Happy New Year

 

WISHING YOU PEACE & LOVE IN THE NEW YEAR.

Design Your Own Font

We all know that a hand written envelope is more personal than one with a typed out label. But who has time for that when you have a stack of 50 envelopes to address? One solution is to use a handwritten font and print the mailing address directly on your envelopes.

There are several websites that can generate a font from your very own handwriting. I chose www.handfont.com to create mine...and it cost less than $10! With four easy steps, a scanned sample of your handwriting is turned into a true type font that you can use in any application.

Download and complete your font form

 

Scan and save your form


Upload your form

Buy and download your font

Once you have your font, you can set up your document in whatever program you choose to use. (I created a document in InDesign and exported the multi-page document to a pdf file.) You can even add hand drawn elements to personalize it even more.

Finally, I sent my document to print and minutes later, my envelopes were done.
This post was originally written as a guest post for Queen Bee Market. Special thanks to Indie Handmade, who inspired this blog.

2011 calendars

Today my onecalendar made it to the front page of Etsy, thanks to this fabulous treasury made by Laura.

Holiday Shopping Event

Queen Bee Market is having a Holiday Shopping Event next month at the Del Mar Hilton. The timing is perfect...right before Thanksgiving. My booth will be stocked with calendars, cards, and gift tags. You can check out the other fabulous vendors here.

For directions to the event, click here.

Surfing Celebs

In September I attended the Surfrider Foundation's fifth annual Celebrity Expression Session. Hosted by the beautiful Christina Applegate, the event took place at Surfrider Beach in Malibu. As a Surfrider member myself, I was stoked when my husband told me that the company he works for, Cali Bamboo, was was a sponsoring the event with Barefoot Wine. For every wave each celebrity caught, both sponsors donated $100.

The celebrities this year were Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Sam Trammell, Martyn Lenoble, Austin Nichols, Eric Balfour, Eric Avery, and Brian Geraghty. An amazing lineup, to say the least.

So they ended up raising $29,600 for Surfrider, which is amazing. But I have to admit, the most amazing part for me was standing a few feet from Flea and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers as they waxed their boards and suited up.

As the web master and videographer/photographer for Cali Bamboo, my husband Walker was lucky enough to have press access and interviewed all of the celebrities. Not a bad gig. Check out his footage here:

During the event, all of the celebrities, including Christina Applegate signed a surfboard which will be given away to a lucky winner on Crowdrise. All you have to do to enter is donate $44 by November 29. The proceeds will go to Surfrider which is such a great organization that protects our beaches, coastlines and oceans.

Photos courtesy of Surfrider and Cali Bamboo

New Colors

There is a common thread with most of my products...COLOR. While maintaining a consistent look and design aesthetic, most REDSTAR ink products are black and red.

But I have gotten numerous requests for customized goods in different colors so I have added a new color option to my top selling items. I am pleased to introduce to you brown and blue, now available at REDSTAR ink.

New Font

I have been wanting to make a font of my own handwriting for a long time. This post over at indiehandmade.com reminded me of that. So I visited handfont.com and voila!

Priorities

This is why I haven't posted anything in a while.

Being a mama is a full time job.

This is me and my beautiful three-year-old son, Bryton.

Front Page

So much has been happening. July was an insane month at REDSTAR ink. Despite being sick, I participated in a few fairs, including the Renegade Craft Fair (photos coming soon) and have been working on new products for the fall. So busy, but so fun.

And today, I was featured on the front page of Etsy in this fabulous treasury put together by Shawnee at My Fair Ladee.

How cool is that?

Oil Spill Response Market

Over at Poppytalk Handmade this month, they are having an online virtual fundraiser called the "Oil Spill Response Market".

In response to the devastation from the BP oil spill in the Gulf and continuing crisis, 70 artists, designers, and vintage shop owners are donating one item from their shop. Once sold, they will be donating the proceeds to help the vulnerable communities threatened by the oil spill through Oxfam America who has a special online donation section.

REDSTAR ink is proud to be donating the Summer of Love photo album which can be ordered here...and I will be throwing in lots of extras!

This is the oil spill item that I purchased. It is a limited edition print by Matte Stephens. I am so excited to add this one to the gallery!

Here Comes the Sun!

The Poppytalk Handmade summer-themed (virtual market) has launched. As always, Poppytalk has put together "a fun market, and how can it not be with summer just around the corner and all that swimming, camping, surfing, picnicking, gardening swinging, mmmmmmm....."

This is just a peek of the market. Click here to see more!"

Renegade

I am so excited that REDSTAR ink will be a part of the 2nd Annual Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles. I will be partnering up with my dear friend and amazing artist, Andrew King. He is so much fun, I couldn't have picked a better person to do this with. There is lots to do to get ready for the big event, but I am really looking forward to meeting other indie artists.

Summer of Love

This summer, REDSTAR ink has a lot of exciting things happening. In anticipation of upcoming art fairs and new markets, I have been working on some new merchandise. Here are some new photo albums that I just released...just in time for summer. What are your big summer plans?

Sugar Kisses

A lovely little shop has just opened in the Kensington area of San Diego featuring fabulous women's accessories, gifts, body, and baby products. The Sugar Kiss Boutique features local designers from the San Diego area.

I have had the pleasure of working with the owner of Sugar Kiss, Quincy (pictured above), who aims to "unite amazingly talented people together to form friendships, collaborations, and networking opportunities and feature these designers in a boutique that caters to the handmade, unique, and locally sourced and pair them with national and international lines that compliment the look and feel of the boutique."

Oh, did I mention that REDSTAR ink products are sold here? Another great thing about Quincy's shop is her dedication to finding eco-friendly goods. If you live in the San Diego area, you must cruise by her shop. It is my number one stop whenever I have a gift to buy.

Where the Surf Meets the Turf

 

 

 

I had a lovely time at the Surfrider Art Gala this evening. And Jason Mraz was gracious enough to snap a photo with me...love him!

Surfrider Art Gala

I am fortunate enough to live and work in the beautiful seaside city of San Diego. One of the constant struggles here is protecting the beaches and ocean of southern California. REDSTAR ink is a proud supporter of Surfrider Foundation which is on the forefront of political and environmental issues that threaten our ecosystem.

My husband and I will be attending the 10th Annual Art Gala hosted by Surfrider in Del Mar, California. The evening's program will include an awards ceremony recognizing San Diego County the company that my husband works for, Cali Bamboo for their contributions to environmental issues and Surfrider Foundation.

Proceeds from the ticket sales and auctions fund the chapter and local programs including water quality testing, education outreach, beach cleanups, pollution monitoring and advocacy efforts.

If you have a minute, check out the Surfrider website and see how you can support their efforts.

as seen on...poppytalk

* redstar ink

Shop Name: REDSTAR ink
Website(s): redstarink.bigcartel.com
Blog: redstarink.com/blog.html
Poppytalk Handmade Table No. 96
Location: San Diego, California

poppytalk: Introducing "Paper Pops"

REDSTAR ink is featured on Poppytalk Handmade this month as part of the "Paper Pops" market. Check out the other fabulous shops while you're there!

poppytalk: Introducing "Paper Pops"

REDSTAR ink is featured on Poppytalk Handmade this month as part of the "Paper Pops" market. After you visit my table, check out the other fabulous shops while you're there!

Happiness = Being A Mom

Queen Bee Market: Recap

On Saturday I participated in the Queen Bee Market, a local art fair with about 40 other vendors. This was my first show and a great learning experience as I prepare for the Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles this summer.

The best part about doing these things is meeting new people and networking. There were so many amazing people there.

Happy Earth Day

I love Earth Day. I love the beautiful place that I live. I love creating eco-friendly products. And I love Mother Earth.

I was thrilled when I received an email from the lovely people of Poppytalk about this awesome contest they are having now through May 7. I am thrilled to be a part of the Green Pop Market which is currently up on Poppytalk Handmade. For more information about how you can enter the contest, click here. Good luck!

...and speaking of Mother Earth, I spent the weekend in Arizona with friends in the woods. The drive up from the valley was a spectacular sight, as the desert was in bloom. I will be posting photos very soon!

NEW: left brain/right brain note book

This note book has two sides, just like our minds. The pages for the left side are lined for lists and notes to appease the analytical left side of the brain.

The pages for the right side are blank and ready to be filled with sketches and doodles for the creative right side of the brain.

Now available at Etsy.

Happiness = Raditude

I love the morning after a night of rain. The earth and air are clean and crisp. The plants look fresh and alive. And the smog has been erased from the horizon.

I had to drive up to North County for some supplies, which is normally a daunting task and a huge interruption to my day. But this morning I looked forward to spending a few hours in the car, listening to the latest Weezer album as loud as I wanted. A poppy delight!

Poppytalk Handmade

REDSTAR ink is being featured on Poppytalk Handmade as part of "Green Pop" an "Eco-themed and Mother's Day Market". Poppytalk Handmade is a monthly online street market curated by Poppytalk to showcase, buy and sell handmade goods of emerging design talent from around the world.

REDSTAR ink is in good company. There are many other amazing indie artists featured as well so stop by and take a gander!