Besotted with…Holiday Sales 2018!

So many sales so little time (and money) am I right?  Here are some of our faves for Cyber Monday (some extend all week!).  It was hard to choose, but I thought we could focus on things we love like enhancing your skills + creativity, tools to help you grow your business and maybe a little frivolity thrown in for good measure!

I. We couldn’t do this list without letting you know we are doing our BIGGEST sale EVER for Foto Rx Co. We are so grateful for all your support, if you have been eyeing our best selling Product Photography Editing Photoshop actions, or have been lusting for some Lettering Rx to quickly clean + digitize your lettering and illustrations than we have you covered! Of course, we have our professional grade photo editing actions, if you haven’t figured it out I am a bit partial to all of our B+W sets both the Photoshop actions and presets. You can take $25 USD off any order of $50 USD or more at checkout with the code GRATEFUL2018.

II. We are huge fans of Masterclass. If you are unfamiliar it’s as the name implies, classes taught by masters. They aren’t splitting hairs on this one, we are talking photography with Annie Liebovitz, cooking with Gordon Ramsey, documentary filmmaking with Ken Burns, serious masters in their field! They are currently doing a two for one–buy an all access pass for the year as a gift and get one for yourself free!  That means you will get access to ALL the classes on their roster!

III. There are many companies that I enjoy, but cringe when I have to share the name, Creativebug is one of them. I really enjoy this platform, the teachers are great especially Courtney Cerruti. They have started adding more creative business classes, and really elevating their content. I love the Lilla Rogers class (famed artist rep), it’s worth signing up just for that class. You can get 3 months for only $1USD, it’s totally worth it, you can cancel at anytime but for the $1 I’d totally take advantage of their line-up while you can!

IV. Click & Co. have a great round-up of photography classes. Documenting the Unapologetic Life is still one of my favorite classes I’ve taken for documentary style family photos,it’s  a class that has allowed me to just be in the moment instead of worrying about pretty Insta pics. They are doing a 50% off all of their breakout classes, a total steal! Use the code HOLIDAY50 at checkout.

V. One of my fave art supply stores has some crazy deals right now! I love this inexpensive Canson watercolor paper, it’s heavyweight and great for practice and they are practically giving it away, stock up! This vine charcoal is dirt cheap and perfect for all those mark making exercises to get those creative juices flowing.

 

photo by michelle p. edited with foto rx doc style presets

Besotted with…

 

Our current faves!

I. Hark & Hare, ‘bespoke illustrated memory books’. This is quite simply one of the most beautiful concepts for memory preserving I’ve ever seen. I want a whole volume of them!

II.  I just learned how to make stovetop popcorn, so delish, so easy and no special tools? What the what?

III. If you are in the mood for a good fairytale, I just started reading this.

IV. I started using clear mascara for my ‘lazy days’. My lashes are long but straight so I use the clear mascara and then use the eyelash curler, it’s like ‘hair gel’ for my lashes. Bonus I can use on my lower lashes without looking like a Raccoon.

V. I finished Inktober!  What a challenge!  I’ve said this before and I will say it again if you want to jumpstart your creative journey, or get unstuck a self-imposed challenge is a great way to do it. I feel accomplished, invigorated and best of all I have a bevy of new images that I can put into my portfolio. A win-win!

Introducing Wee Bee Box

There is nothing more exciting for us than to see something we developed being utilized in such incredibly creative ways by our clients. Thus is the case with the launch of Wee Bee Box-Curated Charm for Children by the very talented Maria Baer and Kelly Seizert formerly of Ritzy Bee Events (they were a Martha Stewart weddings fave). Their goal is to curate and carry unique gifts, play sets and products that both embrace childhood and are held onto for safekeeping, to evoke sweet memories and magical moments of childhood years later.

Wee Bee Box incorporates our Rare Bird Font Foundry Specimen IV  lettered by Lisa Mavian throughout their branding and they have done such an outstanding  job of utilizing the font to the fullest of its charm. We are over the moon thrilled with the results! We urge you to visit Wee Bee Box to find the sweetest treasures for the ‘wee bees’ in your life.

 

//RESOURCES//

Wee Bee Box

Wee Bee Box Instagram

Rare Bird Font Foundry

Specimen IV font

Lisa Mavian | Post Calligraphy

Besotted with dogs!


It’s a few months to the end of the year of the dog, but that has not stopped us from rolling out the pup illustrations like mad for Inktober. On my Instagram feed I did mention that I wasn’t born knowing how to draw a dog (or anything for that matter) I took a boatload of how to draw a dog classes and I promised to link them here. We are also including some faves for the week!

I. Some favorite dog drawing classes from Skillshare I took:  Drawing dogs | How to Draw Majestic Animals -Dogs | Draw a dog | The Art and Science of Drawing

II. If you are like us and love a beautiful + simple packaged product then you are going to get hot and bothered over this new cleaning product line. Just thinking about it I am fanning myself.

III. Like all my daily challenges wherein I subject myself to an impossible task on top of my actually living my life, being a full-time mother and business owner (with multiple businesses and an Air b’nb thrown in for good measure). I could not add in any impossibility without the right tools and our Lettering Rx (soon to include Illustration Rx as well) is my saving grace for quickly + easily getting my drawings cleaned and digitized ready to share with the world. To celebrate Inktober we are offering $10 off of Lettering Rx for the entire month of October! Just use the code TAKE10 at checkout.

IV. Are you already feeling the dulling of your skin from the drop in the weather? Michelle and I have stumbled upon a little jar of fountain of youth, it’s spendy but you only need a teeny tiny little bit to see results.

V. Have you picked up the Minimalist Kitchen cookbook?  No?  Well, you should have. It is filled with EASY and delicious recipes. I have already started my list to revamp the pantry and just know that a few of these recipes are going to make it into regular rotation.

Besotted with Inktober!

It feels like fall is in the air, crisp breezes, falling leaves, cozy sweaters and Inktober!  For those that aren’t familiar with Inktober it is 31 days of inky illustration goodness!  We are going to give you 5 Inktober inspired favorites that should get you motivated to participate.

I. Inktober was started by Jake Parker a working illustrator, to improve his inking skills. It has since blossomed into a worldwide community of artists that share their work in ink everyday for the month of October. Here are the rules + 2018 prompts. We decided to go rogue and take it one day at a time with our theme, we have the loose theme of ‘things that I saw today’. (Thus the pigeon;)

II. We are doing our first sale EVER on Lettering Rx. It’s what I use to quickly clean + digitize my line drawings. I honestly don’t think I could participate in any of these challenges if I didn’t have it. Use the code TAKE10 (good for the entire month of October).

III. I recently took a class by the famed art agent Lilla Rogers and she promotes using tools that feel good to you. I would put sumi ink high on my list of feel goods. I love the way it moves, the smell, the richness of it. I have actually broken out my calligraphy nibs to draw, these are hands down my favorite for drawing with.

IV. For those that need an extra dose of inspiration, artist Lisa Congdon is doing a daily Inktober challenge on Creative Bug. I’ve already learned some cool techniques, she’s truly inspiring and a great teacher.

V. We compiled a list of alternate prompts if you feel like you would like a prompt list but aren’t inspired by the ‘official’ one. Prompt list Black cat inspired. | Mossery Co. list | Bookish prompts. And for good measure this artist who doesn’t work in ink is doing ‘Goauche-tober’.

Have fun! We can’t wait to see what you create!