This is what I was working on in my last post - little paper swans with movable wings!  Oh, these were fun to make and very satisfying.

It has been years (literally) since I played with gouache paint and I was quickly reminded how tricky of a medium it can be.  It doesn’t seem like it would be but I had gotten so used to painting with watercolor that applying paint in this fashion felt a little uncomfortable.  But you know what they say about discomfort and growth!

Anyway, do they look familiar?  I based the design off of my Leda the Swan (sewing pattern).   I really love vintage-style soft things and characters and I tried to capture that  in this paper birds with their thick lashes, simple design and sparkly-ness.  (Isn’t glitter the best thing ever?)  After I took these photos I punched holes at the top and added some gold thread so that I may hang them up.

They like to hang out (ha!) with Peter Rabbit, for now.  I might need to make a flock of these, yes?  That’s a distinct possibility.  And once I got started making these swans,  I thought such things might find themselves quite at home in le shop.

Hee hee, can’t you tell I had fun taking pictures of these?

A lovely Tuesday to you!

Yay!  I’m super excited about these!  I’m totally thrilled with how they turned out; I hope you like them.

“Our Tree Dresses” is my latest hand-drawn illustration, set on lovely light blue-gray Canson paper.   Pretty gold glitter toppers too.  I would love a hat like that!

The size A1 (3.5×5″) cards are professionally printed on 100% recycled card stock with soy inks.  Each card has a matching kraft envelope which is also 100% recycled.  I guess you could say I was going for a “green” Christmas, hee hee.

Oh!  And included in each set are red & white candy button seals to pretty up your envelopes.

I have sets in 2 sizes: 5 card and 10 card sets.  The 5 card sets come specially wrapped like a sweet treat:

Quantities are limited this year.  Ah, here’s the back view:

If you want 3 or more of the 5 card sets, please let me know, and I can give you a fabled needle discount.  Just email me or contact me through le form.

» See “Our Tree Dresses” 5 Card Sets here.

» And see the 10 Card Sets here.

Here it is again, my Paperclay Mushroom Tutorial.  I do advocate the making of mushrooms as there’s something very meditative about it.  The shaping is fairly easy and mindless.

For this year’s holiday season I made some in pink with sugary tops. (I simply dusted hem with clear glitter right after I applied the clear acrylic varnish to the caps.)  Oh, and while you are waiting for them to dry, you could be making something in the crock-pot, perhaps a stew with mushrooms in it.  Or a mushroom salad.  OR a mushroom loaf!  Now THAT would be fun.

(If you don’t believe how fun this is, check out this crafty gal’s mushrooms for more inspiration!)