Painting for the Artistically Impaired

For those capable of free-hand drawing a jungle scene or a flock of water birds as effortlessly as pouring a cup of tea, the clean, smooth surface of a wall is an inviting canvas. For those who can’t, and the latter group would include almost anyone whose name doesn’t end in etsy.com, that same wall invites total frustration. That leaves the choice to a) hire someone else to paint it or b) cover the wall with framed pictures; neither of these options come particularly cheap. But what if there were a third option? Thanks to Elly Nelly, there is.

This unique store, which specializes in easily-applied wall graphics, is the answer to the prayers of the artistically challenged. In the few minutes it takes to peel off and slap on a hanging monkey, a flourishing tree, or a summertime meadow, the wall that has vexed and perplexed can now be the stuff of legend within one’s social circle. Elly Nelly’s unbelievably handy product plays a little like the cleaner, vinyl cousin of wallpaper, with a huge distinction: wallpaper doesn’t like to be removed. These graphics, on the other hand, are completely removable, leaving you the option to replace your monkey with an orange blossom, or to go ahead and paint the wall after all, once the original graphic has been removed. In other words, it’s wall henna with the longevity of an actual tattoo. Convinced yet? Head on over to www.EllyNelly.etsy.com, and prepare to put down that paintbrush.

Kiln Me Softly

Question: What does one get by crossing a natural aptitude with clay with where-do-I-lay-my-wet-tea-bag? Answer: The delicate little dishes of Plays With Clay, a store where invention weds necessity in the spirit of Cupid and Chaos, the resulting clay pieces being divinely different from just about anything else one might find around the home. Need a place to lay a few pills, paperclips, buttons or hairbands? How about a gift that will actually be appreciated for its uniqueness and thought? With dishes bearing such charming messages as Best Teacher, Happy Everything, Relax, and Happily Ever After, Plays With Clay isn’t just a must-link for lovers of ceramics; it’s a nostalgic nook for anyone who loves sending sentiments for no other reason than to coax a smile out of someone.

In the event that tiny dishes don’t fill any real need in one’s home, take note: buttons, chopstick rests, earrings and signs can also be had at this store, and any of the above would serve as a lovely excuse to purchase something from this down-to-earth artisan/mom who really captures the spirit of what independent craftsmanship is all about. And just in time for Valentine’s Day, Robyn of Plays With Clay is offering something sure to please. The winner of today's giveaway will receive a darling Little Bird Dish (like the own shown at left) to call their very own. How sweet is that? To qualify, visit Plays With Clay, then come back here to tell us about your favorite item. I just might look favorably on a reader who tells me what they would do with such a dish. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. Contest ends 2/6/09.

We have a winner. Congrats Cary!

Warmed by the Artisan’s Fire

There’s a simple way to find the light in a dark economy. One need look no further than the lamplit window of an independent artisan working late into the night, eschewing bailouts and bankruptcy filings in favor of a buck hard-earned doing what she feels made to do. Perhaps that twinkle of creative perseverance is the shimmer of a Jessie McCann bracelet, its many facets reflecting a recession-proof luxury nouveau approach premised on the twin ideas that hand-crafted jewelry can be wonderfully elegant, and that elegant doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. A beautiful case in point can be made from McCann’s Hespera Necklace, a gathering of rose, olive green, and amethyst briolettes fashioned from quartz and hung from a sterling silver chain. It could be priced out of reach of most of us. It isn’t.

Alternatively, it could be a bracelet as understated and feminine as the Cate, or as dark and striking as the Alessa. The champagne tastes of the Aurelia Earrings, or the lagoon-deep subtleties of the Nora would make a fine argument in favor of independent craftsmanship as well. In the end, what so many of us withering in this financial climate are looking for is proof that value can still be found in simple, lovely objects priced honestly rather than artificially. What we are looking for, in other words, is a few more Jessie McCanns. For those who are fans of her work, today’s giveaway is especially exciting. To celebrate her shop's one year anniversary, Jessie is giving away a lovely pair of Kandice Earrings to call their own. To qualify, visit Jessie McCann Handcrafted Jewelry, then come back here to tell us about your favorite item in Jessie’s shop. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 2/5/09. Make sure to check out Jessie Mccann's 20% off Sale.

We have a winner! Congrats Dixie :)

Of Bags and Brilliance

There is an uncommon, almost cleansing silence, like the emptiness in the middle of a vast forest, that permeates certain images. The art of naoko’s stoop, a lovely gallery of prints made from original paintings on wood and brown paper bags (more on that in a moment), includes many such compositions. Whether it is the soothing rust-yellow tones and serene countenance of the watchful bird in Nest, a beautifully textured piece made with archival inks, or the sanguine innocence of a child set against a gentle backdrop of fading greens in Monday Parade, balance and tranquility seem to characterize each piece in the collection. Like the aforementioned forest, however, the silence is an illusion, as an attentive ear will soon pick up a number of sounds swelling just above the quiet.

In this case, it might be the optimistic undertones of a print such as Hope Bird, in which the feathered friend clutched within a child’s mittens may represent a kind of sacrifice for the sake of hope, and the flying white counterpart to that bird the embodiment of all our dreams for the future. It might be the symbolic multiplications of an offbeat original like Love. Or it might be the process points that surprises us: How many other artists have mastered the art of painting detailed, vibrant images on used brown paper bags? Whatever the case, there is more to the art of naoko’s stoop than meets the eye. We must always start, however, with what does meet the eye, and to make that introduction the artist is offering a generous giveaway. The winner of this drawing will receive a print of choice from the naoko's stoop collection. To qualify, visit naoko's stoop, then come back here to tell us about your favorite print. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 2/4/09.

We have a winner! Congrats Nape :)

A World of Possibilities

Of what are sweet dreams really made? For one, it might be the exploration of some enchanted land across the sea; for another, the discovery of flying ability, or the challenge of a four-story chocolate cake paired with a suddenly bottomless stomach. For Tanya Newbery, dreams are the playscape of narwhals, crescent moons, and kids in their pajamas. These, in turn, are part of a larger gallery that echoes the color schemes and and conceptual stylings of You Belong Here and We Arrrrr Friends, but also draws in complementary characters such as the oft-appearing Bethezda the Cat (most endearing, perhaps, when assisting elephants with their balance as in
Tremendous Help of a Paisley Pachyderm), and assorted rascals such as the ebullient, dancing Winter Bunny. Newbery covers a wide range of themes, from the charm of I Bring Only This to the mystical power of Prince of Owls, but is consistent in her focus on the imagination of children, reminding us poignantly that we adults tend to underestimate the reach of that power.

It's ironic, really: While Newbery's serial art pieces seems tailor-made for children's theme rooms, what the Utah-based illustrator seems to capture most effectively is the idea that in a child's mind anything is possible, and that the only thread holding the world together is the magic that keeps us connected with the tensile strength of a single wish. What, then, does one do with such a diverse collection of prints, brooches, and other media? One idea would be to enter today's giveaway. The lucky winner of this drawing will receive a Tiarrrghed Print to add to their collection. To qualify, visit Gumball Grenade Illustrations, then come back here to tell us about your favorite print in Tanya's collection. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 2/3/09.

We have a winner! Katherine said, "Wow! I love this art...it is gorgeous! My favorite is: I Bring Only This Red Pajama...amazing!I do not have children (still searching for that Mr. Right) but I have always planned a "Nieces & Nephew Room" in the house I want to own...I would love for this to be part of the decor." Congrats!

Polkadot Papoose

Polkadot Papoose Baby Slings is having a Sale and a Giveaway!

All items at Polkadot Papoose Baby Slings are marked down up to 50% off. Enter the giveaway @ www.polkadotpapoose.com/blog

Touch and Bow

It’s a rough estimate that there are about five million moms in the United States who dream nightly of custom-designing hair accessories for their children. (Don’t ask where that statistic was found. We have our sources.) Of that five million, about five hundred actually get around to doing it. And of that five hundred, a mere handful succeed in producing something fashionable enough not only to pin in little Princess’s hair, but to sell to the rest of us raising little Princesses of our own. Little Lesiw is one of these elite. With all the genuine charm and wholesome qualities one would expect of a family raising its own little bundle of inspiration (an adorable girl adopted domestically), Little Lesiw goes to work winning our hearts immediately with a wide variety of clips in the “Bloom” style, including such fun and fearless styles as Zebra, Candy Mix, Kiss Me, Hot Pink with White Dots and Ni hao Kai-lan in addition to classic solid tones. Of course, the magic doesn’t end there.

For those who prefer pigtail sets, options range from the simply sweet Pink With Swiss Dots to the deep and versatile Pinwheel Set in red. Have an eye for modern interpretations? The Oh Snap collection, like its cousin the Clippie Chaos gallery, offers its fair share of offbeat and on-point themes for anyone aspiring break out of the Girl in Sunday Best stereotype. What makes this particular shop so appealing is the high-quality craftsmanship of its product line; what makes it special, however, is that intangible “it” factor that can only come from the artistic bosom of someone who knows how to celebrate the singular beauty of a child. And as celebrations go, one more will be in order for the winner of today’s giveaway. Little Lesiw has graciously offered to send not one but three items of choice to one lucky Wishing Willow reader. To qualify, visit Little Lesiw, then come back here to tell us about your favorite style and color. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 1/30/09.

We have a winner! Kathleen who said, "Oh my goodness, the quality!! Very impressive. As mama to three girls, it's hard to pick just one style and color I love. The bitty bloom in pink and brown, very sweet! Love that hey would work for my 9yo and my 6mo old." Congrats!

Dairy Fine Bathing

Is it possible that milk “does a body good” in more ways than one? Any woman whose skin has ever been softly kissed by the smooth-as-velvet lathery richness of a milk-based soap would consider the question rhetorical. Referring to most beverages, the phrase “I’d gladly take a bath in it” is mere hyperbole. When it comes to milk, the phrase is quite literal. For as it turns out, as uber-soapmaker Anne L. Watson demonstrates in Milk Soapmaking (the indispensable companion to Smart Soapmaking), milk soaps made properly are well-known for a quality of luxurious buttery softness that is undeniable. Watson also proves, through the use of recipes as seductively named as Chocolate Silk, Cinnamon Oatmeal, or Avocado Cream, that once milk is added to the basic fat-and-lye combination at the heart of most soaps, the possibilities are deliciously far-reaching. For those of us who need help with the basic questions (Cow, goat, or plant milk? Whole or nonfat? Farm-fresh, or pasteurized?) of dairy, let alone the chemical quandaries of the soapmaking process itself, Anne once again acquits herself ably as a scholar of the suds and a natural communicator. We can’t all be professionals, but we can certainly show a little love for someone who knows her Shea Butter from her coconut oil (and isn’t afraid to use them). To order a personal copy of Milk Soapmaking, click here.

A Soap Ah-hah-pera

It unfolded like a scene from a PBS documentary on working-class homemakers driven to diabolical extremes by the current economy. I walked in on Tara unexpectedly as she labored in our kitchen over an unidentifiable substance; her eyes and hands covered by a bulging pair of industrial goggles and latex gloves, a white lab coat the only piece missing to complete the chemist’s ensemble. Aghast, I looked behind me to make sure no patrol cars were passing along our street, then quickly closed the door, trying to formulate a polite way to ask my wife why she had declined to tell me she was giving up coffee in favor of a much stronger home-mixed stimulant. Not to worry, she said, looking up at me through the goggles. It’s soap. Thus I came to learn that for the past few days, Tara had been researching the ancient practice of soapmaking, her education guided primarily by one Anne L. Watson, universally respected and loved author/crafter/curator of this lost art for thousands of aspiring soapers (and one of the few crafting icons out there today who actually invites beginners to contact her with the many questions they invariably have.)

Watson’s groundbreaking Smart Soapmaking isn’t the only book on the market that breaks down this obscure process, but it’s unquestionably the best book with which to begin. To be precise, it’s probably the most accessible, most reader-friendly, and most immediately useful container of information on the subject a first-time soapmaker could hope to find. Turning out a bar of soap is not as simple as it looks. It is, for one, dependent on a chemical reaction (saponification) that comes from mixing vegetable oil or animal fat with a strong alkali, and thus involves the use of some ingredients that are caustic, hazardous, and hide-the-children-while-I-pour-this powerful. Balancing fragrance with other elements also tends to require quite a bit of trial and error. Anne Watson’s wonderful recipes, however, combined with her attention to questions frequently asked by novices, all laid out in straightforward language, make for a feeling that anyone can do this, and that even if one fails at the process, at worst the failure will make for a great story. In other words, it’s not elementary, but thanks to Watson it’s far less mysterious. To visit her home page, to contact her, or to order your own copy of this invaluable book, visit www.annelwatson.com.

The soap pictured is my attempt at making Anne's Shea Butter Supreme recipe (her recommendation for your first batch of soap.)

The Story of a Love Come Home

When it comes to the talk that every parent must eventually have with his or her adopted child, two options present themselves. One is to obscure the facts, to dull the whens and hows and whys in hopes of avoiding any unsettling turns along memory lane. The other option, facilitated beautifully in Zoe Francesca’s My Family, My Journey: A Baby Book for Adoptive Families (Chronicle Books), is to celebrate the uniqueness of the adoptive experience by chronicling, not cloaking in secrecy, the milestones of the adoptive journey. From the “pre-family” days before a match was made, to the moment of choosing and of being chosen, to the many birthdays and benchmarks that follow, this cherished journal honors the special joys of adoption for parent and child alike. With areas for pictures, notes, lists, and items that can be gathered and kept in the enclosed envelope, it is a baby book in every way. At the same time, however, it is a reminder of the hidden treasures that lay waiting to be discovered in this process that is unlike any other in the world, the soul-blessing rewards that can only be known by an adoptive mother or father who has found his or her destiny delivered, tenderly as if by angel hands, in the incomparable form of a child. To order a personal copy of My Family, My Journey, visit Chronicle Books. Memories like these, after all, deserve a place as special as the people who make them.

Chronicle Books is extending a generous 30% off your purchase total and Free Shipping. Enter the code: WishingWillow when checking out.

Yankees Aren’t the Only Dandy Doodlers

What if doodling, the timeless art of stream-of-consciousness drawing in the margins of important papers (or on whatever happens to be lying around) while some speaker drones on incessantly, were encouraged as a stepping stone to artistic development, rather than denounced as a useless hobby of ADD sufferers? It’s a great question, but unfortunately anyone looking to formally discover an answer will have to get in line behind Taro Gomi, the illustrious Japanese children’s author whose book Doodle All Year (Chronicle Books, 2008) not only promotes doodling as an art form, but provides hundreds of charmingly child-like, barely-there sketches with which to prime the pump.

Gomi, who won our hearts with the unequivocally titled Everyone Poops and garnered widespread acclaim for his Scribbles, Squiggles and Doodles series, gives specific directions at times (“draw a winter rainbow,”; “this horse needs a rider,” for example) but more generally uses the transitions of seasons as a template for children (or grownups, for that matter) to let their hearts/minds/markers run free. Whether one is seeking to encourage youthful creativity, or simply looking for a great book to help energetic youngsters survive the family road trip, one would be hard-pressed to find a more useful tool than this one. You'll be thrilled to hear that Chronicle Books is giving away a free copy of Doodle All Year to one lucky reader. To qualify, visit Chronicle Books, then come back here to tell us which book you would most love to add to your library. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 1/23/09.

We have a winner! Congratulations kellyache who said, "Aaacckkk!! I've been wanting to get the Scribbles colouring books forever! For me, Logo by M. Evamy would be a fantastic addition to my design library." Congrats!

A Primer for Memory Keepers

Some of us are devout collectors of our children’s school mementos, immortalizing their wallet-sized grins and milestone moments in grand collage; others are hybrid scrapbooker/techies who scan and save those precious memories on zip drives for posterity. The vast majority of us, however, do what parents have been doing since the advent of kitchen appliances: we hang it all on the refrigerator and call it a day. For these millions of moms and dads and their good-but-misplaced intentions, School Years: A Family Keepsake of School Memories is a salvation of sorts. Designed as a perfectly sized and proportioned dual journal/trapper with expandable pockets between each page, this handy little book zones on in the basic unforgettables of school life in every year from kindergarten through the twelfth grade: report cards, school pictures, friend lists, hobbies, and the like, and cuts out all the fuss with a refreshingly streamlined format. Remember your favorite teacher in the fourth grade? Probably not. With a little help from School Years, however, your child will. Even better yet, your child will know that his or her world is important enough to you that you took the time to capture it in a memory book. In the end, nothing could be more rewarding.

Chronicle Books is extending a generous 30% off your purchase total and Free Shipping. Enter the code: WishingWillow when checking out. To purchase your own School Years copy, visit www.ChronicleBooks.com.

For the Love of Art

When an artist genuinely adores her craft, the art she produces will testify to that love. No one proves this maxim more convincingly than Betsy Thompson, a Portland, Maine-based collage artist who cycles through nature, literature, home life, and other favorite themes with a warmth and vigor that suggest a deeper motivation than simply the need to sell a few prints. Drawing upon a palette of rich, yet tempered colors and working with mixed media that lend superb depth and movement to her compositions, Thompson invites us to enter her world through visually unforgettable pieces like Gone to Sea, based on the Edward Lear story of the Owl and the Pussycat, then seemingly leads us home amid the towering woods of Little Red in Spring.

Her avian subjects, standing alertly in the foreground of works such as Winter Wait and Peace in the Garden, delight us nearly as fully as the subtle layers of story text or sheet music that color her backgrounds. Her more ironic work, typified in Oh Alice, appeals to the lit-loving soul in us all. Her juxtapositions of color with black and white elements, as in Monocular Nest, beguile us; her simple renderings of swaddling infants such as the one in Safe-Keeping melt our defenses and remind us that art is nothing if not a direct connection to the human heart.

To tempt you further, Betsy is graciously offering her art print Winter Wait as a gift to one lucky reader. To qualify, visit Betsy Thompson Studio, then come back here to tell us about your favorite print. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 1/14/09.

We have a winner! Mary said, "Tea with Lemon and Peace in the Garden. Lovely art !!!"

Saving Face (and Hands, and Body...)

Considering the number and variety of skin therapy lotion brands on the market butting nozzles for the right to lubricate our hands, a visitor from another planet might surmise that mankind’s most insidious plague is dry skin. So we were understandably a little skeptical when Skin MD asked us to sample its shielding lotion for a possible feature on Wishing Willow. Would this be yet another repackaging of the same basic twenty-odd unpronounceable chemicals found in seemingly every laboratory-produced lotion? We were pleasantly surprised to find just the opposite. In addition to containing an impressive list of all-natural substances that set it apart from the herd, Skin MD makes good on three key qualities it promises: a non-greasy formula, an effective healing property, and the benefit of supporting the skin’s own moisturizing ability. In other words, it's less of a makeover and more of a personal trainer for one's own skin cells. (Coincidentally, we discovered that it makes a very serviceable aftershave lotion as well.)

Unless you're one of the lucky ones out there whose skin glistens like a salamander's on even the most arid of winter days, you might as well face the fact that your face and body need more moisturizing protection than the body can naturally afford. Dry skin also ages one's appearance dramatically, and may be the reason the word "tired" is so often used to describe your countenance (enough is enough!) The concentrated powers of Skin MD mean that full-body coverage can be had with just a little dab, and results may be noticeable immediately. And as a means of getting their brand out to an even wider audience, Skin MD is offering a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion with SPF 15 ($25 value) free to the winner of today’s giveaway. To qualify, visit Skin MD and tell us why you need this more than anyone else (We are easily entertained.) Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 1/13/09.

Ok, so now I regret my wording of this giveaway. You poor, poor people! I wasn't entertained, but rather wished I had 200 bottles of Skin MD for everyone. I could only choose one :( Congrats Daphne R! I sure hope this helps your skin!

A Long-Legged Legacy Lives On

No one in the eighties or nineties inspired a love-hate relationship quite like Barbie. On one hand, she was to be hated for her figure, her hair, her clothes, and her generally 'far more beautiful than me' airs. On the other hand, how much can one really hate a doll that mutely acquiesces to a dozen wardrobe changes a day, never once so much as frowning upon her eight-year-old owner’s undeveloped tastes? We left her behind, but for certain talented and creative photographers the likes of Michelle Brusegaard, a little part of her lived on in the dresses we kept, wishing they were just a few hundred sizes bigger so we could wear them ourselves. Brusegaard’s enviably original photo gallery of vintage and handmade Barbie dresses in various poses and patterns, ranging from the floral elegance of Royal Mod and the soft femininity of Yellow and Grey to the stylish simplicity of Another Pretty Dress (black and white) and the radiant, sweet innocence of Peaches and Cream, is a must-see for anyone who loves to see a fresh idea fleshed out just right. And for what it’s worth, the photographer’s beautiful non-Barbie compositions, not to mention her many and various paintings, prints, and other media, are well worth discovering on their own (I mean really, who is this talented?)

Of course, anyone who subscribes to Wishing Willow knows we’re loved for our giveaways, and no first-of-January feature would be complete without offering a unique and lovely calendar as a prize. Thus it’s serendipitous that Michelle has agreed to offer the winner of this drawing one of her own original Desk Calendars, simply for taking the time to browse her online collection. To qualify, visit Made By Michelle Brusegaard, then come back here to tell us about your favorite item in Michelle's shop. Tell us in a second post if you subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 1/09/09.

We have a winner! Kate who said, "I am overwhelmed by how much I love everything Michelle has made! I think I'll go with the super stationary set so I could have a variety of designs!"