Coffee Cozies are Out of This WORLD!!!!

Need a little rocket fuel in your cup? Coffee cozy fans, strap on your seat belts for this journey into bliss space!

You know me, I love to make coffee cozies because I am an art quilter at heart, and I love using those skills to create art for every day objects. Combining my adoration of art quilts and coffee, and my current playful mind space, I bring you space themed coffee cozy series. They make great gifts for those coffee, tea, cocoa drinking friends of yours.

Above: Milky Way Macchiato coffee cozy, named by Facebook fans. Join in the fun at Bliss Monkey Studio fan page on facebook.

Mocha on Mars coffee cozy. Laid flat, you can see more of the quilting, amount of stitch work, and raw edge applique style. Cheers!

Interplanet Janet coffee cozy. Did you grow up with school house rock? If you are like me, you remember those little learning lessons between cartoons on Saturday mornings. In fact, you remember the lovely jingles all TOO well, thus your brain is now full and unable to store anything new.

Cozies currently available in Bliss Monkey Studio shop on Etsy!

The Season for Spooky

Good morning!
I'm getting back into the fall studio routine now that the little ones are in school and soccer.

Halloween, and Dia De Los Muertos are great holidays for inspiring creativity. I took great delight in creating two 8" Vampire Bunnies. This time I hand embroidered their faces. New coffee cozies include Calavera, seen here, and Sugar Skulls.

Skulls have gone from being "morbid" imagery, to "punk", they have followed the upsurge in pirate popularity, and have recently established themselves as cute and decorate motifs for children's clothing and cotton prints. My skull fabric collection keeps growing!

I also have a good sized collection of Zodiac fabric. I loved using the cute prints used to make set
of Zodiac pouches (one seen iin this treasury).

Happy week to everyone!

Going

Goin' on a big adventure
and I don't know what's in store.
I'm going to the closet
then I'm heading out the door!

(Song from Zaboomafoo. Did you ever watch that?)

I'm taking off for a week, please keep an eye on my house ok?
**************************************

Check out the big coffee themed give away week at Scraps of LIfe! One of my Sock Monkey coffee cozies is up for grabs, along with many other fun items.

xoxo
xoxo

Coffee Cuffs and Spring

It's lovely to get away to the snow, but returning to the valley to find the daffodils blooming, and the plum trees in full throttle pink, it's lovely to be in the next season.

This is my new purse sketchbook.



Celebrating seasons: new wrist cuffs/cup cozies in my AlyTheRed shop. On the left is "Spring", and the right is "Summer".

Textile jewelry is hot hot HOT, but your hands shouldn't be! This art cuff transforms, with a literal snap, to become a cup cozy. Fits 12-20 oz coffee shop cups, cold cups and pint glasses.



When you are an Oregonian, happiness is an afternoon of sunshine!

Wake Up

Green Dots cup Wrist Warmers found here.
I'm So Green coffee cozy found here. Get green here.


I woke up to the sound of doves outside my bedroom window accompanied by the sound of my Grandmother snoring in the twin bed next to me. The sun would be streaming in around the edges of the pulled shades. I'd lay in bed, smiling to myself, for a few moments before getting up. If I woke early enough, my Papa would still be eating breakfast in the kitchen. I'd slide into the green vinyl seat silently, and he'd look up, pretending to be surprised and say, "THERE's my Leesie!" He always had a cup of coffee, small bowl of cereal and an egg on a muffin. He's fix me whatever I was in the mood for. We'd chat while he read the paper, then off he'd launch into his day of joyfully working outside and in the garage.

And I would start MY day! It was summer in Southern California. The birds were chattering in the side yard, and chirping in the palm tree, the scent of flowers heavy in the morning air. If Iwas able to get dressed without waking Grandma, I could slip outside without wearing sandals. Bare feet on grass, before it got hot out was delicious. I loved being outside while air was still cool in the morning and the ever-present California sun was just rising.

My friends weren't out yet so I had time just to be quiet. I'd walk along the yard, looking at the Bird of Paradise and Lily blooms, and check the Guava plant for fruit big enough to eat. I'd walk through the tunnel of Bougainvillea, touching the thick leaves of the money plant. Maybe Papa would be out back picking oranges to make juice.

I would feel quietly excited that it was summer, that the whole day was laid out before me to be enjoyed, that I had so many fun things to do, that the world was beautiful, that Grandma would soon be up and available to chat with inside, that Papa would be doing many interesting things I could tag along with outside, that I could play with friends. It was summer and the day would be mine!

As an adult, I love thinking back to that time of my life. The summers spent at Grandma and Papa's house, feeling so safe and loved and spoiled "rotten". My dreams often take place in that house. I was a kid, totally confident, happy, safe, with the whole day of fun before me. I like to tap into that feeling before I head into the art studio.

When were you so happy, confident, and relaxed about life? Go into that memory, hold that in your heart and restart your day smiling to yourself.






My new garden companion. Maybe he'll ward off real snails since he's so giant!

Here he is on his dirt mound. I'm hoping to get all this earth green with ground cover. This is a view of the fairy/moomintroll garden that I started two years ago. It's been slow going getting the ground cover to stay in this part of the garden. I think I'll try installing an automatic mist watering system this summer.

Santa brought us that "toad bath". It's turned out to be very handy, because, as you know, toads are incredibly filthy.

Meet Your Maker Dec -Indie craft show

I was really glad I got into the Meet YOur Maker show this month. I had returning customers happy I was there, and people who had seen my write up (along with many other local etsians) in the Eugene Weekly Gift Guide. The show was great for me. Thanks for a great monthly event all year, Amy and Megan.

My crazy-full display table. I had a small spot and was NOT messing around! Bin of big plush gnomes, TREE with ornaments, bin of coffee cozies, bin on wrist warmers, bin of applique wrist warmers...... fun fun fun!


Mushrooms, gnomes, gift giving monsters, and colorful birds.....


Very famous model Scott Cunningham working the runway with my Pebbles and BamBam wrist warmers. Hot hot HOT! And girls, yes, he's single. :-)

"Not All Who Wander Are Lost"

"Not All Who Wander Are Lost" is the name of this freshly brewed coffee cozy. I've been selling "Wandering Bear" coffee cozy (below) for quite awhile, and thought it needed a companion. Those of you who collect the coffee cozies will smile.


I love making small works of art for a cup, and sometimes I just fall in love with the photographs. These might look pretty framed on the wall together. :-) Happy Weekend everyone.

I am feeling a little tired. I swore off the sewing machine today. When I think back over what I did in the last week..........

For Halloween, the kids dressed as ninja ( our first not made by us costumes ) so max and I surprised them by dressing as pirates. As in "ninja vs pirates" all night long! They were amused.

With all my "spare" time I organized a Neighborhood Halloween Children's Parade. We hope it's an annual event. Lots of families showed up to make some noise with instruments, to do a loop through the neighborhood. It's fun to get some playtime in and show off your costume before DARK when no one can really see. We went home to eat a few more bites of dinner, light the pumpkins and add the finishing touches on our porch decorations, before getting down to the serious business of trick or treating!

I finally got Saffron on the right medicine this week. He's only 7 months old (he's the fuzzy guy on the right with his arms around his best buddy Lil Scoop who's 4 months old), but he's been sick the past two months! He has some sort of intestinal disorder. It's wonderful to see him feel better than "OK". He's so fun and playful with Lil Scoop- a riot, but the good kind. They wrestle and race through the house and backyard together. And Saffron is more snugly with all the cats during nap times. I'm super in love with the kittens so it's wonderful to see both so well.

Besides all the great busy-ness of orders, and making lots of new coffee cozies, I finished a design project for Lark book's "Pretty Little Mini Quilts". I designed the quilt (framed on a wooden shape which make for a fun look but a bit tricky and expensive to ship), then wrote directions for the book so readers can make their own. The tea cups button off, can be flipped to the reverse side colors, or changed seasonally. One of my "interactive quilt" dreams come true. The book won't be out till Spring 2010! But I have two other books coming out this next spring, which will help my patience. :-)

Oh! And I wrote a new bio for this book, and used the term "my girlfriend" instead of "my partner". That felt big, though you are the only one I've told.


I developed a project I've been amusing myself over for quite some time..... the Lochness Monster coffee cozy screen print. I haven't put it up on etsy yet, but have the photos ready....


The Loch Ness Monster pillow/wall ornament/tree ornament/lavender sachet!! I hope some others will enjoy her as much as I do.

I am negotiating a massive wholesale order for wrist warmers... I have to consider all the timing and upcoming holiday market dates.....

THEN I got ready for the Meet Your Maker indie craft show Friday evening. It's great fun to sell at the Broadway wine bar, and see all my crafty friends out of our studios and lookin cute!

Gee, need I wonder why I'm tired? Busy busy busy week, and even given the chance to sleep in a few times, I'd wake up and start DESIGNING in my mind. A-wake! Where's the off button?

So today I swore off the sewing machine. Max went on a trip to Seattle to visit her ex who's about to have a sweet new baby soon. The weather was so warm and sunny-lovely, the kids and I RAN outside and raked the gorgeous yellow leaves out front .... a storm began to roll in so we raced the clouds to get the leaves put away in the garden before it poured! Perfect timing. I indulged the kids with both in a peppermint bubble bath while I read Harry Potter aloud, and fixed second breakfasts of folded over peanut butter pancakes with jam.

I received a package of new fabric straight from Japan, which was wrapped sweetly and included a complimentary hello kitty tissue set. THEN we did needle felting all afternoon, and watched Happy Feet. That was a little more intense than I imagined. But the kids liked it. They went off to their dad's for a boy's night of fun.

I'm home alone over night! I have time to read, reflect, sketch. I'm really happy, in general, but I've also been a bit design insane and it's good to regroup, get some more exercise, and have quiet time too.

What are you reading?
I have "Unlondon" by China Meiville (i love his work)
And an artsie inspiration book.

much love

Gocco Printing

Happy MOnday Everyone! It's another gorgeously sunny, crisp Autumn morning here in Oregon. The trees are in beautiful colors. Love this weather. My etsy store has been bustling with sales. Thanks shoppers! I love making my unique goodies for everyone, and it's wonderful when so many find happy homes.


Which do you prefer?

I'm creating a line of screen-printed coffee cozies.....Sneak peek at the newest design I'm working on. It's Nessy! The Lochness Monster, of course. I've had a lifelong fascination for her.

Creating a design with the Gocco machine starts with sketches, then the final drawing done is carbon ink. It's put into the machine, press the handle and BAM! The silk screen is etched! I have developed a method using loose screening by the yard rather than the premade frames. So I take my newly etched screen and frame it with duct tape. This holds the image flat for inking, and allows the entire thing to be washed in the sink (water based fabric paint of course).

Just like creating the new Zombie coffee cozy, I start with an idea of what color I'd like to print it in, but it doesn't always work. I've learned the contrast needs to be high, or you just can't see it. Sounds simple, but it's a process of auditioning ink with fabric.

I was in the studio for a few hours yesterday, the hens and kittens enjoying the sunny afternoon outside my open door. I experimented with screen printing on linen (for upcoming holiday ornaments), and working with this Nessy print. I wanted to put the image over stitched waves, but it didn't work for me. Get simpler. I wanted a nice bright water color, but not so busy it would interfere with viewing the image. Which do you like?

I've spent the last year learning about screen printing with a Gocco Machine, and falling in love with it. In the 80's almost every Japanese household had one to print their own cards, napkins, invitations, etc. They caught on in the US by the 90's and artists and calligraphers were putting them to all sorts of unusual uses.

Gocco Machines are somewhat expensive to get into and the supplies can be expensive. About $300 to get all set up. After wanting one for a year, I found mine at Goodwill for $23, then found simpler supplies to use. The good news is that the Gocco is so EASY to use for small paper or fabric projects. I am using prints more and more in the studio. The bad news is that after Dec, supplies will no longer be shipped to the US. The makers of Gocco have decided to move on to other technologies. I heard a rumor that the Martha Stewart company looked into making something similar and didn't find enough profit margin. And Gocco will be no more, but some other technology is bound to crop up.

Zombies vs Gnomes!

"Coffee For Brains" is my zombie season offering. I am more of a gnomes and sock monkies sort of person, but also enjoy monsters (the more original the better), have a life long love of Nessy (my new nessy design showing soon), and can easily amuse myself with Zombies.

What about Zombies who come up out of the ground for a fresh latte? I drew a graveyard where some "kind" soul has placed fresh coffee on all the graves, and our zombie is the first out. He looks so pleased to have coffee for brains.......


I ventured to my neighbor's fake graveyard for some fun shots of my zombie graveyard coffee cozy IN a graveyard. Thanks Melissa! And I noticed all the fine details in her decorating. She's glued on real moss and laid out fresh flower offerings!!!

Meet Your Maker Show Tomorrow!!!

Meet Your Maker Indie Craft show is TOMORROW (Friday).
New location: Broadway market - yes, the wine bar will be open. Please note this is not the whine bar. I'm excited to report we are on the same night as the downtown art walk!
Same time: 5-8 pm.
What new: The premiere of my new coffee cozy designs, and get the first pick of the season's new wrist cozies. Many are one of a kind.

Yey Blogger allowed me to upload photos once again!!! Thanks for all the luv today, everyone. How I've missed ya. Happy Jewish New Year! And welcome to the new baby sprout (you know who you are, sweet lil sticky bun).

Max's lovely challa loaf.

Happy Happy and Treasury Riddle

Good Morning! Can you see me waving to you as I walk up to my front door? Its a very good morning. I'm wearing my favorite hat (it's cool and already fallish this morning = good hat weather), and my Moomin tshirt that was sent from Finland by my friend Kajsa. Her etsy shop is completely delightful. Love her work.

My guys just started school yesterday morning. My heart is so happy that they are in the wonderful Family School, both happy, AND in the same classroom this year! We have 1st through 3rd mixed grade classes in our school. It helps kids learn, teach, share, and help one another. My baby is now is first grade!!! Here they are on the first day- deskmates!

In our class of 23 kids, I think almost half the kids are siblings! My guys have been plotting this for years.

Do you understand why I'm so happy about it all? Finn's first grade year was really intense for him at the start, Quillan's first Kindy year (last year) was a huge and difficult transition for him. They go to school 6 hours. That's a long kindy day, but we requested an especially gentle teacher who keeps things very mellow for the little ones afternoons. Still, the first two weeks had lots of tears and uncertainty. That's really rough on mamas. AND in the midst of that was the experience I call my "Double Root Canal Week". When things seem rough, I say, "Yea, but it's not as bad as double root canal week....." And it's always true.

I had one root canal and the pain afterwards was really intense and got worse --- I needed a second root canal in the neighbor tooth, only I was busy having a horrible allergic to vicadin and was too sick to even crawl into the office. I'd managed life just fine without taking any serious pain meds until then. Finally I NEED them and I'm allergic! I had vertigo for 14 days afterwards. It was like I was poisoned.......

So! With school year starting off so sweetly and happily, you can see why I'm light hearted!


Parachute games. We have a parachute big enough to fit our entire small school around the rim! It's a beloved bonding exercise we always do the first day of school.


I'm in this treasury today. REad the title...... is it a riddle? Or did I just miss something? WHAT IS her name then?? Let's all guess, then I'll write and ask her! What's your guess?

Lucky 333

I feel like celebrating the 300's. Etsy sale #333 gets a free coffee cozy! Coming right up.............. will you be the lucky one?

(click here to shop if you like)

The kids are back to school this week and I'm stocking up for the big holiday rush. Coffee cozies: new designs and old favorites back in stock. Wrist warmers: never two exactly alike. Show and tell coming soon.

I'm having some wacky issues with Blogger not publishing so I haven't been able to write as much. Hmmmm

xo
Aly

Give Away Celebration!

I'm celebrating the 300's. Be sale #333 in my etsy store, mention this give-away, and get a free coffee cozy of your choosing (any regular cozy).

(check out that sky, will ya? Looks like I photoshopped it..... only wish I were that clever..)

The OOAK Coffee Cozy

These are the latest in OOAK coffee cozies from Bliss Monkey Studio. I like making unique items for unique people! They are larger, I mean TALLER, to allow for more design area and to be extra fab.

WHAT is OOAK anyway? When I first came to Etsy, I didn't know....... it's one-of-a-kind. Meaning there will not be another like it made. All my other coffee cuffs are sewn in batches of 6 or 9. These are the deluxe babies!


The animals come from a vintage children's curtain that I found at a yard sale last summer. I've made so many things from these fun prints. And when they are gone, they are gone.


I wish I could remember to take a photo of the cozy flat, before I sew the side seam and label in! It helps to see the over-all design! Cute birdie on Hippo's head. Friendship, or a better word might be companionship.

Didja know that all my coffee cozies fit on a pint glass? Good for beer and pints of coffee hot OR cold in the shop!

I've also restocked my etsy store with all the classic guy designs: bark cloth Tiki Man, Red Hot Hibiscus, and a new Blue Hibiscus print that I named Luau.

Happiness!

Glorious Return

AAhhhhhhhhhhhh for the glorious return to photo posting heaven!!!!!! Here's the debut of the Bliss Studio cold cup cozy. IT's slightly bigger than the regular cozies so it fits perfectly on this type of cup to keep your hands happy and free of condensation. They can fit on a paper cup but will ride at the very top.

There will be several different cup prints to choose from. All on the blue/brown dot cotton. Happy summer sipping!

Aly

Interview

Dear Friends, I can't figure out what's going on with my computer. Uploading photos just won't work! I have so much I want to share....this is frustrating to have going on for several days.

One thing I CAN share is a lovely virtual art gallery blog called Something Just To Start, hosting an interview with me, if you'd like to see it. She's posted many photos of my artwork. Scroll down to June 30th entry, and enjoy all the other art along the way. Tell me what cha think.

cheers,
Aly

In the 80's....

"It's a Cruel Summer".... "leaving me here on my own! It's a cruel, cruel summa...." Remember Bananrama and their giant hair and white overalls? Watch the video at least to the part where they eat bananas and sing at the same time! Promise? They are so cute!

I was going to name this clutch "My 80's"... was finishing the bag, and thinking about MTV when it first came out with mind blowing videos... then THAT song came on the radio. I got up to dance!

I love this fabric, not only does it have skulls in black, brown, white on hot pink, it also has tiny video game print skulls. I dressed up this clutch with a strip of black dot, rickrack, and ruffle. Get it while it's hot- it's one of a kind!

"Cruel Summer" matching coffee cozies......... perhaps we'll drink iced latte's with them and croon "It's a COOL, cool summer...." together. Wear your baggy overalls and bandana ok?

Coffee Monsters

I'm thrilled to find my work in this collection along with some artists i've marked in MY FAV's list! Thanks so much!

Dog Portrait Artist?

I've had some fun making custom Father's Day coffee cozies with dog portraits. It's challenging to make a tiny portrait "drawing". I'm drawing with my machine of course. Challenging because it's very small, so lines need to be rendered simply but capturing the character. Above is Ella, a Golden Doodle! She's so cute. The back of her cuff is all treesie and woodsie. I like how it turned out.

Below is a Weimeraner (I think I've got that spelled wrong). He's on a hot chocolate cup cozy.


Happy Father's day everyone!