A fond farewell

They say this is "a time for change" and so is the case here at the Picture Book Junkies. After much consideration we have decided to go on an indefinite hiatus.

Anyone that hosts a blog knows the amount of time and mental energy it takes so I'm sure you can respect our decision.

It has been an incredible journey and one that we can all take pride in.

Thanks to all of our readers for taking the time to visit and leave comments. You kept our team buoyed with your enthusiasm. It has been a blast connecting with other picture book junkies out there!

IF: Resolve

Miss Kitty resolves to start wearing sunscreen.

Illustration Friday: Resolve

Piggy resolved to the cake after tossing and turning 

without getting any sleep. 

He thought if maybe he just had one tiny piece 

he'd be able to dream wonderful sweet dreams... :o)

Illustration Friday: Resolve

Rizzy was resolved to find out what was making that noise in the attic....

This week we're continuing the theme of New Year's Resolution, and something that nags at me EVERY year around this time, is to get over my fear of the unknown... in my sketchbook. I've been really bad about doing any free/fun sketching the past few months and I'd like to get back to it!

new year's resolution

My new year's resolution "sounds" simple:

Find more of a balance between my kids, work and myself--or at least try REALLY hard to do so!

Happy New Year everyone!

New Year's Resolution

I hate to be finishing off 2008 with an older illustration but it fits my resolution. Plus family are visiting so it's all I can muster right now.
I resolve to try and be more like this little lad this year. At peace and living in the moment, totally contented. Wish me luck.

Happy New Year's EVE!

New Year's Resolution

With a new baby due in just 5 weeks, I'm not too confident about making ANY New Year's resolutions this year - but better to have a resolution to try and live up to, right?

I'd like to be more calendar-conscious for 2009. I often set goals that I don't reach by not reviewing the calendar more frequently to keep myself on target. Sometimes life just gets in the way, but without looking at the big picture more often, I quickly forget just how off-track I've gotten. Perhaps having a non-digital calendar would help? Does anyone else use a big calendar on the wall anymore? Any recommendations from other more organized illustrators out there?

New year's resolution

As I am typing this, I am sitting under a palm tree watching the sun go down, my favorite time of day.  I will be spending New year's eve barefoot in the sand. Not bad at all, right?

I thought about this week's topic and is not easy to analize and think about what it is that we really need, want or need to work on.

Personally, I need to organize myself (regarding my time) better and in a more efficient way. I truly love what I do and spend a lot of my time researching, brainstorming, drawing and painting. I tend to scatter everything during all hours of the day.

I think I need to work out a schedule to work at home so I can imagine I'm going "to the office", so to speak, and work uninterrupted during school hours. Even days when there is not much to do I still should go in my studio and not get out till is time to pick up kids. This is easier said than done but I really think I should benefit from this.

I can then have better quality time with my family when they are home. That's what is all about right?

I hope you all have a wonderful new year full of happy things, goals to reach and people to hug :0)

Happy Holidays

Wishing you a warm and happy Holiday Season 

surrounded by your loved ones! xo

Happy Christmas EVE!

It's here, it's here! Christmas Eve is here! Hope everyone has a joyous holiday. Love to all. xo

Happy Holidays

Wishing you a season of Peace, Hope and Love.
Merry Christmas!

It's ornamental

This is my favorite ornament on my Christmas tree.
Just look at those tiny cookies and glass of milk!

and here is Ramona.

 She of course put up her tree too. 

I think she might be saving to buy more ornaments for next year... 

.. between you and me, it's a little bare don't you think? ;o)

It's ornamental

I'm a huge fan of Betz White's felt work. Here is an adorable pattern you can buy to create these felt-alicious ornaments.

It's Ornamental

Sadly, there is nothing ornamental going on at my home this Christmas. Preparing for the new baby has taken priority this year - we are really cutting it close getting his nursery ready! But next year, I'd love to make some of these fun and fabulous ornaments from Ellen Crimi-Trent.


You can give them a shot this year by visiting her blog and downloading the pattern for yourself!

It's Ornamental...

I've been making some fun "ornamental" pins this holiday season. Here are a few of them!

Holiday Wish

My holiday wish is that my kids are healthy and happy!  Everything else is icing on the cake if that happens.

Holiday Wish

I wish we could travel to the snow. Last year we went on a wonderful trip to New York and stayed on the most beautiful cabin. Not an easy thing to travel to the snow every year, but I'm hoping maybe next year we'll be able to go. Got to start writing that letter to Santa pretty early to make sure it happens :o)

Holiday Wish

Holiday Wishes!!
My health, and the health and well being of my family and loved ones.

Holiday Wish List

This year, I'm wishing for time with family and friends. Sometimes the holidays go by in a flurry without the chance to just relax and enjoy each others' company. Oh, and I'd love to have my holiday cards in the mail this weekend too!

Holiday Wish List

With our recent move from Las Vegas to Illinois, a new house means figuring out a new studio/work area.

My holiday wish is to create a workspace somewhere that I can be with everyone.

There is a computer space built in the hallway which is a great idea but I feel so isolated from the rest of the family. This house has an open floor plan so a return desk would be perfect in the back corner of our living room.

I found what I want ....

This furniture collection is at Office Depot. I'm going to see if Santa and I can find the right configuration for my new space.

I'm thankful for...

Books, of course!

I'm thankful for...

.. my little ones.

I'm thankful for...

NCAA men's basketball. Tis the season. Yay!!

Thankful

I'm thankful for a lot of things. But the word grateful keeps popping up too. I am thankful and grateful that I can paint and draw. I'm thankful and grateful that I am making a career out of being an artist. My gosh, it's been a road. And continues to be one, ups and downs, unexpected turns sometimes and every now and then there is a pot hole. Surprises at every corner, forks in the road ("which way do I go?"). But the honest truth is, there is NO other life for me. It's been such an amazing journey and I'm very thankful for having my art in my life.

Thankful

I'm thankful for hot tea and friends to share it with. I'm especially thankful that I'm done with this illustration too. I never know when to stop tweaking. =o)

I am Thankful for...

...feeling peaceful. I am more relaxed and content lately, waiting for baby, working on illustrations, and knowing I am lucky to have a wonderful husband, family, and friends in my life. This little illustration will be going into the nursery - and hopefully will remind me as my days get more hectic and challenging - to relax and enjoy the moment.

I give the marie antoinette blog award to...

Amy Schimler!  Love her work.  Beautiful and inspiring.  She's a wonderful children's illustrator and textile designer.  Check her out!

an the award goes to...

The very talented and friendly 

Deb Melmon over at 

Deb's Art blog!!

Her art is beautiful, colorful, sweet and full of lovable characters.

Go take a look!

I give the Marie Antoinette blog award to...

Vanessa Brantley Newton, Ooh La La Design Studio! Vanessa's work is gorgeous, stylish, fresh and joyful with a kiss of retro. Sublime!!

And the award goes to....

The very talented ERIC BARCLAY.

I give the Marie Antoinette blog award to...

...Delphine Durand! Her sketches make me smile from ear to ear. I wish I knew French, if only to be able to actually READ her blog - but you don't need to understand a word to enjoy her fantastic characters.

An award!

We've been given an award, the Marie Antoinette blog award  that is!

Thank you so much Julie Ann from all of us PBJ's. We love our blog very much and to receive such wonderful praise means a lot to us.

Now we will be giving this award to 6 other blogs. We will post a winning blog each day of this week. So stay tuned and visit us!

Don't forget to visit Julie Ann's beautiful blog  full of heavenleigh art.  :o)

first snow

Wouldn't it be lovely to have snow this year?  Here in Texas, it's not very likely, but it would be a dreamy surprise.

first snow

I recently finished working on a series of illustrations about a little fox and decided to make a video with them to display on my website. 

This is it. Snow plays a big part in the overall feeling of this story, so I though I could share it with you this week.

How I wish it snowed here...

Hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful weekend! :o)

first snow

First Snow

This is a 3.5" x 2.5" acrylic and collage painting I recently did. I call it "Snowball Bandit"!

Let It Snow

It is getting cold enough to snow here too. I hope it does!

First Snow

Before we know it this snowman will need a new hat - for 2009. We haven't had a first snow in southern New Hampshire yet, but it's certainly cold enough this week for one!

First Snow

One of the things I miss the most living here in Texas is the magic of that first snowfall of the season. When you wake up to the world transformed by ice and snow, gleaming like crystal gems, the last of the fall leaves shine like bright berries sprinkled with powdered sugar.


I miss that kind of quiet. A field in the country, hearing your footsteps as you crunch through the top layer of snow. And then there were the times when everyone came together for sledding, snowball fights, and getting creative with building snowmen. I hope kids today get to enjoy those same simple pleasures. I hope we encourage our kids to unplug and experience those old fashioned wonders. And most of all, I hope as adults, we give ourselves the time to enjoy those small moments again.

A little first snow magic...

little things

I celebrated my b-day this week and received one of the best presents ever.  My little boy brought me a sheet of paper first thing in the morning and yelled "happy birthday!".  He'd written my name on it, and was so proud of himself.  The little things are the best.

little things

Little sketch of a little girl.

Little Things

"Kitties 'n' Cream"
3.5" x 2.5"
Acrylic and collage on wood board

This is the perfect subject for me this week. Five tiny acrylic and collage paintings that I've created will be a part of a "small works" art show which is opening this Friday November 14 at Custom Art Framing and Gallery 9 in Norwood, MA. I posted another of the paintings for Illustration Friday this week, and I may just post one or two more this week on my blog to tease the show! :)

Little things

Take time to enjoy the little things in life.

Little Things

Little squares from my sketchbook yesterday. Ironically, I was thinking about doing a series of quick little square paintings when I realized this week's theme was 'Little Things'.

Theme of the week- little things..

Little Freddy mouse finds comfort in the little things..

 like with his favorite stuffed animal Leo,

 who keeps him company and protects him all night long.

all things autumn

October

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
To-morrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
To-morrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow,
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know;
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away;
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost
For the grapes' sake along the wall.

Robert Frost

all things autumn

I love autumn.

The first time I ever saw a red leaf fall off a tree, I was 10 years old. 

My family moved to Chappaqua, NY and we lived there for over a year. Coming from the tropics where we basically have "spring" all year long, autumn was pretty magical to me.

My fenceless backyard was an open playground for my imagination. I looked forward to going out there everyday after school.

I remember seeing rows after rows of trees, in all the possible shades of beautiful reds and oranges, that faded into the distance.  The wind made the leaves dance freely and felt so cool on my face that made me feel alive. Everything smelled musky and wet.  

I can still hear the crackling sound of my footsteps when walking over the fallen leaves. Squirrels, raccoons and even deer passed by to drink water on the narrow brook by the back of my house. 

How could autumn not be magical?

I like to believe that my 10-year-old-self is still exploring and playing pretend in those colorful woods... :o)

I love autumn

Autumn is my favorite time of year.

"leafing" Las Vegas

Last week my family and I journeyed from Las Vegas to our new home in Illinois. We were stunned by the gorgeous array of autumn leaves as we drove in to town. Coming from the desert it was like eye candy. This will be our home for 2 -3 years (We're a military family) and I think we will enjoy it very much...as long as we can survive the winters. ;o)