Added a little to it today for a home page marker. The button and nut seem to fit me a little better. The other one seemed a little too plain and sweet.

I ran across illustrator Amanda Shepherd on childrensillustrators.com last week and followed that to her site and then her etsy shop. I purchased the 2 pieces below for my inspiration board. I am so not a cat person but these really caught my eye since she used type in her work like I do.

The second piece is an ACEO which is something I’ve been pondering for a long time and has been on my “possible” to-do list this year. I love little small works of art but am not up on the ACEO craze. I just know they are cool and several people collect them. Still not sure if I’ll make any or not, but I love having little Cecil & Cece as inspiration.

I did a poster for a client a while back and this is how it looked:

After they sat on it for a while, they ended up not liking it for the age group it was geared towards so they wanted something a little simpler and more straightforward. This is what they went with:

Things like this happen from time-to-time as an illustrator. I can’t take it personally. I’m actually happy with both of them and obviously the first one was more fun to make.

We tagged along with my husband for a conference so we’re in Austin, TX this week and the Woog’s first plane ride was a hit! Smiles galore!

Pumpkin pie to go with my turkey from the other day.

RECIPE:

1 vintage milk cap
1 swirly button

Paint center of milk cap orange and paint silver inverted scalloped edge. Top with white painted swirly button.

Serves: Smiles

We’re currently working on our Woogie Wednesday project over here, but thought I’d share this. The Woog had problems hanging her pictures on the wall today (“They won’t stick!” which is pretty much the reason she is using painter’s tape. Otherwise I’d be peeling off masking tape from the wall along with nice chunks of paint) so she decided to make a small gallery on the floor. The is a portrait of a non-existent cousin (I forgot the name she gave her). I think it’s her best portrait yet and it’s the first time I’ve noticed eyebrows on her drawings. Too bad this is on newsprint and not an archival paper

Working on turkey today for an educational poster about Thanksgiving. Whenever I sit down to create my junk a doodles pieces, it’s instant relaxation for some reason.

I’ve been meaning to show off my new pencils and pen for a while but just never had. The two top pencils I found at an arts and crafts market. I can’t remember what the red wood is but the blueish one is made from a corn cob. I keep one on my desk and the other in my purse. The pen was a gift from my grandfather which I love. It’s a Mont Blanc fountain pen (I love fountain pens!) and I make a point of writing with it when I think of new ideas, goals, signing contracts etc.

I was reminded of my pen/pencil/marker obsession the other day when I was looking through a box of old makers and pens. I found several that I have had since elementary school. I’m sure they’re all dried out now but I can’t seem to get rid of them. I remember spending a week at my Grandparent’s house when I was around 11 or 12 and I had brought this hug collection of things to write and draw with and I remember my Grandmom saying that my dad always had a bunch a pens when he was younger so I guess it runs in the family. I’m afraid I’m raising the Woog with the same obsession too. Oh well, I guess there are worse things to be obsessed with!

Our Woogie Wednesday that turned into a Woogie Weekend (yes, it is Friday but we try to have 3 day weekends every weekend) is finally done!