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While in the process of moving my entire studio from our basement to our second bedroom, I came across a large pile of scrap card stock that I'd stashed away. The card stock was instant inspiration. I immediately began cutting and matching blocks of paper and arranging them on some blank cards I had on hand. Five new one of a kind cards were created with plans in the works for many more. I thought I'd give you a peak at this new collection. My favorite part about these cards is that no two are alike, making each card extra special. I love the idea of being able to give a card to someone knowing that it is the only one of its kind. You can click through the photos to get to the listings for each card in my shop.


What do you think of the new collection of blank greeting cards that I've started to sell in my shop? Which is your favorite?

P.S. The Sassy Scentz giveaway winner is Lena! Congratulations Lena! I'll be contacting you shortly via email. :)

I saw the Dirty Guv'nahs last summer during a First Thursday event in Baltimore. They are a pretty rockin' band out of Tennesee. After seeing them live, the only question that remained was-- How can they go from a pretty rockin' band to a super awesometastic rockin' band? The answer is simple. They can ask their fans what they'd like to see in a music video and then do all of those things. Watch the end result. You won't be disappointed. Especially when it involves things getting blown up.



Oh, and did I mention that their music is pretty good too? ;)

We spent a good few hours on Sunday taking Lilah with us to the Maryland SPCA March for the Animals. A friend of our had invited us to be part of their group and so of course we couldn't say no. As we pulled up to the park where the event was taking place, Lilah could see the hundreds of dogs and was so excited. She could not wait to get out of the car to meet some new friends. It truly was a dog party. We enjoyed a mile and a half walk around the old reservoir and said hi to many, many other canine friends. Meanwhile, I took advantage of the beautiful day to capture a few new photos of our pretty pup.

And after a fun-filled afternoon, Lilah spent the evening napping. A tired pup is most definitely a happy pup.

If there was a way that I could have everything that I love from Etsy lately, I'd be a happy girl.

Some fun spring earrings would be nice!

via Laonato

Hand painted sake cups-- I think these would also work perfectly for soy sauce dipping for sushi!

via sew Zinski

I wouldn't mind having these fun prints to hang in my studio space.

via Amanda Catherine Designs

These post cards are pretty fabulous!

via Mademoiselle Yo

This would work perfectly to store colored pencils.

via Mama Bleu Designs

What are some of your current Etsy favorites?

I had a few things happen this past week that left me feeling at a bit of a stand still. As I began reflecting on all of it, I thought about the beginning of this indie business venture of mine. Starting out it seemed easy. There were no overly complicated things to think about. As my business continued to grow, each level became much more difficult until I reached the point where I am now.



The amount of work that I put into my shop has increased immensely, yet there are times when I feel as though there is little progress forward, or sometimes even days when I feel as though I am taking several steps back. The worst part about this frustration is that it is draining me of creative energy. I sit down with the intention of creating, only to sit and stare at an empty Illustrator artboard or a blank card and stacks of paper. I'm stuck in a negative cycle.

In one of my most recent fits of frustration, a blog friend Patti shared a great article that got my mind back on track. It reminded me of what my priorities need to be. So I decided to consciously think about the positives. I decided to get back into my yoga routine that I lost a few months ago. I decided to take time off from the things that were adding to my frustration. I decided to stop comparing myself to others and to not be so hard on myself. And mostly, I decided to step away from things if it becomes too frustrating, and come back to it a different day or a different time.

Day one into my new positive cycle and I'm feeling a lot better. I'm realizing that I control how I feel rather than letting it up to circumstances. Some of the circumstances are not up to my control in any way, but it is up to me how I react. Aside from these changes I'm trying to make, I decided to let it all out realizing that I'm not always alone in this department. Do you ever feel stuck in a rut of frustration? What are the methods you have used to cope with your own frustrations?