things that make my day

I Love Stationery

2012-02-06T10:54:00.000-06:00

There is a new book out by Charlotte Rivers, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it!
Check it out here, and here.
I have just ordered my copy and will post some peeks when it arrives. Right now it ships from the UK, but hopefully soon it will be available in the US.

send smiles

2012-01-18T14:26:00.000-06:00

Valentines now available here.

valentines

2012-01-14T16:13:00.000-06:00

Next week I will be adding a new set of Valentines Day cards to my shop!
They are flat with an envelope, just like the single cards I gave to classmates way back when.
They are printed archivally on the same beautiful textured paper as my fine art prints, so you can even gift them as frameable "mini-prints". Check back in next week!

wishing you the best

2011-12-22T10:55:00.000-06:00

We have been very blessed this year. I couldn't come up with a wish list this season because I honestly couldn't ask for more than what I have, which is everything I want. 'Tis the season to share love!

kitchen

2011-12-14T12:16:00.000-06:00

I totally dropped out on the kitchen updates.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I am having a hard time with my photography lately. It's been overcast and the light is just so different in winter, but I know it can still be done. So I am working on getting better at it, and the shots above are not a good example of that! I need to learn how to use my camera to it's fullest potential.

ART VS CRAFT 2011

2011-11-15T10:19:00.000-06:00

I hope you will stop by Art vs Craft this year. I have a bunch of new stuff that isn't even on etsy yet, and I am super excited about our new space. The event has moved to a larger space that will be much friendlier to our customers.

Please get more details here: ART VS CRAFT BLOG

WHEN: Saturday, November 26th 2011, 10am- 6pm

WHERE: We are pleased to be returning to the very spacious
Milwaukee School of Engineering!
Event entrance is on the corner of Highland & Broadway
1047 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202
[between Highland & State St]

new prints are happening

2011-11-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

print sale!

Botanical Tea Towel

2011-10-26T13:58:00.001-05:00

Hooray! My first ever, limited edition tea towels have arrived. I am so excited for this next step and couldn't be happier with how they turned out.

The lovely folks at Orchard Street Press did an excellent job getting the soft color I was going for, using water-based inks and a beautiful, nubby natural towel.

Those of you who are fans of my botanical Gocco prints will love this new application. They are big, absorbant, and will feel softer with each use.

Head on over to the shop to pick one up - makes a great housewarming gift!

amymarcella.etsy.com

more 2012

2011-10-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

amymarcella.etsy.com

all good things

2011-10-20T09:33:00.001-05:00

2012 Calendar

I have been putting a calendar out since 2009, and I really like every year more than the year before. This year is my favorite so far! It's a little bit bigger than previous years, it's printed on 100% recycled paper, and I have positioned each of the illustrations in a way that will allow you to cut them off for framing. All of these improvements are the result of you guys telling me what you would like to see. I love hearing what you think, so please feel free to send me a note or leave a comment!

I shipped out the pre-orders yesterday, and each package went out with an extra special edition print - my way of thanking you for supporting my shop and making it possible for me to put this out year after year. I love what I do, and I am so thankful to be able to keep doing it!

Some new things are on the horizon as well - my first tea towel will be available next week!

That's way too many exclamation points! Coffee!

Now Shipping 2012 Calendar!

2011-10-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

My brand-new 2012 Calendar is ready!! I'll post more images soon...

amymarcella 2012 Calendar

2011-09-25T20:47:00.000-05:00

8 months old. Working on crawling. Wearing an outfit of mine from babyhood. Sweet baby head.

2012

2011-09-14T15:56:00.001-05:00

My 2012 Calendar is now ready for PRESALE! Head on over to amymarcella.etsy.com to get yours. I will ship them in the next 4 weeks, and all presale orders will ship with an extra surprise...

2012 Calendar

2011-09-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

My new calendar is going to print next week! I can't wait to show you guys the whole thing...

kitchen update

2011-09-09T11:44:00.001-05:00

Looks like someone has been slacking on the kitchen remodel updates. Never fear - a lot has been happening in there. I hastily snapped some pics yesterday, but this weekend I will take a better survey of the goods. It feels so warm and nice in there already.

The walls are a really rich – you guessed it – grey. I know. We paint everything grey. We tried other colors and this one just seemed right. The doors are in, the cabinets are up, the floors are down, the light floods in and Nori torments himself with squirrel watching in the mornings.

The outside is AMAZING. Look:

The rail isn't totally finished, but the important thing here is that the top of the rail is wide enough to hold a cocktail.

In other news, guess who started clapping yesterday:

FREE SHIPPING!

2011-08-31T07:48:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends -
To commemorate the beautiful start of my favorite season, I am running a FREE SHIPPING sale in my shop. It will end on September 7 (that's a whole week!). Get to shopping!

ding ding

2011-08-22T21:00:00.000-05:00

– January 2012 –

THE KITCHEN

I would like to report major progress on the kitchen, but most of what has been happening is behind the walls. There is a lot of dust and clutter everywhere, and I am just so glad that Ava can't crawl yet. I just told Tom we would have to delay her development until after the construction is over.

Kidding!

Have you ever tried ground cherries? It's like a tomato, but more like a cherry. Not like a cherry tomato.

tummy time

2011-08-09T17:01:00.000-05:00

Can you believe she is already almost 7 months old? I can hear her downstairs, babbling away and likely rolling around or practicing sitting upright by herself. The babysitter is here today, allowing me to do things like work on the 2012 calendar, new tea towel designs, and photo editing. The photo editing is a procrastinatory break from the illustrations, but every artist needs her muse, right?

Are you following my boards on Pinterest yet? There are some pretty fun things happening over there...

2012

2011-08-05T08:54:00.000-05:00

what I'm working on...

getting serious

2011-07-28T11:12:00.003-05:00

After ripping out all the plants, and before ripping out all the walls.

Need I explain?

I can't believe how hard these guys work. It was pouring rain almost all day yesterday, and still they worked. I don't know how the DIY-ers can do this sort of thing, since the professionals we have hired are just that - so professional and full of knowledge. Also, they have been playing consistently good music.

See also: Progress Report, Kitchen Closed

progress report

2011-07-25T18:13:00.000-05:00

The kitchen is a happy disaster right now. The floor ended up having about 5 other floors beneath it, and all layers had to be removed, creating a beautiful opening to the basement. The good news is that the new floor will be level, not creaky, and at the correct height.

This project has already exceeded my expectations - I can not wait to see it all together!

Here is a peek at some material choices, which I love so much and which I keep samples of under my pillow at night.

black walnut butcher block counters and herringbone marble backsplash

Did I ever mention how much I love interior design? I could put idea boards together all day long.

Here is our beautiful temporary sink, which by chance can hold a baby and a small dog at the same time.

sweet sink.

Currently, the window you see and the back door – heck, the whole back wall of the kitchen – is being sledge-hammered to smitherines and tossed into this pile:

the best pile of junk I've ever seen.

kitchen closed

2011-07-18T09:01:00.001-05:00

We moved into our house 6 years ago, and there were many obvious things that needed to be updated. For the most part it was a matter of choosing a new paint color. The kitchen, however, has been a constant source of annoyance for me. Everything about it screamed in protest against our design sensibilities. The backsplash tile has illustrations of ivy. The counters are faux-wood laminate. The floor is a tile the color of which must be called "constantly dirty", and it also is maybe the fourth floor on a stack of who knows what kind of flooring, which means that the floor is raised 2 inches higher than it should be, so the counter is thusly 2 inches lower. Figure that one out.

BEFORE

We did what we could to make do with what we had. I applied tile decals to cover the ivy, but the decals were really just as visually offensive as the ivy, just in a different way. I once walked into the kitchen during a party to find a friend looking quizzically at the tile. I rushed to explain that I loathe the tile and that we were planning a renovation the following year, and she said "Yeah...I was just thinking how odd this kitchen is compared to the rest of your house." It was that bad.

this is all going away, to the wasteland of fugly kitchens.

We bought the new appliances that you see above last year in preparation for what is to begin tomorrow. Tomorrow! Tomorrow the floors will be ripped out, the cabinets removed, the counters smashed, the tile – THE TILE WILL DIE A VIOLENT DEATH.

This is no DIY event. Tom and I have redesigned the space with the help of our builder/friend and we have chosen the materials and we have thrown all our ideas into the mix. Starting tomorrow we will be hands-off and I will be on the edge of my seat as I wait to see how it all turns out.

Over the next weeks I will share the progress and my next post will be about my inspiration and material choices. Onward!

i take your picture

2011-07-14T07:09:00.000-05:00

Portraits.

Shawn

Heather

the peanut, after swimming in her first lake.

Gordon

Nori, upset about the threat of having to swim.

stormy weather

2011-06-20T11:48:00.000-05:00

play

2011-06-10T20:39:00.000-05:00

I've been working on patterns and color fields a lot lately. I'm kind of obsessed with drawing and pattern play, and investigating possibilities for how they could be used. The pink scales will be fabric soon...

2011-05-24T13:38:00.000-05:00

My new card set is now available in my shop! The You Look Pretty cards went over so well that I thought I would put out a set that has something for everyone.

I am in my studio today, working away on the 2012 Calendar...

psssst

2011-05-20T08:25:00.000-05:00

hello there.
Lots of new stuff going on around here - and today our new babysitter starts so this mama will be back in the studio on a somewhat regular basis!

To celebrate that and my new aquatic series, head on over to Lottie Loves to enter to win my Zigzag Fish print! You need only to leave a comment on her post and a winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!

Click here to enter!

warm

2011-05-11T21:29:00.000-05:00

happy mother's day

2011-05-09T20:47:00.000-05:00

We spent the weekend in Fall Creek, WI, where I encountered a collection of tiny horses,

many musical instruments,

and a little baby who loved being surrounded by both.

new fish prints

2011-04-27T20:40:00.000-05:00

New! Zigzag Fish with Salmon Fish

Gold Fish with Striped Fish

bless

2011-04-24T21:38:00.001-05:00

My mother made this baptism gown from her mother's wedding dress, and all of the grandchildren have worn it for their baptisms. For a million reasons that I won't get into here, we are choosing not to baptize Ava, but I couldn't resist getting her picture in the dress anyway. So beautiful.

thrifted

2011-04-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

We needed to get out of the house yesterday, so a trip to St.Vinny's was in order. Two of my favorite things to hunt for when thrifting is silk scarves and tea cups. I love collecting textiles and get a lot of inspiration from the patterns and colorways of vintage silk scarves.

Time to get outside and soak up some sun!

working and napping

2011-04-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

spring

2011-04-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

backyard lounging has begun. Ava and I will be working on a backyard makeover to promote entertaining and relaxing this summer. Hello, spring!

stuff

2011-04-12T09:13:00.000-05:00

sometimes I like the little vignettes around the house....

fishes

2011-04-08T20:57:00.003-05:00

baby sneaks

2011-04-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

When I was 15, I found these tiny baby sneakers at a thrift shop and have saved them for this day ever since. They are too big for Ava right now, but I am pretty excited about rediscovering them this morning.

They were stored cleverly with a small box of my own baby momentos, where I also found this little pj set that must have once been mine. I'm going to wash it and try it on Ava. Is that creepy? A little bit.

I also came across the huge box of well organized letters and notes that I have saved from the 3rd grade on. I'm talking full 5 page love letters to tiny little notes written on a page corner and tossed from two rows over. Notes passed stealthily in class, shared with friends, and responded to with "yes", "no", or "maybe". Notes accusing and gossiping and experimenting with ink colors. The good old days from before the internet and cell phones. The 80's.

guest posting...

2011-04-06T08:32:00.000-05:00

Well, let's set aside the fact that I can't seem to keep up with my own blog and head over to Little Lottie Loves to read about my thoughts on collecting art for kids! Charlotte asked me to cover for a day while she's out of town, and I couldn't be happier to oblige.

Thanks Charlotte!

interview up at Lottie Loves...

2011-04-05T08:17:00.000-05:00

Good Morning! Head on over to Lottie Loves to read an interview with yours truly.

Thanks to Charlotte for the honor!

Seeing my studio photos gives me even more incentive to reorganize that chaos and repaint the walls, so stay tuned for that this summer.

In the world of babies, little Ava is currently laughing at her toys and figuring out how to grab things. It's amazing how every little thing she does leaves me in a state of wonderment and awe. It's a good, good life.

hello, handsome

2011-03-22T07:54:00.000-05:00

well hello there.

Slowly but surely I am getting back into work and have a few new things up my sleeve. Here is a little peek at a new set of cards that will be available very soon.

The little fish you see is part of a new NEW project wherein I am breaking away from the botanical theme and trying some new stuff. I am pretty excited about the future of my stationary line and can't wait to get more time to work.

I am fantasizing about a new studio space that is larger and has a small table for Ava to work at when she's older. I had a lot of encouragement throughout my life to develop as an artist, and I am so excited to find out what it is she will want for herself. If it isn't art or music or programming, we will all have something new to learn...

bird watching

2011-03-06T16:04:00.000-06:00

She loves to watch this bird mobile. Gazes interrupted by silent giggling.

5 weeks

2011-02-24T12:49:00.002-06:00

almost ready to start some new projects, but for now this little bunny has my full attention....

3 weeks

2011-02-10T12:41:00.001-06:00

Ava is three weeks old today and I am already amazed at how quickly time is passing.

This is a blanket I knitted at the end of the pregnancy, waiting for her and watching Dexter. Nothing like serial killers and heavy gauge knitting needles to occupy a brain.

Babies are much easier to photograph when sleeping. Less fist-pumping and growly faces.

2011-02-04T09:38:00.001-06:00

hello, buddies.
I have a new thing going on over at Pinterest.

It's a kind of bulletin board, where I can collect and "pin" images from around the web to share what I'm liking and loving at any given moment. I love this - it's a quick way to keep track of things for myself, and it's easier than making a full blog post.

So bookmark it and check back often!

http://pinterest.com/amymarcella/pins/

big love

2011-02-01T08:43:00.000-06:00

Ava is 11 days old, and she already looks so different to me. Things we are learning about her:

- She is a noisy sleeper. She growls and grunts and kicks and flails for a good part of the night. She also makes tiny bird noises that make my heart explode.

- She loves music. Tom plays records for her and she seems to be really listening to it. The first song she listened to was The Girl from Ipanema:

- She doesn't like mommy to do anything but hold her. I need a new sling so we can have a compromise on that one, since I am a busy body and need to be moving around more than sitting on the couch. We have the Moby wrap, but I don't think either of us really likes it. We ordered a Bjorn and I would like to try a simple ring sling. Once we have that sorted out, we will be back in business!

In the meantime, I am still shipping orders as they come in so there should be no delay for my etsy customers. The challenge is getting new items listed, but that will work itself out soon enough....

We are expecting a record amount of snow today and tomorrow, so it's a good thing I am still on doctor's orders to take it easy - cookies and tea are in my immediate future...

Ava Winter

2011-01-24T11:54:00.000-06:00

Ava Winter has arrived! She was born after 11 hours of labor, under a full moon.

These first few days have been unimaginably beautiful, exhausting, challenging, and amazing.

I couldn't ask for a better partner in life than Tom. I am the luckiest.

We are so happy to have you here, Ava!

coming soon...

2011-01-12T15:23:00.000-06:00

Some day in the near future, this will be available as a print and as part of a card set...Still working on colors and the rest of the series.

no baby yet

2011-01-07T11:39:00.000-06:00

Today is my due date, and as of now, there are no signs that this baby wants to come out. I imagine her snuggled deeply in the womb, all warm and cozy, giving me a good punch every once in a while to let me know she's NOT LEAVING.

Here's a tip: if you are pregnant and planning a natural birth - don't watch a million birthing videos on YouTube to pass the time. Having all that visual aid does not improve your chances of not feeling nervous.

I'm not really nervous so much as slightly freaked out. Just a little bit though- mostly I am just excited. Actually, I am mostly floating on a cloud of disbelief that we are going to have a baby any day now. Should I go to the Post Office? What if I go into labor and have to drive home? Should I go to the grocery store? What if my water breaks all over the produce aisle and then I have to find another grocery store to go to 3 times a week since I am terrible dinner planner? Should I go walk around at the gym? Can I endure the crazy eyes that people give me when they say "Aw, when are you due?" and I say "Right now."

So of course I am doing all those things anyway because I can endure the crazy eyes and Whole Foods can deal with it and the Post Office is not that far from my house anyway. I am also doing my nails, knitting a blanket, and practicing patience. I really suck at that last part.

I am not closing my etsy shop, but I have put a hold on international orders because they require customs forms and trips the the Post Office and waiting in lines and I just don't see that happening for a few weeks.

I have some new things coming to the shop soon too - so keep checking back!
xo

coming soon

2010-12-29T20:31:00.000-06:00

calendar sale!

2010-12-27T08:50:00.000-06:00

My 2011 Wall Calendar is now only $15.00! I had a limited run printed this year, so the remaining calendars are ready to go.

I also have a new print in the shop:

You Look Pretty print
I have been offering this as a card set, and now it is available as a beautiful archival print, suitable for framing, on my favorite heavy paper.

As this year wraps up, I am more excited than ever to see what the next year will bring. 2010 was an amazing year, and 2011 is just one big happy question mark. I can't say I have set any goals for the coming year, since all I can focus on is this new person who is about to introduce herself to us. We are less than 2 weeks away from the due date, and as I write this this she is contorting her body, getting into position, getting ready to come out. It's all I can think about, and I have never been more willing to let go of expectations and set aside ideas of what will happen next - I just don't know, and that's fine by me.

I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year!

year end

2010-12-14T09:11:00.000-06:00

A little peek at the baby's room. The walls were already this color and I feel like it makes the room really calm. It's a good sleeping room.

My 2011 Wall Calendar is shipping for FREE to the U.S. this week, through December 17. I'm down to the end of the box! Thank you to everyone who has already placed their orders and left such sweet comments about it. It's my favorite one so far, and I already have plans for next year...

leather

2010-12-01T19:06:00.000-06:00

Most of these have been sold, but next week I will be adding new ones to my shop.
They are all one-of-a-kind, genuine leather, and made by me with love. Pick one up this Friday, December 3, at Design Within Reach on Broadway during the annual Christmas in the Ward festivities.
I am super excited to be hanging out with the lovely ladies from DWR, and Ashley Drew from make cake!

art v craft

2010-11-22T20:13:00.000-06:00

I hope to see you at Art vs Craft this Saturday!

I'll be in the main room on the upper floor this year. I am working on new prints and really great leather wallets, along with my 2011 Wall Calendar. Stop on by!

7 weeks

2010-11-17T12:17:00.000-06:00

well hello there.

I have been a busy bee over here, shipping 100 calendars all over the world. It blows my mind that someone in Singapore will have my calendar on their wall in a few days. It's kind of like a little piece of me gets to go too. And after several hardcore days of collating, packing and wrapping the calendars, checking names and addresses off lists, printing labels and sealing boxes, a little piece of me did go out with each shipment.

This year's calendar was different for me because for the first time, I had someone else do all the printing and cutting. This meant a financial investment and risk on my part, and that was a hard thing to do. I had saved money all year to take this leap, but I was afraid to let it go. I had a lot of encouragement, and at a certain point it became clear that if I wasn't willing to invest in myself, why should any of you? So I did it, and I am so glad I did. This experience has set me up for more risk-taking and plans are in the works to take all of this to the next level - more production of more ideas and more to share with you.

My birthday is this weekend, and for the first time, maybe ever, I don't care. I am the youngest of four, and I think this contributes to my annual anxiety over my birthday - does anyone care that it's MY SPECIAL DAY? The day that I reflect on what I did with the past year, whether I made good choices, where my benchmark is compared to what I wished for in previous years? I know - self-important, much?

This year I will be 32, and I feel like 31 was such a great year that I can't ask for anything more. I did good things this year, and somehow rather than make a big deal out of my birthday, I kind of want it to pass quietly, so as not to disturb the upward march to More Good Things.

Speaking of good things (are you still reading? This is a super long post), in about 7-ish weeks I will have a baby. Forever. I will be a mom. A parent. To a human. Last week in birthing class we watched a video of a birth, and as I looked around the room to see if anyone else was as grossed out as I was, I realized that maybe I'm not entirely suitable for laboring. I decided not to do it. This baby can just stay put, or be born through reverse osmosis, because there is no way I am pushing a human out of my vagina.

On the flip side of that, I have watched this birthing video multiple times, and it makes me cry each time and then I feel like I can produce the human. It's so beautiful, and not gross, and there are no gaping vaginas.

NEW to etsy

2010-11-08T10:50:00.001-06:00

November print

February print

May print

november shower

2010-11-08T10:45:00.000-06:00

Enjoyed my second baby shower yesterday. We are now 8.5 weeks from baby-time, and I am going crazy with excitement. Luckily, things around here are busy enough that the time is flying by and I know she will be here soon enough.

We had beautiful weather yesterday, so my rooftop garden party was even better! Wonderful girlfriends, lots of fuzzy baby things, and non-alcoholic champagne made for an excellent Sunday.

Thanks girls!!

friday

2010-11-05T13:10:00.000-05:00

Taking new shots for the shop and packing orders up. Have a good weekend!

2011

2010-11-03T08:33:00.000-05:00

wow!
Thanks so much for all the calendar orders - I am so excited to get these shipped out. They just arrived, hot off the presses, and are looking very sharp. I was overwhelmed with delight after the calendar was featured on DesignSponge and Decor8!

I would love to have a better post for you guys, but time's a tickin'. More soon!
xo

Art vs Craft 2010

2010-10-28T08:59:00.001-05:00

Every year, I am in love with the promotional card and poster designs by the ever-talented duo The LIttle Friends of Printmaking. We have a few of their silkscreen posters, and I keep wanting more, but it seems a little nuts to have 10 art posters from the same artists. Maybe not. I will probably get another one this year at Art v Craft.

Speaking of Art vs Craft, I will be there again this year and I hope you will stop by and say hi. I will be the large pregnant lady with a table full of stuff, including the 2011 Wall Calendar.

Speaking of the calendar, it was featured this morning on Decor8! Holly put together a great selection this year, and I have to say, it looks like mine is the only one that has room to write events and birthdays on it. Hooray for my list-making obsession!

More to come int he next few days as I tackle wholesale orders and press checks....
xo

2011 Calendar - Ready for Pre-Sale

2010-10-22T13:07:00.001-05:00

HOORAY!

My 2011 Wall Calendar is off to the printer, and is now available for pre-order at my etsy shop.

I will be shipping them out as soon as I get them - likely within the first week or so of November.

I am also excited to announce (again) that for the first year ever, the wall calendar is available for wholesale orders. Please contact me if you are interested in the details.

I will also have plenty on hand at this year's Art vs Craft. I am so happy with the calendar this year!

I am also hoping (hoping) to offer a new format this year. Many of you have requested a wider format, more suitable for families and event planning. I'm getting to work on that next week and will let you know how it turns out.

january

2010-10-20T14:30:00.001-05:00

Some of the illustrations for this year's calendar are a different style than what I have done in the past. They are not dissimilar to my hand-drawn sketches, but I held back on the refinement of the edges when I brought them into the design. They're messier, rougher. Somehow more delicate.

Stay tuned - I expect to post the 2011 Calendar to my etsy shop for pre-sale by week's end!

2011 Calendar

2010-10-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

Finishing the last few pages of the 2011 Calendar!

2010-10-10T19:28:00.000-05:00

We had unseasonably warm weather this weekend, which was perfect for a hike in Kettle Morraine. Nori loves the trail because he can go off-leash and suddenly becomes the happiest, most well-behaved dog ever. Less distractions allow him to run ahead, but he remembers to check back and doesn't go more than 20 feet in front of us.

I also did a lot of cooking this weekend - blueberry muffins, fig clafouti, red lentil soup, and roast chicken with vegetables. I would say it's been a successful weekend!

2011 Calendar

2010-10-08T08:32:00.001-05:00

I am working on the 2011 calendar, and am very excited to announce that it will be available for wholesale! I am setting up my forms and getting things in order, so if you know of a local shop that might be interested in carrying my calendar this year - please let me know!

This is the first step in a my big plans for 2011. I can't wait to share what else I have lined up...

Have a great weekend, friends. The weather is supposed to be very nice, and we are looking forward to a hike through the woods and maybe some fig clafouti.

cupcakes

2010-10-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

I was very nervous about my baby shower - I haven't had a wedding or the associated gatherings, and I have a long history of breaking down in tears when faced with a crowd of people whose attention was focused on me. In college critiques (I went to art school, and thus spent a large part of my education in critique) I would get about one-third of the way through my defense before the tears came. When I've had to give speeches at weddings, I not only will cry uncontrollably, but I will forget whatever I was going to say. It's as though a cloud of moisture encapsulates my eyeballs and then erases my memory, leaving me fumbling for words and wishing that the earth would open up and swallow me.

Don't ask me to be a presenter at your next event. It will not work out for either of us.

In the end, we all survived. I did not cry, and I only almost passed out once. I was halfway through the enormous pile of gifts when every pore in my body erupted in sweat and that cloud of moisture overtook my brain. I pulled through like a trooper, and I think I even managed to squeak out a thank you to everyone for coming.

In case my gratitude was lost in that cloud, I'll repeat it now: Thank you. Thank you to my mom and sisters for putting a lovely day together, to our families for coming out to celebrate the happiest time in our lives, and for all the beautiful gifts. This baby will be well-clothed and well-loved and I could not be more excited to introduce her to you all. Three more months!

And I forgot to sign them :(

2010-09-27T22:23:00.003-05:00

You guys. It's done. I broke my brain on this project a few times, but I think I will make a full recovery.
Someday when I look back at this time in my life, I think I will laugh at myself for being so tightly wound about the whole thing. It was hard, and I loved it.

If you find yourself in Las Vegas after December 15, I would love it if you paid these bad boys a visit. They will be on view at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which is a new hotel on the strip. I have never been to Vegas and have always said I would never go unless someone else was paying for it, but maybe I will go for entirely vain reasons.

Now to put this day and this project behind me, I am going to sleep for 8 hours, minus the 5 times I will get up to pee and the 4 times I will wake up to move Nori out of my way and then readjust the four pillows that surround me. I swear it takes me 7 hours to get really really comfortable, and then that last hour of sleeping time is awesome. Except this morning, when my hour of awesome sleep was sorely disrupted by a dream about being mad at Tom for installing a pocket door in our baby's bedroom closet. I have a long, sordid history with pocket doors. We'll save that one for another time though.

Argh. You guys. These are all packed up and ready to go, and I just realized - I didn't sign them. Do I unwrap?
EDIT: I did unwrap, signed it, and it is now shipped and on its' way! Yay!!

sneak peek

2010-09-16T08:10:00.000-05:00

Here's a peek at where my head has been lately....

the nursery

2010-09-09T21:22:00.001-05:00

clockwise from top left: "Much Love" print by ashleyg, "Flock of Swallows" mobile from Anthropologie (purchased!), Elephant clock from Rare Device, "Ampersand" letterpress print by gemmabear, "Punch Drunk" pom mobile by PomLove, "Rainbow bobbles" knitted baby blanket by rocketandbear, "DwellStudio Silver Lake Crib" from Target (thanks Dad and Carla!), "DwellStudio Silver Lake Changing Table" from Target (thanks Cheri and Tom!), Saarinen womb chair (already own and love), "Fauna Pico Pillow" from Design Public, "Diamond Jungle Dhurrie" rug from Anthropologie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few people have asked what my plans for the nursery are. I'm not into the fantasy baby room idea for two reasons: 1. Tom and I have to spend time in that room so we should like the look of it, and 2. Babies don't know the difference. Do you remember anything from when you were in a crib? Me, either. So the room will have baby things but really it's just another room in a house inhabited by adults.

The walls are already a nice warm dark grey that we both love, so that will remain as is (I'll locate the color name - it's by Benjamin Moore). I was at first trying to shun the pink theme, mostly because I don't know about the whole girl=pink boy=blue idea, but it turns out that I like hot pinks and peachy pinks a lot, especially with grey. I'm choosing things for the room that are not so much "baby" as "kid", meaning that these are things that will grow with her. I'm sure there will be plenty of baby things mixed in here, but I can see all this stuff in a little girl's and even an older girl's room too.

The funny thing is that we plan to have her in our room for the first few months at least anyway, but designing this room is just plain fun. In another week I will be able to start pulling it together - can't wait!

the farm

2010-09-07T20:04:00.000-05:00

Family Reunion

2010-09-06T22:04:00.000-05:00

Uncle Mac

Hay pile

This weekend we had the opportunity to visit the farm my dad grew up on. I had seen it before, but I was very young and uninterested in the trip down memory lane. This time we arrived on a tractor ride en masse and it was easy to feel the nostalgia by proxy. I tried to imagine my dad and his siblings working and living on this farm, my grandmother hanging laundry, grandpa driving the John Deere. I always pictured it to be much larger and apparently my dad shared that feeling. He stood in the space between the barn and the house and marveled that the distance between the two was so small compared to his memory of it. Funny how the years between here and there can expand the spaces of your childhood.

everybody dance

2010-09-02T07:26:00.000-05:00

This made me very happy and now I have to watch Dirty Dancing again. If I could pick a talent to have, it would be dancing. Or playing trumpet in a blues band.
(thanks Jodi!)

silence is golden?

2010-08-30T08:10:00.000-05:00

hi guys.
I wish I had a good post today, but the truth is I am too swamped with deadlines to put anything together. I haven't even taken any photos in weeks! This is all good though - I am working on the giant paper cuts and want to have those out the door in less than two weeks. I will try to take some pics, but the room I am working in is awfully dark so it's not looking good.

I am also working at my regular job designing websites and such, and between that and growing a baby, I am beat.

ALSO there's the 2011 Calendar! Yikes. You might not hear from me in a while, friends....

2010-08-17T21:11:00.001-05:00

You know I love the etsy, but sometimes when I want to look for a specific type of thing, I get lost in the search results, drowning in a sea of blah. Yes, I said it, some of the things on etsy are pretty mediocre. This is an inevitable occurrence, since etsy is not curated and anyone can open up shop. Even me!

So this evening as I was visiting my favorites, I began to browse through the "suggested shops". I browsed and browsed, and then my head exploded because there were too many good things, right there, all piled up without me having to find them.

This reminds me of going to TJ Maxx with my friend Laurel, who is particularly skilled in the art of shopping and has been known to zip down an aisle and come back with an armload of perfect picks for me in 6 minutes flat. This is a great feature in a friend and in a website, because I typically last about 3 minutes in such situations before my will to live wanes and I descend into survivor mode, wishing for french fries and a comfy chair.

Here are a few things I found that are now bookmarked for future purchase, unless I need french fries instead:

mortimer mouse by Hazel Village. He looks like a good lil buddy, and is made with organic, washable materials. I like that in a mouse.

woodland cards by Darling Clementine. There are 8 cards in the set. I don't know if I would even send them out to anyone because they look so good together.

whales tea towel by Enormous Champion. Tom has a long-established rule about not hanging plates on the wall for decoration, but he never said a thing about framing tea towels. Check out animals amassed, too.

This Okinawa bag is pretty much perfect for me. It has a patterned lining, which is great because sometimes searching for items in a large bag can be annoying, but a cheerful pattern will motivate you to keep your cool. Good things going on over at valhalla brooklyn.

Rhinelander - 2010 edition

2010-08-16T09:25:00.000-05:00

We returned to Rhinelander this weekend (see last year) to spend time with my dad and his wife, my sisters and their families. We had perfect weather on Saturday, and I was in bed by 9:15pm. Relaxation was my top priority, and I think I succeeded. Tom even managed to turn his work-brain off for a bit, which he really needed.

Today I will begin my big project, which I plan to share with you along the way. I am so overwhelmed with getting started that so far I have cleared the space, acquired the materials, and then sat back and stared at the empty space on the wall. As if envisioning the finished work will make it materialize faster. Really what I need is a truck to get the final set-up materials, so I might go stand on the corner until someone in a truck is willing to take me to the Home Depot.

Other projects on the horizon are centered around the fall shopping season - my annual calendar (2 sizes!), card sets, prints, and this year - tea towels! Add that to my regular jobby-job and you have one busy bee who loses her breath when climbing stairs and panics when baby doesn't kick all day.

I don't mean to sound smug, but I just realized that this is what having everything you ever wanted feels like.

to do

2010-08-11T10:09:00.000-05:00

Cheerful Quilted Playmat : Purl Bee

I love this project from Purl Bee. Adding this to my list of things to do in the next 4 months, which is quite a long list, possibly the longest to-do I have ever undertaken. If you don't see me for a while, that's why. I have to clean out every nook and cranny of our house and rid myself of things we don't need. I have to de-clutter our lives so that we have room to play on the floor and to adjust our clocks to the clock of a new human. I have to ready us for an event that will change everything, already has changed everything. I have to make room for baby.

I started yesterday by attempting to clear out the guest room. This was a silly practice of pulling all the large things out of the room, only to place them in the hallway with nowhere to go. Sorry, chair. Your time here is up. Sorry, lamp. Your shape does not work for us anymore. Sorry rug. Your colors are not right for this baby.

Once most of it was out, I began to lose my mind because now? Now all this stuff was taking over our living room and dining room and then the crib arrived. Oh hello crib. I am itching to get the crib set up and really get this nursery in order, but. BUT.

It turns out that the other giant item on my to-do list is also the largest piece of art I have ever attempted, and the only wall in our house that will accommodate its largeness is the wall in the guest room. The wall where the crib belongs. The work I will be doing is a commission, due in the next 6 weeks, and its dimensions are such that our little house can almost not contain it. Except this one wall.

So, the crib will have to wait, and the house will be in disarray, and last night I dreamed that all my hair was grey. This is not to say that I am sad or even frustrated - not at all. I am freaking exuberant over here. Glowing. Skipping. Because yesterday we learned that in 4.5 months, that crib will hold our baby girl.

beautiful weekend for a wedding

2010-08-08T19:17:00.000-05:00

We celebrated a friend's wedding in Door County this weekend. Here are a few details from the day...

Dodgeville, WI

2010-08-01T17:00:00.001-05:00

A brief weekend in Dodgeville, tippin' cows and makin' trouble.

PomLove

2010-07-26T13:15:00.000-05:00

I love these poms by etsy seller PomLove. Perfect party decor. I might make a few for the baby's room, but why take the time to make them myself when these are just right?

If you're feeling crafty though, here is the Martha Stewart tutorial on how to make them yourself:

www.marthastewartweddings.com

black fig

2010-07-21T07:53:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I buy fruit just because it's so beautiful.

Red Rocks

2010-07-20T10:49:00.001-05:00

New to etsy today! This is an original drawing, 7" x 11". This pattern is working its way into my pattern designs for fall, so keep an eye out :)

www.amymarcella.etsy.com

calling all mom crafters

2010-07-18T09:55:00.000-05:00

Help.
The annual Art vs Craft event is at the end of November, at which time I will be large and in charge at almost 8 months pregnant. I love this event, and I always do well at with sales, etc. However, it's typically really warm and crowded and kind of crazy, which normally I enjoy. But being that this is my first baby, I have no idea how I will feel by then.
So....this question goes out to all the crafty mommas out there - should I go for it anyway? Applications will be up next month with a deposit, and I just don't know if I should let it pass this year or not.
I would love to hear your thoughts...

snuggly

2010-07-16T10:13:00.000-05:00

This is the cutest little snuggly wrap ever. Our little one will arrive in January, which is great because I love babies in footie pajamas and cozy blankets.

Baby Barolo Bunting does not fall under the category of "necessary" at $235.00 but it's so darn adorable.

new to etsy

2010-07-15T14:24:00.000-05:00

I have posted this moleskin notebook to my etsy shop! There is only one in this design, Spring Collection.

www.amymarcella.etsy.com

faves

2010-07-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

Today I thought I would share some of my favorite things on etsy right now. Etsy can be difficult to navigate, what with the thousands of sellers. I know that when I am searching for a specific thing, I have to wade through piles of ugmos to get to the pretty. One trick I employ is to keep track of things and sellers that I like, and then look at what their favorites are. This will usually lead to good stuff.
Here are a few things I've been coveting:

I love this hat by Liza Rietz. New styles and colors come out pretty often, and I think I will treat myself to one in the fall. I'm a hat girl, but with this short haircut I can't seem to find one that doesn't make me look like an egghead. I have high hopes for this one.

Handmade Doily Rug by ladies & gentlemen. I think it would be really pretty if we had a foyer in which to greet our guests. We would also have an umbrella holder and hat rack. Instead we just have a front door. It works.

Doily Clock by uncommon. I like a lot of their items.

Although there appears to be a bit of a trend towards doilies here, I have probably zero doily objects in my house. I don't know what traditional doilies are really for, but I do like the pattern work quite a bit, and the intricate handiwork that they represent.

Love this very simple ring by les things. I am not into lots of flash on my fingers, because that would draw attention to my nails and lack of general attention to manicures and such. I am kind of grossed out by long nails. We aren't tree-scalers, so why does anyone need long-ass nails?

Stockholm Pleated Messenger by ikabags. It's big. I like stripes.

summer 2010 so far

2010-07-12T08:19:00.000-05:00

Just a few snapshots of summer so far - long walks by the lake, boat ride through downtown Milwaukee, farmer's market, Summerfest (just barely survived), tubing on the Wisconsin River.

Yesterday I spent a large part of the day cleaning out my studio, thinking I would make more room for storage and get rid of unnecessary clutter. I got rid of ONE grocery bag of stuff, a few books, and an extra sewing machine. That's it. I did uncover a whole pile of one-off prints that will slowly make their way to etsy though. They are a mix of test prints and layered trials from all of the Goccos combined. Time for an art rummage sale!

distractedly focused

2010-07-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

Well, hello there. Is it hot in here or is just me? The last couple of weeks have been so hot and humid that I have completely rejected my studio. I did make a little baby blanket/play mat, but it's my first attempt at such a thing and I don't think you need to see that. You would just point and laugh and my little ego is pretty sensitive right now, so let's all just look at this hydrangea instead.

BABIES

So, I don't want this to be a baby blog, but guess what? That's all I can think about lately. It's really distracting. My perspective on my life has always been from an outside, sort of floating above myself position, and whenever major life events happen to me, I am always completely in awe, like I'm watching it happen to someone else and I just can't believe it. Who's having a baby? ME? What? How did that happen? Seriously? ME?!

I have no idea how I got this far in life.

Especially without this hammock:

And one for baby:

this is a test

2010-06-29T20:44:00.004-05:00

hoping this image is of the larger size and that my coding edits worked...

* yes! Here's a secret: when you want to make a change, you will have a higher rate of success by actually TRYING some solutions than thinking about how to find solutions for six months. Yer welcome.*

baby baby

2010-06-24T10:02:00.003-05:00

Alright, I give in. I started sniffing around at baby things, and have begun to keep track of my wish list.
I should stress the wish part of that sentence because admittedly, a lot of these things are a bit pricey. Turns out baby items are freaking adorable and I have expensive taste. What I don't want is plastic primary color oversized STUFF. Babies don't require a whole lot, so the things I'm really drawn to follow our aesthetic, because babies don't know the difference anyway. Do they?
Here is a little collection:

Elephant clock from Rare Device.

Knitted Lambswool Blanket by rocket & bear on etsy.

Baby Yeti by fox in the woods on etsy.

Abacus from CB2.

In a few days I will be embarking on my second trimester! I am looking forward to looking more pregnant and less like I have been overindulging in cookies, and I can't wait to feel this baby moving around. My crazy pregnancy dreams have persisted, including a long-drawn out saga that culminated in me finding an ostrich wrapped up in a blanket in the back seat of my car. oh, ostrich.

Walking Baby Ostrich

studio

2010-06-21T12:32:00.000-05:00

The motorcycle embroidery is a gift for Tom that I started, ohhhh, 2 years ago. I know I will finish it soon...

I recently purchased a Powerbook, but it didn't quite fit in my old laptop sleeve. I put this one together last week using material I already had and am pretty happy with the results–

bird

2010-06-17T10:03:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure what this orchid is called, but we have had it for a few years, and this year it finally bloomed again. I never noticed the bird before though, and I have to say it took my breath away when I began to photograph it. I didn't see it until I looked through the lens - I guess I just needed a new perspective.

(UN)SUBCONSCIOUS
I've been having a lot of crazy dreams lately - lucid, epic, startling dreams. I often wake up with confusion over what my brain just put together, but the overwhelming feeling is fascination. Dreams. I have always been intrigued by the unconscious mind and the puzzles it presents or solves. During this pregnancy though, I have been spending my nights protecting Oprah from a stalker, having elicit affairs with the man who in reality is sleeping right next to me, giving birth to a Chinese baby who suddenly becomes a 9-year old as soon as I turn my back - those are the tame dreams though. I have already washed away the others with my morning shower.

SPEAKING OF DREAMS
I am finally taking steps to make my little business a real venture. I want to get things rolling now, before the baby comes, in the hope that the momentum will keep moving forward. I have a lot of inspiration and solid plans, and I think the next step to make it a reality is to register my business name. Can you help me out? Should I choose:

marso
marso handmade
marso design
marso home

I am stepping away from "amy marcella" and going with a combination of my middle and last name "marcella soczka". I think this short and sweet version will carry over to a full product line eventually, what do you think?

you look pretty

2010-06-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

My "You Look Pretty" cards are now available in the etsy shop! Sold as a set of 5 with kraft-colored envelopes, these make a great surprise for your special lady friends.

Thanks for all the well wishes yesterday!

funday

2010-06-07T10:35:00.000-05:00

hello everybody,

I have some pretty exciting things to share this week, as well as some pretty lofty goals to set and accomplish this summer. Let's start with the announcements, and save the goals for later.

ONE

I landed a commission! I will be creating some pretty gigantic papercut murals that will be installed in a hotel in LAS VEGAS BABY. I have never been there, but I am thinking that once this gets installed, I will have to make the trip. I will be sharing my process along the way, and all I can hope for is that I don't melt down with anxiety and start over five times. We are talking 64 square feet of me and an Xacto blade (or 60 blades, or more).

TWO

I feel odd announcing this so publicly, but it is pretty much the center of my universe right now so here goes: I'm pregnant! Knocked up! With child! Baby makes three!

I don't want to turn this into a baby blog though, so I am considering starting a new site for that purpose. I don't know about that yet, but I will certainly keep you posted. If I do start a new site, it will NOT include letters to my fetus or anything too gooey. It will be about cool baby stuff.

This is our first child, and he or she will arrive in January. I'm feeling pretty good, aside from sleepiness, irritability, and lack of motivation in the studio. I am overcoming all of that though, and have been told that in a couple of more weeks I will experience a burst of energy and vitality that I have never seen before. Part of me wonders if that is due to the complete detox that comes with pregnancy, but whatever it is, I'll take it. Also, holy cow I can not get enough fruit. I don't have weird cravings, unless you call my loss of a former cookie obsession and a new found need for fruit 24/7 weird. I don't - I call that a miracle.

Hooray for babies!

We'll get to the "goals" portion of this braincloud later. I need to get this pregnant ass to the gym before Netflix and the couch suck me back in.

spring collection, birth of summer

2010-06-01T21:45:00.002-05:00

Yay summer! For you non-Wisconsinites, we have been experiencing a string of hot, sunny days like we have not experienced in years. Record-breaking, even. We live for about 8 - 9 months of the year in cold and greyness – not that I don't appreciate the seasons for what they are too – but summer? Summer is a treat. I think last year we had maybe a handful of days like this, but this year - dare I say it - we are having week after week of awesome.

NEW
Today I have posted the fifth print in my botanical series. This one is "Spring Collection", and it is a very limited edition of 10. It may be my favorite so far. How do you feel about this on a tea towel?

amymarcella.etsy.com

fresh

2010-05-21T12:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I dusted off the Gocco printer and made a very limited edition of this design. It became very limited because only a few of the prints really came out perfectly. Some of them had bits and pieces where the ink didn't come through and that is really just the nature of the Gocco.

The good news is that soon, very soon I hope, I will be make some real screen prints and the excitement of that is what is getting me up every morning. I can't wait to take this to the next level, and eventually even - gasp!- use multiple colors!

I will be adding the print above to my etsy shop in the next week - leave a comment below if you would like me to personally notify you when that happens. There will literally only be about 4 - 5 available.

Off to the gym for me - the gloomy weather today is making me want to crawl under a blanket and shut off, so I am counteracting that in the best way I know - endorphins.

want

2010-05-16T11:33:00.000-05:00

This iRetrophone is so great! I miss the comfortable old phones and the curly cord that was constantly tested by me stretching into the other room, away from sisterly ears. I love my iPhone, but it's really not at all ergonomic. Then again, I don't like talking on the phone anyway so I guess this is maybe not practical. OR maybe I would be more of a talker if I had this. Hmm.

back to work

2010-05-14T07:44:00.000-05:00

Back to work this week, after a nice break. It's kind of challenging to sit at a desk for set hours each day after knowing the glory that is doing whatever I want all day. It's also a nice change of pace to know exactly what must be done rather than move from thing to thing each hour. My studio is like a playground in that sense - I want to play with everything and sometimes that means not getting very far on one thing. BUT, this new gig means working about 3 days, and having the rest of the time to do my own work, and that is just perfect for me.

YARD

Man, our yard needs a TON of work. Do you want to come over and tear out the whole front yard for me and make it pretty? Me, either. This weekend looks like it will be nice though, so no excuse to not get some serious weeding done. Luckily, in between the weeds, beautiful things like alium pop up and remind me why we even have a yard. Inspiration.

SOLD OUT

My Fall Bouquet print has now completely sold through! I love when this happens.

I have at least two new prints coming in the next couple of weeks - I can't wait to post them!

Time to let the dog take me for a walk. Have a great weekend!

love hurts

2010-05-10T14:02:00.001-05:00

This photograph by Sharon Montrose is so wonderful. I know it would hurt, but I really want to snuggle that little guy right up.

shipped

2010-05-06T09:43:00.000-05:00

Some fun samples of paper cut patterns sent to a potential client yesterday. Can you imagine these as giant wall coverings?

transitional

2010-05-05T08:29:00.000-05:00

...and I'm back.

I know I have been pretty quiet lately, but I hope to be back a lot more often this summer with new work. I am still learning my new camera, and finding that I am in need of LOTS of practice.

I was going to write a longer post today, but I am too excited to get to work. high-five!

perpetual calendar

2010-05-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

Hooray! The perpetual calendar is now available in my shop.