the monster mash

Ahhhhh. Here we are again. Feature Friday. Where yours truly touts the merits of some of my artsy friends and bestows upon lucky people the wears of those artisans free of charge. I think I might have missed my calling in life. I should have been a philanthropist.

First up today we have Cuthbert, who likes baked beans and trampolines but not at the same time. He heralds from the Weebeastie family of Torquay, England. He was made by Kate Dowling who after making a sock monster for her pregnant boss, was overcome with a complete obsession (to make monsters that is) which has lead to a shop and website. She is an interior designer by day, monster maker by night.

Meet Angela. Angela likes putting her head in the fridge and waiting for time to stop. She talks to birds. She was made in Poznan' by an doll artist from Buenos Aires. She is from the KooKoo Doll Family owned and run by Maru.

Maru is a charming Argentinian living in Poland. She describes herself as a traveler, teacher, dancer and artist. Here is a message I got from her:

hi! marla is sold, la llorona (angela) no, so angela will be. i am very sorry for
not giving more info right now, i am going rightaway to berlin, do not want to loose my train. on monday we can talk again.

have a nice weekend!

maru

See, I told you. She's charming.

Last but not least, we have Harold. He enjoys walks in the park and granny smith apples. He's from a monstrous-looking, furred race. They have enormous eyes. They move by dragging themselves along the ground. They are omnivores. They have only one child at a time making Harold a rare breed indeed.

UltraPunch!™ TOY Co. is an independent toy company located in Central Pennsylvania. Dedicated to the idea of handmade and imaginative toys for children and the young at heart.

So there it is. The monster mash. Here's how to play. Leave a comment saying which monster you would like to win. If you would like to be in the drawing for more than one monster you must leave a comment for each monster. I will use my handy dandy random selector thingy on Monday morning and announce the winners.

If you aren't lucky this week, and you don't win a monster, look around these sellers shops. You may just find a buddy that suits you. Oh, and if you had to look up Torquay and Poznan', your not alone.

design sunday

Today is all about European jewelry artisans. If you are into this type of thing, like I am, definitely check out Deep Fling. It is a store here in Carlsbad that only carries Scandinavian jewelry. It took me a while to narrow down my favorites. I finally decided to feature artists that I plan to buy from in the near (meaning if and when my Etsy sales allow) future.

Rosa Templin Bunny Necklace

German designer Rosa Templin is celebrated in Europe for her playful, imaginative, and delectable looking jewelry. Her pieces have stories to tell, sometimes romantic, sometimes pure fun, always delightful. These creations are available in the United States only at the Shop in the Garden.

Polly Wales Hand cut Silver and Felt Earrings

After graduating from the Royal College of Art, London based Polly Wales put her creative juices to work and began crafting her own jewelry label. The talented designer works with a variety of materials including semi precious stones, resin, metals, felt, crystals, and even bread. Wales’ designs run the gamut from bracelets, brooches, rings, to earrings, with each stunning piece possessing a modern, eclectic feel. The artist also plays up her pieces with bold contrasting colors, making for a neat and striking effect. Although I am not a big fan of her other design styles, I have been drooling over her hoop earrings for months now.

Her earrings are available at Barney's New York.

Anne Black Porcelain Jewelry

The young designer Anne Black, is one of Denmark's most influential and contemporary ceramic designers. Each piece in her collection, distinctive for its shape, is decorated with a number of different graphic perforations, decals, hand paintings or a combination of these applied designs. Anne's approach to porcelain is uncompromising. Each product is unique, crafted by hand, and of high quality materials.

I bought my first Anne Black piece just a few weeks ago from Deep Fling. It is a flower necklace with little periwinkle squares. I love it. I have my eye on some of her bowls for my next purchase.