Holiday Card 2011 Designs

I promised in a previous post that I would post my selected holiday card designs. Since 99% of my cards have been written and mailed, I figure now is a good time.

Here is the card I mailed this year.

This is the other card I designed and my sister promptly told me she wanted to send it this year.

And I thought the back of this one was pretty darn fun too...I like how the dough folds over the back.

Both cards will be available for sale on my Etsy shop next year, but of course you can contact me if you want to buy some before that.

Additionally, please sign up for my mailing list if you didn't get a holiday card this year but want to get one next year! I will send one!

I really enjoyed making these cards -- I did them all on the computer. Even though I prefer the hands on work, sometimes working directly on the computer is much faster. I scanned fabric and paper and then "cut and paste" the materials digitally.

Happy Holidays!

Giveaway

In the spirit of the holidays and all the cranes I posted on Etsy, I'm having a giveaway. 

Visit my Facebook Page and/or my Google+ Page by Wednesday, December 7 at 11:59PM PST to enter to win a pair of crane earrings. A perfect gift for you or a friend!

Peace and love this holiday season.

Gift Certificates Now Available

Gift Certificates to my Etsy Shop are now available. Click the button below to purchase!

Collaging

I have always loved working with cut paper and collaging. In high school I used to do intricate cut paper pieces using old magazines. I think I have some old slides of them -- I will have to find them.

I've missed it, especially while reading books to Violet by Kate Toms...I have been completely inspired by her work. I wanted to take a different route this year with my holiday cards but didn't really have the time or the space to actually cut out my materials, so I did it virtually and had such a great time with it. My apologies to my husband, Cousin Mandy, and Violet if I was a bit less available today -- I was *really* excited about creating for the first time in a while. Once I get inspired I love creating, but the problem has been lately that I haven't been inspired. Now I am really on a roll. I just had so much fun! Perhaps if Cousin Mandy weren't sleeping in my workspace (I'm on my laptop right now, which isn't as conducive to design as my desktop) I'd be doing even more of this super fun stuff!

I am not going to spoil the surprise of my holiday card or my sister's holiday card (you can see it after the holidays or request I send you one -- and I will!) but above is one that didn't make the cut (no pun intended), just to give you an idea of the style I am working with.

Fun with Photos

I have been having a lot of fun updating photos in my Etsy shop and doing some product styling. Check out my shop for more photos and some new products now available!

Upcoming Events

I've got a couple of events in the Boston area over the next couple of weeks. No new work (unfortunately) but at least I'll be out and about.

First up is the 1st Annual LexFUN! Marketplace on Thursday, November 10th - 4pm-7pm at the Church of St. Brigid, 2001 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA.

Second is the Art & Craft Benefit Sale for the Brighton Public Library. This will be held on November 12 from 10am-2pm in the Community Room at the Brighton Public Library. We'll be donating 15% of all sales to Friends of Brighton Public Library -- because we love libraries! Please visit the site for more information about things to look forward to the day of the event as well as the vendors who will be participating.

I do hope to see you there, but if you can't make it, you can always go shopping for my wares on Etsy. 

Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to creating more art soon. The ideas are there, I just need to execute!

The poster above was part of a collaborative project by July Twenty Fourth.

Mini Watercolor Sketches

It's been a while since I sat down and drew or watercolored or really did anything too creative, so I am a little rusty. I took out my watercolors today to work on a project for my sister, but in the end just started playing with mini watercolor sketches. I'm not in love with them, but the important thing is I had so much fun and it felt so right to be working today.

I love the looseness of them though, even though I don't think they are fine works of art or anything.

I was really loving playing with the baby food jars -- I did some more (but I didn't scan them in) -- but I think even when I have a babysitter for Violet for four hours I am clearly still thinking about her.

I also want to thank Peter Reynolds -- he's truly an inspiration. Yesterday Leslie, Vic, Violet and I went for ice cream in Dedham and stopped at the Blue Bunny Books + Toys, which Peter Reynolds owns. I have always loved his work -- I think his drawings/watercolors are so full of life and movement, and I also just love the lessons behind his books. Yesterday at the bookstore he had two original drawings out on 18x24" drawing pads and I really wanted to buy one of them. I mean, desperately. It was of a child with wings. I haven't been this taken by a piece of art in a long time. Anyway, I wanted it for Violet's room, but I also left the store with this strong feeling that I needed to create. So thank you, Peter. And if you ever decide to sell that drawing, can I have first dibs?

And here's to hoping that someday my drawings will be as fluid and beautiful as yours.

Ice Cream Cone

I know it has been forever and there goes my promise of more art. It's been so hard balancing a baby and artmaking!

Anyway, I did this ice cream cone, but I didn't finish...I probably won't finish it, as I don't like where it is going.

I used a photo of an ice cream I took, which isn't usually the way I like to work. I like to work from actual objects, but it's hard with something like ice cream that melts (or birds that don't stay put). I'm still trying to figure out the best way to draw ice cream from an actual object. Draw it outside in the middle of winter? Make fake ice cream again?

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed drawing again, so I am hoping I'll be back sooner than later.

What a mess!

Please bear with me as I work on updating my layout!

New goal...

Maybe if I write my new goal here, I'll be more apt to keep it:

Create something non-digital once a week.

I miss artmaking. One drawing a week will keep my hand in it and I know it's not an impossible goal. I am stressing non-digital because I am still doing freelance and stuff with Melanie for July Twenty Fourth, but I also need the hands-on, down-and-dirty projects.

Lupine Door Panels

It's been a long time since I have posted -- life with a baby gets to be a bit crazy!

I did want to post a project I finished a long while back for my friend Martha -- fabric panels for her closet doors.

By the way, I do hope to make more art soon. I need to be drawing or watercoloring or something -- as much as I love my Violet time, I miss creating so much as well.