fookaDESIGNS

Custom Postcards

2011-11-30T08:51:00.006-06:00

Order your custom postcards today! It's easy...

First, choose your design:

Classic Style

Mod Style

Retro Style

Then send your high quality photos along with your order to fookaDESIGNS(at)gmail(dot)com

Next, I'll send you a proof of your new custom postcard. Once you're happy with the results I print them off and send them to you! Easy Peasy! :)

But be sure to place your order TODAY! Custom orders should be made by December 3rd!

Life Travels Treasury

2011-08-19T09:06:00.002-05:00

Here is my newest treasury. You can visit it here to click on each item and leave a comment.

Thanks!

BIG NEWS!

2011-08-15T08:57:00.007-05:00

I'm super stoked to announce my new line of greeting cards now available!

greeting cards - $3.50 each or 3 or more at $3.00 each

These stylish cards are a fun way to send a message of any kind to anyone you know!

I LOVE typography and design so it just seemed natural for me to come up with a line of greeting cards. These note cards are a perfect way to send someone a smile and some cool art too!

They are available in the shop now and there will be more coming soon! I hope you like them as much as we do!

And the Winner is....

2011-08-12T08:33:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the latest Tag it to Win it and Tweet it to Win it giveaway. I'm excited to announce that we have a winner!

Shirley O. won with her tag on facebook! Congratulations Shirley! I will be in touch to get you your very own signed print of Bird in Blossoms.

If you didn't win but still want the print it's available here for only $20.

Stay tuned for our next giveaway next month. Which will be a little different but just as fun!

Here it is....

2011-08-05T08:05:00.008-05:00

The moment you've all been waiting for. Announcing our first Tag it to Win it! and Tweet it to Win it! giveaway. One of my most popular prints is now a freebie!

Bird in Blossoms - Print - $20

This pretty pink Bird in Blossoms print will be given away to one of my loyal fans, friends, tweeps or bloggers. Here's how you enter:

Facebook - Go to the fookaDESIGNS facebook page here and 'like' it. Then tag the official Tag it to Win it image to enter. Your name must show up tagged on the image to count as an official entry. To do this, click on the image and then click on the "tag this photo" to the left of the image. Type your name, enter and viola, you're done!

Twitter - Follow me on Twitter by clicking here, then tweet about this giveaway, but be sure to include @fookaDESIGNS in your tweet for it to count as an official entry.

Bloggers - Blog about it! Let all your blogger fans know about this givaway and you are entered to win! All you have to do is write up a little blog entry about this fun event and be sure to leave to this blog post. Once you're done leave a comment below with a link to your blog.

So easy, right?! That's three easy peasy ways to enter to win this awesome print!

Hurry, the winner will be announced one week from today, Friday August 12th.

Can't wait to see if you win it? Want to buy it now? Visit the fookaDESIGNS shop to check it out along with all my other prints. Don't miss out!

Announcing the BIG event....

2011-07-29T08:48:00.002-05:00

Here we go folks! TWO fun events happening every month with (at least) TWO chances for YOU to WIN!

First up....

Tag it to Win it! Visit the fookaDESIGNS facebook page at www.facebook.com/fookaDESIGNS , or click here and "like it" right now. Every month I'll have a special fookaDESIGNS item (print, illustration, painting, drawing, card, etc) up for grabs. All you have to do is Tag it to Win it! It's so easy! Just remember it must be the official giveaway item for the month AND you must be sure to tag the item as yourself within the time frame allotted. At the end of the month I will announce the winner. If it's you I will be in contact to ship your very own fookaDESIGNS item to you. Easy peasy!

Don't worry Twitter friends, I didn't forget about you...

That's right, you can also Tweet it to Win it for your chance to win! Be sure to follow fookaDESIGNS on twitter, if you're not already so you can enter for your chance to win a special fookaDESIGNS item (print, illustration, painting, drawing, card, etc). All you have to do is tweet or re-tweet the contest happening for the month, it's as simple as that. Be sure to visit www.twitter.com/fookaDESIGNS or click here to get started.

Stay tuned, cause the first giveaway will be in August!
Want to get started now?! Talk it up! Tweet about it or announce this exciting event on facebook and we'll go ahead and add an EXTRA entry for you on this first SURPRISE giveaway! The first item to win will be announced the first week of August and I promise, you're gonna love it! So, shout it from the rooftops, but be sure to let me know if you did by adding @fookaDESIGNS to your tweet or facebook announcement.

FREE Shipping TODAY only!

2011-07-25T07:42:00.001-05:00

Today, Monday July 25th receive FREE shipping on domestic orders!!!

Simply use the following promo code when checking out: FREEshipping25

What are you waiting for?! Go to the fookaDESIGNS shop and get your discount!

And don't forget to come back later this week to hear what the next FUN event will be! I'm so excited!

And the winner is....

2011-07-22T12:57:00.010-05:00

Thanks to all of you who voted for the first print available from my original bird paintings! It was a close race but we have a winner! I gathered all the votes between facebook and Google+ and the winner is...

Pretty Bird

Pretty Bird - 6"x6" Giclee Print

And as promised, here it is, hot off the press, available in the fookaDESIGNS shop! And don't forget the original is available too, feel free to contact me for details. Thanks again to everyone who participated in this fun event. Since it was so successful, be sure to tune in next week when I announce our next fun Friday event. You don't want to miss it! :)

VOTE!

2011-07-15T13:00:00.005-05:00

Due to popular demand, I've decided to make prints available of my small bird paintings. I will have open edition prints of all the bird paintings...eventually. Right now, due to costs I can only do one print, but I can't decide which one to start with. I've decided to leave it up to YOU! Help me decide. Which one should it be?

Bird in Blossoms (Top Left)
Blue Jay (Top Right)
Yellow Songbird (Middle Left)
Bird on a Wire (Middle Right)
Pretty Bird (Bottom Left)
Brown Eyed Bird (Bottom Right)

Simply leave a comment below to let me know which is your favorite, or you can visit me on facebook and tag yourself in your favorite painting. The one with the most votes will become the first open edition print available. The winner will be announced Friday July 22nd. That's only one week, so hurry!

Original paintings are available. Feel free to contact me if you're interested!

I heart felt!

2011-07-07T13:59:00.006-05:00

I've been making some cute little felt pins lately. They are a lot of fun to make and an easy way for me to let out some creative energy while I'm stuck in bed due to my Meniere's disease. Here are a few examples:

Felt Pins
(Clockwise starting with top right: Citrus Crush, Little Bluebird, Lemon Lime and Chocolate Cupcake)

They are such a fun accessory to add to a jacket, purse, or pin it to your blouse!

I'm so excited to make more. But preferably not from bed! :)

By the way, THANK YOU all so much for making it out to the art opening on Friday! It was such a good time and I really appreciate your support. If you haven't seen it yet, you haven't missed out. Details here!

You're Invited...

2011-06-30T09:33:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited to present my NEW paintings that I've been working on recently. I hope you can make it!

Please join me for the July First Friday Art Walk at Blue Planet Cafe, where I will have some of my new paintings on display as well as some of my favorite digital illustrations. Bring your friends and enjoy a latte and some delicious baked goods!

Blue Planet Cafe
110 SE 8th Ave
Topeka, Kansas

Friday July 1st
6:00 - 8:00 PM

RSVP here

Back to the basics

2011-06-04T07:59:00.005-05:00

For several reasons I've decided to take some time away from the computer and get back to more hands on arts and crafts. Now don't get me wrong, I still LOVE creating digital illustrations! It's still my passion and I will continue to work on the computer whether it's to illustrate or do graphic design. But I was finding that I was on the computer ALL the time. I was working almost 24/7. If I wasn't sleeping or eating, I was seriously on the computer. After several health problems started to manifest themselves, that all came to a screeching halt. I soon realized that I needed to step back and heal. But I was going crazy not having that creative outlet that I loved so much. I was missing my time on the computer. Soon I found myself creating and designing in any and every way I could. Over the past several months I've been painting, drawing, making felt pins, creating cut paper art and even decorating sugar cookies in artistic ways. Wow, it's been fun! AND, I'm back to blogging if you haven't noticed ;) so I'm super excited to share all my new creations with you soon. For today, I will give you a sneak peek at some of my newest paintings on wood blocks.

Bird Painting (so far untitled) - Acrylics on Wood Blocks

I just love them so much! I've started several more this morning in different sizes. Can't wait to share them with you!

Exciting News!

2011-06-03T11:23:00.003-05:00

Lights, Camera, Action! - Digital Illustration - $175

I'm so excited to announce that my illustration won 3rd place in a local juried art competition. The piece will be on display at the Upstage Gallery, 720 S.W. Jackson through the month of June with the opening reception tonight from 5-8 p.m. during First Friday Artwalk.

The show is titled “The Jayhawk State Theatre of Kansas Celebrates Cinematic History” and is part of an effort to restoring the historic Jayhawk Theatre in downtown Topeka.

It's such an honor to be a part of the show. If you're in the area please stop by tonight to see the show and take a tour of the theatre!

AND...while you're on the walk tonight be sure to stop by the Eclective, 900 N Kansas Ave, to see some of my other work on display. This is a great new gallery in the NOTO district. Hope to see you there!

Hello and Welcome!

2010-09-24T10:03:00.006-05:00

Hi! Welcome to the fookaDESIGNS blog. I'm Shanon Fouquet, artist, designer and illustrator. I've had a lot of new traffic to the blog lately as I've been busy preparing for the upcoming 5th Annual Aaron Douglas Art Fair, and I just wanted to take some time to say "Hi" and "Welcome to my corner of the blog-world"!

If you'd like to find out more about me or my work feel free to take a look around and be sure to visit me here:

www.facebook.com/fookaDESIGNS
www.twitter.com/fookaDESIGNS

You can also find out more about my collaborative show with poet Jeff Fouquet (Mr. fooka) here:
www.postcardsfromhomeart.com
And become a fan on facebook at www.facebook.com/postcardsfromhome

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

*love, love*

Busy, busy, busy!

2010-08-07T10:40:00.003-05:00

Wow...it's like I fell off the face of the planet there for a little while. OKAY for a long while! Unfortunately, my lack of posting is not going to get better any time soon. BUT wait...please don't go! I have other options for you to keep updated on what's new at fookaDESIGNS. Follow me on twitter and stay connected on facebook. And be sure to keep checking back here at the blog too! I promise I'll be back. Some day...after the Aaron Douglas show September 25th. I swear! :)

Today was the BIG day!

2010-05-06T22:43:00.004-05:00

Today was the press release and the unveiling of the featured artwork (created by me!) for the 2010 Aaron Douglas Art Fair!

Wow! I was SO excited and SO nervous! I'm NOT by any stretch of the imagination a public speaker, add in a couple of news cameras and I'm surprised I was even able to get a word out...lol!

But in all seriousness, I think overall it went pretty well. I'm SO incredibly honored to be the featured artist for this years fair and I'm having a lot of fun sharing my work and passion for art!

Here are some pics of the today's event and a couple of links to see the unveiling:

Photos courtesy of Colin MacMillan

13 news

49 news

The Aaron Douglas Art Fair will be held September 25th at 1th and Lane in Topeka. Visit their website for more information. I can't wait!

Calling all Artists!

2010-04-26T21:12:00.005-05:00

I'm super excited to announce that I have been chosen as the featured artist for the 2010 Aaron Douglas Art Fair!!! It is such an honor to be recognized by the organizers of such an amazing event in a community where the art scene is really booming! I strongly urge any artist in the Topeka area to become a part of this awesome event!

The art fair showcases diverse and emerging artists in the Topeka and surrounding area. Not only is there wonderful artwork to see, there's also yummy food, entertainment and children's activities. To enter as an artist or to find out more about the event visit their website at www.aarondouglasartfair.com or become a fan on facebook.

And be sure to stay tuned for the unveiling of the featured artwork (created by me!) Thursday May 6th! I can't wait!!!

ReThink Topeka 2010

2010-04-20T19:56:00.008-05:00

This event was AMAZING! Downtown Topeka has never seen anything quite like this...at least not for a long time! It was the most wonderful gathering of many, MANY people interested in changing the negative view of Topeka, KS into something more positive....something more like this:

with great music,

amazing art,

and talented poets.

Along with yummy food, gracious vendors, super volunteers and lots and lots of people!

I was honored to be part of such a successful event. I even had two pieces in the show. One of which sold! And the other winning a merit award!

Afternoon at Menninger Park - Digital Illustration

Dinner at Sate H. - Digital Illustration - 2010 ReThink Topeka Merit Award winner

Overall the first annual ReThink Topeka event was a great success! woo-hoo!

Monday FUNday WINNER

2010-03-29T19:57:00.002-05:00

We have a winner folks! Our random number generator chose #25 making this months Monday FUNday winner Amanda!!!! Amanda won our cute, cute, cute "Some Bunny Loves You" note card set!

Congratulations Amanda and thank you all who entered. Be sure to stop back by soon for next months Monday FUNday giveaway! Happy Monday! ;)

Last Chance!

2010-03-28T21:09:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! Unfortunately, this is a post and run! :/

Sorry I've been MIA lately. It seems to be a common theme for me to become SUPER busy around the end of winter, beginning of spring every year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all! I guess I'm just making this observation now so that hopefully next year I can plan ahead for such an occurrence. meh...we'll see. :)

Anyways, back to the reason I decided to stop by...I wanted to remind you all that time is running out to enter to win your very own "Some Bunny Loves You" note card set! Less than 24 hrs left. HURRY! click here to enter

And on a completely random side note...I thought I would show you all a pic of the latest postcard I designed to hand out at the Topeka Home Show that happened weeks ago. random!? I know! :)

- Be sure to tune in tomorrow to see who wins!!!

Looklet - Fashionable Friday

2010-03-19T17:04:00.004-05:00

I could have saved my post from yesterday to be today's Fashionable Friday post but I obviously was WAY too excited about my new skirt to wait...lol! So instead I thought I would share with you a fashion designing website I discovered recently. It's called Looklet, and I'm LOVING it! It's so much fun to create all kinds of cute outfits from their ever-growing wardrobe on multiple models with a selection of funky backgrounds to choose from. SO fun! Here's one of my outfits I've created so far but be sure to check out my page and see what else I come up with. :)

My first skirt

2010-03-18T08:56:00.003-05:00

Of course this it's not my first skirt I've ever worn or ever owned...BUT it is the first skirt I've ever sewn!

I've been wanting to learn how to sew for months, even years now and I finally did it. Mom mom is a wonderful seamstress and when she was visiting this past weekend I took full advantage and had my first sewing lesson. We headed to the fabric store where I immediately fell in love with this fabric and found the perfect pattern and soon we were sewing away. It was SO much fun and I'm super happy with the results. I loved it so much I've already started planning my next creation. I can't wait!

One SWEET return!

2010-03-09T07:36:00.010-06:00

Yes, I'm here! Yes, I'm alive. My apologies for being away so long. Things have just been crazy lately. I've had lots of art entry deadlines, freelance work to finish, art shows to attend as well as future shows to prepare for. Just CRAZY I tell ya! But I'm back now and SO happy to be here.

Since I've been back I've noticed I've had a lot of positive response to my Monday FUNday giveaway...yipee! Thank you ALL who have entered so far!

While I was super excited to see all of your comments, I was also pleasently surprised to find among them that I was awarded the ONE SWEETALICIOUS BLOG AWARD! woo-hoo! What a sweet compliment from Sweet Harvey. You must check out her lovely blog at Sweet Harvey Letterpress LLC...it's super fun!

Now it's my turn to spred the love. Here are a few of my favorite blogs that are definitely sweetalicious!

Sweets & Hearts

Second Skin

Rae Gun Ramblings

If you have been given this award and you know of another blog(s) that are super sweet feel free to spread the love and pass this award on.

1. Post the award on your blog sidebar and blog about it (copy and paste).

2. Link to the other bloggers within your post.

3. Let them know you have shared this award with them by commenting on their blogs.

4. Share the Love by linking to the person from whom you received this Sweetalicious Blog Award.

5. HAVE FUN and ENJOY YOUR SWEETALICIOUS DAY!

March Monday FUNday GIVEAWAY!

2010-03-01T20:05:00.008-06:00

Yay! It's finally March. Time for Spring, and birds, and sun, and flowers....AND another Monday FUNday giveaway! Here are some cute, cute, cute Some Bunny Loves You note cards perfect for Easter or just a special note to tell someone you love them.

This giveaway includes a set of 4 Some Bunny Loves You cards in pastel colors perfect for the season. A $12 value FREE for one luck winner! There are four easy ways to enter. Enter once or enter all four times. Each comment is an entry so be sure to leave separate comments for each time you want to enter.

To enter:

1. Become a follower of this blog or let me know you already are one.
2. Become a fookaFAN on Facebook.
3. Follow me on twitter.
4. Let others know about this contest...blog about it, twitter it, say it on facebook....however you want to spread the love!

A winner will be randomely drawn on Monday March 29th. All entries are due by 5 pm cst Monday March 29th.

Also, be sure there is a way for me to get in touch with you if you win. If your blog isn't public leave your email address.

Card set or individual cards are available for purchase in the fookaSHOP

Fashionable Friday - It's SUNNY again!

2010-02-26T07:57:00.006-06:00

The sun FINALLY came out...for several days in a row in fact! After several days of dreary, cloudy skies....it's sunny again! Unfortunately, my eyes are not used to the bright skies. Sorry for the squinty eyes. :)

Actually, I have very sensitive eyes and can't hardly go outside without sunglasses on. Even on a cloudy day I'm usually wearing sunglasses. Next time I may have to add some shades to my Fashionable Friday post. lol!

brown long sleeve shirt - Target
short sleeve sweater hoodie - Target
corduroy skirt - thrifted
tights - Target
boots - gift

This weekend I'll be working in my studio finishing up some exciting projects and attending art meetings...visit me on twitter if you'd like to follow me along the way. What are your plans for the weekend?

I Want That Wednesday: Bubble Lamps

2010-02-24T14:55:00.004-06:00

Aren't these lamps just the coolest!

These adorable lamps are handmade by Filigree Creations from sewing thread and water based non-toxic glue. I'm just loving their unique shape and fun colors. I could TOTALLY see these hanging in a retro style studio apartment. Where would you hang them?

Visit Filigree Creations to see more of these unique lamps!

If you would like to be considered for an "I want that Wednesday" feature leave a comment or send me a message at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com Be sure to check out other features here or simply look on the right side of this page to see the "I want that" mini widget.

thank you! Thank You!! THANK YOU!!!

2010-02-22T08:37:00.007-06:00

I think it's time to send some BIG thank you's to all of YOU!

First, thank you to all of YOU! All of the 112 fookaFRIENDS who follow my blog. All of you who read the fookaBLOG faithfully and leave comments. I appreciate you coming here and showing me your support and hummoring my ramblings on everything that inspires my creativity. THANK YOU!

Thank you to all of my fookaFANS on facebook! As of right now there are 222 of you, and more coming in every day!!! I love visiting all of my fans and sharing my new items and projects I'm currently working on with you. THANK YOU!

Thank you for being a fookaFOLLOWER on Twitter! We're off to a great start with over 25 following my tweets! I have so much fun tweeting about tips and tricks on art, design and much more, and I'm so glad you're there to follow along. THANK YOU!

Thank you to all my shoppers out there! I've recently hit 100 sales! Thank you for all your support in the fookaSHOP...without you I wouldn't be here. THANK YOU!

Finally, thank you to Marissa from Rae Gun Ramblings for posting an easy to understand tutorial on how to add those little "share" icons you'll find at the bottom of each of my posts. Now it's more convenient than ever to share the fooka love on the world wide web! THANK YOU!

thank you! Thank You!! THANK YOU!!! to ALL of you!

xo ~ shanon fouquet (fooka)

Archived Outfits - Fashionable Friday

2010-02-19T08:03:00.000-06:00

No, I didn't chop my hair off! :) but now that I'm looking at these pictures I'm considering it.

I dug these pictures up from the archives.....originally taken some time in 2006. Yes, I've always loved taking pictures of my outfits, is that weird? (don't answer that...lol!)

Anyways, I thought it would be fun to look at what I wore back then. I'm thinking I will have to play with some of these pieces that I still have today and mix them up into "new" outfits. In the first picture I'm wearing a hand crocheted skirt...it's SO cute! I still have it and LOVE it to this day. In the second picture I'm sure you'll recognize my jean jacket if you've been following my Fashionable Friday posts. It's a staple in my closet. As far as the third picture goes, I'm thinking that faux pearl necklace needs to re-enter my wardrobe rotation for sure!

What are some of your favorite items in your closet that you've held on to forever?

bloglovin

2010-02-19T07:58:00.002-06:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

:)

ReThink Topeka

2010-02-18T21:05:00.006-06:00

I haven't posted in a bit but I have good reason...I'm currently working on my ReThink Topeka project.

ReThink Topeka is a movement to get people in and around Topeka Kansas to rethink how Topeka is perceived. Unfortunately, Topeka is often times viewed as a lifeless town without unique, fun things to do. But the art community is trying to change that. Printmaker, artist Justin Marable came up with ReThink Topeka to encourage area artists, writers, musicians and creative minded people to come up with ways to show how we can rethink Topeka. It's a fabulous idea and I'm so excited to be a part of it. If you are in the Topeka area I urge you to check it out at www.ReThinkTopeka.com and get involved!

Here are some of the photos I've taken around town to get started on the project.

I'm so excited to work on these! I've got a good start on one piece and an idea for my second piece. I'll be sure to show you the "after" pictures once I've submitted them to ReThink.

sweet heart

2010-02-15T09:36:00.004-06:00

I hope you all had a super Valentine's day. Mine was full of all things sweet, including fun with friends, time with hubby, puppy love and of course heart shaped cookies:

I'm starting to get into twitter now. The plan is to leave tweets about fun projects I'm doing including baking Valentine's cookies and giving hints and tricks along the way on how to make YOUR own creative projects turn out sweet! Follow me on Twitter by searching for fookaDESIGNS or click here.

Sweet Country - Fashionable Friday

2010-02-12T09:24:00.006-06:00

This week wasn't such a fashionable week for me. I wore a lot of simple, comfortable outfits. Plus, I just didn't have time to set up the camera, mess with lighting and pose for a bunch of pictures. Luckily, there's Polyvore to help me release my inner creative juices through fashion online!

I've created a few outfits since I've joined Polyvore. If you haven't tried it yet, I suggest you do...it's a lot of fun!

Have a good weekend!

BIG news BIG sale

2010-02-11T07:30:00.005-06:00

Have you heard? fookaDESIGNS is expanding! Soon fookaDESIGNS will only be caring the paper goods section of the shop. But don't worry if you are a fan of my digital illustrations there will be a fookaILLUSTRATIONS shop opening soon! Until then there is a BIG SALE to move out the illustrations. ALL prints are buy 3 get 1 free*! Offer good in fookaDESIGNS shop only until all prints are gone. Happy shopping!

*free print must be of equal or lesser value or the least expensive purchased prints.

Pretty Paris...I Want That Wednesday

2010-02-10T09:26:00.004-06:00

There are at least a couple reasons I chose Pretty Paris as my I want that Wednesday feature today.

First because her shop is SO pretty! - seriously...go check it out, you'll LOVE it!

And second because she has graciously decided to DONATE 100% of her sales PROCEEDS to DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS thru Valentine's Day February 14th!!! How awesome is that?

If that doesn't make you say "I Want That" than I don't know what will. :)

I chose these pretty little rose bud earings as my favorite! I just love the creamy color and simple vintage style. I'm thinking I may need to get them as a special Valentine's gift for myself!

***UPDATE***
I just couldn't resist the temptation any longer. I just had to purchase this weeks "I Want That" feature! Now I don't have to say I Want That....I GOT IT!!! Be sure to visit Pretty Paris soon to find your "I Want That" item!

If you would like to be considered for an "I want that Wednesday" feature leave a comment or send me a message at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com Be sure to check out other features here or simply look on the right side of this page to see the "I want that" mini.

The Birdhouse Project

2010-02-08T07:20:00.003-06:00

I seemed to have failed to mention to you all a BIG project that I was involved in a couple of months ago. I designed the cover for a book called The Birdhouse Project...which my hubby, Mr. Fooka helped write and edit!

How exciting is that?! I designed the cover for an actual book that is in stores, on the shelf available for purchase and of course online too. And what's even more exciting is that there is a second book due out in May and they asked me to design the cover for it too! Here is a sneak peak:

Please take some time to look at The Birdhouse Project website and find out more about this project-based healing book. I'm honored to be part of such an awesome project that is already helping so many people through difficult tragedies in their lives.

two shops in one

2010-02-07T20:09:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking about splitting my shop into two separate shops. Basically, right now my fookaDESIGNS shop has two sections illustrations and paper goods. I was thinking maybe I should have fookaDESIGNS shop for my cards and paper goods and add another shop for fookaILLUSTRATIONS.

hmmmm...I've been thinking about it for a long time now and I'm still not sure what to do. SO, I thought what could be better than to ask YOU what you think?! Do you have an Etsy shop? Do you have multiple Etsy shops? If you've gone from one shop to two or more I'd love to hear what you thought about the transition. If you've got one shop and you've thought about making it into two but you don't think it's a good idea I'd love to hear from you too.

***UPDATE***
Well, I did it! I added a second shop. I think this will give a more cohesive look in each shop and better organization.....I hope! :)

The new shop is fookaILLUSTRATIONS where you will soon find original digital illustrations. Of course you will still be able to find cute cards and fun coupon books at the fookaDESIGNS shop. During the transition ALL prints in the fookaDESIGNS shop are on sale, buy 3 get 1 FREE!

a splash of color - Fashionable Friday

2010-02-05T07:30:00.000-06:00

I LOVE wearing black and white and throwing in a splash of color...in this case turquoise!

I wore this outfit last week and unfortunately it was the last time I'll be wearing those black pants. I mistakenly didn't change out of my nice clothes for an art project and got paint on them. *sigh*

black trowsers- Target
turquoise cami - ???
striped long sleeve henley - thrifted
chunky turquoise ring - gift
necklace - thrifted
shoes - gift
jean jacket - thrifted
scarf - thrifted

I have SO many goals set for this weekend, including working on the fookaDESIGNS website and creating some new illustrations and card designs. I hope that I can manage to get them all done. Have a fabulous weekend! xo

Cozy Little Cave - I Want That Wednesday

2010-02-03T07:40:00.004-06:00

I'm just loving EVERYTHING about this feature. First of all, I just adore the shop name Cozy Little Cave, and once you visit you'll see why I love everything else about it. The bright colors and mod style paintings are just amazing. Here is only one of my many favorites...

It's an 8x10 acrylic painting called Blue Eyes. Be sure to visit the Cozy Little Cave to see more fabulous work!

If you would like to be considered for an "I want that Wednesday" feature leave a comment or send me a message at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com Be sure to check out other features here or simply look on the right side of this page to see the "I want that" mini.

And the Monday FUNday winner is....

2010-02-01T18:24:00.004-06:00

comment number 19! The Lingo Family! Angie said she would give her new coupon book to her hubby.....how sweet is that?! I will be contacting Angie to find out which coupon book she would like for me to send.

If you are interested in purchasing a coupon book to give to your valentine be sure to check out the fookaSHOP. BONUS...I have extended the FREE shipping promo on the coupon books for a few more days. Get yours today! free shipping promo ends Thursday February 4th.

Thank you all for entering....stay tuned for the next Monday FUNday giveaway!

Retro Skating Party invite

2010-02-01T07:08:00.004-06:00

I recently had a returning client ask if I could come up with a roller skating themed party invitation for her twins 6th birthday. Since her twins are a boy and a girl I had to come up with something that was cute and fun but not too girly with bold colors that weren't too boyish. Here's what I came up with (click on image for close up).

I think the simple colors and retro style worked out well.

If you are in need of custom invites just let me know at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com. I would love to work with you!

By the way if you are looking for a unique customizable valentine gift be sure to enter my current Monday FUNday giveaway. There is only a few hours left to enter...I will be drawing the lucky winner tonight!

HOT pink

2010-01-30T10:44:00.002-06:00

The Valentine's card is now available in HOT PINK.

Now you can choose from Red HOT Red, Silvery Shimmer, Gorgeous Gold and now HOT PINK!

So many options which one would you choose?

2010-01-29T12:19:00.002-06:00

TK6WN5HZKP24

All lovely blog readers please disregard this post and look down to the next post please. I am submitting my blog to http://technorati.com which is the reason for this code.

Thanks for understanding!

Party Party! - Fashionable Friday

2010-01-29T08:14:00.000-06:00

I actually wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago to my three niece's birthday party. Yes....I said three niece's...two of them turned 2 and the other turned 1. They were so cute dressed up as princesses and there was pink EVERYWHERE! lol! It was fun.

Anyways, I thought the outfit was cute enough that it was worth taking a few snapshots. You'll have to forgive me for the bad images while I work on finding the right lighting and set up for these Fashionable Friday posts.

black long sleeve tee - ???
sweater dress - thrifted
tights - Target
over-the-knee socks - Target
boots - thrifted
jean jacket - thrifted
purse - gift
silver hoop earings - ???
ring - Mulvane art show...I can't remember the name of the artist :(

Oh! And there's only a few days left to enter the Monday FUNday giveaway. Don't miss it! :)

what a week

2010-01-28T19:14:00.005-06:00

This seems like the craziest most tiring week I've had in a long time. *sigh* I won't bore you with the details but let's just say I'm ready for FRIDAY! Which luckily is tomorrow! Woo-hoo!

Of course, the entire week hasn't been ALL bad. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had sold 6 of my valentine's day cards today. SO I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you all to make your valentines day order soon before they're all gone!

Oh and be sure to stop by tomorrow to check out my newest weekly post series, "Fashionable Friday". You won't be disappointed. :)

That's it....that's all I got. I think I'm going to bed. :) Has anyone else had a long week? Come on Friday!

mmmmm..... I want that Wednesday!

2010-01-27T09:00:00.007-06:00

Ugh...I've been running behind all day! It started with a last minute decision to change outfits when I should have been running out the door. *sigh*

Anyways, better late this morning than never! For this weeks "I Want that Wednesday" feature I chose Dave's homemade Fudge Brownie triple scented candle. YUM! Who wouldn't want the fresh smell of brownies filling their home?! AND at just under $9 each they are hard to resist.

Check out Dave's other serenity candles here.

If you would like to be considered for an "I want that Wednesday" feature leave a comment or send me a message at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com Be sure to check out other features here or simply look on the right side of this page to see the "I want that" mini.

p.s. Don't forget to enter the Monday FUNday giveaway.

p.p.s. Also, be sure to check out BigCrumbs, a great way to promote your online store and earn money while you shop...how cool is that?! Just click here for more information.

Earn money while you shop!

2010-01-26T20:37:00.004-06:00

Yup you read that right! I could hardly believe it myself but I've joined BigCrumbs and there are no strings attached. You earn money while you shop and it's free. You can even add your etsy shop and get more traffic to your shop and find great deals on supplies. It's way cool!

Click here to join!

Be sure to put fookaDESIGNS as a reference!

I heart coupon books!

2010-01-26T06:58:00.000-06:00

MORE, MORE, MORE! More love to share and more love to give.

I've added more coupon books to the fookaSHOP. Which one is your favorite?

If you would like your very own FREE coupon book to give to that special someone in your life enter to win in the post below! Hurry there's only a few days left!

Monday Funday Giveaway!

2010-01-25T10:08:00.007-06:00

It's time for a Monday Funday Giveaway....making Monday's Fun Since 2008 :) AND it's just in time for Valentine's Day. fookaDESIGNS ever popular Valentine's Day Coupon Books are back! These are the perfect way to give a funny, sweet, romantic or just plain fun Valentine to that special someone in your life. They are customizable and with several designs to choose from what could be better? Well, how about FREE? okay do I sound like an annoying infomercial ad? Sorry! I'm just SO excited!!!!!!!!!! I know...I over did it with the multiple exclamation points :)

On Monday February 1st I'll be giving away a Valentine's Day Coupon Book to one lucky winner. Here's how you enter to win:

1. Leave a comment on this post letting me know who that special someone is you would give your coupon book to. No names necessary....just boyfriend/girlfriend, spouse, best friend.

2. Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment letting me know OR just leave a comment letting me know you already are a proud fookaFOLLOWER.

3. Become a fookaFAN on facebook and be sure to leave a comment here letting me know you did.

Thats' it! Three easy ways to enter for your chance to win. Enter one, two or three times! Just be sure to leave three seperate comments....each comment in an entry. Got it?! I'll be picking a random winner on Monday Funday February 1st. All entries must be in by Monday February 1st at 6pm cst. Offer excludes custom orders. Must be pre-made book. Good luck!

p.s. there will be more NEW Valentine's Day books introduced this week. Stay tuned!

p.p.s. Also, this week only receive FREE shipping on any coupon book order.

Hearts for Haiti

2010-01-23T14:05:00.010-06:00

Hello friends. I just wanted to post a quick note to let you know that I recently added my Love Fern illustration (shown above) to the Hearts for Haiti group on Etsy. This is a great cause with handmade work for sale in efforts to raise money to rebuild Haiti. 100% of the proceeds from this shop (minus Etsy fees and Paypal fees) go directly to DoctorsWithoutBorders (http://doctorswithoutborders.org). Please take some time to look around and consider making a purchase or donating an item yourself. Here are some other lovely items from the group:

by kikibird crafts

by Pocket Carnival

by Scowling Owl

love birds

2010-01-21T07:39:00.001-06:00

Awww...aren't they just too cute! I just love these sweet little bird salt and pepper shakers. They were a birthday gift from a dear friend. Aren't they just adorable?

Studio Time

2010-01-17T10:03:00.003-06:00

Since I have a full time job Monday through Friday my only studio time is on the evenings and weekends. And of course, like everyone else I have a million and one things to do when I'm home so when I get studio time in it makes me SUPER happy. This weekend was one of those weekends with a ton of things going on but, I did manage to fit in some studio time Friday night. I made some princess crowns for my 3 nieces, along with a super cute flower headband for my new niece (only 3 days old). They loved them! Okay, well they would only wear the crowns long enough to get a quick picture. And the baby is crying in her photo (I think she needed her diaper changed...I swear it wasn't the headband!) You couldn't tell but I know deep inside they loved their new handmade gifts! lol! Unfortunately, since I was in such a hurry to capture the moment of the girls in their crowns the photo turned out blurry...so no photo to share...sorry, you'll just have to trust me on this one - they looked super cute in their new crowns...even if it was only for a moment! :)

Fashionable Friday!

2010-01-15T07:40:00.005-06:00

Yay, it's Friday! Aren't Friday's the best? It's like the sweet reward to a long week of hard work. This week in particular seemed to be long and difficult. But, on the bright side I've made it to work on time (or even early in some cases) every day this week (trust me this is a BIG accomplishment) AND I've exercised every day this week. In fact, I've done REALLY well at both of these accomplishments most days this YEAR! I must say it's been a great start to 2010! - so far. :)

This year I've also been thinking a lot about my blog and how I can make it more exciting and enjoyable for YOU to read and for ME to write. I always wanted this blog to primarily be focused on creativity and my freelance business, and NOT my personal life. Not that there is anything wrong with blogging about personal things. It's just that I didn't think it fit here...for the whole world to see. So, I chose to keep it about creative things like art and design...after all, that's my passion and that's what is most interesting to me and what keeps me going. But I think as some point I thought that meant I could only blog about art and design and not about ANYTHING creative. Why can't I write about interior design, or fashion design, or post a picture of my creatively decorated cookies I baked? Well, why not? These may be everyday things that come from my personal life but they are everyday things that I choose to be creative at....EVERY DAY. These are ways that I get to be creative in the day to day life...it's what make the everyday not so boring...it's what keeps me going.

So get ready fookaFRIENDS...this blog has just turned up it's creative juices. Be prepared for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING creative thrown at you! Hope you like it. ;)

First up is a Fashionable Friday post. Here is what I wore a couple of days ago.

Now please be sure to read the fine print here folks.

I'm not in any way a fashion expert or trained in fashion design. I like to have fun with my outfits. It's just another way for me to be creative in my day! :)

3/4 sleeve top - Target
tank - thrifted
trousers - thrifted
ankle boots - gift
wood bracelet - little shop in Cozumel, Mexico
necklace - ???

How do you like to show your creativity?

I want that Wednesday...

2010-01-14T19:58:00.004-06:00

which is REALLY on Thursday....REALLY late in the day on Thursday. But better late than NEVER, right?!

Well, I couldn't let another week go by without posting a feature on this amazingly talented photographer. Ashley Summer Photography has such gorgeous photos I just had to share them with you. So amazing in fact that I couldn't decide on just one to post here. But there are many more that you must check out in her shop. Do it...right now! :)

If you would like to be considered for an "I want that Wednesday" feature leave a comment or send me a message at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com Be sure to check out other features here or simply look on the right side of this page to see the "I want that" mini.

Explore Kansas

2010-01-13T21:56:00.006-06:00

Here's a little bit of trivia for ya! Did you know I'm from Kansas? Yup, born and raised. It's really a beautiful state. While I've never lived outside of Kansas I have visited several other states and a few other countries and I must say that Kansas really is beautiful in it's own way. AND VERY inspirational for artists and crafters. I recently joined the Kansas Etsy Team and quickly discovered some local talent. Here is just a peek...(be sure to click on image for a closer look)

CMonetGarden
AnemoneGirl
kitandcaboodleshop
aquakej
SimplyInvitingCards
InHonorOf
Prairiejewler
LynspiredJewelry
countrywindows
jewelrybyvicki
justinshiney
fookaDESIGNS

To explore more Kansas creations search KET on Etsy.

Type as image

2010-01-12T07:20:00.003-06:00

Okay, it's no secret that I LOVE to use type in my designs, especially my digital illustrations. I just can't help it. It just adds another element to the design and often times creates depth or texture. Besides that it's just plain fun! But these talented artists have taken it to a another level of fun. Check these out:

Aren't they just amazing?!

images source

Love is in the air...

2010-01-11T07:18:00.001-06:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner I'm starting to get the feeling that love is in the air.

Love Shack

Love Fern

Love, Love, Love

These prints are just perfect for this time of the year. You can't help but LOVE them! ;)

Handmade with Love

2010-01-10T11:34:00.001-06:00

So this year I decided to give handmade gifts for Christmas. Most of them were handmade by me, but ALL were made with love.

My little sister wanted a cell phone case so this is what I came up with. I really impressed myself with this one since it was the first handmade gift I had done for the holidays AND since I had NEVER sewn anything by hand before! I taught myself how to do a blanket stitch and whipped this baby out in one night...mostly because I had procrastinated long enough that I ONLY HAD ONE night to get it done. But I did it! And luckily it turned out because I really didn't have a back up plan! :)

Here are some random pins I gave to girlfriends. They were a hit!

Here are custom made crowns for my niece and nephews. Each one created with the kids' favorite colors and their initial monogrammed on the front. These were not as big of a hit with the kids mostly because I thought I could 'guess' at what size they needed to be and unfortunately FAILED. They were slightly too small making them fairly uncomfortable but hopefully they are each being proudly displayed on their night table or bedpost.

Finally, here is the one I'm probably most proud of. Not because it's anything outstanding or super cute but because it's sewn! I'm not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination. Other than some napkins and a couple of tablecloths I haven't sewn anything since my Jr. High Home ec. class! PLUS I didn't even follow a pattern. I basically combined a couple patterns that I liked and added some creative embellishments and viola! My very first handmade apron.

hip hip hooray for Christmas vacation

2010-01-07T18:53:00.004-06:00

Wow, I took a bit longer than expected time off for the holidays but it was great! Family, friends, laughing, loving, renewing...it's all been great! The time off was needed and appreciated so hopefully you haven't missed me too much. :) But if you did don't worry cause now I'm back and that's GREAT too! I have SO much to share with you, including some homemade gifts I gave to family and friends for Christmas, but more on that to come soon. For now, I just wanted to say a quick hello and share a couple of my new favorite photos of the furkids!

Week 3 Gift Giving

2009-12-17T23:32:00.004-06:00

Wow! Has another week flown by already? I can't believe it ....only 1 week left till Christmas. Hopefully you all are more on top of it this year than I am BUT if not than you are in luck my friend. Need a last minute gift? Give the gift you know they'll love......CASH! (No, I'm not giving away cash as the last week of giving ideas) But I do have these festive money cards to dress that green up. I can ensure delivery in time for Christmas if you order by Saturday the 19th, so order today!

Week 2 Gift Giving

2009-12-11T07:32:00.007-06:00

I know, it's hard to believe but there are just TWO weeks left till the BIG DAY! Are you Ready? Well, if you're still looking for the perfect gift for the art lover in your life than look no further. fookaDESIGNS has everything you need. Super cute unframed prints are only $20! AND for a limited time only buy 3 prints get 1 FREE*! Yeah, you read that right. lol. Now would be a perfect time to purchase 3 seasons prints and the the 4th free, or get 3 birds in seasons and get the 4th free! Happy shopping. :)

*free item must be of equal or lesser value than purchased print. When you purchase 3 just put the name of the 4th print you would like for free in the buyers notes.

FF: Snow Boots

2009-12-10T19:39:00.002-06:00

I've been so excited to wear my new snow boots. Finally! haha Check out my other flintstone feet images here. Stay warm!

I want that Wednesday

2009-12-09T21:30:00.005-06:00

Wow! I almost totally went the whole day without even realizing it was Wednesday! Better late than never right? :)

This "I want that Wednesday" feature is just in time for the holiday season. Check it out. A super cute, funky, kinda strange looking (in a good way) Happy Snowman Head. I love it!

This happy little guy comes from Brown's Country Originals. They have some really great one of a kind pieces that I SO want! Great work!

If you would like to be considered for an "I want that Wednesday" feature leave a comment or send me a message at fookaDESIGNS@gmail.com Be sure to check out other features here or scroll down the page to see the "I want that" mini on the side of this page.

Happy Holidays Giveaway!

2009-12-09T09:24:00.002-06:00

I've been trying to get more into sewing. For some reason it's been a challenge for me even though I really want to do it. Maybe if I win this giveaway it will help inspire me. Check it out at: http://www.notquitejunecleaver.com/2009/12/happy-holidays-giveaway/

Week 1 Gift Giving

2009-12-04T07:47:00.003-06:00

Are you still looking for that perfect gift for that hard to buy for person on your list? We all know that person who has EVERYTHING and needs NOTHING! Well, look no more. What could be better than a personalized coupon book from you?! Seriously! These books are perfect for anyone. Fill them with fun filled activities or projects you come up with that they are sure to enjoy! Maybe the gift of shoveling the snow, or a kiss under the mistletoe...whatever you decide, the possibilities are endless! Best of all you will receive FREE shipping on all coupon book orders this weekend only. Offer good Friday 12/4 through Sunday 12/6. Happy Holidays!

I want that Wednesday

2009-12-02T07:35:00.004-06:00

Yay! It's the VERY FIRST official "I want that Wednesday" post!!! For those of you who may have missed out on what "I want that Wednesday" is all about be sure to check it out here. But basically, it's a way for me to feature FANTASTIC Etsy artists EVERY Wednesday! woo-hoo...I'm so excited. First up is (drum roll please).....

White Earth Studio by Nancy Monsebroten

Amazingly beautiful isn't it?! I just LOVE the natural look with the modern feel combined in Nancy's work. My favorite piece is probably Grandma's Perm Ceramic Vase (pictured above) - cute name too - hehehe. I most certainly can say "I want that"! Be sure to take a look at her shop for yourself and see which item (or items) you'll add to your wish list. To see more "I want that" items take a look at the "I want that" mini on the side of this page.

3 weeks of gift giving ideas

2009-12-01T17:05:00.005-06:00

Okay folks...it's DECEMBER 1st! Crunch time! But don't panic, I've got a 3 week countdown of all the gift giving ideas you'll need to find the perfect gift for EVERYONE on your list. I'll be sending out an email blast and posting a weekly list of ideas starting this Friday December 4th up until December 19th (your last day to order to guarantee Christmas delivery). Don't miss out! Be sure to add your email to the fookaFRIENDS email list or simply follow this blog to find out more! Start your shopping today at the fookaSHOP.

I can't eat another bite!

2009-11-26T15:51:00.005-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a wonderful day. It's hard to believe but this is the first year that Mr. Fooka and I made an entire thanksgiving meal on our own. No help from anyone! We've been together for over 11 years and this is our very first, on our own, REAL thanksgiving... just the two of us. It was AWESOME! We had SO much fun cooking, eating and even cleaning up the mess. :)

For all of you looking for a great after Thanksgiving deal be sure to check out my Black Friday Sale!

Black Friday Sale!

2009-11-25T15:46:00.003-06:00

No need to wake up super early, or wait in long lines for this sale. Just be sure to stop by the fookaSHOP some time on Friday (11/27) for FREE shipping on your entire purchase. Simply type in "Black Friday" in the buyer's notes section at the time of purchase and I will reimburse your paypal account as soon as possible. Please note that I will be out of the studio for the Thanksgiving holiday but I will return on Monday (11/30) making all necessary reimbursements and shipping orders promptly when I get back. Have a wonderfully Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

100th post!

2009-11-20T11:08:00.007-06:00

Woo-hoo! It's my 100th post! I'm not sure why that is so exciting. I guess maybe because I've been really good about keeping up on the blog lately (did you notice?!) and when I saw that this is #100 it felt like a pretty nice accomplishment. Yay!

Okay, so on with the post. I had some down time today so I decided to create a postersketch which I haven't done in forever...I think the last time was post #27...not really but it was way back in October....of LAST YEAR! Anyways, this combo was created by searching the word Asia on Etsy. And of course the original inspiration came from my "Japan Sun" illustration at the top center. All the rest are wonderfully talented Etsians listed below. Be sure to give them some love. Enjoy!

Sybile
WilliamDohman
PetalMix
SquishiSushi
Yukidesigns
TheNebulousKingdom
Ahpeele
caughtredhanded
Yukidesigns
saffronsparrow
Sybile

I want that!

2009-11-18T11:43:00.006-06:00

Did you know there is an "I want that" section of this blog? Yup! Over there on the right side ....scroll down a bit....you'll see it. In that section are handmade items that I think are way cool and deserve to be seen here. Of course, it's a great place for me to refer family and friends when they are looking for rad gifts for ME! (wink, wink)

Anyways, this section inspired me to add an "I want that" featured item of the day to my blog postings. Maybe every Wednesday? Maybe a weekly feature and I could call it "I Want That Wednesday". Okay, so I don't have all the details worked out yet but I do know I will be doing my first feature soon! Do you have something from your etsy shop that you think I would like to add in this section? What are some items from other shops that you love? Leave a comment about it and maybe your item will be chosen as the next "I want that" item!

Giveaway

2009-11-18T11:27:00.003-06:00

Super awesome giveaway...be sure to check it out:
Rae Gun Ramblings: Advent Giveaway Extravaganza Day 3: Guest Giveaway Noggins

All You Need is Love.

2009-11-17T19:46:00.004-06:00

The Beatles said it best...

But I think I illustrated it pretty well ;)

Love Love Love is a cute little illustration that would brighten anyone's day! I hope you are having a lovely day!
xo~Shanon

Loved it!

2009-11-16T17:53:00.003-06:00

Last night Mr. Fooka and I curled up by the fire and watched Horton Hears a Who and I must say it is absolutely adorable! I loved it! Everything about it was too cute...the story, the characters, but I think I was most impressed by the animation. Everything was SO realistic, from the opening drops of water running down a leaf to the birds feathers flying through the sky. It was really amazing! It's a must see in my opinion. :)

Let it Snow

2009-11-15T14:25:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm not so sure if I'm ready to see snow quite yet but I am happy to see that I've been featured in this lovely treasury! Thank you to pfdoriginalartworks for including my Snow Bird print with this beautiful snowy group of handmade creations. Be sure to click on the link and leave a comment if you are so inclined. :)

FF: Pretty in Purple

2009-11-14T10:38:00.001-06:00

Lucky 13

2009-11-13T10:11:00.004-06:00

Today is Friday the 13th and it's your lucky day! Wait...What? That's not the way it works!? Well it does today my fookaFRIENDS 'cause today only you can receive 13% off your entire purchase when you order $13 or more (are you noticing a theme here?) from the fookaSHOP. Simply put "lucky 13" in your customer notes at the time of purchase and wait for your adjusted total before checking out at paypal. Hurry...before your luck runs out!

p.s. if there is a fooka item that you've had your eye on but it's not listed in the shop just let me know and I'll add it!

Bedtime Stories

2009-11-11T18:06:00.005-06:00

My sister, mom and I threw a baby shower for my brother's wife, and I must say we are some great party planners. My sis came up with the great Bedtime Stories theme and we just had so much fun with it. We started with the cute bedtime themed invites you may remember from an earlier post.

We set up baby books within all the decorations to add to the bedtime theme.

The color scheme came from the colors in the baby bedding, which we had all set up in the crib to hold all the gifts (which was overflowing for the baby and soon to be mom).

Of course we had to have a cute matching banner.

And what would be better to serve at a bedtime themed baby shower than cookies and milk?

Yummy frosted sugar cookies.

And delicious chocolate sandwich cookies.

Served with regular, chocolate and strawberry milk...mmmmm!

We placed trays of cookies out on these adorable pillows that my talented mom made!

At the end everyone left with a Sweet Dreams goody bag stuffed with a moon and star cookie! This was such a fun shower, I think everyone enjoyed it I know I had a blast planning and setting up! Is anyone in need of a professional party planner? :)

Trick or Treat

2009-10-31T14:40:00.004-05:00

Happy Halloween everyone! Today there is a special TREAT for everyone in the fookaSHOP......Now available are large format prints!

One of my October goals was to add some large format prints into the shop and there's nothing like waiting until the last possible minute! It's still October (barely)! Anyways, there are a couple available so far....hopefully more soon.

Have a safe, and spooky happy Halloween!

Bedtime Baby Shower

2009-10-26T21:43:00.005-05:00

Just thought I would sneak on for a bit to show everyone my latest invitation design. This invite is for a baby shower with a bedtime theme. I just love the cute little owl family....it looks like the "new parents" could use a little (or a lot of) sleep! LOL! speaking of....I think I'm gonna go catch some z's myself. good night fookaFRIENDS!

Great Day for an Art Fair

2009-09-27T10:24:00.005-05:00

The Aaron Douglas Art Fair was a great success. The weather was perfect and the crowd was wonderful. Thank you so much to all my fookaFRIENDS who made it out to see me this year! It was so nice to see your friendly faces and so awesome to meet new friends! I couldn't have asked for a better show. For those of you who weren't able to make it, here are some shots of the event.

One of the best parts about this show is that I get to share booth space with two wonderful artists....my little sister (from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program) and her grandmother. Here is a pic of me and my sis after we set up our show. She is such a talented artist and does amazing watercolor paintings. I'm so impressed by her work and so proud of her!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2009-09-22T19:38:00.006-05:00

It's officially the first day of Fall. Yay....a new season! While I'm a bit sad to see Summer go...so long snow cones, I am happy to see Fall here....hello hot coco! With the change in seasons I thought it would only be appropriate to change my avatars here on my blog, on my etsy shop and on my facebook fan page. :) And here is a print to get you ready for the change in seasons.

I have to say I love all the seasons! But with the cooler weather, football games, the changing leaves and snugly sweaters...Fall is looking inviting! Which season is your favorite?

I'm in!

2009-09-18T07:35:00.003-05:00

Yay! I just received word late last night that fookaDESIGNS will be showing at the Aaron Douglas Art Fair next Saturday the 26th! Due to a mis-communication I'm finding out kind of late but I'm still super excited. I hope it's not too late of notice for you...I would love for any of you that are in the Topeka area to make it out to the fair and see me. The event is from 11-5 featuring all kinds of local artists with live music and yummy food. Best of all, it's FREE! It will be a great time. Hope to see you there!

Studio Love

2009-09-15T20:40:00.005-05:00

I love my studio! Which is a good thing since I spend so much of my time here. :) But seriously, it is one of my most favorite places to be. I have endless possibilities to let my creative mind flow. I can paint, draw, cut, paste, design, sew, listen to music and so much more! I love it here! Here are just a few reasons why:

One of the first things I did in my studio was put peg board up covering one entire wall. With a coat of paint, it's the perfect way to have your tools close at hand and displayed so nicely. I got this idea many years ago from a Martha Stewart magazine (thank you Martha!) and used it in my pantry as well as here in my studio. Love it!

I also added a couple of shelves with totes to keep organized!

Some of my favorite things in my studio are my paint brushes (in plastic cottage cheese containers of course). Unfortunately, I don't use them as much as I would like but they are always there for me when I need them.

One of the newer items in my studio is my very cool Logan mat cutter. I never thought I would enjoy cutting mat's as much as I do now, before I got this handy tool. This is SO much better than running to the frame shop every time I needed an mat cut.

And here is one of the older, more cherished items in my studio.....my grandma's sewing machine. I actually have both my grandmother and my grandmother-in-law's old sewing machines...they are exactly the same so whenever a part fails on one, I can swap it from the other! Now if I could learn how to sew besides cloth napkins and tablecloths! haha

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Epson photo stylus R1900 printer. It's AWESOME! (nuf said)

And finally the number one reason and probably the most obvious reason why I love my studio is because of my mac! I love my mac....given to me by the person I love the most in this whole world...my hubby. ;)

Birds of a feather

2009-09-13T20:16:00.004-05:00

They say birds of a feather flock together...well that sure is the case with my newest illustrations.

I spent most of the weekend cooped up (pardon the pun) in my studio creating. It was one of those weekends where the ideas just kept coming to me and it was like I almost couldn't keep up! The ideas were just flowing in and before I knew it my sketchbook was nearly full! Don't you just love those kind of weekends? :)

As always these will be available in the fookaDESIGNS shop.

Thank You!

2009-09-07T13:42:00.004-05:00

I recently created this fun retro style card as a thank you to a friend of mine. I liked it so much I decided to add it to my paper goods section of my shop.

I thought it would only be appropriate to take this time to thank all of you who have become a follower of this blog and a fan of my recently created facebook fan page. You all rock!

Become a fookaFAN

2009-09-02T17:44:00.003-05:00

I finally decided to take the plunge and create a fookaFAN page on Facebook. I hope this makes it easier for all my fookaFRIENDS to find me and stay updated on fookaDESIGNS new items, promotions, sales and much more! So be sure to become a fan today!

Oh, and if you're not a fookaFRIEND yet be sure to sign up and join the mailing list to get in on the fooka loop. You know you want to...all your friends are doin' it!

Both of these button features are conveniently located to the right of this page too...so click away my friend!

Seeing Stars

2009-08-31T21:18:00.004-05:00

I'm loving these beautiful "fall-like" nights. The chill in the night air and the clear skies make a perfect setting for star gazing. And if it's cloudy you could always look at my newest prints from my star gazed series. :)

I'm adding them to my shop and hope to be mounting them on artboards soon! Keep an eye out for these shooting starts before they fizzle away!

Look what I made today

2009-08-30T20:02:00.002-05:00

Okay, actually I didn't make these TODAY. But they are my latest creations. Four individual 6 x 6 inch digital illustrations simply titled, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. I plan to mount them on artboards as well as have giclee prints available in my shop. Check back soon!

Greater Kansas City Humane Society Art Auciton

2009-08-23T18:05:00.004-05:00

I'm happy to say for the 3rd year in a row I will be participating in the Greater Kansas City Humane Society Art Auction. Every year fookaDESIGNS donates a piece of artwork to be auctioned off with all proceeds benefiting the shelter and their homeless animals. This is such a fun event and it gets bigger and better every year. My contribution this year is Lil' Mutt:

This is one of my mixed media upcycled pieces created from vintage postcards, colorful papers and pen and ink. Lil' Mutt is one of my favorite pieces from my upcycled series, I almost hate to see him go but I know he'll go to a good home. ;) Plus it's for a great cause so it's a win win for everyone! If you are in the Kansas City area I encourage you to attend this fun event. To find out more please visit the Humane Society website.

Also, be sure to visit my family blog to find out more on how to support the Topeka Helping Hands Humane Society. Thank you!

A new look!

2009-08-15T10:54:00.006-05:00

FookaDESIGNS got a little makeover the other day. I decided my website needed some attention which in turn made me realize my blog and shop could use a facelift too. It's nothing major but it is refreshing. Check out the website at fookaDESIGNS.com

Flintstone Feet - Refreshed

2009-07-27T22:26:00.001-05:00

Long time no post

2009-07-03T11:40:00.003-05:00

I know, I know it's been a long time. But in my defense it is summertime and I just haven't had much time to visit my studio let alone post here. But I will try to do better, I pinky promise! :)

Another thing I haven't done in a LONG time, several years in fact, is figure drawing. I've always loved figure drawing, and I think I was pretty good at it. But without a live model it can be very difficult to do. But I decided that was no excuse, I finally broke out my sketch pad.

Like I said I went years without drawing so I was a little nervous that I may have lost my touch but I think I did ok. Most importantly if felt awesome to be drawing again! I think I will look into taking a figure drawing class soon!

Thank you!

2009-05-10T12:25:00.004-05:00

A big thank you to all of you who made it out to the neighborhood art walk yesterday. It was such a great event with an awesome turnout and perfect weather. I couldn't have asked for a better show. But, I'm definitely looking forward to my next art showing so I can display my newest work. Here is a sneak peek as to what's to come.

What's new

2009-05-04T07:57:00.013-05:00

Hello friends. Sorry I've been away for so long. There have been many things going on in both my fookaDESIGNS life and my personal life. I'll try not to bore you with the details but Mr. Fooka and I now have a teenage boy living with us. It's been a couple weeks now and things are going great. To find out more about this please visit our FouquetFamily blog.

As far as my fookaDESIGNS news, I will be showing in a neighborhood art walk this Saturday May 9th. This is an exciting event showing local artists work at 4 houses with food and live music at the last location. I'm super excited to be a part of it. Thanks to Chords & Oil for putting it together! Visit chordsandoil.org for more details and be sure to stop by Saturday night...you won't want to miss it!

Mmmm Easter cookies!

2009-04-12T20:25:00.003-05:00

As many of you know I love to bake cookies for every holiday or season. So today I baked and decorated Easter/Spring cookies. They were so good and so cute...I just had to take a picture, and share it with all of you! Happy Easter!

Flintstone Feet - Bag and Boots

2009-03-27T22:13:00.001-05:00

IF: Subtract

2009-03-22T14:08:00.007-05:00

Introducing Digit, a robot genius who's good with numbers and has the answer to all your mathematical equations. There's no problem too big or too small this clever robot can't handle. Digit can add, subtract, multiply and even divide at lightning speed!

When I found out this weeks Illustration Friday theme was "subtract" I was inspired to come up with this fun robot. Which has inspired me to come up with a whole series of robots...coming soon! As for now Digit is available now in my shop.

Scientist in a Tie

2009-03-16T18:43:00.005-05:00

This is my first of hopefully many from my clothing series of digital illustrations. It's called Scientist in a Tie. It was a birthday gift for my super smart brother-in-law who appropriately is a scientist...but I don't think he wears ties very often :) I hope to have many more out and available in my shop by Father's Day!

Cute Cards

2009-03-07T09:33:00.005-06:00

I've added some cute cards in my shop...perfect for the cute kid in your life celebrating a birthday. These unique cards are fun and interactive for the child...with space to leave a message just from you. They are sure to love it!

Snow White

2009-03-05T18:40:00.002-06:00