Prilly's Petals

My kid sister is in town for the week. April flew in to have a fun filled New York vacation, but we get to call this a business trip because we're branding her new company while she's here. We tried to get a logo drafted in Montana last month but the designs I did while we were there were "stupid" (her words, not mine). At 22, as a first time entrepreneur, she's not looking for advice but for a minion. She knows what she wants and she wants it now.

After fighting back and forth between her vision and my expertise I decided we'd do best to stow the pencils and head out for some inspiration.

Autumn might be better somewhere other than Brooklyn, but then you wouldn't be in Brooklyn and that be a shame.

Sister time found us on the B71 headed for Grand Army Plaza, where we jumped off and tiptoed a block and a half to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Sunday was a pretty fancy day for the Gardens.

We're gearing up for Halloween here in Brooklyn, and the gardens weren't to be out done.

April and I found ourselves face to face with Ghouls and Gourds and costumes and roses and enough inspiration to fill our cups that they runneth over.

We spent all day walking and walking and chatting and making masks and running and eating apples and shutterbugging.
Sissy-time hasn't been this good since long beachy days in Hawaii. Finally! We found the perfect place for our powers combined - April's flower arranging genius and my sketchiness finally met middle at the BBG, and a perfectly harmonious day ensued.
When we got home I decided to treat Prilly like a real client. I gave her my "this is good design" lecture. I reminded her about everything we saw all day. Then I handed her some 120 pound and let her try to explain what was in her head. Here's some April Alvarez drawings, making their debut right here.

A set of April Alvarez originals:

After taking a look at what the client drew up I stole this swatch from the upper right-hand corner. This is the picture of potential my friends!

Yay for artsy little sisters who are stubborn enough to win their battles!

The Garden variety was just what we needed!

I made her spell it Prillies, because I think it looks cooler with the double is. She has spelled it Prilly's her entire life. Now I realize I am being "stupid," (my words, not hers). So the next step is taking this back down to the way the poor kid spells her name.

I'm in development mode. Check back to see this new break-out flower designer's star in lights or at least roses later this week.

listening to right this second: "Jai Ho! " -- Pussycat Dolls

Website Relaunch!!

I yell "yippeee!!!" fairly often - but seriously, this deserves it. If you haven't been to www.AmberAlvarez.com in awhile what are you waiting for?! It's officially relaunched. I'm done fussing with it. FOREVER.

OK, I'll probably play with it a little tomorrow. Then that's it!! Grr.

Stop the Presses! Hold Everything!

So, remember when I told you that it was OK to make mistakes? You must have thought to yourself, "Really Amber? You are pure perfection! you never have a flaw to accept as a mistake." I'm going to let you in on my secret. I messed up, Etsy Style. After recent events came to light, it became clear that Amberbop Shop was not going to be able to hold all the product that I want to make available for the public. I'll explain why below, but I've had to start over with a new Etsy Store and my old little shop front is now a thing of the very recent past. ;)

So with no further ado: Get the horns ready... Man the drum line.....
Tah Tah Da Dah!!!

It's hot - It's cute - It's Sassy...Sexy...Sweet...
It's Amber Ink.

I'm also going to let you in on a 'top secret' kind of secret. I've been dying to get back into the scrapbook and stamping world. For a long time I've wanted my own little piece of scrapping turf. I've had my eye on the domain http://www.amberink.com/ for more than a year now. I've been stalking it non-stop. When the user who had it let it expire two months ago I had my fingers crossed. I just hoped the owner wouldn't snatch it up again (after it expires it goes into a holding spot where they can still get it back). Then a few days ago, wonder of wonders, it was released to the public and I bought it! So I'll be slowly building a real live business with tangible product. I'll be starting the company with downloadable scrapbook papers that you can print at home. I'm excited as pie!
They'll be showing up at Etsy soon!

Ok, run don't walk!

Get the Horns Ready... Man The Drumline....

Tah Tah Da Dah!!!

It's hot - It's cute - It's Sassy...Sexy...Sweet...

It's an Amberbop Shop!!!

That's right lovelies! After years of buying handmade I decided it was time to jump on board and get my own shop. You can pick up my art and use it as it's intended.

Get it up on your walls!

Ok, run don't walk!

PS. In other exciting news: I had the best hair day of the year today :) I had three strangers ask me about it, one even asked where I "had it done."

You Know You Want It.

Today's the day! Last night at 12am EST. the project I've been working on for the last few months went public! So I can FINALLY share what's been going on! Man, this secret has been hard to keep. I am the exclusive artist for Hanna Stamps! My new creations can now be bought at www.HannaStamps.com !!! Kristi Ferro and I have been working together to create Kristi's new rubber stamp company. She's done a dream at promoting and pimping and now they're out there for all the world to see. There has been such a frenzy for their actual release, I was afraid people were going to start banging down doors.

I've learned a lot about stampers in the last couple of months, they're a whole breed unto themselves. My mom says it's like Nascar for women. Ha. She's just about right. These women are so talented. It's such a strange experience to see artwork created with rubber stamps I've designed. They're using my art to create new art. It's like collaborating with dozens of artists and wow, is it fun to see what they come up with! More than anything I'm amazed at the versatility. These stamping ladies are doing things with Hanna Stamps! that I would never even think to do, and they're doing them beautifully. It's such fun to see what they'll come up with next! The links below will take you to their frantically fantastic cards. You'll be shocked at their sublime talent. I know I was :)
http://splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=hanna+stamps&limit=&x=10&y=7

You can read all about Hanna Stamps! at Kristi Ferro's Kreations, right here:
http://www.kreationsbykrissy.com/

I'm so excited! Go Hanna Stamps! Go!

Girls With Pens Development Drawings

I've never posted nude sketches on my blog because very early on I received a few choice emails from parents who told me that my blog was big with their 5-10 year olds. Those letters greatly influence my decision to never post any of my life drawing work here for your innocent peeps.

These little nudie cuties are just too sweet an innocent to offend anyone. After a lot of thought I've decided to show them off. This is a big day, a day for a little skin ;)

Of Wine and Women!

I've been really busy this last month with a great new client. This is one of the pieces I've completed for them in the last little while, and since it's been forever since I've had the chance to post something I wanted to show it off.