Sooner Than Soon!

Red Velvet Art will be opening it's doors on Sunday! I wanted to stop in and show you one of the projects I've been working on since mid-December. Lulu is part of the Unicorn Project Kit we're offering at RVA for February. There are a few other projects packed into this pretty kit that we'll be sharing very soon but Lulu was my favorite.

There's not much brain power left for stringing together coherent sentences and quite a long to do list still so I'm keeping it short again.

Some things that have been making these last few days of binding leather journals, cutting up felt, and assembling headbands enjoyable include:

* 30 Rock on Netflix
* COFFEE!
* Mother-in-laws who entertain Sebastian and run errands! (Their town has been designated a disaster zone by FEMA due to a bad ice storm this week. No electricity or water.)
* A new portable dishwasher
* A little snow to brighten things up outside
* More 30 Rock
* A timely care package from mom
* More COFFEE!

Happy Weekend.

Joetta Maue

I thought I'd pop in for a little 'hello, out there' and share some images from Joetta's work that have been inspiring me today. This girl's art feels so fresh. I love the way she's married traditional art forms to create something beautiful and raw.
The presentation in itself is wonderful.



Find out more about her life and work on her blog, Little Yellow Bird. She's got an Etsy store if you're feeling it, too.


I took a work break to enjoy the snow that accumulated yesterday. Sebastian and I built a snow monster with branches for hair. We actually built two but the first one was solely to destroy so that he'd have it out of his system for the second one. Then we had a snow ball fight which consisted of me constructing beautiful, powdery snow balls for Sebastian to throw at me. There is so much snow that you can barely tell the yard from the street. Once my camera thaws out and recharges, we should have some pictures.

Ta Ta!

Portfolio

These were all made during the month of April in 2008. It was a personal art challenge that Elsie and I had talked about for awhile to create pages every day of the month to document where we were. I later used them as tutorials for three online art journal classes.


I ended up with about 75 pages when I was finished but I have decided to only show the ones that I really liked. The others I just had to get out of my system before I settled into a rhythm and found a style I wanted to experiment with.


I used 12" x 12" chipboard for my base as it's thick enough to paint on but thin enough to sew through. Most of my materials were scraps in my studio and pictures along the way.


There were days when journaling was easy and days when it felt forced but I still made pages almost every single day and multiples when I was on a roll. We were living with my parents at the time and Sebastian went to bed early so I had more time than I do now to work on them. It was a challenge to get started mostly because I was so intimidated by the quantity I'd have to put out but once I started it was empowering to see what I had accomplished each day.


There were days that I'd get an idea in the shower or on a walk with Sebastian. I kept a notebook with themes to try out or color combos for those days when I felt uninspired. I would photograph them before I stored them in large plastic zipper bags and then I posted them on a private blog that only Elsie and I had access to. It helped me see it all in one place and realize what themes were developing.

There are pages I'd like to add to but non that I want to toss. I feel like they were each valuable for the emotion they absorbed. Sometimes I just needed to get something out before I moved on to something I was proud of and some were just ways to experiment with color and concepts.

I've made great progress in some areas and feel exactly the same in others. I still go to bed way later than I should.

You can see the rest here.

Today Feels Like...

Choice A


Choice B


Choice C

I'll go first.

Shop Talk

If you've purchased a slot in our Spring Online Class but have not received an e-mail, it may have been sent to your junk mail in which case you should make sure to mark it as regular mail, or your PayPal address is not the same as your regular e-mail. If you feel like neither of those possibilities is relevant to you, please e-mail me and I'll make sure to send you the information as soon as possible. The e-mail service we use is Constant Contact.

If you've purchased your spot with an e-mail other than your own or that is no longer current, please e-mail me to let me know and please include the e-mail address that you'd like removed so that I can erase it from our system.

We're closing the class sign ups tonight as we're nearing capacity so if you've been putting it off, now is the time to sign up. If you have signed up, don't forget to fill out your interview and post it in the comments on the private blog so we can all know what new music you're listening to. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions about the class here: racheldenbow (@) gmail (dot) com.

Wednesday Morning

We like to jump in the mornings. And then climb on furniture.

Type, Hype, Skype, Ripe

vI was getting really tired of looking at the last blog post so I decided to post this picture of my typewriter. It's the prettiest one I've ever found so I won't mind if I have to go three more days before the next meaningful blog post. I hope you don't either.

Today (if you're reading this on Tuesday) is too much special for my little words to match so I am just going to sit back and enjoy the festivities and feel happy in my heart for the celebrations that are taking place.

Shop Talk

EDITED: Our first e-mail with the blog information has been sent out. If you signed up after noon on Jan 17th, you'll be getting a confirmation e-mail later this evening. If you signed up before noon on Jan. 17th and didn't get your e-mail, please let me know so we can check on your status. I have e-mailed a few of you who seem to have paid twice. I'd like to make sure you're not paying for someone else so I can cancel the second payment. (Maia Harms, could you send me an e-mail as I can't get through to yours.)

Thanks again for the great response. We've still got spots available if you're interested in signing up. Happy weekend!

~Rachel

Class Sign Ups!

If you'd like to sign up for our Spring Online Class, click on the PayPal button in the left side bar to secure your spot with your payment. The class starts February 15th and will run for a full eight weeks. We are thrilled with the response so far and can't wait to see you all there! Again, any questions can be directed towards me at RachelDenbow (@) gmail (dot) com. I'll do my best to answer your questions quickly.

Let's Make Something!

Elsie and I are so excited to announce our first online class together! We've joined forces to bring you 30 fun projects to brighten up your space and get your mind spinning with possibility. Come back here, or Elsie's blog, Friday morning at 10 AM for a chance to purchase a spot in our new class!

Details:
This is an 8 week class by Rachel Denbow & Elsie Flannigan. We've developed some projects individually and some together and can't wait to share our tutorials with you!

The class begins February 15th and lasts for 8 full weeks. There are a total of 30 projects that are spread out evenly over the 8 weeks. The class is hosted on a private blog that only students can see. It's a lot of fun and a great way for us to get to know each other! Each project includes lots of photos & step-by-step instructions (PDFs are included for projects with patterns!).

Each week will also include a private chat with one or both of us (Elsie will host all of the chats except for the week she is in Italy! :D). These chats are lots of fun and will be hosted at a variety of times to fit different schedules. They stay posted, too, so that you can read them if you aren't able to attend!

Class fee is $60 (or $2 per project!)

Please Note:
*This is not a kit. Supplies needed for the class are primarily common household items and inexpensive craft store items. Allowing you to collect these supplies for the projects saves both of us time & money! We are able to offer many more projects in this format than in a traditional class and there are no shipping charges!

*After you have purchased your class spot you will receive an e-mail with log in information to our private blog within 24 hours!

*We do have a limit on available spots. We will be keeping this class small enough that we can communicate with every person individually through our chats and project conversations. :)

*These 4 sample projects are the only images that we will be posting of our class projects outside of our private blog. Class projects are exclusive!

Project List
(so you know all of the *fun* you are in for!!!)
1. Color Me Happy Rainbow Scrapbook
2. 'X Marks the Spot' Picnic Blanket
3. Felt Teepee Village
4. 'Hide them Here' Journal Covers
5. Not Your Grandma's Doily Throw
6. Spring Buds Jersey Scarf
7. Family Portrait Felt Wall Art
8. Panda Bear Plushie
9. Paint Your Own Pillow
10. Say Cheese Embroidered Photo Art
11. Sorbet Surprise Needlepoint Art
12. Don't Be Shady Felt Sunglasses Case
13. Happy Thrifties (Tips & Tricks for Reworking & Remaking Vintage Clothing!)
14. Vintage Tray Calendar
15. Hand Carved Stamp Tutorial
16. Springtime Apron Pattern
17. I Heart Handmade Mobile
18. Tank Tops + Doilies = True Love
19. Textile Reconstructions from Flea Market Finds
20. Color Block Chair Cushions
21. Plushie Sewing Machine & Camera Doll Patterns!
22. Small Space Makeover Tutorial
23. Cherry Blossom Spring Garland
24. Protect Your Adult Furniture with Embroidered Linen Coasters
25. Perfect for Spring Broach Patterns
26. Shiny Shoes Makeover
27. Wood Grain Wall Art
28. Fancy Dress Doily Necklace
29. Use It Or Lose It Patchwork Pillow
30. 40 Brand New Embroidery Designs by the Red Velvet Girls!!!

We will post an exact schedule & supply lists for class projects before the class begins (on our private blog). You will know what day to expect what project on and you will have more time to prepare!

If you have any questions, please contact Rachel at racheldenbow (@) gmail (dot) com.

Can't wait!!!

xoxo

Rachel

Lollygagger

When you count back three fingers on your hand and realize that's how many days it's been since you've left the house, it's time to get in the car with your husband and son and go to your local coffee house and then spend at least 30 minutes in your second favorite flea market.

It's been really fun to be running errands lately, but obviously not in the last three days, and have a sales person ask what I'm making with ALL OF THAT ______(insert crafty material) and mention the new store and have them say, "Oh, the one on Commercial St."

Both our regular and fill in postman have noticed we have had a lot of packages showing up for Red Velvet something or other and looked up our blog and recommended taking advantage of their small business shipping options. Really? That's what I call service!

We're going to have a high of 16 degrees on Thursday. If that isn't worth looking forward to, I don't know what is.

Happy, Pretty Things Are Coming

Red Velvet Art is opening in three weeks! I was at the store this weekend for a mini photo shoot to share some of the product we've been making and I saw something standing in the middle of the room that we'd only talked about for weeks. Suddenly, I realized this store is actually happening! Years and years of talking about it and now it's sitting down there on Commercial street just waiting to surprise us all with its radness. Elsie has worked so hard to make this store special. She's the kind of dreamer that makes things happen and I admire her so much for her determination and resourcefulness.

Above is my latest take on the over-sized bow I made for Cider Days last October. It's been re-styled for maximum sweetness. They'll be available in store and online February 1st. Oh, and have I mentioned that Elsie and I are doing an online class together? YES!!! Check back soon for details.

Photos via Elsie's photo stream.

Doing Stuff

Faster Than A Dead Horse

I'm listening to Viva Voce but this title reminds me of something I over heard on my trip to our local Tandy leather store yesterday. I stopped in to pick up some supplies for new RVA projects and as I was deciding between the kelly green and curry colored cowhides, I heard a customer ask a sales woman what kind of pink leather she was holding because it was so lightweight and perfect for the jacket she had in mind. She quickly set it back on the table when the sales woman told her it was horse hide.
The studio is full of activity in preparation for the opening of Red Velvet Art. We're checking off to do lists and taking potty breaks. It's an exciting time in the life of Red Velvet Art and I'm so thankful we're close enough to be involved in the opening of Elsie's new store.

If you've been thinking about your goals for the new year but haven't picked up a journal to write down your progress, you might want to consider one of these.

Elsie has put together another fun kit full of custom illustrations and product to help keep it interesting as you go along. There are still a few left here.

I've been thinking today was Wednesday all day long. This means I'm ahead of schedule, right?

p.s. Above leather hides are not of the horse variety. I don't think my westernized world view could deal with that.

Kit Club Clearance Sale

The Red Velvet Kit Club is closing its doors to make way for bigger and better things via Red Velvet Art's new boutique. Elsie and I are collaborating on project kits for the new RVA shop that will vary from month to month and cover a range of craft interests and skill levels. So, to make room in my studio for new projects, we're having our final clearance sale. It's a win, win kind of thing, right?

We've been unpacking and catching up with life in the new year and experiencing the odd weather patterns that some of you may also be experiencing. It was a mild 73 degrees on Saturday so we opened the few windows that hadn't been covered in plastic to air out the house. We spent the evening with old friends and their children and had the kind of conversations that leave your face aching from smiling so much. Today, we joined Elsie and Emma's family to celebrate Emma's birthday before she heads back to Hollywood. If only there were this much time for socializing every weekend!

I've been working on two quilt designs for Red Velvet's new shop for over two months and I've finally found the right mix of interesting, original, and easy to reproduce without entering a vegetative state. In the wake of all this scheming, I've managed to start four other quilt tops. They may or may not be completed before summer time as I struggle with going back to 'old' projects, but they are all quilt designs that I'm proud of. I've had to talk myself out of them because they were too detailed for this kind of production. I'll check in on reveal dates and see how soon I can show something off.
How are you navigating the post-holiday hangover? Do you feel like you've made the mental transition into a new year or does it all just blur together? The warmer weather and lack of any holiday decor in our house really did it for me this weekend. I rearranged our living room just enough to give myself a visual change and the open windows and warm air gave me a taste of what is to come. I know winter has only just begun but once the new year hits, spring feels like it should be just around the corner. That's what growing up in California will do to you, I suppose.