Begin at the Beginning

I've decided winter 2018 is going to be slow. I usually jump into the new year with guns blazing and a million ideas at hand. But this year I'm shifting gears. I decided January would be about completing old projects, finishing what I start and settling into a quieter, less frenetic time of year.

So in keeping with that, I've pulled out this quilt. I've been working on it since high school and this is the year it'll get done, fingers crossed. I'm only a few rows away from having it large enough for a twin size quilt and I figure if I add at least one rosette a week, it'll be done by the time 2019 comes knocking.

Aside from that?

* I watched Fanny's Journey the other week and loved it. Based on the true story of a group of children fleeing Nazi persecution, it's cinematically beautiful, acted superbly and full of heart. It's on Netflix and here's a link to the trailer

.* I'm on a Sidney Bechet kick as of late. I think he's the perfect antidote to January's greyness. I could listen to his cover of "The Blue Room" on continuous repeat all day.

*And I'm over the moon to be illustrating Taproot Magazine's 2018 covers. I've been a huge fan of the magazine for ages and it's a dream project, for sure.

Twenty Eighteen

Christmas was splendid and New Year's was lovely. I ate an inappropriate amount of cookies and wore pajamas until noon, so basically the holidays were a home run in my book. But it's back to work this week, although I did sneak in this sketch of Alice White as a warmup today. I burned through Granite Flats over the holidays and basically now all I want to draw are cold war spies and technicolor dresses.

I went back this week to look at previous year's posts, resolutions from the past. Some I managed, others I gave up on. But hope springs eternal (or something along those lines), so here's what's up in the months ahead for me:

* I'm working on a couple new projects that are a change of pace for me and that I'm over the moon about. One, I can share about this month (stay tuned) and the other sometime this spring.

*Mama's Belly by Kate Hosford comes out in April.

* And Anne Arrives by Kallie George (an adaptation of Anne of Green Gables) will be here in the autumn!

Aside from that, I'm planning to finish the Queens of England project I started last year (I'm up to the Stuarts), work on some new embroidery pieces, start a book dummy I've been thinking about forever and restock my shop. Nothing earth shattering, just plenty of staying the course.

Other than illustration?

* Last year's resolution to read less (but longer) books was worthwhile and I found I wasn't just burning through things for the sake of an arbitrary number. So I'm planning to read twelve books this year and anything beyond that is gravy.

* I'm going to keep going with previous years' resolutions to sew more of my own clothes. My wardrobe has a lot of staples that I've sewn over time, and I'd like to continue to keep that trend going.

* And I'm headed to Ireland! The motherland! Finally! Any recommendations for the Galway area? Pubs? Fabric shops? What have you? Please and thank you.

Whatnot

Something I picked back up this month, to work on during Open Studios. Speaking of which, the weekend turned out splendidly and it was wonderful to connect with so many delightful visitors. If you came out, many thanks!

An assortment of things:

* I finally have Sketches and Sundries available for purchase! It's been reformatted for paperback and can be found over here

* I'm slowly adding prints, original artwork and what have you to my Etsy shop

* I've just received a new batch of tea towel fabric, to replace what I sold at Open Studios. I'm working on sewing those up, and will put them in the shop as they're available. If you're looking for a print quickly, my Society6 shop is probably the speediest (and most economical) way to go.

That's that I think? November is fading away, but it's been a good month. Thanksgiving was lovely and quiet and I redeemed myself in the pie making department (after a slew of disastrous crusts). I'm just about done with Spies in the Family and the last episode of George Gently was a solid, well-written series send-off (warning: spoilers in the link). I've given up convincing myself I can get by with sweaters and stubbornness, resigned to the fact that it's winter coat season. And I'm chugging away at two exciting new projects, that I'm looking forward to sharing in the new year.

So that pretty much sums up the eleventh month. Now on to December!

Summer Summary

Apologies for the lull in updates over the summer -- it's been a full few months. I'm in the home stretch on final book art right now and between that and other assorted work, there's been lots of drawing happening. Aside from work, I've tried to take some time over the past weeks to step back and recharge. I saw the fantastic Marguerite Zorach exhibit at the Farnsworth, scraped paint off the porch, ate fish and chips and spent the night on the Isles of Shoals. In short, it was a good summer.

Otherwise:

* The above is a test stitch of some embroidery motifs I designed that'll be available in my Etsy shop this fall. I'm hoping come October to have some time to finish this one up.

* An inteview I did over on My Giant Strawberry about sketchbooks. Speaking of which, be sure to check out Anne's work while you're over there, as well as the treasure trove of artist profiles she includes on the site.

* In less than a month, Fort Building Time comes out! And I'm thrilled that it's made the Autumn 2017 Kids' Indie Next List.

May 2017

May is just about done and I can't quite fathom that Summer is on its way. I'm wrapping up the last bits of a 2018 picture book and just finished sketches for another book. In between that?

* If you're within driving distance, the current Andrew Wyeth drawing exhibit at the Farnsworth Museum is wonderful. It's a terrific assortment of Wyeth's studies and sketchbooks, and well-worth the visit.

* I'm thrilled that Finding Wild is included in The Best Children's Books of the Year, selected by the Children's Book Council.

* I finished reading Slow Stitch: Mindful and Contemplative Textile Art by Claire Wellesley-Smith last week and it's wonderful. I really enjoyed the portions about the need to pull back from society's relentless pace.

* I'm doing a shop update this coming Friday, June 2 with some new original pieces. I'm hoping to get back to print sales later in the summer. In the meantime, though, I do have prints available over here.

On Going Goings On

It's been a busy Spring so far. I wrapped up final interior art for a spring 2018 picture book (more on that later) and began working on character sketches for a new project. I've been trying to finish up a few watercolor pieces and some embroidery projects in between. And I'm very slowly working my way through a 2017 personal challenge, illustrating each of the Queens of England.

What else?

* I just finished A Long Way From Chicago (courtesy of my sister, who leant me her copy) and it was wonderful. And I'm just about done with Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities, which is also a terrific read.

* I've been binge listening to the Creative Pep Talk Podcast. It's swell!

* Speaking of bingeing, Father Brown is top of my Netflix queue at the moment.

* And I'm sewing the Moneta dress from Colette Patterns, using one of my Spoonflower designs. Photos forthcoming! I was a bit nervous tackling this one, as I've never sewn jersey before (and don't own an overlock machine). But the pattern is so well-written and the online tutorials so good that it hasn't been the painful experience anticipated. I can't recommend the pattern enough!

Now back to drawing. And (in the interest of full disclosure) bingeing on jelly beans.

February Findings

The past month, in a nutshell:

* I read Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and liked it (aside from the final chapter, which wandered). It's a beautifully written little volume, leaving the reader aghast at the complexity and wonder of the universe.

* If you aren't subscribed to the Small Batch List, run over and do so immediately. Claire puts together a stupendous weekly newsletter, full of all sorts of goodies. Film recommendations, recipes, artist profiles -- it's a delight to read and I look forward to it every Friday.

* I finished knitting Irina Dmitrieva's Foliage Hat and have been wearing it daily. I hadn't knit cables in years and was a bit nervous initially, but it's a well-written pattern and fits like a dream. And for yarn (if you're local) may I wholeheartedly recommend Saltwater Fabrics?

* Speaking of local, I hosted a Valentine Making Party in my studio this month and it was so much fun. I'm hoping to host more events in the studio, later on in the year.

Aside from that? I'm plugging away at final book art, shoveling out from snowstorms, working on a surface design lookbook, loving Last Tango in Halifax and in general, trudging through February. But the light lasts longer at the end of the day and the seed catalogue came in the mail, so I think it's acceptable to start daydreaming about spring. Right?