Archive for the ‘my studio’ Category

I got something in the mail this weekend. I am so thrilled about some new items coming soon. Can you guess what this will be for?

The last time we met in the studio, we were repainting the walls and floor. You can see here what the studio looked like before. It wasn’t very lovely, and doesn’t show the grotesque carpet we removed. But since then, it’s a new place. We’ll start with the floor. Isn’t it so pretty?

So, for the art studio, we didn’t want carpet. And since we were needing to remove it anyways, we looked at other hard floor options (so much easier to clean than carpet with all the art making going on!). I love white floors, so we looked at this option and I dreamily considered this option. But they each came with a steep price tag ($350 for installed laminate and at least triple for hardwood) and with the cement floor underneath (this room is in the basement) we thought, “Why not just paint the cement floors white?” So we did. And I am in love…..with my floors AND my husband since he did all the work. And it cost so much less (money, not time that is!).

How to Paint a cement floor

MATERIALS:

1. To rip up existing floor, if there is one: crowbar, hammer, pliers, razor, etc.

2. To get the surface ready: Mop, rags, etching solution, concrete patch, trowel, sand paper, vacuum (shop vac, or good home vacuum with attachment pieces), oil remover (if necessary), concrete sealant and primer.

3. To paint: 1 part Epoxy paint, good synthetic paint brush, roller with a good long handle.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS:

1. Rip up the existing flooring. Make sure to be meticulous about removing all nails, staples, and remnants from the cement. There will most likely be damage when you remove anything nailed or stuck to the floor, but that can be fixed later. Better not to hurt the floor, but carpet glue and floor boards can be nasty to get up, and can do a bit of damage.

2. Clean up any stains from oil or glue. Oil stains will show through the paint, and will eventually cause damage. So get rid of any oil stains first, being careful to allow plenty of time to dry and treat. Here is a great link with options for cleaning up oil stains.

3. Scrape off any unwanted surface material. We had large amounts of carpet glue that we had to scrape and scrub. Give yourself plenty of time to take care of this! It’s super important if you want crisp and beautiful floors!

4. Fill any holes with concrete patch. Using a trowel, patch up any gouges or holes and allow time to dry. Sand down and refill if necessary to get your floor smooth and even.

5. Clean the floor with a vacuum and mop to remove all dust and dirt, and wipe up with a wet rag or mop. Allow plenty of time to dry (at least 24 hours). The floor has to be completely dry to paint. To check for any moisture, place a piece of plastic wrap on the floor, and weigh it down with something heavy. Let it sit overnight, and if there is any condensation on the plastic, you know you need more time. Give your room ventilation and a fan to speed up the process.

6.Tape off the floor by placing painters tape along the edges of the baseboards just where it meets the floor.

7.Treat the floor with an etching solution. This is possibly optional, but we read so many tutorials and never got a consistent answer about this step. The etching process treats the cement so that it can take the paint properly. We decided not to skip this step since we really didn’t want to be doing this floor over again. It’s not that hard. Just wipe the floor with the solution, and then make sure to wipe it up/vacuum it up according to the directions on the bottle. Allow time to dry.

8. Prime the surface of the concrete. We used this concrete primer and it worked great. Again, allow time to dry anywhere from 4-24 hours.

9. Paint the floor. This is the fun part! We used this paint with a white finish, but I suggest going to your local hardware store and finding what you need and talking with someone you can trust as you gather your materials. You can paint this just like you paint a wall: cutting the edges in first with a brush, and then rolling the paint on the main surfaces. Make sure to get a long handle to your roller, or you’ll break your back! We used a 1 part epoxy because we were told that a 2 part epoxy has really toxic fumes, and needed proper ventilation, which with one window and because it was in the basement, we went with the 1 part epoxy paint. The difference is in the sheen, and how hard the surface is. Allow 24 hours for it to dry between coats.

10. Repaint as many times as needed. We painted 3 coats, and it looks perfect!

11. We didn’t put a finish on the floor but I am told you can. We kept this a more matte finish with less sheen, but it cleans up really well! I love it!

Total Cost:$80

Concrete Patch: $10

Etch: $20

Primer: $25

Epoxy Sealer Paint $25

You can’t beat 80 bucks on brand-new mess free floors! But be warned: It look a lot of TIME. Each process needs plenty of time to dry. I think the whole process took about a week of evenings. My husband is the greatest…Let me tell you!

Stay tuned to see the walls and more….I am cranking through my illustrations so there is nothing on the walls yet. Decorating will have to wait a few more days.  But I am very much enjoying the space. White floors…..yummy.

Welcome Cjane Readers! If you are new here, take a seat and stay a while. There is lots going on here…and it’s great to meet ya!

We are all moved into the house, and though I am still digging through boxes to find socks, we are feeling so at home. We have entered the ranks of homeowners, and I love this title. There is a lot to do still to the house (did I mention we still need to install a couple toilets?) but those are just details. The wonderful part is that we have an address and a neighborhood and feel such a part of this wonderful community up on the mountainside. Our breakfast table overlooks the city below and there was a beautiful red-breasted robin singing to us from his tree this morning with branches that look out over the valley. This house is an artists paradise. I can’t wait to show pictures!

And believe it or not, I have been still able to chisel away at the Christmas Book I’m working on with Katherine Tegan books at Harper Collins. I have a deadline to finish completely in just over a month, and I couldn’t think of a better place to finish it up than at the new house. The art studio is proving to be a great place to work. I’ll get some boxes out of the way and shoot some pictures soon!

But to start off the week, there are some great giveaways over at CJANE celebrating the birth of her upcoming baby. I designed the invite (Can you tell I am into this retro feel?) and it should be a lot of fun!

I am giving away a $50 gift card to my shop here and you can visit more giveaways here. Come on over and dig in! And all orders with the mention of CJANE get a free card of choice in their orders this week!

Have a good one!

xo

sarah jane

The greatest part about getting a new house is getting to finally design new spaces.

The first room we’re working on: The art studio.

Since I am working on the book, and timing is critical, we are getting right from the start so that things aren’t messy and chaotic like most things tend to be when moving in.

I am so excited to have a room just for art. Like really excited.

We chose a room in the basement for the studio, close to the family play area so that it’s close to the kids. It’s a basic standard room: 10×13 feet I think. Closet, one ceiling fixture and one south facing window.

But the room had really junk carpet, smoke stains on the wall, and sliding closet doors without bottom tracks and heavy metal band stickers on the doors. Nice.

So, for a bargain priced makeover:

1. Ripped up the carpet to expose the concrete foundation. Perfect for an art studio! Carpet is so hard to clean with messy art happening, hardwood is too pricey and laminate still came up to about $500. And with cement underneath, it would have been hard to put in a hard flooring anyways. Solution? We’re painting the cement a bright white. I can’t wait! It’s going to be stunning. And so easy to clean. And white. I love white.

2. Took off the sliding closet doors. They were junk, wobbly, marked up and covered in heavy metal band stickers not to mention they just covered up a really great closet space. This will allow for a bit more room for furniture, and exposed storage to motivate me to keep it tidy and organized! And, curtains will add a splash of color.

3.  Paint: Haven’t chosen it just yet…you’ll see by mid week what we chose. But for one of the walls, I’ll be putting up chalkboard paint so that the kids can create and draw in there too. It’s so important for me to have a studio where the kids feel welcome. Addie most always draws at my feet when I work. But since the space is so small, we are utilizing the wall space for the kids to create.

4. Light fixture: I’ll be putting in full spectrum bulbs, but haven’t decided on a fixture yet. If any of you have good suggestions for good studio lighting with a fun design statement, please share!

5. Furniture: This will be a mix of what I have plus a bit of new. More on that in another post.

I’ll keep you posted on the progress! My amazing husband has been working on this since I am illustrating in the evenings. He spent at least 10 hours prepping the floor for paint: ripping up the carpet, pulling up nails, patching holes, scraping up carpet glue and oil stains….the man is amazing. I love him! And I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!

I often get asked what my favorite pieces are from my shop, and my answer is always the same: “The piece that is currently in my head by not yet in print.” Once it’s up in the shop, the creation of it is done, and I am moving on to the next thing. I don’t tend to get attached. But I do have a few favorites, and I am so happy to say that one of my favorites is going to be carried by a very favorite online site of mine.

Have you browsed around Mahar Dry Goods lately? If there was a online store for children that inspired me most to get my shop up and running, it was this one. Was it the enter page illustrated so brilliantly by Jen Corace? Was is the quirky novelty toys? There is an exclusive tea set from Mahar Dry Goods which shows up in my Summer Tea Party print (commissioned for Small Magazine) that was too amazing to not be inspired by. Short story: I love this shop. And, this week, I found out, that they will be carrying my Personalized Family Trees and Paper Dolls.

I have a long list of retailers that I love working with, but I was just tickled to hear the news, simply because this shop is truly what inspired my desire to enter the handmade children’s industry. Robert, who also has a very hip and retro children’s blog Junior Society, has fantastic taste, and always offers a pic me up when I visit his sites.

Horray for good design. There is something about good design that feeds my soul. And today, I am thankful for great associations.

Does this happen to you?

Short pencils mean there is a lot going on around here. Mostly on my book scheduled to be set into print this summer. It won’t be in stores until Fall 2011, but deadlines are creeping up soon! I wish I could share more of what I am working on, but since nothing is in publication yet, I really can’t share too much. But I will say, pencils are getting shorter and shorter around here!

Keep watching the blog this week. I have A LOT of really fun new additions to the shop coming up! Christmas gifts, cards and stocking stuffers to mention a few!

In the mean time, check out this hot new list of the New York Times top illustrated children’s book list for 2009.  Aren’t they delightful? I’ve blogged about a couple of these artists before. Just gorgeous.

OK….back to drawing (and paper doll making with the kids…have  you tried these out yet? They’re a hit around here!)

Happy Monday!

Two years ago today, I took a really, really big leap of faith: I started selling my art work. I had no idea my art would be accepted or interesting, but I did it anyways because I had to. Part of being an artist includes a need to share, give and express. Opening my ETSY shop 2 years ago filled that need.

And it’s been 2 years! What started from a corner computer desk in our small apartment bedroom has grown to a 4 person operation. I have met some incredible people, made valuable connections and have grown so much as an artist since that day. I am so glad I made big leap: it was scary, but oh so worth it. It’s been an incredible journey for myself as well as for my family, and I want to thank you for your support! It has meant so much!

*You must indulge me for a second while I take a couple lines to thank the person who is responsible for why I am still here: my incredible side-kick and better half. My husband has been so generous with his efforts: countless dinners made, laundry done, floors vacuumed and children tended to so that I could squeeze in “just one more hour” of time to my passion. Without him, I would have burned out long ago. But he believes in me and has encouraged me the whole way. When I have wanted to just give up (and there have been a few sleep-deprived moments of “why am I doing this” kind of talk) he has been my cheerleader. And somehow through it all, we have had time still to be together as a family, run a small business, have a third baby and manage normal (and magical) family living. We have been truly blessed. He is my best friend.

Ok! Now for the fun stuff:

Every Party needs party favors…and this is a good one!

The Giveaway includes:

Gifts from my shop as well as Warm Biscuit Bedding Company: a wonderful online store…one of the first in the market to offer personalized and custom gifts and decor for children. My products have been in their online retail store for a while now and I have just loved their company. You are just going to love these:

A set of Matruoshka dolls

and 3 darling suitcases. You can’t pass this up!

a Personalized Family Tree and

and a set of 10 Halloween Cards from Yours Truly.

• All you need to do is enter a comment below (just say “Hi”, smile and wave…offer a suggestion…or just say “Happy Birthday”)
• Thursday, I will present the winner here on the blog. Make sure to include your email address in your comment.
• Entries are valid through Wednesday at Midnight (EST)

But of course, we can’t all win this one. So….

THIS WEEK ONLY:

FREE shipping at Warm Biscuit Bedding Company when you make a purchase and mention: Sarah Jane as your coupon code

and…

BUY 2 GET 1 FREE in my shop!

• Purchase TWO items in my shop.
• At the time of purchase, MENTION the FREE item you would like in the message to seller box.
• FREE items can only be equal to or LESS than the other items purchased.
• There is a cap of TWO free items for the entire order.

But remember: every good party comes to an end: Wednesday October 7th at midnight (EST) is your last chance!

Have fun everyone. And thanks so much for all your wonderful support and e-friendship (is that a word? well, it is now…and it’s meant so much to me!)

Spread the word, and have fun at the party!

xo

sarah jane

Meet Emily Smith.

Over the past nearly 2 years, I have gone solo with printing, corresponding, updating, recording, illustrating, ordering, stocking and marketing. It’s been great. But add 3 babies, illustrating a book and trying to squeeze a shower in every day, and it was obvious that I needed help. I have had April take on the printing jobs, and I just hired a new shipping hand whom I love, but Emily oversees it all. Some of you may have already had responses from Emily via email, and I wanted introduce you. Say Hello to Emily!

Isn’t she wonderful?

Here’s are some interesting facts about the woman keeping me together these days:

• She is the 7th of 10 children.
• She worked for General Electric for 10 years as a human resources manager.
• She lived in Boston for 10 years before getting married and starting her family.
• She now has a great husband, 2 boys, 2 horses, 1 pony, 2 cats, 2 goats and a dog. (City girl meets country girl!)

And my favorite interesting fact about her:

• She was the widowed Margaret Rey’s roommate (the author of Curious George no less) for a year while she lived in Harvard Square and took care of her out of house needs until she died (for which she has some pretty amazing stories no doubt!)

Emily is amazing and will be keeping things moving for me. So say “Hello!”

Well. I’m here. I’ve left my 20′s and have just stepped into the great-wide 30′s. I’ve heard your 30′s are the best years and I think I might even be a little excited to try them on for size. Experience tells me I don’t really have a choice in the matter. So….big THREE ZERO here I come!

So….wanna party with me? Presents are necessary for these kinds of events! And I can’t help but to give some away today. I was trying to decide what to give away, and I just couldn’t. So I am letting you choose! Well, two of you!

Two lucky winners will get this:

$50 gift card to my shop!

To enter:

All you need to do is leave a comment and you’re in! And as a return favor, I’d love to see you add my blog to your side bar or links. Spread the word and let’s have a party here:)

The giveaway will go until Friday at 10pm MST and I’ll randomly draw numbers out of a hat and announce the lucky winners on Saturday. Best of luck to all!

But, since all of you can’t get a party favor, I will be adding a free card of your choice to all orders made through Friday. All you need to do is mention “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” in your order, and the gift is yours!

Best of luck to all! Let’s party!

Good morning friends! I wanted to fill you in on another place to come and visit:

Join my group here for great ideas on framing and decorating with the art from my shop.

And if you have photos to share, please do! The more the merrier.

And come be my FLICKR friend here and keep in touch with my photos.

Are you a FLICKR junkie? Me too. No dieting here folks. Just love.

Happy Day to you all!