This week is going to be all about great resources for art, jewelry and other types of crafty projects. One of my favorites for art imagery is a great artist by the name of Beth Wilts. She creates the most intricate and wonderful rubber stamps to use in collaging, painting and just about any kind of art. Don't go to her site looking for cutesy stamps because your more likely to find vintage maps, watches, intricate lace borders and a plethora of other things.

Her company is called "Above the Mark" and has been around since 1996 and her catalog of stamps just grows and grows and grows. Here are a couple of my favorites you can find on her site, along with images from artists who use her stamps to create their own art.

Enjoy!

At first glance you do a double take. But then it starts to dawn on you that its a chair...a resin and doilly chair. O.k., doilly is really not right but well, that's what it looks like. Just a lot nicer then the doillies I remember under the lamps in my grandmas house.

Awesome chair from artist/designer Marcel Wanders. He has a cool website and of course this chair really is awesome.

Now I just need a house this would fit in.........

Another lovely artist. Even her logo is awesome which is only a little glimmer of the lovely things you are going to find once you enter her site. Yes, artist Charlotte Cynthia Walton does beautiful jewelry, sculptures, paintings and illustrations. Her work is lovely, whimisical and dark in some cases.

Grab a cup of tea, curl up in a snuggly sweater and spend some time on with Charlotte. You won't regret it!

I'll be glad when April is over. However, we still have wonderful artists and other great things to cover so we are going to start the week with "Cats in Slacks".

That got your attention huh? Well, head on over to see what all the buzz is about. Its fun, there are lots of cats available still and well....its just a great way to start the week off.

Things like this make me happy!

Nothing needs to be said about this beautiful blank book. The possibilities.....

Available from Candlemark & Gleam.

In late August of 2001 I found this artist named Fain Hancock. She was why I started painting. I saw her work at a gallery in Palo Alto and was shocked in to the realization that art didn't have to be fruit in a bowl. I didn't have to draw people or places but instead art could be about a concept, a feeling or the way you see the world and not how others expect you to see it. To this day two of Fains paintings hang in my house and every day they inspire me to continue to create, work and do what I love. The work I do today is so much more worthwhile and self-fulfillling than anything else I've ever done. I am more comfortable in my own skin and the world around me isn't as crazy as I once thought it was.

After I bought two paintings from Fain I went to the MOMA in San Francisco to see an exhibit of Matisse paintings and other impressionists. I also ran across a book in the store called "Teaching Children Art". From that book I was inspired to teach myself to paint, collage, draw and eventually create jewelry. Six years later I am here at the beginning of a lifetime of learning new artsy things and continually thinking to myself there is never enough time in the day to see, do and learn all the things I want to.

Happy Weekend! Enjoy the painting from Fain on this page, it is one of her latest and if you are in the Bay Area be sure to stop by Hang in San Francisco and see her work in person. While it is beautiful on the web you can't truly appreciate the finer nuiances without seeing it up close and personal. Sort of like the Mona Lisa.

Just in case you forgot Mothers Day is coming up on May 13th and what better gift to get Mom then jewelry from Charming Sam (of course!). Mom's love jewelry from Charming Sam and with free shipping you can't go wrong. Visit the store and enter FREESHIP during checkout for free UPS ground shipping. Order by May 5, 2007 and get guaranteed delivery for Mothers Day, May 13th! Earrings on the left are called "Emerald Palace" and made of hand hammered gold filled bars, dark green emeralds and beautiful praynite a wonderful gift for any mom.

Also, Charming Sam jewelry is running a contest with Mi-Spa so be sure to enter here for a chance to win every week in April.

There is never just one final inspiration....instead I have thousands. But I thought I'd share all my favorite artists and crafty people over at Etsy. To the left is a piece from an artist I've been enamored with lately, Renee over at Thompson Designs. But if you really want something to do here are ALL of my favorites at Etsy.

Enjoy! Happy Weekend and I'll see you on Tuesday. I'm off Monday in celebration of my daughters birthday.

Cheers!

Amy

Another book that has been a huge inspiration in the last couple of months is called Kaleidoscope: ideas + projects to spark your creativity by Suzanne Simanaitis. There are so many amazing projects and beautiful artwork it is really worth the price of $24.99. And because it is a soft cover you can haul it around fairly easily. I keep carrying it around in my purse thinking I'll have more time to read it but I've still only read a couple of the projects. One I think is especially interesting is Mail Art. I love the idea of creating a postcard and either swapping with someone else or sending it to myself. Somehow it appeals to me. So, if you are interested in swapping some mail art email me!

A beautiful book and full of inspiration for all kinds of art whether its jewelry, journaling or sewing. Another great thing is the editor also happens to be the voice behind ARTitude zine. Cool huh!

I know it is cliche to say Paris is beautiful but it really is. I couldn't have imagined how truely wonderful the city was without having the opportunity to visit on several occasions. As soon as Sam is able I'll be taking her to the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, a trip down the Seine and walking the avenues and drinking French coffee in a real Paris cafe.

Paris is a continued source of artistic inspiration for me and the Hotel Le Meurice has been my latest inspiration. I designed my Spring/Summer 2007 jewelry line around the beauty of this hotel and of course the beauty of Paris .

The hotel website is lovely and if you ever have the chance to stay at Le Meurice you should. And of course, you'll get some inspiration from Paris or the Le Meurice.

Cheers!

Collages and journaling are symbiotic. My newest blog site that I think is truly wonderful is called "Treats & Treasures of a Journal Keeper". Artist Marieke Berghuis makes collage journals. They are wonderful. I only wish I could commit all my little bits of paper and photos and ticket stubs to a journal. I am afraid. Yes, it's true ... fear rules my ability to create art. Well, at least in this case it does. Maybe it isn't fear but "commitment". If I commit that little scrap of paper with the beautiful flower on it to a specific page but then later decide I want to use it somewhere else?? Instead I live with piles and piles of magazines, scraps of paper, objects and all manner of other things.

Anyway, visit Treats & Treasures to see some lovely journals and maybe get some inspiration.

This week is going to be about inspiration. Partially because Sam's birthday is this week so I'm feeling a little melancholy. (My little girl is growing up....boo-hoo!) She'll be three. I know, I know, three is just three but I swear she is growing up very fast.

The first inspiration this week is from artist Lulu De Kwiatkowski who has a beautiful book of collages that can be found at your local bookseller, self titled "Lulu". She also has her own company where you can see her textile designs.

What a beautiful name! I wish I'd been born with a name like "Sierra Bailey"(sorry mom). If Sierra becomes famous she won't have to change her name because it is just the right amount of syllables and flows from the tongue like a beautiful flower.

O.k., so enough about her name she also happens to be an artist that does really gorgeous, vintagy jewelry with charms and cool chains. The name of her company is "Manic Trout" which I am sure there is a cool story behind...but oh, to have a name like Sierra Bailey.....

Anyway, Sierra has a cute blog, website AND of course an Etsy store. Grab your morning cereal and check out some of her designs, especially these limited edition charmy necklaces!

Since it has been a really, really, really long time since I did some shameless self promotion here I thought today would be a good day. Mostly because my Etsy shop has some really great buys and there are lots of one of a kind items. This pair of hoop earrings are really pretty with the Siam Swarovski crystals and are only $10.00!

I get asked quite a bit, "what is the difference between your Charming Sam store and your Etsy store?" The difference is everything at http://store.charmingsam.com is current season and while I sell it on my website it is also sold through retailers around the country. My Etsy store is for one of a kind, limited availability and discontinued designs. So the most of any one design that might be sold on Etsy is probably about six pieces. And of course there are lots of designs where there is only one. I also use my Etsy store to prove design concepts and to see if they sell. If it takes months and months to sell a one of a kind piece then you'll probably never see that item added to my Charming Sam boutique line.

I have also bought so many findings and things over the years that sometimes I just need to clear things out so I can buy new stuff. That is where you get a lot of the$5.00 pieces on my Etsy site.

Anyway, if you haven't stopped by my Etsy store recently you should take a cruise over there and see what's new! This cool necklace is available now for $20!

Cheers,

Amy

I was suppose to start designing my fall jewelry line months and months ago. However time has gotten away from me along with the inspiration for a new line. I want to continue in the vein of some items from this spring/summer collection such as the hammered gold, mixed chains and fabric covered necklaces. Unfortunately the collection doesn't flow well so I am continuing to work.

As part of this process I look at what other jewelry designers are doing. One of my favorite fine jewelry designers is "Ten Thousand Things". Their jewelry is opulent in an organic way and the use of unique handmade findings make each piece a work of art. I've picked out a few things here that are my favorites for wearing now! You can see their full line at Ylang23 and Twist.

I've had Anna's work on my desk for at least two weeks and am just now getting to show you her lovely textiles. As you can see she makes the most amazing pillows. They come in a scrumptious range of colors and are adorned with different types of florals for every home environment.

In addition to the lovely pillows she also uses her flowers for wall decor, wedding pillows and tie backs. Her work is so intricate and beautiful and available through her website at www.annawhitford.com. So take a minute to jump across the pond and visit Anna, it's really worth the time.

O.k., so today while I was flipping through some family pictures I came across this photo. This is my Grandmother (Honey) helping me with some Barbie clothes. But if you get past the hair (check out those sideburns!) and that the year is probably 1973'ish ... now look at the print on the dress she is wearing. Is that not the most amazing, fantastic retro print you've ever seen??? O.k., maybe not EVER but that print rivals anything we'd see today from Dianne von Furstenberg or Carolina Herrera. Absolutely gorgeous!

To add a little bit of perspective to this picture. I probably looked at this ten years ago and said, "oh, my God! she really wore "that"?!?"

Ran across this wonderful contemporary whimsical artist the other day and just had to share. Sam Toft has a wonderful little story about the "Mustards" to support her wonderful art . Fun story and the art is fun too! You can also send your friends free e-cards with her lovely art work from <here>.

I think my favorite piece is "Rover: The Fish with a Fan Club shown here.

Sam also has a great tutorial on how she does her artwork and it's really fun. Go here.