Retro*Kitschy*Fun **NEW** Etsy Fridays

I really am terribly humiliated by my pathetic blogging this past year.I let this blog fall to the waist side and for that I apologize.

I've been contemplating writing a goodbye post but I can't even seem to get that done.I love the idea of this blog, and so must you because within such a short period of time and with so few post there are so many of you! So I'm going to give it one more go and see if I can't get my little butt in gear.I think having some schedule will help, and so my first new blog topic

is Etsy Fridays

RETRO: Created by me - ittybittybirdy

SweetLoveVinta... $22.00	jherrmann $7.00	sushipotparts $68.00	AuntBucky $65.00
swellkid $10.00	gabelanza $200.00	thevintagetree... $20.00	nickeldesign $45.00
mamamade $7.25	jherrmann $18.00	nickandnessies $32.00	forestofice $20.00
snapco $10.00	WrenWillow $22.00	TheVintageWren $11.00

Kitschy: Created by UfiaFair

TheThinVeil $13.50	melanieperalto... $20.25	savagespider $7.50	backstashandby... $8.00
FastEddiesRetr... $20.00	gaudyfairy $	ismoyo $9.00	UglyUnicorn $2.50
nice $16.00	AttysVintage $10.00	awildtonic $8.25	ArtfulVintage $11.00
theoccasionalm... $	dollbabyonline $18.95	TreasureHouseV... $14.00	chocolatelette... $12.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Fun: Created by Psyboom

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

RichardandRuth... $25.00	miniaturepatis... $32.90	ohcilly $20.90	EyeCandyCreati... $180.00
SOULFULSTYLE $30.00	janinebasil $23.00	cakemates $45.00	retromama $8.00
Missbluebirdan... $11.00	RusticRainbow $26.00	sunsetsandtea $22.00	chunkychooky $45.00
sugarpinkbouti... $	leJeune $12.00	cherrytime $20.00	tascha $15.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Sorry about the cut off images :(

I'll try not to let that happen again.

Let's Catch up...

It's clearly been far to long since our last post

and I apologize for that...

and dang it all no good excuses come to mind

but believe me our absence doesn't mean we've been in hibernation

Karli and I have been plenty busy...

If miss Karli wasn't busy enough

she now has little Plant #3

on his merry way!

YES if you haven't heard

She is having a BOY!!!!

This summer Karli also collaborated

with our very good friend

- Julie from Minitoko

If you haven't spotted this freebie yet

well then what are you waiting for?

YES it's free so click click click away my digi lov'n friends

but just come back you here me... :)

wait wait go back...

did you take a good look around Mini Toko Ville?

Pretty mind blowing right?

yeah if the digi kits don't make your head spin

the website design, craft tutorials,

and Julie's super retro cute family and home will!

ACK! Love it all!!!!

Check out Julie's blog if you still don't get what I'm giddy about!

Let's see so what have I been up to these days?

hmmmm well probably my most exciting news

is that I finally followed my heart and got a pixie cut

haven't had a bad hair day all summer!

I'm working on a new digi kit that I hope to have out soon

but it's been a difficult one for me to concentrate on

but who knows maybe with the weather changing

I'll finally have the drive to sit at my computer

like a good little girl

I wanted to share some new digi goodness

from etsy Artisan April Harris of Jane Says

Aprils shop is always an eye catcher

always full of happy colors and fun whimsical creations

so it is very exciting to see her work start to come to life

in digital form

Check out Jane Says growing line of digi products by clicking HERE!

April has generously offered Gnome-N-Birdy readers

her Dig-Love-Hearts kit FREE with any digi purchase made in her shop

Just mention this blog post in the note to seller

offer ends 12-31-2010

I just love how this page turned out!

Digi kits from

Jane Says - Mini*Toko - A Print A Day - Tada

Scrapbooking Goes to the Cats

I stumbled upon the colorful world of

Lilly Bimble

(don't you just love how that rolls off the tongue!)

a few months ago and instantly fell in love with her doodles,

crafts, and clip art creations.

Just look at her inspiration!

It's no wonder her work is so fun and playful

I enjoy seeing Lilly's work evolve

like this set of hand painted Matryoshkas

that eventually inspired her digital clipart set

perfect for an array of hand made projects

but of coarse at Gnome-N-Birdy

we love scrapbooking!

and so fellow scrapbookers

if you love clip art and bright bold colors

check out Lilly's growing collection of

digital scrapbooking goodies

and while you are taking a peak

make sure to grab Lilly's Spotted Cat FREE download!

I'm more of a dog person myself

but I do miss my friend Alissa's cat - Yoshimi

What a character!

additional digi credits:

Kitschy digitals - A Print A Day - Pugly Pixel - Minitoko

For the Love of Shrooms

Without roaming your yard endlessly

find a toadstool that puts a smile on your face

and some much needed kitsch into your day

(click on images for source)

Interview with Paper Glitter

Meet Linnette of Paper Glitter

She is super cute and talented to boot!

What is your educational background? How did you get interested in graphic design?

Art has always been a part of my life. After leaving my home city of Miami at 18, I pursued an Industrial Design degree and a minor in graphic design at the Cleveland Institute of Art. My focus there was Toy Design though. I loved the bright colors and graphics and endless possibilities of fun drawing. I always liked illustration and experimented with cute type of characters throughout my carrier. I really taught myself to use Adobe Illustrator to bring my sketches to life in bright, bold images.

Tell us about designing toys? How did you end up with such a dream job?

I was offered an internship during college at Fisher Price as a toy designer and I was sold! After college I became a toy designer for an inventing firm called the Obb in Englewood NJ. After about a year and half I became very homesick and decided to come back home to Miami. I then worked as an illustrator for a company for about 4 years and then I decided to open up my own business offering toy design and illustrations. So I have been a LLC company for about 5 years since then. I have incredible clients from all over the world and I feel spoiled and blessed at times--I get paid to basically play! Designing toys is very fulfilling.

Check out Linnette's Toy Portfolio on Flickr

What inspires your party lines?

I must admit, I am not a "party expert" per say. I recently started to wonder in this field. I love paper crafting and creating cute graphics and party kits tend to lend themselves to have endless paper crafting opportunities. I really could not resist joining the current trend of party printables. I think I can contribute lots of fun themes/graphics with unique paper crafting templates-that's my strength. What inspires me is usually is an illustration style I would like to explore. I like to experiment with different illustration styles, I don't like sticking to one style. Some days I feel like doing an all out Kawaii look, on other days the look may be more modern , it all depends on the type of illustration style I want take a crack at!

What, who inspires you as a designer?

Walking through the greeting cards section in Target is my joy! There are so many wonderful styles illustrated on today's greeting cards that I am quite inspired when I see them. The greeting card section at Target feels like a gallery show to me---I am such a nerd! But I don't believe in copying--it takes a lot of work for designers to come up with images that bring emotion to someone looking at their images. Images already created should inspire one to desire to make their own and bring that level of emotion you just felt by someone else's work into your own :) I also love the following illustrators:http://www.greenbeanart.com/,http://www.fulanita.com/,http://www.worldofwassco.com/index.cfm.

What is you favorite childhood birthday (holiday) memory?

It has to be my mom's paper crafts. My mom would make our parties and she loved crepe paper-I can honestly still hear the sound that paper made as she worked late at night crafting our party items. She would make paper hats for everyone with lots of glitter--maybe that's where I get it from!

What are you working on next?

I am catching up with work at the moment and doing some very secret Kawaii projects! For PaperGlitter I am working on adding new items in the near future including some boy items.

Are you okay with people using your downloads for their digital scrapbooks?

Sure! I actually encourage it. I sell collage sheets and am planning to add more as well. As long as they print cut and play I don't have a problem with it :)

Favorite sweet treat?

I LOVE mcdonalds caramel sundae with one of their apple pies smooshed inside the sundae itself--so gross and bad for you--yet so good!

What have you designed that you are most proud of? (toy or download)

For a toy-it would have to be this My Little Pony Ponyville Boutique. It was one of those projects I knew it would work well before even drawing the first line on paper. I was given the assignment and within moments I had it carved out in my mind. For my downloadable PDF's, it would have to be my sweet paper dolls. I thought not only as an illustrator while designing them but also as a toy designer. I wanted to make sure they were easy to cut and I wanted the accessories to hang really well on the dolls.

Outside of design what do you do for fun?

I read blogs and craft magazines like crazy-these are my simple pleasures. I also like to go window shopping. I recently have had an interest in baking.

Top 3 favorite etsy shops?

Enid Wilson Studio

Greenbean Baby

Paper Platypus

Top 3 favorite blogs?

PaperCrave, Bakerella

(of course) and Fresh-Linen {she has such a great sense of style I wish I had!}

Check out Linnette's entire line of paper party supplies

by checking out her online shop and her wonderful blog

and don't miss out on her Freebies while you are there!