It runs in the family

My young nephew James drew this fish, and one of my favorite things about it is the big smile on its face. To me it represents how he (James) feels, and it makes me smile when he smiles. This masterpiece, along with a selection of drawings from his classmates, hung in a university art gallery for a bit. When asked if he knew why or how his was chosen, James responded, "Because it's so good." Can't beat that!

Blazing sunset

We get the most amazing sunsets where we live. This one is from the other night. The cows across the street were quietly grazing under the beautiful pink, orange, and blazing yellow sky, not seeming to even notice the spectacular sight. But I did.

Bright green caterpillar

Sitting at my desk the other day, I glanced outside at the tree near my window and immediately noticed this GIANT caterpillar. While I think this is the type of caterpillar that cartoons and costumes are made to look like, I don't think I've ever seen one in real life. He was quite large, slow, and stood out on the dark colored bark. I wondered why the birds hadn't eaten him, but then I noticed all the hairy spikes. Mystery solved!

'Twas a misty, moisty morning

Do you remember that nursery rhyme? My mom used to recite it to us at times. Well, the other morning was certainly misty. And in the middle of a nearby field in the mist stood a gigantic bull. You might not be able to get the perspective from this picture, but he dwarfs the 3 cows to the right. Impressive!

September

September is upon us—have you turned your calendar yet? Though not yet officially autumn, the end of August and beginning of September tell me the leaves will begin changing color soon and we'll start to have crisp, blustery days. My favorite season.

Oregano?

While in the grocery store the other day, I noticed this plant in the flower section and it was labeled "oregano." I had no idea that oregano could look like this! I've thought about drawing various flowering herbs, and I would definitely consider adding this varietal to the line-up.

Fishing lure

I had the opportunity to be the photographer on a few family fishing excursions while at the beach recently in North Carolina. This (somewhat) early morning shot was taken on the way to the chosen spot. I don't think the colorful lure fooled any of the fish, but all the fishermen looked as though they were having fun casting that day!

North Carolina coast

Having grown up in North Carolina, I've been going to the NC beaches for years, and they never cease to amaze me with their simple beauty. The sand is so soft, the sky blue, and the water warm. How lucky I am to have spent a week recently on the coast. So many great photos, but this one captured a white sailboat in the distance, one of the few we saw despite the beautiful weather.

Happy July!

We're kicking off this month with 10% off of our new letterpress flats. These stationery flats are letterpressed in a rich red on ecru-colored heavyweight paper. The duo set includes 3 fire hydrant images and 3 outdoor grill images, packaged in a dual-view vinyl sleeve (pictured here). They're great for thank-yous, invitations to a cookout, or as a host/hostess gift for that summer party. Promo code JulPROMO, now through July 31 on JAKEandMETA.com.

Fun in the surf

Here's another picture from last year's beach trip. I think this was the day we arrived, and of course the first thing to do is change into swimsuits, grab the boogie boards, and head to the ocean! Boy, that was fun, and we can't wait to do it again this year.

Happy Father's Day!

Summer officially starts Wednesday, schools are letting out, and kids are headed to the beach, camps, and other summertime activities. For me, I'm looking forward to a trip to the North Carolina beaches in a couple of weeks—seashell hunting, swimming, and just relaxing with family.

This picture is from last year of one of my nephews running through the surf to catch up with some of our fishing men (pint sized and full sized!) just as the sun was going down. Happy Father's Day!

Dwell's "Small Wonder"

I read an article today on Dwell that provided an overview of the development of this small studio space in Berkeley, CA. I love the details like the redwood siding that was milled from trees salvaged from a road-widening project in Sonoma County, and the inside desk that's curved to promote collaboration.

I also really like the stone work, including the path leading from the main house to the studio. We have a studio space on our property, and I'm feeling inspired by the beautiful landscaping and thoughtful use of outdoor space seen here.

 You can check out the entire slideshow on their site. Happy Saturday!

Transit of Venus

Did anyone spy the Venus transit today? The western hemisphere was supposed to be able to see it around 6:00EDT today. I was not able to view it—too many clouds and no open vantage point, unfortunately. But this photo from National Geographic is quite something.

NY Botanical Garden of roses

The NY Botanical Garden tweeted this past weekend about how beautiful and in peak the roses are in their Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden. So I went on their website (which houses these 2 pictures), and they are not kidding!

I was there several years back and remember that the rose garden was quite spectacular. I'll have to dig through my "archives" and share some of my own photos, which include the Chihuly glass exhibit they had at the time (also amazing).

Father's Day: 10% off fish cards

We're offering a promotion this month for 10% off all fish cards; enter promotional code "JunPROMO" at checkout now through June 30. This offer comes just in time for Father's Day which is Sunday, June 17!

I began fishing with my father when I was 3 years old. This fish series was created as a birthday gift for him, most originating from simple black-and-white versions drawn years ago for a cookbook. These colorful renderings make the fish jump to life. A fabulous, unexpected gift for the man who has practically everything.

Peonies

Just when I'm considering changing my business card design (which currently features peonies), I see this gorgeous array of full, fluffy, beautiful peonies. We had a storm come through yesterday, and many of the petals have since been blown off, or the stems are bowing low to the ground now, but many blooms still remain in full. And they smell so good! Truly some of my favorite flowers.

A day of rememberance

This morning we watched the Memorial Day parade on Broadway which runs down the middle of town in Saratoga Springs. Bagpipes were playing (which I love), and several veterans, current military-in-training, and a marching band went by, in addition to some very impressive fire trucks. A group I'd not seen before also marched past, tails in the air: the United States War Dogs Association, pictured below.

With the long weekend, pools opening, and sales, it's easy to forget the real reason behind this day: remembering the men and women who've served this country in the Armed Forces—I have family members who fall into this category. It was great to see such a positive turnout for the town's acknowledgment of this day.

NSS 2012 booth

Back from the Stationery Show now - exhausted but invigorated!

Being in that environment with so much creativity, talent, and excitement for the industry is really inspiring. And one of my favorite aspects was getting to see people we met last year, both retailers and "booth buddies" (our neighbors). We had fabulous neighbors again this year, including May Day Studio, Stephanie Hessler, Happy Cactus Designs, and From You to Me.

New to our experience this year was talking with magazine editors who stopped in our booth, and being featured in Stationery Today, the daily NSS edition of the leading trade magazine Stationery Trends.

Our new letterpress men's line was a hit! We received lots of positive feedback which is exactly what you want when you're trying something new. And we love the timing since Father's Day is right around the corner (June 17).

Now it's time to unpack, keep in touch with people we met, and start to think about next year...

Show bound

If you're in the area, come see us at the Javits in NYC! Booth 2146

You're invited!

Our third new line debuting next week is our imprintable invitations, with 6 designs to choose from. They could also double as place-setting menus for a luncheon or bridal shower. Let the party begin!

Letterpress anyone?

Also debuting Sunday is our new letterpress line, designed for men. I've always loved this medium and am so excited to offer these heavy card stock flats in time for Father's Day (June 17). Even in this day of emailing and texting, you can't beat the personal touch of a hand-written note sent the "old fashioned" way.

Boy-Girl party!

Another preview of one of the new lines we're launching in a ~week, this one of our new girls' line of birthday cards. I love the vibrant colors, with the oranges and yellows really popping. And of course, I tend to gravitate toward spring-like chartreuse green—perfectly suited for a cheery birthday greeting!

New designs to share

It's that time of year again, when we're making final preparations for the Stationery Show, and I thought I'd share some of our new creations we'll be launching. We have 3 new product lines and are so excited to unveil them in 2 weeks! Here's a sneak peek at some of our new greeting cards—these were designed to celebrate a boy's birthday. More to come over the next ~10 days!

Inch worm

Not sure whether this is happening where YOU live, but we have inch worms EVERYWHERE. I toss them from the porch into the grass (because they'll never survive otherwise), and I turn around and there are 5 more on the porch again, having gently sailed in on their invisible threads. They're cute because they're so small and green!

Sunset in Saratoga

Pink skies in last night's sunset over Fish Creek near Saratoga Lake. As I took pictures, Canada geese flew over the reflective water looking for their resting spot for the night. Quite peaceful.

Spring has sprung

Spring is definitely in the air, and today it was 90 degrees! (That's too hot.) But before the storms this past weekend we had plenty of delicate blooms on the tree branches, like the one you see here. This evening on the front porch was our first evening without a chill in the air. But I'm still not quite ready for summer!

Easter Sunday

Thinking about how to set your table for Easter this Sunday? I think Crate and Barrel did a beautiful job with this one. I love the tulips and hydrangeas in the centerpiece—so fresh and crisp looking but also soft and inviting. The menus could have even been from our new JAKE & META invitation line, soon to be unveiled...

Apartment slide

Have you ever seen something so cool? This is a duplex penthouse apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan, featured last week in the NY Daily News. Imagine sliding down that thing in a cocktail dress, ready to go out for the evening. Wow!

Chalk giraffe

Check out this funky giraffe I walked past the other day, all drawn in chalk, coming in at over 4 feet tall. Goes to show that pretty much any surface can be your canvas, and this artist (Alexis Booz) let the colors fly. Just hope the rain holds off!

Maple syrup time

It's that time of year when maple trees in the northeast get tapped for their sap, and today we visited a sugar house in Greenwich, NY. Sugar Mill Farm hosted a pancake breakfast and offered tours and insight into the whole operation. This picture shows their sugar house "in full steam." Did you know it takes 40 gallons of sap to yield 1 gallon of maple syrup?? And boy, is it good!

Ice dog

Don't know whether you caught the American Kennel Club dog show on TV (or live?) recently, but even if you did, you wouldn't have seen this icy breed. He was part of an ice sculpture at the recent Chowderfest in Saratoga Springs, NY. Even in the sunshine, it was cold enough for him to stay poised. What a beautiful day and a tasty event!

The ides of March

The first of March, and we get a beautiful snowfall. The snow was still coming down when I snapped this picture of a very peaceful park scene. One thing I love about snow is that it makes everything quiet and serene. Welcome, March.

Daffodils on the horizon

March is the month of daffodils. In the south, jonquils tell us spring has sprung. They’re one of the first flowers to come up, and the cheery yellow flowers help chase away the winter gray.

Birthday flower

In celebration of a friend's birthday today, I thought I'd share this photo of an award-winning dahlia from the 2010 NC State Fair. Beautiful, just like my friend.

February is upon us

What happened to January?! Today is Feb 1, the first day of this leap-year month and stock are in bloom. If you don't yet have your JAKE & META 2012 "Year in Bloom" mini desktop calendar, you can get one here. And this month we're offering 50% off! Just enter code FebPROMO. Ends Feb 29.

Lush green of summer

With all the gray skies and cold weather we've been having, running across this photo from the summer made me smile. We'd love to see a live moose, but for now we'll settle on the one traipsing around this cup.

First big snow

Look what we woke up to yesterday morning! About 6 inches of powdery white. So beautiful and so quiet, like a big blanket laid gently onto everything in sight.

Mares' tails

My dad calls these kinds of clouds mares' tails. The wispy, upturned edges were all across the Vermont sky last weekend. I'm sure they signify something about impending weather. I hope it's snow!

January promotion

Have you heard about our monthly promotions? Each month we choose a JAKE & META selection and give you a deal! This month our holiday cards are 50% off, through the end of January. Promo code: JanPROMO.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! A new year, and a new Year in Bloom mini desktop calendar. If you don't have yours yet, let us know! Here's to a healthy, happy 2012!!