Thursday of Mexican Colors Update: My pencil sketches

This post it has to be done on wenesday, but yesterday was a busy day: volunteering in my daugther's school and taking pictures of my products of my other etsy store (soCuties).

Last week I painted a cute painting inspired in the famous surrealist painting of Remedios Varo: Papilla Estelar.

Remedios Varo was born in Angles, Spain, in 1908 and traveled when young with her father throughout Spain and North Africa. She acquired an early interest in mathematics, mechanical drawing, and fantastic locomotive vehicles from her father, a hydraulic engineer.


Varo attended convent schools and at the age of 15 attended the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid where she learned about Surrealism. Varo was attracted to the idea of expressing her emotions using figures and symbols. Later in Barcelona she met the Surrealist poet Benjamin Peret and together they moved to Paris, joining the Surrealist movement in France. In Paris, with the stimulating company Varo's work matured into a personal voice that was original and provocative.

Varo and Peret moved to Mexico to escape the war in 1942 and Varo settled there for the rest of her life. In 1956 Varo had her first one woman exhibition at the Galeria Diana in Mexico City. She had a retrospective at the Museo de Arte Moderno in 1971 and drew the largest audience in the history of the museum. Many of Varo's paintings reflect her early fascination with science and instruments. They embrace a fascination with the workings of the universe and the inner world of fantasy, invention, and dreams.
 

Feeding the moon by Mexican Colors

 

Also I sketch new ideas for Halloween paintings, I hope I could finish them for next week:

 

Brujita

Mrs Frankenstein

Crochet butterflies and flowers

Hi everyone, if you have visit my store and took a look of my tshirt, you have noticed that I embelished them with crochet flowers and butterflies.

So I want to share with all my readers the links I found to handmade  this cute accessories.
I'm far away for being an expert chocheter, but for me has being so fun and relaxing making them, I took my yarn and hooks everywhere, so when I'm waiting my older daughter to get out from school, or in her cheerleader class I took out my yarn and star crocheting like a little spider.

Links if you want to make them:
  
- How to crochet a flower by Little Birdie Secrets.

- How to crochet a butterflies by The little Birdie Secrets 

- Crochet Flower   by Attic24

- Crochet pattern - 3 layer flowers by BusyMomDesigns

Links if you want to buy them:

- Handmade 3 layer crochet flowers by twpmango

- Tiny crochet flowers by ViolasBoutique

Use them everywhere

Friday Spotlight: Flor Larios

Today I start my series Friday Spotlight, where I'm featuring talented artists who are an inspiration for me.
Not just their art is unique, they have built a success business making what they love more: Crafting.

Today's spotlight is for: FLOR LARIOS

Name: Flor Larios

Location: Florida, USA

Websites: http://www.florlariosart.com/

http://www.florlarios.etsy.com/

facebook

Tell us about your crafts and how you came to make them

I was working as a nurse and decided to quit my job to take care of my kids. AT the beginning it was fine for me but when they started school I got really bored at home and started making Frida Kahlo frames to decorate my husband's office. He was the one with the idea that I should start selling on Ebay. So I did and the rest is history.

How long have you been crafting?

Since I was a teenager, always making little projects for myself.

How did you get started selling?
I started selling on Ebay; Frida Kahlo's art. I made frames at first and then everything I could decoupage; from boxes, to crosses, to mirrors, to magazine racks, to vases, you name it. It all started as I told you before because of my husband's idea.

What does selling on Etsy mean for you?
It means a lot of things to me... a challenge, a goal...a smile when I sell something. It is also means my art...I started painting and selling my original art.

Which colors do you use most in your work?
I have noticed that I always add a little touch of gold to most of my paintings. Don't ask me why...I just do it without thinking.

How you promote your work?
Through facebook, flickr, and my blog, giveaways, and sales from time to time.

Can you share your #1 tip for success?
Success....wow! that is a big word. But my success is making, making, making, non-stop.


 
I have to thanks Flor for this oportunity to know more about her and the great work she is making.



Wednesday of Mexican Colors updates: SO SPOOKY

Hi everyone, 
  I start to give more organization of my blog so this is going to be my schedule:
     - Monday: My soul and mind
         Post about what is in my mind, what are my ideals and important post for etsy community
     - Wednesday: Mexican Colors update
         What is new in my store
     - Fridat: Spotlight
         My favorites crafters are interview.

For begginng today here are some updates in my store just perfect for Halloween and Day of the Death.
Original Painting with colors and mexican traditions, just take a look:

 

Etsy success tips - Free ebook

I've been an etsy seller since May 2010, and I'm far away of being a successful shop. I've been searching on internet for tips that help me improve what I'm doing and I found this great e-book from Modish Biz tips blog.

 Click the following link to download the pdf e-book : http://onthedotcreations.typepad.com/files/secretsofsavvyetsysellers2.pdf

Mexico Lindo y Querido, we celebrate what?

Today we celebrate 200 years of the Independece Day? The truth is that to reach this point , we have no shared argument to say what exactly we are celebrating , in addition to the painful passing of 200 years . And there is no doubt that the main responsibility for this shortcoming is the federal government that failed to convincingly articulate or propose anything to rebuild the political meaning of our independence , or to provide a common understanding on the meaning of the nation we are, or suggest a reasonable project that we would be tomorrow .

And yet , Mexico still means something very valuable for the vast majority of Mexicans and we are still waiting for a common definition and a convincing argument that not only look to the past (a vivid portraits of patriotic heroes turned into soap operas, their epics that tell us almost nothing, or even to his bones moved from one place to another), but are able to tell us what we are and what we can be now and if we can really build a shared future .


For now, I think most scream tonight for reasons more personal and almost intimate. For me, be proud of be mexican who lived in a beautiful country full of amazing landscapes, to be born with the real concept of FAMILY, the center of my life. I will yell for the warmth of the people who invite you to their homes like if you were part of the family.

So at least I don't think we are celebrating freedom, independence. We are celebrating that we are proud mexicans.

Viva Mexico

In 2010 Mexico will celebrate 200 years of Independence (1810) from the Spanish Crown and 100 years since the Revolution of 1910 that toppled dictator Porfirio Diaz.

The official countdown for the two Centennials began on September 16th of this year. The Bicentennial of Mexican Independence (Día de La Independencia) will be celebrated on September 16th and the Centennial of The Mexican Revolution (La Revolucíon Mexicana) on November 20th.

So for the next few days I will be posting related articles about it.

Here is a great treasury made by  Jenny Hoople who makes arthistic jewelry. I was honored to be there with my Frida Kahlo peg doll.
Visit her store you will find great things.

About me on Latin Pop Shop

Here is the link of a Post made by John Gascot about me:
http://latinpopshop.blogspot.com/2010/08/many-fridas-of-mirlette-islas.html

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo now in the mexican bill

The Mexican artists Diego Rivera (1886-1957) and Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) are from this Tuesday, the front and back of the new bills of 500 pesos ( about $ 40) , as reported by Banco de Mexico (Central) .


This bill ends the presentation of a series covering different values of the Mexican currency , which was issued by the Mexican Central Bank on the occasion of the commemoration in 2010 of 200 years of Independence of the country and 100 years of the Mexican Revolution.

While neither Rivera nor Kahlo, who were even participated directly in the social movement that began in 1910 ( Rivera traveled to several Latin American countries and Europe during the revolution, according to his biography ) and Kahlo was very young at the time, were important exponents of the culture that was born of political change which occurred in the country.

The official description of the new currency , which Rivera and Kahlo be sure to be collectors , according to some analysts , said that "the image on the front of the ticket is Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo is back . " The two figures are self-portraits of the artists themselves.