fun with tagboard

newest editions to the shop!  i discovered reproduction paintings printed on heavy tagboard make excellent book covers...

like so:

the Decant journal

the Sylvan journal

the Apples & Oranges journal

a print called "Fellowship" on half a book cover

this year

i know it's not even christmas yet, but while i was cutting up chip board for a bookcover, i realized just how many lovely things have happened this year-


this year i have...

moved two states away
gave up wheat AND dairy due to bodily protest (yes, it can be done :)
lost like 5 pounds because of it
got to know God more
got to know ian and his fam more
had a car stolen
went from renting to thinking about buying (so stoked!!!)
went from baker to full time artist
experienced a miraculous healed relationship with my dad and his wife
slept on a boat for the first time
started my own business (however small ;)
got a hand-me-down drooly, lovey cat
got real health insurance thanks to ian
saw a fledgling bald eagle take its first flight
lost my only two wisdom teeth

overcame my fear of...

cloudy and rainy weather
precision in art (like using razor blades and rulers... refer to first sentence of post)
cities
piano (kinda)
forgiveness
people (ok.  not fully.  i'm getting better though... not all the way there yet...)
failing in art
music
giving up dairy and wheat


what a wonderful, morphing life my wonderful God gives!

leave a comment!  what has happened in this last year that you are super stoked or blessed by!  list as many as you can! :)

new journals and vintage hymnals

busy busy busy time of year!

here's what i've been up too THIS week:

The Groundswell Journal

The Yorker 1830 Journal

Vintage Sunday School Hymn Book

The Othello Journal

The Step Verdantly Journal

stay tuned for a free give away comin' up!  :)

(p.s.... want a tip?  you can get 20% off in my shop all through December by using the code HIPPOPOTAMUS   :)

christmas craft time :)

alright, i admit.  i love nerdy christmas crafts.

behold the mini snowflakes drying from their dip in the polymer bath:

80's stationary and stolen cars

how could you not love this little number:

the top of it reads "wish we could share this day together."

UNOPENED 80's stationary- gotta love it!

Also, our poor honda randomly got stolen last weekend... such an odd thing.  you never think something like that would happen to you (and to an old, ugly honda) and then all of a sudden you get off the foot ferry from a couple hours of looking at museums in the next town over and 

*POOF*

car is gone.  just like that.  broad daylight.

i lived all my life in crime laden California, but had to move up to Washington to get a car stolen.  ay yay yay.

they recovered it on wednesday and the inside was totally thrashed- the entire contents of the glove box strewn everywhere... the dashboard literally imploded on itself from them forcing the stereo out of it... it was vehicular rape.  so sad.

people think the God of the Bible is so harsh when He gives people commands to live by, but if you've ever had anything taken from you and abused, you realize just how LOVING those simple commands are- 

"You shall not steal."

but God uses everything for the good (literally "advantage") of those who love Him and are called to His purpose.  Pretty comforting.  so we didnt fall apart over it.  i love serving a God who is so rock solid when everything around me is hologram and/or hurtful.

new upcycled journals in the shop!

a hybrid watercolor/sketch journal...

a life and laughter watercolor/sketch journal...

a girl who looks kinda stressed out journal...

and a blue zephyr journal.

Nummy.