This month is Multiple Sclerosis awareness month and we are hosting a fundraiser to support the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
See, our family has been significantly impacted by MS. For many years we kept that under the rug. Primm was diagnosed back when we were young kids, keeping her diagnosis secret for fear of losing her job supervising the art department at our local school district.
When Felicitas was 20 and attending UC Berkley, she was diagnosed with MS. Her symptoms presented as a lack of ability to balance or walk toe to heel, followed by blurred vision and batteries of medical tests 3000 miles away from family support.
Primm was able to live her life without much deterioration or exacerbated symptoms. Felicitas has not had that experience. After finishing Stanford Law School and while she was studying for the California bar, Felicitas’ symptoms became debilitating. She was living on a 3rd floor walk-up and was unable to traverse the flights without help. Self care like laundry and groceries were foreboding chores involving the need to rely on others.
We enlisted the help of a dear family friend, who traveled to Emeryville, CA where Felicitas was living. He was able to help pack her apartment and move her back to our community where eager family support was available to her.
Upon returning to The Berkshires, her symptoms continued to build momentum. A couple years of care-plan iterations, left a nursing home as our only option for the intensive care required for Felicitas' comfort. The first placement ended when Felicitas took the liberty to smoke weed in her room (long before that was legal).
Her second placement is where she resides to this day…. For over 20 years Felicitas has lived in a nursing home with tiled walls and an overarching scent of pee.
John visited her every day until his death in 2010. Primm didn’t like seeing Felicitas compromised but made a point to send cards and visit on holidays right up until her death in April 2013.
Sofia and I visit Felicitas as often as we can - you know, between covid and norovirus outbreaks… We bring fresh flowers, ice cream, Irish coffee and good humor.
She is usually in a good mood - with big smiles, has no short term memory - meaning she has no idea when we last visited. She loves music and sings along to all the songs she loved in high school.
Each year we create a monthly image in her honor for our Dolphin Studio Calendar. We use artwork she created before her illness stole her dexterity as inspiration.
Here's the thing. The people who do the actual care-taking for Felicitas LOVE her. They are under-paid angels on Earth. When we ask Felicitas how she is doing, she often exclaims 'I'm having the BEST year of my life!"
I throw my hands up and realize that as long as she feels well cared for and blissful the tiles and stink are not mine to judge.
We look forward to raising awareness and money to find a cure for MS with your help. The Dolphin Studio will be donating 15% of all sales from March 9 (Primm's birthday) through March 18th (Felicitas' birthday) 2025 to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
Here they are! March 2025's screensavers ~ err WALLPAPER using our monthly Dolphin Studio calendar images to pretty-up your phone, desktop computer, laptop and/or tablet.
PLEASE NOTE - THE IMAGE ABOVE SHOWS A MARCH IMAGE FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR - no spoilers here!
Each month we make two versions of our screensavers for FREE downloads.
The image accompanying this blog post (showing above) features our 2025 Dolphin Studio Calendar current month's image and last month's image BUT the image showing as NEXT month's image is from a few years back. You might have noticed that we don't feature upcoming calendar images in our marketing so that YOU, our beloved calendar customer/collector, are able to carry-out a popular monthly-image reveal ritual...
If keeping upcoming Dolphin Studio Calendar monthly images a surprise sounds pretty awesome to you ~ best to stick with the vertical version of our monthly screensaver as the horizontal, 3-month-at-a-glance option includes NEXT month's Dolphin Studio Calendar image - for realz.
If you need help setting up your wallpaper or screensaver, here is a tutorial for iPhone users, here is a tutorial for Android users, and here is a tutorial for macbook users.
Do you enjoy our screensavers? Which version works best for you? Let us know with a comment and share this post with all your friends cause a little free artwork never did any harm...
Dolphin Studio: Art Print Packages
As January wraps up, we’ve been brainstorming new ways to share our art with you throughout the year. Crispina came up with the brilliant idea of sending out monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly prints, and we’re so excited to connect with you in this fresh way.
After a lot of back-and-forth about pricing, print size, packaging, and duration, we’ve worked out the details. Here's everything you need to know!
Who Are These Prints For?
Funny enough, when we first came up with this idea, we imagined most people would gift the prints to friends, family, or loved ones. But as we’ve started getting orders, we’ve noticed that many of you are buying them for yourselves! And honestly, we get it—who doesn’t love a surprise in the mail?
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I buy forwarding envelopes?
What will the design be each month?
Can I send different months to different people?
What size are the prints?
We can’t wait for you to receive your prints and hope you love them as much as we do. We’d love to hear which ones are your favorites over the next year!
If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at hello@thedolphinstudio.com. We're always happy to help!
Warmly,
The Dolphin Team
Here they are! February 2025's screensavers ~ err WALLPAPER using our monthly Dolphin Studio calendar images to pretty-up your phone, desktop computer, laptop and/or tablet.
PLEASE NOTE - THE IMAGE ABOVE SHOWS A MARCH IMAGE FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR - no spoilers here!
Each month we make two versions of our screensavers for FREE downloads.
The image accompanying this blog post (showing above) features our 2025 Dolphin Studio Calendar current month's image and last month's image BUT the image showing as NEXT month's image is from a few years back. You might have noticed that we don't feature upcoming calendar images in our marketing so that YOU, our beloved calendar customer/collector, are able to carry-out a popular monthly-image reveal ritual...
If keeping upcoming Dolphin Studio Calendar monthly images a surprise sounds pretty awesome to you ~ best to stick with the vertical version of our monthly screensaver as the horizontal, 3-month-at-a-glance option includes NEXT month's Dolphin Studio Calendar image - for realz.
If you need help setting up your wallpaper or screensaver, here is a tutorial for iPhone users, here is a tutorial for Android users, and here is a tutorial for macbook users.
Do you enjoy our screensavers? Which version works best for you? Let us know with a comment and share this post with all your friends cause a little free artwork never did any harm...
Vintage Calendar Prints & Embellished Dates: A Personal Touch for 2025
As January winds down and we’re all realizing just how quickly the year is moving, we’ve got some exciting news to share—our 2025 calendars have completely sold out! But don’t worry, we’ve got something just as special to offer. If you're looking to keep the nostalgic charm of our Dolphin Studio calendar in your home or give it as a unique gift, we now have vintage archive prints from past years, along with the option to add embellished dates for that extra personal touch.
When we first thought about adding these prints to our website, we knew we needed some fun examples to really show off what they could do. And what better way to create these examples than to think of some of the coolest people we know?
My friend Laura with her birthday embellished. Laura is my boyfriend Tom's twin sister and when I saw that January 1999 was such a cool and wintery month I knew I wanted to give it to her as a birthday gift (Sorry Tom) Laura is also one of the Dolphin Studios biggest supporters so I know so I knew she would love it!
Kerry and Luke's Wedding date!
Our longtime employee and one of my best friends Kerry got married in August 2023 so we made one up for her and Luke. I really loved how this was turned out with the great colorful pattern of the paper contrasting well with the light blue on the original design. Crispina also did a great hope at adding details with gel pens.
Eloises birth date! I was going to visit Eloise's family the same week we were making all of these examples and once I saw the design of the month I knew I had to do it! I thought it would be a perfect fit for a children's room and a piece of art she can grow with.
As you can see, whether you’re needing a thoughtful birthday or wedding gift for yourself or someone you love, these vintage calendar prints with embellished dates are the perfect way to show you care. They’re personalized in such a fun and memorable way, making them a truly unique gift.
If you’re interested in seeing more of our archive prints, head over to our gallery and check out if we have your month in stock. And if you want to learn more about our embellishment offering, you can find all the details here.
The story of The Dolphin Studio Calendar’s January 2025 image - told by the artist (Crispina here).
I drew this image from a photograph my friend Mary took of one of her sheep. (Mary had a whole bunch of little lambs with more coming every day right now!)
Mary and I go waaay back. We went to school together from elementary right on through to graduate from Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, MA.
Mary went on to Harvard University in Boston while I attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the same metropolitan area yet we didn’t really cross paths until years later.
The first time I remember connecting with her as an adult was at a giant concert venue in the mirror of the ladies’ room. Peering in the reflection after cooling my face and seeing her stroll by was unexpected and so fun to catch-up.
The next time we had that opportunity was in the suburbs of Boston when two cyclists sped past my morning run, circled back and sure enough - it was Mary and her beau - HA! What kismet!
Serendipitous meetings have continued which gives us both a good chuckle. We now both live in The Berkshires not far from where we grew up and we both run our family businesses.
Her multi-generational family legacy in animal husbandry has resulted in notable and well respected breed development of sheep and cattle. Her flock of a few hundred are bred for wool and meat and easy birthing. Small heads, clean legs, the softest most luxurious wool and they tell me their meat is tasty too (although I am a wool-wearing vegan).
Mary took the reins at Lila’s Mountain Farm, from her mom (Lila) a few years ago. She saw possibility in developing their wool into a line of tight-knit gorgeous, unisex sweaters to help her farm become financially stable. I was lucky to purchase one of her first sweater collection - which sold out in no time. It is actually my favorite sweater (which is saying something if you know my history in the wild world of wool sweaters).
In just two years it is clear that there is high demand for Mary’s Berkshire grown sweaters knitted with Lila’s Mountain Wool. Mary and I are working together to increase sweater design and production.
In this day of micro-plastic shedding synthetic fiber clothing, it is a true blessing to have the opportunity to develop a wholesome, locally produced, natural fiber, farm supporting, long wearing, highly functional, and comfortable alternative.
Oh and just take a look at these gorgeous animals living the best sheepy life imaginable. Go to Lila’s Mountain Wool to see more and order yourself a sweater if there are any available.
We are thankful for our tried and true clan of repeat customers/friends who have been with us for years.
AND
This year we have welcomed a crowd of new customers to The Dolphin Studio with our 2025 calendar.
For the first time in 54 years, we have sold out of our traditional calendars four times! Each time we scheduled a re-print we thought we were making enough of our signature product to satisfy our orders for the season....
We were wrong.
It is only 6 days into the month and we have already surpassed our January 2024 sales. Emails are rolling in from procrastinators with fingers crossed for an available 2025 calendar...
So
We decided to run one final reprint...
It feels kinda like magic that this is our work, fair to say that our whole team loves our jobs. Our customers are literally THE BEST - you bless us with the opportunity to carry our family tradition forward while you build a tradition of your own.
If you are reading this in January 2025, there MIGHT be a calendar left to purchase if you haven't done that yet. If not, it is never too early to place your PRE-ORDER for your 2026 edition.
Here they are! January 2025's screensavers ~ err WALLPAPER using our monthly Dolphin Studio calendar images to pretty-up your phone, desktop computer, laptop and/or tablet.
PLEASE NOTE - THE IMAGE ABOVE SHOWS A FEBRUARY IMAGE FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR - no spoilers here!
Each month we make versions of our screensavers for FREE downloads.
The image accompanying this blog post (showing above) features our 2025 Dolphin Studio Calendar current month's image and last month's image BUT the image showing as NEXT month's image is from a few years back. You might have noticed that we don't feature upcoming calendar images in our marketing so that YOU, our beloved calendar customer/collector, are able to carry-out a popular monthly-image reveal ritual...
If keeping upcoming Dolphin Studio Calendar monthly images a surprise sounds pretty awesome to you ~ best to stick with the vertical version of our monthly screensaver as the horizontal, 3-month-at-a-glance option includes NEXT month's Dolphin Studio Calendar image - for realz.
If you need help setting up your wallpaper or screensaver, here is a tutorial for iPhone users, here is a tutorial for Android users, and here is a tutorial for macbook users.
The story behind The Dolphin Studio’s 2024 December image…. Told my the artist
I got started as a used-clothing recycling artist/designer back in the 1980s. Over the years people have given me the loveliest of textiles… family heirlooms… handmade wedding dresses, hand embroidered crisp linen napkins with family’s initials stitched in. Handmade lace tablecloths made by Italian grannies, intricately crocheted doilies… and the like.
Preservation is not my response, preferring to cut-up, reconfigure and make useful those sacred family fabrics to be appreciated, worn, and celebrated.
That was until my M-I-L passed away in 2023 and I wound up with her grandmother’s handmade lace tablecloth. It was treasured and carefully packed to travel from Germany before 'carry-ons' were a thing.
It is not possible for me to cut it… and I didn’t want it to go another minute unseen or appreciated…
I love growing flowers - plants in general but especially flowers. My Irish dad spent hours nurturing, tidying, planting, weeding, and designing his flower beds, donning our home with fresh-cut flowers for as many months as the weather allowed. Dancing color explosions and sweet, spicy, sometimes peppery waft are etched in my memory.
In the dead of winter when the world is resting beneath the surface, Amaryllis burst into action filling space with their unbelievably regal display of gloriousness. My dear friend Peggy is an avid gardener and professional landscape designer of the most magical sort.
She gives me an Amaryllis each year that is usually just a little smaller than my head. I keep them going from year to year… They are my winter faeries who hide away between their annual stellar wintertime performances.
I drew an Amaryllis, filling the tall format of our calendar and decided to turn that drawing into our December image…. We used Lucy and Violet’s great-great-grandmother's handmade lace tablecloth to create the stencil for the lace curtain part of this print. It was a joy to shine light on our family heirloom and celebrate the handwork of our ancestors from my both sides of my kids' family together with this image.
Did you notice three highlighted dates this month? Three people in my immediate family celebrate birthdays this month! My birthday is on the 12th (which just happens to be the day this post is published), then my sweet hubby, Chris, on the 15th and Lucy on the 17th. Ben was born on November 23 so 4 of the 5 of us are Sagittarians...
It is really a blessed life - thank you, dear reader, for being part of it.
Over the years, we’ve been incredibly fortunate to be featured in a few gift guides, and each time it’s not only helped us grow as a business, but it’s also been a true honor. There’s something special about being recognized publicly, knowing that our work is worthy of a recommendation—whether it’s from a friend, a customer, or someone discovering us for the first time.
This year, we’re thrilled to share something exciting with you all—our very First Ever Dolphin Studio Gift Guide! Each of us at the studio—Crispina, Sofia, Lily, Kerry, and Lucy—has put together a list of brands and artists we love and admire. What makes this guide extra special is that many of these brands are small businesses, just like ours. Most of the gifts featured are also art-based, offering truly unique, handmade items that you can feel good about giving. Whether you're shopping for a loved one, a friend, or even treating yourself, we’ve curated a range of options that are thoughtful, beautiful, and meaningful. No matter your budget, we’ve made sure to include a variety of price ranges.
Handmade Cutting Board - A beautifully crafted cutting board from Good Shepherd Woodshop. Perfect for any home chef or lover of quality kitchenware.
Reusable Tote - A stylish and eco-friendly tote from Rockflowerpaper, perfect for shopping or carrying everyday essentials.
New Dolphin Studio Stickers- Fresh, fun, and perfect for sticking on laptops, water bottles, or notebooks. These stickers will add personality wherever they go.
Answer Hoodie - A cozy and stylish hoodie from Lewis is Home, featuring a super funky design.
54th Dolphin Studio Calendar
Handmade Planter Pot - A beautiful handmade planter pot from Simply Supplied, ideal for adding a touch of nature in any space
Yummy Bear Butter - Delicious nut butter from the local company Bear Butter Co.. A healthy and tasty treat.
Darn Tough Socks - Comfy, high-quality socks from Darn Tough. These socks are perfect for all-day comfort, and they’re made to last.
The Dolphin Studio 2025 Year at a Glance Calendar Our Year at a Glance Calendar is perfect for planning and staying organized.
Ceramic Mug from Natural Elements Pottery by Christy Knox
A beautifully handmade ceramic mug from Natural Elements Pottery. Perfect for sipping your favorite beverage while enjoying the tactile beauty of a unique, handcrafted piece.
Fabric from Swanson’s Fabrics
Fabric from Swanson’s Fabrics, is great for sewing projects, quilting, or any DIY creations. You’ll find a variety of patterns and colors to suit your crafting needs AND it is ALL UPCYCLED! PLUS Kathryn is Crispina's homeslice.
Warm Cozy Pink Boots from Duckfeet USA
These Arhus Pink Boots from Duckfeet USA combine both style and warmth. A perfect gift for those cold winter days.
New Dolphin Studio Sticker Packs
Fun and quirky sticker packs from Dolphin Studio! Ideal for anyone who loves to personalize their things with unique designs.
Handmade Cosmetic Bag from Karen Allen Fiber Arts
A beautiful handmade cosmetic bag for organizing beauty products or even using it as a travel bag.
Yellow Hoodie from American Giant
A cozy, high-quality yellow hoodie from American Giant—perfect for casual days or chilly evenings.
Handmade Earrings from Elements by Jill Schwartz
Stunning handmade earrings that add a touch of elegance and artistry to any outfit. Each pair is a unique work of art, perfect for someone who loves thoughtful, one-of-a-kind accessories - PLUS Jill and Crispina = BFFs
1. Beautiful Handmade Heart Necklace from Tiny Anvil Jewelry
A beautifully crafted heart necklace that adds a charming touch to any outfit. Perfect for gifting or a special treat for yourself.
2. Heart Garland Made from Recycled Paper from The Dolphin Studio
This eco-friendly heart garland is perfect for brightening up an office, classroom, or living space. A lovely way to add warmth and personality to any room.
A Special Invitation for Fellow Small Business Owners:
If you’re a small business owner, especially one of our amazing customers, and you’d like to be featured in next year’s gift guide, we’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to reach out to me directly—Lily@thedolphinstudio.com
As always, thank you so much for your continued support. We’re beyond grateful to have such a wonderful community of makers, customers, and friends. We hope you find some truly special gifts in this guide and that you have the most wonderful holiday season.
Happy shopping, happy gifting, and warmest wishes from our family to yours!
With love,
Lily, Crispina, Sofia, Kerry, and Lucy at Dolphin Studio 💙
Here they are! December 2024's screensavers ~ err WALLPAPER using our monthly Dolphin Studio calendar images to pretty-up your phone, desktop computer, laptop and/or tablet.
PLEASE NOTE - THE IMAGE ABOVE SHOWS A JANUARY IMAGE FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR - no spoilers here!
There are two versions available:
The image accompanying this blog post (showing above) features our 2024 Dolphin Studio Calendar current month's image and last month's image BUT the image showing as NEXT month's image is from a few years back. You might have noticed that we don't feature upcoming calendar images in our marketing so that YOU, our beloved calendar customer/collector, are able to carry-out a popular monthly image reveal ritual...
If that sounds pretty awesome to you ~ keeping upcoming Dolphin Studio Calendar monthly images a surprise, best to stick to the vertical version of our monthly screensaver as the horizontal, 3-month-at-a-glance option includes NEXT month's Dolphin Studio Calendar image - for realz.
If you need help setting up your wallpaper or screensaver, here is a tutorial for iPhone users, here is a tutorial for Android users, and here is a tutorial for macbook users.
Our November image for The Dolphin Studio Calendar was created by Jamie! Jamie is seventeen years old and is a senior in high school. The design depicts one of her favorite foods…ramen!
For a few years now, Jamie has had a fascination with all things Japanese. She became very interested, almost obsessed, with reading Manga, or Japanese comics, from an early age. I was not aware of this book genre until Jamie brought me to her favorite bookstore where there are multiple aisles of Manga books. Through her exposure to Manga, Jamie grew a love of Anime, spending countless hours drawing her own Anime characters. As her interest in Manga and Anime blossomed, so did her love of Japanese culture and ramen! She has been preparing ramen for years now and has some special ingredients that she adds to her basic ramen recipe, one of which is hot sauce!
Let’s look at how ramen became such a “go-to” food for so many of us around the world. Ramen got its start in the 1800s in China, the birthplace of all things ramen, but then expanded to Japan as Chinese immigrants travelled there in the late 19th century. Although ramen became greatly enjoyed in both China and Japan soon after its introduction, it took a while for the ramen craze to hit America. In fact, it wasn’t until the early 1970s when a few food companies developed a ramen that was in a disposable cup that the food became more common, nor until 1976 that the first ramen restaurant opened in the United States in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo. And while Americans got a taste of ramen in the ‘70s, it really wasn’t until the early 2000s that the ramen boom in the United States began in earnest. Fast forward to today, and it’s now a fixture in American food culture.
So now you know a brief history of how ramen became a staple food for so many of us around the world!
TikTok Ramen Recipe
How to Make TikTok Ramen
TikTok Ramen Ingredients
Instant ramen – choose your favorite brand of instant ramen. The flavor doesn’t matter because you’re not going to use the seasoning packet. Our favorite noodles are Nong Shim Shin Ramyun, due to how thick they are.
Enjoy!
Sofia
