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A blank page

Holiday cards by Chandler O'Leary

A lot of things had to fall by the wayside in the past few months (including this blog!), while some major projects ruled my life. The big deadlines still hold sway for now, but I’ve started to catch up in other ways. The holidays are done and dusted, the end-of-year to-do-lists are crossed off (mostly), and this huge stack of greetings is in the mail. Here’s to turning the page, and writing (and drawing!) the next chapter.

Happy New Year!

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…and to all a good night

Christmas photo by Chandler O'Leary

Tacoma photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyTacoma photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'Leary

Shooting grainy on-the-fly night photos doesn’t always yield the best results, but it’s done a great job of documenting this year’s Season of Light. I hope yours is as warm and bright as ours has been, and that you are surrounded by joy while the sun makes its way back to us.

Good Yule, and Merry Christmas.

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Through the front door

Photo by Chandler O'Leary

Settling back into things after returning from a holiday trip, and thinking of everything I’d like 2015 to hold. Seems appropriate that today is Epiphany. (Bonus for the day: it’s so balmy I can have my tea on the porch.) Welcome, new year. Welcome, welcome.

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Their favorite time of year

Christmas photo by Chandler O'Leary

Christmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearySnowy trees photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyPhoto by Chandler O'LearyTacoma photo by Chandler O'LearyChickadee Christmas ornament by Chandler O'LearyPhoto by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas in Ashland sketch by Chandler O'LearyPhoto by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyPhoto by Chandler O'LearyPhoto by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas photo by Chandler O'Leary

To me this season is not about a certain day, or even a series of holidays—it’s a collection of moments. It’s those moments that I cherish above anything else—especially when they happen with the people I love best, in this part of the world I call home. I hope your season, however you might celebrate or mark it, is filled with the moments you’ll want to remember always.

Merry Christmas, and happy holidays, from our home to yours.

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The holiday rush

Studio photo by Chandler O'Leary

Every day this month I’ve brought a stack of packages like this to the post office, fulfilling orders and sending my goods to every corner of the country and beyond. Normally this is the week that the orders taper off, as folks finish off their Christmas list or the holiday USPS deadline looms. This year, though, the orders are still coming in thus far, at an astonishing rate that keeps me busy the whole day, every day.

So I just wanted to pause a moment to say thank you—for your support for what I do, for your support of small and local businesses like mine, and of artisans of every stripe who make their living from what they create. I can’t begin to express what that means to me—except to keep making things, in the hope that it’ll mean something to you, too.

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Glass & gifts

Photos and artwork by Chandler O'Leary

I’m doing one last craft fair this season, and this time it’s at a brand new venue. Tacoma’s Museum of Glass is hosting its first-ever holiday craft fair, featuring 10 local artisans in the beautiful space of the Grand Hall. So if there’s something you still need to cross off your list, you can find it here:

Museum of Glass Holiday Craft Fair
This Saturday, December 13, 2014
10 am to 5 pm (during museum open hours)
1801 Dock Street, Tacoma, WA

See you this Saturday!

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Hand-lettered holidays

"Deck the Halls" holiday card by Chandler O'Leary

Even though it’s nearly as late as it could possibly be, here I am thinking, “Already?!?” But it’s true—even if you don’t do Black Friday (as you can probably guess, I’m partial to Small Business Saturday myself), today’s the “official” opener of the holiday season. And for perhaps the first time ever, I’m actually ready for it! (Well, mostly.) This year I’ve got new stuff in three different online shops—in honor of the three arms of my little business (though of course, if you ever want to combine items into one order, just drop me a line and I’ll make it happen).

First up is my Anagram Press shop, where you’ll find two new holiday cards, inspired by mid-century vintage kitsch.

"Wagon in a Winter Wonderland" holiday card by Chandler O'Leary

(One has just a touch of Griswold-y goodness…)

iPop "Clicks" magnets illustrated by Chandler O'Leary

Also in there are my new bird magnets by Seattle’s own iPop! I’m so proud and excited to have these that I’m tempted to plaster every metal surface in my studio with them. (You can read my post about them here.)

Washington State illustration by Chandler O'Leary

Next up, a little holiday travel: I’m pleased to announce the Souvenir Shop is now open on Drawn the Road Again, my new travel blog! You’ll find a big array of prints available there—

Oregon State illustration by Chandler O'Leary

from the first installments of my new 50 States Series

San Francisco illustration by Chandler O'Leary

—to original illustrations inspired by travel destinations.

Paul Bunyan sketchbook print by Chandler O'Leary

And because enough people have asked for it, there are even prints of some of my sketchbook drawings—including a Pick-a-Sketch custom order option.

"Dome-inatrix" letterpress print by Chandler O'Leary and Jessica Spring

Last but not least, the Dead Feminists shop has some new additions as well—starting with a small letterpress keepsake version of the Birth of Venus steamroller print Jessica and I did earlier this year.

"Dead Feminists" letterpress journal by Chandler O'Leary and Jessica Spring

And we’ve finally restocked our supply of mini letterpress journals (you folks cleaned us out last time we had them in the shop, and it took quite awhile to make and photograph more!). We call ’em “Lemonade Journals,” because we made them from the “lemons” that crop up during printing—misregistered prints and tiny flaws that otherwise would have ended up in the recycling bin. But with some cute stitching and fun colored paper on the inside, Jessica turned them into perfect little stocking stuffers.

"Dead Feminists" letterpress journal by Chandler O'Leary and Jessica Spring

Whew! That’s the whole kit n’ kaboodle. Keep in mind that some of the travel and sketchbook prints require a lead time to produce, so be sure to get any made-to-order requests in early! I’ll be shipping holiday orders daily until 4 pm PST on Tuesday, December 17 (when the shops will close for the holiday break).

In the meantime, I’m raising a virtual glass of eggnog to you: happy holidays!

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Studio shindig

Anagram Press Studio Tour photo by Chandler O'Leary

Every year I tell myself I’ll actually take photos during Studio Tour—and every year we get a bigger crowd, and I get all wrapped up in talking to people, and somehow the camera just sits forgotten in a corner. But at least I managed to take a couple of quick snaps of how it looked before we opened! We had our biggest group yet this year—over 150 people, many of them new faces! So an enormous thank you to everyone stopped by or sent me encouraging social media messages throughout the weekend—I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be a part of this amazing community.

Anagram Press Studio Tour photo by Chandler O'Leary

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Stocking the shelves

Detail of "Deck the Halls" holiday card by Chandler O'Leary

When you’re an illustrator, you have to start celebrating (or at least gearing up for) every holiday months in advance. So that means I’ve got Christmas music stuck in my head already. That’s okay, though, because it means I’m churning out new work for the holiday season! And I’m having an extra fun time this time year, because I’m trying some new things, in a little bit of a different style.

If you’re local, you can be the first to grab the new crop of goodies (including brand new illustrations from the Drawn the Road project, and the new Red Deck of the Tacoma Playing Cards) at this year’s city-wide Studio Tour circuit, held during the first weekend in November. I’ll be open both Saturday and Sunday, as usual—more info and maps/directions here.

If you’re not local, look for the big blog-reveal of all the new holiday goodies on Black Friday. Stay tuned!

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Snow falling on cedars

Forest in snow photo by Chandler O'Leary

I love it when a journey is required to bring Christmas home.

Hood Canal photo by Chandler O'LearyHood Canal photo by Chandler O'LearyOlympic Peninsula photo by Chandler O'LearyOlympic Peninsula photo by Chandler O'LearyForest in snow photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas tree photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas tree photo by Chandler O'LearyOlympic Peninsula photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas tree photo by Chandler O'LearyChristmas tree photo by Chandler O'Leary

Hoping yours is holly-jolly, merry and bright.

"Mini Flock" holiday ornament illustrated and letterpress printed by Chandler O'Leary