The Best Nanny Money Can Buy

Did you guys read the article “The Best Nanny Money Can Buy” in the NY Times Sunday Magazine last week? Being a former nanny of a zillion years, plus a huge fan of illustrator Jillian Tamaki, who illustrated the piece, I was intrigued to say the least.

Turns out these nannies were way outta my league:

A nanny can increase her marketability if she can help manage an art collection, draft correspondence, wash and fold 50 linens a day and help set up philanthropic events. Bonus points if she can do it all in Mandarin.

I suppose I could figure out how to do all of those things, but almost definitely not in Mandarin.

Isn’t that illustration great? (Remember when I illustrated nannies for Time Out magazine?)

Happy weekend everybody!

PS. Oh yes, this is happening tomorrow. Do you ever participate? I’m usually not up for grand symbolic gestures that ultimately feel a bit empty (–and have large corporate sponsors.) But the thought of everything going dark is just so wonderful…

image credit: Jillian Tamaki for the NY Times

Working Wednesdays: New Website!!

You may have noticed, but last week I quietly launched my new site. I still have some portfolio sections to add in and some other fixing up to do, but it’s about done folks! I’m pretty excited to have a site that shows off all of my work. And just in time for a new postcard mailing!

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Video Monday: “Here I….Go!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So this is pretty much one of the best videos ever. I’m gonna watch this next time I take a scary leap.– right? (I actually have some scary ones coming up.)  And how awesome is that kid?!

Video Monday: Interactive Kinect Installation

“Puppet Parade” from Design I/O is an “interactive puppetry experience,” and it looks awesome.

Photo and video credit: Design I/O  via PSFK

Working Wednesday: Re-brand project

As I keep mentioning, I’m in the midst of re-branding my work self. (Yeah, referring to “branding” feels a bit grandiose, but I have new logo and a more cohesive “look” so it’s an apt description.) For the last couple of days (weeks) I’ve been banging my head on my desk trying to get my site done. I hoped to unveil it today, but it’s not there yet. So in the meantime, here’s a preview of a few of the things I’m changing:

A. New logo! That one wasn’t ever a “real” logo– ie it was just the header that came with my WordPress theme. I “customized” it with the triangle pattern, and tag line, but didn’t choose the layout or font. Really excited to have a new logo that I can use all over the place. I designed it myself, so I might keep tweaking it, but I like where it’s at for the moment.

B. I’m going to have a new menu (actually two!) that will allow me to divide up my work more cohesively. It’s a bit confusing at the moment. I thought about getting rid of of one my illustration styles to simplify things, but the thing is I like creating in that style and happily, people like paying me to do so. It will be easier to find in the new layout.

C. I’ve gotten rid of that stupid white space. This was actually the biggest quibble Zero2illo had when they reviewed my site. Curse you “white space”!  Another default setting of my old theme, that space is actually supposed to house a “header” which I hated and promptly got rid of. I could never figure out how to write it out completely though, so I’ve been stuck with the odd white space above my content. Not cool.

D. On my new front page I have a gallery that cycles through my most recent projects.

I. am. so. close.

Happy Birthday Papa!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful dance partner, expert backpacker, arch-way builder extraordinaire, and tireless real estate consultant.  Love you, Dad.

…And a happy birthday to my Uncle Bill, as well. That’s the three of us below. Check out the studs!

 

Video Monday: Sophie Blackall

Are you familiar with Sophie Blackall‘s illustrations? I knew her from her brilliant “Missed Connections” series, and separately as a children’s illustrator, but I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t realize they were the same person, until today. Sigh. You’d think I would have put it together after spotting the video above, and seeing the cover of the most recent SCBWI Bulletin:

But nope.

It wasn’t until I started writing this that I figured it out. But now I’m thrilled to discover her site and all of her work, including another series “Drawn From My Father’s Adventures,” which looks amazing.

What do you think? Did you already have an illustrator-crush on Sophie Blackall?

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Today Theodor Seuss Geisel would be 108 years old! 

Some things I didn’t know about him:

• He first used the pen name ‘Seuss’ while at Dartmouth.  The story goes he was caught drinking with friends in a dorm, and as punishment, was banned from extracurricular activities including writing for the college’s humor magazine. So he wrote using his middle name–Seuss.
• One of my favorite animated shorts, Oscar-winning Gerald McBoing-Boing, was based on his short story that originally appeared on a children’s record in 1950.
• His first children’s book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street! , was rejected 27 times.
• The Cat in the Hat was published when we was 53.

Did you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book growing up?

It’s hard to choose, but I think mine was Green Eggs and Ham. That Sam was just so annoying. “I do not like them, Sam-I-am!”