They are just so darn cute.

When I opened my shop, these two were my main inspiration. In fact. They were the first prints sold. I adore these guys.

And I adore them so much, that I haven't added very many prints of them since.

That doesn't make ANY sense.

But it will. Someday, I hope.

But I have had a lot of requests over the past while to flesh out the Seasonal prints with these two, and I have! Fall and Winter have been available for a long while. And now, Spring and Summer! These characters have really grown on me and evolved in my brain over the past few years, but these prints show such a tender and gentle side to their friendship. They really are the funniest, and feel like my very own friends sometimes.

Hug a friend today.

Enjoy!

ETSY & Online Shop

Spring Giveaway #3: French Kids Eat Everything

I don't have to introduce this one too much, do I?

I've written about it here and here, but if you are a new reader today, let's just say that FRENCH KIDS EAT EVERYTHING is a gold nugget in parenting books. I was so honored to illustrate it, and I have been so pleased with how well it's done in the couple weeks that it has been out.

In an effort to reveal how certain cultures teach their children about food....both directly and indirectly....Karen le Billon guides us through how to help our families slow down and notice our ways of eating and thinking about food, and how to help our children have happier and healthier eating habits. From focusing on whole foods, quality family dinner time, why we eat what we do and how, Karen makes the argument that at least in the French culture, children have a much different relationship to food than the average American child.

“A wonderful—and important—book. One family’s topsy-turvy culinary transformation becomes an in-depth exploration of the habits that have kept French kids loving food (and eating spinach) for centuries.” (Elizabeth Bard, author of Lunch in Paris )

I loved illustrating this book, and how happy it was to do! Karen's approach to the book is witty, humorous and fresh...which was so fun to illustrate! http://youtu.be/BK13a-Ywi7E

Today, I’m giving away 1 signed (by me) copy of the book!

Here’s the scoop:

1) Leave as many as 4 comment below: one regular comment, and 3 with the information about your facebook/Pinterest activity:

2) LIKE Karen's Facebook page and leave another comment with the update

3) LIKE my giveaway post on FACEBOOK and come back here to comment with the update

4) REPIN or PIN this image on PINTEREST and then come back and comment about your PIN (My pinterest account here)

2) Entries will be closed at midnight Eastern Standard time

3) Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is

4) And, if you can right click one more time, spread the word the best way you know how: Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, Like it on Amazon, tell your kid’s school teacher…Let’s keep the book industry stay alive, shall we? It’s a struggling world out there on many levels, and books haven’t been spared. Sharing the love, even just with a click, can make such a difference!

**only comments on this post will be counted, so make sure to comment about your other activity....thanks!**

Good luck!

**COMMENTS CLOSED** Congrats to Janey #90!

Spring Book Giveaway #2: Dare,Dream,Do

I'm really thrilled to be giving away this brand new book today! Not a children's book, not illustrated by me, but one I completely endorse because of what I believe in.

I believe in Dreams. I've always been a dreamer. When I was 13 and someone told me that if I went after my dreams I could accomplish them, I was convinced. But life can get in the way, and I've since learned that it's not about dreaming as much as it is DARING and DOING. And this book is just the tool to have around to get you out of your head and make things happen!

Whitney has had some amazing experiences, and wrote this book not only from her perspective, but includes dozens and dozens of amazing stories from people who to have dared to dream.

I've followed Whitney's blog for a few years now, and she has helped so many people work through the stuff that gets in the way of reaching those goals!

Today, I’m giving away 1 signed copy of the book!

Here’s the scoop:

1) Leave ONE comment below

2) LIKE her new page on facebook and add ONE MORE comment with the update

2) Entries will be closed at midnight Eastern Standard time

3) Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is

4) And, if you can right click one more time, spread the word the best way you know how: Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, Like it on Amazon, tell your kid’s school teacher…Let’s keep the book industry stay alive, shall we? It’s a struggling world out there on many levels, and books haven’t been spared. Sharing the love, even just with a click, can make such a difference!

Good luck!

*COMMENTS CLOSED* Congrats to Diane #64 !!

Spring book giveaway #1: I Speak Dinosaur

I've been lucky to meet a lot of uber-talented people in my life. The kind that you just sit back and go, "Wow. That's a gift."

Jed Henry is one of those people. When you meet him, it's like you can see all the wheels turning in his head. Well, you can't see them, but you just know something's going on. And he gets it. He gets kids, and the way they think.

I SPEAK DINOSAUR is so awesome. A book about manners, and learning when it's ok to be a scary dinosaur, and when it's not. http://youtu.be/jNrwuq1aRJY

K. So you have to watch this little clip. Your kids will love it. It's only 50 seconds...but so cute.

Today, I'm giving away 1 signed copy of the book!

Here's the scoop:

1) Leave ONE comment below

2) Entries will be closed at midnight Eastern Standard time

3) Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is

4) And, if you can right click one more time, spread the word the best way you know how: Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, Like it on Amazon, tell your kid's school teacher...Let's keep the book industry stay alive, shall we? It's a struggling world out there on many levels, and books haven't been spared. Sharing the love, even just with a click, can make such a difference!

Good luck!

**COMMENTS CLOSED** Winner was Gail #79! Congrats!!

Peeks

Sometimes I wonder what you guys all see from the outside.

In here, behind this little screen of yours, I'm dashing about from one project to the next, creating and making and coordinating lots of things at once. I'm probably also wearing a tutu and wings with glitter, dancing about and magically making it all happen. You just keep thinking that! That's a happy thought.

But sometimes I wonder if it just seems kinda boring on the other side of the screen, your side, cause well, I'm not showing it all to you. And sometimes I just can't. But I can open up the porthole just a crack, can't I?

Yesterday I finally buckled down and got a housekeeper. Quilt Market is in 4 weeks, and I'm feeling the burn and so I had someone come in yesterday, and wow! What a difference. But it was funny, cause she hit everything like a whirlwind--all the rooms at once-- and it was all such a mess before it got better. That's kinda how things are here. There's tons going on behind the scenes, and soon it's all going to come together in this perfectly imperfect way...I love seeing how it all comes together. And it's all in the coming days and weeks!

So, are you ready to stick with me?

I'm going to be trickling peeks in for you during the coming days and weeks....and it's going to be a lot of fun...but it might feel like it's all over the place until it all comes together. Like a good story really.

So this week, while I'm wrapping up the mess and to fill in the time, I'm going to be doing some awesome book giveaways. I have some giveaways lined up, and hopefully that will keep the attention off the stuff I'm not showing you just yet, and will buy me some time while I dash about in my glittery tutu. :)

Ready. Set......

Smart Creative Women

click here to watch

Good Morning!

I'm super thrilled to introduce to you a new wonderful friend, Monica Lee. She is amazing. She has launched a site called Smart Creative Women where she video interviews women who have marked their path in some way in their respective creative businesses. She herself is a textile and paper designer, and has dedicated this new phase of her life to making available the advice and stories of women who have been able to make a business out of their creative calling! She has created such a great resource for so many of us!

The interview is 45 minutes long and we talk about my personal path to what I'm doing now, and the ups and downs along the way...which hopefully includes some inspiration and advice for those looking for it! My one disclaimer is that my computer (at the time) only reveals the parts of wall that are currently blah and uncovered (sorry! boring:) But it's a great interview and Monica is actually the smart one because she is the one that gets to learn from amazing women like Dena Designs, Amy Butler, Betz White, Khristian Howell, etc. I've learned so much from listening to her interviews! So, so worth it!

Thank you Monica for the great morning together!

Enjoy!

Sing the song you were born to sing

Ashely Anne Photography has been a favorite blog of mine for a while. She is the one that posted this great tutorial of how to stitch over the LIVE YOUR LIFE ON PURPOSE print that I know so many of you have printed out and used. And I've been wanting to make more illustrated quotes now for a while, so when she asked me to illustrate a poster as a gift for those who donate money to the orphanage where her daughter is coming from in China, I jumped at the chance. You can read more about the project here. There are other prints for those who donate, all themed around the word "song." Beautiful and inspiring.

I came up with this phrase a while ago, while I was looking back on the paths I've take as well as the paths that I want to take. So often, when making decisions, I tend to look at those I know and love to see what has taken them down their roads. But in the end, I always take my own. We all do. It can be scary, not knowing what your particular road will be. Even though we forge ahead year after year, there are still moments when we have to step back and make sure we are making this the path that we were truly meant for. And it really is an adventure, isn't it?

And so there we go. Sing the song you were born to sing.

Thank you Ashley for bringing awareness to yet another great cause, and enjoy!

This print is 8 x 10. Print it out and pin it up...frame it....trace it and stitch it...whatever suits you! Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD PRINT HERE.

Once again: attempting the impossible.

Hello! And Happy Friday!Wow...thanks for all your lovely responses to my internship post. I'm learning more and more how wonderful it is to be part of such a wonderful creative community. Not all communities are gracious and wonderful, and I'm just so happy to be associated with such genuine people! Thank you! I had a much bigger response than I can use, but I'm once again reminded that though I work from home by myself....we really are all so willing to help each other. Thank you!

I've just come back from a quick spin to NYC (which was a fantastic adventure that I'll share next week) so I've been absent from here for a bit.

But before I do that...I'm asking you for some advice. Parenting advice. So I think I have the Easter picture curse. Do you? Or is it just me? You probably don't remember these pictures, but this is how every Easter measures up.

Don't get me wrong: I adore these pics....so much! But sometimes I just wish I could capture that single picture where everyone is looking at the camera...everything is in focus, and the children look happy and relaxed. Just one!

Seriously. I think I took like 157 pictures. The lighting was beyond perfect. It was minutes before church (and we were actually dressed and ready early!) but I honestly couldn't get all 3 to look at me let alone give me a natural smile. We were all laughing the whole way...because they really are meant for the stage and come up with the wittiest things to say and do with each other. But every year, we end up with the silly pics (which depicts real life for sure!)

I laugh, because the only shot where I got them all to look at the camera was when I told them to act like Kings and Queens  (which I realize was a silly request because I guess Kings and Queens don't smile much. Oops!)

So, suggestions welcome for how to get a group of overly loving and dramatic children to hold still and look pleasant for the camera? I really think the answer is wearing your camera during waking hours all day everyday, so that when the moment comes, you are ready. Not very good at that one.

So, do share: are your good pics on accident? Or do you have tricks. I have a whole year to practice:)

Although, I do have to say...when they are on their own, they are magic. Heart-breaker, he is.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

xo

sarah