Knitting…

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I managed to squeeze 2 knitting projects in between deadlines and all crazy house renos. In chaotic times like these all I find myself wanting to do is sit still and knit… but it ‘s usually the last thing I actually ever get to do.

I enveloped this plate in furry yarn for the Feast Your Eyes Fundraiser. We were each given a plain white plate to make something out of. I love the simplicity of it.

I had to make this hat when I saw it. It’s for a sweet little newborn babe. The pattern is from 60 More Quick Baby Knits. I knit it with the Superwash from Belfast Mini Mills. I think it might be the cutest hat I’ve ever made.

Ok, now back to work… but I will be daydreaming that maybe this will be the year I finish this one…

 

Saturday at the library

Posted on Posted in Illustration, Life3 Comments

 

When I was young my dad used to take me to the local library on Saturday mornings. It was the highlight of my week… picking out books for the week, getting to spend time with my dad. There was sometimes a puppet play or story time too, I have such fond memories of all if it.

So you can imagine how special it felt for me to be a part of a Saturday morning at our own local library.  The room was jammed packed (with even some people I didn’t know!), good time was had by all.

A BIG thank you to all who came, and a super big thank you to Kids Can Press and Robert Heidbreder for letting me work on this amazing project that just keeps giving back to me.

Tomorrow

Posted on Posted in Illustration

 

If you are in Charlottetown please come down to the Childrens’ Library tomorrow morning. My amazing friend Josh will be putting on a puppet performance. I’ve seen his puppet work before, trust me it’s something not to be missed!

Marylou, the children’s librarian, will be reading Noisy Poems while I do live drawings. I hope to see you there!

New Work

Posted on Posted in Illustration, Life2 Comments

 

Sorry for the radio silence here. Our house has been torn all apart for the last few months… but these last few weeks our kitchen has also been gone. I’m finding this hardest of all. I’m realizing just how important the kitchen is to me and my sanity. This whole renovation has really shown me how resistant to change I am… something I need to work on with myself! I have fought my husband every step of the way… that poor man.

This summer was a busy time for me work wise too. I just came across these little puzzles I designed for an Australian company called Glottogon. I think they turned out super cute. They were lots of fun to work on.

 

I may never sleep again…

Posted on Posted in Kids, Life, P.E.I4 Comments

 

At this new house we have lots and lots of leopard slugs. The are HUGE, like hot dogs. They terrify me.

Unlike me, Sosi is quite in love with them. The other day she found some tiny white eggs nestled in the moss in our backyard. We did some googling and found that they are slug eggs, and then we found this. It might be the craziest thing I’ve ever seen… I’m convinced they’re aliens.

getting back into the swing of things

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We have somehow pretty seamlessly gotten back into the swing of things  around here. Both my little ones are happy (yay!),  and we have been getting into a good routine. Ila is going 5 mornings a week this year to junior kindergarten (she loves it!), so that means I get to my studio everyday.

I’ve been working on some new paintings for a new children’s book that will be out next Fall. Unlike Noisy Poems which I illustrated digitally, these are paintings (!). It has been so nice to be able to paint everyday. I think I am in heaven. I’m super happy with how they are turning out.

 

Book giveaway winners!

Posted on Posted in books, give away, P.E.I2 Comments

 

The randomly picked numbers picked by Sosi are 1 and 14, the first and last commenters! I will be sending Martina and Cathy an email to get your addresses soon.

Thank you all for leaving comments, I loved reading about your happy summer memories. I think mine is riding bikes with Sosi one evening. It was golden hour and we rode along on the Confederation trail. We stopped and picked rose hips for jam, then kept riding after that.  Some boys gave us some apples they had picked from a tree. Sosi wanted to keep riding and riding, not wanting to turn around to start the trip back home… it was one of those perfect moments you want to hold on to forever.

P.S I decided to give 2 books away, really wish I could have given one to everyone…

Blanket ends pillows

Posted on Posted in crafting, P.E.I

 

When Catherine and I were working on our Art in the Open project we ran into one big problem… affordable stuffing for all of thecreatures we were making. They were just so many or them, and they were so big, we were going through bags of stuffing like crazy (that stuff’s not cheap!).

Catherine came up with the brilliant idea of going out to MacAusland’s to buy some unwashed fleece. They sell it by the pound, it worked out to be cheapest way. While she was out there she also picked up some bags of their blanket ends, they sell them in giant bags for $10.00.

When I saw them all I could think about was making something out of them. I’ve been coveting a MacAusland’s blanket since we moved to PEI. Their wool is soooo warm and soft and cozy… and the colours, so pretty.

It was hard, but I didn’t touch them until we finished everything for the show. With some the pieces that we had left over I decided to sew some into pillows. I love how these turned out.

** I’m LOVING all the favourite summer moments comments. Thank you all who shared. I will post the winner tomorrow.

 

 

MacAusland’s

End of Summer- Book Give Away

Posted on Posted in Art, give away, Illustration15 Comments

 

I love everything about summer, except for the end. No matter how my summers go, I’m always left  feeling like I want more. That’s how I’m feeling today on the rainy first day of school for my kids, I wish we had more summer.

So here’s what I’m going to ask you to do. Leave me your best memories of this summer in the comments section and I will randomly chose someone to send a signed copy of my new book. That might keep the happy summer feelings going for a little bit longer.

Thanks!

 

big pile of books

Posted on Posted in books, Illustration5 Comments

 

Robert Heidbreder’s book that I illustrated for Kids Can Press is available now! Here are a couple of spots you can order it. In Canada here and here. In the States here and here. Let me know if you start seeing it in the stores!

Labyrinth, part 2

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My lovely friend Lesley came by and took some pictures of our installation on Saturday. I’m so glad she did, I didn’t have a chance to even think about taking pictures. Here are just a few to give those of you who couldn’t make it down and a little look around.

 

 

Wonderland Labyrinth

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I’m still trying to wrap my head around Saturday. It was a great day. So many people and  so much joy. People really seemed to enjoy our piece.

The best moment for me was when we were setting it up. It was early on and we just had a few flags up, a little girl came and started running back and forth through them. It was such a simple and sweet moment and she was so lost in it (the moment, not the labyrinth). That moment was  just what we were trying to create.

I really wish I could have made it around to see the rest of the exhibits, I didn’t get to see much. We did get visited by the crow parade though, with one tiny little Ila crow.

It was so special to see something we had planned for months finally standing and being enjoyed by hundreds of people. So rarely as an artist do you get such a treat. It really was a magical night.

A big thank you to Art in the Open and all the incredible volunteers for making this night happen.

 

Almost there…

Posted on Posted in Art, P.E.I2 Comments

 

We are almost there. Art in the Open is this weekend!  I didn’t think when I agreed to work with Catherine on this back in the Spring that it would take up my whole summer… but it has.

It feels like we are getting there tho, at least I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up whenever anyone talks to me about it anymore! That must mean I’m feeling more prepared, right??

The weather looks great for Saturday, hope to see you there! If not, I’ll be taking lots of pictures and will share them here afterwards.

Here is a little interview/feature my friend and neighbour Bonnie did on us.

Kid friendly studio?

Posted on Posted in Kids, knitting, Life1 Comment

 

I have to admit, back in the Spring when I was moving all my kids’ craft stuff into my studio… I was a little worried. My idea was to make it a space for us to share. We were moving into a smaller home and there was no longer any room for all their painting/drawing stuff (there’s lots). I was planning to have them home with me this summer. Maybe we could share the studio?

My quiet, lovely studio. The place I go for time alone. To have time to focus and work. Was I really going to bring my loud, crazy ( but wonderful) children into that space? What was I thinking?

Whatever I was thinking it was good. These kids LOVE coming to my studio. We pack a picnic, head out for the morning or afternoon and they draw, paint or play… and I work. It ‘s amazing, and so much fun. I still get my quiet alone time , don’t worry. I go in some evenings and also usually for a full day on the weekend.

I ‘m getting work done and get to have my kids with me. Maybe it helps that I’m working on things like these frogs. The girls sit and play with them for hours. I love having them there with me.

Sometimes the craziest ideas are the best ideas.

A Blue Couch

Posted on Posted in Life1 Comment

 

I can’t say I sew because I LOVE sewing. I sew because I like to have nice things…things I can’t usually find here on PEI, or if I can, I can’t afford them.

That is how I found myself sewing our new blue slipcover. I can think of many, many things I’d like to do rather than sew a gigantic slip cover… but I’m super happy I did it. Our old gross couch is brand new again, and clean and so lovely. Everyone looks pretty sitting on this couch…

Especially this new pillow I made too. I found an amazing framed needlepoint at our local thrift store and thought it would make a great pillow. What I really wanted to do with the couch was this , but this is almost just as good…

The cost of the entire project? 140$. No joke. Throw in some sweat and tears and you have an almost new couch! It should last us another couple of years, until then, this one is making us all very happy.

Art in the Open: Sneak Peek

Posted on Posted in Art, P.E.I

 

A little sneak peek at what I’m working on for Art in the Open. Catherine and I are building a 65’x65′ labyrinth out of fabric which will be inhabited by all sorts of creatures, toadstools and tree stumps.

Yes, I said 65 feet x 65 feet… I need to seriously get busy!