Seafairing Etsy Love

I took the Etsy Love Challenge!

You know, I just couldn't wait anymore to introduce you to the newest Gocco art print in ouou! Married to the Sea is my first ever three color print! The first print run having gone so well... I'm just wild about those waves, and though it was quite a hurdle to get all the alignments right, all 14 in this limited run came out just spectacular!
(falls back, exhausted)
Go take a look, get out the vote, and have a very happy Super Tuesday!

I Love Library

Hi guys.
Now, I know all of America is watching the football show today on the teevee, so I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about my trip to...
...the library (pushes up glasses).
No, seriously, because that's the news I've been excited about sharing.
(cricket noises)

One of those simple pleasures that is often so much better than I think it's going to be is a trip to the library. You all know I'm a bibliophile anyway, but I go through long periods of time (well...) forgetting the library exists. I'm not talking about quick chore library trips, but a visit. Ah (birds chirping/ pastoral music)... the Library visit.

This particular visit (chirp!) I found myself digging through the Art section for books on woodblocks and black and white Art Nouveau prints. I found a lovely corner seat in the sun, cracked open these well-browsed beauties, and (pastoral music) spent an afternoon enjoying inspired sketches. Oh, it was so great. I almost never draw in public anymore, though the bag of MicronPigma's and jelly pens and drafting pencils goes with me everywhere.

I've been working on an extraordinary amount of finishes, like the NEW GOCCO DESIGN!!! that will be unveiled later in the week (served with a hot cup of good news, too) but really inspired, fresh new drawing is precious.

The uppermost image in this post is by the amazing artist I just discovered in this exciting library visit, Jacques Hnizdovsky. The most fascinating woodblock prints and fine etchings, when I googled him I even found some paintings. His work has brought out a new passion for the black and white work I've been doing so much of this year.

I also got a kick out of the Library itself, and ALL of the art (say, on promo or "shhh" signs) in the library has women. In sweaters. With glasses. Big, thick-framed, black nerdy professorial geeky Elvis Costello glasses.
On, like, clip art.
It was ridiculous.


So I started a little series of my own, books and glasses and fun stripes.

My spring designs are all coming along, the shop is going to have a pretty massive infusion of new stuff in the next two weeks. What it looks like from here, for time and certainly sanity, is that I'll then be closing up shop come mid-April. After the move when I open up again (mid-May, probably) things will be changed around a bit as I am still operating in the newbie mode from November when we opened shop.

But, considering back then the thought of even showing a COUPLE drawings on the *internet* was enough to make me sweat a little in anxiety? I think this revolution is off to a good start. :)

...if I say "Go Pats!" at the end of that, it's because I'm writing this on Sunday, not really Saturday. :D

O! U Been Tagged!

Is that an adorabuls wittow pander behbeh I see? These new mailing labels are freebies I made for Bamboo Village and I to share. I was going for a sketched pen look, although these are Gocco prints, and I am really happy with the outcome. There are several new tags on the small white coming into the shop (as well as another panda) in the next few weeks, but for now I thought I'd show you my freebies.


This new stamp is also going on the back of Moleskines now, too.

Pandora Unleashes Awesome (and on and on)

Ever since reading about Pandora Radio on Angry Chicken, one of the most fantastic crafty blogs out there, I am totally hooked! Beyond those dazed trips to the huge Virgin Megastore in Union Sq Manhattan this summer, varied music outside of my old CD collection has been off my radar for longer than I want to admit.
This has brought a breath of life like little else!

It has been raining here all day and I could use a reminder of good things, so here we go on another wonderful & long blogging adventure. Links, pretty colors, dinner smells, beautiful music... and even some Muppets!

Yeah, we got'cha. :P Take that, rainy hum-drum!

Now that my good friend BB has gotten her Christmas present I can gush about Studio Globe! This shop hails from Japan, and since purchasing from her in December she has brought in so many new and incredible bags, children's clothes, and purses that revisiting her shop was like stumbling into a whole new wonderland of Japanese/ Mod style goodness! A lot of people on Etsy use these fabrics and some make similar items, but Studio Globe is a master of this craft.

Giraffes, people. Seriously.

Speaking of shops I love who are coming out with all this new amazing stuff, the resplendent RikRak of Ottawa, who was sporting stockings galore back in December, has busted out the one-two punch of Hearts and Spring already. Need some light-hearted colorful inspiration? Check out these card cozies (EverythingInBlue loves things to be cozy), coasters, and soft blocks! And I just adore Walter!?

I have a thing for browns and greens so I recently purchased some vintage fabric stitch cards. They're just beautiful, made with real care & attention to detail, and if you're asking yourself if anything in her shop was left unlinked in this blog post? She has tons more!


Talk about bringing together a whole gaggle of interests, a new and exciting discovery is Reiter8 (this photo is from the Reiter8 shop). All you hardcore crafters will really enjoy this shop, they recycle sails into the most amazing bags, wallets, and pillows! I really want to see this seller do well, I'm blown away by the design savvy with those big letter forms and the ecological genius here.

I have not made my big exciting purchase from Reiter8 yet, but was lucky enough to be her 500th heart! We had a couple conversations and they sent me this really incredible free gift! See? It's all wrapped up in packaging (transit map = delightful) that brought a wistful tear to my eye from those 6 fast months of NY living. I told them I grew up on Cape Cod (by the sea) in Massachusetts, and they learned to sail in West Dennis! So cool!

Seafaring, city-living, recycling, and handmade, awesome design...

... keep this shop in mind, it's sweet seller and earth-friendly gear.

Another note as of tonight about RikRak, she just let me know about this fantastic treasury you see above! Diverging from the Crayola colors in her shop, you see her ability to bring together pattern and form with this breathtaking silver, black, and pink collection. I really love this, and am very grateful for the support and inclusion.

In fact, I would like to wrap up with some very sincere thank-yous to everyone who got in touch, old friends and new, this week. There has been a lot going on, and somehow the Universe just knew. People came out of the woodwork being sweet and kind! It is amazing & inspirational knowing what everyone is working on!

Anyone else out there who need a happy dance to kick off February & may have missed it, get a load of this article in the craftzine blog about DIY yip yip!!! Holy crap!

Radio! Radio!

...Oh, and did by the way, I now sell art prints. :) Happy dance!