It seems I have vases on the brain! Also patterns- a little doodle I just did instead of trying to nap with Finch. We had a really lovely holiday full of family and chocolates. My mum found this awesome book at Costco of all places just rambled in among the other discount cookbooks and things--
It is of course, fantastic-- oh crumbs, awake kid calling...
I love the google home page today! Mary Blair's 100th birthday! So cute-
Have a look at the Magic of Mary Blair. So lovely!
Here is an explanation, which I haven't even read yet... trying to get some work done during naptime. Who knew drawing a tent, a tractor and a chef hat would be tricky! Details to follow!
I finally had to draw apples for work! I love apples. Finch calls them apukies. These were the rejects- not appley enough- but I like them. They are for some bread packaging. I did them during naptime, which it is again now. I should really be trying to sleep too but there you go. It is amazing how little I can get done for myself these days. It is getting better slowly though. I am working on thumbnails for the next book- not sure if I can tell you what it is yet or not... Finch just turned 17 months and is a chatty little guy. I love to observe his growing vocabulary. He is always very pleased when I know what he is saying in his funny language. He continues to be so yummy I want to eat him on a cracker. I try and snuggle him non stop, imagining the day when he might be more boyish and not want so much cuddling. He has had a bit of a cold this week so we have not been going to our local parenting center, which I miss doing because there are other adults there and coffee for free.
I am blogging and he is napping! Triumph! I am starting to be able to not nap with him daily- some days I can't fall asleep, others I feel exited and creative , like today. Also like Saturday, when I made some freezer paper stencils in a mad frantic crafting session. It was great! A bit of a washed out picture, but there you go. I ofcourse I am thrilled with the tea one, since I am a fan of tea.
My goodness, the summer is nearly over and its been so lovely. Babies get way better after they turn a year old. Finch cracks me up daily and is so cuddly and gives hugs and kisses. He is starting to sleep a tiny bit better and so I am starting to feel a bit more human and creative. We have spent lots of time at parks, in the "AAN" - the sandbox with the "mammies" -tractors and "diddin" - diggers. He likes the wading pool which is a development from the start of the summer when he would just hold his leggies up in the air like a frog. Garbage day is desperately exiting when the "baum" -garbage truck- comes right down our street.
A real honest to goodness rainbow at the back of our house! A good omen for a nice autumn I hope.
Things will start to get busy around here as I start work soon on not one, but two new books in tandem- gulp! I am blessed to be staying home with Finch, but I will be working...somehow, sometime! At nap time? hrm...a work in progress.
Here is a new section called...."Guess what?"
- I am getting a couple of brain cells back!
-I am enjoying the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency on DVD- I found it at a garage sale! I loved the books and I love the series! It makes me feel so good inside, a kind warm show to see.
-I am limping along with an English paper piecing project with some slighly uneven bits bits of fabric. I don't even care! Such is crafting for me lately - working fast before I get interrupted. Good enough is good enough. I am making a litle purse, I think, with squares.
-Knitting a dishcloth which I have frogged 7 times! Yes 7, cant get it right and the decreases keep going bonkers. This is it though, I am not frogging it again. It is called the idiots dishcloth for heavens sake. I just need to look it up online, to get it right. OHHHH! It's TWO decreases on only ONE side!!! boy oh boy. Now I am cooking with gas.
- I did this banner for this blog- Dr. Lisa'a Booklist. I think they liked it okay!
-Finch and I went to the workroom the other day and aren't they having a sale?? So I had to buy some fabrics for only five bucks a yard!! see below- YUM!! I am going to make a easy easy skirt with an elastic waist for fall, with the apples.
It was so very exiting to receive my copy of the book in Korean! I love the shapes of the words.
It looks beautiful!
Yes, it's me! If anyone ever even checks in here anymore, I thought I would update you since I have a moment of energy after getting finch to bed by 7:45 and the fact that these photos were taken by someone else attending this event and I don't have to re-size them or anything like I do with ones we take. Plus the ones we take are all on the laptop and I use my desk top for blogging, etc etc.
Here is me and Lana, the author of Willow's Whispers, backstage at the Blue Spruce awards! Our two little sign carriers led us onto the stage where , what seemed like a billion, screaming school kids awaited us. It was amazing!
Here are my unbelieveable co- nominees! Click to see them bigger- I was so honored to be a part of this group, you have no idea. This was a big deal, and I didn't really realise that until I got there. Yay!
It has been a really busy little while. There were the above awards, which my whole family attended! There have been two different full days of school visits where I go and talk about the whole process of book illustrationg and about Willow's Whispers. One of those presentations was on my and Finch's birthday! Phew. My baby turned one and I turned 36. Where did the year go? He is just about to walk and is really starting to get things.
There have been lots of things I would normally have blogged about. Handsome desserts, great books, pretty flowers and cute baby moments, but I tell ya, the sleep deprivation thing has me just squeaking by. I nap with him, so those idyllic free hours I imagined I would have, to craft and drink coffee, with the baby snoozing serenely in the other room, never happen. I have never even attempted to put him down into the crib to nap, so desperate am I for some zzzz-s. We just nap together on the bed. It is rather lovely actually. Looks like we will soon be on only one nap a day though... hrm...
Happy spring!
I love this time of year!
It's been nice doing these little drawings for the running club! It is what I consider my
"older style" but I guess its not really that. I just don't often do these types of watercolors anymore, unless asked specifically.
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I managed to get over to Leya's blog for the first time since I was preggers- Now we both have little baby boys! I loved scrolling though all her posts about him and her new life and it made me feel a bit sad that I have not done the same. I think I may have blogged more if the sleeping thing were better- ie: if i didnt go to bed at 7:00 or as soon as I got him down for his first 7 or so months. Pure exhaustion. I guess I also thought I might not like to plaster him all over the internets. Oh well- choices made- it almost feels like my experiences arent as real if I dont put them up here! Thats how long I have been blogging! It gave me a wierd sense of regret not havng documented his growth here more. However, that does not mean we dont have pictures! MY goodness, kids of the digital age are the most documented ever, n'est ce pas? I love the little movies we take as well...
Anyway- all that to say HI! I am still here! Finch is 11 months this week - extraordinary. He is babbling away, moments from taking his first steps and getting quite opinionated about certain things like not wanting to get out of the bath or sit in his high chair until he is good and ready. He wants to go through all the kitchen cupboards and loves trucks and dogs when we go for our walks.
yummy! a treat from hubby-
