Eek! There’s a mouse in the house!
They’ve invaded the Alphabet Soup kitchen. But we don’t mind one bit, because they’re all handmade by indie artists and want you to adopt them. Perfect stocking stuffers for the cheese heads on your gift list. Twelve, for the Twelve Days of Christmas; includes a couple of patterns/kits for you do-it-yourselfers (clickety click). Catch them before they run up the clock. 🙂
Of course I’m referring to the nine perky, uncommonly good-looking, crazy-talented women who’ve visited Alphabet Soup this past year to share their wares in our Indie Artist Spotlight series.
If, like me, you’ve already shifted into holiday gift-buying mode, you’re probably hungry for some good ideas. Supporting independent artists is always a win-win — your lucky friends and relatives receive unique heartmade-handmade gifts, and you’re helping to ensure that these ingenious, inventive people can continue to make the world a more beautiful place with their delightful creations.
Just to refresh your memory, I’m linking to all the Spotlight interviews and sharing two new items from each of their Etsy shops. Click on any image to be taken directly to the listing. Be quick about it, especially if you want to place a custom order. Enjoy!
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Ever have this thing where you don’t know what you’re looking for, but you absolutely know it when you see it?
That’s exactly what happened when I spotted Deidre Wicks’s charming animal paintings on Pinterest recently.
Cerebral dogs and cats wearing glasses! Birdies balancing on the edges of pretty china teacups! Other animals decked out in derby hats, bowties, berets, and tutus, some blowing bubbles, others stealing cupcakes! And a good number of them with mustaches :).
Since Deidre’s watercolors got me right where I live, I had to find out more about her work. A fashion design major from Toronto, Canada, Deidre was unhappily working as a pattern drafter when she decided to follow her passion for illustration.
She’s an ardent animal lover living with two dogs and two cats who happily keep her company and provide endless inspiration for her drawings. I love the blend of realistic animals + whimsy + humor. Each of her paintings tells a story and you just can’t help but smile when you see them.
Deidre sells originals, archival prints, t-shirts and other goodies at her Etsy Shop — and yes, she takes custom orders. I thank her for visiting Alphabet Soup today along with Schaffer, Bronie, Orange Peel and Tina.
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It’s always a good day when you find something lovely that makes you stop, smile and wonder who created it.
I was instantly taken with Mia’s hand knit, needle felted purses, bags and cozies with their charming big-eyed birds, adorable animals and colorful flowers. How could you not smile at something like this:
or this:
Using 100% Finnish wool and vintage fabrics, Mia designs, knits, sews, felts and decorates each and every piece herself. The birdie pouch and bunny cozy I ordered arrived on my doorstep zippity quick.
You can just feel the love and care she puts into her work. Holding one of her cheery creations is like getting a warm, joyous hug from the Land of the Midnight Sun.
I’m so glad Mia agreed to visit us today all the way from faraway Finland. Yes, she does take custom orders and also makes a few Moomin items. Enjoy! 🙂
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On any given day, you might find musical storyteller and doll maker Farida Dowler training for a half marathon, homeschooling her daughter, writing and performing songs and stories, making Danish pancakes, or putting the finishing touches on a Pink Heart Fairy or Red Math Gnome.
Whether she’s picking guitar strings or embroidering french knots on fairy capes, Farida seems to thrive in an enchanted world of her own making — a kind and gentle one that harkens back to the days of wandering minstrels, exults in the magic of story, champions creativity and the imagination, and treasures the invaluable human connections that blossom in the name of art.
Her Mission Statement is:
I care about each doll I sew, and hope you will find a doll in the shop that you feel is yours.
One at a time, one of a kind, full of heart.
I like picturing Farida in her Seattle home, head bent over her work, humming to herself as she adeptly draws needle and thread through felt, creating a new violet or cherry blossom friend who’ll find her place displayed on a nature table, held in a child’s eager hand as an original story emerges, or peacefully resting on a writer’s desk, a friendly companion offering quiet inspiration.
Jama's Alphabet Soup 