Cocoa Mug Christmas

 For: Marie
Occasion: Christmas

To help Marie and co. celebrate the holiday, I drew a mug full of marshmallows (including one jumbo happy one) and a candy cane! I hope she has lots of mugs of cheer this year!

Tractor Snow Globe

 For: The Currys
Occasion: Christmas

Since I won't see my very favorite Twin-Laws this year, I made them an extra special Christmas card featuring a John Deere Green tractor in a snow globe. I can just barely handle how much I love this card, including the candy cane exhaust pipe. I cannot wait to see my Currys again--the fates better allow it soon!

Beach Birthday

 For: Aunt Katy
Occasion: her birthday

Aunt Katy love beach vacations, so for her birthday card this year, I (gauche) painted some beach-y paraphernalia in bird's eye view, including a sun hat, sunglasses, a blue-striped suit, flip flops, and a red-striped towel. I put it all on the reverse of a wood panel that looks a lot like sand -- what a happy discovery! I adore Aunt Katy and cannot wait to see her soon. 

Workshop Hanukkah Card

 For: The Biegens
Occasion: ICS Holiday Card-Making Workshop

I was so excited to repackage a workshop I've run in the past for my team at work as part of our holiday party! I truly had a blast facilitating greeting card creation for this group of truly talented and engaged professionals. As I checked out the cards being made in the space, I was entirely gobsmacked at the talent and vulnerability folks came to the practice with!

I used the supplies to whip up a simple Hanukkah card for the Biegens featuring a star of David with some snow on it. Paired with a "peace" message, I really love how it came out, imperfect perfections and all!

Gloria Birthday

 For: Aunt Glor
Occasion: her birthday

To celebrate my Aunt Gloria's December birthday and reclaim some space for her in the holiday season, I  adapted the "Gloria" lyric from "Angels We Have Heard on High" to feature happy little birthday Os in party hats singing the song for her! I included the correct number of Os for all the note changes in the song--the more the merrier! I adore my aunt and hope she had a wonderful birthday!

Hamburger Birthday

 For: Grandpa Jerry
Occasion: his birthday

To help my grandpa celebrate his birthday, I made a papercut hamburger with tomato, lettuce, cheese and a sesame seed bun! I cut a bit of my wood paper to make a flag in the burger that reads "Happy Birthday!" I miss Gramps a lot and hope he had a tasty dinner on his big day!

Wooden Ring Engagement

 For: Amy and Alex
Occasion: Engagement

To help celebrate Amy's engagement to Alex, I created a replication of her engagement ring! It features a rich wood panel paper and a teal glitter band in the middle, just like her ring! It's super unique, just like these two love birds, and I hope they enjoy this Christmas season as an engaged couple. 

Bocce Birthday

 For: Mark
Occasion: his birthday

Mark loves to play bocce on the beach in Florida, so to celebrate his big day this year, I drew a bunch of bocce balls on some sand along with a golden "happy birthday!" message. I miss Mark Mark so much and hope I get to see him soon!

Lettuce Birthday

 For: Aunt Kat
Occasion: her birthday

Aunt Kat and I swap lots of healthy recipes throughout the year, so to celebrate her birthday, I drew her a vegetable celebration. It features a brocolli, carrot, pepper, mushroom and head of lettuce all wearing party hats. The text reads, "Lettuce Party!" I love how cute this card turned out and I hope she had a tasty day!

Firework Birthday

 For: Paul
Occasion: his birthday

To help celebrate Paul's birthday, I used every gel pen I have to illustrate a navy blue sky full of fireworks! I find fireworks very festive (and difficult to draw), so I did my very best and topped it all off with a bright "Paul!" so he'd know this whole party is to celebrate his big day!

Bubble Birthday

 For: Uncle Jim
Occasion: his birthday

For Uncle Jim's birthday card this year, I did an illustration of a bear blowing bubbles. The bubble shapes spell out "Happy Birthday"--how whimsical! I have been looking at how to draw bubbles recently and had a great time trying. I hope Uncle Jim had a fantastic day and got to do some fun stuff, bubbles or no!

Gate Fold Birthday Circles

 For: Aunt Joan
Occasion: her birthday

Since Aunt Joan is a cardmaker, too, I try to do something neat for her birthday card! This year, I played around with a gatefold, meaning the card opens from the front with two panels. I experimented with an interlocking circle outline and circle with the message inside. It's a neat new way to say "HAPPY birthday!"