Custom Mirror for Emma Lou's And Drewster's Bathroom.

I'd love to share with you a new custom piece I just finished up. I loved this project. This family is so much fun! They are building a new house and Mom wanted a special mirror for the kids' bathroom. This piece included things thatare special to the kids, Emma and Drew. I hope they love looking at it every morning and gives them a little bit of encouragement to start their day. At the very least, I hope it reminds them of how much they are loved by their parents! This project was special because it is ALL THEM! Their words, their inside jokes, their special sentiments. My job was easy! Thanks so much Hartwig family!

One Word Sums It Up: "Wow"

 From Saturday's Press Citizen...

(click on the image TWICE for larger text that's easier to read! )

Help. The Contents Of My Art Closet Fell On Me And I Can't Get Up.

I'm attempting to clean out my art closet today and I'm just shocked, horrified and disgusted. It's embarassing. It's why its been dubbed 'My art closet of shame'. It has a reputation and people have even asked to see it when they come over. I can't tell you why I'm cleaning it out because it's a secret. But, it's a good secret! You know I wouldn't randomly take on this monumental project for no reason, right??
These are the random things I've come across that have intruded on my art space:
* a Play-doh fun factory
* multiple uncontrollable balls of yarn
* dog biscuits
* 3D glasses
* tissue paper. Lots and lots of tissue paper. So much that it seems to have multiplied at an
alarming rate.
* A wrapped gift. I have no idea who it's for. It's in Christmas paper. But, it's not from this last Christmas......
* a pink harmonica
* a sheet of self adhesive googlie eyes
* several pairs of angel wings
*a bag of rocks
* a ping pong paddle

And I'm only halfway done!!! I've got two more shelves!!! Ok.....back to work. No more procrastinating!

"This Thing Called Family" has gone to market!

Logo on stickers

It's been a long year of waiting and more waiting, but the time is finally here when our new line is being launched out into the world! 

The Atlanta gift market is happening as we speak.  Buyers from shops all over the US are picking out the products that they want to sell in their stores this year.   Hopefully lots of them are choosing ours! We can't wait to hear more about how it's going and get some feedback on what buyers are saying!  But for now, Demdaco was nice enough to send us this picture of what our area looks like:

Demdaco showroom in Atlanta

Next week is the Chicago Market.  We'll be going over that weekend and are planning on spending the day, January 22nd, exploring the Demdaco showroom, taking pictures and browsing around the rest of the market.  This will be our first time experiencing the market atmosphere, so if anybody's got any advice, we're all ears!

To celebrate and spread the love, we will be giving away several pieces from our new line!  So keep your eyes and ears open because some GREAT giveaways are coming your way soon!

Our little blurb on the back of each piece.

WE'VE GOT A WINNER!!!!

Congratulations to Stephanie Nungesser Schmidt ......

She is the winner of our Things With Wings giveaway!

Thanks to all of you who entered. It was so fun to read all your comments. We'll do this again soon!

Stephanie, please email me at greengirldesigns@gmail and let me know where to send your art!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Leave us a comment and this could be yours!

This piece measures 9 x 22 and has a wonderful message for 2011. Don't wait to be happy "someday" and don't look back. It's RIGHT NOW, guys! God gives you the strength to have joy RIGHT NOW, no matter what you're going through! In fact, some of the greatest joy I've experienced is when I've gone through the most difficult of times. Just take it and enjoy it NOW.

Also, don't worry if this doesn't match your house colors. You can ALWAYS paint a bathroom to match it :)

Leave us a comment here (just once, but it won't be immediately visible until we've looked at them) or on the Things With Wings Facebook page, and be sure to leave some way to contact you. We will draw a winner Saturday January 8th at 10 PM. Check back to see if you're the lucky winner!

Today's Des Moines Register

Our article made it to today's Des Moines Register!  Front page of the Iowa Life section!  Go here to see the online version!

"This Thing Called Family" Groupings

Here a few new pics we're adding to the collection:  groupings from the Demdaco catalog we'd like to show you of our new line, This Thing Called Family.

So much fun to see how so many of the items coordinate.  I mean we knew it, but looking at these pictures we really know it.  Does that make sense?

A Special Gift

 I'd like to share an excerpt from our youngest Winger, Emily's recent blog entry.  She shared a very special gift that Mamma Winger made for her: 

 

"My mom gave me a sweet gift. She gave me a box that had scraps of papers from my dad's artwork. She said I could write on the backs of them whatever I wanted to. Scripture verses...memories...or whatever. I started looking through each picture and the smell overwhelmed me. It smelled like him and my eyes filled up with tears. The smell. Maybe I was the only one that could smell it and even so, it was for me. God brought back a sweet memory. 

I love gifts like these, cause it helps me remember him. I was 16 when he died. Old enough to remember a lot about him, but 13 years later I feel like I start to forget. These precious gifts are so special to me. Here are some of the papers:"

 

 

Our dad was a professional photographer for many years.  Toward the end of his life he began to really explore and love the new world of computer graphic design.  He would be obsessed with all of today's artistic technology!  He was also a screen printer and an opthalmic photographer for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, hence the special fascination with the eye.  We grew up with a lot of these images, many of which have been packed away now for years.  It was hard for any of us to know what to do with all of his work.  Every few years items would get revisited, and it's been interesting how your perspective changes bit by bit over time.   In the beginning of our loss, I don't think a single one of us would have ever thought it a good idea to chop up pieces of his larger works and use them as notecards.    But now, 13 years later,  it seems like the perfect thing!  Mom also gave each of us three girls blank journals with nice heavy paper that she pasted his cut up images into every once in a while.  It will be a fun way to sketch and journal.  We are so thankful for the way that our dad is incorporated into our family celebrations in unexpected ways.  Makes Christmas all the more special and our longing for heaven a bit more bearable.