elementary memories

It was 3rd Grade, Riggin Avenue School.  My teacher was so kind and i do think of her every single time i inhale the sweet fragrance of a pink Pearl eraser.  If i could find her today, i would write something just like this for her, and i would probably add that i so loved how she patiently corrected my math mistakes and wore pretty clothes every day that matched her shoes, and i would say Thank You So Much, from my heart.

Spring Friends

These little girls come to my mind often...and i believe a story is brewing....or simmering....

Grimms Fairy Tales 200th Anniversary

In celebration of the 200th Anniversary this week of the Grimms' Fairy Tales, I bring you my version of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf as her 'Grandma'.

I have a feeling that 'Grandma's heart is melting, and, I see tea and cookies in their very near future.

Moral to the story? ~ Illustrators! take your doodles and grow them out into a little story whenever possible!

doodles & friends

Here is a little girl i doodled some time ago.  She was sweet and there are two things about her you should know. First, she's on a search for an even bigger flower hair bow.  Secondly, she really likes it when her bangs are kept back by her headband. She loves her forehead to show.

Here below is the same little girl doodle, but she wanted some company in the final illustration ~ so here they are.  

cheery thoughts

As with crayons and colored pencils, i can't imagine life without Sharpies.

Library Love Story

Ha.Ha.  Not the kind of love story one might expect, I'm happy to say.

More like, LOVE of the LIBRARY.

All the treasures tucked away on their shelves.  All the places to go once reading begins.

All the splashes of color to discover on the shelves, and in the pages of beloved books.

Can't imagine life without the library.

But sometimes i must imagine the tranquil quiet of the library.

Crayons.  Colored Pencils. Dreaming & Doodling.
The carefree-ness of imagination and creating whatever comes to mind.


These are staples of childhood, wouldn't you say?
Or, should be . . .


Sadly, turns out that our crayons and colored pencils are suffering!


I heard today from a wonderful children's book writer about this article noting that it isn't what we
might think at first that is the biggest threat to these treasures, such as computer games or the internet - - - but rather just the TIME for creating!


Crazy, right?!


Jeepers!!


So . . . what if we all pack up some crayons, colored pencils and scraps of paper, or folded paper piles, or little notebooks even, and hand them out whenever and wherever to whomever  ---  to inspire and refresh creativity, one human being at a time?

        just thinking out loud here. . . using my imagination. . .   =) 


        would sure love to hear your thoughts on this  ~

Kelly froze.  She'd been saving her chewed bubblegum for so long just for today and now it looks like there'll be red hairs all over her collection. Just great.

i heart birds!

Listening to birds singing outside is just awesome and a favorite part of my day!  i have this little wooden (as of yet unpainted) bird that i took out for a look around.

  she wanted to sit in the shrubs, listening quietly to the singing going on all around . . .

 another leafy bush to rest on and listen some more. . . 

and finally right by a few sweet little birdhouses that are a bit too small for her, but still fun to visit.

Throughout today, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, thoughts of the preciousness of people no matter what shade of skin they wear have been floating through my mind as I work.  


These little best friends popped into my brain and wanted to be here.  


That's how illustrations sometime work ~ most especially with character development. Sometimes there is a need for a specific character, and sometimes there isn't.  


Characters we create, whether written or illustrated can often rise up from experiences, or places we've been, or emotions we've noticed or felt, or from amazing people who care.  The kind of care that makes a difference.