OK people! We're finally organized enough (ok not really) to start regularly blogging again! We are really really really happy to have launched our new Shopify website, to have our studio all set up and running, and to be vending at the One of a Kind Show this winter and the Etsy Made in Canada show in September. Hoping to keep up the blogging in a somewhat regular fashion. Hope ya'll are enjoying our new site! Here's a random assortment of pics of what we've been doing! xoxo

Our lovely space!

One of our new tote bags!

Empty studio parking lot!

Welcome to the new home of our blog! In the process of moving everything over at this time so thanks for your patience while we update :)

In the meantime, here's some puppies to keep you company

Very excited to share some amazing photos from my recent work in Today’s Parent. This was one of my favourite projects to date. I thought when I first got contacted by them to create an illustration for their baby sleep feature that it would end up being a headache. Custom orders can be….annoying (though honestly most of mine have been lovely). But sometimes when people have very specific ideas or design requirements it can be tricky to make them happy.

When I first heard from Today’s Parent I thought that it would be hard to give them what they wanted – I figured that there would be endless back and forth regarding the design, execution, etc. I worried that I would regret agreeing to do the piece. But NONE OF THIS HAPPENED! They were so flexible and receptive to my designs and ideas! And overall they were SO amazing to work with – and I am so proud to show off this piece! Yay! More like this in the future please!

You can see the piece starting on page 55 of the February issue of Today’s Parent.

I've found that this year, spending three+ months designing and producing holiday cards/ornaments/decorations has left me feeling unexcited by the holiday spirit. While December is usually one of the funnest months of the year, I've hardly let myself enjoy it. While I was originally planning on decorating our place with the branch display that I've been lugging back and forth to holiday markets, I decided that we should have a tree of our own that didn't have to be shared with Light & Paper. We ventured out to get a Christmas tree -  in hopes that this decoration would make me feel more festive. Our tree is short and fat, and decorated mainly with reject ornaments that can't be sold. I wrapped a few gifts yesterday which always gets me excited, and I'm hoping that this coming week I'll have slowed down enough to do some holiday baking, and perhaps watch Love Actually (confession: have already watched 3 times this month). My inspiration  -

1 - Adorable holiday wrapping by Walk in Love

2 - Pinecone garland - photo by Ingrid Weir

3 - Little Tree on Real Simple

Lots of opportunities to buy some Light & Paper stuff this December! I will be selling at the following holiday markets and shows:

Nov 29 & Dec 13: Navillus Gallery Holiday Art Market

Dec 5: Corktown Holiday Market & Social at Redline Coffee Bar

Dec 6: Crafternoon Tea in Leslieville

Dec 6 & 7: Mondo Bazzar at the Gladstone Hotel

Dec 13: Toronto Young Designers @ St. Stephen in the Fields (just north of Kensington)

Dec 14 & 21: Vendor Queens at the Brickworks

Yikes! Better go actually make some stuff now.

Planning your holiday dinner party? Pick up a set of these adorable stand up holiday placecards from Light & Paper. A perfect simple and classy way to spruce up your place settings at a holiday dinner. Each set comes with 2 of each 4 different designs - snowflake, deer, house & trees, and holly. They also make great take home trinkets from the party!

I am really loving this Merry Christmas wreath that I recently listed onto my Etsy. I usually can get away with decorating the inside of my home pretty early....but how soon is too soon to hang this on the door?

Don't judge me, neighbours.

A little sneak peek of some of our new holiday ornaments - photo taken by the lovely Jodi Pudge. November is a weird month for someone who makes holiday gifts...on one side I can't believe that it's November already (the calendar in my kitchen is still flipped to September...). On the other hand...how is it only November?! I've been looking at holiday designs for months here! I'm actually glad that the world has gotten on board finally and started stocking holiday gifts in their shops. Makes me feel less crazy! More photos of my shoot coming soon!

I was lucky enough to see the Henri Matisse Cut-Outs exhibit at the MoMA, and it totally blew me away. The ways in which he plays with colour and shapes are amazing. I was also so impressed with the size of his works - and the simplicity of the pieces. I usually try to go for intricacy in my work - because it makes me feel more legit (aka...it looks harder...). However, this really inspired me to play with simple yet beautiful ideas and designs. 

I always feel like I'm straddling a line between art and craft ("high brow craft, low brow art" is my favourite way to describe it) but seeing Matisse's gorgeous work in the MoMA reminds me that something that may look like decor, or craft can be "Real" Art too! 

A week late...I am finally getting around to posting about my amazing trip to NYC!

New York is wonderful in any season, but this was the first time in a few years that I have gone outside the summer months. Not being drenched in sweat while we walked around was quite nice actually. Highlights were the American Folk Art Museum, vietnamese food at Saigon Shack in the West Village, and of course - the Matisse Cut-Outs at the MoMA, major inspiration (more to follow). Enjoy the pics!

1 - A stuffed Pigeon "outstallation" at Washington Square by Tina Trachtenburg -  spot the real pigeons!

2 - Lovewild Design's amazing (and genius) booth set up at the Chelsea Market. Check out their amazing paper products, some of which are infused with seeds and will grow if planted!

3 - My sis Maisie at Saigon Shack.

4 - Red Pearl - the best shop in Williamsburg!

5 - And finally...Shake Shack...a burger that still haunts my delicious, delicious dreams.

Ok ready to go back now!