Spreading like rabbits...

Isn't it just the way this always happens? I have one sketch of a bunny in my house, and then I draw a second bunny... (they meet, fall in love...) Before I know it, there are 77 bunnies! ...or to be more specific, I have had orders for 77 Year of the Rabbit Cards.

I'd like to take a few minutes and thank everyone who checked out my Etsy shop over the last few weeks. The conversations I have shared with Etsy customers have been wonderful! I have attached a map of the United States showing where the bunny cards are concentrated. (I love those red and blue political maps at election time... can you tell?)

The whole Pacific Rim of the US had a great reaction to the cards. Thanks to Darci and Anna in Seattle, Max from Bainbridge Island, Margie in Spokane, Emily in Portland, Cecilia in San Francisco, Mymy in Menlo Park, and my good friends Jarrod and Amnon in the Bay Area. Honorable mention goes to the very chilly Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado. Thank you Karen in River Forest, Rebecca in Lincolnwood, Lora in Minneapolis, Jeni in Mankato, and Midori in Arvada. I was pleased as punch to receive an order from Texas, Ohio, and Washington D.C. Thank you Barbara, Bonnie, and Gillian!

This map does not even show a little red symbol in Melbourne, Australia, but thanks to Kerry our little bunny is hanging out with kangaroos.

Special mention and thanks to Annette in Toronto who is sure that this is going to be her year! Also, to Howard in Brooklyn for providing helpful design tips and for suggesting yummy, local restaurants. I was pleased to be in touch again with the Parson's Family in South Carolina. (Check out their Etsy page by searching their shop name MonkeysOnTheRoof.) Thanks also to my good friend and co-worker, Nora, right here in New York City.

My friend Tania gave me instructions on how best to celebrate the Chinese New Year on February 3rd. She recommended not washing your hair or sweeping up your house because that might inadvertently sweep away your luck. She also suggested that you buy a new item of red clothing and wear it that day. (Isn't this much more interesting than silly Groundhog's Day?)

2011- Year of the Rabbit

The Lunar New Year is almost upon us! For the last several years it has become a favorite holiday of mine. My birthday is on Valentine's Day and my boyfriend and I have thrown parties at our apartment in the past. We figured out that if we called it a Valentine's Day Party single people would feel excluded. I also felt that throwing yourself a birthday party is self-indulgent... we finally decided it would be easier and more fun to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Last year was the year of Tiger. Any thoughts? I thought it was an okay year... But now we are heading into the Year of the Rabbit. According to the dependable people at a web site called theholidayspot.com we can look forward to a relaxed year in which, "Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force." Sounds good to me!

This illustration is something I've been itching to do since the year of the Horse! I have a fasination with paper lanterns and I've wanted to try to create the warm, beautiful glow that you get from them when they are lit. Thanks to my buddy Jen who approved the rabbit illustration in advance to make sure he was cute enough... You can't quite tell but this little rabbit is thinking, "This is going to be my year!"

As always this card is available on my Etsy page. Best wishes to my friends!

Paris From Above

Happy New Year Friends!

I have included an illustration I have been working on of the roofs of Paris. When we arrived in our hotel during my recent vacation there I found myself taking way too many pictures of other people's roofs. Kinda crazy... Later when I was flipping through my photos I kept thinking, "What nut got a hold of my camera and took all of these pictures?"

The image on top is of the original scratch board. The second image is printed on recycled paper and I have added a bright white and a mid-tone shadow. (It's funny, sometimes I prefer the black and white original... thoughts?) Please check out Etsy to find a series of cards that I have made from this illustration. I'd also like to give a shout out to Miss Mishel of Clinton Hill Brooklyn, John J. Hoody of Connecticut, and Aileen of Miami Beach, Florida... These great people bought some of the Grand Central Terminal Ceiling cards to use as Holiday Cards. Thanks a million!

Hope everyone had a great New Years.