Carbon Birthday

For: Claire
Occasion: her birthday

Claire loves her dog (who happens to have the sweetest name of all dog-dom, Carbon) so I thought I feature him in her birthday card! He's happy as can be and wearing a party hat for the occasion.

I love and miss my Claire so much. Here's hoping she and Carbon have a great year!

Hot Fuzz Birthday

For: Uncle Jer
Occasion: his birthday

Uncle Jer has epic taste in movies, as evidenced by his love for Hot Fuzz. For his birthday card, I painted the plucky duo of Sergeant Angel and Danny with some birthday flair--and Sergeant Angel isn't too happy about it.
I love how this card turned out and hope Uncle Jer has an awesome year!

Engagement Roses

For: Tom
Occasion: Engagement

I got to help my friend Tom propose while I was home in Chicago, and I swear I was more nervous than he was! It was a very cute and elaborate plan, and in the end she said yes. I made the happy couple this card to help them celebrate. I am so thankful I got to be a part of the festivities!

Twin Snowomen

For: The Twin
Occasion: Christmas

For Christy's Christmas card, I created a pair of snowpeople. There is one in orange, and the other is in red with three buttons, very similar to Debbie Dots. Guess which is which! I love my twin and wish we got to see each other more often, but at least our snowmen selves get to keep each other company.

Christmas Brain

For: Dad
Occasion: Christmas

My dad really likes images of brains in which activities are compartmentalized, due to a brainstorming room he saw while traveling for work. This is the Christmas brain, and activities include "eat," "drink," "be merry," "decorate," and "sing," among other festive tasks. I love my dad so much and had such a great time seeing him these last few days!

Santa Golf

For: Nathan
Occasion: Christmas

Nathan is a big golfer and got all kinds of golf gear from his family (and me!) for Christmas this year. I made him this watercolor of a golfing Santa to add to the festivities! It was so good to see him and I can't wait until we can hang out again.

Happy Birthday Jesus

For: Mom
Occasion: His birthday

For Mom's Christmas card, I featured Jesus decked out in birthday party paraphernalia, singing "Happy Birthday" to himself. He's the reason for the season, after all!

Christmas Tree

For: Ames
Occasion: Christmas

For Amy's Christmas card, I created this watercolor of a lady taking home a great tree. The entire image reminds me of Ivy from the Christmas cartoon we used to watch growing up, and I really like how it turned out!

I hope Ames has a great Christmas, and it's been fun seeing her while I'm home!

Merry Christmas

For: The Park Ridge Walshes
Occasion: Christmas

The Park Ridge Walshes host Christmas for the Walsh clan every year, and I wanted to thank them for the great effort! This card is very festive and fun, and I really like the ornament and candy candy cane detailing for the letters.

Clothesline Christmas

For: The Currys

Occasion: Christmas

The Currys live on a farm with lots of open land and fresh country breezes that dry their clothes on a clothesline. I figured Santa would want his ensemble dried this way, so I created a Christmas watercolor of the big red man's clothes and a little bird on the wire.

I miss my twin-laws so much and hope I get to see them soon!

Christmas Coping Skills

For: Pat
Occasion: Christmas

Pat is a phenomenal supervisor, and I wanted to let her know how much I've appreciated working with her. For her card, I jazzed up the following hilarious holiday mental health message: "Wishing you peace, love, and coping skills."

I wish coping skills to one and all this Christmas!

Christmas Snowman

For: Amy and Eric
Occasion: Christmas

Amy and Eric had their annual Christmas party over the weekend, and I gave them this card to thank them for hosting. I love this snowman with the branch arms that make a heart--he may make a comeback next Christmas!

Christmas Dog

For: Karly
Occasion: Christmas

Karly and I got together for dinner the other night, and I gave her this card of a quirky dog in a hat. There's something about this card that just gets me, and it struck me as something Karly would get too. It was great catching up with her and I hope she has a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Reindeer

For: Sofi
Occasion: Christmas

Warren, Sofi, and I got to get sushi together recently, and I made Sofi this Christmas card to help convey a sense of calm during this busy time of transitions. I am going to miss Sofi a lot, but am excited to go visit her in Vail!

Christmas Ornament

For: Warren
Occasion: Christmas

Warren, Sofi, and I got together for a holiday/Sofi's moving dinner, and this is the card I made for Warren. I really like the white space of the ornament, and am honored that this card will have a place up on the mantle.

Christmas Penguin

For: KADEP
Occasion: Craft Fair

I made a few cards for my work's craft fair, and this design was the big hit! I donated the entire proceeds to KADEP, and am glad someone will be getting this little guy at Christmas.

Key Birthday

For: Aunt Katy
Occasion: her birthday

I was at a loss as to what to make for Aunt Katy's card--she's such an interesting and vibrant person, and I didn't know how to feature her amazingness appropriately. I talked to The Twin about it, and she said that Aunt Katy is kind of the key to our family, checking in on everyone and keeping us connected. I loved that image so much that I created this unique birthday-themed skeleton key, with the teeth of the key being an elaborate "K" for Katy. I am really happy with how it turned out, and I hope she has a wonderful year. I can't wait to see her in a few short days!

Bandana Birthday

For: Charles
Occasion: his birthday

My friend Charles always wears a bandana, and I miss him so much that I decided to paint his likeness on his birthday card! The card background has some subtle bandana paisley drawn on in silver, and the overall effect is very neat.

I sincerely hope Charles is doing well out in Ireland, and I am still plotting to go see him.

Paperboy Birthday

For: Grandpa Jerry
Occasion: his birthday

My grandfather introduced me to all kinds of video games, including the Atari gem called Paperboy. The point of the game was to deliver newspapers to all your houses on the block and try to escape various perils, including someone we called "Grandma Gerty" who ran out of her house with a pin and tried to pop your tires. I was recently reintroduced to the game at an arcade bar in Denver, so I wanted to feature the fond memories in Grandpa's card this year.

The newspapers that the paperboy is throwing have special headlines, like "Jerry turns 78" and "Happy Birthday Grandpa."

I hope he is doing well and still enjoying his games!

Book Page Birthday

For: Aunt Glor

Occasion: her birthday

For Aunt Glor's birthday card this year, I capitalized on a recurring theme in her cards--the joy of reading. For this card, I sketched a woman sitting under a tree with a book, and used colored pencils to accent. The leaves of the tree are overlayed with words clipped out from a book page, which read, "you are tremendous eccentric pleasant whole-hearted" among other adjectives and ends with "an extraordinary person." 

I love my aunt Glor and hope she has a wonderful birthday! I can't wait to see her in a few days!

Tractor Birthday

For: Mark
Occasion: his birthday

For Mark's birthday card, I created this playful watercolor of a tractor with a cake on top! Overall, I think the card is a lot of fun, featuring John Deere colors and some textured accent paper.

The Currys got to celebrate Mark's big day with Nathan and Christy at their home with a big homemade chocolate cake! I wish I could have been there to help (and to help eat the cake!).

Floral Hanukkah

For: My Biegens
Occasion: Hanukkah

To help kick off the festival of lights, I created this watercolor Menorah that is made of all kinds of branches, leaves, and flowers. I love its detail and the overall earthy vibe.

I hope everyone's Hanukkah this year is bright and happy!

Aviator Bird Christmas Cards

For: Amy's coworkers

Occasion: Christmas

Ames loves her job at Coldwater Creek and asked me to make Christmas cards for her coworkers. The store is selling these adorable little aviator birds this year, so I featured the cute, feathery friends in the cards.

I made 15 cards in all, each hand drawn, colored, cut, and assembled. I love making cards for special orders!

Cupcake Page Birthday

For: Aunt Kat
Occasion: her birthday

For Aunt Kat's birthday card, I sketched a cupcake on a book page, and then added color for some extra depth. I think the overall technique is very cool, just like Aunt Kat. I hope she had a delicious day, and I can't wait to see her in a few weeks!

Hockey Birthday

For: Paul
Occasion: his birthday

Paul likes hockey, so I busted out my watercolors to make this big bad hockey player. There is some neat detail in the face that didn't really show up in this picture, so you'll just have to trust me. I love the colors and playfulness, and hope Paul has a great day!

Where's Waldo Birthday

For: Uncle Jim

Occasion: his birthday

"Waldo" was Uncle Jim's call sign in the Air Force, so I featured the chameleon-like character in his birthday card. I really like how this card came out and I hope Uncle Jim finds himself having a great year!

(Special thanks to Aunt Mary for sending me a pic of this card! I was so excited about it, I sent it off without scanning--oops!)

Save the Date Puzzle

For: Christy and Nathan's Wedding
Occasion: Save the Date

Christy and Nathan are getting married next year, and they asked me to do their Save the Dates! I created this watercolor of the two of them holding a giant puzzle under their favorite tree on campus. I am so, so, so happy with how they turned out, and had a great experience getting them printed with wordshop.

I love the detail, I love the cards, and I love the two of them more than I can say.

Full Cup Birthday

For: Aunt Joan
Occasion: her birthday

For Aunt Joan's birthday card this year, I created a pen sketch/watercolor of a my hopes for her--that her cup is always full to the point of overflowing.
My aunt Joan is a very cool lady, I miss her a lot, and hope she had a great day!

Scrabble Birthday

For: Quam
Occasion: his birthday

Quam is a master Scrabble player, and I doubt I've ever beat him, except for that one time when he was just being nice. He does have the coveted QU combo in his name, however, so I figured it was time to break some scrabble rules and use a proper noun.

I love how this card turned out, and I really do hope this year's a winner for him. And if he's playing Scrabble against me, it will be.

Thanksgiving Turkey

For: The Walsh-Rocks
Occasion: Thanksgiving

The Walsh-Rocks are hosting the epic Walsh family Thanksgiving this year, and I wanted to send a note of thanks in my absence. This turkey is watercolored with a pen sketch overlay.

I love my Walshes, and am so thankful to the Walsh-Rocks for opening their home to all of us. I'm going to try to be there next year!

Thanksgiving Wreath

For: My funny family
Occasion: Thanksgiving

I was not able to go home for Thanksgiving this year, so I made the Lombard folk a Thanksgiving card. This wreath is hand drawn directly onto the card stock. I love the warmth of the colors and the overall elegance.

I miss my family, am thankful for them, and can't wait to come home and hide stuff around the house over Christmas.

Japanese Picnic Birthday

For: Rukiyah
Occasion: her birthday

Rukiyah has a lot of interests, so I created a picnic scene where she's drinking tea, eating sushi, and scrapbooking! Her dress is based off a headscarf that she wears (or used to wear!) a lot. I love the energy of this card! It was all drawn with colored pencil on pink paper.

I adore Rukiyah's passion and quirkiness, and I hope to see her again soon!

New Job Cards

Two good friends have recently found new jobs in the mountains. Here are the cards I made to help celebrate!

For: Sofi
Occasion: New Job

Sofi is a hand therapist who recently accepted a new job in Vail! This card features a celebratory watercolor high five.
I am definitely going to miss having her in Denver, but plan to make many trips up to see her.

For: Amanda
Occasion: New Job

Amanda took a job up in Breckenridge where she'll get to be in the mountains all day! I created this cute watercolor depiction of Breck with a "Congratulations On Your Next Steps" banner floating in the air.
I'm going to miss Amanda a lot, but am so proud of her for embarking on this journey!

Birthday Chicken

For: Leslie
Occasion: her birthday

Leslie is a very unique lady. She had a pencil in college that had little chickens on it, and it always stuck out to me as a symbol of her uniqueness. Therefore! Her birthday card features a quirky little chickadee, which I think looks very cool.

I hope Leslie is tearing it up at Northwestern, and using lots of neat pencils still in grad school.

Free-form Birthday

For: Maggie
Occasion: her birthday

Maggie is one of the coolest people I met out in Denver, and unfortunately (for me) she moved away! This card pays homage to her free-flowing and creative spirit: I started with some watercolor spots and then just went from there. In all, it ended up looking like an ocean-scene, which is pretty neat!

I miss Maggie a lot and hope her next steps unfold in interesting ways!

Bubble Wrap Birthday

For: My Win
Occasion: her birthday

For Win's birthday card, I created a bubble bath scene. The text reads, "Today is your day... Nurture yourself..."

"And pop away!" Opening the card reveals that the bubbles from the bath were actually bubble wrap! Popping bubble wrap is another great way to nurture your spirit, for the record.

I folded the card to allow for the bubble wrap and make sure it wouldn't be all popped by the time I gave it to her!

I love My Win so much and am so honored she let me celebrate her birthday with her.

More Day Program Thank Yous

For: Susan and others
Occasion: Thank you

This card was made by a client who thinks of herself as a former artist, even though I'm always telling her she still is. I mean, look at this flower! She only has use of one hand, and I am continually impressed by her abilities and willingness to try.

The greeting card group is moving up in the world--we were featured on the Day Program's Blog!

Border Collie Birthday

For: Tom's Daughter
Occasion: her birthday

Tom asked me to make a card for his daughter's birthday, and I found out she's got a Border Collie named Lucy that she loves! I created this playful watercolor sketch in which Lucy is wearing a party hat and her dog tag is a cupcake.

Tom and I had a very eventful evening recently, and I really appreciate his help and support in a lot of areas of my life!

Banjo Birthday

For: Maddie
Occasion: her birthday

Maddie is pretty much a ball sunshine, and she plays the banjo, so this sunshine banjo card strikes me as the perfect birthday card for her! The image is colored with watercolor pencils and regular colored pencil, for a bit of subtle variation.

I hope Maddie has a great day!

Creepy Twin Card

For: The Creepy Twin
Occasion: Halloween

I've never actually seen The Shining, but I love the scary twin concept. Because, who are we kidding, twins are kinda weird. For The Twin's Halloween card, I created a watercolor sketch of me and my creepy twin, doin' what we do.

I miss her so much and hope she finally decides to dress as me this year.

Halloween Letters

For: the fam
Occasion: Halloween

Got to play with some fun lettering that I'd seen online for this card--and I think it turned out awesome! I miss my scary family, and I hope they have a good time handing out candy to the little Lombard monsters and ballerinas and refrigerators.

Halloween Heart

For: Uncle Jer and Aunt Kat
Occasion: Halloween

Uncle Jer and Aunt Kat throw the best Halloween party imaginable, and I am bummed to miss it again! I wanted to let them know that I'd be there in spirit, so I created this creepy card as a stand-in. The text reads, "my heart is with you" and the sketch is of a heart in a jar and a totally creeped out jack-o-lantern. A cool feature to this card is the crumpled card stock, for some added texture.

I can't wait to see pics and hear stories from this year's festivities!

Pom Flower Birthday

For: Alyssa
Occasion: her birthday

Alyssa is the Poms coach for Sycamore High School (home of the Spartans!) so I  created a design that could be either pom-poms or flowers in the school colors. Either way, I think there's a lot of energy and beauty in the card--just like in Alyssa!

I miss her so and can't wait to see her next time I'm in Illinois!

Teddy Bear Birthday

For: Theresa
Occasion: her birthday

This card features Art, a very special teddy bear of Theresa's that found his way to me. Given his backstory, to me he represents courage, acceptance, and a willingness to take risks. For Theresa's birthday, I wanted to share the gifts she has given me over the years, and there was no better way to do so than to portray Art, who watches over every card I make.

I am so grateful for Theresa and her continued presence in my life.

Science Birthday

For: Uncle Jim
Occasion: his birthday

My uncle has degrees in electrical engineering and computer science, which basically means he's a very cool guy. To honor his right-brain, I created this nerdy watercolor with him pointing at a science thing. I particularly like the binary backdrop.

I miss Uncle Jim a lot and hope he's doing well!

Birthday Lion

For: Tom

Occasion: his birthday

For Tom's birthday card, I created a lion with a secret message in its mane. Can you see it? I love the intensity and complexity of this card, juxtaposed with the fun and vibrant colors. To complement the tearing of the watercolor image, I tore the edge of the card itself, which is a very cool look.

I miss Tom a lot, and hope this year brings him all kinds of adventure and courage. (Happy Birthday Tom!)