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Mini Escpaes

2/12/2013

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I leave you delightful dancers with one of my favourite bands [The Honey Trees] covering one of my favourite songs [Moon River] first sung by one of my favourite Hollywood stars, the one, the only: Audrey Hepburn.
Greeting my darlings,

I am currently working my bum off in order to graduate and create a bad bottom portfolio. In the midst of all this chaotic working, I have caught myself taking a mini escape and looking at pictures I took during my trip to El Salvador this holiday season. I hadn't been there since I was 11 and I must say that I most certainly appreciated it far more this time. Since both of my parents are from this beautiful country, I got to meet and see so many family members. It was incredible to see all my little cousins that were all less than two years old since the last time I had visited. El Salvador was absolutely beautiful and eye opening. It has definitely has a warm place in my heart as the place where my entire family came from.
See  you charming cotton candies soon,
Helen
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And the Calendars Have Arrived!

11/3/2012

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IT'S HERE! After months of planning and painting, my little calendar is here! And it smells great, freshly printed! Yordan seems to love it! I am currently selling them on my website, just click here! I will also be selling them on Etsy for more since it charges a fee. I'll even write you a thank you note, since you're marvelous and I love writing letters.

I shall leave you with this incredible song about adventures and exploring.

Enjoy what's left of this beautiful year!
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A Photograph is Worth a Thousand Words

10/5/2012

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And I have Eight Photographs!

A week ago I was at the tail end of my whirlwind fall break. The first half of the week I spent hopping back and forth from Manhattan and Brooklyn for a Society of  Illustrators--Chicago trip. In Manhattan, I met up with my fellow illustrators to go to The Society of Illustrators, Chris Buzelli's studio, and 3x3 studio. As a fan of illustration history, The Society of Illustrators Museum and MoMA stole my heart [1&2].

During this first half of the week I got to stay with my best friend of over five years; who I hadn't see in two years! Like I mentioned in the previous post, I had a blast. It was great to catch up and introduce him to Salvadorian pupusas [3-5]!

And finally at the end of the week, I got to take a breather by going to visit my parents in Tennessee.  As a current city dweller, I always love going back to a city without public transportation and hourly police sirens. I took a lovely trip to see "Perks of Being a Wallflower" from Nashville to Atlanta with my other best friend of nearly 5 years and a new friend who's equally as wonderful. On this brief encounter with these delightful men, I got to rediscover my Holga camera and when I got back home I added another toy film camera to my ever growing collection [6-8].

Now I am back in Chicago with a new journey ahead of me leading to a craft fair and a family trip back to El Salvador for the holidays. I am thrilled about December, but we all know half the fun is getting there.

I hope you are all having a blast this autumn!
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Autumn is finally here!

9/22/2012

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Can you smell the crisp air? I am a huge fan of seasons and Autumn is no exception. The Autumnal Equinox, however has always had a warm place in my heart because it is also the day my baby brother was born. He may be 19, but I shall forever call him my baby brother. It's only fair since he calls me his little sister due to my stature.

I spent this lovely day adventuring Brooklyn and playing with my best friend's chalkboard wall. He has a love of tigers and calls his room "The Cave." Typical guy, if you ask me, but I suppose if I had a problem with it we wouldn't be best friends
of over 5 years.

Today's song of the day shall be one that I have newly discovered and sums up my goals quite well. I have always fancied myself an adventurer and this song most certainly makes me want to pack my bags, explore the world, and share my art. The world is just too magnificently stunning and large to stay put in one city, state, country, or even continent. Like Charles F. Muntz in "UP" says:

Adventure is out there!

What's your next adventure?
Enjoy your longer nights!

Helen
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2012 Renegade Craft Fair

9/9/2012

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It has been a ridiculously long time since I've had the opportunity to go craft fair. Since I have heard lovely things about the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair, I decided that I wasn't going to let it pass me by this year. I saw many things that made me smile. Everything from a vintage Highlights magazine to sippy lids for mason jars to sad little carcinogens. Fabulous artwork and even more fabulous friends make for a very delightful and inspirational day.

So soon as I got home I went straight to the art studio and worked on a potential mailer as I watched a little bit of "Saved by the Bell." How many of you remember this goofy little show? Here's an interactive game for you to play:

Have fun!
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INTRODUCING, THE ONE, THE ONLY...

8/23/2012

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YORDAN YETI!

Have you ever wanted a toy so badly that when you received it as a gift you danced, unashamed, all about your apartment with it for hours? Well, let's just say it is the best feeling in this entire world, maybe even the universe.

As you all know, I have been working on a "Yeti Backpacking Adventure" calendar for weeks, then one thing led to another...and I found myself ordering a personalized plushie version of beloved my furry friend. The lovely Mary Jo Larson handmade me the most delightful thing my eyes have ever had the privilege to see! I honestly don't think I can explain how excited it makes me to see my own little creation come to life. Below I have a few pictures to show the process of getting Yordan Yeti from my heart and pencil and into my cuddle-ready arms. Feel free to click on them to make them larger. I am absolutely pleased with him!

I hope you have a magical moment today!



P.S.

The song of the day today is dedicated to all the Wild Things that frolic in our hearts. Yordan Yeti is my wild thing, who is yours?
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You know it's August...

8/18/2012

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Greetings guys!

Let's just say that it has been a very hectic several weeks and summer has whizzed by! Kinda like the airshow that is deafening me at the moment. Oh August in Chicago is ridiculously loud and a wonderfully cool. It is definitely a blogging on the balcony kind of day.

I have spent today creating fishies galore! For the June portion of my calendar I decided to make little Yordan Yeti enjoy a nice swim with his fish friends. In the first picture you may just see colourful fingerprints [1], but I would consider it more of a sea of brightly coloured fish [2]! What do you think?

Pssst...I have secret that I would like to share with you. You know Yordan Yeti? Well he might, or might not, be on his way, in stuffed animal form, to my apartment as we speak. Here's a purposely terrible quality image of the cutie [3]. That is all you're getting for now. I'll tell you more when he arrives.

Farewell!
P.S.
The song of the day is "All the Little Things" by Ben Cocks. it has been in my head on repeat for hours. I am absolutely in love. Have a little hear, but be prepared to wiggle and tap your dancing feet all day.
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