Monday, July 16, 2012

Giveaway: From MossyRockDesigns

Let the shopping fun continue!  Meet my Katie Bradley, owner of MossyRockDesigns on Etsy.   She's offering one White Sugar, Brown Sugar reader a 5x7 print from her collection of fabulous prints.

What I love about Katie's work is that each print she makes is so different.  Some feature boys, other feature girls, some are clearly adoption-focused---diversity!




 

First, let's meet Katie:

My name is Katie Bradley, and I'm the artist behind MossyRockDesigns. In the real world I'm a wife, and a stay-at-home Momma to 2 wonderful boys. We are currently in the process of adopting a daughter from Ethiopia.

Becoming an artist was kind of an accident: I have always loved drawing and painting, so when my son was born, I painted 3 watercolors for his nursery (Jungle Baby, Forest Baby, and Bear baby). My friends started asking me for prints to give to their friends for baby shower gifts. Then someone suggested I sell prints on Etsy, so I created my shop.

In early 2011 we began the (very long) process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. I realized that there isn't a lot of children's art for multicultural children, and especially for adoptive families. I think it is SO important for a child to grow up seeing art that represents him or her, and so I began to paint the pieces you see in my Etsy shop.

Most of my prints and paintings in my Etsy shop are of multicultural (African or African American, or Asian) children. Some of them are adoption-themed, others celebrate hope, love, family, friendship, childish innocence, and African hair.

Each of my paintings has a story. For example, I painted Hair Time after my friend taught me how to detangle and braid her daughter's beautiful curly hair.

Here's a little secret: Later this Fall (right on time for Christmas shopping!) I will be launching a new product in my Etsy shop: domino pendant jewelry with tiny prints of my art encased in resin.

To learn more about what I'm up to, visit my website

-----

Giveaway:  One 5x7 print from MossyRockDesigns.
Dates:   Now until noon, Central Time, on 7/20
How To Enter:

1:  Visit Katie's Etsy page, and leave a comment telling me which print from MossyRockDesigns would you choose if you won.

2:  "Like" MossyRockDesigns on FB; leave me a comment telling me you did so.

3:   Leave a comment telling Katie what she should paint next.

4:  Tweet, FB, or blog this giveaway, and leave me a comment telling me you did so. 

Yes---you can enter up to 4 times!

The winner will be posted on 7/20.   It's the winners responsibility to set up an Etsy account (free) and contact Katie to claim the prize.

19 comments:

  1. So selecting one was so difficult. I went with this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90346872/3-prints-barber-time-with-a-blue

    The middle shot of the boy at the barber. Barber Time.

    Why? I have 3 biracial daughters and it has been "easy" to find artwork to depict them. However, I had had a more difficult time with finding artwork that captures my multiethnic sons' personalities. This one reminds me of my oldest son (who is 5 today!).

    Also, I posted about the giveway on my FB page as well as recommended this one to a friend with similar color hair who has an African American son - It reminded me of them: http://www.etsy.com/listing/95290733/love-you-always-8x8-print-of-mother-and

    Seriously - I really liked a lot of these!!! Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Katie - Please consider painting biracial kiddos - I have a son who has blonde/light brown in his afro hair as well as a multiethnic child with quite dark complexion but loose/non-Afro curly hair. I'd be happy to share some images of them as your models!! Also...I'd love to see a boy with some trucks - Mine seem to push trucks up and down our driveway (all day long - Fire trucks, dump trucks, etc...)

    Then, there are girls and hop scotch!
    Blowing bubbles.
    Flying kites.
    Making sand castles (or a few kids carrying buckets at the beach - looking for seaside treasures)
    Around a campfire.
    Brown kids with white grandparents.
    A few siblings on the porch in front of a door - "at home"
    Fishing.
    Pushing a toy boat in the water (boy).
    3-5 kids bathing together in a tub.
    Jumping in puddles; umbrellas on a rainy day.
    White Mama holding hands of two brown babies - from the backside - going for a walk.

    Oh, I love your work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would choose "I See Africa". We have several of Katie's prints, and they are gorgeous! Love this new one!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ideas for new paintings: Two little girls running through a field, little girl playing with her puppy :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Probably my most favorite etsy shop!! Seriously, how am I suppose to pick a favorite? I've already purchased two paintings for this amazing shop and would love another to add to my collection! I love "I will protect you" and I also love "Small and Large Hand". Keep up the amazing work Katie, you are seriously so talented! Ps. everyone that comes over LOVES the custom painting you did of my kids holding hands :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the print "little Friends!"

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love "Sweet Dreams" and "Hair time".

    ReplyDelete
  8. I liked MossyRockDesigns on Facebook!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm thinking Katie should paint my family next. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. And last but not least...I facebooked it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love "Little Friends" it looks just like the 2 little girls I use to watch together. I "liked" you on FB...and I think you should paint a bigger family - mom, dad, multiple kids of different races - next. Or offer some of your current paintings with even more choices (i.e. I have dark hair and light skin...my kids have lighter hair but darker skin!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. PS I shared the giveaway on fb too

    ReplyDelete
  13. I liked MossyRockDesigns on Facebook too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I would love Katie to paint a picture that would reflect our soon to be family: 2 biological boys that are hispanic/white and our baby boy (Coming next month!) that is African American :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love "thoughtful in the quiet shadow. And I like MossyRockDesigns on Facebook. Actually just posted about them on my Umoja page, which is a black heritage camp for families with black children being raised by parents of another ethnic group. Would love to see her paint something with a man and children. So important for our kids to have a strong male figure in their lives.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I liked Mossy Rock on Facebook!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would also like to see Katie do more pictures of transracial siblings. I have one beautiful bio boy and one delightful adopted daughter!

    ReplyDelete
  18. hmmmm... I am having a hard time picking my favorite one... I would have to pick between Brown eyed girl, Daddy's Arms, Hair time, Little Friends, and Thoughtful in Quiet Shadows if I won!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I liked you on FB and shared it with my friends and family (I have many adoptive family friend who will love this). Your work is amazing--- very sweet and beautiful... If I had to choose one it would be "hair time". I would suggest painting multi racial fairies--- we loves fairies in our home but almost everything I find is for light skinned fairies and it makes my little brown skinned girl feel left out when she only sees pictures that look like her sister (one week apart). I would also LOVE to see more pictures that depict multi racial familes (I am white, I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter who is hispanic, a 2 1/2 year old daughter that is bi racial (Caucasion/ AA/ ??) and a 3 1/2 year old son who is hispanic (but blond and blue eyed).
    Thank you for sharing this and for honoring families of all creation!!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated and published upon approval. Your thoughts and questions are also welcome via e-mail at whitebrownsugar AT hotmail DOT com.