This is a little Hidden Picture activity I worked on a few months back.  I went with a color palette inspired by mid century modern Little Golden Books.  

I also created these small spot illustrations that were then used for a rebus activity in the magazine.  I don't usually get to create a bunch of small spot illustrations.  It was fun getting the chance to illustrate things without having to think about composition and working them into a background. 

It's been an exciting month of January for my little family.  Here's to many happy months ahead in 2012 for everyone! 

These are illustrations for a "Build a Book" project about friendship and sharing.  

These illustrations were so much fun to work on because there was a lot of freedom of interpretation.  That's how I ended up with a cat, owl, and psychedelic backgrounds.

Initially I had the owl on "page 5" cheating with one eye open, but I was asked to change it. I guess it's best to teach kids the right thing to do   But I'll try to get away with my humor when I can! 

 I hope you're having a fantastic 2012 so far!  So far so good for us 

I'm still finishing up on the busy deadlines from the end of 2011, but I hope the busyness will continue into 2012.  For a freelancer there is not much better than being busy! I've been truly blessed with some amazing clients in 2011 and for that I am sooooo grateful.  It's nice working with nice people.  

Here are some recent illustrations for a three part story in Guide Magazine.  The story is about the life of Missionary Amy Carmichael.

A young Amy finds her vocation in Ireland:

Amy arriving in Japan:

Amy in India:

Enjoy the rest of your week! 

This is my Cinderella Disco spread from Fairly Fairy Tales by Esmé Raji Codell.  If I remember correctly I was under a crunch and had to finish this baby in under 2 days. 

I have to admit, I've always kind of thought of December as "my" month.  For one it's my birthday month, (just barely since I squeaked into the month on the 31st).  It's pretty much a month of celebration in my family, my mom's birthday, my husband's birthday, my sister's birthday, Christmas, our wedding anniversary, and New Years Eve, with a few more extended family birthdays and anniversary's in the mix!  

It's also the month I've most traveled to Peru, and in Peru December is the beginning of summer making it even better. 

So I thought this image was appropriate for a month of celebrations. 

It's looking like it's going to be a busy December, I'm lucky to have 10 current projects at the moment!  Fortunately and probably for the first time ever all the deadlines are spaced out evenly and don't land on the same 2 or 3 days (knock on wood!). 

By the way, wouldn't Fairly Fairy Tales make a great Christmas gift?  "wink wink"  

Thank you Veterans!!!! The illustration is light hearted, silly, and taken out of context, but the thanks are sincere.  

At the rate I'm going soon I'll be posting just once a year. 

I hope everyone had a fantastic Halloween!  We always have fun carving pumpkins.  

Recently I got some treats in the mail, magazine samples and a sneak peak of color copies of my next book!  The colors printed great!  

We bought a costume for Tibbs and it has turned out to be the gift that keeps on giving.  Not only does he not mind having it put on him, when he gets a little wild it calms him down to have it on, he gets all purry and cuddly.  

I don't think Tibbs enjoyed seeing Valentin in his costume.  Here they are both trying to out intimidate one another.  

And here is the beast back on his throne after yet another trip to Alpena.  

I hope November will have lots of good things in store!  

Wow, I only posted once in September, the shame!  

Things have been going pretty well around here.  I was a fun busy September filled with drawing lots of dogs (just a happy coincidence of projects) and mermaids.  

This one is very different from my usual, but it was fun to do: 

Everything Mermaids is a go!  I'm finishing up my work on that soon.  

I also got to meet my cousin's little girl, Emilia, for the first time,  such a wonderful fun little girl, I couldn't resist getting her these butterfly wings.  

I'm trying to enjoy the fall now that I'm finally done mourning the end of summer.  

I got some new nerdy glasses from Warby Parker (highly recommend them!)  

My brother calls them happy glasses, because they make him smile/laugh when he sees me, and he says I look like an owl illustration.  I'm hoping he meant something like these:

from left to right, A picture I took in Barcelona, a poster by David Klein (), and an untitled owl pic I found online. 

I also now answer to Professor, but I kind of love these glasses, nice big windows of sight. 

Sgt. Tibbs is happy and thriving.  

He's been doing a lot of traveling with us lately. 

Happy September world!  

This was a fun assignment I got to work on a little while back that is now on the current back cover of Humpty Dumpty magazine.  

A few new things.  As of a little over a week ago I'm officially a US citizen!  I was just a resident before.  Hurray for USA, the land of opportunity!  And hurray for no more Visa hassles from traveling as a Peruvian.  I still adore you Peru, no hard feelings please.  

I've also started a Twitter account.  Here it is if your so inclined to follow, but I'm not promising anything! 

I'm pretty busy at at the moment, which feels good.  So I better get back to it!  

It sounds like teachers and students are all heading back to school now which reminded me of these illustrations I did a little while back...

A few months ago I was very excited to work on these illustrations for American Girl Magazine! It was my first time working with them, and hopefully (fingers crossed) there will be more projects together in the future because they are wonderful to work with. 

I even got the chance to illustrate some drop caps for the piece which were fun to work on

Good luck to all of the back to schoolers, teachers and kids!  

I've been meaning to try out some white ink I bought a few months back and finally did for this painting I created as a gift for two wonderful people who tied the knot.  I guess I'll call these the Minnick love birds 

I'm never quite sure what to make as a wedding gift, but love birds seemed fitting, especially a couple that are building their nest together.  I hope they like it!

The white ink was a lot of fun to use!  The rest is done in watercolor.  

Almost two years ago I created this artwork for a Fairies themed webstore www.everything-fairies.com and finally it's up! 

I also made the simple animations that can be seen when you visit their page. 

This was so much fun to work on.  Hopefully this means I'll get to move on to Everything Mermaids soon as originally planned!

The graphic design elements and branding for the site were created by Interrobang Design Collaborative. 

I haven't been making much art for art's sake as of late, or any non digital artwork for that matter.  For the sake of time, and since I tend to ping pong a lot between Alpena and Northville I've even been doing my sketches for work digitally.  

I kind of feel like I need to find my creative "groove" again.  Maybe this is a start, some recent sketches of Tibbs.  So far I've only been able to capture him in sleep, the little sucker is fast! 

Also, last weekend I finally got some decent pictures taken to send to my publisher!  Matt has the patience of a saint for taking pictures.  In the end the final few that we took just for fun with Tibbs ended up being my favorites, they were the least posed and most natural.  I'm going with the first one.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

and that I had more time to spend at the beach ;) 

Here is the second illustration to the story in the last post :) 

I finished this one just yesterday for Guide Magazine.  I decided to go with a limited palette, it seemed to fit the story well and was nice for a change.

Here's my sketchy sketch.  

And as you can see Tibblette snuck his way into his first illustration.  Can you tell I love my kitty?

 I just realized I skipped the whole month of May on this blog! Most of my recent work I can't share yet, and unfortunately I've been doing very little personal work.  That needs to change!

This is a little piece for Turtle Magazine.  

We had TONS of fun in Punta Cana for our friend's wedding, and the weekend after we got back we got to pick up our little Sgt. Tibbs.  The month of May it has been a joy getting to know him and seeing him grow.  He's awesome.  

I think this little video I made over Memorial day weekend says it all: 

This is an illustration to be used in promotion of a project to provide aid and build a school for Zambian children, particularily girls.

It was a lot of fun to create.  I love the chance to illustrate different ethnicities and clothing.  

This time next week I'll either be in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, or on my way there for one of my best friend's wedding!!  I can't believe it!  I will be a nice escape from this cold snowy/rainy Michigan "spring" I'll also be able to bring my new kitten home soon after my return!  Lots to look forward to :)  

Now to get back to all the work I have to finish before I leave...

I recently finished this illustration for a magazine section titled "Dear Izzy"  

Younger girls write to Izzy and she gives them advice.  

I was asked to make a more ethnic and bohemian looking girl, and I had fun with that, especially picking out a mexican embroidered style tunic for her outfit.  

This is one of many girl themed illustrations on my plate right now, they are fun to do! 

Here's a fun illustration I completed a few months back for a magazine story called Circus Detective. 

Jack and Jill magazine, it, might still be out now. 

Things are looking good over here in Southern, Michigan.  It's beginning to look like spring, we have a wedding to go to at the end of the month in Punta Cana! Upon our return we get our kitten!  I'm pretty friggin' excited!  

I've also acquired a new client I'm super excited about, and I hope my current work for them turns out great so that they'll keep coming back!  I'll share the work when possible (probably a few months from now).  

Thanks for checking in! 

Yesterday was great. 

First I got this email from talented Aaron Zenz telling me that he and his kids had reviewed Fairly Fairy Tales on his book blog Bookie Wookie.  

Not only is the review hilarious and amazing, (they came up with some of the BEST quotes on the book EVER) they also made illustrations of their own "Well Maybe" Fairly Tale scenarios that just blew me away!!! 

Lily (age 8) takes on Rapunzel + pacifiers 

Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into llamas, by Isaac (age 12) 

Sleeping Beauty and Spiderman! by Elijah (age 5)

and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs + ballet slippers by Gracie (age 10)

It doesn't get much more rewarding than seeing something like that for an illustrator (at least for me!) 

The day got even better when I got to visit the kittens and find out which one is mine!  Meet my boy Sgt Tibbs!

He's the one making the crazy face (he wanted to be picked up again!)

I love him already

Have a great week! 

This is a back cover illustration that should be out right about now for Turtle Magazine. 

The title reminds me of one of my favorite Cat Stevens songs, "The Wind" 

I've been keeping Japan and it's people in my thoughts and prayers lately.  To easily donate $10 to the Red Cross in support of our friends in Japan you can text REDCROSS to 90999

I finally tried out my new gouache paints this past weekend, and this is my first result. 

So far I'm loving the paints, a set of 18 inexpensive Reeves gouache paints.  

These are my latest Egyptian Mau illustrations for www.ajatarah.com 

Did I mention the kittens are born? (I'm getting paid in kitten for these illos) Five beautiful boys, they're almost 4 weeks old now!  How time flies.  

Here's one of the little guys at two weeks.  

I'll be bringing one home in May, can't wait!