Honoring the Ancestors - Sugar Skull Greeting Cards

This summer, looking for a much-needed change of scenery, I traveled to Mexico for a brief vacation. Our self-designed tour comprised a nice mixture of cultural events, food exploration, and shopping. In Mexico City, we learned about the murals of Diego Rivera, and navigated craft markets. There was an explosion of color (and handmade sugar skulls) everywhere! Even the hand painted designs of the black and white sugar skulls have so much dimension in their contrast. Here are some of my favorites that I have converted into greeting cards for this season of skeletons. 

Sugar Skulls, Mexico - Set of 10 Handmade Greeting Cards

Sugar Skulls (Black and White) - handmade greeting card

Christmas in July - New Greeting Card Designs

Here in the Northeast, we've survived this week's never-ending heatwave. I'm here in the studio celebrating Christmas in July with some new designs for the upcoming season. Stay cool!

Peppermints (also available as a Box of 10) - handmade greeting card

Winter Pine - handmade greeting card

Season of Joy - handmade greeting card

Greetings of Christmas Past

Vintage Ornaments - (also available as a box of 10) handmade greeting card. 

Everyone remembers these Christmas tree ornaments from Grandma's attic. Some of ours still survive! 

City Sidewalks - handmade greeting card (also available as a box of 10) 

Before the inflatables, these plastic figurines were seen on lawns and doorsteps everywhere. In New York, I would see them all over my neighborhood in Brooklyn and sometimes in Manhattan as kitschy vintage decor.

 

And Then There Were Two- My New Etsy Shop, Introducing Jeunesse Dorée

jeu·nesse do·rée  \zhœ-nes-dȯ-ˈrā\ n. gilded youth; wealthy, stylish, sophisticated young people.

I have a peculiar side interest. I enjoy learning unusual, nerdy words and then trying to use them in a sentence. I delight in seeing the reaction I get, if any, by testing the obscurity. Next to my desk you can find the “word of the day” vocabulary calendar, and in my inbox you would see email subscriptions to several word-a-day dictionary lists.

I recall two words from many years ago that symbolized both the elegance and rowdiness of Gatsby – jeunesse dorée, or gilded youth. The combination conjured images of socialites, world travel, fashion, frivolity, and decadent parties with a laissez faire approach to experiencing the pleasure of all the gifts life has to give. It represented a freedom I knew nothing about but have tasted maybe once or twice as a student with all of the free time in the world (even without being anywhere near financially prosperous).

I started selling on Etsy back in 2007 where I originally sold a few handmade note cards and small, random works of art. That first shop, KIPI, has undergone many transformations and renovations over the years. It has become much more cohesive overall with unique works of art created on old science and history books along with prints that have been made from those originals.

I always knew that I had other interests too – fashion, photography, and jewelry – so I created a new shop with the intent of keeping my paintings and prints separate while moving forward with products that would embody an essence of style. With this second shop, I’m coming back to my original online selling roots with my hand-assembled photography note cards once again. In the future, I will also be bringing you inspired home goods and wearable items. With this new venture, I expect it will bring more changes and modifications. In the meantime, welcome to Jeunesse Dorée! Correspond fashionably - and with flair.