Darling & Dear

If you follow Darling & Dear on Facebook you have seen a bit of a preview of these cards before.  The Hand Series is officially for sale in the Etsy shop today!  These cards were inspired by everyday hand signals that everyone knows and loves.  There are a few different versions of the I Love you, and Peace card to be sure to check them out in the Shop!

Rock On!

I love you

Peace

High Five!

 Visit the shop, and be on the lookout for some other additions soon.  The Hand Series will also be available at Epona & Oak in Downtown Raleigh next week!

There are lots of fun things going on around Raleigh this weekend for Earth Day.  While your downtown, head over to Epona & Oak to see the other Darling & Dear cards for sale!  Happy Earth Day!

I received an email a few weeks ago, it was short, sweet, and to the point.  The person writing the email was writing to ask if they could review Darling & Dear Stationary on their YouTube channel.  My first inclination was to hit delete, actually I think I did, and then I thought twice.  I followed the link in the email, and a cute little face appeared of a young girl named Kelsey.  The link went straight to her YouTube channel and it automatically loaded a video of her reviewing some “sparkly nail polish”.  I was intrigued and excited that she was interested in the cards, so I sent her 3 cards, Kelsey did a review in conjunction with another online stationary shop, the video is below.  The review of Darling & Dear starts at 5:07, if you want to skip ahead.  There is also a coupon code for free shipping so listen closely for that!

(refresh your screen if you can’t see the video)

Isn’t she so cute!?  Thanks Kelsey!

Cards are a method of delivery.  They hold the message that you wish to send.

It’s your messenger.

My Dad went to work very early in the morning and most of the time was gone before we were up for school.  He would pack our lunches and leave us sweet notes.  They were sitting on the island in the kitchen waiting to be read when we got up.  I always loved those pieces of paper, the messengers of the words:  ”Have a great day, I love you – Dad”.  My mom was a notorious note leaver as well, but it was a family affair for sure, including the extended family.  In fact a few years ago it was brought to my attention that we have a strange ritual at our family birthdays.  Everyone get the birthday person a card and everyone in the giving family signed it.  That’s not the strange part though -that came after the card was read by the birthday person, the card was passed around the room to each and every person so that they could read the card too.  What can I say – we love cards, giving them, receiving them, and reading them even if they aren’t ours.

I have been known to buy cards when I find one that I like and save it for just the right time.  I probably got that from my Mom who has a couple of different stashes of cards around the house.

Cards send all kinds of messages, happy and sad ones, but most of the time it’s not only about the picture on the front and the quote inside but it’s about giving a card because you know the other person will appreciate it, put a smile on their face, or feel cared about.

That’s what it is about cards – the thought, the feeling, the smile, the message…

There are lots of little things we can do throughout our days that have an impact on our footprint here on Earth.  Sometimes the little things are the big things.  One of the little things that I like to do is take my water bottle everywhere I go.  Not because water is good for you, and we could all drink a little more of it, but because I can use it in place of disposable cups!

I drink water at lunch and I’ve always noticed that when you ask for a water cup, not only do they give you a tiny cup but it’s plastic or Styrofoam!  Maybe, just maybe the plastic cup gets recycled, but reduce comes first in the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” phrase for a reason.  If you bring your own water bottle not only do you get to fill up a larger cup, but you’re saving that cup from being trash.  Like I said, I usually drink water so if you are a tea drinker, or soda  just pay for the drink and don’t take the cup they give you!

Think of all the cups you could save from the landfill!  Sometimes the little things are the big things.

I found art on my window sill today, and a little ray of sunshine!  The warming weather in NC is more than welcome!

Discovering a new artist that I really find fascinating in all aspects of their work is so much fun!  Sara Black aka Zso is an amazing illustrator, designer, and fine artist based in New York.  The first time I experienced her work I watched a video of her drawing.  It’s an amazingly beautiful process! (refresh your browser if you don’t see the video below)  I’m also loving her tattoos!

ZSO + TWiN + Q Dept. from Sara Blake on Vimeo.

via:  http://www.hellozso.com/friends-of-leon-solo-show/

Giclee print on Somerset Enhanced Textured 225 gsm, Pencil, watercolor, digital.  Work done for Zso’s solo show at the Friends of Leon Gallery in Sydney, 2010.

Friends of Leon Gallery window, illustration by Zso.  This isn’t a decal folks, Zso drew this right onto the window.

via:  http://www.hellozso.com/dacs/

Artwork for DACS – Designers against Child Slavery
Pencil, water color, digital

via:  http://www.hellozso.com/calavera/

I love day of the dead skulls!  Skulls are usually used as scary imagery, so I really enjoy seeing them celebrated and turned into lovely images.

via:  http://www.hellozso.com/perspectives-series-mirror/

Perspectives series.  Pencil, watercolor, pastel, digital.

The eyes in this series (and in the 100 girls series) are so captivating.  I can’t help but be attracted to these.  The eyes are so real while the rest remains dreamy.

I wanted to post more pictures because I like so much of her work, but you can check it out yourself at:  http://www.hellozso.com/  !

Happy Art day, AND Leap day.

Raleigh locals get your Darling & Dear Valentines day cards at Epona & Oak this weekend!!

Getting ready to carve the newest stamp in the Darling & Dear collection!

Five Five people, Wednesday is almost over, soooo much closer to the weekend!

Not just any Etsy shop opening, this is a very personal Etsy shop opening because it’s my very own shop:  Darling & Dear shop! It’s been an interesting, unexpected process, but most of the time when we “plan” something it doesn’t really end up happening that way, right?

There were lots of little details to work out to open the shop, I’m really excited that it’s up and running.  Thank you to all of my friends that have constantly pushed me, and told me over and over to do this.  A huge thanks to my sister who has not only been a partner in this and done the beautiful handwriting on a lot of the cards, but has also given me lots of creative, and business related feedback.  Love you!

Please browse the shop, check out the detail photos of each card, and find something you like!  Let me know what you think!

The aftermath of stamp carving that is.  Carving away slice after slice of pink rubber to reveal the next stamp design!

The cards are moving along well at this point, not as quickly as I originally thought but things never go as we originally thought – right?  That is especially true for anything that you are crafting/making/building.  We were taught in design school to take the time that you think a project is going to take and multiply by 3. That number is the amount of time it will take you to finish.  Even after being taught that I still miscalculate.

Newest stamp!