A New Venture with Style. Polka Dots Make Me Smile.

I've taken on yet another passion... pattern design. I've been working in architectural and urban patterns for years. I've collected as many fabric patterns as I have fonts. It is yet another one of those "you should be doing in your work life, what you do while you're "procrastinating".

If you've never heard of Spoonflower you're in for a treat. If you already know it, then you're way ahead in your crafy career. On Spoonflower you can design fabric, decals, gift wrap... it's AMAZING!

So here is my first shot at using my watercolors and some simple pattern basics to throw myself into the fabric and pattern making ring. I'm always inspired by images that make me smile... polka dots make me smile. Which is why I worship Kate Spade. Yeah. If you know me... then no secret there!

It is a lot of fun... and John asked me yesterday, "What are you going to do when Kate Spade comes knocking at the door?" I responded, "Well, I will faint. So, put some pillows by the door; in about 20 years." What a wonderful supporting dreamy husband I have. I don't dare to dream as far as he does. I am just enjoying myself. But, I won't deny I'm so glad he will do it for me!!

I'm excited to receive my first roll of gift wrap that will be made from these patterns. If you order from Spoonflower you can get this in fabric too!! I will have the gift wrap available in my Etsy shop too!! It's kind of a branding thing that I'm using the same art and ideas on several different design "fronts". I will also make these designs available on Vectorstock for seamless background downloads.

Here is my Spoonflower shop if you'd like to check out my progress.

I promise the shop will fill up, but it will be slow... this has been months in the making!! xoxo Thank you again and again for all of your love and support as I use every creative bone in my body to be employed!! I am blessed to have survived on my wits for so long (4 years now...) I am haunted by the words of my father when I enrolled in "art" school... "What, are you going to sell your paintings in the park??"... To me that was derogatory and mean. Somehow meaning that I'd never be successful with a fine arts degree. Yeah, well I should have stayed in art school... AND now I sell those paintings in an online "park". So, lesson learned. I hope to pass on to my son that life has a way of showing you that you should have stayed on the path you were on. If it made you happy then follow it. I'm happy to be on the path again!!

YUM: Making a Cake with a Can of Soda

Yes. You've seen it on Pinterest and other blogs... I am here to tell you... IT'S AWESOME! And that easy. Box of cake mix. Can of soda. No icky fats. Just a chemical dump. LOL... who knows which is worse! All I know, it is cake and cake is lovely. I ate it for breakfast :)

I used a sugar-free devils food cake and a diet dr. pepper. I had hoped it would 'spice' up the chocolate a little. I couldn't taste it. But the chocolate was really really yummy! The cake is SO moist you will get it stuck all over your fork. I made cupcakes :)

Yeah... that's my messy desk in the background and my new Valentine card project.

Enjoy the cake!! here is the whole recipe:

One box of cake mix
One can of soda

Bake as directed on the box based on what you're using - cake pan/ cupcake pan... etc.

Some yummy combinations might be:

Yellow Cake - Cream Soda
Rainbow Chip - Cherry 7up
Chocolate - Dr. Pepper/ Cherry Pepsi/ Coke
White Cake - Orange Soda/ Strawberry Faygo?? Hmmm... Could be fun to try?

I don't know if I'd go the Mountain Dew route... but a Red Bull super caffeinated cake might be just what I need today... :) Possibly a Red Bull/ Carrot Cake??

Love: House Portraits and Personalized Maps

I opened up a new Etsy store for exploring architecture and other things I like to draw... like maps! I love maps... I will highlight some of that work later...  I've call the new shop Aquarius Studios. Check it out here: AquariusStudios For now it is houses mostly. Some historic buildings that I took photos of during my travels. Some I sketched along the way. Other things I just sit down and well... I make it up. I've also taken some houses that other architects have had me do exterior studies of and I'm having a bit of fun with Illustrator. I'm on the spiritual journey of "simple".

A fun sketch from a Paris photo - I made up the shops :)

A re-imagined sketch with new storefront.

 

Both of these drawings are quick 10 minute sketch exercises.  

A typical elevation that I would do for another architect or developer. Not really simple... but close.

An Illustrator "sketch" of the lake I used to live on when I was growing up. No, I didn't live near the heart... actually just across from it... I wanted solid colors, bright and minimal. So after I got this out... I tried a house :)

I can't say that I would choose these colors in watercolor. I don't think I could ever get them to look this good! But I've got some other ideas up my sleeve to try. The drawing is also 8 x 10 so the small scale starts to muddy in watercolor. I like the boldness and simplicity. I needed to step away from my usual medium for a while to explore some new options. We will see where this goes.... I still love hand drafting everything even before I trace it all out painstakingly careful in illustrator. I'm still an architect at heart. Even if it is a digital sketch.

How to Explain Your Artistic Process

I know that beginning any new project can be daunting! But after stumbling around for a bit {4 years} and encountering all kinds of projects, I've finally got it nailed down {to a point} so that my clients aren't too overwhelmed by all the back and forth emails that it takes to draw a home! My architectural clients are a bit easier because we've been working together for a while. I know what they like and they know my style etc. Just getting that to translate on Etsy is what I'm working diligently on now! That way folks know my style a bit better and have a better idea of what they will expect. My drawings are actually quite simple. I try to make my watercolors bright... and I love to add the character that makes a house... a home.

almost finished with this client! just a few more details to tweak, like adding the brick texture. i have omitted their address for privacy.

Some clients are very straight forward and their homes can be drawn quickly. Other homes require more detail etc. But, the process is pretty much the same. I've finally taken the time to type this up and add it to my about page! It also helped ME to understand my process and explain it to a prospective client. The biggest help to me was listing out exactly what steps are the most important for me to be efficient, how to prioritize my projects, when and how to communicate with my customers and also how I would package and send the drawings.

When I did my first drawing, I got it all finished and then I almost had a heart attack... Wait... OH NO! I have to ship this!?! How will I do that!?! Do I have anything to put it in so it won't get folded or crushed? I researched online for some good packing materials... and how to make sure drawings make it through the mail flat. I didn't want to roll these because the watercolor paper could get creased.

Check out my little process biography below and feel free to comment or even take what text you might need for your own use. This stuff isn't rocket science. But it can be difficult to begin - I certainly researched a lot of other people process to be able to explain mine. Even when you do this everyday you may not be used to writing it out. I am not the only person doing this job {obviously!}. There are a lot of great artists on Etsy that are extremely busy working away drawing houses, pets and people! All kinds of super talented folks. That is the great part about art. Everyone has a style and can market it. When your prospective client comes across your art, they will love it, appreciate it, or hate it! LOL!

Dita Von Teese said it best - 

"You can be the juiciest peach in the world, and there will still be people who don't like peaches." 

How to have a house or building portrait done!
Email me at rebekahkik@gmail.com. Please include your name, contact email and what size print or package you would like to order. House and building illustration packages I currently offer are: 8”x10” ($125) and 11”x14” ($150).
I also offer note card packages. These packages include 8 (4x6) cards of your illustration as well as an 8”x10” or 11”x14” original drawing. The 8”x10” greeting card package costs $150 and the 11”x14” package is $195.

I will contact you right away to let you know what my workload is like and how soon you can expect that I can begin your portrait. As soon as we are ready to begin, I will follow up with a link to the Rebekah’s Valentine Etsy website to your personal reserved listing. Once you purchase that listing, we can move forward to complete your house portrait!

Please send reference pictures to me at rebekahkik@gmail.com. I recommend sending a picture that is straight on of the whole house, then also including detail shots of the door, windows, house number, or other small details you'd like included. Please note, I only include landscaping directly on the house and minimal trees in the back of the house to keep a subtle framed look. I don’t include people, cars, power lines etc. in my house portraits.

Once I have all the necessary reference photos, I will get to work on your custom house illustration. You can expect an email with a PDF file of your illustration for review within a few days. At that point, You will have a chance to share any thoughts or suggestions. It may take a few days to make your requested changes but we will keep in touch and set solid deadlines. The overall process can take up to three weeks with excellent communication and editing. Keep that in mind if you are giving this as a gift!

Once the illustration & color palette is approved by you, I will watercolor the house on 80lb. bright white Aquarius II paper. My house portraits are drawn and painted completely by hand. These are NOT digital prints. You will receive your original drawing, unframed, and packaged in a clear sleeve within a stiff envelope and mailed to you USPS First-Class Mail.

So Many Ways to Say "I Love You" {some featured cards from Etsy!}

I will be the first to say... I love a creative card. I have a ton stashed away in folders, boxes {yes boxes} and some I keep out on my desk - just because they make me smile :) Friends acknowledge this obsession and send me cute things all the time. {I love you guys}

So, I went searching around to find some other clever folks that are doing awesome things outside of the regular hallmark scene. Yes, these are Valentine's Day themed. So if Valentine's day still feels like "singles awareness day" to you... don't worry, I've got you covered love :)

First up... Sad Shop. Will not make you sad at all! She says it like it is. Simple and sweet. Totally my style for giving :)

sadshop

Sweet, Sad Things from Seattle

Julie Ann - She rocks all the awkwardness out of every moment that you need to have a card. Her tag line ~ "you won't find this sh*t at hallmark".

Julie Ann

Los Angeles, CA, United States

Hello Small World ~ This couple rocks all kind of great art! But my sweetie is getting this card... He doesn't read my blog. So here it is!!

hellosmallworld

Amarillo, TX, United States

Ready for 2014. DIY Happiness.

So, I title this DIY happiness. What am I getting at? Basically, what we choose to focus on in our lives does make us happier. However, I can't help but also being the victim of having SUCH a busy scattered unfocused life for so long that I feel like I'm literally missing something if I'm not constantly physically or mentally moving, searching, looking, improving myself... i must be human or something?...

will i ever be good enough? will i ever be successful? 

The absolute truth of the matter is... how will I ever know? How will I ever know if I'm good enough or successful if I'm constantly thinking I need to improve, need to do better, need to keep setting stronger, faster, better... unattainable goals. I say they are unattainable because I have not yet attained them in my imagination. I've focused on what I haven't done for too long. I have started a list of things I have done! What I have accomplished! Who cares if I set the goal or not... I did things that I didn't even know I wanted to do! And I am happy.

What I've been focusing on since 2010 (actually 2008). The "goals" that I thought were necessary to be happy and successful. I've focused on the fact I haven't attained them. I've focused on the how do I get them BACK. Yuck. It's really like wanting a bad relationship back. Bad Ju Ju. Letting GO!! Remove the trash!!!

Goal Unattained: In my 12 years of employment I would never make senior architect; nor senior planner at any firm that I worked in. Layoffs make it very difficult. My last corporate employment ended in 2010. It ended on a very, very, very sad and sour note. With my boss/ supervisor at the time on January 3rd making his last words to me:

"Happy frickin' New Year Rebekah."

I wish those words still didn't echo as loud as they do. I just wanted to squash him. But I just walked away as tall as I could.

But what did occur, was better than any goal 

I could have ever set for myself.

Goal that wasn't set... But what just "happened": I spoke with a woman that had been in touch earlier about a project for my former firm. However, I confided in her... I might be on the chopping block. Tammy, who would become a dear friend, on New Year's Eve 2011 would offer me the chance to start my own firm by contracting directly with me to prepare a series of documents for her that would keep me employed for 2 years. I now have my own firm. I have clients. I have published documents, plans and implemented policies and strategies. I did that with an incredible team (that wasn't a firm) in a small rural town.

THAT {to me} is DIY Happiness: Open yourself up to the world in a different way!! Don't ever let ANYONE hold your happiness key in their pocket. I really do believe that what you put into the world is what you get back... 3 fold... 10 fold... I have steady employment now that comes in from here and there. If I could focus more, I'm sure I'd get more! But I have Xan. He is my priority and my bit of the universe knows that. It hands me what I can realistically deal with. I really do appreciate that!!

I thought that if I had a title, a cool firm to work for, a boss to praise me, a team to work with... I could be fulfilled with everything that was my dream career... those have been my goals for YEARS! Even up to the end of this year I was begging for jobs. Sending out my resume to everyone I knew...

Nope. Not in the stars for me. And I focused on the rejection the lack of support. I forgot to focus on the work that was on my desk. The support from friends and family. That the phone that was ringing. Not to mention the orders that came into my Etsy shop, the creativity that I'm using everyday! THAT is what I need to put my positive energy into. My do-it-yourself business is REAL happiness. My blog header, my Etsy shop header... my about page says it! Why am I not meditating on it?? I meant it when I wrote it!! I love putting a happy message into the world. I want people to feel happy when they get one of my cards or pieces of art in the mail. I think of them when I am producing my work. I think... "I want the person who receives this to smile! I want to brighten their day!"

Not only is your food made with love... but this spoon... was stamped with LOVE!! xox

"I know that my inner cupid is not necessarily trying to get other people together... but to bring out the best in myself... and leave the people that I meet with a better sense of who they are too. Mother Teresa said (much more eloquently) that we should leave each person that crosses our path better than we found them. I think that goes for meeting on the internet too." -- from my welcome page xox

What I have done/ what I'm doing:

• Started up the Etsy store and focused on my art. Painting, stamping, wire, paper! All my favorite things!
• I have a successful planning/ architecture practice that gives John and I extra income every few months.
• I stay home with Xan and we have grown together like I could never have imagined. I love him so much!!
• I work from HOME!! {sometimes in PJs} I choose who I work with. No abusive bosses or co-workers!!
• I paint every morning. sigh... awesome.
• I have a loving, sweet, and adoring husband that supports me through whatever comes into my head next. Essential for any kind of artistic person!!
• I have moved home to Michigan to be closer to friends and family that I love dearly. My life is filled with so much more with them near John, Xan and I.
• I love being in my grandparent's old home. Yes, it needs love... but we can do it!
• 2014 is more Etsy marketing, craft shows and art focused. Planning and architecture will become the catalyst for doing art; not the other way around!! 
• I will let go of the relationships that have hurt me. I will let go of the goals that hurt me. I will let go of them because I am tired of their echos interfering with my future.
• No more goals. Direction is better.

Love: Creating Your Own Color Palettes

I'm obsessed with color combinations. Seems to be kind of a theme lately. My friend Lindsay just shared a sweet new game with me since I posted the color challenge. And it has me thinking about color all the time. Oh, right. I already think about color all the time. {smiley here}

Did you know you can create your own color palettes from photos and such?? I know you've all probably come across at least ONE Design Seeds image... Well, you know you can do that too!

One way I get my own inspirational color palettes is through Kuler. www.kuler.adobe.com
If you don't spend at least half a day on the website the first time you visit... You aren't the addict I thought you were. I don't even remember what the stock palettes were on my Illustrator board were. I have so many of my own, or have downloaded others. It will make you SO happy. {Go there... after you finish reading this of course!}

Okay... if you also want to create palettes from images, I will give you a little push. Here's one I did just now for YOU! {clicky here} to see it on the website and browse my other palettes.

I made it from this photo that I took of my closet door when I got my first iphone. The iphone that I bought specifically because of the Hipstamatic app at the time. Yeah, I wish I was joking too. I was obsessed...

You can make your palettes private or public. And the public will use them and take the liberty of telling you how awesome or how disgusting your palette is. Yes, I have one comment that said my palette is disgusting. I think they may be color blind or just something pressing on their brain. Send them love. Have a colorful day! xo

Color Me Lovely - The Color Challenge!

I was hanging out on some of my favorite inspirational blogs this morning and I came across a very fun {to me} color challenge on Garance Dore's blog. PS... if you don't look at her blog... you should!! - http://www.garancedore.fr/

It is exactly as she says... one person sees green... another sees brown or yellow tones. I came across that A LOT when I was mixing paint at Lowe's for a bit. Take the challenge today if you'd like and share your results.

Rebekah's Results

Overall Rank for my age...

Click HERE for the challenge!

Still in Transition... Studio Transformation Update!

The upstairs office space is ready for move in! We haven't painted and the weather is no longer conducive to painting... waaayyy too cold. But the other stall is that we are constantly changing the layout... wait did I say we... I mean JOHN keeps changing the layout. The desk we are putting up there is large and isn't sure what he wants. He wanted my desk, then didn't want it upstairs and now he isn't really into sharing the space at all because the desk is so large.

By the way, this is fine with me. He suggested during one of our planning sessions that I claim "purgatory" as my office space. We call it purgatory because it is where everything goes for a little while before we find it a home. I guess it is sort of a parlor space, but it isn't located anywhere that you would receive guests. Which is why it is our purgatory space. It also however has a wall of cupboards! Right now it houses all of my books like a library. I really like it. The dog will have to find a new place though. And so will the treadmill... and the total gym... and the goofy leather chair. And more green paneling... and fuzzy wallpaper. Sigh. I have faith it will come together!

Here is the upstairs disaster... And honestly this BEFORE is almost 2/3 cleaned OUT!

      And here are the AFTER shots. All of the cupboards are empty as well. The fan is in the window because of the amount of bleach we had to spray to get the cupboards sanitized after finding mouse nesting materials and their "evidence" at the bottom of the cupboards... YUK.

 

The carpet is a weird felt like material. Almost like it was a padding. But we aren't ready to tear it up yet. Financially and project wise, just doing the floors in this house will be a massive undertaking. And they ALL need done. Then there are the walls... Don't get me started on those yet. You can see they lovely green paneling... Yeah. You know where I'm going! I need stock in bonding primer for the amount I need to buy.

Hopefully I can make a dent in moving things upstairs next weekend... John is making a trip out to Colorado to empty our storage space!! Where are we going to put our things?? I have NO idea... Stay tuned for the remodeling progress!!

Oh and here is a cute picture of Xan... He will be 16 months this week!!

A Place for Everything. Yes, Everything.

I feel ahead most days when I've got breakfast cooked before Xan gets up... 2/3s of a french press in my belly... and some kind of organizational plan going. That's where I trip up a bit. I'm always getting some sort of organization GOING. It is the keeping up with that trips me up. That red flag means that it's not the right organization tool. I'm thinking... guessing... still sorting out. I am a place maker!! An urban designer... I sort out all kinds of messed up street circulation, bizarre building configurations and even the wacky transit route or two. Why can't my office come together?? Well, John and I need an office space together. Something creative for us to work on our projects both paying and hobby.

Today, it was organizing a little thing my computer desktop so that I remember to log my hours when I work on a project. AND that I needed a daily task list. Where do I put that?? I don't want a post it stuck to my screen. I live in a world that is 80% analog and 20% digital. In fact, I create the digital image most of the time just to draw over it!! Ah, well. Right now my desk is such a disaster. I thought about photographing it for you, but then embarrassment set in and I started straightening before I was going to take the photo... Then I thought maybe the embarrassment MIGHT get me motivated! LOL... What an odd gal. So here is the photo. Please... don't judge too harshly. Afterall, this is a work in progress. John and I have big plans for the weekend cleaning and office/ craft space creation!!

Office of Shame

Yes, room is in desperate state after 3 days of charettes and meetings. With no crafting love here.

On the boards... A new pattern book and some little houses.

"Filing" system... or at least filing of some kind. Repurposed certainly. System is definitely stretching it.

Printer is organized! Sort of. Don't pay any attention to the mess on the floor....

John bought me this for my art supplies!! They are happily organized :)

So, the office is a disaster with only paper, some drawing filing and office supplies with a place. I also need some desperate help in the kitchen, bath and Xan's toys. Recycling is taking over the garage... as I can never remember every other week it goes out when?? And soda cans are worth $$ here!! So I need a clever way to pack that in the kitchen or mud room or something. There are dog things and kid things and Rebekah things and John things... everywhere! I've been Pinterest stalking some ideas... But I am on a budget and need something SIMPLE!!

The only thing is... I'm not a fan of labeled cloth lined grassy baskets. Everyone likes clear plastic containers and wicker. I don't like either in my office. I do like drawers. And thankfully our new space has cupboards and drawers. I don't mind boxes of holiday things in the basement or maybe in the bathroom... But office. Nope. Baskets get me in TROUBLE. So do some boxes for that matter. They always start out nice and organized... papers in this one, art stuff in that one... Then there is a day that I need to clean quickly and move things for a project and all of a sudden the box of "invoices/ receipts only" becomes a paper box of everything! I will share a photo of the new space on Sunday when it is completely cleaned out... You wouldn't believe the crazy right now. YIKES! My grandparents weren't hoarders... but they were... well... maybe I'm in denial?? They certainly kept EVERYTHING!! LOL!!

Maybe I'm asking for the world here... is it possible to have "things" that aren't perfect and have organization??  Or maybe I need an assistant?!

A note on "things". John and I both have a couple boxes of moments and memories. What to do with them?? They are good memories from travels etc. I'm not a scrappy scrapbooker... yet? However, I do like this idea for travel/ place journals that I pictured below. So that would be one box down! And it could fit nicely on a bookshelf in several little volumes - Rome, London, Athens, Winchester... . I have a lot of bookshelves. I like bookshelves. I actually like binders a lot. I could have a binder for everything. Only I'd like them to match! I need to order about 100 white 2" binders... That could work. But, as we know... not everything fits in an 8.5 x 11 binder. Which is most of my stuff... bummer. I guess I need to learn to live with containers of stuff. Wow... I can ramble. I'm glad you all can handle me.

Sometimes I wonder... why did I keep this stuff? Other times I think... WOW that was a great memory

I briefly mentioned that John and I were moving the office to a new location in the house. Upstairs! The house used to have a kitchen upstairs when my grandparents first moved into the house the lower floor was his doctor's office. So the upstairs was an apartment. My cousin Mike has been over the past two days helping me get my grandparents things in their right place so that John and I even have a place for our things. Christmas pile... paper pile... storage... donation... trash... etc. It has been a HUGE task that looks like someone ransacked the house. However, my grandparents weren't organizers but they sure were collectors! I have 2 boxes of christmas paper plates. uh huh. I'm not kidding. 3 grocery bags of sunglasses. 2 shoe boxes of exclusively Christmas jewelry - mostly pins.

Well, it's scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday to be put into shape! Mom, sis and even John is taking the weekend off to get it all set! Probably not painted yet as the weather has turned extremely cold here... But cleaned and organized. Can't wait to share the photos!

Love: Irrational Numbers... (π) & Einstein

Happy Pi Day and a very happy birthday (posthumously) to Albert Einstein. It is kinda cool that he was born on sort of a significantly mathematical day... Even if he always said he was bad at math like most Physicists (chuckle haa haa). Of course by bad they mean amazingly beyond most of us. I will be shameless at this moment and tell you that Walter Issacson's biography Albert Einstein is incredible... Read it. Then read it again. Because you'll want to. Great biographer Issacson... His bio of Steve Jobs is equally superb. I am incredibly inspired by biographies and have quite a collection as well as a future reading list... hmmm... maybe we can share that soon!

Albert Einstein born March, 14, 1874

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle,

or as if everything is a miracle." -- Albert Einstein

For a little background on Pi Day... it is celebrated on March 14th (3.14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.

Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, Pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits.
(from the official Pi Day website... www.piday.org)

{I ate some pie... hee hee hee hee hee!!}

If you really want to make a day of it, make a Pi(e) and enter it into this contest on the web!
http://www.instructables.com/contest/piecontest/

If you're like me... there was a time in your life when math, numbers the thought of it all scared the daylights out of you. Just give me a great book to memorize and leave me alone... However, I'm the kind of gal that a number can't back into a corner that easily. In fact, all it took was going into my high school Algebra class and having my teacher turn me away. Yes. That was the moment. I came in after school to ask for help. He told me quite plainly...

"Rebekah, you don't need to be good at math. When will you need it?

Don't worry about it and just get your other work done." -- Mr. You Know Who

My retort 21 years later... "Great spirits have always encountered
violent opposition from mediocre minds." -- Albert Einstein

Love: Spring & Easter DIY

Spring in 9 days!! I hope where ever you are in the world where it will obviously be Spring... is starting to perk up!! The vernal equinox is inevitably a time of change, but unlike fall which can seem more like letting go... Spring is about growth and renewal. If you follow any sort of religious teaching, to me this time of the year, rather than New Year's Eve, is a much more suitable time to make a life change or resolution of some kind. It is the time when applications are due for masters programs... and PhDs... I'm not there yet... but I'm thinking... more on that later.

For me, I am ready for a change of scenery!! I'm ready to see my friends more than once a year and more than EVER I am ready to start making our home, back home, HOME. I am ready for the path that awaits us. We have a trip planned to return home (MICHIGAN) on March 28th!! I'm finally going to see my family and introduce our sweet little darling Xan!! He is going to be 8 months old on the 16th of March. It truly does feel like a time for renewal. Renewal of family and the values that I hold. I want Xan to know his aunties and uncles and his grandparents. I grew up with family all around. My cousins were my first best friends. I want that for Xan. I've been away for nearly 7 years... Seems like the perfect time of the year to return.

To see the stars, it must be very dark...

 For my part I know nothing with any certainty, 

but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
Vincent Van Gogh

 

Time and time again (the last seven years in particular) I've asked myself what am I going to do now? One thing ends and I pause to look and see where the next adventure will begin. I find myself on that trail again. Looking at a few paths that could be ahead of us and some of them dark or very long. Don't get me wrong, I've taken many of those long paths and been more than thankful that I did.

I just feel like I'm on some kind of spiral. I reach the end, and I'm at the beginning. It is a different situation; however, it is a similar circumstance each time. It is funny how each person seems to truly have a kind of destiny even if you don't always look at it that way. It seems my path has a lot to do with starting new adventures. I don't ever get to really delve into something the way I'd like. As soon as I've fulfilled my purpose I get sort of moved on in one way or another. I invented the curriculum, I am the guinea pig for new courses, I've started 3 offices, I create a new set of documents from scratch... I'm not complaining. Please don't read into it like that. I'm just saying it's interesting how I seem to be chosen for these innovative situations and I'm excited at the beginning... by the end, I'm bruised, everyone has moved on to the next gig or there were few that were actually willing to help build the vision. Or simply what I was involved in just wasn't the best evolution of the idea.

Friends, Foodies & Design Junkies...

I have felt a little guilty about my last two posts on this blog. Not because it isn't what I'm dealing with and excited about right now... but I guess it's the venue. I'm torn between writing about my family... and my 'job'. Well, I don't have a job... per se. I have a passion that I'm hoping will earn me some money. Thing is, I meant it when I said I was following some sage advice... I read that you should be doing for a living what you do when you procrastinate. I doodle, I look up fonts and color palettes... therefore I am. A lovely design life IS for me. For me this is the ultimate serenity where the flourish of a pretty calligraphy font meets those countless procrastination doodles in my sketchbooks. I can't help it that I covet pretty paper and heavily weighted pens. That at this very moment I have coffee, tea, water and soda on my desk simultaneously because I sit here for long periods of time getting inspired, or trying to inspire others.

To remedy these two parts of my heart... I've started a new blog! Just for the design junkies. I will keep My Prairie Valentine strictly for my family and life ranting related posts. And I will have the font and color palette love on my new blog... found here... http://flourishanddoodle.blogspot.com/ 

I hope you will appreciate that decision. I will get back to posting recipes ASAP! I love all of you... and thank you for making me feel like my writing is well... worth writing. I am also working on a new blog template so be patient with me. I'm excited to be working on it and didn't want to start changing parts until I have it all done. xoxo

P.S. I DO want to tell you that I got 3 design jobs today!! Of course they are all pro-bono. blah, blah, blah... Yes, I know. But, I need confidence right now. I feel like I'm building my non-existent portfolio. Bear with me... I am designing posters for 2 big events in the area. My name will be visible and the organizations promised to promote me. That also goes for a logo that I'm designing for a non-profit arts agency!! (who also asked me to be on their board of directors...) As for PAID work from said pro-bono folks, I have leads for a few other logo and branding clients. Just wanted to say... woo hoo!!

Coloring Outside the Lines

I never was good at being perfectly inside the colorbook lines. I always got excited to see the finished product and rushed. I tried the outlining, the soft color... nope. Just always ended up getting a little around the edges somewhere. Now that I'm older I can appreciate that it is just my style. When I was a kid I just thought maybe I should try something else. Maybe I wasn't good at coloring. I've learned that getting a little bit of paint, marker or pencil outside the lines adds a special quality that is mine. It gives me a solid feeling of 'mine'. I own that color outside the line!

I love looking for color swatches and palettes as much as I love fonts. I get tremendous pleasure in matching up a funky pair of colors and watching them harmonize! Even in my own closet, I will grab a peacock teal shirt and start immediately searching for the terracotta or coral hue that will suit my mood... Yes. I like to name my colors as well. As if they were jumping from the pages of Mr. Peterman's catalog... or a nice J. Crew ad. Today I wore grays and purples... It was a gloomyish day. I dress for my mood. Next time I make a reference like that I will attach a photo. I need to take more photos.

Font-tastic Monday. Is this heaven?

I am working very hard on becoming proficient in Illustrator. It is similar to Photoshop but then takes everything up about 20 notches. There is so much freedom to sketch (even in perspective), text, edit patterns, objects and lordy, lordy! Freedom which as you know can be frustrating and exhilarating all at once! Pretty much if you can think it you can do it. I've done a few tutorials on YouTube that still have my head spinning. I've learned some things I can do with lines and swirls that I can't yet comprehend how I will begin to use them. Sigh. Love it! I have to learn to let go and just go for it.

So, I need my focus... I've set aside specific days to work on particular projects. Monday is the day I have set aside for font exploration. Yes... a whole day dedicated to fonts. Downloading them, creating them and designing with them. I am thrown back to the days that my mom would bring me home typography books from the architecture firm. I would browse slowly through them tagging and coloring the pages that I loved.

Home Sweet Home

I love fall. I think what intrigues me about fall is that it is such a beautifully colorful transition that ends in such a monochromatic season. I am missing Michigan always at this time. The abundance of trees and foliage makes for the most incredible sights. Here on the prairie it goes from a green/ brown hue to just all brown tones. It's always pretty bland and most of the trees look as though they've given up, but nature just keeps pushing them to sprout leaves year after year. But, they don't care.

In Michigan, fall is natures way of giving you a memory to hold on to. It goes all out like fireworks before winter. Leaving you with the impression of lovely rainbow hues I would imagine to get you through the black and white of winter. I know a few of my friends will be walking about seeing the beauty in Michigan through their fancy lenses as well. I am excited to see their work! My friend Amelia has already sent me gorgeous photos of our home and surrounding area. I'm so homesick...

The shed in our backyard

I also love the monochromatic winter. The deep snow. Really lovely deep snow. The shimmering sparkle on the snow in the backyard. The piles of freshly fallen powder that night groomed just before I plow through it with my snowboard. Crisp air that reminds you what air ought to smell and taste like. The mist that comes from your breath. The chill that I get stepping out of the door knowing that when I return home and walk inside it is warm and cozy. There are blankets I've used since I was a baby in this house. The oven is warm and yummy foods are prepared and drinking hot coffee in my grandparents kitchen. The home that will be ours very soon holds so many wonderful memories. We are about to create new traditions and hang on dearly to the old ones.

Home Sweet Home

Unfortunately, we won't be home until after the first of January. Unfortunate because I really wanted to decorate the house for Christmas. It is kind of a famous Christmas house in our town. My grandparents were on Channel 3 news and in the paper for their pretty decor. A tree in every room. And each room had a sort of theme. Growing up as a kid we had presents under every tree. Yup... every tree. Spoiled rotten the four of us. Somehow we all turned out really great! Not one of us is selfish or demanding. We help each other out every chance we get. I guess it just depends on who ya are.

But, I have some great Christmas ideas to get me through this time of homesickness. I'm making my grandmother's recipes for my family. Homemade caramels, cookies, and cracker toffee. I hope it will help me connect and feel closer. I need that right now. I will share my recipes as I begin making them in a couple of weeks. Please share your traditions and recipes too!