First Book Blog-Podcast...Peter H. Reynolds

Check this out. It's a First Book podcast of an interview of Peter H. Reynolds (illustrated Judy Moody....wonderful illos) and wrote The Dot and Ish.
First Book looks like a terrific organization too. I'm embarrased to say I hadn't heard of it before. I'm going back to read more about it.

Gina's Illustrations coming out Soon

Check out Gina Pfleegor's illustrations in the book she recently illustrated called I Like Gum, by Doreen Tango Hampton. It's due out soon. Gina's illustrations are "popping good fun"
While you're at it, check out our Picture Bookies blog. We've got a new group challenge coming up soon, and nearly all of our Feb. entries are in.

The Illustration Cupboard reblogged

This one is worth reblogging. The Illustration Cupboard. (I blogged it awhile back)

Animare Studios

Take a look at Animare Studios where George Schill and Ron Magnes have their creative work highlighted. I think you'll get a kick out of the short flash images called For the Halibut.

Lace Fence

If THIS isn't the coolest thing you've seen in awhile, I'll be surprised. A Lace Fence! Check the other links there as well...so many interesting designs and things happening.
(BTW....someone help me...can you tell I'm procrastinating here....blogging everything I find) Somehow I got on a trail of amazing things, and I've got to blog them before I lose them in my zillion favorites.

PON DI RIVER PON DI BANK

PON DI RIVER PON DI BANK...this is a true cachibachi....just a random blog I found. You've just got to love this for the quirkiness of it. It makes me want to create some pompoms...(like I have the time)

Image Zoo

Image Zoo is an online source for royalty free illustrations. (I know....I KNOW...I can hear some illustrators murmuring under their breath at the very mention of creating illustrations for stock art, but I believe it has it's place)
Anyway...if you are not one of those murmuring illustrators, check it out. You can sell images there as royalty free art. I'm going to scour my illustrations for work that I wouldn't mind using that way.

Illustration Friday-Communication

Communication is the key...otherwise things can get pretty "fowled up" (I know...pretty corny pun....)

This is my entry for this week's Illustration Friday theme, Communication

Fabric Art Journals

This blog, Fabric Art Journals, makes me want to get back to sewing, or using my endless pile of fabrics and thread somehow (What...me ADD?).

Take a look at Julia Kelly's Fabric Art

Here is a yet undiscovered talent you've got to see. (well...some of us have discovered her talent, but the publishers haven't yet...and I can't wait to see who finds her first.)
Julia Kelly. Go see her work. Her fabric art is amazing. She is also a children's writer, and lots of fun!

Check out Kim Baccellia's Author Interview

Here is an interview of author Kim Baccellia, about her book Earrings of Ixtumea.

1001 Journals

Here's a site I may have blogged months ago. It seems familiar, but then again...who knows. It's 1001 Journals. It's a site showcasing artist's journals of all types.

I uploaded some cards to my Greeting Card Universe Site. I'm still not totally at peace with some aspects of the image handling and a few other things, but I'm trying it out anyway.

Animation Blogspot

Have you heard of Animation Blogspot? It's a new free blogging place for visual artists. gaming and digital artists community.
It seems you can move an existing blog to the location as well. I'm off to check it out.

New Venue for Illustrators....Greeting Card Universe

Greeting Card Universe is another place to get your art sold online. I just heard of it today and have begun searching out the terms and agreements. It looks promising so far.

Nicole's Coloring Book Pages

Check out Nicole's Coloring Book pages.

Johnnie Scoutten's art

Check out some of the art here. My favorite is the painting of the sneakers....gorgeous. I think this is the blog I trailed from to find Nutini's music in the post below..
There are many worthy links here as well if you have the time to check what's on the sidelines of the blog. Here's one http://gregkapka.blogspot.com/,
and there is a painting a day from UK too..

Paolo Nutini sings

Here's a random cachibachi. I found it while going searching for illustrators and artists, and from another artist's site that I will blog after this one. I love this song for some reason..it must be my Scottish ancestry shining thru. He's from Glasglow I think.

Valentine's Cake

This is a bit blurry, but you'll see that we tend to like sprinkles in our household. (The cap came off of the sprinkles when they were shaking it). We also aim to please on the frosting flavors, which explains the half vanilla half chocolate icing, It was fun

Victoria Saxe's Illustrations of Insects

Take a look at this video of Victoria Saxe's amazing insects. It's a fascinating view of the process she goes through as a scientific illustrator. You can see more fun things there on 49 Sparks On Design. or look at www.49sparks.com
Another fantastic video shown is of Tom Hershey's Graphic Art and Illustration.

Happy Valentine's Day!

May it be a day of chocolate cupcakes, sappy greetings, overly sweet sentiments, a hug from a loved one, hope, affirmation in a form that means the most to you.
I'm happy at home, "iced in" with the kids and husband after the ice/sleet/snow mix that hit last night.
It's a perfect Valentine's Day....time to bake a red velvet heart shaped cake, celebrate by opening the valentine's day box, filled with little goodies and candy, and be safe, warm and sound together.

(My taste buds are already numb from too many of these tiny sweet-tart hearts.....love those purples..)

The Society of Secret Fairies

The Society of Secret Fairies is a wonderful blog I just discovered after going down the blog trails somehow.

Illustration Friday-Crash

This week's Illustration Friday theme is Crash.

OK... I know I'm pushing it here with the theme....she's holding the teapot very carefully so she doesn't drop it and have it crash.

(I know...it's lame...but I didn't want to post another rooster drawing, which was actually much more appropriate...I needed a change)

Preschool Prelim

Here's a preliminary drawing I did recently. It was such fun to do.

A Mural at Oberon's Journal

Take a look at Oberon's amazing mural. Ginger told me about it. Her daughter painted it. The view shows only a part of the mural. I can't imagine painting such a large mural with such detail and the sense of the ocean she captured. This is only one section of it. There are animals from all over the world showing in the rest of it...white tigers and many other land animals!! I hope she posts more pics soon.
Oberon's work is beautiful. I don't even think she does murals as a business. Maybe this will be the start of some mural commissions.

Illustration Friday's Forums are updated

Illustration Friday not only has the weekly illo posting, but a forum, which is recently updated. Here's one illustrator's blog whose work was highlighted there, Chickengirl Design.

Pictorial History of Costume

I found a gorgeously illustrated book, depicting colored ink renderings of fashions throughout history and nations. It is called A pictorial history of costume or Illustrierte Kostumgeschichte.
It snowed here again in VA, giving us a total of a whopping 1-2", which gave the kids a school day, and a 2 hr. delay the next day.
As a "northerner" I still get a chuckle out of school closings for 1" of snow, even though it's understandable due to the roads being icy and slick.

3x3 Mag Student Illustration Call for Entries

Just a reminder. This looks like a good contest for illustrators. The 3x3 magazine is topnotch. I posted this before, but take a look at the folks involved and send something in!

Illustration Friday- Sprout

Here's my Illustration Friday entry for Sprout. I'm trying to post entries for IF regularly...(who knows if it will happen)

Check out Picture Bookies News

Our collaborative illustration blog, The Picture-Bookies has been busy lately. We've been honored with several new illustrators. The newest member is Gina Pfleegor . Welcome Gina.

Good Stuff

Today has been a day full of good news, and receiving good things.
I received several goodies in the mail. A book called Christian Mythmakers by Rolland Hein. It covers C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, G.K. Chesterton and others.
Another book about G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis also arrived.
Then we have a wonderful new addition to the Picture-Bookies group. Bron Smith. Welcome Bron! It is an honor to have you join!
Another good thing, was a good friend coming through surgery with flying colors.

Wierd Tagging

I've been tagged by Allison.
The rules are: Each person who gets tagged needs to write a blog post telling 6 weird things about themself... as well as clearly state the rules. After you state your 6 weird things, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you're tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog for information as to what it means."Go to her blog to see the instructions...
Here are the results of 6 wierd things about me. (only SIX?) Any other artists/writers reading this probably have some of the sensitivity issues.....
1. When I read anything, or even see things on movies or TV dealing with specific smells, I tangibly smell them. This can be wonderful, but also pretty disgusting at times. Sometimes it happens when I see things in movies or on TV.
2. If someone has an ache or pain, and tells me about it, I can usually feel it the way they have it, such as headaches, I'd feel it in the same area, and stomach aches, in the way they feel it, or pains in the back, etc. (this is not fun with upset stomach situations or other stomach issues.If someone in a car or vehicle even mentions feeling car sick, I am done for, even if I was fine for hours before. When my kids mention feeling sick, I feel sick immediately, but I do not vomit when someone else does, thankfully.
3. I detest wearing flat shoes unless I am in an uncommonly thin stage. I feel like a fat duck when wearing flat shoes, unless they are running shoes.
4. I can't stand having anything over my ears that would clog them or stop me from hearing, such as ear plugs. I have a mania about having to be able to hear clearly. I'm also extremely sensitive to noise, and excess noise, or off-key singing or offkey, jarring musical instruments.
5.I love to find wierd images in anything..whether it is patterns on the floor of my bathroom, or on the backs of dumptrucks when I'm stuck in traffic, or cloth, stains, etc. And I sometimes enjoy dirty images, such as metal grills on the road, rusted things (not eyesores) broken down barns, spattered stained trucks (what is it about trucks?)
6. I sometimes snort when I laugh, and unfortunately have laughed at a few inappropriate times without being able to help it. Thankfully I can cover it up enough not to hurt people..but it is terrible.
OK. Now I am going to tag:
Ginger
Julia
Sherry
Courtney
Vivian
Dee

Roberto Innocenti's Illustrations

Roberto Innocenti's illustrations are well worth a look if you haven't seen them before. He doesn't seem to have a website, but you can see some of the covers from the children's books he has illustrated in the links here.
There are hardly any large images online. Here is the cover of Pinnochio, and another cover for The Nutcracker. He teaches in an art academy in Florence.

ALA Notable Children's Book List

Here's the 2007 ALA Notable Children's List.