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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Guest Interview w/ Pencils and Daisies {plus a little discount code!}


As some of you might have figured out from reading my blog I am a little wishie washie about things. So when it came down to me picking a new look for my blog I was ALL OVER THE PLACE.
Then I had an idea, to see if Amanda from Pencils and Daisies could do portraits of the kiddies for my banner. You see Amanda draws, then watercolors portraits, and can digitally scan them for you to use online. AH-MAZING.
I just got the originals in the mail last week and they are hanging at my desk so I can stare at them...


So today we get to know Amanda a little more...

- Tell us a little bit about yourself and Pencils and Daisies:
Hello! I'm Amanda - owner and operator (that sounds so official!) of Pencils & Daisies. Growing up in small town Illinois, I migrated to Arizona when I was 14 and lovingly called it home for ten years. I suppose I've always been a Midwestern girl at heart, because I somehow made my way back here and currently reside in Chicago with my husband and our two animals.

My shop name comes from a Shel Silverstein poem "If the World Was Crazy" (Where the Sidewalk Ends); the whimsical nature of the poem matches my outlook on creating and the world in general. If you can't take things lightly and have a good laugh every day, then you're doing something wrong! Having my own shop has been something I've been dreaming up for awhile now...and when I was presented the opportunity to spend my days creating - I grabbed it! There you'll find custom illustrations and a few vintage items...but currently I'm working on a big plan to expand Pencils & Daisies, so look for changes at the beginning of the new year!

{Also, my photo is totally silly but I'm sort of obsessed with mustaches (I may even have a tattoo of one...shh!) and have way too many Polaroids. This combines both of those loves. <3}

Describe a typical day in Amandaland {ha that has a nice ring to it!}
My days are a strange mix of what we'll call day job, dream job, and real life (errands, etc). I wake up early to hang out with (other peoples!) kiddos before dropping them off at their classrooms and heading to part two of my day. Part two of my day is filled with dream job (illustrating! sewing! etsy! all around craftiness!) and real life (errands! dishes! swiffer-ing!). Once two o'clock rolls around, you'll find me back at Helen C. Peirce Elementary to hang out with the same little kiddos until their parents pick them up at six. Then I'm back home to eat, relax with the mister, and work a little more on dream job...or just watch a lot of tv. ;)

Are you always drawing or doodling?
YES. For as long as I can remember, that's all I've been doing. I've stopped carrying a sketchbook, because it doesn't get any use, but I doodle on everything else that's around. I tend to discard sketchbooks soon after I start them...I'm more of a "get an idea, get it going" type of person. I can't really have a sketchbook of ideas lying around, because they'll never get done! I love to find that great idea, and start on the actual piece right away...somehow it just works better for me that way - to get it all out when the inspiration hits instead of saving it for later between closed pages.

What drives your creativity?
Situations that are unexpected, whimsical, hilarious, or just plain ridiculous are the ones that drive my creativity the most. As I mentioned before, I think it's important to not take yourself, or situations, too seriously. When I was in school, my professors drove home the "art must have meaning" message...which personally, I never bought into. I can respect that, but I think you can also make something beautiful or appealing without having a deep meaning behind it. Being around those that are able to accept or mirror this lightheartedness are the most inspiring to me; sometimes the simplest (or silliest) of conversations with friends or family have sparked the creative flame most of all. Inspiration is usually out there and offered in ways you would least expect...and that surprise is what makes it amazingly fun.

What is your BIGGEST guilty pleasure?
Oh, definitely the amount of TV that I watch...I should probably work on getting Pencils & Daisies situated rather than watching twelve episodes of Daria every day. ;)

Where do you want to see your and your shop in a year?
In a year, I hope to see Pencils & Daisies become my only job (don't get me wrong...I love working with kiddos, but I love drawing more!). It's been a dream of mine for a long while to be able to work from home on what I love most. I'm in the process of really getting my long term business plan down, and hopefully I can keep the current momentum and inspiration going to make it a reality!

Amanda wants to offer Buggie and Jellybean readers a discount code, perfect for right before the holidays. I mean come on what Grandparent would not love a portrait of the grandbabies for the holidays?!
I'd like to offer a 15% off coupon code for Pencils & Daisies for the month of October to all Buggie & Jellybean readers! Just enter code "BUGGIEANDJELLYBEAN" at check out to receive 15% off your order (not including shipping, sorry!) for the whole month of October.

You can found me at:

Thanks Amanda for the interview, the discount code, and most of all making my dream come true with my blog!! YOU ROCK.
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Do not forget to enter for your chance to win a knit scarf of your choice in color, here.

2 comments:

Melissa G said...

The new blog looks is wonderful! The kids portraits are adorable!

angie said...

I am sickened by the talent. Oh to be able to draw like that! Ahh-mazing!