Friday Features: Milusha Design

Children's Animal Nursery Art by MilushaDesign

Welcome to this week's edition of Friday Features, where today we meet wonderful artist Milusha, of Milusha Design on Etsy. Read on to discover more of this wonderful artists works and a great discount coupon code that you can use in her shop!

My name is Milusha and my shops name is MilushaDesign.  www.milushadesign.etsy.com  I am a graphic designer and illustrator and a mother of a wonderful 2.5 year old. I realized that I had a new desire to illustrate fun, bright and colourful art prints for children's nurseries using my obsession of patterns, specifically wallpaper patterns. Also, I illustrate and design unique prints for adults and their homes which are available in my shop. There are a million other creative ideas I have brewing…

Being brought up in a very artistic family, it seemed only natural that I'd fall into that profession/career. Both my maternal grandparents were "commercial artists" (designers) and my grandfather had a very successful design agency. I drew from the time I was 2 and it was more than just doing arts and crafts with my mother. It was something I truly enjoyed doing and my parents and teachers realized that it was a natural talent and encouraged me along the way. I went to school to be a designer and have been creating for 10 years now! It's great to finally be a part of the Etsy family. 

My sister is a pretty awesome crocheter and knitter and has taught me a bit. I do occasionally sit down and knit or crochet, albeit not very well. I greatly admire all those who can; but I am a very energetic "I want it done now" person and cannot seem to sit still to complete a knitting/crocheting project! I do draw (on paper) a lot. 

Giclee Blue Mountain Print by MilushaDesign

Since I have a very unique name, I decided to brand my shop after me. I realized that people would recognize it and most likely remember the name if they saw it again. It works very well.

My bestselling item is in the "Ode to India" series and is the Ganesh Limited Edition art print. I started out as selling children's art with a few adult pieces and they seem to be doing really well. I will continue exploring this.

I sell my work locally at a Children's Boutique in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada as well as on Etsy.

Owl ABC Children's Wall Print by MilushaDesign

I don't necessarily blog, however, I do a few posts weekly on my tumblr account. For those interested: www.milushadesign.tumblr.com  Here's my facebook fan page www.facebook.com/MilushaDesign If you really dig my work and would like to support me…  

My work is my passion. I take great love, care and thought into each piece that I create from scratch. I do it because I love it and I hope that people can see that. My pieces are uniquely me and I'd love to see more and more people support me and my work. My goal is to leave a mark and become a successful designer and entrepreneur. I'd also like to say thank you to all those wonderful people that do and will support me! There is nothing like encouragement! 

Also I'd like to offer the readers 15% off ALL ITEMS in  http://www.etsy.com/shop/milushadesign . Use the coupon code COMPLIMENTS15 at checkout.  This coupon code is valid from May 25- June 8th 2012

What a great story, and fabulous art! Be sure to visit Milusha's shop on Etsy to see more delightful and affordable art for every room in your home, and make sure to use that great coupon as well:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/milushadesign 

Would you like to be featured? Leave a comment below with a way to contact you and I'll send you the details!

See you soon!

Fabulous Friday Finds: A Few of My Favourite Things

I have finally decided to redecorate my bedroom...well, actually, decorate my bedroom would be more accurate as we currently have a mish-mash of furniture in there that we have had for years! My dresser is still quite functional, but I've had it since I was 8 and I am sick to death of it. It will go to the Salvation Army or anyone who needs it, as will the other furniture that isn't falling apart (Brennan's "side" table is unstable at best, and if you lift it, one of the legs has a habit of trying to fall off). I am done with being super-frugal and ridiculously spend-thrift, I want our bedroom to be relaxing and cozy and us. We are going to redo it in a French style, similar to Marie Antoinette's Blue Room - though much toned down! Here are a few things that I love on Etsy that I think would add some style and grace: Top Right: Custom listing for BHILITHINN-altered frosted candle holder with roses,cameo would set the mood for relaxation. Top Center: Silver Vintage Serving Dish by vintageinmybasement would make a great place to store some jewelry or other small items to keep them dust free and organized. Top Right: 2 tier cake stand Princess by mycakestand would be a great way to hold smaller vintage jewelry boxes which I intend to start collecting (it seems appropriate doesn't it?).

Next, Left: HANDCARVED MEDIEVAL ART TILE -- TRAVERTINE FLEUR DE LYS by JolieFaireMedieval would be a nice, rustic addition to the walls, and make sure things aren't getting too 'girly' (Brennan has to live with it too, and I'd like him to like it!). Center: LE PETITE JOURNALS - FRENCH - HANDPAINTED - THIS LISTING IS FOR ONE BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE - EACH COMES WITH A LOVELY ORGANZA GIFT BAG by PaintedByRenee will be a beautiful and co-ordinated way to write my thoughts and ideas while in my lovely new bedroom. Right: Blue and White Toile Lampshade by Sassyshades would be a perfect addition to any smaller white lamp to give the room the finishing French touches.

I'll be sure to photograph the bedroom when it is all done (this is going to be a gradual, year-long project so that we don't have to use credit cards - I'm big on only spending when I have cash in my hands) so that you can see the desired effects. I'm so excited!

Please do visit these fabulous shops to see more of what they have to offer, and while you're there, why not drop them a line and tell them I sent you?

Have a great Friday,

Thankful Thursday: At Last - New Couches!

Whew! I can't tell you how happy I am to get rid of our old, embarrassing couches. They had been a gift from my parents when Brennan and I first moved in together 8 years ago, but at that time, the couches were already 10 years old! Not that I minded - you know how tight finances are when you're first moving out, and they have definitely served us well over the years. However, we had noticed that lately, every time you sat in them, you tended to sink slightly lower than the time before, so we knew what was coming...

For the first time ever, Brennan and I bought new couches! We got a call on Tuesday telling us our delivery date, and they arrived yesterday! I can't tell you how excited we all are here. We purchased them from a Canadian store, The Brick, in late September and we were not supposed to get them until after the 20th of this month, but surprise! They came yesterday. Brennan and I spent all of Tuesday night cleaning the living room and using an at home floor refinishing kit to get the floors nice and shiny again (not that you can see it in these photos!) before the couches came. We were very fortunate to get these on sale ($200 off each!) and even better - they are made in Canada! I thought for sure that couches at this price would have been made in China (not that there is anything wrong with that), so it was nice to be able to support a Canadian business and manufacturer. Brennan also got some nice quilted blankets to protect the couches from MadameArwen , and they just happen to go perfectly with our curtains (did my man deliver or what??). Unfortunately, the living room is ripped apart in these photos - we had a fabric protector kit come with the couches and I spent the majority of last night applying that so the couches had to be pulled out from the walls, cushions taken off, etc. It is a non-toxic, water basedprotectant, not that cancer-causing stuff, so that was a relief (though it still smelled icky).
Of course, as soon as I got up this morning and let Arwen into the living room (we kept her out of it to avoid breathing in the protectant while it was drying) Arwen was up on the couch, trying it on for size. Success! She loves it, and, as you can see, seems quite happy with the size. What is great is that we got two full sized couches, not a couch and love seat, so that if Brennan falls asleep on one couch,Arwen and I will both fit on the other one!

That is all for now, Arwen and I are going to go and sit on the new couches, and marvel in the fact that we don't sink up to our eyeballs in them!
and Arwen