Handmade Book of the Week: May 17-23, 2008

Introducing a new feature to my blog: Handmade Book Of The Week!

I call this kind of book a "chunky" journal. The pages inside are worlds of fun. Not only are all of the writing pages different colors (all the more fun to write or draw on), but I've mixed in some fun dye-cut and patterned pages here and there too.

This is a new cover design for me. I almost kept it for myself!

You can check out more photos (or buy this book or others) by visiting my etsy shop.

New Journals and a new Retail Outlet


I dove into journal production mode (post-conference catch-up) last week and finished over 20 new handmade books!

This photo is of a sampling of some of the new books I made. Most pictured here will be for sale at The Bunch Store located in the Bellingham neighborhood of Fairhaven. The Bunch Store is in the process of renovating and spiffing up their store. If you live in the Bellingham area, check out the changes on Girls Night Out, a breast cancer awareness event, in Fairhaven on Thursday evening, May 8th, or go into the Bunch on Saturday, May 10th, during the day -- they are having a fun open house.

I haven't sold at retail stores in a while and have considered doing a limited amount of wholesale or consignment again since taking a hiatus from craft shows when my son was born. So here's to The Bunch!

In preparation for bringing my work to The Bunch Store this past week, I also made a sample flip-out book (pictured here) for the store to use. I've sold these books to many people who intended to use them as baby brag books so I tried making one as a brag book myself. I love the way it can fan out on a shelf. Fun, fun, fun.

In addition to the journals I made for The Bunch Store, I made many new books to post in my own online shop. I'll be starting a new feature here soon called, "Journal of the Week," where I'll post a photo of a recently finished book that I'll add to my etsy shop that same week.

Happy journaling everybody!

It's raining it's pouring

From final sketch:
To the digital "color sketch."
To the final paper collage art:Voila!

There are so, so, many more steps involved in making an illustration than what I'm showing here.

There's initial character research, setting research, character sketches, setting sketches, searching for the perfect textures to photograph, photographing those textures, making the handmade papers (which is an entire other huge list of steps itself), painting the painted textures and that's not even mentioning what may have come before -- the writing or idea phase -- if the illustration stems from a story idea or a story itself.

But, nonetheless, here are a few pictures of at least three stages of an illustration sample I recently finished. Enjoy!

New Blog!


Welcome to my new blog!

I'm hoping to post news, updates and little snippets of my work now and then.

Mostly I'll just post what I've been working on.

This week:
I sent out a few orders including the custom order photo album pictured here!

Mostly I've been working on some new sample illustrations based on a story I've written. Hopefully I'll have photos to post before too long.