Baby Girl Nursery Print, Water Color Calligraphy

I have a handful of work that does not fit my typical wedding and live event work. It’s always piece I love and am proud of, but differ just enough from my typical offerings. This beautiful, water color and brush lettering print is just one of those pieces that could not stay hidden in my files any longer!

Photo by Wonder & Awe; Mary McCoy

It is always an honor when someone asks me to do a print for them. It seems even more sweet when it is a print to hang in a nursery, since so many hours are usually sent by new parents in that space.

When Chelsea ask me for this beautiful brush, calligraphy verse I had to say ‘yes’.How beautiful is this room and how it fits above the bookcase? Just a gorgeous sentiment and in an already beautiful room.

Letters for Love Songs

I have been doing a small challenge on my Instagram this month to post a love song lyric each day called #lettersforlovesongs. I compiled a list of my favorite love songs lyrics and have been giving myself 30 minutes to pick, sketch and (if need be) computerize the text. Some of them I feel so good about in person and then I photograph them and feel subpar—does that ever happen to you?

Despite the feeling of subpar work, I post it anyways as a challenge to myself not only to follow through on posting everyday, but to start getting my work out there and making bench marks for myself. Practice makes perfect—and I really do love practicing. It is just picking the lyrics that are hard! So many GREAT love songs out there.

You can hear the playlist of all the songs I have picked so far on Spotify, just click here. Remember to follow along on my Instagram and the hashtag #lettersforlovesongs

Welcome March & Desktop Wallpaper

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March is here and the countdown to the first day of spring is on - March 21st can't come soon enough! Though the snow is pretty when it is falling - I'm ready for bright colors, sock free feet in flats, and little flowers popping up all around. Thank goodness Shamrock shakes are already here!

To celebrate the coming of the Spring I have created three different desktop and phone wall papers for you all! From a lovely quote by Longfellow, to a sweet reminder of His peace from the book of Micah, and then for the more orderly in the group a simple calendar. 

Download one or rotate through all three! 

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Springtime Splendor : Desktop WallPaper | Phone Background

March Calendar : Desktop WallPaper | Phone Background

Micah : Desktop WallPaper | Phone Background

To download: click on the link above to the one you want, the image will open in its own window, and Save As or simply drag the image to your desktop. Then select system preferences and then desktop/screensaver.

 

 

Portfolio: Emily Dickinson Quote

A friend approached me to do a few prints, and among them a quote by Emily Dickinson. I learned that the quote would be a gift for her mother who had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. The quote had brought me to tears, and with the circumstance we agreed on a softer and cooler color palette. 

I loved how the piece turned out, and often pull out my sketches and "mess ups" to look over the sweet words. I hope they both feel comfort when they reread these words, and even more comfort knowing where true hope is found. 

New Year, New Work

New Years has always been a hit or miss holiday in my life. I have spent it with friends, at home with family, working as a hostess minutes before midnight, and even falling asleep to wake up around 2am and missing the whole shebang completely. The last two years have born a tradition of grilling steaks and ringing in the new year with our sweet friends Mark and Andrea.

2014 was filled with so many joys and each month brought something different into my life. Some sweet highlights include:

  • Our niece, Olivia, was born in late February and earlier in the month we went skiing with some dear friends in Colorado that now has spawned a tradition we will live up to again this February.
  • It seemed that both Reid and I had the opportunity to travel quite a bit this year, both internationally (for Reid) and nationally. Each trip held something sweet - from watching friends get married, watching my brother graduate college, learning new things, discovering new places, and spending sweet time with family and friends. 
  • We spent our 2nd year anniversary in California, spending time both in the dessert and by the ocean. I can see why everyone falls in love with the west coast. The dessert was breathtaking and magical, and watching the sunset over the Santa Monica pier was lovely. I'm already planning a trip back.
  • We moved form our first apartment into a beautiful two-bedroom, rooftop apartment in a downtown area. It has amazing natural light, and having space for an office has been so sweet. Now fully furnished and decorated (for the most part), with the addition of our cat, Italics (in August), our apartment now feels like home. I love our little slice of the suburbs, and love even more the addition of our sweet little kitty.
  • Work brought new adventures as well for both Reid and I. Last January, as well, I started this little space and my Etsy shop.

 I have been thankful for the growth this year both personally and professionally. Looking into 2015 I hope to experience more growth in my work, growth in my marriage, and growth in my everyday life.  So here is to the New Year, to 2015, and may every day you do something creative. 

 

Fall

Last week I saw my late summer tan lines fade from my feet. The earth crescendoed with warmth for us here in Chicago-land (a sweet day of almost 72 degrees) allowing us to bid farewell to the mild fall. The leaves  brilliant in their colors and it almost seemed that the trees were showing off - trying to show one another up with who could have the most brilliant blaze. Captivating red to orange or sweet fade of green into yellow. As the warmth faded, it seemed not to go out with a fizzle but with a bang. We ushered October out, and our Indian summer, on Halloween with sleet and snow. The leaves are almost gone, November has come, and the clocks are set back an hour to let the darkness nestle in quicker. It seems that Fall is finally here – and so we’ll bust out our coats and heavy scarfs, wrap ourselves up in our favorite blankets and nestle into our homes on those blistery days.  It's the weather for thick sweaters, comforting flavors, and copious amounts of pie. Let's begin to cherish the sweetness of the seasons changing. Let’s fall back into fall.

Portfolio: Hand Done Type

A few friends recently put together a weekly, collaborative type challenge called Type Club 2014. They passed the link on to a handful of creatives they know, and the results have been really beautiful to see.

The premise: Each week a new quote is posted. You can interpret this quote any way you like, using any medium you like. There is a time "constraint" of one week. This "constraint" creates a deadline and a push for you to share the "final" piece with everyone else with out belaboring your work through social media.

It's a great exercise, and fun to see the interpretations and beautiful design from everyone.

Original art by Caroline Hutchison for Linalulu Paperie

Original art by Caroline Hutchison for Linalulu Paperie



Portfolio: Forever Young Print

When my sister-in-law, Lindsay, was still pregnant we had talked about doing a calligraphy print for the nursery for baby to be. She brought up the song "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan. A personal favorite of mine, and such a sweet sentiment to hang in a nursery. Fast forward to February, and baby to be is the beautiful Olivia Mae!

My favorite line in the song reads "May you build a ladder to the stars | and climb on every rung", and thus I chose the night sky theme. (Plus it gives me an excuse to work in gold ink). I love how it turned out, and love that these words will bless Olivia for years to come!

Creative Quotes

I stumbled across this beautifully written article, Women vs. Women, and a little thing called “self-respect” from Wit & Delight.  To the point, and very thoughtful - this piece examined why  women should build one another up and not tear one another down. We have our own strengths and our own path to walk as individual women. We will always benefit from support from each other on these travels. Great food for thought.

Handwritten By Caroline Hutchison of  Linalulu Paperie

Handwritten By Caroline Hutchison of  Linalulu Paperie

Creative Quote

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Kyle Steed is a recent find for me and quickly becoming an artist I admire. Reading through his blog posts have certainly inspired me to continue to work hard at what I do, as well as continue to place the Lord at the center of my work - regardless of what it is.

You can find his work here kylesteed.com and then go check out his blog post here .

Creative Quotes

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This article, Unsolicited Thoughts on Unsolicited Design, by designer Matt Stevens was passed onto me by a co-worker and it struck a great nerve in me. With being fresh out of college, designing outside of work was not a common practice for the first 6-8 months from a classroom environment. Freed from classes, same student projects, and homework -  I came home at night from working a creative job for 8 hours, and all I desired was to eat dinner and stay far from my computer.  As the months went on, I noticed something different from the few times I would pick up my sketchbook and doodle outside my job versus those nights I would hardly do anything in the pursuit of "relaxing". I noticed those nights I was creative for my own sake, I felt more energized to go back to work and begin the next work day more excited to work on my "mandatory" design projects.

Overall the words rang through my ears as I read through Mr. Stevens article. Like anything one does, you make time for the things you love. Why not continue to remind ourselves as creatives why we chose design as a career path and continue to make time for creative things.