genius.

"I love art and I know you do too. I also know that when people start to tighten up the purse strings they tend to not spend money on things that aren't necessary for survival, things like books, magazines and art. But, art is important for your soul. It helps rejuvinate, it's thought provoking, offers inspiration and can generally brighten an otherwise dreary day amont other things.."

Thanks to Jen Wallace (of Indie Fixx) you now have the ability to download free art right to your computer, that's right, free art, from some of your favorite artists.

 

Like Belle and Boo or Jo Ashley. Print it out on a nice piece of paper, frame it and add a little extra oomph to your home. Perfect! Downloads available here.

via jack & izzy

sarah jane studios.

Sarah Jane Studios has just announced a huge spring update. Including this incredible family tree that will absolutely be making it's way into our home..


and these adorable birthday party invitations, the start to a perfect party if you ask me.


and I'm loving the month prints.. they make me so excited for summer!

black apple valentines.

these are free for you to download on the black apple and oh so adorable!

susyjack*

There are some great new Valentine designs at Susyjack* that you don't want to miss.

free valentine's.

free downloadable Valentine's from Cici Art Factory.

gift tags.

Free downloadable gift tags that will be adorning our gifts this year found here.

stocking stuffers.

We all know and love how about orange, and they've recently stocked their etsy store full of patterned goodness. Mousepads, postcards and these reversible canvas totes are something you don't want to miss. They fold up small so you can tuck them in a seat pocket or purse. Perfect for library books, kids toys and the grocery store. Affordable gifts or perfect stocking stuffers, you decide.

meet hawk.

Allow me to introduce you to Hawk. A little suburban dog, his many friends, and their great adventures, all captured on canvas. What little boy wouldn't fall in love with Hawk and his friends (be it a deer, owl, turtle or bird)?

Marnie Vollenhals created her own company J. Austin Ryan after years in the art industry. Each piece she creates delivers a unique style bringing modern, retro and classy art styles together. All of Marnie's pieces are hand-painted and done in small batches. Each and every one has her stamp of quality and won't be sent out unless it's perfect.

So take heart in the adventures of a little dog, let these paintings take you back to the days of imagination and childhood innocence. I know they did for me.

*Through November 17th purchase any item or items totaling $15 and receive a free print of your choice. Another perfect addition for your holiday list!

frames wallpaper.

While browsing the latest catalog from Land of Nod I came across this wallpaper. I think it would be such a fun addition to a playroom or child's bedroom, inspiring creativity and showcasing their own personal style and artwork.

reader tip: finali design

Reader Annie sent me the link to this amazing etsy shop. Send pictures of your kids or your family and finali design will create your own personalized greetings. Perfect for the upcoming holidays or any time of the year really. 

Thanks Annie!

bob's your uncle.

I have been waiting and waiting for these alphabet cards to come out, and they were well worth the wait. Illustrated by Mark Fisher they cover everything from Anteaters to Zebras. They don't show you the typical parts of the animals but rather the details. I've always believed the best is found in the details. The backs of the cards not only show a silhouette of the full animal, but also an interesting fact about each animals unique feature. Perfect for learning and for fun!

sillydot {giveaway!}

Since finding out that baby #3 is a boy, I have been completely obsessed with nursery decor. Obsessed. I scour the internet daily trying to figure out the perfect combination of modern and vintage to welcome this little boy into the world. When I stumbled upon Sillydot I had one of those ah-ha moments. The perfect addition to this baby's nursery. Now the only problem is which wall or shelf it will look the best on.



Sillydot's silk screen canvas's are incredible. Their color combinations, fun sayings and textures have combined to give you the ultimate in nursery art.

San Francisco based Sillydot began out of a desire to create art for children that enlivens the environment, inspires love of nature and encourages peace, silliness and fun.

All things I'm hoping to incorporate into the nursery.

Sillydot comes in a range of prices and styles. Their giclee paper and giclee canvas as well as their t-shirts and pillows ensure there is something for everyone, and as an added bonus, t-shirt purchases come wrapped with a print on recycled paper that can be framed!

Today Sillydot is giving away big! It's a prize package I'd be crossing my fingers and jumping up and down for. One Tangled and True reader will be given the choice of their favorite silk screen canvas and a t-shirt of their choosing (a $150 value). Sound good?

Tell me your favorite Sillydot work of art.

Would you like to win? be sure to:

*enter one comment on this post - with your name
*please only enter once
*answer question above
*entry will be open until 7 am Thursday morning (10/9)
*winner will be announced Thursday morning

Time Travel

I have a hard time finding art to fill my boys' walls. My sons are 5 and 2, and their interests change weekly. One day it's Lightning McQueen, the next day it's Star Wars. Their favorite themes can range from Batman to Elmo, so decorating in a way that pleases them is difficult (mostly because I can't stand themed rooms anyway, especially character-centered ones). I see a lot of art I like at places like Land of Nod, but at this point in my life, $100 for one print just isn't feasible. Most of the child's room art I find on Etsy or similar websites seems too babyish or girly for my little dudes.

A while back, though, I saw these great posters on the Scoop, the Orange Beautiful blog. They've been on my mind ever since. I mentioned before that, basically, we are cultivating little nerds in our house. What can I say, we want our kids to be successful, and we feel smarting them up will put them on that path. You know, all the guys I dated before I met my husband were the cool guys: the singers of bands, the cool guy at the club. But you know who I married? The smart guy with a plan for his life. And I never regretted that.

Anyway, TANGENT! Sorry. How cool are these Time Travel Posters from 826LA? How fun to start a conversation about Pangaea or Ice Age creatures while kissing your son goodnight. Each poster is $19.99, or you can get all five for $89. That's my plan.

Leslie blogs every day at A Room Somewhere.

you spook me.

I thought I'd share these little lovelies with you all. Available in Sarah Jane's Etsy shop.

desk calendar.

While we're on the subject of See Jane Work, this would make for the perfect desk calendar. Made from 100% recycled paper and complete with a wood block made from reclaimed lumber. Extra bonus, send your used pages in at the end of the year and receive a coupon for refill pages.

swanky paper

let's face it... in this day & age, the art of a handwritten note is quickly fading away - it's so much easier to send an email or text message. but nothing gives me a bigger thrill than spying an envelope in the pile of mail, with my name addressed on the front, in an actual, real, live person's handwriting, instead the usual computer generated bills i get. my latest favorite paperie designs are products of swanky paper. i'll be the first to admit that i'm a bit biased, because the designer, heather, is a good friend of mine. but seriously, i LOVE all of her designs. they are fun, vibrant & actually make me want to sit down & write someone a card. & she just added a whole slew of new designs that have me absolutely drooling! so take a gander at heather's cute shop. seriously, you'll want to order cards for everyone you know.

xoxo, K

fall down tree.

I could easily plan a whole room around these prints. The colors are vibrant and the creativity is brilliant. I've admired fall down tree for awhile and am now the proud owner of puddle feet pictured below. I thought I was impressed before, but honestly you can't get much better than this?

 

You fall in love with each print, thinking it's not possible for anything to be equal to the last and yet with each click you fall in love all over again. Try the hungry hippo, skunk and pickle or penelope the cat. Combine multiples for an incredible series, My new Robot, Nursery Rhyme or Jungle Beaver.

The masterminds behind fall down tree? Adam and Jill Record. How they come up with these illustrations I'll never know, but I'm sure glad they do and for very reasonable prices I might add.

I'm loving letterpress these days, and Sweetbeets is at the top of my list. I've had my eye on these number cards for awhile now and realized they would be the perfect way to help the girls with their numbers, not to mention perfect for framing. 

a new favorite.

 

I've found myself in a green and orange stage of life. I go through phases. Colors make me happy for different reasons and orange and green are the current go-to colors for clothes, decorating, shoes and the list goes on. When I came across this poster it became a new favorite. The inspiration for a future nursery perhaps? Or hanging in the playroom, bathroom, I will find a place. 

nella designs.

It's hard to remember life before Etsy. It has turned into my go-to for paper, jewelry, kids clothes and so much more. I am continually amazed at the talent that is out there, and the never ending "good finds". My latest, Nella Designs.

It's no secret that I love paper. I'm obsessive about sending Thank You notes (I learned it from my mom), I always appreciate an "out of the ordinary" card in the mail, and try to send the same.

There are so many I love from Nella Designs (you really should browse through them all), but I'm sold on these birds. Their simple design, long legs, the colors, and square shape. 

And while I'm in the mood for birds, these address labels are brilliant. I've never been an address label person. I have this weird love of writing them all out, but these are inspiring me to change my ways and fully convert to labels. Don't you agree?

The paper goodness doesn't stop there, Nella designs has stationary, recipe cards, stickers and note pads. This week all Tangled and True readers will receive a free set of bird gift enclosures with every purchase. We're all about the birds today!