Artful news...

Sorry for my blogging absence (not to mention my neglect of tweeting and facebooking)... things have been busy around the studio. I've been printing, assembling, packing and shipping loads of product for all my Boston Gift Show orders, and working on a sales presentation and samples for my new New England rep group... and then, last week I was presented with the most fabulous opportunity - to exhibit at the National Stationery Show in a booth with several of my colleagues from A Fresh Bunch, staffed by a wonderful sales rep. Although that wasn't in my plan for this year, I couldn't pass this up, so add to my neverending to-do list: completing new holiday designs, catalog updates and displays for the show! Whew!

Here's a peek at one of the new collections I'll be exhibiting. These cards combine hand printed patterned backgrounds and little messages that can be mixed and matched with the backgrounds. Perfect little thank you notes, hellos, and wishes for any occasion.

If you are a retailer attending the show, please stop by booth 2547. You'll find new goodies and old favorites from Artful Sentiments as well as lovely stationery from my colleagues at A Fresh Bunch.

Happy Easter!

Every year my family celebrates Easter at my Aunt Snooker's house in Connecticut - it's always a wonderful gathering of family and friends, filled with lovely Easter traditions and treats.

My contribution to the day is always dessert, and this year I made these luscious lemon cheesecake squares that I found in a Martha Stewart Everyday Food newsletter a few weeks ago. I'm a serious lemon dessert lover, and cheesecake - well it doesn't get any better for me! Of course, since it was a first time with this recipe, I had to have a little taste test last night, just to make sure they're good enough for the family...oh, and I think they are!

I hope you have a wonderful Easter, or just a very happy Sunday, for those of you who aren't celebrating Easter!

A big thank you...

... to everyone who stopped by my booth at the Boston Gift Show! I thoroughly enjoyed talking to so many of my favorite retailers, showing my goods to fabulous new ones, networking with industry pros, and sharing stories with the talented exhibitors who surrounded me at the show.

Now that it's over, I'm back to printing. I have a few orders to get out the door very quickly, and then I plan to get back to my normal schedule, where I can fit in a little blogging, tweeting and facebooking around the printing and production!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

An Old Irish Blessing

May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck,

brightened by a song in your heart,

and warmed by the smiles of the people you love.

Spring Fever!

I am really feeling it now. Even with the snowy setbacks we've had here in New England, the few 50-60 degree days really have me ready for spring. I love the warmth of the sun, and the signs of the new season that are starting to appear - little sprouts starting to peek up in the gardens, the grass (I mean, mud) revealed at last after too many months of being buried under piles of snow. Today the only remaining bits of winter are the snowbanks left by the plows, and the drawer full of sweaters that I can't wait to hide away until next fall.

I know it's still March, and we can get more dismal weather, but at least today I have some hope that it will all be over soon.

To celebrate spring, there are new Artful Sentiments designs in Goods for Goodness Sake shop...what a sweet way to observe the change of seasons!

Goods for Goodness' Sake!

Artful Sentiments is proud to be partnering with Goods for Goodness' Sake in their new venture, an online store where profits are donated to one of several charities the shopper chooses when they make a purchase.

The very talented Cathe (owner of Feterie) and Lara (owner of Tiny Tales) have joined forces to create this new store which will feature products from many of the small businesses they have come to know over the years, some (including Artful Sentiments) providing exclusive designs for GFGS.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to visit this beautiful new store, shop a little, and do something good, for goodness' sake!

In need of a beach day

Boy, this has felt like the longest winter! I've been craving warm weather and sunshine, and dreaming of a lovely day at the beach, even if it is too cold to play in the waves.

Many of my wholesale customers are in coastal New England, and each winter I look forward to seeing them at the Boston Gift Show - to me, those four days in late March are the start of the summer season, even though it's barely spring at that point! Each winter I design new coastal inspired goodies that I hope they'll love - this year's designs include the Waves cards, and Waves and Fish pencil tins.

I've been playing with a lot of pattern in my collection this year... which has meant lots of larger, detailed blocks to carve - at least, larger than I'm used to. It's been a great challenge, and has led me in directions that I'm really pleased with.

I'll have more for you to take a peek at over the coming weeks, and look forward to hearing what you think about the new goodies.