byMarta

Marta Berk of byMarta creates unique and original wearable art. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Marta is a painter & illustrator who creates low brow whimsical characters in oil and graphite. Currently, Marta sells her art as Giclée prints that she prints using archival inks on professional archival paper, as well as wearable art jewelry and hair accessories.

I adore the bright, cheerful designs Marta creates. The hand-crafted Peace Bird locket (pictured) that includes a small key charm is lovely. This image is also available in the form of an adjustable bracelet, as well as bottlecap hair clips.

The mushroom art (pictured) is a perfect example of Marta's whimsical nature which I love! This great illustration is available as a print, as well as magnets, hair bow, and necklace.

To learn more about Marta's work, visit her blog and her Facebook page.

SPECIAL OFFER: Receive a 15% discount on all merchandise with coupon code FF15OFF. Offer expires September 27, 2012.

GIVEAWAY: Kristen Solecki

Kristen Solecki is a freelance artist working out of the Philadelphia area. Her designs use bold line work incorporated with mixed media, such as paint and printmaking, and is inspired by experiences and nostalgia. Since graduating from the University of the Arts in 2008 with a BFA in illustration, Kristen has been working as an artist and exhibiting her art in the Philadelphia area for the past three years.

Kristen's portfolio is filled with bold, eye-catching imagery. Available through her Etsy shop are many prints, as well as silk screened tees. She also offers hand-painted wall mirrors, such as Yellow City Houses. You can see Kristen on October 16th in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, selling her work at the Clover Market. She is also curating and exhibiting at a show to be held November 11th at Paradigm Gallery, titled Art et Joie in Philadelphia.

*** GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Raggy Rat! ***

PRIZE: One winner will receive two silk screened t-shirts, one Lion's Roar tee (pictured left) & one Treehouse tee (pictured above). Available in various sizes & colors - winner's choice.

TO ENTER: Visit Kristen's Etsy shop & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite item.

ENDS: 9pm CDT, Saturday, October 22.

Fotolia

Fotolia is a stock image site that offers the largest image bank of free & affordable royalty free photos & illustrations. Started in 2005, Fotolia offers free photos & vector art daily to Facebook fans. I recently had the opportunity to try the site out & was pleased with the extensive selection. I downloaded a number of seamless images perfect for website & blog backgrounds. Like some other sites, Fotolia runs on the credit system. Users purchase several credits, then use those to purchase various images. The site also offers a subscription system that allows users to download up to 9,125 images (1-year subscription; $1,649.00).

Would you like to try out Fotolia? The site was generous enough to provide ten codes for a free 14-day trial that allows for 3 downloads per day. Each code is unique & can only be used once.

If you use one of the codes, please leave a comment on this post noting which one you used. I'd also love to hear your feedback after you've tried it out!

1. FDMC5FYZ

2. J53CSGIH

3. KVCWZOIF

4. 46BZE01K

5. 4EN0JCPT

6. 7JWQQ5X0

7. QZNGDVM8

8. RNYWEP78

9. KY3MENKO

10. 044OVLD9

You can sign up for the trial account on this page. To download an image, add the image to your cart, then make sure you check the option XXL subscription (not credits). Please note that the free codes will not work with existing accounts.

Shelly Burden - Portrait Artist

Texas-based portrait artist Shelly Burden says, "Portraits evoke strong emotions; it’s what makes them challenging for artists to render but it’s what gives them their charm, makes them appealing to view. With that in mind, I paint realistic yet creative watercolor pet & animal portraits, as well as people in timeless tones of graphite; all of which show a close cropped 'all about the expression' image." I have had the pleasure of viewing Shelly's work in person & can tell you firsthand that it is fantastic! According to Shelly, her style pushes the watercolor medium past traditional flowing methods by encompassing sweeping & dry brush techniques, helping to achieve a true likeness of her subject.

If you are looking for a unique & thoughtful gift, Shelly accepts commissions of furry and non-furry subjects. Look through her online gallery & you will see that Shelly's detailed & captivating work truly stands apart from other artists. Even if you are not in the market to commission an original piece, Shelly has several products available that display her talents. I especially love the Quiet Times print (pictured above), as well as the art card featuring the parrot named Max. (pictured: O-Line)

When not painting portraits for clients, attending juried art shows & earning award placements, or selling her original works & printed products, Shelly can be found at local pet events booking pet portrait orders of which she donates a percentage to animal rescue. Through her summer art journaling camps & ongoing art classes, Shelly is pleased to be teaching artists of all ages the joy of artistic creativity. Being a self taught artist, with a career background in photo advertising, Shelly truly believes learning & attitude helps dictate our talents. Contact Shelly at shelly@shellyburden.com for information regarding classes & commissions. Mention you saw Shelly’s work on the Funky Finds blog and receive 10% off your order! (pictured: Commissioned Ornaments)

Brighton Crock

Brighton Crock features a collection of Sarah James' hand-drawn illustrations on plates & other crockery. She says that the illustrations are inspired by living in Brighton, England and her love of all things odd & pretty. The mission of Brighton Crock is to transform something plain & simply functional, like a plate or cup, into something nice and interesting to look at. Sarah offers a variety of dinner & side plates, bowls and mugs. The shark & chips illustration is very humorous and I really like the ferris wheel. However, my favorite items is the monkey dance mug (pictured). Receive a 20% discount at Brighton Crock with coupon code FUNKYBRIGHTON. Expires July 31, 2011.

Elizabeth Levesque, Artist

Elizabeth Levesque is a painter, illustrator, and crafter that currently resides in Norfolk, VA. Having recently returned to school to study fine art, Lizze creates a wide variety of unique artwork. Her fine art pieces include stunning portraits, colorful wood pieces, and whimsical animal imagery. She also does illustration work, as well as crafts & custom design work. If you are interested in purchasing some of Elizabeth's work, several pieces are listed on Etsy & several are available through J. Fergeson Gallery in Farmville, VA. (pictured: Lil Acorn Incubator)

Clothing

Ape-Gear clothing features illustrations by John Mosteller that are original, colorful & fun. You'll find cool duds for men, women and children, such as the happy monkey tee.

Adrienne Williamson of Dreamin Bohemian Studio creates hand-painted adult & children's clothing, shoes, furniture & more! Kids will LOVE the painted jeans & other creative products.

Harrilu is a great source for hand-screened fashionable apparel for women, as well as children. All pieces are cotton & comfortable, yet stylish. I have the eco-heather short sleeve hoodie & love it!

Marci's Crafty Corner features a variety of hand-crafted apparel, including patchwork & men's necktie skirts.

Shirt Girls is a great place to find cute, modern, eco-friendly wearables at an affordable price. The humorous Praise the Lard tote bag is always a hit with shoppers!

Sketch Customs specializes in unique, high quality screen printed t-shirts & handmade accessories. Whether you're looking for something a little bit rockabilly, rock 'n roll, or just plain cute, Sketch has something for you!

Madeline Vinson of The Denim Junction upcycles denim to create unique children's clothing that is adorable!

Zodora offers clothing & accessories for men, women & children, as well as pillows for the home.

N.E.E.T. the book

N.E.E.T. Magazine is an eco-friendly, free online publication that began in December 2005. Each quarterly issue is packed with independent, handmade, DIY, eco-friendly and vintage fashion & design for everyone.

To celebrate the 5th anniversary, the first ever printed N.E.E.T. the book has been released in both soft & hard cover. With the theme of ‘FIVE’, the book features five sections with five inspiring N.E.E.T. people, designers, bloggers, photographers & homes, with interviews by five writers, in a N.E.E.T. retrospective. Also, you have the option of choosing one of five illustrated covers by, you guessed it, five different artists.

Place your order this month & you will receive free shipping*. This offer is good for one-time use & cannot be combined with other promotional codes, offers, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous codes. *Offer valid through January 31, 2011, & is applied toward the shipping total in the following amounts: US $6.99, GBP £3.99, EUR €5.99, CAD $7.99, or AUD $9.99. Coupon codes listed on graphic.

Merci-Bleh-Bleh

Merci-Bleh-Bleh features unique greeting cards & other paper goods created by Portland-based artist Irina Beffa. She illustrates, designs, prints & hand-assembles each piece. The unicorn rainbow explosion is the perfect example of Irina's bold, colorful, playful and definitely funky style. If you're looking for cards that aren't the typical frilly style so often found, ones like Congrats on Your Papoose are just right for you! And, since it's a new year & all, why not treat yourself to a Magical Mystery mini wall calendar? Just as 2011 has double ones, each image features doubles. The technicolor vibrance is sure to make you take notice each month of this wonderful new year!

The Funky Finds Experience - Vendor Preview 10

Only TWO DAYS 'til The Funky Finds Experience! I can't believe it!



1. The Disc Earring by Sarah Briggs LLC

2. Wine Bottle Koozie sassy thangs

3. "Summer II" Sharen Chatterton The Art of Smiles

4. Prasiolite and Citrine Necklace by Sheffield Jewelry Designs

5. "Dance" by Shelly Burden-Portrait Artist

6. Cutie Pie Onesie by Shirt Girls

7. Cross by Simply Unique

8. Jewelry by sleeping lizzards

9. Necklace by Snooty Peacock

10. Citrus Coffee Soap by Soap Addict

Peace, Love, & Cupcakes

Peace, Love, & Cupcakes...what more could one want out of life? Florida-based artist Amy Lapi creates artwork that is bright & fun - the perfect way to brighten up any dull space! Her original 8x10 canvas paintings depict bold images with various sentiments, such as she believed that life is pretty sweet. Many city dwellers come to view the city as one of their best friends and every good man should also be a BFF, in my opinion. I love all of Amy's paintings; however, the cupcake with buttons (pictured) is perhaps my absolute favorite. Learn more about Amy & her work by reading her blog and by viewing her Flickr gallery.

A Shade Better Than Stick Figures

Amber Uphoff is the talented artist behind A Shade Better Than Stick Figures. I love the name of her business & I have to say her work is more than a shade better than the stick figures I can draw! A Funky Finds Spring Fling participant, Amber recently surprised Joe and me with a beautiful drawing of our Chihuahua, Abigail Raine, as well as a drawing of our Yellow Labrador, Beau Bradley! We are so lucky!!! If you are looking for a unique & special gift for a loved one, I highly recommend that you commission Amber to create a piece. Her prices are very reasonable considering the quality of her work, plus her typical turn around time is two weeks. That is amazing! If you would like to see Amber's work in person, visit her blog to see which events she will be participating in.

Indie Business - Starting, Surviving, Succeeding

Indie Business 2.0 - Starting, Surviving, Succeeding is a six week online class perfect for those wanting to build an online or local creative business. The course will focus on starting, surviving and succeeding in small business and everything in between! Taught by Leigh-Ann of Freckled Nest, Jill of Lune Vintage, and Elsie of Red Velvet Art, the course runs March 7 - April 16. Hosted in a members only blog, the 26 sessions, seven DIY projects and three live chats are sure to give you all the tools you need to establish yourself and achieve success with your small business! The course also includes a printable workbook with original illustrations by Elsie and has room for all your homework, notes and ideas. Visit the indie business site for full details and registration info. Email questions to Leigh-Ann at indieworldwide@gmail.com.

The Thumb Cinema

The Thumb Cinema features fun illustrations created by Fernanda Frick. Her flipbooks, such as Christmas Bunny, are entertaining little books that turn into an animated message when flipped through quickly. Also available are two books titled Fruit War and Bouncing Vegetables. You can also purchase Fernanda's illustrations like Fat Cats and Tanuki-san, the Judo Racoon. See more of Fernanda's drawings and her process on her blog titled Animation in Progress. Also, receive Free Shipping when you mention Funky Finds in the note to seller at checkout. Amount will be refunded via PayPal.

Camp Smartypants

Rachel Beyer is a Portland, Oregon-based designer, artist and crafter. Camp Smartypants features all of her one-of-a-kind handmade items that are inspired by summer camp adventures. According to Rachel, the goal of her designs is to invoke feelings of freedom, friendship, and innocence. She refined her talented & learned other skills, such as beading, tie-dye, and how to sell delicious cookies, while attending summer camp and joining Girl Scouts. The result is a collection of fun accessories, cards and gift items. I love the autumn tree pouch that is hand-embroidered & tie-dyed. If you're looking to add a splash of color to your ensemble, you'll definitely want to snag a versatile recycled tie-dye braid. Camp Smartypants also offers greeting cards featuring original illustrations for a variety of occasions, including the hippy holiday design.

*GIVEAWAY - Closed: Rachel Beyer of Camp Smartypants is giving away a friendship bracelet set and a tie-dye braid. To enter, visit Camp Smartypants' Etsy shop & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite item. Giveaway ends at Midnight EST, Saturday, November 14. Please include your email address.

Christine Berrie Illustration

Christine Berrie is a talented Glasgow-based illustrator. Her latest prints include '10 Camera Drawings' and '9 Robot Drawings' featuring collections of vintage cameras and retro robots. The pieces are arranged together to create colorful, detailed prints and are each limited to an edition of only 50. I love the blue Imperial Savoy Camera Drawing, as well as the red Sabre 620 Camera Drawing. Christine says she also loves drawing old buildings, gadgets, scooters, cars, signage, street scenes and anything that else inspires her to create detailed imagery with a touch of nostalgia. Her hope is that the results display her aim to invest even the most mundane objects with personality. I'd say mission accomplished. Learn more about Christine Berrie via her blog.

Funky Fifteen: Halloween

Halloween is less than two weeks away!
How did that happen?

1. Painted gourds by Funky Junky Art

2. Halloween Cupcakes Artwork by Everyday is a Holiday

3. Halloween Button Bouquet by Kotton Kandy Creations

4. Festive Wooden Signs by The Homespun Raven

5. Halloween Witch Lip Balm by Vintage Bella

6. Printable Halloween Invitations by Miss Avocado

7. Trick or Treat Artwork by Belle & Boo

8. Toddler Arm & Leg Warmers by Emily's Little Treasures

9. Caramel Candy Apple Soap by Sunbasilgarden

10. Bat Mobile Kit at Mahar Dry Goods

11. Halloween Hand-washing Reminders by The Shandle

12. Cross Stitch Patterns by Subversive Cross Stitch

13. Vintage Decorations at Tinsel and Trinkets

14. Trick or Treat Illustration by Multiple Personality

15. Halloween Socks by Sock Dreams

And here's some fun ideas from BHG.com for your Halloween celebration!

Creative pumpkin carving ideas, Outdoor Halloween decorations, Easy and fun Halloween crafts, Delicious Halloween recipes, Halloween party ideas

My Zoetrope

Michelle Cavigliano of My Zoetrope recently finished a special project entitled "Friends Forever." The Brooklyn-based artist created this series after feeling frustrated and sad from trying to keep in touch with good friends that she has made over the years. Michelle says she wanted to create a series that celebrates old friends, from grade school through college and through the last eight years of her life after college. Remember friendship bracelets from your childhood? And how about those wacky class reunions? All of these illustrations are also used to make up a 2010 wall calendar that is a wonderful celebration of friendship. Michelle offers lots of great, whimsical illustrations, including the Worried Carrot and Mister Whale.

Ex-Boyfriend

Ex-Boyfriend is a Baltimore-based apparel company featuring original illustrations by artist Matt Snow. The tees, available in a rainbow of colors for men, women, children & infants, feature illustrations that are inspired by nature, urban living and classic pop art. The designs range from humorous to flirty. Since 2009, the collection has expanded to offer sturdy, unisex, 100% cotton canvas messenger bags. Matt is a passionate supporter of local animal rescues and donates a portion of Ex-Boyfriend profits to local animal rescue organizations. Receive a 15% discount through November 1 with coupon code FUNKYFAN15.

Mykonos Shop

Mykonos Shop has a mixture of jewelry, supplies & other crafts that all have a great vintage feel. Freda Cheung creates lovely accessories, such as the Flying Humble Bee necklace, showcasing miscellaneous trinkets. The Audrey necklace is a throw back to the golden days of glamor and romance. This shop is also a great source for collections of craft supplies. The pink goodies box is filled with bits perfect for scrapbooking, mixed media projects and more. Halloween is right around the corner, so why not snag some orange, black & white supplies? On top of all that fun stuff, Freda also creates original works of art like the adorable Pink Octopus.