I get to hang in a museum!

Oh joy... I get to hang in a museum!  One of my book spreads was chosen to be in the upcoming exhibit at the 2014 SCBWI WWA Illustrator exhibit at the Washington State Historical Society. Now... all I need is a frame. It's a great museum, only I don't get down to Tacoma very often.

Back to School

There's just something about new stationary. Going back to school used to mean all those fun new things - new peachy folders (with that eternal sports design in a yellowy tone), new pencils and a new blue canvas snap-ring binder. Now it mostly just means a new computer class for my kids. But these critters are having fun regardless. They probably like that new school smell as much as I did.

Little Fox is Sad...

The once happy little red fox thinks she isn't good enough... but Grandfather fox knows better. I liked the folk tale nature that these characters allowed.  And I like the mountain meadow setting.

A sunny secret garden...

I discovered the most wonderful walled in garden on my bike ride.  It's been there for years, but I only happened through there this summer.

A burst of morning glory color signals the beginning of the end of summer.

The sun filling the green walled garden makes for a very peaceful place. A gravel walk, an interesting collection of medicinal herbs...  a lovely quiet space on a sunny sunday morning.

A joyous little critter living in the moment...

Here is a joyous little critter living in the moment. Happiness spinning like a top.

Whoopee!

Poor little Foxy

Poor little Foxy is being belittled for her poor penmanship. I can so relate since my penmanship is now completely destroyed by years of drawing.

When I write a grocery list I can't even make out half the things I wrote... it's that bad!  Oh, and I'm lucky if I don't lose the list between leaving the house and arriving at the grocery store.

That art business can lead youth astray!

Before I ran away to New York City, I'd spend my days drawing scenes like this - all from scratch, no sketches, just pen on newsprint. I'd draw away for hours and hours listening to the radio. 

Somehow I got hooked on how the ink lines sank into the newsprint. I couldn't stop drawing. That art business can lead youth astray!

Mr. Bunny has delivered new postcards!

Mr. Bunny has delivered new boxes of postcards! Art Directors will want to keep on the lookout.  I've always liked to print things and look at them - so I was especially chuffed to open these boxes.

WOW! I just discovered that stamps.com has been billing my credit card $15.99 a month for years ... even though I don't even use it!  I only used stamps.com once out of curiosity and purchased just $25 the one time I tried it. But I discovered I owe them an Account Fee of $367!

Wow... be warned!!!  Go with the USPS.com - they are honest and trustworthy and their stamps look way better. And you can pick from their vast online selections to get the best design for you mailing campaign.

I was hoodwinked into thinking that Stamps.com was a service where I purchased a little postage and then used it when I needed. At no time did I understand that I was secretly being billed $15.99 every month - without ever receiving a single emailed bill notification.  I'm not used to paying a secret monthly fee for my stamps sitting in the drawer.

I see there are 400 similar complaints to mine at consumeraffairs.com - matching the same sense of outrage that Stamps.com has duped them and is quietly billing them every month for no services rendered and never producing any yearly notice that I was ever aware of.  So BEWARE of stamps.com!  How many people ever read the pages of microscopic type in the user agreements on most web sites?  Very few I'd guess. stamps.com relies on complacency to rake in profits.

Choosing the cast and characters...

Sometimes in choosing the cast and characters, different choices pop up. I think the with original sketches for a book I tried I had a hippo, an alligator and this charming elephant family. But the chair stayed the same!

A Foxy Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek from my new book.

I liked the storybook feeling that turned out on this page. There's an old fashioned decorative quality somehow. The fabrics are hand made... maybe that's it. 

I think in general the world longs for storybook worlds to live in. I know I do...

First comes the pencil...

First comes the pencil, which is the most important... and next a suitable color with texture is added. What you don't see is me making about 147 changes to every combination of colors, shapes, patterns and textures.

And then it's done!