Welded garden art is back + more NEW items!

Our welder is back! Our Dad has been a huge influence on our creative work and our interest in handmade items. Last year we started talking about including a few of his metal creations in our Etsy shop and they were a hit! They flew off our virtual shelves. Inspired, Dad has been on the lookout for new, interesting materials and recently created some amazing new items. And some of the old favorites are back too!

Pretty Pinwheel Flowers for your garden - now available in our Etsy shop!

Although we are [finally] getting our winter snowstorm in Minnesota, we know many of you are thinking about springtime and gardening anyway. Dad's items are great indoors and out. And they make perfect gifts for Mother's Day and Father's Day as well as for weddings and housewarmings!

posted by Christa

Drop Cloth Suit

I had the great pleasure of collaborating with fellow artist and friend Hugh O'Rourke on a super fun project. Hugh is a painter and sculptor here in NYC, you can view more of his work here. We met during my thesis art exhibit at NYU, as he works at the 80WSE gallery where I exhibited my installation.  He knew my passion for sewing clothing and asked me to collaborate with him in making a suit out of his drop cloths from his studio. The idea of the suit came from famous artist Joseph Beuys' own sculpture Felt Suit.

The most challenging and most creative part of making the suit was laying out the pattern pieces. I had to find interesting areas on the drop cloth to create an interesting pattern effect on the suit. I kept Hugh's own work in mind while selecting which paint glob to use for the lapel or where to use the glued on pieces of newspaper.

I liked imagining what pieces of Hugh's art made the drops, splatters, and smears of paint, glue, and mixed media on the drop cloths.

Spaces Between Studio Show courtesy of Hugh O'Rourke

In the end I think the suit turned out really great! I made the suit to Hugh's measurements but the piece is meant to be hung on the wall as pictured below. Hugh was very excited when I brought the finished suit to him, I cannot wait to see it in one of his gallery shows, or maybe a fun photo shot of him wearing it! This project helped remind me of my interest in the meaning of clothing and the emotional response humans can have to sentimental clothing. This suit is a portrait of a painter, a garment made of the leftovers in the art making process. Anyone need a garment made for them from their own scraps?

posted by Sarah

Sweet handmade gifts for your sweetheart: Sneak Peek!

We are making fun new Valentine-inspired gifts for our Etsy shop and are excited to share a sneak peek with you!  Maybe you'll find something perfect for your sweetie (or yourself!).

Sarah made the perfect BFF gift. Two pairs of pink & purple heart earrings, one for you to keep and one to give to your BFF! They are super cute and now available on Etsy!

BFF Earrings on Etsy

Sarah also made a pair of heart and chain earrings perfect for your rockstar darling. Sweet -- and edgy!

Sweetheart Pink Heart and Chain Earrings - coming soon on Etsy

Christa has been busy creating new items from materials she has been collecting. Her current project is sweet little magnets made from bottlecaps and greeting cards.

Upcycled Bottlecap Magnets -- in our Etsy shop now!
Check them out, and watch for new designs coming soon.

posted by Christa & Sarah xo!

Still Life With Iris is coming to life!

I feel like my life has been consumed by the world of 'Still Life With Iris' and I love it! I am designing the costumes for this magical play being performed at the Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo, MN. If you are in the chilly state in February you must go see it, it will warm your heart and dazzle your eyes!

STILL LIFE WITH IRIS
February 3rd -26th, every Thursday-Saturday 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00
To Order Tickets Call 763-493-8733
yellowtreetheatre.com

The costumes have been so much fun to design, you can see my costume renderings here. I started by doing a lot of research of images that created the feeling I wanted to convey through the costumes. The director Andy Frye and I met often to look at images and talk about each character. I then did my drawings to refine my vision and be able to start my search for each costume piece. I found a lot of costumes at my parents house (thanks for never throwing anything away!) and a variety of thrift stores in St. Cloud, Hutchinson, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Paterson, NJ! All of the clothes needed some sort of artistic tweaks or total reconstruction, but I would say 85% of the costumes are recycled, reused, or found materials. I feel really good about keeping my design eco friendly, which also adds to the charm of the clothes. Here is a sneak peek from the fittings I had with the actors...

Iris actress Mary

Leaf Monitor actress Sheila

Memory Mender actor Bruce

Mozart actor Nathan

3rd String actor Ryan

You can also watch a darling video Jason Peterson, artistic director, made of the costumes on Facebook. Thanks for the support and I hope you can see the show!

post by Sarah

New Projects & Products for the New Year!

Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday with your loved ones and are enjoying the beginning of 2012!!

We are so happy we were able to donate $36 to the Make a Wish Foundation on behalf of everyone who made a purchase from our Etsy shop this holiday! Congratulations to the winners of our 12 Days of Christmas celebration and thank you for supporting SophiaFredricka, the handmade items on Etsy, and Make a Wish.

image from wish.org

Sarah and I are excited to bring some new ideas and projects to life in 2012 and look forward to unveiling them to you here and on Etsy! A few things in the works already are Sarah's amazing designs for Still Life With Iris at the Yellow Tree Theater in Osseo, MN which opens February 3rd, sweetheart refrigerator magnets by Christa, and beer/wine/coffee/tea cozies by Sarah. Stay tuned for pictures and more previews!

posted by Christa

Thank you for a fun 12 Days of Christmas!

Happy 2 days before Christmas everyone! Thank you so much for a fun and festive 12 Days of Christmas celebration! We loved reading the posts and sending out the items everyone won. Thank you for the compliments on your new SophiaFredricka items!! We hope you have a happy and safe holiday filled with love!

image from christmaswow.com

xo Christa & Sarah

12th Day of Christmas: FREE Portrait Session

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Today is the 12th Day of our Christmas celebration, which means it is also the last, and that Christmas Day is in 2 days! 

Today we are celebrating by offering a second FREE photo portrait session to one lucky winner. Yesterday's winner was Jeff W! Congratulations Jeff, I'll email you with details!

Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Family portraits from this fall.
See more in my Flickr sets.

Rules for today's free photo session contest:

• Anyone can enter (even if you've won a previous SophiaFredricka contest).
• Winner may select from the following portrait sessions: kids, family (kids + parents - may also include grandparents), graduating senior, engagement, pets, and others are available, just ask! 
• Winner may choose to apply a $200 credit to a half-day or full-day session (such as a wedding). 
• Session must take place in June-December, 2012.
• Includes up to 2 hours of photography. If the session lasts longer than 2 hours, extra charges may apply.
• Includes locations within 50 miles of Chanhassen MN but I am willing to travel farther. Extra charges may apply. 
• Includes a small print package, one to six of the following sizes: 4x6s, 5x7s, wallet sets, and 8x10s. More sizes and quantities may be purchased. Books and other printed products may also be purchased. 

posted by Christa

11th Day of Christmas: FREE Portrait Session

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Today is the Winter Solstice (least amount of sunshine for us, turn on those Christmas lights!) and the 11th Day of our Christmas celebration!

Today we are celebrating by offering a FREE photo portrait session to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. If you don't win today, we will be giving away a second session tomorrow so be sure to enter again! Good luck!

Recent session with my little friend Jackson!
See some of my other portraits on Flickr.

Rules for today's free photo session contest:

• Anyone can enter (even if you've won a previous SophiaFredricka contest).
• Winner may select the following portrait sessions: kids, family (kids + parents - may also include grandparents), graduating senior, engagement, pets, and others are available, just ask! 
• Winner may choose to apply a $200 credit to a half-day or full-day session (such as a wedding). 
• Session must take place in June-December, 2012.
• Includes up to 2 hours of photography. If the session lasts longer than 2 hours, extra charges may apply.
• Includes locations within 50 miles of Chanhassen MN but I am willing to travel farther. Extra charges may apply. 
• Includes a small print package, one to six of the following sizes: 4x6s, 5x7s, wallet sets, and 8x10s. More sizes and quantities may be purchased. Books and other printed products may also be purchased. 

posted by Christa

10th Day of Christmas: FREE GIFTRWRAPPING

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration!

Today we are celebrating by gift wrapping all items purchased in our Etsy shop TODAY! No need to post a comment below, we'll wrap your items automatically. Two more days of of our Christmas celebration!! The next two featured items are family photo sessions. Watch for the new posts tomorrow and Friday and good luck!

Image from brunchatsaks.blogspot.com

posted by Christa

9th Day of Christmas: 90% off Vintage Button Earrings

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's winners were Erin and Sarah (we had to have two, check out the comments to see why). Congrats!!

Today we are celebrating our 9th Day of Christmas by offering 90% off Vintage Button Earrings to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

posted by Christa

8th Day of Christmas: 80% off Purses

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's winner was RaeAnne. Congrats!!

Today we are celebrating our 8th Day of Christmas by offering 80% off a Purse to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

I stitched the tomato pin cushion applique onto this vintage coin purse for a cute and unique look.
We have a few other designs and styles available in our Etsy shop - check them out!

posted by Christa

7th Day of Christmas: 70% off Floral Hair Clips

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's winner was Erin K, congrats!!

Today we are celebrating our 7th Day of Christmas by offering 70% off any one of the Floral Hair Clips in our Etsy shop to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Here are a few sneak peeks:

This turquoise mum definitely makes a statement, but is simple enough to wear every day too!

 

This is a sweet little arrangement, perfect for a holiday accessory.

Add a unique spin to Christmas with a red butterfly!

posted by Christa

6th Day of Christmas: 60% off Framed Floral Photos

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's winner was Jean. Yay & congrats!!

Today we are celebrating our 6th Day of Christmas by offering 60% off Framed Floral Photos to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

I photographed these pretty bleeding hearts in my Grandmother's garden.
This photo would make a great gift for your sister, mom, daughter, or yourself.
Perfect for the livingroom, bedroom, bathroom, or office desk!
Check out all the framed floral photos in our Etsy shop.

posted by Christa

5th Day of Christmas: 50% off Fiber and Wood Jewelry

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's winner was Adrianne. Congrats!!

Today we are celebrating our 5th Day of Christmas by offering 50% off Fiber and Wood Jewelry to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

These earrings will brighten your day!
Check out all the fiber and wood jewelry in our Etsy shop!

posted by Christa

4th Day of Christmas: 40% off Headbands

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's winner was Katya. Congrats!!

Today we are celebrating our 4th Day of Christmas by offering 40% off a Headband to one lucky winner. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

How fun to have this cute butterfly perched in your hair!
This is just one of the headbands available, check out all of them in our Etsy shop!

posted by Christa

Vintage button earring preview!

Thanks to the amazingly creative suggestions from our Start Something That Matters contest, I put together a sweet little line of vintage button earrings and am so excited I want to give you a sneak preview! These will be going in our Esty shop this week and featured in our 12 Days of Christmas celebration on Monday, December 19th!

posted by Christa

3rd Day of Christmas: 30% off Mobile Earrings

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration! Yesterday's lucky winner was Anita Smithson. Congrats Anita!!

Today we are celebrating our 3rd Day of Christmas by offering 30% off Mobile Earrings to one lucky winner. Sarah created these earrings after seeing Alexander Calder's work in Venice. They are made of hand wrapped wire and hand cut vinyl. They are so much fun to wear, perfect for someone who likes to make a fashion and art statement. Post a comment below to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Sarah's Mobile Earrings. There are lots of colors available! Check them out in our Etsy shop.

posted by Christa

2nd Day of Christmas: 20% off Garden Art

Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas celebration!

image from myfreebiesanddeals.com

Today we are celebrating our 2nd Day of Christmas by offering 20% off the spiders currently available in our Garden Art shop section to one lucky winner. Alternatively, the winner may request to use the 20% off later in 2012 when we will have many new items. Our master designer and welder (and our dad!!) has new items in the works but they won't be ready until springtime. Post a comment to enter the contest. The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow morning. Good luck!

posted by Christa

12 Days of Christmas with SophiaFredricka!

TODAY IS DAY 1! If you'd like to pick a FREE ITEM from our shop, leave a comment and your email address below. We'll randomly pick a winner at the end of the day and let you know tomorrow by 9am. Good luck!!!

Sarah and I are so excited for Christmas, mostly because we get to see each other, it's been over 4 months and I'm almost 6 months pregnant so I look quite different!! But we are also excited to get together with family and friends, sit by the fire and drink hot cocoa, go sledding and skating and skiing and sleigh-ing, exchange gifts, and dream up new projects for 2012!

We love our SophiaFredricka customers and want to celebrate with you too! So, we created a series of featured items and promotions to celebrate the 12 days leading up to Christmas (we moved it ahead a couple days so we're not actually holding promos ON Christmas Eve or Day, for your convenience and ours!).

image from myfreebiesanddeals.com

 
Here's the details:
In the next 12 days, we'll feature a new item or promotion in a new blog post. If you're interested in the promotion, post a comment on that post. At the end of each day, we'll  randomly choose a winner and announce who it is on that blog post by 9am the next morning. We'll email the winner a code to redeem the promotion at our Etsy shop (so be sure we have your email address in order to be eligible to win!).

Day 1, Dec 11th: a FREE item - your pick! (excludes garden art and quilted items)
Day 2, Dec 12th : 20% off garden art
Day 3, Dec 13th: 30% off a pair of mobile earrings
Day 4, Dec 14th: 40% off a headband
Day 5, Dec 15th: 50% off a pair of fiber and wood earrings or a necklace
Day 6, Dec 16th: 60% off a framed flower photo
Day 7, Dec 17th: 70% off a floral hair clip
Day 8, Dec 18th: 80% off a purse
Day 9, Dec 19th: 90% off a pair of button earrings (coming soon!)
Day 10, Dec 20th: free gift wrapping on all items purchased today
Day 11, Dec 21st: free family portrait session & print package (up to 20 prints)
Day 12, Dec 22nd: free family portrait session & print package (up to 20 prints)

Rules: Individuals can enter one time each day. If there is more than one comment by the same person, we'll count the first comment when randomly choosing the winner. Individuals can only win once. Prizes can be "gifted" to another person. Prizes must be redeemed by Dec 31st 2011 unless otherwise indicated in the blog post for that day.

We hope you're excited about how we decided to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with you!


posted by Christa

Luke at the Newark Museum

This past Sunday I had the pleasure in accompanying my friend Luke Hayes to the Newark Museum to see his art on view. Luke makes quilts and they are works of art, amazing layers of colors and textures creating photo realistic portraits. The Newark Museum purchased his 'American Gothic' queen sized quilt and it is now on display with multiple historic and significant quilts in an exhibition called 'Patchwork: from folk art to fine art'.  Luke and I had a wonderful day with our friend Ariel and meeting up with the curator Ulysses who gave us a private tour of the museum, saving Luke's piece for dessert.  It was well worth the wait! His quilt looked great in the gallery and was definitely an eye catcher. Ulysses said people will jump when they see it, because the image is so realistic they think there are actually two people standing there.

Luke standing next to his 'American Gothic' at the Newark Museum

a view of the exhibit and Ulysses, Luke, and Ariel

detail of 'American Gothic' courtesy of Luke Haynes

With all Luke's quilts, he uses recycled clothing as his fabric, mixing patterns, textures, and fiber content. He then creates high contrast portraits of himself, friends, historical figures, or everyday objects and machine appliques them on top of a traditionally designed quilt background. The result is a 2-D domestic object filled with depth and meaning, contemporary with a sense of strong history. You can see more of his work and read all about him here and on his blog.

A self portrait of Luke entitled 'Tradition' photo courtesy of Luke Haynes

posted by Sarah