Here is the illustration I ended up submitting for the Tomie dePaola Award.

     This girl is a younger version from the first illustration.  I used ink and watercolor pencil.

I am anxious to see the other submissions.  The winner will be announced around the second week of Jan.  

    There will be a gallery of entries posted on http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Tomie-dePaola-Award  and you can read more about the award.

SCBWI's Tomie DePaola Contest

I did this illustration only to go back and find I did not follow the guidelines exactly.  (Always read the small print!)  Now I have to get back to the drawing board or be disqualified.  I only have until Friday...

4th Annual Scarlet and Gray Writer's and Illustrators Workshop

   

*I was told I didn't have enough backgrounds at the critic I got at the last conference.  So I am reworking and adding backgrounds to all the dogs in The Book of Dogs.  I might change the "Poo"
to "PU Poodle!" -A poodle is going on this one...

    Attended this workshop on October 27th.  It was a great workshop.  Kristin Ostby from Simon & Schuster spoke about hitting the sweet spot between comercial and literary work for middle grade readers.  She also spoke writing for boys in middle grade.  She was very informative and I learned a lot.
    Lindsay Ward (wrote/illustrated When Blue Met Egg) talked about the "perfect marriage" between text and illustration.  She had great visuals with examples of various picture books.  This was a wonderful presentation.
    All this in a half day workshop.  I came home feeling like I better get to work! http://www.amazon.com/When-Blue-Met-Lindsay-Ward/dp/0803737181/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352828345&sr=8-1&keywords=when+blue+met+egg

  SCBWI Conference

  I just returned home after two days at the Northern Ohio SCBWI Conference in Cleveland.  Met a lot of nice people (including Lindsay Ward who wrote When Blue Met Egg-great paper collage illustrations + cute story) and I learned so much.  

  My illustration of Serrah, Skater Dog was chosen to be on the calendar they are sponsoring!

Promotional Bookmark for SCBWI

    Getting ready for the Northern Ohio SCBWI Conference.  I just got back my            promotional bookmark from GotPrint.Com and it looks great!

    Did a sketch from the coral bells photo.  It ended up being a little glowing cat resting beneath instead of a pup.*  The two may meet up later.
    I did this one for Final Friday for September.  It was supposed to be an
illustration of something illuminating another object in the work.  I like the way it turned out.  Here is the link with the winning illustration.   http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/free-fall-friday-lindsey-alexander-editorial-consultan/
*See older post below with photo...

Here is a rough black and white sketch for an illustration I am donating to the Women's Crisis Center of Maysville, KY

Women's Crisis Center    The Women's Crisis Center of Maysville, KY is holding a silent art auction during the Arts Explosion August 17-18th. They are looking for art donations featuring pets. Any funds raised will be used to support their Pet Protection Program, which provides shelter for pets that are involved in homes with family violence. These would mostly be pets of women and children who are in the crisis center.

Arts Explosion Info  http://www.maysville-online.com/news/arts-explosion-plans-announced/article_e874b1a5-b493-58a7-bbcb-ae3bba1fa8ee.html

Conference time!

The next conference I am preparing for is in September, in Cleveland,OH.  I am very excited and a little nervous.  A lot of great authors, illustrators and agents will be there.  Should be inspiring, informative and helpful!  Now if I just can squeeze in some time to work...



http://www.nohscbwi.org/conference.html

Alice gone mad at Disney. Wonderful place to watch for fashion trends...the visitors more inspiring than the famous Disney icons.

                     Sketch for The Day Fairie Rose Lost Her Wings. 

                                         
 
                                                          

Stopping to rest after a long flight overseas.

Just returned from vacation and I am ready to get to work...as soon as I get through a mountain of laundry.  Will have to squeeze in some time somewhere.  Going to claim a workspace too, the dining room table is getting old.

Here is a place a tiny flying dog might sit to rest...under the coral bells upon a rock.

My head is swimming in the internet, with passwords, links, and all that goes with it.  Building a website is not so hard, but joining everything I should have joined a long time ago all at once is!  I would say good golly(!), but that would sound so old and outdated.  To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question.

Is a blog, website, facebook, etsy and SCBWI not enough?  Jump in.

Here is one illustrated bookmark I passed out for free!  Everyone knows all birds go to heaven.  

SCBWI IN Conference

    Just got back from the Society of Children's Book Writer/Illustrator's conference in Spencer, Indiana.  
    Such great information and advice from all the editors!  Very inspired and finally gave me a kick in the butt to go techno and promote myself!  Be patient though, I am a little clueless, but a fast learner.  
    So excited about the future, empowered by faith.