Haute Couture Steampunk Neo-Industrial Goth and The 1950s Taxi Service

Last evening I watched the Paris fashion week slideshows. The Alexander McQueen collection blew me away. Haute couture steampunk neo-industrial goth fashions graced models with oversized shiny black lips reminiscent of the piles of tires that lay scattered atop the stage. An apocalyptic post-millennial celebration of black and white, the fashions, while not wearable by the likes of most, spoke to the current sense of global economic meltdown. Spectacular.

Thus, in honor of beautiful fashion, I present "The Black and White Taxi Service" notecard sets. A hand-painted, hand screenprinted, original illustration, they are available in sets of 6 on 100% recycled paper with matching envelope. Perfect for the fashionista and available through my Etsy shop.

And packing continues despite the ever-increasing list of reasons I find not to, including setting up a new Facebook Fan Page. If you are on Facebook, you can now fan me by clicking here and receive updates on all things Octavine: amazing links, bohemian musings, sales and incredible DIY projects will be exclusively available to all fans.

Okay, the boxes are not filling themselves. Back to it...

An 1889 Victorian and The Catalog Model

The housing hunt is over. I (along with Belle, the mastiff-lab, my husband, and my new roommate, the Professor) will soon be living in the most gorgeous little 1889 Victorian.

I could not ask for more. Packing boxes and cleaning closets seem rather insignificant knowing my new residence is everything I could hope for. Surrounded by an enormous lush Oregon garden my summer afternoons shall be spent drawing in the sun and picking strawberries, kiwi, raspberries and grapes. Barbecues shall abound and Belle can run around like a wild monkey.

My anxiety assuaged, I am packing up shop. Treasures abound as chaos ensues. I found this painting recently; it had found itself behind some supplies. She is "The Catalog Model" and was based on a Louis Vuitton advertisement I found in the New York Times.

Thank you to everyone for their well-wishes during my housing crisis and thank you for the great suggestions for sports players prior to 1960. If you think of any more, let me know!~

The 1908 Chicago Cubs World Series Star Players -- Octavine Style

I recently received a commission to make a set of notecards of the 1908 Chicago World Series Star players Joe Tinker, Frank Chance and Johnny Evers. They made up the best infield combination in the Cubs history and are on the 1908 Chicago Cubs roster. Using baseball cards from the turn of the century as my inspiration, I drew the players from photographs I found and using each players' original card I copied his autograph to make my own vintage style baseball cards.

Enjoying this project and appreciating the end result, I created a series of the three Chicago Cubs players available both as screenprinted, hand-painted notecards and Moleskine journals. Immediately I had an enthusiastic response from Cubs fans throughout the country.

Thus I decided to begin an entire line of vintage sports players. However, I am not a sports fan. So I implore you all for help! I am open to all sports and players prior to 1960. If you have any ideas, leave them in the comments section. Any and all assistance will be most greatly appreciated.

In other news, I am still looking for a house. I stubbornly decided to not begin packing until I am secure in my next situation, so you can imagine my stress level. It is not real yet and I refuse to make it so until I can visualize something else. And I have an enormous amount of crap; rather unbelievable and extremely daunting. But I am looking at houses tomorrow and feel very optimistic. Fingers are crossed.

Oh, and the notecards (available as a set of six or single cards) and Moleskines journals are available in my Etsy shop. If you have any Chicago history buffs or Cubs enthusiasts in your circle feel free to pass this on!

The Art Nouveau Ketubah

Finally, after three odd years, I sifted through all my wedding photos. Despite a constant conversation with myself about why I chose to wear that particular hairstyle, I love my wedding pictures. Reminding me of joy and insanity, friends and family, the photos serve to highlight that blur of a day. I do not know if I would have remembered Uncle Stu wearing a tuxedo with a clown nose or "Redbeef" (my husband's roommate from college) donning a kelly green suit and matching top hat.

However, while photos jog the memory of a place and time, the Ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract, serves to remind the couple of the emotion felt, the feelings had.

The Art Nouveau inspired Ketubah pictured is just that. An original design painted in gouache, the stylized waves are reminiscent of the bride and groom's time in Santa Cruz, where they met many years ago. Contacting me personally to execute both the text and design, it was a joy to create. The text, Art Nouveau inspired English and Hebrew calligraphy, is their vows: promises to each other to be met over a lifetime.

Free Shipping, Crafty Wonderland, and Starving Artists

The craziness has officially arrived. Holiday madness. In honor of this, I am offering *F R E E * S H I P P I N G* through December 18 in my Etsy shop. You may find the perfect gift for your loved ones, work colleagues or yourself from Octavine Illustration.

In addition, I will also be at the amazing, incredible, utterly spectacular craft fair held only in Portland, Oregon: Crafty Wonderland. Outgrowing every space it has occupied, this year, on December 14, you will find me, along with 140 of Portland's best artists and crafters, at the Convention Center. It promises to be a rip-roaring good time replete with goodie bags, gift wrapping and the best handmade gifts out there.

The Moleskine journal pictured is a hand-painted, hand-screenprinted, original illustration by me. It is available through my Etsy shop and makes a wonderful gift for the note taker, poet, aspiring novelist, musician or artist in your life.

Back to work I go, tying ribbons and sealing envelopes, giving each and every package sent out care and love. So remember, this holiday season, *B U Y * H A N D M A D E* and feed an artist.