// Choose Freedom.//

carajocastellino:

Politicians need to understand that they’ll feel heat from the voters if they stand against a free Internet and freedom of expression.

VoteForTheNet.com will serve as a hub for electoral activism against SOPA and PIPA, and in support of a free Internet. 

// Just for fun//

my lovely sister modeling a necklace for me

// Prints of the Fennec Fox//

So, I’ve been wanting to figure out a good way to print the Fennec Fox pattern designs I made.  I raided my pile of old books and dusted off an ancient dictionary that I’ve had since I was about 10.  I think it works really well with the fox! 

A friend of mine, Dana, suggested that I try and sell some prints on Etsy.  I’m going to go by goodwill tomorrow and see if there are any books that could be fun to print on.  I’d also like to go to a print ship and see how prints look from there, that may be a better option.  here’s a couple from my little inkjet:

not too shabby all things considered! 

 Its been so much fin experimenting these last couple of months, but going forward, I’m going to begin focusing my energies into building a more cohesive product line.  The unifying element?  I think it’s going to be pattern/animalia.  They’re the underlying thing driving most of my recent creative pursuits (“ornament” balls, illustrator work, ‘snowglobes’, fabric necklaces).  I’m digging the idea of Totem Jars, rather than snowglobes - and I’m thinking that a fun way to bring pattern into those will be the fabric covering the jars.  I think that prints of patterned animals, Totem Jars with patterned lids, and framed patterns as necklaces would co-exist nicely in an etsy shop. 

Now, should I stick with Pickles + Milk, or completely re-vamp my store, and call it something new?  Totally Totems?  (hahaha, just kidding!)  But seriously folks.. if you’ve got an idea for a name that would fit my work better, or an opinion on Pickles + Milk, I’d love to hear it!

// My Favorite Snowglobe//

So cute that he deserves his own post and a full-size picture. 

// Snowglobes//

Here’s a few completed snowglobes - and there’s more to come!

// Glitterrific //

One of my obsessions favorite things is, well, ANYthing in a jar.  It would be embarrassing to reveal just how many jars I’ve collected over the years, but I can’t help it, I just love them.  There’s something magical about a little scene in a a jar, or even just objects stored in jars - they’re charged with this nostalgic sense of importance..  anyway, this year I’ve fallen head over heals for a couple of things that I’ve noticed are trending in various circles - snowglobes and glitterd animals.  So, I’ve started playing around with them. 

I made a  couple ‘snowglobes’ a while back without water:

and although they’re pretty, they really need something more.  Or at least, I’m tired of looking at them this way.  Today I got a few animals to ‘glitterfy’ and decided that the best way to go about it would be to use some spray glue and then roll them around in glitter.  It worked pretty well, but be warned - you’ll need 2 coats of glue/glitter, and you’ve really got to sprinkle and dab the glitter directly onto the animals. Just shaking them in a ziplock of glitter didn’t work as well as it sounds like it should.

I also tried one “snowglobe” (I’m using the quotations because there’s no water)

Pretty cute, but I’ll be going to hobby lobby tomorrow to get some more legit fake snow… especially because this is a bunny, it’s very easter right now and although that’s fine for him, I’m thinking this ‘snow’ might be weird with the other animals.  I’m also going to try and find some more little trees and things to put in the jars with the larger guys.  Another thing to resolve tomorrow is what to do with the whales that came in my little pack of animals.  I’m wondering if there is a clear drying resin I could find that I can suspend them in - that could be really cool.  I could even make icebergs!  We’ll see what I can find..

Here are a couple more soon-to-be-globed glitter creatures: