Late summer colors

"Try to remember the kind of September

When life was slow and oh so mellow ..."

Orange berries are ripening on the bushes and our evenings are lit by fire and warmed by a blanket on the terasse. It really feels like late summer now - and this little painting i did recently catches the mood.

It is framed in a new kind of frame i was offered to test for our magazine and website KidsLife, and i like it very much. It allows to frame artwork on paper without putting a glass over the picture, something i have often wished for. A glass can look nice, but i often feel that it takes some warmth and vibrancy away from the painting, the feel and taste of something handmade.

These framed were developed to showcase kids-art. They have a slit on the top, and you can stack and store several pieces in them if you like. For me they are great because they allow me, to quickly show a client, how a painting on paper appears when framed, Plus the rounded corners look so cool.

The frames are called Articulate Gallery - get more informations here.

May i show you ...

Woran ich in der letzten Zeit gearbeitet habe?

What i've been working on in the past weeks?

Die Sommerausgabe von KidsLife! 

The summer edition of KidsLife!

Ich bin so aufgeregt!

I am so exited!

Weil ich glaube, es ist eine der schönsten Ausgaben, die wir je gemacht haben, vollgepackt mit schönen Bilden, interessanten Beiträgen und Sommerspaß für fröhliche Familien. Das wundervolle Coverfoto stammt von Jen Carver. Und es gibt einen Artikel über eine besondere Blogfreundin von mir - eine Mutter von 5 Kindern, die mich mit ihrer Kreativität und Lebensfreude immer wieder begeistert: Libbie Doyle. Außerdem stellen wir diesmal unser neues Baby vor "GreenKidsLife" - eine Kreativ-Beilage für Kinder, erarbeitet mit der S.O.F. Umweltstiftung aus Hamburg.

KidsLife im Onlinekiosk: Hier und hier

Because i think it's one of our nicest editions ever and i'm simply in love with that cute cover girl, taken by the wonderful Jen Carver. And it's got an article about a great blogfriend of mine - a mother of 5 who i just admire for her creativity and positive energy - Libbie Doyle. It's packed with summer-family-fun,   and i'm happy to introduce our new launch of Green KidsLife, a creative supplement for kids that is meant to inspire them as well as their parents to a greener, more sustainable lifestyle. 

At the moment, it's only available in german, but i hope we do manage to get an international issue as well soon. 

Da die letzte Zeit zwar schön, aber auch sehr anstrengend gewesen ist, gönne ich mir mit meinem Mann eine kleine Reise an die italienische Blumenriviera. Bis zum 15. Juni lege ich eine Blogpause ein - und wünsche Euch allen eine wunderbare Zeit. Es soll ja auch hier nun endlich wärmer werden!

Lasst es Euch gut gehen - ich freue mich darauf, Euch alle bald wieder zu besuchen!

Because the last time has been full of inspiration but also packed with work and rain. hubby and i are leaving for a little vacation to the Italian Riviera - to freshen up our energies and spirits. We'll be back on the 15th of June, and i hope you will all have a grand old time in the meantime. I look forward to visit you again and send you lots of love!

Colored raincloud DIY

Does it rain a lot where you live right now? Here, it does! Colored leaves are getting wet and we're getting this November feeling already. In case you feel inclined to craft away with kids some of these days, here's a little project i did for the KidsLife fall issue: A cozy felt cloud with colored pompoms-rain. It's really easy and fun to do - and if you know how to sew well (unlike me ;)) - it'll turn out even nicer!

Hope you're having a fabulous fall weekend - will be round to visit you for hot chocolate!

Photos: Martina Voigt-Schmid 

Friday Art: Takeaway sweetness!

These flowers taste good!

A little DIY project from our recent issue of KidsLife, that will go into print now - and one of my fave pictures, featuring a dress i hope to be wearing soon! It's really warming up in our corner of the world now and i hope for a sunny weekend and days to come. I'll take a lil' break from blogging, as i will be away on a trip to Berlin next week. I'll meet my brother Alex and my gorgeous friend, actress Sophie Sutton from NYC - lots of girly giggles and fun guaranteed! I'm soooooo ready for a little vacation, especially since we'll stay home over easter.

Have a sweet time flowers - will come by and visit you over the weekend.

Photo: Robin Benito, Model: Juli Gaston

Fun with paper and magazines

Things are only impossible until they're not.  
Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

I love this quote today, because it helps me reach for the stars, even if, for now, they are made of paper. As golden leaves start to cover the pavements, paper leaves are covering my floor. Inspiring bits and pieces from magazines i like, and cut out paper-doillies for a little project for the Christmas-edition of KidsLife. It was such a joy this morning, to discover Hana Lynch, a photographer i worked with, has featured our magazine  in her beautiful blog, the mom tog diaries. 

We published some of her work about the makeover of her kids rooms recently, and i love how it turned out. Have a look at more of her amazing work!

The air was chilly this morning, and i actually liked it - so fresh!  For a little extra fun this weekend, visit my friend Susan. She has a lovely giveaway over at  Mary Janes Tearoom.

Love for a happy weekend!

Photos: 1t: Martina Voigt-Scmid, 2, 3 and 4: Hana Lynch

Fly away with me ...

... in my little yellow plane!

Well - it's not really mine, but i'd love to own it, so i could come visit you all at weekends. Wouldn't that be fun? It really belonged to a very friendly gentlemen, who allowed our kids to sit in it and have fun with it, while Robin was taking pictures for our last KidsLife fashion shoot. 

We had a great time at this little airport, all green and airy and with enough space to contain a bunch of wild boys that were supposed to model clothes. And look how cool they posed and played along! Also, their big sisiter was - wow - a natural at modelling, so pretty! Last photo: yours truly with her big son (who is wearing a T-shirt he got when he was 9 years old, decorated by my art sister Andrea ;))

Photos: Robin Benito, Susann Pfeifer

A lemon, a painting and some kidsfashion

 

Another peek ...

into the new fashion shoot for KidsLife, with children of lovely people i know, who did their job so well . We even had a lot of fun together, ignoring the weather with a painted blue sky.

In the last picture, you see the whole painting. The photo is taken with my i-phone, so the quality is not great. But it gives you an idea of the size. Many people think, small rooms  call for small paintings on the walls - not always true. Sometimes, a big painting gives space to a small room, like adding a window. Blue skies here in real life as well today, YAY! I can't wait for spring to start, how about you?

Photos: Robin Benito, painting: Martina Voigt-Schmid

Make spring happen - now!

Let the sunshine in!

Some pictures from a new KidsLife-fashion shoot from last sunday. We had planned to go outside and do something with a big tractor. But it was just simply too cold, So we stayed inside and played in my studio  with colors, flowers and fruit, using some of my big paintings as a colorful background.

Photos: Robin Benito, Paintings: Martina Voigt Schmid

Sweet winter beauties

Art & Fashion

This is my favorite picture from a fashion shoot for KidsLife last winter. Our little models Miriam and Helen are posing in front of a collaborative painting by me and my friend Andrea, a huge painting called "Medusa". The part of it that shows here, reminds me of the milky way - lots of tiny silver dots form kind of like a veil over the painting. It shifts with the light and looks fascinating. This is how we work together: I do the painting part, while she adds graphic elements, such as silver dots or typography in crayon.

Photo: Robin Benito, Painting: Andrea König & Martina Voigt-Schmid

Monday Love: Felted things

Some Felted things 

i made for the handmade section of our magazine KidsLife some time ago. Although i normally hate needlework of all kinds, sometimes in the cold season i like making little things out of Waldorf-wool - it's so soft and cozy, and the things have a life of their own. It's like therapy - try it!

Directions (in german) here!

Otherwise, just work from your intuition, like i do. You can't do much wrong here, it will always look nice. The heart and stones are made with a felting needle over a form of styropor. If you work with a felting needle, take care of your hands! It hurts, if you stitch yourself, but besides that it's fun - like a good kind of woodoo-magic!

P.S: There's a fun giveaway over at Obee Design - check it out!

Monday Love: Cakepops and a pretty room

I'm having problems uploading pictures in my post today - don't know why, so i'm showing you something that was done a while ago. Does anyone else is having this problem? Would be interested to know - and how to deal with it.

Some time ago i spent sunday at my friend Andreas house making homemade pralinées for a production for KidsLife.

They came out different then we thought, but nevertheless beautiful and tasty. Instead of canvas and brushes we worked with sugar pearls and chocolates - nice for a change.

The house looked so good that i had to take some pictures of it as well. Andrea and i sometimes paint together - and have a project called "Malerei2". An old example of that cooperation is the lemon painting below.

Pictures: MVS - Martina Voigt-Schmid

Friday Pretties: Summer issue of KidsLife

Pretty on a friday: The summer issue of KidsLife!
It was delievered to us yesterday, and i was so happy to see it came out so well. This issue is especially dear to me, because it features some great friends i have met in blogland. AND because it was such a hard fight to get it published. We're a small publisher and it is so hard to stand our ground next to the big ones.


The cover, and pix for an article about sweet new family additions is by the fabulous Toni Elmer from Texas. I so love her style, pure sunshine and beauty.


Photos for an article about wild boys came from Elisa Voros, who captured these kids in such a lively and authentic manner.


For the creative section called "Handmade" we are so grateful to Maya Donefeld from "Maya made" for her gorgeous ideas and photos.


And then there is Elsita, a fantastic artist who's work i've shown here some time ago. In KidsLife we show her book "Blossom Buddies" and an interview about the amazing work she does with her autistic son Diego. See how open he looks on that photo here, with his sister Natalie on a wedding - no one would even guess he is autistic. But it is not rejecting, but accepting the special condition of her youngest, that has made all this progress possible.

Our magazine is so far only available in german, but who knows, maybe i can get a smaller version going - as an E-mag in english language. Am thinking about this.
Big thanks to all these wonderful ladies and a fun and relaxed weekend to all of you!
And if you like, join the party of Friday Pretties at !I love pretty things"

Photos: 1st: MVS - Martina Voigt Schmid, 2nd: Toni Elmer, 3rd: Elisa Voros, 4th: Maya Donefeld, 5th: Elsita

KidsLife

The current issue of KidsLife, our great new parenting magazine in Germany, Switzerland and Austria - if you speak german and have Kids, try it! This is, what i spent most time with - editing, doing layouts, finding good photos - a big challenge and lots of fun. This cover was done by Jenny Mc Cann from texas. Check out her Profile on Flickr: jennymccann2007