Names of Mary Bookmarks (and Etsy Shop Announcements!)

I'm kind of a jack-of-all-trades girl when it comes to crafting. I like to watercolor, letter, sew, make jewelry, draw, embroider, and more. I kind of bounce from one media to the next, and about a year ago I decided I wanted to learn how to do block carving and printing. It is a challenging process that is wide open to style and interpretation, and I have really enjoyed learning and growing in skill while learning something new!

Over the past few months, I ended up created a collection of carvings honoring Mary under some of her various titles and names. If you follow me on Instagram, I've been sharing carving and printing videos along the way, and I'm so excited to have all of these prints to share with you! 

Seeing all the images of Mary together inspired me to scale them down to little postage-stamp-sized, and I made these bookmarks, which would be a nice thing to use during this last part of the Month of the Rosary and to remind you of Mary's role in a Christian's life all year long. Print on heavy cardstock and stick it in your favorite Bible or journal!

Click here for a free printable set of Marian bookmarks:

Maybe soon I'll do a how-to post about what I've learned about (and from) block carving, but I'll just share that it has been a very prayerful process overall. The slow work and attention to details gives you a lot of time to think as you work, especially when carving a holy image.

The inking and reveal of the first print is just so satisfying after all of the work- so much cooler than hitting "print" on a computer! ;)

And the texture, inconsistencies, and little mistakes of the prints that make them one of a kind are really fascinating as well. I often have a hard time choosing a "favorite" or master print from a printing session because there are different things I like about different prints.

And because art is meant to be shared, I added a whole Marian collection in my Etsy Shop available today! Everything here on my blog will always be available for free, but I don't always do a good job of letting my blog readers know when there are new things available for you on Etsy. I hate being "sales-y," but I know that we are all thinking ahead to Christmas shopping, and I thought you might like to go check out these prints and bags as you work on your gift list.  

You can find my Etsy Shop here and below is a little preview of a few of the items:

The Names of Mary Collection includes prints, totes, zipper pouches, and stickers of: 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, The Immaculate Conception, Stella Maris, The Immaculate Heart, The Sorrowful Mother, The Holy Family, Our Lady of  Częstochowa , The New Eve, Our Lady Undoer of Knots, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Fatima, and The Spouse of the Holy Spirit

The black and white really looks great with a variety of decor, and I am loving how mine look on the gallery wall I've set up in my bedroom.

The block prints are all hand printed, and contain unique inconsistencies, making them one of a kind:

Besides prints, I also made some little zipper pouches for pens or all those pesky tiny things floating around your purse or diaper bag:

These generous zipper pouches, which I love for journals and art supplies:

And there are several versions of these tote bags (13x13" with a 3.5" gusset and 9" drop on the handles- not too big, but plenty of space to haul things!)

And I just love these super cute vinyl stickers:

Also next Saturday, 10/31/20, I'll be restocking my popular stamps, which are the heart of my shop. This will be the last restock before Christmas, and I'll be honest that they usually sell out quickly. I'm advertising the restock as opening at 9 a.m. CST, but I'll let my blog readers know that I'll have the listings up and ready at 8:30 a.m. if you want a little head start. :) Set an alarm now!

I hope that these things help bring a little faith and beauty into your lives!