gifts for readers

Bookish holiday traditions

A Creative Life, art commissions, artist book, author illustrator, books, Fine Art Commission, illustrated recipe, illustration, kitchen art, reading in art, Sustainable creativity

Having recently finished, framed and delivered the last of my fine art commissions that are intended as holiday gifts (so no spoiler pics exist of my recent artwork) my thoughts turn towards my own holiday.

I’ve made no secret, on this blog, of the fact that I like books. So even tho I am not living in Iceland, and have never visited, I adore their tradition of Jolabokaflod and my spouse and I observe our variation of it! Here’s how it goes: Within the weeks before Dec 24 we visit locally owned independent bookstores and buy books. Dec 24th we cook, share food, drinks and books! Dec 25th is spent reading and reheating leftovers. This is our current holiday book stack:

Stack of books for our family Jolabokaflod

Books are also created by me – hand drawn, illustrated, indie published etc. – and given as gifts. Because you follow me here’s a link, with free previews, to the book my spouse and I jointly made for our Jolabokaflod gifting this year. I’ll post more about this kitchen sketchbook in the future but for now the link will be my early holiday present to you!! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Say no more.

Art for the holidays

A Creative Life, animals in art, art commissions, Art Licensing, artistic inspirations, Cats in art, Dogs in Art, drinks in art, fine art, Fine Art Commission, functional art, games in art, published art, reading in art, small things

I’ve been busy working on fine art commissions which are someone’s holiday gift. So instead of talking about that – below is access to a “Reading All Year” calendar I made, and fun socks and playing cards, bookmarks, puzzles, drink coasters and such…yes, it’s all design play using my own fine art about reading and pets. Art is for making people smile – and I like sharing smiles with fellow book lovers and pet lovers. https://www.zazzle.com/s/sueclancy

https://www.zazzle.com/store/sueclancy/collections

Popup shop success

A Creative Life, animals in art, artistic inspirations, books, Books In Art, Cats in art, Dogs in Art, fine art, functional art, games in art, reading in art, small things

Yesterday was the popup shop day at Vintage Books and I was non-stop busy creating miniature pet portraits from before noon to after 4! It was fun!! Sold other holiday stocking stuffer gifts with my art on them too. My “Reading All Year” calendar was a hit …. if you weren’t able to come yesterday here is the link where you can get my calendar, puzzles, playing cards, bookmarks, prints, coasters and socks. What fun I had hearing people laugh when they saw the visual puns ….

https://www.zazzle.com/s/sueclancy

Here’s a photo of me (wearing green and black) at my popup event. You can see my portable art set up in front of me.

Most of the pet portraits I did are intended as holiday gifts -so no pictures- but here are some comments: “Wow, it looks like a Saturday Evening Post cover art!” “This makes me so happy!” “Oh my (—) is just going to love this!”

The excellent event was capped by comments from the Vintage Books store staff “I never heard so many people say ‘this gives me so much joy'”

playful and practical

A Creative Life, animals in art, artist book, author illustrator, books, Books In Art, Cats in art, Dogs in Art, drinks in art, fine art, graphic design, illustration, magic realism, small things

One of the purposes of the Arts is to help us live well and, paraphrasing Kurt Vonnegut, to grow our souls.  I’ve had this in mind as I’ve created my holiday stocking-stuffer stuff for my upcoming pop-up shop at Vintage Books Dec 7th from noon to 4 pm. https://www.vintage-books.net/

Making a whimsical, playful, calendar with artwork from my current Readers series was loads of fun – and I hope it will help people remember to live well and grow their souls all year long!  I’ve titled my calendar “Reading All Year”. It is 5 x 7 inches when closed and 10 x 7 inches when open. It’ll fit into a holiday stocking. I’ve checked.

CalendarA72

“Reading All Year” – a 2020 calendar by Clancy

If you can’t visit me at Vintage Books here’s a link where you can get your own calendar shipped directly to you.  Hopefully my calendar will be a fun stocking-stuffer gift the other readers in your life will enjoy too!

I wish you the best during the holiday season and in the coming new year!

local stocking stuffers for readers

A Creative Life, Art Licensing, art techniques, artistic inspirations, author illustrator, business of art, creative thinking, fine art, functional art, games in art, illustration, magic realism, reading in art

I’ve been having a blast playing at being a North Pole elf, designing gifts for my upcoming pop-up shop at Vintage Books https://www.vintage-books.net/ Dec 7th from noon to 4pm!  The Pacific Northwest social scene has been inspiring and guiding my thoughts.

Here in Vancouver all year long people get together regularly for happy hours, for pot-luck dinners and other social occasions. I love it! Then come October through to the new year there are parties, parties and parties!!!  There are cookie parties, apple parties, wine parties, beer parties, cocktail parties, salad parties, game-night parties, pot-luck dinner parties…. and, of course, holiday stocking stuffer parties.

So as I’ve designed my products for the pop-up shop I’ve kept in mind the various stocking stuffer parties we’ve attended – as well as the local trend of giving handmade items and/or small-in-cost-and-size unique gifts to friends and family.

Anyway, I have very much enjoyed designing whimsical gifts thinking of my local friends, family and fans.  I’m delighted that my local bookstore, Vintage Books, has asked me to do this pop-up shop and I’m also planning a performance-art aspect to the event – i.e. I’m going to do some “live drawing” pet portraits…. but more on that in another post.

Here’s a stocking with some of the stuff I’ve designed in it.

StockingStuffers300

A few of the gift items with my artwork on them that I’ve designed for my upcoming pop-up shop at Vintage Books https://www.vintage-books.net/

stocking local love

A Creative Life, animals in art, Art Licensing, artist book, artistic inspirations, author illustrator, books, Books In Art, business of art, Dogs in Art, fine art, graphic design, mental health, pattern design, product design, publications - publishing, reading in art, small things, Sustainable creativity

My local bookstore Vintage Books https://www.vintage-books.com/ is the first bookstore to carry my newest book “Dr. Bob’s Emotional Repair Program First Aid Kit” – and in advance of the Nov 1st release day too!!  When I was at the bookstore talking with the manager she asked me if I did my art on “stocking stuffer items” and if I would consider doing a pop-up shop for the holiday season – in late November or early December.

Well, I’m a firm believer in the philosophy “take tarts when tarts are passed” so I said “Yes!” and have been busy doing product designs since then!  Nice to dust off my old graphic design/product design skills (what I got a college degree in!).  Here’s a pic of my new book and a few of the stocking stuffer gift items I’ve gotten so far…

DrBobAndGiftsSM

As you can see in the photo I’ve put one of my artworks onto a 252 piece jigsaw puzzle – the finished puzzle size is 11 x 14 but the box containing the puzzle is small enough to fit into a large Holiday stocking. Another painting I’ve put onto the backs of playing cards and … oh, there are many more items still in production.

I’ve been thinking non-stop about what fans of my artwork and my fellow book readers might enjoy finding as gifts in their holiday stocking; bookmarks, drink coasters, art prints, playing cards, calendars… Is there anything I’m forgetting??

Please let me know and I’ll keep busy working on items that may help spread a little love and joy to my fellow literary fans.

And I’ll update you with my progress here first… btw I’m using Zazzle to produce most (but not all) of my designs and have also created a “store” there.