Cool It Now

Whoo... It sure has been hot out there! There is nothing like a frozen cold popsicle on a super hot day. In honor of the full-on arrival of summer, I've been working on some new illustrations. These will be hitting the etsy shop(s) soon in the form of cards and art prints, so stay tuned!

Graffiti Love

Spotted in the park...

All About the Porch

The official kick-off of summer has me thinking about porches. Growing up in the South, just about every house had a big ol' porch for enjoying evening breezes. I have many fond memories of sitting on a porch swing, usually with a glass of sweet tea in hand. There's something about sitting on a front porch that invites neighborly conversation and a general air of leisurely-ness; it's the one thing I always reference when I talk about someday leaving the Big Apple. "What I really want is a front porch!"

Of course, screened-in porches have their advantages too - great for a bug-free dinnertime, watching an afternoon thunderstorm, or sleeping... Below, check out these great sleeping porches I found here while browsing through Apartment Therapy.

(Top photo: Apartment Therapy)

Minimally Sweet

Today I'm inspired by these minimal, graphic, sweet works-on-paper by artist Heather Smith Jones. A good way to kick off a new week. Happy Monday!

Pretty Minimal

I'm loving these impeccably simple and graphic hang-painted wallpapers by Porter Teleo.

Lunch!

This week's lunch items: california veggie sandwich and cauliflower soup. Delish!

The sandwich recipe comes from Everyday Food. I couldn't find it online, and I switched it up ever-so-slightly anyway, so here's the run-through: thinly sliced cucumbers and red onions get a dash of red wine vinegar, let them sit for a few minutes while you toast your bread and slice your tomato and avocado. Spread some goat cheese on the bottom slice of toast (I used an herbed goat cheese spread) and a bit of dijon mustard on the top slice; then stack up the aforementioned veggies with a generous handful of sprouts. Done!

Rakka Chocolate

I randomly came across the sumptuous-looking Rakka Chocolate this morning and was completely taken in by the gorgeous packaging. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the wraps are designed by the wonderfully talented Elissa Brown Barbieri of Loop, an eco-friendly stationery and textile company I featured on the blog last fall!

Looks like Rakka Chocolate will be hitting the shelves soon - can't wait to try them.

Cutest, Funnest Invitations

How excellent are these vintage carnival wedding invitations by Thoughtful Day? These (along with the wedding itself, of course) were featured in the most recent DIY-themed issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. LOVE the combination of cotton-candy pink, turquoise and gold; packaging the set in those delectable pink-and-white striped popcorn bags really ties the whole thing together.

You can see more on the invitations here and the wedding ceremony here over at 100 Layer Cake.

Me = Minted.

I submitted 5 different designs as part of minted.com's 2010 Holiday Card Spectacular - so get out there and RATE these babies! This is my first time submitting to Minted, and I'm excited to see how it goes. The first round of voting - the Nomination round - ends June 14th.

Click on this link to see all my designs and VOTE!

Thanks everybody!

Fun Favorites

Thought I would share some pretty items from my etsy favorites file today:


Lovely mini collage charms by Rachel T Robertson


Awesome animal watercolors by Eastwitching


Felt Ball Rug by krita (you know I love felt balls! Would never have the patience to make quite this many of them though.)


Teal Stripe Tote by Drika B.

Have a great day!

Back in Action

Wow! It's a little surreal coming back from a whole week of pure, unadulterated, glorious beach time. I can't remember the last time I had that much time to just swim, play, eat, nap, relax... Honestly, I had planned to blog and do a little work while we were there, but our very spotty internet connection turned out to be the perfect excuse for no-holds-barred vacationing.

Of course, reality must set in at some point! But after all that relaxation, I'm ready to hit the ground running with some new creative ideas, combined with more business development, for Fine Day Press.

Another reality check... We were vacationing on the beautiful beaches off the Florida panhandle and it's a disturbing thought to know that each day the oil inches closer to this pristine area. We watched porpoises frolic and jump each day, and I hate to think of them being affected by this tragedy.