Wrapped

Since I was a little kid,  I have loved wrapping gifts.  I've been using craft paper the last few years, and this is yet another version.  Though I also integrated a few fabric pouches and a little shine.  I printed out this little drawing  for tags.

Also, Dylan and I exchanged gifts tonight. I'm super excited for my new autoharp.

Arctic Towns

Map of Svalbard

Homes in Longyearbyen

One of my favorite new pastimes is floating around Google maps and "discovering" tiny arctic towns.  I don't know what it is, but I find it endlessly exciting to imagine living in a small northern village.  A while back, my dad and I were looking at an atlas and came across Svalbard, Norway.  Svalbard is a group of islands halfway between Norway and the North Pole.  Home of the Svalbard global seed vault, Longyearbyen is the largest village in Svalbard.  It is actually a requirement for those who are outside of settlements to carry rifles, as polar bears stalk the landscape. The glacial landscape towers over this beautifully colorful town.

Tromso in 1900

Tromso of the past

Another town I'd very much like to visit is Tromso, Norway.  Once touted as the "Paris of the North", Tromso is home to 58,486 people.  Much of the town is actually an island, but is very close to mainland Norway.  Because of the Gulf Stream, the climate is quite temperate.  It is the big city of Northern Norway.

A great Sweden-based  artist/designer/blogger to check out is Klara Bothén over at Bergslagsgatan. She makes beautiful mittens and has a very lovely blog.

A Walk

Woodland Beauty and Skype: A Match Made in Heaven

Sometimes I feel like I'm the last person to know about a lot of things.  I often cocoon myself into my own little world and am usually last to pick up new technologies.  I finally learned how to Skype last night which was pretty awesome but somewhat strange.  Anyhoo, my friend and I talked a bit about, you guessed it, beauty products.  With that line of thinking, check out these sweet nail transfers from Kate Broughton.  What a great product for an illustrator to get into distributing!  Great packaging too.

A Good Skate

I remember watching this when I was four.  I still watch it now.

Fog Linen Work

I've been stalking this new find lately.  I love the illustrated product keys on their home page and the charming, simple approach to living portrayed.

100th Post Giveaway

Why you May Ask?
I quite agree there can be found little meaning in numbers.  However, for the benefit of meeting some of you, I would like to extend a free giveaway to one randomly chosen reader for my 100th post as ReRae.

I will be giving away this chevron hand printed flat tote made by yours truly.

To Enter
Please follow me on Facebook, or click follow (to the left) to follow my blog. Then, please comment on this post that you have done so.  If you are already following both, you can just comment to this post.  I will literally draw out of a hat the name of the lucky winner.  Please enter by Friday 3 pm central US time.  The winner will be announced this Friday evening.

<3

Sorry, this contest is only inclusive of US residents 

'Tis the Season

Over the long weekend I finished up our holiday card.  This is our first, so a photo card of the two of us in Christmas sweaters seemed a bit intimidating.  A shot of us in our house taped on someone's refrigerator frankly creeps me out.  I would be way too tempted to just send a photo of our cat,  which would once and for all prove that we are in fact, crazy cat people.  So I painted us in watercolor and made copies of it.

Pretty Things

A very special jacket made by my friend Natalie, in collaboration with Amy Revier.  Also, a paper cut drawing also made by Natalie Northrup.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Sale

Hey peeps, ReRae is having it's first sale!  Get 20% off Nov. 24th and 25th by using coupon code: BLACKFRIDAY

Ship & Shape

I'm very honored to be included with many talented makers in the new online shop Ship & Shape!  You most certainly must check it out!

Some Favorites: Ginny Sims

Some Favorites: Lindsay Noble

Snowy Saturday

Dylan and I were quite lazy/productive today. Although we stayed indoors (and respectively in our pajamas) all day, I finished up my project for the new online store Ship and Shape, and Dylan worked on some new cover art for his band, Teenage Strangler's, new E.P.  Today was also our first snowfall.  Smigel always looks confused on this day.

Illustrated Holiday Card

This year, Dylan and I decided that we will partake in the holiday card ritual.  Instead of sending the usual photograph card, I thought an illustrative approach may be fun.  Here's an initial thumbnail.

Record Book

Last night I spent some time with one of my most dear of friends.  She and her fiance are moving to the east coast at the end of the month =(.  Though I am very sad about it, I am excited for them and the adventures they will have.  As they are lightening up for the move, she gave me the most beautiful treasure; an undated, most likely quite old, "lace sketchbook" if you will.  It's a little tough to read the penmanship, but the book includes hand written directions, complete with pinned in samples.  Pictured are a few of my many favorites.

Wooden Scissors

Today I wore my favorite pendant that I got at a silent auction some time ago.  If we had a family crest, it would most definitely feature scissors.  A tool that destroys in order to create.

Dark Night

With daylight savings this past weekend, the nights sure are darker up here in the north, although, I do prefer low light these days. It has its way of keeping me inside and enjoying simple evenings of listening to the radio and working on projects.

I just got a new camera that will fair better in these dark evenings.  Above are some photos taken around our home.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! Last night we had a small get together (with costumes of coarse). We entertained a Jay Mascis, a personal trainer (with free weights), Star Fleet Graduation and a certain Log Lady. We carved pumpkins and ate treats. I can't take credit for the Totoro though! I made some yummy acorn cookies. Just a chocolate kiss, nilla wafer, peanut butter and a peanut butter chip. Nom.

Quiet Night

Tonight I'm finishing up a wall-hanging piece and listening to the Coraline soundtrack next to a glowing lamp. It's always nice to have a sanctuary...

HandmadeMN Fall Market

I'll have a booth at the upcoming HandmadeMN Fall Market at the Uptown VFW this Saturday.  The shop is open from 10am-5pm!

New Cards

In preparation for the HandmadeMN craft show next week, I've been working on a few new paper items.

Peachy

Though a bit seasonally inappropriate, I became acquainted with the Spring 12 Chloé line today.  Loving the peach!

Work Space

While being a little under the weather today with this weird recurring stomach ache, I found myself sitting on the couch sketching ideas for an upcoming project.  I then became aware of how much I love my work space (the couch most certainly qualifies as workspace too!).  In the blogging/Internet world, people often primp and perfect the frames of photos and videos (myself included).  We crop out the bad and keep the good in order to create an image that falls into the vision we want to portray.  Trying the break away from that, here are some honest photos of my workspace in it's natural state.  In many ways, it's more beautiful untidy and honest than clean and perfect.