{2010} my year in review

Happy New Years Eve!!!

2010 was an interesting year. A lot of unexpected {good and bad} things happened, and I am super excited for all the wonderful things 2011 will bring!

click image to view larger!

Have a great new year! And be safe :)

Love,
gabrielle

{illustration friday} winter

Hey there! I hope everyone on the East Coast is enjoying the massive blizzard we had. I'm making the most out of it; playing on my tablet for hours on end. My flight to California was delayed 2 days, so I'm pretty bummed...

Since this week's Illustration Friday topic is winter, I decided to illustrate my unfortunate situation, which turned out pretty good I think! So there's me, my cat, and my god-awful suitcase that I have to lug around {it has hot pink lips all over it... doesn't quite match my pretty toile carry-on.} Also this could be counted as a "what I wore" post too, since I basically wear that sweater every day.

click image to enlarge! or view on flickr

Hopefully I will be leaving Tuesday morning!!! Wish me luck. Good luck to any one else out there who has to travel as well...

See you in the new year!

-gabrielle

ugly sweater party

Hi there! You may {or may not have} known that I had an Ugly Sweater Party last Saturday! I finally got around to making a little 'scrapbook' page rather than just posting pictures of me and my friends. So here it is! I used puglypixel and fuzzimo for the extras. Enjoy! You can click the image to enlarge :)

click to enlarge!

I ended up having a ton of fun at the party. There was so much wine and tons of food! I was really happy with the turnout of ugly sweaters... they were all ugly in their own way :)

I hope to have more fun theme parties in the future!! They're so much fun!

So on another note... this will probably be my last post until the new year! I am taking a little vacation to California for a week after Christmas, so I won't really have much internet time. But I'm so excited!

I hope you all have a very mery Christmas and happy new year!

xo,
gabrielle

{illustration friday} mail

Hi there.

This week I attempted drawing something for Illustration Friday. Then a lot of unexpected things happened on the homefront so I didn't have much time to finish it up :(

However, I did start using my Wacom Bamboo pen/tablet for this, and let me tell you... I absolutely LOVE it! It's the best thing and I know I will be using it all the time.

So here's my drawing for Illustration Friday. The topic was "mail."

Hope you like, despite it being slightly unfinished. Maybe I'll get around to finishing it up one day :)

-gabrielle.

{inspired by} draw gabby draw

Good afternoon... as promised, here's an awesome illustrator that I follow on Tumblr. Besides being partial to her because we share a nickname, I thought Gabby's {Gabrielle Rose} art was very fitting to share with you all. Gabby is a self-taught artist, living in California's bay area.

Check out her Tumblr and her Portfolio!

-gabrielle

{music monday} awkward office caroling

Last Friday we had a holiday luncheon party at work! It was a lot of fun and there was soo much food! My office isn't too social, so it's nice to see everyone talking about things besides work...

Somehow we ended up singing a bunch of Christmas carols (lyrics were printed, it was pretty serious.) I secretly took a video on my computer of everyone singing, and had the video editor overlay it with a photo we took earlier that day and told him to "make it cheesy." So this is what we came up with...

Of course afterwards I sent out a mass email to the office and surprised everyone with our office Christmas card! We're totally not quitting our day jobs anytime soon! It was such a silly day.

Stay tuned for some great inspiring illustrators later!

-gabrielle

art night

Hey there, happy Friday! Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to do a "Pretty Things Friday," but who knows, Friday isn't over yet!

Anyways, I just received (actually, found) these photos taken from Art Night at work. Once a year the Art Club at work (I work at a medical college!) funds an art show and anyone can submit their work. I submitted a painting that I did when I was studying in Florence... although, Donna (right) and I were basically the only ones who submitted paintings!

Donna and I with our paintings

Don't mind me being awkward!

Closeup of painting

Hope you like!

-gabrielle

awesome websites

Hello there! Here are a couple of awesome websites that I've been admiring lately... both of them are very vintage-feeling, which I love to see on websites. I'm sort of over new/modern/clean design these days.

The first website is a festive "Fossil Life Style" page through Fossil.com. I'm loving the scrapbook vibe. I also love that in the section "what we're into" features Etsy! Good job, Fossil.

The second is an interactive website for the Jane hotel, a hotel and hangout place in the West Village. I'd love to go there one day... my friend recently described it as "a really cool bar but it feels like you're in someone's living room." That's my kind of place! Anyways, if that doesn't sound cool to you, maybe their website will convince you otherwise!

Happy surfing :)

-gabrielle

{inspired by} julie morstad

Today I found myself really inspired by Julie Morstad, an illustrator from Vancouver, Canada.

I've featured Julie Morstad on here before, but I couldn't help myself after seeing more of her amazing drawings via her portfolio. I especially love the way she creates such a sense of serenity in her work. Simplicity at its finest!

Check out those cross-hatching skills!!!

-gabrielle

snow day

Alright so I lied, it wasn't a snow day. Sad face. But it was the first real snow of the season! It turned out just be a light dusting, but still so pretty. If only I could have stayed in bed all day, it would have been perfect. Waking up and having to go to work is just not as exciting.

Anyways, here are some beautiful snowy gingerbread house pictures brought to you by Torie Jayne, who happens to be an amazing cake decorator {and blogger!}

I thought these photos were too pretty to not share on such a day like today. Enjoy!!

-gabrielle

a little drawing

Something from my sketchbook that I scanned... I'm in the mood to draw girls lately.

Have a happy weekend!

-gabrielle

ps. What do you think of the new banner, ey? I felt the need for change.

the orphan's arms

I've been eyeing these pretty garments by The Orphan's Arms for a while now. They are a "quintessential English label" that produces hand-printed apparel in London.

I'm really loving the antiquity of their designs while keeping a modern feel... plus don't these shirts look comfy? I can't even pick a favorite... I want all of them!

-gabrielle

december mixtape volume 5

Hello there and happy Tuesday! I am happy to announce my final mixtape for 2010! Can you believe it's December already? I'm in denial. Anyways, this mixtape is a collection songs I can't stop listening to (*cough* Rihanna...) and maybe after giving it a listen you will feel the same way :)

I also designed the 'album art', using one of my photos from over the summer from my roll of film, and overlayed it with a pretty leaf patter. Don't you love the font?! It's called Hoedown and you can download it at Dafont.com!

I hope you enjoy!!!

click image to download

1. Crookers- Cooler Couleur

2. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse- Little Girl

3. Decemberists- Down By The Water

4. Deerhunter- Memory Boy

5. Dirty Projectors- No Intention

6. Gayngs- Faded High

7. Kanye West- Lost In The World (feat. Bon Iver)

8. Lightfoot- As You Can

9. Rihanna- Only Girl In The World

10. Two Door Cinema Club- Something Good Can Work

-gabrielle

{inspired by} pop pop portraits

I can't believe how long I have waited to finally post some of Helena of Pop Pop Portrait's work! I just love the simplicity yet the detail of all the cute people she illustrates. It's amazing how each portrait is unique and carries his or her own personality. If I had the money I would totally buy all of them!

You should definitely check out Helena's Etsy, she is having a holiday sale, and these portraits make the perfect gifts!

Stay tuned for a new mixtape tomorrow ...I know, I know, it's almost done, I promise!!! :)

-g.

weekend roundup

Does anyone else feel that the weekends are too short?! I can't possibly be the only one. I always feel that there is never enough time to do the important things and relax. However, this weekend was an exception. I was able to relax Friday night, go to the gym and run errands Saturday morning, do some work Saturday afternoon, and go to the city Saturday night! I spent all of today working and cleaning my room. I even took some pictures... so here's my "weekend roundup"!

Finally finished my handmade invitations! Get excited!

Sealed, stamped and ready to be put in the mail.

Did a little ink painting Friday night but I could definitely use some new ink!

Had a little photoshoot with Carli

First night of Hanukkah! Can't wait to make chocotini's!

Redecorated my room a bit

Embroidery hoop that I made over the summer

My bookshelf

Some sketchbooks, one of my plaster sculptures, my favorite mug & my new brown bottle collection

Favorite picture of my mum and I

I hope you all had a great weekend! Stay tuned for a new mixtape tomorrow!

-gabrielle