IF: Homage

Wee Ones Magazine asked me to illustrate an upcoming story about a girl who doesn't like her name, but adores her aunt (who she later learns she was named after). The second illustration shows her paying homage to this aunt. I hope you like them!

By the way, can you tell I really like pink and purple? I suppose these pictures could also be my homage to these colors. My 3 1/2 year old son also LOVES pink. Who'da thought?

Merry Christmas!

Sorry I haven't posted at all for so long. Having a baby and moving have consumed my days. But here's something I did last year to wish you all a merry Christmas with. My son and I had gone to a Creche exhibit and later that day I thought this up.

Hopefully I'll be back in business sometime in January. See you soon!

IF: Grow

This illustration not only illustrates the way that "Mikayla" grows while learning about her emotions, but also my own growth as an illustrator. I remember the day I realized I could actually draw a character in several different emotions/settings. This picture wasn't the first time I did it, but it is one of the first. Perhaps as I learned that editors want to see characters depicted in several settings and knowing that people talk about it being a difficult thing to do set me up for the task. Whenever anyone says anything like, "that's hard and you probably won't be able to do it," I get fired up to take on the challenge and prove them wrong. How about you? Does hearing someone say you can't do something make you not even want to try in the first place, or do you get excited like me and work hard until you do it?

By the way, I've only got three more weeks until my second son is born! It'll be nice to sleep on my stomach and back again (uh . . . at least WHEN I can find the time to sleep with a newborn and a three-year-old around).

cookies

What are your favorite cookies? Take your pick of chocolate chip, ginger snap, and snickerdoodle.

I'm still alive, even if the posts aren't always coming. Just today I'm sending out another round of postcards. I do hope it yields some fun work, but if not, I have a baby and a new house to take care of soon, and that'll keep me plenty busy. Our expected move-in date is less than a month away, and our son's due date is in the beginning of November. Hopefully things will happen in that order. But if not, it means I don't have to grow continually bigger AND I'll get to see how cute our baby is.

One Itchy Cobra

Here's something I've been working on for Stories For Children. Sorry I haven't been posting as much lately. My family's schedule is out of wack and, when it's gone, a lot of my motivation of goes out the window. Once my husband starts working again things should fall into place . . . until we move, that is . . . and then, of course, our baby (who will be another boy!) will probably add a little ripple . . . I'll do my best and hope you'll all be forgiving of my shortcomings. I really do appreciate all of you who take the time to visit my blog, and especially to those of you who take the time to post something. Thanks!

IF: Missing (or just hidden?)

OK, so maybe I'm stretching the theme, but I've been working on this illustration off and on for a while (and it still needs some touching up as I look at it scanned in right now . . . but maybe later). Your job, however, is to spot a pencil, a ladle, a tack, a carrot, an ice cream cone, a pear, a cupcake, a banana, a ghost, a heart, a needle, and a turtle so that they won't be missing anymore! (Sorry if the image is a little small.)

First Paid Assignment

I was recently asked to design a logo for a group called Musing Our Children. It was fun to do (AND I got paid for it). Here's the finished product. I hope you like it!