French Toast Girl

opening

Work in progress.

french toast girl

riding the tiger

A metaphor for my life right now. I'm doing my best to ride in peace, wherever it takes me.

Closeup: coffee, glitter, watercolour. These paintings are making me really happy, how about you?

Labels: art, creativity, illustration, inspirations

french toast girl

Illustration Friday: Backwards

I've been working on this one for ages ... it's Alice and the Unicorn from Through the Looking Glass.

The text reads:

`Well, now that we HAVE seen each other,' said the Unicorn, `if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?'

`Yes, if you like,' said Alice.

Here's a bit of a detail shot:

Done in watercolour, pencils, acrylic, and coffee. I do so like to be thorough. Hmmm... I wonder if anyone else has done an Alice painting for this week?

Labels: art, illustration, illustration friday

french toast girl

New price!

HOLIDAY CARD SALE: Each set of cards is now just $10, including shipping and handling! And as always, if you order 5 packs, you get your choice of an 8" x 10" print. (If you've already placed your order, I gave you an extra pack!)

♥ Also please note: after December 15 I will not be filling any more orders for either prints, framed prints, or cards, until after the new year. ♥

Labels: art, illustration, site news

french toast girl

Prints, in frames! Lots of them!

I have been trying for at least two weeks to put the framed prints I have up online. In a perfect world, they'd be up on Esty, or better yet, in my own store. Rather than have everyone wait until January when I have time to figure it all out, I'm taking the easy way out and posting them all here for now. You want one? Email me (take the spaces out of the address) and let me know, or leave me a comment below. All prints are with long-lasting inks on bright glossy paper. Shipping is currently to the US only. Stands shown in picture are not included. And once they're gone.... that's it! And please note: all the images in the frames are bright, vivid, and clear, regardless of how they photographed. :)

The sets: three matted prints in a white wooden frame with glass. Images measure 4.675" x 6.675". Entire piece measures 10" x 20". Each piece is $40 (+ $10 USPS Shipping: Priority Mail, Insurance, and Signature Confirmation. )

Framed and matted prints in black wooden frames with plexiglass. Images measure 5" x 7". Each is $15 (+ $5 USPS Shipping: Priority Mail.)

Framed prints in wooden frames with plexiglass. Image area is 5" x 7". Each is $10 + ($5 USPS Shipping: Priority Mail.)

SOLD

Framed prints in hand-painted wooden frames with plexiglass. Image area is 4" x 6". Each is $8 + ($5 USPS Shipping: Priority Mail.)

SOLD

Labels: art, fairies, illustration, NaBloPoMo

french toast girl

Amen, sister.

Michelle, one of my artist-mama-soul-sisters, has gotten it exactly right:

A few dozen people around the United States have decided I am not good enough, not compelling enough, not original enough. And I let those few people negate 5 years of people that BUY my art, LOVE my art, take PLEASURE in my art. I lost my joy for what makes me happiest.... So my decision is not to quit my art, but to quit commercialism.

It's very easy to get discouraged when I look at all the other children's books, art in galleries, licensed materials, and think "I could do this better" or "There's no room for me." Michelle, Jill, and I have been doing a lot of talking lately, and realize that it's the need to create that fuels us. We would do it even if nobody was paying attention. It doesn't mean you don't still strive for success, or recognition, it's just that you put it in its proper place.

The art comes first.

Labels: art, faith, illustration

french toast girl

help me pick

As I mentioned yesterday, I figured out that I can swing more than one business card, which is good, because out of all the designs I came up with, it boiled down to which picture people liked best. I revised them, figuring that if I had two (or three) that went together, they should actually match as a set, so... which ones work for you? I have two that are my definite favorites, but I'm not saying which 'till people weigh in. For the vertical ones, the contact info will go on the back. What do you think? (And did I overlook some piece of artwork that would make for a great card?)

Labels: art, design, illustration

french toast girl

Illustration Friday: Wired

Labels: art, illustration, illustration friday

french toast girl

Yoga Mama

My illustration on an article about prenatal yoga in the latest Kiwi Magazine.

This is way more serene than the yoga I do now, which I call "Combat Yoga" - where each of my children fight over how many of them can fit underneath me in any given pose. Sophie's favorite trick is to do the Downward Dog pose directly under me while I do it, and then Angela rushes and slides in on her tummy under Sophie (unless Peter beats her to it). No matter how precarious the pose or how many times I tell them that if I fall on them, I will squash them, they consider it a personal challenge to be as close to me as humanly possible. And don't even get me started on the fights they have over the bricks.

Labels: art, illustration

french toast girl

ART, iNSPiRATiON, AND WHY LiFE iS LiKE FRENCH TOAST.