February Featue: @katesbookparade | Book Reviewer

I wanted to squeeze in one final February Feature for the year, topping things off with a fun Instagram handle called @katesbookparade. A gal I know threw together a little side project for her personal enjoyment, sharing and rating the books she's read. This outlet of hers has since exploded, gaining 3,000 followers from the bookstagram world in just a few months. And I can't blame them!

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Her opening post reads....

Hi, friend! You've stumbled into a space full of love letters (and sometimes hate mail) to the books that I, Kate - a tall, snarky, noisy ex-librarian - am currently reading. While this space is mostly used to flex a few creative muscles and catalog thoughts on books devoured (because, honestly, Goodreads never did it for me), if you decide to tag along with me I hereby promise you will be met only with honesty, color, and lots and lots of silliness. If you love words and scribbles and having very strong opinions of things you know very little about, we are made for each other! Come join the parade. 

Her book reviews provide the perfect tease. They contain enough detail and context to let you know if this is a good pick for you, while being sly and offhanded enough as to not give too much away. She crafts her humor, passion, and literary observations into a witty reflection that will leave you pleased to have read her thoughts, if not the book itself. The fun visual approach with her beautiful penmanship rounds out the experience, leaving you with favorite verses, number of stars, and usually a bullet list for quick reference. She tipped the scales for me to read Save the Plums, and The Starless Sea is a new addition on my holds list.

Marching bands, floats, and balloons,

- SJW

February Feature: Tim Wistrom | Painter

I stumbled upon this next fascinating artist at an artshow in Seattle. I was so awestruck by his paintings that I bought a pack of postcards on the spot and proceeded to send these oddly imaginative and imaginatively odd images out to my friends. The juxtaposition of nature and landmarks amidst a serene yet apocalyptic scene is both thought-provoking and strange. It's not clear whether I'm meant to be reflecting on climate change, nature's ability to adapt, the end times, or simply craving a Dick's hamburger and frappachino.

Self-taught, he's become a master at surrealism, and is apparently known as "the artist that paints Seattle underwater." Although typically not my style, there's something about his work that is undeniably unique and makes it difficult to look away. I enjoyed reading through the artwork titles and descriptions on his Etsy page to gain a better understanding of the meaning.

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Considering a world gone by and a world yet to be, 

- SJW

February Feature: Shannon Loys | Designer

Shannon Loys is not only a kind and likeable human being, she's creative as can be. Overlapping at Seattle Rep, I slowly discovered her niche craft in designing beautiful show posters for local theaters. She's singlehandedly made her mark on Seattle's non-profit scene...pun intended :)

Most of her work will force a double take, often starting with a minimalist image to draw the viewer in, then visually pairing it with another theme or important motif from the play - always with a simple straightforward color pallete. I'd love to know what her process is. Does she always read the play first? Does she look at other posters or book covers? Does she do it freehand and then transfer to the computer? Whatever the method, she does it consistently well!

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Upstaging everyone else,

- SJW

February Feature: Fiona Woodcock | Illustrator

In one of my many trips to the library, I encountered the books "Look" and "Hello" by Fiona Woodcock featuring clever visual wordplay with bright whimsical drawings. Since then, I've stalked her online presence, including her participation in this unique and creative fundraiser and this recent interview about her new book project, "The Snow Dragon." She has a very playful approach to drawing and uses children's blo pens, rubber stamps, and cutting stenciles to achieve her lively characters and lovely typography. Take a L O O K for yourself :)

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Hard to chOOse a favorite!

- SJW 

February Feature: Feliz Celiz | Jewelry Maker

Every year I use the month of February as a springboard into blogging again and highlight creatives & entrepreneurs through my February Features series. It's nearing the end of February, and I realized I better get on it. Thank goodness it's a leap year!

First up is Feliz Celiz, a happy little corner of the Etsy internet. This Seattle acquanitance of mine launched her shop of colorful pom pom and dazzling tassel earrings in 2019. They are such a chic and fun accessory!

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Best of all, half of every purchase goes toward supporting newly arrived immigrants! Like her tagline says "Fun for you. Fresh Start for immigrants."

I'm spreading the message and sharing her suggestions of how to support people who are fleeing violence and persecution:

- Educate yourself on the rights of refugees and immigrants

- Support local resettlement agencies that are serving newcomers (World Reliefe, International Rescue Committee, to name a few)

- Volunteer in an Engligh classroom as a local community college

- Donate to the aforementioned organizations

- Teach others about what you've learned

Little bundles of color,

- SJW

February Features: Cactus Kits | Spalted Home

I featured this artist last year, but since then she's come up with another fun product that I absolutely love - her mini cactus kits. They are selling like hotcakes and it's easy to see why. They are precious and one of a kind, perfect as a gift. I spent an afternoon shadowing her entire process and it gave me such a greater appreciation for handmade goods. Even something as small as this takes hours to create - from the shaping to carving to glazing to stuffing...it's a process!

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All things mini,

- SJW