A Picture A Day

Good afternoon lovelies,

How was your Memorial Day weekend? Was it spent doing wonderful summery activities or just hanging at home and catching up on your "to-do" lists?

Mine was a little of both... I spent Saturday in wonderful Milford at the bridal shower for a dear friend of mine. It was such a lovely afternoon and once the shower was over we hung out at their beach house and enjoyed the rest of a very beautiful day. Ahh, I love it there!

Sunday and Monday were spent at  home. Catching up on work, cleaning up my studio (FINALLY!) (o and I took photos but I lost my camera cord... I know, seriously... and so you have to wait a little longer to see them... I have a feeling a trip to Best Buy is in my near future.) We also saw friends we don't see nearly enough. It was wonderful and I'm a little sad to see the weekend go but I know many more fun weekends are in store this summer.

As for today, it has been flying, I even said "Hi Day, would you mind slowing down a little... I have to much to do and not enough hours and I'm still on long-weekend mode...so will you, please..." It hasn't listened to me though... and somehow I'm more then halfway through the day and just posting my "A Picture A Day!!"

Below is a sneak peak at a book cover design I have been working on ... the finished product looks so much different and I absolutely love it but I'd like to wait to show you once I have the finished printed piece :-)

Happy  Tuesday after Memorial Day! Xo

A Picture A Day

It's the Friday before memorial day!! Let summer begin!

What are your plans this weekend? Anyone heading to the beach or other fun summery activities? And what are your favorite things about summer?

For today's "A Picture A Day" I have the update to the image shown yesterday. What do you think?! And a special "Happy Birthday" to the recipient!!

xo

A Picture A Day

Last week was a really exciting week. I think each day was filled with a variety of projects, each very different, and each very fun. It went from long range projects such as book illustrations and websites, to quick turn around headers, custom illustrations, and invitation designs... This is a little peak at a custom illustration I worked on. I really liked the color palette and think the layout is cute. I was given a lot of freedom with this one. I knew cute details about the couple and tried show their fun personalities.

Finished product will be shown tomorrow :-)

A Picture A Day

With wedding season here one of the projects I have been working most on is the custom anniversary listing on my etsy site. Here is the final design of the "sneak peak" I showed you here. They chose Napa, London, and Cozumel for their destinations and wanted to feature their adorable pup as well.

What do you think?

 

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Happy Anniversary Michelle and Keith!

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Diary of a Freelancer: Part Six

The weeks are flying by and I have been working on my own for three months. (How has it been three months!? It feels like last week!)

On downtime between jobs, although luckily and thankfully there has been little, I'm slowly starting to get my office together! (the photo above used to look like the photos below!)

Much better now I think!! Much more zen, and promoting a productive work environment now then before!!I don't function well in clutter. I find it stressful and distracting... Does anyone else feel that way?

In addition, I also got to see and spend time with one of my favorite people this weekend. Deanna Agresti, one of the designers featured in my Artist Inspiration posts, here! We talked about our work. Freelancing. Where we want to grow and our goals for the next year. It was an inspiring conversation and I'm so excited for the work I plan to do this summer I can't wait to get started!! I also have three classes set up and a consultation meeting for helping my blog and business grow and things I can do to really reach a broader audience.

I can't wait to update you on my progress. And I'll be able to show you the finished studio/office/not messy space soon!!

Happy Monday Sweets!

xo

A Picture A Day

A sketch for a birthday invitation. Just like yesterday's it will most likely change a lot before completion. I love this sketch and can picture the final and I'm so excited about where it's going. I can't wait to show you the update!

Currently Reading: The Dressmaker

I just finished reading The Dressmaker, by Kate Alcott. It's definitely my new favorite book. It's a historical novel written about the Titanic sinking, but what was most interesting is that the ship sinks within the first two chapters and the bulk of the book focuses on what happens after the Titanic sinks and how it effects the survivors.

The main characters are a young maid who wants to grow beyond her lower class and become a seamstress, Tess, and British nobility and fashion designer, Lady Duff, who employees Tess on the voyage on the Titanic. The Duffs' and Tess all survive the sinking and go on to deal with the effects of the tragedy on their lives and struggling to move beyond it. A senator from Washington begins a trial to find blame for the tragedy and it becomes almost like a witch hunt trying to blame people and survivors for the disaster. Tess also begins a relationship with two of the survivors whom she met while on board the Titanic. She must choose between a handsome artist/sailor and a wealthy man who can give her all of her dreams.

The novel focuses on class struggles and the politics of the era, fashion and designers, and a historical account of the events. It was all of my favorite topics rolled into one incredible book.

Has anyone else read The Dressmaker? What did you think?

A Picture A Day

A first sketch for a logo design. Very rough and will most likely change a lot by completion but it's a start.

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Truth be told, I rarely wear shorts, but I love these looks. From sophisticated to feminine to casual cool chic...I just might have to start wearing them. I especially love the "just thrown together" but I'm still very chic look of the top two! And I may have to invest in kelly green scalloped shorts or tribal print like the middle ones!

What do you think? Are shorts your go-to look for warm weather? Or are you a more dress/skirt person like me?

A Picture A Day

Happy Tuesday! Today I have another Shh Don't Tell My Husband design for you similar to the illustration shown here. Janine, of Shh Don't Tell My Husband has a show coming up in early June and we're working on a few new cards for her to display her beautiful earrings in.

Below is a New Mom card. It's an adorable gift for any new mom you know! What do you think?

A Picture A Day

Hi there Sweets! How was everyone's Mother's Day?

On Friday I showed you a little sneak peak of the You Tube Header. Today I want to show you the finished product. It was completed for the Channel Ballet and Pink Roses an awesome shopping and fashion site with tips and advice and great clothing looks. She was looking for the shopping aesthetic but also wanted something ethereal and had the qualities of dance.

What do you think?

A Picture A Day

Happy Friday Sweets! How has your week been? Any fun plans for the weekend and Mother's day?

Below is a sneak peak of one of the many custom illustrations I've worked on this week. Once complete, it will be a new header for one the sweetest titled fashion channels on You Tube. It's still a work in progress, and I definitely can't give any details away just yet, but here is a sneak peak.

What do you think?

A Picture A Day

The other night I was babysitting three of my little cousins ranging in age from five to two. So I brought over sketch books, stamps, and told them I wanted them to help me with a project I'm working on. First off, they were so excited to help and since it was a birthday invitation designed for a girl their age they were even more excited.

So the fun began and the few hours I watched them were spent with stamps, and crayons, and the imagination of little kids. So cute!

This is my sketch of them as super hero's.

 Their box of crayons, pencils, markets, and art supplies

One of the sketch books I brought for them, and they each had their own, and it had to be labeled!



I had a great time and got some great ideas for the project I'm working on (more on that later)  but I hope you enjoyed the little super hero crayon drawing.

Happy Thursday!!

A Picture A Day

I'm working on another project with the lovely Janine of Shh Don't Tell My Husband!

I've mentioned her a few times and her work is incredible, the latest was the mother's day card design shown here. Last year, around the holidays, we created two cards featuring her daughter to sell with earrings at her jewelery shows. Well we wanted to update that card, make something fun and springy, and this is what we came up with.

What do you think?

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There is something about soft flowing fabric, feminine details, and floral patterns that scream spring, and these images are no exception... what do you think? Do you want to be a glamorous spring goddess like these lovely ladies?!

clockwise from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

A Picture A Day

It's been awhile since I've shown you a custom dog image, so here is another cutie I recently worked on for a client. Always fun and always adorable to work on these sweet pet images....

Diary of a Freelancer: Part Five

Piggy

This past week as a freelancer has been an incredible and exciting week. Maybe this is the first week it truly hit me that I am doing what I love and loving what I do. I realized that no matter how scary this decision was I'm doing the right thing, and I have enough confidence in myself that I'll be ok.

The scariest part for me, when I was making the decision to leave my full-time job was that the paychecks would not be regular. I wouldn't know at the beginning of the year, or month, or week what my budget could be. I hated the idea of not having a salary. Not being able to predict my income. And since I'm a worst case scenario person and the worst case scenario is that I make $0... and you can't live off of $0... I was terrified!

It was scary, well let me be honest, it still is... but I'm trying to teach myself to enjoy the exciting busy ride I'm on. And to consider myself extremely blessed that I am able to do this and that I have a wonderful support system that continues to encourage me. And while I'm busy and working on project after project I have a plan in place for the future so that if and when I do get slow, I am ready to get more work, and market myself, and I know how I want to expand.

Each client I work with, and project I finish, and positive statement I hear only pushes me further... So I'm scared, but I have faith... and I'm trying to remember what my dad always told me, "If you do what you love the money will follow."

So here's to uncertainty, and adventure, and loving what I do.

And a HUGE Thank You to my wonderful support system... you know who you are and I love you! xo

A Picture A Day

Good morning, how was everyone's weekend?

Mine was lovely, spent in New York City celebrating my sister-in-laws birthday. We went to a wonderful girl's only dinner, and then celebrated back at her place with a candy bar and sangria and the boys, and then moved on to a local bar. It was a very fun weekend and I'm a little sad it's over so I'm going to start this Monday of with drawings relevant to the weekend.

Do you remember the fashion illustrations I showed you here and here? Well this is what they looked like complete. They were part of the gift we gave to the birthday girl :-)

One last Happy Birthday to Melissa!!!

xoxo and happy Monday Sweets!

A Picture A Day

Ok, I need to know, how is it Thursday already!? How has your week been? Is it going by as fast as mine? I have so many fun and interesting projects I'm working on I just want to show you all of them. But for today, I'm only going to show you one :-)

Here is a little clip from a custom anniversary gift I am working on. I want to wait until after the anniversary when my gorgeous client gives the illustration to the very special recipient, to tell you more, but for now enjoy the peak...

Happy Thursday Sweets!!

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It's one of those rainy spring mornings here today. The kind where you just want to stay curled up under the covers with a hot cup of tea or coffee and read a great book or watch a chic flick... And since that's about what I'm doing, sitting in front of my computer wrapped in a fluffy knit blanket with a hot cup of coffee catching up on my favorite blogs... I couldn't help but look for similar images on Pinterest.

How about you, coffee or tea?

tea mug, tea house, no coffee no workee, glamorous tea party, coffee house interior, owl coffee, the grand cafe