Grateful Dead Greeting Cards

Came across A Lunar Eclipse Cards on Etsy, and loved illustrator David Sporrong's playful Deadhead birthday cards full of dancing skeletons, terrapins, dead bears, VW Vanagons, Stealies, and other heady ephemera. 

Browse all of the cards here.

The Clever Black & White Prints of Gregory Beauchamp

 

Gregory Beauchamp is an artist and graphic designer in Venice, CA whose black and white prints caught my eye. According to his Etsy page, he believes "the simpler you can make something the more universal it becomes... that creativity can solve anything . . . and that we can make tomorrow better than today, for everyone."

RUGbyGUR, Handmade in Portugal

*So* close to being a palindrome, RUGbyGUR is a Portugal-based company making some beautiful things. According to their Etsy, "All the GUR are handmade, held in a traditional handloom, with raw tirela (rag), embossed technique or over layers of colours, finishing with basic sewing. GUR focus on tradition, allowing to discover the expansion of artistic forms using traditional materials and techniques of the history and culture from Portugal."

Spring Items and Good Vibes from Native Bear

Greetings from Park Slope, Brooklyn! Bambara had their vinyl release show last night at Palisades, so I flew up here for the weekend. I'm currently working from my friend Hilary's sunny dining room and full of delivery sushi. 

My pal Leela from Native Bear (Atlanta, GA) recently launched her new web store. I am smitten with her new designs for spring. I especially want the "sending you many good vibes" card to be my new standard stationary. So good! Some of my other favorites are below. 

Women in Science prints by Rachel Ignotofsky

Came across these cleverly illustrated women in science portraits this morning on artist Rachel Ignotofsky's Etsy shop. Wouldn't these be great for a girl's bedroom or playroom? 

(CLOSED) GIVEAWAY: Feminist with a To-do List Enamel Pin

Last year I ordered myself this little piece of flair, and I've gotten quite a bit of mileage out of it. I'm excited that Nicole at Word For Word Factory has teamed up to give one away to a reader (enter using the widget below.) If you're not feeling so lucky or patient, you can purchase one here. She makes pencils, too!  Winner will be drawn February 2, 2016.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cactus Club

I came across these prints today while browsing for new art for our bathroom. I've been a little cactus crazy lately (if the giant sequined cactus patch on the back of my jean jacket wasn't a dead giveaway.)

Check out Cactus Club on Etsy for more.

Frida for your fingers: ChaCha nail decals

Earlier this year, I was bit my the gel manicure bug. I've never really kept up with my nails, but I was able to make gel manicures last up to 5 weeks thanks to bluffing some nail art when they started to grow out. Even with that kind of mileage, regular gel manicures are out of my budget, so last month I bought a home gel manicure kit. While they don't last as long as getting them painted by the pros, I'm really happy with the results. I got the Sensationail kit, but I bet others are equally good, as long as you make sure to paint thin, even coats.

2014 Lunar Calendars

A few years ago, I won a beautiful large moon phase chart from my favorite local weather source,  Twitter handle AthensGAweather (I'm a weather nerd with recurring tornado dreams, so yes, I have a favorite local weather Twitter.) I enjoyed it so much that I want to start getting one every year. Sure, there are lots of great apps to tell you what phase the moon is in, but it sure feels medieval and magical consulting your moon chart.

Just Nature Designs

Last month I won this pretty little piece of neck candy from a contest from Just Nature Designs hosted by Somethings. I admit that I get excited to win anything, and to receive anything in the mail, so this was a real double doozy for me. 

I'm most excited because this is something I would have bought myself! It's no secret that I love crystals, and at $36, this necklace is reasonably priced for something handmade from quality natural stones. If I hadn't won, I probably would have ordered it. 

So a great big thank you to both Just Nature Designs and Somethings! I've already worn this necklace a bunch, and it's going to become one of my staples. 

The sweet packaging made it feel like even more of a present. Little envelopes to open within more envelopes to open. 

Some of my other favorites from Just Nature Designs: 

CLOSED. Giveaway: Dia de los Muertos cards from Native Bear

The best thing about my job is how many great people I get to meet (and the occasional free vinyl... and my coworkers... I digress.) I met Leela Robinson, the talented artist/biz lady behind Native Bear, through her hubs, John, from ATL band Turf War. I've drooled over her designs for some time, from bear teeth, to animal skulls, to the cutest little beer can stamp you ever did see (the only beer can stamp I've seen, actually!)

She's been kind enough to give away a set of the sugar skull cards above to a lucky commenter! See below for details, and Leela's story:

"I have always been an illustrator and designer. My mother is an oil painter and my father is a musician, so I’ve always been surrounded by artistic energy. NATIVE BEAR was literally created after I decided that I wanted an image of my dog to stamp on hand fans for my wedding last spring. It came out so cute, and I’ve been hooked ever since!" 

"When I create a rubber stamp, it all starts with an image. Whether I design it myself, or the client provides the artwork themselves, I hand trace the entire thing. Next, I press and rub the tracing paper (for real) into a wonderfully soft, pink carving rubber made by Speedball (it’s like buttah, y’all), and then I proceed to carve out the image with traditional carving tools."

"NATIVE BEAR designs are inspired by nature, tribal patterns, living locally, universal love, and fun times. I love the immediate satisfaction of carving a custom rubber stamp, and I love that I’m creating something that can be used over and over again. Hand stamping stationery is a tedious but fun process, and it makes giving a card that much more special, which I love. As the world continues to get faster and faster, I can speak for myself when I say that it’s important for everyone to take a moment to write a ‘thank you’ card, or a ‘thinking of you’ card." 

I couldn't agree more... Which reminds me to get out a few thank you notes of my own!

Thanks, Leela! 

To enter:

1. Like Native Bear on Facebook.
2. Leave me a comment with your email address, so we can contact you and know where to ship these!
For extra entries: share this giveaway (shortened link: http://bit.ly/IJphV8) on Facebook or Twitter, and leave an extra comment letting me know you did. 
Giveaway closes one week from today, the morning of Friday, May 18 (my birthday!)

Congrats, second commenter!

Dia de los Muertos prints from Mis Nopales Art

Being a broke twenty-something, collecting these $10 prints from Jose Pulido's Mis Nopales Etsy store over the years is as close as I may every come to "art collecting."

I've always been drawn to Dia de los Muertos imagery. I think it's the idea of celebrating and honoring those have passed on in a colorful way instead of dark mourning that appeals to me so much.

I bought the scooter print above a few months ago as a gift for the dude, and have a few others grouped in my hallway. I love the affordable price, the small size, the color choices, and the happy skeletons enjoying an afterlife. Each print is a limited run, so I've waited too long, and missed out on a few in the past (particularly Luke & Leia) but the shop is regularly updated with new designs. Smaller card-sized prints will run you $4.

Sorry for the small images! Couldn't find larger ones in his shop.

This Luke and Leia buttons are only $2.50 for the set!

Frida Kahlo Calavera

Summer of Love limited edition:

This biking skeleton made a great gift for my cycling enthusiast roommate.

This one sits on my desk at work:

Buddy Holly

George and Abe