The Mustache

black mustache necklace  { $10 }

Anyone who's spent some time on Etsy could probably tell you how big the mustache is right now. For us, the mustache was part of childhood. My sister and I have a dad who we've only seen mustache-less one time. Ever.

This new found mustache popularity is what inspired a gift for my sister this year: the mustache necklace! It's handcrafted out of polymer clay with acrylic paint and hanging from an 18" ball chain. She liked it so much I decided to include it in the Lab83 line up. I listed it in black but it's available in any color you could think of!

Who knew facial hair could be such a trend among women?? Happy 'Staching....

merry xmas sister!

"Save the Date" with Lab83

One the exciting new products Lab83 will be exploring in 2012: 

customizable 'Save the Date' wedding invitation cards!

I've designed a variety of wedding pieces (save the date cards, invitations, table numbers, programs, welcome signs, etc.) for friends over the years. The truth is, they are a large part of Lab83's decision to now offer wedding related products; they are amazingly supportive of my Etsy shop  - and keep telling me I need to "put this up on Lab83!" 

I am a formally trained graphic designer and a self trained artist. Though the two are undoubtedly linked, I generally have kept the two areas separate: graphic design is for my "real" job and all the other art is for fulfilling the whims of my imagination. Recently I have started to change my attitude by letting the line between my two disciplines blur a bit.

While working on 'Save the Date' designs for my sister's May wedding, I decided it was time to go for it. She and her financé chose a great design but I had been so excited to design options for them that I ended up with all kinds of extra layouts. And I knew exactly where they needed to go...

Save the Date // Clean & Light

Save the Date // Awesome Ampersand

Save the Date // Simple & Elegant

Save the Date // Simple Spring

Save the Date // Sweet Stripes (this one has a cute back side, too!)

Everything can be customized to with your names and location, as well as your wedding colors! Any questions or custom order questions? Please email me!

New Creatures at Naka!

Yesterday I took the last of few Michigan Mitten ornaments, plus two more owls and an octopus, over to Naka - a fantastic little boutique in the heart of downtown Ferndale. I love how the octopus turned out and he will become a regular in the Lab83 cast of felt creatures now! The felt creatures should be available on Etsy some time in January. If you're local, you can find these guys at Naka (171 W. 9 Mile) in Ferndale, Michigan. Grab 'em before they're gone!

P.S. These particular ornaments were made with love by Mr. McD, including the embroidery of the Old English D over Metro Detroit. He's amazing!

Goals for 2012

Hello Lab83 fans!

Balancing my marketing company and my art - and wanting to do both things full time, all the time - is a challenge. I've decided that this is the year to take Lab83 to the next level and I want to share the journey with everyone who is interested. Let's see if I can't make some things happen in 2012...

Stay tuned for the journey!