PAPAYA! BLOG

Artist to watch

Check out the very talented Mati Rose McDonough. Her work has a charm and upbeat illustrative flavor that I find so sweet and inspiring. I recently purchased a teeny piece and it is hanging in my office keeping me good company. I love it when artists have a new spin on collage and somehow make it look fresh and modern.

Su Blackwell's magical Book Sculptures

I love all of the different avenues of creativity there is to be explored out there...like these magical hand cut children's book sculptures are by Artist Su Blackwell.

The worlds she creates through paper are such treasures.

Su also works outside the book medium in full size paper installations. You can explore more of her work through her digital portfolio.

Inspiration: Aida Coronado

Wow!  Check out Aida Coronado & the  fun, funky Esty shop.  So wonderful to see an Etsy store with such lovely styling.  Well done! 
Every time i'm in Belize I buy a few more of these beautiful Guatemalan pillows (traditionally made from recycled wipili's (sp?) from the women who travel to the islands.  I love how they look as accessories in Aida Coronado's pics!  Makes me want to move into an all white loft.

Pick a cover please...

 We are in the midst of designing already for our 2012 Calendars. And I need a little of your help.  This particular Calendar is full of so many favorites that we could only narrow it down to these two covers.  Which one would you be most attracted to?  Votes?  Right or left?  Thanks gang!

Baby Bliss

Over the weekend I hosted a baby shower for my sister and her little sweet pea, who will be arriving in September. I found a beautiful table runner at Gethsemane Garden Center (amazing) in Chicago, IL, and was inspired by its muted, earthy tones of a spring garden. If you're ever in the Chicago area, you've got to try the cupcakes from Sweet Mandy B's. Yum!

Yes Please!

I'm obsessed with these weird boots.  Can't get them out of my brain! And I wear so many prints I can't imagine what I would pair these floral shoes with.  But I'd find a way!  I'm loving anything floral with a modern granny twist.  I'd even wear those boots with a floral mini dress while painting granny bouquets! Viva La Frou Frou!  Boots right here. Wedges right here.  

Fuzzy, Summer Wishes!

 

Artwork for iphone

All of us at PAPAYA are iphone and Mac geeks.  And so I was thrilled to find more flair!   I LOVE these iphone skins available from all kinds of fabulous artists through Urban Outfitters.  They have oodles of them and I'm loving their creative choices.  I used to think printed skins where so goofy.  But now I'm a convert.  I need to order me up a couple of these.  I recently found a fun henna style one from Lucky Jeans at Target of all places.  Anyone know a place you can print your own personal ones?  Seems like a cool thing for Cafe Press to start offering. Hint Hint.
UPDATE: Since our dialogue in the comments section here I decided I actually need a case vs a skin. (but some great skin links below!) So I did a little digging and found UnCommon.  A company that appears to make actual printed covers.  I whipped these three up to give an order a try.  I'll let you guys know how they are in real life when they arrive. Maybe PAPAYA! will have to make some of these for all of you eventually!

The Sketchbook Project: 2011 Tour

It's like a concert tour but with sketchbooks.

The Sketchbook Project looks like a great artistic outlet, take a look.....

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

This project is open to everyone - from anywhere in the world. To participate and have a sketchbook sent to you that will go on tour, click here for more information on the sketchbook Project website.

Floral Frou Frou Love

I have been loving the blooms this week. The ones on the left from our lovely yard, the one on the right a friends cottage.  I have been wanting to do some floral paintings too so I took the opportunity to try and loosen up and be as loose as I wanna be.  I think I'll do some more of them. 
Something very relaxing about making this.  And so nice to try and actually make something that doesn't need to feel special.  But the flowers out there blooming right now have me electrified.  I think the next one needs to be finger painted.  It's so hard to capture the liveliness of the colors.
Thank you summer for endless inspiration.  Now if only winter had the same effect on me!