Charleston Charmers: A Miniature Symphony of Whimsical Homes

Once upon a sun-kissed morning, in the heart of a cobblestone street, there stood a row of houses so petite they could fit inside a daydream. These were no ordinary dwellings: they were Charleston Charmers, where magic and practicality waltzed hand in hand. And oh, the colors! Mint green, coral pink, and buttercup yellow - like a box of pastel crayons spilled across the sky. Look for all ten in this series of "charmers". A trip to South Carolina this year filled my head with inspiration to recreate some tiny homes I drew years ago. Friends who purchased these tiny homes said they reminded them of the many colorful homes of Charleston.

Check out the greeting card section on the site to see the rest of the "charmers". Such a fun project for me to create

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All About Adding Art Using Sublimation

Sublimation Tumbler,

Mugs and Ceramic Tiles

The Sublimation Process:

I love being able to put my art on to items such as mugs, tumblers, ceramic tiles and metal prints. I create each illustration using pencil, pens and alcohol inks. After the artwork is scanned, it is printed on to a special transfer paper via a dedicated sublimation printer and special inks. The paper is then adhered to pre-treated aluminum, tile, glass, mugs, puzzles or any surface that sublimation can be used on. The item is then put into a heat press or tumbler press where the temperatures reach between 350-400 degrees.

While being subjected to extreme heat and pressure, the dyes from the transfer paper turn into a gas, are pressed on to sublimatable blank surfaces such as tiles, tumblers, etc. and then solidify into those substrates. This is where the sublimation heat transfer occurs.

The transfer process takes between 2-10 minutes per press. Once it is taken off the press, the substrate cools and the process is complete.  There are no additional coatings or laminates applied because as the dyes cool, they are permanently infused beneath the surface of the blank substrate.

Dyes are infused beneath the exterior coating through the sublimation process. This makes it more durable than traditional paper and canvas imaging because it cannot be peeled off the surface.

Dye sublimation technology allows for the creation of vibrant, long-lasting colors that are resistant to fading and discoloration over time.  Deeper and richer colors are thanks to the inkjet pigments. Here are a few samples of what I can add my art to.

Sublimation Tumbler, 20 oz. & 15 oz. Faux Leather Luggage Tags

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A Touch of Color and Whimsy Comes to Winter

So many people think of winter as dull and grey. But I see it full of color. Evergreens with a touch of snow, holly bushes with their beautiful red berries, snowmen and gnomes in colorful coats, painted birdhouses, bunnies, birds and yes, even ladybugs, as I do hear about it when they are missing in any illustration I create for my greeting cards. So here are some images of winter with all the colors I love. And because I can, I add whatever colors I like to the mountains, the starry skies and the baubles on the ground. Remember to look for the hidden in most of my illustrations. All cards are blank inside and ready for your very own special greeting. All online orders that qualify for free shipping received between now and December 24, 2021 will receive my 2022 calendar of monthly images.

View Winter Whimsy

These, and more, have all been made into winter themed greeting cards and are online and ready to be sent out. In addition to the online site, the Vernon Community Art Center Local Shopping Event of the year, "Artsolutely", opens on November 26th and will run until noon on Christmas Eve.

It is a wonderful show with at least 30 artisans [I'll be there with more than just cards] showing their artworks, pottery, felting, metalwork, glasswork, bookbinding and so much more. It is also a main fundraiser for the Art Center which is such a fabulous community gathering place for anyone interested in the art world. For those of you living in the Okanagan or visiting our area, be sure to stop by and check it out. The Vernon Community Art Center is on Hwy. 6 right behind the Science Centre in Polson Park. "Artsolutely" will be open 7 days a week, 9-7 Monday to Friday, Saturday, 9-5, Sundays, Noon-4pm and December 24th from 9am-1pm. Shopping local not only benefits the artists but in this case supports the Art Center as well.

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