Hello, World! Kids' Guides Exploring INSECTS 🐜

 

This picture book has my favorite endpapers in it.

 

 

As summer starts to wind down, I'm paying closer attention to all the the insects I encounter each day.

I find them in the garden,

on the pavement,

 and twinkling in the early night sky!

 

 

If you like me enjoy insects and are curious about learning more 

Hello, World! Kids’ Guide Exploring Insects might be for you.

Colorful pages full of crawling, flying, and burrowing insects with lots of 

fun facts are waiting for you to explore! 

🐛 (age range 3-7 years) 🦗

 

It's August...

Summer seems to fly by and after a short reprieve, it’s warming up again! Here are some popsicles with pizazz! I like that in the U.K. they're called icelollies. My current favorite flavor is tart cherry ice.

 

Flower child

 

Every Monday during July I've been part of a watercolor collage class. I try to take different classes every summer to tap into new techniques or explore new color palettes. This helps me bring a more thought-out approach to trying something different with client work. Evolving as an artist is up to them & it's easy to fall into the pocket of what you feel comfortable in & never climb back out.

My art has always been loose & I'm trying to lean into that even more! I try to not over think what I make & for me the purest way is to feel my way through each phase. (beginning, middle, end) It's a fun exercise in trusting yourself and seeing where that goes.

Last Monday I woke and the first thing that caught my eye were the bright red geraniums in my flower box. I knew I spend the day cutting, painting and drawing flowers.

Favorite things...

 

I like to draw animals and shapes.

 Put them together & I'm perfectly pleased!

(Also, a fan of bright color but you probably know that about me by now.)

Solar Explorers 🪐

 

Little Sleepies purchased my Solar Explorers print for their 2025 back to school collection.

I love seeing how they apply art I make to their cozy, soft, product assortment. You can blast off into fun by checking it all out here!

How cute is this dress? As much as I love flowers it's so refreshing to see other fun, fresh prints (like this) on a dress!

Soft twin sheet sets, a crib sheet and cloud blanket are part of the assortment as well.

I needed to end with this guy! I just can't get over how darn sweet toddler proportions are.

Ooh, aah, gasp!

 

Hope you have a fantastic 4th of July! 

I just love this time of the year.

Okay, it's hot!

 

Refreshments anyone?

This is a painting (acrylic, gouache, and a scratching technique with a pen) that I made about 20 years ago. It was purchased by Garnet Hill & I'm not sure what ever became of it? I found the digital scan of it recently & thought this is a perfect image for the heat wave half the country is going through! 

Also, I can't remember the last time I had fruit punch? 🍓 🍋 🍒 🍍 🍇 ❓

Time to hydrate!

 

Sipping up summer and trying to remember to hydrate.... holy smokes it's hot out!

(but I kind of love it ☀️)

Father's Day

 

 

 

A great dad is such a gift! Let’s hear it for all the father figures sharing their love, patience, and everlasting support for little or big ones in their lives.

⭐ 💟 ◭ ⭕ ✌ 🌞

Summer is about new experiences and expanding your horizons. (when you can) This week my son is at camp at a college campus out of state. (proud mom moment) This made me think about earning badges through mastering a skill or trying something new which then made me think of how much I love the decorative patches kids can earn in the scouts! While I wasn’t a girl scout (but a brownie for a short time) I’m a longtime admirer of these pretty patches and the will to try something new.

Shout-out to anyone expanding their horizons this week! 

 

Rockets and other Space Machines

 Today a new book is available in my Hello, World! series—Rockets and other Space Machines.

This book is an introduction to rockets, and some of the machines that have helped us explore space! I learn so much with each book & I can see this one fascinating kiddos with an interest in space or who like to build. This book works well with a couple others in the series and is also being offered in a Solar System boxed set. (including Moon Landing, Solar System, Planet Earth, and Rockets and other Space Machines—Available October 14)

I'm also excited to share that Amazon picked Rockets and other Space Machines as an Amazon Best of the Month which is always terrific news. It's my hope that the young readers in your life will enjoy this book too!

Thanks for learning cool, new things with me! 🤩

Tool-atly Awesome

 

I have a fun new print with Little Sleepies.

As usual their design team did a terrific job with the scale of the print & the assortment of products it went on.

There's a cute beanie as well but I was drawn to this bow and loved how something so typically girl was covered in tools something often associated with boys.

If you're thinking about Father's Day this could be a good gift! You can deck the whole family out in this "busy builder" print. To see all the options visit Little Sleepies.

Crib bedding and kids blankets too!

Things that GO!

 

I like to draw different ways to travel.  Which one would you take? I'm afraid to ride in a hot air balloon. (Although I'm sure it would be lovely!) I'd stick to a train but preferably on a scenic route.

For MOM— For You

 

Sending you a big, bright bouquet! Having a good mom is a great blessing in life. Unfortunately, I know not everyone ends up with a mom who can provide care and nurturing for another. Often not knowing that for themself.

If today is hard for you, I see you. We're all deserving of love, it just doesn't always show up from who society tell us will deliver it. Hope you lean into love & connection where you find it in your life.

Sophie helped me pick some peonies to deliver to my mom.

Things are bloomin'!

 

 

Even though it makes me sneeze, I'm inspired by spring! 

I started the above painted blooms in my sketchbook painting with gouache.

 

I scanned the sketchbook floral in and added some additional layers in Photoshop to round out the design. This art was licensed for greeting cards and fabric. (and made me really happy to paint)

Plant seeds

 

I played in the dirt over the weekend and planted some new things. The second week of May my peonies bloom and I can’t wait! Beauty found in nature brings me such joy.😊 I find the investment in time and resources really pays off.

Wishing you blue skies, a warm breeze and coffee. Monday showed up fast!

Hope you plug into something that brings you joy this week.

Happy Earth Day 🌈

 

To celebrate Earth Day I’m offering a Hello, World! board book GIVEAWAY.  The winner will choose from Hello, World! Ocean Life, Rainforest Animals, or Planet Earth.

To enter visit my Instagram feed. I’ll pick a winner (at random) April 30th. Nature offers us so many priceless gifts. Let's appreciate and celebrate them all!

 

Happy Easter

 Hopping by with a pop of pink to wish you a Happy Easter!

 

Showers to flowers

While there seems to be a great deal of mishegoss around I've been turning to nature to lift my spirit.  Like the childhood saying goes "showers to flowers" I've enjoyed seeing it in action. This inspired me to make a spring mobile from some art I previously made for a Trader Joe's card.

 

Here's the icons I drew with colored pencil.

Here's the cut out pieces.

Here's the final product placed next to the window that over looks this....
 

My lovely, lush lilac bush that I adore!

Thankful for those rainy days. (Wishing this was scratch and sniff!)

Here's the card.

Making makes me happy!