Splink is a Cyclops

Splink is new in the shop this week. He was so much fun to create and he is ready to ship now.

Vintage Find

A fabulously worn and organic looking raffia fedora is new in the shop today. This piece has great character. I bought it from the UK. Perfect for summer days in the sun.

Introducing Dagmar

I made him a skullcap that has a tiny loop closure to open and close the strap during play. He he so squishy and bright. Dagmar is perfectly fine standing or sitting, but tends to prefer sitting and flopping.

Sebastiaan Bremer

Sebastiaan Bremer is a Dutch Artist who lives and works in New York. He turns found and snapped photographs of himself, friends and family into a dusty poetic braille made up of text, personal symbols and ghostly shapes that, when integrated with their complex grounds, disappear again, buried in a sea of suspended dots. By slowly and laboriously painting on top of quickly taken snapshots, Bremer slows down time to render a hauntingly beautiful interior landscape.

Surprises Make Me Happy!

Her little girl hasn't seen her yet,but I'm anxious to surprise her this weekend! Wonder what she will name her.

Habit

July 21st: I leaned on the silo for a sandwich and a book, happy no one noticed.

The habit blog was kind and generous enough to open their blog to its readers for the entire month of July and I was fortunate enough to have one of my photos chosen from the flickr pool and have it included on the site.

As a daily reader of this blog, I have to admit what an honor it was to visit the blog that day and find my own photograph amongst such beautiful and sentimental entries. Thank you very much to the blog for both wholeheartedly sharing with us and in turn, allowing us into share our worlds with your readers.

The habit blog is one of the most inspiring sites on the internet daily.

Mila's Daydreams

Adele has the most fascinating maternity leave hobby. While her baby daughter Mila is taking her nap, she creates scene around her and takes quick snap photos.

(Thanks to Joanna Goddard.)

No Longer Empty

With so many yellow wood frame houses that were used as military housing, churches, a fort and even a castle from a time so long ago,  Governor's island is currently home to installations by over a dozen artists inside the houses of Colonel Row. No Longer Empty is participating in the Governor's Island Summer Festival and is open Fridays thru Sunday's until October 10th.

Visitors feel this sense of dislocation from the moment they step off of the ferry after just a few minutes ride. The selection of artists and artistic interventions in all media, are intended to address this sense of displacement while exploring notions of memory, residual entities of the past and transitions between worlds.

Porter Hovey

Port Hovey's Polaroid Blog is full of exciting and interesting Polaroids from all over the world. You should really take a look here.

Joana Vasconcelos

Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos currently has an exhibition taking place in London's Haunch of Vension titled "I Will Survive" that embraces the vintage art of Macramé, crafts and folk art. She incorporates objects from daily life into expansive assemblages combined with the use of old style craft techniques. Her witty and sometimes provocative work is inspired by everyday life and imagination focusing on the politics of gender, national identity and class.

Thanks to my brother for telling me about this.

Organic Chicken Sauteed in a Peach Balsamic Reduction Sauce with Crimini Mushrooms

This is one of my favorite dinners and my friend Garrett recently asked for it, so since it's all typed out, please feel free to enjoy it :)

ORGANIC CHICKEN SAUTEED IN A PEACH BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE WITH CRIMINI MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS:

• salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 skinless, boneless organic chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 orange marmalade (can sub. peach or apricot preserves)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced or diced
• 1 handful of crimini mushrooms, halved
• 3 cups arugula or baby spinach (optional)

In a large skillet, heat the extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and lightly sauté. Season the chicken with salt & pepper and add to the skillet. Sauté the chicken until crispy and brown, 8-10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter.

Whisk the balsamic vinegar and marmalade into skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute, adding butter and mushrooms at this time. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and if you'd like to add baby spinach or arugula, you can do so at this time.

This dish can be served with pasta, rice, potatoes or salad. My favorite is with a sweet potato.

SERVES: 4

enjoy, Christa

Rivane Neuenschwander

There is currently an exhibition at the New Museum by Brazilian artist Rivane Neuenschwander titled A Day Like Any Other. The concept amazes me. Visitors are invited to select ribbons printed with a wish to tie around their wrists. When the ribbon falls off, tradition has it that one's wish will be fulfilled. Visitors may write another wish and place it in the empty hole. Your wish may be added here.

Introducing Willa

Willa will be in the shop soon. She likes to dance and is looking forward to many adventures! Find out her details here.

New In The Shop

I'm so excited to announce another handmade folk art doll! His name is Toby and as I said earlier, he is a bit shy. Have a look at him here because he's looking for a fun home.

beached

Introducing Toby

He will be in the shop shortly. He's a bit shy but cannot wait to meet you.

New In The Shop

He needs a friend.

Walter is eco-friendly, hand knit from fine wool, stuffed with fleece and cotton, patched with a reclaimed cotton sweater, looks lovingly at you with his safety eyes and he has a cotton hand stitched soul.

He loves to cuddle and his button jointed arms help him hug back. Walter sits or stands and keeps warm with a hand knit cabled Mushishi ogre hat.

Walter is 12 inches from the tip of his warm hat to his feet when he's standing.

Most of all, he wants to be hugged and loved. He's looking for a forever home.

Walter is new, never played with and READY TO SHIP. I'll gladly ship international, so please send me a note for accurate shipping rates. You will receive this exact one-of-a-kind doll. Buy it for yourself or someone you love.

All of my items are created in a smoke-free environment! Find Walter here.

All Of A Sudden

all of a sudden, he was looking back at me with the same level of curiosity

Fourth of July!

I saw a post on Design Therapy and had to share it here. Artist Rosemarie Fiore discusses her firework drawings in advance of her exhibition. Click here to see the post on Design Therapy. Have a safe & happy Independence Day!

Meredith Dittmar

Meredith Dittmar is a 35 year-old Portland based artist who does incredible polymer clay/resin/fiberglass sculptures and has a solo show opening December 9th in Mexico City at Upper Playground.