Hosting a winner!

I had the marvelous opportunity of hosting Caldecott Award winner, Eric Rohmann this weekend at a conference. He wrote and illustrated My Friend Rabbit, Time Flies, The Cinder-Eyed Cats, Pumpkinhead, and Clara and Asha. His work is inspiring, creative, dynamic, beautifully crafted and ever-evolving. As a person, he is very friendly, kind, charismatic and generous. He was always ready to give advice...

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Illustration Friday: Cats

Everyday, my 2 year old comes to me with her mini-Magna Doodle and wants me to draw her a kitty. Here's today's kitty. Give me a break...the drawing surface is about 3 inches or so wide so there isn't much detail.The painted illustration is from a post I posted a week ago...I guess I should've waited for the topic. Anyway, I'm reposting it under illustration Friday. Sorry for the repeat to anyone...

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When I grow up

I just thought I'd share this with all of you.My mother was going through old boxes and found a newspaper article she'd saved about me (when I was in fourth grade). I had been nominated to be the Evansville Courier (local paper) "All-Star Student." I can't believe that when I was only nine years old I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up...and I'm doing it. How lucky am I? Just in case you can't...

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Belly in the Mud

Here's the double page spread for "my pig Lynn" from the Already Asleep book. Any critiques? I think we need more of those honest critiques on these blogs. So how about ...

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Illustration Friday: "E" is for...

"E" is for Entomologist. My cousin's husband is an entomologist. So in tribute to him...maybe little John here will grow up to be one too. Although, which of us didn't put a few bugs in jars. (This is another illustration completed for "Already Asleep...

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Finding the time

So there was a comment posted to my cat picture below asking how I find the time to illustrate and raise 3 kids (7 and under). Let me tell you...this week it's been hard. 2 of the 3 came down with colds and ear infections and ultimately RSV. On top of that, my husband has been at a conference for 3 days during this. I usually work during naps and at night after 8pm. I'm up late and up early. I also find time when they are playing happily. My 4 year old and 7 year old play pretty well by themselves,...

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Double Page Spreads

After completing all the spots for the Already Asleep book, I've been working on the double page spreads. On every one I've put a cat and mouse playing "cat and mouse." In this one, I've put things from the preceeding spot illos in the double page spread b/c that is what little John has done all day to make him so tired...balls, bugs, trucks and trees. In each double page spread I've also put the...

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Illustration Friday: Sea (of people)

I was trying to think of a non-traditional way to look at the word "sea." The only thing I could come up with was the phrase "sea of people." Being a somewhat vertically challenged person myself (only 5'1"), I've always had a slight phobia of being in large pushing crowds. (I had a little crushing incident in 5th grade when I went to see the US President speak at a stadium and they let the balloons...

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