Licketh – CalligraphyCat Inspiration

Want to know where my inspiration comes from?

Introducing Archaic Moroccan Color Palette

Many people ask where I get my color inspiration for my designs. In many cases, it’s travelling. I love color and how different cultures revolve around their traditions with color. After looking through all of my travel photographs, I realize how tremendous those experiences of sight, sound, texture, and taste have influenced my design decisions –all just merely captured in a snapshot.

So, are you looking for a little color inspiration?

I’m beginning a new color palette series that can be found in my new section: Your Fine Living Style. The first in the series is the Archaic Moroccan, a colorway that inspired me as I created the Marrakech Cat journals. When you need a little color help, this palette is just a launching pad for refreshing your home or wardrobe. Feel free to mix and match these color and perhaps borrow a dash of vibrant to your muted -there are no rules here! 😉 Head to the Archaic Moroccan page to read more about how to use the palette and download for your convenience.

Speaking of pads, this image (jpeg) was optimized perfectly for you to store in your iPad for easy access.

Thanks so much for reading.

Lisa

New Art: Make Art Not Horcruxes

We’re just wild about Harry, aren’t you?!

We had a tremendous amount of fun following the storyline of Harry’s fate for the past 10 years and I am sad to see it come to a close. The first time I was made aware of it was when I met up with a client in Cary, NC to discuss her logo design. We were sitting across the street from the Barnes & Noble on Walnut at a coffee shop. She was giddy because JK Rowling was arriving at Midnight to sign books.

Harry Potter? Isn’t that just a kid’s book?
She assured me that it was definitely a pleasure book for adults, too. We talked about the Christian Right nutjobs who were up in arms about witchcraft (but it’s a great story about love and evil) and how Hermione should be the heroine of the book. Truthfully, no one here in the US could pronounce Hermione, never mind that it’s a 3 syllable name, not 2 (that’s my marketing geek showing up) or that she had more lines than the two guys combined and that she was definitely the smartest witch in her class. And, no, that’s not a euphemism.

If you want to read a great article on The Women in Harry Potter Universe, it discusses the world of all the women surrounding and supporting Hermione’s feminists inclinations.

I’m Head Over Broomsticks Now
I remember twisting Andrew’s arm to buy me the UK version of the set just because it began with ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ vs ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone.’ I enjoyed reading/watching the magic that unfolded before my eyes as Rowling revealed her own imagination. Secretly, I wished it was mine. No matter. I got caught up in touching bricks with umbrellas, clocks with faces and hands and locations for time. Now I’m trying to figure out how to have pots scrub themselves and potty boxes scoop themselves on a timely basis. Is that so much to ask? It was as though Rowling had connected the dots to everything I conjured up in my own head about witches and their communities. If I were invited to run off to Hogwarts, I couldn’t say no. The trouble would be which kitty I would take along as my choice…

The Epic Ending
Alas, current day brings us to quickly buying tix to see the final installment of Deathly Hallows at the Raleigh IMAX theater. A couple of dorks (that would be us) naturally had to round up friends to go see 3D sparks fly from the ends of wands. Between turning magick tricks herself, Amy and Phil, yes those FoBot people, agreed to join us. They didn’t, however, realize what they had signed up for. Mwaaaahahahahaha!

Earlier that day (of the movie) I call Amy and ask her what her favorite color is from JCPenny. “Plaid.” Yah, thanks Amy, that was helpful! I tell her that she must participate in a little experiment because going to see this movie as adults isn’t geeky enough. I just know I’m going to pay for this later.

You know what they say about idle hands… Andrew and I got out a pack of old t-shirt transfers for dark colors and we go to work in our shop applying a fun design inspired by horcruxes. Because we all know making horcruxes is fun but only at the merci of someone else’s peril, this reminder is paramount to any artist’s “lifestyle.”

See? Aren’t we just the geeks meow?

While these t-shirts aren’t for sale (yet), I did decide to create a few bonus pieces for you.

Fine Art for Your Studio
I’ve always loved calligraphic banners and scrolls found in gothic design, I decided to have a bit of fun with it this week. Make Art Not Horcruxes is a vintage fun reminder to make the right choice between light & dark and to make something worthy with your hands. A great studio motto, if I do say so!

If you’re as wild about Harry as we are, feel free to drop by and pick up your own Fine Art Print and Art Card…

…there are a few magical bonuses included!!

Look! The Bonuses!!

Mobilize your motto. When you purchase a Fine Art Print, you get wallpaper for your computer, iPad, and mobile phone. How cool is that?

Can I just say that I love how the brits say, “That’s bloody disgusting” in their cockney accent?! Cracks me up everytime! Hint, Deathly Hallows Part 1: Ron looks over the toilet stall at Harry and states, “We flush ourselves in! That’s bloody disgusting!”

What do you think? Could you use a reminder?

Thanks so much for reading!
Lisa, Your CREATIVEGoddess

New Art: Marrakech Cats Serigraphs

I’ve been working like a dog getting ready for Artsplosure designing new products… on fabric! Meanwhile, we’ve got just a few serigraphs as a result from this weekend’s work.

What’s a pulled print you ask?
A pulled print is also known as a serigraph (or screen print) and is essentially a stenciling method. A serigraph must create a separate pattern for each color or blended color. Stencils can be cut from paper or film and adhered to the cloth (or the silkscreen) and areas can be blocked by masking to prevent paint to seep through. One to several shapes can be used to create the pattern design.

In my case, I use paper to help register the design onto the fabric that I’m printing and I started with a one color project. I want to ensure that the image is aligned with the parameters I’ve designed for the overall use and this can be a painstaking process. Because I have extra fine woven paper that I use for my CalligraphyPets prints and cards, I decided to have a bit of fun and use it. I love the softness of the metallic gold on the warm white paper. What a treat!

MarrakechCats Serigraphs

I only needed a few attempts to perfect the registration so this means I have only 3 of each available: large and small.

I’ve made these available on ETSY

What do you think? Aren’t they adorable?

Thanks so much for reading.
Lisa

Cats on Ladders

While I was going through Flickr to find their icon, I found this on their blog: Cats on Ladders.

By Neva in 2010

I remember as a kid, I had positioned a ladder outside my window (no, I didn’t plan on escaping -we lived in Podunk MI, where the hell was I going?) because we were working on the chimney. I happened to spy one of our pussycats wandering around the base of the ladder trying to figure it out -so I encouraged him to climb up.

In hindsight, that was probably a bad idea.

By steev_bee

When you’re looking for a new angle -specially for composition- you never know when inspiration will strike. Take this link Cats on Ladders to see the Flickr Gallery curated by tropicalart77 for your personal muse.

Enjoy!
Lisa

Studio Sneak Peek: CalligraphyCats Throw Blanket

Thrown for a loop I was upon receiving this gorgeous cat toss woven throw in the mail last week.

The next evening, I realized when snuggling on the new sofa with MAndrew (oops! I’ll have to tell you about the lust seat!) I needed to enjoy my new sample woven throw. As I pattered back into the great room with bare feet and throw in arm, the cats followed like rats to the Pied Piper. Each of them took their turn hanging on ‘mama’s’ lap until they felt they had distributed their scent long enough -or until I felt they had overextended my hamstrings!!

The expansive throw covers both MAndrew and myself comfortably (until he makes a sweeping gesture throwing his side back over on me -then I get double!!) including a cat on the edge. Believe me, when you’ve got a cat on the edge, don’t do anything to alarm him! >^..^<

The four six cats showcased on the first throw are: Pouncer, Bouncer, Chaser, Lay, Beggeth & Purreth and are all tossed in a random fashion along with my kanji and balls of yarn peppered through-out. The black suede die-cut pillow is currently available in our store.

Can’t wait to share this new beautiful throw with you, too. Order deets coming soon!