Happy Halloween and A Special Treat

Hi Everyone, I have to tell you, I LOVE this time of year. From Halloween with all of the yummy chocolate treats, nights playing dress-up, and frightful decor toward Thanksgiving when autumn really sets in and I get to spend chilly nights by the fire while the days get shorter and then of course early winter with Hanukkah and Christmas right around the corner. It's just such a festive season and the months fly by filled with friends and family and lots of laughs and smiles and fun.

And so, since today is Halloween and the winter holidays are fast approaching, I wanted to give each of you a treat :-) Please enjoy 20% off of any order from Sweet Musings Paperie, my shop on Etsy, from now until November 30. Just enter: FRIENDSANDFAMILY in the coupon code section when checking out.

Have a very Happy Halloween!

xo

A Picture A Day

Happy Monday and  Happy Halloween!

How was your weekend? Did you go to any fun Halloween costume parties, and if so, what were you!?

I spent a relaxing weekend indoors hiding from the snow that came WAY to early this year.  I have to admit though, it did look very pretty, and cuddling up with hot tea under a warm blanket and just hanging out was the perfect way to spend the weekend. With all of that in mind, and with the holidays right around the corner, this is what I drew Saturday.

What do you think?

Copyright Michelle B. All rights reserved.

Fashion Friday: Evening Elegance

I don't know about you but I have about a thousand LBD's in my closet. There is just something so timeless and elegant about them and there is a certain comfort I feel at an event in a gorgeous black dress, it's a staple that I've come to love. The images below are all from BHLDN Anthropoligies wedding line and I would love to be walking around town in any one of these. Such beautiful rich hues and glamorous jewelry... mmm!

What do you think?

A Picture A Day

It's Friday Sweets, and I can't help but feeling like it's going to be a great day and weekend (despite the freakishly cold weather for October and possible snow.) This week, like all the others recently, has flown by in a blur of fun projects, super sweet people, and lots of illustrations.

For today's "A Picture A Day" I'm featuring the playful Ginger. Last week the incredibly Sweet and oh so encouraging Holly contacted me. She saw Amanda's bag on Salvaged Strawberry and wanted one of her own. She sent me photos of her adorable pup Ginger and I couldn't wait to create an illustration for her. Below is the illustration that will be featured on Holly's new tote! I'll show you the printed version next week.

Thank you Holly for being so wonderful and for all of your support! I hope you enjoy the bag!

xo and Happy Friday Sweets!

Copyright Michelle B. All rights reserved.

A Picture A Day

Good morning Sweets! Do you remember Daisy and Riley from last week? Well the final tote came in and I promised I would share it with you / really couldn't wait to! What do you think?Aren't they the cuddliest pups!?

A Picture A Day

Happy Wednesday Sweets!

It's been awhile since I've posted an illustration I've created just for fun and so I thought it was about time I did. This one isn't for any particular project but just for me because I was doodling and having fun. It's definitely not complete, just a study in form and movement, but I like it.

What do you think?

A Picture A Day

Remember "Super Pup" from last week? Well the bag came in this past weekend and I'm so excited to show you the final. A special thank you to Erin for letting me illustrate her pup, I hope you love the tote.

Enjoy Lovelies and have a wonderful Tuesday!

xo

 

A Picture A Day

It's Monday again... why is it the weekends always fly by WAY to fast? :-(

But I'm going to start this Monday with a happy illustration... I've been working with Janine, the same incredible jewelry designer I've mentioned previously here and here on a new card line for her wedding jewelry series! It's been so fun so far and here are a few sketches to show you the direction we are heading in.

Have a wonderful Monday Sweets!
xo

All images copyright Michelle B. All Rights Reserved.

Fashion Friday

"Falling" in love with deep turquoise hews, flowing fabrics, menswear, and a touch of glam. 

Happy Friday Sweets, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xo

Images are from the AW11 Collections of Whistles and Jigsaw

A Picture A Day

Happy Friday Lovelies! How was everyone's week? Mine flew by yet again, and was the perfect four day week, so busy that it made the days go quickly at work and filled with fun freelance projects at night. Don't you think all weeks should be four day weeks, they are just so much better that way.

Anyway, I want to show you a new custom tote. The very sweet Erin contacted me about creating a tote featuring two of the cuddliest pups. Their names are Daisy and Riley.  I can't wait to show you the final image on the bag, but for now, here is a little teaser. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend! xo

Copyright Michelle B. All rights reserved

A Picture A Day

I'm working with a lovely new client who wanted to create the sweetest birthday gift for her friend, and while I can't tell you her name, her friends name, or when the final will be revealed (I don't want to ruin the surprise!) I can show you a sketch I did. It looks nothing like the final version I sent, but it's still cute. It's a study more of clothing than anything else but I like it and it def led to the decisions I made that, in my humble opinion, made the final so much better! So while I can't wait to show you all the final, this will have to do for now.

Happy Thursday Sweets!

xo

Copyright Michelle B. All rights reserved.

Currently Reading: Breakfast at Tiffany's

For the longest time breakfast at Tiffany's has been a favorite movie of mine. I have always loved the glamorous costumes and silly character of Holly Golightly. I was even her one year for halloween in my black dress and dripping with jewelry. And so, I figured after years of idolizing Holly Golightly and all things Hepburn it was time to read the book.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading this. Was I going to feel like I needed to be back in high school English class discussing the chapter I read each night? But I have to tell you, it's a great book. Slightly different from the movie but only slightly and I'm flying through the pages. I'm hoping that by the end of the story I'll understand the characters better and really see depth in them that I might have missed in the movie, and I'm trying not to picture the characters as they were in the movie but see them the way that Truman Capote would have wanted them. That's been a little bit of a challenge, especially when lines of text are the exact same as lines in the movie, but I'm trying. Something I'm really liking about the book is the description of the other characters in the books, some are given a larger role, and some the role is completely different but it adds complexity to the story line as well as serves as another way to understand Holly. Overall great read so far.

Has anyone else read Breakfast at Tiffany's? What did you think? And if you haven't, I have to say I highly recommend it, especially if you are as big of a fan of the movie as I am!!

A Picture A Day

I have a special A Picture A Day for you Sweets!

I've been working for a few months now with the lovely Janine, a jewelry designer in Rhode Island, and founder of Shh! Don't Tell My Husband. Janine contacted me about creating a card to hold her earrings that can be packaged like a gift and easily mailed so that it protects the earrings. We created two great illustrations for the cards, one holiday one general gift, that feature her daughter and have a playful fashionista quality to them. The cards have a fold down flap on the interior to hold the earrings and a space to write a message, and it is all wrapped up in a brightly colored pillow box and tied with a ribbon.

Yesterday I received a package in the mail from Janine. She sent me a gorgeous pair of earrings wrapped up in the packaging. I was so impressed. The packaging works out great, but the highlight was definitely the beautiful pale yellow earrings she sent me! Below is the entire package, card, and the beautiful earrings that I will most likely have on every day!

For more information on Janine and her work, check out her website at www.shhdonttellmyhusband.com. 

And I just want to add a very special Thank You to Janine!!

xo

Holiday Card Design

A Gift for You Card Design

Pillow box containing the card and earrings from Janine!

The printed version of the A Gift For You card

The earrings on the card!

The Earrings!!

All Images are Copyright Michelle B. All Rights Reserved

A Picture A Day

 Good Morning Sweets,

My apologies on the late start to the week. It was a very busy long weekend for me that started with my fifth year college reunion (How did I get that old!?) and ended with lots of preparation for a meeting with Precision Electric to review the current layout of their website and brochure. I'll tell you more about that later this week, and I'll show you the final design that we are moving toward, but first, I wanted to show each of you the update and final drawing of the tote bag for the lovely Erin of her absolutely adorable pup, Ace. I first showed you sketches of Ace last week as "Super Pup". I'm really excited about the final image and can't wait to show you all the final tote. The bag is due in early next week so for now, since I have zero patience and needed to show something, here is the illustration :-)

Happy Tuesday and I hope you all have a lovely week!

xo

Copyright Michelle B. All Rights Reserved

A Picture A Day

It's finally Friday Sweets! How was your week and what do you have planned for the weekend ahead? I am heading back to college for Alumni weekend, the art sale, and an amazing time with some friends that I do not see as often as I would like. I'm really looking forward to it... But more on that Monday.

For this Friday's "A Picture A Day" I have an illustration that is about 50% complete. It's for my Uncle Eddie who lives in Florida and this is what their Christmas looks like. I'm calling it "Flamingo Christmas" I still need to add lights on the tree and refine the images, but it's a pretty funny start, in my humble opinion :-)

Sweet Muse: Bohemian Tresses

I have a hair appointment booked for lunch today and this is how I'm thinking about getting my hair cut. I even love the color but that's a thought for another day. I love the airy bohemian quality of the haircut. It's easy and pretty and a slight change from my usual.

Plus the images are absolutely beautiful. Now I just need to be framed in that beautiful washed out light and I'll look just like the model (in my dreams lol) but anyway, what do you think? How do you feel about boho looks? Tres chic?

Both images are from the current issue of Allure Magazine

A Picture A Day

I have a few new projects that I am working on and one includes a custom tote bag of the adorable Ace!

Sometimes it helps me to do some sketch studies of a "subject" before I draw the finished character and layout. Here are a few of Ace. I'm calling them "Super Puppy" :-)

Copyright Michelle B. All Rights Reserved

A Picture A Day

And the Parisian landscape moves closer to completion. I'm not loving it yet, but I'm slowly polishing it up.

Copyright Michelle B. All rights reserved.

A Picture A Day

It's Tuesday and another week seems to be flying by with way to much to accomplish, but isn't that the story of everyone's life really...

I've been moving forward, fairly slowly, on the holiday card designs. Other more important things just keep getting in the way and I know that time of year is going to sneak up on me faster then I realize. I used the train ride home last night to do some hand sketching and get some ideas onto paper and start getting my thinking onto the holiday season. Here are a few for your Tuesday morning enjoyment. More to come and more completed images will soon appear later this week and in the coming month.

Happy Tuesday Sweets.
xo

 

All images copyright Michelle B. All rights reserved.

Sweet Muse

I had a long conversation today with one of my favorite people, Valarie Cofield. We joke that she is my "Business Manager" but in truth she always has great advice for me, personal or professional. She helps me to see the big picture and look at things from multiple perspectives. And she is always behind me 100% of the time, always helping me to be better.

We had a conversation today about the way I look at the world and how the thoughts of others can affect decisions and the way I view myself. How sometimes I can get so focused on things that other people are saying or thinking that it clouds my judgment. Val was letting me know that when it comes to what someone wants to do and who they want to be they need to have tunnel vision, see their goal, and ignore all of the negative "noise" around them, but not to the point of shutting everyone and everything out, but just shutting out the negativity. This is going to be my goal over the next year. To not focus so much on what other people are thinking and not compare myself to them but just believe in myself.

And with all of this advice she told me about this amazing poem that summed it all up, and will become my inspiration as I work on the things that make me happy.

.

A Picture A Day

It's Monday already, how did that happen? But it should be an exciting week that ends with a trip to Rhode Island for my fifth year reunion and a visit with some wonderful friends! I can't wait!

How was everyone's weekend? Did yours go by to fast as well?

Here is a quick sketch to add to the Parisian landscape! Many more to come later this week and hopefully some project updates for you!

Happy Monday!

xo

Fashion Friday: Spicy Fall Shades

Happy Friday Fashionistas!


It must be October because I'm drawn to falling leave type colors; beautiful burnt siennas, oranges, browns , and mustardy yellows. Here are some of my favorite looks and items focused on the Autumn hues.

Mulberry.com

JCrew.com

JCrew.com

Macys.com

Bottega Veneta

 

Coach.com

multiplefashiondisorder.wordpress.com

multiplefashiondisorder.wordpress.com

A Picture A Day

As the weeks wraps up I'm so happy it's Friday! What are your plans for the weekend?!

Here is another addition to my Parisian landscape to brighten your Friday morning!

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Pinterest

Confession... I have a problem... I stress shop... and after a week like this it's so hard to maintain control and not buy the beautiful silk blouse on sale at J.Crew. I want to say no... but fail.

Does anyone else have this problem?

I also have standard stores that I constantly peruse online... my biggest weakness J.Crew. My friends and family literally make fun of me all the time, but I just can't help myself. I put on a beautiful cashmere sweater some classic cafe capri's and just feel beautiful and confident. I try to tell myself that I don't need another super soft cardigan, especially the long ones that just makes me want to cuddle on cold mornings (like this one was), that I have fifty already, but then the little devil part of my brain says, "submit order." Please, please, tell me you have the same problem...so that I can at least tell the guilty part of my brain to shut up!