Flower Love!

These are three pieces I am so in love with. Yes, I will admit to loving my own work. I can't help it. They were fun to make and the results surpassed my expectations. Marbling on wood presents all sorts of problems but these three were destined to be awesome ~ they didn't cause me any trouble (maybe that's why I love them so).

The vintage images are of flowers and came from an old gardening book. I added them to the wood panels and then marbled over it all, choosing colors that pulled the images out so they didn't get lost behind the marbling. The pieces measure 6" x 8" and have an extra deep 2" profile that is painted white.

I think it all came together nicely ~ so much so I'm working on another series BUT WITH A TWIST!!! Stay tuned to see what comes next!!

If you are interested in purchasing these, they will be available at the Santa Barbara Holiday Open House for $55 each. If you can't make it there but want one, email me (Cheers "at" BarbSkoog "dot" com) and I'll set it aside for you to pick up or I can ship it to you (shipping costs apply).

New Wall Art and Individual Papers at Peach Tree Holiday Show

Here's a little sneak peek at some of the new wall art and individual papers I'll have at the Peach Tree Holiday Show.

Lunar Oasis (front view)

Lunar Oasis (side view)

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From the Amoeba Series

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One of my favorites

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From the White Space Series

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Peach Tree Gallery’s 8th Annual Holiday Show December 7 and 8 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. 3795 Boise Avenue, Mar Vista (3 blocks west of Centinela off Venice Blvd.) www.PeachTreePottery.com

Eco-friendly Marbled Wrapping Paper

A new addition to this year's Peach Tree Holiday Show is marbled wrapping paper! Marbled on recycled newsprint without a chemical-icky, shiny finish, it makes for an eco-friendly way to wrap your gifts for the holidays, birthdays, hostess, baby shower, or any other celebratory event! Each piece is a hand-marbled, one-of-a-kind creation. Elegant and beautiful, bold and festive, classic and contemporary...there are lots of styles and colors to choose from.

These are only available at the Peach Tree Holiday Show ~ and I have a feeling that because I am selling them for $3 each, they will sell out FAST. And once they are gone...

Hope to see you this weekend!

Peach Tree Gallery’s 8th Annual Holiday Show
December 7 and 8
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
3795 Boise Avenue, Mar Vista
(3 blocks west of Centinela off Venice Blvd.)
www.PeachTreePottery.com

They're Here! They're Here!

The calendars have arrived!!

Calm down, Barb...it's just a calendar. But it's really hard to when IT LOOKS SO GREAT!! I am so proud of this one...12 really beautiful images created this past year accompanied by thoughtful and motivating quotes. For those who have already placed their order, I will be shipping them out to you this weekend.

There are only NINE SIX THREE calendars left...if you want one, you better grab one before they are gone.

To see the images included in this year's calendar, check out this post.

Sundara and a Little Bit of Me

Sundara is derived from Sanskrit and means beautiful. It's also the name of artist and creative engineer, Christine Mason Miller's online, pop-up boutique.  Her gorgeous shop is currently filled with an amazing line of handmade jewelry. I am a proud owner of two of her creations and I wear the bracelets every day. There's something about them that makes me feel loved, special, and pretty when they are around my wrist. I know that something has to do with Christine's special touch.  Everything she does is magical! (Insider tip: all EARRINGS are 20% off through Monday, November 4th. Enter the code "sundara" at checkout.)

Recently, Christine added more goodies to her shop ~ handmade journals with vintage book covers...and with endpapers and embellishments using my marbled papers!

These journals are created entirely by hand…interior pages hand trimmed, signatures stitched by hand, marbled paper, and snippets of the original book sprinkled throughout the journal pages.

There is a limited number of these unique, one-of-a-kind, signed journals available so head on over to her shop ASAP.

And yes, the Barbie journals are my favorite!!

It's Here ~ My 2014 Calendar ~ Lessons from the Studio

Ready for a new year?! Yeah, me neither. Hard to believe 2014 is right around the corner. The point is especially driven home when I have to keep track of my appointments for 2014 on a slip of paper ~ that was until my new calendar arrived!!

And I think this one might be my best yet.

I have once again printed a 12-month calendar with my favorite marbled images created this past year. Each image is accompanied by words of wisdom and lessons learned from the studio. As many of you know, this year was an epic studio year for me. I spent a lot of time working on new series, completing ones that really felt right, experimenting with new materials, and deepening my own personal marbling style (ever evolving, of course). The results were AMAZING ~ so much fun time at the tank, stellar pieces that left even me surprised, successful shows, and a momentum that continues to build. It was such a profound time for me that after a day in the studio, I would take to my journal and reflect upon what I learned that day ~ both technically as well as soulfully. And that's where this calendar comes from ~ my hands and my heart.

I have printed a very limited supply of these gems so if you want one, head on over to my store (if you want to pay by credit card through PayPal) or send an email (if you want to pay by check or cash) to Cheers "at" BarbSkoog "dot" com. Calendars will be mailed out around Thanksgiving time (or sooner if the shipment arrives earlier than that!).

Calendar Details:

• The month-by-month planning calendar is a compact size (5″ x 11.5″) and is great for kitchens, work spaces, and even for toting around in your purse (which I do all the time).
• It is spiral bound which makes it easy to lay flat on a desk or hang on a wall.
• It is an exceptional value at just $16 including shipping or personal delivery by me!

Below are images included in this year's calendar (the images will not have my website address plastered all over them). To see my "Lessons from the Studio," you'll just have to buy it!

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