Don't let me go until the earth has swallowed its shadow

Hey everyone!  I've been really busy with work over the past few weeks so by the time I get home I'm so exhausted I've been falling asleep right away.  It got so bad that I've even lost the ability to draw a decent picture of Ariel from the Little Mermaid, which is the one character I've never had a problem with drawing.  So the other night I dug out all of the Ariel reference I have to help get myself back on track, but I think I found the help I needed today, and not from any of the books I pulled.

And here he is!  The help I've been looking for!  This is my little godson, Bryson.  He's not even 24hrs old yet, but I'm already in love with him.  Normally I don't like babies, or children, unless I'm related to him, and even though it's not by blood, I just can't help but love him!  He is mine, Holly's, and Jessie's friends April and Josh's son.  And to make it better, he was born on his grandmother's birthday.  She couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift.

But this little bundle of joy has gotten me out of my funk that now I just want to put pencil back to paper and start creating, and drawing again.  Here's to coming up with some awesome artwork tonight!  And I'll be sure to put up what I come up with.

Love you all!
Amanda

P.s.  Going back to my last post, the two movies I ended up seeing back to back were Cowboys and Aliens, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  Both I definitely recommend seeing!

new illustrations

here's the first couple of pieces in my 'love' series...

sewing love

coffee love

 

there'll be more coming your way shortly. these are just the first two! keep checking back for new ones everyone in awhile.
also, i'll be posting some more crafty photos later on, so stay tuned!! and don't forget to check out https://www.mymemories.com/  to take a look around, it has something to do with the up coming GIVEAWAY!

XOXO,
holly

just a little something before i go to bed....

 

 i painted this today, i think its really fun! it's a homage to my loooove of coffee. honestly, i've been contemplating whether or not i'm actually addicted. well, i supposed if coffee is the worst thing i'm addicted to, i'm doing alright!! 

i'm going to be doing a series of paintings like this and prints of them will be up in the etsy shop soon. i'll continue to post the different ones when i get them done and then when they're for sale. but, i thought i'd share the first one with you!

sleep well lovelies!
XOXO,
holly

p.s. check out the 'daily reads' page at the top. i've added a few new blogs i've been obsessed with lately, including my good friend angelina's. she's hysterical, show her some love!

crafty photos and a giveaway tease!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Lady Gaga

i missed the vma's once again. i miss them every year, i always mean to watch them, but then when i actually get around to it, there's always something else i manage to be doing the night they're on...but i thought i'd throw out some gaga-love and share this video. there's alot of love/hate for gaga, i'm on the love end and i totally get it if you don't love her too (i really don't, but i respect your opinions).

well, i do have some photos to share with you on what i've been up to the last few days. there's been lots of crafts and sewing. this week i'm going to be working on a lot of art and design things so i'll be sharing that later on. BUT for now...crafty things!

(ok, these are just photos of my notebook. i think its cute, i thought i'd share :p)

this is the newest book i have acquired! i'm not too far into it, but so far i've learn a crap-ton of stuff! if anyone is planning on starting a craft business i would HIGHLY SUGGEST this book. just sayin'....aaaand there's a business planner to go along with it, i have it. i stupidly bought the planner before getting the book and i would suggest getting the book first, because when i tried to fill out the planner i was completely lost. book first. planner after.

just wanted to let you guys know...we're going to be hosting an AWESOME give away!!! it might have something to do with https://www.mymemories.com/ 
so pop on over there to check it out. i'm planning on announcing the details later on this week. TELL EVERYONE-ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS...because this giveaway is going to be sweeeeeet! 

enough of me teasing you...i'm done. for now.... :)

i'll be telling you more about it on twitter, follow me @hollyerinn for tons more photos and loads of updates.
and don't forget to drop by our shop and check out all the fun crafty things we've got for sale!


enjoy your tuesday!
XOXO,
holly
 

i think this is great

just a little check in this morning. i'll be posting some more things later on today. but i wanted to quickly show you guys something that i came across this morning. things like this mean a lot to me, my mother was disabled and i feel like women with disabilities, whether they be arthritis, like my mother or like jes in these photos don't get enough positive attention in the media. here's the deal:

""American Able" intends to, through spoof, reveal the ways in which women with disabilities are made invisible in advertising and mass media. I chose American Apparel not just for their notable style, but also for their claims that many of their models are just ‘every day’ women who are employees, friends and fans of the company. However, these women fit particular body types. Their campaigns are highly sexualized and feature women who are generally thin, and who appear to be able-bodied. Women with disabilities go unrepresented, not only in American Apparel advertising, but also in most of popular culture. Rarely, if ever, are women with disabilities portrayed in anything other than an asexual manner, for ‘disabled’ bodies are largely perceived as ‘undesirable.’ In a society where sexuality is created and performed over and over within popular culture, the invisibility of women with disabilities in many ways denies their sexuality, particularly within a public context.

Too often, the pervasive influence of imagery in mass media goes unexamined, consumed en masse by the public. However, this imagery has real, oppressive effects on people who are continuously ‘othered’ by society. The model, Jes Sachse, and I intend to reveal these stories by placing her in a position where women with disabilities are typically excluded.


"American Able" was part of Contacting Toronto, a group exhibit for CONTACT 2010 and showed on over 270 digital screens in 50 Toronto Transit Commission stations in May 2010. It will also be included in the 2011 edition of the famous women's health text, "Our Bodies, Ourselves"."


Additional model credits go to Dana Levine

you can view all the photos from this shoot here!
and i hope you do take a minute to look at these photos and spread the word.

XOXO,
holly

recent etsy purchases!

hey all, i just wanted to share a few things that i've recently bought on etsy. i think they're so cute!

 

how cute are these stamps?! i can't wait for them to show up in the mail, i have a ton of ideas for things i can use them on. i found them in kawaii goodies etsy shop , i swear if i had the money i'd buy out their ENTIRE shop! haha! and honestly, i probably will in time :)
stop by their shop and show them some love and buy some cute stuff of your own!

oh and BTW, i've got an awesome surprise for you guys for later on this week. it might just be a pretty stellar giveaway. so check back later on for details!!!

stay awesome, blogosphere!
XOXO,
holly

just a little reminder and a thank you!

i've been getting some wonderful responses to this pieces recently, and i am SO GRATEFUL to all of you wonderful people!! and thank you so much to the beautiful mandy of miss indie and gorgeous elycia of love elycia for blogging about these portraits, you girls are fantastic and such huge inspirations of mine! <3 ya!

i want everyone to know that you can purchase your own custom portraits in our etsy shop, read all about them and buy them here! i hope you do!

XOXO,
holly <3

mid august in photos

as you know today is supposed to be one of our weekly segments, frugal friday. but i'm going to try something alittle different.there's been alot of talk around the blog community lately about being real and genuine, i'm going to be honest with you guys...i started doing those weekly segments because i thought i had to. i thought that was what made those bigger, more popular blogs...well, popular and stable. i though that was what i had to do to basically 'compete'. well, i'm not going to compete any more. i'm going to do me. since i quit my job at the airbrush shop, i've had a ton of time to focus on the things that i actually enjoy. and that is what i want to share with you. that is my genuine self. for right now, there will be no more weekly segments. i'm going to post things that i'm doing and to keep you all in check with what i've been up to. i hope you all don't mind this change, i promise to bring you amazing things and do more with my crafts and art and share it all with you guys!!

so, since i got that off my chest on to what i came here with...this is going to be my month of august in photos. i've been crafting and painting like crazy, hanging out with my dad and throwing him a 60th birthday party and some super yummy treats and coffee. i hope you enjoy these photos as much as i do!

its been a ton of fun hanging out with my dad, he's my best bud!!! we went to this new coffee place down on south side and watched the CRAZY storm that happened in pittsburgh last week. the shoes, i did not make those, but i did alter the bow alittle, it was a bit too big for my taste. my lovely quinn's mommy bought those for me, aren't they adorable?!?? the weird blue swirly things is the cake i made for dad's birthday. it was yummy, even though it was super thin.

i've been doing a TON of sewing lately, its so rewarding. i love seeing finished pieces piling up on my bed. i'm loving the feather earrings that i've made recently, you can buy a couple pairs up our our etsy shop along with a few bags, a few mushroom necklaces and CUSTOM portraits! i hope you guys take a peek! i've been working like crazy and applying to a million craft shows and working on a few other fun things that will hopefully be big things in our lives!!
happy friday everyone!!

what have you been up to lately????
XOXO,
holly <3

Checking in: Update

Hello there Guys and Dolls,

I apologize for being absent as of late. My life is about to get really crazy. Yours truly is about to start a Masters program in counseling psychology come Monday! I know, right?! Exciting! Don't fret though, I've still been finding time to work on my designs. I don't have much completed to show you at this point and the one thing I do have I can't show you yet as it is a present for one of our dear friends here at O&C April. Once I've given it to her there will be much posting of the item as I'm extremely proud of it. Between spending some time with Nathan {The boyfriend} and a visiting friend from college I've been running around like a chicken with my head chopped off. 

Beautiful park near where I live.

I'm so looking forward to warm weather and the inspiration it brings me. The thought of being all snuggled up with a cup of hot cocoa and a crochet afghan gives me the warm fuzzies. 

Today I plan on having a crochet day with my grandmother, so hopefully I will have some awesome things to show you afterwards. 

You lot take care for now

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love much  

 ❤ Jessi

lusting after freepeople stores

if you have been reading O&C for a quick minute you already know how obsessed with freepeople clothing brand i am. everything they produce is magic. recently, they posted over on their blog , some photos of the recent fall displays. i can only dream that one day when and if i ever get my dream of opening my own shop, it will even remotely look as cool as some of their's. i am totally jealous. so i thought i'd share a few photos, but please always stop over and give them some love! *and remember, because it's the proper thing to say, these photos DO NOT belong to me.*** i thought i'd get that out of the way now :)
enjoy the magic!!

i can really only hope to be as cool as these people one day! i just want my house to look like one of these shops actually haha! alot of my inspiration comes from free people and i was so happy when they finally put a shop up in pittsburgh! oh geez, you guys should have heard me gushing to the shop girls about how i was so in love with their store and how excited i was that they finally put one in town. you would have been embarrassed for me. it was intense! well, i hope you guys love these photos as much as i do, and that you got a little inspiration out of them yourself!
and just for fun, a picture of a baby fox....

yea, i know you all just went "aaawwww...look at the fox!" or maybe that was just me. hopefully you guys are as sappy as i am! well happy wednesday everyone!
and don't forget to check out all the new stuff up in our shop on etsy!!!

what's inspiring you lately???
XOXO,
holly <3