{Goodbye Home, Sweet Home}

For the past 8 years this little historic cottage tucked into a far secret corner of Atlanta has been home. Home to our growing family and inkSpotts. With now four humans, one four legged fur baby and two growing businesses all tucked under its eaves, we are bursting at it's seams.  

Its sad to say goodbye to our sweet little home, but a little extra elbow room is something to get excited about. What mite the Holiday season by like without orders stacked up on the kitchen table? I can only dream of an in home studio with a door instead of a little nook beside the pantry. (although the easy access to a quick bite is a plus) You mean an email with a client may actually get answered without interruption? A creative thought mite actually make its way to a finished product? A girl can dream, right? 

Thanks Curbed Atlanta for giving our house a little wink. Check it out here 

Stop by to say hello on this Sunday at our Open House from 1-4.

announcing....

We've been quiet again for the past few months but this time, we have good reason.... this could have a little something to do with why ...introducing Ian Martin. We are gearing up to get back into full swing in the next few weeks and will be jumping right in with exciting new holiday announcements.

{the long lost blog}

One of the things that bothers me the most is when I look at a company's website and click on their blog with great anticipation in order to see just a tad bit more about the them, to peek behind the scenes and see what makes them tic, then finding the blog sad, lonely and rarely updated. I race to the back arrow with extreme disgust. So, one would think that I would stay on top of my own blog, updating photos, product launches, new merchants information, new creations and all about the daily grind of what inkSpotts is exactly. Did you check the date of my last post?  I am ashamed...November 8th. Don't even make me count how many months ago that was. So, what has been happening in the four corners of our little studio all this time? .... LIFE!

Hats off to all of you entrepreneurs who blog, tweet, instagram, facebook, pinterest, tumbler and whatever other social media outlet I am forgetting, on not only a daily basis but often times quadruple times a day. I commend you for being able to keep up with all of that and all of the work that comes with the doing the actual job itself. I surrender.

In the nearly five months (yes I counted them with shame) since I have logged in, gallery openings, art shows, holidays along with all of their specials, weddings projects, deadlines for the design group, contract writing for new clients and stocking the shelves of new merchants have all come and gone. Its all a big blur because as I have said, life has taken the main stage and the blog has gotten shoved under the bed with the rest of the dust bunnies.(don't make me go under there either). There have been vacation days, snow days, teaching days, morning sickness all day days (baby number two coming our way in July), meeting days, pneumonia days, stomach bug days, more snow days, more vacation days.... you get the idea. So when I do actually have a chance to grab a peaceful second in the studio, I do what I love to do most (and what my clients prefer the most), create and design!! Sorry blog I wish I could offer you more. 

But for now, while everything is peaceful and the coffee is still warm in my cup here are a few pics to catch up. And here's to a few months of keeping up with things, I hope. Promising to do my best and not be one of "those" blogs. As Garrison Keeler says, "Be well. Do good work, and keep in touch." 

No Ordinary Benefit Show - Illustration based on a quote from CS Lewis

Concepts sketches for a pretty exciting new client. Cant wait to share all of the details in April.

(honest...I'll blog again before August and be sure to share)

Design submissions for a new client via A Fresh Bunch! Fun stuff!! 

Stocking "Crafted Westside" with lots of lunch boxes. 

wedding proof moc-ups

new piece for Art in the Park at Whittier Mill Village

A little too up close and personal with the Bowmans

{holiday collection 2013}

Don't let the holidays sneak up on you this year. Let us take the stress out of your December and order your holiday cards now. Here is a look into our 2013 collection. We will be adding more in the next few days as well. Give us a shout to set up your consultation. 

see the rest of our collection under paperie/holiday! We look forward to hearing from you soon! Cheers! 

{its a wrap}

Wrap it up and put a bow on it. inkSpotts holiday gift wrap and tags are here! In this case what is on the outside of the package is just as important as what is on the inside. Make your gift giving even more merrier with our hand-illustrated paper, tags or stickers. Personalize them and make it that much easier on yourself! These are a few of our favorites from this year's collection. 

 {bustling snowmen with matching tag}

 

{bear and the bird with round sticker}

 

{button tree - with do not open tag}

{throw back thursday}

I love hearing from former clients. Especially the ones that ordered something 8 years ago and have searched high and low for our specific design to re-order. I received an email from a lady yesterday asking her if I could help her find her lost dog.

This lost dog? "That's the one!!!!" she exclaimed.  Even though we may have changed our looks and have gotten ourselves a new website, doesn't mean that we don't have all of the same designs from years gone by. Can't find something your looking for? Give us a shout we would be more than happy to open up the archives for you. 

{then and now}

After going live with our new website yesterday, we were all hit with a moment of nostalgia. 5 minutes around the coffee pot reflecting on the past 12 years and how far we have come turned into scouring our files for the past. I have to admit it is almost as embarrassing as showing your boy friend that  " awkward baby photo" or your friends posting the hideous 7th grade pic on facebook - nice hair!!! We wont go into the gory details of all of the blood, sweat and tears that  inkSpotts has brought to us. Instead we will embrace this wild and crazy road that we have been on and simply celebrate how far we have come. 

our new sleek make-over. 

inkspotts 2004 - nice hair! 

{lunch notes revisited}

Remember this post?

When my three year old headed off to school last year, it quickly became a habit of putting a little note in her lunch box to get her over the first days of school jitters. Of course, I couldn't just jot her a line, I had to quickly sketch her a little character. Somedays the picture reflected something going on in our lives, others it was simply what happened when the pen met the paper. Over the months, I learned that it became a "thing" for everyone at school. The older kids would read her the note and they all enjoyed seeing what I had drawn. I would get grief from the teachers if the morning was a bit hectic and the note didn't happen at all. (yes, we have mornings like that in our house too!) Then the other mothers caught wind of it, they wanted their own lunch notes. Well ladies, you asked.... and now,  you shall receive. Lunch notes are now available and they come packaged in a cute little brown paper bag, ready for you to jot your little one a line. Just stop on by our etsy shop.

* * *

Fast forward to today: Not even 5 days after posting, somebody did stop by my Etsy shop. And that someone just happened to be the buyer for Food52's new market site, Provisions. For the past month I have been working with her on an exclusive line of lunch box notes and lunch boxes for there "Weekday Warrior" Collection. It has been a bit surreal taking those little doodles for my daughter and turning them into something for the world to enjoy. Even Eliza asked, "Mommy, why do people want to buy my lunch notes?" Check how far our little sentiments have gone. What a fun and wonderful trip it has been. 

 Check out the collection here. 

{going to the chapel}

...or the beach or a barn, perhaps a field of wild flowers or a fancy club - it doesn't matter where the vows are exchanged, this week we are all about weddings! We have been in full wedding mode since the middle of February here in the studio and why not share the very, very, very first wedding invitation that I ever designed - mine.   


Fourteen years ago tomorrow, my high school sweet heart and I said "I do". When I put together these very simple wedding invitations, I had NO IDEA that this is what I would be doing today. But, even back then, long before I even had an inkling that inkSpotts would, could and even had the possibility of existing,  I loved everything paper and couldn't resist tackling my invitations myself. Simple and sweet, yet I cringe every time I look at them. I dissect every line.  But, maybe ever little thing that I see wrong about them, is what is what makes them even more innocent and special. I guess you have to start somewhere, so it mite as well have been my own. 

{getting started - a behind the scenes look}

Getting started on a pattern is just like any other piece. Sometimes it magically all comes together while sitting at the computer. Others take a little more grunt work. In trying to meet a deadline, I took the coffee, the sketch pad and tools outdoors in hopes that the natural and serene surrounding would help me map out a few more submissions. 

sketching things out

Lottie my happy sidekick

a little inspiration.

Looks like a pretty productive morning!... Cue the deleted scenes..tranquil setting interrupted by dog flying off of the porch to chase a rabbit. Me sprinting thru the woods behind my house screaming and chasing the dog. Followed by rabbit long gone, dog snoring  on the sofa twitching and dreaming of that white cotton tail.  Me, second shower of the day  - check. Complete body check for ticks - check.  Poison ivy lotion on hand for when welts appear - check. Maybe not so productive after all. There has got to be a "summer" themed pattern in there somewhere, right. For now, back at the computer hoping it all just happens. 

{Lets take this little show on the road...ASHEVILLE OR BUST!}

{new places - part 1}

Lets take this little show on the road...ASHEVILLE OR BUST! 

Ever since I went on a sister's vacation eons ago, I have had special in place in my heart for Asheville, North Carolina.  Whenever I have the chance to slip away for a weekend I jump on the opportunity. I love the culture mixed in with the natural beauty. I love everything from the endless outdoor activities, to the craft breweries,  the great food scene,  shopping, the best little coffee house or should i say double decker bus and the incredible art scene! I pretty much love everything about it but that monster hill at mile 13 in the half marathon that still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Seriously, I think I left a little bit of my soul on that street corner.  But otherwise, you get the point - I love Asheville!!!!

So, when Lauren from Zapow in downtown Aville asked me to join the artists in her gallery, you can imagine the reaction that I had. I think I may have landed on the moon. This year's New Years resolution in the Bowman house is our  new motto,  "going back to our roots". For inkSpotts, that means going back to where it all began - illustration. I am so excited to start putting my collection together. The licensing world is great, but can be very limiting. I am eager to explore the endless creative possibilities. Don't worry, I will be sure to share everything along the way. (whether you want me to or not.) 

{SURPRISE - it's a gamble}

I love surprise parties. There is nothing like spending a rainy Friday custom designing an invite for just that.....shhhh! 

{friday foto }

"oy-vay"

"is it friday yet?"

"how many days until school starts?"

or in our case, "ugh! there is only one week left before heading home :("

we snapped this silver back gorilla at america's first zoo - the philadelphia zoo.

we would love to hear your captions to this photo. feel free to add a comment!

happy weekend everyone!

{invitation inspiration}

I am addicted to Pinterest, as most of us designers are these days. It is the perfect way to create inspiration boards for upcoming projects or add to that to-do list around the house. Check out my latest pinning craze in hopes to get the creative juices flowing for a wedding invitation.

http://pinterest.com/theinkspott/j-l/

I'll be sure to share what I have come up with for this one when I am finished!

{friday foto}

friday photo, or maybe we should call it our "saturday snapshot"

we've been so busy the past two weeks, packing, traveling, meeting submission deadlines, working on projects, and setting up our satellite studio that we have not been keeping up with our friday photos. as this week's pic reminds us; we all need to stop and enjoy a quiet moment. we hope to be doing a lot more of that in the upcoming weeks as we spend the rest of the summer, on the farm in lancaster co. pa! don't worry - we'll be sure to keep up with our weekly photos and we''ll hopefully get a lot of inspiration for new designs and fun things to share with you soon!