Side Project Fun (or New Bionic Buttercup Gems)

Remember how I told you guys about my second Etsy shop, The Bionic Buttercup?

Well, I thought I'd hopefully brighten your Tuesday and post some of my favorite, quirkiest items from my shop!

Like this mirror haunted by a little girl...




this animal cell necklace...




or this altered landscape painting...




Have a unique Tuesday!

Side Project (or My Ridiculous Art)

So, I'm not totally done with this project, but I can't wait to share it with you...

This past week, my husband, Josh, and I have totally redone our apartment. We deep cleaned, donated boxes and boxes of things that we no longer need, and got ourselves organized. We also rearranged some furniture which (to me) warrants new artwork on the wall! (Any excuse, right?)

My goal was "ridiculous Victorian" and I opted to paint precious portraits of ridiculous things...

I started with some wooden ovals,




penciled in some rough sketches,




mustered all of my rudimentary Bob Ross painting technique and applied it to portraiture!




Taa-daa!







This is my new favorite thing I've ever made for the house, and these little vignettes are going to hang on the wall behind our tv.

In the interest of full disclosure, Josh drew the Ninja Turtle (Donatello, our favorite! He "does machines"...)



All of Josh's 5th grade practice had led up to this momentous tour de force... I'm absolutely blown away by it! Doesn't it look authentic??

Also, we still have one more large oval to do, but we can't decide on what it should be... Any ideas?

Signs Of The Times? (or H1N1 and Omega 3's!)

As previously promised, here's a stenciling job I did on a clock a while back:





At first glance, plague doctors seem rather ghoulish and scary, but I've always found them oddly comforting... They were the ones who stuck around, still trying to heal the sick even in the darkest days of the Black Plague.

I think he looks quite fetching in my favorite color combo of the day: grey and yellow.



And, on a lighter note, here is my first foray into the polymer clay world.



Is it time for lunch yet??

Diversions (or Things I Covet)

There is so much awesomeness online, I can't help but feel compelled to share some of my findings with you. I spend way too much time on the Internet to not do something at least partially constructive with the list of treasures I find...

If you're at all concerned with building a stylish, small, and temporary nest for yourself, I'm sure you're heard of Apartment Therapy. They're the harbingers of design who, in their own words, are "saving the world, one room at a time."

Yesterday, they featured some art that I just refuse to accept as paintings.



I mean, that's got to be a photo from the 70s, right?
Artist David Imlay is clearly a master of the brush. Go read the write-up at Apartment Therapy for more paintings and information.



Also, in keeping with my my love for all things whimsical, bizarre, hilarious, and vaguely old-timey, there is this:



This dandy Boxer dog is the brainchild of The Utilitarian Franchise. Please go check out their Etsy shop. You won't be disappointed.



And finally, here's a picture of an awesome glittery purple skull I bought yesterday.



No, no 99 Cent Store... Thank you!