30.11.12
patience made | rockin' journals
i'm still really loving the "rock it old school" stamp i had made - so i put some washi tape over "this is an envelope + writing paper" (what isn't washi tape good for??) and made these cool journals. you know...just in case you still...write stuff on paper.
28.11.12
art | liza sylvestre
in my newest edition of yen magazine, i received* an absolutely stunning pull-out poster (see first image below!) by minneapolis artist liza sylvestre. there was also an excellent interview of course (come on it's yen!) and as usual, learning more about art or an artist made me fall deeply in love.
the works seem haphazard and accidental but i suspect they are far from it. and one needs only view her drawings in order to see how truly skilled sylvestre is. aren't these watercolour and gouache images just magical?
the works seem haphazard and accidental but i suspect they are far from it. and one needs only view her drawings in order to see how truly skilled sylvestre is. aren't these watercolour and gouache images just magical?
* i also received an awesome free cd. just thought you'd like to know...cause that's cool yo.
27.11.12
musings | starting at the top
o.m.g., i'm totally laughing while writing that title because the idea of "starting at the top" is so ridiculous to me. it's just that i heard on one of the last episodes of the conversation with amanda de cadanet. i think it was the editor that harper's bazaar that suggested one start at the top rather than the bottom (don't quote me on the quotee, i can't remember for sure)
the idea seems a bit extravagent to me. i've always been very ok with the idea of working my way up. in fact i look forward to it because i want to learn everything i can about the art museum world. but then someone i know (know "of" i should say) went and just opened a pop up gallery. and then after awhile, it wasn't a pop up gallery anymore because she stayed there. and all i could think was "huh?" how is this woman the same age as me and yet she has opened and (seemingly?) prospered with her own gallery? i don't seem to be finding the right job in my field so one has to wonder why i don't just...create the job i want...
because i'm scared obviously. i like stable things, and although i like being responsible and in charge...i don't know if i'd want to be that responsible and that in charge!
have any of you "started at the top?" did you get a lucky break? did you just tell someone that you were the right person for a job that was technically above you? or like me...are you content with working your way up and into a career?
the idea seems a bit extravagent to me. i've always been very ok with the idea of working my way up. in fact i look forward to it because i want to learn everything i can about the art museum world. but then someone i know (know "of" i should say) went and just opened a pop up gallery. and then after awhile, it wasn't a pop up gallery anymore because she stayed there. and all i could think was "huh?" how is this woman the same age as me and yet she has opened and (seemingly?) prospered with her own gallery? i don't seem to be finding the right job in my field so one has to wonder why i don't just...create the job i want...
because i'm scared obviously. i like stable things, and although i like being responsible and in charge...i don't know if i'd want to be that responsible and that in charge!
have any of you "started at the top?" did you get a lucky break? did you just tell someone that you were the right person for a job that was technically above you? or like me...are you content with working your way up and into a career?
26.11.12
snail mail | birds, christmas & intimidation
for the november correspondance club, hosted by the beautiful nnenna of star-crossed smile, the theme was "thankful for the little things." i wrote to my partner emily of if it's the beaches that i had certainly been greatful for the smaller things life has to offer me because lately the bigger things are going my way. and i suspect emily will tell me about the tragedy of hurricane sandy, because she lives near long island. to give her hope, i clipped and pasted these beautiful birds onto her envelope.
i also put together a very holiday themed envelope for riley of cosmopostalan. i'm so in love with my new washi tapes!!
finally, i received this card from my old university roommate who is currently living in england. needless to say, it cracked me up! it seems people are always intimidated when sending me cards or mail. i'm so glad to hear i inadvertently make other's try harder!
25.11.12
paper | discover paper
i love discover paper's amazing holiday guide so much i wanted to share it with all of you! one hundred and twenty pages full of sheer paper glory. you'll not only find some of my stationery inside, but also tons of amazing gift and decor ideas!
Open publication - Free publishing
isavirtue blog | schedule
omg i could not be happier that they are playing christmas music on the radio now! i just have to find one of those stations that plays it non-stop until the end of december. anyways, as i'm working six days a week again, and spending more of my downtime creating things with my hands, i'm making some little tweaks to my blogging schedule...
monday | snail mail!
tuesday | musings!
wednesday | art \ art vs. art!
thursday | creators!
24.11.12
me | doctor's note
oh hello there! long time no chat. well you see, i had my wisdom teeth out a week ago and have spent my days (somewhat) comfortably curled up on the couch watching endless episodes of "life unexpected" while my doting husband waited on me hand and foot. ahh life is good.
ok, those are half truths because ew, no one should have to have four giant teeth ripped out of their mouth. though, as far as anesthesiologists go...i'm am their newest and biggest fan! and so, before i get back to my scheduled programming, i thought i would include some recent correspondence between myself and my father regarding this recent tooth extraction experience. it may be explanatory to know that my pops currently works in insurance. there are life lessons to be had here folks...so read on!
-----original Message-----
from: kaitlyn patience [mailto: kaitlyn@isavirtue.net]
to: brian patience; patricia patience
subject: tooth fairy?
every morning i look and look but i just can't find my reward! i throw the pillows off the bed, gently check under the sheets and even look on the floor just in case. but there is never anything there!
i have to admit... the only reason i agreed to have my wisdom teeth out was for the haul i thought it would bring in from the tooth fairy!! i thought... these are my biggest and strongest teeth - and they even make me smarter! goodness knows the dentists and the tooth fairy have been trying to get their greedy paws on those babies for years!
so i finally caved... but now, with a week gone by and no moula under my pillow, i'm starting to get concerned. in fact - i feel a bit cheated!
as proponents and perpetuators of tooth fairy knowledge - do you guys know what's going on? is there something you're not telling me??
love,
your mystified daughter.
from: brian patience
to: me, patricia
subject: re: tooth fairy?
darlin'
yes indeed i do..... allow me to enlighten you!
firstly, wisdom teeth are by no means the biggest or strongest teeth. they come in later in life and go out just as quick as they came in, so they are definitely not there for the long haul.
as for the wisdom they hold, that wisdom relates to the need to know enough to have them out as they are most definitely brash and bully molars who always crowd and complicate all the other teeth in the neighbourhood. they barge in, tearing up the gum landscape, destroying what was for the most part, a peaceful street and rows of teeth who all typically mind their own business and get along with all the other teeth demographics on the street (molars, eye teeth, bicuspids etc) until the brash, obnoxious and bigger than life wisdom teeth move into the neighbourhood throwing their ever increasing weight around and finally encroaching and tearing up pristine gum real estate. they almost always devalue all the other teeth on the street and eventually they become a decaying and rotting slum that must be removed as soon as possible. at this time, things then most always go back to normal on the teeth street.
to address your final query, the tooth fairy!
when we were younger, she was full of vim and vigour and always there for moral and financial support at the loss of anyone on teeth street. But like all things, she has grown tired and wearisome of her task in life and as rumour has it, she has now packed it in some years ago and resides in a long term nursing facility for fairy's suffering from chronic wing pain, dementia and without questions, poor vision due to years of exposure to plaque and receding gum lines. she is broken, feeble and financially ruined from decades of handing out endless amounts of coins to children everywhere. along with a poor economy and bad investments, she now is on her last wings wasting away. unfortunately, due to her years of constant visits to bedrooms and a hectic night life and scheduling, she never had time for a social life and the poor girl never met or married a man and she missed the opportunity to have a family, so she has no one to carry on her good work and the tooth fairy is no more!
sad but true!
i hope this helps in your need to query why no reward exists day after day for you and hopefully this information ceases your daily quest for a little loose change.
but if this helps, the tooth fairy does send her best wishes for a healthy dental future for young adults everywhere.
god bless!
papa
ok, those are half truths because ew, no one should have to have four giant teeth ripped out of their mouth. though, as far as anesthesiologists go...i'm am their newest and biggest fan! and so, before i get back to my scheduled programming, i thought i would include some recent correspondence between myself and my father regarding this recent tooth extraction experience. it may be explanatory to know that my pops currently works in insurance. there are life lessons to be had here folks...so read on!
-----original Message-----
from: kaitlyn patience [mailto: kaitlyn@isavirtue.net]
to: brian patience; patricia patience
subject: tooth fairy?
every morning i look and look but i just can't find my reward! i throw the pillows off the bed, gently check under the sheets and even look on the floor just in case. but there is never anything there!
i have to admit... the only reason i agreed to have my wisdom teeth out was for the haul i thought it would bring in from the tooth fairy!! i thought... these are my biggest and strongest teeth - and they even make me smarter! goodness knows the dentists and the tooth fairy have been trying to get their greedy paws on those babies for years!
so i finally caved... but now, with a week gone by and no moula under my pillow, i'm starting to get concerned. in fact - i feel a bit cheated!
as proponents and perpetuators of tooth fairy knowledge - do you guys know what's going on? is there something you're not telling me??
love,
your mystified daughter.
from: brian patience
to: me, patricia
subject: re: tooth fairy?
darlin'
yes indeed i do..... allow me to enlighten you!
firstly, wisdom teeth are by no means the biggest or strongest teeth. they come in later in life and go out just as quick as they came in, so they are definitely not there for the long haul.
as for the wisdom they hold, that wisdom relates to the need to know enough to have them out as they are most definitely brash and bully molars who always crowd and complicate all the other teeth in the neighbourhood. they barge in, tearing up the gum landscape, destroying what was for the most part, a peaceful street and rows of teeth who all typically mind their own business and get along with all the other teeth demographics on the street (molars, eye teeth, bicuspids etc) until the brash, obnoxious and bigger than life wisdom teeth move into the neighbourhood throwing their ever increasing weight around and finally encroaching and tearing up pristine gum real estate. they almost always devalue all the other teeth on the street and eventually they become a decaying and rotting slum that must be removed as soon as possible. at this time, things then most always go back to normal on the teeth street.
to address your final query, the tooth fairy!
when we were younger, she was full of vim and vigour and always there for moral and financial support at the loss of anyone on teeth street. But like all things, she has grown tired and wearisome of her task in life and as rumour has it, she has now packed it in some years ago and resides in a long term nursing facility for fairy's suffering from chronic wing pain, dementia and without questions, poor vision due to years of exposure to plaque and receding gum lines. she is broken, feeble and financially ruined from decades of handing out endless amounts of coins to children everywhere. along with a poor economy and bad investments, she now is on her last wings wasting away. unfortunately, due to her years of constant visits to bedrooms and a hectic night life and scheduling, she never had time for a social life and the poor girl never met or married a man and she missed the opportunity to have a family, so she has no one to carry on her good work and the tooth fairy is no more!
sad but true!
i hope this helps in your need to query why no reward exists day after day for you and hopefully this information ceases your daily quest for a little loose change.
but if this helps, the tooth fairy does send her best wishes for a healthy dental future for young adults everywhere.
god bless!
papa
16.11.12
patience made | old school gift boxes
i love wrapping. and boxes. oh heck, i love wrapping boxes!! now that i'm working at a paper store, i'm surrounded by stunningly beautiful wrapping papers. i'm actually starting to worry about how i will ever be able to choose wraps for my holiday gifts! however, when it comes to smaller gifts...i'll be using these adorable boxes i made. they're perfect for giving letter writing stationery because then you...or your recipient will be "rocking it old school"!
15.11.12
snail mail | beeswax and books
i apologize for not posting this on monday. it's been the busiest week ever! (well, for me anyways, i can't speak for you...). last weekend was awesome. on the thursday and friday before my birthday i received all sorts of fun goodies in the mail. the most unique can be seen below.
m.a. tateishi sent me a block of beeswax for when i'm ready to take on encaustic painting. she's the funniest person i know and i thoroughly enjoyed the note she included which compared sending me a packing to sending baked goods to martha stewart...or something like that! next monday i'll show you another piece of mail by someone who feels the same way.
anyways, thanks so so much mat!!
can you believe this?? my mother in law made me an altered book for my birthday! it's such a unique and thoughtful gift. and the pages even have themes, some of which celebrate my marriage and my wonderful husband :) i can't believe the work that went into this and i'm loving every bit of it.
13.11.12
art vs. art | robyn cummings vs. melanie rocan
this is a really interesting art vs. art because it's two entirely different mediums! i'm not sure if that makes for an unfair comparison...but it sure makes it fun!
both robyn cummings and melanie rocan depict women who are covered or hidden by flowers, items which are traditionally viewed as feminine objects. both are projecting this stereotypically female image which leads one to believe they have a stereotypically female persona. and while mostly hidden from our view, there are other parts they are letting us see - hands, eyes, lips, a protruding stomach...
robyn cumming's "lady things" series will always have a piece of my heart. but more than that, i prefer the crispness and staged atmosphere of her images. whereas in rocan's work, the use of an abstract art style for portraiture is distracting.
shabby apple giveaway | winner
good tuesday morning! i'm here to announce the lucky winner of the shabby apple giveaway!
drum roll please
and the winner is...
michelle pickett!
michelle, please email me as soon as possible at kaitlyn[at]isavirtue[dot]net
10.11.12
happy birthday | 10+11+12
i have this funny habit of writing dates in the european fashion. that means - the smallest section of time first. as in day/month/year
so it occurred to me that my birthday is special this year (p.s. today is my birthday!) because the date is 10/11/12. and you know what? i'm having a great day and wanted to share the love with you.
10+11+12 equals 33 - so for this weekend, please feel free to take 33% off all stationery items in my online shop! coupon code: BIRTHDAY101112
xoxo
kaitlyn
7.11.12
win a dress from shabby apple! | closed
i never wear pants. okay, not never, that's a lie. but about 99% of the time you'll find me wearing a dress. i wasn't always this way, once upon a time i wore jeans like everyone else. i didn't know how good it good be! and i didn't know about shabby apple.
see, here's the thing, i love the look of retro dresses. but um...i don't actually like wearing vintage dresses (is it taboo to say that?). so shabby apple is the perfect medium - they sell all sorts of brand new casual dresses and fancy tea party dresses...in my size. everyone i talk to worries about sizing online but you can use their fit guides or "ask kate." i always shop for my clothing on the internet and i've never had an issue.
this saturday is my birthday, so in celebration i'm hosting a giveaway! leave a comment sharing your favourite shabby apple dress, and you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card! (p.s. i have the navy dress in the second photo and i love it!). for those of you who don't win - you can use the coupon code "isavirtue10off" and get 10% for the next month!
good luck ladies!
all you have to do to win a $50 gift card towards a beautiful shabby apple dress is:
visit shabby apple and check out their collections
+leave a comment at the bottom of this post telling me your favourite piece!
if you want to go the distance and up your chances of winning you can:
mention this shabby apple giveaway on twitter with the hashtag #shabbyapplegiveaway
like shabby apple on facebook!
blog about this giveaway!
*don't forget to leave one extra comment for each thing you do :)
the giveaway closes november 12th at 11:55 pm pst. the winner will be announced on the 13th.
**apologies to my canadian comrads and international individuals,
this giveaway is open to u.s. residents only.
art vs. art | tiffany pelcz vs. jessica durrant
in scrolling through my daily etsy finds email, i noticed a little tribute section to new york and all that it has gone through in the past week. the featured image was by tiffany pelcz art. it reminded me very much of jessica durrant's art - who, by the way is one of the teachers in my "make art a part (of your life)" e-course. i'll post the comparative images below and let you decide whose watercolour work you prefer. me? i enjoy jessica's more because it seems so effortless!
jessica durrant
tiffany pelcz
6.11.12
musings | christmas
on saturday november third, i put up my christmas tree. well, to be more specific, my husband put up the tree and i decorated it. for me, decorating a christmas tree is an almost spiritual experience. not religious - spiritual. i find it to be calming, meditative, and beautiful. i turn on christmas carols, make a cup of cider or hot chocolate, and slowly place each ornament and candy cane just so. having the tree up and fully decorated makes me so happy! i love the light it gives off at night, and i love sitting and staring at it in the early mornings.
not everyone feels this way about christmas and trees and carols. i heard that at a local chain of drugstores they started playing christmas carols on november first and all the customers got so mad that they made an executive decision to delay it for two more weeks. isn't that funny? and silly? i mean, why do people get so mad and up in arms about the holidays? i think i get it...they hate the line ups right? they hate the sheer christmas centrality for two whole months? they hate trying to find gifts for people? maybe some people don't have family and that makes them lonely?
see, i have theories as to why people hate the holidays, but i don't really get it. all i see is a time of year where we celebrate love, a beautiful (if not entirely accurate) story of humankind, relationships, music, and giving. i think that's amazing! and i love every single part of it.
not everyone feels this way about christmas and trees and carols. i heard that at a local chain of drugstores they started playing christmas carols on november first and all the customers got so mad that they made an executive decision to delay it for two more weeks. isn't that funny? and silly? i mean, why do people get so mad and up in arms about the holidays? i think i get it...they hate the line ups right? they hate the sheer christmas centrality for two whole months? they hate trying to find gifts for people? maybe some people don't have family and that makes them lonely?
see, i have theories as to why people hate the holidays, but i don't really get it. all i see is a time of year where we celebrate love, a beautiful (if not entirely accurate) story of humankind, relationships, music, and giving. i think that's amazing! and i love every single part of it.
5.11.12
snail mail | christmas greetings
i had so many ideas for my holiday cards this year! it was pretty hard to narrow it down. but then i remembered my favourite holiday poem - "the night before christmas." it really has the most clever verses - but my favourite line is "while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." i love that because it describes perfectly how i feel in the months and weeks leading up to december 25th! so i designed and ordered one last christmas carol stamp - "visions of sugarplums." and here's what i did with it!
p.s. should put some "visions of sugarplums" products in my shop?
*
p.s. should put some "visions of sugarplums" products in my shop?
*
*inside the envelopes for my family, i've included these neat pop up ornaments! they're perfect for mailing because you can send them flat, and you receiver "pops"them up!
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