A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

The colors of the Pumpkin Patch are beautiful, specially here in South Florida where the sunlight is so strong and bright.

A Vampire for Hallooween

Vampire Monkey @ Etsy

Halloween is around the corner! My daughter wants to be a Vampire Girl and my son doesn't really care too much about it, probably because he's older. She has specific instructions about her costume: a white face, fake pointy teeth and a black dress. No cape, because the cape, she says, in only for boys. That should be easy enough to pull.

The Boo Crew Print @ Etsy

I Heart Etsy - Pink Month - Part 3

I have to apologize for the lack of posts this week, but I've been really busy. To close the October Pink Theme, I put together this group of necklaces from Etsy. I can picture myself wearing any of them.

1. Scrabble Tile Pendant - Pink Hope

2. Teardrop Brass Locket Necklace

3. Peruvian Pink Parfait Oval Necklace

4. Shabby Chic Rose Necklace

5. Collage Circle Charm Necklace

New print available in my Etsy shop!

This is the new addition to my Etsy shop. A modern print great for an entry way, bedroom, living room, or even your dorm or office.

I Heart Etsy - Pink Month - Part 2

Last week I posted a collection of pink items from Etsy, inspired by Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The products I featured were pink but were not related to the Breast Cancer theme. The ones featured today help bring awareness to this important subject.

1. Breast Cancer Awareness Sterling Silver Ring

2. Pink Plush Aphid Weirdbuglady

3. Breast Cancer Survivor Inspiring Gift Tags.

I want to add that even though a lot of people and companies sell Breast Cancer Awareness products, not all of them contribute to the cause. Before making a purchase that you think will help fight breast cancer, find out where your money is going. You can always donate directly to organizations that support research or provide help to cancer victims. Think Before you Pink is a really good page to help you determine where your money is going.

A new addition to my Etsy Shop

This is the new print that will be available for sale in my Etsy shop. I posted a few days ago about these prints for nursery or kid's rooms with the same bear character, and this one with a fashionable giraffe.

Retouching Before & After

I spend countless hours retouching models and products, it's part of the long process of designing and producing a mail-order catalog. This is a before and after of a model head shot. Can you tell the difference?

Birthday Party Invitation

I'm planning a small, budget-friendly birthday party for my daughter. She loves theNickJr.showNi Hao, Kai-lan and wanted that theme for her party. This is the invitation I designed for her. The invitation is done in a standard picture size (4x6") and can be printed in any store with photo service which keeps the invitation cost really low. I got a pack of white envelopes that I'll use to mail or hand out the invitations.

I'll be working in decorations and favors in the next couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted with more pictures.

I Heart Etsy - Pink Month

1. Wrought Iron Pink Children's Bench

2. Shelter You Watercolor

3. Vintage Pink and Peach Napkins

4. Birds and Branches Laptop Bag

5. Sweet Cupcake Notecards

6. Manikako Pink

Project Runway - Season 6 - Episode 7

Project Runway last week's episode was a big disappointment. Most of the designs were tasteless or just plain tacky. The only piece that I found decent was this dress designed by Irina.

New Bird and Flowers Print

I have a new listing on Etsy. It's a set of two 5x7" prints with bird and flowers on a dark grey background. Airy, feminine and modern.

They can be hanged next to each other, or one above other.

Another Kid's Print Available on Etsy!

Here is another kid's print I posted for sale on Etsy. A few screen shots of the creation process and the final print.

As usual, I do the line drawing first in black and white.

Then choose a color palette and start adding colors and patterns.

I create little details like this flower.

Make a few dotted outlines.

After adding small details and a bunch of other changes, the illustration is ready to print and frame!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here are couple of surface patterns I did with this theme a while ago.

I Heart Etsy - Hot Air Balloon

The last addition to my Etsy Shop that I posted right here two days ago, gave me the inspiration for this week's collection from Etsy sellers.

1. Hot Air Balloon Invitations

2. Around the World in 80 Days Pendant

3. Penny Farthing for your Thoughts Fine Art Print

4. Enjoy the Journey Paper Bag Card

5. Up and Away Pillowcase

6. Vintage Hot Air Balloon Wall Decal

Project Runway - Season 6 - Episode 6

These are my last week favorites.

Designer: Epperson, Movie Genre: Western

Designer: Christopher, Movie Genre: Period

New Kid's Print Available on Etsy!

I have two lovely new prints available for sale on Etsy. They feature a cute Bear enjoying a unique ride in a Hot Air Balloon. The print is available in two color combinations, to suit a Boy's Room or a Girl's Room.

Bear in a Hot Air Balloon Print for a Boy's Room

Bear in a Hot Air Balloon Print for a Girl's Room

I'm working on more prints for kid's rooms that will be available soon.

Necklace Giveaway

Do you want to win this necklace?

Piruli, the talent behind the Etsy Shop Delicately Wild, is hosting a Giveaway on her blog Lainey Lizzard. The main purpose of this Giveaway is to support and promote the Etsy Spanglish Team. Check the link if you want to enter the Giveaway.

Learn more about the Spanglish Team on flickr here and on Etsy here.

My local Arts & Crafts Show

This weekend I went to my local Arts & Craft Show. One of the sellers I liked was Everything Beaded by Connie Alexander. She specializes in beaded and wired utensils, glassware, stemware and many other products for the home. I got a Etched Nut Scoop from her.

Coffee Scoops by Everything Beaded

Candy/Appetizer Bowl by Everything Beaded

I also got a Carved Luminary from Pottery Creations by Karen, she has a small shop on Etsy but a nice selection at the Arts & Crafts Show.

Luminary from Pottery Creations by Karen

There were many other talented sellers like Pottery Peddler that features hand thrown stoneware pottery by Norine D'Auria.

I Heart Etsy - Cookie Jars

My family loves cookies, all types of cookies, but ironically we don't own a single cookie jar. I'm looking around and window shopping for these treat keepers and that took me to Etsy. Here's a small collection of cookie jars available for purchase.

1. What a Great Canister or is it a Cookie Jar

2. Sage Brush Green Acorn Cookie Jar

3. Ceramic Chocolate Cupcake Cookie Jar

4. Ebony Tears Lidded Jar

5. Limited Series Woodpecker and Tree Cookie Jar

6. Porcelain Jar with Peonies and Branches

Project Runway - Season 6 - Episode 5

Waiting for a new Project Runway show tonight. Here are some of my favorites from last week. I can only imagine how difficult is to make a garment out of newspaper.

Best of Bristish Second Entry

Here's a second entry I submitted to the Best of British Competition from Tigerprint.

Christmas Surface Pattern and Etsy Shop

I've been busy working on new Christmas Surface Patterns and Greeting Cards. I'm also designing new pieces for my Etsy shop, hopefully they will be available in couple of weeks.

100th Post!

I almost can't believe I reached my 100th Post today! I think I've learned some and shared some. I definitely enjoy having a blog and I'll keep posting, learning and evolving.

I Heart Etsy - Spanglish Team

A few days ago I became a member of the Spanglish Team on Etsy. The team is open to Latin immigrants that have adapted to the USA society which is so different from that of our contries of origin, and to second and third generation Latin-American descendants and have evolved that particular and widespread language we call Spanglish.

Today's collection of products available on Etsy are from members of the team.

1. Yo-Yo Computer Tote By Lolos

2. Frida Necklace

3. Red Collar Neck Warmer

4. Woman of the World Print

5. Vintage Cross Stitch Square Fabric Centerpiece (Set of 2)

6. Vintage Whiting and Davis Silver Mesh Evening Purse

There many more talented sellers on the team and I'll feature more in future posts. In the mean time you can check them out on Etsy.

Surface Pattern Design Process

As I was working last night, I thought I could post part of the design steps I follow as I create a pattern. The process varies a little bit with each design, but pretty much this is the way I work.

I had already drawn a sketch on a piece of paper. Once in Illustrator, I draw the outlines of the main characters.

Then I draw the outlines of other design elements. I usually start my designs in black and white, then choose a color palette.

I add fill color and patterns, also details to the drawings.

Then I repeat the motives all over the canvas, flip a few, change colors in other. I also added an extra layer in the background to tie it all together.

Make sure it looks well placed on the canvas and clean the borders.

Of course a while after I'm done, when I look at it again, I find several things I want to change, and in many cases, I do change them. My husband says my staple phrase is "it's not finished". Pretty much his comment to me goes like this: "oh I like what you did, it looks good, nice job honey... I know, I know... it's not finished".

Project Runway - Season 6 - Episode 4

Project Runway Season 6 is on every Thursday at 10 PM (ET) and I love it. I'm not a fashion expert, far from it, but I enjoy seeing the creative process of the designers. What I enjoy the most about the show is to see how you can give the same task, same budget, and same timeline to a group of designers, and each one of them come up with very different approaches and solutions.

Here are my last week favorites, neither one was the winner look.

I love the simplicity of this look by Nicolas. I like the lines, the color and the contrast of fabrics.

I also think this is a great design by Epperson, love the back and the fitting. Very creative with great craftsmanship.

Kleenex Hispanic Culture Designs

Kleenex just released the tissue boxes that feature the winning designs of the contest Con Kleenex Expresa tu Hispanidad (With Kleenex Express your Hispanic Culture). The three winners were: Jaime Maldonado, Paola Lagioia and Jessica M. del Carpio. Congratulations to the three of them! Here you can see the three designs.

The three winning designs.

Jaime Maldonado, Design: Celebracion.

Paola Lagioia, Design: Colores Hispanos.

Jessica M. del Carpio, Design: Simplemente Hispano.

The Cutest Matryoshka Present

What a pleasant surprise I received yesterday when I got the mail! There was this envelope from Mexico, sent by one of the very talented sellers on Etsy: Mi Casita.

The simple and cute return label got me excited already. Inside the envelope I found a cello bag carefully put together with a thank you tag and a sealing matching sticker.

In the bag there was this very well crafted Matryoshka Doll in a zippered pouch. So soft, so cute.

I featured one of Mi Casita's Carminita Matryoshka Dolls couple of weeks ago right here, and Rosy Palma, the designer and crafter, was kind enough to send me a thank you gift.

My daughter made me promise that I would share the doll with her, and she held it gently in her hands.

Thank you Rosy for your generosity. I have to say that I was impressed by the craftsmanship, the attention to every detail, and totally taken by such a cute present.

Best of Bristish

Best of British is the theme of the new contest from Tigerprint. Here's a card design I sent to the contest. This contests are fun little projects that take my mind away from my everyday tasks and I love being a part of them.

I Heart Etsy - Loving White

Labor Day marks the symbolic end of summer and the old school idea of not wearing white after that date. Who follows that rule anymore? I love white all year round, and that gave me the idea for this mini collection of items you can find on Etsy.

1. Heks Mirror Group (Set of 3)

2. Racerback Tank Dress with Marat print

3. Lovebird Bowl in Porcelain

4. Flurry Scarflette

5. Try Not to Cry this Time Notepad

6. Stackable Wooden Toy Sheep

I hope you enjoy your whites and your weekend!