I first saw Mimilove's work on Flickr.  The embriodery groups were all abuzz about her work.  And with reason.  There is no true category for her style: it's portrature, but much more fun; it's a painting, but also includes amazing stitching. Is it craft, is it art?  It's gorgeous, thats what it is.

The holidays seemed like the perfect excuse to treat myself with something truly beautiful.  Ollie, my constant furry companion seemed like the perfect subject. 

And voila, look what I get out of the bargain.  What's so amazing to me (aside from the portrait itself) is the fact that she was able to capture the essence of Ollie without ever meeting him.  All it took was a couple of email exchanges, a couple of basic questions and my furry little friend is accurately depicted in art.

Words can't describe how much I love this.  It hangs on the wall in front of my workspace as a source of inspiration.  Part of the fun is reading her story behind the portrait.

To see more of Mimilove's work and the process behind each piece check out her blog.  Not only is her art inspirational, but reading you get a sense that this is a woman in love with what she does.   You can commission a portrait of your own here.  I recommend this too - she is such a pleasure to work with, she's sure to make you giggle.

We have all been busy bees this summer, and as a result the fall's harvest is quite robust.  It's fantastic to see people following their passion, and being rewarded for their efforts. 

Just in time for fall, and peak leaf viewing season a new store is opening in Beacon this weekend.  Clay Wood and Cloth will offer a variety of hand-made items from local artists.  Located on Main Street in Beacon, just up the hill from Dia, it adds another must-see to any road trip this season.

And to add to the fun, they're kicking it all off with a big party!

Clay Wood & Cotton is your source for the best handmade items for your home. We look for artists who combine beauty with utility, and who put a sense of fun into their work. Come and check out our selection of unique handmade goods for the whole home. Wooden spoons, aprons, and dish towels for the kitchen; napkins, placemats, and dishes for the dining room; art prints and pillows for the living room; plus stuffed friends for your little ones. Can't make it to Beacon? Our online store is opening soon! www.ClayWoodandCotton.com Clay Wood & Cotton is a collaboration of Kristy Reichert of Beacon Bookmarks, Kristen Couse of Cakehouse, and Kelly Kingman of BeaconCitizen.com Directions to Clay Wood & Cotton can be found here.

I consider myself exceptionally lucky; I live a very charmed life.  Somehow (I chalk it up to lots of hard work earlier on), I get to live my life exactly the way I want.  Now, I don't mean to gloat, but am thrilled to share my happiness. 

I'm fortunate to meet other people like me, who spend their days the way they want - creating beautiful things.  Artistic Will Studios shares this same outlook on life.  Creating beautiful works of art inspired by the beauty of nature, each induces a feeling of serenity.

You can read my interview with the woman behind Artistic Will Studios here. 

Man, I've been in a creative rut.  I don't know exactly what's caused it.  The weather's been oppressive, amd I'm not a fan of the heat.  I'm working at a new job with a new schedule.  Either one of those things could be the trigger for this lethargic mode.  At the end of the day I just want to lay in bed and watch Firefly repeats.  This is a frustrating mode for me.  I'm a doer, a go-getter.  I'm the person who gets the comment "when do you sleep?" And my answer lately is always.

Now I understand that the body and mind need rest, and it's important to listen to those cues.  But I feel restless in my ability to create.  I've always been a creative person, so to not want the outlet seems strange.  Not to say that I've been completely idol.  This ongoing project has been receiving a lot of attention.  I've made a few things here and there.  I'm just usually more productive. 

So what do I do?  When I need to do something, but I can't concentrate too deeply on it, I go for the simple.  Now, I don't mean anything insulting when I say simple.  Perhaps entertaining is a better word.  Harry Potter used to fill the need when I couldn't finish a book.  So I've picked up the stitching equivalent.

Sublime Stitching has released many kits, pattern books and products.  I've seen them but never tried one.  Believe it or not I wasn't sure of my stitching skills.  Sure I can cross-stitch like nobody's business, but a French knot?  (I found out that yes, I can.)  Curious, I picked up the Stitchable Stationary kit.  The patterns look simple, and they can be.  The challenge is to add color and a variety of stitching techniques to make the line drawings pop.  It's completely up to you.  So look at that, having fun can be productive too. It's just enough to provide the creative spark I needed.

Really, it doesn't get much better than that.  I've been following Beans Things - not literally, on the Internet.  She posts the most gorgeous photos of her creations on Flickr and Facebook.  Each more breath-taking than the last, I had to find out her story.