A Special Hawai’i BDay Treat!

‘To My Wonderful Mama on her 70th Trip Around the Sun, I would never have been able to behold scenes like this had you not given me the courage to explore. I love you more than anything, Caleigh ❤️’

I created an extra special island care package for a big milestone for my fave person: my mom just turned 70!!

I painted this little seascape for her in gouache (above) and also got this amazing silver and precious inlaid stone pendant that my twinzie Emsy (@emsyvision) created with her own two beautiful slender little hands this past summer during her first apprenticeship with a metalsmith jeweler. I am so floored by her incredible craftsmanship that I had to pick up a few pieces for myself too, which I promise to share as well!

I also scored a few other tiny treats including this gorgeous tiny hand painted bowl and some of the best coffee chocolate I have ever tasted in my life!

I was thrilled to hear it arrived right on time on the big day and was a welcome surprise during these quiet says around the house. In this Birdie’s opinion, care packages are just as much fun to send as to receive… I just love imaging the look of surprise and excitement pulling each little piece from the tissue.

11.18.2020

Creating a Care Package for a Friend in Quarantine

You’ve probably heard me talk about my love of snail mail (which is pretty intense, let me tell you!) that I’m sure I got from my father who, whether living in the same town or across the country, always sent special handmade cards and collages.

I’m just going to say it, surprise care packages are literally EVERYTHING.

So join me tday for some real hand-made from the heart artsy good vibes I’m creating and sending to one of my favorite people in the whole world, Jimi, who is a nurse having to quarantine when he’s not on shift. He hasn’t been able to see his kids, family or bandmates in well over a month, not to mention working the most stressful job possible during a global pandemic.

Want a step-by-step of how I make my sketchbooks with any kind of art paper? Find the video here or the blog post here,

OR if you’d like to know the next time I’m making sketchbooks (they’re larger than the one in this vid), follow this link to stay in the loop. You even get to choose your own toned or white paper!

4.25.2020

Brand Spankin' New Postcards + Business Cards

Whew, it's about time I got new post- and business cards! I think the last sets of either that I had printed was when I was finishing grad school in 2015! That may not seem like that long, but when your artwork is all over your 'literature' it can start to feel a bit dated after a few years. 

And hopefully you've heard about my new Notes from the Nest group who receive hand written postcards from my studio? 

If you haven't heard, but you are fellow Snail Mail lover like me then you need to pop over to this post from a few weeks ago to find out how to get mini print postcards sent straight from my Nest to yours :) 

.... And to anyone who has signed up already... I may or may not have sent out a whole bundle last week! hint, hint... wink, wink ;)

Just check out these new cards compared to my old ones - still pretty cute, but with a much cleaner design. And I love the smaller size of both of them; I have people tell me they use my cards as bookmarks or hang them on their bulletin boards which fills me to the brim with glee :D 

::

originally published July 22,2018

Do You Love Snail Mail?

Because I sure do!!

I love everything about Snail Mail, from the postcards or paper chosen to the words thought out enough to permanently inscribe to the tiny 'artpiece' postage stamp. In this fast-paced world of instant communication it's so nice to hold a thoughtful paper item in one's hand from time to time. Plus it's nice when at least one piece of mail in the box isn't a bill or credit card offer!

Today I am doing a lil unboxing of my new business cards featuring one of my newest paintings (the previous ones lasted me since grad school in 2015!) as well as a few postcards. It's a pretty short video but the exciting part is you can find out all about the Notes from the Nest snail mail group of art lovers I recently started....

To join in on my Notes from the Nest pop over to this page:
https://www.caleighbirdart.com/snail-mail
**Currently I am doing this for fun and for free. If lots of folks wind up joining I may have to ask for help with postage in the future, but my early signer-uppers will be taken care of ;) **

::

originally published July 4, 2018