GB-TV: Featured Artist "The Dark Art of LuLu Kellogg"

I know it's been awhile since I've done a featured artist video so it was with a very happy enthusiasm that LuLu Kellogg from CoastalSisters.com commissioned me to make this piece featuring her latest collection of dark and nefarious art!  It just love how goth it all is. Bua-ha-ha!

What's also cool is LuLu was unable to decide which piece of music to go with her video so she ordered two -- one for each piece of music. The above features a rendition of Orff's "Carmina Burana" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. On LuLu's blog she posted a version with the mashup by DJ Poly called "Sweet Dreams Are Made Of A Seven Nation Army" featuring the Eurythmics vs. the White Stripes.

If you would like to have a video portfolio of your work I'm offering a "Spring Special" from now until the end of March in which new customers can save 5% on a video portfolio. Use promo code "iheartlulu" to receive a discount. The offer expires 3/31/10 @ 11:59 pm. More details here.

Featured Artist: Tammy Sprinkle + New Contest!

Today's featured artist is Tammy Sprinkle, a wonderfully talented mixed media artist and photographer that creates wedding guest books, custom journals, keepsake boxes, jewelry and pendants. Tammy especially loves to do custom work, hence her Etsy shop is entitled "Design4U".

I get the feeling that if I ever met Tammy in person we would really hit it off. She's got a warm and bubbly personality that comes through in her blog. Not only that, we have so many things in common not the least of which is being fans of the color "red", loving a good cup of coffee, meeting new bloggers and of course: art, art, art and more art!

Tammy also appears to have an affinity for birds as evidenced in her work and well, as matter of fact so do I! Hummingbirds to be exact. Anyway, I really enjoyed working on her video and got so inspired by all the sweet birds flitting throughout her work that I found a free birdie giveaway from MyGrafico.com that I want to share.  Just click on the image to be taken directly to the site and go get those birdies!

So now, as always, with every featured artist is a new contest.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below. I'd love it if you shared with me what is you are thankful for.

To be entered thrice, you'll need to step it up and do two more things: 1) follow me on Twitter and 2) Tweet a link to this site and share this contest with your followers.  I'll be checking for new followers and confirming tweets every night before the end of the contest which will be a week from today on Monday, 7 December @ 11:59 pm. This may very well be my last contest of the year, but don't worry, I'll be back in 2010! 

To follow me on Twitter simply click below!

New Contest Plus Featured Artist Lulu Kellogg

Today's featured artist is LuLu Kellogg of Coastal Sisters. She's an all around renaissance artist that works in vast array of different mediums. Featured in this video are some of her favorite art works including jewelry, faux confections, digital art, mixed media, dark art, florals and anything whimsical.

Lulu has a very unique style that you can quickly fall in love with. I myself was enchanted as I was working on this piece. My sister, who was working on her ACEOs for Christmas, was just blown away. She loved the textures, colors and the whimsy and all around feminine appeal of Lulu's portfolio. I think you will, too.

Oh, and before I forget: you can watch this video as it is embedded in this blog from your iPhone. It's not necessary to go through YouTube although you will find it there as well.

As with all my featured artists videos, it's time for the new contest!

If YOU would like to WIN a video of your own art all you have to do is leave a comment below and share with me a few of your favorite things. Well at least just one. One thing that you call a favorite. Like raindrops on roses and whiskers and kittens! >^,,^<

The drawing ends at Sunday 11/15/2009 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. Good luck!

Featured Artist: Cristina McAllister

Today's featured artist is Cristina McAllister who won a video portfolio of her art. Cristina produces a series of beautiful illustrations she calls "Cristina's Angels" which are these sexy drawings of angelic girls dressed in eclectic and funky styles. They're really lovely as you can see from this video. You can get Cristina's angels on selected clothing items, prints and cards. She'll even create custom portraits and avatars by commission. The pretty music Cristina selected is by a friend of hers called Nick the Neck (aka "Pumpkin") and I think it works so well with this piece. You can hear more of his work here.

If YOU would like to WIN a video of your own work I'm having another contest. All you have to do is click here {CLICK HERE} and follow directions to enter. The drawing ends at 10/27/2009 at 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time. Good luck!

GB-TV: Hello Kitty's Super Fan Day @ Royal/T

I just got back from the Hello Kitty Three Apples Exhibit at the Royal/T, a unique art space and ship in Culver City. It's a killer place with a cosplay cafe that is utterly fantabulous.  While I had a really good time I have to tell you: it was pretty crowded because HK fans were waiting round the block since 6:00 am for the doors to open at 11:00am.

Check out this audio tweet I made -- live on the scene -- while I was waiting in line. I did it on my iPhone using an app called TweetMic. Here I talk to one of the event coordinators:



Still, like I said, I had a great time though...OMG I had SUCH a great time! While I was there I got to meet Yuko Yamaguchi (aka Kitty Mama) Hello Kitty’s head designer and the seriously awesome Simone Legno of Tokidoki who were both signing autographs at the event. They were there to launch the exclusive Tokidoki for Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary collection. What was really cool is that they were having a raffle of some of these exclusive items as we were waiting in the long ass lines so it made it easier deal with.

There was way, way, way more to see and do than what you can see from this slide show. Like a jewelry workshop with Three Apples artist Natalia Fabia or a Hello Kitty Sushi Bento Box Workshop with Sushi Girl! I missed out on these because apparently the workshops were chockerblock before the store even opened.

But not to worry. Since the exhibit will continue until November 15th there are going to be a ton of fun filled workshops and more cool events throughout its duration so you really ought to download the PDF at Royal T's site and sign up as soon as you see something that strikes your fancy.  Space is limited and like I said at the top of the blog, this event is super popular and the lines are long.  Bring a folding chair and be prepared to make friends with other Hello Kitty fans in line like I did. For instance: I met another fellow Blogger blogger by the name of Sandi and she's got this hip blog called "Sandi In The City".  I totally recommend it for all you glamourous fashionistas out there. I subscribed and so should you!

New Contest Plus Yummy Lolly's Free Blogger Templates

A few weeks ago I fell in love with digital artist Itkupilli. Her work totally blew my mind and inspired me to customize my own Blogger blog. If you've been reading along with my postings you'll notice I've been changing the look and feel of it like some women change shoes. I can't make up my mind! And I predict I may still continue to tinker with it. I mean all the free templates I've discovered are soooo beautiful I just...can't...help...it!

As I've been crafting my blog and customizing all the columns and widgets and whatnot, I've run into some issues and I needed help. I came across Sharnee from YummyLolly.com who was suuuuuper helpful just in her blogging tutorials alone. But I also reached out to her and asked her a question to which she promptly answered so now Sharnee has become my new best friend! :)

Anyway, we're still working on getting Cristina McAllister's video brochure up for you to see. If you'll recall, she was the winner of my last contest.  It's taking a bit of time but hopefully we'll be able to pull it together for next week. Until then, please enjoy Yummy Lolly's video and if YOU would like to WIN a video of your own work just leave a comment below and tell me what you find absolutely yummy. Come on! Tell me! :).  The deadline is 10/27/2009 at 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time. The winner will be selected at random.

Oh, and personally: pie a la mode gets me every time. That's my yummy nom for you! Good luck!

Enter My Contest and Checkout Itkupilli's Spooky Stuff {Halloween - Digital Design Kit}

Last week I made a digital "Thank You" video to Itkupilli, the designer of my blog theme and I thought I'd make another one featuring some of the cute (and cool) art she has for sale on Etsy. I love her art! She's so innovative with her designs and generous with creations. She gives away free blog stuff (like the background image you see here on my blog) and she even offers tutorials on how to customize your own blog.

Now the images featured in the video above are selections from Itkupilli's Halloween themed digital collage sheets. You can use these images for your mixed media, altered arts, ATC, ACEO, jewelry, decoupage, stickers, fabrics, and more! Here's the deets:

• 2 8x8" background papers in .jpg format
• 8 ATC size (2.5x3.5") backgrounds in .jpg format
• 20 elements in .png format.
• The entire kit comes in 300 dpi so you can print in high quality resolution!
• Now available in her Etsy store for only $4.50!

The next video I make could feature your art! I'm having a contest and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment below. Each commenter will be numbered and then the winning number will be selected at random. This is the kind of contest where you can enter as many times as you wish! But the catch is: if you want to enter again and again you must leave in your subsequent follow-up comment(s) the name of a friend of yours that also commented to be considered for another entry. OF COURSE THE FIRST COMMENT is just you. But re-entry requires a referral name. The deadline for all comments is 11:59pm on Friday October 9, 2009. Winner will be announced here on my blog sometime on Saturday morning whenever I wake up. :)

I'm so looking forward to seeing how this all plays out as I've never done anything like this before. And since I do not have many followers I think you have a very good chance of winning! (I used to do free movie drawings here in Los Angeles and about five people would enter every week for months. It was fun to hang with my friends on a rotational basis! :). Anyway...I hope you will participate in this contest. I think a video would be cool and I love to meet new artists. Good luck!

*Cute n Cool* Free Blogger Templates by *ItKuPiLLi*

So do you like the look of my new blog? I think it's sooooo cute. But not only that: I got the background for FREEEEEEEE from the digital media artist Itkupilli herself!

Itkupilli is just prolific in her designs! Her site offers a ton of free blogger backgrounds, buttons and banners but it's also chockerblock with information on how you can DIY and customize your very own Blogger blog. But if you prefer a custom OOAK design, you can hire her to create something fabulous just for you.

So check out her blogs -- you'll get lost in the beauty I guarantee. But remember to support Itkupilli by purchasing some of the artist's collage sheets and digital design kits at her Etsy shop!