Here’s a rough sketch of an illustration I just finished for Time Out New York magazine.

Other than that I’ve been working on knocking things off my monthly goal list, as well as some Christmas-y things.

My immediate family is considering “simplifying”  gifts this year.  We’re  in the process of deciding what exactly that means– no gifts? just stockings? a price limit?  donations in lieu of gifts?– but I think we’re moving in a nice direction.  We’re all grownup pretty much– my youngest brother is twenty– and everyone seems to be interested in less stuff lately– either in the interest of pairing down in general, or because of near-future moves.

I love to buy gifts, but I tend to be a little insane about it.  I get caught up in needing to find the perfect gift.  It starts out as fun, but it can turn stressful towards the end.  I think a simpler take on things, might open up the holiday for us.  Leave more room for enjoying each other and the season.

Which is what I’m looking forward to this weekend.  Getting a tree, decorating, some gift making, some baking… our apartment smelling  yummy…hot apple cider.

It’s my first magazine cover!:

I actually didn’t realize those little guys we’re going to be on the cover, so it was a nice surprise! (I drew the birds, bees and flowers.)  Plus I have this full page illustration on the inside:

Quite fitting as I was a nanny myself for years.  Oh how I miss those girls in Brooklyn!

Thanks Time Out New York Kids!  What a fun job…

Alrighty, just a little late, ahem.

1. Fall mailer. Probably Thanksgiving themed, as I pretty much missed Halloween. Darn.
2. Make list of items to bring to the book workshop.
3. Three new kid illustrations for site.
4. Update site– add in new work, do new homepage.
5. Make list of children’s publishers to contact.
6. Get a wholesale account for Magnetic Kids.
7. Work on organizing my office/studio.

That should keep me busy!

The sketch above is from some more work I did for Time Out NY Kids.   They wanted the birds to almost look Disney-esque…

PS. Canine family member update: We are meeting a pup this weekend. I think. Very exciting!

Drawing has been so fun lately.  Sometimes it feels very hard, but this little lady was such a breeze.

Now I’m working on coloring.

Yum.

A few weekends ago I participated in an art show at the boathouse where I row. And I forgot to take pictures.  Which is ridiculous, but basically my M.O. lately.  Darn.  However these are a couple of the images I displayed.  They’re pen and ink, with collaged bits of vintage paper.  And the one above has some water color as well.

It was a small, pretty low key show of the boathouse member’s, ie rower’s, work.  Who knew I was in such good company?  Apparently, a lot of artists row in the Seekonk!  Anyhow it was a gorgeous evening on the river and everyone seemed to have a great time.  Thanks to my parents and friends who came out.

Here’s an, unfortunately incomplete, list of the artists who showed:

• www.sharoncutts.com
• www.margiebutlerart.com
• www.blgreenart.com
• www.iragarber.com/projects
• www.wendyllbrown.com

As I row at 5 am these days, it was especially nice to connect with other rowers. Besides my team, there are only a few other people crazy enough to be up at that time.  And several people pointed out that it was fun to see teammates in their “regular” clothes, perhaps looking a little nicer than usual.  –No one cares much about looking nice pre sunrise.

I was accepted into a picture book workshop! –the Falling Leaves 2009 Picture Books Master Class, run by the Eastern New York chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.  Gosh, that’s a mouthful.

It’s a November weekend in the Adirondacks filled with group critiques and lectures and individual meetings with children’s editors.   I’m pretty excited about it.  I’ve been working on this book proposal for what feels like forever now, and hopefully I’ll get some useful feedback.

Now I just have to make it to November.

If you’ve attended previously, or have any insights regarding attending such workshops, I’d love hear about it.

Some images from the Moleskine Exchange, week 2:

I’ve been musing about doing a portrait series of houses in my neighborhood.   The area is called The Armory because its adjacent to what used to be a huge armory built in the early 1900s, complete with ten acres of “marching grounds”– now a park.

The houses surrounding it are mostly incredible “3 family” victorians.

Anyhow I started playing around with that idea here…  ( Above you can see a bit of Nicole’s star on the left side…I should have taken pictures of the other images in the book.  Darn.)

Though I should note these houses aren’t in my neighborhood, just random ones.

“To be a country or a city mouse…”

Ah yes.  My eternal dilemma.

I’ve been doing a “Moleskine exchange group” since July and I keep forgetting to share my drawings. It’s been super fun to do– the book has 60 accordion pages, there are ten of us, so we each draw on 6 pages and then pass it on to the next person. Sort of like Exquisite Corpse. Or a chain letter?
Anyhow I started off my moleskine with this:

My (2nd?) cousin had just been born and everyone was over-the-moon thrilled. I was in Vermont with my family when she arrived.  The coyotes were howling that night.  

Hence the baby and the coyotes.  

Its been challenging to just draw.  Right on the page.  No scanning, no rearranging, no computers.  Not much planning.  Coloring with whatever I feel like.  It feels like a good stretch.  

There are more images on Flickr if you’re interested.

I’m really happy with how these Balloon Cards came out.  

The image is based on a photograph of my friend’s daughter.  She and her pal were playing in the park under an umbrella.  But I decided balloons were more fun to draw.  Pop over to the Other Such Things store to check them out. 

Speaking of, Other Such Things has a new shop banner.  I had actually recently updated it, but after reading this article on Mint by Kim Ludy (from the vintage shop Trampoline) about product photos, I decided to rethink things a bit.  Kim made some really good points about a shop’s visual continuity.   I really did like my then-new header, but it didn’t make much sense in the theme of the shop really.  I think the new header ties in the products wood backgrounds.  

It’s simple and clean, which I like as well.  I’m not totally in love with it, but its a step in the right direction.   I also took new wide shots of the cards.  I had this before:

I like elements of it– the curtain pattern, that blue and green together– but again, it doesn’t really go with the whole look.  So now I have this:

It isn’t a perfect solution.  I really wanted to show the cards in a frame. –They’re postcards, but they look so great framed!– But its getting closer.  If you’ve got a minute, head on over to Other Such Things and tell me what you think.

I’m excited to announce that I’m joining Aeolidia’s roster of artists!  

Are you thinking about finally getting a website up? Or maybe your shopping cart needs some tweaking?  Check out the wonderful design company Aeolidia!  They make all sorts of websites– stores, blogs etc, and are set up to design it all as well.  They can take care everything.  And now… You can have me do the illustrations!  I’m so thrilled to be working with them, especially since I’m in such good company.  Check out their portfolio for more information.