Carly Bodnar Studio

Portland State Recent Grad Show

2009-11-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

A painting of mine was chosen by guest curator James Yood for this upcoming show of alumni work in PSU's Autzen Gallery. The show opens this Thursday, with an opening reception on Saturday from 6 to 9 pm. Yood also is giving a lecture on Monday the 16th in Shattuck Hall (Rm 198) at 7:30 as part of the Monday Night Lecture Series.

Judging by his curator's statement, Yood seems pretty cool. Straightforward about art rather than pretentious and uber-conceptual (my perception of what many artists bound up in the academic world seem to be -- I likely just need to meet more people in that category). I'm going to try to make it to the lecture and see if that impression pans out.

Monthly Goals: November

2009-11-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

Here goes an attempt at sticking with it and staying focused, prompted by the Monthly Goal Meetup on the Modish Biz Tips blog.

Print winter holiday cards. Photograph them. Get them listed on Etsy. Send out email announcing their existence (by November 10th!).

Finish up shipments to Bluebottle, Wholly Craft, etc. and get them out the door by the 15th.

Finish printing 2010 Valentines cards and photograph them. If they don't make it into my shipments, that's okay, although it would be awesome if they did.

Blog at least once a week (not counting monthly goals post).

Spend more quality time, less time total, on the computer/internet.

Figure out what I'm doing with painting versus paper goods. Launching a separate wedding invitation shop/webpage/company? Integrating it more into my overall studio umbrella and focusing more on painting as my 'main' thing?

Finish HSC commissioned painting.

List recent drawings and works on paper on Etsy.

Well, it's pretty clear that I'm the type to start many things and never finish them. Nothing on that list involves starting anything, except maybe the first one, which will begin tomorrow.

Fall has... Fell. Felled? Fallen?

2009-10-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

I recently printed up a small run of birthday invitations for a friend's daughter -- my first custom design for a child. Expectedly, it's quite different doing a youth design compared to doing a wedding, but what surprised me more was how different it was to do a design for a specific kid, rather than just for "kids." Normally I think of kid-oriented design to be too saccharine, too bright, or overly Swedish-inspired for my taste (I get my fill of swedishness working for the big blue-and-yellow box) but this design came out a little edgy, I think. Or maybe a little 80s. I couldn't help but fall back into memories of Paula Abdul songs and that unforgettable skate rink smell (ancient chewing gum ground into little black spots on the carpet + icee machines + preteen hormones) at the mention of a roller skating party.

Excisum Meus Fratres, Puer Sola Ego Sum,
currently in Family show at Launch Pad Gallery,
is also available on Etsy

In other news, I have a new silkscreen print in the Family show at Launch Pad. Like much of my work, it came about spontaneously and left me to figure out what it was about on my own. I'm still not sure I have a good answer for that, but in order to title it I interpreted it in relation to the Family show. In Latin. It's called Excisum Meus Fratres, Puer Sola Ego Sum, meaning (I think), "My Siblings Having Been Lost, I Am An Only Child," which makes reference to the fallopian pregnancies that preceded and followed my birth, rendering me, irreversibly, an only child.

And last but not least, I've had two pieces accepted into a recent graduate show at Portland State. More details to come...

Size does matter.

2009-09-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get annoyed at things labeled 'handmade' that really aren't. Computer printed cards and "limited edition prints" are my personal pet peaves. But it seems that for many mediums, there's simply a lack of understanding. How can you really grasp difference between a screenprinted card, a letterpressed card, and a digitally printed card, or a handbound book versus a commercially bound one, if you don't even have a vague understanding of the mechanical processes involved?

So it was really refreshing to see some shots from the Ink & Spindle studio showing their printing process. (Their site has a few images; their flickr has many more)
Fantastic work, a studio to die for, and ethical working methods. I think I'm in love.

Studio Office Remodel, Part 1

2009-09-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks I've been gearing up for a wholesale mailing blitz for my 2010 Valentines. (I know it seems early -- and for the real world, it is -- but give it a couple more weeks and you'll start seeing Christmas merchandise. The drop date keeps inching its way earlier and earlier. Pretty soon 'Christmas in July' will just link up with Christmas in December without any break in between. My point is: in the world of seasonal retail, September is not too soon to start thinking about Valentines Day.) Deciding on this year's colors, laying out my order sheet, running copies, printing color and design samples, and so forth.

I ran into a snag when my color printer ran out of ink. I was pretty sure I ordered 2 cartridges last time I ordered, so I thought, I must have a spare sitting around here somewhere. After it failed to turn up in all the predictable spots, I figured maybe it was time to clean my desk. There was a good chance it was buried in the 6 inches of stacked/falling/piles of paper.

My studio office. Note how the wall of the window well blocks off any light that might make its way into the office area.

A few hours later: a mostly clean desk but no ink cartridge. My desire for said ink cartridge (which it turns out I never ordered -- the second cartridge was the black one) morphed into a desire for a better office in general. I had been really craving some natural sunlight in my workspace, since I spend an awful lot of time sitting in front of the computer during gorgeous days.

I had been toying with the idea of a remodel for a while, sketching out ideas to make use of the strange, angular space my desk was in.

Daylight!

So the next morning I started ripping things apart. Meanwhile, of course, I was still in the middle of getting materials ready to mail. This was not going to be a quick remodel (quick remodels require detailed plans -- I barely had plans at all) and I have a hard enough time shutting my computer down at night. Besides, we had just gone to Everyday Music, and I had a stack of new (used) cds, and I can't work without music anyway. So I just stacked everything to the side.

Unplugging is for losers.

That was all a couple days ago now. Now I'm in the thick of the hard part. It's not easy to frame out anything when you can't attach anything to the walls (concrete). I can secure things to the exposed beams, or the staircase (although I'm not sure I would really call that 'secure') but everything else has to function on tension and gravity. Oh, and nothing's level. That's been fun. But I am making progress.I dropped $100 on some solid wood countertop from Ikea to use as the desk and worktable portions, but that's the only part that has really cost anything. The rest is recycled or scavenged. Much of it from the original framing that was in the basement "bonus room" when we moved in. (It wasn't much of a bonus, unless you like fire traps.)

More to come. Wish me luck.

New: Imprintable Birth Announcements

2009-08-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

I was in Eugene last week, and because of the heat wave we ended up driving out to one of the forks of the Willamette River. I brought my camera along and took some shots of Queen Anne's Lace and other wild flora. I have been wanting to do a wedding suite featuring Queen Anne's Lace -- it's on the way, with matching Thank You cards -- but ended up with birth announcement cards, too!

Very classic and traditional, in pink and blue. I silkscreened them on my standard 100% recycled, eco-awesome, cream pinstripe textured paper, and on a whim tried them out in my laser printer. Turns out my favorite paper is printer friendly, so I can make imprintable cards! How cool is that?

Perhaps the best part is that the design lends itself to just about any color. Want something less stereotypical? Green? Purple? I can do them in any color you'd like. I can also do custom printing on the inside very affordably -- laser (b&w), inkjet (color), or screenprint (the possibilities are endless).

They're available right now on my Etsy, and I'll be at Craft In The Village on Friday, and Crafty Wonderland on Sunday. Come get some! And look forward to more imprintables from Carly Bodnar Studio...

Paper = Magic

2009-07-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

There's something magical that happens when I actually get to print a design I've been working on. No matter how detailed my color mock-up is, complete with a scan of the paper I'll be using, and just the right color to approximate the ink, it's always better on paper.

I've been doing test prints of some of the designs I've been working on for my August 1st official launch as a wedding invitation designer and printer, and they've been coming out great. Incredibly satisfying, the act of printing.

I don't know if that's just me, being an artist of tangible things. I like to get my hands dirty in my work; if it's someone else's, I like looking at an angle to see the shadows under each brush stroke, being able to visually feel their imprint on the piece. It's the reason no digital print, no matter how exact, precise and 'perfect', can ever compare to a hand-pulled print. It's that special something.

Structure...

2009-06-27T01:32:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling really good about where this is going...

And in other news, I'm (super-extra) happy to announce that Plan B is the first brick-and-mortar store in the Portland area! Go in and check out this gallery-slash-gift shop on 2415 N.E. Broadway, and say hi to Brad and his adorable itty bitty dog, Pearl.

Desert Wedding

2009-06-18T14:27:00.001-07:00

I finished putting together a set of wedding invitations late last week, and thought I would share. They turned out quite nice -- very simple, but that's exactly what they wanted.
Joel and Jessica came to me with the photo you see in the shot to the right. They were having what would probably be categorized as a destination wedding, but also a fairly small gathering of mostly family. They didn't want to go over the top on the invitations, like many destination weddings do. They just wanted one piece to announce the basic information, and were going to use the web for everything from RSVPs to directions.

I had paper in mind that I thought might be perfect -- Neenah's Peppered Bronze in a laid finish; the variegated color of the paper makes it look incredibly textured, but it doesn't present problems when it comes to screenprinting on it. Jessica liked it, and paired it with French Speckletone envelopes in 'Chocolate.' For ink we simply used the color of the opposite paper, and a clean script for the text.

The result is a compact little treasure, equally comfortable in a frame or on the fridge of its lucky recipients.

On a separate but related note, the rock garden is growing like crazy and blooming all over the place. It made for the perfect place to snap some shots of the new invitations.

Divide and Conquer...

2009-06-15T17:10:00.001-07:00

Gotta start somewhere...

2009-06-08T00:20:00.001-07:00

Mmmm... new. I don't regularly get to use Pthalo blue at all, much less as the base of a painting. But this painting isn't quite my regular thing, exactly.

In other news: after another cleaning session with A acting as facilitator and motivator, the studio is still not clean. The never-ending battle. Losing battle in his view, but I think it's actually much improved. Suffice it to say we have different standards.

Je Suis Arrivé

2009-06-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

My new site is up. Finally. Yay! Only about a month later than I had promised people. Tomorrow is the second Craft in the Village -- at last month's, I was telling people that the new site would be up in only a few days. This time I would like to be able to tell people that it IS up.

I only have one good excuse, and that is that it's incredibly difficult to do php coding when your only tool is trial-and-error and access to google. In that vein, slowly I will add a couple more contact and inquiry forms, but for now you'll have to be satisfied with my e-mail list subscription form.

Anyway, go browse around! You'll see I have a fine art section and a design section, so paintings, prints, cards, wedding invitations, and so forth are all available in the same place now. Plus, there's an event calendar, which is pretty full these days. Come out and say hey!

Plugging along...

2009-04-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

invitation open

I'm making measurable progress on my updated website. But since its ETA is still unknown and likely farther off than I'd like, I thought I'd share the photos of the wedding invitations I designed recently.

Krista's wedding was loosely butterfly-themed, with a palette of dark purple and ivory. From there, she let me fly free on the design. In my paper-shopping adventures, I found this gorgeous feltweave textured eggplant paper, perfect for this project. This was used for the main invitation, printed in custom-mixed lighter purple and white gold inks.

invitation closed

rsvp postcard

Then, for the RSVP postcard, map, and envelope, we chose from the vast array of iridescent cream/ivory/off-white papers available, printed with the same custom mixed purple.

Her wedding was also going to be a small, intimate gathering, and the invitations reflected this. The physical dimensions of the assembled package was kept small, and the invitation itself involved folding and a self-closure element, making it an unusual size. Part of the joy of wedding invitations is in the recipients' experience of opening them: Krista's tiny shimmering envelopes would announce themselves as little mail-borne treasures, and reveal layers of interactive discovery.

That was the idea, at least. To make something awesome and beautiful without going all-out on the budget end of things. The small size of things, in addition to being intimate, kept material and postage costs very reasonable. And judging by the positive response Krista's been receiving (even from male coworkers!) I think it's safe to say that they turned out pretty nice.

Yes, I am a carpenter's daughter.

2009-04-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

"Hemlock 82" print by Bryan Nash Gill, at Ashes & Milk

These are absolutely beautiful. I'm not the art-buying type, but every so often there is something that I would love to share my space with on a regular basis, and this, I believe, is one of them.

Also, as a lover of things handmade with care, such as good woodworking, I have to appreciate his technique. These are wood block prints in the utmost sense.

Spring Has Sprung

2009-04-07T00:10:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I didn't get new Etsy listings up, as I had promised. It was so gorgeous today that we ended up planting the garden and getting ever-so-slightly sunburnt instead.

A. has had the last few days off work, and he's been putting in the heavy labor of getting all the new dirt in and fertilized, so it was all ready for me to plan things out and put all the seeds in. We're hopeful that this year will go better than last. It couldn't go much worse; last year we got a total of maybe 5 tomatoes, 2 tiny ears of corn and 2 tiny spaghetti squashes, none of which matured enough to eat, and a small batch of deformed carrots. We did get a decent crop of Holy Mole peppers, which I harvested and then left briefly unatended on the front step, and by the time I got back Phaedra had chewed up each one. We blamed the dirt that was in the beds when we got the house, replete with bits of plastic, huge bent and rusted nails, chunks of glass, and all sorts of other treasures.

This year we've reworked our attack, with 6 sacks of organic compost, some organic fertilizer, and now that the roses have all been taken out, A. has given in to using the front bed for all of our full-sun crops. The front is going to have tomatoes, peppers, a smattering of herbs (fingers crossed for my Thai basil which I couldn't even coax into sprouting last year), spaghetti squash and zucchinis, a dense stand of corn, all intermingled with onions because they're supposed to keep away pests. We also moved the pathetic Rhodedendron bush so that it might have a chance at thriving and not being all lop-sided, and I planted climbing sweet peas (decorative flowers, not an edible crop, as I had to explain to A.) along the front fenceline since we're not going to get around to replacing the chain link with a real fence this year. The back is an extensive salad garden. Most of our salad greens fared okay last year, but this year we've actually given thought to full sun versus part shade. Oregon sweet pod peas, arugula, leeks, kale, butter and romaine lettuce, and lots of spinach.

Additionally, it looks like everything in the rock garden (save for one decorative grass that's on a sad state) along the front of the porch has survived the frost and snow of the freakish winter. A few of the sedums are just going nuts, and the remaining tulips (that Phaedra didn't dig up and eat last year) have poked up through the lava rock and are getting ready to bloom. I threw some poppy seeds around for good measure.

Things are happy at our little home.

Crafty Wonderland, Here I Come...

2009-04-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

I've been gearing up all week for my first real foray into the world of the Craft Fair. I've had this week off from my "day" job, which was very nice, and I did my best to not stress out too much. As far as prepping for the actual show/sale, I succeeded, but other shit happened anyway. Like having my week book-ending by my car being in the shop. I had to get it towed in on Monday because the driver side axle gave out (it actually failed while making the first turn on the way to the shop), and then had the privilege of taking it back in on Friday when the passenger side axle started to go. But they gave me a cushy loaner, which really is nicer and newer than my own car, so I can't complain too much.

But back to Crafty Wonderland: I'm fairly well prepared. Better prepared than I was for my Seven Virtues show. It's a strange feeling, being prepared... I printed a bunch of brand new cards which will be debuting tomorrow, including my full Concentric line and a mother's day-inspired card. I also had to put together a little table set up. It's pretty cute for a first go at it. I'm excited.

So, you should drop by and say "Hi," unless you're physically out of town, hospitalized, or one of the half-dozen people who still have a job. If you can't make it, I'll list all my new cards on my Etsy Sunday evening/Monday morning. But the April Crafty Wonderland sounds like it's going to be full of awesomeness. In addition to the vendors, it's also Crafty Wonderland's 3rd birthday, and Faythe Levine of [book-turned-film] Handmade Nation is going to be there 12-2pm to talk about the film's Portland premiere. PLUS, there's giveaway stuff and donuts for the first people there. (If I don't eat them all before the doors open.)

So be there!!!

What: Crafty Wonderland's 3rd Birthday

Where: The Doug Fir Lounge @ 830 East Burnside, PDX (if you've never been before, it's around the side and downstairs, look for the sandwich board)

When: Sunday, April 5th, 11am to 4pm

How Much: 44 vendors! Free admission!

Then, you'll be able to find me at a new art walk/craft sale/street fest starting up in Vancouver, WA, called "Craft In The Village." It's being organized by Chris Stevens, who has years of experience as a vendor at these sorts of events, and is now growing his own from the grassroots level. The first one is on Friday, May 1st, 4-8 pm, and they're slated to run through September. More info as it approaches.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-03-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of my birthday (which was yesterday) I printed up birthday cards! The design is a drawing I made a little while back, but finally got around to printing, and the printing itself was actually quite fun. I mixed the ink live while printing, so they're all a little different, and sometimes there are neat streaks of color.

I also had breakfast this morning with my friend-turned-consultant Tiffany. She's talented, and super-inspiring, and just gets my gears turning. It was really great. A nice pick-me-up on a rainy day. I feel freshly motivated.

Then I talked to my dad, and did my best to pay that motivation forward. He owns his own business as a housepainter/carpenter, and with the housing market (and the economy in general) in the tank, he's having a hard time making ends meet. We talked a little bit about a few jobs he's been working on, mostly custom woodworking of the problem-solving sort... Long story short, I'm going to whip him up a little portfolio website to showcase his custom woodwork because that's where his real talent - and passion - is. Plus, lots of guys can paint a wall, but not everybody can make great architectural details and furniture.

We also talked about how the down economy presents us small business owners with an opportunity (however forced it may be) to really look at our operations, specifically our weak spots, and see how we can improve. The work is slow, so at least there's time to disect all the little bits... and hopefully we'll all come out the other side having survived and improved because of it. But it takes commitment and determination - and a willingness to really examine and admit your own weaknesses - to do it.

Love Show article in the Tribune

2009-02-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Hey, so the Love show got an article in the Portland Tribune: read it!

You're going to be there, right? Remember to bring a can of food, to share the love with those less fortunate (which includes more and more of us these days).

February: short but busy

2009-02-03T01:08:00.000-08:00

It amuses me that I've taken on so many shows in a month that is so short. At least I'm keeping busy! So here's the gauntlet of show cards and info (in chronological order, for your convenience):

First to open is the Robot Love show at the newest and itty-bittiest gallery in NoPo, Good. It's a group show in which I have a painting. Look for my standard fleshiness with a touch of disturbing technology, and, um, arachnid-ness. (That's just how it came out.) I'm excited to see the range of artists that the gallery and its owner, who's very cool and talented, btw, have attracted.

The gallery is located at 4325 N. Mississippi Ave. The show opens on the 6th -- that's this Friday -- with the reception running from about 7 to 10. (If you want to run into me, hang around till the end. I'll be swinging by after I get off work at 9.) If you miss the opening, normal gallery hours are Thursday 4-7 pm and Saturday noon-4pm.

Next up is the 4th Annual Love Show. It's still put together by the Launch Pad, but this year it's in conjunction with Chris Haberman/Portland City Art, and it's gonna be huge. So huge, in fact, that it's not going to be held at the Olympic Mills Building, just a few blocks away. See if you can find my piece among the work of 200+ artists. I'll give you a hint, it's a screen print.

The Olympic Mills Building is located at 107 SE Washington. (Careful: Google maps seems confused about which street is Washington.) The opening is the 13th, that's next Friday, from 7pm to midnight. Plus, it's doubling as a charity event: bring some canned goods or buy a piece of art and help out the Food Bank and Buckman Elementary.
Normal hours for the show are tentatively Monday through Friday, 8am to 6pm, and "some" Saturday hours. See the show's website, www.launchpadgallery.org/loveshow4, for specifics.

And last but not least, my very own solo show at Seven Virtues. I'm calling it "Wet Paint" because it's all new work. So new that it's not even done yet! (No, really...) Paintings small and large and a handful of limited edition screen prints guarantee a variety of price points.

Physical show cards are in the mail -- but only if I have your address! If you want one, email me your mailing address and I'll send one on its way.

Seven Virtues is located at 5936 NE Glisan, right on the corner. The show will be up by Monday the 16th, but the reception will be on the 19th (that's a Thursday) from 6-8ish in the evening. Come have some coffee and chat with me!

The Web Is A Wonderful Thing

2009-01-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

Looking around for retailers to approach, I found the ReForm School. Awesomeness. Seriously.

A few favorites:

"Grow" Tee by Ryan Jacob Smith
(a portland artist)

"San Shui Nocturne 2" by Yu I Chan
(gocco print)

"Every Card You Need This Year"
(this is just a great idea)

Lorena Barrezueta Gourmet Collection
(porcelain)

Now go out and buy something. Help out the economy by supporting your local (or not so local) artist(s).

Trade Shows and Time Flying

2009-01-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

I've been getting flack for not updating (you, M) but I've been busy. Isn't that always how it goes, though? From now on, assume that my absence either means that I'm on a glorious vacation far from computers (unlikely) or just busy.

So, a run-down of events from the last couple of weeks, and other things I've been meaning to post...

I have a new valentines card, "Cardiac Brocade." It's pretty. You want one and you know it. Pick one up at carlybodnar.etsy.com.

I went to the Gift & Accessories show two weekends ago, and it was quite enjoyable. It's not open to the public -- only buyers -- but I got in as a prospective exhibitor. Yay for dressing professional and bringing my business cards and samples. Chatted it up with the owner (I think) of the company that does the west coast gift shows about my thoughts on retail vs wholesale for my line. Felt competent. I also met the other card makers that were there, and chatted for quite a while with Kristin of Sydney Designs. She does these great cards using vintage wallpaper. And necklace pendants. Check her out.

I'm also working on wedding invites for a friend of mine. It's been fun to experiment with different paper layouts and folding options. And of course browsing for the right paper is always great. We just decided on the final paper choices, and they're going to be beautiful

I went to the Portland Bridal Show this past weekend -- again, for professional reasons (the opportunity to gawk at beautiful things didn't hurt, though) and got some great card ideas for the future. One company featured a line that was all done with screenprint, which was nice to see, too. I don't think I'll ever be an exhibitor at a bridal show, though. Way huge and hectic. I'll suffice with word of mouth. Which apparently works just fine, because I may already have another wedding lining itself up.

This just in: I just made my first Etsy sale. Yay!

Cross-Pollination

2008-12-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

The knottiness of the screen project has worked its way into my newest painting. I love it when that happens. If it weren't for cross-pollination, I'd be useless. It's something I've relied on ever since I started painting this way.

This is the painting from the dream I referred to a few posts ago. It's going well, but it's daunting just for the sheer amount of paint it requires. (I'm not really letting myself worry about transporting it yet. It won't fit in my car. But that's a bridge to cross when I get there. First I have to finish the actual painting.)

Art Nouveau Room Screen

2008-12-20T18:50:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago I finally finished this room screen painting project that I've been working on for FOR. E. VER. But it's done, and gorgeous. I'm very satisfied. And its owner took it home and loves it as well, which is even better. And now, I'm obligated to post pics -- which really deserve a full view.

As if getting a project done isn't sufficient reward in itself, I also got about a third of my painting studio back (the screen took up the whole end wall) and I can get back to painting in oils (the screen was all acrylics).

That's not to say it wasn't fun, though, and a nice departure from my "normal" painting style. It was also really fun to make something specifically designed for someone's personal space. The person who commissioned it left it very open as to what I was to do, except that copper is her favorite metal. So I took a poster she had of the Eiffel Tower being built and used that as my starting point. It inspired me to look at the Art Nouveau style entrances to the Paris metro, and other architectural details from that period. I only realized later that it would go particularly well with many of the paintings she has throughout her place, which are sort of Impressionist style.

This project actually reminded me a lot of set painting, which I haven't gotten to do for years now -- without the reassurance that "it only has to look good from far away." Needless to say it brought out my perfectionist neuroses, as evidenced by the fact that I painted most of it with a quarter inch brush. But it turned out great. And I actually finished it, which is (sadly) more than I can say for many of the project I start.

Oh, before I go I should post a pic of my latest greeting card. I'm working on some other designs, but I don't expect them to be done particularly soon. But the ones that do exist are all available for purchase now in singles and 5-packs on my etsy: carlybodnar.etsy.com. Enjoy!

Mid-Holiday Update

2008-12-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

I just started a painting from a dream. I've only ever painted from a dream one other time, and this is different. Last time (7 years ago?) I was trying to paint a scene from my dream. But this is actually a painting I was working on in the dream. I'm hoping that this goes better than last time, not only because I committed to a 4x4 ft panel on it, but because...

...I'm having a show in February! And I'd like it to be all new work. So I'm hoping to channel most of my efforts into actual productive work as much as possible. Ha! Anyway, the show will be at Seven Virtues Coffee House in NE. I don't know much more, but if you would like an invite, I'll be happy to send one. Just send your email or mailing address to carly.bodnar@gmail.com and I'll add you to my list.

I also have a couple of collaborations coming up that are quite exciting. One is with and artist-friend, and the other with a writer-friend. Very much looking forward to both.

And before I go, I'll leave you with a shot of one of my new cards. Soon, it'll be for sale, but I'm just a little too lazy for that at the moment.

Paper, wonderful paper.

2008-11-17T15:38:00.001-08:00

I currently have copious amounts of glorious, glorious paper. Paper is the only thing I enjoy shopping for in person. Otherwise, I'd much rather shop online. But paper... I can paper-shop for hours (as evidenced by today's 30-min errand that became a 2 hour paper-shopping extravaganza). I cannot accurately describe how much I like touching every open-stock stack and comparing every shade of cream or burgundy and every texture. To make it even better, my two paper stores are right across the street from each other. It doesn't get much better than that when it comes to picking out new paper.

Anyway, had to share. I'll have photos of new cards very soon, but until then, here's the final version of the Anatomic Valentine cards. I went with the burgundy because it had the best combination of writeability (if that's a word -- I liked the navy, but it would be too dark to write in without a gel pen) and contrast with the ink. And it just seemed right. I also upsized them to A2 size, which shows off the design a little more. You can buy them here: CarlyBodnar.com/shop or carlybodnar.Etsy.com.