Here's my birdie swap from Becky. Isn't it great? She out did herself. It is mixed media on cork and LOVE it. It's so bright and cheery. She even wrote a message on the back that you can see here (check out her lettering!).




Since she has a bunny collection. I made her this little "Bunny Bouncer." I'm thinking of selling different bouncers like this in my shop.




Becky also sent me this great book for the Woog and I. Now I want to go scrounge through antique stores and flea markets!




Thanks so much Becky!!!!

My husband has been in Vegas this week at a convention and it's the first time he's been away from the Woog overnight. Needless to say, he didn't know how he was going to manage but I think he's doing ok. I was required to emails photos of her everyday though. I for one wimped out a decided to stay home with her since there was no way possible I could leave her. Maybe next year I'll tag along with him. I made this illustration to iron-on the nightshirt for the Woog to wear when he gets her ready for bed tomorrow night. I thought that would be a nice welcome home.

This week has been a hectic one and it's just Wednesday. I had 2 illustrations to finish up for Monday, a new niece was born Monday night, sketches for a project due Tuesday, another final illustration that was due today, not to mention the swap for Courtney I had to finish up, plus the constant stream of ideas for promotion, things to sale and illustrations to do that has worked myself up into a frenzy and I don't know where to start therefore I get nothing done and mope the day away. It's crazy how I'm busy but I would love to take on more and more work. That's the way I've always been. I'd rather have a full and overflowing plate than a trickle of things here and there.

I want to get into the promotional frame of mind again. I received my Artist and Graphic Designers Market and Children's Writer and Illustrator Market books in the mail the other day and have been highlighting names and doing a little research on the web about different companies. There is so much I want to do. I want to keep illustrating for educational publishers, start doing greeting cards, do magazine work, and the grand pooba of them all, picture-books. Each area requires different samples I think so I'm trying to come up with different concepts for each. There is so much I want to do but I have a hard time taking baby steps to reach each goal. I always want to dive in full force and then I end up overwhelmed and get nothing done. I just need to buckle down and get my schedule working for me again. I need to set aside times each week to work on something specific. Maybe Mondays are a "business/marketing day", Tuesdays client work and new portfolio concept days, etc. I need some kind of system that keeps me sane and flexible. What you you all do?

Well, I'm off to straighten up the house, catch up on emails, do 8 spot sketches for a client and organize my thoughts for a 32 page catalog I have to design. So why do I take on so much? I do all this to be home with my daughter and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

This is my birdie swap from Amanda of Zhinka dinka doo. It is a quilt square of a crane in sashiko. It looks so elegant doesn't it?



And this is what I made her. An illustration mounted on wood entitled "Max and Me" (a portrait of herself and cute son Max).




I am feverishly working on new concepts for art pieces that I will sell in my store. I'm trying to learn the PayPal business account now, so hopefully I'll have the store up with a few goodies soon.

My first birdie swap arrived and it came from Phil. You can see his work here, and his blog here. I really love it and the Woog's been calling it a duck all week.



I swapped him an illustrated, cut 3-d paper rocketship. It was a little hard trying to think something up for a guy since I do mostly cute looking things and I thought he probably wouldn't want something like a cute little girl or animal, so I went with a rocketship.



Now I just need to get my birdie gallery up. I've had so many people wanting to swap, and my sketchbook had never been filled with so much doodling. I love to just relax and make something just to make it. No restrictions, no real deadline. It's great!

Below are some sites I've found (or they found me!) with great work:

Elaine
Painted Threads
While She Naps (I love that name!)

The Studio Friday topic for this week is "Favorite Book." My current favorite book is the children's book, Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar, illustrated by Christine Schneider, who happens to have the same rep as me. I love her work!

Speaking of artist who have the same rep as me, Jana Christy does great work and every piece in her entire portfolio (and there are a ton) are excellent. I wish I has as many good pieces. And of course there is Janee's great work too.

The Woog is into ducks so I thought I'd draw one for her.

It's been a busy few weeks but I've slowed down for a day or two and can get some swap stuff done as well as those "just for fun" illustrations.

I have a question for you PC users out there. Does the header on my blog show up for you all? I took a look at the site on my husband's PC and it wasn't showing up. He's got some strange settings for IE but I wanted to check just in case. Please leave me a comment and let me know if everything is A-OK. Thanks!

Nothing spectacular for Illustration Friday. This is an illustration I did some time ago.

For those who are interested in participating in stuff, you might like this.