New Year's Fun Craft

Here's a little "just for fun" thingy.  I'd meant to post this earlier, but thanks to the programme crashing and corrupting the file, I'd had to re-create it, and therefore, I'm late getting this out there.  Still, what the heck - there are still a few places with some time left to do this, and if nothing else, it might provide a distraction for the kids while you attend to your own evening preparations!  Happy New Year!

DIY 2012 PARTY SPECS!

Download and print file here: DIY party specs

Magick 4 Terri

Hellay, hellay!  I'll have a FaerieCon report up when I get a bit of time, but I wanted to post about this as it's an important thing, and something worthy of our attention:

Most fans of fantasy and mythic tales and art will have heard of Terri Windling.  A writer, artist, and editor, she has been an inspiration to a generation of mythic artists and writers, and many of us are coming together to try to help her in a time of need.  I have donated my Rackham-inspired watercolour "The Apple Faery" (pictured below), and artists and writers like Charles Vess, Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, Ellen Kushner, and George RR Martin (to name but a handful) are donating original works, limited editions, and signed items for an auction at Magick 4 Terri on LiveJournal.  In addition, fans are offering their own works, crafts, services, and treasured collectibles.  Please stop by and check it out.  Many items have low starting bids, and there is also a 'donate' button  for whatever your budget might allow.  Help us make some Magick 4 Terri!

New Art and FaerieCon!

I have some new art to share - both of these beauties are available on the web site.  

"Companions" is an homage to pet lovers everywhere, and features representations of 3 pets I have known and loved - my childhood companion "Kitty", my recently deceased (well, 2006) cockatiel 'Mo', and "Bronte" a gorgeous Chocolate Lab who was part of the family of my in-laws in Yarm, UK.

"The Witching Hour" is a Samhain-themed painting in the Art Nouveau style with a bit of a Steampunk flavour.

In other news, I'm going to FaerieCon this weekend!!  I'm very excited, packed and ready to go (although I can't stop double-checking to make sure I haven't missed anything).  I am not exhibiting or vending, I'm only going for the fun of it and to meet up with friends who are vending.  I'm looking forward to meeting the Frouds, Charles Vess, and Amy Brown as I'm just a big ol' fangrrl!

My friend Brigid Ashwood, who is a featured artist at FaerieCon, has written a post about the event- if you need some encouragement to come on out ;) GeekMom: FaerieCon - The Sparkly Side of GeekCons

Chocolate: dark, milk, or white?

Chocolate: dark, milk, or white?

Answer here

Recommended reading

Hi all,

I've got a proper blog coming soon - perhaps in the next couple of days, even. But, I wanted to share this, as I think it is excellent reading. It speaks about the current climate amongst a portion of the young in the UK, but the greater message applies to ANY youth in ANY country. I could easily apply her statements to the youth in the US. Read it, it's worth the time:

http://rosamicula.livejournal.com/540476.html

Another embloggening? I'm on a roll!

2 bloggings in one week. Now...do I have anything to say?

Well, yes, actually. I've just this morning had an email from Indigo Art Services with the preview images of the mousepads that are in production. They are gorgeous, and I can't wait to get my hands (or...mouse) on them. I showed the image of the one with my Hummingbirds on Lantana art to himself (my husband) and he's planning to purchase one as soon as it's on sale. Jen at IAS tells me mousepads will be featured on the website and on offer at $9 each (regularly $10.95) til the end of August. I'll post again when they're available.

Also this morning, I finished "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins; the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy. What a great series that was. Now, I'm looking forward to the film treatment and hoping they do the story justice. Now, what shall I read next? Any suggestions?

I've just rented "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" from Netflix. I did see it in the cinema when it was released, but I wanted to watch it again so the story would be fresh in my mind when I go see Part 2. I'm a bit sad that it's all ending, but looking forward to it anyway. I know JK's got Pottermore in the works, but I really am keen to see what she does next writing-wise. Surely she's got some more stories to tell, other characters to pull us into their lives....

I've been asked when I'll be painting live again. I'm not sure, really. Maybe next week? I'll post at twitter and facebook when I do, and if I can organize myself enough, maybe schedule a time and give you a day's notice or so. Ha - an organized artist?! That'd be a first! ;)

O Hai!

Good grief! Has it really been over a year since I've posted anything?! That just goes to show that I am really pants at updating this blog. To be fair, since I've gone over to the dark side that is Facebook, I find it just so easy to do quick updates there. So, I'd love for anyone interested in what I'm up to to join me there: www.facebook.com/MaryLaytonArt. I'll try to do better about keeping a regular blog, too - but, at least you'll be able to keep up with me a bit better there. I'm also on twitter (www.twitter.com/Rhiamon), so feel free to follow.

I've most recently been playing around with my web site design, updating the look a bit. And, fixing some formatting issues that I'd let go for too long. This meant a 4 day fight with coding to suit the demands of IE. If you want something done simply, and you want it to show up properly on IE...fuggedaboutit. Simple coding commands that work on nearly every other browser will look hideous in IE, I've found. In any event, I seem to have managed to work around the issues, and my site now look presentable in IE, while still looking nice in other browsers. To celebrate, I decided to have a bit of a sale, and if you subscribe to my newsletter, you'll already be aware of it. The sale lasts until the end of the month and gets you 25% off your order at www.marylayton.net - including clearance items. Use code SUMMER25 at checkout. Speaking of clearance items....

Acrylic-cab cameos are on offer, as I am discontinuing them. The reason I am doing this is that I have recently signed a licensing contract with Indigo Art Services for gorgeous porcelain cameos. I've received my artists samples and they are really lovely! They are larger than the acrylic cameos and therefore show off the artwork much better. IAS are also doing mugs with wrap-around designs - these are generously sized at 15 oz. Both the cameos and mugs are available on the site, and if you are a retailer, you can order them wholesale to carry in your shops from IAS. Also, if you enter code 110502 at checkout at IAS, you get a free gift with an opening order of $75.

I have been doing some art shows lately, which is a bit new for me. I am often asked when I'll be at Faeriecon or other big shows, but I haven't done many shows at all so far, and am a bit terrified of the big ones! I need some experience, you see. So, in March I entered the art show at Stellarcon and had a great time! Met some neat people, made some sales, and lost a bit of my fear. Since then, I've done 2 other local events, Parisian Promenade and Greensboro Summer Solstice Celebration, and I am really enjoying it. I will be appearing in August at the August Art Oasis on Davie Street in Greensboro NC and am looking forward to it. I still don't know if I'm ready for Faeriecon yet, but maybe next year.

I'll leave you with some eye-candy - one of the porcelain cameos, one of the mugs, and my current work-in-progress: