Megan Cassidy Carty

Published!

2010-09-26T17:19:00.001-04:00

One of my letterpressed pieces was published in a book! I'm very excited!

Seagulls

2010-04-10T12:02:00.003-04:00

Summer is almost here in New England. Or, at least, I hope so. I reprinted these cards a little while ago...flat notecards that bring some New England to wherever you are. :) If you want some, you can find them at my shop.

Megan Finds...Instant Film to replace Polaroid

2010-04-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hey there!
I've seen a lot around the internet about "The Impossible Project." Basically a team of awesome folks got together and decided to create instant film to replace the extinct Polaroid version. Right now, some has been created for specific cameras but it's a great start. Here is their press release text that explains it all:
New York City, March 22, 2010.
The Impossible Project started in October 2008 at the last preserved Polaroid plant in Enschede (The Netherlands) with the aim to save anlog Instant Photography from extinction; today it presented its significant result. After 17 months of research and development, The Impossible Project an- nounced that it succeeded in its task of re-producing a new analog Instant Film for traditional Polaroid cameras. Containing more than 30 newly developed components, Impossible today introduced a new, monochrome Instant Film - the PX 100 and PX 600 Silver Shade - and is therewith saving millions of perfectly functioning Polaroid cameras from becoming obsolete (as Polaroid discontinued its instant film production early in 2008).
Supported by Ilford Photo, UK (Harman Technology Limited) Impossible is carrying instant film production into the 21st century and proudly presents a new, artistic instant film material. It produces originals of outstanding, unique and never before seen characteristics, pushing analog Instant Photography beyond all traditional limits. Other than the highly standardized, traditional Polaroid film, the Impossible Films offer a new, broad range of possibilities, fresh characteristics and results. Celebrating the beginning of a new era of Instant Photography, Impossible introduces its first two formats in a limited First Flush Edition (First Flush also denotes Premium Tea that is picked in the first season of the year, typically around March, and has a rich and fresh aroma). It will be available online at
www.the-impossible- project.com from March 25 onwards, and thereafter also at selected premium retail partners all over the world.
Being the only company worldwide capable of manufacturing analog Instant Film, Impossible plans to present its first PX Color Film in summer 2010. Furthermore a Silver Shade as well as a Color Version of the larger Integral Instant Film format for usage in all Polaroid Image/Spectra/1200 cameras is planned. In total, Impossible‘s schedule is to present 6 new Instant Film formats within 2010.
Impossible has beyond that started collaborations with international photographers, who were invited to work with the new film material and therewith created a base for The Impossible Collection – a growing archive of contemporary Instant Photo- graphy artworks. Furthermore, the supporters of The Impossible Project recently placed a binding offer to purchase the International Polaroid Collection, located in the Musée de l‘Elysée, Lausanne. Impossible‘s intention is not only to preserve and protect this unique collection from being sold in parts, but also to re-open and expand it by providing the new Impossible film materials to contemporary artists.
A grand Impossible Project‘s Space, hosting a shop as well as a gallery, will open on April 30, 2010 at 425 Broadway in New York City – celebrating the magic and the bright future that analog Instant Photography is now facing.

I even emailed them to ask what film I could still use for my depressed 230 Land camera and got a wonderful and detailed reply: (I will certainly be trying their film for the 600 camera I also have). Yay!

Your 230 uses type 100 film:
http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/shop/film/type100

AND you can also use Fuji packfilm in your camera! It's lovely stuff, very crisp and contrast-y and the B&W is gorgeous.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/278326-REG/Fujifilm_15200772_FP_3000B_Professional_Instant_Black.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/278325-REG/Fujifilm_15200784_FP_100B_Professional_Instant_B_W.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/18595-USA/Fujifilm_15435626_FP_100C_Professional_Instant_Color.html

(you can find the Fuji packfilm lots of places, I tend to use the B&H links because I have them bookmarked)

Our factory only made integral film (SX-70, 600 and spectra) so we don't have the equipment to manufacture pack film. Polaroid tore the packfilm factory down in 2008 so if it wasn't for Fuji there wouldn't be ANY pack film left.

I hope this answers your questions, if not please feel free to email me directly.
Best,
Anne

p.s. you might want to consider converting your camera to take "normal' batteries. It's very easy (I did it and I'm so NOT handy) and this website explains exactly how to do it: http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/batteries.php

Megan Finds...Van Gogh Letters

2010-03-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

On the website for the Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam you can find all the letters written by the famed artist to friends and family archived here...you can read them translated in English or in their native tongue. You can also view the actual documents that were scanned. So cool! You can view the sketches he did in those letters and catch a personal glimpse into his world. It's a great site to poke around and explore. So much to see! I hope you enjoy it as I have. Click HERE to see the site and search through the letters for yourself.

Positive thought

2010-03-30T07:56:00.001-04:00

This is the quote that got me through the hard times when we had all of our miscarriages, fertility issues and wishing so much for a baby of our own. I spent a lot of time in a dark place. A sad place. A place filled with fear and doubt. I started to believe that nothing was going to work out for me. The pit I was in felt deeper and wider with each day. It was hellish. Then, I discovered the power of positive thinking. Not as a magic pill, but as a way to make myself feel better while waiting for the great things to come my way. They say that sending out positive thoughts and energy will bring positive things back to you tenfold. I'd tried everything else, so I figured this was worth a shot. It took a lot of practice, but I forced myself to try and turn every negative thought into a positive one. Over time, I began to find myself thinking in positive ways from the start. I felt so much better! Life felt full of possibility! And having this quote to stare at every day really helped. In our darkest hours we cannot see it, but there is a lot going on behind the scenes in our favor. We have to have faith that our dreams are coming to fruition and they are simmering there. That the stars are aligning just right to bring us our dreams. We have to believe that there is a host of wonderful treasures just waiting for us around the corner. Assume it is so and let the powers that be do their work. It takes time to create your miracle. This quote continues to help me and I wanted to share it with everyone else. So, I designed this piece of art so that it could be hung up proudly. It's 8 x 10, but I could also make it in 5 x 7 if you'd like. Would you like a print of your own? You can get one here.

color love

2010-03-24T15:06:00.002-04:00

I just love the colors here. Endless inspiration for lots of projects that live in my mind.

Tuscany in October

2010-03-21T17:19:00.003-04:00

I spent some time and accomplished a small oil painting...a landscape of scenery in Tuscany I saw during a trip in October 2007. It's the first painting I've done in such a loose and painterly style and I really enjoyed it! I used brushes to start, and then used mostly a palette knife...a first for me as well. The final painting size is 7 x 9 inches and I'm considering selling it. What do you think?

Sewing

2010-03-18T07:47:00.002-04:00

Hi friends!
I finished my recent sewing lessons and made a little skirt. I learned a lot and decided to make something on my own to build my confidence. I made 2 zippered pillow cases to cover the bland and boring pillows on our couch. I'm thrilled with out they turned out and they were very easy (albeit a little time consuming). I used this tutorial which made it so simple and easy. Once I did one, I was able to do the other from memory 2 weeks later. Easy, right? It's been nice finding another creative outlet and my next project will be a tote bag. More ambitious!
BEFORE:

AFTER:

Currier Museum of Art

2010-03-17T10:30:00.002-04:00

On Monday, I got to take the day off while Chris took care of Paige. So, I took a drive up to Manchester, NH to the Currier Museum of Art to see this exhibition. It was so great! I really took my time to read every single write-up description card and I studied each painting closely. I got so much inspiration and really enjoyed myself. I even got to see some of Andrew Wyeth's early watercolors in person...a rarity! These were the ones. I wish I had gotten to meet Andrew Wyeth. He'd probably be the one celebrity I'd want to meet if I got the chance. I'm still sad about his passing last year. But, we've been left with his amazing work so that's something to be glad for.
The exhibit is going on until June 7th, so if you are within driving distance I suggest you take the chance to go and have some quiet time to yourself and enjoy. (I even stopped in the cafe to have a yummy peanut butter cookie and a soda.) :)

Scallop!

2010-02-26T08:24:00.002-05:00

Image from Frolic
I'm a big fan of the scalloped edge. I think it adds a lovely twist to something classic and can give things such a nice retro flair. I'm considering making some of the elements for Little P's birthday and giving them a scalloped edge.
I saw this post today on Frolic (you should check that blog out! It's got great visual inspiration; She has great taste) and it re-ignited my scalloped-edge interest. I just love when shelves and/or hutches have edges like that. So charming. I know it's not for everyone though. I especially love when I see scalloped siding or shingles on homes. I have a thing for Victorian homes in general, but I love the detailed siding. Perhaps someday I'll have a Victorian house with a big giant porch and maybe some scalloped siding?

Retro Straws

2010-02-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

I love these retro paper straws. These would be great for around the house for for a vintage-themed party. Hmmm. I'm considering them for a little party I'm planning for a certain someone. Get them here.
Image from ModernLola.

Party Hats

2010-02-24T14:00:00.001-05:00

Wouldn't these baker's caps make great birthday party hats? Particularly if you have a baking/cupcake theme or a soda shop theme. You can find them here.
Image from Bake it Pretty

2 blue

2010-02-24T10:34:00.002-05:00

2 blue, originally uploaded by m a v.

I love this photo; it's been a favorite of mine for a long time. It's by Mav...
She resides in Portland, ME (by where I grew up) and something about it just reminds me of home. Maybe not MY house, but just home in general. I think it's the old painted door and the patchwork looking curtain. There's a weathered look about it that is so homey and so "Maine."

Color Inspiration

2010-02-24T09:37:00.002-05:00

Image of cupcake liners on stand from Darlybird.

Clementine Art

2010-02-11T10:51:00.004-05:00

Hi there! A few months ago, I ordered these environmentally friendly supplies from Clementine Art. Can I be honest and say that the packaging is what drew me in? It's lovely up close too. Then, I saw that the materials are all natural, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. I know Paige is too young to use them right now, but I actually had fun coloring with the soy crayons. They feel so silky and smooth to color with! I loved them (much more than the traditional wax kind we all use). The colors are more vibrant as well. Sometimes I find it relaxing to just sit with crayons and color in a kid's coloring book. I find that it helps me clear my head when I focus on something so simple and easy. The items are a tad pricier than what you might expect, but it's a quality product and I've been enjoying them for myself! I guess I can share with Paige once she's older...I GUESS. :)

Accomplishment

2010-02-09T10:40:00.003-05:00

Hi there!
Well, since I last wrote about wanting to cook and sew I have:
1. Made a banana bread. Yum! It came out great and I used my Mom's "Maine Banana Bread" recipe. It made for nice breakfasts each day.

2. Made a potato soup for dinner. That's shredded cheddar on top. It was very easy, but I made it too salty by accident. Oops. It was edible though. Better luck next time I guess!

3. Signed up for and began my first sewing lesson. My teacher is guiding me through making a simple skirt. So much to learn! I need a lot of practice, I'm already forgetting how to thread the machine and wind the bobbin and such. I have a hard time with my short-term memory so things that require a lot of steps take me a while to catch on to. I need to keep doing it over and over I guess. Too bad the machine I have here is nothing like the one at the classroom!

These are small steps, but I'm proud of myself for setting goals and making moves towards them. My next sewing lesson is next Saturday. In the meantime, I plan to make some sugar cookies from scratch this week. Just in time for Valentine's Day! It's another thing I've never made so I'm looking forward to diving in. I think some cupcakes will be on the agenda too. My stomach is growling already. I hope all is well with you!

The Last Painting

2010-01-31T18:16:00.003-05:00

Hi there!
I finally took a photo of the last painting we did in class back in November. Here's my version.
It's of a house on the Cape...I added an extra chimney to make up for mistake I did in making the house too long. Oh well! :)

The Challenge

2010-01-25T19:23:00.003-05:00

Hi friends!
It's been such a long time since I've written here! I'm so bummed about that fact. Not much has been going on in my creative life. I did finish that watercolor class back in November...I need to take a photo of the last painting we did and I'll be sure to post it. I enjoyed the course and it was great to get out once per week for an activity I could enjoy just for me. This year I haven't bothered to make any resolutions, but I do like to think about the directions in which I'd like to better myself going forward. One thing? Cooking. I have no clue what I'm doing. I did well in Home Ec back in seventh grade, but that was a zillion years ago, so that isn't much help. I always found it frustratingly boring and then I hated the cleanup afterward. So, when I was single, I stuck with canned food or frozen dinners. Nothing healthy in the slightest. Chris is the chef of the house and he enjoys cooking. He makes wonderful meals and is even able to make things without a recipe. He's very talented. Anyway, I'd like to be more brave about cooking and try my hand at some meals for the family. I know Chris wouldn't mind coming home some nights during the week to a hot meal already prepared. I just have no idea how to clean up meat, trim fat, etc. It's so embarrassing to admit. So, my goal is to find out how to do those things and venture forth. I know, people out there are rolling their eyes and wonder what rock I've been living under...or are saying that it's not rocket science. But for someone like me who survived a long-ass time on Ramen Noodles...well, it's a challenge. My poor Mom always begged me to pay attention to her lessons in cooking as she worked in the kitchen. But I was all "women don't ALWAYS have to be the cooks of the house MOM!" as I gave vague attention. Why didn't I try to pay attention more??
The other thing I want to learn is how to sew. Again, we made duffel bags back in Home Ec, but the teacher did most of it for us and I have no memory of how we did anything. I know how to stitch by hand. That's pretty much it! I have access to a sewing machine and would LOVE to use it, so I'm going to enroll in sewing lessons that are given in the town next door. I'd love to be able to hem my own jeans and pants, create softie animals that I design on my own, make little dresses for Paige, create valances for our living room, and create throw pillows. Not all at once obviously. But, I figure I need to have some projects in mind if I'm going to learn, right? When will I have time to do all of this? Who the hell knows? I'll find it I guess. Other people do it, so I can too, darn it! People don't learn to play a full piano concerto overnight; they learn the scales first. But, over time, they become fluid players. I suspect the same will be true for cooking and sewing...with some time and practice I will improve and be making magic. At least in my fantasy.
I don't have a plan for a CHALLENGE per se. I plan to chronicle my attempts toward my goals here to breathe some new life into things. It's a way of holding myself accountable. So. Was this post boring enough for you? Do YOU have some goals for things you've always wanted to learn? Are there skills you'd like to acquire this year? Feel free to share. I won't judge. I can't cook, remember? But NOT FOR LONG!

Paper Yum

2009-11-20T07:50:00.003-05:00

I'm in love with these assorted papers from Mieke Willems in Belgium. They have an online shop and ship to the U.S.; the papers are small...origami-like sized squares. I've got a hundred ideas for the uses of the paper but can hardly bear to cut any.

2009-11-15T13:01:00.001-05:00

Hi friends!
Since Paige was born, my art life has taken a huge backseat. Baby comes first, obviously. As time has gone by I've been itching to be creative again. If you read this blog frequently then you know that I've been taking a watercolor painting class to get me out of the house once per week so that I can focus on something that I enjoy and relax. It's been so great! I have so much fun and really have learned a lot. I've only got 2 classes left which leaves me wondering what I'll take next. Perhaps sewing? Anyhoo, I decided to incorporate painting into my life a bit more; but how to do that with a now semi-crawling baby? I need to be nearby to keep a watch on Little P whenever she is awake. So, we took one of my office desks and put it in the family room at a window overlooking the conservation land behind our house. I can see Paige's play area to my right as I work and I have the wonderful natural light coming in through the window. It's been a great solution to incorporating my time for painting with being with Paige. Why should the two be separate? Why go into a different space and treat my creative life as a separate one from my daughter? I love that I can dabble at my work here and there while she's around and I just feel happier in general. I like that she can watch me do something I enjoy and know that she can be a part of it too if she wants. Of course, the majority of my time will still be spent playing with her, teaching her, and tending to her needs; but it is nice to know that I can include my own needs into the day and I now have a place to do it!
Here's a painting I did on my own here at my desk...without the guidance of the teacher. It is of an old converted barn in Maine...from a photo I took one summer. The computer isn't normally going to be at the desk, but the photo I was using to paint from was on my flickr site and I was too lazy to print it out. Then, of course I had to check facebook! :)
Damn you addictive Facebook! Damn you! :)

Watercolor Painting 2

2009-11-03T15:31:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd share the second painting we did in watercolor class. I'm happy with it; although we've had to work so quickly in the 2 classes it took to complete it. The teacher's demonstrations take up a chunk of the class. I'm looking forward to trying a painting on my own...now I just need to find a chunk of time for myself just for painting! You can view how my first painting turned out here.

Soap

2009-10-25T14:08:00.002-04:00

Hi friends!
This weekend we were visiting Chris' family in Connecticut...we decided to head over to Greenwich Avenue to do a little holiday shopping. While at Kate's Paperie (of COURSE I had to go there!!!) I saw these gorgeous packaged soaps and picked a few up. Not only did each smell AMAZING (and unique!); I love the packaging. The label design is sophisticated and I especially love the different patterned papers. These ones shown are tiny mini bars (great for part of a gift bag or something like that) but there are also giant bars. You can get full bars or a gift set of 6 mini bars HERE.

Lonny Magazine

2009-10-02T09:42:00.003-04:00

I am loving the new online magazine Lonny. I've been missing the shelter magazines Blueprint and Domino since they've both shut down. Lonny fills that void and then some! See for yourself and enjoy all the eye candy!

Bedroom Re-Do!

2009-09-30T09:38:00.000-04:00

We redid our bedroom not all that long ago and I thought I'd share some befores and afters. Click HERE to see photos of our bedroom before the redo and the afters.
If you want to see it all via a slideshow, click HERE.

Watercolor Class

2009-09-29T08:52:00.000-04:00

Hi there!
In a step to find time to enjoy something that is just for me AND just for fun, I enrolled in a watercolor class at my local community center. It meets every Monday night for the next several weeks; last night was the first gathering. I LOVED it! The teacher is going over techniques and "how-tos" with lots of individual instruction thrown in. I took a course in college and the professor literally gave us assignments and then sat there as we worked. I had no clue what I was doing the entire time and just sort of figured things out as I went along. But, I struggled. In just last night's course I learned several things I'd been doing wrong that had been making watercoloring really hard and giving me crappy results. So, it's been worth it so far! As you can see in the photo, we've begun a one-color painting of a lighthouse (here it's about half-finished) to learn about shading, tone and controlling the water. All that aside, it was nice to get away and do something for myself for pure enjoyment. It's nice to have no purpose...there's no grade, no critique, no trying to sell the paintings, etc. I get to just sit, get lost in the project at hand, and play around with it. There was a mix of people in the room; old and young...experienced and un-experienced. There were no judgements (a long way from the scary and sometimes mean critiques I suffered through college...I have a great story of a professor who ripped up one of my projects into little shreds...sigh) It was so relaxing and the 2 hours went by like nothing. I can get used to this! I came home feeling so excited and energized simply from this one thing! What do you do that is for yourself and just for fun? It's something to think about if you haven't been doing it already. Have a great day!

Planner

2009-09-24T09:20:00.002-04:00

Phew! I'm already getting appointments and things I need to think about for next year. Time to get a planner for 2010! I am now in LOVE with this Laurel Denise 2010 planner...it's beautiful and most importantly, functional. If you click on the link you can "look inside" the book and see details of the inside pages... Pretty cool stuff!

Noted

2009-09-24T09:08:00.000-04:00

Hi friends! It's been quiet around here! I'm sorry for that; we've been filling our time with trips to the Minuteman National Park (nearby), visiting with friends, running errands, and overall life-living. I've been trying to enjoy the nice weather while we have it before winter comes crashing in a few months. I wanted to show you the thank you notes I designed and letterpressed for Paige; they are made to match the birth announcements I designed and printed. Now I have a custom card to send out whenever she gets a gift or needs to send a note. Of course, for now I write them but I'll be sure to get her into the habit of writing her own thank yous when she is able! Have a great day! I'm off to run errands and then watch Paige as she is, as of yesterday, finally grabbing her feet and inspecting them! She's a little monkey, that one.

Charming

2009-09-16T09:55:00.002-04:00

I saw this book on the "for free" cart at the library and snapped it right up. Isn't it cute? I find the illustrations so delightful and charming. And isn't it fun with the price tag is so right? :)

Dorothy Skirt

2009-08-06T11:30:00.004-04:00

Hi there!
I know, I know, it's been FOREVER since I last posted here. *sigh* To be honest, I've been spending my days with baby Paige...snuggling and playing with her and enjoying the weather when it rarely isn't raining out. My creative endeavors have taken a serious back seat! It's strange not focusing on design and artful pursuits and I'm starting to get that creative itch again. But, for now, I've been allowing myself to focus on being a new mum and adjusting to this new life.
That being said, I thought I'd show you this new summery skirt (ahem, pardon the wrinkles, the iron isn't my friend!) I just got from Etsy shop Favorite Style. To quote her shop description: " "favorite" is a fun new line of women's clothing created by Genifer Goodman Sohr. Sohr previously led creative development for major retailers including Victoria's Secret, Old Navy, The Body Shop, and Oilily."
The one here is called the "Dorothy Skirt"...a cotton dream in a one-size fits all solution. It's got elastic waist at the back so it's very forgiving and comfortable. I think this is my new go-to summer outfit! You cannot lose, and with a price set at $38 it's a steal!
See you soon friends, I'm going to make a real effort to post fun inspirational finds here more often! Now that I'm getting the hang of caring for an infant I think I can swing it!

Paige's Birth Announcement

2009-06-14T12:54:00.001-04:00

Hi friends!
I've finally finished mailing out the birth announcements I made for family and a few friends. They were quite the undertaking! But, I didn't want to skimp since I do this for a living and really wanted to do something nice for my own child. Also, these were very intensive to do and no client (or very few at least!) would ever order something like this (it's very cost prohibitive due to the time it takes to line envelopes, do a 2-color letterpress job, print and cut belly bands, etc.). Anyway, here it is! I lined most of the envelopes while still pregnant. I did the design while pregnant as well. The little insignia at the top with the "P" in it says "Little P est. 2009" And next to it says "P is for Paige".
After Paige was born, I updated the information in the design and sent out for the letterpress plates. I then printed all the belly-bands out on my inkjet printer and trimmed them. When my Mother in Law was here hanging out with Paige I finished lining the envelopes and even ordered a custom rubber stamp I designed to do the return address on the back of the envelope (and I can continue using the stamp for all my mailings now!) Then, on a Sunday, Chris spent the day with Paige while I letterpressed and trimmed her announcements down. I also assembled them all. And during her "naps" (they were short last week so I use the term loosely) or fussy evenings, I stuffed and addressed the envelopes. (that took all week!) It's finally finished and I'm happy with how it came out. Phew! I hope you like them too!

Here Comes the Sun...

2009-05-09T15:04:00.001-04:00

Hi Friends,
Here is my post from April 29th from my Me and Wee blog, but I wanted to post it here too...

She's here!
PAIGE ROSALIE CARTY

arrived yesterday on April 28th, 2009 at 2:20 pm (afternoon) after a wonderful labor (once the epidural came!).

She is 20.5 inches long and weighed in at 7 lbs. 4.5 ounces.
She is absolutely perfect!!! And she looks exactly like her daddy and has been calm, quiet, and cool as a cucumber! I'll enjoy that since it likely won't last long! (we can dream, right?)
I'll be back in a few days since I'm still at the hospital...and I'll be sure to post more photos and give you her whole birth story. Again, I LOVED that epidural!!!! I'm already married, but if I weren't, I'd consider marrying the epidural. Here are a bunch of photos from her first day so you can be properly introduced. Cheers friends! We are so grateful and thankful for your kind thoughts and loving words. We are truly SO lucky!!!!!!!!

Here I am just before we got in the car to go to the hospital...hee hee

Here I am as Paige was placed on my belly right after she came out. Sorry, it's a little bloody arm there!

Our first family portrait while I was still finishing labor (ugh).

Her first feeding with Mama!

Her first feeding again!

Family portrait!

Daddy and his little girl

She loves her Daddy!

And finally, her face (sort of) Yummy hand!!!

She's trying to focus and was looking all around. She went off for her first sponge-bath not long after this!

I hope this helps tide everyone over and that you enjoyed the photos. We took a million but wanted to show you some favorites. As for her hair, she's business in the front and party in the back with light brown fuzz on top and then it's much longer and brown in the back and sides. Very cute! And I'm biased, I know. :)
See you soon friends! And thank you again for all your love.

Hooray!

2009-04-02T09:02:00.002-04:00

I can't wait to see this in October. I'm already full of anticipation. I hope it's as good as it looks!!!
I remember that the book "Where the Wild Things Are" was first read to me in kindergarten. I was 5. This was 26 years ago and I still remember it vividly! I was fascinated by the story but I remember being scared as well. Since then, I've wondered if a movie would ever come out and if it would be any good...now we shall see!

Color Story

2009-03-21T10:27:00.002-04:00

Hey friends!
So, here are all the different color combinations I like. It's quite a few! I also included some favorite possible envelope choices from Paper-Source. And off to the left you can see some favorite little swatches for envelope liners that Paper-Source JUST started selling...customized and cut and ready to go! It's pricey, but saves time. There are other liners I like as well, but I wanted to show a few. The color combos just show what I'm thinking in my head in terms of the big picture. Perhaps 2 swatches make up the inks on the card, while the other is the envelope or potential belly band. Or perhaps 3 swatches will make up the inks, and the others suggest what the envelope and liner might be...
What do you think? My favorites right now are the top right row and the 3rd one down on the right. That 3rd one down would go well with the little red & pink blossom envelope liner. The top row would go well with the swirly liner seen in the bird dish. Both seem fresh, fun, and girly enough and not overdone everywhere. Hmmm.

Birth Announcement design

2009-03-18T12:30:00.003-04:00

Hello friends! I've spent the past several months with ideas swirling in my head...ideas for Little P's intended birth announcement. And I'm still overwhelmed and have no clue what I really want to do. I have lots of thoughts, but nothing cohesive. I have no problem doing this for other people, but when it comes to our own...well...I'm frozen. I feel like I could do ANYTHING so I'm having trouble settling into ONE thing. So, I've decided to pull back and ask myself "what is the look and feel I want the announcement to have?" Much like her nursery, I want the announcement to feel fun, cheerful, colorful, and interesting to look at. I also know I want to letterpress it, so that simplifies the color palette. And I know I want colored envelopes lined with pretty paper. Is all this crazy? Maybe. But since I do this for a living, I really want to do a showcase piece...I mean, when else would I ever get to do something so detailed? I'd like to figure it all out soon so that I can at least get the envelopes done and lined and the announcement designed...that way I can just order the plates when she arrives and print later. Anyhoo, I know I'd like to incorporate some sort of pattern into the design and I saw this today that reminded me that a lace pattern would probably be the perfect choice. But this will only be one component and I need to work out the color palette. Maybe I'll post some different color-combinations here and see what y'all think? Image is from the Twig & Thistle blog.

quiet

2009-03-17T11:35:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! It's been pretty quiet around here as I wait for Little P's arrival. She's due on May 4th but could come any time. I've had to slow everything down with work since I am moving so sluggishly and painfully these days and am exhausted most of the time! I often wonder what I will do on the creativity front once Little P is here. And I've decided to just wait and see. I don't know what I will or won't be able to handle. But I do know that I'll be sure to keep creating, and I already know I'll be thinking of new ideas for new cards to go in the shop. I can't stay away for long! I guess this is a time where I am hunting and gathering inspiration. There are so many things out there that inspire me every day and I'm so bad at sharing them here. So, I think I'll try to focus on improving that...and show you the kinds of things that run through my head. If I'm not actually MAKING something, I can at least show you my thinking process and the things I'm noticing around me. I'll start tomorrow since I'm off to eat a cookie and soon will take a nap. Be well everyone, and thanks so much for your patience with my sporadic posting! In the meantime, I will throw on my Wellies and take Maren for a nice walk to the pond this afternoon. Spring is on its way!

Grateful Monday

2009-03-16T13:43:00.002-04:00

There's so many things I'm grateful for today. But my husband brought me flowers and mini-cupcakes the other day and that has taken over my mind ever since.

HANNO the Gorilla

2009-03-10T12:27:00.003-04:00

If you've been reading my blog for a bit, you'll have seen that I love toys and trinkets. I've seen this toy around the web for a while now, but never quite realized it was quite so flexible! I found some photos out there that show this gorilla can do pretty much any pose you could want, and he's larger than I imagined. Designed by David Weeks, this toy makes a great gift for yourself or a friend as it is so unique and expressive! He's also made of sustainably harvested Beech wood, so there is an eco-conscious component to him as well. It seems his joints are elastic and he's "virtually indestructible" but I've also read that he can't be dropped from any heights. Makes sense though! Photos shown are pulled from Bobby Berk Home and you can buy him/check him out for yourself here.

Fabric

2009-02-27T15:56:00.002-05:00

Here's a close-up of some fabric I have hanging on the wall of the nursery that I posted about earlier...it's a Little Red Riding Hood theme and if you look closely, there are different little things happening around each cluster of trees: sheep, squirrels, birds, a bear, a wolf...but all very friendly and non-threatening looking. Like, the wolf would wave hello and tell you how fabulous you look if you walked by rather than mauling you at Grandma's leaving behind a bony carcass.

See Jane Work

2009-02-20T08:53:00.007-05:00

Life is filled with lame and mundane tasks...particularly office tasks like filing bills, organizing receipts or coupons, etc. Why are most office supplies so boring or ugly??? In the past I always just ran to the nearest drugstore or giant office supply center to grab what I needed and ran home. But then I was surrounded by ugliness that made said tasks even more lame. The shop See Jane Work has solved this issue and I'm thinking that now it's worth a few extra bucks to have pretty things to work with and boost my mood that little extra bit during the day. I encourage you to browse the shop and see what calls out to you; there's a ton there! Here are some (although I loved pretty much everything) of my favorite things I saw:

Small Document Box

Recife Ballpoint Pen

Shaped Paper Clips

Semikolon Classic 3" 3-Ring Binder

Pancake Meow

2009-02-16T19:18:00.004-05:00

I'm loving these prints from Pancake Meow...the colors and the style of illustration are great for a child's room or to liven up an office space. As you know, I love whimsical styles and colors! They are also very affordable at $12 per piece! The first one shown (I'm most partial to this one) is called Piroska the Persnickety Painter. The one below that is called Gretchen Gum Shoe.

Fabric art

2009-02-11T12:39:00.002-05:00

Hi friends!
Yesterday my order from Purl Soho arrived...a stash of lovely fabrics! I placed them into embroidery hoops and hung them up on the wall as art in the nursery to add some warmth and coziness to the space. I'm happy with the outcome!

Grateful Monday

2009-02-09T11:19:00.004-05:00

I'm grateful for a thoughtful husband who brought me colorful tulips and some yummy apple cider the other night. I love you Chris!

Organization

2009-02-05T10:02:00.004-05:00

Hi friends!
I'm finally starting to get organized around here! I picked up these great desk accessories from Barnes & Noble...an accordian-style file folder and 2 report keepers with clear sleeves. I've been going through and clipping my favorite articles out of my stash of magazines so I can throw out what is left and save some space. I put the pages into the clear sleeves and voila! I now have my own custom magazine of favorites! One thing that bothers me is that most of my favorite mags come in a square size bigger than the standard letter format, so those pages have yet to find a home. My accordian folder is now home to all coupons, bills to be paid, bits to tend to, gift cards, and the like. With each having it's own slot, it makes finding all the little loose papers that build up in life a breeze! P.S. I finally have a new blog header up, all thanks to Lyndsay at Banners by Lyndsay!

Darly

2009-02-04T08:54:00.004-05:00

I've been loving perusing all the pretty and fun finds at Darly. If you are ever looking for unique decor or favors for a party (especially for a little one!) than this might be the place to find that special thing. On top of that, they have great accessories like cute purses and pouches, bobby pins and barrettes...there's a lot to see. I hope you like it too! My favorite items include the cake stands and petite four stands (petite four stands shown here) and the different party garlands (one shown here). Photos from Darly.

working

2009-02-03T10:08:00.002-05:00

Good morning! I hope everyone is well today! It's a busy day as I am working on several wedding projects and a few corporate projects. Breakfast has been enjoyed at my desk as I caught up on emails and other small business-y items. There's nothing like fresh pineapple from the fruit itself. Chris cut one up for me last night and it just tastes so much better than the canned junk. It's so great in the winter-time...brings back summery thoughts. And we can't forget little Maren who likes to lay behind me in my office chair (as my lumbar support)...she snakes her head around and rests it on my hip to stare dreamily at my food as I eat.

Grateful Monday

2009-01-26T09:21:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! Here are some things I'm thinking about today:
1. The delicious yet unhealthy donuts I had this morning. My husband shared his gift card with me by bringing my donuts for today's breakfast. He also brought me a white hot chocolate from Dunkin's as well! He's so sweet to share his little prize with me.
2. The delicious stuffed mushrooms and chili that await me in the fridge. Chris slaved and cooked all day yesterday and made my favorites! I'm so lucky. (hmm. lots of food I'm thinking about, huh?)
3. A pretty little collar for a cutie!

Re-Coverings

2009-01-23T14:52:00.003-05:00

I'm trying a snazzy new layout here on my blog. I am currently brainstorming a new header graphic as well...to fit the new space. Bear with me while I work out the kinks!
This photo is a sneak-peek of a dresser remake I completed where I took a regular Ikea white dresser and dressed up the fronts with seagrass wallpaper. I'm pleased with the results and it was inexpensive to boot!

Clothing love

2009-01-22T12:24:00.004-05:00

I was perusing my favorite store (Anthropologie) for home decorating items when I took a peek at some of the clothing. SWOON! If I wasn't pregnant right now I'd be seriously considering snapping up these items for spring/summer!
I love this whole outfit. *sigh*
I love this bobbin necklace: the colors and textures are so lovely! It comes in 2 colorways and I prefer the "blue" one myself. I may grab this one since I CAN wear it!
I'm IN LOVE with this red dress. It's much better in person. The fabric has a sheen to it. All that graphic detailing on the bottom...of cranes and wildlife done in an Asian style...is EMBROIDERED. The whole bit. It is so lovely in person!
This polka-dot shirt dress has the cut I love with the vintage-style flair to give it personality.

Andrew Wyeth

2009-01-19T11:00:00.003-05:00

I was so sad to hear that my favorite artist, Andrew Wyeth, passed away last Thursday night. He's an American icon who has lived an incredibly interesting artist's life. Since I grew up in Maine, he was a staple subject of study in all our art classes and our trips to the Farnsworth Museum to see some of his work in person was always a special treat. Much of his work was in tempera paint, not incredibly commonly used anymore. His sense of detail, lighting, and mood never fail to move me. I really recommend this biography: A Secret Life, Andrew Wyeth, by Richard Meryman. It's a favorite biography of mine and is filled with personal stories from the very private artist himself (along with his family) from his childhood on up. His work ethic was unbelievable! I highly recommend the book. My deepest sympathies go out to his family in this sad time. He is an inspiration to me...he embodied the idea of "just do it" and the concept of getting out there and doing what you love all the time and in the best way you can.

His famous painting "Christina's World" shown here. (1948, tempera on gesso'd board) Museum of Modern Art, MoMA.org) The iconic image of his polio-stricken neighbor portrayed outside her house in Maine. The vast sense of space magnifies the fact that her broken body must claw it's way all the way back with her hands. Such a vast sense of lonliness and struggle.2 paintings from the Helga series...a secret 14 year study of this model. The artist hid the fact he was painting her from everyone, including his wife for 15 years. It was quite the media circus when the news got out! Countless amazing paintings emerged from that time. It was fascinating to read about the whole thing in his biography I mentioned above. Very dramatic!

Grateful Monday

2009-01-12T14:45:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends!
It's been so long since I've done a grateful Monday post. I've been sick for the last week with the worst cold I've ever had...and I still have it. It's now become a nice sinus infection and bronchitis. No fun when you are pregnant and can't take the trusty medications that usually do the trick! I've barely slept for a week now, but I guess I might as well chalk that up to practice for baby. Although, being more sick than I've ever been WHILE not sleeping has been a bit of a bear.
But, I'm stir-crazy now and ready for this to be over with! That being said, today are some grateful thoughts:
1. A prescription for pregnancy-safe antibiotics!
2. An amazing husband who has taken care of me, the house, and everything in between!!!
3. Tasty beef stew made by my husband...a great chef!
4. A newly clean desk surface to do my work on
5. Hot chocolate: how I love you! Especially with a gigantic glob of Marshmallow Fluff.
6. A newly painted nursery with new hardwood floors
7. Did I mention my amazing husband?

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T11:02:00.003-05:00

Hello friends!
I wanted to pop in and wish you all a happy New Year! I know it's a few days late, but we've been away enjoying the holidays and now I'm back in reality! 2008 was quite a roller-coaster year of emotions and events...I must admit I spent a lot of time within myself. That being said, I'm happy that 2009 is here and with it comes a fresh beginning and new plans! While much of the blog world is writing about their goals and resolutions, I find that I have decided to forgo them. In a way, I suppose. With a baby coming in a few short months, I find myself consumed with preparations and plans for this huge life change. My goal is to "have no goals." I need to be free and open to the fact that soon my time will not be just mine anymore and I want to enjoy every moment as it comes to me. I know that holding myself to plans and resolutions of accomplishments I wanted to achieve will only lead me to frustration down the road. I want to feel successful this year. I want to be "in the moment." I want to move through each day with no expectations. This, in itself, is enough of a resolution, and a hard one for me (a constant planner). This is hopefully a year of change and magic...I will be still and let everything unfold around me as it will!
What sort of New Year's thoughts are you thinking?

Shinzi Katoh

2008-12-12T10:59:00.005-05:00

I've been loving the work of Japanese artist and illustrator Shinzi Katoh. His work can be found on many kinds of unique products from tote bags to picture books to tableware...it's also collectible! I love the retro feel of the illustrations and all the great cheerful colors. These quirky designs hit the nail on the head for what I enjoy doing. The tray can be found at the fabulous online shop Three Potato Four in their tabletop section. I ordered one for myself as I couldn't resist! Check out their other goodies as well while you are there! It's the kind of shop where I love everything I look at...it's endlessly fun to peruse all the cute items. In this post, the tray is pictured at top and water bottles are shown below that. Then there are a few of my favorite lunch box designs...in bento box style.

18 Weeks Pregnant

2008-12-02T08:15:00.001-05:00

You can read more at Me and Wee. Much love to you all!

Letterpress Christmas!

2008-11-25T10:28:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Kristen over at Paper Crave for featuring my letterpressed holiday cards on her website today! What a thrill! Check out the link and you can see for yourself. If you'd like to purchase, you can do so here. Happy Thanksgiving for those celebrating in 2 days! I will be back next week to visit with you. In the meantime, I'm thinking about all that I am thankful for...an amazing husband, my incredible family, and most of all...the little baby flourishing in my tummy. One more week until the BIG ultrasound! I'll definitely keep you posted and fingers are crossed that the little one is healthy!

Cards

2008-11-21T09:03:00.005-05:00

tweet tweet

Hello all! As promised, here are some of my favorite designs I put together for the Maple Creek Primitives Candle Bakery and Gift Shop. Let me know if you are interested in ordering any for yourself! Be well!

Shop Handmade!

2008-11-13T13:42:00.006-05:00

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry I've been so absent. I think I'm finally starting to come out of my beginning pregnancy fatigue and illness! *doing a dance* Maybe this means I will have the drive and energy moving forward to post more! Today I wanted to tell you about a cute new shop. My cousin's amazing and talented wife Andrea makes amazing candles that happen to look like any sort of baked treat you can imagine. Pies, cakes, cookies, muffins, loafs, coffees, birthday cupcakes...the list goes on and on. And they each smell like the thing they look like. YUM! She's been very successful hosting and visiting "candle parties" and she has now opened her own brick and mortar store in Scituate, Rhode Island (right on the main drag across from the Post Office there.) I'm telling you folks! Her prices are VERY competitive (I would say LOW) especially compared to that famous scented candle-maker who only makes plain jar candles (I can't name names). Andrea's cute shop is called Maple Creek Primitives Candle Bakery and Gift Shop. Be sure to check out her website and online store if you aren't in the area. Here you can find all of her handmade confections in the forms of candles and "tarts" you can melt in a tart warmer (basically a little holder that holds a scented piece of wax (which Andrea can make look like cookies!) that sits over a flame and melts down and fills the room with wonderful smells.) The other great thing about her shop is that she allows local craft vendors to sell their HAND-MADE wares that fit her "primitives" theme...so it's a one-stop shop for all handmade quality gift items. Nothing is mass-produced. Everything is completely customizable and can be made just for you. Have a particular favorite confection? You can just ask her and she can make your item just for you and ship it out. She can even do customized candles as wedding favors. Your imagination is the limit. She has been kind enough to ask me to design a few cards to sell in her store, so it was quite a fun process coming up with new material. The designs are very customized to the "primitives" theme and have a "country" feel that my work doesn't normally have. But, I still managed to make the designs feel like they were done by me and still have that Megan twist. I will feature the designs in my next post. If you are in the New England area and particularly Rhode Island, consider stopping by Maple Creek Primitives to pick up a few gifts or stocking stuffers for the holidays. A pie candle might be a great housewarming gift at Thanksgiving. Be well everyone!
Maple Creek Primtives: 174 Danielson Pike, North Scituate, RI
Phone: 401-764-5880 Wed-Fri: 10-3, Sat-Sun: 10-5
email: maplecreekprims@aol.com (email Andrea with any requests or questions...she's great!)

Grateful Monday

2008-11-03T07:49:00.004-05:00

Thanks for all your well wishes from here and from my other blog. Our hearts are so warmed! We have piles of emails from friends and family wishing us well and it feels so good to have so much support and care. I'm so grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful folks! :)
I am 14 weeks along today and all seems just fine. No bump or belly yet to show for it but I know I have a few more weeks before anything will be visible. But, it's fun to lay down flat on my back...I can feel the lump of my uterus when I run my hand across my abdomen. Feeling it makes it feel even more tangible and real...I like to say hello to the baby that way and think nice thoughts of the future. I am still in awe that this is happening and I think I will be all the way to the finish. Each new day is one to celebrate and I'm certainly grateful EVERY day.

In other news, I must lend a special mention of condolence to my Aunt Pat. Her amazing partner Bob passed away very suddenly the other day. We are extremely saddened by this loss as he was such a gentle and loving person. I have always looked forward to seeing him and talking with him. I loved his warm energy. He'd always been so fun to talk with and was always so helpful. He would be the first to jump up to offer his help in any situation...even if it was to do things that weren't so fun. I definitely looked up to him and saw him as a firm member of the family. Even my tiny dog took an immediate shine to him and enjoyed being near him (a funny sight as he had a "lumberjack" look to him...a tall teddy bear...whereas Maren is a tiny 10 lb. mini dachshund.) But he was so gentle and spoke so softly to her...it was a heart-melting kind of thing to see. I am still in shock over the news and can't quite wrap my head around the fact that he's now "on the other side." He will be sorely missed and I hope he continues to visit us all during all our future gatherings. He is always welcome here! Be well everyone. One thing I have learned in the past 2 weeks is to be sure and tell your loved ones how you feel about them. You think "there's always later" or "we'll get together soon" and then the unexpected happens. Don't allow yourself any regrets that you'd wished you'd said this or that. Just do it!
Have a good day everyone, I appreciate you for visiting and send my best to each of you.

A new dawn

2008-10-26T12:57:00.004-04:00

Chris and I are proud, thrilled, and overjoyed to announce that we are expecting a baby in very early May! I am 13 weeks along so far and we've been dying to share the news with all of you! Many of you have been following along our difficult journey to get here and we have been so excited to update you with good news for once! Little baby Carty already likes Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. As you can see in the pic, his/her hands are on either side of the shoulders/face doing the thriller dance. It's as if he's saying "RAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" And his/her knees are both bent up by the belly and the little legs and feet are pushing into the side of the sac. I can't wait to actually feel it. Words cannot begin to express how grateful and thankful we are.

More in this space soon. You can track the pregnancy and all that goes with it at my other/new blog Me and Wee. I will be continuing this blog as well, but wanted a separate space to candidly discuss those issues. Please note that it can be frank and graphic, so it's not for everyone...it's targeted more toward those who've had troubles with pregnancy and for those who are either going through pregnancy or have gone through it. My husband will be writing for it on occasion as well...to give the male perspective. Much love to you!

A time to mourn, a time to dance

2008-10-24T07:30:00.004-04:00

My lovely Aunt Carol passed away 2 days ago in a relatively sudden fashion. I'm not quite sure what to think as I'm in shock, but I know that I am sad. She's my Mom's older sister and is a huge inspiration in my life. Although it ultimately wasn't what caused her passing (but I'm sure it didn't help), she has lived for years upon years with multiple sclerosis. She had so much struggle with her physical body...and she was always so upbeat, loving, friendly, positive and humorous. I remember asking her how she got that way and she admitted that it wasn't easy at first...that she'd had a bout of depression after hearing the news she had this disease. She soon realized, though, that allowing herself to wallow was not helping her and wasn't serving a purpose in her favor. She decided to become proactive and she learned all she could about her condition...all while exploring new treatments and experimental drugs. This attitude, in light of so many adversities she has had in her life even besides the MS, has been a huge influence on how I handle adversity myself and how I choose to handle difficult times. I live by her example and am so grateful to her for showing us that even in the darkest of times we can find humor, a smile, a sense of acceptance to what we've been dealt. I will truly miss her, but I am excited for her and her new journey. I am pleased to know that she can move around effortlessly now and travel anywhere she wants as she couldn't before. I've already spoken to her as I briefly felt her nearby yesterday...and I felt an overwhelming sense of calm and peace. For now, I know that it is our time to mourn and her time to dance.

On a sad note

2008-10-15T12:50:00.002-04:00

Today is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day. I just wanted to get the word out for those who are mourning the loss of their angels. We have 4 angels that I am loving and thinking about today. Please think kind thoughts for those you know who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss...it is a topic that is often overlooked but a grief that is very real and strong.
Thanks and much love!

Happy Anniversary

2008-10-15T10:41:00.006-04:00

Happy Anniversary, my love! It's been three amazing years so far...we've been through so much together already and I'm so honored to have you as my partner through it all. I can't wait for what is next, and I continue to feel like the luckiest person in the world because I have you to hold forever. I love you!
Here were a few little details from our rainy and very windy wedding day in Bar Harbor, Maine. At low tide no less! Photos by Michele Stapleton.

Crane's Sympathy

2008-10-06T10:23:00.002-04:00

Several months ago, I did some freelance design work for Crane & Co, the classic stationery company. It was such an amazing experience! It was literally a dream come true for me. I must admit, though, that my design style is a little more "wild" for the Crane brand so I found it at first to be a challenge to "dial it back" and make the design ideas more classic and simple. It took some getting used to, as any new design project does. I have found in the past that once I get used to working in a new aesthetic, I can shine. It just takes a little getting used to. I hope that in the future I get to do more work with them now that I have a better understanding of the brand. Here is a design I put together for a personalized sympathy acknowledgement. You can find the design on the Crane & Co website here.

Fact Checking

2008-10-03T08:14:00.002-04:00

This election is making me crazy. So much information to sort through!!! The debates are interesting to watch but always leave me feeling overwhelmed. My husband emailed me this link this morning...a fact check website on all the statements from the debates. So, if there's something that was said that concerns you, you might find the statement here and what the real truth is. Hope this helps anyone out there who wants help sorting through the muck!

I'm sorry...

2008-10-01T08:47:00.003-04:00

Hello friends! I'm so, so sorry I have been away for so long. There is so much going on in my head and a lot of personal emotions/things I've been working through...I have just needed to pull away and into myself for a while. I fear posts may still be erratic for a while going forward, but I don't plan for things to be like that forever! I wish I could say I was out doing cool things like going on safari in Africa or climbing some grand mountain...but I've been here quietly soul searching and moving through the days. I promise that soon I will be back with more frequent and fun posts.
In the meantime, here is a new letterpress print I illustrated and printed. I call it "The Willow." It's a 5 x 7 print in a gray ink on thick, soft 100% cotton paper. Each print is signed by me and is for sale here.

grateful monday

2008-08-25T18:29:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post to say how grateful I am for being able to think of new things to create! Just when I think I may be tapped out forever, I always seem to rally at the last second (even when I feel like I could just sleep at any second).On that note, I have a bunch of supplies on order and another creative spree is on the way. I can't reveal too much yet, but it's VERY busy here. A welcome change from the odd job here or there lately. I'll reveal more as these next few weeks roll through.
One last parting thought for today: I was watching John Edwards (the guy who is a medium and is able to communicate with those who have "crossed over" after their deaths) and a woman who'd lost her 4-year old boy had the most wonderful quote that got her through her days. She said to remember: "Always blessings, Never losses." She said she was lucky enough to be blessed to have him as her son for 4 whole years and to remember him that way. I wanted to share that today in case it might help someone else the way it has helped me.

Cool Stuff-Alyssa Ettinger Knitware series

2008-08-20T09:05:00.003-04:00

I have a lot of bowls and vases. But these are the kind of things I swoon over. Alyssa Ettinger's Knitware series of handmade pottery is so beautiful. *sigh* I love that bowl. The glazed ceramic looks so soft and glowing. I just love the clever look of them (I can imagine setting these all out during the cold snowy winter.) You can find these items here. Photos from Reform School.

Show and Tell Tuesday-Bookmarks

2008-08-19T09:23:00.003-04:00

Hi friends! When we were at Epcot center in the end of May I (of course!) picked up a bunch of paper souvenirs in the "Japan" section of the park. I grabbed this set of folded paper bookmarks...shaped to look like Japanese girls in traditional dress. Everything here is made of beautiful Japanese paper and intricately folded just so. I thought they were so sweet and I loved how artful they are...very impressive layering. Makes me want to learn origami and other folding techniques.

Cool Stuff-Toothpick Bird

2008-08-18T14:45:00.000-04:00

Our pantry is filled to the brim with food, paper-goods (you know, napkins, paper plates, etc.), canned items, paper towels, plastic baggies...the list goes on and on. When it comes time to find the toothpicks; well, it's a miracle to find the little box amongst the chaos. My husband uses toothpicks to hold together the chicken rollatini (a favorite dish he makes). Mmmmm. But I digress. When I spotted this bird toothpick holder at Black Ink, I realized that this might be the stylish solution to the toothpick search. I wouldn't mind having this sitting out in my kitchen or dining room. You can purchase it here.

Cool Stuff-Pinocchio

2008-08-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

I used to love the story of Pinocchio as a child. I never tired of the idea that you can wish on a star and make your dreams come true. I also loved the idea of a toy coming to life and being my friend. (not coming to life and being evil...but my fear of clown dolls is a story for another day)
I came across this charming figure and it brought me back to that innocent time.
It's called "Ciao Pinocchio" designed by Fabio Piazzesi in Italy.
What's cool about it is it's handmade with FSC-certified beech and embellished with non-toxic paint. He moves every which-way thanks to 33 jointed pieces. (I always loved pose-able figures!) The kicker is: his nose grows. Yep, there's an internationally patented hidden lever behind his hat that enables the fabled "growing liar's nose."
You can get one for yourself here.
Photo from Canoe's online shop.

Paper Crave

2008-08-13T13:34:00.002-04:00

Hi friends! Great news! My company and work have been featured today on Paper Crave. It's a daily read of mine and I'm so excited an honored she included me amongst her discoveries. Thanks to Kristen at Paper Crave! You can see the entry about my work here.

Show and Tell Tuesday

2008-08-12T14:07:00.003-04:00

Hello friends! I saw this chocolate on a website and have decided that I HAVE to try it. Next time I'm in the NYC area I plan to make a trip to grab some of these lovelies. This is by FAR my favorite packaging for a product that I've seen. That patterned paper is to die for! Each bar is its own treasure. And I love the simplicity. I feel that less is often more and this is the perfect example of that.
Check out their website to learn about their business and how it got started. Very inspirational! (and yummy)
Images are from the Mast Brothers website.

Grateful Monday and Enriched

2008-08-11T13:59:00.003-04:00

Hello friends! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was spent at the Cape for a family wedding. It was such a fun time! There's nothing like having fun with family with good drinks, good food, and great music. We arrived home happy and exhausted but with an empty fridge.
In light of last week's musings about how much life is a treasure, I decided to start eating in a much more healthful way. I'm always in a hurry and constantly make food from a can or a box. My husband makes dinner every night; and his is really the only healthy meal I have. (I'm very lucky, Chris is a great unofficial chef but that's a whole other post)
I decided it is time to start putting in some more effort into breakfast and lunch...time to get in more vitamins and nutrients from nature. Usually I have a bowl of sugary oatmeal or some sort of candy crap cereal (hello yummy Lucky Charms!). Lunch is always a canned stew of some sort. And the soda...oh, the soda. It's so bad for me and I've had so much of it every single day. I cringe. Off we went to the grocery store and we picked up tons of different fruits and veges of all kinds. I avoided anything from the "pre-packaged" arena (for the most part). I decided to start eating small portions of all my favorite healthy things in order to gain more variety and vitamins. This morning's breakfast filled a small salad plate...1 half of an English Muffin with peanut butter, a tiny scoop of cottage cheese (maybe 3 forkfuls), several strawberries and several blueberries. I topped it all off with my daily glass of O.J. It took longer than my bowl of cereal to prepare, but I felt so much better! And it was just so much tastier. Lunch consisted of a small wrap...garlic hummus as a spread with diced tomatoes and seasonings and onion with lettuce and a piece of mozzarella rolled into a wheat wrap. A tiny scoop of cottage cheese on the side was tasty. Lipton green tea was the beverage (instead of the Cola I always have). Again, I felt so much better! My snack, coming soon, will likely either be some grapes or a peach (along with water to be had through the day). I just got so tired of the crappy food I consume and realized that I need to honor my body more than that. It's the only one I have, so it's been time to make a change. Plus, I'm hoping to fit back into all my jeans again...most of them I've...ahem...outgrown a bit. I'm down to one pair that still fits. I'd rather not have to go buy all new clothes! Bottom line, I'm happy to have made a start toward healthier eating habits through eating whole, natural foods (or close to it). If I fit into all my pants again, I'll be all the happier. See you tomorrow!

A new day

2008-08-07T08:14:00.002-04:00

After reading about Alison's passing yesterday, I have been doing a lot of thinking about life and how grateful I am for each day. How grateful I am for my husband. For my family. When someone passes on, I always find myself looking around me and seeing all the life outside going on. The world still rotating. The butterfly flickers by. The grasshopper adjusts its wings and hops away. The ant carries a crumb. The birds call out in the trees. The lady on TV tells of the news of the day as if everything is the same. There is this push/pull of life and death every second of every day. We are so great, yet so small at the same time. I resolve to remember that life is here to be lived, to be enjoyed, and to love. To try and always have perspective of what matters. I sit here and feel my own lungs filling with air and I realize it is the biggest treasure I have...my life. I will not forget.

A Dark Day

2008-08-06T08:22:00.002-04:00

My best wishes go out to Alison's husband Tom and their entire family as they grieve the loss of this sweet and amazing person. The world weeps for this loss, but God has big plans for her.
Catch up on their stories...Read Tom's blog here and Alison's blog here. Read about their love and everyday life while they struggle with her cancer diagnosis. Reading her sunny words each day was always so uplifting. And his perspective was always so thoughtful and soft. When things took a turn for the worse for her, her husband took over her blog too ...just to keep everyone updated. She is my biggest inspiration and she will not be forgotten! Please note that I do not know them personally, but have been following their stories for the past few years leaving comments here and there. I feel like I know them and am saddened today...but am happy for Alison that she is no longer in pain.

Show and Tell Tuesday

2008-08-05T08:13:00.004-04:00

Time for another Show & Tell Tuesday! I'm sorry I missed last week. It got busy and I didn't fit it in.
Today's images are of some pieces from my new Lenox place settings. (The pattern is called "Chirp") My Mom and Dad gave me 4 settings for my 30th Birthday...much too generous, so thank you Mom and Dad! My mother figured "you will always have these as a memento of your 30th year," hence the splurge. I was gaga for this pattern when it first came out and I was especially taken with the Robin's egg blue edged dinner plate. I would have been happy with just one plate to admire. Of course, I was taken with all the rest of the pieces too...I just love the style of the linework on them and how the outside of the bowl and cup are decorated along with their insides. The other great thing is these are freezer safe, oven safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe, and chip resistant. Nothing like something with beauty AND function to make my day.

The Soul of it all

2008-08-04T16:35:00.004-04:00

I got an interesting comment from "anonymous" in regards to my work website.

"Wow, nice site! I did think it ironic that you would have written about finding "soul" in your work when recently you posted about a negative comment you'd received. Where you were quite adamant your Soul was not put into your work, just your SMILE. You said you giggled at the thought of your soul in your work!

I see.

"but she couldn’t find the soul inside her projects."

This is in reference to my write-up in the "about" section of my website. This person has an interesting point! The comment made me think: What if I really AM putting my soul into my work? The answer I must say is "no." My "about" write up was not about putting MY soul in my work. It was about FINDING soul in my work. If you aren't a graphic designer, then I ask you to imagine what it might be like working on a brochure for attic ventilation components versus a wedding invitation. Which might be more fun? Which might get you excited to work on? I'm not saying one is better than the other. For ME, I PREFER the wedding design because it is fun to work on, it is something I enjoy and something I get a charge out of. That is what I meant by finding soul there. When you've spent years working on corporate projects at companies for people other than yourself...well...it gets political. It gets frustrating. People work 10-12 hour days for that attic ventilation brochure...you lose time with your family, you lose sleep. You get stressed. You get tired. You start wishing you could be making some sort of difference for someone else in a personal way. Now, I get to participate in happy events in other people's lives. There is a meaning for me...a satisfaction with my job I'd never had before. That satisfaction is what I called a "soul." I found my meat and potatoes.

I believe many people want to find soul in their work. A reason that makes it all worthwhile. Something that makes us get out of bed in the morning with a smile. This is why I encourage, if your "day job" doesn't do that for you, to find something you enjoy doing in your spare time. Whether it's cooking, bartending, sewing, crafting, painting, writing music, writing that screenplay, birdwatching, collecting things, hiking, acting, and on and on and on....there is something out there that makes life great for all of us. Some of us will put our soul into it and others will be happy just enjoying the moment.

This isn't all to say I don't put feeling behind what I do. Of COURSE there is feeling. It comes from within me. I LOVE what I do. But what I do, much of the time, is for a client. Not me. I cannot get attached to things. Much of what I design is at the request of others. It's great. That post before (the one my commenter is pointing out) was in response to criticism that a certain card I'd done was "almost soul-less." Notecards that I design for fun...for me. But again, I draw on the point that a card with 2 hippos and a palm tree is not a statement from my psyche. It's a notecard. A bird and a cage on a card is just an interesting layout of imagery to me. But they aren't my meaning of life...I didn't have a private message I was trying to send. Nor did I labor for hours and hours after a well-formulated plan and thesis.
In summary, it's nice to try and find the meat and potatoes behind what we do...it's nice to feel a purpose. And that's what the "about" write up meant to convey. I'm sure, there are going to come times when I do work that I put my soul into. But, the card that was criticized was not one of those things.

I invite anyone else to comment on what they wish they could do for a living if they could do anything in the world they wanted. What might you enjoy that might give you a sense of purpose as well? Or, go ahead and tell us about what you really do for a living now that might be your true bliss and brings you happiness or satisfaction.

Grateful Monday

2008-08-04T14:11:00.005-04:00

Macro photo of the inside of the Lily flower that is growing on our front porch...we will soon be planting it in our yard.

Hello again, friends! It's Monday again...the weeks go so quickly! The hot, sticky, thick air has finally lightened to a cool refreshing breeze outside. It's still hot, but in a good way. It's rained several times per day here for several weeks in a row now. Endless thunder storms! But, bright happy sunshine prevails in between and yesterday, as I drove home from my cousin's son's first birthday party, I watched a rainbow hang in the sky in front of me for the entire 2 hours. I like to think of that rainbow as a sign of things to come, not just light bouncing off the moisture in the sky.
I am now finished with my online portfolio update and find myself working on lots of quotes for potential clients between doing design work. I think I will take a nice walk in this newfound fresh air before it is gone again. Just another small way to enjoy what I have right in front of me before it slips off without my noticing. And then, it will be back to work.

Updated

2008-08-01T15:13:00.005-04:00

Hello all! I have finally finished the update of my design samples section of my website. Click in there and you will see that each header has its own little sliding show of images. You have to have Flash Player to view it. I'm very happy with how all the pictures came out. You will also see some new work that wasn't in there before. A neat feature of the show is that if there are notes, you can put your mouse in the notes/link area (the little area just above the square thumbnails) the descriptive info will pop up into view. Not everything has a note, but you will be able to see when it does. Now, I just need to tackle the "news" section of the site. There's been a lot that's gone on since I've launched and I never gave myself a chance to update in there. Hopefully that will be remedied as soon as possible. Time for a much needed break! Happy Friday! I will be back next week with some Show & Tells and other bits. I'll be able to post a bit more now that this update is complete. Phew! Cocktails anyone?
*update* The "news" section has been updated now as well! There you can find articles and write-ups on the Megan creates business and some of the products I sell.

Grateful Monday

2008-07-28T10:37:00.004-04:00

Hi friends! I've decided to start a Grateful Monday theme here on my blog. It's the start of the week and tends to be a bummer after the weekend...so I thought Monday is a good day to celebrate and think about the wonderful things in life. Just to try and start things off positively.
I'm overwhelmed by all the things I could write about, so I thought I would start off with this prayer a good friend sent me in the mail. I'm not trying to come off as a religious zealot here, so please know I just wanted to share some comforting words. It has universal appeal if you aren't religious or of the same beliefs as me. Most of us have heard the serenity prayer...but usually just the beginning of it. It's especially studied in 12 step programs. My dear friend trimmed this out of her church bulletin and mailed this over to me and, well, it's provided me with peace and the reminder to enjoy each moment. This will likely be the most religious post this blog will ever see; thanks for bearing with me...I just had to share in case these words help anyone else too.
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.

Today I will start exploring my watercolors again. I will have fun dabbling the paint into the water and watching it spread across the paper in swirls. I will allow myself to get lost in the colors and go to that place in my mind I went to as a child...where my own world is safe, perfect, and free of judgement. Where time stands still yet moves by so fast. Where wild, bucking, knotted thoughts are still and let me alone. I encourage you, today, to do one thing...even if just for a few minutes that you used to LOVE to do as a child or even just a few years ago...but just haven't allowed yourself the time for. It's time to reconnect with that joy and that PLACE again. Just for the sake of doing it. For the sake of enjoying a moment in time. I've written myself a permission slip; may you do the same!

Photography trials

2008-07-24T09:54:00.006-04:00

BEFORE
AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER

Hi friends,
I spent much of yesterday figuring out what I needed to do to try and get more professional-looking shots of my portfolio work. Note that I didn't say "professional." I'm no professional when it comes to product shots, so I can only do the best I can! I spent hours experimenting with lights and with a hand-made lightbox/studio in a box. Nothing was working.
I went out to Joanne Fabric and bought a handful of options for backdrop material and ended up favoring a light colored burlap. I put together little layouts of my invitations on paper beforehand and then once I was happy, moved them to the fabric. The planning was because I have a certain size and scale and shape the photo has to be to fit on my website correctly...so I had to design my "layouts" of the elements to fit this size and shape. I ended up getting rid of the lightbox and lights and simply just used my flash. Something I would NEVER normally do. But it was the most bright and true-to-life option without having to worry about shadows and uneven light. Who knew, after all that work?! I added some props here and there just for effect but probably didn't really need it. I've posted the shots from before (using lights and a makeshift lightbox in the beginning of this week) and the afters (the ones I just did) to show the difference. I'm happy with how they are coming out (after a little work in Photoshop) and I think I'll continue to photograph most of my portfolio in this method. I'll likely change up the background material depending on the subject. This is definitely a learning experience!

Macro fun

2008-07-23T09:52:00.003-04:00

Hello friends! Today I thought I'd show you a few photos taken with my new macro lens (Canon 100mm). I've been needing something that can get in and take good detail shots of my work. This lens takes a lot of practice! You can see Maren's eye...my dog rolled in some dirt beforehand and the shot picked up the little pebbles in her fur. It's not perfectly focused...I would need a tripod and a perfectly still dog for it to have been sharper. But you get the gist. I tried out the new lens over the past few days as I took all new portfolio shots of my letterpress wedding suites...but it was all for naught as I am unhappy with how they came out. Not because of the lens, but because of my lighting. I'm struggling with getting professional looking shots. I built a "light box" but am having trouble finding lights that will do the job. I guess I'm learning a lot, so it's not all a total waste of time. I will try to redo the shots today using a giant outdoor flood light we have. It looks like it will do the trick, but I guess we'll see!

Show and Tell Tuesday

2008-07-22T11:02:00.004-04:00

Show & Tell Tuesday is my chance to show you some favorite objects around my home and why I like them.

My first Show & Tell Tuesday item is a rather simple one. While Chris and I were roaming around Florence, Italy last year we happened upon a great stationery shop. It was filled with hand-made and hand-printed papers...all with beautiful patterns and colors. It was a dream for me! I was scared the flat paper would get completely wrinkled and ripped on my trip home, and when I happened upon this great clip wrapped in my favorite paper there...well, I was sold. This is a clothes pin covered in 2 bits of board wrapped in handmade paper. I love the saturated colors in the pattern. It now sits on my vanity table in my bedroom so that I can admire it each day. This souvenir enabled me to have my favorite paper without worrying about ruining it in transit...and it's also a useful item I can admire for years to come. Who else wants to share in Show & Tell Tuesday?

Rockport, MA

2008-07-16T19:55:00.006-04:00

Hi friends! Wow, I'm so touched by all your lovely comments and emails. I feel like I've had several virtual hugs and I'm wrapped in so much support. Thank you so much. We are moving forward with a positive outlook and I know we are so close to realizing our dream of starting a family. Onward and upward! As I'd mentioned yesterday, we spent several days in Rockport, MA (and a full day trip to Salem, MA). WOW. I loved it in Rockport! As someone who grew up in southern Maine I am a bit used to the coastal "tourist" towns and it takes a lot to get me excited about one. I find that some are too "chic" and therefore boring with the same scenery over and over. Some are too "rustic" where there is not much to do but admire mother nature or deal with cheesy junk shops. I found Rockport to be perfect. It wasn't too crowded and was easy to get around. It didn't feel like a "tourist trap." There were lots and lots of gift shops (some kitchy and some more high end) and TONS of art galleries with lots of styles of art to choose from. I was so inspired as I walked through them all. We ate at a variety of amazing restaurants with magnificent coastal views (some of boats in harbors and others with rocky shoreline) and delicious food. We stayed at the Yankee Clipper Inn and had an amazing room in the Quarterdeck building...it had a little sun porch with big picture windows overlooking the ocean. At the right angle it felt like being on a cruise ship looking out at the water. And they offer an AMAZING breakfast there. Heaven. The views at the Yankee Clipper had me sighing every few minutes. They have it landscaped with every kind of summery flower you could imagine. It was out of some sort of New England summer fantasy. As a fun fact, John and Jackie Kennedy once stayed there. Everywhere we drove in Rockport seemed to offer a different stunning ocean view...whether it be of a hidden cove, a majestic rocky shoreline, or a quiet inlet filled with boats. It had a little of everything and all in walking distance. I highly recommend going there and it's only 1 hour away from where I live, so I plan to go back frequently. I can't believe I've been missing out. It satisfied my nostalgia for home/Maine without the high gas prices to get there! And so ends my Rockport commercial. The results of our little trip have me very inspired and thirsting to start painting again...my mind is swimming with different ideas (and I'm scared that I won't do anything about it because I'm not sure which ideas I want to pursue.) I have to pick a direction or two and see where they take me. (nervous wringing of hands) I'll never know unless I try, right?

Time

2008-07-15T11:46:00.005-04:00

Hi friends, I'm sorry it's been so long since I have written. I've needed to take a little time to be in my own world. I turned 30 yesterday...I wasn't sure how I would feel about it...and I've decided that it's ok. I felt a little sad at how fast time flies. It feels like yesterday I was 15 and didn't yet have many cares. Life has layered on many more joys and complications since then. Yesterday was also the day my fourth pregnancy loss was confirmed. I was 6.5 weeks pregnant, but I've known it wasn't going well from practically the beginning...just by how the levels of the pregnancy hormone HCG wasn't doubling every 2 days like it should. It's been a nerve-wracking few weeks living in 2 day increments to see if the blood tests showed better results...and always feeling let down and sad. I now know for sure and it's a relief to at least know what is happening (the docs were really thinking it was another ectopic and luckily it wasn't.) My amazing husband took me on a well-planned birthday trip to Rockport, MA for a few days to do touristy things in the area and to just escape to the healing ocean. It was just what we needed to clear our heads, have some fun together, and relax a little...we had to return yesterday, July 14, for the final blood work and ultrasound that would confirm what we already had known. I'm in a good place now with the whole thing. I have a really good feeling about the next time. Fifth time will be the charm, I just know it. I have a deep feeling of peace inside and know it will all work out. I've never had that feeling before and I certainly welcome it! Some friends have asked how I can keep such a positive outlook and I just say that it takes hard work and a lot of thinking. And here's what I know: I am lucky. Very, very lucky. I have the ability to get pregnant...something many people struggle with. I need to remember to be grateful. I can keep trying. There are young women out there who are losing their battles with cancer who will never know what having a child will be like...who would trade with me in a second to have these problems. My heart aches for those families who are losing a loved one much too soon. I am grateful for what I have and thank God every day for the abundance in my life. It is easy to get caught up in a problem and it is important to pull out the lens and get the bigger picture...that we are all part of nature and the cycle of this thing called life. It is a joyous and bumpy ride and one that I choose to enjoy and cherish. I owe it to those who cannot.

Tagged again!

2008-06-30T08:54:00.003-04:00

I've been tagged by the lovely and wonderful Mary. She tagged me a while ago and am now finally getting around to playing. This version of tag is a little different in that there are actual questions to answer so here goes!

What were you doing 10 years ago?
Hmm. I believe it was the summer after my Sophmore year in college and I was working at the Maine Mall at a store called "Natural Wonders." It was such a fun job but I didn't quite make as much money as I needed to for my Junior year! Let's just say I ate a lot of Ramen noodles.

Five items on my to-do list:
1. Call the plumber
2. Do the dishes
3. Photograph all my newest work
4. Write my thank you notes
5. Put some listings up on my shop

Snacks I enjoy:
I like to slice an apple into little pieces and put dressing on them in a bowl. I then sprinkle lots of Parmesan and cheddar cheese on top with garlic salt as a last touch. I also love buttery popcorn, cheese and crackers, and banana with whipped cream. I don't snack much anymore though.

What would you do if you were a billionaire?
I would immediately pay off all of our debts and all the debts of my family. I would then buy everyone in my family a new home and furnish it for them. I'd also buy them all new cars. I would buy ourselves a house in our favorite places so that we could stay all over. I would donate lots and lots of money to my favorite charities (National M.S. Society and the American Cancer Society are 2 favorites) and I would give to many homeless families to get them back in the game. For fun I would travel the world and learn all about different cultures. I would also love to take new classes and learn all about the things that interest me. I would also probably volunteer at different places in our area. I'd also probably pay off the debt our church has. And I think it would be amazing to have the means to adopt several children who are trapped in the system and need loving homes. I could go on and on with this question!

Places I would live:
I would love to live in Maine again...particularly Falmouth near the water
Portland, Oregon
San Francisco, CA (if I could afford it!)
Raleigh, NC
Somewhere in coastal Florida just for a little while
Austin, TX

Jobs I have had:
My first was when I was 14...I worked giving pony rides to small children at birthday parties and fairs. I spent most of my time shoveling poop and holding kids on the pony. It sucked and I got paid virtually nothing.

My next job was at Wendy's. My usual task was to put the sandwiches together. It was very stressful since I had to work so fast for hours on end.

Other jobs:
Daycare summer teacher
Retail associate
Waitress
Cleaner
Account Executive
Graphic Designer
Stationer

Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:

Rose: (Good Thoughts)
Erin: (Adventures in Letterpress)
Nicole: (Clearframe)
Laura: (Cult of Domesticity)
Louise: (Poppy Letterpress)

{The rules of the game: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.}

Party On!

2008-06-24T21:43:00.003-04:00

I'm overwhelmed. My husband hatched a plan long ago to throw me a surprise birthday party and boy, was I surprised! I am turning 30 on July 14 so he thought he might as well throw me a party a month before-hand so I wouldn't suspect anything! WOW! It was on Saturday (June 21st). I had gone to Boston to hang out with a good friend of mine all day Friday...the plan was to have ice cream, window shop, do dinner, go see a movie, and then go dancing. I was to stay at her house for the evening and then do breakfast and pedicures the next day. This all in itself is big doin's for me since I rarely get out. I was so excited! When I got home on Saturday afternoon there was a HUGE tent in the yard and piles and piles of people waiting to surprise me. I saw my family and my friends all standing there...it was just too much for words. My husband even went so far as to have it catered so he could spend time enjoying the event without worrying about preparing the food and appetizers. He arranged for everyone to bring a photo with me in it and to write a personal note on the back. He had them all displayed on a board (and also in a pile at the back because there were too many to fit!) and when I got to take them off the board the next day there were so many fun messages and notes to read. When they brought out the cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to me I started to cry. I couldn't help it and felt so silly...but it just felt so darn great to know I had so many people who love me and care. The gifts were all fun and thoughtful and I hope everyone had a great time...I sure did! Thanks to everyone who came and helped make the day so special to me. I will always remember it and it soothes the sting of turning the big three-oh. Much love to everyone for coming such distances to share in the fun, most of all to my amazing husband who organized every detail himself and pulled off such a fun surprise. I feel so special and lucky every day because of you Chris. No words will ever be able to mean it enough. Nothing I want to say seems to measure up to the gratitude I have. I love you! I don't have much for pictures of the day yet; so posted here are a few. A good friend took a bunch of "professional" photos and I will be sure to post some favorites some other day when I have them!

I'm on Dooce for sure!

2008-06-19T09:07:00.001-04:00

My print is on the right...click here to see!

*update: I've emailed her to give her the link to my shop, so we shall see if it is mentioned or not. I know she doesn't HAVE to since it's HER blog and she can do what she wants. It would just have been so cool to have had my link there too. I worry people will think that my print on the right is from Wayne Pate as well since she doesn't mention it. Of course, he is MUCHO famous for his prints right now and I'm pretty unknown. Oh well, onward and upward and I'll keep smiling.

Lift the ban?

2008-06-18T11:20:00.003-04:00

Check out this article.

Of course he's pushing the use of MORE oil. I'm not so sure the costs would even go down. Especially in several years! Obviously we need help NOW, but that's not going to happen. That being said, I'd love to see the years of effort and resources go toward perfecting other methods of fueling our lives altogether. That would, in large, take away our dependency on oil from other countries...would it not? Wouldn't it end a lot of fighting? Isn't this the perfect time to say "our dependency on oil needs to become a thing of the past." If we are a nation that is innovative and forward-thinking then I would think that we should be moving FORWARD and not BACKWARD. I want our leader to embrace new technology and to be forward-thinking. It would be so great to have a cleaner fuel that is very inexpensive (and easy to replenish) that we all can have access to. I'm just so sick of the oil issue and want it to go away already. Sorry, I will get off the soapbox now. I just had to react.

The Secret

2008-06-16T10:12:00.004-04:00

Hello! I hope you had a great weekend! We went and saw the new Indiana Jones movie on Saturday morning...it was great! If you like those films, that is. My husband said "I didn't like it as much as some of the others, but I thought it was good." The movie was in keeping with the others in terms of the humor and the writing, so it was a refreshing break from the over-digitized flicks of today. I'm sure this one was plenty digitized, but it would have been for the backgrounds (and I couldn't tell one way or another). Overall, it was a fun movie. Onto the next topic...
I promised to mention the book I'm reading in my last post. Most of you out there have heard of it or have read it and I finally jumped in to see what it was all about. It's called "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. I've heard all about it for the past 2 years on blogs, in the workplace, and on television. I had the gist: "Think positively and you will attract good things." But I decided to see what else it had to say and I'm glad I did! I've recently decided to take a more positive stance in my life in hopes that I would feel more energetic and that it will attract my hopes and dreams my way. This book helps confirm that this is a worthy stance to be taking and also gives tips and thoughts on how to enhance that. I always knew that visualizing and FEELING what I most want to happen was important, and I'd just sort of stopped practicing that. Perhaps I became pessimistic. The book reminds me to live like I already have what I want and that will attract it to me. To affirm every day that I am abundant, I have what I need and want. Since I want to have children, it is helpful to say "I am a great Mom" instead of "I wish I were a Mom." According to the book, wishing only brings MORE wishing. Worry brings MORE worry. Negative brings MORE negative. There is mention in the book about how Mother Theresa was asked to join an anti-war rally and she said "tell me when there is a pro-peace rally...I will go to that!" This shift in thinking takes the focus off the negative connotations and puts in on the positive ones instead. The other good thought I'm getting from this book is that if you want something so bad that you are obsessed and feel like you NEED it then you are choking that energy and keeping that very thing from coming to you. The book implies that you should ask once and let it go. It asks us to assume we are going to get what we want (much like when we place an order from a catalog and assume it's on it's way) and let it go. Then, visualize HAVING that thing (for me it's lots of shop orders, a baby, etc.) It's teaching me to MAINTAIN the positive mindset and try to catch myself when I'm thinking or dwelling on something negative. I figure, it can't hurt to give it a try. I've found pictures that represent the things I most want to bring to my life and business and I have them in a folder on my computer. I look at the pictures each day and I make sure to smile and feel joy knowing these things will be coming to me. I'm just going to let everything unfold as it should and I'm happy with knowing just what I want and who I want to be. This brings so much positive energy around me...and makes trying this new way so worth it. I know it will take practice, but I'm willing to do it. I'll let you know when any of my wishes come to me! You can find out more about The Secret and order the movie (or view it online for a small fee) here.

new!

2008-06-14T07:58:00.003-04:00

The last of my newest designs have debuted in my shop. You'll see my new giraffe card and my new branch card... the giraffe is a folded note while the branch is a flat note. I printed the giraffe to be a touch "off" between the yellow and brown colors. I wanted it to feel more childlike and whimsical, so the brown layer was printed a hair "off" from the yellow. It varies a bit from card to card and gives it a more whimsical/cartoony feel. I'm pleased with how it came out. My favorite is the branch card. I think it's because I like the combination of filled color and outline color. These are also original illustrations. Have a great weekend everyone! I'm headed to a morning showing of the new Indiana Jones movie with my husband. (no crowds and much cheaper tickets!). I hope you enjoy whatever plans you may have.

hungry hippos

2008-06-13T11:32:00.003-04:00

Hello! New card in the shop; two more to go after this one! This is just a fun little card with a mom and baby hippo hanging out by a tree. Selling them in my shop in a set of 3 (you can contact me through the shop if you want a custom quantity). Happy Friday! I'll be posting the last 2 of my recent card designs in my shop later today and this evening. I hope you enjoy your weekend. I'll be back Monday with a post about a great book I'm reading... Until next time!

Elephants on parade toward bliss

2008-06-12T09:34:00.004-04:00

Elephant card sets are now available in my shop.

Hello everyone! Happy Thursday to you. It's feeling a lot like summer now and I'm loving it. It was such a long winter and I'm glad it's done with. Today I've been thinking a lot about choices and the tough ones we make regarding our careers. I wanted to share this with you because it's a sort of milestone in my life. Two years ago I left my corporate graphic design job for the world of freelance. I had no idea what direction I wanted my work to go in; I just knew that I wanted to work for myself. I plunged forward trying to get a client roster going. Things were booming! I was so busy that first year I thought "Wow! I can't believe I didn't do this sooner!" But, as time went by I started noticing I still had that little pit in my stomach that said I still wasn't quite happy with what I was doing. I still felt a little un-fulfilled and a little sad. It didn't take long for me to realize that it wasn't graphic design as a field that I was unhappy with, it was the KIND of work I was doing. I didn't feel that wave of pride when I completed a project. That thrill of a job well done. Well, I didn't feel ANYTHING for that matter. Doing work for corporations just didn't feel right. I decided I wanted to CONNECT with people. To do work that mattered to someone on a more personal level. That's when I decided focus my work more on weddings, birth announcements, stationery and the like. Not only is my job much more fun, it is much more personal. And even more recently I've refined my goals to include selling my own cards as I try to create a thriving online shop. I've never been happier. Have I taken a pay cut? YES. But I feel that it's only temporary as I move forward and try to gain more of an audience for my product. It took me a while and a leap of faith to allow myself to focus in on what I really wanted to be doing and not what I "maybe should" be doing. The other day I got a call and a possible opportunity to do some freelance work with a great up-and-coming company with a fantastic brand doing packaging (and such). I would have been working with one of the country's top product designers. I was speaking to the President of this company who is a friend of my husband's family and I thought to myself "Wow! Up until recently I would have given my left arm for an opportunity like this!!!" It was everything I used to dream of. Right there dangling in front of me. And I said no. I SAID NO!!!! I ask myself if I'm crazy. But I know that I'm not. It WAS a great opportunity...for someone else. For someone who has the dream I used to have. The reality is that the work would have taken me way away from where I want to go and I know it was the kind of work that I simply dread doing. If I had said yes, what would I have been trying to prove? Because I wouldn't have said yes for myself. I'm proud of myself; that I was strong enough to say no to something that, while slick and glossy, would have taken me away from where I'm truly meant to go. I heard the voices in my conscious saying "don't do it! it's not right!" and I listened for once. What I'd like to say here is that we all have to make choices in all facets of our life. And we make decisions based on many reasons...sometimes we have to stop and ask "is this going to take me TOWARD my dream, pull me AWAY, or STALL me on my path? The decision has to be right for YOU and your family. Not for anyone else or for any other reasons. And if you can't make that decision now because of finances, bad timing, or a zillion other reasons that may hinder you, just know that if you make tiny little steps toward your dream it will eventually be realized. But you have to be making steps no matter how small. Here's to small steps!

new stuff

2008-06-11T17:52:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a great week so far. I finished 5 new card designs yesterday after a week of printing and doing lots of other things. Here is a new flat notecard available in my shop.
"Printed in a light blue and brown ink, the stump flat notes are stylish without too much pattern and frill. Comes in a set of 5 flat cards. Printed in ultra-thick and pillowy soft cotton Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. Ultra luxurious." I will debut my other cards through the next few days; I'm excited about all of these ones because they are a little different from the other work I'd been doing but are still cheerful, whimsical and fun. Plus I did all the illustrations myself (quick and simple ones to keep the child-like quality to the design). I hope you enjoy them! Have a great day!

Japanese Fan Card

2008-06-09T10:15:00.005-04:00

Here is a cool Japanese fan card I promised to show you. Here it is all packaged up as it was bought.
Below is an up-close view of the little add-on sticker on the front. I thought it was a nice touch and was impressed that this little detail was die cut into a fan shape too.
Here it is out of the cello sleeve. There's an envelope and a little card with a slit that holds the fan in place.
When you remove the fan from the holder card, you can flip it over and write a message on the back.
Here's how it looks when you open the card and flatten it out on the table. It works like a pop-up book. I love all the gold foil detail!
It comes with string attached for hanging.
Here's another view of it when it is closed again.
And finally, here's a view from the front of it when the card is only opened a little bit.Thanks for checking out this little card with me! I hope it inspires you in some small way as it did me.

Fine Art vs. Commercialism

2008-06-06T09:54:00.007-04:00

Hello everyone! Happy Friday to you!
I got an interesting comment on my blog yesterday on my bird cage cards from "anonymous." She/He says: "Reminiscent of Gwen Frostic's work. huummm. Gwen's prints are the best, think I rather prefer her cards for buying. I find your work is very cold and barren. Almost Soulless."

I'd like to say thank you for pointing out Gwen Frostic's work. I'd never actually heard of her until this comment so I went ahead and Googled her. Her beautiful prints have a rich watercolor feel and bring out such beautiful colors of nature in birds and botany. So delightful and a feast for the eyes.I urge you to check out her work; particularly her cards HERE.

Clearly, Ms. Frostic's work is the result of many hours of intensive work. Soulful work. This is fine art at its best. She has then turned her art into cards and calendars and all manner of wonderful products to make a living from her work. Kudos to her and I hope to have my own successes with my own work one day. However, currently I have not been working on my fine art. It's been placed on the backburner for a while now. All my paintings and drawings from the past are stored away in a special case; save for one small watercolor painting that is framed in my living room. Someday soon I will take out my pencils and brushes and paints and enjoy it all again. I have made the choice for now to create little letterpressed greeting cards that are just plain fun for me to make. I either illustrate the subjects myself or I find free clip art that I make unique compositions with. Do I put my soul in it? Hardly. I'm having fun! I'm enjoying myself! I'm doing what makes me happy. Yesterday, I was printing a little card that will be coming soon...little hippos by a palm tree. Cartoonish yet cute. Is my soul there with it? No. I giggle at the thought. My happy helpful commenter was correct: I didn't put my SOUL in my cards. I make my cards purely for the fun of it and with the hopes that others out there will enjoy them too. I put my SMILE in it. Little paper bits to send around and urge a smile from others. Nothing more and nothing less. I do not take my little cards too seriously. I think the topic of fine art vs.commercialism are important..It's vital to know the difference between what is meant to be a soulful expression and what is meant to be a fun expression made specifically for a commercial product in an effort for fun and to help make a living.

The comment raised another important topic: How do artists gain inspiration? and Has someone copied my work or have I copied someone else's work? These are issues that we freelance designers worry about and wrestle with. There are so many ideas out there and many have been done several times over. On purpose? Sometimes. But I think most of the time it is unknown. It is impossible to see every piece of art that has ever been created and make sure your special piece isn't similar to another. It sometimes happens. My happy helpful commenter implied that my work was like Ms. Frostic's. I'm flattered! But I do not see the comparison or similarity. I guess I have a bird on my card. That's about it. I found the cool bird on a royalty free clip art subscription-only website and just plain liked it. I'm happy to have learned about Ms. Frostic's work though; it is incredibly beautiful and really speaks to me. Something to note is that we all get inspiration and ideas from each other and from somewhere else. We as artists develop our own particular style over time. Sometimes two different artists will have similar styles. For example, when I looked at Ms. Frostic's work it immediately reminded me of the work of CharleyHarper. They aren't exactly the same style, but they reminded me a lot of each other. Her work is more painterly and less geometric.

Ms. Frostic's work:

Charley Harper's work:
Are they the same? No. Are the birds in dynamic and expressive poses? Yes. Are their angles exaggerated? Yes. Are the birds of the same species? Maybe. But they are also different in lots of ways and I could go on and on.

These are all topics that have been floating around in my head for a while now and I'm glad my happy helpful commenter reminded me of them. I've said how I feel about these issues; I'm curious to know what all of you out there think about these topics in relation to YOUR life and occupations? Enjoy your weekend everyone! I will be hanging out with family...I plan to go to a town carnival and then off to a fun paper store to see what treasures I can find. I'll be back Monday with pics of a paper treat from "Japan" at Epcot. Be well and here's a smile!

The Bird Cage!

2008-06-05T09:39:00.003-04:00

Here is my newest letterpressed card that will be available today in my shop. I've been enjoying the color combination of yellow and gray and thought this was my big chance to use it! This is a small folded notecard printed on ultra-thick and cotton Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. They come with matching white cotton Crane's envelopes. I will be selling these in sets of 3 for $9, but feel free to contact me through my shop if you'd like other quantities. I hope you like them!

Fun!

2008-06-04T20:09:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Nicole over at Freshly Blended for featuring the invitations I did for my Mom's surprise birthday party invitations last year on her blog. You can view the post here. She has a new "DIY Invite Tuesdays" feature where she profiles some "do it yourself" invitation designs once per week during June. If you have some invites you've created and want to show off, you can submit them here.

Hello again

2008-06-03T10:21:00.003-04:00

Hey friends! I'm back from vacation and back at it. We spent a few sunny days in Vero Beach, Florida playing in the pool and on the beach there with friends. Chris and I then drove to Orlando and spent a few days there playing at Universal Studios and at Disney's Epcot park. Universal has really updated their rides to utilize the newest technologies. What a great time! I loved all the rides we went on (except for maybe one where I felt pretty sick after). It's like a new park though, and I highly recommend it if you are ever in that area. Epcot was fun too; but was more about walking around and being relaxed and shopping. I spent a lot of time in "Japan" and bought tons of little paper items that I plan to share with you over the next week. Everything is so intricate and folds this way and that. I haven't assembled anything or taken anything out of the packages yet. I thought we could discover each thing together. We also enjoyed "Germany" a lot and had dinner in an Oktoberfest atmosphere. I think Chris was in heaven. I have lots of pictures from our trip, but they are on my husband's new camera and they have yet to be uploaded to the computer.
I have lots of plans this week for new letterpress card work, but I'm having such a hard time getting motivated. It's sunny and warm out so it makes me not able to focus very well. This is my number one problem: staying motivated. I have so many plans and ideas but such a hard time making myself follow through. Perhaps it's fear? I'm not sure. Anyway, I'll be back soon with the newest paper discovery from Epcot's "Japan."

we're off!

2008-05-21T08:38:00.004-04:00

Chris and I are headed to Vero Beach, Florida and then on to Orlando for silly fun at Universal Studios and such...we'll be back in just over a week from today. I'm excited to get away for a bit and feel the warm, well...I guess HOT, sun. This comes at the perfect time as I've just completed work for several weddings and am approaching a break. This has me contemplating my business and what I truly want with it. I've found that refining your vision every once in a while is necessary in making sure your business reflects what you truly love and want to be doing. That being said, I have several sets of letterpress plates in hand that are new...and over 5 new notecard designs that I will be working on upon our return. I'm excited about them since they are a departure from what I've been doing for my shop and I think they will start to provide some much needed variety. New flat notecards are on the way, but more new FOLDED notecards will be showing up as well. I have lots of ideas up my sleeve, so the next month will bring along lots of new reveals! I hope you will be as excited as I am! I wanted to thank everyone for their support regarding my last post. This has been quite a journey for me and I'm so glad I have people on my side rooting for us and sending their best wishes. It truly does make a big difference! I feel like I'm starting with a clean slate now as we move toward the unknown. I've made the choice to smile and be joyful. And remember that today is a gift, that's why we call it the present.

time to fly

2008-05-19T08:00:00.005-04:00

Have you ever woken up one day and just felt different? Like the track you have been riding on what seems like forever suddenly disappears and you're on a new one...new scenery, new backdrop, new location...yet the physical things around you stay the same? As my longtime readers know, I have struggled with my fertility and had 3 losses in the last year. The anniversary date of the first loss has just passed over the weekend and I didn't cry. It's amazing, but true. Because of that first experience of pregnancy, I have feverishly tried to replicate it every month since then. Yearning to have that feeling again. I felt it twice more, but lost it just as quickly. This deep seeded desperation had taken over my life as I scoured blogs and medical websites for answers. My daily life consumed with taking my temperature every morning and reading the "signs" just in case I need to go back to the doctor later for more evaluating. I've been consumed by grief as I try to get it back--trying to conceive that miracle I'd been blessed with for such a short time. I've come to realize that none of this helps--None of it. It is a counter productive use of my time and I get nothing from it but worry. I've decided that assuming I will need to go back to the doctor for evaluation doesn't help me. Taking my temps every day just puts out that negative feeling into the world that says "hey, this isn't going to work so I need months of data to bring to the doctor when too much time has passed." I'm going to remove all the blogs I have bookmarked that relate to infertility or pregnancy struggles. I'm to no longer scour medical websites. I will no longer take my temps each morning or look for signs. I will fill my life with affirmations of joy and positivity. The dark gray cloud that has been following me can take a hike now. I don't need you anymore. No, I'm not pregnant now. But. I WILL be a mother. I WILL have a healthy pregnancy. I WILL have a healthy child. That is all I need to know. I don't know when, but I know it will happen. It's time to tuck these spirits away, gently, and whisper "it is ok; you can go now. I will be ok without you. I will never forget you" And now, I can breathe.

Here is a song from Coldplay that I firmly identify with. It hits the nail on the head for how exactly I feel. Could he be singing to me? For me, this song speaks to the issues of losing my babies and the feelings of grief I've endured. It's such a gentle song and a lovely one. It's called "Fix You." You can listen to the full track here. Just be sure to hit the "play" button.

"Fix You"

When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse.

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
"Just what your worth"

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream, down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face and I...

Tears stream, down on your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.