Saying Thanks... On Paper

I know it's not just a Southern thing (there are plenty of polite Yankees, I hear) but thank you notes have been part of my life since I could write and I can't imagine foregoing the tradition.  After seeing so many "look what I got" and "I want to buy that" posts, I realized that I am dreadfully behind on my post-holiday correspondence and I have lots to be thankful for.

So, as I write lots of cards tonight, I thought I'd share a few great options to replenish everyone's stash of stationary in the new year:

thank you notes by cardiganjunkie on Polyvore

I had to throw in some twenties inspired options after yesterday's post, and I must say the font style is growing on me! 

P.S. Did anyone watch Parenthood last night?  Did Amy go through with it?  I'm thinking not because it's network television and it all seemed too simple.  I appreciate it the script not going all after school special about it, but it seems like a topic worth more than 25% of the episode. 

Cute Christmas Idea: Custom Cartoon Portraits

If you're friends with me on Facebook, you may have seen the custom portrait I had made for our Christmas card this year.  I'm in love with it!  It captures N and our dog Maggie so well it's eerie! 

I must say animated me is looking pretty cute, too.

Since I'm so enamored with my new find, I thought it would be fun to pass the idea along and offer some exposure to Jordan, the sweet artist behind the Etsy shop Jordyluxe.  You can commission a portrait with as many people and custom items as you'd like for what I think are super reasonable prices.  The end result is an 8x10 inch jpeg image that you can use however you'd like. 

Check out Jordan's work - she also offers custom cards and wedding stationary:

Awesome Affordable Art: Janet Hill Studio

I get super excited when I find new artists with affordable offerings.  Some of you may be able to pinpoint when I discovered the Janet Hill Studio Etsy shop yesterday by the barrage of Facebook posts and tweets.  But after I saw this post from KDot at Confessions of a Wannabe Fashionista (who I have followed since before I blogged, and wish she lived in Dallas so we could share cardies) I got really excited and immediately starting trying to decide which print I want.

I love the whimsically classic feel of the prints in the shop, and think they'd integrate nicely with the existing pieces in my bedroom.  Plus, the titles are so fun!  Check out a few of my favorites:

 Neither Silke Or Hugo Could Suppress The Nagging Feeling That Perhaps This Was Not The Best Time To Go On A Holiday - Limited Edition Print by Janet Hill

The Lady Never Liked Having Her Portrait Painted- Open Edition Print by Janet Hill

The Westlakes Surprise The Maid When They Decide To Be Spontaneous For Once And Go On A Holiday- Limited Edition Print by Janet Hill

Flashy - Open Edition Print by Janet Hill

The Party In The Next Room- Open Edition Print by Janet Hill

The Enigmatic Ms. Greene- Open Edition Print by Janet Hill

Goldfinch - Open Edition Print by Janet Hill

Francine And Her Frenchie- Open Edition Print by Janet Hill

Aren't these amazing?  I can picture a group of them in an office or bedroom.  I also liked perusing Janet's blog and checking out her other work on her website.

I still can't decide which print I want, though!  Any suggestions?

P.S. Hey True Blood nerds, what did you think of the new promo for season 5?  This post dissected every little bit and I cannot wait until June! (warning, potential spoilers if you click through)

Etsy Shop I'm Loving: Albie Design

I love buying unique prints from independent artists and filling my house with interesting things instead of generic paintings of abstract trees from Target (no offense if that's your style).  One of my favorite prints is one I bought last year from a shop called Albie Design to commemorate the Seattle leg of my honeymoon, and now the artist, Kim, is starting to get the acclaim she deserves!

In case you haven't seen her adorable city-themed prints on the interweb yet (she's featured in the Emily Henderson Holiday Gift Guide this month!), here are my favorite prints from her shop:

I want to start collecting prints from all the cities I've visited (so far only Seattle, Paris, San Francisco and Chicago) and make a collection for a small space in my house or a future kid room. 

What print is your favorite?  I'm dying for there to be a London print, but until then I'll settle for Paris.

My Map Quest

Lately I've been looking through lots of inspiration pictures that I've saved online or flagged in old decor magazines.  It's fun to see how my taste has changed from a few years ago when I only had to cater to my own tastes, to now that I have to decorate a space for me and N and two dogs.

One dilemma that I continue to struggle with is achieving a unisexual space without much of a budget for art (right now), and I came across a series of images that make me want to start looking around for vintage maps:

 I repinned all the above images to my pinterest board - sources are linked there

I especially love the last photo, where the glamorous chairs and bright centerpiece offset the intricate lines on the map.  I also love really rich, colorful maps with saturated tones like these:

All of the maps I just pictured are from the Bananastrudel shop on Etsy, which has the best prices I've ever seen for vintage maps.  Some are almost 120 years old and hand colored, but all are under $200!  Plus, there are maps from cities all over the world, which would be a great way to commemorate a vacation or honeymoon.  I think I hear a London map calling my name!

What is your opinion on decorating with maps?  Too common?  Too childish?  Or foolproof?

Amazing Art via Pinterest

I am seriously addicted to Pinterest.  I love seeing all the gorgeous things that I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own, especially the art.  My taste skews towards hand drawn/painted illustrations and colorful abstract art, and I have discovered some amazing prints lately.  Some are affordable, and some cost as much as a Kia.  Here's a glimpse at what is now on my radar thanks to my constant Pinterest surfing:

By Sophie Allen

 

By Maya Hayuk

By Ashmae via Etsy

 

Clare Elsaesser via Etsy

By Marisa Seguin via Etsy

By Michelle Armas

By Greg LaMarche

What piece is your favorite?  Have you discovered any artists deserving of more attention?  

P.S. You can follow me on Pinterest, if you are so inclined

Etsy Roundup!

Not gonna lie... I couldn't think of anything great to write about today.  After twenty minutes of aimless internet surfing, I decided to go with an old standby.  It's been a while since I've posted an Etsy round-up and since then, my list of Favorites has grown to include the shops below.  Check them out and share your favorite shops in the comments!

The Wallaroo
I just bought the teal print below to integrate into a collage of frames I'm making in my bedroom.  My husband is a software developer and my job is pretty techie as well, so it took me all of five seconds to click buy. 

 

Leah Duncan

I found this shop through another blog and Etsy seller, Tilly Maison.  I love the series of bird prints in this shop right now, and that the artist is a fellow Texan.  She also has textiles and scarves.

 

Tilly Maison

Speaking of Tilly Maison, her painted lucite trays have been featured all over the interweb and I would love to own one.  My current favorite is the cobalt blue striped version.

Valentina Design
I bought a set of the "She believed she could so she did" notecards for the girls in my life, and am also digging the intricate prints in this shop.

Feruto Bags
My husband and I share an iPad, so that means the case can't be too girly.  I'm loving the simple felt and leather designs in this shop.