Sunday morning I was so happy to be notified that Ashes & Milk was nominated as your “Favorite Handmade Artist’s Blog” for Poppytalk’s Handmade Awards event, The Poppies. I am totally flattered to be part of this fun event and hope that you will vote for Ashes & Milk. You can vote right here and there is no registration required.

{ Update }

Thanks everyone who voted for Ashes & Milk last week! Though I did not win under as the People’s Choice “Favorite Handmade Artist’s Blog,” I was delighted to participate and be amongst so many talented artists + designers.

Also, the First Annual “Jury’s Choice” Poppies results were released today. And guess what?! Ashes & Milk came in as 3rd place under the category “Favorite Housewares!” Congratulations to Bookhou and BrooklynREHAB, who came in 1st and second. You can check out the rest of the results right here.

It was great to visit with Kia Neill over the holidays and preview her latest project Terrain, an installation where viewers walk through an intimately lighted, textured environment. It is being exhibited at the Women and Their Work Gallery from January 16 – February 27, 2010 and is a must see geological discovery for those of you in the Austin area!

Each of the crystal formations are made out of Compact Dics (CDs). What an ingenious and brilliant way to recycle materials!

I am also excited to show you an example of Kia’s new collection of work that will be offered at Ashes & Milk within the next few months.

Kia created the sculpture Frost, shown above and detail below.

Exquisitely tactile and visually stimulating, Kia’s sculptures contain an unexpected use of materials such as paper-mache, plaster, steel, polyurethane, glitter and flocking fiber.

Below is another one of Kia’s pieces Geode, a small cavity of rock that is embellished with a splendor of rhinestone crystals and plastic flora.

[ You can see more work by Kia here.]