Free Time

Last year on my birthday, we went to the zoo.  So this year, I asked for a little "free" time to do some work today.
Yes, I'm funny like that. 

Anyways, here are some peeks at things that have been on my desk in the past few weeks.

new mailing labels (since revised slightly)

new calendar in the works

new format for last year's calendar

Yo-Yo & Yeou-Cheng Ma book I illustrated for Dragoneagle Press

Two new calendars will be in the shop> later today.  And since it's my birthday, I'm going to have a little sale going on for the next week.  Just enter BDAY20 at checkout and receive 20% off your purchase (not including shipping) of anything already in my shop.  Does not apply to custom orders or made to order items.

I'm Late, I'm Late

Happy (Belated) New Year!

I wish I could have started 2012 a little more organized and caught up. But with Dex going on a little adventure outside 3 weeks ago, things got set back and some deadlines were missed. The most important thing, though, is that we got Dex back home... on Christmas morning! I kid you not. It was our Christmas miracle. Santa (or someone) heard my plea. Now I just want him to be healthy. He was a skinny and tired boy after a week of being outside. And he's been vomiting off and on for a little bit, so I'm hoping it is nothing serious.

Work-wise, I am finally nearing the finish line of the children's book I've been working on for the past year. Just the cover and a few revisions to finish. My publishers must be counting the days till they can get their hands on all the illustrations.

Other than that, the shop is now open again. Look for some new things soon... once I (or we) finish planning and putting together Whitney's first big birthday party, which will be this Saturday. She turns 2 on Wednesday. This will be the first party really that Matt will have hosted. Yes, we are not social butterflies, so hopefully all goes well. It's all about the kids, anyways, right?

Special Delivery

Christmas came early to our house this year, in the form of a red vintage kitchen, c/o Fedex and KidKraft. I was hoping to surprise Whitney with it on Christmas day, but I couldn't hide my excitement when the box arrived last week, so she knew it was for her. Plus we were supposed to put it together to make sure all the parts were there, so...

...many parts and several hours later, we had the cutest kitchen you've ever seen up and running and Whitney has been cooking things up everyday.

Speaking of surprises and gifts, I got a nice one over the weekend when I checked my email. My Owl and Pussycats calendar was featured among other 2012 calendars on Etsy Finds. And Stephanie over at Catsparella also included my calendar among some other great cat calendars.

So I was a busy elf this past weekend because of it.



I'm feeling more festive with each passing day. We picked up a holiday wreath this morning and since my office is by the front door, I keep getting little wafts of fresh pine every now and then. I can't wait to get a little tree this weekend and for Whitney to experience her second Christmas.

The shop is only open until this weekend and I may close it sooner, so I can focus my energies on the book. My publishers have been so patient and understanding with me so far, but I know I really need to buckle down in order to do some great work.

Good night for now.

My Messy Desk

Been working on a new book with Dragoneagle Press.
My studio still needs some serious sprucing up. Just a peek at my messy desk here.