ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Mr. Squareview & I have been in the Bahamas for the last few days celebrating my birthday.  Such a wonderfully relaxing trip!

I will be back to posting next week.  In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the view. 

MUSIC MONDAY vol 64

A very special Music Monday for you today.  One song to kick off the holiday season and another to remember a great man.  Enjoy!

HOLIDAY CARD RETURN ADDRESS STAMPS

If you're sending out holiday cards this year, you're probably in the thick of planning right now.  Some of you may be completely organized and may already have them sent out (I received my first one this week!) While others may still be trying to take the perfect picture.

For those of you still in the planning stages,consider making your holiday cards even more festive with a cute holiday themed return address stamps.  I'm selling a whole bunch of sweet ones in my shop.

If you're still shopping for cards, check out Minted.  They are offering 15% off orders over $150. Offer ends today so don't delay!

MUSIC MONDAY vol 63

I figured that this song was appropriate as I've been MIA lately.  I'm sure I've been mistaken for a stranger by my own little blog.  Poor bloggy.  I've been neglectful.


I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and get ready for some fun on the blog for the holidays!

FRESHLY MINTED: I'M TOLD I HAVE GREAT TASTE IN HOLIDAY CARDS!

Now, I know that Minted's email service is just really smart and customizes each email to highlight how that particular person voted, but I still got a kick out of the email I just recieved.  It was titled "Congrats on having great taste - your top pick won!"

Even though this just means I gave myself top marks, it's still fun to see my design next to some of my favorite Minted designers!

MUSIC MONDAY vol 62

It has been a crazy few weeks over here and unfortunately it has lead to complete radio silence on my poor little blog.  To sum up - We bought a new condo, put our condo on the market, after a ton of back & forth with the sellers decided to back out of the purchase of the new place at the 11th hour all while trying to keep crazy work schedules under control.  Now we're literally back at square one with nothing to show for it.  It has been exhausting, let me tell you!

After all that hoopla, I'm craving a serene environment.  So today's Music Monday will help promote just that. I give you Drew by Goldfrapp.  Enjoy!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

It has been a busy travel week for me.  On my way to LA for a quick trip now and thought I'd share the view from seat 9F.

Stay tuned for some Halloween Printable fun next week!  

FRESHLY MINTED: HOLIDAY CARD CHALLANGE

I'm beyond thrilled to announce that 2 of my designs were selected for Minted's Oh What Fun Holiday Card Challenge.  This is the biggest challenge of the year (over 3300 entries were submitted!!) and I'm so honored to be among those chosen to be sold on Minted.

The designs Married & Bright and Light Heart are both available in several different die-cut shapes (a couple shown below).  I think each design has that perfect touch of whimsy that is perfect for the holiday season!

If you are really paying attention, you also know that my design Mistletoe was picked as a winner for the 'Tis The Season Non-Photo Holiday Challenge.

All three are available for sale on Minted's site and I'm astonished to tell you that I've already gotten orders for these babies.  Some folks out there are some serious pre-planners!!

MUSIC MONDAY vol 61

Whew! It has been busy around here.  Unfortunately, my poor little blog has been taking the brunt and is the first thing left off my list of to dos.  Thanks for hanging in there!  This week I'll striving to get back on the posting horse.

First up, I'd like to share a new (for me) band.  I give you The Boxer Rebellion with Diamonds.  Enjoy!

MUSIC MONDAY vol 60

Happy Monday!

Featuring a local Chicago band today - JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound with Rouse Yourself.  It's doubly local as Chicago son Jake Johnson (Nick from the show New Girl) is playing the boyfriend who tries to 'rouse himself'.

Enjoy!

FRESHLY MINTED: ‘TIS THE SEASON HOLIDAY NON-PHOTO CARD CHALLENGE

I'm so pleased to announce that my design Misletoe has been selected to be sold on Minted!  I usually don't let the cat out of the bag until the design is for sale on the site, but I thought I'd make an exception as my design was also selected as a runner-up for the Christmas Time Is Here special prize award.  Yippee!

I'm so honored as there were some AMAZING designs in that category (Including Nam's awesome design that won the category - isn't it lovely?).

Check out Minted's blog Julep to see all the special prize winners.  More holiday fun to come!  Stay tuned.

MUSIC MONDAY vol 59

I kept hearing this song over the weekend.  Seriously, no less than 6 times.  I thought it was a sign that it must be my Music Monday post.  Enjoy Lana Del Rey's Young and Beautiful.

THE LAST OF THE SUMMER FESTS IN CHICAGO

Mr. Squareview is traveling to Monte Carlo this weekend for business.  I know, sounds glamorous doesn't it?  It's actually a pretty brutal trip where he goes from 7 am to 2 am every day having speed dating-like 30 minute meetings with potential clients.  His schedule is so jam packed that he's wondering when he'll actually get to go to the bathroom during the day.  Poor guy. I bring this up because his misfortune is my gain as I have a fun filled weekend planned jam packed with activities!

photo credit: official germanday site 

First up on Friday, Oktoberfest (more accurately described as German American Fest) in my neighborhood.  At the end of every summer, Lincoln Square turns into a mini-Munich as thousand come together to celebrate.  Music, dancing, food, and beer are in great supply all weekend.

It's a fun time and it doesn't hurt that the fest is on my doorstep so the use of the dreaded port-a-potty is off the table.   Prost!

renegade craft fair official site

On Saturday I'm headed to the Renegade Craft Fair.  I've missed the last few summers and I'm looking forward to exploring all the maker's goodies.  If you're not familiar with Renegade, the site describes best.

 A curated indie-craft marketplace showcasing the brightest talents in contemprary craft and design.   Renegade is the first, largest, and most well respected event of its kind and has been a major force in pioneering the way for the booming DIY craft movement since it’s inception.  Following our Chicago debut in 2003, RCF  quickly spread across the US (and “the pond”) and presently hosts events in Austin, Brooklyn, Chicago, London (UK), Los Angeles, and San Francisco.   RCF events attract tens of thousands of people per fair and over 250,000 visitors annually. 

On Sunday, the plan is to hunker down and work on the shop.  I'll be photographing up a storm so I'll share all the behind the scenes in upcoming posts.

Enjoy your weekend!

IN THE SHOP: PACKAGING THE GOODS

Phew! It's been busy in the shop.  I'm thrilled to report that my address stamps and wedding favor stamps have been flying off the (virtual) shelf!  While I was prepping orders to be shipped last night I grabbed my camera (forgive the bad lighting, it was late) to take a few shots.  I thought it would be fun to share as a little behind the scenes into my packaging.

The address stamps are shipped out in hand stamped muslin bags.  Perfect for storage or gift giving.  The wedding favor stamps are a little too big to be squeezed in to the muslin bags so I pack them in a cellophane bag with a hand stamped tag tied with twine.

Stamps aren't the only items being shipped out.  My party invitations and social stationery designs are also being sent across the country.  I package those similarly to my wedding favor stamps - cellophane bags, hand stamped tags and bakers twine.

I've been researching other packaging ideas that I may implement soon. I'd love to hear about any packaging that you've gotten from a shop that you loved or packaging that you use in your own shop.

Have a great Thursday!

FRESHLY MINTED: KID'S BIRTHDAY PARTY INVITE - SPECIAL PRIZE RUNNER UP

It's always exciting to be recognized, even if you don't come in first place.

Minted announced the special prize winners for the Kid's Birthday Party Invitation challenge and my design Wagon Wheels got an honorable mention for the 'Shape Award'.

I'm honored to be included with the other designs as they are awesome!  Check out the other category winners and runners up on Minted's blog Julep.

AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA - A WONDERFUL GETAWAY

Mr. Squareview and I are back from a much needed vacation/birthday celebration.  We flew down to Amelia Island, Florida and met up with my in-laws for a relaxing & fun filled trip.  

The walkable downtown area of Amelia Island is full of cute boutiques, restaurants, and watering holes to explore.  If you're there, definitely check out the shrimp trawlers and sunsets from the balcony of the Salty Pelican Bar & Grill.

Lately, we have been trying to stay at condos instead of hotels when traveling.   Its not always possible, but when it is, it makes your trip so much more relaxing.  You're able to wake up and get the day started gradually with your coffee & breakfast on the balcony in your PJs.  It's also fun to end your day on the same balcony with a cocktail or two.  We stayed at Ocean Place and loved it.   We were right on the beach and our views were spectacular!  Especially, the tortoises.

Mr. Squareview had one request for his birthday.  He wanted to do a little fishing.  Originally, we were scoping out charter boats to go out and do some deep sea fishing, but we were in such a lazy day frame of mind, we ended up just doing some surf fishing.  It was my first time & I really got a kick out of casting the line. Baiting the hook, not so much.  I left that up to the hubby & Father-in-Law Squareview.

We were most surprised at the weather.  It was mostly cloudy every day with either a light or heavy breeze off the water.  This made it really comfortable instead of hot and humid as I was expecting.  On the breeziest day, we got some pretty fantastic waves to admire.

Such a fun time.  I would highly recommend a trip to Amelia Island. I can't wait to go back!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Taking a much needed trip for Mr Squareview's birthday.  Greetings from "sunny" Amelia Island, FL!

THE PERFECT WORKSPACE - 99U ARTICLE CAME AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME

EINSTEIN'S OFFICE, PRINSTON, BY RALPH MORSE 1955

I'm so happy to report that my little shop's growth for August has been incredible. I've sold more items this month than I have in several past months combined. My studio's growth has been exciting, challenging, fun, and fulfilling!

It has also taken up a boatload of space.

As a result, I'm quickly outgrowing my designated home office space.  I've mentioned Mr. Squareview's obsession with organization in the past and quite frankly, my little office gives him heart palpitations every time he's near it.  Something has got to give.

Luckily for me, I ran across a helpful article from 99U that will help me get moving in the right direction.  It starts:

The spaces we occupy shape who we are and how we behave. This has serious consequences for our psychological well-being and creative performance. Given that many of us spend years working in the same room, or even at the same desk, it makes sense to organize and optimize that space in the most beneficial ways possible.

Check out the full article here.  Happy office organizing, everyone!

MUSIC MONDAY vol 58

Mr. Squareview just introduced me to this band over the weekend and I'm an instant fan.  I give you Ola Podrida with Staying In. Not much of a video as it's just the song over the dude in the laundry mat, but it still worth a listen.  Enjoy!

NEW IN THE SHOP: WEDDING SAVE THE DATE STAMPS

You've set the date, now it is time to ask your friends and family to save the date!  I know there are so many brides (and a few grooms) who want to add a little handmade touch to their big day.  That said, they don't want their wedding to look like it was put together by small children.  Instead, they want their day to still be classic and elegant.  In my experience,  DIY touches that are both classic and elegant are a bit hard to find.

I designed a few save the date stamps with these brides (and grooms) in mind.  Classic, clean and elegant. At approximately 3 x 4 inches, these stamps will fit comfortably on a A2 card.  The stamps are also perfect for the more unconventional save the date ideas.  Botanical paper, handkerchiefs, linen bags, the options are only limited by your imagination!

You can find these save the date stamps in the shop.  

MUSIC MONDAY vol 57

I'm a new fan to this band.  They are called Say Hi to Your Mom (how fun is that?).  I give you Let's Talk About Spaceships for your listening pleasure.  Enjoy!

MUSIC MONDAY vol 56

Lollapalooza descended on Chicago this weekend. Mr. Squareview and I didn't attend as we're old fogies and the idea of spending several hundreds of $ to spend 3 days trapped in Grant Park (no matter how good the music) did not float our boat.  That said, the line up was awesome.

There were tons of new acts that I would have liked to see in a different venue, but there were a few that I briefly considered hanging up my old fogie status so I could see.  Namely, New Order & The Cure.  These bands were primary players in the soundtrack of my teenage years and I've never seen them in concert. Hopefully someday I will, especially as the band members are getting up in years.

Today, I'll give you a couple of beauties from their past.  Joy Division (New Order's predecessor) with one of my all time favorites Love Will Tear Us Apart and a hilariously lip synced version of the first Cure song I ever heard Boys Don't Cry.

Enjoy!

HAND LETTERING WITH SEAN McCABE

IMAGE FROM SEAN'S SITE FOUND HERE

I'm super excited! Why you might ask?  I just enrolled in Sean McCabe's Skillshare Class called Digitizing Hand Lettering: From Sketch to Vector.

I've been secretly tinkering around with a sketchbook for the last few months in an attempt to improve my hand lettering.  I'm making progress and it was time to up my game and move what I put in the sketchbook into the computer.  I searched  the trusty interwebs and ran across Sean's class.  I've been a huge admirer of his work for a while now &  I can't wait for his Obi Wan Kenobi like lessons.  Squee!

If you're interested sign up here.

NEW IN THE SHOP: WEDDING FAVOR TAG STAMPS

When I was planning my wedding a couple years ago, I was obsessed with maintaining the theme or brand throughout the day. I wanted everything to seamlessly transition and look effortless.  I remember it being such a struggle for me to find items that worked cohesively.

As my last two shop posts have shown, I've been focusing on stamp designs recently. During one of my recent brainstorming sessions (I wonder, can it be called brainstorming if you do it alone?) it occurred to me that my new favorite shop item didn't have to stop at making return addresses look pretty.  I could design something that would help brides like me create a cohesive look.

I'd like to introduce you to my newest addition to the shop: the favor tag stamp.  No need to stop at favors though, oh no.  The options are truly limitless. Programs, napkins, place settings, thank you cards, oh my!

This one is influenced by my top selling Thank You note (below) and I just love it.  What do you all think? 

NEW IN THE SHOP: CUSTOM NAUTICAL ADDRESS STAMP

NAUTICAL ADDRESS STAMP FOUND IN THE SHOP

I'm very excited to introduce you to my newest address stamp design.  Just like the last stamp I featured, this was influenced by a favorite spot in Georgia.  This one is called St. Simons as I was channeling the beautiful island of St. Simons, Georgia when creating it. I intended to mirror the classic elegance found throughout the island and with its clean & classic look, I think I hit the mark.

This stamp would be a perfect addition to your nautical themed wedding suite as well as any everyday correspondence you may send from your boat, tropical island, or anywhere else that needs a little nautical infusion.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

I'm in San Diego this week for a conference.  Unfortunately, it is a financial services conference and not Comicon.  I've seen a few of the Comicon attendees around and they sure look like they are having WAY more fun than the crowd I'm with! 

Even with the tamer attendee list, my view can't be beat. 

                        

IMAGES FROM MY TRIP: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

                        

I realized I hadn't shared any of my trip photos yet so I thought it would fun to do so.  I'll start off by giving you a quick peak at of the architecture you'll find out and about in Glasgow, Scotland. It is said that to truly see Glasgow, you have to look up.  Here is what I saw when I did. In my next post, I'll talk about many of these places, but for now - enjoy the photos!

p.s. Don't be fooled by the incredibly blue skies. These photos are not representative of normal Scottish weather.  We had FABULOUS weather which was not normal.