A Recent History

Whenever I am working on art and I need some good music to keep it going I turn up Rodrigo y Gabriela. One of the few bands where I don’t mind it being all instrumental. (I am such a lyric girl…)

Check them out and enjoy.

wow, I actually made the hand-picked items on etsy! Hand-picked by Detailsshop

I really like Hiss’s deer!

alright, it’s official- I am a nerd. I am trying to work on a new screen print - a lovely Southern belle plucking away at the banjo!

goodnight

I’ve put my drawing pencils and paint brushes down for a bit to concentrate on Paper Parasol goodies. Tonight I have updated the shop with a few new items.

And as we love to say, go write your hear out!

p.s. Sorry, I have been an awful at balancing my attention, Paper Parasol!

Now to put the focus back into illustration and painting…

I noticed a common theme with my birthday gifts- they all seemed to carry a similar color theme.

Drew got me the Diana! I can’t wait to carry her around. Instead of seeking out photos, I am going to see if they come to me. It will be good messing with film and chance with photography again.

Well, my studio is a complete mess. I am trying to get cards together for Paper Parasol for the Indie Market next week at Schubas.

I also got into the Bucktown Arts Fest ,so I am in all sorts of trouble if I don’t keep on artin’ it up at every chance I get.

Hope everyone has a lovely Memorial Day weekend!

from some screen printing and realizing it’s Sunday night already!

Yesterday was fun sharing a table with my lovely friend Meredith. Her vanilla bacon cupcakes raised a lot of eyebrows, but they were truly an amazing concoction of baked heaven posed as a cupcake. We even got some sun - imagine that!

Congrats to my friend Tristan, who is making the move to Brooklyn! I absolutely adore Brooklyn- where there is always a comfortable couch to crash on. And those Brooklyn rooftops have a spectacular view of Manhattan - oh, I need a trip to one of the coasts soon! Last time I was in Brooklyn was with Miss Meredith (above) and we road tripped it there. That has almost been 4 years, far too long for this girl to be away from the city that never sleeps.

This was a pretty good week! I turned a year wiser yesterday and I want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes! Looking forward to a good year.

I want to wish everyone the best of luck this year at the National Stationery Show! Especially my friend Dana at Shimmer Studio.

Tomorrow I am sharing a table with my lovely friend Meredith at an art show. There will be art, handmade cards, bands, and cupcakes - so come out! It is in Wicker Park.

In other news:

I printed these yesterday - customized thank you cards! She requested silver on dark brown and I was happy with the results - since I am always fearful of printing on dark. This is a one color screen print. Working on cutting down a new retro thank you card and a Chère, Mademoiselle card with deer. I’ll post photos on those later.

I’m not usually a coffee drinker (tea all the way, baby!), but Sunday mornings have proven to be my iced coffee morning and I usually walk to the little indie coffee shop right down the street. Today with the rain and crumby weather, I don’t even feel like leaving the house. It’s actually one of the few routines I have all week. I am not a routine kind-of person, by any means.

On Friday I went to Stubbs coffee to hang art. It filled the place nicely! I did pretty well at Jane’s, so that made me happy and gave me a boost to my morale. This week I want to focus on making some new cards. (even though I have some freelance projects…) I can’t wait to have a weekend to myself!

A painting on an old silver tray:

And with that, where ever you are, have a lovely Sunday - and Happy Mother’s Day!

Overall, the Spring Show went very well! Thanks to Drew for helping a girl out and spending some time with me and for all my friends who came out!

my booth set-up, you can see a beautiful, old stained glass window behind it.

My friend Tim. had a great set up right behind me and he was selling his paintings.

I was lucky enough to be across from Nancy and Andy from Circa Ceramics. I love their stuff and have been seeing them around for years now, so it was finally good to meet them. They are both incredibly nice and helpful. Also there:
Dollybird Designs and Orangy Porangy. Dollybird’s jewelry is just so ravishing and I have a skirt all picked out to from Orangy Porangy that will be around my waist in no time!

Did a few mini paintings for the art show on Sunday. I think I am good for the show with art/prints/ and cards and feeling much better today.

I also did a run of cards for Paper Parasol . here is a preview. I will put them in the Paper Parasol shop once they are lovingly folded and corners are rounded.

I added a little teal blue to the white to give it a softer look.

Tonight we are going to see Eisley . I’ve seen them twice before and they are such a talented group hailing out of Texas. Plus, they are all just super cute. I miss music. I played the alto sax (and tenor for a bit) for a 5 years. There came a point in h.s. were juggling a part-time job, my studies, band, and playing sports, was a little too much and instead of dropping my beloved soccer, I dropped band. Mostly because I hated marching band. I tried to pick it up a few years later. :I Luckily, I live with a boy who strums out on his guitar almost every night, so there is constantly music bouncing off of the walls.

I did buy a new toy. No, it’s not a scooter. It’s art related. I have huge buyers remorse, but it’s fine. It’s worth it.

Today is just one of those days I should stop while I am not ahead… ya know, where everything doesn’t seem to pan out. My studio (oh wait, the ENTIRE apartment) is a mess. I hope I have my stuff together for Sunday… Especially when it comes to the cards, I tend to be a perfectionist. I mean, if they are going to be packaged, assembled with care, and out there for sale, it can’t be anything less than perfect.

Anyway, I few drawings I finished. I think I am good with drawings… I would like to make more cards.

Lola + Lily

Ingrid and Lucy with Gator

… looking forward to a break and a much needed spring cleaning session.