Another Sneak Peek

For today's post I was going to show you another project I've been working on. I have signed up for a table for the Blim Easter Market on  Sunday April 24th and I'm sharing the table with my sister who is a whiz with the sewing machine. Tracey will be selling shopping bags, barrettes, change purses,lunch bags and decor plushies under the name Super Nova Designs. Tracey had suggested that since we were sharing a table we should collaborate on a couple items. Tracey could sew something up and I would create some artwork to go on it. Sounds like a plan. Now that I had finally figured out to do some silkscreening at home, I printed a black cat on some fabric that my sister supplied. Once the pieces were dry, I gave them to Tracey and she transformed them into the front flap piece of a handmade messenger bag. These are no ordinary bags though as she's finished them off to be reversible. If that didn't make them appealing enough, she has also sized the strapping to fit across a child to be a true messenger bag and long enough to fit as a small day purse on an adult.  Each cotton bag measures 8"x10" with a canvas twill strap.

They turned out so well that I've already printed off some mushrooms for another bag and I'm currently in the process of creating a dinosaur and a robot image for others. These bags were created solely for the Blim market and I wouldn't be able to sell them on my Etsy because my sister had done so much work on them but if we were to get enough interest I may try and sell a few online on a different storefront. What do you think? Are they handmade cuteness? Do you know of someone who must have such a unique little bag? I would love to hear what you think.

There's creativity in those genes

When I was younger I was really puzzled as to why I seemed to be the only member of my family interested in art. My passion for creating visually has always been with me and sometimes I felt like the black sheep of the family with this desire. As I got older, I realized that I wasn't alone and that my family was actually full of creative people that just showed it ways other than art.

Today I thought I would show off a couple of people in my family who are creating things that I think my readers would enjoy.

First off is my sister, Tracey Dean who since having had  a little girl of her own, has been sewing up a cuteness storm. Tracey searches thrift stores for unique fabrics and bedding  to create duvet covers, curtains, decor pillows, girls dresses and hats. My daughters have gotten quite the collection of decor from her.
I've always been really impressed with Tracey's ability to walk into a shop like Walmart or HomeSense and find great home decor pieces on the cheap. If she can't afford a decor item then she's game to creating it herself. Thrifty and creative, she's got the ability to visualize her end result be it in interior decorating, home accessories or children's fashions. That's creative.

Above are some photos of some pieces she has done. Although she doesn't yet sell online, she has been taking custom orders. Please feel free to leave comments below as I know she would appreciate the feedback.



The second person I want to introduce is my cousin Gina Miller who is also a visual artist living in Vancouver. Currently attending Emily Carr University for fine arts, Gina plans to pursue a career as an art therapist. What I'm really excited about for her is her upcoming solo show at the couture retailer LEONE in Vancouver. Gina's paintings will be paired with fashions by top designers like Armani and Dior. How cool is that? Opening night is April 29 6:30-10:00 pm and I'm sure there will be some tasty h'orderves. If the baby-sitting fairy comes through I'll be there.
Below is a little preview of some of the pieces in the show. The multi-media pieces are quite striking and would surely be a focal point of any room in that they measure 36" x 48".

© Gina Miller

© Gina Miller