One Year Anniversary Notas {notes}

As the holiday season approaches, I simply can't get away from the idea of posting about children's illustration.  My intentions are pretty high on delivering some valuable gifts to the little ones in my life but in the end I can't muster the courage to send just any old store bought product and call it a holiday. Last year I was considering writing and illustrating a special little book for every little person in my life. Not enough time. And then I thought about recording myself or one of the children reading one of the books along with the book saved to an mp3.  Not enough funds. The most doable solution is to dedicate one favorite storybook with individualized bookplate for each little one. So much more affordable to send off 5 little books versus 5 bulky toys! 
On another note, it has been one full year that I have been blogging and no one is more amazed than I with my one year committment, thus far. Thank you for following along on the ride..distant friends. When I first started this blog I was hoping to try to reach both the English speaking community as well as the Spanish speaking community about my life post-depression. I think it's time I start. A spanish version will follow in italics to the best of my ability. :)
Image above by Isabelle Arsenault. You may visit her illustrations here.

Bienvenidos! Cuando recien empeze este blog, fue mi intencion communicarme con una audiencia de lengua ingles y espanol sobre mis experiencias despues de haber vivido con depresion una gran parte de mi vida. En fin, al celebrar mi un ano aniversario con este blog intento traducir con toda mi abilidad al espanol (aunque sin acento por el momento!)
Por los ultimos par de semanas he tenido una infatuacion con la ilustracion,especialmente con los ilustradores para libros de ninos.  Desde el ano pasado fue mi intencion mandarle a los pequenos en mi vida un regalo sentimental pero no se me hizo igual comprar qualquier regalo, envolverlo y llamarlo festividades navidenas!  Para mi, no hay mejor regalo que un libro. Igual, no hay otra forma mas barrata como mandar uno libro especialmente dedicado a esa pequena persona. Otras posibilidades, que aun no me funcionarion a mi pero tal vez ha usted le funcione: 1. grabarse leyendo un libro favorito grabado en un mp3 junto con el libro, o, 2. Escribir y ilustrar  un libro para esa pequena persona especial. Funcionaria bien para alguien con limitados cachorros en su vida.
Foto arriba de la ilustradora Isabelle Arsenault. Puede visitar sus proyectos aqui.

Atsuyo & Akiko

When people say,  it was worse than Disneyland...I don't get it. I continue to be enamored with Disneyland, Mickey and Winnie the Pooh. I was fortunate to grow up in Southern California where almost every child got to experience the park minus the $80 ticket price back in the 80's (and minus the worry since I didn't have to pay-yay!). When we vacationed in California this past summer, my little ones (both boys) were reluctant to go. Once inside, they had to pratically kick us out. Disneyland and all its characters evoke happy memories of my youth. My own room was decked out in Winnie-the-Pooh...past the age of sixteen. :) Truthfully speaking, Pooh kept me from going goth during those troublesome years...because I knew  I sure could use some honey <imitating my best Winnie-the-Pooh voice>

So I'm really loving the vintage feel to the design by Atsuyo & Akiko:

 

If course, if you don't share the same love for Pooh bear as I do, there are other delectable treats such as these:

   

Tres chic, no?  Visit the  Atsuyo & Akiko shop by clicking here .

7 Swans-a-Swimming, 6 Gees-a-laying...

There are no swans involved in this post, nor gees, just the thought of becoming one .. for  o n e   s i n g l e    d a y . When waiting isn't enough, you go in search of printables where you can a-mask yourself in different "costumes" for the much awaited Halloween festivities.

As a kid I spent my summers in Mexico vacationing with my cousins who lived out there. I was totally bewildered by the idea of them not having a 'Halloween'. And when I think about it, it wasn't about the candy, it wasn't about the parties, it was simply about escaping for one day to become the superhero you admired, or to get away with being a clown, be the town sheriff or a beautiful princess awaiting her prince.

And it continues to be about just that. So even if you don't 'celebrate' Halloween indulge in a little escape from everyday and let that inner werewolf out...

7 days left.

Ed Emberley { author + illustrator extraordinaire }

Another post on illustration?!? Why, yes. Indulge.



After browsing Amazon yesterday and posting about Sachiko Umoto , I then came across Ed Emberley and made another purchase for his version of Drawing Book of Animals (picture above). Ed Emberley has not 1, not 2, but 13 drawing books!


Including Make a World (you too can learn to draw a little VW beetle), Great Thumbprint Drawing Book (ever wondered what to do with thumbs other than a thumbs up? Question answered!), and just in time for Halloween...


Drawing Book of Weirdos, and



Drawing Book of Halloween.

If you're not totally convinced of these books' awesomeness, check out Ed Emberley's site here. He's got a little sampling of learning to draw here.  He is also the author of the book Go Away Big Green Monster!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sachiko Umoto { illustration book }

I know illustration isn't that complicated, but after living in the 'real world' and working, cooking, loving, creating, existing and passing out exhausted after a long days work, we need to replenish at the end of the day and think: is what I'm doing making me happy? Is what I'm doing leaving this place a little better than how I found it?

And you might be thinking: how can illustration lead you to think such deep, deep thoughts Jennifer?
Well, at the end of the day , illustration and art and children is my happy place. But if I could somehow find a way to blend my love for art and my love for family into something that would yield my little family and I a living, that would be ideal.

So even though I have some informal training in drawing, I could really use some further training to *think* like a kid again. And if that means following instructions on creating itty bitty little creatures created by others, than I'm in.



I've been obsessing over cutesy doodle books since last Christmas. I was thinking it would make a wonderful gift for little ones, but you know what?  It took me a whole year to figure out I was obsessed with the little booklets for me!



I just bought Let's Draw Cute Animals on Amazon and I can't wait to get my copy in the mail...I wonder if I'll share with my little ones. Wait, of course I'll share with my little ones....m a y b e.

Author + Illustrator: Lucy Cousins

There's something about the chilly fall months that make me want to cozy on up and explore books, however, this season I'm tempted to get cozy and explore illustrating the children's books I've written for my own children.

It's encouraging to view an artist/illustrator at work creating rather simple versions of their characters as depicted in the video of Lucy Cousins (above) illustrating her famous Maisy character.

Some months ago, at the urgence of my little ones, I got around to writing a handful of books. The little ones were delighted to read my books made especially for them, especially one I'd made for my dyslexic boy to help him view the upside to being dyslexic. I'm a total visual and I can't conceptualize the idea of delegating the wonderful task of illustrating my books to someone else. I'm a huge fan of books and I've come across some amazing picture books and I can only dream of my children's books being nestled and admired by other little ones.

Have you ever had this one simple goal you really really wanted but couldn't muster the courage to get started?

I decided to break it down. I haven't drawn in years despite fully embracing it in my teens and I lack the space necessary to create. Virginia Woolf advised women to create " a room of one's own" as an entry to begin writing. I've never read her book but the idea has never escaped me. It truly is a challenge to write, or illustrate, or design, or tackle anything with distractions, especially from the little ones.

I've never been a fan of New Year's Resolutions. I believe a goal can and should be created and tackled whenever necessary, not just some insignificant date on a calendar.

My fall goal:  Create a room of my own.

How about you, do you have any fall goals?

Author + Illustrator: Leo Lionni

F or the past three months my home has been undergoing a bit of a renovation as we gutted out a massive entertainment center and built a high library, so lately I've been super interested in filling those shelves with much love and inspiration, especially for my little ones.






I've forever been enticed with learning about the people I admire. I make it a habit of reading up on their biographies, even if only through wikipedia and various other online resources. It was equally nice to find out that one of my favorite illustrators, Eric Carle, was also a fan of Lionni.  Another interesting fact I uncovered while reading up on Lionni was that he did not pursue "his own creative spirit" until he was 50! It's good to know it's not too late to pursue our own "creative spirits".

Who do you admire? Have you read up on them lately?

Artists + Scholastic = Affordable Posters

I think being a mom is the most amazing job and I don't think that I've ever felt 'lost' in this world since being able to come to this one understanding.  I often wonder if I'd ever continue to explore my love for books or illustration or art as much as I presently do if I hadn't any children.

Even as an adult, watching reruns of The Magic School Bus , and old episodes of Popeye "(I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.")  allows me to return to a distant memory when creativity and happiness reigned and there were no worries over the future or 'the truth' or politics or anything that leads to disputes in our day and age.



So it shouldn't come as a suprise that I still occasionally visit the site of Shel Silverstein and Scholastic, sometimes for my own enjoyment and also for the treasures that I might unfold for my children.



Presently, the Scholastic site is offering 12 beautiful  17" x 22" posters for $3.95 each or all 12 for $29.95. You can check them all out here.

Books + Illustration = Taro Gomi

" A one hump camel makes a one hump poop and a two hump camel makes a two hump poop...only kidding."

I'll never forget when my then three year old used to recite this little verse to me over and over again.
At the time I was far too concerned with struggles in potty training to dwell on someday having a collection of favorite authors and illustrators, but now that those days are behind us, I can embrace the authors who filled my little one's younger days with joy and laughter.

It was close to this time of year last year (when I first began this blog) that I wrote a post on Doodle books as the perfect gift for a child. My little ones have still not outgrown their love for all things crafty, peaceful and innocent.

Taro Gomi has the perfect assortment of doodle books to bring out the crafty in your child:



Doodle all Year, Scribbles and a paper punch out book such as Taro Gomi's Play All Day. Or you can check out Taro Gomi's site for free printables and additional books by the author.

Happy Monday.

Teaching LOA to Kids

When I was a teenager and struggling with depression, I attempted to 'cure' myself by reading a ton of self-help books. This was back in 1996 so the book The Secret and The Law of Attraction hadn't become mainstream material just yet.  However, I can attest to the power that positive thinking had. In fact, I overcame my depression even before I ever read The Secret.

After I read it, I realized that the foundation of the program I used to overcome my depression was based on positive dialogue and is also the premise to the law of attraction.  The nice thing about LOA (Law of Attraction) is that every person benefits from thinking positive. Realistic and positive.  When your mind is not jumbled with what's wrong you can focus on making things right.

But I didn't want to keep this 'secret' to myself. I wanted to introduce my children to the concept as well.  I researched ways to teach children (or unaware adults) and I came across a site that used the light switch as an example. I came up with this:

Feelings are energy.

You either transmit positive energy or negative energy.

The effort is the same.

You can turn "on" positive feelings (light the way), or you can turn them off (and be in darkness).

I came home just the other day and introduced the concept to both my boys. The older one got it, the younger one got the gist of it but I'll review it with him time and time again until he's ready.

For my older child, I took it one step further. I created a simple worksheet. See below:

Esp. since my oldest son is dyslexic, I needed the worksheet to be very basic, in pictures. 

Sad face or "-"  =   a negative thought he had in the day

Happy face or "+" = turn the negative thought into a positive statement.

Personal example:

 -  Negative statement he said, "I'm so stupid. Everyday I tell myself I'm stupid."

 +  Positive (turn it around) statement:  "I'm not stupid, I'm dyslexic. All this means is that I learn differently."

At the bottom of the page the child can circle their overall feelings for the day. 

If you notice a child tends to circle sad, then he might be experiencing some depression.

If the child circles the angry face, then this child might require being taught meditation. I came across this article for an idea on exercising meditation with children (or yourself).

If the child circles the bored face (the one yawning in the center) then he might need  more stimulation in his day, more sunshine, more physical activity.

If working with a child, relate to the child by filling in your own thoughts for the day and turning them around. If there are no children, consider trying this on yourself for a week and see what you come up with.

Have a wonderful weekend.

How being on time is linked to a Halloween post...

I'm always a little late. If an appt. is set for 2:30, I'm in the door at 2:31, that's me being early.

It's not surprising that the kiddos missed the bus on the first day of school, and then the second, and then...I needed to set some goals.

Goal:  Be before  "on time".  Do things the night before.  Plan meals the day before. Wake up with more than the time needed.

The result?  A wonderful little post arriving before "on time" on halloween costumes. 

My little guys aren't too little anymore, and doubtfully would want to be wrapped in yarn imitating spaghetti noodles, but Nacho Libre?  Take a look at his recreational pants! whoosh. Or Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame?  And The Biggest Loser costume is just adorable.

There are 26 more fabulous ideas over at the Huffinton Post here.

Happy Sacking...(sack of lunch)

In the ideal world, my little ones would use these lunch packs...

 
How adorable are these little guys?

And as they grew older, say 15, I'd send them in these...  :)
 


And in the ideal world, I'd already be totally prepared with these:
 
An instant crust chopper and cutesy lunch notepad.

If only bullies didn't exist...I'd be sending my little ones with totes full of whimsy, in and out.  At least we can discreetly fill their sacks inside with little notes full of love and heart shaped sandwiches.

All items can be found at Land of Nod .

DIY + Restaurant Kit (For Kids)

Everything is a little funner when it's got some allure to it. 

Think Target vs. Walmart debate. Do I prefer pretty pink/pastel overhead decor or navy-blue-with-yellow-color-combo-and-smiley-face. I can see where Walmart thought smiley faces might conjure up festive shopping but....pretty beats smiley anyday, at least in my book. A true win-win: pretty and smiley.


For this DIY, the clear plastic pouch (girls version) I picked up from my local thrift store, circa 1997, seemed to work best as it holds the paper design securely.

Upon searching through my beloved Amazon site, I came across nothing recognizable. There were, however, some pretty looking pouches ready-to-go leaving you with only the goods stuffing, which I bet you're pretty awesome at.

Tools + Materials:

+pencil pouch (clear plastic works best for above design)
+boy or girl template (to achieve the above design)
+crayons
+scraps of paper: plain, lined, graph, construction

Optional:
+mini coloring pages (or take inspiration from this)
+mad libs
+mini chalkboard
+kid-safe scissors
+Bendaroos or pipe cleaners ( a much cheaper alternative)
+play-doh

Directions:
01. Stuff away
02. Stuff in purse
03. Never leave home without it
04. Enjoy watching the little ones get creative

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for sharing this week with me.

Love your babies, kiss your hubby, tell your mom (and dad) how much you love her (and him) and mail that card, even if it's "too late".

Is it just me or are you also absolutely loving Super Targets everywhere?

Eric Carle + other crafty goodness ...

By now, it's no secret that I love libraries and museums and children, especially my own little guys. And while I've been on the topic of museums, I couldn't leave out the The Museum of Eric Carle of Picture Book Art.

This place is a little off my radar out in Amherst, MA (directions here), you just never know when it'll come in handy because one of you lovely readers live near there or soon to visit there. Deals for the museum here.

And although you might not be able to visit physically, you can still visit virtually and at the very least be inspired by their online store, send a beautiful Eric Carle e-card, or visit the sites' Top 12 picture book picks (and no, not all of them are Eric Carle's) that you'll pick from to volunteer to read at your local elementary school, right? Or to your little kiddos or kiddos' classmates?

When I was a kid, I regularly volunteered at my local senior center (true story). T.A.S.C. was the name, acronym for Teens Assisting Senior Citizens (nope, didn't make it up). There is nothing better than getting rid of the moody blues than helping out someone in need. Which is why I threw the link up there and here again.

And if you just tune in to this site for lovely images, continue to scroll:


Image via Moomah Cafe (<gasp> look at the coffee table!)


Illustrations at Moomah by Yellow Owl Workshop. Image via Moomah Cafe.


Menu and other crafty marketing material by Apartment One. Image via Moomah Cafe.


Apples & Jam, children's cafe; Melbourne, Australia (original source: Eat Drink Chic)

I suggest you visit the above mentioned sites for more yummy goodness here and here for crafty inspiration or browse the images for pure delight.

Or browse my past ode to Bill Martin Jr.'s illustration (past collaborator with Eric Carle) in a grown-up version of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom here.

Is there a museum you've been itching to visit? Or a children's book you've been wanting to re-visit?

Good Tuesday...