Did you really make this?

Is this really handmade? 

This seems to be the question du jour at Mystic Moon Media lately. And you know what? It is an excellent question and we are always happy to answer it. 

99% of the time, the answer is yes! Cherie makes all the artwork, necklaces, journals, cards, magnets, buttons, BOS/XL journals, bookmarks, pocket mirrors, quill pens, and parchment paper she sells*. The leftover 1% is the frames for artwork, but if she had more time, she would make those, too. 

Does she do all of the work by herself? Most of it. Sometimes she may ask for help with matting and packaging prints or stuffing journals. The rest is all her. 

So when you walk into her Bristol Renaissance Faire booth this summer and see the shelves stocked with goodies, just remember every item is a result of Cherie's handy work. In this day and age of mass production, we think that makes her products even more special. 

* Did you notice the mention of a couple of new items that will be in the shoppe this summer? 

Must See Web TV: The Flog

Are you familiar with Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Eureka, or The Guild? If so, then you will probably recognize Felicia Day, host of the YouTube series, The Flog.

Felicia created this newer series to share some her geeky adventures and  favorite Internet finds. From learning about blacksmithing to participating in a musical performance of "Ode to Carrie Fisher", this vlog is full of silliness that most of us can relate to. Enjoy!

Learning about steampunk fashion




Chainsaw fun




Retro video gaming

A Pirate's Life for Me

Grab a bottle of rum and peruse some pirate garb as we count down the days until the Bristol Renaissance Faire reopens. Cosplay ahoy!

Pirate bucket boots by Elstwhen

Pirate waist cincher by Red Curry Designs

Needle felted parrot by Rae Stimson

Velvet tricorn pirate hat by Topsy Turvy Design

Leather tricorn pirate hat by The Blonde Swan

Pirate spyglass necklace by Mata Hari Jewelry

Pirate pants by Miss Molly Fairy

Pirate shirt by Misty Thicket

Pirate coat by It's Not Pajamas

Must See Web TV: Feast of Fiction

Have you seen any episodes of Feast of Fiction? The hosts take food from geeky pop culture and create recipes that you can throw together at home.

Slurm Soda and Bachelor Chow from "Futurama"

Lemon Cakes and Milk of Poppy from "Game of Thrones"

Lamb Stew with Plums from "The Hunger Games"

Check out their channel on Youtube for more delicious ideas. What kind of goodies do you think they should tackle next? 

Sovereigns & Warriors... what do they have in common?

Hello everyone... sorry that this blog post is late to the "Sovereign of Summer" release.  I wanted to wait to give a little explanation about this one's creation. A great deal of people ask me where I get my inspiration for the features or "the look" of a subject in my paintings.  Well, this can occur from anything, I suppose.  I tend to pick up features from people I see... and don't even realize that I paint them until it is done.  Another way is the books that I listen to.

I love audio books.  I no longer have time to read... and to be honest it has been a while since I read a whole book.  Audio books allow me to get that "reading" in while I am doing so many other things... mainly painting. When I listen to these books... I don't even realize what I am painting.  I seem to zone  into the book so intently I no longer notice anything around me.   After a few hours I seem to "focus" back to reality.  When I "come back" I discover what I have been painting. This is how Sovereign of Summer's "look" came about.

During this painting I was listening to the "The Vampire Lestat" by Ann Rice.  "Sovereign of Summer" is what I picture Lestat's mother, Gabriel, would look like.  Her eyes... her hair... down to the way her face is structured.  She has a mane of long golden hair... she is strong and has a feral fierceness to her demeanor.

As for my other painting... "Jaguar"... well, he resembles Lestat, of course.  It is really amazing to me how the chapters of a book become part of my paintings. It is not intentional... it just happens.

Well, thanks for reading.  The Bristol Renaissance Faire will be open in about a month and a half.  I will be releasing many new works in that time... so we will have them ready for the faire!
~ C.Gerhardt

LOTR LOL

Looking for a little Lord of the Rings humor while you wait for "The Hobbit" film? Here you go!

The Lord of the Rings Hipsters

LOTR Spoofs

College Humor Lord of the Rings Updates

Have a favorite LOTR character or creature? Let us know on the Mystic Moon Media Facebook Fan page. You just might end up inspiring Cherie's next art piece! 

Lady of the Meadow - "Fan"tastical Fantasy Art

Cherie's neighborhood has turned into a hot-bed of fantasy action! 

It all started when she noticed the "for sale" signs in the meadow by her house were being uprooted and thrown into the middle of the road. After several broken signs, she figured out a meadow nymph had occupied the area and was none too pleased that someone was trying to get rid of her oasis. 

Shortly after this discovery, Cherie and I began to frequent the meadow, amazed at all the creatures that came to help the nymph protect the land. Wyverns, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, hinds, rabbits - all working together to keep the area safe. 

As a token of appreciation, Cherie left a basket of goodies for the meadow nymph, who responded with a written thank you note. And after some digging around, I found a spell for her to use to request specific flowers within the field. 

We also tried to attract a unicorn to help the meadow, but the crystals, rainbow items, and strawberries we placed around the area failed miserably. 

Towards the end of the month the owner of the field decided that they would donate the land to a youth organization that encourages environmental responsibility among youth. The meadow was turned into low-impact nature trail area and groups of children have already begun visiting the field. 

On Monday we decided to take a walk around the meadow before another group of kids descended on the area and we were amazed by what we found. Apparently having that many innocent souls in one area was the key to attracting a unicorn all along. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This piece of art is part of Mystic Moon Media's "Fan"tasical Fantasy Art collection. Each month a mythological story is introduced on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. Whenever someone participates in the storyline, they are helping to steer the direction of that month's art piece. 

At the end of the month, the final artwork is revealed and one lucky person who commented on the story receives a free "Fan"tastical print. 

We hope you'll join us on our next adventure!