I just love the grand spectacle that is Coldplay. This video has so much whimsy- it sort of feels like a children's pageant, doesn't it? When the camera pans out, the stage looks so miniature and magical. Holiday music is so nice. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1rYmzQ8C9Q?rel=0]
those Christmas lights light up the street down where the sea and city meet may all your troubles soon be gone oh, Christmas lights, keep shinin' on
I know I've said this before, but I quite dislike venturing out for holiday shopping. Too many people in a hurry. Too much time wasted, thinking the perfect items are going to jump out at me as obvious gifts for people I love. Sometimes it happens so easily like that. It does. But more often I come home after having carried something around the store for far too long, only to put it back on the shelf and leave. I have to admit, for the last few years I've been taking a more comfortable route; sitting at my computer in my sweatpants with a mug of coffee, clicking on the shopping cart icon, and waiting for my presents to show up on the doorstep. As an added bonus- it's so much easier to enjoy the snow when I don't have to scrape off my car and drive through it. Liam agrees with me. So here's my gift to you, friends: free shipping on anything from my etsy shop until the new year- weee! Ornaments, cards, prints, gift sets, pure joy. Go on and find something for someone (or for yourself)!
It happened. I finally got to meet Shanna Murray. After admiring her work for several years, we were introduced at the Second Storie show on Saturday. Her illustrated wall decals are just wonderful. I'm thrilled to have my very own decal tucked away in a special spot of wall in our built-in hutch. It's such a nice daily reminder & inspiration. She uses the most simple and honest phrases. Delightful, truly. Do check out her site & shop.
In the spirit of the online shopping spree tomorrow, I will be having a sale in my etsy shop for 25% off! Head on over, see if there's something to bring joy to your world, and save money while you're at it. win win win! Redeem the code below - good for Monday 11/26 only.
I am always beyond enthusiastic about doing work for past clients- the loyalty just warms my heart! This piece was for one of my first brides, who is now expecting a little girl! Her nursery is a menagerie theme, which is completely charming. Her sister suggested this poem, which was one that Lindsey had to memorize when she was in preschool. Seriously, so cute.
What was awesome about today: a highly anticipated package on my doorstep with fancy new business cards! Weeee!
It's so easy to get swept up in the panic of the holiday shopping season isn't it? For the most part, I try to avoid crowds and, at the very least, decide who will be getting what early on. I am behind this year. Honestly, where did November go? At any rate, it's always a constant struggle between things I want to get done & things I need to get done. I have the winter show at RIT again this year to do some last minute creations for, and at the same time I hope to show Liam a calm & joyful first Christmas. The wreath below is a nice reminder for any month, but I find it especially grounding around this time. Find peace in something this holiday season!
Alright, I need to say this: I have the coolest clients. When I received a request for a custom sound of music/alpine/heidi party invitation, I couldn't say 'heck yes' fast enough. I think we reached a nice balance of having an obvious theme, but not being completely over the top. I am totally in love with that goat & I think I got some nice colors going on in the background watercolor, too.
I'm so happy to share the first finished set of my 'like a rock' linoleum print and hand sewn linen rock. It took a good deal of playing around to create the rock pattern, but i'm happy with the freeform-ness of it. The linen has a few metallic threads woven in, which coordinate in a nice way with the copper & silver ink of the print. This first set goes to a most lovely expecting couple. Lindsay has such an honest, good heart, and I can't wait to read about her new motherhood routine amongst all of her other wonderful adventures. And that Nick guy has got a few talents of his own, too. The union of their passions has led to the creation of an awesome recurring event for Cincinnati. They are powerhouses!
I think it's a quite nice combo. Now, to hunt for some more frames to fix up!
It dawned on me recently- it's time to start preparing for (or at least thinking about) winter shows already. Good grief! I'm determined to get a calendar of some sort done in the next few weeks, and beyond that my time is probably best spent making a lot of lists. Thankfully I'm good at that. Last week I conquered a knit pine tree pattern from my favorite needle crafting & sewing site. I'm thinking this would make a pretty stinkin' cute mountain, too. I might try that next. What would YOU like to see me do this year?
I just think this video is beautiful! The imagery matches the song so well. I think I'll go have a carefree kind of day like this one, which might involve apples and bubbles and running. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UVIlNWCckA?rel=0]
This last weekend I attended two majorly fun events: One, a shower, to welcome the sweetest little girl Emmie to this world, and congratulate her super proud & beaming parents. The other, a birthday party, showcasing the work of one lovely Amy Rau of greengirlpress. She somehow found a way to make our collaborative calendars from last year even more gorgeous. Bravo! I am very much looking forward to the official relaunch of her webpage, coming in November. This wonderful teaming up of Amy and I....well, we are about to bring lots of beautiful things your way. Be excited.
Spoiler alert! Hmm, whose date could that be...
I am officially welcoming fall today. I enjoyed seeing the bright orange of the month staring at me as I moved September to the back of the letterpress calendar stack, and the rest of the day progressed through apple cider, carrot ginger soup, and jean & sweatshirt goodness. Our little lovebug is 9 months old today, and I can't help wondering where the days are going! This week is no exception, and I am sooo looking forward to the greengirlpress open studio on Friday. Doesn't that new logo look phenomenal (tooting my own horn)? I also got my first wedding suite back from the printer last week, and I'm really happy with the quality & reproduction of my original watercolor. Things are moving forward!
I'm going to recommend a book now that I have yet to make it to the end of. That might seem a bit ironic, but it's not because this book isn't engaging: it's almost the opposite. It provokes thoughts that actually distract me from reading on. Suddenly I find myself reevaluating my belongings and surroundings. My initial interest in reading The Architecture of Happiness (Alain de Botton) was based on a misinterpretation of the title itself. I'm just going to say it, I didn't read the back cover. I anticipated some delightful reading about the foundations (pun intended) of our general contentment as people. This was a rather broad expectation. The first few pages had me hooked, drawing parallels between the environments we inhabit, the objects we own, the energy we exude, & our overall enjoyment of life. So anyway, I wanted to share some of my favorite passages:
"It seems reasonable to suppose that people will possess some of the qualities of the buildings they are drawn to: to expect that if they are alive to the charm of an ancient farmhouse with walls made of irregular chiseled stones set in light mortar, if they can appreciate the play of candlelight against hand-decorated tiles, can be seduced by libraries with shelves filled from floor to ceiling with books that emit a sweet dusty smell and are content to lie on the floor tracing the knotted border of an intricate Turkoman rug, then they will know something about patience and stability, tenderness and sweetness, intelligence and worldliness, skepticism and trust. We expect that such enthusiasts will be committed to infusing their whole lives with the values embodied in the objects of their appreciation."
"In essence, what works of design and architecture talk to us about is the kind of life that would most appropriately unfold within and around them. They tell us of certain moods that they seek to encourage and sustain in their inhabitants. While keeping us warm and helping us in mechanical ways, they simultaneously hold out an invitation for us to be specific sorts of people. They speak of visions of happiness."
Eloquent, right?! Go read this book! If you are local, you can borrow it (underlined and all) from me when I'm finished.
This was today: Wegman's marshmallow treasures, my beloved wake up call cup of coffee, and a stem of sedum that I am trying to root, daringly sitting atop a wedding invite sketch. Living dangerously, I tell you!
Last Friday marked one year since closing on & moving into our lovely yellow house. I made this for Michael. I used one of those cheap cardboard house boxes from the craft store as a foundation, and then did a painted corrugated cardboard, chalkboard (black gesso), calligraphy treatment to the outside. I think it's rather darling. Maybe it, itself, will house ticket stubs or matchbooks or something of the like.
Getting pretty excited to share the next few wedding invitations I've been working on, which will be printed by a wonderfully talented, local, digital printing momma. I am also happy to announce that I can offer the very colorful selection of waste not paper envelopes with printed wedding invitation suites! Euro flaps anyone? Me me me!
Thursday was Michael and my 4th anniversary. Wow! How can a period of time feel like an eternity, and also like the first day of our lives together just began yesterday? Since our wedding, we've lived in 3 different cities, and moved 6, maybe 7 times. Pretty much we are professional packers, furniture arrangers, & home makers. I am very glad to have been settled into our house now for one year this week! It feels nice to have some constancy, since Liam has already turned our lives upside-down (in a truly awesome way!). Michael gave me this beautiful succulent from Arena's, where our wedding flowers were from. Seriously, it is so cool. It doesn't need to be planted; it just gets a quick spritz of water every week. I just love that guy; he is so sweet!
The pieces below were done for one of my bridal clients from last year. She chose to have calligraphy pieces of her and her now husband's vows to match the envelopes I addressed for them. They are quite large, about 14" tall, and will be matted and framed together. Such a nice keepsake- happy one year to them!
I'm going to make an effort to supplement this blog with things other than personal work and our day to day life happenings. It may be something I've read, or seen, or heard. It might be on trend one day, and ridiculously untimely the next; but it will have had some place in that inspiration center in my being, so it deserves a spot here! To start, I thought I'd share a few videos from my favorite illustrator currently, Oliver Jeffers. His beautifully textural children's books initially caught my eye, but he does so many wonderful illustrations for other clients & for himself. Work like this leaves me completely enforced. I want to paint, like, now!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2nOvBPJTwo?rel=0]
How amazing is this picture book for ipad? Is it silly to consider purchasing one for this reason alone? And to top it off, it is narrated by Helena Bonham Carter. I mean....come on!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc3fghSJvBM?rel=0]
And I especially love his maps.
Source: oliverjeffers.com via Kelly on Pinterest
Some recent calligraphy happenings & hopefully finished products soon, too!
Working on some linen rock prototypes and trying to draft up a pattern to share. These will be paired with the prints from my previous post. I think it's a rather charming relationship. Can't wait to share the finished set soon!
