Preview Day 1 - Robo Raptor

As promised, a preview!

I have a few changes planned for the structure of Scoutaroo... and as I test things out, please give me your thoughts and feedback!

First change: Scoutaroo Paper Co is switching primarily to printables! (And not just for stationery, but more on that later this week). Yes it's a bit ironic, with me calling my shop a paper company and all and not providing physical paper products, and I hope to offer both printable and printed versions of each design in the future, but for now I need to keep things simple.

On to today's preview! For Christmas gifts this year I made artwork for my family, which inspired several new designs and product ideas... this is what I made for my youngest brother, which will make an appearance as a new printable stationery design later this week!

Leftover Christmas cookie for your thoughts?  ;)

♥ Ciara Kay

Purple Buffalo

I met with a local print shop on Monday about my Secret Project, which I will be revealing in September hopefully! I'm super excited to work with them, and I'm looking forward to offering all of you much better quality products in the near future (I was never quite satisfied with the work at my other print shop... past buyers will notice a marked difference in quality and consistency after I get some stuff printed up with my new shop, I hope)! Also, the girl who helped me is on the Santa Cruz Derby Girls board, and wants to go outdoor skating with me sometime! ♥ Yay for new friends!

Other than keeping house and walking to the beach and applying for jobs, I've been drawing and painting up a purple storm of buffalo! I am so excited about this new line that I wanted to give you guys a little preview of it... It will be the flagship of my Secret Project and will hopefully be available for purchase in mid-September!

You might be wondering what my obsession has been lately with purple buffalo. I have a few reasons for it:

#1 PURPLE. BUFFALO. I could just end there, but...

#2 I've been working with Dave Simcox for the last six months, whose Etsy shop I also manage (he's on haitus at the moment, sadly, but will hopefully be back soon. Seriously worth taking a look at). Dave has this contagious fascination with the prairie, which I've picked up by osmosis. One of my newest favorite quotes, which he shared with me, is this:

"…the joy of prairie lies in its subtlety. It is so easy—too easy—to be swept away by mountain and ocean vistas. A prairie, on the other hand, requests the favor of your closer attention. It does not divulge itself to mere passersby." - Suzanne Winckler

I find it haunting and beautiful that North America's largest land mammal resides in the prairie. In my mind, buffalo have always been intimidating and mysterious beasts, of almost mythical proportions. And they used to live and roam in these vast herds through these oceans of grass and sky until they were nearly wiped out along with all the other romantic things about the New World... It's all very otherworldly and magical and tragic and foreign and wonderful.

#3 HOWEVER. My obsession with purple buffalo is mostly due to the fact that this one album by *shels called "Plains of the Purple Buffalo" has struck a chord deep in my very SOUL... Everything about this project of theirs just kills me... the sweeping, dreamlike, mournful epic of the music, the artwork, not to mention the fact that it was inspired by "The Neverending Story." I just love it so much I could burst!! So, this stationery line is a tribute to *shels' genius work, which captures all of these things in the most sublime way I can imagine.

If you'd like to listen to the album (which I HIGHLY recommend), it's best done under headphones, uninterrupted, and during an activity that will allow you to listen to the awesomeness that you're hearing... Don't waste it. This is ART, people, DO IT RIGHT.

You're welcome ♥

♥ Ciara Kay

It's not even April...

...and I've already got my Mother's Day cards ready to print! I badly wanted to be considered for Poppytalk's Mother's Day Market so I busted 'em out in less than 24 hours. Feeling pretty smug right now.

What do you think?? Which one is your favorite? I love animals. I need to make more animal stationery.

Up next is Secretary's Day, coming in April! We secretaries need appreciation too. I already have the illustration for that one inked, it just needs some color & prep for print! It should be available within the next week also.

Oh, and because I said I'd share some exciting news this week, I will share some exciting news: My husband Jamie got into grad school for mathematics! Which means we will be moving somewhere new & interesting in July! This has been a goal of his for years, so it's great that it's finally coming true. ♥

Well, now it's time for some letter-writing & mail art. I think I earned it.

♥ Ciara Kay

Like Some Cat from Japan

I was busy today. One viewing of Velvet Goldmine & 3 Bowie albums later, I made a whole new stationery design from start to finish. You know you are excited for some David Bowie stationery, yes you are!

So be looking for that new listing in a week or so!

What I should have been working on:

• Mothers Day Cards
• Birthday Cards
• Happy Engagement/Baby/Wedding/Retirement Cards
• You know, practical things...

But who wants THOSE when they can have BOWIE?? Am I right?

Oh. I just came up with a brilliant idea like just now. David Bowie Birthday Cards. Man, I am so clever. Now I just need a catchy phrase, like "Ziggy says have a rockin' birthday." Wow, that is lame. This is why I let Jamie write the jokes and I just draw the pictures... But now I don't have to come up with random generic birthday cards, I have them MADE! Oh boy! I really don't know if this is considered efficiency or laziness...

Ok, now I'm rambling. I apologize. I have just spent the last six hours in Bowie-land. It's disorienting.

♥ ziggyfan1984

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day is March 20

...you know you need a card for your weird Uncle Dennis for this special holiday, right? You're welcome.

These will go to print this week and there will be a limited number available in the shop!

Next month's Bizarre Holiday Card will be for Secretary's Day! That one is far less obscure, but as an administrative assistant it has a special place in my heart so I have to make a design for it of course.

This weekend I pulled a muscle during Derby team photos (we are hardcore even when we take pictures), went to market and got farm eggs & honey, spent an afternoon at my parent's house, and watched "Sinister" with my roommates & some of their buddies. Actually, I had already seen it so I slept through most of it, but it was better than trying to sleep through it in the next room... alone... in the dark... with muffled screams and a creepy soundtrack to keep me from falling asleep...

Anyway, it was a productive weekend for me. Howabout you?

♥ Ciara Kay