Virginia Johnson & Kate Spade

You had to know I would love this illustration by Canadian illustrator Virginia Johnson. This is me and my life right here in one drawing! I have had this in my photo file for a few months and meant to add it into my Kate Spade regift post last week. A Canadian artist who did artwork for Kate Spade... I couldn't be more proud! I have admired her illustrations for quite some time and had bought the Kate Spade style book series a few years back as gifts but never put the two together until recently.

You may remember the KS three-books series Manners, Style, and Occasions in Red, Green, and Blue covers. I must have gifted the other two, but I still have my copy of Manners. Lucky thing, I just spoke to them and the charming books are now discontinued which makes me happy that I kept one copy at least. The illustrations by Virginia Johnson were a good part of the charm of these unpretentious quides to social graces in this modern time. I had to pass on this quote from Andy Spade in the Gifts, Gifting, Re-Gifting section of Manners.

"Re-Gifting is an artform. But beware: If you re-gift to others, they may re-gift unto you"

I plan to talk about the delicate artform of re-gifting in an upcoming post. You had to know I was going to talk about this sooner or later, didn't you?

So beautifully and simply rendered.

As captioned in Manners ~ In a Museum Solo Viewing is Bliss
I love how this is illustrated with her head turned just slightly.

Elements of delicate style.

Even from the neck down, you can still
imagine the conversation.
("Darn.....she wore the same shoe colour")

According to her website, the Canadian Toronto-based designer still does illustrations but is better known as being a textile designer who now sells to stores such as Kate Spade and Barneys. She has the most fabulous shawls on her website {click here}.

All illustrations from Virginia Johnson/Photo 2 by Sande Chase

No Bows.....just ribbon

After last week's feedback comments, I got to thinking, "what if you really can't tie a bow? Some people struggle with a tying a bow, though I tend to think it's often the quality of ribbon that makes all the difference. The ribbon quality you find in your mall card shop isn't ever going to "bow" nicely, I hate to be the one telling you that, but it's true. I had this gorgeous little gift card that is a card line I am looking to add to the website and it had me playing with this whisper-soft green ribbon and just letting it drop, seeing where it went. You know I can't explain these impulses that I have when it comes to wrapping. It's a fragile silk hem ribbon, tie too snugly and it starts to split.... so the less it is handled the better. I kind of liked this uncontrived look and simply let it move into soft curves and then rolled pieces of double-sided tape in a few spots to hold it's position. Then I tied in those paper roses (they have wires) at random spots. Now, you tell me when you look at the bottom photo........

It needs those paper roses. Otherwise it looks like someone

forgot to tie up their ribbons! Actually the effect is much better when

you see it "in person", as you can see my photo skills have not

improved much. I have a real love-hate relationship with technology.

Just curious, so I ordered this little book called Chic Shopping Paris by shopaholic and francophile Rebecca Morginant. She has a Paris guide website and blog, but appears she is away right now taking care of her new bambino. The handy purse-size Paris shopping, museum and restaurant reference guide is a lovely book gift for the Paris traveling friend{click here to order}

All three photos by Sande Chase - Oooh la la Cadeau

A Continuous Talent

Though I consider myself low-maintenance at this point in my life ( can hear hysterical laughing from the males around here, but don't listen to them) when you purchase as many anti-aging skin products as I do at our local Shoppers Drug store, they give you a copy of their in-house fashion magazine called Glow. Truthfully, the only fashion magazine I read is Vogue and that's for the articles, so these glossy giveaways usually end up in the recycle bin. But for some reason that day I did flip through quickly and just happened to notice the article titled "How Busy are You?" and then really noticed these fabulous ink drawings by Toronto-based artist Rachel Ann Lindsay. Forget trying to understand my tendency to procrastinate ..... who is this artist? I loved this drawing message so aptly drawn and thought it summed up the feeling most of us have these days, those lists never go away. I don't care how you juggle it, though the article did have some good points, but I will think about those later...... What makes this fresh talent truly remarkable is her technique......... these are drawn in ink in one continuous line! Simply put....she does not lift her superfine pen at any time until the illustration is complete. The young Sheridan College grad explains this ability "on my confident days it's like meditation. Drawing in ink limits you in some ways as there is no going back....no revising. Once a line is drawn, there it is. I throw out a lot of drawings. It's important to try and stay unattached".

"The lines that are disappointments to me at first, then seem perfect when I look at them later, that becomes a source of joy to me. I love to draw people, there is so much beauty in a person's face and gestures."


Rachel's website { click here} has a cool feature, it opens with one of her illustrations being drawn in this continuous line technique. Her portfolio, which includes magazine illustration work for corporate clients across North America and portrait drawings (contact Rachel for more information on this service) is worth the website visit. I love the chandelier, the retro hair dryer ladies, the staircase (all on her website), they make you realize how unique this line talent ability is and invites the viewer's scrutiny.....where does that line begin and end? A young lady of continuous talent.



Illustration image use courtesy of Rachel Ann Lindsay