Wings - digital doodle

It's been a long while since I've participated in Illustration Friday, but I did want to start up again. The  nice part of I.F. is that you can practice drawing using an idea that is not your own. It's good to be practiced doing this since clients never say "Draw whatever you want" ;)
Anyway, here's my interpretation of the word Wings.  Books, in my mind, give children wings!

Celeste

Christmas Place Mats for Kids - digital, printable

For those of you with kids, and a lot of holiday dinner plans with friends and family, here's an idea... printable colouring place mats for the kiddos (or easily bored adults ;)  I have two kids, and I know how fast they eat, and then how quickly they lose interest in being at the dinner table.  Why not have printable place mats (like they do at restaurants!). Have a cup of wax crayons at the table for the kids to share. 

I have created a few options for you, an 11 x 17 option (that you can get printed at any print shop), or a 8.5 x 11 option (if you are stuck and need a quick print at home!).   
Links to the PDF files are below each image! Enjoy and happy holidays.  

 

 

11" x 17" Elf in colour
11" x 17" Elf line only
8.5" x 11" Elf in colour
8.5" x 11" Elf line only

 

11" x 17" Woodland in colour
11" x 17" Woodland line only
8.5" x 11" Woodland in colour
8.5" x 11" Woodland line only

Playing in the veggie garden... Honey I Shrunk the Kids style - digital photo

This summer has been a busy one so far.  With both kids home full time, and work I've not had much time for just playing around art.  But here's a fun one. The kids have planted a veggie garden. They love "playing" in it, I took it one step further. Gotta love Photoshop ;) I know my kids get a kick out of it!

C.

(these veggies are doing amazingly well too, I bought the seeds from Cubit's, check them out, great varieties available! )

 

Sketchbook Friday!

Elliott and Amélie in Wonderland - pencil sketch

This week the kids were watching Alice in Wonderland, they like the real life Tim Burton version, so I was doodling while they watched the movie.  It's one of my favorites too, both the Disney Cartoon version and the Tim Burton one, just so much imagination in the world they create! I think this doodle might have to become clean art at some point, I quite like it! Feel free to click the above image for a larger view!

To see previous sketchbook Friday's click here!

 

Amélie reading - digital

Amélie has been reading a lot lately, she is 5 years old and is learning quickly. It's so much fun to watch her, and listen to her read. She LOVES books, always has and now she is experiencing the wonder of reading for herself.  I watched the movie The Neverending Story with her yesterday. She loved it so much. I told her that the book was 100 times better. Of course she ran up to my room to get the book out of my library and tried to read it. It's a big novel, not really in her range just yet. But I am now reading it to her.  The idea of children reading, and becoming part of the story is magical, it's what I love about books, and it's what I hope my little ones will also love. So here's to reading! (and to my favorite YA book of all time The Neverending story by Michael Ende if you haven't read it before, here you go, buy it, you won't regret it!)  Click image for a larger view!

What I've been up to....

This post is going to be a big one! I can finally share all I've been working on for the past 6 months or so with you guys!

First of all there is the big news, Saila.  She is the newest Maplelea Girls doll. I did all the illustration and design work for this one, including fabric patterns and illustrations that are used on her accessories and outfits. It was a HUGE project, but obviously worth it since....

Saila won the 2012 Children's Choice Award from the Canadian Toy Testing Council! 

 

And here are some examples of the journal pages. Again, all the illustration and design work was done by myself, BUT it is meant to represent Saila (the doll's) drawings. This book is in three languages, English, Inuktitut and French. What a project! (click on the image to make it larger if you want to see details).

 

While this big project was going on, I was also providing extra journal pages (design and illustration) for the other dolls, as well as illustrations to be printed or embroidered onto other outfits. It's so cool to see my work used this way, so much variety! What a blast! 

 

Above is a pair of pjs for the doll, but the cool part is, you can also get the pjs and slippers for your own child!  I did the pant pattern as well as the polar bear illustration for the shirt. I also did the snow flakes that were embroidered on the slippers. Very cool.  Also the illustrations and pattern for the bedding for the newest doll, Saila.  All of these items are now for sale at www.maplelea.com. 

Below are a couple more items. All patterns and illustrations were done by myself.  Illustrations that are placed in the photos are from the journal pages that come with the item of clothing.  Photos of the dolls in their gear are from the Maplelea catalogue and belong to Avonlea Traditions. 

 

To see some other items I've worked on in the past check out this old post... http://doodlesscribbles.blogspot.com/2010/11/maplelea-girls-clothing.html

 

Monster Cookies - digital illustration

Here is my most recent submission to They Draw and Cook. They are having a Cooking for Kids contest and this is what I came up with. It's a recipe my mom used to make us for when we'd go camping or hiking. Now I make it for my kids! Please feel free to click on the image to make it larger, I went a little nutso with detail ;) 

(full spread on top, pages individually below so you can see them better)

Celeste

Summer break business cards - digital design

It's the end of the school year, and to help keep my little one's social calendar full (and me sane) I've made these business cards for her. Now, I was a little reluctant at first, only because I don't want her info out there in the world, so I made an email account just for this purpose, instead of posting any other important info.

Hopefully this will help her keep in touch with her favorite people at her school this summer!

In the near future I think I will make more of these, some with photos, and some with illustrations for sale in my store.

Flying - digital and photograph

Just taking a minute from my work to do a doodle of the kids!

Fairy Tale Fabric Prints - fabric
Click on image for a larger view!

Here are some new fabric prints that will be going into my Spoonflower store (next week).  They are inspired by my kids and what they like right now. I have a few character ones, but also a few simpler ones, perfect for a themed quilt or other sewing project!

The blue castle print has been entered into the Project Selvage contest, fingers crossed! 

I will let you all know when they are in the store, and again, if you make something with them (since I sadly still don't know how to sew) let me know and I can post some photos of your handywork! (with permission of course!)

Céleste xo

Layers - digital illustration

As a Canadian I am familiar with layers of clothing in the winter... so are my kids :)
Please click on image to see a larger view. Oh and after you click to see it bigger you can zoom in a little too! Huzzah!

 

The kids in the Star Wars World coloured - digital illustration

Here we go! I got a chance to do these roughs in colour, (Amelie wouldn't let me NOT do it) I am pretty happy with them!

My kids as Star Wars characters - pencil rough

So Amelie asked me to draw her and Elliott as Star Wars people. So she is a Jedi in training, being trained by Yoda no less! (she looks a little older then she should... working on it!)  Elliott, as he loves his Artoo action figure, is a little boy meeting the real deal.
Hopefully I will get a chance to make these in full colour.

I've since fixed the size on Amelie, I had to make Yoda a lot bigger :) still... maybe in colour it will look a little more like her...

Amelie's bedroom mural - paint

So this weekend, I finally got around to painting my 4 year old's room.  She wanted it pink, girly and all about Tinker Bell.  So here it is! 

I painted the walls light pink with one purply pink accent wall, on which I did my simplified version of the Pixie Hollow tree. The Fairies are wall stickers I got from Walmart :) The curtains are made by my very talented sister (I can sew, wish I could... but there you go).

My daughter's room has a peak in the ceiling. I painted it the dark fushia colour (picked by my little one) and added two stars, for those who know the story of Peter Pan, you will get the reference.

Below some detail photos of the bottom of the tree.

Merry Christmas! - photo digital illustration

This years Christmas card! Hope you all  have a safe and Happy Holiday season!

Here is something fun to do now that the kids are home for Christmas vacation! 

Stove-Top Play Dough
From the book Feed my I'm Yours

1 cup white flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
Foodcolouring (I like Club House Neon colouring)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
( I also add a few drops of peppermint oil and it smells soooo wonderful on your hands! and glitter, to make it fun and sparkly!)

Mix Flour, salt and cream of tartar in a medium-sized pot. Add water, food colouring and oil.
Cook and stir over medium heat. Mixture will look like a globby mess, and you will be sure you did something wrong, but keep stirring.  When it forms a ball in the center of the pot take it out and knead it a bit, let cool and then have some fun!

Maplelea Girls - clothing design/illustration

I got a wonderful treat in the mail today, well courier (which is even better, makes me feel special!) Some samples of product I've been working on with Avonlea Traditions.  I did the illustration work, and embroidery and pattern designs. These clothing and accessories are for the Maplelea Girls. These incredibly detailed dolls. The clothing is nice enough for real children (nicer even in some cases!) and each item comes with journal pages full of info on Canadian history, traditions or geography, which you add to a binder like journal. Really a wonderful concept, and terrific quality. I am excited to be able to be a part of it! Check out the website for purchases and orders. Great idea for Christmas presents!

Can't wait to show you more projects I've worked on, but it has to wait until the items are for sale ;)

Bird Bath Magic - photo digital illustration

What happens when the bird baths freeze at my parent's house? Magic!

A Snowy Day (updated) - digital

Here is an illustration I did, about 4 years ago, but it was just me, then in 2007 I added Amelie, and now I added Elliott :)

Cocoon - digital illustration
This is my submission for I.F this week, the word is Cocoon, and instead of doing a caterpillar/butterfly illustration I thought it would be fun to show the kids "cocooned" ready for some spooky stories around the campfire :)  Can't wait to do this this summer!