reaffirmation

I was challenged by Nikita Prokhorov (who is brilliant with ambigrams) to "Post Your Art" for five days. These are the photos I included in the challenge (the brown cards that I posted a few days ago was my first image).

I knew it would be a fun exercise to look back and select what I wanted to highlight. The unexpected was how this reaffirmed just how much I love working with paper and coming up with new designs.



I continue to expand my horizons by using my designs for other applications but the reality is that paper is my first love. Whether it's a two-dimension or three-dimensional design the work is the same. I use an initial sketch as an inspiration and the rest just flows—if it's meant to be. I do run across some ideas that simply don't take off. I've learned to let them go at quicker pace now. Three-dimensional projects like mobiles, boxes or decorative items rank highly in the fun department.



Now my that my work has become a bit more illustrative you may see more work like my latest Spring Embrace — and it seems many of you don't mind that at all. I have to say that the success of that set (based on the sales from this past weekend) really took me by surprise. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to all of you that support my work! You have no idea how happy it makes me to imagine some of my spring scenes popping up in your homes.



I realize that for those of you that follow me on Instagram and FB, these images are all repetitious. I apologize for that but I wanted to add these additional thoughts. Now I'm off to continue dreaming up new projects. It's like riding a new wave without knowing how it will end. But the fun is the ride, right?

Happy Monday!

bits, pieces and patience

I'm the type of crazy person that stays up until crazy hours of the night (err... morning) to make something like this. All I have to say is I'm so glad I married someone that really gets me.

This is an edited version of the hummingbird from my Spring Paper Quilt. The making of the bird was part cutting machine and part handmade. I cut the large pieces with the machine and all the 'feather's by hand. Adding all the hand cut pieces took much longer than I expected but it was something I'd been wanting to try for a while. A good movie kept me company. I have a habit, when I have a production heavy project, to have a movie on (one I've seen before) to keep me company. I don't know why, but it helps pass the time.

It's pretty amazing what a little texture can do to an image and it's the best way to use scraps. You can use any shape and it will just feel like it's popping off the page. Try it!

Have a great week everyone!

bits, pieces and patience

I'm the type of crazy person that stays up until crazy hours of the night (err... morning) to make something like this. All I have to say is I'm so glad I married someone that really gets me.

This is an edited version of the hummingbird from my Spring Paper Quilt. The making of the bird was part cutting machine and part handmade. I cut the large pieces with the machine and all the 'feather's by hand. Adding all the hand cut pieces took much longer than I expected but it was something I'd been wanting to try for a while. A good movie kept me company. I have a habit, when I have a production heavy project, to have a movie on (one I've seen before) to keep me company. I don't know why, but it helps pass the time.

It's pretty amazing what a little texture can do to an image and it's the best way to use scraps. You can use any shape and it will just feel like it's popping off the page. Try it!

Have a great week everyone!

joy collection - svgs and printables

The first collection of the year is called Joy. It includes SVG cutting files and printables in two colorways — yellow and red.

I wanted to create a group of patterns and shapes that would coordinate all the way through different product lines. This collection is included in my Society6 products as I showed you the other day and will be coming soon in the manner of fabric and gift wrap on Spoonflower (still waiting for samples).

My ideas for the printables (8 letter-sized sheets of each pattern):
- To wrap small gifts
- Make envelope liners
- To make cards and hangtags
- To decorate scrapbooking layouts (including pocket scrapbooking like Project Life)
- Anything else you can come up with!

I'm pretty proud of this collection and if truth be told it does make me joyful when I look at it.
I hope you enjoy it too!

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The Joy Collection is free from now until 1/11 with the purchase of $5.98 and above.
Code: thankyou
Important: Make sure to add the code to the GRAY Shopping Cart link at the top of the website home page.

joy collection - svgs and printables

The first collection of the year is called Joy. It includes SVG cutting files and printables in two colorways — yellow and red.

I wanted to create a group of patterns and shapes that would coordinate all the way through different product lines. This collection is included in my Society6 products as I showed you the other day and will be coming soon in the manner of fabric and gift wrap on Spoonflower (still waiting for samples).

My ideas for the printables (8 letter-sized sheets of each pattern):
- To wrap small gifts
- Make envelope liners
- To make cards and hangtags
- To decorate scrapbooking layouts (including pocket scrapbooking like Project Life)
- Anything else you can come up with!

I'm pretty proud of this collection and if truth be told it does make me joyful when I look at it.
I hope you enjoy it too!

---

The Joy Collection is free from now until 1/11 with the purchase of $5.98 and above.
Code: thankyou
Important: Make sure to add the code to the GRAY Shopping Cart link at the top of the website home page.

happy 2014!

Happy New Year everyone! Here's a little something that I worked on the last year of 2013 and it's a new direction that I plan on exploring further—3D paper embroidery!

You can download this month's desktop calendar here.

happy 2014!

Happy New Year everyone! Here's a little something that I worked on the last year of 2013 and it's a new direction that I plan on exploring further—3D paper embroidery!

You can download this month's desktop calendar here.

a different twist on a paper christmas wreath

Hello December! I can't believe it. Every year I say the same thing but—wow. This is just weird to be only a few weeks away from Christmas. It always seems to sneak up on me.

Our Thanksgiving break was pretty quiet considering we were trading fevers and coughs. Round and round we went. Not too bad. But, yes, annoying. 

I literally had not touched a piece of paper, just for fun, in weeks. A couple of nights ago I couldn't take it any longer and I stayed up way longer than I really should have. The thing is that when I'm in the mood, it doesn't matter when it strikes I just go for it. This wreath (which has been floating around in my head for literally months) and some simple patterns to go along with it are the results. Incidentally the frame is also made of paper (found in my shop here).

I need to stay healthy because I'm in countdown mode this week. I'll be heading to NYC on Thursday to participate in the Most Gifted Wrapper contest! I entered on a whim and now I'm one of 8 finalists that will be competing. I can't wait to see how it goes. Bryant Park here I come! 

Hope you're all doing well!

hydrangeas and news

I fell off the online planet for a bit didn't I? There's a good reason for that.

After 12 years of working from home I am now working at an office full-time. It's temporary because I'm helping out a group of designers that were short-handed and it's a long story so I'll leave it at that for now.

This has obviously been a big shock to our family life, schedule—everything. I no longer pick the kids up at 3 (they stay a little longer at school), and let's just say that homework, dinner, soccer practices/games and everything else just swallows the rest of me up. So... something had to fall through the cracks and my online world was the victim.

I still want to keep A Little Hut running because it's such a big part of what I love to do (how can I stop when I'm loving this series I'm creating recently?!), but I had to share this change because I wanted you to understand why I'm a bit more absent than usual.

So...

Here's a little project that I've been wanting to give a shot for a long time. It's finally done—hydrangeas! It was challenging (so much of the fun is in this step!) to arrange the set up of the flowers but after a couple of revised designs I finally got it.

The first hydrangea I made had 60 little flowers on it! Even though it looked great I thought it was overwhelming over the box and I don't know about you, but who has time for a project that time-consuming? I want these projects to be a bit more of a challenge but I don't want them to be daunting!

I looked up the meaning of hydrangeas and apparently there are differences of opinion on the subject. The one meaning that caught my eye—specially because of today's post (my absence/news)—was this: Gratitude for being understood. Isn't that just so coincidental?!

So there you go... hydrangeas for you—for being patient with me!

I hope you're all doing great!!

christmas lamppost gift box

A little late but here is the project for this week—a Christmas Lamppost Gift Box & Tea light holder! If you place an order equal or higher than $9.98 it's free (Coupon code: thankyou - expires Sept. 13th).

It started out as a simple lamppost idea. As I was making it I thought it would be really cute to make a garland tutorial for it down the road on the blog. But then, hello!... why not add it now?

I made the cover white because of the holiday theme but imagine this lamppost during any other time of the year and it could be surrounded by flowers and green grass or a bunch of fall leaves (ohh that would be such a fun one to make!).

The sign is also something that can easily be customized! The 'Ho! Ho! Ho! is part of the project, as shown, but you can use this for birthdays and so many other celebrations.

I hope you have fun with it and have a wonderful weekend!
I for one am enjoying the grayish rainy day we're having today. It makes us slow down and I like that!