It’s in the cards

The holidays are officially over and that means we get one last party in 2014 before we start a new calendar, try to remember to write “15” instead of “14” and resolve to change ourselves for the better. Right? OK … Most years, my resolutions are pretty vague. Be happier. Do more fun stuff. Travel. In general, I like the refreshment a new year brings, but resolutions are rarely followed and tend to be recipes for letdowns later in the year.

Be that as it may, one resolution I’ve had year after year (and still have yet to nail) is to be a better correspondent. I think there’s something beautiful about receiving a card in the mailbox—but I can’t remember the last time I sent one.

I’m a big believer in preparation being key to success, so this year, in advance of New Year’s, I headed on over to Made in Chico (127 W. Third St.) to check out the card selection. I knew they’d have a good number to choose from, but I was kind of amazed at the variety on display.

Some that stood out were the bright, watercolor-esque flowers of Vintage Funk Designs. I did a little online digging and found Nancy Hunt-Bartek—the woman behind Vintage Funk—is an artist out of Paradise who likes to play with all manner of media. Unfortunately her online presence is a bit outdated—but do not fear! You can find her whimsical creations at Made in Chico!

Another artist who caught my eye was Chicoan Scott Raby, the man behind SCOTTcard. Actually, the art on his cards—cute little animals and the like—is credited to Mat Houghton. Must give credit where it’s due, right? But the cards are cute and fun. Some of the multipacks even include stickers for a little out-of-the-envelope fun. Also not a huge online presence, but if you search SCOTTcard on Facebook, you’ll see Raby’s been busy making T-shirts featuring the same art as on his cards. Neato!

In the category of art, Olivia Du Mosch’s sparkly cards and StinkyPress Greetings’ intricate designs also caught my eye. There also was a lovely assortment from Wild Ink Press.

Of course, not all the cards on offer are original designs. Others show off some striking work of local photographers. A few of those made an impression. The first was Michele Miller Photography, which can also be found at the Saturday morning Chico Certified Farmers’ Market. The second was Kathy Leslie Hardin, whose brightly colored photos were hard to look away from. (Bonus, when I found her online shop—www.bandmebags.com—I learned she also makes handbags with her photography!) The third was Kathleen Gauthier (kathleen_gauthier.artistwebsites.com), whose striking architectural photo cards are simply breathtaking.

To get me started on my journey to become a better correspondent, I want to try something. If you email me your name and address—and your New Year’s resolution!—while this column is on newsstands (today through Jan. 8), I’ll send you a card. Happy New Year!