Rainbow Brite

As a child of the 80s, I adored Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Barbie and the Rockers, and of course, Rainbow Brite. I'd dress like Punky Brewster (layering my socks, and all) and yearned to be Cyndi Lauper. Drawings of rainbows, hearts, and shooting stars embellished my bedroom, and I had the habit of putting my clothes in rainbow order. Only to have my sister mix them all up.

My color sense comes from these carefree childhood memories. I still love rainbows and striped grosgrain ribbons. Occasionally I buy stickers, and I have a box full of sparkly glitter.

Unicorns

The truth is, I never grew out of stickers, glitter, rainbows, or unicorns. A girl can always dream.

Unicorn screen print by amandakindregan

Me and My Unicorn by alicebgardens.

Unicorn Mask print by MATTY8080

Autumn in New York

How I love autumn in New York! This time of year I crave the city and get my annual fix of "When Harry Met Sally". I become dreamy and inspired by all that the Big Apple has to offer. My perfect day would most definitely include.....
A stroll in Central park with a hot cup of joe and my sketchbook.
A trip to the Museum of Art & Design where I could gaze at beautiful objects like this lace teapot by Edyta Cieloch.

My day would not be complete without popping into Anthropologie's flagship store at Rockefeller Plaza. I especially love the little gallery right as you walk in. Last time I visited, they featured the work of Vera Neumann, best know for her colorful silk scarves that she began producing in the 1940's.

What Inspires Me: Manhattan's Fashion District

Like many artists, my heart races at the sheer mention of the Big Apple. Sometimes, when I'm feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of the real world, I escape to the anonymous streets of Manhattan where I can stroll and dream endlessly of new products for Sugar Paperie. One of my favorite spots to spend an entire day is the Fashion District.
This neighborhood is filled with tiny little shops offering ribbons, trims, buttons, and fabrics. It's easy to get bitten by the creative bug and let your mind soar. And it's healthy for the eyes to feast on such pretty things. M&J Trimming is one of my favorite trim boutiques. I could seriously bring my lunch and spend the day here!
Being surrounded by artists and designers scouting out the perfect button for their newest design is exhilarating. And the fashion business is often an unglamourous labor of love.After an visually exhausting day of sourcing new materials, I take a break at the Ginger Man for a toasty sandwich and ice cold drink. The good life, indeed.

Inspirations: Music in the Studio

photo by Jeff Martin, courtesy of the dcist

Like many others, music has always been a source of inspiration for me. It takes me to that happy place where the world around me disappears and I can immerse myself into my craft for hours at a time. Recently, I was able to see the indie-folk rock band, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. This ten piece band (or twelve, depending on the day) from LA has a cult following, myself included. Their hippie love enables them to become one with the audience, as they invite the crowd into their sometimes dark but also happily naive world through their lyrics. The energy felt in the club that night was like no other. Young and old, hipsters, hippies, and yuppies alike, all brought together by the force of music and a band that wears it's heart on it's sleeve. Next time they're in town, I just may hop on their bus and head out to the commune. At least in my studio daydreams....

Inspirations: Paper

I am a paper person. Awhile back I found the work of Yuken Teruya at the Museum of Art and Design. The show was Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary and it featured artists who transform everyday objects that are often carelessly trashed.

I was astounded by the beauty of these intricately cut trees, composed from littered shopping bags.

Teruya proves that even toilet paper rolls can be beautiful. Genius.

A tree cut from the pages of Shel Silverstein's wonderful children's book, The Giving Tree.

In the next few weeks, I will be making a special trip back to MAD to see the current exhibition, Slash: Paper Under The Knife.