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oooh a present from snowbear! What can it be?
Look, a ladybug pencil!
untie, untie, unwrap, unwrap, crinkle crinkle crumple crumple...
SQUEAL! A ladybug purse filled with ladybug goodies! Chocolate and toys , is there anything better?
I think not.
Snowbear, thank you so very much for such a thoughtful surprise and for sharing in the celebration of my new assignment. And you're right, ladybugs are my "thing".
*Hatu*
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a quiet one here due to the fact that we are away from our extended family now. Still,it was a nice day and we enjoyed eachothers' company.
I want to share with you what I'm particularly thankful for this year.
BOWLING! Who knew?
It is a challenge to find activities that we can all do together as a family. My kids range in ages 13 to 9 years old. Add to this, my middle child has cerebral palsy with limited vision. I never would have dreamed that bowling would have become our new family past time but it has! Kevvy (my cutey with cp) loves the noise and can participate with this cool ramp and the rest of us have a darned good laugh watching eachother try to knock those pins down!
The bowling alley became our oasis while we spent the past few weeks in our tiny one room hotel. It was a place to steal a few hours away plus provided the majority of our meals! I'm not kidding, bowling alley burgers are the best!
Anyway, this would have been a stronger post with real pictures of us playing and I promise I will take some once I get a compact digital camera (please santa!).
I'm just excited and surprised that something so simple has brought our family such fun and bonding time. And to think I would never play as a teenager because I'd have to wear those awful shoes. hehe
It's been a long while since I participated in Studio Friday but the theme ties in perfectly with some of the sweetness I have been wanting to share with you.
Here are a few new things I acquired during our trek from Texas to Nevada.
The timer collection continues!
While visiting my parents in new Mexico I found this lovely lamb "time out" timer. (yes, he's as soft as he looks!) and then this yummy sundae timer while we stopped in Phoenix, Arizona. SWEETNESS!
Right before we left Texas I found this japanese craft book on EBAY. I bought it because I loved the little animal characters and would like to incorporate this look in my illustrations. Also, I'd love to make a few of these...maybe as studio mascots? SWEETNESS!
Poor mum, she made the mistake of digging out this craft book she bought when we lived in Japan. I drooled over it the entire weekend we visited (en route to Nevada) and now I'm ..."borrowing it". Mum, I see you weeping over there. Not to worry, I'll return it. I know...famous last words. SWEETNESS!
And finally, here is a magazine I discovered when we arrived in Vegas. Maybe it's been around a while but it was new to me and I'm in love. If you enjoy cottage style decorating, this mag is a must have! All together now... SWEETNESS!
I just received an illustration assignment from LadyBug Magazine. It will be for the June editio
n. I am so excited and can't wait to get started on it. LB Mag was on my dream list of publishers. I think I got my christmas present early this year!
Hi all! Well, this is where we are going to be calling home for the next 2-3 years. We moved in over the weekend and boy is it nice to have some room again.
It's a really cute place and I'm especially excited because I have a room I can call my own for my studio (in our last house it was one side of our bedroom). I tried to take some pictures of it before our household goods arrive in the morning.I had a hard time photographing it without a wide angle lens but maybe you get the idea. It's a room that leads you from the living room to the kitchen/dining area. 
It's a decent sized room, I'll be able to squeeze everything in there...I think.
I want to put my work table, supplies, computer and book collection in here. My dilemma is, I won't be able to close it off from the world so I want to come up with a way to make it look pretty yet functional.
I have been researching on line and I'm even thinking of a computer armoire --for my art work, not computer--so that I can close it up when i'm finished working yet still have everything laying in place when I'm ready to come back to it. Then have the computer on a table and shelving unit for books. Just thinking outloud. It will be fun to plan...especially since the next few weeks it will be full of boxes that I'll want to avoid opening!
Any ideas/suggestions? I'm all eyes!
While we're talking about studio space here are some of my favorites. I love seeing other artists' studios, don't you? I'd love to be a fly on the wall in all them!
Marla Frazee (click on studio)
Oh Gawd, make her stop!
I know, I'm sorry ...I need to stop puttering about. I promise, soon I'll be in a house and focused on illustration again.
YOU ARE PEARL THE SHARK!
!!!WHAT SPONGEBOB CHARACTER ARE YOU!!!
brought to you by Quizilla
okay...and here's another. Thanks Courtney!
You are Rowlf. You are a loner, and love classical music, You can
play the piano without opposable thumbs. Then
again, you are just a Muppet. ALSO KNOWN AS: Ol' Brown Ears HOBBIES: Piano playing, punning, fetching. QUOTE: "My bark is worse than my bite, and my piano
playing beats 'em both." FAVORITE MOVIE: "The Dogfather" FAVORITE COMPOSER: Poochini FAVORITE SONG: "I've Never Harmed An Onion, So Why Should
They Make Me Cry?"
What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
This is fun and I played after visiting holly's blog. Where do you belong?
| You Belong in London |
 A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well. |
Okay, I'll play Janee.
hmmm, Let's see....
1. I love long walks on the beach and sunsets. Just kidding. =o)
2. I love to laugh.
3. I am an "airforce brat". I have lived in Okinawa, Germany, England, Texas, Massachusetts, California, Nevada and Washington DC.
4. My husband and I eloped to Scotland (My parents and grandmother came along) and we were married across the street from and Edinburgh castle.
5.I have been married for 15 years to a soldier and he still gives me goosebumps when he walks in the room. (barf bags available upon request)
6. I have three children 13,10 and 9 years old. They drive me batty but they really are the sweetest kids anyone could ask for. Just don't let them know I told you that!
7. I am half british/half american and speak with an english accent to my parents. But really it sounds like I'm Australian.
8. My name Rozalind means, "like a rose".
9. My dream home would be a country cottage in Devon, England.
10. I used to work in a real english pub.
11. I would love to open up a little store called , "The Painted Daisy".
12. My favorite colors are rose pink and sage green.
13. I spoke German fluently when I was little but can't remember anything now.
14. Eventhough I have moved a lot, I DO NOT LIKE MOVING.
15. I am a hopeless romantic.
16. I am a huge spongebob squarepants fan. Sorry but it's true.
17. I am my happiest in a garden with fingernails thick with dirt. I still dabble with the idea of getting licensed in horticulture.
18.I love anything chintz!
19. I adore cheesecake, strawberry cream slushes and white chocolate reeses.
20. I have gained 6 pounds this past month, I wonder why??
Hi my friends!
We are officially in Vegas and have been here for about two weeks now. It has been about 18 years since I lived here and boy has it GROWN! The weather is gorgeous this time of year,I had forgotten how lovely the mountain skyline can be. I will post pictures soon because I also want to show you the goodies I bought along the way from Texas to here!
We are still living in a hotel and out of suitcases. ugh..Yes, it's getting old! Hopefully that will be changing in the next week or two. We are all so ready to get back into a routine. And I'm especially ready to be cutting some felt! A lot of ideas have been brewing these past few weeks and I'm ready to play again.
Before we left San Antonio I treated myself to an scbwi conference hosted in Austin. It was such a treat to visit with friends and make new ones. I met up with some of my pbj gang...Laura, Janee and Patty. It's always such a blast to see them up close and personal. And chatting with Chris Barton, Chris Schechner and Christy Stallop was a hoot!
I highly recommend scbwi conferences. Try to make time and save your pennies for them when you can because it is such a great opportunity to connect with like minds. I always leave feeling rejuvenated and ready to get back to work.
For me, the gist of this conference was staying true to yourself and instead of trying to fit the market, do what YOU DO best. Basically, they can tell when it's from the heart and will work with you if they see something in you.
