Stephanie Buscema's Blog

It has been absolutely freeeeezing here these past few weeks. Lots of ice, snow and avoiding going outside at all costs! On a good note, being inside means time for reading, hanging out with the cats and working...and maybe some video games (although, I've totally neglected my Nintendo DS and Animal Crossing town this past month...I'm pretty terrified to see what my town looks like!).

Mini Makeup Mirrors, all packaged up! 

Since the beginning of December, I've been trying to put more time into my Etsy shop-which has been fun, but time consuming. I like using the shop a lot, but really neglected it over the summer and fall with putting all extra time into painting for an art show. A New Years resolution was to keep up with the shop monthly, have new "collections" of merch seasonally and in turn a hefty inventory of new art by 2015. I broke down and bought a good button machine, stocked up on jewelry making supplies, cleared out a spot in the basement for shipping/merch/prints and started to schedule any free time I have into planning and painting print runs for 2014...and possibly a small book...and *maybe* custom toys...SEE what happens?! THERE WILL BE ALL THE THINGS IN 2014! It will probably kill me, but I have some big plans for this year.

Button Sets, packaging designed by Rob art painted by me!

I sat and made lists...and lists...and more lists ( may have gotten a little obsessive with it), of themes and subjects I thought would be fun to paint for prints. Then when starting to sketch and do small studies, the idea came to make these prints part of something larger. Build upon it, make actual items from the studies, making these small "collections" of things. To kick it off, I came up with two themes to start-"The Vixens", a fictional 1960's girl gang and "Wagons West", a bright and colorful kitschy 50's western theme. I spoke to Rob (my awesome and crazy talented husband designer man) about designing some kind of little packaging for the items, we shot some ideas back and fourth, put our heads together and he came up with some amazing stuff based on the little art I had made. 

Here's a few pictures of some of the results so far! I'm really pleased with how it's all coming together and really love working with Rob any chance we get. There will be some prints released with these themes/collections as well as a new collection of goodies for the spring/summer. I'll be bringing the haul with me to conventions I'm attending and will probably be making some con only merch, too! Here's a peek at one of the paintings for a Cowgirl giclée print set I'm working on to go with Wagons West.

Stop by the shop to see more goodies, I'm also offering free shipping on all orders over 50.00 until Feb 1st. for Valentine's Day-just use coupon code SMOOCH14 at checkout. ♥