Monday, November 29, 2010

today's inspiration: love

Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, 'you owe me.' Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky. - Hafiz, Persian poet of the 1300s

Sigh.  This lovely painting of an equally lovely poem is painted on a school building in Minnesota.  I'm thinking about painting something similar on the wall of our bedroom.  What an amazing thing that would be to wake up to every morning!

xo,
melissa

Sunday, November 28, 2010

the most wonderful time of the year

I'll admit it; I love the holidays.  I am a self-proclaimed holiday dork.  Stay tuned for a post later this week showcasing my vintage santa collection.  And in the meantime, check out this eco-friendly greeting card I designed (above), available as a single card and a set of 10 in the Bubby and Bean Etsy Shop.

xo,
melissa

p.s. yes, working late on Saturday - again!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

today's inspiration: edwarde sharpe and the magnetic zeros

Photo by Autumn, via Edward Sharpe's Myspace Page

There's an awful lot I love about Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.  Their music is on regular rotation in my studio and at home (and on my BlackBerry's Pandora app).  I also adore their carefree, neo-boho style, both in the way they dress and in the incredibly artistic way they "market" themselves.  I find the whole package to be upbeat, ethereal, and refreshing.  Can't wait to see them live again this weekend at the Congress here in Chicago.

xo,
melissa

Friday, November 26, 2010

Monday, November 22, 2010

we have arrived!

After months of work, I'm so excited to announce that Bubby & Bean has finally arrived!

For our first official blog post, I decided to give you the run down of who and what we are.  (Confession:  I'm copying this run down from our 'about' page.  This is, however, not out of laziness, but out of the fact that I'm so deliriously tired right now that I'm saving you from the torture of having to stare at a post full of grammatical errors and senseless ramblings.)
 

Bubby & Bean art and gifts are now also officially for sale at Mountains of the Moon and at our new Etsy Shop, and boy would they all make wonderful holiday gifts (in case you were wondering).  More items will be posted over the next few days.

Stay tuned...
xo,
m
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Welcome to the official Bubby and Bean Blog!  I'm Melissa, an artist and sustainable fashion designer living in Chicago. Bubby and Bean is a new lifestyle blog that focuses on many wonderful things: independent art/design/fashion, vintage findings, random pictures and inspirations (my biggest of which is an old dog nicknamed "Bubby"), music, DIY projects and recipes, and other musings and rambles about life, love, and learning. It is also, of course, a place to share my art and business adventures with you.

Some of you may already know me as the designer for eco-fashion label Mountains of the Moon, or my other blog, Smart. Sustainable. Style, which focuses on eco-fashion and running a sustainable clothing business.  

 
Although I've been creating art since I was first able to hold a crayon, Bubby and Bean (both this blog and my line of art) is a new venture for me.  During the summer of 2010, the tragic loss of one of my oldest and closest friends forced me to take some time away from my workaholic lifestyle, drop everything, and re-learn how to follow my bliss.  From this, Bubby and Bean was born.

For more about the concept behind the Bubby & Bean line of art, and my personal bio, read on below...






BUBBY & BEAN is both an indie lifestyle blog and a unique line of art and gifts created by artist/designer Melissa Baswell.  It is inspired by many things, in particular a rather extraordinary old dog. You can view and purchase Bubby & Bean goods at Mountains of the Moon, or in our Etsy Shop.


THE REAL LIFE BUBBY AND BEAN: An almost-15-year-old rescue dog named Leary, who was given the nickname “Bubby” when he was just a pup, serves as Bubby & Bean's official muse. Bubby has lived a remarkable life, defied all odds, baffled vets, impressed countless strangers, and though gray-muzzled and a bit slow in his old age, delights in showing affection and kindness to everyone he meets. Always by Melissa’s side, his love and loyalty provide daily fuel for her creative process. “Bean” is the nickname of Leary’s friend and “cousin” Isis, also a very special old dog who grows more and more distinguished with age.


BUBBY & BEAN ART features illustrations, photographs, paintings, greeting cards, mixed media collages and other intriguing handmade trinkets inspired by many wonderful things (including but not limited to: the adventures of Leary and Isis, old dogs/new dogs, nature/the big city, vintage findings/shiny new discoveries, music/silence, jet-setting across the globe/the comforts of home). Bubby & Bean art is crafted using a sustainable approach, and special care is taken to use eco-friendly and recycled materials as much as possible in each piece.

MELISSA BASWELL is a Chicago-based artist and sustainable fashion designer. When not in a fetal-style ball on the floor of her studio creating art for Bubby & Bean, Melissa can be found at her other gig, designing contemporary women’s wear for the eco-friendly clothing label Mountains of the Moon. Melissa’s work has been shown at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, in Chicago and Portland Fashion Weeks, in local galleries and boutiques worldwide, and in fine publications like Women’s Wear Daily, Boho Magazine, Business Week, Discovery Channel's TreeHugger.com and others. When outside of her art bubble, Melissa may or not be dancing to live music (her boyfriend is the Stage Manager for a touring band), exploring vintage shops and estate sales, roaming Costa Rica in search of monkeys and/or Australia in search of koalas, drinking coconut water and/or soy chais, or petting Leary.