Oh yeahhh, JERSDAY, yeahhhhh!

Throwback Thursday

Morning, lovebugs!

Okay, first order of business!
I am thinking that on Thursdays I will scan a page out of my Moleskine or old sketchbooks (or maybe even some hilariously awful Looney Tune drawings I did for my dad when I was about six). Raw and untouched, I think. Flaws and pencil smudges and paper rips and all. I love the little details! That's why my regular, most-used style embraces lots of non-erased pencil marks instead of cleaning them up. I like seeing the loose personal process mixed with the clean, more technical coloring.

It's a way to recognize, and sometimes be able to utilize or use for inspiration, those otherwise forgotten drawings deep in my sketchbooks.

Here I begin with my first Throwback...the inital sketch for the giraffe on one of my three 2010 Christmas cards. One day, I want to do a post about my process and how and what I use to draw, scan, color, and bring my art to production and show the different stages. Maybe even a coloring tutorial (when I don't use media like ink or colored pencils, I usually use Photoshop).

Notice the little "SB" I integrate into all my drawings?

(You can see the finished, colored giraffe in my first blog post.)

Christmas in August? I know, I know, I want summer to slow down as much as anyone...but I have to start the drawings for my new set of cards this year and get my Etsy shop up and running so that I can sell them in advance of the holiday season.

I will be selling my card set from last year (Giraffe, Flamingo, Moose, which can be seen in my illustration gallery here), but also want to do a new set of three for this year. Maybe even do a mix 'n' match option...I am not sure yet. I also am conceptualizing a Hannukah card for all of my Jewish friends out there!


What three animals would you like to see in the 2011 set?



In other exciting news, today is Jersday (Thursday + Jersey Shore).

Iiiit's Italia tiiiiiiime!

Yes, I am from Jersey. Yes, I am proud of it! Yes, I watch (and in turn, I suppose, support) this troop of "Italian" (only half the cast is actually Italian) characters every week, and love reruns. No, I am not afraid to admit it. And no, I do not act or talk like Snooki just because I am from Jersey.

"Snooki want smush smush!!!"

You would be surprised how many people couldn't believe that I was from Jersey when I was living out west. I have a very slight Philly accent on occasion, but I definitely don't have the North Jersey/New York accent that the Jersey Shore and the Real Housewives of NJ are making so famous (or infamous, sometimes). But man, can't peel my eyes away from the trainwreck. And my abs get a pretty solid workout from laughing so hard e'ry Thursday night.

Although I could totally do without all of the constant Sammi/Ronnie drama. Sammi Sweetheart....stop giving us Sammi's a bad name. Get it together, girl!

I am OVER it. (Source)

A certain co-worker and I are also known to have some pretty great fist-pumping dance parties at work on the reg. No big deal. Can't take the Jersey outta the girl.

One of my favorite clips from last week's show (they are in Italy this season, as I am sure you have heard, whether you love the show or hate it):

"Taxi sono QUI!!!!!"

Pure gold.

And look at Pauly D's latest tweet. By far my favorite cast member.
....I love him.

@DJPaulyDPauly D 

#ImTheTypeOfPerson To Bring 30 Pairs Of Sneakers On His Your Bus .... #DJPaulyDSwaggyfrog.com/kljftej

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 YFrog

(He is on the Femme Fatale Tour with Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears.)

And now, I leave you with some fist-pumping music in honor of Jersday. 
Getcha GTL on, my friends. Later alligators! xo