That’s Julian, our son. He is the same age as Felix Doolittle – they’re twins of a sort.

Did you know Felix Doolittle is 10 years old this month?  We thought about how to celebrate – cake, ice cream, fresh summer fruit, of course – and also how we might reach out in a different way to share Felix’s art.  Hello! by Felix Doolittle is the birthday gift we created for you!  We’re also giving away three Ikootan posters as part of the celebration.  Continue reading to see how you can win one!

Hello! is color 

Hello! is exciting color, bigger pictures, new illustrations, and totally affordable!

Hello! Folded Note Cards

 These are our new Hello! Folded Note Cards.  Each box has 8 folded cards and envelopes, and with 8 different color-coded themes (5 boxes per theme color),  you can find all kinds of fun and useful must-have cards to have on hand.  You can find the entire collection here!

Orange is the color for the Many Thanks theme.  It’s always nice to have thank you cards when you need them.

Hello! Single Cards

If you love to pick and choose cards, you’ll find a playground of choices here.  Some of my favorite Hello! Single Cards are the “chalkboard” cards where you write in white, gold, silver, or copper markers.  They are so inspiring and fun to write on, and they were a big hit at the National Stationery Show in New York City where we launched the Hello! collection. (Next thing for us is to sell those markers so that you can be ready to write when the cards arrive at your door!)

Here’s another favorite Hello! Single Card that is perfect for invoking some of things we love about the sea and summertime.

There’s also Hello! Mirrors that make looking gorgeous very fun.

And Hello Notepads, with our favorite little black bird, and the mascot of Hello!, Ikootan.

You don’t know Ikootan?  Ikootan is the little black bird that Felix created that became the lovable mascot of Hello!  He’s a lover of leisure, travel, and adventure, a philosopher, and a dreamer with a heart of a child.   How would you like to win a poster of Ikootan?

The Birthday Giveaway!

Photo by Jane Potrykus for http://www.Simple-Pretty.com

We’re giving away these 3 Ikootan posters (unframed), and there are 3 ways to win!

1. Like Ikootan’s Facebook page between June 11th and June 18th. (If you’ve already liked that page, you will be included in the contest!)   

2. Place an order for any Hello! product (Folded Note Cards, Single Cards, Mirrors, Notepads) between June 11th and June 18th.

3. Repin one of our pins from our Hello! by Felix Doolittle board on Pinterest between June 11th and June 18th.

And just for fun, let us know which of Felix’s new illustrations are your favorites!

If you can believe it, these beauties are $30 OFF, but only until Monday. Makes a stellar gift for Mother’s Day.

We’re featuring fresh new designs including bright purple orchids, vintage travel designs, a glistening good luck charm, and just about the cutest little literary black bird you’ve ever seen.

Here’s  a sneak preview …then you have to come see for yourself!

$30 OFF until Monday, April 8th

(Spread the word!)

 You can browse the entire collection here.

Happy Spring!

1. Garden & Gun’s 50 Best Photos of 2012. A must see.

Artist, Kiki Slaughter in her studio

2. Favorite Easter recipes from Gourmet – fresh ideas and delicious dishes.

3. This dream home is truly a vision.

 4. Story about Wendell Berry, “legendary conservationist, farmer, and writer.”

 5. Passover continues! New recipes to conclude the holiday.

Quinoa and Asparagus Salad – I’ve made this recipe last year and it was so tasty. It was an enormous hit with the dinner guests!

 6. Fabulous Easter egg design ideas.

 7. And another – gold leaf Easter egg DIY!

Gold-leafed Easter eggs

 8. More decorating – this time, the bedroom.  Fabulous and inspirational details.

 9. Decorating with house plants – bring the green in!

10. Leonid Tishkov’s ‘Private Moon’. A breathtaking mobile art installation for a dreamy weekend!

Private Moon – Leonid Tishkov

“See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
- Mother Teresa

May you enjoy those little moments of silence AND the busy bustle ahead. Happy Friday!

We’re looking forward to fun times with family to end March on a sweet note. What are your plans? Any DIY or photography of your own? We’d love to hear about it!

Sweet smells flowing through the kitchen. Laughter around the table as we sink our teeth into fresh out of the oven treats. The simple feeling of family and tradition.

Growing up with three siblings was a blast!  Frolicking in the snow, smelling the spring flowers, running through the sprinkler to escape the scorching sun, and leaping into a giant pile of leaves are all snapshots of my childhood. No matter what the season, we spent a great deal of time in our giant backyard. However, the real joy happened when we came inside after a long day of play. The house would always smell like a bakery as my mom presented us with still warm cookies, brownies, Rice Krispies treats, or whatever caught her fancy that day.

Me and my sister, Kerry, in front of the July 4th cake my mom made. I can still taste how delicious this cake was!

Now, as an adult, I am humbled and in awe of my mother. The way she so effortlessly cared for four children, all of us close in age, was a real testament to her character. She applied the same care in her cooking.

What I remember most are her Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies? Two of my favorite things in one bite! Spectacular. Nowadays, I consider baking to be a great stress reliever. And what is better than a delicious cookie as the end result!

Below is the full recipe, directly from my mother’s kitchen to yours.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Makes 20-24 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, 2 sticks
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of cinnamon (optional)
2 cups all-purpose baking flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ -2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Using a stand or hand mixer, blend butter and sugar together in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Add vanilla pudding mix, vanilla extract, and a pinch of (optional) cinnamon.
4. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt together.
5. Add into mixture until combined.
6. Pour in the chocolate chips and hand-mix them in.
7. Chill cookie dough (covered) in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
8. Preheat over to 350°F
9. Use a spoon to scoop dough directly onto a teflon cookie sheet or use a greases or parchment-lined cookie sheet.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden on the edges. The cookies will look lighter than your average chocolate chip cookie.
11. Cool on the cookie sheet for approximately 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

The end result is a deliciously simple cookie that ignites your taste buds. It is impossible to just eat one. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best way to go, especially with four rambunctious kids.

Have a favorite family recipe? Consider our Recipe Cards as a great way to record a family-favorite or to create your own traditions to pass down. You can even get them personalized!  Now through the end of March, they are a delicious 30% off.  (Psst… these could be a great gift for Passover and Easter.)

Happy baking!

Spring is here!

Today marks the beginning of the 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival! Have you ever been to Washington D.C. to walk under the umbrella of cherry blossoms that announce the arrival of Spring in our nation’s capital? If you haven’t, it is an unparalleled experience of color, splendor, and poetry set in the most picturesque way with the water and the Memorial in the background.

The gift of more than 3,000 cherry trees from Tokyo to the United States during the Wilson administration in 1912 will forever stand tall with the trees themselves as a symbol of international friendship and beauty. The festival also celebrates the influence of our first ladies, for initiating and perpetuating the growth of this festival through the years, as well as creating year-round events and educational programs that build community strength and spirit.

Have you seen Felix’s brand new designs inspired by the cherry blossom? You can find a set of four illustrations celebrating these simple pink flowers in our personalized Themed Note Cards here.

This year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from March 20th to April 14th. Here’s Eric Abel’s art that grace’s this year’s festival’s poster. Doesn’t it make you want to go!

The Japanese have been waxing poetic about cherry trees for a long time –

Does anyone know the dwelling place of the wind, scatterer of flowers?  Tell me, that I may go there and deliver a complaint.

- Sosei the monk (10th century)

Soaring in white clouds, The cherry trees are in full bloom, Every branch bending with loaded blossoms. But the wind is ceaseless as the peak is lofty, And day after day falls the spring rain; The flowers have scattered from the upper sprays. May the blossoms on the lower branches neither fall nor lose their beauty, Till you, who journey, grass for pillow, Come home again!

-Mushimaro (8th century)

This gathered cherry branch can scarce convey A fancy of the blossom-laden tree: Blooming in sunlight, could I view it there Thoughts of its beauty would drive sleep away.

- Emperor Shomu to his lady love  (8th century)

When seeing splendid and beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom, to appreciate the blossoms as beautiful is to know the heart of the thing. When discovering the beauty of the blossoms, we are moved by their beauty. This is mono no aware. … The essence of cherry trees is simply always to appreciate the mono no aware of the blossoms.

-The Tale of Genji (11th century)

Write us a poem, haiku, or prose about your experience with the inspiring flowering cherry tree. Have you seen them in Japan, DC, or are you lucky enough to have one in your yard or nearby park?

]]> http://fdsketches.com/2013/03/20/see-whats-in-bloom-for-spring-2013/feed/ 0 robynfelixdoolittle Illustration from the Cherry Blossom Personalized Themed Note Card collection Personalized Themed Note Cards | Cherry Blossoms Close up: Personalized Themed Note Cards | Cherry Blossoms Personalized Themed Note Cards | Cherry Blossoms Eric Abel's National Cherry Blossom Festival poster Capitol Blossoms | Return Address Labels http://fdsketches.com/2013/03/18/writing-letters-leaving-a-value-legacy/ http://fdsketches.com/2013/03/18/writing-letters-leaving-a-value-legacy/#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:45:50 +0000 lorendoolittle http://fdsketches.com/?p=1583 ]]>

Felix came across this TEDtalk by Lakshmi Pratury on letter writing and shared it with me. It’s a really moving account about finding a deep connection to her father through his letters and a journal of ideas, suggestions, and stories that he left to her knowing that he would soon be passing. The fact that her father held the same papers she now holds and seeing his handwriting brings her a feeling of closeness with her father that she treasures. And while she’s not apt to give up on email, she also has experienced the power of handwriting and suggests that we don’t give up the old just because there is a new way.  Pratury encourages us to leave  a “value legacy, and not a financial one, a value for things with a personal touch – an autographed book, a soul-searching letter.”

Well, enough paraphrasing. Please watch this video – it’s not long, just over 4 minutes.

And then, “buy a piece of nice stationery and write a beautiful letter to someone you love!”  We know just where you could buy some!   Please share with us your thoughts.

1. Go to the movies with Goop – world’s coolest cinemas with great photos.
http://www.goop.com/journal/make/213/goop-mag

2. “Color Spotting on the Street” this week on House Beautiful’s color blog. So much fun!
http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/unique-color-combinations

3. St. Patrick’s Day Wedding Invitations.
http://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/2013/02/kris-lowells-st-patricks-day-wedding-invitations/

4. A little wisdom with a sense of humor from Kate of Wit & Delight…
http://witanddelight.com/2013/02/chuck-x-clint-wisdom/

5. Cute dinner party idea on Cup of Jo.
http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/02/grilled-cheese-croutons.html

6. Awesome DIY outdoor chandelier from Apartment Therapy.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-from-hanging-basket-to-outdoor-chandelierclub-chica-circle-184437

7. …Which brought me to Club Chica Circle. I totally didn’t know you could DIY chalk! Great craft time & gift idea for Spring.
http://club.chicacircle.com/fun-shaped-homemade-sidewalk-chalk/

8. Bliss Bloom Blog’s Faux Bois. Love the final set up.
http://www.blissbloomblog.com/2013/02/make-faux-bois-vases.html#.USfizqXrxGQ

9. DIY Wall Art from House of Earnest.
http://www.houseofearnest.com/gold-handmade-wall-art/

10. Fun post from Coco & Kelley – what are your 4 places??
http://www.cocokelley.com/2013/02/home-away/

11. I think I need these:
http://www.josephjoseph.com/kitchen-tools/elevate/gift-box-set

12. Design Crush’s Zodiac finds!
http://www.designcrushblog.com/2013/02/19/the-zodiac/

1. “i carry your heart with me” by E.E. Cummings
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179622
One of the most beloved poems among E.E.’s fans

2. “The Sun Rising” by John Donne
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/guide/177309
“She’s all states, and all princes…” A good old fashioned Elizabethan love poem. Exquisite.

3. Gerald Ford’s famous letter to his wife, Betty Ford
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/07/our-total-love-for-you-is-everlasting.html
A moving and inspirational post that transcends holidays and celebrations, and reminds us of the deepest love of family.

4. “When You Are Old” by William Butler Yeats
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172055
No other like W.B. Yeats.

5. One more from John Donne…”The Good-Morrow”
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173360
“…For love, all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.”

6. “When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.”
A wonderful quote from Ernest Hemingway’s novel, A Farewell to Arms. Really rings true.

7. “Having a Coke with You” by Frank O’Hara
http://readalittlepoetry.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/having-a-coke-with-you-by-frank-ohara/
Most of my familiarity with this poem is from the video footage of Frank O’Hara reading it aloud. I thought it would be nice to have the experience of reading it from the page for a different experience all together.

8. “In Love, His Grammar Grew” by Stephen Dunn
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/243186
“…Bluesy, fly-by-night, queen of all that is an might be…” How fun is this poem?

9. The love letters of Winston Churchill and Clementine Hozier

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/churchill/wc-affairs.html

He was her Pug and she was his Cat…

10. In his 1968 Comeback Special, Elvis preforms “Tryin’ to Get to You” to an adoring audience!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEzSuFShgYc
It’s like watching America fall in love with Rock & Roll.

Have an inspired day!

Some call Valentine’s Day a “Hallmark holiday.” That’s crazy. St. Valentine was martyred over 2,000 years ago after being jailed for presiding over soldiers who wanted to marry against the decree that they shouldn’t because it would make them soft.  He was sent to jail, fell in love with the jailor’s daughter and before his death, wrote her a note that allegedly said, “From your Valentine.” Well, that’s one story.  Either way, it was centuries before the printing press was even invented. Hallmark may have exploited the holiday, and maybe that’s what some people react against – the codified way of expressing our affection on Valentine’s Day and the emphasis of being part of a couple.

I have a different way of understanding Valentine’s Day that makes it easy and fun for anyone, in couple-hood or not, to celebrate.  Here’s my take: Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of winter, during the one of the coldest months of the year.  Right?

And how are we supposed to celebrate?

By giving beautiful and fragrant flowers, eating delicious foods including chocolate which has a secret door to some woman’s hearts, giving gifts that are soft to the touch, putting on romantic music and writing our loved ones that they are loved. All of these are meant to reawaken our senses and open our hearts in the midst of time where we’re often hibernating against the cold and wondering if Spring will ever come again.  In fact, reawakening our senses, opens our hearts, and in turn, the opening of our hearts revitalizes our senses. Valentine’s Day is a chance to rejoice in life and love by knocking on the door of our senses and inviting them back into your life.

So, go ahead, there’s still time to buy some beautiful flowers, eat sumptuous foods, listen to music that moves you, and to write to your honey how much he/she is appreciated, admired, and loved.

Keep the spirit of Valentine’s Day alive by joining our Love Note Writing Challenge where you choose the frequency per week to write to your loved one(s) for one month’s time.  We’ll check back in together along the way to see if there’s been any changes.  Hope you’ll join us! You can sign up here:  http://wp.me/p2gNiq-mQ

And Happy Valentine’s Day!  We wish you a sensorially delicious kind of day!

We love these drawings! How about you? Would you want these as posters, as Themed Note Cards (with or without the couples), or do you have another suggestion of how we might use these romantic love-inspired drawings? Let us know in the comments below.

Possibly these drawings depict the beginning of a relationship.  Keeping the love alive is the part that really takes energy (I don’t like to say “work”  because that doesn’t sound like love or fun, but it does take energy!)  Want to add energy to your relationships?  We hope you’ll join our Love Note Writing Challenge and be part of a group love experiment to see how writing to your loved ones positively impacts your relationship. It starts on Valentine’s Day so now’s the time to get your stationery together.  Of course, you know a great stationer already. ;D Please consider choosing our brand new Petite Love Notes with their many new drawings by Felix!