Crafty Manolo

The instant I saw this piece, I needed to know more. I wanted to know more about the artist, the technique, the materials, the inspiration. I wanted to see more of the work.

The artist is Lotta Helleberg. She was born in Sweden and relocated to Virginia in the 80’s. She now lives with her husband and children in Charlottesville, making art and loving nature.

The art and the nature go hand in hand at all times. Whether she’s creating wall hangings, pillows, handmade artist’s books, table runners, or sachets filled with organic lavender, Helleberg’s work combines a spare elegance with a profound respect for nature. The result, as you can see, is tremendously beautiful.

The materials she works in most include: antique/vintage linen fabric, natural dyes created from local plants, recycled/handmade paper, and silk. Her dye processes are eco-friendly, and many of the motifs are created with the help of local flora.

If you’re in the Virginia area, you’ll be able to see Helleberg’s work up close and personal from October 12 – December 5 at Over the Moon Bookstore in Crozet, VA and in the Artisans Studio Tour in Charlottesville, VA on November 10&11. Helleberg is studio #8.

Or, if you’re up in the Ontario, Canada area (As opposed to Ontario, California), Helleberg’s work will be on display at the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Center in Oakville, Ontario from November 2 – 18 as part of the show De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things).

As for the rest of us, well, we’ll just have to get by on browsing her website and her online store.

You know, I really could use a spiffy new purse….

Okay, this may look like a set of five linked crowns of thorns, but it’s supposed to be the Olympic rings, really. And you’ll never guess how the artist achieved this special look… so I’ll let STICK VEGA explain it to you:

Vega places (gun)powder and fuses on the surface of the art, which he positions horizontally on the floor. When ignited, first the fuses burn instantly along the cord lines, igniting the gunpowder and creating loud bangs and flashes of fire, which then vanish in clouds of smoke. The result is a textured surface that looks and feels like an explosion—the acrylic paint and substrate is blackened, charred, and erupted, arrested in a state of being created in a flash.

And it can be yours for just $79.00 plus $30.00 shipping.

Well.

That certainly is… something.

This is the Madrid pattern of table linens from Table Tableaux.

This is designer and manufacturer Nancy Hofer in her natural habitat. She created the design above and many more.  Other designs she’s done that I like include Martini, Tea Time, and Lisbon.

Each of these designs and more are digitally printed on cotton/linen blend fabric with water based inks, and then sewn into table runners, place mats, and napkins. Every person involved with the process is paid a living wage, too, so it’s fair trade made in the US of A! Hofer even does tiles of some of her designs and will be happy to discuss custom designs with you.

Check out her fabulous designs, people. And then dream big.

Now when I start my Yellow Submarine kitchen, I know who to call about coming up with just the right linens for the table. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

I love me a good tote bag. They’re useful. Whether I’m making a quick run to the grocery store and would rather not come home with more disposable bags or getting my crafts supplies from point A to point B conveniently, they serve me well. Not only that, they’re fun and attractive, to boot!

For instance, this gorgeous tote (complete with internal pocket for your phone) is printed with a photograph of a door in Brugges the artist, Melanie Saucier, took in her travels abroad from her native Canada.

If you like this, you can find it right here on Saucier’s website.

Some other favorites of mine include a messenger bag printed with a photograph of a manual typewriter keyboard, and a fabulous pot holder with a London street scene on it.

The prices are reasonable, and the items are really useful. Whether you’re looking for a birthday, graduation, or wedding gift for someone who loves to travel, or wanting something for your own home, this is a great place to start the search.

Me? I’m dreaming of going through the door on that tote bag and finding myself in Brugges.

I don’t know about all of you, but I can always use a good tea towel. I like to have a good supply on hand, too, because I use the suckers. My kitchen isn’t just decorative, after all. So I like to have pretty things in it that I can also use.

That’s why I love this pretty screen printed hemp and organic cotton tea towel by jennarosehandmade over at Etsy. It’s  bright, cheery and useful all at once for just $15.00.

Mmm… berries. I like.

If you’re looking for a baby gift for the Star Wars fanatic in you life, this pet ATAT onesie by Etsy artist Ironspider may be the answer to your prayers. It’s hand screen printed on soft cotton and comes in sizes from 3 months to 24 months.

But what about your more grownup Star Wars fan? Well, the same print is available as a tee shirt in both children’s and adult’s sizes, and as a tee shirt dress in women’s sizes (only through size L, sadly).

Not into Star Wars? Check out Ironspider’s other fine designs. I’m particularly taken with this one.

Block printing is a medium I have long admired. I’ve enjoyed it the couple times I’ve tried it, too.

If you’ve been thinking about trying this fun technique out, or if you know someone who wants to get started, the best thing you can do is head over to Mister Art and take a look at this fabulous starter kit by Speedball. It includes everything you need to get going creating your own block prints. It includes: a lino block, lino handle, four sizes of cutters, a knife, four colors of ink, and a lot more.

Oh, and the coolest thing of all? Is the price. This kit usually runs $59.99 retail, which isn’t at all bad. But why go for ‘not bad’ when you can get a great deal? You see, Mister Art carries it for just $46.19, which is 23% off. Or, if you join their VIP Club, the price drops to just $40.49, or a whopping 33% off!

I love books. I’m a longtime biblioholic, in point of fact. As a child, I was known to spend time browsing the dictionary and the encyclopedia for fun. I sometimes think it would be fun to do that again.

CollageOrama has an Etsy site that could allow me to have just that sort of good time again, but with a twist. CollageOrama takes dictionaries that are about to be destroyed and upcycles them. Images of pages are printed on recycled paper and further images superimposed. I quite love the dress form above, but there are plenty of other fun images to choose from, such as this rather glorious Macaroni penguin

… or Marilyn Monroe, a T-rex skeleton, or dozens of other funny, charming, kitschy, or curious images. At $6.99 each, they’re quite a bargain, too!

Or are they inspiration?

Sometimes you just need your own textile, but you don’t want to start from scratch. That’s when it’s good to get a basic piece of cloth and embellish it yourself. Stamp it, silk screen it, stencil it, and make it your own.

If this sounds appealing to you but you don’t know where to begin, allow me to suggest an excellent starting point: Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth by Rayna Gillman.

In this book, you’ll find all the information you need to turn the most ordinary bit of fabric into an original piece of art.

Best of all, if you head over to Create For Less right now, you can get it at a bargain price that will leave you the cash to develop your first project. The original price is $27.95, which isn’t at all bad for what you’re getting. All the same, I really like the idea of getting it for just $11.24.