Inspiration.

Happy monday everyone! I have to first say...WOW! What a weekend I've had! I was featured on ETSY's homepage, and I will tell you, I have made so many great friends and met so many incredible people because of it! I heart ETSY!!! It's like this amazing art gallery shop full of incredible products, but even more, really cool people! I love that ETSY encourages so much communication between artists for support, advice, etc. So, thanks to all of you who popped in to say hello! I have loved looking at your shops, and hearing your experiences! I have tried to reply to most all of you, but if I haven't replied, I will be soon. In the mean time...know I have loved meeting all of you this weekend! I love the internet, but honestly, I would much rather throw a BBQ and meet all you in person:) You are all an inspiration! Speaking of inspiration, I have been thinking "what made me want to become an artist." There is never one single answer to this, and the one that I gave in the interview is the most true to experience. I don't remember a time that I wasn't an artist. But there are always supports a long the way, and I wanted to share one of mine (there are many).

My Grandpa Knell was an artist. He was an architect professionally, but I think that a lot of architects start out as artists. He loved design and the functionality of design. But he also had a big imagination. He died almost 3 years ago, but he instilled in me a great love of drawing and somehow gave me the confindence to pursue my talents. I often remember him at the kitchen table sketching out designs with his sons, or drawing with the grandkids. This weekend, we had a family reunion and my aunt had brought some drawings grandpa had made on paper lunch bags who knows how many years ago. How precious! Not only because he is gone now, but also because they are doodles on lunch bags which to me represents that a true artist will draw on just about ANYTHING!! His caricatures were always so artsy/funky. I love it!!

My grandfather was one of my many inspirations, but something about being his grandaughter gave me permission to live my dreams.

So, I would like to know...who has inspired you to do what you love? Family? Fellow artist?

Therapy.

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Does your brain ever feel like this:

“Foldthelaundrymakebreakfastfinishthedishescleanupbreakfastcallthedentistgotothelibrary

getgasinthecarpickupperscriptionpickuptoysgothepostofficebuystampscatchuponemailpaybills

vacuumfigureoutwhatinthehecktomakefordinnerfinsighaugustandseptemberprintssortthroughmail

takethekidstothepoolsendbirthdaycardblahblahblahblah!!!!!!”

Ok. So how do you snap out of stress-crazy-mommy-brain? Do tell.

Today my therapy was crazy monkeys and stationery.

Me: Ian, time to wake up!

Ian: Opens his big puppy dog eyes, looks me in the eyes, and says “Hi Guys!”

Addie: “OH mommy! We love our chudders!”

(For a girl with a bright vocabulary, I just love that she still mispronounces "each other")

Oh, and one more. Before dinner, Addie comes up to me, and in a British accent says:

“Mother, may I have a spot of cheese?”

Just melt me now!

What else to do when my brain is on overload?

I instinctively create really simple art. It’s not planned, it just comes. And I have to do something about it, or my brain stays fried.

OK…so here we have NEW stationary!!! Horray!! I have only been selling postcards really, and as much as I love postcards, I am a sucker for hand printed paper! This paper is lovely. It has a similar feel to my art prints: almost watercolor paper. Slightly textured, and soft. Love it. I just can’t get over how cute these cards are! These animal pairs really come to life on these printed cards.

I also have another addition to the shop: Grace is in card size now. Perfect for pinning up, or sending.And since we are talking about updates: My AUGUST print is coming! Late, but for good reasons:)

Ahhhh...so the brain is feeling better now. Now to sneak that Key lime pie Kenneth made today (baking it was his therapy). I love my life.

Ahoy there!

Ahhhhh....we're back! Hello! How are you! I have missed catching up with all y'all. Ok, yes, I spent a week in the South....and LOVED it!!! I grew up in Maryland, right outside of DC, and my family is still there which means I don't get to see them much (boo hoo cry) but even worse, my parents don't get to see their grandkids much (boo hoo CRY!!!!!). So, we just had the best week EVER! Instead of hanging around my parents' house, we decided to hang around our favorite East coast beach location: Corolla, NC. Any of you OBX people? OBX= Outer Banks. There is a strip of sand (ok...land) off the coast of North Carolina that is at some points no more than a few hundred yards wide. One side is the ocean, the other side is called the "sound." So essentially, you are never more then a few steps away from water anywhere you go. HEAVEN!!!

Here are a few favorite pics:

kisses all three

my surfer babe husband

by surfer BABE

Addie in a rainstorm that took the power out

My sister, Mom and I

View of the Corolla light house

yummy fresh seafood

Oh, and that picture of the crab has a story: Kenneth and I picked up some live crab at a fish market down the street and steamed up crab for a lovely dinner. My whole family sat around the table cracking away. Addie, who had never seen any one EAT a crab (they had been playing with toy crabs at the beach) saw Kenneth devouring this thing. "Daddy! Why are you cracking that crab's head!!!!" She panicked. Oh, that was a hard moment:)

Virginia is for lovers!

Reading prose as dusk.

On the way home from NC, Kenneth and I took the kids for an afternoon in Williamsburg. Gorgeous. With the kids, we couldn't do much more than walk around outside, talk with the locals (actors in period costumes) and douse ourselves in ice cream (Virgina+July= HOT!) But, oh we had a blast. My kids were so reluctant to say goodbye to Nani and Papa! As was I. Oh, and did I mention I had no cell phone reception and very little internet reception? It takes being without to realize how much you spend your day WITH!! I highly recommend going on a internet diet every now and again. Seriously, after a week without, and then going to Colonial Williamsburg, I am seriously thinking about moving to Amish country. Ok, I think I like my computer too much! But oh it was nice!!

Well, I can't wait to catch up with you all, and sorry for any delayed emails! I am back and rolling!

xoxo, sarah jane

Summer Days.

Oh the lazy days of summer. What would I do without them!

Hello! I have been away from blogging and internet in general, and folks, I highly recommend it! I am in North Carolina with my family soaking up the beaches, and I am telling you, this is therapy at its best! We have been getting tons of rain, and quite a few violent thunderstorms...the kind that require hot cocoa and a few board games wrapped in a blanket. Where we are I don't have cell phone reception, very little internet reception, and we have even had a few power outages which frankly have been so romantic. Eating dinner and going to bed by candlelight is my kind of summer evening.

Speaking of rainy days, good thing I brought tape, paper, scissors and plenty of coloring tools. We have been spending many a afternoon with paper creations. If I was home though, I would be making these: have you been keeping track of all her at-home-projects? So perfect for those rainy days (these projects take a little planning, but I can't wait to try them with the kids!)

Hope you are all enjoying some good doses of summer. It takes a lot for me to indulge in lazy-go-with-the-flow days, but I will tell you it does wonders for the busy mom.

I will be back soon! Most likely after I get home and into real life. Right now, I am convinced that real life should require more "lazy days" than it has in the past. Oh thank goodness for Lazy Days!

Taking home Hawaii.

(picture courtesy of my sister in law Dana)

She's getting pretty good. It's just her size. Jack Johnson...move over. She's coming!

Hello July!

July. Has to be one of my favorite months. I love summer. I love being in the water. I love sunshine. And it is my birthday.

July's print is here! Barely made it into the shop before July 1st. But here she is. Ready to jump in. Or is she? Do you remember the first time you just went for it? Jumped off the diving board into water your friends swore to you was warm? Or off the edge into the deep end? Or do you still have to decide if you will jump in or go in slowly down the stairs?

July is full of REALLY tough decisions.

But before we get to July, let's talk a little more about June. Today is a very special birthday. My Grandma Knell.

(she's the babe in the center)

This woman has done it all. Kindergarten teacher turned mother of 10. To have 10 kids, you have to be creative....or else. She is AMAZING!

(here she is, center again this time with all her kids)

Sewer of all thing, maker of all things, orchestrator of all things creative. You got an apple core? She'll dry it, put a face on it and make it into a wrinkled old man statue. Got some left over fabric? She'll make a grocery bag saver. Have some paper scraps? She'll make an intricate paper Christmas ornament.

Well, I couldn't think of any thing better to give her, than her own personalized paper doll. Addie loves to play with Grandma when we visit, and I thought a fun activity they could do together, would be to play paper dolls (since my Grandma loves paper and loves dolls. Still. I am sure she rearranges the furniture in her doll house when no one is around.)

So, Vera Jewel...Jewel for short (great name isn't it?) gets her own monogrammed doll (notice the underwear) complete with rain coat and sunday best. Can't wait to have her play with Addie. Or me for that matter.

I am a little addicted, and I think I will be making more of these. I can't get over how cute she is! Be watching for a Free Download soon. These are just too much fun!!

Well, happy June 29th Vera Jewel, and for tomorrow, happy July every one! Just dive in!

Colors of summer

You know it's summer when colors start looking like this:

My 3 year old can sew her own clothes.

It's 1pm and Addie won't take a nap.

Addie, It's time for bed.

But mom, I'm awake.

No you're not. You need to go to sleep. You are so tired.

Mom, I want to be with you.

Go to bed.

But there are monsters.

Go to sleep.

Mom, can I sew a dress?

What?

Pause.

Puppy dog eyes.

OK. Let's sew a dress.

I have always been interetsed in teaching Addie to sew. I knew as soon as she learned, she would be hooked. I just didn't know the right age to start. She is 3 1/2 and needles and such aren't much for 3 year olds. But I pulled out a yarn needle, and a full length of embroidery thread, and we began to sew. And amazing! She got the hang of it!

Poke it in/Pull it out/Pinch the eye/ pull until it stops/ poke again close to where it came out.

She is a rhythm girl, and even began singing a song about the above routine.

Hum-dee-dum. Pinching the needle. toodle-oo. Poke it through.

Seriously folks...she sewed every stitch in this dress. Granted it didn't last long, but I couldn't believe it.

But she is hooked. Every day since: "Mom, can we sew today?"
And now she notices her toys, clothes, blankets, couch pillows: "Mom! Somebody sewed this for me! I can see the thread!"

Since this dress, she has made a dress for Flower and a toy cow and is working on a blanket for her baby.

I can't wait to get her an embroidery hoop. She may still be too young. But this might be just the thing to keep her away from Barbi just one more year.