Decisions....

Hi there!  What's your favorite color?

Mine is RED.

Hearts a bloom

 

Spreading a little love this Monday.  It's finally warmed up here, I'm working on a book project I'm excited about & my parents just got their 2nd dose of the covid vaccine.  Feeling pretty optimistic & good!  Hope you have some things you're excited about too!

Animal Wonderland

 

When I feel stuck and I need a little adventure I paint animals.

I particularly like this background shade of blue!

Mini Sketchbook

 

 

Some weekend heart art!

Exploring shapes in a February patchwork.

The Loveasaurus

 

Some mixed media dinosaurs to celebrate the sweet month of FEBRUARY.  What they eat: cherries, strawberries, roses (thorns and all) and chocolates, of course!

 

 

Hope this silliness brightened your day!

Strange blooms

 

This started out as a pink floral but, I quickly got bored with it & decided to take it a different direction.  I've had resilience on my mind the last year.  I found this quote I liked by -E.V.  (who after some research I'm still not really sure when or where they lived- I'll do some more digging)

Back to the quote which resonated with me...the only part I'd change is "people thought"... at this point I'm more interested in surprising myself & growing in ways I didn't expect.  Surprising others is fun but, short- lived.

Meandering

 

The ladybug gathering.  How many do you see?

I used to love those Highlight magazine hidden icon illustrations when I was a kid.

Hi February!

 

                 Maybe, hopefully, someday soon.  Until then onward with a new month!                                                        

x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o x o

Winter

 

 

 

Winter typically makes me feel caged in- this year it has been heightened with 

the necessary covid-19 restrictions.

While I wait until the weather warms up I've been planting bulbs

to enjoy indoors.  It's a hopeful sign of what's to come.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up I've ordered a bunch of hyacinth bulbs (with that lovely smell) as we get closer to spring. And someone had mentioned forcing forsythia branches- which I'll definitely do... I love that shade of yellow!  Planting myself through these last couple winter months.

Presidential Portraits

 

 

Today our 46th president is sworn into office.
These presidential portraits where made when my son was a toddler & President Obama
won the presidency. I was so excited that kids would finally see
an African American as President.  Representation allows you
to dream bigger & see yourself in ways you hadn’t before.  

The last four years have been long & divisive.
It has provided new respect for the fragility & strength of our democracy.
I was proud to paint Joe Biden as our 46th president.
A leader who supports science, empathy, and opportunity for all.

I was thrilled to add the first African American, Indian American woman as
Vice President.  Opening the eyes of little girls of every color
in our diverse country.  We move forward even as some hold
on to the past.  There is work to be done!

 

Art available at
Oopsy Daisy.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

 

Today we honor a man who believed all people treated fairly can make the world a better place.

His teaching & wise words ring just as strongly today as we continue to open our eyes, listen & settle for nothing less than real progress.

Shelfie

 

Thanks to everyone who entered my Hello, World! book giveaway.  The winners were notified Friday.  It's wonderful to see & read all your kind comments about this series.  (*I still pinch myself.)

Hope you're enjoying a quiet weekend with a chance to escape in a good book or two.  Although reading has never been relaxing or easy for me I've always loved getting lost in the illustrations.

WARMTH

 Mid-week check in!

How are you doing?

MUSIC

 

 

 

My Hello, World! book MUSIC  dropped earlier this week.

When I plan the next titles in the series I make a list of subjects

I think are missing & run it by my smart, savvy editor.

We both agreed music was a must.

Music can lift your mood, be a creative outlet & gives

your body permission to move.  The book covers

a sampling of instruments, the size, shape, color & sound along

with a signature *fun fact. (Which, I try to make something the adult most likely 

reading didn't know as well.)

 

 

I wanted to mix up the color palette for this book.  My hand usually gravitates to

brighter bolder color but, for this book & subject I thought something more

light & bubbly was in order.  Some pages build to dark, louder color

like the drum spread. (similar to the sound)  But overall the color is light & airy.

 

People often ask how I make the art. 

I started by painting an array of papers in pastel tones.

Then I cut out each instrument & character adding little details.

(scissors, glue, tape, paintbrush & pen)

Next it was all scanned into Photoshop, cleaned up so I could

more the layers around & added a few touches digitally.
 

 

Vroom, Vroom!

 

 

 

I have two new Hello, World! books out today.

I'm starting with Cars & Trucks- a book with all sorts of 

vehicles that GO!

 

One of my favorite trucks is an ice-cream truck.

Followed closely by a food truck!

(Tacos, anyone?)

 

KA- BLOOM!

 

 

A little everyday motivation.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I do my best to be a life long learner.

Keeping my mind curious helps me stay engaged.

Through podcasts, movies, music, cooking, new yoga moves, conversations, art or

a long run. (yuck, but you'd be surprised what comes to mind 5 miles later)

 Particularly, now when it's easy to feel stuck in

the ciaos & the ongoing pandemic.  (I don't like scary things-

if this was a ride I would have avoided it completely or demanded off- sigh!)

That's why putting one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward

is really resonating with me.  Resilience is everything!

Plant, water, BLOOM, enjoy the beauty... then start again. (you're never done)

Hope you're doing well & if you're not then be

gentle with yourself & try again tomorrow.

I'm working on a gardening book, I think that's why I've got flowers on my mind.

(who am I kidding I always have flowers on my mind)