Paper Raven Co. Blog

Because Mom is always extra, I whipped up this adorable DIY Cake Topper for you to use on Mother's Day (you're getting her a cake, right? She deserves a cake.)

It's super easy and fun and your Mom will totally be like "Whoa, a cake topper." *bonus points awarded* You're welcome.

You'll need: 
- The Cake Topper Printable (click below to download)
- Scissors and tape
- Skewer or stick
- CAKE! Make your own or go to your local bakery. Maybe a good time to support a small biz in your neighborhood? ;) 
- Any berries or flowers to decorate your cake.

Directions: 
1. Click below to download the printable. Then print the sheet in color on your home printer or take to your local printer: 8.5x11” sheet. (Pro tip: This works best on slightly thicker cardstock paper!) 
2. Cut out the graphic in your printable - leave a margin like I did or cut a large oval around the graphic - up to you!
3. Attach a skewer/stick to the back of the graphic with tape. Make sure it’s secure.
4. Insert into the top of the cake and decorate with flowers or berries. Voila! Enjoy! (Mom gets the first bite!) 

If you use the printable, I would LOVE to see how it turned out! Don't forget to tag me on Instagram and let me know how it goes (and also what flavor of cake you chose because that's super legit important.)

Happy Mother's Day! Love, Erin.

Yea, I really wanted to make my monthly subscriber desktop download a shameless homage to the song that's been stuck in my head for a week straight. I cooled it, though, and did some watercolors for you instead. Things have been super busy around here, so I'm going to be brief this month and just let you get to the good stuff right away. Shazam! Click below to grab the wallpaper!

Happy Earth Day! Earlier this week it struck me: I needed to do a free printable for Earth Day, and we need to spread some love around for our gorgeous, amazing Planet! I am SO inspired by nature (can you tell?) in my work, and even walks in my neighborhood, enjoying the Springtime, give me so much peace. I am a huge advocate for Green Energy, Climate Change Awareness and preserving our planet. So I wanted to send you a gift for you to enjoy for Earth Day, in support of our planet, its wildlife, and the organizations, scientists, and regular citizens like you and me that are committed to protecting it. Enjoy! 
 

 Click here to Download

One of the best parts of my day, as the weather has warmed, has been walking my sweet dog Patty in the afternoons. Our neighborhood is in bloom, and we have a ton of bird species nesting in the trees. During our outings, I like to pause and take a moment to intentionally appreciate nature, to notice details, and welcome that peaceful mental state into my work. If that sounds a little "woo-woo" to you, maybe it is. But in an increasingly chaotic world, especially when the environment and the planet is at such risk, it's become a focal point of my day to stop and be grateful for the beauty around me. Nature teaches us so many things: persistence, balance, harmony; I find that very comforting, and I've strived to make those principles an integral part of my illustrations.

So for April's Desktop Download, I give you an illustration based on my favorite scene from Alice in Wonderland: you can learn a lot of things from the flowers. Click the image below to grab it. 

Here is the full illustration (but click the image above for the download!), and a detail shot of me drawing it. I start with a pencil sketch, then ink in the leaves with India Ink, and then ink in the lines. Finally, I bring the illustration into Photoshop to finish it. Happy Spring!

Hello friends in love + equality, happy March! I can't believe it's already here, and as I am writing this, my balcony door is open and the first breezes and rumbles of a March thunderstorm are rolling in.

This month, I created a new illustration for our Desktop Wallpaper, starting with a pencil sketch, painting with india ink, and finally lining with my Faber Castell Artist Pitt Pen. The colors for this one gave me a bit of a time, but when I popped in that spot of lime, I was in love. I hope you enjoy it too!

 
Here's a close-up of my inking process:

I love to see when others enjoy my freebies, so feel free to post a pic and tag me on Instagram as @PaperRaven.Co - I would be thrilled to check it out and send some good vibes your way.

Every month, I create a special, original illustration for email subscribers to download and use for their enjoyment on their desktops. This December, I created a mini calendar backdrop with hand-drawn type and lots of festive flourishes. I used my trusty Tombow Calligraphy Pen to do the lettering ;) Just my way of saying thank you for taking a step alongside of me on the journey of building Paper Raven Co. So without further ado...