Some cards stay simple. Some tell a story.

Some cards are simple.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what I love.

This is my most recent spring card.

A single pink flower on a bright green background.

I wanted the colors to feel fresh and alive.
The kind of green that feels like spring just started, and the kind of pink that almost glows.

To get that effect, I mixed watercolor and colored pencil. The watercolor gives softness and movement, and the colored pencil adds texture and depth to the petals.

There’s not much happening in this card.
And that’s the point.

It can work for many occasions: a thank you, a birthday, a hello, a love note, or simply a little beauty sent in the mail.

But sometimes, I feel like creating something with more details.

For my new birthday card, I imagined a small world where some of my dreams came together.

I thought it would be fun to describe it as a Chinese portrait:

If it had an animal, it would be a happy dog.
If it were a trip, it would be a road trip across the United States.
If it were a food, it would be pepperoni pizza on the hood of a truck.
If it had a sound, it would be music playing from my favorite radio station.
If it had a color, it would be the color of the sunset.
If it had some light, it would come from the first stars starting to glow.
If it had a visitor, it would be a cute ladybug.
If it had something hidden, it would be a little love note.
And if it were a day, it would be a birthday that feels like an adventure.

Sometimes a card can be simple.
And sometimes, it can hold a whole little world.

Now your turn.

Reply to this email with your own mini Chinese portrait:

If I were an animal, I’d be…
If I were a color, I’d be…
If I were a day, I’d be…

Now I’m curious what you’d be.

Browse our Birthday cards

---

Also, this Saturday I’ll be painting live pet portraits.
If you’re nearby, you can just come say hi, maybe leave with a little painting, and browse our new cards in person.

I’m sharing the details below 🙂

---