Thoughtful Thursdays: Fit For A Man Cave!

Recently, I did a commission for someone who grew up in Coney Island, NY. Having spent lots of time at the boardwalk and playing games as a kid, he was drawn to my Tillie-style Knock Down Dolls. Turns out, he actually has a boardwalk-themed game room and wanted to get 3 dolls for his collection of arcade memorabilia.

I was happy to oblige and even threw in a vintage-looking sign I made for Tillie photo shoots! But what i really enjoy is the fact that — even though my style tends to be a little on the whimsical side — I actually have some creations that appeal to the menfolk!

Long live the man cave!

Carnival Madness...

Whew! Worked all week and into the weekend on my carnival-inspired assemblages... and am very pleased with the results. I had fun testing out some of my new ideas... and of course I came up with even more ideas for next time (I really should write these things down, you know?). So let's see what else is new with this batch...

New words! Sometimes things are so obvious that they're not obvious at all. For instance, I fashioned these particular clown assemblages around one of my favorite boardwalk games... but had not thought of using that word until I ran out of all the F U N and P L A Y Scrabble tiles and game pieces. Duh!

Trying out some new ribbons. Loving the red polka dots juxtaposed with the coordinating circus stripes!

And speaking of ribbon... I almost died when I saw this red and white striped shimmery ribbon, that's totally wired! I attached it as an awning using vintage steel tacks. Squeal!

This time I tried my hand at fashioning a Paper Clay duck using a simple plastic candy mold from the craft store. It worked out perfectly!

And my absolute favorite I'm-totally-making-more-of-these ode to cotton candy! I really want to eat it!

And, well... ummmmm.... does anyone else see that pink elephant in the room?

So that's what I've been up to, day and night... for the past week or so. I have to admit that it's a fun process, but I'm happy to move on to the next creative project. All the carnival assemblages you see here (and more) are available on my Etsy shop if you are interested. I hope you had fun coming along for the journey!

Snuggling Up With My Favorite Guy...

Lately I've been working on a knock-off of my Knock-Down Dolls... and making these fun little Tillie Pillows!

Thanks to Spoonflower.com I found an affordable way to print my designs on fabric... Woohoo! And because that makes life so simple... I even created a custom back, filled with tons of imagery (drawn by me) from Tillie's old house... The Palace in Asbury Park.

For some of the pillows I added arms made of ribbon.

On others, I added fluffy vintage trim.

And some of them I distressed to make look like old folk art dolls.

Having the fabric made things run so much more smoothly, that I had time to work on making more Knock Down Dolls! See how happy they are to be relaxing in the sun? Me too!

I was on such a roll I even thought of trying something new... using vintage tacks to secure the Knock Down doll to its base... just like the real old-timey ones!

All-in-all it's been a busy week, but tons of fun. So nice to get away from the computer and get my hands on my favorite guy!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Words!

Having a background in graphic design and advertising — including being a copywriter — I always tried very hard to write for the person that would be reading the package, sell sheet, or advertisement I was creating. It was fun to imagine myself in the buyers' place, and trying to determine what they wanted to know and how to convince them to buy... using words. Over the years, I began to place a lot of importance on words... written or spoken!

So it's no surprise, that words have become an integral part of my artistic creations. However, in my art I am not as clear and to the point as I was when writing for an advertising assignment. The words in my art are there to make you think. To make you ponder. To make you wonder. Does this really mean something? Or is it just nonsensical nonsense?

Sometimes I deliberately choose words that don't seem to mean anything at all. But they will to someone. Someone will read it and know that I looked deep inside their soul and pulled out those very words just so they would see them and feel connected.

And that's what I love about words.

How do words influence you... whether it be in your art or just your everyday life?

Thoughtful Thursdays: Good Times... Boardwalk & Carnival Fun!

As a child, I grew up in and around the New Jersey shore, which is strewn with miles and miles of boardwalks and home to several small town and county carnivals throughout the warmer months. It was just such an exciting day when I knew we were going to play arcade games, go on rides until we were sick in our bellies, and eat yummy, yummy food that is so bad for you! Those happy memories still inspire my work today!

The Fat Cats games—also known as Circus Punks or Knock-Down Dolls—were way too hard for a little girl. But that didn't stop me from trying! Although, when I realized that the dolls were on very strong hinges that barely budged and quickly righted themselves again... I knew it was a lost cause!

However, all was not lost! As my fondness for aged-looking printed textiles, whimsical circus colors and faux fur led me to make my own versions of these adorable arcade-style Knock Down Dolls!

And Skee-Ball! Another of my favorites! I could stand there for hours just rolling that wooden ball up the ramp and listening to the clickety-click of my tickets being delivered right at my very feet! I'll let you in on a little secret... Shhhhh... come a little closer.... if you "bank" the ball off the side of the dividers, it will lauch a little more gently into the target... so it doesn't bounce back down into the 10 point section!

Skee-Ball inspired the focal point of this funky and charm-ing necklace which is actually a piece of thick window glass from the Casino building on the boardwalk of Asbury Park, NJ! I adhered a vintage postcard featuring a Skee-Ball Arcade from Ocean Grove (the town next door!) behind the glass just for fun!

And let's not forget about all that crappy (I mean sinfully delicious) food that they serve at the local fairs, carnivals and the boardwalk! Sugary cotton candy, caramel apples, ice cream, funnel cakes, pizza, french fries, hot dogs... oh so yummy! My all-time favorite was always (and still is) the cotton candy. So light and fluffy and sugary... and pink! It had to be pink! By the time I was done my fingers looked like 5 little pink-haired troll dolls! Although I eat much less cotton candy now than as a child (my Dr. thanks me!), I have not been able to escape its pull in my artwork!

What are some of your favorite childhood memories or places to visit and do you still honor those traditions in your life in some way today?

Well... Bowl Me Over...

Or... knock me down... is more like it! In between graphic design work and getting ready for the OG boardwalk show, I managed to materialize a longtime idea! Having a love of carnivals since a very young age, they have been a huge inspiration in much of my work. So I created these "Knock-Down Dolls" as a tribute to the game and of course, my favorite icon... Tillie! some are new-looking and some are vintage-grungy! Both styles will be for sale at the show tomorrow and I'll be taking custom orders as well! Just send me an e-mail...

If you are interested in purchasing one of my original Knock-Down Dolls, you can visit the Carnival and Circus Fun section of my Etsy shop!

Letters and Photos and Games, Oh My...

Here's what $15 got me at an early in the season flea market this weekend. The games were $2 and $3... the 25 letters were 5 for $1... and the photos were 25 cents apiece... I got 20 of those. Not a bad haul... Tis the season!

Lookie What I Found...

Over the weekend, I stopped into one of my favorite little antique shops and found this gem. Living in a beach town and having grown up at the boardwalk, I really love these game-themed pieces. I think I'm going to hang it on the wall.