Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! I love this time of year. It is so much fun getting dressed up and walking around in the cool crisp air; getting to see all of the creative costumes. My mom was very creative with my sister and my costumes when we were young and sewed each one. I think one of my favorite costumes was the year I was Cinderella: poor and rich. My dress was split down the middle…one half of the dress was rags and the other side was a ball gown. We ratted my hair on one side and on the other side put my hair up in an elegant twist. What was your favorite costume growing up?

In the above pictures you will see Seth’s and my attempts at carving pumpkins. I don’t think they will be featured in Martha Stewart’s magazine any time soon…but we had a wonderful time creating them! I don’t know about you, but the shape or the stem of the pumpkin always tells me what face it wants before I carve it. Because of the long stem shooting up into the air I imagined a startled face for my pumpkin.

The other picture is an illustration that I just finished! I purchased the computer program painter a few months back and that is what I created this illustration with. (With a little help form Photoshop and Indesign too!) I really love working with painter, it is amazing how much that program can do.

I hope you have a fun Halloween!

Nancy Cote’s Book Signing!

This past Monday I had the pleasure of attending Nancy Cote’s book signing at Barnes and Nobles in Dartmouth. The book that she read, Jackson’s Blanket, was written and illustrated by her. It is a wonderful book about a boy who doesn’t want to give up his blanket even though his parents think it’s time. The story’s turning point is when the boy finds a homeless kitten and he and his family adopt it. The boy gives his blanket to the kitten to keep her warm. This book has a very nice message about adopting homeless animals as well as showing the little boy growing up and able to let go of his blanket. I highly recommend you check out this book!

Happy Valentine's Day!

A New Illustration!

I am very excited to say that I am going to Whispering Pines this March! A couple of my friends; Liz Dubois and Barbara Johansennewman have gone several times and tell me how fun and inspirational the weekend is. I can’t wait to experience it for myself! The illustration above is one of the final drawings that is in the dummy that I have submitted for the retreat. The text is excluded.

Cookies, Cookies and More Cookies!

The holiday season went by so fast I didn’t have time to post pictures from my cookie party. But they looked too good not to share, so here they are!

Season Greetings

One of my favorite things to do is cook s'mores over an open fire with friends. Thinking of that activity was the inspiration for this illustration. I hope that you all have a warm and happy holiday!

Fun at the Big E

This week my friend Marybeth and I went to the Big E. It was an exciting visit because Marybeth was entering a cake in the first ever cake contest at the Big E! The theme was fun at the Big E, so Marybeth decided to create the pumpkin contest out of cake. As you can see in the pictures the cake looks amazing!! The judges thought so too because she tied for first in her category and won BEST IN SHOW!! Marybeth is also a very talented illustrator and you can check out her work on her website marybethcryan.com. Other highlights of the day were seeing the butter sculpture in process of being created, seeing all of the farm animals and of course eating our way through the different New England houses.