Currently Reading: Size 12 And Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot

Over the last few weeks since I purchased my nook I have been reading like crazy. I've read all four Heather Wells series by Meg Cabot in about a week. I don't read a ton of "chic lit" but sometimes its the perfect easy read and just a true guilty pleasure for me.

These series are chic lit mixed with a mystery novel and I've absolutely loved all of them. The story is about Heather Well's a size 12 ex-pop star who is trying to restart her life after being fired from her record label for wanting to sing her own songs and her mom ran off with her manager as well as her life savings. She has an incredible spirit and starts over her life living in a brownstone with her landlord, who also happens to be her ex-fiance's brother and current love of her life, two blocks from a residence hall at New york College where she is the assistant director and responsible for all of the students living their. Hilarity and crime solving ensues as Heather tries to find a new path for herself as well as the murders who have been responsible for her residence hall's new nickname "Death Dorm."

Looking for an easy read and a hilarious mystery check out the Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot.

Diary of a Freelancer

In case you were wondering I look nothing like my fashion illustrations on a regular day. I'd love to tell you that I get up every morning put on a stylish outfit inspired by my favorite designers, but really if I get out of my pajamas before 4pm it's a good day.

That doesn't stop me from buying clothes and shoes and bags that I find completely gorgeous and draw quite often, but I really only put them on if I'm going someplace. So in honor of the "things" that I rarely wear, this is what I actually look like and what I wish I looked like today. Today I have on magenta legging jeans, a black and grey striped sweater, and no, those aren't cute black booties, they are majorly fluffy sweater socks, my glasses, and a very messy top knot... I wish I looked as chic as the girl on the right... and minus the leather jacket, which I am currently on the look for, I do have all of the other pieces, I just don't happen to be wearing them.

What do you think? Do you work from home and get dressed everyday, or if you did would you?

A Picture A Day

I love my job, I know I've said this before, but I really really do. I have days when I look around and I think, I can't believe this is what I do for a living, it's wonderful. I love my clients, and the exciting and always new projects I am able to work on. I also love the days when I get so into a vision, image, or theme and draw for no reason other then I just enjoy drawing and it's completely for me. The image above is an example of this. I have been loving 1920's imagery, art deco design, and the entire glamorous looks of that era.

What do you think?

A Picture A Day

I recently worked with the lovely Amanda Khalil of the blog Port Washington Mama on a blog and facebook character illustration as well as a business card and thank you card design. It was so much fun working with her creating such a cute illustration. Follow her blog and like her on facebook. It's an awesome blog for all of the Mama's, and residents, of Port Washington.

A special "Thank You" to Amanda for choosing my illustrations and for allowing me to create such a fun illustration for you!

Have a lovely weekend Sweets!
xo

Currently Reading

I recently finished two incredible books that I need to tell you about! One was The Satorialist Closer by Scott Schuman and the other is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

In Closer, it's more of a book of photos then an actual story but it was incredible. The book is divided into sections, and there are short blurbs to describe a few of the sections, some of his inspiration, and reasons behind his photos. It was pretty awesome. The layout of the book was perfect. Each photo of each page compliments the photo on the facing page in layout or color or style. There is so much fashion, unique examples of style, and just people being people and what makes personal style and culture, and individuality. I loved it. And since I purchased it  I have flipped through it numerous times and each time I pick a new photo, image, or style that I love / start to obsess over. You really should go check it out :-)

The next book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was my first book ever read on an e-reader. I got a nook and was a little unsure about the whole thing. I thought I would miss pages but it was actually really cool, easy, and I am a little obsessed now. So anyway, I digress, so I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower since I want to see the movie when it comes out. It was really cool. Told through the eyes of Charlie who writes letters to an unknown person whom he always addresses Dear Friend. Charlie is shy and anxious and does not have that many friends. He is quiet and observant and overly emotional. His letters personal stories and accounts of his days. Things he wouldn't really tell anyone else with the exception of his two best friends. He struggles with a lot of things and through the course of the book his struggle unravel until you find the source. It's an intense story. Not very light at all but it was so well told. The story overall was sad but still so good all at the same time. Just don't read it if you are looking for something sunny and light, but it is a great story overall about friendship, growth, and life.

Has anyone read either of these? What did you think?

Diary of a Freelancer

 

I was talking to a good friend of mine today about the importance of inspiration and the way she gets inspired. She finds images, layouts, artists she loves, studies what they do and makes it work for her. She is one of the most detail oriented and incredible designers I know and I find working with her so inspiring.

I need to start figuring out how to focus on my inspirations and make them work for me in a similar way that she does. Going beyond images I love and collecting them, but really study them. She gave me the best advice about this, that even when you are exhausted and not being your most creative that studying the things that inspire you and figuring out why, and that can bring the inspiration, and most importantly the creativity back.

So onto creativity, working hard, and following my dreams...

Diary of a Freelancer

Hi everyone, how was your Labor Day weekend? Mine was so nice. It was one of the only weekends all summer that we actually spent at home. Although my poor husband spent most of the weekend working on our bathroom but it looks incredible and is almost done.

I know I've said this before but my biggest challenge, since I left my job and went off on my own, is that I don't know how to turn my work brain off and my home brain back on. I look at this as a plus and minus. I'm so passionate about my job and succeeding that it is all I can think about but I also want to be able to relax a little because I think that it is an important balance and can keep the ideas fresh.

I worked on this over the weekend. I tried very hard not to work. To enjoy the holiday weekend and  relax. The only work I allowed myself to do  was for fun or personal and I was mostly successful. But it was a big step in the right direction.

I'm now running behind this week and yesterday was a bit hectic but I'd like to think it was all worth it. Finding time for myself and spending time with my hubby, and of course working on our home.

And now onto fall! My favorite time of year! And of course time to get back to work and back on schedule.