Friday Features No. 3 -- Hide N Seek

Congratulations to Stacey Moore of All Because Two People Fell in Love for winning the 2008 fabric covered datebook and matching keychain wallet from Mrs. Kwitty's Cottage! Thank you so much to all of you who entered, and left such sweet comments about Mrs. Kwitty, and about our blog.

Happy Friday! It's good that it's Friday, because it has been a pretty long week for me. I am excited that it's Friday for two reasons: #1: hubby is taking me clothes shopping tomorrow! and #2: The Downtown Boutique has an awesome new "Friday Feature"!

Today we are featuring Hidden Eloise (as she calls herself) of Hide N Seek. Eloise hails from Yorkshire, England, where she says, "...There's a seven year old inside me that never grew up and takes over ....she makes me relive my childhood by playing the game of Hide n Seek." I fell in love with Eloise's artwork when I first featured her on my other blog last November.

I've asked Eloise some questions that will give us a glimpse into her life. Let's hear what she has to say.

TDB: How long have you been selling on Etsy?

Eloise: I've opened my shop exactly 3 months ago, almost to the day!!Although, I didn't even realize how those 3 months went by! I remember only snapshots in time, like the “grand opening” time, the celebrations on my first sale a day after and since then....nothing! The clock has stopped and it only ticks when I literally tick something off my never ending to-do list.

TDB: When did you start your craft?

Eloise: I've been drawing ever since I realized the world didn't come in the colours I wished. Since childhood, I wanted drawn creatures and colour everywhere...Slowly my drawings migrated from paper to desk and then the floor, the wallpaper of my childhood home and every surface “compatible” with ink or crayon. It was sort of like a “pandemic” that surrounded me and was spread everywhere I went, as long as I had the proper tools, pencils and fantasies. Someday, it came to my attention that there is a way for me to guide my artistic “merit” towards mainly paper and canvas instead of every poor living or non living thing around me. So I attended an arts school for a year in my late teens, but it took many years of unsatisfied sketchbooks, drawing woman's eyes on my partner's eyelids while he was sleeping, and painfully studying Architecture, to realise that I enjoy drawing most of all !

TDB: What inspires you?

Eloise: I get inspired by silent creatures, faded memories of childhood, childish scribblings, monochromatic lithographies, repetitive mechanical sounds of bizarre gadgets with no apparent use and vintage illustrations from children's books. I find irresistible old retro logos and fonts and love waiting for a rainbow to appear after the endless rains here in England.

TDB: If you could learn some new skills, what would they be?

Eloise: I'm always working to improve my drawing skills and I am currently very much dedicated to my Japanese language lessons. I've been studying for a few years now and I have a long way to go still. I'd love to refresh my Italian and piano skills which I both learned when younger and they are fading dangerously. I love music and languages, so you'll always find me experimenting with something.I've recently been looking to buy a telescope as well, so I can learn at least a few dozen different stars by their name and be able to point them at the midnight sky. Up until now, I've given them only my own names! I'd also love to teach a cute white owl to be my follower...I admire those skills that are almost forgotten and sometimes obsolete, in the modern clockwork cities we live. Among others, I want to learn how not to kill most of my poor flowers n plants. I think I love using my retro watering can too much:) Mail me with suggestions :D

TDB: What are your favorite materials to work with?

Eloise: For a while now it has been paper and pencil. Of the simple white and black variety respectively. I find nothing more fulfilling as a pass time than letting some thoughts travel on a piece of paper via a lonely pencil. Also you can sharpen some pencils and make paper airplanes out of some pieces of paper, both quite fulfilling activities in their own right :)

TDB: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?

Eloise: A trip to Japan has been eluding me for some time now. It seems one circumstance substitutes the next and I still haven't found myself there. It's not as if it's next door as well.... :) It will also have to be in spring to enjoy the cherry blossoms and I will have to make sure I have a return ticket in case I get “stuck” there...

TDB: What other things do you enjoy, besides your artwork?

Eloise: Forest animal shaped cookies, rainy days, pecks on the cheek, soft pencils, old vintage dresses, crafty things with paper, making my own bread, staring at the moon, England's low clouds, watching seasons change, green tea, fantastic worlds that are real in my mind, reading books with not enough light, my partner's company, woolly patched socks, the melodies of old music boxes, small umbrellas, trying to feed only with strawberries and peaches, the kindness of strangers, surprises, the yellow pages of old books, miss-delivered letters, empty birdcages, mechanical automata, giant watermelons, paper windmills and watching snails kiss. Among other things.

************************************************************

Hide N Seek's (Hidden Eloise) Giveaway

Eloise is generously giving away this 8.5x11 print of "Is Miss Ladybug made out of poppies or the poppies made out of Miss Ladybugs" AND this lovely 4x6 "Hide N Seek" greeting card with a matching ivory envelope. Enter to win these treasures now, by leaving a comment below. Be sure to check out Eloise's wonderful shop on Etsy.com for more amazing artwork!

The Not So Small Print: This giveaway is open worldwide. To be entered to win this fabulous giveaway, please leave only ONE comment. Multiple comments from the same person will be deleted. Please make sure that we have a way to get ahold of you (e.g. valid email address). If you win, and we can't get ahold of you, another winner will be chosen. We will draw for the winner on Friday, March 7th.

If you are interested in being our next Friday Feature, and are willing to give away one of your awesome products, please contact me.

Have a great day!

Angie