October Artist of the Month - Deena Davis

Deena Davis is a great Leader in our Team and also an incredible Artist. If you need anything digital she is the one to contact. She opened her Website in July of 2004. www.ewenmeprintables.com . Deena started working in Graphic design right out of high school and worked for her local newspaper. She really learned a lot by hands on experience. She also works for a grocery store, designing their weekly flyers and also makes outstanding web and blog graphics.

Deena has a beautiful family with her best friend/husband Ed and three great children (two boys and a girl) Their German Shepard dog is part of the family too and even if she's never far away, she doesn't help Deena much with designing.

Like several of us, she is inspired by browsing through Pinterest and Etsy to see all of the great items. Deena works out of her home and does her designing on her laptop usually in the family room and also in her studio where she works on putting projects together. It usually takes for one printable about 3 or 4 hours to design and for web and blog designs... it can take days.

Her Etsy store: www.ewenmeprintables.etsy.com overflows with creative Tags to make your items stand out. The tags are great for instant downloading and can be used as price tags for your items. You can also add additional information about your items on the back.

Also see her bottle cap inserts.

Deena loves to spend time with her family in their backyard. She says:"It's almost like camping, without the tent." She also likes to dabble in her little garden in the summer months and she loves: " Sappy Hallmark Channel Movies--Oh!... and I love to coupon, not extreme by any means, but I have a nice little closet full of things shampoos, soaps, deodorants that I got for “cheap”.

Deena's advise to all of us is : "Make what you LOVE!"

September Artist of the Month - Karen Blevins

Karen Blevins is our Artist of the month for September. She has been creating since she was nine and began selling these wonderful creations since 2000. Her Father, who is a Commercial Artist and Craft Stores where she took and taught classes influenced her unique artwork.

Karen says:"Life is my ONLY training and taking it all in."

Karen was willing to share with us something no one knows about her.

" I buy a NEW witch hat and pajamas every September and start wearing it until after Halloween. I am a closet Witch. HaHa The Crazy Witch! I wear beanies all year round. That's All Folks!"

What are your favorite Artists and does anyone inspire you?

ANSWER: My favorite artists are all around me. Every day artists. I am inspired by my Father and my sister who is also an artist. Karen, (like

several of us) starts her projects in a spare room and then

ENDS UP ALL OVER THE HOUSE! (sound familiar?) She also has a "Crazy Woman's Cave!"

Working seasonally with her favorite materials: Fabric, glue, laces of all kinds, polyfill, different types of yarns, BUTTONS, and zippers Karen creates something in a couple of hours or other times longer. If too long,

they become UFO's - UnFinished Objects! We all have those!

Future plans might include making Jewelry. Karen enjoys Movie Marathons and loves Altered Art, Collecting Vintage and Upcycling Dolls. She's working on some Angels right now.

See Karen's fun items online at:

www.etsy.com/shop/SheCollectsICreate

www.etsy.com/shop/FosterChildWhimsy

www.etsy.com/shop/EerieBeth

www.shestheartist.com

Karen advises others to: "Let your HEART lead the way. You can even surprise yourself if you don't plan as much as you JUST DO! :)."

August Artist of the Month - Mona Rae Cich

Some Artists need a canvas, paints or clay to create a wonderful work of art. Mona Rae Cich only needs fabric, thread and her sewing machine. Mona Rae makes wonderful dolls and quilts.She says: "The quilts are designed from a pile of fabric that magically comes together as a quilt. Again I feel the need to be a traditionalist and hand applique and hand quilt my quilts." Visit her Etsy store and see all of the beautiful items in eye-catching colors.

www.etsy.com/people/MROriginals

Mona Rae has attended many crafts fairs where new and returning customers are treated to her famous "free hugs." She loves telling the many stories of the fun happenings at these shows and fun instances that happen with her customers.

Mona Rae's warm and inviting booth makes you want to wander in and look at everything!

Her lovely wall hangings would add a colorful focal point to any room.

Her many dolls like this Uncle Sam are truly treasures!

Mona Rae is currently battling a serious battle with cancer. Her attitude

and strength are amazing. Be inspired--Please check out her facebook page, send her a friend request, www.facebook.com/MonaRaeOriginals and please keep her in your prayers!

"My life mission is to have as many of my inspirational design and finished items in many homes all over the world, so when I look down from the heavens above I will be able to hear the stories continued."

 

Meet July's Artist of the Month from TeamHAHA

Say Hi to Pat of the Sunflower Cupboard! 

Pat is a self proclaimed "bit of a Gypsy" having lived in New Jersey, Washington State, Utah, Wyoming, Maine, Massachusetts, Virginia and now Minnesota, as her family is there and she hopes to stay and watch her family grow.

She has been married for almost 40 years (Anniversary in August) and has two sons and two granddaughters (so far.)

Pat is a decorative artist who works primarily in acrylics. She creates items in both seasonal and year-round decor. She loves to garden-Flowers,Fruits and Veggies. Also enjoys reading and knitting and would love to learn painting with watercolors! She says her mind is always crowded with new ideas and items. She has an antique lunchbox that is nagging her to be painted and lots of other ideas jumping. (We can't wait to see more of Pat's creations!)

Pat is mainly self taught and once took an Adult Ed course and had a one day private class with Ros Stallcup, which was on her bucket list.

Pat has been selling her items since 1986. She is inspired by the work of: Ros Stallcup, Helan Barrick, Lynne Andrews, Cynthia Erekson, Terrye French.

You can see her work at the following: Please visit and follow her!

• www.facebook.com/SunflowerCupboard
• www.facebook.com/thesunflowercupboardpatterns
• www.thesunflowercupboard.com
• www.etsy.com/shop/TheSunflowerCupboard
• www.pfattmarketplace.com

Pat Now designs her own patterns and has been published in both "Painting E- Zine" and "The Pixelated Palette." Try some of her patterns!

Pat says: "Painting for me is "therapy" and find I am peace when I am in my studio working." She keeps a sketch pad near her when watching TV and when inspiration hits she sketches an idea for future reference. Her advice to other Artist's: Don't be afraid to try different techniques-stretch your abilities."

Here's a great recipe from Pat: "This was one of my Mother’s "Go To" recipes and I made it often for my kids and still make it for family and friends

Cinnamon Orange Cake

 

Ingredients:

Yellow Cake Mix (substitute orange juice for water).

Bread crumbs

Topping

1 stick butter (melted)

1 cup sugar mixed with 1/8 cup cinnamon or more depending on taste.

Follow cake mix instructions substituting OJ for water. When batter is mixed, spread it in 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with canola oil. Sprinkle bread crumbs on batter before baking. Bake in the oven according to cake mix directions. When out of oven and cool, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of cake and then pour melted butter over the cake as evenly as you can. The butter and cinnamon sugar form a frosting of sorts and the yellow cake with the orange juice really compliment one another.

Pat says: "I look forward to getting to know as many of the people as possible on this new, wonderful team."