I’m happy to finally be sharing with you something that has been so close to my heart for this past year. It’s  called “Noisy Poems for  a Busy Day”, it’s a collection of fun children’s poems… and I illustrated it!!!

It is going to be published by Kids Can Press and is due to be on shelves by this coming December. It was written by  Robert Heidbreder. He’s a retired school teacher living in Vancouver, who now works as a children’s book author.

Every part of this project has been a dream come true for me. I’m still pinching myself to believe it’s all real. Robert’s poems were a complete joy to illustrate, he was so supportive of my work .

I feel thankful that my art director Yvette saw the potential in me for this book. It was a crazy amount of work, but I feel like the luckiest person in the world that I got to do it.

I hope once it’s out there in the world it will bring as much happiness to others as it has brought to me!

I haven’t had too much to say these day, I’ve just been savoring these wonderful moments leading up to Christmas (and the completion of a project I’ve been working on for months, YAY!).

I love how these last days before Christmas are full of excitement of the gifts you’re going to give. There have been many late nights working away (my husband is making bunk beds for xmas!).

I’m also feeling so happy that I finally got to settle in to my studio. This place doesn’t look like much… but trust me it is full of magic!

I thought it was fitting that my first day in the studio was spent knitting doll clothes for Ila. Feels so good to be knitting again.

I’m  feeling so grateful for my little family who finally are all heathy (knock on wood) and  for all the family,  friends and neighbours that  we will be seeing and sharing time with over the next few days.

I am wishing you much happiness and coziness and love this holiday season.

* For a real treat check out these Christmas song/simple animations at Hallo Heute, she’s posted one for each day of December. It’s impossible to choose a favourite, they are all so good!*

Merry Christmas!!!

Our little monkey turns 3 tomorrow. My parents are visiting so we decided to have an early celebration last night. I know I say the same thing each year… but I can’t believe she’s 3! Where does the time go? That’s how old Sosi was when we moved here and I can’t help comparing them. They seem worlds apart but also exactly the same.

Happy birthday my sweet sweet girl.

This past weekend I dove into the Christmas crafting head on. I’m not sure if my family members always enjoy the homemade gifts they get from me, but each year I simply can’t help myself. I just gotta make stuff! Sosi, inspired by her mama, decided to start a little project of her own using this nifty little spool knitter from some friends.

Early Monday morning she came happily bounding into my room crazy eyed and exclaimed she had been up since 4:00 knitting this tail warmer for Angelo! I rolled over to my husband exasperated, and wondered out loud why on earth she would do such a crazy thing (not the tail warmer *so awesome*, the 4:00 wake up part ) and my husband just answered, “… well, she IS your daughter.” Ah, yes… she is.

walking my favourite 6 year old and 7 seven old  home from school,

these beautiful days we’ve been having,

this breathtaking place where we live,

the little lady she’s becoming,

the quirkiness of her,

how much fun they have together,

everything about this man I’ve been lucky enough to have in my life for the past 16 years,

the pure joy these two bring,

this secret project that i’m loving to work on everyday… hoping to share more here soon,

my new glasses that are making working on said project much easier,

the magic that happens when you take the time to enjoy these little things each day. While we sat here watching this sunset Ila told me from the backseat of the car I had the the sunset in my hair.

Some other things I’m loving :

all three seasons of “Bored to death”.   The cuteness and chemistry of the 3 main characters makes me very very  happy.

this website: Day after day in Nod

I can’t stop listening to Feist’s new album “metals”. I’m in love.

What are you loving these days?

I have an illustration in this month’s Best Health magazine. It’s an article about what not to feed your pet.

… my kitty, as you can see, found it very interesting!

Happy weekend!

I’ve finally finished my striped study shawl. I think it may be the longest (stitches and time wise) thing I have ever had on my needles. Painful to knit (tiny needles… soooo many stitches!), but absolutely worth it. I LOVE it! It is a tiny bit of heaven wrapped around my shoulders. The yarn is 100% alpaca (so soft). I got a great deal on the yarn from the yarn lady (I should really learn her name) at the Farmer’s Market. I have a ton left and have already started thinking of what I can make next… maybe this?

With the recent drop in temperature (brrr!) in these parts I finally got to try out the heated mattress pad I got for my birthday present from Paul and the girls. I don’t know why I have never had one of these before. It is beyond cozy! Our bedroom is not a very well heated room in an old not very well heated house. Getting into a cold bed on a cold night can be down right painful…. but now it’s like getting into a warm bath! For someone who hates to be cold, it is the perfect gift. I’m a happy (and warm) woman.

Some recent custom pieces… I feel so lucky that people ask me to do these for them. They are always so much fun! The top one is of a cute family from White Rock, B.C, the bottom one is of a girl and her pirate kitty. They travel the world together.

Some illustrators I’ve recently discovered and have been really enjoying:

Sachiko Umoto (so wish I could understand Japanese)

Ina Hattenhauer  and her  blog.

Happy weekend!

Paul spotted some gnomes in our garden this weekend. :)