I’m currently at the gym. Ransom is in the childcare, and I’m in the lobby using the free WiFi. He loves going to the gym childcare, which wasn’t always the case. It took coming for months before he stopped crying when I left him. Now he knows all the workers and they know him and he barely gives me a second glance when I drop him off. It’s pretty sweet.

I intended to sit out here and write a blog post, but I’m having a hard time getting my head in the game. It’s just been a frazzling morning, so I thought I’d warm up by just chit-chatting with you about being at the gym.

I intended to sit out here and tell you a little about the book I am working on.
Maybe I’m ready to do that now.
​
​ My good friend wrote a children’s book about a nerdy turtle named Finnegan, and his unlikely friendship with a rabbit named Rackle.

I’ve had the text of the story for awhile, but wanted to finish my bug coloring book before really diving into it. I already have some sketches, and now I’m using those sketches to make the finished illustrations on my iPad.

I’ve never illustrated a book before. It really is a challenge, mainly trying to capture the same character in different situations and from different angles.

I’m really glad I know how to create using my iPad now, it’ll makes the process much easier, and more lovely.

I’ve made a new schedule for myself for the new year. I hope to work on the book on Fridays, and write blog posts on Tuesdays (hi!). Monday I want to work on my Etsy shop, Wednesdays I want to create, and Thursdays I want to learn (mainly via Skillshare classes). This is all assuming i have time to myself at all on these days. Everyday I will take it as it comes.

And in closing, here is my newest Etsy item that I listed for sale yesterday. I’m pretty obsessed with this cute little armadillo. It’s for sale as a print. I sold the original at one of my holiday pop-up shops to a little boy who is obsessed with armadillos.

Well I've done it!  The coloring book has landed!

In it there are twelve intricately drawn bugs to color.  I drew the first one (that praying mantis) just months after Ransom was born, with the goal of eventually turning it into a book.  Check!

I can now always say that I've published a book, which is pretty cool.  And since I went through the learning process of creating this first book, the next time I want to independently publish something I now know how. Part of what took me so long this time around is I kept dragging my feet because I didn't know how to do things.  Google and YouTube are lifesavers.

My next book project is a children's book a good friend of mine wrote and asked me to illustrate.  So that will be a 2019 goal.  I'd also like to do another coloring book.  I'm thinking perhaps potted plants, and in a smaller format, like 5"x7" or something similar.

 Oh and Christmas happened.  It was cozy and lovely. See you next year!

Well my one-blog-post-a-week goal has gone out the window this past month.  That's ok, I've been thoroughly enjoying the holiday season.

One of my 2018 goals has been to publish my bug coloring book, and I'm soooooooo close! Frustratingly close.  It's pretty much done but I'm having some problems with formatting which is oh-so-frustrating.  I know, it's ok if I publish it in 2019 and not 2018 . . .I just love accomplishing goals in a timely manner.  Here's a sneak peak of the cover.

I had a lot of fun at the holiday markets I participated in this year.  The best part (other than making sales) is getting to know the other vendors.  The more I do these kinds of events, the more I run into familiar artists and makers. We're cool people. (By the way, you should check out those soaps!)

Time to start thinking of 2019 goals!

I'll close with this.  Ransom and I had some of his friends over this morning for a toddler art party.  Of course the art part only lasted like 10 min and the rest what just playing and making a mess, but it was a blast!  So thankful for sweet friends.

I'm pumped that I can listen to Christmas music now without getting grief from people.  We had a great Thanksgiving, but now we can fully focus our merriment on the Christmas season. Yes!

This weekend we decked our halls and decorated our tree.

And because I can't get enough, I had to draw Ransom his own cardboard Christmas tree to decorate. (I maybe helped a little).

And then I had to draw you your own Christmas tree to color. 

My favorite part of that drawing is the angel on top.  It's inspired by the angel that tops our tree.  I bought it at a thrift store in Denton, TX 8 years ago for Ryan and I's first Christmas tree.

Oh, and speaking of Christmas trees -- I was awoken in the middle of the night to ours crashing down!  It had toppled over.  I guess because it's a real tree and so it's a bit asymmetrical... Hopefully it doesn't happen again!  And thankfully only two ornaments were smashed.

You won't have to worry about that with my coloring sheet.  Just paper cuts.  I plan on coloring mine while watching a Christmas movie.  I think it would also be a fun activity for a family Christmas gathering.

Happy coloring!

I have a couple of holiday markets coming up. I don’t do a ton of these weekend markets, but I enjoy them when I do. Especially the Christmas ones because they are so festive. I’m a Christmas nerd and love it all — the music, the lights, the cheesy movies. Here’s some info on my upcoming markets. You should come say hi if you’re going to be in Portland (you can click on the images for more info).

For that last one I have to wear cocktail attire. Which means I get to go shopping because my current wardrobe is all leggings and jeans with holes (not intentional holes, but holes from being on the ground with my toddler. Literally all of my jeans have fallen prey to the holes).

And while I’m here I might as well say that my Etsy shop is having a sales event now through Nov 25th — 10% off and free shipping. I myself am a little annoyed with all the emails I’m getting about sales this week, so I’m actually kind of hesitant to bring it up myself. But if you were thinking of buying something from me anyway, I thought you’d like to know.

And wow, tomorrow is Thanksgiving! All our family is across the county, so we are crashing another family’s meal. I hope you enjoy the day and eat lots and choose gratitude. Every day, really. (the last one anyway, probably shouldn’t eat lots everyday, that might get expensive.)

It's been a few weeks! My regular rhythm got thrown off (in a good way) by a visit from family.  Now I'm busy getting my online shops ready for the Christmas shopping season, which has pretty much already begun.

One of my favorite new designs is this polar bear family.  I originally drew them during my 100 Days of Animals last spring, and then added the color on my iPad a few weeks ago.

And remember that Winter Village from a month or so ago?

I used some of the same elements to create a card design that you can now buy in my Etsy shop.

I had a lot of fun drawing those snowflakes.

I still always have the challenge of deciding what to prioritize.  I have so many ideas and so many things I want to learn, but such a limited amount of time to devote to my artistic endeavors.  I know this is definitely  not an uncommon problem.  For instance, I would love to have an ornament for sale this winter, and I would love my bug coloring book to be printed in time for purchase as  a Christmas present (so like, now).

But none of those things are emergencies.  Well see what happens. My first jobis being a mom, and right now that is what most of my time is devoted to. 

It's really the best and hardest job I've had.

I daily find myself wishing I had more time to do what I want to do, but really I'm so thankful I get to spend so much time with this 2 year old.

I'd like people to think I just draw things off the top of my head; that I approach a blank page with confidence and set to work.  That rarely is the case.  Pinterest and Google Images are generally close by to give me some inspiration and direction, especially Pinterest.  In fact, I usually have collected a whole Pinterest board of images to look at before starting to draw.

Here's a couple of for instances.  You'll see my drawing followed by what I was looking at...

And it's often not just one image I'm drawing from, but like 3 that I use different features of.

I sometimes get so caught up in the original picture that I forget that the whole point is not to copy it exactly but rather to use my hand to create something new. 

(I just love hand-drawn designs, the imperfections are what make it charming and human.)

The only times I work completely from my own head is in something non-representational and usually geometric, like this.

Then, I'm usually just playing with lines and shapes.

So hopefully that's not too disillusioning.  Artists don't create in a vacuum.

This little dude has become a prolific artist. And he's not even two (that happens next week).

I'm really excited to be able to create more with him as he grows up.  The art teacher within me has been itching to let loose a little lately. 

If you follow me at all on social media, you will see that I've commited to drawing lotsa whales throughout the month of October.  Here's today's, a swirly orca ..

I didn't just choose whales randomly.  I thought I was following the official rules of inktober.  You see they have this list of prompts.

I thought that meant you choose one prompt for the entire month.  But after a few days I starting thinking about how there are 31 prompts ... and 31 days in the months....

So apparently it's a schedule, not a list to choose from.  Oh well, I like my whales and decided to stick with that anyway.

I think this flower-y sperm whale is my favorite so far.

I'm not being as strict with myself about it as I am when I do the 100 Day Project in the spring.  It's not a big deal to me if I skip a day (I've already skipped a couple), but it's nice to have a focus for the month.

This week has been kind of a different week. We are in the midst of a bit of remodeling and so our usual rhythms are thrown off. Ransom is currently napping in my neighbors basement, and I am in her backyard on my iPad, while our contractor is taking apart our kitchen floor.

It’s easy to complain about it, but I chose this and it's really quite a luxury to be able to update our home. And I’m thankful for lovely fall days and kind neighbors.

​(Can you sense I’m trying to give myself a pep talk? Cause I am. )

I’m also thankful for preschool! During preschool on Wednesday I got to chill at a coffee shop and work on this pattern on my iPad (you can see I was inspired by my location).

Here I was yesterday when I was homeless during naptime, finishing it up. Pardon the glare.

You can gather that I’m pretty jazzed about repeating patterns now!

Something I’ve had on my “to learn” list for awhile is how to create repeating patterns. In the past I’ve created patterns like this, where you can clearly see where the repeat happens.

A repeating pattern, on the other hand, is seamless, like in this pretty floral duvet cover by Alja Horvat.

The various pattern elements are all intertwined. How to achieve that had always been illusive to me

But not anymore! I’m taking a  Skillshare class about creating repeating patterns using my iPad Pro. Here’s my first! It’s a cozy one.

Here it is in action, on a Redbubble pillow.

I'm pumped to create more patterns!