MUAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Hiya! Just wanted to give you some lovin’ incase you needed some extra to get you through the day.

I am excited for the Eagles game today. I read a few articles that said we are going to lose because Nick Foles is a bit injured and the Bears are a great team. I will make sure I have my underdog mask on while I am watching the game.

I ordered an embroidery kit today because I think it is such a beautiful art. I am excited to try it. I am pretty much a super noob so we will see how this goes. I hope it is fun. Have you tried it? Any tips you can give me?

What are you up to today? I hope you have a wonderful day!

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. ‘Stranger Things’ themed candies. Whilst we wait for season 3.

2. The best Boston Globe staff photos of 2018. I love these types of lists.

3. Six mistakes designers make and how to avoid repeating them in 2019.

4. 300,000 Recycled Bottles With Reverse Vending Machine Trial. I wish we had more things like this in the U.S.

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hiya! Happy New Year! This week as been a bit of a whirlwind with all the lead up and including Christmas. I am winding down a bit and enjoying doing things at a bit of a slower pace. I hope you are doing the same. I say to myself that I will be able to stay up until midnight, but let’s get real, I won’t. Ha! What are your New Year’s plans?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Amy Sedaris Reveals Her Magical Greenwich Village Apartment. Love this woman!

2. Love is never a waste of time.

3. Best interviews of 2018.

4. Fontastic! Typography Design.

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

LOVE AND CHEER

Hiya! Happy Holidays! Only a couple days left until Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with love and cheer. I am chipping away at my to-do list. I am so grateful that I have a wonderful husband ready to help me. I really enjoy the baking and the cooking but the clean up, not so much. Ha!

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Package Thief vs. Glitter Bomb Trap. This is fantastic!

2. Revisit Life in New York City in 1911. Wow!

3. How to Write a Cold Email. I think this is very useful advice. I am going to refer to this at a later date.

4. Temple of art and skate. Love the colors and the architecture.

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

HOLLY AND HOLES

Hiya! This week I started getting set up for Christmas. I wrapped all the gifts. I don’t have many people to buy for so that is nice. I made a list for the food that I am making so I have a strategy. Do you have lists? a plan? I try to set myself up for success. I uploaded a collection of sugar skulls to my Etsy shop. They were super fun to make. I hope they sell well. I know I love sugar skulls, hopefully other people do as well. Now I am off to think of what to create next. Wish me luck.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. These illustration for Orangina by Mads Berg will brighten up any rainy day.

2. Julia Roberts ‘Finds Her Holes Get Better With Age’ Thanks To Headline Typo.

3. The World Needs A Toy Store. Love the branding!

4. Corona announces pilot program for 100% plastic-free 6-pack rings in 2019. Yay! Let’s hope other companies will follow.

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

CORAL AND CANDY CANES

Hiya! I am so excited! My Christmas cards came from the printer and they are perfect! YAY! I was a little nervous about the colors turning out the way I intended and that I had a lot of gradients in my design. Moo hit it out of the park again. Thank you Moo! This week I also started working on a Sugar skulls collection. Stay tuned for more. I am really loving making skulls.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. PANTONE’s 2019 Color Of The Year.

2. 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Do you agree with this list?

3. Spector. What an amazing product!

4. How cool is this Gingerbread City?

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

HELLO

Hiya! This week was pretty chill. How was your week? I hope it wasn’t too stressful. I finished creating my Christmas card. I must admit I am quite proud of it. It is something very different from what I have done in the past. This one will be lettering focused. I did a cool treatment to the text. I am anxiously awaiting the printed cards to arrive so I can mail them off. I am so excited it is December 1st and I am ready to scratch off the first day on my Advent calendar. Woooooo! I am almost finished my new snowflake set and hope to have it available for purchase on monday. I should have done this a bit earlier but I forgot I needed to make my Christmas card as well.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. I made sesame soba and ribboned omelet salad and it was so delicious!

2. I love Vivian Mineker’s illustrations. What a beautiful style.

3. Whimsical Guesthouse Inspired By M.C. Escher’s Optical Illusions.

4. Amazing Street Art by Natalia Rak.

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

THANK YOU

Hiya! How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was fantastic! I had a wonderful time with my family. My nephew Reed made everyone turkey hands and asked us what we were all thankful for. Thanksgiving is such a great holiday. Thank you to everyone who reads this. It really means a lot! Now it is officially Christmas time, so I am hard at work on my Christmas card. I am sure I will be posting on here in a few weeks. Keep an eye out for that. Hold on, time is whizzing past us at an incredible speed.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Meet the Guy Who Draws Every Great British Baking Show Recipe Illustration.

2. 22 wonderful print magazines for creative inspiration.

3. Iceland’s Christmas advert banned from broadcast for being too political.

4. 50% off sale Nov. 20-26th in my Etsy shop. Come over and take a look. 

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

SNOW AND A SALE

Hiya! How did your week go? We got a few inches of snow on Thursday which was interesting. I don’t remember it snowing that much in November. Usually the news makes a big deal about snow and one snowflake falls. This time it was the reverse. I can’t believe we are close to the end of the year. Time goes so fast. Don’t you think?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. How To Win At Rock-Paper-Scissors.

2. Chocolatier Cocoa Jones reveals culturally diverse branding.

3. The 51 Best Free Typefaces Every Designer Should Have.

4. 50% off sale Nov. 20-26th in my Etsy shop. Come over and take a look. 

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

OKAY

Hiya! How did your week go? I am still working on my snowflake set. For some reason I thought this idea was going to be fast and easy. That is what I get for thinking that! ha! I have already started preparing for Thanksgiving. I made some pasta today and it is on the drying rack. I always have so much fun making pasta. I have an especially wonderful pasta making partner (my husband). Lets see if I can stay awake for the Eagles game tonight. ha!

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. How do you discover your Sparketype?

2. No-buy challenge.

3. The Bruges Whale.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

SKULLS AND PENCILS

Hiya! I made this skull for Halloween/Day of the dead this week. I just love the whole idea of celebrating members of your family that have passed on. I think I will make a bunch of different ones and put them in my Etsy shop some day. It was very fun to make. What do you think?

Next week I am going to be making a snowflake set so stay tuned.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. A Visit to One of the World's Largest Pencil Factories.

2. Beautifully designed and creative menu.

3. An Interactive Book Experience for Kids.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

1000 AND YAY!

Hiya! I am so excited! I made over 1000 sales in my Etsy shop. Yay! When I started my shop I was so afraid no one would buy anything and that I would fail. I am so proud of myself. I have worked so hard learning about marketing, SEO and Etsy’s algorithm. Excuse me for a second whilst I pat myself on the back. Ok, I’m back, phew you are still here. I wanted to thank everyone who purchased something from my shop. I couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you to my lovely husband for all the support and encouragement.

I have been working on a 3d frame set for next week. A little bit different than what I usually make. Look out for it.

Is everyone excited for the Eagles game tomorrow? Do you think we are going to win? Are you making breakfast snacks to eat while you watch the game? Let me know, thanks.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Hermann Hesse on Little Joys.

2. Leftover Women.

3. I want the Mr. Bingo’s Advent Calendar.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

LOVE AND HANDWRITING

Hiya! It has been a super fast week! I am working on a new frame set for you. I know, shocking right? This one is a bit different. Hopefully I will be able to show you by the end of the week. Chris and I went to an Indian restaurant. I am such a wimp when it comes to spicy. I was told my dish was a level 3 heat wise and it was pretty hot for me. I can’t imagine what level 10 would be like, maybe my hair would catch on fire?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. The Japanese Man Who Saved 6,000 Jews With His Handwriting.

2. I want to make these snowflakes.

3. 20 Influential Creatives.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. 50% off sale in my Etsy shop. Come over and take a look. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

FOOTBALL AND BOO

Hiya! Yesterday we got the pleasure of watching my 7 year old nephew, Reed play midget football. It was amazing! I was surprised that they used the entire High School football field. The kids looked so small in contrast to the field. He was ridiculously adorable in the football uniform. The Solanco mules (Reed’s team) got three touchdowns and won the game against Hempfield. I hope you all had a great week.

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. I know I am a little late to the party but I am loving The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

2. Thank you HeyAmberRae for the reminder.

3. I made this Chocolate Peanut Butter Reese’s Cake and it was a hit and very intense.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

TURTLE TIME

Hiya! On Friday my husband and I celebrated 8 years of marriage, 21 years together and 28 years of knowing each other. That is a long time! The great thing it doesn’t seem long at all. The more time I spend with him the more time I want to spend with him. Time has zoomed by since we met at 17 years old. I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

This week I have been working on some new border sets. I should have this up for sale in my Etsy shop and stock sites in a few days. How was your week?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Lost and Found: A super adorable animated short film. Totally worth watching. I found it on Hulu.

2. Banksy Artwork Self-Destructs Seconds After Being Auctioned Off For $1.1 Million.

3. A brief history of do-it-yourself typesetting. My mind drifted back to college when I got to the Letraeset section.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

LET'S BE ALLIES

Hiya! This week’s Goodtype Tuesday’s challenge: we’ve teamed up with lettering friend @psotaball for the #LetsBeAllies campaign. This campaign was created by Chantal Psota Ball to encourage us to focus our time and energy on being allies rather than competitors. Chantal believes that if we all directed our focus more outwardly and used our energy to uplift others, we could make a lasting positive impact. I thought this was such a great idea. Let me know what you think of my design (above).

This week I have been working on a decorative wreath set. It has been fun playing around with making pattern brushes in illustrator. I should have this up for sale in my Etsy shop and stock sites in a few days. How was your week?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Occult Kokeshi: Overly Familiar Familiar. Amazing felt sculptures by Hiné Mizushima

2. The hug song melts my heart.

3. I have been playing this super cute game. Night in the Woods. I love the illustration style and the dialog.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

FALL AND OVERCOOKED

Hiya! Happy fall everyone! I’m pretty sure autumn is my favorite season. I love all the beautiful colors of the trees, the crunching of leaves under my feet and the cooler air. Summers are so steamy I am definitely prefer fall lately. What is your favorite season? How was your week?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Chris and I have been playing Overcooked and it is a pretty fun and silly game.

2. Warning: Cuteness overload.  

3. These Artists Are Creating Miniature Paper Birds Every Day for an Entire Year. Amazing!

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

A AND A DRAWING GAME

Hiya! I created an “A” this week because it was my sister’s birthday. Happy Birthday Am! I hope you had a fabulous day. Just when you think you couldn’t possibly create one more frame set. Wait for it….Wait for it….I am creating a set of geometric, polygonal, minimalist frames, I clearly haven’t decided on a name yet ha! I am hoping to have these up in my Etsy shop and other stock sites in a few days. How was your week?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. The Combination Man Drawing Game. This looks so fun!

2. The Logo Design Revolution.  

3. I love this! Zen Cat by Steffen Kraft aka ICONEO.

4. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

5. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

SEIZE THE AWKWARD

Hiya! In honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, this Goodtype Tuesday, I lettered "Seize the Awkward"—a campaign by the @adcouncil, @JedFoundation and @afspnational that encourages people to seize the awkward and reach out to a friend who might be struggling with their mental health. “Seize the Awkward” provides resources on signs to look for if you think a friend is going through a tough time and tips for how to start the conversation. 

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Renee Nicolo Photography wrote a beautiful blog post about the wedding we attended last week. There is a photo of the invitations that I designed as well. Beautiful blog and stunning photos. 

2. Enough. 

3. Pantone's Spring/Summer 2019 Trend Report. 

4. Illusion of control. 

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. 30% off sale this week in my Etsy shop. Come over and take a look. 

7. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

LOVE

Hiya! Chris and I went to a really beautiful wedding this week at Normandy Farms. Incredible venue! We had cocktails in a converted horse stable and ate our meal in a converted silo. It was a great time all around. I got to hear all Chris' workmates stories about him. That was interesting for sure. Some things I had never heard before. Noel was the most smiley bride I think I have ever seen. It is so great to see people beaming with happiness. How did your week go?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. Ten small things to be happy. I probably shouldn't have posted this because my husband will want no. 5 more often and by more often I mean everyday.

2. I think I am going to need to make my own pita bread. The only ones I can find at the store have a long list of ingredients I can't pronounce. I have this recipe saved.  

3. Art Oracles: Creative and Life Inspiration from 50 Artists. Love this! So creative!

4. I am having a Labor day sale from August 30 to September 3 over at my Etsy shop if you want to come over and take a look. 

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!

JOMO AND BREATHE

Hiya! This was from this week's Goodtype Tuesday. The assignment was to use a word or phrase that gives a little encouragement or motivation. I had fun with this one. I am not sure why I chose the "Miami Vice" color palate. I guess I was trying to pick something calming. What do you think? How did your week go?

Here are a few things for you to check out:

1. I made Minimalist Baker's Falafal, it was soooo good!

2. How to Make This the Summer of Missing Out. 

3. Kid’s Furniture Made From Old Plastic Toys. So great that people are thinking of ways to reuse things. It makes my heart happy. 

4. I am having a Labor day sale from August 30 to September 3 over at my Etsy shop if you want to come over and take a look. 

5. Recent addition to my Etsy shop. Check out my shop section to see more places to purchase my work. 

6. Come on over and check out my Freebies page (No Credit card required. Just skip the payment section). I add a new freebie every month. 

Please leave comments. I would love to read them! See ya next week!