Written by Yanka's husband and site manager RF

Yanka started to draw again!!!!

I am happy to share with you that Yanka has recently started drawing and painting again and has even learned a new technique called 'grattage'. Grattage is the process of creating texture and patterns by scraping or scratching the surface of a painting using various tools such as sandpaper, wire brushes, or even the edge of a coin or a toothpick.

Many famous artists throughout history have employed grattage in their works. Max Ernst, a surrealist painter, used it to create abstract textures and shapes, while Joan Miró used it to add texture to his paintings and create interesting patterns.

Yanka always loved Medieval art and she finds it deeply inspiring. She decided to use grattage to create would-be woodblock prints and produced a series of colorful fantasy artworks inspired by Medieval animal art. The use of grattage in her paintings enhances their texture and provides an added layer of depth, which brings her Medieval animal art to life.

These three artworks are already framed and ready to ship. They are sold together as a tryptich, and you can buy them here or in our RubyLane shops (choose your option below).

More art is coming soon! Yanka doesn't like to show her unfinished projects, but I can tell you that there  will be another Medieval dyptich 'Night and Day' featuring fantasy animals, a couple of whimsical cats and much more. So wait for it or write in the comments if you want to see it now.

I said in my previous post that I shouldn't show you the picture of unfinished Japanese Cat, the latest and cutest Yanka's project. Now it doesn't matter. This is Japanese Cat, a little embroidery that I was so fond of and run to check on the progress every day after coming home from work. This is the Japanese Cat​, bright, cheerful, full of character, so special.

I killed it.
I made a mistake. Again. I tried to avoid bigger trouble by cutting conversation in midair, and made it worse. Again. I tried to calm Yanka down and used wrong words. Again. I made Yanka furious and left her alone when she stormed out of the door to the bedroom. I hoped to give her time, and indeed there was silence for a few minutes.
Then Yanka came back, took sewing scissors and cut this little embroidery in front of my eyes.

It had to have yellow belly, pink ears and teeny-weeny green eyes, and roses all around it, but it is dead now. Yellow belly, pink ears and teeny-weeny green eyes.

I don't know if there would be any more news on our site. I don't know if there would be a site. There weren't any sales here anywas, but at least there was hope to start selling, and we both worked for it.
There ain't us anymore, and I don't know what to do in order to change it. Too many mistakes for too many years, over and over again.

Men, if you hear me, don't do it, by any means, don't make them suffer, don't make your gals angry. They create marvelous things, when you bring them pain, and sorrow, and when you disappoint them, and when you fail them, you destroy all these things, everything.

Don't forget the Japanese Cat. Yellow belly, pink ears abd teeny-weeny green eyes.

Yes, I know, I shouldn't show it to you, but I just fell in love with this project, and I'm sure that you will love it too.
Some time ago we bought two rice bowls online from a nice Japanese man, and when they arrived, we found several Japanese postcards inside, all featuring hand-drawn cats, one cuter than another. It was such a nice surprise!
(Wish we knew who was the artist that draw these cats. If you recognize it and know the artist, please, tell us, and we will gladly credit him or her here.) Ever since Yanka wanted to bring these images into her craft. We tried several things including papier-mache sculptures, but it wasn't very successful, so I almost forgot about the Japanese cats, and then... A few days ago Yanka told me that she started embroidering a cat, but she didn't tell which one, so I was almost unprepared when she let me see this:

He will have green eyes, you know? Teeny-veeny green eyes.

I have no illusions, I know that no one ever reads my blog, but if you see it, and if you like this awesome Japanese kitty and want to buy it, please, check if we already listed it for sale and use our contact form if we still did not.
Best regards, till the next time, my imaginary reader!

{Written by Yanka's husband}
How do you take your product photos?
Everybody says that my pictures... are a failure and the main reason why Yanka's arts and crafts don't sell as they should, and you know what? I tend to agree. I can't take pictures indoors, it's always too dark, so I have to wait, and wait, and try to catch the perfect weather - not too sunny, not too overcast, and the perfect light - not too blue, not too yellow, etc. Naturally, it doesn't come everyday, but...

But when it comes, when it actually happens like a few days ago, I can take great pictures, so this time I took three Yanka's new wood burned projects outside, and I made this:

Then, secondly, I took pictures of these two small round plaques. They are so cute (the plaques, I mean), they will look wonderful on the wall of some eco-friendly kid's room.

I will post them for sale very soon, and in meantime, you are welcome to tell me in the comments what do you think of my new photos and Yanka's craft!

 {Written by Yanka's husband}
First of all, I am sorry. I promised to write more often and to inform you of all Yanka's new projects and new skills learned, but instead, I went down with severe flu and out of our life for two weeks.
Anyway, I'm back, and Yanka is already learning another skill, and it's called decoupage.  So far she tries it on a small mason jar, and it turned out darn cute and beautiful (she used 'Hello Kitty' pictures for it).
​Yet she didn't stop creating new mixed media art, and I had posted two of her artworks (Persephone and The Green Man) here for sale:

while there's the 'Stars' diptych waiting to be photographed and posted, and Yanka is currently working on a Celtic Wolf mixed media artwork (she-wolf, yes) that yesterday looked like this:

So she was busy, and there are many new things coming! Stay tuned and leave some comments, your opinion is greatly appreciated.
​Personally, I love that she-wolf!

{Written by Yanka}
​I'm constantly learning new skills and recently I took a course in Mixed Media art. When I studied in Art College I loved sculpting, so it came rather naturally to me, and soon my first piece was finished! Here it is:

Naturally, I am selling it for the minimal price, so if you like it, click the picture!

But I didn't stop at it and now I already have several projects drying here and there all over my apartment, so I decided to create a new category in my NEWS blog and inform you of all my new works in progress!

Meet my new project in Mixed Media art - The Mother-of-Pearl (the title can change).

Please, tell me in the comments what do you think of it!