Make Friends

I made a new friend recently. More of a reacquaintance, really.

Not of human form, but of an art medium form. That is of gouache. It was in college when we were first introduced. I wasn't too interested then. Maybe it was because my college instructor only supplied our art bins with black and white.

Months ago I purchased a fine gouache colour set on a whim from a local art store.

It hasn't been 'til late that I decided to open them up. The newness of the year can sure motivate you to look back and think of the things you wanted to accomplish in the past year.

As a result,  I'm so delighted to have gained a new friend in gouache paint.

Gouache are traditional water based opaque colours which give flat, smooth washes.

I've been hauling them around with me... even bringing them to morning lattes, instead of drawing.

My friend Kim knitting some fingerless gloves at 3 Friends Coffee House.

Saw this lil' guy... one of my favorite plant eating dinosaurs.

Breakfast for Lunch

My love and I took a bike ride to Mississippi Avenue for the weekend. It's one of my favorites. There are so many shops and street art.

We were so excited to see that Cup & Saucer opened a location on Mississippi. We couldn't resist eating there for lunch. If you haven't ate there I totally recommend it!

Check out the delicious grub we ordered...

Garden Omelet with scone & potatoes Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, mushroom, spinach and cheddar

Lucky Scramble Bacon, mushroom, green onion, cheddar cheese scrambled with three eggs on top of potatoes

Lastly, here's a recent drawing I did when I was visiting Nebraska. I finally snapped a photo for you to see. Enjoy!

Sunny & Swell

What a BEAU-TI-FUL morning we have here in Stumptown. I enjoyed the sunshine on my way over to Crema. I thought I would share some of the rays that are shining in the office.

I signed up for a DailyBooth account the other day. Do feel free to add me as a friend on there. In the past I've been kinda hesitant to sign-up but after moseying around a lil' bit and viewing other users silly faces I was persuaded. DailyBooth is basically like a visual journal. It's a place where you can upload and share portraits of yourself on a daily basis. Pretty fun concept, eh??

The last three days I have been blaring (at least twice a day) the new She And Him album, 'Volume Two'. My husband would say he can vouch for this. He doesn't have the nerdy obsession for Zooey as I do. And hey that's okay. The album is not released yet– won't be until March 23rd. Thanks to NPR's website you can stream it! Take a gander here.

Wait, wait! Don't leave yet. I know, you're about to think... tl, dr. BUT I have some very thrilling news.

I was accepted into Crafty Wonderland's Super Colossal Spring Show! It will be at the Oregon Convention Center on May 1st and 2nd. Be sure to mark your Google Calendar, iCal, Moleskine, etc. It's going to be glorious... 200 vendors with their handmade goodness. Keep posted on Crafty Wonderland's site.

Last but not least... I have drawn a new kitchen herb. May I present Nutmeg.

Nutmeg print :: 8” x 10” :: View in Etsy Shop

"Nutmeg is usually associated with sweet, spicy dishes — pies, puddings, custards, cookies and spice cakes. It combines well with many cheeses, and is included in soufflés and cheese sauces. In soups it works with tomatoes, split pea, chicken or black beans. It complements egg dishes and vegetables like cabbage, spinach, broccoli, beans, onions, and eggplant."

I found a photo of the actual fruit. I'm amazed of the dried "lacy" reddish covering of the seed... I see a resemblance to human capillaries.

New silly avatar for '10 & Tuesday's accomplishments

A week or two ago I was pondering the idea of creating a new avatar for my Flickr, Twitter, and every other social networking website that is linked to A Tea Leaf. I mean it's a new year, that should mean a new avatar, right? I'm a lil' sad to leave behind the "I Can Has Plum" pic; it sure was a silly one. This year's avatar includes a pretty sweet coffee mug that was just filled to the brim with Yerba Mate. I love this white glass mug, it's fantastic. It has a lot of sentimental value to me; it use to be my grandmother's. I remember when I was a wee one, watching her pour coffee into it and thinking to myself, 'why would anyone drink coffee', blergh. Obviously, in present time at the ripe ol' age of 27, my taste buds have changed. As many of you know, not only am I a bit obsessed with Hello Kitty and Norwich Terriers, but hot beverages as well. Mmm... Yerba Mate.

I've been hyped up this week. It sure has been a productive one. Sometimes I wish I had my own chopper on the roof, though, so I could get to point A to point B uber fast and be so much more productive.  I decided that I'd try something new in the sketchbook. Since I love documenting and all, I doodled Tuesday's accomplishments. I used one of my favorite mediums too... Gelly Roll Moonlight opaque pens. (Click on image to view larger.)

I had a ball drawing this. I'm definitely up for another one in the next month or two.

It's a new year... Let's get excited & make things.

Poster created by Matt Jones of London.

Yes, that's right. 2010. Let's make things. Let's do things.

In fact, my '10 resolution is related to this inspiring poster. As I sit here sipping my chai latte, I'm getting excited for a brand new year. I want to share my art with the Portland community, be it in a coffee shop, a boutique, or a gallery. I have decided on another way that I will be giving back to Portland as well. For the year 2010 I will be donating 5% of my Etsy sales to the Portland Rescue Mission. Almost everyday I see homelessness around Portland. I really want to help give hope to those men, women, and children.

Year two in Portland has been life changing. I met lots of peachy creatives, either crafty, design, or technical. I submerged myself into the Portland creative community.  With these new friends of mine, we planned a few graphic design meet-ups. We did happy hours. We had crafting afternoons & evenings. We went to coffee shops and doodled in our sketchbooks. We geeked out over art supplies at art stores. We also did street fairs. We did craft shows. I did my very first Crafty Wonderland craft show... and a second one, the very last monthly Crafty Wonderland in November. And even the monstrous Crafty Wonderland Colossal Holiday Sale. 2009 was the year I started this blog, February 14th. In 2009 I also started making necklaces, earrings, Herb drawings, and lest we not forget the monthly documentary video shorts.

I hope everyone has found the Holiday Season enchanting. I hope you were able to create memorable moments with close friends and family even if you were snowed in and unable to be with them in person. I am personally thankful for Skype & webcams. I do hope this blog post finds you well.

I will leave you with this mosaic. The first mosaic I have ever made. It's filled with photos from 2009 of the things that inspired me.

Passing along some 2009 inspiration bliss, enjoy!

Click on mosaic to view more details.

A Tea Leaf at TinyHidyHo Holiday Shoppe

Attention Portlanders out there!

Stop by the Tinymeat store on North Williams to find local handmade gifts! It's a great place to pick out those last minute gifts, treat yourself to something sweet, or chit chat with Tinymeat owner, Michael! My handmade goodies are there, as well as a dozen other local artists' & crafters' work.

Tinymeat's address is 3808 N. Williams, Portland, OR - Located in the same building as Cha Cha Cha & Ristretto Roasters.

Wallets!

Tinymeat™ and I have united our creative powers to bring you...

Weeping Willow Wallets!

They are now in the Etsy Shop for only 15 buck-a-roos.

Exterior

The wallet's exterior has my 14th work of my Standard Movement Series, 00014 - Weeping Willow.

Interior

The wallet's interior is antique ledger paper. Coffee ring and scribbles included! Sewn by Tinymeat™ himself! How cool is that?!

Standard Movement Series Pendants

It's Friday and you know what that means... new arrivals in the ATeaLeaf Etsy shop! And I have a special surprise for you all. You can now choose the artworks you would like for your wearable. It gets a little bit sweeter too: not just one side, but two!

Standard Movement Series Pendants

Choose your favorite front and back and I will personally custom make your new necklace!

Head on over to my Etsy shop and get the ball rollin'. Hope you all have a long and lazy weekend lovelies!

00016 - Western White Clematis

Introducing my 16th piece of my series, Standard Movement.

00016 - Western White Clematis – Click here or image above to purchase a print

To begin with, the oval frame. My thoughtful Godparents found it at an antique store. They are so sweet. As many of you know, I love bubbled glass. Who doesn't? I love how it enhances my imaginative 2-D world. Next, something new this time around. I usually use vintage paper for the main background, in this case I used fresh, crisp ledger paper. I wanted this work to be much simpler than the last, so I left a lot of white space and added fewer textile pieces which represent orbs. I incorporated a white flowering plant that I discovered on a walk to Portland's striking St. Johns bridge. The plant caught my eye with it's showy seedheads.

I searched high and low. Alas I found the name of the white flowering plant, it's called Western White Clematis. I read that it is a perennial vine and a member of the Buttercup family. It also goes by names such as Virgin’s Bower, Traveler’s Joy, and Leather flower. It sounds like a terrible idea to get in contact with, its oils are extremely irritating to the skin. It can also cause internal bleeding of the digestive tract if digested in large amounts. Eek! However, Native Americans would use it for headaches and nervous disorders, in small doses, of course.

If you would like to purchase a print of this original artwork of mine, they are available in my online shop, here. The prints are a limited edition of 30, printed on a heavy cardstock paper, backed with matboard, and slipped into a cellophane envelope. Whew! Did you get all that? I will also sign each print and ship them in a bendproof mailer. Live near Portland and wanna save on shipping? I will also be selling these guys at Crafty Wonderland and Skating with Scissors Craft Bazaar. I'm so jazzed to participate in my first two craft shows!

New Work: 00015 - False Lily of the Valley

It's Saturday and I'm still trying to get caught up with posting last weekend's creations. Whew.May I present to you... 00015 of Standard Movement Series.

00015 of Standard Movement – 5" x 7"  – purchase print

I even think it's the best piece I've made thus far.

Within this mint green frame are a variety of items, including pages from a vintage accountant workbook and pocket dictionary, an elementary report card dated 1953, a black & white class photograph. Something new this time around... I incorporated a lace tablecloth, cutting it into honeycomb shapes. I've been meaning to incorporate textiles for the longest time, and alas it finally has been done.

Within coffee rings, I drew a plant, False Lily of the Valley that I discovered while hiking near Indian Beach. Scientific name: Maianthemum dilatatum is an aggressive groundcover for moist shade, which was very apparent... I saw heart-shaped leaves & berries in the shadows everywhere on the hike. I read up a little bit on the berries... "they can be used as food, although they are not especially tasty. Other aboriginal uses of the plant include the treatment of cuts, sore eyes, internal injuries and sterility."

In a future work I would like to illustrate the blooming stage of the star shaped flowers, pictured above. The stamens remind me of snails' tentacles.

I have 00015 prints available in my Etsy shop for 16 dollars each. http://www.atealeaf.etsy.com Each print will be signed, numbered (in a limited edition of 30), and shipped in a sturdy bendproof mailer.

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend!

Miniature street art installation

With a warm breezy night, how could one resist being a little bit mischievous by partaking in some street art installation? Fused and sitting flushed against the cement ground, a 1 1/4" square wooden cube hides from passers-by. On one side of the cube, vintage ledger paper is adhered and coated with resin. Below the resin, a cropped coffee ring from my coffee, drawn pixels and orbs float on the ledger's surface. It's been awhile since I've done any street art so it was very thrilling to interfere with the urban environment. I have decided that the coming warm nights of the summer season, means partaking in more installations. Stay tuned as I document more and more of these non-permission based artworks.

Just a reminder that there are other wooden blocks of mine that are on sale for a limited time. These original blocks can be displayed on a shelf, window sill, or in a shadow box. These little masterpieces would be great idea for a Mother's Day gift. It's just around the corner... May 10th! Did I mention that they are 25% off? Hop on over to my Etsy shop and take a peak if you haven't yet.

Breathing Fidelity drawing

Monday, Monday, Monday... hey, let's go back to the weekend! Over the weekend I had a chance to snap some better pictures of my work titled Breathing Fidelity (original) which is for sale in my Etsy Shop here.

A little info about this work: Raindrops evolve into delicate snowflakes while coffee spills and orbs float around them. This original art of mine measures 5"x7" and is behind glass, which has stencil graffiti of a honeycomb pattern.