toil and trouble

My good friend Margie Romney-Aslett is a designer who has her own line of products for paper crafting.  She also has a kit club that she runs with her daughters.  Every month The Girl's Loft sends out a kit full to the brim with fun crafting supplies.  The kit for October featured Margie's Halloween line "Toil and Trouble".  The girls sent me a kit to play with because they think I'm the shiz. That's what I like to think anyway.  I finally found a couple of hours when the babies were sleeping to dig into my goodies.

I made candy cones. Okay, they may not be original, but hey, who doesn't love a candy cone?  And candy cones made with Toil and Trouble products? Uh. That's a yes. Any day of the year.

And now, as if this post isn't festive enough, I get to give away an October Girl's Loft kit for you, yes you, if you be the winner.  Believe you me, it's a package of fun.

You can see all that the kit contains here.

You can enter to win said kit by leaving a comment.

You can have a second entry by tweeting this exact comment- @suaviloquy I really want to win @thegirlsloft kit because it rocks and so do you.

I really do love being Queen of this domain. Everyone should be the Queen somewhere.

As Queen I decree that a winner shall be chosen on Monday, October the twenty-fifth in the two hundredth and tenth year of our Lord.  Let it be written. Let it be done.

still buzzin

All photos by Collin Kartchner

Is it really over?

I still feel the magic buzzing in my head.

I still have so much to say to my new friends.

Just one more trip to the Spark Snack bar please.

Just one more class of bubbly women getting paint on their hands please.

Just one more song from Mindy Gledhill pa-leeeese.

Alas, it's over. So much hard work for just two days.

Two days that make it all worth it.

If you were there please friend me on Facebook. I want to stay in touch.  If you weren't there, you might want to start saving for next year.

Spark is pure magic. Undeniable.

I personally didn't have time to take photos at Spark this year so I started a Spark Flickr group so I can see what everyone else captured.  Please join and share.

Now to the winner of the needle keeper. The random number picker chose number five which is Tracy of It's my Life. Congratulations Tracy! Send me your address!

the mascara effect

My mother believes that a little mascara can cure anything.

Stomach flu? "Put on a little mascara honey, you'll feel a lot better."

Broken heart? "Oh go fix up a little with some mascara and things will seem better."

Nine months pregnant with three chins and cankles? "If you put on a little mascara and run a brush through your hair you'd feel more like going out."

My mother truly thinks that mascara is the cure-all. And I have come to love that about her. It's one of the little idiosyncrasies that makes her my mom.

I'm telling you this to make a point. And the point is this: a little cuteness never hurt anybody.

Spark is happening. This weekend.  I've been working like a mad dog. My eyes are boggled and my fingers are sore.  I think I'm ready.

It's been a long haul, but I'm lucky in that I get to work in my studio which is filled with everything I love.  Cuteness abounds.

Not too long ago I bought a little needle holder from My Friend Amy to keep track of all the wicked sharp needles that have made my fingers so very sore.  I named her Lucy. She has red hair and green eyes and she likes peter pan collars. She's a mini me and she makes my sore fingers feel just a little bit better looking at her.

The Amy behind My Friend Amy is a girl who left a corporate job to spend more time with her family. My kind of gal. She makes all sorts of fun little do-dads but needle keepers and tinker spool dolls are her specialty. The fun thing about these little dolls is that you can use them for so many things. They can hold needles, pencil lead, pills, beads, toothpicks or just about any tiny thing you need to keep track of in your purse.

Amy is giving away one of her needle keeper dolls right here on Suaviloquy. See the photo above? That's the cutie up for grabs. If you would like to enter to win you must leave a comment. I want to hear what you do to make life just a little easier to take when the chips are down.

And please click on over to Amy's shop. It's a charming little place to visit, and you might just find your mini me.

P.S. Did you notice that Lucy is yet again, another wooden doll? I just. can't. help. myself.

P.P.S. I'm going off the grid for the rest of the week. I'll miss you all like mad, but this girl's taking her show on the road. I will return and report next Monday with all the Spark details and the lucky, lucky winner of the needle keeper.

pick a winner, any winner

marcinema

I thought instead of randomly drawing a name, maybe I'd pick the winner for this latest giveaway. So many times I'd read a new comment and think, oh that's who I should pick, yeah, she really wants it, she never wins anything, she is longing for the beach, she loves aqua, she's bought my jewelry before, etc. etc. etc.

Bottom line is I can't do it.

So I asked the Boy to pick a number between one and fifty-two.

He said, "Eighty."

I said, "No, a number between one and fifty-two. It has to be no more than fifty-two."

He thought for a bit. "Pick a number or say a number?"

I was getting impatient. "Just say any number. The first one that comes to your head."

"One hundred."

"No. I said no more than fifty-two."

"You said just say any number that I think."

"Forget it."

"What?"

"Forget I asked."

He played with his legos for a bit and then he said, somewhat to himself, "If I were going to pick a number between one and fifty-two, I'd pick fifty-two because it's the biggest."

And so number fifty-two it is. Heather Taylor, who is my cousin. She is a newly-wed and she came to San Diego on her honeymoon. So she kind of doubly deserves to win.

That's how it all went down. It seems my son has inherited my aptitude for mathematics. He's practically a freakin' genius.

Whatever.

click to enlarge

beach bummin'

I've always thought that the dead of Winter was a good time to do a beach inspired post. I know you are probably stuck at home with the kids and the stinky wet snow boots and the heater drying out your sinuses. You probably aren't coming to Carlsbad this week, so I thought I'd come to you.

And just for fun, I thought I'd have a little giveaway of a necklace that might bring you just the slightest bit of remembrance of warmer days. Beach days.



Leave a comment to enter to win the above necklace. We will randomly pick a winner on Friday.

OR- don't enter. Just head on over to the shop and check out these "Mermaid" earrings that I'm having a awfully hard time parting with.

AND here's a few of my recent
illustrations that I think would
make great embroidery projects.
Try as he might, my dad just doesn't make a very sexy merman.

sidebar flare- you need it

Okay girls.

There are still some registrations slots left for Spark. Why? I haven't a clue. I mean, who wouldn't want to come?

Seriously.

So.

Put this little gem on your blog sidebar, link it to http://www.sparktheevent.com/, and you will be entered to win the earrings above.

They are some of my favorites you know, these earrings.

Also, if you come to your senses and sign up to come to Spark, you will get a second entry.

Earrings plus Spark?

Fabulous.

Leave me a comment on this post letting me know that you linked up and if you are registered to come to Spark. I will announce the winner on Halloween!

sugar and spice

My mom circa 1950 and her little cousin, Paulette. Evidently, sharing did not come naturally to her.

A toddling little girl is a centre of common feeling which makes the most dissimilar people understand each other.
-- George Eliot

Little girl stuff makes me melt. Seriously. Melt.

I bought this handmade jacket on Etsy a little while ago. It is made from a vintage table cloth.

My mother-in-law knitted this sweet little sweater for me from a Hadley Fierlinger pattern. She used the softest Debbie Bliss casmerino yarn. I just need a little pixie to put it on.

If you are so blessed to have a little girl patting around in your house, you must, must, must click over to Mountain Aven Baby and have a look around. I meet Blair through Etsy and everything she makes is absolutely adorable for girls and boys.

Blair is giving away a $25 gift certificate to one lucky winner who leaves a comment. She is also having a big sale! Go! Go now and have a look!

And everyone knows a cute outfit requires cute bows to go with it. So. . .

Let me just introduce you to the maven o' cute hair babbles, Amy. Amy owns and runs Flowerzinherhair.com. Here's what she had to say about her work:

"I love the business aspect as well as creating things. So when I started making bows, and headbands, it became a great outlet for both my business side and my creative side. I have been making bows and selling them for about 3 years.

I bought flowerzinherhair.com at the beginning of this year from a remarkable woman that I was able to spend a lot of time with. She taught me some valuable things from her style of bow making and the technical aspects of running a website. I was able to merge her ideas with my own and create a website that I am really proud of, and more than anything, I absolutely love love love what I do."

Amy is also offering a $25 gift certificate and 10% off to Suaviloquy readers. Her bows are very affordable and I swear she has a billion different styles. Check out her site.

You know the drill- leave a comment and be in the drawing for both gift certificates. One comment per person please. No sneaky stuff. I know all the tricks. I've tried them myself.

I'll announce the winner on Monday!

because sally tomato said so

I can't believe that I've been at this for an entire year. I've written so much, given a fair amount of things away and complained a little. Here's to many more years of having my own daily soap box.

Do you have a favorite Suaviloquy post? I'd like to know which one it is. Leave it in the comments.

"I've got to do something about the way I look. I mean
a girl just can't go to Sing Sing with a green face." -Holly
Golightly

I mentioned not to long ago that I had found some ear plugs. I didn't want any old ugly orange ones like Sugar Daddy used to wear in law school. A girl like me needs fashion.

So I turned to the Queen of Fashion herself. Holly Golightly.

She never steers me wrong. I found the sweetest little tassel ear plugs around. And girls, they were only $6. You must check out JenGen's little shop on the web. Sally Tomato gives it two thumbs up.

I've been wearing them around annoying the living daylights out of my family. When they ask me to do something I just point to the tassels and mouth "I CAN'T HEAR YOU" and give a shrug.

You know me. I can't keep something this good all to myself. I have to share the love. I have five, yes five pairs of ear tassels in varying designs to give away. Leave a message and you will be in the drawing. And don't forget to tell me if you have a favorite post from 2008 if you had one. I will pick a winner on Wednesday. If you aren't lucky enough to win a pair, for heaven's sake, go to the website and buy some. They are only $6!

P.S. If you don't know who Sally Tomato is, I don't know why you are still reading this post. Go rent the movie already!

audrey eclectic

"A Mother's Prayer"
Leave a comment and win this Audrey Eclectic Print!

The haunting season is upon us and I find that now is the perfect time to introduce you to an artist whose work I find mesmerizing, beautiful and haunting!

Heather is a wife, mother and folk artist living in northeastern Oklahoma. She has been painting and creating in some form or another since she was a little girl, but it wasn't until she had her own daughter that she felt truly inspired to start her own business, Audrey Eclectic, so named after her little muse.

One of the things that I really like about Heather's work is that it is green. Here's what she had to say about her eco friendly process:

Becoming a mother has also made me more conscious of what kind of world I want to leave my daughter, so I am happy to recycle through my art whenever I can: many of my paintings start their lives as boards at construction sites, with the scraps in the trash pile coming home to me. I wash them, sand them, paint them and voila: a beautiful painting where once there was nothing but scrap.

Take a moment to browse her shop. Her art is surprisingly affordable and would make a great Christmas gift. She has several pieces that would look lovely on my walls at Christmas. You can also see more of her work on her blog.

A winner will be randomly selected on Thursday morning. Please check back to see if you are the lucky duck that day. I will need you to send me your shipping information. Good luck!

Oh, and I want to wish my most favorite sister-in-law of all time, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!

second sister

This photo was taken in 1980. I was five, and my Irish twin, Heidi, was six. We were born only eleven months apart. We spent everyday of our childhood together. We were everything to each other. My sister spoke for me before I uttered my first word. She was my first confidant and my partner in crime.

When my little sister, Amy, came along five years later. Heidi and I viewed her as the youngster, the interloper. But life is funny, as we have grown older, Amy and I have formed a friendship that is as deep as my childhood bond with Heidi. There is nothing like having a sister that is also your best friend.

My relationship with each of my sisters is unique. We relate to each other in different ways. We live in three different states and at times I miss them both so much my chest hurts and my eyes sting. I long to hear Heidi laugh and listen to Amy use the lingo of our childhood.

I am so excited to feature today's artist and give you a chance to win some of their work. In the spirit of sisterhood, this one's for Heidi and Amy.

Say Your Piece

Eileen is a ceramicist who works out of Fairfield, California. She started an online company called Clayful Moments which specializes in beautiful clay impressions of the hands and feet of babies and small children. She expanded her work when she opened her Say Your Piece Etsy shop. All of her pieces are customizable and unique. You can also check out her other Etsy shop for more designs.

I am planning on ordering Thom's teachers personalized dishes for Christmas. They are just the right price!

Leave a comment and win this set of "sisters" dishes.
Sleep and Her Sisters

Katherine Quinn is an artist who lives in Napier, New Zealand. She creates the most whimsical and feminine paintings. She sells her originals in several different galleries. Her Etsy shop is Sleep and Her Sisters. She sells prints and magnets that would make a great stocking stuffer for your own family members. You can also read more about her here on her blog.

Leave a comment and win this print from Katherine Quinn!

Okay folks, I'm going to say this again.

You must leave an individual comment for each item you would like to win!

Sorry to yell, but because each item goes to a different winner, I need to have two separate lists. Your comment will not be included in the drawing if you don't specify. Sorry to be so strict, but that's just how the cookie crumbles.

The drawing will take place Monday morning. Please check back in to see if you have won. I will need you to send me your shipping address.

a little art will do ya good

I've been thinking a little lately about art. I wanted to find out exactly how, in general, art effects us as humans. I googled "how art effects society". I got this answer from WikiAnswers:

Art is a reflection of the society. Art is influenced by society, not the other way. Societies record their achievements in art forms, as did the Romans, pre-Islamic Arabs, Chinese, etc; and their advancements are judged by the grandeur of their art.

Totally lame. And Wrong. Society is influenced by art. Case in point- billions of Spiderman and Cinderella costumes will be sold this Halloween.

So I had to dig deeper. I have spent a little time reading here and there on various academic sites. I am yet to find an answer that totally satisfies me. What I do know is this: humans have a fundamental and God given desire to create. Some of us more than others, but still, it is there.

We can also be deeply touched and moved by other people's creations. I know that every time I walk past certain pictures in my house, or listen to a really good song, I feel a little happier.

Here's a chance to enrich your life with a little art. And I mean "little" literally.

Ching is a full time artist living in Malaysia. She has been commissioned to paint for hotels and interior designers. She loves where she lives and fully embraces the many cultures that make up her world. These influence can be found in her work. I'd love to met Ching someday, she laughs a lot in her emails. My guess is she is a very happy person. You can see more of her work here and here.

She has donated this beautiful little mandala for the give away. Most of Ching's pieces are rather large, but for this little art post, she has sent me a smaller piece. It is only 3"X 3". The winner will also receive 10% off anything in her shop.

Lauren Simone is a map artist who lives in Portland, Maine. She had this to say about her "Farmscape" series:

Aerial Farmscape utopias are something I've been playing
with lately, dreaming of the future. My boyfriend and I want to
start a cob-house community with a farm with our friends -- I'd
help build and run educational programs and cook. Perhaps a far off dream, but we'll see.

Lauren's other maps are remarkable in that she uses the shapes of various human organs and transforms them into countries and land masses. You can see more of Lauren's work here and read her blog here.

She has donated this little farm landscape to be given away. It is only 3 1/2 " X 2 1/2". I think it would look darling float mounted on linen and hung in the perfect little spot.

If you would like to be in the drawing for one of these little pieces, please leave a comment. The drawings will be done separately with my random number picker so you will need to leave a comment for each piece you are interested in winning.

Here's to a more artful life!