I can’t get enough of Robin Davis and her mini robot, Pocket. Pocket's mission is to inspire you to live with a playful heart and create your own magical world using the treasures around you. You can learn more about Pocket online here or check out a video of Robin’s toy shop/studio here on YouTube. 💌

One of my favorite Christmas presents was a Baby Crissy doll. Her hair would “grow,” and you could pull a string in her back to make the hair shorter again. Not sure what happened to her (I snagged this photo from Ebay), but this memory got me thinking about iconic toys from the past. As we head into the holiday season, you can check out the top holiday toys from your formative years (from 1924 to 2023) on this website.  

 

Do any toys from your childhood hold a special place in your memory? 🎁 Drop me an e-mail at Carmen@StrangeFarmGirl.com to let me know. 

If you are aspiring to be a “real” artist you may have spent time dreaming about and applying for artist residencies. Though the application process is invaluable in helping to clarify your project details (or so I’m told), it can often end in rejection. 

 

Enter a brilliant idea from Amy Stewart who explains how you can be the unofficial artist in residence of anything. You don’t have to give a talk, curate an exhibition, sit for interviews, host a lecture series, or even show your work. All you do is make the art, on your own schedule, in whatever format you prefer. Check out her article “The Self-Appointed Artist Residency, Explained” on Substack here. 🎨

I usually create only one Christmas-themed collage/assemblage each year, and this is it! I am partial to gingerbread this time of year and found this cookie cutter (just like the one my mom had) in a second-hand store. Details for “Gingerbread Man” can be found in my online shop here. 

A few of my designs can be purchased on products like prints, cards, and stickers at Society6.com. I suspect they will be having some Black Friday deals, (but these come and go so I don't want to promise anything specific.) You can check it out here. 

 

I'd love to hear about it! 

 

Drop me an e-mail at Carmen@StrangeFarmGirl.com 

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Until next time, all the best to you!