The Oldest Story in the Book

Another greeting card idea. Subject: LOVE. I think I need another vertical segment of bookshelf.

Wine Labels

Finished some nifty wine labels for my mom's stock, on plain ivory cardstock, a little hole punched in the top for some ribbon to tie around the bottlenecks, and one set with cut and embossed corners. We tried sticker labels a few years ago, and getting those off was about as fun as having a candlelit dinner with J. Daumer. Anyway, nice cardstock + a few embellishments + savvy art and design = easy and appealing labels.

And my P.I.C., jealous of paper and paint:

Silent, But Not Slacking

I've been working on a new book project with Starfall Education, which is the reason for my absence in the blogosphere. HOWEVER, I have been able to work on a few other projects as well...here are some works in progress, some scribbly idea-storms, what's been cookin' on the creative burner. As for the two blue lovers in the boat, they are entirely too small, and I'll be blowing that pic up on to some illustration board, methinks.

^ "Boy in a Bear Pile"...and the bear pile is way bigger than what is here! Psst...can you see the boy in there??

Inspired by Cronenberg??

A sketch I did in the wee hours of the morning, around 3 a.m. while listening to the vampire movie "Blood and Donuts" in the background. Which, I was happy to find, stars one of my favorite directors-- David Cronenberg! 

It's funny how I'll be sitting on the sofa, watching/absorbing films like The Fly and Videodrome and The Brood and out pops something like this, all dreamy and whimsical.

This is going to be my new "thank you" card, btw, and I'll be painting it in watercolor on cold-press.

A Few New Creations

Top painting: experimenting with cold-pressed water color paper. I hadn't used it in a long time, but to my surprise I found a big block of it hiding in my art supplies! Arches, too! My next painting will be on that particular paper, and I think I'm going to do a tutorial-like step-by-step of my process.

The last is a small painting on hot-press paper, done for a friend who's expecting. Little did I know that they have a theme for their baby room: "In the Jungle." So I think it'll fit quite well.

Here are a few photos I took while in my parent's forest, "Mom and the Lichen Galaxy" and "Toadstool Fortress":

Happy Holidays!!