Happy o'Natural Easter!...

It's EASTER! ~ well minus the bangles and beads, bows, collars and party hats! I hope you all are not tooooo disappointed, but Mr. Jack wanted to fashion his o'natural side for this spring holiday. Next time around, we hope to be a wee bit more creative when it comes to sprucing up for the season. But speaking of,  JP and I have been busy-bees, sprucing up our landscape, carving and shaping berms, setting stones and creating rock walls around our property. It's starting to take shape! The goal is to sew clover seeds by the end of this week which will create a whimsical carpet of green while retaining our soil before the spring rain falls..... So, we're practically racing against the clock to get things in place and ready for the next phase! I promise to take photos soon and will share them here with you. The word from passers-by has been very positive and inspiring :)



Anyway, we are just "peeking" in to wish you a Happy Easter! Now, we're off to go hunt for more rocks and play in the dirt....

Best Wishes to you!
~ Johanna

A Special, Best Offer Sealed Auction!...

"Art Challenges" ~ oh, just those words often create pause and then the need to drag my feet. Seriously, do I really need to challenge myself? First, I ignore it and find excuse after excuse to avoid it altogether. But, then, it seems, my imagination kicks on and takes over, and I find myself dwelling on the challenge, pondering how I would overcome it. What would be my slant and style on such a creative challenge? Sooner than later, my heart races, and I give in! There's no going back! I can make a complete 180 degree turn from a "no-never" attitude to intense focus in my workshop, consumed with the subject matter. The process is quite humorous really :)

So, why am I speaking of Challenges? Well, that's because EHAG in conjunction with PFATT announced a joint challenge to its artists. Who's heard of Steampunk? It continues to be a growing trend in fashion and decor where post-Victorian steam-era style meets the world of science fiction. Where bronze and brass, gold and copper cogs and gears create pattern, texture, movement and whimsy in a surreal world of steam-fired fantasy. Still lost? Check out the academy award-winning movie Hugo to understand the look. Anyway, EHAG & PFATT announced and encouraged its artist members to delve right into a "SCREAMpunk Challenge!"Both groups have a passion for Halloween, so the fusion of the two themes made for a fantastical match.

Introducing my "Screampunk" Challenge!


WINNING BID: $1,643.01 ~ 
Thank you Donna!

When my Screampunk piece was complete, I swooned! I must admit, this owl is steamier than I had ever imagined. My unusual addition of vintage buttons combined with wire details, top hat and all, certainly makes for a whimsical all-season and rather stylish art piece. And, I have never created a character quite like this, and well, I am feeling a bit attached! I must remind myself however, that this is a challenge by the artists and for the collecting public. So, I am willlllling to offer him to you in a "Sealed" Blog Auction, right HERE! But, you need to help me decide what he is worth...

What is a "Sealed" Blog Auction you ask? Well, in order to give those of you interested a fair chance at adopting this special owl, I am asking that you EMAIL ME your Best Offer. What would you be willing to spend in order to possibly accept this collectible piece into your home? Each emailed bid will be sealed, in a sense, that I will not share those numbers with any other bidding participant. Bids will remain private, and I will not release any information regarding bids until the highest bid is revealed here, on Saturday, March 31st. Submit once OR as many times as you wish within this 6-day period. AND SILLY ME ~ I forgot to double check the calendar as there are 31 days in this month!! And, I would like to include a last minute peek at "Timowlthy" on EHAG's Emporium where he will be surrounded by other "Screampunk" creations from the artists of EHAG that night.

Unlike the standard eBay auction, this scenario allows a collector the chance to submit a bid at his or her leisure and not enter into a stressful bidding war during the last few minutes of the auction. You have 6 days to submit your best offer/s. Everybody has a chance to participate if they wish, and we all avoid the continual rising fees that eBay imposes.

How to Bid :

Please study the various photos below to see if you would like to adopt "Timely Timowlthy."
If he "hooos" to you, then . . . . . . . 

* EMAIL ME with the amount of your Best Offer (johanna@johannaparkerdesign.com)
* Title your email: "Best Offer - $ - - - - - "
* Look for a reply / confirmation email that your offer has been received

As you submit your offer/s, you are welcome to identify yourself or remain anonymous. Therefore, you may email me from whatever email account you choose as long as I can reach you in the event you are the winner!  I will be accepting offers through March 31st, and final bids need to be emailed by 11pm EST. At that time, I will review all the offers and post the pending best offer amount. The winner will be notified and will have 24 hours to respond, identify him or herself and start the process of finalizing the sale. The piece will be offered to the bidder of the next best offer, in the event the top bidder fails to respond.

As for emailing me with your bids, please know that I am grateful for any and all "bids of affection." Bid what you can comfortably afford, and I thank you for your offer of support. Whether it's small or large, I thank you for it!  Best of luck!...... Now, let's get started :)

Up for Bids is "Timely Timowlthy," an original sculpture by me, folk artist Johanna Parker...



* With wiry wings stretched wide, Timely Timowlthy perches atop a stylized, spherical clock....



* He is painted in hues of aged cream, black, brown and slightly metallic gold, bronze and copper. He is a one of a kind, hand sculpted and hand painted papier mache folk art owl character...



* An exaggerated collar frames his sweet face and protects his feathered head...



* His flared top hat serves as the base for a pair of hand-formed wire spectacles attached via a vintage brass button.



* Below, a pair of antique buttons trim his striped vest and add more vintage Steampunk style bling to this dapper guy....



* Art Deco style patterns wrap around his spherical base and meet at the back...



* Here, at the back, a golden cogwheel design frames yet another old metallic button.



* Returning to front and below his wiry tallons, a favorite Art Deco button from my vintage collection serves as the center of his stylized clock. Curled arrows made of wire form its hands and add a touch of whimsy, texture and dimension to this piece...



* His hand-formed wire accents sport a dirty bronze painted patina....



* Timely Timowlthy, in his muted neutrals and metallics would make for a wonderful all-season conversational art piece in your lovely home!



He measures 7.5" tall by 6.5" wide...



*Steamingly, screamingly stylish & sweet!



* He's signed and dated, 1/1 and marked as a special "EHAG * PFATT Screampunk Challenge" piece...

EMAIL ME or leave a comment below if you have any questions. I will be happy to answer those for you before you place your Best Offer via email.

Many thanks for considering this unique piece, and I appreciate your bids of support...

~ Johanna


Please NOTE: If you received my Newsletter regarding this special auction, I made an initial typo on the ending date. It will be ending on Saturday, March 31st at 11pm EST ~ not Friday.  Thank you!

Teasing Spring...

Yay! I finished my collection of spring originals, soon to debut on March 26th! They each posed for the camera last night, and I snapped a few teaser pics to entice you to join me for my Spring Web Sale, later this month. In total, there are 10 little sweeties, and I want to thank all of my collector friends for your little push to make some spring delights this year. It has been a fun diversion :)

* A sweet bunny, painted in chocolatey spring hues, peeks into the frame...



* A creamy-white mouse with rose-colored undertones, smiles amongst a gathering of spring folk art friends...



* Looking up, we see what appears to be a perky rabbit in vintage pinks and greens.... Look at her wee little mouth!



* And an adorable buttery-yellow chick waves a wiry wing and invites you all to take a closer peek on Monday, March 26th, when I will release these unique characters. Please Join my Mailing List for more details, including the start time and more.

Think Spring!
~ Johanna

Spring Muse & Hues...

Ahh, the temperatures are finally beginning to warm, and spring is in the air! A fresh breeze has been wafting through the window of my workshop as I finish up my collection of spring originals for an upcoming Web Sale. More feathered friends have been bathing in the bird bath and celebrating the commencement of spring through song. It feels good to be close to finishing my latest batch of seasonal folk art characters. JP stopped in to snap a few photos of the artistic process as I added the final painterly touches to my pieces. You can see more of the image below on my Facebook Fan Page ~ (and please click the LIKE button once you arrive if wish to stay connected!)  Next, I will add a few touches of glass glitter and trims to these sweet guys. There are 10 in total and include a fun mix of egg cups, kettle cups and ball characters. I would have loved to make more, but I also have a growing list of eager Lucky List recipients that I must tend to as well. (Thank you for your patience :)

* Just a peek at one of several originals I have been creating for spring!  You are welcome to Join my Mailing List for more details on my March 26th Web Sale...

* Here's a close-up perspective on my paint palette for spring. I rarely use colors straight out of the bottle. The bright red, mixed with white and soft yellow create that salmon-pink hue that I prefer for this season. I also apply this color to the cheeks of snowmen when the holidays roll in.

* It's funny as I have been using the same cool whip lid for years upon years to mix my paints on, and I DON'T eat cool whip ~ not for many years at least. But, I am certainly recycling and getting good use out of its container :)  After the layers build up, I peel the whole thing off, sign and date the back, and just store it away ~ for what, I'm not sure, but I just can't bring myself to toss it out as there's an intimiate beauty in those layers of paint, methodically mixed....

* I know, this just looks like blobs of color, but it's art to me... unintentional, but still art.



* I didn't notice how these hues swirled together, forming a flowing pattern until I snapped the subject up close. The movement is captured in time and may soon disappear under another bumpy layer of paints.

* One more perspective of my artist's palette, and then I'll stop for now :) This reminds me of a slightly mountainous landscape, and if I were the size of a pinhead, I would scale those hilly hues!

IMAGINATION ~ I am so grateful for it!

~ Johanna

6 Ways to Bestow Spring in a Mug!...

Spring is certainly a time of celebration and smiles as mother nature slowly wakes up from her long winter's nap. I always look forward to the warming of the mornings and the chance, to at last, take my hot cup of coffee or tea outdoors and explore the latest buds and blossoms in the garden. It's a lovely way to wake up and start the day. As the two go hand in hand, I thought I would have a litte fun and share with you 6 Sweet Ways to Give the Gift of Spring in a Mug! I currently have 2 illustrated mugs available in my Zazzle Shop that promise to make the perfect spring gift to both family and friends (or yourself!). Whether it's in celebration of Easter, the changing of the seasons, a birthday, a thank you, a hostest gift or just an act of simple kindness, these suggestions promise to bring smiles to those you share them with. The mugs are certainly custom and unique and serve as a functional base and vase for whatever you choose to fill it with in your presentation. The ideas are certainly endless, and if you have more, please feel free to share them here with our readers. Enjoy and THANK YOU for spreading smiles through my art!

~ Johanna



* Idea # 1 gets top ranking with me as it is probably the easiest and most cost effective to produce. Plus, the results are so dear! Spring invites a whole host of flowering bulb plants that often pop up all over the landscape. Snip a few from here or there. Daffodils are always a favorite, so just trim them to height and place in water. If your flower-filled mug must go on a journey before it is gifted, then anchor your flowers in wet floral foam, cut to size. This keeps those pretties fresh and firmly grounded while eliminating the splashing of water and potential spills.



* Although Idea # 2 takes a little more work, the results are too sweet for words! A tuft of fresh wheatgrass spells out spring, and health-minded folks love to juice it in their smoothies. Wheatgrass can be found at most health food grocers in the produce section. Purchase a square of it and cut it to size and stuff it into your mug. Alternatively, with more time and patience, you can grow your own with organic soil and wheatgrass seeds. With a little care, your grass will be perky in 10 days or less. I poked a pink lollipop in for pizazz, but again the ideas are endless. The recipient can keep the lively mug in their windowsill till the grass is used or fades, or they can even share it with their feline friends who also adore this green treat. In the end, they are still left with an adorable mug. Just wash well and enjoy!




* Idea # 3 is the choice for your chocolate & coffee loving friends! I chose dark chocolate covered coffee beans to go with the coffee mug theme. A simple cellophane bag and pretty bow will do the trick. Other suggestions may be chocolate covered nuts or other cocoa-themed sweets. Take it a step further and fill a cellophane bag with homemade chocolate chip cookies ~ YUM! Now, that woud certainly taste quite delightful with a cup of spring coffee in one of my sweet mugs :)



* Idea # 4 is certainly for those with a sweet tooth! Fill carrot cellophane bags with orange jelly beans and ground them in a base of spring green paper packing grass. These bags are easily found online. Do a search for "cone shaped cello bags" or "carrot cellophane bags" and you should find a variety of vendors offering cone shaped packaging, perfect for this sweet application!



* Idea # 5 takes sugar to a higher level of sweetness! Make a bouquet that celebrates the well-known "peep"! Poke these marshmallow bunnies or chicks into wooden skewer sticks, cut to length if necessary and anchor them into a mug fill with spring-hued candies, such as M&M's. What an adorable hostess gift this would make at a spring party. Suddenly, your unique gift takes center stage!



* And Idea # 6 showcases the traditional chocolate bunny. Make sure to purchase one that will fit snuggly in your muggly :) With a little spring green construction paper and scissors, cut a continuous strip of zig-zaggy paper grass. Cut to fit the diameter of your mug, tape it end to end and tuck it down & around your bunny. If you find him wiggling around too much, tuck a little tissue paper down below and around him to set him just right, and add those decorative blades as your final touch!

I hope I have inspired you with these 6 Sweet Ideas to Bestow Spring in a Mug! As I said earlier, please feel free to comment with more fun ideas. Sharing is caring, and it is always FUN to hear from you.

Now, go pick up a SPRING MUG or 2 from My Zazzle Shop!  Thank you for your support & kindness...