The Creative Cookie

Holi'daze'

Once again, I'm caught up in the space between my birthday and Christmas. These 21 days are like a vortex of the good, the bad, and the very busy me. Its been over a week since my last post and I have so much to blog about! Photos from my shoot with Vincysally an affordable, online boutique, for stylish girls, Antonio De Jesus, graphic artist and creator of cute plush toys, Lagelle Handmade,  Washington Roberts, an emerging designer, and more Present Pizazz.

So stay tuned & happy Holidaze!

Sustainable Green

This year I’m being intentional about my holiday shopping. The days of running to Target for 85% of my gifts are over. No offense to Target, or any other large department store, but from reading this blog, you can tell that I am inspired by the work of small designers, crafters, and shop owners. In these difficult economic times they really need our support. Here are a few actions that I’ll be taking to switch it up this shopping season.

• Looking local. By shopping, small businesses, close to home I can support my local economy while finding unique items. I can’t wait to see what treasures I find. Go ahead and be an explorer in your hood too. 

• Thinking thrifty. Books, Cds, video games, and clothing can be brought from thrift stores or on consignment. When considering this option just be sure to gage the comfort level of the recipient. Some people are not into getting used stuff. Also, be sure to clean any garments before gifting.

• Shopping sites.Think Etsy or any of the fair trade sites recommended by The Angel Rock Project for handmade gifts. These items are made all over the world but can be purchased in the comfort of your home. How perfect is that?

• Frequenting fairs. This upcoming weekend I’ll be visiting a few holiday fairs for handmade items, one of a kind finds, and perhaps the gift that I’ll give myself. To find craft fairs in your area look the newspaper, on Craigslist, or polity ask someone at your local craft store, they’re usually in the loop.

This goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway), suggest these tips to the people buying gifts for you. Not only will they have a fun shopping challenge they’ll ensure a happier holiday for a small business. It’s a win win.

Throughout the month of December Creative Cookie will be featuring more ideas and shopping suggestions. I’ve also added a category called *holiday* on the site. Click on it to find past posts that feature places to shop.  Tell us what you’re doing different this holiday season, leave a comment or drop us a note, let’s expand this list.

 

photo : © Lesley Williams, 2009

Art Sparks

I love prompts and mini-activities that transport me into a creative space. As the weather gets colder and the holidays approach, I'm constantly creating. Here are a few exercises that I'll be using this week. 

• Make your two favorite animals into one animal.

• Think about the inside of a rock . . . Draw it . . . and write a poem about the inside of a rock.

• Draw or write about the part of your home that you like the best.

• Draw or write about the heaviest thing on the planet.

• Draw a picture using 3 squares, a circle, and two primary colors.

• Illustrate your favorite poem.

Try them alone or with others and share your creative sparks with us (please)!  

 

an otter who thinks she’s a kitty -- very fancy! ( by a young artist )

Marissa Erskine

I adore Marissa Erskine's spring '10 collection. I got to check it out in October at the Seam Collective's third fashion show installment, Forte. Her collection is full of butterfly, cocoon, and tulip silhouettes that are natural and whimsical. We're keeping our fingers crossed that Marissa will let us interview her for a future post. She's such a Creative Cookie.

 

photos : ©Lesley Williams, 2009

 

Pic Clique

A few friends at work and I decided to start a little photography group to exchange ideas, tips, and pics. The lovely Kate P. agreed to let me post a few photos from her travels, thanks!

photos : © Kate Pickle, 2009

xoxo

Tonight when I left work I was shocked to see "live mannequins" in the empty store front of my 28-story office building. New York living never ceases to amaze me. 

  photos : ©Lesley Williams, 2009     

To see more of them click here .