Happy Thursday.

church in South End, Boston

Not much to say on this blustery Thursday night. Worked from home, too cold to venture far. Had a good rehearsal. Now putting the finishing touches on my heart boxes for tomorrow's event. (just a lil' reminder: if you're in the Boston area tomorrow, you should stop by Local Collection in Faneuil Hall between 12-3 for a behind-the-scenes look at my art-making process and a 15% reduction on all City Girl Designs inventory). :) 

Love in a box (or, Map Heart Boxes for sale).

paris heart box

Just in time for Valentine's Day...vintage Paris map heart box, now available in my Etsy shop.

Or...come on down to Local Collection in Faneuil Hall this Friday (2/11) at noon where I will be doing a demonstration on how to make these little guys, plus have more options available (Italy map heart boxes, New York, etc.). AND (bonus) all of my stuff will be on sale that day...woohoo! Hope to see you there :)

Happy Friday!

snowy Boylston Street, Boston

And the snow keeps piling up, higher and higher. Driving around Cambridge feels like driving through a series of snow-walled tunnels. It's just not melting. And more is coming! Where is it all going to go?! 

And completely switching gears, b/c none of us can solve that mountainous problem: a plug for my Etsy shop! (I figured it's been awhile :) If you're looking for a unique way to capture those special moments in life (a favorite trip, your wedding day, a significant city), I am offering one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts made with your photos (just in time for Valentine's Day :) Bracelets, canvases, ornaments -- your choice. Below is a bangle I just did for a client commemorating her wedding day in Central Park, and the places that became significant to them during that trip. I absolutely loved making it. First of all, b/c I'm such a sucker for love/romance/weddings, etc. But also b/c it just felt really special to weave those significant images together, her meaningful memories, knowing that she'll be able to wear those meaningful memories around with her wherever she goes. It's a pretty cool thought :) It was the client's vision and idea, but it got me thinking that perhaps others would be interested in a gift/memento like this. So I'm spreading the word......!

Happy Friday!

And to all a good night.

another shot of Christmas magic in Faneuil Hall

In the home stretch on the Etsy front...just finishing up the last orders....and so ready for a break! 

Can't believe it's only 8 days until Christmas. Despite all the ornament-making, I'm still not feeling it. Hoping our upcoming trip to NYC will turn that around....can't wait to soak up the magic!

Goodnight, all.

Christmas in Boston.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace 

Tonight I had to run down to the store in Faneuil Hall to pick some things up and was reminded of Boston's dedication to Christmas magic and twinkle lights. 

In other news...I. am. exhausted.

p.s. i'm having a christmas sale on all jewelry between now and 12/18! (they make great gifts :)

Cities & Work, etc.

ol' chicago

Sorry folks, I don't have any footage of Christmas in Cambridge (or Boston) to share today, so it's back to Chicago for us! (the positive of getting stuck in Chicago for a day and a half longer: more time to wander those pretty city streets. the negative: it was 9 below with the wind chill, making city wandering a little painful). This picture was taken from the warmth and coziness of a bookstore on Michigan Avenue, where Dan typed a paper and I fretted about Etsy shipments. 

Speaking of, the madness continues! I'm learning all about what it takes to be a REAL working artist! And also about boundaries. As in: when to stop working to eat? And/or spend time with my rockstar husband? (who is today (and most days), a SUPERrockstar b/c he helped me out sooo much. with little things and big, like: fixing one of my sold items that developed a case of verybadairbubbles, sending me into a panic; calming me down from said panic; and driving me to the post office to ship things when I cut it too close to closing time to walk). So a BIG thank you and xoxo to DB today...you're the best!! 

Stuck.

snowy chicago 

A quick note to say hello and that it's good to (finally) be home. We went to Chicago for the weekend for a Christmas party and some family-time and ended up getting stuck there due to crazy high winds and snow (our terrible travel karma strikes again). Should have been home Sunday by 6pm, but instead just rolled in about midnight tonight. And (while there) all I could think about was the crazy number of sales I was getting back home on Etsy (seriously, this is not the norm for my shop! it's out of control! in a good way :), and the many hours of shipping and work I have ahead of me this week, especially now with the delay. Whew. {note: if you're planning to purchase something in time for Christmas, I need your order placed by Saturday, Dec. 18th! thanks :)

And now I am about to fall over from sheer exhaustion, so goodnight, my friends...

Another (cold) day.

Boston City Lights

Another very cold day in Boston. And another very busy day with more Etsy sales (yay!) and custom orders. So there's not much time for writing. It's back to work for me! Goodnight.... 

a Monday list.

city & traffic

a list tonight b/c my brain is tired:

~it's very, very cold here in Boston. and everywhere else, i hear. 

~this past weekend was a nice mix of chill and busy. there was a dinner out, a movie in, and a harvard holiday ball. perfect.   

~there was also a lot of paper writing (dan) and etsy-ing (me).

~today was one of those days of fogginess and clouds (not the weather...my head) & i couldn't seem to quite *wake-up*.

~nonetheless it was a busy day of running around the city & burbs, mostly in attempt to restock my art supplies (ornaments, canvases, etc.) and ship packages.

~i'm excited to report that there's been a small flurry of activity and sales(!) lately in my etsy shop. which makes me *so* happy (and keeps me *so* busy). 

~and lastly, continuing with the etsy theme: a very small plug, if i may....if you're scrambling for gift ideas, why not buy handmade this year? :)

like these handy map ornaments for your traveling buddy:

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or a broadway-themed ornament for that theater buff in your life? 

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(and much more here)

support the arts! buy handmade :)
xo

list on a monday...

merchants row, boston

i've been writing/editing all evening, and so my tired brain can't handle any more prose. how about a good old fashioned list?

~it was a good, good weekend. we totally burb'ed it out on saturday night at a mall and a chain restaurant (something we don't often do, but every once & again is bliss :). we even managed to have a romantic & lovely dinner sitting at the bar of p.f. changs. 

~i love monday night tv. dancing with the stars + castle. yes, please. 

~all i want to do when the weather turns cold is eat carbs. 

~dan is up to his eyeballs in projects/papers & feeling the pressure. pray for him if you think of it. thanks, gang. 

~thursday we leave for nyc! a long weekend back "home." sigh. 

~if you happen to be in nyc on sunday 11/14, stop by rockwood music hall at 7:30 where i'll be singing harmonies for my pal, aimee.

~there is something on etsy called a treasury in which a member (such as myself) can curate a grouping of listings into a masterful mosaic of loveliness using a certain theme or idea (such as "magic" or "red squirrels"). these treasuries are then perused by etsy staff for front-page worthiness, and if you so happen to be included in that front-page treasury, your product is then seen by *thousands.* i, myself, have never achieved front-page status, dangit, but i have been included in many beautiful & impressive treasuries. like this one today. and here is my one & only attempt at making one. 

~this list is pretty prose-y after all. oh well. goodnight.

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New York Fine Art Photo Collage Vase

Wouldn't you like this handmade explosion-of-color-and-city-delight decoupaged vase in your home this holiday season? You would? I thought so :) Now available for sale here. 

ps~ we will have to go without a city pic today, folks. Because I didn't go outside today. Not once. Not even a little bit. My head is the size of...something really big. Alaska? Lake Michigan? Meaning my cold has taken over my life in ways that no longer allow me to construct sensible and/or witty analogies. Or to write coherent blog posts, in general. I really should stop typing now. Goodnight.  

Shop announcement...

Remember this photo from last March?

Now you can buy it here, mounted on a wood block! To place on a shelf next your books, or maybe on the wall! (the possibilities are endless, really).


And also coming soon to my Etsy shop...

More randomness (on a Tuesday)...

under the bridge on the Charles
~so. last night. it was pretty fun! i didn't win (boo) but i did make some good connections and got encouraging feedback. plus it looks like (according to the host who books for other venues) it could potentially lead to a gig in the not so distant future. yay! it was a late, late night, but we stuck it out til' the end (even my mom!).
~speaking of my mom: she is on a plane heading back to D.C. right now after a fun-filled few days together (thanks, mom!).
~& back to singing. watching Glee makes me want to be on Broadway. bad. just singing my heart out. (i mean, did you see the "Home" episode??). sigh. so good.
~speaking of Broadway, i've been featured in a Broadway-themed Etsy Treasury. pretty rad. if it ends up on the Etsy homepage that means lotsa traffic for my store (which i need).
~& speaking of Etsy, i've been listing new stuff lately. like this whimsical bird collage ornament, a totally (non-city) new direction for me. (one day, when i was with bored with cutting up snippets of NYC pics, i caught a glimpse of my fun vintage-y bird stickies, and *voila*):


~& these new little star guys:


~that's all for now. time for bed. have a good night!

*An announcement!*

Remember that interview I mentioned forever ago? Welllll...it's been published! All your burning questions about my artwork and New York interests finally answered. Hooray!

(sample shots from article)
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Another (cold) rainy Monday...

a look at the day from underneath my umbrella. again.
Ugh. And it's supposed to continue through WEDNESDAY. And it was a bad day on top of that. UGH. Contemplating a move to sunny Florida right now. Or a Caribbean Island (I hear Antigua is lovely).

Staying in and eating take-out helps erase some of the bad feelings about the day a little. So does Dancing with the Stars and red wine. However, I am supposed to be in the Village right now watching a cabaret show with friends. Feeling a little bit guilty for not going, but heading back out there into that terrible, awful stink-town weather, getting on a train, schlepping through the Village in boots and raingear and, ugh...it was really the last thing I wanted to do after such a long, hard day. And sometimes you gotta prioritize YOU, you know what I'm saying?? (ok, so i still feel bad. but at least i am dry. and relaxed :)

Also: remember this post and this post? Now you can purchase those two photos in my Etsy shop right now. Yes, that's correct, I've branched out from the bowls. Feels good. And more stuff to come....!

Broken Records & Other News.

midtown reflections on a hot spring day
In the headlines today: City Breaks 81-Year-Old Record With 90-Degree Temps. Am I happy to have sun instead of rain? Warmth instead of cold? Of course! But 90? Already?? Sheesh.

And in other news: a new Etsy listing! Large black & white decoupage bowl. Check it out :)

Disappearing Empire.

Empire in the Clouds
Another rainy day in New York. I guess it's okay considering the amazing* weather we were spoiled with all weekend. But still, not my favorite way to start out the week (plus I am feeling a bit under the weather today, which is also not my favorite way to start out the week). On the bright side? Dancing with the Stars tonight and a new listing on Etsy.

Cheers.

*And by amazing I mean a-m-a-z-i-n-g. A perfect 10. I took lots of pictures as proof, which I do plan to post at some point this week when I have more time and my head doesn't feel like it's on the verge of imploding).

Happy Friday!

a scene from Central Park (taken last weekend)
It's a bit dreary & ugly out there today. But it's okay -- it's FRIDAY! This makes me very happy for a number of reasons (the most obvious being that it is the start of the weekend & OH how I love weekends!). But also because:

~I had today off (new work schedule)(YAY) and therefore was able to accomplish quite a bit of art related tasks. Like new Etsy activity! I've just listed these very fun, super city-chic bracelets. Carry a little piece of New York magic around with you everyday :)


~today is our six month anniversary! I can't believe its been six months already! My how times flies. Feels like our wedding was just last week in some ways. Sigh, what an incredible day that was :) We are going out to dinner at Greenwich Village's Bobo to celebrate. Yay!


Have a lovely weekend.

Bethesda Terrace

bethesda terrace ~ central park
a little whimsy and romance for us on this chilly wednesday evening. central park always fills my heart with such good stuff: peace. magic. hope. loveliness. you catch my drift.

and this particular spot *really* fills my heart with those things. bethesda terrace, where the beautiful 'angel of the waters' fountain resides. on any given saturday, when the sun is shining brightly, you can find bethesda terrace overflowing with puppies and balloons and chubby toddlers and ice cream cones and just an overall sense of aliveness & joy. it's straight out of a movie, i tell ya.

you can also now find images of bethesda terrace and the angel fountain in these really interesting, handmade new york-themed bowls found here. (like that subtle plug? hehe :)

you might also like this post: central park love