make things, I am a mom to two children, 8 and 3, a wife, and small business owner.
I have a little shop called Red Shoes, I am never on time for anything, and I bring my dog to work with me daily.
I tend to obsess over things, love my family, friends and music. Am
crazy about vintage goods, and love Art."
Visit her!  She is truly and refreshing person to meet!

   

Lori at Faerie Window

Aren't these just adorable???  One of the best things about writing a blog is meeting great new artists and having them become friends!  Lori is just one of those nice people I have been lucky to get to know.  Go NOW to see her lovely blog, Faerie Window.  Somehow I knew we would be friends when I saw the name of her blog and that she and I share some of the same favorite authors and movies.

Elfie And Me

Meet a fellow lover of fairies and pixies!  Her name is Claire Maraldo and she has a great blog called ELFIE AND ME.  Since I began blogging, I have met many wonderful people.  Once...and a while... you feel like you have known someone a really long time!  Claire is one of those people.  She started a movement with a logo that says it all.

 

I just love her work!  Take a look at how talented she is! 

   

I asked Claire to write a little about herself so I could share it with you.  There is something about her that makes me feel like I have known her forever!...........

"I worked in magazine publishing for years. I used to do layout and then graduated to styling photo shoots and doing the odd illustration. I was kind of a jack of all trades. When I had my son 7 years ago, I had a re-think and decided that the long slog up to London was no longer for me. I went freelance and started to do drawing just for me. I am quite a solitary beast by nature and I fit my work around family life. All my drawings just sat on my hard drive for years, then I discovered blogging in late 2006 and liked the community and the way it keeps on growing. I feel I've finally found some like-minded people scattered all over the globe.

I've always loved the illustrators of the early 20th century, in particular Arthur Rackham, Margaret Tarrant, Mabel Lucy Attwell and Cicley Mary Barker. I love Art nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement too. I like vintage styled homes too.

My son is perhaps my biggest inspiration and my first thought when I saw my newborn was how much he looked like a little pixie! As I first held him it was like a stranger that I already knew so well. Does this sound strange? As I got more involved the world of motherhood, I came to the conclusion that children are very otherworldly. I notice it very much when children are in natural surrounding such as the woods or beach.

Like your son, Alexei had lovely curly locks which he wore long and he used to get loads of attention because of it (which he loved!) But it had to go when he started school (sob!). Little boys are just so beautiful and have you noticed that in the media they are totally overshadowed by girls? So a small part of my work is to celebrate boys!

I work digitally and I make no apology about it.  Lots of people think that the computer does the work for you . . .if only.  I draw on a tablet using Freehand. I then import my drawings into Photoshop and fiddle around with composition and colour  but as a rule I don't use filters. I've wasted too much time doing this! I love this way of working as it allows such a lot of artistic freedom. Good if you're indecisive! "

In my working life, I feel very much I'm at the beginning of a long road. I've just started getting my work out there . . .a very small beginning. My web site is going to be up and running later this summer. I did quite well from the Country Living Show this Spring and have had a lot of positive comments about my work but I've got a long way to go. I'm excited about the future but somedays I wonder why I'm spending my time doing this. These are the bad days. But I guess we all get these.

My studio is a tiny room full of stuff. It's a lovely room in that it has a stained glass window and big sash windows looking out into the garden. Oh, and a flowery cushion on the ugly swivel chair and usually a slumbering cat on top of a teetering pile of papers! Some people look at it and think it's a complete mess, Others think it's a treasure trove! I suppose it's how you want to look at something.

The "Buy Handmade" logo . . .well, this was a creation which came about via the rants I have made on my blog. If you read these 2 posts, you will get the general idea. The comments fellow bloggers have made will give you some idea of how we are bucking the trend against mass-marketed stuff and cheap foreign imports. Unfortunately, people often vote with their wallets and don't support the makers of handmade items.

I guess the reason why I draw is, I want to create. I want to make my mark, however small. Becoming a mother made all these thoughts come to the forefront of my mind. I'm lucky that my circumstances allow me to do this."

Be sure to visit her Etsy shop too.

                                                   

Daisy Cottage

Isn't this the most adorable home ever??  Isn't it named well???  Please take time to visit Kim's blog (Daisy Cottage).  It's such a fun place to spend a little time. 

Here's another little bit of spring that I gleaned from her blog.  It's and illustration from "Everyday Birds", written and illustrated by Gertrude E. Allen in 1943.  I have been looking for my first robin of the year and longing for spring.  My daughter is sending me pictures of the grandchildren at daffodil festivals.  My son is telling me it is 95 degrees in California.  Sandy from over at Sam I Am Creations is boasting about her weather (she is also from California and I can't wait to meet her the next time I am out there).  Now I met Kim who is in Florida........And me.........well..........it hit the fourty degree range today and I am venturing out to buy a new pooper scooper! 

OH NO!

Oh..........Last night I had this big long entry all typed out.  It was almost finished and then my computer went down!  FROZE UP!  ALL GONE!  So, I went to bed!  I read a good book for awhile and chilled out!  I am not the most computer savy or the most patient of folks!  But I am tenacious!  :-)  So here I am again!  I wanted to share a couple of folks I have met thru the blogging.  First I just love these little needle felted bears that Jenn Docherty makes! 

I think they are just adorable!  She lives in NJ and reports that they are waiting for spring to happen there just like we are in WI!

Look at this cute little Chick!  It makes you feel like spring will come!  I'm afraid, here in WI, we have had a very gray winter with lots of rain!  It has been cold again and that makes it hard for the grass to green up.  I did see a rather large mama robin today.  That's an encouraging sign...plus some of my daylilies are starting to pop up!  Nothing much else just yet!  The first warm day everything will be ready to explode, my dogs will love to be outside and I will have to be there too!  I am going to do shorter blogs after my last experience.  I have more people I have met that I would like to share with you...but....one at a time!  LOL!  Have a good Saturday!

Moopy+Me

Who could resist visiting this blog with a cute name like Moopy+Me.  You have to go there for two reasons.  Firstly, you have to figure out for yourself who Moopy is.  Secondly, Carly (Nope, she is the "Me" in Moopy+Me) makes these darling softies!  Which leave her studio very quickly.

 

She uses vintage and retro fabrics to create these little characters for little folks and big folks too.

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This little Kitten's name is Terry because it was made from a terry cloth towel she found at a Thrift Shop.  I find it irresistable! 

 

Go visit this blog NOW!  It's fun and it makes you smile.

crafty mcgee

I just discovered the most wonderful Blog!!!  Hurry over to Rose's place at crafty mcgee!  I love this little fella she made to attract the season that is managing to escape us. (As I type, we are having a snow storm here in Wisconsin!  SOBBBB!)  This girl is sooo talented.  She does it all, art, crafts, needlework, knitting, photography, and printing.  If I had spent as much time creating as I did reading her blog I'd have a heck of a lot more art work!  What a cool place to spend some time!  I just love making new creative friends!