this is his photo from his Etsy site...

And here's the envelope he sent me after I wrote him the old fashioned way (snail mail)...

I love that Patrick has saved his grandfather's stamps and is using them to make beautiful stamp collages. Patrick is my new pen pal and I was absolutely thrilled to receive this beautiful envelope in the mail!

It's fun to find a kindred soul who appreciates the beauty of old things, things that aren't made any longer, things that become precious to us because of this.  

I hope you'll visit his Etsy shop and support his endeavor.  

So, in honor of Blue Tuesday, I made a couple of greeting cards along that theme... sadly, one is for a colleague who just lost his father.

Even though these two cards are the exact same size, I cannot get them to display as such, & I don't want to spend any more time trying to make it look "perfect"... hopefully you won't mind!  I need to learn to let go of that tendency to be so "anal"... I'm sure some of you know exactly what I mean, right?!?

This is the envelope I lettered with a brush pen for my colleague... it's made from Yupo "paper"... it really isn't paper at all, it's plastic, but it's very thin and maleable and I love the texture.  I think it made a really cool envelope (I had to use translucent labels to write on, since I don't think the brush pen ink would've written directly on the plastic paper).

So as blue as I might think I am feeling, I know it's nothing compared to someone who is burying their father today, and my thoughts & prayers go out to Randy and his family.

I know I have gifts to wrap and cleaning to do to get ready for guests.

I know I'm supposed to be happy that my kids are going to be home with us (for at least a little bit of time), and I am. Really, I am.

But I can't stop thinking about all the grieving families in Newtown, Connecticut

and Aurora, Colorado

and Oak Creek, Wisconsin

and Minneapolis, Minnesotta

and that's just the families affected by mass shootings in the US

THIS YEAR

since the 20th of JULY!

The year 2011 brought more grief to more families:

October 14, 9 injured or killed in Seal Beach, California

September 6, 12 injured or killed in Carson City, Nevada

January 8, 19 injured or killed in Tuscon, Arizona (where Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford was shot in the head... and we all thought that would be the galvanizing moment that would bring about change)! 

That doesn't include any of the families from these shootings in the USA:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/mass-shootings-map?page=2

I'm not trying to depress anyone or ruin anyone's fun or joy in this holiday season.  I'm just trying to bring some perspective to a problem that has gone on far too long and as a mom, as a nurse, as a woman, as an American; I have to speak out and also ask "what can I do as one person to bring about change?"

After a 1996 Mass Shooting, Australia Enacted Strict Gun Laws. It Hasn't Had a Similar Massacre Since

This article, about the sweeping gun law changes in Australia seems to me to sum it all up perfectly... I don't see the need for further debate... I believe we need to do the exact same things Australia did... we can debate it after stricter gun laws are in place, until the cows come home or until the president of the NRA falls over dead, which ever comes first, I don't care!

 I implore our law makers to just DO SOMETHING and DO IT NOW!!!

 Not after Christmas, not after the new session starts in 2013,

JUST DO SOMETHING NOW!!!

PLEASE join me in continuing the conversation... write your representatives, write President Obama, write the NRA, write to anyone and everyone you think will listen and will care and will do something productive to keep this conversation going until we make significant, sweeping changes in our gun laws.  

We cannot allow this to happen again.  

No parent should ever have to bury a child. 

  Bubba and our entire family wish you and yours a very happy holiday season and a peaceful, art-filled 2013

Exterior of Hyde Park Art Center... VERY nicely done!

"Sculpture" done out of old encyclopedias... cool idea, even more interesting in person... 

We were encouraged to sit down and draw and write on a postcard that would be given to the attendees at the next Sketchbook stop, in Portland. 

It was cool seeing my book there... I'd forgotten about some of the images I put in it, and the very best part?  My daughter didn't want to leave it there... she wanted to sneak my book out of there and take it home with us!  And on her postcard, she wrote "Go see Kathy McCreedy's book, she's my mom and I'm SO proud of her!"  That really meant a lot to me, as Corey's a bit on the quiet side and has never really said much about my artwork... (I kept her postcard... it meant too much to me to give it away!).

This is Corey on the steps of the gorgeous Newberry Library in Chicago, where we saw the Chicago Calligraphy Collective's outstanding exhibit... I was SO glad we got to see both the exhibit and the library!

This is a window at the downtown Chicago Macy's store on State Street... LOVE the message on the window and love the bikes painted red, hanging in mid air... I want one of those bikes for my garden out in front of our house!  Waaaayyy too cool!

We also visited the Merchandise Mart, which was not on our original itinerary, and the shops were closed because it was a Sunday... but it was AMAZING!!! The building itself is just spectacular... 

Flowers on the railing at the Merch Mart overlooking the Chicago River...

How amazing is this art deco styled brass mailbox?!?  There were two of them on the first floor of the building.  I wish I'd had paper and a pencil to do a rubbing of that gorgeous trim work!!!

Another terrific sentiment on a display window!

From what we could tell, the Merchandise Mart is where the folks in Chicago with lots and lots of money go to pick out their tile, fixtures, cabinets, etc. when they redo their kitchens and bathrooms... or perhaps their decorator goes there to pick up samples.  Either way the displays were stunning.

This is wallpaper in a display case that evidently has gold leaf running through it... that is an entire bowl filled with gold leaf, and in person it was beyond stunning. I'm sorry the camera couldn't pick up the true effect of what could actually be seen. (I'm thinking this is what photographers refer to when they talk about how a digital camera makes things look "flat").  

This is a tiny sample of the brass trim around the elevators at the Merch Mart... this same sort of trim is around every display window, and along the top of the walls where they meet the ceiling... and if you look closely you can see that in the elevator well there is similar brass trim up on the ceiling, underneath the trim on the outside wall.  I cannot even begin to imagine what that brass trim would cost in today's dollars. 

This little gem of unusual architecture is near State Street and Madison, across from a clothing store I think was named Zara, that Corey HAD to go to... imagine my delight to see this building that is totally surrounded by a huge skyscraper!  The windows in the three archways were made up of ripply glass that must have been original, and the mullions in the windows were curved, something I've never seen before!  I believe the building is being used as a restaurant now.  You can see where the roof at the top meets the new construction above it.  How terrific that the house wasn't torn down, as it is a real treasure and a real treat to glance up and see such a delightful little find!

So, that's a recap of our three-day mini vacation to Chicago... the weather was really unpredictable and the blisters on my feet have almost healed... and it was totally worth it to have such a nice weekend with my girl!

NOW GO MAKE SOMETHING!!! 

(I'm off to go continue working on my son's wedding invitations... wish me lots of luck!!!)

Spring greetings! 

Just a quick reminder, the Brooklyn Art House' Sketchbook Project 2012 is on its way to Chicago, May 3rd, 4th & 5th!  The exhibit will be at the Newberry Library, and if you are in that neck of the woods, I hope you'll go see the exhibit... it's FREE and it should be VERY interesting!  

Here's a link to a VERY cook sketchbook from the 2011 project: http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/77#page-slide_1

I hope if you take a look at it you'll let me know your thoughts.  I love the addition of what I think must be screenprinting in the sketchbook... I wish I knew a printer who has scraps like the graphics printed in this sketchbook.  I would happily pay for the imperfectly printed images to use in my journals or collages.  Any ideas? (I apologize that I cannot show any images from the book, but it's not mine to access).

I hope you are enjoying spring and find yourself making SOMETHING everyday!

He has a new book coming out very soon and is doing a promotion during the month of March.  Each day in March he is highlighting the artists he has chosen to collaborate with in his book, and it's a great opportunity to learn more about Seth and his work, along with the work of the very talented collaborators!  

Seth is a terrifically talented, humble, & kind man who has an entirely different daytime occupation, but manages to wear his many hats extremely well! He has been one of my most supportive "online friends" for quite a number of years now, and I am always amazed at all the things Seth has managed to create &/or organize.  This is one busy, dedicated artist, and I'm so proud to call him my friend! 

Instructions for how to make a hard covered journal can be found at the Curiously Crafty blog.

Front cover, cut from paper sample from French Paper Co.

Back cover from same French Paper Co. sample

View of journal from above...

Close up view... page on left from bike catalog, page on right from French Paper Co. sample

graph paper on left, bike catalog page on right...

more paper cut up and ready to be assembled into a book...

I haven't started to write in this book yet, but I anticipate having fun with colored markers, metalic markers, watercolor pencils, rubber stamps, etc.  I plan to make my next journal using only high quality watercolor paper &/or the TerraSkin paper, which really isn't paper at all!

It really doesn't matter what you choose to use, if you decide to experiment and make your own customized journal, just make sure to have fun!  The possibilities are truly endless!  

Now, GO MAKE SOMETHING FUN!!!

This is the front of the thank you note I made... since yesterday was Valentine's Day, I went out on a limb and used a heart on the front of this card.  I've always sent handwritten thank you notes after an interview, and this time I made my own card to send.  I sure hope the recipient likes it!