Happy Vernal Equinox!

It has been a rainy week, skies painted with dark and dramatic clouds.  Today the sun shone!  And all the flowers who had grown plump in the rain, turned their faces to greet the sun.  To me Spring is like Mother Nature's creative streak gone wild.   I love it all, the sun, the rain, the colors, the smells, the sounds. I hope all of the creativity is contagious!  
I spent the first day of Spring outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine with my lovely family.  
Happy, Happy Spring!!!

"Huddled"

Anemone stretched out in the sun

Really interesting Fungi

She is feeding baby birds with her fingers...seems fitting.

Fruit trees blossoming over Monselice 

Daffodil  basking in the sun

Happy Pi Day!

Celebrating all things Irrational, Transcendental, Circular, and Delicious!

Apple, Pecan, and Strawberry, Sweetened with Honey, inside an Oil Pastry Crust

A piece for you!

Have Ink Will Print

Bought new printer ink yesterday...which probably won't last the week!  But that is jumping ahead,  this story REALLY begins 3 years ago....

This feeling inspired it all!

In the middle of a very long night, of very little sleep....Me and my magic milk making abilities were feeling very needed by a certain hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, squirmy, Baby Girl.  Like most human babies Baby Girl only has 4 limbs....BUT somehow in that very LONG night she felt more like a baby octopus to me, constantly wrapping and unwrapping her limbs around me, her blanket, and anything else she could reach.  After "freeing" myself form the clutches of Baby Girl and deciding, "Who needs sleep anyway!?!"  I got up and wrote a simple little story, "Goodnight Little Octopus." 

Pre-Bologna color work.

Over the next few months I drew illustrations for the story and eventually created a mock up of the book,  known as a "dummy."   I sent my dummy and transcript to a few different publishers over the next year, with no response....which I know is nothing unusual.  Last March I attended a little mini-conference organized by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in Bologna, where I had a portfolio review.  Changes were suggested...to my baby...my precious baby....egos where bruised.  I did however make changes, but confidence waned, and I could no longer tell what I liked and didn't like.  So with self-confidence in the basement I gave "Little Octopus" a rest...for a whole year.  

Post-Bologna color work

 A few weeks ago I was reading a chapter in the parenting book, "Nurtureshock".  The chapter was discussing how, according to research, our popular notions of making sure our children have "high self-confidence" actually doesn't really translate to success in later life.  The thing that has the largest correlation to success is the amount of effort one is willing to put forth.  So with a little "self-parenting" and my favorite Yoda quote, "Do or do not..." "Little Octopus" has been resurrected!  AND today, printer ink in hand, I WILL prepare "Little Octopus" to journey, once again, to far away publishers in distant lands.    

Pre-Bologna

Post-Bologna

The take home message, "Self-Confidence, Smelf -Smomfidence...GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR!"

Picture Perfect Day

Primula vulgaris -Wild Primrose 

After weeks of a house full of sickness, everyone returned to school and work and I had the morning to myself.  I left the dishes in the sink, grabbed the camera, walked right past the pile of laundry, and headed out into the sunshine.  Late winter is one of my favorite times here in our cozy little hilltop home.  The trees are still bare. Last fall's leaves still carpet the ground. But, the years earliest flowers are in full bloom, beckoning me to bask in their beauty....the harbingers of Spring, Glorious Spring!  I hope their captured images bring as much joy to you as the making of brought to me!  

Helleborus viridis -  this is one of my favorite flowers...you have to look carefully or you might walk right by it!  Hellborus and Primula are the very first flowers to bloom here.  

Hepatica nobilis

The Hepatica is plentiful in the hills in early March!  

Erythronium dens-canis

I only saw a couple of these with pink petals.

I just love these little lilies. They always remind me of marshy field I saw one Summer Solstice that was covered in Glacier Lilies...different color, but they conjure the memory all the same.  

I don't know what this is , but both the birds and the bees loved it!

....and the olfactory delight, none other than the Hyacinth in our yard.

and now for something completely different...

The  ol' sewing machine has had a bit of a break for the last couple of weeks, but the monitor and mouse have been taking up the slack.  I have been busy doing some collaborating with my husband, John (and one other project that is almost ready to be revealed....focus...focus....).  I have been using Photoshop CS to color black line work for several years now.  This is an example of my "usual" work.  It is from an alphabet series that I have been working on for over a year now...more about that another day...

John and I have been discussing the possibilities of collaborating artwork for some time now.   His current focus has been making artwork for the Old School Gaming Community ....dragons, demons, monsters, and the likes.  So far the overwhelming majority of John's work has been in black and white.   Over a year ago he did some kid friendly monsters that I just adore.  The original collaboration idea was that I would color the monsters.  Well... I still haven't gotten around to that....BUT....He did another piece a few months ago that I thought was some of his best work. One day while putting off doing household chores I decided I would color it, just to see how it would go, and surprise him with it if things worked out well.  We were both pleased with what turned out to be our first collaboration.

"Iron League Salamander"

The Black and White version of the Iron League Salamander will be in Weird Adventures by Trey Causey.  

 I think John has really progressed in his artistic style over the years and I really like the work he has been producing.  However, in doing color work for another artist you get to know someone else's work intimately....the way they use line and light and shadow, their choices in composition.  It truly is a whole new experience, and a whole new level of appreciation. Let's face it, left to my own devices I would, with almost certainly, never have the opportunity to color attacking bears or smokin' hot iron salamanders ...and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

This will be on the front cover of the latest Advanced Adventures by Expeditious Retreat Press.  Check out a picture of the cover on Joe Brownings blog.  

"Tail" Me Something New

The Tale of Two Tails

No New Tail to Tell

The Tale of Tails

Tail it like it is

The puns seem endless...

I am strongly advocating the wearing of a tail. Feeling a little goofy? how about a monkey tail. Feeling a little sassy? how about a cat tail. Feeling mighty? perhaps a tiger tail. I feel as strongly about the whole tail thing as I do about my husband and his "team" wearing capes to work. What, you can tie a piece of brightly colored cloth around you neck, but you can't sport a Monkey's Tail or a Super Cape? Break free of your oppressive rags and have a little fun. I suppose it's a good thing I had children. They care not about style and fashion, only about the character.

Make your own Tail:

• Cut a strip of polar fleece 4” wide and to the desired length. The pictured Monkey Tail is 22” long.

• Fold the strip in half (so it is now only 2” wide) with wrong sides together and stitch at ½”.

• Cut a piece of 3/8” elastic 7” long, or shorter for less curling.

• Using a zigzag stitch, stitch the elastic to the seam allowance (between the raw edge and the line of stitching), stretching the elastic as you sew. You will see the tail begin to curl as it passes through the machine.

• Stitch the curled end closed. I made a curved seam, as to not have a squared off tail.

• Turn the Tail right side out.

• The tail will look way too curly at this point, don’t worry….

• Stuff the tail, I used scraps of fabric, but you could also use stuffing.

• Attach the tail to a fleece covered piece of elastic, a ribbon, or create a Velcro “loop” at the top of the tail and attach it to a belt.

• Wear your tail with pride….or at least make one for a child you love.

Tails go great with Animal Hats!

Fairy Wings

Perhaps it's my costume designer background, perhaps it's my own love of flowers, perhaps it's my admiration of the illustrations of Cicely Mary Barker...whatever the reason, I love to make fairy costumes...

My daughter's first Halloween, I made her a Campanula (Blue Bell) Fairy Costume.  The same year I even managed to talk my son into a Leaf "Elf" costume.  My daughter was wingless this year, but my son had what he called "dragon wings."  They both loved my Monarch wings.  I made the Monarch wings several years ago.  They are the standard wire and pantyhose wings with a layer of Mod Podge for durability and some paint for the orange spots.  

Everyone Loves a Fairy's Wings

Chubby Baby Campanula Fairy

My daughter's second Halloween I made a Burgmansia (Angels Trumpet) Fairy Costume.  Her wings were made of floral tape covered wire and pantyhose.  They were very cute, but did not hold up well.

Brugmansia Fairy and Binkies

Brugmansia Fairy and Flower

For her third Halloween the family all went as Super Heroes.  She was "Fairy Tale."  This was the first year I made wings from craft foam.  The technique worked great and two years later she is still playing with the wings.    

Fairy Tale with Fire Bull

Fairy Tale

Last Halloween, not only did I get to make her a another fairy costume, I taught a class on how to make Fairy Wings and tutus.  There many little girls who experienced the joy of a handmade Fairy Costume. 

This is the Beautiful work of one of my students

Created by one of my students this Fall!

The sample I made during the class was sent to my niece, so we got to spread a little more fairy love around.  

My daughter modeling her cousin's Halloween costume!

Ready to Trick-or-Treat!

The directions and pattern for the fairy wings can be found on my Etsy site.