The Friday Five

Hello, everyone! TGIF!
Trying something new today...


The Friday Five!

I discovered this on Laura's blog today, and I think it is a great idea! So I am going to try it out. Thanks, Laura from Meet Virginia, for coming up with this!


1. What I'm Reading:

(Source)

Rant.  
I have been a fan of the movie Fight Club forever (hellooo, Brad Pitt in your prime), and have wanted to read all of Chuck Palahniuk's books ever since I realized the movie was based on a book. So far I have read Choke and I am about half way through Rant. I especially love his writing because it seems that each book is written in a totally different voice (especially Rant, which is set up as a sort of documentary, told from multiple people at once)...so much that I am a little worried for Palahniuk's well-being. Either this guy is an amazing story teller with a fantastic imagination and can really immerse himself in a character's shoes, or he is schizophrenic. Perhaps both, and I love it.


Um, and the cover art? Unbelievable.


2. What I'm Listening To:


Actually, I have been listening to Howard Stern all day at work today. On Fridays, they play the Best Of the Week. Today included interviews with Lars Ulrich, the drummer from Metallica, and my fave interview of the week, Gerard Butler. Seems like the coolest guy EVER, I am such a fan.

This! Is! Sparta!
(Source)

3. What I'm Watching:

Oh yeahhh, Jersday, yeahhhh.

Kitten Mittens!
(Source)

I watch a LOT of shows, but most recently, It's Always Sunny premiere last night, and the newest ep of Jersey Shore. Well of course, it was Jersday!


4. What I'm Eating:

Blackened Chicken Salad fo' lunch.


5. What I'm Pinning:


Fall styles...

Layers! Boots! (Source)

Crafts...

(Source)

Yummy recipes...

Homemade Mexican Za (Source)

Hair...

Messy + Braids (Source)

Art/design/inspiration...

Duh.
(Source)

Love this bottle design.
(Source)

Designers...we overanalyze EVERYthing!
Sweatin' the small stuff...in a good way.
(Source)

On tap for this weekend? 


Drawing, loooong husky walk since it isn't rainy today (silly East Coast), BodyCombat/Pump tomorrow morning, trying to get rid of this pesky cough, lotsa football, and bringing Kodes to Philly. Cross your fingers he will be a good husk. 

...I may even get crazy tonight and break out the newest Netflix pick...Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. ;) Kodes picked it, not me.


xoxo, have a fabulous weekend! 

Koda the Toy Hoarder

Breakdown of the Bedtime of a Toy Hoarder:

You know you want to play with Penguin!!!

No sleep! Play! Play! Play!

Bedtime is for PUPPIES!!!

Must....not....sleep......must........play......

.....................

Throwback Thursday 


Morning, friends!

For today's Throwback, I present to you something a little different (...animal overload, see above).

I have some friends who brew their own (amazing) beer...all kinds of ales from noble trappist to copper to blonde (one of my absolute FAVES) to pumpkin and many more. They came to me with ideas for what they envisioned when they needed a logo and packaging for their beer.

Here you can see how some of my illustrations/designs begin with a SUPER raw sketch that I will occasionally scan in to use as a jump off point. They knew exactly what they wanted, from the hand as a part of the trunk, the hops and barley throughout, to even the hue of the beer and foam. I ran with that and created a logo along with a woodgrain texture and we made some really cool six-pack holders (aaand I got a couple batches of beer outta it :) )

Little doodle I did while talking to my friend which ended up being the inspiration for the final.

Dreaming Tree Brewing Co. Before & after!

I'll have to post the revised six-packs when we reprint/assemble them...they're pretty cool.

Hope your day goes swimmingly! 


In honor of Jersday, I leave you with the best clip (besides Vinny and Ronnie in the hot tub) from the show last week. She's too young for you, BRO!!!! What is your favorite "too-young-fah-you" quote?


Enjoy, folks.

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