New! Finally!

I'm excited to say that this week I'll be uploading some of the new (and some of the updated) designs from the year so far. I'm working on some new dragons, and playing with text more than ever. The two newest monsters on the scene are sing song (below) and lovely dragon (above), both blank cards with text versions soon to be released. In fact, Lovely here has become part of my new logo and card back designs... seeing as how she looks pretty much the way I feel at the finish of every drawing. Sing Song is also a new card experiment: the dragon image cuts off at the left-hand fold and curls around the back of the card. I really need to get some photos of these, considering the new stuff is starting to pile up. Ah! This week I'm under the crunch of an art deadline at work... so if my sister-manager gets any photos, I'll be sure to upload those by week's end.

Speaking of busyness, the two of us just finished our first in-house crafty bake sale. Celeste (my sister) has had phenomenal local success selling her amazing cardamom bread and handmade granola, not to mention online acclaim with the launch of her new Etsy shop 70'sHome. The event was fun, with the possibility of growth in the future.

I want to thank our friends for their support! I expected to do more crafty things like this this summer, and wonder if my work schedule will permit. Hmmm... somehow I must make it work between the two responsibilities- it was so lovely to open our home, gather the bulk of our goods together in one place, and smell all of that incredible cooking day after day!

an example of one of my new card back designs... ooh, color!

Big Projects (and changes)

We've had some significant changes around here since I was last blogging (November?) in EiB, but many things remain the same: I'm still in Portland, still working full time (thankfully), still living with my sister and thus immersed in the growth of her twin boys, and still drawing.

Or, actually, I'm able to draw every now and again, which I can't say was the case last year. :}

Its now 2010 and spring here in Oregon. I'm writing from a rainy day, the boys are napping, the house is calm and breezy, and all around us I see the results of many efforts myself and my sister have been working on in order to prosper through creativity. We've been through some hardships this winter, and neither of us yet feel the periods of grace that come after a lot of hard work.

However, I have been away from Etsy for some, hmm, 3 months, and in that time have focused so much energy on bringing my shop, its appearance, and my products to a higher standard. I work in a downtown card shop and letterpress studio by day, so the influence of working among artists, watching customers react to cards & images including my own, and generally having grown since ouou opened in 2007 have all played a part in the changes I've been busy stringing together while absent from the www scene.


Right now the biggest and best difference in our work and home routine is that Celeste has offered to manage my shop during these crucial spring months. Crucial because in my day job I'm part of a team putting the finishing touches on our store's new website, and I'm not able to devote the hours to my Etsy shop I could when Etsy was my full time, or even part time job. The website will be up in May, and in June I need to take a look at my business and see where its growth is taking me. These months are also crucial because this is the beginning of craft fair season in Portland, and I'm sure much of the US. In order to get ready, compile new artwork for sale, and run my wholesale business, I needed some reinforcement. My heroic sister kindly tipped her hat for the job.

So, that's just my quick return post. :)

knitty.com

For the last two issues, ouou knit themed cards have appeared in knitty.com's "cool stuff" feature. Let me share my thanks with a little story of where my knit-love comes from.

I took up knitting breifly, after leaving the city that was home to me for almost 10 years. Knitting to me lives in the world of my older sister's aesthetic. Fabric, pattern, textile, and the differing properties of fibers, wool, cotton, clothing... this is just next door to the art I know. My world is paper, that's pretty clear to me. I love the world of cloth, fabric, fiber, embroidery, but there is so much to learn! Celeste has an instinct for it, and I stand happily by as the awe-inspired little sister, peeking into the knitted world.

Knitting hasn't lasted as a hobby or skill of mine, but I remember my breif sojurn there with heartfelt sentimentality. The comforts of making something wearable with my own hands, the tick-tick of counting rows, the exciting anticipation of selecting yarn, trying something new at such a turning point in my life. Maybe someday soon I'll try again, I could use that comfort in the wet Oregonian winter we're facing. For right now I'm fine with showing my adoration on paper, and that my little drawings have made other knitters out there smile their knowing smiles.

knitting notes in hand-mixed Gocco ink

all bundled up watercolor kitty

knit journal - otter -

Shop Special for friends new and old

Hello, and thank you to any new viewers that are visiting from Facebook. In the last few days my "fans" have really begun to rise in numbers, thank you thank you to everyone who stops by for a read.

I've been thinking lately about how much I love this time of year. I love the bundled clothing, the umbrellas marching down the streets, I love the mittens, caps, galoshes, red noses, and sloppy entryways that come with the darkness, snow, rain and cold of winter months. You can see this in my drawings; it is by no means coincidence that these kids show up in their woolens, scarves and gripping warm drinks.

I'll admit something, though. The holidays sneak up on me. All of them. I tell you, even though I have a shop, work in retail, and own *several* calendars, I do not have a head for recognizing the signs of an oncoming holiday season. Therefore, nice and early this year, I'm offering a shop special on Holiday cards before Thanksgiving (lest I forget). From now until mid-December, the big sellers from ouou will be available in sets of 20 for significantly reduced prices. Right now these styles are available:

Under the Snow
Tea with Green Dragon
Baby Bells

with a few more coming in the next few days. It may be cold outside, but its warm and snuggly here at ouou. :) Welcome, friends.