*

Here is what I came up with for my friend's baby shower. Recognise the branches? I plan to get a lot of mileage out of them! I have already used them for a bit of wrapping paper for the socks for Paul and as a wrapping for a plastic tube that had M&M's in it. Now it is a needle holder. Very useful!


It is already Wednesday! I was out at my mums all weekend helping her unpack from her move. I love her new condo, it's just right. Last week I sent off all 32 images for my forthcoming picture book! Woo! This week I am tweaking little bits and pieces that our designer thinks need tweaking- pleasant tasks. Finshed my mittens, folding up xmas cards, washing clothes (3 long sleeved stripey tees from the value village!), cuddling the girl cat, eating birthday cake with my sweetie. Today it is raining and I think I will light a candle to keep me company.

2006 Christmas cards

Hello!
Here are the three designs for my newest Christmas cards. They come in packets of nine cards, 3 of each design included. You can now also get my last years design at a discount.

*update!* I forgot to tell the story! My childhood friend, (who I am still friends today with and she just had a baby! ♥) had a toy doggie and bear - that is what they were called, doggie and bear! She loved them to pieces, literally and slept with them every night. She loved to put their button noses up close to her face when she was going to sleep because they were cool feeling against her skin. I believe she still has them tucked up in her bed, all raggedy and well loved. I still have my blankie!
( don't tell ) These 3 cards made me think of her.

We had a nice birthday weekend although the cake I tried to make sort of didn't work. It was a mix! It tasted nice, but I forgot to grease the pans so they would not come out-
:)
oh well!
He is really easy to buy for because he tells me what presents he wants.

Like this tee. He had a stamp image he wanted me to make into a silkscreen for him- voila!

and here it is...

...my new Christmas card! Some birdies (surprise surprise) doing some holiday beak clacking up in the tree. You can look at it or buy it here. The card is 100% recycled paper this year and the colors are slightly more muted in real life. They go for $10.00 plus shipping and you get 8 cards and envelopes.

It is Friday! I didn't have to go to work today because it is Remembrance day. I know I know, we are the only company who get this day off other than government. It's awesome! Without fail every year at 11:00 when I hear those bagpipes on the radio and some guy giving a speech about the veterans who gave their lives for our freedom, I get all choked up. Especially when I think that we have not evolved at all and are still in the killing business to this day. Sad. I spent the morning vacuuming like mad - these cats shed up a sweaters worth of fluff I swear. Lunch time I got to see the baby again! My good pal came by with the sweetie and he is big now! So babyish at nearly 4 months. I got to snuggle him and make funny faces to see him laugh. I was lonesome when they went home so I lit a candle to keep me company and added my card to the shop as well as beefed up my archives page just for the heck of it.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend!
xo
tania

oh wow!

I designed this card for Andrews McMeel publishing a number of years ago, and I was exited to see Liquid Sky Arts found it at her local Target store! WOW!
Now, a few years back my friend found one in Ottawa, as a Valentines card. This was a breach of my contract as it was comissioned as a birthday card only and I called them on it, got a settlement and now they own the image forever and ever. This sort of buy out is really discouraged for illustrators, and I will never see a penny in royalties. The nice lump sum was hard to say no to at the time. They did honor the one thing I requested - on the back it says "Tania Howells Illustration", thank goodness. Anyway, that said, if you see it, buy it anyway! I had no idea it was there and I have no idea where else this little guy may be lurking, but I am proud to say you can find my work in Target! The mecca of fun cheap stuff that all Canadians rush to the border to get to. One of my dreams is to liscence my work for use on crap you can buy at Target - sheets, wrapping paper, anything! My other dream is to find an ethical contract where I get fair royalties and am paid what I deserve.

cards a plenty

I have two friends that I have known since grade one, and this is the year they both get hitched! (not to each other of course) Above is the illustration I did for the upcoming summer wedding and this is from last September's wedding! And while we are talking about it, here is another wedding invitation illustration I did for some people last summer as well. It is fun to do because it is not something I ever planned on doing.

(Just for my own reminder and bookmark :Janet's birthday card from last July.)

Here is what that line drawing flower from a few posts back became. It is for a wedding. She is named after a flower and he is from the east coast, and she said the decorations are these colors, so this is what ended up being the invite.

The full card has 50 candles! It is my co-workers birthday soon. I will miss it, but I will leave this card.

hip hip hooray

My friend is getting married! I made the invitiation.
hmmm, it gets a bit washed out along the pale orange...
I love these colours!