December 19, 2011

After contemplating how to split-up my online store fronts,(here and my Etsy store), I've decided to do all of my 5x7 prints and my "Shabby Fairy" skirts on Etsy, and the 8x10 prints, greeting cards and other upcoming items here. All the rules get so confusing and I just want to follow the 'rules' so I don't get cyber pimp-slapped and/or have my store shut down due to some fine print stipulation. So....that is what I plan on doing my sales in the New Year. (I can barely remember to brush my teeth most days and all of this cyber storefront stuff makes my head spin). I must keep it simple so I can remember! :)

December 18, 2011

After discovering some old, missing sculptures from college a few months back I was finally able to sit down and take/upload some pictures. During the fall of my Junior year, I took a multimedia sculpture class and learned how to wood sculpt, play with metal and wires and delve back into my old favorite...clay! I was able to sneak in some of my own projects (after bribing the TA) and got to fire only a few of my moon sculptures some smaller pieces (frogs/mushrooms). I have boxes of unfired pieces and only recently located a local kiln to 'save' them before they crumble into dust. Here are a few of my favorites from 1996 (yikes...I am getting up there in years).

December 15, 2011

After sculpting my "Agnes" figurine, I was onto my next little goblin. I had a really cool antique skeleton key that I wanted to use somehow, a little batch of brass key holes and some twine. I decided to go with a vibrant pair of real coral bead eyes and "Lucinda" was born. This little naughty goblin plays mischief with the human heart. She meddles, provokes and lures the love sick with her magic love potion and empty promises. I decided since she peddles emotional deception and deals in Ludas; her name should be "Lucinda." I think the wild, kinky hair, glowing red eyes and gloating little expression says it all.

December 14, 2011

Today I decided to experiment with a sculpting clay called Sculpey. I've been extremely curious and hadn't sculpted in years, but once I got the hang of it I ended-up creating a little goblin sculpture that I named "Agnes". She is an older goblin that finds and mends missing buttons for nice humans while they sleep. I used real onyx beads for her eyes and the rest evolved from there! Agnes sits on a vintage wooden spool of thread and is surrounded by some of my favorite random vintage buttons that I have collected over the years. I was so excited with the results, I started sculpting my next one. I forgot how much I loved sculpting.

November 19, 2011

So, being the brave soul that I am; I decided we needed to take our first family road trip to Arizona. After seven hours of tedious toddler road travel, a bad chicken lunch and trip through the desert listening to our favorite traveling tunes; we arrived in Goodyear, Arizona. Outfitted as Fall flower fairies and a pirate, my family and I spent the day playing at the 5th Annual Fireland Faerie Festival, in the Estrella Mountain Regional Park. Highlights for my daughter included: riding the magical unicorns, shopping for some fairy treasures, meeting the Faerie Queen and a real life mermaid. My little pirate was enthralled by the naughty pirates, trolls, goblins and the ice cream vendor. I am still debating if I want to get a booth next year...but will definitely return!

November 5, 2011:

To celebrate the cooler Autumn vibe and our "somewhat" changing colors in balmy San Diego, my friend Crystal (aka 'Mother Gothel') and I had a little 'Mommy Mental Wellness Day' Renaissance-style. The Escondido Fall Renaissance Faire was nestled in the scenic oak woods at Felicita Park. I had literally, just finished sewing my costume that morning and left for a day of old world fun! I met some fairies from the "Willowglen Guild", enjoyed my wine to live entertainment and did some Christmas shopping to support local independent artists/vendors.

I also met a new friend and fellow Etsy artist, Dea Shelton, of Blackberry Designs. Her one-of-a-kind charm bracelets, necklaces and fantasy-themed pieces are stunning. I have already purchased three of her fantasy themed bracelets for Christmas gifts, earrings and plan on getting some new Renaissance jewelry for the spring festival.

To see her gorgeous jewelry, please visit her official website: www.blackberrydesigns.etsy.com

October 28, 2011:

As an avid reader and life-long lover of fairy tales, I decided to create a new "Fairy Tale Fantasy" gallery. Growing-up my mother used to read me fairy tales, bought me beautifully illustrated books and I saved them for my own children. The first painting in my series was "Rapunzel", which was my daughter's vote. Next came "Sleeping Beauty," "Puss In Boots" (inspired by my own chubby kitty), "Alice In Wonderland" and I just finished "Thumbelina." I plan on going through a list of my 'favorites' and requests from anyone that has a particular story they want to see illustrated.

September 18, 2011:

Coming soon will be a new online store section on my website with my "Shabby Tot" and "Shabby Girl" Fairy skirts! Each skirt is original, made of cotton fabric, lined with muslin. They are adorable worn over leggings, skirts, tutus, jeans and there is no need to worry about "fancy" fabric that snags, rips, or needs hand washing. I will be doing custom orders, with a variety of fabrics to choose from. With the holidays right around the corner, my one-of-a-kind, cotton fairy skirts would make a perfect gift for your favorite little fairy. Here are a few skirts that I have made for gifts...

September 15, 2011:

Today I brought some of my "Fairies of Fall" prints and greeting cards to "Ever After Scrapbooks" in Vista, CA. I am still working on a few others for the Fall series, as well as a guardian angel painting for my "Angels" gallery. I am now selling 5x7 prints and greeting cards at "Ever After" and on my online store for those of you that aren't in the Southern California area. If you are local, drop by and say to Camille and the ladies!

September 12, 2011:

Even though the weather and the calendar don't officially say: "It's Autumn!"...I am still inspired to paint my 'Fairies of Fall'. Autumn has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I pretty much claim the Sierra Nevada foothills my 'hometown' and dearly miss the trees changing color, the smell of our wood burning stove, wild turkeys running through our property and the chill in the air. In the midst of heat waves, black-outs and toddler bum fights, I have managed to keep painting, sewing my shabby tot fairy skirts and sketching new fairies for winter (think snowflakes, pine trees, sugar plum fairies...). To keep myself inspired, I make a point to notice something new each time I go outside to garden, play with my children, or run. In addition to collecting stray twigs, acorn caps, pine cones and random bird feathers; I turn trips to the local plant nursery into an artistic soul-storming session (that's an 'Erinism' for brainstorming). I hope you enjoy my latest 'fairies of fall' and stay posted for my painting in progress, "Layla's Lullaby". You can check out my progress for this, and other new paintings on my FaceBook page "Purple Eggplants" (artist Erin R. Hogan). I am also now on Twitter "PurpleEggplnts". (Be kind...I am still getting used to that whole cyber tweets, or chirps, or whatever the techie birdies do on there.)

September 9, 2011:

So...I was supposed to post this sweet little skirt for sale that night, but the power had other plans. As the world found-out, Southern California, parts of Mexico, Arizona and New Mexico went black that afternoon until the wee hours of the morning. Yay for candles and ice cream dinner! Anyhow, I created a new 'shabby tot' fairy skirt just for the Halloween season! I picked a zandy candy print, Halloween cats and a fun, retro orange fabric to make this one-of-a-kind dress-up skirt for your little 'ghoulish' girl. The skirt is made of cotton fabric and lined with a cotton muslin. It fits 3-5T and is an easy care item for any tot on the go. Dress-up a pair of leggings, jeans, or wear for trick-or-treating. I will be posting on my online store ASAP. Only $35 USD. 1 skirt.

August 8, 2011:

As of today, I am selling prints of my artwork at Ever After Scrapbooks (just about the cutest, cosmic, crafting and scrapping haven in the San Diego Tri-City Area). I am selling 5x7 prints of my latest work, as well as greeting cards (coming next week). Each print is a high quality print on 100-pound card stock and made for hanging in a baby nursery/fairy fanatic's home, scrapbook embellishments, card making...or just collecting! I am thrilled and honored to be able to display my work in "Ever After" and it gives me another excuse (as if I needed one) to go check-out all the new speciality papers, ribbons, embellishments and classes!

August 7, 2011:

I just finished a new fairy and kitty painting, inspired by one of my fur children, entitled "Friends". I've been doing lots of sketching, journaling and having lots of creative inspiration lately (this usually happens in the wee-hour morning hours while pounding pavement to train for my next half-marathon). There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day, or cups of coffee...but the creative process has been pure adrenaline! I am working on a new painting tonight (of a guardian angel)....hopefully, I can finish before my next print deadline on Wednesday.

August 5, 2011:

P.S. I am on Facebook (it took me long enough!). You can find my page under "Purple Eggplants" (artist Erin R. Hogan). I post updates, progress pictures of my paintings, my latest fairy houses (I have added three more fairy dwellings this month alone) and other random Erinisms, verbal spews and such. Like me, friend me and enjoy the fairy-focused pictures and convo.

August 1, 2011:

July has blurred into August and I've been busy alternating between thread and paint. I have put two of my 'shabby tot' fairy skirts up for sale on Etsy.com! A whole new experience for me and a little scary. The fairy dress-up skirts that I designed and sew, are all one-of-a-kind, cotton, fully-lined and perfect for any little girl that loves to dress-up for a tea party, play date, or day at the beach. I came up with a more 'every day' sort of fairy skirt for my own little sprite, when I got tired of fixing damaged tulle tutus, snagged satin fairy skirts and hand washing delicate little dress-up outfits. Thus, the Purple Eggplant shabby fairy skirt was born. Cotton, machine washable and it goes with anything...over jeans, shorts, leggings, skirts, swim suits...and so unique! Check out my Etsy store and look for new skirts on here! They are ideal for birthday gifts, fairy-themed parties, Halloween and gifts for the upcoming holidays.

July 2011:

If I wasn’t busy enough with my six million hobbies, raising two small children, gardening and exploring the world of gluten-free cooking; I also run. The moment my stylist, Jen, told me about the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in January 2012; I was in a state of child-like euphoria! I was just getting ready for my next half-marathon and was secretly wishing I could run it in full fairy glory. THIS WAS THE PERFECT EVENT! Running 13.1 miles wearing a fairy skirt and wings with thousands of other fairies through Disneyland…what could be better? Needless to say, I signed-up then and there on the salon chair and put a call out to friends and family on Facebook for fairy recruits. If they ran this half-marathon, I’d do their outfits for free. To date, we have five fairies signed-up and I am designing and sewing retro fairy skirts, hair bows and running-friendly wings (no drag). I am counting down the months until this event. Pictures and updates to come.

June 27, 2011:

While shopping at one of my favorite local children’s boutiques, I stumbled upon a book, “Fairy Houses… Everywhere!” by Barry & Tracy Kane, which completely captured my attention and brought me back to my own childhood memories making fairy houses. I hadn’t really built a fairy house since I used my artsy insight to disguise a palm tree stump in the corner of our yard. There was a stone path leading to this dead, ugly tree stump, from the gopher holes in our (once) lush lawn and it looked a bit bizarre until I took matters into my own hands. The end result….a stone fairy house, complete with pine cone shingles and bird feathers. My kids love it and I tell them stories of how the fairies wake-up and come out at dusk while they are in bed. (I think I will be devastated the day they tell me fairies don’t exist).

Growing up, I was never a fan of TV and we didn’t have cable, MTV, or any of the cyber distractions we have today. Instead of planting myself in front of our fuzzy Zenith, I planted fairy gardens, built miniature elfin houses out of gathered twigs, leaves, flowers, pine cones and grass. I collected berries, flowers and sculpted little cakes and food out of clay and left them for the fairies. I think since becoming a mother, I have gone back to my roots as an outdoor nature girl. The recent popularity of building such whimsical garden dwellings has given me such simple pleasure; as well as a fun activity for my children.

June 18, 2011:

To celebrate the Summer Solstice (a few days early for those of you detail-oriented folk), I took my daughter to her first fairy festival at the Encinitas Botanical Gardens. We strolled through the children’s gardens, perused the hand-crafted fairy merchant booths, had pictures with the Fairy Queen and enjoyed a whimsical morning among fellow fairy folk. To purely immerse myself in the experience, I designed and sewed my iris-inspired fairy gown, complete with wand, monarch wings and flower slippers. I finally had a reason to dress-up like a fairy…which I will say, was simply blissful! I met some new friends and definitely, plan on returning next year!

June 2011:

After years of dreaming, college, contemplation, grad school, bad jobs, finding true love, marriage and motherhood; I FINALLY got my act together! I designed my business cards, spent months painting new works, sewing fairy skirts and I am in the process of getting prints made to sell. Besides, the cool business cards, physical exhaustion and coffee addiction; I am finally following my bliss, my passion and my life-long dream of pursuing my art. The journey has taken years, with many obstacles, side ventures, and false starts along the way, but I have decided to take charge of my life and just do what I LOVE. I feel completely blessed!

October 2010:

It only took sixteen years, but I finally got my first tattoo. It wasn’t necessarily the physical pain (I slept most of the session), or whole concept of eternal visual permanence….it was getting the perfect tattoo. Impulsive by nature, it was a complete shock to everyone around me that I quietly contemplated my tattoo for nearly two decades. After having a dream about my tattoo, I woke up, grabbed my sketch book, drew the composite sketch in 10 minutes and booked a flight to Sacramento to get inked! I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect experience, tattoo artist (THANK YOU KELLY!), or tattoo. Four hours and 20 minutes later I was the proud owner of my original mother Monarch fairy holding her tiny baby. My childhood friend and phenomenal local photographer, Jen Rector, was there to capture my moment as well.

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