After our first solid Holiday Season, I expected a lull, but wound up doing a really cool commission for a client that incorporated new artwork and custom mugs and pouches for a corporate retreat swag bag. It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to doing more large custom projects in the future, e.g., bridal party favors, groomsmen gifts, anniversary party favors, and other events.
This summer I ventured out IRL to sell at the Artisans Market in Providence, Rhode Island on the occasional Saturday. Wow, it was hot under that tent, unless I got lucky enough to get a spot under a tree. I survived initiation (a dog peed on my tent pole sandbag while its yooman pretended not to notice) and am now a bona fide Market Seller.
In between markets, I completed Speed Freaks and Adrenaline Junkies, which features a sloth, koala, and slow loris, three of the slowest animals on the planet, doing extreme sports. Why should they miss out on the fun of zip lining and sky diving? If you look carefully, you'll spot Fed Up Frank hang gliding in the corner.
I almost forgot! Our whirlygig hat wearing capybara mascot is officially called Fed Up Frank now, and he looks forward to having a larger role in the running of things around here. Baby steps, Frank.
Most recently WhimsicallyFrazzled had a booth at the Fine Furnishings Show in Providence, and what fun! I met some amazing people, outstanding artists and fantastic customers. Everyone had a good laugh at the artwork, which is exactly what WhimFrazz aims to achieve!
Speaking of shows, if you're in the Providence area December 3-4, I'll be back at the WaterFire Arts Center on Valley Street for the Holiday Market. Stop by!
Time to make sure the website is spruced up for the holidays!
XO,
Christie
]]>It's our First Holiday Season at WhimisicallyFrazzled, and we're so excited to help everyone celebrate! We're starting the sale now to get in the holiday mood - 10% off one item (automatic discount) or 20% off three or more items (use code 20OFF3).
It's been a fun and exciting year creating our shop to share art and joy! There are new artworks, new products (I'm especially excited about the puzzles), and new stuff in the works for 2022!
There's also a work-in-progress to bring products to a local art gallery/studio space...I'll tell you more about that soon.
We're learning as we go, and after some bumps and bruises, we've got things somewhat organized and settled...for the moment. Those of you who know me well, know that I'll be changing things again and again. There's always a "yeah, but what if we did this...?" kind of vibe around here. Luckily, Todd, Zubie, and Nessie are used to the madness.
I've got a crazy new painting in the works, I'll share it soon. In the meantime, have fun shopping!
Cheers! ~Christie
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When I was very young, my parents enrolled me in a painting class, and my early art memories are of oil paint and turpentine, things to which a seven year old should probably never have access, but I think I managed not to destroy too much clothing when I forgot to wear a smock. Art was always my favorite subject in school, and it became something of an undeclared minor when I went off to university. But once I had graduated, in the immortal words on the late, great John Lennon, "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans", and painting became something harder and harder to fit into my life.
Now many decades later, I decided to use the watercolors gifted to me without ever having been taught to use them properly! I'd always worked in oils or acrylics and watercolors are a whole different animal. They behave...strangely, and while I was a little intimidated at first, I have come to really like playing with them. I'm fairly certain I'm breaking major rules, but those who know me best would not be even a little bit surprised by that.
I'd missed painting so much that once I'd finished my friend's project, I created the above painting and shared it with a group of women who I have befriended on Twitter, collectively the Most Devoted Capybara Fans on the Planet. The pandemic fatigue was real, and that fed up looking capybara, with his ridiculous hat, looks exactly like I imagine we all felt. It made us laugh, we were very silly about it, and it encouraged me to keep going.
There's very little rhyme or reason to what I paint, but many things have been inspired by my Tweeps. They sometimes request things, and I start off well-intended, but sometimes Whimsical wins the day.
As for being Frazzled, well I think a lot of us feel that way most of the time. But Frazzle is also the name of a creature who was the Grouchiest Thing on Feet, a cat for whom I was a devoted servant for 18 years. I still miss him terribly, but his successors, Zubie and Nessie, are hilarious and bossy and snuggly, and we love them madly. They occasionally meowdel for me, and Zubie has asserted his position as resident art critic. Nessie is a pile of marshmallow fluff.
None of this would be possible without my amazing husband, Todd, who has been incredibly supportive and encouraging. He is the genius behind the Problem Solvers (Flying Penguins) piece. Thank you, Sweetie for all of your help, love, and support.
Thank you for joining me, and I hope you'll come back again soon. I'll keep painting a variety of things, and putting them on products that you need. I think art should be accessible to everyone, and I will do my best to create things that will bring a smile to your face.
Best, Christie
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