Kitty Genius

HELLO February

Let’s Go Camping is this month's charity print and of course you can find it right here. This month's charity is Disabled American Veterans.

The DAV Charitable Service Trust supports physical and psychological rehabilitation programs, meets the special needs of veterans with specific disabilities – such as amputation and blindness – and aids and shelters homeless veterans.

Okay, so it's all snowy out and someone (me) wanted to go have a snowball fight or go sledding (we would actually have to go buy saucers) but someone (Drew) told me we were too busy. Taxes, work, etc. We even made our campaign contributions tonight and I had yet another "heated discussion" with the insurance company. When did we become such fake grown-ups? Or worse, real grown-ups? I shit you not, Drew's hip is "out". (So, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration.) I think we have passed adulthood and become senior citizens in one fell swoop.

In other new I spent this last week literally stalking a coat at H&M. It's the one I'm wearing in this picture:

You can't see all of it but if I had a coat personally designed for me this would be pretty close. It has a stiff, high collar that you can wear up or down. It has a zipper and buttons. It is A-line!!!! Comes about mid thigh and has slight puffs on the sleeves (I don't know the technical term). Anyway, I was so smitten with the tomato red that I bought it, yet my coat thirst was not quenched. It also came in a silver/gray, so I went back and got that one. Then, to top off the craziness, I was convinced that this coat was so fantastic it would be coming out it black (mind you, I had no proof of this, but I knew). So I called and harassed when they got a new shipment of clothes in. I'm sure I was really annoying but I just didn't care. The very day the magical black coat arrived in stores (see, I knew it would happen) it was already sold out in my size at one location but the other H&M had it. AAAHHHH. I can now breathe easy. I wish they would get more than one or two of a size (especially the larger sizes), so I wouldn't have to feel so frenzied. Truly, if you have a store near you, check it out. It's $34.90 and made surprisingly well. It has a lining, is polyester and cotton (no shrinkage), and the black looks like the right kind of black that won't get too fuzzy from pet fur.

My sister insisted on getting the red one too, and I was like, "Alright, but be prepared to look like tweedle dee and tweedle dum." I plan to wear this until I am actually sweating. I'm not ready for coat and jacket weather to be gone. They make me feel semi-polished. Like, "Shhhh, no, I'm not in my sleeping pants at the grocery store. I am obviously a refined lady in her coat." Even if I'm not fooling anybody, at least I can feel like I'm hiding from them :)

First, a big HELLO if you found your way here by reading this article over on Etsy!

And now a HUGE thank you to everyone for all the support and Urban Outfitters love. The true joy this online community can show is one of the many reasons I love it so much. It's a rare quality when people can genuinely be happy for each other's successes. I know I let out little squeals of joy daily when I go through and read the blogs on my RSS feed. Business goals, family accomplishments and surprises, silly stories, new pets… they all make me happy—happy for you, and happy to feel like a little part of it. So thank you for sharing in my joys and allowing me to share in yours.

And now I must share the best picture ever!

Allow me to introduce you to baby Violet. Are you dying yet? Her parents (who I'm assuming are some pretty awesome parents to have) Naomie and James sent this to me after they came across my moustached babies. And the best part? They already had this picture of her! I'm not sure if it's from Halloween or just for fun, but that is one silly baby.

Okay, so this was Drew with his stack of mailers yesterday (before they were filled!):

Today I am trying to make a happier Drew! We're off to take part of the day off!

Happy day!

Our Work at an Urban Outfitters Near You!!

So true!

(click to see larger)

This is the big secret I've been sitting on since the summer (and I tend to be bad at keeping secrets)! Urban Outfitters approached us to create wall art and the result is the triptych above. Three 8 × 8 ready-to-hang pieces of art for $40. They are available at every Urban Outfitters that sells wall art, but they haven't quite hit the web site yet. I will certainly let you know when that happens. I know a lot of us don't have a store near by : )

Equally exciting as our name "Ashley G and Drew" right there on the outside of the box, on the back of each individual piece you will find our brand spanking new website, AshleyGandDrew.com

Drew did a fabulous job of building it. I will continue using this as my blog (so you can just keep coming here) but the official website also has a link to it along with links to our Etsy shop, portfolio, and all that jazz. So, I certainly hope you check it out.

I will leave with you with one more photo we snuck with Drew's trusty iPhone.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!!

Shop Update Part 2

I told you I'd be back! Here are the rest of the prints for today's shop update.

Barron

Ben (green)

Tim

Raphael

Ben

Barron (lavender)

Magee

Have I ever told you

Raphael (orange)

Magee (pink)

Have I Ever Told You (orange)

All of these are editions of 10 only! And if you missed the earlier update today you can see that right here. I hope to see you at 2 pm CST : )

Happy Tuesday!!

Shop Update Part 1

Today is going to be a big update. I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to share it with you earlier, but here are a some of the new prints for the update. I will be back soon with the others!

The first few in my absolute new favorite series:

"Irreverent Baby"

"Irreverent Baby Jailbird Edition"

"Pensive Tricky Baby (blue)"

"Pensive Tricky Baby"

Babies with moustaches and of course, maybe some beards? RIDICULOUS. In the best way possible.

"Close Bond"

"Back To Back"

"And The Little One Said"

All of these prints will be available in the shop at 2 p.m. CST!

This Week was SUPER fast

It felt like it just flew by. I wanted to share with you the two pieces I'm contributing to Gallery Revisited's fourth anniversary show.

"Just Out Of Sight"
14 x 11 x 1.5

"Hurry"
7 1/8 x 5 1/8 (including the frame)

This has been a busy week trying to accomplish lots of different things in different directions. Including new work for the shop update on Tuesday! Tonight we will get a bit of fun. It's our friend's birthday. It is his last birthday celebration before his baby is born! I'm sooooo excited to see the nursery. I have to say there have been so many fantastic Etsy finds. I am awaiting the newest one right now : ) I hope I can actually save this one for the shower. But truly, what I've decided is the best gift ever is this giraffe:

I keep waiting for it to go on sale. Seriously, it is fantastic! I imagine a small room for a baby or child and this as just a sculptural, yet fun piece. I wish I had been the kid with the giant giraffe in her bedroom :) I would have played with that endlessly. And if I had a friend who owned that I think it is safe to say it would have been the source of all my envy ; )

Have a great weekend!!

A Peek in to Say Hello!

A new illustration I'm working on (along with what seems like a million other things right now). I just wanted to take a breather from work, say hello and let you know I'm planning for a shop update on Tuesday, January 22 at 2 p.m. CST (see what time that means for you here). If you're looking for a gift for that special someone, I am planning a bit of a Valentine's Day-themed update. How can I resist?

I'll be back soon!

Cuteness... unbearable cuteness

Drew and I are busy working on an official website! So I apologize for the slim posting this week. But I had to share with you these wonderful Squidlets from Sereneonion. I custom ordered them (after ordering and receiving one for myself) for a holiday gift for all the girls who work at "my coffee shop". I am so excited to put them each in a to-go coffee cup (they fit perfectly) and bring them in to them in two drink carriers. CUTE!! International shipping proved to be a bit of a challenge and these little guys may have taken a bit of a detour, but they are here now. And I want to keep them all. What would I do with this many squidlets, you ask? Love them.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

R.I.P. Jetta

Oh, my sad ’95 Jetta. I took it into the dealer since it's been giving me a nasty little surprise some nights when the temperature drops: the alarm sets itself off. Tons of fun when you're asleep and think to yourself, "There's no way that's my alarm… yup, that's my alarm."

That in itself is no biggie BUT I found out my car needs more repairs than it's probably worth (which I suspected) and we just sunk $2000 into Drew's car, which still may need some more work and then got sideswiped in the middle of the night by an anonymous drunk (so we assume). Soooo… long story short, I've decided I am going to be carless for a bit (at least until taxes are figured out) which, yes, sucks. But I am feeling very lucky that Drew has a car (even if it's sort of broken), that I live in a walkable neighborhood, and that I don't have to have a car, since work is only 20 feet from where I sleep. : ) So all in all, certainly not as bad as it could be. My car was really a thrift-store-going, errand-running, etc.-mobile anyway.

So, to cheer myself up? Antique mall!!!!!!!!! Where I bought this one little gem:

This vintage bear was made in Canada, about 5½ by 5 inches, and is simply amazing. Using the woodgrain for the eye and the ear!?! I love it. The other side is completely different. The woodgrain is more subtle and he is eyeless. Oooohhh this bear makes me happier than it should. Today the weather is spectacular (even if it's totally the wrong season for it) so I am sitting at the coffee shop. The doors are open and the breeze is pouring in. I think it is a great time to get some work done. :)

To Keep Our Hands Occupied

So, Drew and I actually bought our Hanukkah/Christmas/anniversary gifts about a month ago but now I feel like they are really real.

For the boy:

Oh yes, the iPhone. I tried to resist, but I do love it too and actually it has come in handy with maps and phone numbers every day since we've had it. His contract with his cell phone was ending and the price of the iPhone had just dropped sooooo…

For the girl:

For our third anniversary Drew got me the white topaz and diamond ring, and this year: the little yellow gold and diamond band (I am not into matchy-matchy all that much). We are faaar from marriage, but obviously feel committed to each other and I LOVE the idea of just having a clusterf*ck of dainty rings on my right hand. A new one for each year or special occasion.

I am so not "fancy," so I get a big kick when I look down at my hand and feel like a lady. And I really enjoyed that we went and picked out our gifts together. He could not care less about rings, but it was nice that he went and gave his opinion and humored me when I tried on the $4000.00 rings. I kept whispering to him, "this is more than my Jetta is worth." These two rings are by far the most impractical things I own and I love them. : )

I stayed away from the computer, we went to a late lunch and had leftovers of the lunch for dinner and just watched a movie and then watched HGTV. It's funny when doing nothing becomes the most indulging thing to do.