I’m always excited to learn about new small farms and the work they do with their local communities.  Recently I was introduced to Waltham Fields Community Farm (WFCF) and have been very impressed with their work.

WFCF is a non-profit farming organization which grows organic vegetables on 15 acres of land just outside of Boston.  They serve their community in an impressive number of ways, including offering access to affordable fresh vegetables to those in need, distributing to local public schools and donating to emergency feeding and nutrition centers.  They also offer education for children and adults as well as a formal Farmer Training program.

For those who just like to eat fresh and healthy vegetables, WCFC also has a 20-week summer share program (CSA) with pickups at the farm. For those who like to lend a hand, they even have a volunteer program.

I was so impressed with the work that WFCF does that I happily donated some of my vegetable block print reproductions for a fundraiser being held on Saturday, April 14.  It will be at the Museum of Industry, which sounds very cool and I wish I could be there in person!

WFCF is looking for more donations for their fundraiser.  If you have something you could donate, please consider them!  If you’re in the area and would like to participate in their CSA program, they have 50 shares on sale to the public starting today.  See their website for more details.

Waltham Fields Community Farm
www.communityfarms.org

This Valentine’s Day, consider one gift with triple rewards.  For every online order of gourmet (and award-winning!) vegan cinnamon rolls from Berkeley’s locally-owned and much-touted Cinnaholic, $5 will be donated to the Beagle Freedom Project.  To top it off, you’ll also receive one of my letterpressed “Bad Beagle” cards, featuring local beagle Daisy.  That’s a whole lot of benefit from one purchase!

The Beagle Freedom Project works to rescue beagles who have spent their lives in animal testing facilities and placing them with good homes.  My friend Daisy and her sister Maxine were both rescued from drug testing labs.  Their transformation from scared and timid souls into the rambunctious, loving, energetic (and, yes, at times mischievous!) dogs has been phenomenal.  (Read more about Maxine’s story here)

Cinnaholic serves 100% vegan cinnamon rolls in a variety of delicious flavors.  A host of people-in-the-know rave about their rolls, including Daily Candy, Chow, Reuters, and just about every local news outlet you can name.

I’m very proud to be a small part of this very generous offer from the good people at Cinnaholic.  If you are local, please stop in at their Berkeley store on the corner of Oxford and Center St, across the street from the UC campus.  The smell alone will make you swoon!

Stop the free radicals!  I had a bunch of fun creating this poster design for my client.  I can’t wait to get my T-shirt with this design on it!

Midori Farm is a small organic vegetable farm located in Port Townsend, Washington. I recently had the pleasure to work with them to re-design their logo. The elements of the logo were chosen to subtly emphasize the farmers’ part-Asian heritage and the farm’s emphasis on fresh and fermented organic vegetables.  Good people, good vegetables!

Local folk, check them out!

It's a holiday miracle! Nikkei the cat, lost 3 months ago in Ithaca, NY, was joyfully reunited with her owner.  I'd like to think that my portrait of Nikkei and the 'Lost' poster I created helped locate her.  Franklin Crawford at tinytowntimes.com distributed the poster around town and on the website, making sure it reached the maximum number of eyes. It takes a village to find a Nikkei.

I also hear it was re-purposed for a local band's show poster, so if the drawing didn't help find the cat I hope it helped find a crowd for the band's show.

I was very honored to volunteer the invitation designs for the Vida Verde Nature Education Ten Year Benefit.  Vida Verde is a non-profit outdoor education program in San Gregorio, CA which promotes social justice by providing free multi-day outdoor education trips for the underprivileged youth of the Bay Area.  I have volunteered for the past 10 years and watched the program bloom.

Over the years, thousands of students have already enjoyed life-changing experiences at this incredible camp.  This recent benefit raised over $100,000 for the program, and sponsored 446 students for the coming year!  By relying on their strong network of volunteers and supporters, Vida Verde is able to cut administration costs and put more money towards the children.

If you are interested in this very worthy program, please visit their website: vveducation.org

I recently was honored to participate in leading a craft at SF MOCFA's super fun Craft Bar.  Craft Bar is a once-a-month event that brings the community together in the museum's beautiful space for a night of crafting, socializing, and (for those legal crafters) drinking some cold Trumer Pils.  I led a make-your-own-holiday-card craft, and was blown away by everyone's creativity and imagination.  Using just simple geometric shapes that I cut out of rubber and nothing-fancy stamp pads the Craft Bar-ians created some truly stunning cards.

Snowman pop-up card!

Proof the dinosaurs became extinct from a falling meteorite!

Gorgeous pattens

Busy bees

Honestly, I didn't have to do much but just stand there, hand out paper, and let everyone's creativity run wild.

Jackie Huang from Woolbuddy was also leading a cool craft needle-felting mini wool penguins.  If you haven't seen his adorable wool stuffed animals, please take a look!

Design Sponge recently featured my Bulldog and Mistletoe card in their 2011 Holiday Pet Gift Guide.  Thank you, Design Sponge!:

My Bulldog and Mistletoe card made an appearance in a wonderful article about letterpressed stationery in this issue of BARK magazine.  Thanks, BARK!

I’m very excited that my hen portraits were featured in the 2011 Sunset Magazine Gift Guide!  Thank you, Sunset.