Fabric Frenzy Minted voting...

Here is what I have been up to. Creating fabric. Carrying out last week's bear theme is a repeat fabric pattern using that same sweet little bear. It is for all things baby... clothes, bedding, curtains, etc.

If you have already signed up on minted.com you can just go to this link and vote https://www.minted.com/design-rating/838383. If you are a first time voter sign up first on Minted and then come back and use this link to find me. I think there are over 4,000 entries. Plz vote for others too. So much talent in this challenge.

Minted asked for some Man Cave fabric. I used some animals from my Wilderness Doodles font. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/853551?filter=all&sort=designer

https://www.minted.com/design-rating/853557?filter=all&sort=designer And here is a coordinating print. This would be great man cave or cabin fabrics. Pillow, curtains, sheets, dish towels. Endless uses.

https://www.minted.com/design-rating/854051?filter=all&sort=designer I'd love a pair of flannel pjs or sheets in this pattern.

Just to mix it up a bit here is a black and white pattern. I really like B&W. This contemporary print would make great dishtowels or tablecloths or pillows. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/856061?filter=all&sort=designer

Once again huge thanks for any of you who can take the time to do this. I truly appreciate it. And spread some of that voting love around too.

Art Therapy #10

I think I am out of order here on postcards. But I've done some desk cleaning and these have surfaced. These baby bears are a fabric design for Minted's fabric contest that ends today. Couldn't you see sweet bedding with these little bears on it?

In the same Fabric Frenzy Challenge I did 3 Man Cave fabric designs. This one comes with a coordinating check fabric.

A place I feel like I have been to, but know I have not. The sepia photo makes me think of my grandparent's day... of rustic cabins 'up north'. Lakes without vacation homes. Quiet. Where men went to hunt, and maybe some women too.

Background shot is the modern day lake front in sunny bright color. not far down our shore.

It appears Nancy and I are both trying to get back to watercolor again. Such a difficult medium. I am really looking forward to my watercolor class next month.

Yes... more voting...

Yes more voting, more of me asking for your votes. Minted is one fast paced machine. I am always running to catch up.

That said, I do like my baby bear nursery art. This is for the Pottery Barn Kids challenge. How cute would this be as the art on a nursery wall? Unisex colors and art means you can do the nursery whether you know the sex or not.

If you could manage I would, once again, greatly appreciate your vote. A 5 would be great!

You will need to sign up if you haven't voted before. This is important, then come back and click on the link below again. That will take you to my entry. While you are there feel free to vote for some others if you want.

https://www.minted.com/design-rating/842673?filter=all&sort=designer

I am grateful to each of you who can take the time to vote. I know how busy we all are.

Art Therapy #9.

Nancy's cards just keep getting better. And it is such a delight to open an envelope and get this. Love her colored pencil work to extend the photo. Not to mention the "Ballad of the Sad Cafe" on the back.

Nancy's note with this card... "Hi, Found this 'R' in a pile of vintage fabric scraps and couldn't resist using it. I cut out and colored the leaves and flowers. If you like it, it is yours. N" That is a resounding YES I like it and want it. It has a nice texture in that vintage y type of way. Thank you!

My collage is less exciting as Nancy's fabric piece. I was trying to figure out the color of the new TV room sofa. I've always wanted a red piece of furniture. The swatch second from the bottom is it. It will look less orange in the basement where there is no natural light. It is a Room and Board custom piece. We spent an hour there sitting on and rating sofa after sofa. It will arrive in Fall. A good time to tackle the man cave.

I spent the better part of one day trying to paint some soft pretty backgrounds for Minted.com projects. This snippet is the only bit worth salvaging. But that days lackluster work had me signing up for a watercolor class with Helen Klebesadel on September 19! I am looking forward to that. Check out her work. Join me for the class if you are in the area. Trust me I will be the worst one in the class. Can't wait.

Plz vote for Rae... again.

Thank you to all who voted for my Christmas cards on Minted. They have not yet announced the winners in that category. Fingers are crossed.

I did one entry for the New Year's Photo challenge. And I am pleased with it.

If you have a minute I would love it and really appreciate it if you would vote for me. If you voted last time it will be easy because you already signed up on Minted.

Just go here and hopefully give me a 5! https://www.minted.com/design-rating/831613?filter=all&sort=designer

You can also "like" it, but the 5 is the important thing.

Big thanks!

Art Therapy #8

I am happy that Nancy and I are getting our lives back under control. She's moved. The Miata is gone. The Summer construction is finished. And we are back to sending weekly postcards.

A psychic once told me that I had 3 happy lives in Paris. I do believe that. I often search old photos seeing if something seems familiar. I have moments of deja vu when I see photos of the Montmarte area and the Sacre Coeur. This photo made Nancy think of me. And frankly I can't stop looking at it. When I see it I have that feeling when you are in a dream and can't quite remember something.

I think Nancy is happy in her new creative space. And it is showing in her postcards. Looking forward to a fall visit to see this new space!

These are all shots of textures from the Forge Art Show that was in our neighborhood. It certainly has a moody feel to it. Scroll down if you want to see more from that show.

I spend most of a day drawing these little mid-century looking trees for a Christmas card and then just tossed it all in the trash. One of those days when nothing works. I made this postcard out of the scraps and actually liked it. Maybe it will resurface again some day.

The new porch...

I love porches. That love probably comes from playing on my Grandma's porch when I was little. We have added them to 2 houses. Our condo always has a leak somewhere. So this was the year to address those leaks with a 3 fold plan. Guys who installed the really high windows came back and re caulked those. We put a new rubber roof on the overhang and the area behind the half wall...

And we added a screened in porch. This is above my office so we really needed to address the leak problem.

It is a small space, only 7.5 x 13' and is off our bedroom. It is a little piece of serenity with a 90 degree lake view.

Flooring came from IKEA. It is stained wood and came in 1' squares. They just snap together. I laid half the floor. Feels good on bare feet.

This was old living room furniture on loan to a young doctor friend who is living in a studio apartment. Throw is from Justine. Tray and bird clock are from Julie. Lake coasters from Jane. The girlfriends have good taste. Yes, I know that I have upholstered furniture against a screened window. But this will do until I find vintage 50s heavy bamboo furniture. I will recover the cushions in some Auntie's old grass cloth living room drapes.

Love those bases. Love mid-century modern. Perfect size for small spaces. I assume these are a knock off.

This is an authentic Bertoia chair. Heart made by Justine. On the Handy Andy creeper are Rosie, Betty and Harold sculptures that I made.

I was delighted to furnish the small space with treasures I already own. And when moving things up from the basement what do you think we found? Yes, another leak. At least it is in the basement.

Plz vote for Rae.

I hate to ever ask anyone to vote for me in anything.

But things have changed in the last few years with how we buy things... Netfix, Amazon, iTunes for movies, music, books and pretty much everything else. Buying fonts has also changed. Now there are discount places where you can buy a $1500 bundle of fonts for $39. I can't compete with that.

So I am trying to break into Minted. Minted is a website that has Challenges, which are really Contests, which is really Spec Work. Artists create art based on the current challenge and people vote.

If you do not win you get nothing. I you do win it can be profitable and then you get your own store.

Here are my entries for the latest Christmas Challenge.

Wilderness Christmas will be offered in both color ways. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/821679

Contemporary Ornaments with a retro feel. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/827401

These 4 Holiday cards all use my doodle font illustrations with a few extras drawn and tossed in. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/827381

A water color tree with Outside the LIne fonts. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/821675

This one is probably a bit out there, but I am trying to find my Minted style. https://www.minted.com/design-rating/821661

So, if any of you have the time and energy to vote that would be great. If not I completely understand. We are all too busy.

If you do... 1. Click on a link. It will first make you sign up on Minted. (Sorry)
2. Go back to this post and click on the individual links to vote.

thanks!
Rae