Count yourself LUCKY!

Today I will be posting in my shop a small line of very limited edition GREEN Lens Pets! ;) My 2011 'Lucky' Collection will hit the shop later today, all will be LARGE size pets and all will be ready to ship right away! But when they're gone, they're gone. I ordered a small amount of  the two different fabrics and I won't be getting any more. Some designs will have two available, and some will be OOAK! There are even some BRAND NEW designs making an appearance in this line!! 

Without further ado... I would like to introduce you to the cast of characters! :)

crazy lucky

lucky duck

the green eyed monster ;)

Shamrock the Irish Setter ;)

lucky catch

Lukousaurus <-- actual real name of an actual real dinosaur!

lucky in love

lucky bug

lucky charm
having the whole rabbit must be WAY luckier than just one tiny little foot, right?!

lucky Penny (the kitty cat)
find a Penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck! ;)
**coming tomorrow - no pictures yet**

happy go lucky

**coming tomorrow - no pictures yet**

Good luck scoring your own Lucky Pet! ;) Keep your eyes peeled, they'll be in the shop later today!

Monster Monday

This week I'm sharing some monsters that aren't of the soft and squishy variety, but that doesn't deter from the absolute CUTENESS OVERLOAD at all! I've been watching this shop for AGES but everything sells so quickly it wasn't until I got more vigilant in my stalking techniques that I was finally able to bring a couple home for my own collection. ;) I'm not one for 'dust catcher' collections, I got rid of all my figurines of that nature a number of years ago because I HATED having to move them and dust them all the time. Never say never. Because I've made an exception for the Beastlies and I will smile when I dust the top of the bookshelf where they sit now because I am IN LOOOOOOVE!!! Meet my Beastlies...

Dingie

Williby (with my ChapStick for size comparison)

and both Beastlies together... Dingie is kind of a scaredy cat ;)

tell me they are not absolutely painfully adorable!! You should see them in person, the tiny details are just astonishing! Seriously. Some of the spots on Williby's back are smaller than a pin head!! A PIN HEAD PEOPLE! That's tiny!! Even the tiny white spot in the center of each pupil is a dot of clay!! I have no idea how she does it! Not surprisingly, this shop crazy popular! The brilliant artist behind it all posts a few new creatures every couple of days or so and they are usually gone before you can blink! Once I clicked on 'add to cart' and in the few seconds it took my cart to load, it was SOLD to someone else!! Check out some of the other cuties that I am sad to say I missed out on...

Leslie was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy day to answer a few questions for us. :) read on to find out more about how the Beastlies came to be...



-Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Leslie and I make the Beastlies! I live in LA with my husband and cats, and I sculpt pretty much all the time. Some friends and I write a webcomic together, which I sculpt when i'm not making Beastlies. 

-What is your shop name and is there a story behind it?
Beastlies.  The story behind it is just that I make small monsters, and wanted a word that sort of conveyed the monster-ness and also small, cute side.  I ended up deciding on Beastlie when I combined "beast" and my first name. 

-How did you get started making monsters?

I sculpted a lot of little characters and animals when I was a kid, but then I gave it up for more "serious" art.  A couple years ago, I had the urge to try it again. I started out making cats and dogs and elephants and such, but they slowly started evolving into the Beastlies.  

-What inspires and motivates you to create?

I love animation and the Muppets. I sell Beastlies at a lot of comic festivals and conventions, and just being around all the amazing, small-press creators is really inspiring.  It's worth going to those events just to be immersed in that many interesting artists.  As for motivation, if you're passionate about something, you have to devote yourself to it and make it the thing you work harder at than anything else.  I quit my day job, which was a job I actually liked, to do Beastlies full time, and it's a ton of work, but I'm so glad I did it.  If you want to be a full-time creator, then you push yourself.  I dunno, is that too self-helpy?  I think people motivate themselves because they are driven to do the thing they love.

-If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?

I would be some kind of super-chef.  Like, if I could make brilliant food just by thinking about it, that would be ideal.  I love cooking, but I don't have time to do it enough to be great at it, and that kind of bums me out.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?

Foods: All kinds of cheese. Cake. Tea.  Blueberries. And I kind of love roasted beets right now.  

TV shows: Buffy, Firefly, Arrested Development, Farscape, Lost.  I'm a nerd.  

Bands: Yikes... I've been listening to Janelle Monae a lot lately.  She's great.  I dunno!  While I sculpt, I tend to put on podcasts or film scores.  I've got a playlist with music from Ratatouille, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and How to Train Your Dragon that gets used a lot.  Again, nerd.

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
EvaFunderburgh does amazing ceramic creatures 

lwong is a friend of mine whose art I just adore

specimen7 is another lovely artist who also makes small creatures, but with a very different style.  

-One year from now, I hope...

To be farther along in various Beastlie-related endeavors...  If things just keep chugging along like they are now, I'll be a happy camper.

-Where can we find you on the internet? 

Beastlies.com is my main site, and from there you can get to Twitter, FB, Flickr, and Etsy!  (Oh, and the webcomic is at TheAtrox.com.  It's about a former man-eating monster who is trying reform and be civilized. Recently, though, we've been following a quest that some viking bunnies are on.)

 The artist herself at a comic festival, selling Beastlies

and her work space... where the magic happens!! 

You might be able to get your own Beastlie... if you're faster than me that is! Trust me, I've perfected my quick reflexes when it comes to clicking 'add to cart' and 'checkout'! ;) 

Stay tuned for another edition of Monster Monday next week!!

Top Ten Tuesday!

You may have seen me mention before how much I love lists! I make lists for everything... grocery lists and to do lists and lists of new ideas for the shop and supply lists and wish lists and... well you get the point. I'm a list maker, AND I'm addicted to notebooks. But my newest list won't kill any trees! My newest list will be right here on my blog every week, starting today! Here goes...

This week I'm going to share my top ten favorite RECIPES!! I LOVE allrecipes.com! I have about a million and one cookbooks, but I always surf on over to All Recipes when I need some new meal ideas. I always read the reviews before trying something new and I have never been disappointed with something that had multiple comments of AWESOME! Of course I haven't really tried many new recipes since I started making Lens Pets nine months ago, but I hope to get back to it some day! Because even though I'm not wild about cooking/baking, I AM wild about eating!! ;) 

1. Sweet dinner rolls - In an effort to get back to using my bread machine more, I found this amazing recipe in March last year. We call them FAT ROLLS around here and OMG they are HEAVENLY!! I haven't made them in a while because they're kinda time consuming but they are worth every single second it takes to prepare! My kids ask for them all the time. I make them as 'clover' rolls instead of the crescent type (just  cut into equal pieces, roll into balls and put three little balls into each section of a muffin tin) and did I mention they're DIVINE?! Man I want some! I think I might need to make some with dinner tonight. Seriously... if you like bread, even a little bit, you MUST try this recipe!! Here's a shot I took of my first batch (before they were buttered on top so forgive them for looking a little dry - they're NOT, not at all, not even before buttering the tops! they're soft and fluffy and dense but light and just MELT.IN.YOUR.MOUTH! Aside from brushing a little melted butter on the tops when they come out of the oven I don't even add additional butter to mine)

2. Raspberry Oatmeal Bars - I found this recipe when I was looking for something to take to a cookie swap. Like I mentioned before, I do not enjoy baking - but eating... two thumbs up. ;) So I was looking for an EASY recipe that would take very little time to prepare but pack a big punch. FOUND IT! every single person that has ever eaten these has fallen in love. :) My dad flipped out the first time I made these for him because apparently they are something he loved as a kid but hadn't had in a lot of years. Now he asks for them pretty much every time he comes to visit. I am in love with raspberries, you seriously cannot go wrong with that fruit!

3. Bangin' Banana Bread - after reading the reviews on this one I just had to try it out and I am SO glad I did! I hate dry banana bread... that is NOT a problem with this recipe! It turned out SOOOO moist and had a GREAT banana-y flavor! Hands down the BEST banana bread I have ever eaten! And oh look! I  even have a photo of my first loaf! :) 

4. Italian Calzones - I should share something other than bread maybe, lol. The recipe for this dough is FANTASTIC! So delicious! I especially loved that I could make up the dough, then everyone could choose their own ingredients to go inside the calzones! Because of course the kids just wanted pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce. I on the other hand warmed up a tiny bit of oil, tossed in some garlic and then browned  some cubed chicken, added black olives and cheese - no sauce. YUM!!! Again - time consuming rolling out the dough, stuffing and sealing each one, but so worth it! I seriously need to make these again soon. 

5. Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup - *raises hand* Lazy chef here... I LOOOOOVE my crockpot! I mean how much easier can a meal get?!?! Throw it all in in the morning, dish it out at dinner time - and ONE pot to clean!!! Fantastic! I tried this recipe recently when I was looking for something quick and easy but delicious to take to a soup swap! Winner winner chicken dinner! My kids devour this and though I'm not usually one for a lot of ingredients in one dish I love it too! You can make substitutions if some things aren't to your liking - chicken broth instead of beer, frozen or fresh veggies instead of canned. I left out the onions because I do NOT do onions... EVER! You can add more spices (though I'm a mild kinda girl and this has just enough bite for me). This is a delicious soup, with smashed up tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese on top! Ok.. it won't win any awards for being the healthiest recipe, but it's still yum! ;)

6. Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti - If you are one of the 5 people in the universe who has never heard of this, never tried this, never stuffed yourself to the brim with this... you are MISSING OUT! This is seriously the MOST fantastic casserole I have EVER eaten. I love casseroles, I mean really, they're just as easy as cooking in the crockpot!! This one actually takes some time to prepare but it is so far beyond worth it it's just not even funny. It took me years of hearing other people rave about this recipe before I tried it myself. And now I'm sad for all those chicken spaghetti-less years that we could have been dining on HEAVEN IN A CASSEROLE DISH! Not even kidding. I made it for dinner tonight because looking up all these recipes was causing some serious cravings! Here is the Pioneer Woman's most beautiful picture of this dish... I drool just looking at it!

7. Corn Casserole - I for one LOVE corn bread with my chili... but once I discovered  this corn casserole I could never go back to plain old corn bread again! This is SO delicious and amazing!! The first time I had it a friend made it as a side dish... I think I ate more of the corn casserole than I did the main dish. ;) This recipe is exactly the same as the one she gave me. And can I just say, YUM YUM YUM!!! My kids weren't wild about it (WHAT is wrong with them?!?!?) but I totally don't care! I make it every time I make chili (which they also don't like, lol - I'm such a mean mom!). If your family digs corn bread I dare you to try and resist this!

8. Taco Lasagna - another recipe thanks to the same friend who made the corn casserole (she's a fabulous cook). LOOOVE this! I love it, the kids love, it's a hit all around!!! I do take a few short cuts (like taco seasoning instead of all the individual spices - you know, because I'm the lazy chef!) and I switch out the corn tortillas for flour just because that's my preference but other than that, WONDERFUL!

9. Easter Brunch Lasagna - I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine YEARS ago, at least a decade by now! I've made it on Easter every single year since then... and a few times for dinner in between. I LOVE the combination of the noodles with the white sauce, ham, broccoli, cheese... DELICIOUS lasagna. and a change from the typical beef/red sauce that lasagna usually has. So filling, I always walk away stuffed!

10. Stuffed peppers - though this particular recipe is not mine, it is similar and it's got great reviews. I would share my recipe, only I don't use a recipe. This is one of the meals my mother taught me to make when I was 18 and moving out on my own. There is no measuring happening here people, it's just 'toss it into the bowl, mix, stuff, cook, GORGE'. Yep. And it is seriously like the all time best favorite comfort food out there. Oddly enough, I don't actually eat the pepper. While I LOVE raw green peppers, once they're cooked they gross me out. BUT you don't get the same flavor without the pepper (trust me, I've tried) so I always stuff ONE pepper and put it in the middle of the dish... then all the rice and seasoned meatballs that would have been stuffing additional peppers is just in the pan with my one pepper in the middle. ;) I LOVE this dish and I don't make it nearly often enough. Unfortunately my arthritis has gotten so bad that it's quite painful for me to mash up the meat and seasonings to make the meatballs. Sometimes I can bribe the kids into helping though. ;)

Well, I hope you enjoyed my very first 'Top Ten Tuesday'! I would love for people to leave me suggestions as to what other 'top tens' they'd like to see. :) 

Monster Monday

I'm super excited to share this week's featured monster maker. Mini, micro and macro creatures, sea suckers and oddvarks (<<< best name EVER)!  All of those must mean that today we're getting to know the talented owner and operator of Mr. Sogs Creatures! I've had plenty of Mr. Sogs creations in my favorites for a long time, but only recently scored my very own mini creature in CUSTOM COLORS! I wasn't sure they'd be up for doing this but thought it couldn't hurt to ask, and they were so kind and made the perfect little mini creature for me!! I love her!

With a little help from my oldest son she got a new name and now she sits on top of my sewing machine with a couple of her new friends. :) Meet... SKITTLES!

*are you seeing a colorful theme here?! I like 'em bright! ;)

Here are a few of my other favorites from the shop...

 Zeno (above) and Effel (below) are both mini creatures. As you can see they don't look very much alike, but they are similar in size and of course they're both ADORABLE! ;)

 this is an Oddvark, his name is Hercules and I am in love!

and of course we can't forget the sea suckers! This is Clara. I don't think I'd like to meet her in a dark cove underwater... those fangs look dangerous!!

The brilliant plush maker behind Mr. Sogs was kind enough to answer a few questions for us, so read on for the inside scoop!


-What is your shop name and is there a story behind it?
My shop name is Mr. Sogs Creatures. Mr. Sogs is also the name of my really fat cat that loves to steal the creatures and have a nap on them. He is not allowed in the studio but tries to sneak in when he can.

-How did you get started making monsters?
I started making creatures as gifts for my nieces and nephew. Soon the adults began wanting them for their own birthdays as well, so I thought why not make them for everyone and it just grew from there.

-What inspires and motivates you to create?
My best motivation is requests from friends. I never would have thought to make a giant evil penguin until a friend of mine mentioned that they wanted one and could not find it anywhere. Moments like that make for the best creatures because I definitely get inspired to make something completely unique.

-If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
I would choose to never need to sleep. Oh the things I could get accomplished!

-Top 5 favorite foods?
spicy salsa, goat cheese, broccoli, mac & cheese, brownies

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
Needle Noodles - www.etsy.com/shop/NeedleNoodles
Kitty Baby Love - www.etsy.com/shop/kittybblove
Poor Dog Farm - www.etsy.com/shop/poordogfarm

-One year from now, I hope...
I hope that Mr. Sogs will be my only job.

-Where can we find you on the internet?
www.facebook.com/MrSogs

If you ever wondered what it might look like inside a monster makers lair, wonder no more! Check out this giant pile of monster skins!! All prepped and ready to be stuffed with monster guts and love! ;)

 

Don't forget to check back next week when we'll be meeting another talented Etsy genius!!

CIC Saturday!

The return and revamp of CIC Saturday! :) Each week I will feature and focus on one member of the Crafting in Color Etsy team. I am a member of this team as well and I have some crazy talented teammates! :) So for this first week back I will be sharing the wonderful work of MoKoPo Creations. She paints! And I am absolutely in love with her work!

Wonderful little quote turned into a beautiful little canvas! This is just the perfect quote for any small business owner or anyone with BIG dreams. :)

she also paints on journals and I LOVE them! It's like your own personal little work of art, that you can see and touch and USE every single day! And inexpensive enough that you can buy more than one. ;) I don't know about you, but I have an addiction to writing/keeping lists, for pretty much EVERYTHING... I am always picking up cheap little notebooks from the Target dollar spot and whatnot, but these are so much better!

and she'll even customize this one for you... another city for the heart, another state all together. so fun!

how adorable is this elephant print?! I can totally picture it hanging in a child's room. wonderful detail!!

Megan was kind enough to answer a few questions for me (I love learning more about the other sellers that call Etsy home). Check it out...

-Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Megan. I grew up in Cincinnati, where I currently live and work out of a home studio. I have a degree in Psychology and a License in Massage Therapy, but painting has always been my passion. I'm exactly 50% introvert and 50% extrovert. I love people, I'm good in groups, but I'm a total homebody and I work better solo. My family is amazing, and I'm grateful to have such a great support system. I'm quite certain I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

-What is your shop name and is there a story behind it?
My shop name is MoKoPo. It was created way back when I was 12 years old and I started painting. I wanted to sign my artwork with something fancy like a "grownup artist" so I used little circles instead of periods between my initials (M.K.P.) Instead of looking fancy, it just looked like the word "MoKoPo". I struggled with whether I would keep it as my official business name since it can be tricky to say, but at the end of the day I felt it would be strange to sign my paintings any other way. My artistic self has always been MoKoPo.

-How did you get started painting and what is your favorite subject to paint?
When I was little I would draw all the time, carrying around a sketchbook with me everywhere. At about 12 years old, I became obsessed with the PBS series, "The Joy of Painting" with Bob Ross. My very first painting was a landscape in oil for a Mother' Day Gift. After that, I explored all different subjects, focusing on portraits in high school. Currently, I love bright colors, lots of texture and layers of paint, and some mixed media elements. I'm also a big fan of animals-- they have such fun personalities!

-What is your favorite color?
You may consider this cheating but I've always said that I think colors look best when they are surrounded by other colors. I'm drawn to the spectrum more than the individual colors, like in a rainbow sno-cone, a box of markers, or the paint chip aisle of Home Depot.

-What inspires and motivates you to create?
I'm inspired by tons of things, all the time! Color, nature, humor, love, pop culture... Often times I'll have an idea in mind for a painting and as I'm creating it, I'll discover something else that I like better. I think it's important to stay flexible and trust that my mind knows what it wants to do. This constant stream of inspiration is also what motivates me. I'm constantly making lists and sketches because if I don't, I'll forget. Creating is just another way for me to put my thoughts down in some tangible form, so I can always remember them.

-If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
Teleportation. I would love to travel more and that would really help cut time and cost.

-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
Foods:
1. Chicken Pad Thai
2. Chicken Parmesean
3. Guacamole
4. Golden Oreos
5. My Mom's Mac-n-Cheese

TV Shows:
1. Friends
2. Sex and the City
3. Dexter
4. Modern Family
5. Jeopardy!

Bands:
1. Adele
2. Michael Jackson
3. Black Eyed Peas
4. Duffy
5. Over the Rhine

-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
Ahh! SO many! Let's see...
1. www.artsyville.etsy.com Colorful, fun, inspirational doodles!
2. www.onegarnetgirl.etsy.com Beautiful jewelry, I want all of them!
3. www.steppie.etsy.com I love her pandas, and her energy!

-One year from now, I hope...
To have more items available in my shop including more functional items like greeting cards, mugs, etc. I also hope to have done lots of local art shows and have made more of a name for myself in the local community. I'd like to have lots more facebook fans, blog followers, and newsletter subscribers. And finally, I hope to be enjoying all that life has to offer with my love, Kyle.

I hope you'll stop by the MoKoPo shop! She's got some beautiful items to offer. :) You can find her on the net...
Blog: www.MoKoPoCreations.blogspot.com
Headquarters: www.MoKoPo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MoKoPoCreations
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MoKoPoCreations

Don't forget to stop by next week to meet another one of my talented Crafting in Color teammates!