Love morning warm up sessions!!!

Every morning I am trying to get into the habit of just doing some fun warm up projects...it is whatever comes to mind and I have to say I have been enjoying these little rituals every day!!! this cute little sledder just came to life the other day and it opens up your mind and your creativity!!! so much fun!!! what are your morning rituals?

Follow my Pins on Pinterest Follow me on Twitter
Join my Facebook Page

Tweet

Sweet Saturdays - Week 29 - Come join in the fun.....

Hi Everyone!!! and welcome to week # 029 of Sweet Saturdays.....Sweet Saturdays is all about blogging about something sweet in your lives...it could be art, illustrations, food, a recipe or a sweet photo....or a sweet find in your favorite shop...so create your blog post and pop back and share your link with all of us....

So welcome and we look forward to seeing your posts.....
Happy Sweet Saturday!!!!



and here is what I am sharing for Sweet Saturdays this week....
Cole and his bookshelf....

I am still under the weather....but Friday I finished writing my next picture book....it was the Sweetest thing .....our son came home from school and they had a trip to a pumpkin patch and a farm....they had so much fun and when we got home from school we sat together and he told me all about his trip....and while he was eating one of the juicy apples he picked....we talked about things and a new book came to life!!! This story melted my heart and I can't wait to get it edited and start the illustrations!!! So this is what I am sharing for Sweet Saturdays.....

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!!!

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Illustration Friday - "burning"

As soon as I read the theme this week....and since it is breakfast time here...I immediately thought of something I hate...burning toast....

so I did a quick little 5 minute sketch and these guys came to life...

meet Sally the Toaster....she always thought way too hard when she was working and sometimes she really burned her friends Larry and Moe....needless to say it wasn't a good way to start the day.....but after some scrapping and a JAM session....things were back to normal....

Happy Friday Everyone!!!!

p.s. Illustrators....don't forget to start thinking about your 2011 Marketing ...you can have a jump start and get a really cool deal from this project!!!

Tweet

Can you help me? .... I need to get your opinion on the main character of my next picture book....

There is a little girl names Emily in my latest Manuscript and I have been trying to see here in my mind for the last few weeks....so I just started to do some rough sketches on the main character ....and kept going till I felt like I was close...

Cole has picked his favorites....now I need to ask you all a huge favor...

Who is your favorite from the bunch?

Tweet

Is it the eyes or the lips....or both?

For me it's both!!!! 

I love lipstick....and lip gloss and anything that has to do with make up....I know...silly silly silly....My nickname has been lips for many years....all because I love my red lipsticks...

Do you like to do your eyes only....or your lips or both?

I never leave the house without my lips on.....I just feel more polished with it....

I love the Lipsticks by MAC...they last a long time and the colours stay true....not to mention they smell like vanilla.....and have no taste...that is a big thing for me....making sure lipsticks have no weird scents or flavors.....

I love my reds....and I love my pinks....and I love my corals...what is your favorite lip colour?

I also made some fun freebies for you all....you can use these for cupcake toppers....or on packages or collages....some lips for everyone!!!! you can head here to download your lips.....

Even our sock Monkey loves these lips!!!

Tweet

Envelope Art....how fun is this!!!

I have always loved seeing people create these cool envelope art pieces...they are so pretty that I would never open the packages....so this week the theme over at Three Muses is Envelopes...and this one is a piece I created that is all about Halloween...

Boo!!!

P.S.  I am working on some fun Halloween Freebies you can print and use for fun so stay tuned my friends!!!

Tweet

Do you ever feel like somedays the only thing holding you together are lots and lots of "butons"?

You this whole week I felt a bit under the weather...it was a struggle to get out and do anything....so this piece is a visualization of how I felt when I had to do anything...like I had to be held together by buttons...silly as it sounds.....it makes sense to me!!! tee hee...but the great thing is art never really has to make any sense...it just has to help make you feel something.....

Anyways...Sunday Sketches and Buttons were on my mind as this week ....

Over Mixed Media Monday the theme is "buttons" so this piece came to life in my mind...and here it is....

I love buttons!!!

Tweet

Illustration Friday - Acrobat

This is what happens when your still sick in bed and you take out your sketchbook and your blackberry to see what the theme is on IF ....

Happy Friday!!!

Tweet

My latest book is out!!! Mister and the Gray Whisker....

I am so thrilled to say that my latest book is out...this project was so much fun!!!

Mister and the Gray Whisker is an amusing heartfelt escapade in sibling relations. Mae and Mister will lure you in with their whimsical and adorable Pug antics. When Mae discovers Mister's gray whisker, the silliness ensues. Their story blends humor with important life lessons.

You'll want to read this positive reaffirming story to your children and Pugs often. Mister and May, in 'Mister and the Gray Whisker' teach us all about the love shared even between a bossy sister and her little brother and accepting yourself. Sibling rivalry has never been so much fun!

I worked with Author Katrina Foraker on this wonderful story that reminds us all to accept ourselves. You will love this cute tale and I also hope you love the wonderful illustrations.

For a limited time you can get a signed copy of this book from my website...here
or you can head to your local bookstore....

Tweet

Illustration Friday - Artificial

Emilia never liked anything artificial...she always picked the healthiest snacks and enjoyed everything naturally sweet. At the party she picked up all the yummy fruits and passed on the artificial coloured foods like donuts and candies....Her Mom was so proud! My submission to IF this week...theme "artificial"

Happy Friday!!!

Tweet

Theme Thursday ....words....

I picked three words....Fashion....Dress and Paris....and this is what I came up with....

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Tweet

She was an odd bird...but the people still loved her....

Everything about her was different....she looked different...she acted different....but the whole town made her feel like she was normal...even the Prince dated her to show the town she was just like any other girl.....and not at all an off bird like they first thought....

My submission to Three Muses this week...theme "odd bird"

Happy Wednesday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

A few of my favorite things.....some quick Sunday sketches turned into this....

I was so excited when I read the theme this week over at Mixed Media Monday....A few of my favorite things....I first started to sing that song from "The Sound of Music" and then I sat down and just did some fun sketches of some of my favorite things...

so here is my list....

First and foremost...my favorite thing in the world is being a Mom...it is one of the greatest gifts in the world and I feel so blessed and grateful to be a Mom....

My art and my published picture books are also some of my favorite things...the fact that I can use my God given talents to create art each and every day makes my soul happy and I love that my books and art will be here long after I am gone...I want to leave a foot print in the world...and my art allows that....

I have some more favorite things....

Bees and Bee keepers...
Gardening and enjoying the fruits of our labor...
Baking and cupcakes...
everything about Paris...
Fashion and shoes...
and writing books and blogs....

now these are just a few of my favorite things....

what are some of yours?

Happy Monday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Sunday Postcard Art - Owl

I love owls....I used one of my original stamp designs for this postcard...all of my original stamps can be found in my Stamp shop called Stamped.

Tweet

Illustration Friday - Double and look what came in the mail!!!

Hi Everyone...here is a piece I changed around a bit for IF...this is a cute little Pug character in my latest book with Katrina Foraker....Mister and the Gray Whisker. Here she is asking for double the ice cream....like any sweet little Pug would....

It will be out within the next few months and we are so thrilled with the way it turned out!!!

I just received the first two copies of this book and I am so excited!!! I will let you know once it is available in bookstores....

Here is my biggest fan enjoying this new book for his collection....

and here are the special Pugs that Katrina loves so much and inspired her latest story...

Happy Friday and may your weekend be super creative and fun!!!


Hugs
Diana

Tweet

Illustration Friday - Giant

Here is my piece.....

It is always fun to see the things that inspire a piece...This week's theme over at IF is "Giant" and this week I have been eating tons of yummy cherries that are in season...and I guess I was inspired by all those cherries to create a Giant Cherry!!!

imagine eating this huge cherry....well the Pepper Triplets loved their crop of Giant Cherries...they were perfect for making homemade pies....one cherry was big enough for each pie....now next time we will have to head to their Cherry farm where we will be able to take a look at these Giant trees that produce these Giant Cherries...

Happy Friday!!!!

here is the inspiration for this piece....my Antique French Pedestal Fruit bowl with the most divine cherries...talk about food as art....I love cherries and I love antiques from Paris!!!

Tweet

Three Muses Challenge - I need more of this...

When it rains it pours...a great phrase for this wonderful week filled with several projects that I have on the go...so this theme is fitting for me this week...since I need more of this!!!

What do you think the theme is?

I also thought I would share one of my latest commissions...this is a special piece for a wonderful client....I have 2 more paintings to finish this week...I really enjoy the watercolour paintings....thank you Andrew!

Tweet

Play Date Cafe 31 and Theme Thursday - Beauty

This week is really flying by...wow Thursday already...this week over at Play Date Cafe the colours are so Springlike and fun...so I took these dresses for Theme Thursday's challenge..."beauty" and used the fun colours from Play Date Cafe to colour them....

you have to check out these fun challenge blogs...

Play Date Cafe

Theme Thursday

I always like to take a break from my picture books to do some fun challenges...and now I am addicted to the Play Date cafe with the cool pallets they provide....and you know I have always been a fan of Theme Thursdays too!!!

Happy Thursday!!!

Tweet

Three Muses Challenge - Relationships

When I saw the theme over at the Three Muses for this week....I immediately thought about the relationship between a Mother and her child...there is so much to see all over again and seeing it through a child's new fresh eyes is magic....

it also reminds me to be grateful each and every day....

So here is a piece ...I call it "The discovery" a Mom and her son find a patch of sunflowers and they enjoy the sights and scenery together....making a memory that will last forever....

Happy Creating!!!

Tweet

The owl - for The Play Date Cafe

I just found this really cool place called the Play Date Cafe....they give you some cool colour pallet each week and you use those in your creations...so I re-did the wise old owl from today's earlier post and used the colours they picked this week...what fun....

Head over and check out this fun blog and challenge....

The Play Date Cafe

Tweet