by abby on May 16, 2013 | Comment
I’ve been wanting to share this with you for a few months now. My brother is getting married! And it’s FINALLY happening this weekend. Eeeee!
Last fall, he and his fiance asked me to design their wedding invitation set (no pressure, right?!) Well, in case you don’t know how the design process works, but the more information you know about who you are designing for the EASIER it is to create a solution. Thankfully, I have 20+ years of knowing my brother and he has found a partner with a similar love of life and love of laughter!
Let’s just say my brother and his fiance are light-hearted and very fun people. I wanted to express this playfulness (must run in the family, right?) in the wedding invitation set. I used a combination of handwritten script and print display type to bring a little romance and a little touch of youthfulness too. They also wanted to have Magnolias on the card. I chose to added them to the corners to frame the type.
The couple also admired my holiday cards where I have a group of words within a silhouette (like the Dove or mitten card). They wanted this same approach on the back side of their invitation and champagne toast invite. The couple created the word list and I had a lot of fun, placing all the words together. It’s like a big puzzle!
Overall, I am very happy with the final printed invitation set and more to the point, my brother and his fiance, are thrilled with the end result. Hooray! They have graciously also said that I can use this design as a new wedding stationery template in my Etsy Shoppe. I will certainly announce when this wedding invitation set will be ready for purchase.
I was so very honored to be able to contribute to my brother’s and fiance’s special day. Now after all the work is done, I’m SO ready to enjoy the weekend and DANCE!
What are your weekend plans?
by abby on April 15, 2013 | Comment
Thank you for all your help with the Minted Competition. I’m still waiting to hear the results. In the meantime I’ve entered into another card competition! This one is called the UN Show It celebrates design on all sorts of uncoated paper. It’s sponsored by HOW MAGAZINE and NEENAH PAPER.
The UnShow web site is now open for public voting for the top 25 entries in each category. These entries will be submitted to a selected jury of design judges. Two winners in each category will receive $500 in cash and have their image published in HOW Magazine. Pretty darn cool, right?!
I need your help and vote again to make my dreams come true and be a winner! I’ve entered 2 of my new baby cards into the invitation/cards category. Here they are:
{New Baby Chevron card set}
{New Baby Bumble Bee card}
Voting couldn’t be easier this time around.
TO VOTE
1. Click here to be brought to the voting page for my cards.
2. You will see my 2 card entries. Click on each voting button underneath each card.
3. Smile! You are done and have helped me tremendously. Thank you.
Please pass this on to family and friends to spread the word.
Voting ends at midnight on April 19th!
by abby on March 26, 2013 | Comment
I’ve entered into a holiday card contest at minted.com and I NEED YOUR VOTE TO WIN! If I win, then my Flying Dove card (shown above) will be available for purchase at minted.com. Whoo-ooo!
To cast your vote for my Flying Dove card:
1. Click on the Dove Card above. It will take you to the the Flying Dove voting page.
2. Rank my card.
3. Follow the prompts to create a minted.com account. This occurs because to have YOUR VOTE COUNT you will must create a minted account. It’s quick and easy.
That’s it! Thank you, thank you.
I really appreciate your support and love in this holiday card adventure. Voting is now active until Monday April 8th 9am PT.
Please pass the word on about voting for me and the Flying Dove Holiday card!
by abby on February 19, 2013 | Comment
To fight the winter dull drum I’m thinking Spring and bright colors. Last Sunday afternoon (while D was cooking venison stew-yum!) I created a bunch of colorful paint doodles. The goal was just to create as many ideas as I could. These doodles will be scanned and turned into new Spring themed: Mother’s Day cards, thank you notes, and who knows what else! It might seem chaotic on the page, but there are lots of possible designs on those 2 watercolor blocks— just you wait and see!
I also couldn’t resist adding one more touch of color to my studio…
These potted tiny daffodils make me smile each day. I’m so ready for spring!
How are you fighting the winter gray?
by abby on December 17, 2012 | Comment
My green and red Christmas Mitten Holiday Cards have been the best-selling item in my shop this holiday season. Yay! (You never can guess which item will be the most popular). These cards caught the eye of Alex from Nuestras Manos, a store based in southern California that specializes in vintage and handmade goods. Their store is in a REALLY COOL vintage camper!
{Photos were supplied by Alex of Nuetras Manos}
Their store name translates to Our Hands, so you can see why the Christmas Mitten cards were a great match for their store. The Nuetras Manos shop is very new, so be sure to spread the word to all your friends and family out west that they should definitely stop and check out it out!
The green holiday mittens cards also got the attention of LaTonya Shaw founder of Kurbuhaun.com, a site that promotes handmade goods and artwork. Today she’s featured my Green Mitten Card in her blog called: HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT HANDMADE GREETING CARDS. LaTonya explains how a well designed handmade card can become the gift in itself and that the card should match the person you’re sending it to. “With a bit of creativity, you can turn a card into a great gift. Select greeting cards that leave a little space for you to write a personal message. Words have the power to turn a gloomy day into a wonderful day.” Amen! All it takes is a little time on your end to include a thoughtful handwritten note and there are sure to be smiles on both ends of the mail.
It’s not too late if you haven’t sent Christmas cards yet. It’s the holiday season which means that your card can arrive after the 25th without worry. Plus, many of my holiday cards are now on sale!
What’s the most memorable card you’ve ever received?
by abby on December 11, 2012 | Comment
Want to send unique handmade holiday cards this year? Or maybe you’d like to gift some artwork to a loved one? Then you should absolutely stop by the AbbyDora Design table at RIT’s Winter Craft Fair this Friday Dec. 14th. Here are the details:
RIT WINTER CRAFT FAIR
(ON CAMPUS IN THE SAU)
FRIDAY DEC. 14TH
10AM-4PM
This craft fair showcases the wares from RIT’s own faculty and alumni. There’s a great variety of work: jewelry, sculpture, glass, cards, and artwork/prints. At my table I’ll be selling cute Christmas cards—both as box sets and individual cards. I’ll also have matted children’s illustration prints and my farm and wild animals on wood panels. I’ll also be selling (and signing!) copies of my Old MacDonald Had A Farm book. Finish up your holiday shopping this week at the RIT Craft Fair!
If you are local and interested in attending, you can find out more information and directions here. I certainly do hope to see you on Friday!
by abby on November 26, 2012 | Comment
I heard this story yesterday morning on NPR and thought the part about Phillip Kunz was pretty darn cool. Give it a listen if you have a chance! If you don’t here’s the cliff notes version:
As an experiment Phil mailed hundreds of Christmas cards to total strangers to see if he’d get a response. To his amazement he did! The reciprocated cards were all different, but the messages were the same: passing on love, kindness, and making a personal connection.
And in fact, the Phil said that Christmas cards kept coming for as long as 15 years after the first one was sent. In this season of giving, even a small gesture as writing a Christmas card can go a long way.
So the question now is, how will you spread good will and cheer this season?
by abby on November 19, 2012 | Comment
Last week I promised you FREE twice. So here it is!
I’m pleased to announce the: BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL: FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING!
There will be free US shipping on everything in my store: Holiday cards, Children’s Prints, and even my Old MacDonald Had A Farm picture book. All you have to do is use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY2012 when checking out at my Etsy Shoppe.
Do you want more awesomeness?
Ok! AND with every purchase you also will receive a FREE Snowflake Ornament! Whoo-ooo!
Ooooooo, isn’t it pretty!
Each ornament is one of a kind and hand assemble in my studio. The snowflake pattern on the ornament is hand drawn and appears on three shades of blue. These ornaments work great as decorations for Christmas trees, banisters, or as a final touch to the top of your holiday gift.
This abundance of FREE will only happen on Black Friday, so don’t miss out!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!
by abby on November 8, 2012 | Comment
If you received the newsletter earlier in the week you might have noticed these funny fellows peaking out from the holiday card pile. That’s right—my funny penguin friends are back with 2 new holiday cards!
Don’t these guys just make you smile?
We all could use an extra hand on the holidays, right?
The artwork was created with gouache on watercolor paper. Each card is printed on lightly textured paper to mimic watercolor paper and is paired with a Holiday red envelope.
These new cards come in holiday box sets of 6 cards or can be purchased individually. You can create your personal holiday set by mixing and matching any of my individual cards. Perhaps your own mixed holiday penguin set?
And remember I’m also going to add in a SURPRISE gift with every holiday box set purchase this season! Whoo-oo!
Feels good to be on the Nice List, doesn’t it!
by abby on September 21, 2012 | Comment
Tomorrow is the official first day of Autumn! It’s my absolute-hands down-favorite season. I love it because, I find inspiration all around me. It’s in the change of colors, the new textures, and the reveal of forgotten silhouettes. You can see this inspiration in my Fall Card Collections.
Don’t forget too that right now AbbyDora Design is having a BIG FALL SALE! And it includes our holiday cards too. Buy 3 cards and get 1 for FREE!
Perhaps it’s a great moment to collect a few Halloween or Thanksgiving cards? Or be ready for those Fall birthdays! You decide how you want to mix and match your cards. Have fun!
Which season is your favorite?
