tania howells

Back when I was in school, I worked part time in a fabric store. I would make these raggy little dolls because it was rather boring and slow in the store. If my boss came in, I would hide them under the counter. I haven't made any since and if I did, they would look much different. Cuter!

Well, the twinkle bag was a moderate sucess, though it actually doesn't look so bad here. It was just that it was my first try and the denim I used for the body and the lining, flap and strap proved a wee bit too thick! The side seams broke my needle in 3 places and bent it! So as my dear dad would have said, it's back to the drawing board. Perhaps I don't need to line it at all, or at least use a thin fabric... I am so enjoying my shift not starting till 4 these days, even if it is only 3 days a week. That little extra time is just MARVELOUS!

I wish I made this....

Tina Ruth Art
WOW. Look at these remarkably detailed and beautiful bags!

And really, does it get much cuter than this??

Thank you all for you nice comments in my last post!! :)

I went to a freelancers luncheon at Today's Parent Magazine yesterday! It was so yummy, and I got the see the banner with my drawing on it. They chose this image to be the new icon for the magazine! I'm all happy about it. Thank-you Today's Parent!!

Woo! And also this FABULOUS site of vintage glasses via Theo Design. Thanks for finding that Abigail!! I LOVE glasses.
P.S. Check out her lovely illustrations too.

Dave and I spent two hours drawing in the park yesterday! It was a beautiful stolen summer day, warm and sunny. We were working on the cover for the next issue of DTM, a local comic compilation. The theme this time is toys! I drew this crazy toy by copying a cool japanese tin toys book.

Here is a deer! It's part of a bigger silkscreen that I finally got to work after some tries. This one is on a black grocery tote bag which I will post soon. I am so spaced out lately. I keep starting one thing and then forget what I am doing and wander off to start another thing. However, I did manage to get a ton done yesterday which felt really good. A bunch of silkscreening and some magnets as well as getting all those supplies I needed. There is a Christmas craft show I am in and also bits and bobs to make up this fabled online store I keep talking about! As well as two Christmas card designs in the works.

Today I got to do my shift at work in the morning. After lunch I went out and bought this gorgeous pink silk! Only one yard, to screen onto, and then turn into the fronts of bags. I put the birds on some and a new drawing of a deer with twinkles all around it. One bird got free and landed on my thumb.

I love Wee Wonderfuls! It's so easy to feel happy about ribbons.

We have started getting this awesome magazine called IDN. The latest issue has a great profile of Vancouver design and an article on this neat artist called Sayaka Akiyama, who does cool textiley things with maps!
Every issue has me crazily inspired and exited.

Look at this nice installation Ruckus did in the windows at the Japanese Paper Place. I just LOVE their stuff. This summer they came up with some beautiful screened skirts and hats.

This is part of the quilt I have been working on. It's main design criteria was to use the "ugliest", meaning grooviest, fabrics I could find. I haven't really touched it all summer, except to pin together the three layers. It is all ready to be quilted though, and I think the fall is a good time for this. Maybe I will get it done just in time for the first snowfall!

The father of the groom made my invite people into a metal sculpture!! How cool is that! If I had a garden, I would be lobbying heavily to have posession of it.

We are back! We were away on a thrift store tour of Southern Ontario and here is a cool book cover from the Sally Ann in Stratford.
Actually, it was Eva's wedding in Windsor that took us on a trip, but the week prior was a meandering nice time.

Highlights include:
Lake Huron
Madyln's diner breakfast
Value Village, Chatham
lunch with friends in Goderich
The Whispering Pines motel on route 79
the wedding and party
our view of detroit from the hotel window
hotel soaps and shampoo
cable tv
canoeing on the river in stratford
miles of framers fields

the ex

Well, we did it. We went to the ex! I haven't gone since I was 8, and once I got over the culture shock of wall to wall people yelling at their kids and eating hot dogs, I started to have a bit of fun. The Polar express ride was fast and the ferris wheel was very tall. The superdogs show was cute cute, and the food was junky and yummy. I was too scared to go in the haunted mansion though. See you in a week!

Denyse Schmidt Quilts Idea Wall
I love an Idea Wall and I love the quilts Denyse Schmidt designs. Yummy squares. I would love to see a whole book of idea walls by all sorts of people...that would be so neat.

No one really shared my enthusiasm yesterday at work when I displayed my new stickers. I was thrilled to have found them for 75% off. They were only 81¢!! Used to be $3.25!!! Well, I know as well as everyone that I am not nine years old, but I have never ever stopped loving stickers. And in keeping with foliage week, notice the leaves on the cute ladybug ones!

This little guy, Jimmy Joe, I drew way back in 2000 or 1999. I did one for all 4 seasons, but in keeping with foliage week, and of course the blissful coming of fall, this is the one to see!

P.S. We are now official converts to the Hidden Cameras! Friends have been telling me how great they are for years. Paul and I saw them perform for the first time on the weekend at Harborfront in the pourng rain. I have never been so totally in love with a band so fast! Apart from the ridiculously catchy tunes and the spectacular showmanship, the band is so positive and inclusive. Pure fun!