Writing Birthday

 For: Tommy
Occasion: his birthday

Tommy is an author of many novels. For his birthday card this year, I did a bird's eye view of him writing "Happy Birthday" at a table with a pencil (which is a slightly more romantic image than a laptop keyboard). What I really love is the deep blue shadow of the chair and table off to the side. Reminiscent of the flickering candle of his author predecessors, I assume he's had many nights like this.  I hope this year brings lots of great stories and he has a great day to kick it off!

Bird Tree Birthday

 For: Aunt Mary
Occasion: her birthday

To celebrate Aunt Mary's birthday, I drew a simplified tree with a little red birdy wearing a party hat in it. I love the stylized shadow and the earthy colors to boot. I hope Aunt Mary has a wonderful day and gets to enjoy whatever nature she fancies!

Pizza Birthday

 For: Augie
Occasion: his birthday

To celebrate Augie's birthday, I drew a playful little pizza with some tasty toppings: olive, pepperoni, mushroom, and green pepper. The slice being removed reveals a secret pizza message: "Happy Birthday!" I hope Augie has an awesome day and gets to celebrate however he likes (pizza, perhaps?). 

Fortune-telling Birthday

For: John
Occasion: his birthday

For John's birthday card, I drew a crystal ball being peered into with a prediction of cake! "I see cake in your future" is a pretty good fortune, don't you think? I hope John had a wonderful birthday and got all the cake he requires!

 

Infinity Wedding

 For: Goober and Nora
Occasion: Their Wedding

Goober and Nora had a spectacular wedding celebration, and to help celebrate their marriage I made them this simple card where they are dancing and their arms are joined in the infinity symbol. I love how simple and sweet this card is and had such a lovely time celebrating with them. I hope they have limitless happiness together. 

Motorcycle Helmet Birthday

 For: Kim
Occasion: her birthday

Kim and her hubby ride motorcycles, so for her birthday card I did an illustration of a festive helmet featuring some party balloons! I hope she gets out for some really fun rides this year and has a great day. 

Bright Birthday

 For: Brenda
Occasion: her birthday

To celebrate Brenda's birthday, I made the brightest, happiest "Happy Birthday" message mixed in with flowers and spots for some added fun. I love the energy of this card and hope it matches the fun Brenda has today and this year!

7/11 Birthday

 For: Uncle Tom
Occasion: his birthday

To celebrate Uncle Tom's birthday on 7/11, I adapted the 7/11 sign from the convenience franchise to read Happy Birthday! The idea struck me and tickled me pink -- I was delighted to learn that Uncle Tom felt a special connection to these stores as a kid for that very connection! I miss Uncle Tom a lot and hope he had a wonderful birthday. 

Orange and Blue Graduation

 For: Lydia
Occasion: Graduation

Lydia "walked" for her graduation ceremony in May, and so to celebrate the wrap on her coursework, I did a vibrant gouache painting of a cap and gown in orange with some nifty embellishments! I am really pleased with how the painted lettering of "congratulations!" came out and love the little heart on the cap. Lydia's future is so bright I can't hardly wait to see what comes next!

River Baby

 For: Karly and Buck
Occasion: New Baby

Karly and Buck had their baby boy, and named him River! To celebrate this rambunctious little dude's entry into the world, I made the happy parents a card featuring a big block R with a river flowing through it. "R is for River" is a great way to learn an important letter when he's ready! I love this card so much and hope the first weeks have been smooth sailing!

Hawaii Birthday

 For: Sandie
Occasion: her birthday

To help celebrate Sandie's birthday and return to Hawaii after a Covid hiatus, I did a painting of a Hawaiian honeycreeper chilling on a tortoise in party hats! I then did some subtle tropical leaves with white pen embellishments to round out the tropical celebration. I am so glad Sandie got to be with Dave and friends for her big day and hope this year is a blast!

Sympathy Flower

 For: A friend
Occasion: In Sympathy

A friend of mine lost their dear friend tragically and senselessly; to send a kind word to her and her family as they work through their grief, I painted an abstract flower in blues. Paired with a simple "with sympathy" message, this flower signifies the awful beauty that can come in the aftermath of a tragedy. I was honored to learn that the painting was shared with the widow and hope everyone affected finds solace in connecting with their loved ones. 

Sympathy Blue

 For: A friend
Occasion: With Sympathy

A dear friend of mine experienced the unexpected death of a relative, and so to send him a warm thoughts I made a simple watercolor in blues with painted "with sympathy" message. Grief is so messy and confusing; I hope he continues to work through the tragic loss and finds a way of being that works for him.