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
Here they are! November 2024's screensavers ~ err WALLPAPER using our monthly Dolphin Studio calendar images to pretty-up your phone, desktop computer, laptop and/or tablet.
Hope you like them, download them and use them on all your devices...
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.
Happy October everyone! This month’s image was originally created by Primm in 1992. The image depicts the mighty oak tree with leaves and acorns adorning the circular “O” for the first letter of the month. While preparing to write this blog post, I had to do some research about the mighty oak. I was surprised to find out that the oak tree is one that has appeared in many cultures, religions and mythologies all around the world. Almost every faith has a version of the Tree of Life, from Christianity to Buddhism, Islam and more. The Tree of Life is prominent and symbolically meaningful in the Celtic tradition as well.
It is likely for these reasons that Primm chose the oak tree as this month’s image. As many of you know, Ireland is in our blood. John, myself, and my two sisters, Crispina and Felicitas, were all born in Ireland. As I read further about oaks in Celtic mythology, I found out that there are many ideologies that go along with the mighty oak. It was believed that the trees served a spiritual purpose and were the portal or gateway between this world and the next. Some believed that if one fell asleep under an oak tree that one might wake up in another world. I think that sounds like an adventure if there ever was one!
Oak trees aside, this month has a very special day at the end…Halloween! Did you know? Halloween originated in Ireland over 2000 years ago. For Irish pagans, the festival was originally called 'Samhain' (pronounced: sow-in), meaning 'end of summer'. During Samhain, the Celts wore costumes to disguise themselves and light bonfires as protection from evil spirits or fairies. So when you are out having some Halloween high-jinx, think about what it would have been like 2000 years ago.
And there’s your daily dose of trivia! Happy Oaktober to you all and of course a very Happy Halloween!
Be Well ~ Sofia
Whoa! Thank you to all our 2025 calendar customers.
We are excited to report that sales are literally off the charts, toppling our previous records and continuing to climb.
The Dolphin Studio family appreciates our your (our customers') support - it really is a blessing to share our family tradition with you.
Part of our family tradition is the option to pick up orders at our family homestead where The Dolphin Studio was born and where Sofia and her family live at 11 Main Street in Stockbridge, MA in the US.
In the years since John and Primm invited shoppers in to pick up their orders and have a cup of coffee, The Dolphin Studio has grown exponentially.
(YAY!)
Our pick-up location is the busy home where Sofia, Pat, Lily and Jamie live with their menagerie of pets. This 'non-shop' environment is surprising to new customers who sometimes find themselves wandering around the kitchen wondering if they are in the right place!
While it is fun for the family to greet those who show up to retrieve their orders when they’re home, it has become a little unwieldy, completely consuming the family mudroom.
Soooo.
We have scheduled the following days for 'pick-up in Stockbridge' orders.
Mark your calendars (ha!) and join the festivities at 11 Main Street in Stockbridge MA. where we will have your order packed and ready for pick-up.
Seasonal refeshments, good cheer and great company guaranteed! AND You can be first to see the newest Dolphin Studio products available to add to your order.
Additionally, Crispina will be set up with her latest upcycled textile home goods and clothing for sale too.
If you have marked your Dolphin Studio order 'pick-up in Stockbridge' at checkout and are unable pick up on the days we have scheduled, please let us know so we can invoice you for shipping and pop your order in the mail.
Each month we create FREE screensavers ~ err WALLPAPER using our monthly calendar images to pretty-up your phone, desktop computer, laptop and/or tablet.
There are two versions available - suitable for all of your electronic devices...
The image shown above features our 2024 Dolphin Studio Calendar current month's image, last month's image BUT the image showing as NEXT month's image is from a few years back.
If you want to keep your upcoming Dolphin Studio Calendar monthly image 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.
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 first fundraiser for the Ben Paley Scholarship was AWESOME! Thank you to everyone who supported the effort by purchasing our Limited Edition Golden Cover 2025 Calendar. With your help we are able to donate $8976 to the fund!
AND
Direct donations during the month of August added $1150 to that so in total, you guys help add $10,126 to Ben’s Scholarship fund. This is INCREDIBLE! We are so grateful and excited to build the fund.
Now, part of the fun in the FUNdraiser was the fact that each Limited Edition Golden Cover 2025 Calendar purchased put the purchaser’s name ‘in the hat’ to win additional calendars for gifting. Three customers where chosen randomly on Sunday September 1, 2024.
Our first place winner is Eileen Prime in Manville Rhode Island - she won three calendars - Go Eileen!
Second place winner is Lynne Herndon of Wilmington North Carolina who gets 2 additional 2025 Dolphin Studio Calendars for her winnings.
Third Place goes to John Squarok who divides his time between Fort Lauderdale Florida and Cape Cod Massachusetts. John won an additional 2025 calendar.
It turns out that Eileen and I (Crispina here) met at Maine Fiber College back in 2018. That serendipitous meeting led us to realize many commonalities and have kept us connected since.
Lynne was so excited to share that her good friend Peg participated in my Snow Farm Potholder Rug retreat during which our winners were selected.
John is a new Dolphin Studio customer. Welcome to The Dolphin Studio Calendar family - John. We hope you become one of our clan of long term Dolphin Studio Calendar peeps who are customers/ friends/supporters.
This whole endeavor was super fun for us. - Really meaningful to have your help building Ben’s legacy. You can read more about him in this recent blog post.
AND
Keep your eyes peeled for what promises to be an annual fundraiser to support the Ben Paley Scholarship coming in July 2025 ~ Together we can build the scholarship to pay full tuition for a music student in our region with exemplary skill and financial need - in perpetuity.
AND, as Ben would say, Treat yourself lovingly.
When September comes here in the Berkshires, it is a time of transitions for many folks. School starts. Weather changes. There is a chill in the air, and daylight starts to dwindle. For those of us who want to stay healthy, we look for natural remedies to these transitions.
The image for September was originally designed by our sister, Felicitas, in 2004. As many of you know, Felicitas was diagnosed with MS in 1985 while living in California and attending UC Berkeley. Felicitas moved back to the Berkshires many years ago - due to the progression of her disease - and has been residing in a local nursing home for the past 19 years. While this may sound devastating, Felicitas is living her life in an establishment where the CNA’s and RN’s are used to having clients living in there for only a few years at the most. As a result of her prolonged stay, Felicitas has formed some very nice bonds with the staff, and many truly love her... AND when you ask her, Felicitas will tell you she is having the BEST year of her life!
The September print on the right is the one we printed for 2024 and the one on the left is from 2004!
When looking through past calendars to pick the vintage print to recreate for Felicitas, we found one of our favorites: the lemon and ginger print. I love the simplicity of this image, and know that both ginger and lemon are boosters for our immune system, in addition to many other health benefits! One especially palatable way to combine the two superfoods is in the form of a tea, which, in addition to boosting immunity, includes other benefits like: weight loss, heart health, pain relief, liver health, nasal decongestion, and indigestion relief. The list goes on and on!
Here is a simple recipe to follow to make some of this delicious tea:
Soothing Lemon Ginger Tea
Ingredients for 2 servings
4 cups water
1 lemon
1 pc of ginger, 2-3 inches
2 teaspoons honey or preferred sweetener
Preparation
3. Steep for 5-10 minutes
4. Strain and pour tea into mug
5. Add honey, stir and serve
6. Enjoy!
https://tasty.co/recipe/soothing-lemon-ginger-tea
When looking at the current calendar image, our dedicated fans who may have received a 2004 calendar might notice a slight change in the image. We added a lemon!
Here’s to staying healthy and strong in September and beyond!
Felicitas was all smiles when I last stopped in for a visit!
The Dolphin Studio is a family business - if you have been around a while, you probably already know that.
-
You might even have known Ben Paley, my son (Crispna here) and John and Primm’s eldest grandchild.
