Wooden Dog Birthday

 For: Jackie
Occasion: her birthday

Jackie sent me a bunch of leftover thin wood samples from her architecture firm for my various craftings, so for her birthday card this year, I made a little pup with a heart in its mouth using two different woods! This turned out so cute, and I hope Kev and the pups help Jackie have the very best birthday today. 

Duck Birthday

 For: Joe
Occasion: his birthday

For Joe's birthday card, I drew him a duck in a party hat waddling over with a tasty looking duck-sized birthday cake! Paired with an olive green cardstock background and a swirly teal floor, this card is really quite sharp. I miss Joe and hope Chicago is treating him well!

Connected Dance Birthday

 For: Lydia
Occasion: her birthday

For Lydia's birthday card, I wanted to capture her upbeat, go-with-the-flow attitude (that I so admire!) in a fun way. I ended up mimicking a favorite style of late where people shapes are all connected with swirly arms--these are all dancing in party hats and having a great time! I used metallic markers for an extra bit of flair and hope it added to the festivities for Lyd's big day.

Air Dancer Birthday

 For: Charlie
Occasion: his birthday

Charlie is full of energy and goofiness, so for his birthday card this year, I drew an air dancer blowing around and waving "Happy Birthday, Charlie!" I am really pleased with the concept design and I hope Charlie got into all kinds of fun shenanigans on his big day. 

Beach Birthday

 For: Lexi
Occasion: her birthday

For Lexi's birthday card this year, I wanted to send some faraway relaxation vibes in the form of waves at the beach! This was a lot of fun to paint with watercolors and some white ink for accents. And then of course I put a heart in the sand to make sure the love vibes were extra strong! I adore Lex and hope her day is whatever she needs it to be.

Baby Mobile

 For: My friends
Occasion: Pregnancy

Another baby boy is expected this summer, so to celebrate this forthcoming bundle, I sent his parents a card with clouds, mobiles, and baby's name (blurred here for confidentiality). These two are going to be such incredible parents I can't even stand it--I hope the next months are relaxing in anticipation of the little guy!

Mountain Birthday

 For: William
Occasion: his birthday

For William's birthday card, I used paint pens to create a vibrant mountain scene! As a native Coloradan, William gets to romp around in the wilderness with his dad and sister pretty often -- I hope it's helped keep them all happy and well during this weird year. Here's hoping the next year just gets better and better!

Chrysanthemum Birthday

 For: Grandma Carol
Occasion: her birthday

To celebrate Grandma Carol's birthday, I did a watercolor of a chrysanthemum! The Chrysanthemum is Chicago's city flower, and given that the windy city has been her lifelong home, I figured this was a lovely way to celebrate her birthday. I hope it was lovely and that she's looking forward to year of wonderful flowers!

Bird Birthday

 For: Corinne
Occasion: her birthday

For Corinne's birthday card this year, I was feeling some major bird/flight/optimism vibes, so I painted her a bright red bird in gouache and added a branch from which to take flight. I really like the white outlines (it feels like a children's book illustration style!) and hope it helped Corinne have a lovely day. 

Thinking of You Sympathy

 For: Grandpa Jerry
Occasion: In Sympathy

My grandpa's twin brother passed away, and I am so, so sorry for it. Twins have a very special bond, and I can't fully comprehend what it would feel like to lose someone you've been through so much with. I hope Grandpa continues to take care and has a lifetime of happy memories to look back on for comfort. 

Snowflake Birthday

 For: Jada
Occasion: her birthday

For Jada's birthday card, I drew the cutest little happy snowflakes floating from the sky. The front-and-center snowflake is wearing a party hat, of course! A few years ago, Jada made hundreds of paper snowflakes to decorate her office over the winter holidays, and it was pretty magical. I hope similar magic and accomplishment comes her way this year, too!

Wizard Birthday

 For: Uncle Vince
Occasion: his birthday

To help celebrate a magical birthday and kickstart an enchanting year, I drew Uncle Vince this classic wizard (à la Merlin as opposed to Harry Potter) casting a spell and procuring a cupcake! I am so pleased with this card. Mike and I decided Uncle Vince is basically a wizard, and hope it brought some fancy to the day!