Here comes the sun
February 13, 2008
Historically, winter is the hardest time of year for me. I find that gray skies and not much sun don't treat me very well. So when Sarah announced her gocco swap's theme as mid-winter, I grumbled. Out loud. I really wanted to do the swap, but mid-winter? Ugh.
I thought long and hard about what I wanted to print. Fatty came up with all kinds of good ideas, but either they were entirely impractical (I cannot draw a groundhog, for instance) or they weren't very "me" (whatever that is). I was looking back at some photos on Flickr and this one caught my attention. It was snowy and gray and the sun was trying to peek through. That gave me an idea.
I took a plain white doily and placed it on a black background and scanned it. I then inverted the black and white, cropped it some and made my master. I mixed a bit of brown ink into the yellow to get a match to the curry colored envelopes from the Paper Source. I printed it on gray folded notes (also from Paper Source) and voila - my version of mid-winter.
Funnily enough, after I mailed them on Monday, it started snowing. Yesterday was snowy and gray. Today is snowy again, but the sun has come out a few times, too. Tomorrow's forecast is for sunny skies. Mid-winter indeed.
Thanks for hosting a great swap, Sarah. I promise not to grumble if you do it again.
Those are perfect! I wish I had been in your group :) Great job.
Posted by: Mariss | February 13, 2008 at 02:28 PM
these are stunning. and i'm seriously biting my tongue over here so that i don't say anything about my project. but when you get mine, i think you'll laugh.
Posted by: emily | February 13, 2008 at 02:33 PM
Erin, that is just gorgeous. I can't wait!
Posted by: Sarah Jackson | February 13, 2008 at 02:38 PM
Beautiful color, great graphic; I hope the sun is really coming!
Posted by: Stephanie | February 13, 2008 at 02:48 PM
so so pretty...
Posted by: Tracy | February 13, 2008 at 02:49 PM
Wow. That is mid-winter hope. Sunshiny snowflakes or whatever. Very you and very very cool.
Posted by: miss chris | February 13, 2008 at 02:51 PM
Oh my gosh... those are awesome. I wish I knew how to print like this so I could join in.
Posted by: Amy | February 13, 2008 at 03:01 PM
absolutely beautiful creations erin!
a regular doily did that? so cool.
thanks for sharing the creative process on this one.
they just turned out so great!!!!
(and weirdly enough we had the circle punch and brown paper out last night for tag making too) :)
Posted by: kristin | February 13, 2008 at 03:01 PM
These are so beautiful! Perfect for the mid-winter gray day feeling.
Posted by: Karen | February 13, 2008 at 03:06 PM
so beautiful! one of these days i'm going to have to get in on this gocco thing...
Posted by: julia | February 13, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Ok, between you and http://glittergoods.typepad.com/glittergoods/ and Meg at Swallowfield, I caved under the pressure (!) and just spent $300 on a gocco kit. Arrgh! But I've been wanting one forever; handmade cards are just so special. I can not wait to get started!! Thanks for the nudge! :)
Posted by: kate | February 13, 2008 at 03:32 PM
those are cool! I would love to get that in the mail- spring in a parcel- perfect.
Posted by: amy | February 13, 2008 at 03:32 PM
I love your idea! Although the entire time I was reading your post, I heard, "do-do-do-do" in my head.
Posted by: Tonya | February 13, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Oh Erin, those are so nice!
Posted by: beki | February 13, 2008 at 03:54 PM
Exquisite! I wish I had gotten a gocco in time to participate in this swap so that I could have gotten one of yours! They're brilliant!
Posted by: Grace | February 13, 2008 at 04:14 PM
congrats on such a beautiful design and package! Lucky are those who are in your group :)
Posted by: kat | February 13, 2008 at 04:29 PM
erin, these are fantastic. absolutely fantastic.
yay for the return of the sun, the gocco goodness you're shining upon us, and for your participation in the swap! another will be in the works, for certain!!
Posted by: cloth.paper.string | February 13, 2008 at 04:52 PM
your design is wonderful and your style is just fabulous. as always. (it is so "you".)
Posted by: amandajean | February 13, 2008 at 04:52 PM
oh i think they look truly lovely!
Also wanted to let you know I'm having a contest over on my blog. Pop on in if you get a chance :)
Posted by: Kristin | February 13, 2008 at 04:56 PM
brilliant! all i can think is, do i have a doily somewhere?
Posted by: Dana | February 13, 2008 at 05:01 PM
ohhhh Erin what beautiful art you have made.
luv Abby
Posted by: Abb | February 13, 2008 at 05:09 PM
The motif is wonderful. I like the color and the way it's offset to the side. And those tags - very simple, very clever.
Posted by: Ellen | February 13, 2008 at 05:11 PM
those are just lovely!
Posted by: Heather W | February 13, 2008 at 05:24 PM
I love them. You have made doilies look hip! x
Posted by: Florence | February 13, 2008 at 05:26 PM
Love it.
Posted by: Mama Urchin | February 13, 2008 at 06:10 PM
very pretty!
Posted by: meg | February 13, 2008 at 06:11 PM
If only the sun was that pretty! Makes me want a gocco.
Posted by: molly | February 13, 2008 at 06:14 PM
I was just writing last week about how my chief source of inspiration lately has been the gray skies -- they've driven me to buy, sew, and seek out COLOR everywhere I go.
Love your notecards.
Posted by: Julie @ Letter9 | February 13, 2008 at 06:40 PM
...Beautiful and sunshiney too! :o)
...Blessings...
Posted by: tj | February 13, 2008 at 06:40 PM
Love this! Just another reason I MUST get a Gocco!
Posted by: Stefanie | February 13, 2008 at 07:02 PM
They are absolutely beautiful!!
Posted by: Louise | February 13, 2008 at 07:04 PM
oh, erin. your cards are lovely. you did a great job. outstanding. i have to make my swap items today. today. i am a bit behind. as usual.
Posted by: leslie | February 13, 2008 at 07:54 PM
stunning Erin!!
Posted by: Courtney | February 13, 2008 at 08:58 PM
Genius!
Posted by: Anina | February 13, 2008 at 09:27 PM
lovely job, I particularly like the ink color. that swap looked sooo tempting, I'm hoping another one comes around when I'm not so swamped!
Posted by: daria | February 13, 2008 at 09:48 PM
genius! i LOVE love LOVE them.
Posted by: kirsten | February 13, 2008 at 09:54 PM
damn, i NEED a gocco!!!!!!!
those are soooooo beautiful, erin!
and so perfect!!!
Posted by: leslie | February 13, 2008 at 09:55 PM
this is enough to make me want to buy a gocco. SO good, erin. SO good.
Posted by: Alicia A. | February 13, 2008 at 10:49 PM
I love it!
Posted by: tamara | February 13, 2008 at 11:41 PM
what a cool idea to use a doiley! i wish i was on your list. too bad. i wish we had a paper source close by.
Posted by: natalie | February 14, 2008 at 12:13 AM
How beautiful! Just the thing to add a little cheer in the mail, mid-winter.
Posted by: emily | February 14, 2008 at 02:12 AM
These are stunning! I must get me a gocco!
Posted by: Kristin | February 14, 2008 at 03:29 AM
Erin, these are just beautiful. I love the mustardy colour - so cheerful. All this gocco inspiration is wonderful. What a lucky recipient to get your parcel.
Posted by: Kristine | February 14, 2008 at 04:55 AM
They are so lovely, and so cheering for overcast mid-winter days. it would be lovely to receive one of those in the post. (And yes, it makes me want a gocco too...)
Posted by: Joanne | February 14, 2008 at 05:50 AM
They look lovely, fantastic job. I know what you mean about midwinter, cna't seem to get going with anything.
Posted by: Claire | February 14, 2008 at 05:53 AM
These are absolutely wonderful. Great interpretation.
Posted by: Teresa | February 14, 2008 at 07:01 AM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Sandy | February 14, 2008 at 08:20 AM
Oh, Erin, these are AWESOME. I love the interpretation, the design, the execution, the color, everything. And those curry envelopes are my favorites from the paper source lately. That color is so inspiring to me right now. Awesome job, dear, awesome.
Posted by: Tracy | February 14, 2008 at 09:37 AM
They are beautiful. I love the curry color.
Posted by: Sherah | February 14, 2008 at 09:44 AM
they are so awesome, I think I need a Gocco though I didn't know what one was till I saw this post. LOL! Very talented ...
Posted by: Jenny | February 14, 2008 at 09:48 AM