Monday, December 8, 2014

Bougainvillean Matryoshka and New DIY printables!

Bougainvillean Matryoshka
Hello all! My latest drawing is a Bougainvillean Matryoshka. My husband and I watched the film Mr. Pip, directed byAndrew Adamson, adapted from the novel Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. The film and the beautiful people of Bougainville inspired me to learn more about the people, culture and history of Bougainville. I hope this drawing inspires others to do the same. I pinned some images of Bougainvilleans to a board here.

Also, since my last post I have designed some new DIY printables with my Sugar Plum Fairy. An ornament:

Sugar Plum Fairy Ornament (Front)
Sugar Plum Fairy Ornament (Back)

And a Sugar Plum Fairy box:
Sugar Plum Fairy box (Front)

Sugar Plum Fairy box (Back)

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Seto, Estonia Matryoshka

Seto, Estonia Matryoshka
Hello! Introducing my Seto, Estonia Matryoshka. While researching this culture I found many wonderful Estonian images and pinned them to a board here. I have pinned other Estonian cultures to the board and hope to come back to it in the future. The Muhu culture looks very interesting, full of colors and patterns!! :)

Peace,

Amy
AmyPerrotti.etsy.com

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Sugar Plum Fairy Matryoshka

Sugar Plum Fairy Matryoshka

Introducing my Sugar Plum Fairy Matryoshka, a suggestion I received here on the blog! Thank you for all your wonderful suggestions! Prints are now available in my shop. While doing research for this drawing I found many beautiful ballerina images around the web and pinned them to a board here. Love and joy to you and yours. :)

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

South Indian Matryoshka

South Indian Matryoshka
Hello all, this is my South Indian Matryoshka!. Her prints are now available in my shop along with a PDF coloring sheet (DIY printable files). While doing research for this drawing I came across many beautiful images and posted them to a board to share with you here. The Indian culture has always been a favorite of mine and I'm very thankful to all my Indian customers for their support of my work from the beginning. One of the first Matryoshka I drew was an Indian that I entitled Aqua Indian Matryoshka:
Aqua Indian Matryoshka

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Kazakh Matryoshka

Kazakh Matryoshka
Another week, another Matryoshka! This is my Kazakh Matryoshka now available in my shop. I have had many requests for this culture mostly from parents who have adopted Kazakh children. :)  I enjoyed researching the Kazakh culture and found many images on the web that I've pinned to a board to share with you here.

Peace,
Amy
AmyPerrotti.etsy.com

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Uzbek Matryoshka

Uzbek Matryoshka

Hello, sorry it has been so long since I've posted. This spring I caught the gardening bug and planted new shrubs and flowers around our house. Now it is too hot for gardening so I'm back to the drawing board as it were.


Above is my Uzbek Matryoshka. Prints of her in various sizes and a downloadable coloring sheet are now available in my shop. While doing research for this illustration I came across many wonderful images on the web and made a board of them here


As I've said before, my Matryoshka illustrations are original designs, my artistic interpretation, inspired by various cultures. They share common design elements to both unify the collection and to illustrate that all cultures, all peoples, have much in common. The design elements that reoccur are my own stylized drawings of a plum blossom, leaves, and swirls, etc. This week while visiting the Wake Forest University Museum of Anthropology's "Chinese Ceramics from the Changsha Kilns" exhibit I saw a piece of pottery with a plum blossom design. The tag reads, "The plum blossom (mei) is a symbol of beauty, virginity, courage and hope." I did not know the meaning of the symbol but I am pleased with it and find it quite fitting. :)


I am in the process of sketching my next culture / nationality a Kazakh Matryoshka. I hope to complete it in the next week or so. 


Peace,
Amy
AmyPerrotti.etsy.com

Friday, March 14, 2014

Mongolian Matryoshka

Mongolian Matryoshka
Hello! I am very excited to bring you my latest drawing a Mongolian Matryoshka! I was inspired by many wonderful images from around the web and pinned them to a board here.

I spent last week changing over the prints in my shop to one item listing for each drawing offering all the different  print size variations and prices available. This reduced the number of pages total in my shop from 21 to 8, making navigation much easier. The coloring sheets have to be listed separately because they are downloadable files. So when you visit my shop, and I hope you will, you will see the first few pages are my prints in alphabetical order and the next few pages are my coloring sheets in alphabetical order. Then following that any other printable files I offer as PDfs. My Mongolian Matryoshka coloring sheet is here.

Because it is only me researching, drawing, listing, updating my various shops and doing all the paperwork, for now I have come up with a simple schedule to make sure I get to all the things that need to be done, one week researching and drawing, one week doing everything else. I am hoping this every other week schedule will keep the paperwork, etc., from piling up. Because I would really rather be drawing and given the choice I choose that every time. So next week I am planning on updating my zazzle.com/amyperrotti shop to include all my latest drawings. Also I'll research what new products they are offering that I could add to my shop.

Of course filling orders is still top priority and I will continue to do that first and get orders out in a timely manner. Thank you for your support! :)

Peace,
Amy
AmyPerrotti.etsy.com

Friday, February 28, 2014

Filipina Matryoshka

Filipina Matryoshka

Hello! I am happy to bring to you my latest drawing, my Filipina Matryoshka! Her print listing (five different size / styles to choose from) and the additional listing for her coloring sheet pdf are now in my shop. I have had several requests for her so I hope everyone is pleased with her. While doing my research I found many wonderful photos from around the web and pinned a board of them here.

Thank you for your continued interest and support!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Burmese, Myanmar Matryoshka

Burmese, Myanmar Matryoshka
This is my Burmese, Myanmar Matryoshka. One of my wonderful collectors sent me oodles of photos from her trip to Myanmar to help inspire me. It was so helpful! Such a beautiful culture! She also shared this helpful explanation (loosely quoted), "Thanaka is a paste made out of powdered boxwood. It is considered almost a national make-up. It is slightly astringent and protects against heat and sun. It is worn by children and women on the face and neck and sometimes arms as well." And, once I completed the drawing and showed her she said, "I love how you worked in the thanaka idea with your signature flower." I love receiving info. on the cultures you suggest and your feedback!! Please keep it coming! :)

I found more images around the web and pinned a board of them to share with you here.  

Just a reminder: Come March, I am changing all Matryoshka print listings in my shop to one listing for each culture/nationality. To choose which size you want to purchase look to the right of the listing where it has the name, price, and "Quantity", under those is "Size". Just click on "Select a size" and a drop down window will appear showing all the sizes. Choose the one you want and the price will adjust according to which print size you choose. If you already have some of my shop's items in your cart, you may want to go ahead and purchase them prior to March because the current listings will disappear and be replaced by the new ones (it may save you having to refill your shopping cart). I hope you like this new shopping experience. I hope it simplifies things and makes shopping with me even more enjoyable.


Oh, and I should say that the coloring sheet PDFs will still be listed separately. You can see the Burmese coloring sheet listing here.

Peace,
Amy

Thursday, February 13, 2014

French, Arles, Provence Matryoshka

French, Arles, Provence Matryoshka

Hello! I hope you are having a wonderful day. It is snowing buckets here! 

I have listed in my shop my latest Matryoshka, my French, Arles, Provence Matryoshka! I have had many requests for France and from so many different beautiful cultures within France. So this is my first and I will leave the others on my suggestions list to draw at a future date. You can see this French culture and many others in images I found around the web and pinned to a board here

Beginning with this French Matryoshka, I am changing all Matryoshka listings in my shop to one listing for each culture/nationality. To choose which size you want to purchase look to the right of the listing where it has the name, price, and "Quantity", under those is "Size". Just click on "Select a size" and a drop down window will appear showing all the sizes. Choose the one you want and the price will adjust according to which print size you choose. In the month of March I will begin changing all the listings in my shop to this new, simplified shopping method. If you already have some of my shop's items in your cart, you may want to go ahead and purchase them prior to March because the current listings will disappear and be replaced by the new ones (it may save you having to refill your shopping cart). I hope you like this new shopping experience. I hope it simplifies things and makes shopping with me even more enjoyable.

Peace,
Amy


Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Spanish Flamenco Matryoshka

Spanish Flamenco Matryoshka

Hello! I hope you are having a good week. I have had a very pleasant week drawing my Spanish Flamenco Matryoshka. I jumped ahead on my suggestions list because I had a sudden inspiration to draw her. I came across some wonderful images during my research and pinned them to a board here. I think she is extra sweet and I hope you do too! Please check out her items in my shop. :)

Monday, February 3, 2014

English Matryoshkas

English Rose Matryoshka



Hello! Sometimes when I'm drawing my Matryoshka I get attached to two different color combinations. This happened with my Vietnamese Matryoshka so I made one red and one blue (Fire and Water). While creating this English Matryoshka, I came up with an English Rose version and an English Ivy. I decided to offer both in my shop so you can choose your favorite or collect both to have a set!

While researching English fashion history I looked at many, many examples of late 1700's and all through the 1800's and fell in love with them all! I pinned a board of English dress from that time period here.


Peace,
Amy

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Métis Nation of Canada Matryoshka

Métis Nation of Canada Matryoshka
As promised, my Métis Nation of Canada Matryoshka is now complete and listed in my shop! There are so many wonderful cultures in Canada it was very difficult to choose the first one to draw. I decided to go with Métis after reading about their history. One source I found "Métis Nation of Ontario" has an explanation entitled, "Who are the Métis" and "Symbols and Traditions". Another source of Métis cultural history is "Our Legacy".

The Métis became known as the "Flower Beadwork People" because of the floral pattern beadwork the Métis women created. The website for the University of Oregon's Museum of Natural and Cultural History explains the history of their beadwork in a page entitled "Métis Textiles". Further explanation of the symbols used in the beadwork can be found here: "Metis Beadwork".

I have so enjoyed my research for my Métis Nation of Canada Matryoshka! I found so many wonderful images and videos around the web and pinned them to a board here.


Peace,
Amy

Friday, January 24, 2014

Argentine Matryoshka

Argentine Matryoshka

Hello and a belated Happy New Year to you! A new year and a new Matryoshka illustration! This is my Argentine Matryoshka she is now available in my shop. During my researching for this drawing I pinned some Argentine images from around the web to a board here. I hope to bring you many new Matryoshka illustrations this year! Next will be a culture from Canada. There are so many the question is which to draw first??  I'll be posting again soon! :)


Peace,
Amy