November is ending well

We had a lovely post-Thanksgiving weekend. I baked my first turkey, which we enjoyed with the truly wonderful Rops clan. There were Christmas markets and sunny mornings and gluhwein and chocolate bars and singalongs. Everyone was tolerant of both Gus's runny nose and his hollering. It was good.

Perhaps because of the tryptophan, the good company, Starbucks Christmas espresso blend, the German beers, or the new (and simply glorious) pottery Advent wreath P bought me at the Dejvicka market, this morning we entered the week of Decisions with lighter hearts, which I am also enjoying. 

In the afternoon, I made the Colophon Cafe's African peanut soup with our leftover turkey, which turned out to be a splendid move. It was totally unthanksgiving-dinner-like, and it used up a lot of the bird.

And tonight, I'm packaging cards to sell. 

 

Repeating themes

I'm working on a project at which I'm not very good. It requires repeating patterns and Adobe Illustrator work that this brain just doesn't yet know how to navigate. (and isn't quite convinced it wants to learn)

This workshop showed up in my Google Reader last night just minutes after the email arrived requesting these repetitive designs. Julia Cameron would shout "synchronicity!" and ask why I haven't already enrolled. 

Selling and sketching

If you're going to attempt holiday sales, you should probably get to know my friend K. She took what was a dreadfully boring table and made it look fab:

And then she stayed all day and never ate a single piece of chocolate. I'm not sure what was wrong with her, but she saved my sanity and kept me from shooing away the customers. In the end, she wouldn't even let me give her freebies. What a gal!

I'm not making any more designs for a short bit. Pillarbox has taken my leftovers and now I need to focus on the holiday gifting and a project with Tiny Tales. To tidy up loose ends, I finished sketchbook project #3 today. We're still waiting on Big Decisions and I'm coping with being-very-bad-at-waiting by re-reading Mary Oliver and Jane Kenyon and doodling the best of where we may land.

Happy Birthday, Mama

I'm hoping this card has made its way to my one-year-older mother's mailbox. I wish I was there to take that beloved lady to a high tea or talk her into a pedicure. She's a creative gal that likes yellow and things that are handmade, and so I'm hoping she enjoys her birthday greeting. Happy Birthday, mom. You are missed and loved.

A little of me and a little of letterpress

Two nifty women had birthdays last month:

Belated cards are on their ways. 

In the meantime, drool-worthy letterpress: Morris + Essex.

Unexpected fun

Something happened this week that was more fun than expected. I haven't ever taken on a card commission. I haven't wanted to. I've done more formal drawings and random art pieces, but since someone I really dig asked, and I was already in card-making-mode, and she only wanted a border for a photo card, I took it on. And it was a really lovely experience. It helps that the kind woman ordering up the card was a gem in all regards, but it did get me thinking. There might be a way for me to do this and not pull my hair out and offer affordable cards to folks featuring designs that don't make me feel like a sellout....pondering. Pondering. Pondering. 

The front...

The inside (minus names)...

My people

Today, I present the stunning November/December Stone Soup cover:

The cover artist is my niece, Z. Talented Z and her talented mother are generous about sharing what they are working on and allowing peeks into their creative worlds. As the holidays grow nearer, I'm really missing these women and the other good folks in my circle. I'm so grateful to have family members that keep me learning and thinking. There are good peeps in this kooky clan.

Pillarbox

I enjoyed the first day of November with a morning stroll in downtown Prague (alone!), dropping off cards at a new shop in Vinohrady. Pillarbox is not only kind enough to carry my wares, but it is also carrying other fabulous cards, toys, and giftwrap. The owner has created a very expat friendly store with lovely gifts and stationery from the UK and Czech Republic. She's only five minutes from the Muzeum metro stop---pop in!