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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Foxtasia + Squirrelly Thoughts

September 30, 2023

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

Filed in: digital, illustration, illustration + art, watercolor • by sanae • Leave a Comment

April Round-Up

April 30, 2021

Hi, hi, hi! How are you, my friends? April has been a packed month, and the countdown to the photoshoot for my next book has begun. I have 3 weeks to get all the prep work done, which involves a lot of sewing and figuring out props and coordinating schedules. I'm getting more and more excited! As you can imagine, my days are full and will continue to be extra full for at least another two months as I wrap up all the details of book #8 (yes, #8!!!! I've published 3 kids' books, 2 sewing ... Read more

Filed in: book, illustration, illustration + art, sewing, sewing for me, watercolor • by sanae • 2 Comments

January Round-Up

January 29, 2021

Hello, hello! This is my first post of 2021, though it's already the end of the month. How's 2021 going for you so far? I've been trying something new over on Instagram. I've never been on much of a schedule with IG in the past, but I thought it might be fun to stick to a twice-a-week posting regimen to see how long I can keep it up. My aim is to practice surface pattern designs and to establish a weekly sewing habit (i.e. sewing for myself -- sewing for K when she was little was much, much ... Read more

Filed in: illustration, sewing for me, watercolor • by sanae • 8 Comments

Simple

March 27, 2020

Hello, my friends. How are you? How different the world is since I last posted here. Nothing like a pandemic to stop you in your tracks, to take stock of all that is. It's very odd. I was experiencing a sense of deja vu as events unfolded, and I kept trying to figure out why that would be. It finally occurred to me that I had felt this very same sense of foreboding and out-of-control-ness and unmooring when my health was at its worst, back in 2012. I was homebound for the most part back ... Read more

Filed in: life, watercolor • by sanae • 4 Comments

2019 Advent Calendar + Even more holiday tags!

December 13, 2019

"I wonder when this Advent Calendar tradition will end?" As K grows older, this is the question that pops into my brain every time I embark on yet another design for the holiday season. She'll be starting high school next year and I don't know if she'll enjoy it quite as much. This was a fun one, my friends. The idea first came to me when I was -- as per usual -- shopping at Trader Joe's. I saw the garland with the felted balls ($8.99! What a steal!), and I immediately knew that it would be ... Read more

Filed in: download, watercolor • by sanae • 10 Comments

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Thinking of all the Mama Bear-ish wonders out ther Thinking of all the Mama Bear-ish wonders out there, giving so much to surrounding creatures big and small. I often feel like that little prickly hedgehog inadequately but heartily offering up a single stem of gratitude. So much love for mothers and maternal figures everywhere! 💕💕💕💕#happymothersday
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