Happy New Year!!!

This, like the link in my Christmas Day post, is the New Year's Eve Google Doodle, followed by the New Year's Day Google Doodle! :)

https://www.google.com/logos/2011/newyearseve-2011-hp.jpg

https://www.google.com/logos/2012/newyearsday-2012-hp.jpg

Merry Christmas from Google Doodles!

A sweet Christmas light show by Google.

Nene Adams, Author

I feel very privileged to introduce to visitors of this blog, an author of mystery--and one whom I admire a great deal: Nene Adams. Here are some of her wonderful creations.

YouTube Inkscape Tutorials

Cut an object away from the background By T3hTechi3s
Creating with Lines (supercool!) By Aussie Carolyn
Radial Tiled Clones By Aussie Carolyn
Create a Lightsaber By HeathenX
Vectorize Scanned Images in Inkscape By Ben Wolf
Text Effects & Adding Snow By LittleWebHut
Changing A Stencil Font Using Linked Offset By Aussie Carolyn
Make Your Own Font By CleverSomeday

Speaking of Winter...

There is a "Let it Snow" greeting card design contest at the GCUCommunity Website, and I'd be grateful for any votes I get (hint, hint if you're reading this, click here and scroll down). :) Here's my card (a snow family having an ironic and playful snowball fight - lol), and it's number 10 in the list of entries. Thanks!!! :)

Time to Update My Blog. :)

I saw the first three pictures in this slideshow of the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting, and I thought I'd share them in case anyone else missed them. Very pretty, and since I'm a greeting card artist, I noticed that some of the photos would make lovely greeting cards. :) Capital Christmas Tree Lighting.

It's Small Business Saturday!!!

My daughter, Megan, and I have been working hard to get our stores filled with some neat items that we think you'll like. Here are links to our stores so you can browse and hopefully find something that would be perfect for you--or we can design special orders if you contact us at ilovecuttables @ gmail . com

I Love Cuttables at Greeting Card Universe (this was our very first store that got the ball rolling)
Cardtoons at Greeting Card Universe (this one is where Mike and I come up with funny cards)
Megan and Friends at Greeting Card Universe (this one was specifically created with all profits going to Megan's grad school tuition fees - it doesn't have many cards in it yet because Megan has been working on our Zazzle store)

Our I Love Cuttables Zazzle Store (where Megan has been hard at work creating fantastic products)

and Our CafePress Store (where I've added a few items like jewelry, jewelry boxes, mousepads, and laptop skins)

Today is the perfect day to show Megan your support for her becoming a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University by buying a single item (or more, if you’d like) from any one of our online stores. Megan has been working very hard to design items to sell, so today is the day to let her know her efforts are paying off.

Pictured above is a Flower on Brown Shirt by ilovecuttables
See other Flower T-Shirts

Another Item Up for Sale

The iPhone 4 Slider Case I designed on CafePress.com I created this Case today at Cafe Press. :) It would be the perfect Christmas gift for a young lady you know that has an iPhone 4.

Small Business Saturday is November 26th!

The second annual "Small Business Saturday" is coming up on November 26th! It is the day after Black Friday when shoppers are encouraged to support their favorite small businesses with their patronage. I opened my first online greeting card store (ilovecuttables) in April of this year, so this will actually be my first "Small Biz Sat." A couple of weeks ago my brilliant and beautiful daughter, Megan, agreed to become my partner and she is handling all of the Zazzle products (http://www.zazzle.com/ilovecuttables). Over the next few days, she and I will be posting some of our personal favorite items that we have created (we'll post them here and on our blogs); and we hope you will consider making a purchase (or two) from any of our stores on Nov 26th. Also, we would be happy to work directly with you if you would like cards or gifts personalized with artwork specifically created for you (perfect for Christmas gifts!). We'd love to hear from you. :) Thanks! (Pictured above are some adorable plaid shoes Megan designed on Zazzle. Plaid Shoes by ilovecuttables. Build your own shoes)

Amazing Week!

So many fantastic things have been happening to me over the past week, and it's a bit overwhelming (but in a good way - lol).

First, I got a new new small business counselor (Mike) and last Thursday we had our first meeting. We got more done in that one meeting than 3 months of back & forth with my first counselor. Mike thinks I'm definitely on the road to being approved for my request for assistance for my business, but even more importantly, he has given me some excellent ideas on various ways to move forward productively. :)

Then my son came home for a visit on Friday and told me he just got signed up for a glass-blowing class for his next quarter at college! Glass-blowing is something that has always intrigued me and had I not been disabled, I would have loved to learn glass-blowing, myself. So guess who's going to be the one of the main recipients of his classwork? Me. :) I LOVE blown glass art!!

So I was really psyched about that, then Sri Devi, a truly beautiful person in every way, spotlighted me on the Well-Wishers Group Website, and what a wonderful honor it is! I feel a strong spiritual connection to Sri and am very grateful to her for letting me talk about myself, and for shining the light on me. :) Thank you so much, Sri!

Then my daughter told us she got accepted to Carnegie Mellon University (among the top 25 in the nation & dubbed one of the "New Ivies")! How awesome is that, to have a child accepted to such a prestigious university? Quite awesome! And by the way, I home-schooled her for 10 years when she was young, so that makes me feel like I did a pretty good job. :)

And finally, my "Congrats on Donating Your Hair" card received the GCU Design of the Day honor on Sunday (11/6/11)!! Thanks, GCU!

What a whirlwind of wonderfulness!

Knock Knock Knockin' on Heaven's Door

"OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW."

Even though Steve Jobs' death was a huge blow to the world, at least we know from Mona Simpson's beautiful Eulogy to her brother that Steve was insanely impressed with Heaven when the Pearly Gates opened up to him.

I created this illustration as a tribute to him on October 5th when I heard he died...and I think it is fitting to include it here. You just know Steve is up there making Heaven a little more perfect for the rest of us, for when it's our time to join him.

Li'l Buttercup

We got a kitten on Thursday so I have to share pictures of her, because she is the cutest kitten in the whole world. :) My nephew, Brady, came up with the name Buttercup, but I added the Li'l (and we'll actually probably call her Lilly for short). And I especially want to thank my brother, Tim, for helping me find her. :)

The first picture was when we were bringing her home in the box. I couldn't resist taking her picture immediately. The rest are various images of her (mostly sleeping, and sleeping on books seems to be her favorite place). Make sure you read about the last picture at the bottom. :)

The last one is my favorite because she's a funny pun. :) She's napping on a napkin. Get it? She's a napkin-napper (kind of like a kidnapper, except she snatched a napkin). LOL!!!

Late Update: Li'l Buttercup is a boy, so we've renamed him, Louie. :)

Vector Tutorials

Here are two cool vector tutorials by Vector Tuts Plus that I hope to try out in the near future. :)

The first one shows us how to create a stethoscope.


and the second one teaches us how to create a glossy, colorful text effect.


And here is Tech Drive-In's list of some great Inkscape tutorials that I hope to dive into soon. :)

Free High Quality Vectors!

Yes, you read right...free HIGH QUALITY vectors!  Creative Nerds' list of fifteen of the best sites for finding them.

http://creativenerds.co.uk/articles/15-best-sites-for-finding-free-high-quality-vector-graphics/

Cancer Blogging...

I recently participated in a Cancer Blog Event since this is Cancer Awareness month. Here are all the participants with links to their very moving stories.

Pets and Wildlife Cancer
“One area of cancer research we do not often hear about, cancer in pets and wildlife, which is also on the rise…”
Blessing Art Cards, Sharon Fernleaf

Breast Cancer Awareness and Pink Ribbon Cards & Gifts
“Believe in the power of the pink ribbon...”
Creative Paradise, Tanitu

Breast Cancer Awareness Month
“I cannot remember a time when when there wasn’t a dear friend or family member battling cancer...”
Cards from the Heart, Lisa Charlton

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
“My mother had breast cancer as well as lung cancer...”
Eliz Designs, Elizabeth Eells

Ways to be Supportive, Helpful and Encouraging for Cancer Patients
“This post is in honor of our friends, colleagues and family members who are currently battling this dreadful disease…”
Heart to Art, Sri Devi

Breast Cancer Awareness
“There are several things you should look for when doing a self exam…”
Sheryl Kasper Card Store, Sheryl Kasper

Barbara’s Story
“Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Barbara has battled breast cancer since 1997, what better time to tell Barbara's story?”
Rycky Creations, Robin Chaffin

Breast Cancer Awareness Month
“Most advanced breast cancer cases are found in women over age 50...”
Janet Lee Designs, Janet Palaggi

Cancer Bummer
“I was diagnosed with cancer about 12 years ago.”
I Love Cuttables, Cindy Johns

October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month
“Cancer is cruel, cancer makes no exceptions…”
At Sparky’s, Antoinette Van Kleef

Canine & Feline Cancer
“I’ve seen much too much cancer in the lives of my beloved pets over the years…”
Salon of Art, Doreen Erhardt

A Sobering Subject
“I think, today, how cancer has impacted my life...”
Warm Traditions, Candace J. Hardy