bloggy blessings

every day i eagerly come to my computer (sometimes i'm still in my jammies!) and check my blog list....i'm always SO excited to see what all of you are doing! i have met so many wonderful, giving, and talented people, literally from all over the world.....and one of these sweeties is my bloggy friend jan over at pictures with words.

jan is a calligrapher and lovingly creates beautiful "pictures with words" using her exquisite letterforms. you might remember when she surprised me with this fabulous card shortly after we moved into our new house! and today she surprised me again, with this sweet little package!!

for the past ten years jan has created a desk calendar, using a different theme each year, and each calendar features coordinating quotes and her own lettered, drawn and painted artwork. jan has so generously gifted me with not only this year's "retirement" calendar, but also her "taste of hawaii" calendar for 2010!

so, i ask you.....am i totally spoiled, or what?! jan, not only do you create beautiful letterforms, but you truly have a huge, generous, lovely, wonderful, and thoughtful heart!!

i am blessed to know you and i thank you so much, jan!!

inspiration monday

this is a calendar book...for the year 1993...that was created by artist susan riecken.  i've loved this book for sixteen years.  it's literally travelled with me across the ocean a few times, and, to this day, i consider it to be one of my most treasured pieces of artwork.  and here's why:  the original calendar that susan created was done so using rubber stamps...that she hand carved from Eberhard Faber Rub-Kleen erasers.  her carving tool of choice was an X-Acto knife fitted with a number 11 blade.  every date, letter and illustration is a result of a hand-carved rubber stamp, some measuring only 1/16th of an inch tall!  susan has included lunar phases, solstices, and equinoxes, along with quotes and fun-facts throughout the calendar.  each time i look through this treasure, i try to imagine the amount of hours that went into this project.   i have such appreciation for her passion in completing such a masterpiece...and i'm truly inspired.  click on image for a better view of this wonderful artwork!