New year - what's the word?

A friend of mine started a tradition a few years ago that I've completely co-opted. Instead of coming up with a list of new year's resolutions pick one word that will help define the experiences you want for the year. I love this idea as opposed to a list of resolutions I probably won't keep. A single word to push me to focus on what I think is important for the year.

I don't remember every word I've picked over the last few years, but do remember "Bold" and "Create". I think I used something akin to "Do" a few years ago as well.

For 2010?

I've chosen "Learn" as my guiding word. I'm excited about this and am already thinking about all of the things I want to focus on learning:

• I'm going to be a new mom. Being a parent is going to be a daily exercise in learning new skills and patience.


• I want to enhance my design skills on the web side. The basics? No problem. But I want to learn to do thing so I don't feel held back when designing for the web.


• I want to expand my knowledge of papercraft - always!


• I want to read, read, read.


• I want to relearn drawing by hand, so I don't feel so bogged down when I want to produce a sketch.


• I want to learn more on the technical side of renewable energy to understand available technologies better.

But, it's all about learning.

What's your word for 2010?

The winter queen would like white ferns

I've posted a new set of cards over in my Etsy shop. I really enjoyed creating this illustration of a fern frond. The fern image comes from a fern in my backyard and I love the detailed edges combined with the flat off-white color.

And, as I've said before in this blog, I do think packaging is an important part of the whole. In keeping with the light, neutral tones of these cards, I wanted to do something simple for the packaging, so created a pocket. I added just a bit o' shiny in the tie used to close the package.

It's amazing what color and a perspective shift can do

I posted a new set of cards over in my Etsy shop. Called “Wave hello”, I think it's amazing what putting a very similar cut pattern on a different color and lying it horizontal instead of vertical does to the image. Suddenly what looked like a creature from the deep now looks like the deep (water that is).

Dragonfly fire challenge

I've been working feverishly on a couple of projects this last week and have not had time to post anything. But, happily, today after a few minor projects get done I'll be able to dig out my office and find out what color my desktop counter is.

Although I can't go into details as the project isn't done yet, a recent challenge presented itself - combine "fire" and "dragonfly" in interesting ways. Here is one illustration I came up with.

(The actual dragonfly is from Awardik, iStockphoto. The rest is me.)

Black and red all over - small boxes

I've just posted a third in my series of small boxes over in my Etsy store. This one was a lot of fun because I took a craft that to me feels very earthy and of the pioneer spirit - weaving and made a pretty gothic-feeling box. Again, it comes back to that idea of combining elements in unexpected ways.

I do love going back and forth between the darker, gothic, snarky side of my personality and the natural, earthy, save-the-environment side. Sometimes it feels like a boxing match, waiting to see who will win today.

Repeating patterns - small boxes

I've posted a new, small keepsake box over in my Etsy store.

I've been having a lot of fun creating smaller boxes, and using up the piles of my small pieces of matboard. The smaller boxes definitely take more concentration to get the smaller corners and bits to fit together correctly. But when they're done, I love coming up with lists of items that would fit in them.

This particular box uses a repeating pattern in different materials, which ties the many shades o' blue together.

Watch for more small boxes to show up over the next couple of weeks.

Political papercraft

Over on BoingBoing, Cory Doctorow (brilliant author - highly recommend his books) has posted an excellent use of papercraft in politics by the Chicago Tribune. I'm having one of those, "I wish I'd thought of that" moments.

From BoingBoing, "...the Chicago Tribune has created this Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) 'Pinocchio' pdf with real Nose Grows with Lies action!"

Original post is here.

One of us

I've never been much of a joiner, but late last week I joined an Etsy team - EtsyRAIN. EtsyRAIN members are joined by location, not by product. Located in the Puget Sound area / greater Seattle area, there are well over 600 members - all selling on Etsy and all in the Seattle area. Wow!

If you're in the Seattle area and want to buy local, add "team etsyrain" to your search criteria when puttering around on Etsy. And watch for EtsyRAIN members at your local arts and crafts fairs.

EtsyRAIN blog

Plait present pockets

Who doesn't love alliteration? I've posted a new product over in my Etsy store just in time for all that grad and dad gift-giving. Upcycled and recyclable, these completely unique envelopes are perfect for small gifts. I'm thinking of posting instructions for them. Of course, I need to write the instructions first. If you're interested in instructions, email me at info [at] corbaecreative.com.

Link to store listing - plait present pockets

Packaging as part of the whole

I've been really enjoying Jackie Hernandez' posts on handmade and creative packaging over at Crafting a Green World. I'm definitely a strong believer in packaging and think it can make or break a product, and the items she's posted are absolutely beautiful. They have my head spinning with new ideas.

I am surprised at something she said though. In her post on Thursday, she said, "You do not need extravagant overdone packaging that will probably be thrown away by the recipient. Instead keep it simple, keep it easy to open, and keep it handmade." When reading that, I kept coming back to the question: why make something that will be thrown away by the recipient? If at all possible, shouldn't the packaging be something that can be reused in some way? I know it's not always possible, but when it is, it sure seems like the more ecologically-friendly option.

Two examples of this in practice come to mind. I visited Japan for the first time a few years ago. That's a country that knows how to create beautiful packaging. I still have some of the "ordinary" papers a few books I purchased were wrapped in, and have used other papers in projects since then. They were too beautiful to just recycle. Even simple wrapping was a work of art. Although I was leaning in that direction anyway, that trip really did firm up my belief that the packaging can be as important as the inside.

Secondly, I was thinking of shopping bags. Although the majority of my purchases go in cloth bags these days, I do still occasionally get store bags. Cheap plastic bags go directly into the recycling, but sturdy, well-made paper (and sometimes plastic) bags with cloth or string handles go in the drawer to be used later. And we do use them until they fall apart. What better branding for a company than to have their logo seen again and again because they've made a bag that can be reused?

Ultimately, for me, it comes down to lifecycle being as important as origin.

I began creating keepsake boxes as part of my card sets as a long-term packaging solution. The box can be reused long after the cards are gone.

No need for pastels

After a few days away and an evening spent in the company of a great group of friends – many of whom have been having babies lately – it's gotten me thinking about baby gifts. I love browsing through Etsy or contemplating gifts I can give that are handmade instead of hitting up the nearest Babies-R-Us. One of my favorite gifts to give is a blanket and hat combo I've knitted myself. I'm not an expert knitter by any stretch of the imagination, but simple patterns in long rows is great.

Aside from enjoying the knitting, I really like the fact that I can choose non-pastel colors. Honestly, there is enough baby blue and pink stuff out there. I'll stick to the colors I like and know new baby's parents will like. I'm pretty sure that baby newborn doesn't care yet, although I'm sure neurologists/psychiatrists will tell me different. I've knitted a navy blue blanket for my brother and his wife's first little one and a dark sage-green and ivory blanket for some good friends, but I think my favorite is this deep purple blanket. Knit all in one piece using circular needles, I love the rich, dark color and the reversable pattern. There is no right side. I may keep this one "just in case".

Patterns within patterns within patterns

As I noted in an earlier post, I've been working on some projects using the patterns found in security envelopes. After a couple of false starts, I finished up the first set of cards yesterday. Cut freehand with an exacto knife, I'm pretty happy with the outcome – pairing two patterns together.

Shown: 4" x 6" blank, folded card and 2.5" x 4" blank, folded gift tag

Scraps take on a new life as bookmarks

I love paper – shiny, handmade, banana, hemp, linen, wood – paper of all kinds. But, I often find the me-that-loves-paper at odds with the me-that-wants-a-sustainable-lifestyle. I have a hard time reconciling the two sides, especially when I walk into de Medici Ming or even Paper Zone and begin drooling over all the pretties. I end up keeping a lot of scraps. After all, they'll be useful for something, right?

So, I end up drowning in boxes of scrap paper. I've made it a mission to plow through the pieces and use them in projects this year. I've detailed one attempt below as a stack-o-scratch paper.

My new project had been bookmark sets. Who doesn't love using a real bookmark to mark their place in a book instead of that envelope or newspaper corner? I love these sets because the bookmarks aren't so “precious” that one doesn't want to use them for fear of damaging them, but still pretty enough to have fun choosing the right bookmark for the book.

I've sold a few sets, and there is still one available in my store.

Using patterns in different ways

I just posted a new box over in my store. I've found that I love to take a pattern or item and use it in a different way than expected. In this instance, I used the same "net" pattern one would use to make a dreamcatcher and turned it into a more lacy pattern on the top of this box.

I'd love to hear about and/or see examples from others who have repurposed well-known patterns/items and used them in different ways.

Pocket sketchbooks with some style

My dad is an amazing artist. He does do a decent amount of his work away from his studio, so I thought he'd be a perfect test case for some mini books I'd been wanting to make for a while. I did feel a little guilty combining a test case with a Christmas gift - a little.

I love the concept of the thinner Moleskine notebooks intended to carry in a pocket so you always have a notebook with you. But I've always thought they had "issues" as well. For one, the thinner notebooks also have soft covers - not so great to write/draw in if you don't have a desk or bartop underneath. And, the thin notebooks come in "kraft".

I wanted to make a set of notebooks small and thin enough to carry in a pocket, with a bit more personality than "kraft", with a hardcover, and lies flat so the small pages aren't more of a nuisance than they're worth.

I came up with these. 5.5" x 3.5", with 28 pages each, my dad says they do what I'd intended. I think I'm going to make another set to sell over in my Etsy shop.

Hidden beauty in security envelopes

Lately, I've been collecting security envelopes as they arrive in the mail. Although not a new idea to re-use security envelopes, there are a few projects that will incorporate the inside patterns.

It's been fascinating to me to collect and actually pay attention to these patterns. They are as varied as they are beautiful. It's a good reminder about how much of our world is purposefully designed and we never notice. So, here's a shout out to all of those designers and illustrators who have made something beautiful out of something so mundane as a security envelope.

Above are some of my favorite designs so far. Click on the photo to see a larger image.

No more Jordan almonds – creative wedding favors

Over at Etsy, Vanessa has posted a new article in their “Handmade Wedding” series on wedding favors. She’s shown some amazing Etsy finds as favors, all of them way better than those jordan almonds that no-one seems to actually like.

It reminded me of the wedding favors we handed out at our wedding. We still get compliments on them almost ten years later.

We had many people at our wedding who had never met before and decided to do something that would work as an ice breaker. Each guest received a small box with a plate of steel inside it (approximately 2” x 3”) and a custom bit of magnetic poetry attached. We purchased several boxes of magnetic poetry and had a lot of fun spending several hours making up one-liners for each gift.

At the wedding, guests who didn’t know each other had a great way to break the ice, asking each other to read their poetry and exchanging words to make new lines. It was a lot of fun. And each guest took a completely personalized gift home with them.

Making scratch paper

Despite my best efforts, as a graphic designer, I print – a lot. If the papers I print don't have proprietary information, then I add it to my “stack” of paper to be used as a “blotter” when I'm glueing items. Great for a gluestick/PVA junkie like me. But lately my stack is getting a bit tall, so I've been looking for alternative uses.

I came up with a stack of scratch paper for notes, figures, lists, etc. Cutting a standard letter-size piece of paper into quarters gives a good size for scratch paper. But, I really didn't like just having a stack o' paper sitting on my desk, so I made a container. It's made of mat board and covered with a burgandy red paper and lined with black. I then made a collage of words cut out of magazines to cover the back panel, which will slowly reveal themselves as I use the stack of paper.

Dryer balls actually work

I'll be honest, making and using wool dryer balls was more of an experiment than something I thought would work to get rid of static cling, but they do. Creating these felted wool dryer balls to use in lieu of dryer sheets or fabric softener was really easy. I just keep the basket on top of my dryer and toss one in with each load of laundry going into the dryer.

And I've made a couple of sets for gifts; inexpensive, and they look great in a small basket or crate.

Thanks to How to Make Do for the instructions.