Holy Cow this week is going fast! I feel like I blink and it is tomorrow! Just wanted to share the other refresh I did for summer 2011 (I know! SUCH a tease!) I really have enjoyed taking some of my older pieces and re-designing them for either a different application, or just an update in design.

This time, my goal was to take a sentiment that I used originally for a specific occasion, and make it available to a wider audience by making the artwork less specific. I love this saying. It is one of my core-truths and every time I read it (even though I wrote it) I think to myself: "YES!!"

I originally wrote it 10 years ago for dear family friends who after many many years in love were able to finally get married (well, in 2001 it was still called a 'civil union', but now are married.). They met through a friend's weekly "take-out & wine night" and have lived happily ever after. I wanted to write about love in general, but make it secretly specific to them so played on the fortune cookie. I really loved how it turned out, and it has been in our line ever since:

However, because it has so many details in it specific to the occasion, it is not as 'universal' as I would like. Also, I wanted to make the color scheme a little brighter to reflect the brightness of the statement. At Curly Girl, we like to pride ourselves on making "cards for people, not occasions", and even though we do have some that are more appropriate for occasions, like this one, I really want people to stand in front of a rack of my cards and say: "Ooooh!! That is SO me!" or "Ooooh! It's perfect for my sister/friend/love of my life!" I find that so much more exciting than picking up a birthday card to put with a birthday present (though, that is important too!!).

I love when I am out and see something that reminds me of someone I hold dear, and it causes me to reach out to them and connect, or re-connect, or just say: "I thought of you" and mean it in the best way possible. That's ultimately, what I hope my work does out there in the world.

People, not occasions. Know what I mean?

Anyhow. I am going on. Just wanted to share, I really love how this one turned out (especially the cookies! they were fun!) and would love to hear your thoughts!

xoxo

Hello! Happy Monday! I spent the weekend in my newly (slightly) re-organized studio (thanks Coach, for assembling IKEA things!). My mission was to take a few older pieces in my line and give them a little freshen up to see how they can find a new space in the world. It was really fun to take a look back and see how my style and color pallet and eye has changed in 10 years, but how my voice has not that much. I still really mean what I say, and said, and I look at these older pieces, and think of whose story they were telling then, and what they mean to me now, and they seem new again.

This piece was originally made (9 years ago) for a friend's sister who was going through a massive life change. She was a very important psychotherapist and had loads of clients, made great money and had more education than you could shake a stick at, but after a stint moonlighting as a make-up artist for (I think) a theater company, she was hooked! She decided to leave her job, her title and her professional life as she knew it and start the process of becoming a make-up artist.

I was so bowled over by this at the time. This risk. This adventure, this concept that you could just....do what you loved. Even though I was in the middle of doing it myself (little did I know), I was simultaneously terrified by her choice and completely impressed. This woman had you-know-whats! And here was her sister, cheering her on. That was just as impressive.

When you are doing something totally nuts, you need someone who knows that but believes in you enough to never let you believe it.

Here is the original piece (still available in our line as a card):

When I re-approached this one, I thought about what it meant to me now. How our minds are so much more available for this type of thinking, but still many of us don't trust the process. This is not to say that we should all quit our day jobs to stay home and craft, or bake or write or juggle. But we should definitely operate in our full space. Take up our full 360 degrees. We should absolutely make time in our lives for the pursuit and execution of the things we love to do. The things we need to do, the activities or service or energy that we need to put into the world. And that is how we should talk about what we "do".

We are not our jobs, but we are what we do. And what we do, matters.

What do you think? Before? After? Somewhere in between??

More tomorrow...Oh, and P.S.: 'big' Marmalade opens in 3 days!!! I am freaking out!

xoxo

We decided that it was time for some new Curly Girl Design thank you note packs and I was craving something fresh! I am having the most fun creating these patterns and florals... it feels like something new, a darling bud of May...

I know it is a slight departure, but it is me following my heart in an instant of my life where that feels a little bit challenged. I made a huge mess (you don't even want to know) and worked and re-worked these, and came out with something that I actually can't wait to send!

Would love to know your thoughts!

xoxo

Hello!! Here is the 4th and final addition to our Spring 2011 release of everyday cards! I think it pretty much speaks for itself. Hope you enjoy it and hope you had a fantastic Thursday! Let me know what you think!

xoxo

Good day to you! I was up late finishing up this little pretty for the Spring 2011 release and wanted to share it with you! This is a card I have been wanting to make for a long time but didn't have the right image. I finally decided on a peacock (which was so fun to make...and kinda hard...I have 'the claw' right now from my tiny scissors...) because they are so beautiful and different and pretty much just have to walk around with all of their gorgeousness trailing behind them in plain site all the time.

I thought, what a reminder that would be if each of us had to wear all of our amazing qualities on our person each day. Like a beautiful, sparkly cape or headdress that we put on every morning as we got dressed. Something huge and un-ignorable that said:

'Hey  you! Remember, you have a big responsibility today. You have to go out there and shine, and be brave and make this world a better place. Now, put some mascara on, and get out there!"

I am pretty sure that's how peacocks feel everyday. Minus the mascara part.

So this one is to tuck in the bathroom mirror....

xoxo

Whew! We have begun the packing (well, thanks to Lauren, Emily and friends, we are all but done!) of "little" Marmalade and the movers come tomorrow! While they were busy with the tape and bubble wrap I have been in the studio working on spring releases... a touch behind schedule as usual...

Here's the most recent addition, let me know what you think!

xoxo

A little Saturday sneak peek for you! Here is what I have been working on for spring! This one is for 'the journey'.

xoxo

Here is the second addition to Holiday 2011...there will be 4 more in due time but that's a wrap for now. I must to Atlanta! (sorry...just finished watching "Young Victoria" and all my thoughts are in a British accent.)

This one is inspired by my excitement over this New Year and my love for vintage party decorations. I am usually pretty ho-hum about a new year starting...but for some reason, this year I am chomping at the proverbial bit! Who knows what adventure awaits!!

Hope you enjoy it...love to hear your thoughts!

xoxo

It's hard to believe, but I am working on Holiday for 2011 as we speak. I know, it's crazy. My tree is still up from holiday 2010!! In truth, I am actually LATE in getting this started and am working my tiny scissors overtime so that we can all have ornaments and snow globes this year! Lots of deadlines this week, and a tradeshow to get ready for - we are opening our first permanent showroom in Atlanta, so you know, it's kind of a big deal! So can't chat, just wanted to share this little gem with you.

If you don't think puns are funny, we might not be able to be friends.

Outside of that...let me know what you think!!

xoxo

This past week I finished up the artwork for the new line of organic t-shirts we are releasing in January. (go ahead, squeal! they are gonna be so cute!) I dusted off the old India ink and dip pen and had a blast revisiting calligraphy. Pen and ink is a medium I used to illustrate and write with pretty regularly, but it has not made its way into my work in a long while. I love letters and words and the shapes of them. It was fun to take some of my favorite "Curly Girlisms" and bring them to swirly life with this old friend.

This is some of what my studio looks like this morning. I would love to say that this is a huge mess, but if I'm honest, this is pretty tidy for my studio. I, like most, have the running list always going in the back of my head: clean out closet, organize studio, go through files, match up socks, clear out garden, put away hose... and then there is the list that I actually write down of all the things I need to get accomplished in a day or week which I won't begin to stress you out with. The point is that I am in a constant state of lists. Mental, physical, emotional, psychological... you name it.

Don't get me wrong I love lists! I love how they look, I love crossing things off of them...I actually love going back to look at them at a later date, sort of like a diary. But some days I feel like they are the boss of me.

The only place that is free of the clutter of lists and things to do, for me, is my studio. Ironically, it is chalk full of other kinds of clutter. This clutter does not have the same effect on me that 'list clutter' does. I don't feel stressed, or worried about this untidy stuff. I love to look at it, it makes me happy and inspired and yes, I prefer for it to be tidy, but somehow I am more comfortable with letting it live it's own clutter life. Like free-range clutter.

Lacy and I have been tossing around ideas for this month's Habits of Happiness and the idea of non-attachment came up. It got me to thinking about what I am attached to versus what I am attaching myself to. I think they are different. Right now, in this moment, I am attaching myself to my lists. They are defining me.

What I am attached to are my family and friends, Lucy and oddly, all the little crap in my studio that makes me feel clever and creative and fun. So, I am exploring the idea of being 'attached to' what makes me feel whole and happy and how to put that at the top of the lists that I need to make things work. It's a delicate balance and tricky thing to negotiate with yourself at times. But like anything worthwhile, it is a practice.

xoxo