shout outs (and small businesses!) all around

marta dansie designs / images via twig 

hello again. (i'm so rusty at blogging. ugg!) thank you for the kind comments and cheers for my grand shop opening. it's a little thing, but pretty big in my world, so i appreciate the enthusiasm for the long hours i put into opening shop. merci. i have a few bits of featured news...

+ one of my favorite blogger friends in the world, michelle of TWIG–the cutest wooden handiwork around–just had her second baby girl. this past year, i was delighted to finally meet mama michelle, in the flesh. her friendly, genuinely thoughtful and happy demeanor solidified our friendship and we discussed her baby girl's birth announcement. she gave me some ideas and i ran with them. a little Aztec pattern meets soft warrior princess. and, of course i had to include some faux woodgrain into the design as an ode to michelle and steve's TWIG business! she was so kind to do a write-up on marta dansie design, check it out right here. thank you!!!

+ i'm loving the talents of crafty artisans far and wide. i've discovered a lot of incredible new-to-me calligraphers, letterpressers and designers circling around instagram. please check out who i follow to see a seriously talented bunch. you'll want to follow along too. @martawrites

+ i've been meaning to mention a few wonderful LOCAL ladies who have started their own businesses. i am a big believer in following your dreams and striving to make them happen. (of course we mamas must remember there is a season for everything. it took me a lot of late nights and no blogging, tv watching or folding clothes :) to get my shop open!) ever since starting this blog, i've wanted to support women and small business owners in featured posts and in using and buying their products. in fact, all of the packaging supplies for my shop come from small business owners. anyway, please check out these new businesses for me and tell them i sent you! they are each oh so talented...

• INSIDE AND OUT COSMETICS this is an incredible new line of all-natural and organic makeup! i'm blown away at the time, effort, market research, testing, science, creativity, trial & error and beautiful packaging this company has been involved in. what an accomplishment in creating a healthy and nourishing cosmetics line, i'm so happy for them. one of my personally favorite things is how they've named their lipstick shades after history's influential and powerful women! go girl power.

• OH CARROT STICKS my friend becky creates adorable artwork with a simple photo of your child's favorite beloved toys! i just love this idea. what a sweet keepsake after these stuffed animals are tired, worn out and tucked away. benji's bear has definitely seen better days, capturing it up into a pretty print is definitely a sweet piece of childhood!

• PRINCESS PENPAL my friend elizabeth is always creating something darling for our kiddos; cute quilts, super hero capes, dinosaur digs and more. her new business focuses on making children feel special with their very own penpal! what kid doesn't love receiving mail?!

hip hooray for the handmade movement. 
keep up the good work!

am a fan

am a fan of instagram. i didn't get it before. now i do. #callmeasocialmediaslowpoke. i plan on making an Artifact Uprising photo album. instagram is the perfect lazy-person scrapbook.

am a fan of string cheese. with apples. or alone and in my purse all day, a little smushed.

am a fan of spring rain. it's so refreshing and is making our lawn soo green.

am a fan of OPI gargantuan green grape. the perfect mint hue for nails.

am a fan of old navy v-neck tees. i live in them.

am a fan of fabulous envelopes. i love a grid design.

am a fan of these pretty necklaces. i hope to meet kersey this week at bijou market!!

am a fan of these maypole colorful felt balls and the darling girl behind them. yay, aubry. (i met her and some other very talented ladies at an intimate crafter mama meet n' greet the other night. thanks to michelle of twig for the invite! lets do it again soon!)

am a fan of the gallery wall. dan has given me the go-ahead to let me have-at-it in my kitchen. am hoping for something lovely like this little pinspiration.

am a fan of all the darling illustrations found in the little low studio shop. this adventurers print would be perfect for my family of little adventuresome men.

am a fan of hunkering down to fold laundry. am thinking i'll be ordering something from amazon prime to make it a night. any good movie suggestions?!!

am a fan of creative collaboration projects. i am so grateful for you awesome incredible people (mostly all women!!) that i get to work alongside with. seriously, i pinch myself. i love brainstorming big things together.

am a fan of this tea boy's plaid button down. if i could justify hanging another one in their closet, it would be mine.

am a fan of family bike rides.


p.s. my brother and i had a little discussion about blogs the other day. i wonder.. is blogging dead? are we on the way out, especially due to google reader going away for good!?! are you still out there? if so, say a little hello in the comments. perhaps it's just the device you read it on is too cumbersome to comment?! anyway, just a bitty experiment!

go vote. happy election day.

inspiring me today...

01. / 02. / 03. / 04. / 05.

tonight we'll be eating presidential pasta and folding laundry (which is always on my to-do list), perhaps painting my fingernails (a rare treat with a babe in arms) and drinking root beer (dan's fave) at our own little election party for two (or more). what are your election day plans??

little boy bow ties / little season etsy shop

sweet sunday clothes are tough to find for little boys. am i right!? which is why i jumped at the opportunity to check out these darling handmade bow ties from little season. season kindly sent me a couple duet sets for my boys and they are absolutely charming. season is located in california and she creates stylish bow ties with care, using the most fantastic fabrics. just try to choose a favorite! bow ties are a fun little accessory that will kick their plain button down shirts into high gear. i love that they velcro in the back too! no silly hooks to wrestle your baby / toddler into. (cannot wait for matchy matchy boys on the bench at church.) perhaps i could order one for dan too.

right now.

illustration by kit & adam of trafalgar square etsy shop.

right now i'm oohing over these sweet illustrations (all on sale)!
am loving the patterned lines of freshly mowed lawns, family walks,
the late-in-the-evening sunshine,
and the watermelon slices stacked up high in my fridge.
did you know a nice fat yellow spot on a watermelon is a good thing?!
it means it rested for enough time on the ground to ripen in the sun.
right now i have a pile of paperwork that needs sorting.
i've been ignoring it for days.
right now his little baby thump thumps from the inside are making me smile.
right now i am post-it-noting this cookbook like crazy.
i always read cookbooks from back to front. magazines too.
we bought the babe a little present; benji picked out a stuffed puppy.
he seems genuinely excited to give it to his baby brother.
am corralling my nail polish into a pretty basket to contain my enthusiasm.
elephantastic pink and hot and spicy by O.P.I. are my latest faves.
i'm loving the summer rainstorms that hit hard for an hour and then pass by.
right now i'm passionately writing to-do lists as if they were love letters.
i should gather them up and make a book of them.
back pains are rolling in like thunder, reminding me of this little thing called labor.
my mom made me a turkey avocado sandwich for lunch today.
like being right back in the kitchen of my childhood. on those red barstools.
she butters that bread like nobody's business.
everything felt right in the world.

wildhorse press / card collection

am still swooning for stationery. these sweet illustrations come from wildhorse press. the apple card is my very fave. wishing you a happy tuesday. today we'll be washing the car (a.k.a. playing "Jiffy Lube"), filing paper work, folding laundry and maybe making a smoothie for lunch.

enjoy the sunshine.

am a fan

am a fan of simple ink. look at this gorgeous letterpress print. thank you, amy!
am a fan of prepping for weekend parties; a baby shower for bff little whit.
am a fan of baking bread again. made four loaves yesterday, crusts only a little burnt.
am a fan of sydney's style and cheerful persona. the daybook blog is on my daily faves list.
am a fan of the local library. am loving flipping through this and re-reading this book.
am a fan of dan coming home from a business trip. airport reunions are the best.
am a fan of sarah carey's simple recipe videos from Everyday Food. thanks, heed!
am a fan of landing on this collage of jackie o. snapshots.
am a fan of sunny park days. rain, rain, go away.
am a fan of taking a peek at danni's fabulous little notebook.
am a fan of hearing benj say the phrase, speaking of jets...
am a fan of the bright skinny jean trend; now available in maternity. hip, hip.
am a fan of asparagus and finally learning how to prepare it; perfect every time.
am a fan of busting out the barbecue. twice already this week.

too busy to stay and chat / but first, a few things

pretty print (just $15) from little things studio 

+ the other day at the park, benji saw two ladies walking on the trail and said, we're much too busy to walk. we've got to get to that playground! i love three year olds and their go-get-em / let's live it up attitudes. we played red light, green light for forty minutes last night before stories.

+ am working like a busy bee at my real job; designing. it's wedding season and i couldn't be more excited about the invitations brewing.

+ if i'm not working in my studio i could be caught eating Phish Food and reading the Hunger Games. am on the last chapter and am torn on whether or not i should finish it tonight. of course i will, but i just hate finishing up a good book! luckily two more await.

+ thank you for your insightful thoughts on bravery from my last post. i needed your advice. i love when this place becomes a forum of good, helpful exchanges.

+ i've loved hanging out with our families lately. i feel so thankful for their friendships (and to live nearby!). i'm a sentimental fool these days and can't imagine life without them.

+ we're planning a pizza night with friends; what are your favorite pizza toppings? am thinking the pioneer woman's basil-tomato pizza from the back of her love story book will be excellent. (seriously, that was such a quick wholesome romantic wonderful read.. i highly recommend it. again.)

+ for some odd reason i rarely make pancakes from scratch but have decided to start. (how's that for a resolution?!) pancakes are listed among dan's favorite food groups. (my go-to are the baked puffy german pancakes, but alas, dan loves the original round cakelets.) so i read through a few recipes and was blown away at the idea of adding the egg yolks and whipping them in with the flour and milk, etc., but whipping the egg whites separately and then folding them in at the very end. fluffy, addicting, incredible pancakes. where have i been? then add blueberries, ala curious george makes pancakes, and voila, i'm falling in love with pancakes again.

+ pinterest is still holding my interest. no matter what my mood.

+ our cloud dough is still working wonders; i guess it may last forever. it's the best i-have-to-sweep-anyway project to bust out before bath time.

+ any big family traditions for st. patty's day? am racking my brain for something simple and fun. all i know is we are for sure making mint brownies.

+ my favorite thing about march thus far is our standing weekly lunch date with dan. it's the perfect answer for late night worker bees like us. we dress up to match daddy's attire, head out and walk the busy sidewalks as a family and decide last minute where to eat. and play catch up over ketchup. (last week it was havarti and turkey.) it makes me super happy.

+ one thing to get off my chest: many of you wrote me the nicest emails when i was having my mini blogging crisis at the beginning of the year (so glad that's over). i've been meaning to respond and still haven't been able to find the time (or the right words). enter guilty feeling here. please know i'm so grateful for every single one of you and your added efforts to write me a line and cheer me on (and read and support my blog). seriously, i save those emails for rainy days. thank you.

+ will be posting lightly for awhile. i'll be back on the saddle soon. i'm just tying up some loose ends. and reading books in bed (with Tums by my side) like a crazy (pregnant) person.

graphic design shop / dapper paper co.

i'm excited to rev up the home is where the art is series again in 2012.

pictured above is the print that is going to be the piece de resistance in our madeover bathroom. after seeing this baby in real life, the soft hues basically gave me the shove to finally paint those walls! i simply love this gorgeous good morning print. thanks to so many amazing sponsors, we've been able to frame and fill our nest with unique etsy artwork, which makes me super happy. (so much of it, coincidentally, happens to feature typography too.) the dapper paper co. is made up of another rad husband + wife team (based in raleigh, north carolina!) who create all kinds of custom branding geniusness; business logos, fancy invitations and prints. i've never seen anything else like their work; their designs are so fantastic. i hope to throw a big event in the future just for an excuse to see their handiwork in action.

this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

your custom invitations are so unique and personalized! how do you get to know your cross-country clients so well? In regards to our clients, believe it or not we do almost all of our communication through email. It seems to be the preferred choice for most people these days and it works well for us too. If we ever see the need to talk over the phone, we make it happen, and always let clients know we are available by phone if needed. We feel like when people are investing lots of time and money into hiring us, we want to give them the peace of mind that we aren't going anywhere. We always ask our clients to give us as much information as they can about themselves and what they envision for the artwork we are designing for them. If we don't get what we need to first time around, we open up more dialogue with them until we both have a clear idea of the creative direction we will go in for their project.

what is an essential must-have for your creative work space? For us, our work space has to be an environment that is conducive to creativity. We like a clean, functional space with the right workspaces, tools and decor to keep us motivated and efficient. We love the mix of vintage, industrial and modern pieces around us–and a space that feels lived and worked in, much like the rest of our home.

i hear you are musicians too! what's on your playlist to pump you up for good print-making? Yes, we are both musicians and love music! And are heavily inspired by music posters such as Hatch Show Print. We like a good mix on our playlist, everything from pop to alt country to indie.




custom invitations by dapper paper co.

dig in: dapper paper shop / blog / tweets

guest post / hue & hum christmas tunes

am welcoming caitlin to my stage here to promote their latest fantastic duo project. her husband plays music and she makes art. (i have her print hanging in the studio!) they teamed up and made a christmas album. it's has a good indie / artsy vibe and is just the right thing for your music maniac bestie. everyone has a friend obsessed with finding the coolest new sound out there. ours is named jeremy. he was the dj at our wedding. and still sends us mix cds every quarter. 


christmas album by hue & hum / check out this making-of music video.

Let me introduce myself, my husband, and our blog to you. I'm an artist, Hum's a guitarist. I met (and fell for) Hum when we were awkward teenagers in high school way back before I knew I wanted to be a hue and before he knew he wanted to be a hum. We got married a couple years after that, and now that we're grown-ups (well, not really) we create art and music for a living. I (Hue) am the pen and brush (literally) behind the Hue & Hum blog. I paint for a living and am an aspiring artist. Hum plays the electric guitar like nobody's business. He plays in the band Fictionist who, believe it or not, recently got signed to Atlantic Records!... and yes, we were very excited.

A couple of months ago Hum and I were playing a christmas carol called, "Were You There On that Christmas Night?", ever heard of it? It's one of our favorites. We had so much fun we thought, "Heck. We should record our own christmas album!" And so we did.

Hum oversaw the production of the album. He recorded guitars in our tiny bathroom at home, layered effects, and made sure everything sounded extra groovy. I oversaw the album art and production, and it would be easy to argue that I had a little too much fun. I felt like I was in 3rd grade again, I built a little diorama-like set up with fabric, cardboard, and ugly little plastic glittery snowflakes.

// You can pick up Hue & Hum Christmas via Hue's etsy shop.

Guess what!? Here's a giveaway you can all win!
// Follow Hue & Hum on facebook for a free christmas download!

coolest print yet today.

image via degree / tree of life poster by gary, aaron and khairul

children's book / everything goes: on land by brian biggs

have a little one on your christmas list? one obsessed with wheels and things that go!? this is the book for them. i promise. author and illustrator brian biggs recently contacted me knowing my little boy might be his target audience. i opened up the link and his website alone had benji (hurriedly climbing on my lap) oohing and ahhing. we excitedly looked forward to receiving his new (and first solo) book, Everything Goes: On Land and it did not disappoint. the illustrations are clever, colorful and creative. we look at it on long car rides, before bed, at the breakfast table and even tote it to church. i loved the way brian described it to me, it combines the sensibility of Richard Scarry, Where's Waldo and I Spy books. this is definitely a page-turner that benji will pour over and discover even more interesting / hilarious details in as he grows up. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is his, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

what gave you the idea to make this kind of cleverly detailed book? It happened on a couple of levels. First, there was the fact that I am a parent of a twelve and ten year old. I spent many many hours reading books to and with my kids that didn't hold their interest, or worse (for me) didn't hold my interest (after all, it was I who had to read the book over and over again). I loved Scarry as a kid, and I loved books by David Macaulay, maps, diagrams and that kind of thing as I got older. I've illustrated a lot of books written by others, but when I got a chance to be both illustrator and author, I knew I wanted to make something that I would have wanted.

A lot of the games and details came from the fact that I had to sit here in my studio and draw the thing. It was always going to have the complex pages of cars and pedestrians, and it just seemed natural to hide stuff all over the place. Often, the heavy creative work is pretty much completed on a book by the time one gets to actually creating the art for it. So in this case it helped to keep me on my game and having fun as I was drawing. In addition to the birds and numbers and things that you mentioned, there are dozens of references to people and things close to me, as well as many Philadelphia shout-outs.

what is an essential must-have for your creative work space? Maybe it's a bit mundane, but a really good stool on which to sit is important. Generally, the stuff around me is stuff that in some way is meaningful. One of my desks I built myself, another is an old drafting table I found in a flea-market in San Francisco. I've never been happy working in a space that is full of generic furniture. I like stuff with personality. I also like having a big bulletin board.

But really the most important thing in my creative workspace is access to coffee.

any advice for hopeful writers / illustrators? I think it's important to write and draw for oneself before thinking who the audience is and what they want. Unless you love what you do and make, no one else will. I also think it's important to know that if you are making good work and making sure the people whom you want to work with see it, you'll find your way. The business is always on the hunt for new talent and good stories.

p.s. Everything Goes: In the Air will be out in a year, with By Sea a year after that. hip, hip!

dig in: mr. biggs' website / etsy shop

happy home textiles / sweetnature designs

recently i've been obsessed with throw pillows. have you noticed?! i was happy to spot another etsy wonder selling quirky unique textiles to help add a touch of sunny personality to the home. beth of sweetnature designs makes all kinds of pretties by hand. i fell hard for this be happy pillow. (scroll down to see it plopped on my own bed! it makes a statement while also perfectly reminding me of all that there is to be happy about.) this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

What inspires your custom printing on pillows? I think having a happy home means filling it with the things you love and I love color! Having a cute whimsical reminder to "be happy" makes me smile and adds a nice feeling everytime I see this pillow on my couch. My pillow covers are simple, whimsical and eclectic and can be a bright pop of color for any decor. I use my morning run as my time to think and develop ideas in my mind.

what are the essential must-haves for your creative work space? I am fortunate to be able to work from home, which I think is "essential" to my family's well-being! I am available for my kids after school and in the summer because I do all my sewing, printing, and design right here at home. I run in the mornings after the kids head off to school and I use that time to plan my day, think about new projects, and work through various issues and ideas.

what software/tools do you use? All of my designs start with a black ink drawing and then they are burned on to a screen for printing of fabric. I don't use a computer graphics program...all of the designs based off one of my original drawings. My tools are paper, silk screens, ink, fabric, and a sewing machine!


etsy handcrafted pillows piled high. / my favorite reason to make the bed.

dig in: sweetnature designs shop 

a good way to start november.

how was your november one? ours was snowy (giant first flakes of the season!) and cozy and full of stuffy noses and warm socks. we laid around, we baked apple cake (with best ever sauce). divine. grating apples is pretty fun. we i pinned during naptime. we ate candy. did laundry and made chili (with breadbowls). saving breadbowls in the freezer is my favorite idea ever. it suddenly makes a crockpot soup that much more gourmet. we read. ate candy and hunted around for a good book. am mourning the loss of that molly book i finished (and loved to pieces then forced sister to take it with her on trip). swept floors and played trains. one of the more worthwhile activities was re-reading an amazing article.


handscreened print by lisa rupp design

if you need a lift (and even if you don't), please read this speech, entitled forget me not. it is masterfully written and will remind you of all the good stuff of life. the holiday season already feels like it's breathing down my neck. it's so good for me to refocus on the important tasks and let everything else go.

november is going to be good. busy, but good. any big plans for your family? hosting family pie night is already penned in on my calendar. happy november two.

monogram artwork (for kiddos!) / one little dicky bird

i think my mouth literally fell open when i bounced into paul atkins' etsy shop full of charming custom monogram prints. he designs items to sell in his shop, one little dicky bird, all the way over in manchester, england. (can't you just see the mossy ledges? the rows of bending daffodils?!) admittedly, when goods are shipped from another country–with awesome postage markings–i always deem them extra special. i've never seen any monograms quite like this; nor done this right. especially for children! i love how the prints are appealing to all ages; they are completely customizable (you choose the darling icons). the options available are colorful and classic. my little boy loves the big B (just for him!) and playing i-spy for those cheery tiny icons (also picked just for him!). the artist, paul, was more than willing to work with our color scheme of gray, red and blues for the transportation images we chose for benji (pictured above). paul also sent me a digital proof to ensure we loved it before going to print. (done and done.) hooray for thorough designers!

i can imagine two or three of these lovely monogram prints hung in a sibling-shared bedroom; customized to individual interests, yet all similarly framed to create a cohesive theme. they would also make a treasured baby gift, as every parent loves the name they give their brand new babe! we are delighted with our new artwork, all the way from england. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
Despite being up to date with technology I still feel like I always need a pot of pens and pencils, and some paper on my desk. No matter how efficient, streamlined and organised apple macs can make my life I still like to be able to scribble my ideas down.


paul's workspace. (love that desk and cushion and all those pens!)

what inspired you to do your custom monogram work? (the concept is so original!) The inspiration for the monograms actually comes from my niece. I originally created a monogram for her first christmas. In order to be sure there wouldn't be any duplicates on presents, I wanted to give her something completely custom made. I designed the icons based on her favourite toys and other likes (as you know babies start to show their personalities almost immediately). I then decided to create a catalogue of icons for people to choose from. That way everyone can design their own custom-made presents.


our framed print in benji's room. the icons suit his personality perfectly.

dig in: paul's etsy shop / facebook / twitter

p.s. if i knew someone pregnant across the pond, i would be giving her this one (that double decker bus is too cute!).

hip throw pillows & discount code / moxie mandie

mandie of moxie mandie has been a regular stop to find fresh fabrics whipped into shape. her shop just turned one year too! happy birthday. am still a fan of chevron zigzags (especially colorful and in small doses); her shop is booming with options. a perfect, inexpensive way to pep up your sofa with the latest chevy trend. she kindly sent me this cheerful yellow one; every room seems to be begging for it. the construction is wonderful, great sturdy fabric and a tidy envelope closure. am thinking it'll end up on our bed and then get tossed into the family room, come spring. (yes, i'm seeing the beauty of the throw pillow!) i like the cute elephants (would like to plan a whole nursery around it!), the ever popular ikat prints and other fun graphic patterns. an unexpected throw pillow is like seeing fresh flowers on the windowsill (but they last a lot longer!). wouldn't you agree? this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

any advice for mixing / matching fabrics and / or pillows? my advice about mixing fabrics/pillows- DO IT. I am such a fan of not only non-matching pillows, but textures & patterns too. i really love an eclectic feel to any room, & mixing patterns - whether by pillows, throws, rugs, even a quilt on the wall - is my preferred method of achieving this. :)

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
my workspace must-have is netflix! it keeps me company (& is sometimes distracting, too) during my long hours of cutting, pressing, & sewing.

dig in: moxie mandie etsy shop / blog / facebook
bonus: martawrites readers can save 10% on their order with the code: marta10. thank you!

wooden decor letters / edie's lab

i immediately liked the fonts, vintage feel and fantastic colors of edie's lab wooden typography. i fell into their etsy shop, studied every photo and contacted them saying how stoked i am about their products (you customize the color with your order!). the artsy pair (josh and audrey) are located in houston, texas and are a husband + wife creative team. (talk about a dream team.) their wooden letters are sturdy, solid and come packaged just right. i imagine it would make a super cool gift for the new hipster parent to hang in the nursery. i am especially giddy about the at symbol. as the web is such a big part of my work. i imagine any twitter obsessive would love it too. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

what are your go-to colors for painting woodwork?
If given the choice, we would love to paint everything white!

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
This is Texas, so a must have would be a LARGE fan.

dig in: edie's lab etsy shop / edie's lab website

calligraphy stamps & stationery / fawnsberg

the ladies at fawnsberg have it. patricia + rachel (you may know them from their creative studio, primele) do incredible work. their passion for their business shows in their handiwork. (and what hands on handiwork it is! so many calligraphied goods by hand!! ooh la la!) their product is top notch and always packaged in a way that makes you know a special treasure is lurking inside. i'm swooning over our beautiful new address stamp and can't wait to start rubber stamping everything i own. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here. don't you just crave calligraphy? pine over their picture portfolio here.

patricia, since i deem you an expert, what is your favorite thing to include in a handwritten letter? I always cozy-down before I write. I make a fantastic cup of coffee (or tea) and find somewhere inspiring to sit, by a sunny window maybe or out at the lake. And to begin my letter I tell my friend all about it - how the sun feels on this particularly fine fall day, and how the dash of cinnamon in my coffee is its perfect companion. It puts me somewhere for my reader, and for me it takes away the intimidating blank slate of the page. I can't think of a letter I didn't start this way!

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
We have a huge pinboard on the wall of our studio; nothing fancy, a 4x8 ft sheet of homosote. It's tacked with tidbits of everything - clippings torn out of magazines, color palettes, sketches for current projects, scribbles for prospect ideas, inspiring illustrations, and the ever-changing collection of drawings from our niece Lydia. It is an invaluable source of inspiration for generating new ideas.

dig in: fawnsberg / primele etsy shop / blog 

p.s. it's raining / snowing here in utah. am in my cozy sweats going from room to room, tackling it the best i can. kitchen and bath are good to go. (other than the fact that the bathroom is still purple. what do you think? keep a lavender bath?) this weekend: a trip to home depot and ikea shelf building.