Simple happiness

It's amazing how much falls into place once you're just sublimely happy.  I've been thinking about my current state of being and this quote really sums it up and I'm living firmly by it.  I got my whosits and my whatsits galore.  Yes, I just quoted The Little Mermaid.

 
*I found this quote on pinterest but unfortunately, there's no information anywhere on the whole internet about this quote, who said it, and where the original image came from.  So I made my own little image of it.  If anyone knows the origin of this let me know!

2011: ending with a bang!

Hi there fellow earthlings!  Sometimes I feel like a martian when I visit my blog...You guys are around here more than I am!  Now that the holidays are over and the January calm has commenced, I thought I'd share a few photos from the past few weeks!

In November and December I was lucky enough to participate in 3 holiday sales and had a great time!  The first was a benefit for breast cancer research and all our table fees went directly to Susan G. Comen!  How cool is that?  My college buddies, Calla Grace, and Danielle from The Merriweather Council were both there, too (hiya gals!).  

Next up was a hidden holiday market that my friend Colleen Ellse put together!!  It was super fun and packed with friends and family.  It was so successful that Colleen is planning another one in the future and possibly even a public one if we can find some space!  I was so busy chatting that I barely took any pictures.  I rounded out my year with another in house holiday market in Manchester, NH but have absolutely no pictures of.  Too bad because the house was amazing!

Then Christmas happened. 

We spent Christmas Day opening presents, walking through my hometown, dinner, and then did it all over again the next day at my brother and sister-in-law-to-be's house!  So much fun and so much love!

I'll be popping in over the next few days to show you some other pictures I found on my camera! Maybe a New Year's Resolution post, but probably not. Sorry. Love ya, though.

Merry Christmas!

Phew!  Christmas is just over a week away?  Luckily I finished up my shopping this evening!  I tried to keep as much of it as I could handmade or from local shops.  I found some cool stuff along the way!  I'll share after Christmas... I don't want to give anything away to prying eyes trying to figure out what I got them...I know, I'm a tease.

Anyways, I wanted to share with you a photo my friend Amy sent me this morning!  She purchased one of my lantern garlands and did something unexpected with it.  She draped it across her Christmas tree!  I think it looks great there AND she can reuse it any time of year!  Double whammy.

Last week I had a couple people purchase these in person to hang in the classrooms and cubicles, too!  Then it's a party every day :)  You can purchase your own garland in my shop!

Enjoy the season and Merry Christmas!

Where the time flies

I wish I knew!  Things over in Paper Taxi land have been all over the place!  So many life changes have occurred in the past few weeks and I've never been more excited for the future.  I recently left my full time job to pursue my art but in the economy....you know, I can't really afford to just wing it.  So I got myself the best part time job I could imagine.  I'm a dog walker! Yeah, seriously!  A local service was hiring and I started this week.  There is nothing more fulfilling than a happy puppy at the end of the day.

I've also just finished up with a commission for my lovely friend Amy.  She needed some thank you notes for her recent wedding and I love them!  I'll share once she's sent them out as not to spoil it :)  Along with all the fun new things going on, I also found out today that I won a print from Mae Chevrette, another local artist (and featured etsy seller!).  I can't wait to hang it up!  I think I have the perfect spot picked out :)  Take a look at the print!

How beautiful, right?  Pick up your own copy in her shop!  Now if I could just go to coffee with her...Mae, are you reading? 

Two lovely people have also featured me on their blogs, the lovely Laura of Laura Kelly Photography is one!  I designed her logo back in the birth of her business.  I've been meaning to share it with you all!  Laura is a seriously talented photographer out of Ottawa so all you Canadians looking for a family shoot, wedding, or engagement pictures best be sending her an email!

The other is Hila Lumiere of le projet d'amour.  Hila is a writer out of Perth, Austrailia.  She recently asked for entries to her "why I adore the night" challenge.  And since most of my current work is at night under the stars, I just had to submit my boat print!  Some seriously inspiring work on her site! 

I have my first of three small holiday shows tomorrow afternoon, alas, it's a private event, but I'm excited nonetheless!  Wish me luck!

PSA to Squirrels Everywhere

image: imgfav.com

Ode to a Squirrel

by: Laura Warecki

Power lines are not your tight rope
They are not as safe as you might hope
I saw you get shocked this weekend
Something that I would not recommend
And then the power went out and I moped.

please join me in a moment of silence to mourn the loss of a source of entertainment for my cats.

Confession Tuesday will return at it's regularly scheduled time next week.

Party on...

It's a strange feeling to miss someone you never knew.  Steve Jobs passed last night and as I'm sure you've read all over the internet, people are heartbroken. But what we should all learn from this is, make your mark on the world, no matter how big or small, and make sure that mark is something you love and are so very proud of.  Hats off to you, Steve Jobs, for creating that vision and impacting so many people's personal and professional lives in every way. I have no doubt that Apple will continue to rock the party and fulfill Steve Jobs' vision.  

festival of lanterns: available in my shop

So party on, everyone, make your mark!

Confession Tuesday: I worked my first 100hr work week

So maybe there are a lot of people that work 100 hours a week, but last week was my first.  I've been a steady 40hour/week kind of girl for about 3.5 years and then I started my business and bumped that up to about 60hours/week for a couple months.  and then I made a deposit for my first craft show. 

enter the 100hour work week. 

And as hard and exhausting as it was, I've never felt more accomplished, more proud, or more excited!  Here are a few pictures from my show!

 

photo template from pugley pixel

I had a great time, made some new friends, and had some old friend's visit!  Check out Curly Girl Design's mini review of me over on the Curly Girl Blog!

I'll be back later this week to show you the new items in my shop (some of which you can see above) but if you can' wait, go look for yourself in the Paper Taxi etsy shop!