i went to paper source, my favorite paper store in chicago. i’m always like a little kid in a candy store. i couldn’t believe the wedding gown was made of paper! and then i found a piece of paper with a chocolate brocade print which was very inspiring.

i love tulips. they are among my favorite flowers: just the perfect amount of prettiness without being overly fancy, soft but not too delicate, and with the perfect shade of green that leaves you feeling fresh. i like watching them grow a mind of their own depending on where the light is coming from.

i stumbled onto this stamp set by Cavallini & Co. while browsing the U of C bookstore (in the non-books section). it’s called “Birds & Nests”. i couldn’t put it down and so i had to buy it: love the metal case, love the blue scalloped label, love the vintage-looking stamps, love the ink pad. can’t wait to make my first card…

We visited the Chicago Art Institute which featured a special exhibit on “Cezanne to Picasso – Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde.” Vollard was a French art dealer from the early 20th century, who exhibited many artists who were struggling for a reputation at that time, including Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso. On our way out, we saw “American Gothic” by Grant Wood. Did you know that the artist used his sister and dentist as models for the painting? Apparently, his sister was normally very chic and fashionable, and his dentist was a humorous guy.

i’ve noticed that Chicago is filled with interesting art on the side of buildings, bridges…basically anything flat. i’m really fascinated by the use of space, and i love the colours and texture, especially the ones on a brick surface. finding new murals is becoming a mini project of mine. our header art is from the wall of an underpass just down the street from our apartment. these two pics are also from around Hyde Park (the area around the University of Chicago, where we live).