Little Red Cottage

A few weeks ago I was looking for some great embellishments for my Valentine's Day Card Making Workshops (next one is on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 11am-1pm at my studio, Painting Paradise in Waimea, Kauai) and decided to go shopping on Etsy (my favorite place to purchase supplies and handmade goods). I came across this adorable store www.littleredcottage.etsy.com after visiting her blog www.mylittleredcottage.blogspot.com . The owner is Michele Reed and she had exactly what I needed! Hearts, of course, and lots of cool looking papers!

Well, last week Schar www.scharart.etsy.com and I made some really fun cards and coupon books for Valentine's Day using the supplies I bought from Michele. We had a blast!! She even featured some of our creations on her very own blog, http://mylittleredcottage.blogspot.com/2009/02/kauaiartistetsycoms-valentines-day.html. Thank you Michele for the wonderful article!!!

If you are looking for scrapbook embellishments, scrapbook paper, acrylic stamps, handmade mini albums, handmade cards, stamping art kits, buttons, ribbons, and more, please visit Michele's Etsy Shop at www.littleredcottage.etsy.com! She is such a joy and pleasure to do business with.

Here are a few more of our creations. The top one is a beautiful Valentine made by Schar and the bottom one is a book of "Love" Coupons made by yours truly! (Can't wait to give it to my sweetie pie!) ;-)

Love Will Keep Us Together (Part II of my Valentine's Day Post)

I had such a fun time with my Valentine's Day post, I decided to add a few more art pieces from my VAST teammates. I asked each of them to tell us, "What does Valentine's Day mean to you?"

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http://www.sojournquilts.etsy.com/

Janyce - "My BF and I have been together 11 years and Valentine's Day isn't a big deal for us. We make it a point to celebrate each other in small ways every day of the year...not just on holidays. I will probably get myself a box of chocolates, though! :0)"

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http://www.lilypang.etsy.com/

Lily - 1. What does Valentine's Day mean to you? "It makes me think about love more and really cherish what I have." 2. How do you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day? "I don't celebrate Valentine's Day with my husband usually. But I use this opportunity to connect to my friends via SMS or gathering." 3. Tell me about the love of your life. "First my family. Art is the second love of my life."

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http://www.juliebcreative.etsy.com/

Julie - "Valentine's Day to me, is really a day where you dedicate time to spend with the one you love. I don't think presents or gifts are necessary...just a day where you put everything else aside. My plan for Valentines Day? Some friends are having a belated Chinese New Years celebration, so we're going to spend it with friends! I met the love of my life 11 years ago, my freshman year at Roger Williams University. He lived 2 dorm rooms down from me and he made fun of the RA at the first hall-meeting...so I knew at that point, I would make him mine! We now live in Rhode Island with our doggie and everyday of my life, he makes me feel like it's that first day of college all over again."

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http://www.breadandcircuses.etsy.com/

Evie - "Valentine's Day reminds me that I only ever once sent a card when I was 16. It was a joyful feeling I got imagining how 'he' would react when he opened the card. It is one of the happiest celebrations in the year destined to make us all feel loved and treasured."

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http://www.greenislandstudios.etsy.com/

Jo - "To me Valentines day is a day to give (and receive) a homemade card and hand made gift to my husband of 10 years. We have a tradition of sitting down to a home cooked Italian meal, with fine Italian wine, candles, conversation and music, all in front of our roaring log fire in our Cornish seaside cottage. We like to push the boat out with a multi course meal Italian Style because we lived in Italy when we got decided to wed and we had our wedding in Tuscany with all of our Italian friends and our family flew in from the UK and Africa to join us."

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http://www.anitrabear.etsy.com/

Anitra - What does Valentine's Day mean to you? "Lot's and Lot's of Chocolate! When Two Hearts Blend Into One!"

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Aloha from Kauai and Have a Wonderful Valentine's Day!!!
Marionette
http://www.kauaiartist.etsy.com/
http://www.kauai-artist.net/

What does Valentine's Day Mean to You?

For my Valentine's Day post, I wanted to do something different, so I decided to feature the art of my online "sistahs" from VAST (Visual Artist Street Team). This is a team of artists who all have their own shop on http://www.etsy.com/. We communicate daily through an online forum, and even though I haven't met many of them in person, I feel a closeness to them through our common desires to create art. I asked each of them to tell us, "What does Valentine's Day mean to you?" I think you will enjoy reading their answers!

Mahalo to all of these artists for contributing their art and words! Please check out their shops for more wonderful art!
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http://www.karenfaulknerart.etsy.com/

Karen - "My beloved husband of twenty years passed away suddenly at the age of 45 in March 2008, and this will be my first Valentine's Day without him here with me. I have given a great deal of thought to love and life this year, and have come to the conclusion that love really is the only thing that truly matters and that love takes many forms. My husband told me and both of my children how much he loved us every single day without fail and that is a very powerful thing that sustains us.

I've found a few favorite quotations that sum it up for me. "The refusal to love is the only unbearable thing." - Madeleine L'Engle "Love is the heartbeat of all life." - Paramahansa Yogananda And this passage from a book of meditations on grieving given to me by a friend in a similar situation: "Love is not a finite, limited quality, any more than the energy set loose in creation can be fully contained, sealed, or spent." (Martha Whitmore Hickman)

It helps my healing a great deal to paint hearts and send them out into the world to others who may be heartbroken or looking for a way to express their love."
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http://www.jeanhood.etsy.com/

Jean - "Valentines Day is a special day for me and my sweetie. He always brings me something special, often stuffed animals, sometimes plants and flowers --nooooo candy! We've been together for 30 years and this is one day that he never forgets!"

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http://www.thecreatorspalette.etsy.com/

Melanie - "The love of my life is the man I most admire in all the world. He's gentle, kind, generous, extremely loyal and faithful. His beautiful blue eyes look deep into my soul and his loving arms reach for me any time I need comfort or a hug. On Feb 11 I will be celebrating 25 years of marriage to the love of my life. Every year, that week in February is a full week of celebrating - anniversary, his birthday and the finishing touch - Valentine's Day."

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http://www.emerlyeartskirigami.etsy.com/

Cynthia - "For me Valentine's Day is a time of remembrance - a quiet time to reflect upon all the things I am grateful for and all the people I love. Over the years anonymous gifts seem to have the most lasting value: slipping notes of appreciation in a neighbor's pocket, enclosing little love notes in my children's lunches or make ornate hand made valentines as keepsakes. It is important to me not to make the day into a routine, commercial time, with obligatory gifts and sentiments, so I try to spread out the love over the whole week, keep it simple, thoughtful and handmade."

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http://www.shonniegrl.etsy.com/

Shonna - "Valentine's Day to me is about reflecting on the people you love in your life (not just your significant other). I plan on letting the people I love know how much they mean to me. The love of my life is my family. I feel so blessed to be surrounded with a loving family. I know there are so many out there who are lonely and sad and I think it is important to really be thankful for the people in your life whom you love."

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http://www.artangel.etsy.com/

Angie - "Hmmm - what does Valentines Day mean to me? Tough one! I suppose I'd like to see it as more than an obligation to buy cheap chocolates and cards with mass-produced sentiments! It should be a chance to really think about and appreciate all the love in your life, and to make sure that those that you love know how much you value them. It can be easy to take people for granted day to day, but it's important to stop now and again and take the time to treasure those that make your life brighter. I also really like this quote - "To laugh often and love much... to appreciate beauty,to find the best in others, to give one's self... this is to have succeeded" (Ralph Waldo Emerson). "

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http://www.dianeclancy.etsy.com/

Diane - "To me Valentine's Day is a celebration of love of all kinds ... and especially the love of a life partner. Each day I want to treat everyone in my life, including my daughter and partner, with love, respect and delight. I would prefer that each person's life is enhanced by contact with me ... I want to keep bringing love into this world. Valentine's Day is the symbolic time to honor love each and every day."

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Aloha from Kauai and Have a Wonderful Valentine's Day!!!

Marionette

http://www.kauaiartist.etsy.com/

http://www.kauai-artist.net/

The Aloha Spirit Blog Give-A-Way!

This month I will be giving away a set of original, watercolor with pen & ink ACEOs (worth $30). To enter, please leave a comment here with a valid email address or have an email address attached to your blogger profile. (This way I can contact you if you have won!) I will draw one winner on October 31, 2008!

Left: "View from Lae Nani" Right: "A Lovely Day on Kauai"

Each measures 2.5"x3.5" on watercolor paper

This blog give-a-way is to honor the Aloha Spirit! Living in Hawaii, I see and experience this Aloha Spirit almost every day. Through a smile, a helping hand, a gift of fruit from the aina, and many more, we make our lives happy and more enjoyable. Most tourists comment on why it seems that people living in Hawaii are always smiling. Well, it's because we are! The Aloha Spirit is alive and well here in the islands, but it can extend itself to the whole world (which is something we definitely need at this time).

What is the Aloha Spirit? Aloha means much more than just saying goodbye and hello. Wikipedia gives us this definition: "Aloha in the Hawaiian language means affection, love, peace, compassion and mercy." To me, Aloha means to show kindness, patience, and love without expecting anything in return. It is how you give of yourself to make the world a better place, to make someone feel welcomed or loved. It is to help others in need. Sometimes it is as simple as giving someone a hug to make them feel better. In return, you will feel good and the Aloha will come back to you in a way you never expected. It is a cycle. It is contagious. Show a little Aloha today!

If you would like to tell us a story of Aloha in your comment that would be wonderful! Good Luck to everyone!

Mahalo Nui Loa and May Your Day be Filled With ALOHA!

Why Do We LOVE Art? My Top Ten Reasons

1) Through the eyes of an artist, a work of art can help us imagine what “could be” or remind us of “what was”.

2) Art often tells a story, conveys emotions, or simply makes our environment more beautiful.

3) Art can be calming and relaxing. It can help bring peace, harmony, and tranquility to our surroundings. Just like scented candles, incense, or essential oils relax us through our sense of smell, art sets the mood in a visual way.

4) A personal collection of art makes a statement about who we are. It is another way we can convey our beliefs and values. For example, if one is a strong supporter of environmental issues, he or she may collect art from artists who are making a difference in the environment.

5) When we purchase art during our travels, it gives us the chance to take home something special – something more than a souvenir. The piece will become treasured and full of good memories as the years pass. It can also remind us of happy moments and perhaps even a special occasion – like a honeymoon.

6) Art can help us slow down from our fast-paced lifestyles and explore the beauty around us.

7) We can treasure art our entire lives and then pass it down to future generations to enjoy.

8) Artists are often very passionate and eccentric. They are obviously creative and see things differently from most people. Their work can offer us a rare glimpse into their inner world and personality.

9) By becoming a “Patron of the Arts” we convey to others that we support and encourage artists, museums, and galleries. This helps to make our communities a better place to live.

10) Just as we are rediscovering the value of fine wines, specialty coffees, and gourmet foods, many are also now turning to purchase fine, original art. We are realizing that art is more than a luxury – it is a necessity.

If you can come up with any more reasons why we LOVE art, please feel free to post them in the comments!

Aloha,
Marionette