Illustration Friday: Brave

So, there you have it. My post for Illustration Friday’s “Brave”.  A boy saving his Mother’s day by willing to taste her cookie dough. But really, would any boy or girl, have to be brave enough to taste their Mother’s cooking!? All Mothers are great cooks! That’s a fact!

Tags: bake, baking, bowl, boy, cake, chef, children, chocolate-chip, cook, cookie, cooking, culinary, drawing, illustration, licking-the-bowl, mixer, mother, pie, spatula, spoon, super-hero, sweet, taste, test, wooden-spoon

Geezers and Cats (IF: Perspective)

Ever wonder what you’re going to look like when you get old?

It’s not something that I ever think about, but I think Mr. Harnish and I will look pretty much the same as we do now, except well… old. We’ll be as happy and senile as ever.

Tags: cats, centenarian, drawing, fleeting, geezer, IF, illustration, mind, old, old bag, oxygenarian, Perspective, sagging, senility

Happy Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is something that my husband and I very rarely celebrate. Rather, we celebrate our love everyday! (insert gag here.)

February 14th is just an ordinary day for us. We might exchange cards but other than that, it’s a day that flowers do nothing for. We’re just happy to be in each others company!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

Tags: boyfriend, celebrate, chocolates, dinner, February 14th, flowers, girlfriend, greeting cards, happy, husband, love, loved one, lovely, Valentine's Day, wife, winter

2009: A retrospective glance and a look ahead.

*RENEWAL*

What can I say about 2009? It wasn’t a great year. Then again, 2009 was a year that was fruitful and productive and full of many lessons. I have nothing against 2009 but I’m certainly glad it’s over with. As a matter of fact, I don’t know a lot people who have had many good things to say about 2009. It was just one of those years I guess that is what happens in the times of an economic recession.

That being said, I’m the type of person who—when faced with obstacles—tries even harder to be productive. In January, when freelance jobs were at an all time low, I began to draw. I began to draw a lot. I started a blog, and for 2 or 3 weeks, I posted on a daily basis. Since then, it hasn’t been daily, but I still post—at the very least—a couple of times a month. As a result of this creative fertility, I’ve honed my skills and was able to build upon my illustrative style. I will continue to do so throughout 2010.

I have many goals for 2010, and although they are not written in stone, they are merely “tentative hopes”. I don’t like committing myself to any kind of resolution. The idea of a “resolution” just gives way to disappointment. Really though, how many “resolutions” are actually kept and executed each year? I would like to read some kind of annual report!

Here are a few of my hopes for 2010:

To READ MORE – I love reading, but I never give myself the chance to get into a good book. It only takes, what, 10 pages to get hooked? I gotta give myself those 10 pages!

Not that I watch a lot of TV but I would like to have it turned off more often.

Recycle more and do more to better our planet. We do compost but the rest of our recycling could be better. As well, I’d like to eat more organic and sustainable foods and eat less red meat.

Draw more! I would like to be as enveloped by drawing as I was at the beginning of 2009.

Eat healthier and just maybe, lose some weight as a result. * I’m very happy with who I am but I wouldn’t complain if I shed a few pounds.*

Quit smoking! There, I said it. Yes, I am a smoker. *Don’t be too disappointed in me. I carry enough disappointment for all of us.* I’ve been able to quit twice before. Once for a year and a half. The other time for 9 months. I know I (we) can do it again, but it is a slippery slope if you let yourself fall victim to the addiction.

So, there you go! My tentative list of hopes for 2010! It’s going to be a great year and I wish the very same for all of you!

Happy 2010 people! I hope this decade doesn’t go as quickly as the last. Let’s savour it!

Tags: 2009, 2010, blog, draw, drawing, economic, food, fruitful, Health, healthier, hopes, illustration, illustration friday, illustrative, lessons, New Years, organic, planet, post, productive, read, reading, recycle, Renewal, resolution, style, sustainable, TV

Ohhh Winter!

Winter is here and last weekend, we had the pleasure of having our windshield wiper arm break on us.

Yay for winter!

Actually, of all the things that could have happened, I’m glad it was only the wiper arm.

I hope everyone has a safe winter of driving!

Tags: cold, drawing, driving, flake, illustration, rain, snow, windshield, winter

So, you see, Santa…

It’s so hard to believe that the holidays are only weeks away!

I am someone who always tries to remain positive at all times. However, during the December holidays, this can be a little more challenging. The stress of organizing, preparing, budgeting, and traveling can be quite stressful. This is especially stressful, when everyone else is doing so at the same time.

Don’t get me wrong, I do love the holidays. I love the idea of having a little time off, only to share it with family and friends. Nothing else. Just that.

This year, Iain and I will be traveling to my hometown for the holidays. This will be a nice treat since I haven’t been home to celebrate the holidays with my family in 2 years. While we’re in Charlottetown, our intention is to first, take it easy; to let all the struggles of 2009 slip away. Then I’d like for us to hang out with my Mom, sister and nieces and nephews. I’d also like to hangout with good friends, drink lots of egg nog, go to our favorite pubs, eat at our favorite Chinese restaurant, etc. etc. etc. Then, do it all over again with our friends and family in Halifax!

And, along with all that, I would just like for us to have a safe trip and for everyone to be happy and healthy.

This goes for all of you, as well. Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday!

Tags: budgeting, Charlottetown, Christmas, drawing, drink, egg nog, family, food, friends, gifts, Halifax, happy, healthy, holidays, illustration, illustrator, Nova Scotia, organizing, PEI, preparing, safe, Santa Claus, shopping, stress, traveling

Lest We Forget

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine came to visit me. With her she brought some things of mine that my Mother had sent wtih her.
Recently, my mother sold the family home and moved into an apartment. Before doing so, she had saved some boxes for me. In these boxes was a ton of long-forgotten things such as notes from friends in Jr. High, drawings and postcards from my niece and this: a drawing that I had given my Grandfather for Remembrance Day.
Read more…

Tags: child, drawing, family, grandfather, Lest We Forget, November, Remembering, Remembrance Day, veterans

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

It’s amazing to think that when I was born, Sesame Street had already been around for 10 years.

I thought I would—along with Sesame Street—pay tribute to Mr. Hooper. If you’re my age or older, you’ll remember him. The keeper of Hooper’s Store, and maker of Birdseed Milkshakes. He was Big Bird’s best friend and by far, one of my favorites on Sesame Street. If there was one moment in all of my hours of watching television as a child, that has effected me most, it was when Mr. Hooper died. Even to watch the clip on youtube, stills brings tears to your eyes. Sesame Street had made his death very much a reality for it’s young viewers.

Even for the remainder of my Sesame Street days (and beyond) I continued to miss him.

Can’t you just picture him Sweepin’ the clouds away?

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Tags: Big Bird, Birdseed, Caroll Spinney, childhood, children's television workshop, Death, died, drawing, Hooper's Store, illustration, Milkshake, Mr. Hooper, Sesame Street, television, Will Lee

Golf Digest

Tags: character, comic, digest, funny, golf, guy, humorous, illustration, slack, sport, unicorn

Bionic Kitty

Tags: bionic, cat, cute, funny, humor, illustration, kitten, kitty, man, retro, robot, show, six-million-dollar, technology, television