It's the end of September and here I am, pondering life as usual. I found this watercolor doodle in my sketchbook, and it reminded me of how M used to jokingly call me "Foxtasia." He has all sorts of nicknames for me, and the cutest is probably "Honeybunny." He has a thing for animal references, as you can tell. I just read an alarming article about how easy it is to create picture books with AI. I am overwhelmed by how it’s not just picture books that AI can seamlessly generate, but anything ... Read more
Queen Anne Book Company: A bibliophile’s haven
Hello, my friends! If you've been around here for any length of time, you know that Queen Anne Book Company has a very special nook in my heart. In March, the store will be celebrating its 10th year since becoming QABC under the purview of the current owners (the bookstore itself has been around for about two decades in the same location). My very first book deal (Little Kunoichi!) came about because of this wonderful store -- I wrote about it here (I go on and on about my thoughts on criticisms ... Read more
2022 Free Printable Holiday Tags and Mini Gift Wraps
Can December 16th still be considered early December? No. It cannot. I erroneously believed and declared that I would have these holiday printables for you many, many days ago, but here we are. Let's not dwell on excuses or explanations, though. If you need last minute tags and mini gift wrapping paper (ideal for tiny presents -- jewelry, perhaps?), I got you. I've designed some fun ones, which I hope will come in handy. Lately I've been really, really, really loving the Procreate app and ... Read more
Wait, is it already Halloween?
October. Oh, how this month felt like it was kidnapped by pirates, torn asunder and swept away into roiling, thundercloud-studded seas. Okay, that's a bit dramatic. Basically, I have no idea where the time went. And these pirates that I drew and made into a repeat pattern seem awfully adorable and incapable of any kidnapping. Year after year, October continues to be the busiest month full of deadlines for me. How's your October been? I'm currently smack in the middle of preparing for the ... Read more
Obsessively designing
Hello, hello! How are you all doing? What a crazy time...I have no adequate words for what seems like ceaseless global upheaval. I find solace in making things when the world seems to be churning, and lately I've been having a love affair with designing patterns for wallpaper, stationery and fabric. I celebrated a dear friend's birthday this weekend, and let me tell you -- wrapping the presents with my own designs is incredibly gratifying. I'm getting more and more comfortable with ... Read more