JoRosie Blog

HOT GIN TODDY

2015-11-11T04:00:00.000-09:00

As I mentioned on Monday, I've been fighting a cold and an ear infection. Not fun. One of the side effects I've been experiencing is an intense craving for hot beverages of all kinds, and if they include alcohol, even better.

I know they don't actually cure colds, but hot toddies definitely help with the symptoms. Normally, I make mine with whiskey, but gin is what I've got on hand these days. A quick search gave me lots of options for gin toddies. This is the one I settled on, and it was pretty good. So if I'm looking especially happy about the contents of my teacup, you can safely bet that this is what I'm sipping. Here's hoping I'll be healthy soon!

LIFE LATELY: IN DOODLES

2015-11-09T04:00:00.000-09:00

1. I opened my Etsy shop! This is actually my second shop opening, but the first one was a little lame. I put a lot more effort into this re-opening and I'm so happy with it. But the work isn't done. There are still plenty of tweaks to make and new items to list, so this little shop is keeping me plenty busy.

2. I've been fighting a cold and an ear infection this week. While I love spending a little extra time in bed with a book, I'd rather not be there because I'm sick.

3. Nick and I are going to Michigan for Thanksgiving and I am so excited! Friends and family are the best and I miss mine dearly. I can't wait for this much needed visit.

4. Now that I have a shop, I need to take pretty pictures of everything I'm selling, which means I need pretty props. I've been frequenting my favorite thrift stores and loving that I have an excuse to buy all the pretty things. Possibly my favorite find so far is this lovely wooden vase, featured here.

5. The snow is here to stay, so I've been saying goodbye to my rather vast collection of ballet flats, and am getting reacquainted with socks and boots. It's a sad transition, but my cold, wet feet are pretty happy about it.

MORE COFFEE PLEASE

2015-11-06T04:00:00.000-09:00

I start every morning with a pot of tea, but when I need a jolt of caffeine to get me through my early afternoon slump, I drink coffee. The days have been getting dramatically darker here in Anchorage, and my afternoons have been getting slumpier. So far, I've resisted the urge to bring a pillow to the office for quick naps, but I am making friends with the barista around the corner. Coffee for the win and only six more months of winter to go.

BOOK REPORT: OCTOBER

2015-10-30T07:54:00.001-08:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows: I started reading this book on a Friday evening, and when I picked it up again on Saturday morning, I didn't put it down until I'd finished it. The story takes place in post-war England and is laid out in a series of letters between a London writer and the members of a literary society in Guernsey that formed when that island was occupied during WWII. The characters are hilarious and lovable, and the history is fascinating.

On the Map by Simon Garfield: I'm a bit of a map nerd, so I loved this book. It's all about the history of maps (and how we see the world), the people who made them, and the people who use them. The writing is entertaining and smart, and gave me an itch to go exploring.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin: This is one of those books that I vaguely recall reading as a kid, but I didn't remember the story well enough to ruin the surprise ending. It was a quick, fun read, but not the highlight of my book list this month.

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist: This book tugged on all my heart strings. It is a collection of incredibly honest essays about the author's life, focusing on life in community and especially life around the table. It made me homesick, and hungry, and now I want to try all of the delicious-sounding recipes which were thoughtfully included.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis: Such a classic. This book will forever have my heart.

MONDAY INSPIRATION

2015-10-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is my manifesto for the week. If I'm not adding pages of calligraphy practice, watercolor experiments, and lettering sketches to the ever-expanding mess on my dining room table, you'll find me buried in my favorite art books and magazines, and (weather permitting) spending some much needed time outdoors. Here's to an inspiring week!

WORK IN PROGRESS: CAR SHOW

2015-10-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

I find that I regularly overestimate the amount of work I can get done in a set time period. Which leads to what I've got here today. A work-in-progress when I thought I'd have a completed project to show off. Maybe if I had ten more minutes I could finish it up...ha!

What you see here is the beginning of a new repeating pattern. My first pattern of hot air balloons made me think it would be fun to do a series of patterns featuring modes of transportation. I love the curves and funky details in these antique cars, so they were a no brainer for my next choice.

Now all I have to do is draw a few more cars, add some color, and work the magic that turns them into a super-cool pattern. That shouldn't take too long, right?

DROP ME A LINE

2015-10-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

When I was little and snail mail was the coolest (because it was only ever for the grown-ups), I thought having a pen pal was just the ultimate. I had romanticized ideas about writing to someone in a far away country, and then we would become best friends, and someday meet in person and it would be magical. I never had a pen pal like that, but I did try to write regularly to one of my cousins, and then to a classmate who moved to another state. But it never lasted. Receiving letters was always much more exciting than actually writing them, and finding a stamp and an envelope became just too great a challenge.

Now I live thousands of miles away from my family and letter writing is suddenly very appealing again. This time it's the envelope art that's so enticing, but I am also enjoying sending notes to my siblings across the country. Now that I know exactly where the envelopes and stamps are, maybe I'll be able to keep it up.

BAZAAR REPORT

2015-10-19T12:27:00.001-08:00

I sold stuff! Pardon me while I gush for a moment, because this weekend was so exciting for me :)

The last time I put my artwork on display in the hopes of selling it, I was probably about six years old and I was selling paintings from my front porch. My only customer was the mailman (who could also do an awesome Donald Duck impression). That experience cemented my admiration for our friendly, neighborhood mail carrier, but it didn't give me much hope for a career in art.

But I love making things, and I'm sick of looking at what other talented people are doing and thinking I could do that too without actually doing it! So this was a great weekend for me. Even better than the making money part (which was pretty nice), was all the encouragement I got from people seeing the work I've been pouring my heart into, and liking it so much that they want to take it home with them and make it a part of their lives. That feels pretty good :)

So I learned a few things from my bazaar experience:

My husband is very good at packaging greeting cards
When it comes to Christmas cards, people much prefer red over green
Lots of folks can relate to quotes about tea and books
You can never have too many $1 dollar bills on hand

Next up: my Etsy shop launch. On November 1, I'll be offering even more card designs, art prints, and a few other things for sale online. I'm glad I had this opportunity to sell things in person first (I cannot overstate how encouraging all the positive feedback was), and I'm looking forward to this new adventure. Thanks for following along!

HI THERE

2015-10-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

The post I was planning to write this evening got a little side-tracked when Nick and I had to make a run to Lowe's for a plunger (for the sink, not the toilet, thank goodness). But I did manage to get a pan of apple crisp in the oven before we left and it was almost finished by the time we got back.

Not wanting to leave my lovely readers hanging (hi Mom!), I thought I'd give you this preview of a couple more notecards I'm working on. One of my favorite things to do when drawing is to pick a space and fill it up with lots of little details. In this case, with flowers and leaves. I'm still playing around with the colors, but I think they're pretty cute so far.

LIFE LATELY: IN DOODLES

2015-10-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

1. Last week Nick and I saw a mama moose with her two little ones on our way to work. They were inconveniently moseying (mooseying?) across the road, but it’s so fun to see them, who cares if they’re in the way? Moose sightings in the neighborhood happen often enough to be expected, but not often enough to take away any of the excitement when they do.

2. I am anxiously waiting for a very exciting/boring package to arrive in the mail. It’s just packing materials and envelopes for the cards I’ve been busy designing, but it means I’m that much closer to selling them, which is thrilling. Now they just have to get here in time for me to get everything ready for the church bazaar this weekend.

3. My little plants are growing up and moving into bigger pots! I love repotting my plants. It makes me feel like I must be doing something right if they’re growing so much that they need more room. It also stretches my tolerance of dirt and makes me think that maybe I’d like a full blown garden, with vegetables and stuff. And then I remember the weeds and the bugs and I’m grateful for my little potted friends all over again.

4. Nick and I have a recurring problem that regularly threatens our relationship. Pineapple is my favorite pizza topping, and he will not tolerate it anywhere near a slice that he plans to eat. We can’t even go halvsies, because “the pineapple juice will contaminate the whole thing.” Please. Thankfully, a two-for-one coupon came our way so we solved our problem by each ordering our very own large pizza. Making me feel like a pig, but a very happy one.

5. It is candle season. I don’t consider myself a candle person, but we have a few that I like, and I’ve been lighting them a lot lately, so maybe I’m becoming one? I think they make the room feel cozier, and when they smell delicious, even better.

WATERCOLOR & CALLIGRAPHY

2015-10-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you notes are one of those things I like to keep on hand, so I've adopted an attitude of gratitude in my calligraphy and watercolor practice lately. Ideally, what you see here will be printed on notecards very soon and I'll be ready to express my thanks in style.

I especially loved trying out some watercolor calligraphy this week. It turns out so pretty every time (if I do say so myself)!

In other news, I took this test today to determine my color acuity and got a perfect score! That bodes well for my future art projects, right?

DROP CAP UPDATE

2015-10-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

My daily drop cap project has become not-so-daily anymore. More like weekly, really. Don't worry, I may have slowed down a bit, but I'm still going strong and still loving my letters. In fact, I've made it all the way to "T" already, but I'm only showing half an alphabet at a time. We'll call it a tease.

I am definitely liking my second alphabet better than my first. This time around, I'm drawing each letter on a 3" x 5" notecard, so they're all about the same size, and I think the consistency is making for a nicer group of letters.

So stay tuned! It shouldn't be too much longer before Alphabet #2 is completed and I've moved on to another letter "A." Maybe.

A FEW THOUGHTS

2015-10-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

It started snowing last week. Well, it was really more like falling slush. I decided to treat myself to a latte and planned my route to the coffee shop so as to take advantage of as many store awnings as possible.

The seasons have been changing rapidly over the last few weeks, and that usually makes me feel like shaking things up myself. Maybe it's because of my school days when fall meant new supplies, new clothes and a return to highly structured days. I've been craving chunky knits, hot drinks, and I've been diving into new books, classes and projects.

Fall brings a new energy with it, which is good, because the year is almost over and there is still so much to do. It feels a little bit like the sprint at the end of a race. So while I may be enjoying the comfort of hot tea and thick sweaters, I am also hunkering down and doing my best to get as much out of this season as possible. It should be a good one :)

FLOURISHING FUN

2015-10-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

I am still loving my calligraphy kick and spent some time this week playing around with flourishing (see above). Still doing a lot of practicing and still learning as I go, but I'm liking the results and the writing is a nice way to wind down at the end of the day. I think the "Hello" below would look nice on some simple, anytime notecards.

BOOK REPORT: SEPTEMBER

2015-09-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball: I could not put this book down. This was a beautifully written memoir by a woman who made a drastic leap from singleness in New York City to marriage on a farm. It generously fed my romanticized vision of farm life, and then abruptly checked it with healthy doses of harsh reality. I loved it.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown: This was a timely read for me. It’s all about deciding what the most important things in your life/career are and then cutting out the nonessentials to be able to do those things effectively. It gave me a lot to think about. The copy I read was from the library, but I’d like to buy this one so I can read it again with a highlighter in hand.

The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis: This is possibly my favorite book in the Chronicles of Narnia. I don’t know how many times I’ve read it, but it still gives me tingles. It’s a fantastic creation story with sharp insights into human nature, good vs. evil, and plenty of magic. I will never tire of reading this book.

THIS IS JUST TO SAY

2015-09-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of my absolute favorite poems. I think it should really be scribbled on a sticky note and stuck on the refrigerator, and maybe someday I'll do that. What I love about this poem is the relationship it implies. It is clearly a note from one person to another, but what are they to each other? Roommates? Siblings? An old married couple? I like to think that it was written in a teasing, but loving tone, and that the plum eater felt free to do so because maybe the person saving them had just helped themselves to their strawberries the day before.

WATERCOLORS: A LOVE STORY

2015-09-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

I think that watercolors were invented to paint whales. I've been admiring a lot of watercolor work lately, so I finally took the plunge and ordered myself a set of paints. I got this set of Kuretake Gansai Tambi solid watercolors, and promptly used them to paint this grumpy fellow.

This whale is the first of many, I'm sure. I just love the way the water blends the colors and then leaves behind such a cool texture.

These paints are a dream to work with. They can be super thick and opaque, or not. Whatever you want. The range of colors is beautiful and I like that each color has its own little container so I don't have to have them all out at once. These Aquash Water Brushes have also been great. They are especially good for adding water to the dry paints, and I like their portability

These metallic paints are probably what sold me on this particular set. They are so pretty in real life, and opaque enough to show up well on dark paper. I'm sure I'll have lots of fun playing around with them, so look out for lots of shiny, watercolor whales in the future!

LIFE LATELY: IN DOODLES

2015-09-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

1. It is spider season. That delightful time of year when the weather turns cold and all the spiders decide to move indoors. It’s especially apparent when you live in a basement, like me. Nick has killed several spiders for me in the last few weeks, and I’ve even had to put on a brave face and kill a few myself. My favorite method is with a vacuum cleaner from a safe distance.

2. A couple months ago, a funny thing happened. The radio in our car stopped working. It just stopped producing sound of any kind. To get it fixed, a part had to be ordered, and it took about a month for it to arrive. So for a month, Nick and I had no sound in our car besides our own conversation. It was strange at first, but then we got used to it, and now that our radio is working again, I’ve noticed that we mostly leave it off. I especially notice the difference when I’m driving alone. I’ve come to appreciate the silence, and I kind of like that.

3. Fall has hit hard and it’s brought a lot of rain with it. It may have arrived earlier than I’d like, but I still love this season, and I’m happy to have so many opportunities to wear my awesome rainboots. The book Big Sarah’s Little Boots affected me profoundly as a child, and to this day I strongly believe that rainboots should be yellow.

4. I have a great-aunt-in-law in Chicago who has started sending me her hand-me-down clothing. Now, I realize that many women might not care too much for hand-me-downs from someone in their grandparents’ generation, but this lady is seriously stylish. My mother-in-law just went to visit her and brought back two big boxes for me to go through. It’s kind of like Christmas. I think my favorite keeper from this haul is this great little party dress that makes me feel like a cupcake (in a good way). Now I just need an event to wear it to :)

5. More seriously, Nick and I have been talking a lot about moving to North Dakota. He just interviewed for a job there that would be great for his career. Now we're on pins and needles waiting to hear if he got the job, and our heads are spinning with all the logistics involved in moving across the country.

MAILING MISSHAP

2015-09-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

White ink on dark paper is so pretty, I couldn't wait to try it. It took me a while to get the ink to the right consistency (it was way too watery at first) and I'm still getting the hang of it, but I already love the results. I especially love it on envelopes, so that's what I've been practicing most. Don't worry, I'm not giving away anyone's real address here (thank you Photoshop!).

For a few days, I was convinced that these envelopes wouldn't be going anywhere. Not wanting them to get wrecked in my massive and very full tote bag, I tucked them into a book. And then I returned that book to the library. Oops. Thankfully, there was nothing personal inside the envelopes, but still, what a waste! At least that's what I thought happened...and then I found them safe in the pages of my sketchbook. Clearly I need to get more organized, but what a relief!

INSPIRATION

2015-09-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Books are the best. I love Pinterest as much as the next gal, but I love actual printed books and magazines so much more. Especially when it comes to finding inspiration for lettering projects. Sometimes it starts to feel like everything on the internet looks the same, and that's no fun. So here are some of my favorites for finding fresh ideas.

Typography Sketchbooks: I love this book because it is full of works-in-progress. It gives a glimpse of the working styles of so many different artists. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that great artwork is not created in one sitting. It usually starts as a pretty rough sketch first.

Decorative Alphabets and Initials: This is a library book, but I need to get my own copy because it is fantastic. I should preface that by saying it's fantastic if you love looking at letterforms, like me. Because that's all it is - pages of incredibly ornate alphabets. So much good inspiration here.

Uppercase Magazine: I'm not sure how I found this magazine, but it is incredible. Every issue focuses on a different art form, and they're all full of beautiful artwork, interviews with artists, and general amazingness.

Modern Calligraphy: I remember flipping through calligraphy books years ago, and not really liking any of the artwork in them. The styles seemed either too stuffy, or too cheesy. But this book is full of beautiful calligraphy that I would love to be able to make myself. It's usually lying open on the table when I'm practicing.

Of course, this little collection barely scratches the surface. I'm constantly checking books out from the library, and my Amazon wish list is about a mile long. I'm always open to new recommendations, so if you've got one, do share!

CHRISTMAS CARDS

2015-09-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

It seems way too early to even be thinking about Christmas, so showing you these cards now feels a little wrong. But this is what I've been working on this weekend, and I'm too happy with them not to show them off :)

In about a month, my church is hosting a bazaar and I'm thinking about renting a table to sell some of my artwork. The problem is, I don't have a lot of very sellable artwork lying around. So these cards were a little test I gave myself. I figured if I could make something to sell over the weekend, maybe I'd be able to make enough stuff to fill a bazaar table next month.

The idea for these cards has been kicking around my mind for a while now. I wanted to make an otomi-like pattern with an Alaskan spin. There are so many Alaskan animals to choose from, so I decided to make two - one featuring sea life and the other forest creatures.

There are so many little details, I'm afraid I could keep tweaking them forever. I can already spot a couple things I'll change, but if I had to, I'd be okay just calling these cards done. One of the nice things about the designs is that they're not too Christmasy, so I could also make them general greeting cards. I also think they'd be beautiful letter-pressed instead of just printed flat. Looks like I've got plenty of options to play with :)

SHALL I COMPARE THEE...?

2015-09-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

This sonnet is a favorite of mine, and for a while now I've wanted to turn it into something I could hang on my wall. So I took a little time this week to write it out and make it pretty, and I love the result. Now what should I write next?

BEGIN IT

2015-09-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of just starting lately, so this quote speaks to me. There really is magic in the momentum that builds when you simply begin something. Small steps add up to big changes and suddenly impossibly huge tasks are accomplished. It's a good feeling.

LIFE LATELY: IN DOODLES

2015-09-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

1. I am learning more and more that planning and preparation are the secrets to living well. I’ll eat healthy lunches if I make a whole week’s worth in advance. Mornings are so much better when I shower and plan an outfit the night before. Birthday cards will be sent on time only if I buy them a month early. In that spirit, I made two huge batches of soup last weekend and froze them in individual portion sizes. We've been eating them all week instead of frozen pizzas and I feel pretty good about that.

2. I can measure my days in podcast episodes. They are the perfect thing to listen to while working (or drawing, or cooking, or driving) and I keep finding new ones to love. Lately, I’ve been listening to a mix of Around the Table, The Lively Show, and Elise Gets Crafty.

3. My bangs have gotten obnoxiously long, which has me thinking about just growing them out. But not really, because I still love them. I just need to get past my laziness, pull out the scissors, and spend five minutes snipping them back to a reasonable length.

4. Fall is undeniably here and I want to wear cozy sweatshirts every day. I have a couple of favorites that are in heavy rotation, but I’d like to grow my collection a little bit. This one in particular caught my eye, and I will be waiting eagerly for it to go on sale.

5. My building has the best security guard. His name is Uso, he’s from Hawaii, and he keeps me well supplied with Hawaiian chocolates and macadamia nuts, and this week he brought me a pineapple. I reciprocate with homemade cookies and will be making a big batch this weekend. It’s a wonderful arrangement.

CALLIGRAPHY PRACTICE

2015-09-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

When practicing calligraphy, sometimes the real challenge is just finding something to write. When I'm learning a new style, I start with the alphabet, but writing the ABCs over and over can get a little dull. So today I thought I'd write out one of my favorite colloquialisms. And then I found another good one to keep it company.

I love this easy, casual style, but lest you think I'm getting lazy, here is another alphabet I'm working on mastering. It's significantly trickier and requires things like guidelines.

Not too long ago, this article sparked an internet (& Instagram) movement. The idea is simple - do something for 100 days. I love a good goal that comes with a timeline, so I'm jumping on board. For 100 days (from September 1 through December 9) I will be practicing calligraphy. Which means I'll have to come up with lots of things to write. I don't plan to create a masterpiece every day, but I think it will be fun to see how much I improve after so much practice, and hopefully I'll end up with a few things I really like. I'll be sure to share the highlights here, so stay tuned!