Oh cold and dreary winter no more. We have finally had some beautiful sunny days after almost a solid month of cold, rainy weather. Spring is nearing but until then, here are some very colorful pieces to brighten up your gray winter day.


Nina Kuriloff is an American painter out of New York.

She paints non-objective works of art as well as landscapes, nudes, renditions of flowers and surrealistic trees. She uses bold colors and curiously curly lines in many of her beautiful works.


I love her nudes and their beautiful curves.
Her female nude with purple and black hair is fantastic in its form and line detail.




This is an original acrylic painting of her imaginary green tree. It is a gorgeous green and once again her line style draws you into the image and wraps you up in her fantasy world.


You can visit her Etsy store Kuriloff for more surreal art.



Andrew Daniel is a painter out of Arcata, California. He uses bold colors and shapes found in nature to express connections in life through his own geometric language.

I really love his flower petals on water acrylic on canvas found on his website. Poetic and reflective indeed!





You can find many of his works on affordable greeting cards in his Etsy shop ArtofAndrewDaniel. Skip the Hallmark and let his art say it all!







Brighten someone's day with this Misty Morning greeting card filled to the brim and layered with all the colors in the rainbow.

I have had my ears pierced since 2nd grade. At one point in my life, I had 9 piercings, but am now down to just 2. I have noticed though that lately I haven't been wearing earrings, and I think this can be attributed to my 2 year old son. He loves to grab and pull anything shiny, so at risk of having my ear lobes ripped in half, I have not been adorning my audio appendages.

I have long had a fascination with large hoops, specifically silver, but lately have seen quite a few beautiful and unique ear accessories. I hope to be able to buy some soon. Here are a few outstanding designers I have come across in my earring search.


Courtney Filer-Dougal, out of Boston, has a beautiful organic sterling silver line that is available through her Etsy shop Eva666 .

I am particularly fond of her stick earrings
These are hand forged and hammered into this organic shape.
They are simple and elegant.








I also love these death star earrings from wildflowerdesigns. They are oxidized to a wonderful dark tone and lightly brushed for unique texture. A dainty ruby bead adds a dash of color the flower's center. She also uses a stamping technique in many of her designs that are equally as intriguing and beautiful.






From Upstate New York, Elizabeth Scott has an eclectic jewelry line inspired by nature and decorations from the past. I think these sophisticated loops from esdesigns are fantastic. The andalusite stone is a subtle neutral tone with angled edges that catch the light and change colors. These would be perfect for a romantic night out.

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in the Gocco printer, the Japanese home printing machine. The Riso company has discontinued its manufacturing and in turn, sparked a small uprising in the crafting community. Check out the save gocco here.




Flower art By mocchi mocchi


Being a screen printer myself, I became curious about this small, all-in-one printing unit. It seems you can find them at auction sites going for well over $200.00 when they are originally around $95.00. Similar to the high demand for the gaming systems, they are fetching a nice price, even used.


After discussing the pros and cons of the Gocco with a good friend who used one to print cards and t-shirts, I have decided it is not for me. That is not to say it is not for everyone. Here are some amazing Gocco prints I have stumbled upon in my quest.


This is another favorite of mine from
mocchi mocchi

There are many more beautiful prints to choose from.








Another technique used with the Gocco is stamping. You can purchase special kits for use on different mediums. I found this artist who creates beautiful patterns to use with her Gocco stamp.

Here are some classical style stamp patterns I found from Lara Cameron out of Australia









She has an Etsy shop, kirinco, filled with delightful jewelry and prints as well




Print Addict Japan sells Gocco supplies on Etsy too.
Welsh Products is another supplier.


Here are a few links to check out if you are interested in using a Gocco
You Tube tutorial
Flickr photo tuturial
Makezine tutorial
Ingafruit Blog tutorial
The Small Object Blog tutorial
Paper Source Video tutorial
Stamp Blog




Don't forget your card stock!

I recently purchased 2 sets of cards from Heather Toupin of heatherjeany. She has a modern line of prints perfect for any occasion.




For myself, I selected the goldfish. This is a delicate design printed in a shimmering gold ink onto a mix of A2 size beautiful blue and green note cards with stylish rounded corners and corresponding glittery gold envelopes.





I also selected the tall giraffe. It too is a detailed print in a shimmery bronze on a cheerful set of orange and red cards with matching chartreuse envelopes.

I can't wait to send these cards out to clients and friends; don't forget about the art of writing now. I love "real" mail.