THE WORLD IS ON YOUR SIDE

MY NEW CAST OF CHARACTERS!

The best part of being a greeting card designer is knowing that my artwork is a part of peoples celebrations and connections.  I take great care in creating each new card and sentiment.  I create cards that say the things that I like to express to the people I care about.  When people use my greeting cards to express their thoughts and feelings to a loved one, I am honored.

To see the entire line you can visit my web site urbanbirddesigns.com and if you would like wholesale ordering information for your retail store please contact my outstanding distributor, COLLGAE GREETINGS 866-763-3861. Card and prints are also for sale at my etsy store.

Here is my collection so far for 2009!

   

IF NOT YOU....WHO?                      IN MY THOUGHTS

    

GUESS WHAT?                               EXPECT MAGIC

URBAN BIRD TEASER

I just finished 2 new greeting card designs to be released in June.  Here is a little teaser!

 

 

ETSY STORE - CARDS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON-LINE!!

As you may notice, there is a box on the right with links to my etsy store where you can purchase URBAN BIRD greeting cards and prints.  This is the first time I am offering greeting cards for purchase on line!!! 

You will also find prints of some of my favorite images.  The prints look really good!  I have them printed by one of the best digital printers in town.  They are extremely high quality and the colors are amazing.  The prints are perfect for hanging in children's rooms and fit standard size frames. Each print is signed and comes with the original greeting card and an official URBAN BIRD PUBLISHING  Certificate of Authenticity.

Your support of URBAN BIRD is greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!

FRIEND SHEEP ON NEW CONNEXION COVER!!!!

   

NEW CONNEXION is the pacific northwest's journal of conscious living. It is a bi-monthly newspaper that I have been reading from cover to cover for years and I am honored to have one of my greeting card images, FRIEND SHEEP, on this issue's cover.  Inside I have written a brief article about myself and URBAN BIRD DESIGNS. 

I love the headline by the bird on the cover "THE MASTERY OF LOVE" by Don Miguel Ruiz, author of "THE FOUR AGREEMENTS." Miguel's article closes with this "You can believe what you want, or change what you believe.  It is your choice.  In all moments, your creation is waiting for you."  So true. You will find many inpiring articles in NEW CONNEXION as well a directory of spiritual pracitioners and healers. 

If you are in Oregon and Washington you can find a free copy of NEW CONNEXION in paper boxes around town or bookstores, libraries, coffeshops, New Seasons, New Renaissance Book Store and other locations that have local papers and community postings.

I would like to thank the editor of NEW CONNEXION, Vicky Thompson, for deciding to use my artwork for this issue. Thanks Vicky!

 

EXPECT MAGIC - ONE MORE THING.................

I introduced you to my newly released greeting card EXPECT MAGIC a couple of weeks ago. I explained how the bird on the lifeboat was my self portrait of me as a bird and the story of how I got to be floating through space on my lifeboat. 

I also wanted to share with you my broader intention for that card.  Clearly we are in a storm right now.  That is how I am looking at it - a storm.  Storms pass.  When this storm is over I believe that this planet is going to be a better place. I believe that we will be a more fair, just and joyful people. I believe that this is an abundant planet and there is enough for everyone. I believe in magic and miracles.  I believe there are forces at work on our behalf and that the world in on our side.

If you are paying attention we have recently experienced some miracles.  Our new President is evidence that our collective intention of peace and justice wields great power. That's magic my friends. If we can accomplish that - what's next?  I also consider the plane that crashed into the Hudson River with no casualties a miracle.  We all called it a miracle!  A MIRACLE - that's incredible! 

In President Obama's inaugural speech he said "What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them —" That line really struck a chord with me.  The ground has shifted and there are many aspects to that shift  - political, spiritual, ecological .........I think we all feel it.

What we can do now is to embrace this shift, learn how to allow joy, magic and miracles into our lives.  It is an amazing time to be a human on planet earth.  Lets not forget to find our joy during this storm.  In fact I believe that finding our joy will bring the storm closer to an end.

So you can send this greeting card with above stated intention  -or- it is makes a great card for an expectant mother, graduation, anniversary, birthday, etc..............................Either way lets all firmly plant our feet onto the recently shifted ground, embrace our responsibilities and our joys and EXPECT MAGIC!

As always, your comments are welcome and encouraged.  Blogs are meant to be interactive and stimulate ideas.  Agree - disagree.  Its all good!

GUESS WHAT? THIS IS MY FIRST BLOG CONTEST!

GUESS WHAT? is one of my two newly released greeting cards for my card line URBAN BIRD DESIGNS.  Of course my suggested uses for this card are quite pleasant like  - GUESS WHAT? and then on the inside of the card you would write " I love you."  - or - GUESS WHAT?  "I think you're pretty"   

However......I can't seem to help myself from coming up with more sarcastic and snarky sentiments like - GUESS WHAT?  "You have bad breath, sorry but it's true and I still like you." -  or -  GUESS WHAT? "You could use a new hairstyle and may I suggest some swoopy bangs?"  

Of course these are not what I am suggesting that you write on the inside of my card. This is purely for my own amusement.  To further amuse me I am encouraging you, my funny friends and blog readers, to come up with your own funny phrase for the inside of my GUESS WHAT? card. Here is how it works:

RULES: It has to be clever, funny or sarcastic.  Adult themes are welcome just keep in mind that my parents read my blog. Things that you would like to say to people but probably never will seem to work.  Enter as many times as you like. Aurelia -  I'm counting on you for some good ones!!

PRIZE: An 11x17 giclee print of one of my favorite designs "THE WORLD IS ON YOUR SIDE" valued at $78 

DEADLINE: My birthday, FEBRUARY 8th!

SUBMIT: Enter your idea in the comment section below this blog posting.  If you are not my immediate friend make sure you include your email address in the event that you win!!

JUDGING: Everyone!  Post your comments and let us know which one you think is the funniest. Ultimately I will decide!

IMPORTANT:  This is just for fun! The actually card is blank inside and will remain blank. 

Have fun kids!

EXPECT MAGIC!

EXPECT MAGIC is my other newly released card for my greeting card line URBAN BIRD DESIGNS which features a bird that is actually a self portrait of me. Here is a little time line of my self portraits of me as a bird. This is my first self portrait doodle fom my sketchbook in 2002 .  That still looks like me! 

 

Here is my first appearance on a greeting card - HERSELF - from 2005.  That is the Pliedian constellation that I am looking at.  I like to envision the whole universe and planet earth as part of a larger picture.  Just like we are awakening to our interconnectedness globally - I like to explore our connection and relationship to our universe and all that we cannot see.

  

LEAP OF FAITH is the second card I make an appearance in.  This card represents a very stressful time for me.  I was in the process of finishing seven new designs while at the same time formatting my entire line to get ready to do an off-set press run of 90,000 cards.  Until then I had been printing the cards myself on an inkjet pinter (which I still do sometimes and works great!)

This was stressful because of the actual volume of work involved and stressful because it was a big investment in my business and myself.  I can see the anxiety in that card and remember what that felt like.  So that little bird running off one of the Pliedian stars is saying to itself - "HOLY CRAP! LETS DO IT!"

Thank goodness I did because a few months later I had the fortunate opportunity to partner with my distributor COLLAGE GREETINGS . Had I still been printing myself I would not have been able to meet the demands of working with a national distributor!  My LEAP OF FAITH paid off!

That brings us to my latest card in my self portrait series, EXPECT MAGIC.  Here you will find me in my life boat floating through space fully supported by the universe.  I am grateful to all of my friends and family that support me and encourage me to keep creating. I am entering into the next phase of my creative career and you can EXPECT MAGIC from me!