It's Almost Christmas!

Only 5 days until the big day.  I'm sort of organized.  Still need to make some cookies.  My stockings are hung by the chimney with care and I hope St. Nick will remember me this year.  He is usually very good to me.  Not that I need anything.  My life is a blessing in a million ways.  I hope all of you enjoy all the blessings this season.  Take care and see you in the new year.

Baby it's Cold Outside!

It's really cold in my neck of the woods.  No snow yet.  But it feels like a ton of snow will be coming any minute.  My house is all decorated for the holidays and is nice and cozy. So, let it snow!  Wait, do I have cookies and cocoa ?

Santa is Coming and he's got a tree!

We are finally putting up our tree tonight.  It's huge!  My wonderful son Todd went out and picked out our tree this year. He is wonderful in every way.  He is not perfect but he's very close.  However, Todd got us a noble fir that is 14 feet tall.  My ceiling is 12 feet tall.  So, we will be doing a bit of cutting and maneuvering at our house.  If we can get it in the house.  Stay tuned I will give updates as the holiday continues.

Holiday Show and Sale

Just finished my yearly holiday art show and sale.  52 paintings!  Yes, that's what I said 52 paintings.  They range in size from 4x4 up to 48x48.  All were created on canvas in acrylic.  They turned out very whimsical and colorful.  I guess that's a good thing.  Anyway, they are all hung and ready for sale.  Now, I just hope someone will buy them.  They are being shown at Sybaris in downtown Albany, Or.  If you happen to be wandering around downtown, I hope you'll stop by and take a look.

Happy Halloween!

Just a fast little Halloween drawing, done with pen & ink and watercolor pencils.  I don't use them very often, but it was kind of fun.

Be happy and safe everyone.

Working Away

Well, my new computer seems to be working out well.  I'm learning new things as we speak.  I was so proud of getting this fabulous thing up and running all by myself.  I even got my scanner working.  Then the printer wouldn't work.  Drat!!!!  I am a mild mannered soul but this just sent me into a tail spin.   Apparently, I can only handle so much and then I blow.  Yes, it's true.  Curse words were used.  There was a bit of drama.  I didn't know I had it in me.  Well, I knew I had a little bit of diva in me.  I don't like to bring it up.  I don't like my husband to bring it up either.  Anyway, all is well that ends well.  I'm calm now.  Thank heavens.  

This artwork is my first attempt at scanning and printing.  It's okay.  I can live with it.

Alligator & Friend

Here is a little bit of early Halloween for you.

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice fall weather!

I have a new computer and also some new software, so I'm trying to learn how to use it all.  It's all very fancy but I miss my old computer.  I knew how to work everything on it.  Oh, well.  

Take care everyone.

Mysterious

Sorry it has been so long since my last post.  I have been having the busiest summer in history.  For me anyway.  Five weddings and a funeral.  No kidding.  That may not be anything unusual for some people but holy cow, that is a lot for me.  I'm not even finished with all of them yet.  I still have two weddings to get through.  I guess it's nice that I'm getting invited to these shindigs but to be honest, I'm tired and I may be going broke, what with buying shower and wedding gifts galore.

This piece of artwork has been posted before but I thought it fit in with the theme this week for Illustration Friday.  Mysterious.  This is a watercolor illustration done on 140lb cold press windsor newton paper and paint.  I was told recently that I should be painting on hot press paper.  But, I find that I'm chasing my paint around all the time when I use a hot press.  What do you guys think.

Up Up and Away

Just working on an illustration that has been waiting around for me in my trusty sketch book.  I'm fairly happy with it.  Wish I knew their story.

Quilt Raffle

I made a quilt and I finished it!  Hard to believe I know.  This is the quilt I made and my daughter Meg machine quilted it for me.  We are raffling it off this year at the Relay for Life in Albany, Oregon.  It's our main fundraiser this year.  This years relay is June 17 and 18 and takes place at the West Albany High School track.  We camp out all night and walk the track and try to raise money to fight cancer. Anyway, if anyone would like a ticket give me a shout.  Tickets are $1.00 each and we only have 1000 tickets to sell. The quilt is 60 x 60 in size. All money raised goes to the Cancer Society. It would be a nice lap quilt to take a nap with.  And if you like pink then this is the quilt for you. We will have the drawing for the winner the morning of June 18 and then we will all go home and take a long nap ourselves.

A Painting for my church

This is a painting I've been working on forever.  At least it feels like forever.  I was asked by some ladies at my church to paint something for the parish hall, because it was kind of drab and didn't have much going on in it.  This is the outcome.  I'm telling you I worried about this so much I'm surprised I don't have an ulcer.  But, I'm happy to report that everyone at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Albany, Oregon seems to just love it.  It is suppose to depict the seven days of creation.  My rendition anyway.
St. Alban's is a small but mighty bunch.  When I had cancer these people carried me in every way they could.  I'm blessed to have them in my life.  If I ever had any doubts, I don't anymore, angels walk among us everyday and I get to see some every Sunday!
Oh, by the way.  That lady laughing at the bottom of my photo is my Mom.  She laughs a lot.

Who's been picking my flowers?

Here is a little illustration I just finished.  Thought I would share.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

New Fabric Idea

It's been so long since my last post, I almost forgot how to do a post.  But, it's coming back to me.  I've been a busy girl going through a ton of medical tests.  But, now the tests are all over and I'm please to tell everyone that my last body scan came back completely normal.  No cancer for this girl.  I feel blessed and very fortunate.  For those of you who don't know what the heck I'm talking about, I have been battling Thyroid Cancer since 2008.  I've had a couple surgeries and all kinds of fun stuff.  I'm doing just fine now.

Thought I would show some astronaut type artwork I've been working on.  Let me know what you think.  Hope everyone had a nice Easter.  Ours was a small affair.  Husband, kids and my parents.  It was pretty nice, except my son was in a mood.  I've had a talk with him and I think he will do better next time.  Good heavens he's a adult, he should know how to behave.  Okay, enough with airing my grievances in public.  Take care everyone.

I Like Shoes

I really do enjoy shoes.  Not as much as books but still, I like a good shoe.  I just wish the ones I wanted were not so darn expensive.  I'm not talking about those shoes with the 12 inch heels. Can't afford them and if I ever got into a pair of those 12 inch babies I would probably fall and hurt myself badly.  So, I won't go there.  But, I know, because I've seen them myself that their are wonderful comfy shoes out there that are calling to me.  Anyone else like shoes?  I guess that may be a silly question. Have a good one everyone.

The Book Store

Like most of you, I love a book store.  I really do.  I can spend hours looking at books and I also spend a good deal of money on books.  I can't help it.  At least that's what I tell my husband.  Anyway this is a little illustration I did (very fast) of a local bookstore. Hope everyone is well and happy. Take care.

Just Fooling Around

Well, I've been sketching and fooling around with Photoshop.  These are some of the drawings I came up with.  Keep in mind that these were drawn very fast, mostly because I can't wait to finish something and also because I kind of like that spontaneous  feeling in a drawing.  Hope everyone has a nice weekend.  It's raining like cats and dogs here so I'll be indoors all weekend.  Oh, can you tell I live with a little corgi dog?  Lois thinks she is an excellent model. I tend to agree.

Book Cover Idea

I did this a little while ago but thought I would go ahead and share it with you.  I was trying to design a book jacket cover for my portfolio.  The author shown on the cover is my cousin.  She writes wonderful stories and is not yet published, only because she has not sent any manuscripts off the publishers.  She will do it some day.  Then there is me.  I send artwork off all the time.  I'm almost blind from addressing promotional postcards that I'm sending off today.  Like I said I send stuff all the time and yet nothing happens.  Well, sometimes I get a note or a letter from an art director.  But, I have not illustrated a children's book yet.  Now, the strange thing is, I feel like I will someday. Gosh, somebody's got to notice me someday.  I sure hope so. Take care everyone!

Something in my Head

No, I don't have marbles in my head...yet. Well, maybe I do.   I do however have a little cave girl running around in my head.  I don't know her name yet but, I thought I better get some ideas down on paper so, here she is.  I was told over and over again at the SCBWI conference to post sketches for art directors to take a peek at, and that character was very, very important.  Well, I started drawing ideas of my little cave girl and she sort of looked like an old hag.  So, I later I drew her with a smaller nose and I think she looks a bit sweeter.  Although cave folk might not have been that sweet. It had to be a hard life in those days.  Who knows.  Anyway here she is, I'm still thinking about her story and the landscape of the world she lives in.  I'll keep you all posted.  Take care for now.

Update on SCBWI Conference

Well, I made it back to Oregon in one piece.  I was so lucky to fly in and out of New York between snow storms.  I can't even begin to tell you how happy that makes me.
The conference was awesome! I loved almost every bit of it.  I took the Illustrators Intensive on Friday and loved most of it. The first key note speaker was Dan Yaccarino.  He had a really well prepared talk and  told us about how he works.  The main thing he spoke about was the character. That the character is the thing that will make an illustration.  He also talked about promotion and that all serious illustrators need a web site as well as a blog. Then there was a panel of art reps.  I didn't love this part that much and had a hard time hearing them talk. So, maybe it was good but I kind of doubt it.   Then there was a panel of folks talking about apps.  At noon I had to drop my artwork off for the show later.  Got a call that I need to call my fabric people.  So, I took off the rest of the day to take care of some business.  Oh, also went with my cousin to Books of Wonder a most wonderful children's book store in NY.  I think that was probably to most fun I had that day. At Books of Wonder I also saw a lovely book by our friend Vanessa Brantley-Newton on the shelf. I was so impressed.  I had never met Vanessa but I follow her blog- Oohlaladesignstudio.blogspot.com.  She is always so kind with her comments. I'm a huge fan!

The main conference started on Saturday Jan.29 with introductions by Steve Mooser and Lin Oliver.  Lin has a fantastic wit and is so funny.  Really I could easily listen to her talk all day.  Our first key note speaker was Lois Lowry. She was fabulous.  I was basking in the glow of her wonderful talk when I looked over to my left and a couple rows in front of me was...could it be?  Vanessa Brantley- Newton in the flesh!  My cousin kept saying "would you stop staring"  I couldn't help it I just knew it was her.  So, during a little break I tapped her on the shoulder.  To my delight she was who I thought she was and she knew who I was.  It was like a little conference miracle.   Here we are meeting for the first time and loving every minute of it.

I'm the one on the left.  And no, those are not our cups and stuff in the background. We are neat tidy people.
Well, needless to say the conference went on and was better than ever.  There was a panel  with Jane Yolen talking about creating picture books, wonderful breakout sessions with a wide variety of speakers and subjects.  I went to see some art directors, Patti Ann Harris from Little Brown and Lucy Cummins from Simon & Schuster.  No, I don't have a book deal but I did learn a lot from these nice ladies, and have a lot of homework to do.  We then had a nice lunch and R.L Stine of Goosebumps fame gave a talk. I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. He was great! Later in the day Jules Feiffer spoke.  I was just in awe of him.  I've only touched on a few things but, it was well worth the money, time and the long, long plane ride.  I'd do it again in a heart beat, and if you ever get the chance to attend I highly recommend it.

Working Away

I'm hard at work on my portfolio. Yes, I'm still at it.  It never ends for me.  I think I was even dreaming about it last night a little bit.  Well, if you want to call it a dream.  Might have been a nightmare.  I keep rearranging the artwork then I go back and look at it again and think, hmmm maybe not.  Oh, well at some point I'll leave it alone.  As I get older I seem to be more of a worrier.  What's with that?  My children are grown and doing well, I still like my husband at least part of the time. ( Just kidding.) Life is good.  Really, it is.  So, why do I worry about stuff all the time?  I hope I'm not going senile!  Wait, I'm not that old.  Well, I'm kind of old, but in a good way. I'm young at heart! Okay, enough rambling.  Here is a little bunny I think I'll add to the old portfolio.  It's very spring like.  I need a little spring, I'm already tired of winter.  Have a great day everyone.

Getting Ready

Well, I finally figured out how to order postcards on line.  Lord.  I used to think I was kind of smart but, I'm starting to wonder.  Well, I got it done.  Of coarse it took me awhile to decide which artwork to use on the postcard.  I gave up and let my family choose.  So, that wasn't so hard.  They all have a pretty strong opinion on just about everything.  Gosh, I wonder how that happened.  Could it be that their mother is a tad bit opinionated.  I really can't help it.  I was trained by my Mother and she is the best at telling you what she thinks about just about anything. This piece of artwork is not on the postcard.  But, I like it so, I'm putting it in my portfolio. The postcard will have Girl Coloring on the Green Rug on it.  Everyone seemed to like it the best.

I'm on my way to get a hair cut.  Thank the blessed Madonna.  If I go one more day without a haircut I'm sure folks around town will think I'm some kind of wild beast.  A wild beast is fun sometimes but you really have to be in the mood for it.  Anyway, maybe after the haircut I'll feel more like working.  It's so cold in my studio that the dog even wants to go home.  Winter, what can you do?  Have a great day everyone!

New Illustration

I'm hard at work on my portfolio.  This is a new bit of art I created to go along with the run away babies I posted some time ago.  I think I'm happy with it.  I also need to have some postcards made up. But, I'm not sure if this should be on a postcard or not.  I'm taking postcards with me to the conference in NY later this month.  I'm getting kind of excited.  In fact I just made my airline reservations.  So, I guess I have to go now.
Did anyone make a new years resolution?  I never know what to do with a new years resolution.  So, I don't do one.  I guess, if I had to try for anything this year, it would be to continue to be healthy.  I think I kicked cancers butt this last year.  So, it's not like I'm sitting around doing nothing.  I feel good and my doctor smiles at me a lot.  So, things are looking up in my world.  And, I'm glad.  Hope you all have a happy, creative and prosperous New Year!