Historically, winter is the hardest time of year for me. I find that gray skies and not much sun don’t treat me very well. So when Sarah announced her gocco swap’s theme as mid-winter, I grumbled. Out loud. I really wanted to do the swap, but mid-winter? Ugh.
I thought long and hard about what I wanted to print. Fatty came up with all kinds of good ideas, but either they were entirely impractical (I cannot draw a groundhog, for instance) or they weren’t very "me" (whatever that is). I was looking back at some photos on Flickr and this one caught my attention. It was snowy and gray and the sun was trying to peek through. That gave me an idea.
I took a plain white doily and placed it on a black background and scanned it. I then inverted the black and white, cropped it some and made my master. I mixed a bit of brown ink into the yellow to get a match to the curry colored envelopes from the Paper Source. I printed it on gray folded notes (also from Paper Source) and voila – my version of mid-winter.
Funnily enough, after I mailed them on Monday, it started snowing. Yesterday was snowy and gray. Today is snowy again, but the sun has come out a few times, too. Tomorrow’s forecast is for sunny skies. Mid-winter indeed.
Thanks for hosting a great swap, Sarah. I promise not to grumble if you do it again.
Those are perfect! I wish I had been in your group š Great job.
these are stunning. and i’m seriously biting my tongue over here so that i don’t say anything about my project. but when you get mine, i think you’ll laugh.
Erin, that is just gorgeous. I can’t wait!
Beautiful color, great graphic; I hope the sun is really coming!
so so pretty…
Wow. That is mid-winter hope. Sunshiny snowflakes or whatever. Very you and very very cool.
Oh my gosh… those are awesome. I wish I knew how to print like this so I could join in.
absolutely beautiful creations erin!
a regular doily did that? so cool.
thanks for sharing the creative process on this one.
they just turned out so great!!!!
(and weirdly enough we had the circle punch and brown paper out last night for tag making too) š
These are so beautiful! Perfect for the mid-winter gray day feeling.
so beautiful! one of these days i’m going to have to get in on this gocco thing…
Ok, between you and http://glittergoods.typepad.com/glittergoods/ and Meg at Swallowfield, I caved under the pressure (!) and just spent $300 on a gocco kit. Arrgh! But I’ve been wanting one forever; handmade cards are just so special. I can not wait to get started!! Thanks for the nudge! š
those are cool! I would love to get that in the mail- spring in a parcel- perfect.
I love your idea! Although the entire time I was reading your post, I heard, “do-do-do-do” in my head.
Oh Erin, those are so nice!
Exquisite! I wish I had gotten a gocco in time to participate in this swap so that I could have gotten one of yours! They’re brilliant!
congrats on such a beautiful design and package! Lucky are those who are in your group š
erin, these are fantastic. absolutely fantastic.
yay for the return of the sun, the gocco goodness you’re shining upon us, and for your participation in the swap! another will be in the works, for certain!!
your design is wonderful and your style is just fabulous. as always. (it is so “you”.)
oh i think they look truly lovely!
Also wanted to let you know I’m having a contest over on my blog. Pop on in if you get a chance š
brilliant! all i can think is, do i have a doily somewhere?
ohhhh Erin what beautiful art you have made.
luv Abby
The motif is wonderful. I like the color and the way it’s offset to the side. And those tags – very simple, very clever.
those are just lovely!
I love them. You have made doilies look hip! x
Love it.
very pretty!
If only the sun was that pretty! Makes me want a gocco.
I was just writing last week about how my chief source of inspiration lately has been the gray skies — they’ve driven me to buy, sew, and seek out COLOR everywhere I go.
Love your notecards.
…Beautiful and sunshiney too! :o)
…Blessings…
Love this! Just another reason I MUST get a Gocco!
They are absolutely beautiful!!
oh, erin. your cards are lovely. you did a great job. outstanding. i have to make my swap items today. today. i am a bit behind. as usual.
stunning Erin!!
Genius!
lovely job, I particularly like the ink color. that swap looked sooo tempting, I’m hoping another one comes around when I’m not so swamped!
genius! i LOVE love LOVE them.
damn, i NEED a gocco!!!!!!!
those are soooooo beautiful, erin!
and so perfect!!!
this is enough to make me want to buy a gocco. SO good, erin. SO good.
I love it!
what a cool idea to use a doiley! i wish i was on your list. too bad. i wish we had a paper source close by.
How beautiful! Just the thing to add a little cheer in the mail, mid-winter.
These are stunning! I must get me a gocco!
Erin, these are just beautiful. I love the mustardy colour – so cheerful. All this gocco inspiration is wonderful. What a lucky recipient to get your parcel.
They are so lovely, and so cheering for overcast mid-winter days. it would be lovely to receive one of those in the post. (And yes, it makes me want a gocco too…)
They look lovely, fantastic job. I know what you mean about midwinter, cna’t seem to get going with anything.
These are absolutely wonderful. Great interpretation.
Beautiful!
Oh, Erin, these are AWESOME. I love the interpretation, the design, the execution, the color, everything. And those curry envelopes are my favorites from the paper source lately. That color is so inspiring to me right now. Awesome job, dear, awesome.
They are beautiful. I love the curry color.
they are so awesome, I think I need a Gocco though I didn’t know what one was till I saw this post. LOL! Very talented …
wow….so pretty and cheerful.
We’re getting dumped with snow today, so I’m sure more cold is following the taste of spring that you might be getting today. Love to pass my weather on to you…
Beautiful!
These are so lovely and so cheery! A brilliantly elegant solution. Way to use your gocco!
I LOVE this card pattern you made…just beautiful!
Those are just gorgeous.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you. š
How beautiful!
tres cool.
They are so, SO pretty, Erin! You guys are really making me crave. lust after, pine for, NEED a gocco of my own!
absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!
These are so lovely! What a wonderful idea for capturing mid-winter…
Traci told me all about your lovely gocco card. Nice to see it here – love the yellow.
I am trying to understand how you are doing the printing. I noticed you mentioned it when using spyrograph screen??. Just curious.