MamaRobot!

January

2012-01-27T12:58:00.001-08:00

A very belated Happy New Year to everyone. In the spirit of post holiday sales, I've discounted these, with more items to follow. Gotta clear out some stock and make room for new inventions! I've got a brand new computer and a head full of ideas :)
Pictured above: Penny's breakfast of homemade whole wheat sweet potato pancakes with almond butter and organic strawberries (OK so I'm proud of the food I feed my kid), and my magic fig tree who thinks Spring starts in mid January every year. A friendly, positive omen, I think!

Holiday Shopping...

2011-12-18T15:36:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to say it's been one of the busiest holiday seasons EVER for MamaRobot. Thank you SO much to everyone who decided to gift their loved ones (or themselves!) with some of my art. My shipping deadline for Chritmas delivery is fast approaching. For NYC dwellers who haven't had a chance to get to everyone on their list, I wanted to mention you still have a chance to grab some MamaRobot goodies. Head to B. Conte in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You'll find a special assortment of my creations for a very limited time as part of the Holiday Artisan Bazaar. I took a peek at the selection on Friday night, and it really is a beautifully curated group. I've been way too swamped to do any other events this season, so I'm happy I got the chance to participate by proxy in this one! Happy shopping :)

Inspiration

2011-11-23T05:15:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to pop in on my long-neglected blog to show off my friend Miguel's Etsy shop. The image above is from one of his pieces, The Siren of Fortune. All his pieces are hand silkscreened. We've got two of them hanging on our walls, and I can tell you they are beautiful, crisp and bright, and I never get tired of looking at them.
I hope all of you have a lovely Thanksgiving. This year I'm especially thankful for my health. After a 2 month long bout with asthma, I'm finally feeling better and ready to party!

Orange and Yellow

2011-09-18T15:09:00.001-07:00

I kept noticing these two colors all weekend. The little sculpture on the right is a tiny chair I designed in the children's education lab at the Museum of Modern Art.

first watercolors

2011-08-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do with Penny lately is paint with watercolors. The only rules I give her are:
(1) No black.
(2) Rinse your brush between colors.
(3) Look for a white spot to lay down a new color.
And then I let her go to town. When she's done I take a 5 x 7 mat (using it as a viewfinder) and move it around the painting till I find a nice composition, mark it, cut it out, and voila! A fine abstract piece, courtesy of a 2 year old. We've been giving them out as birthday cards.

Can't Keep Johnny Down

2011-07-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

They Might Be Giants held a contest to make a video for their song, "Can't Keep Johnny Down". Here's the winning video.

Rainbow City

2011-07-02T19:19:00.001-07:00

I love that my daughter is old enough now to enjoy some of the things that I enjoy. Above is a picture from a trip to Rainbow City, an art installation on the High Line.
I've become a big fan of staying home on holiday weekends. I was in dire need of rest and quality time with the family, and I got big doses of both.
This painting sold at the most recent Too Art for TV show, but if you like it there is now a print available in the shop. I'm thrilled with the way the print turned out. That yellowy tan took ages to get just right in the painting and was nearly as hard to color correct in the scan, but I was so psyched when it inched its way out of the printer. Looks perfect.
And finally, if you've ever wanted to try a Gocco, I'm selling mine from my Telephone Road shop. You've probably heard that these cool little machines are no longer being made, so if you're interested, grab it. I'm including an awesome stamper accessory I bought that lets you Gocco your WALLS, if you want! (Or just wood blocks, as I did).
Hope your July is off to a fantastic start.

Treasury

2011-06-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

Made a treasury this afternoon. I love red-orange so much. You might notice it says the curator is Telephone Road and not MamaRobot. Telephone Road is my new vintage shop that I'm running with my mom. She's got lots of rad old stuff in her house and is looking to divest, and I was itching to make a well-curated, well photographed vintage store, so check it out. There's only a couple of lunchboxes there now, but I'll be listing more stuff very soon.

Inspiration

2011-06-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Since my last post I've accepted a design job that is taking up most of my time and creative energy. I'm really enjoying working in a studio again after over a 2 year hiatus, though it'll be awhile before I have the luxury of making another Kindle book. Until I have new work of my own to show, I'd like to share some things that have really inspired me lately. The first is this short film by the brilliant PES.

I'd also like to thank everyone for all the Father's Day orders. If you'd like to get a card or a shirt for your favorite robo-lovin' dad, there's still time to order!

West Elm recap

2011-04-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

This is what my merch looks like inside a West Elm store. Even without a 6-ft. table to lug around, I was reminded of how much work even a 3 hour event can be, and how much preparation is required. But it was so much fun to set up with more space and more furniture at my disposal than I've ever had. It really was like having my own store for a night, with lighting, music, and, best of all, lots of customers! I want to thank everyone who came by to say hi and take a piece of MamaRobot home with them. I hope you all enjoy your purchases and come see me here real soon!

West Elm

2011-03-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that the nice folks at West Elm have invited me to set up a MamaRobot pop-up shop this Thursday night! If you're in the NYC area, please stop by and check out the goodies. I'll have a limited selection of prints, buttons, magnets, shirts, and greeting cards, all displayed on gorgeous West Elm furniture. Think they'll let me walk out with a lamp?

Too Art for TV 5!

2011-03-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

If you can get to Brooklyn this Friday, come see Too Art For TV 5. 40 artists from the animation industry will show off their personal work, ranging from paintings to sculptures to film. It's always a fantastic assortment of exciting stuff, plus music and beer and crowds of fun people. A perfect Friday evening. Follow the link for specifics. See you there!

Surprise

2011-03-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Here is the third and final painting I made for the upcoming Too Art for TV show. If you're in the New York area, please come see my work along with paintings by 40 artists from the animation industry.
If you're an artist or someone who appreciates handmade things, please check out Handmade for Japan. They will be holding an auction next week to raise money for disaster relief. This is a great way to show your love for the people of Japan.
Finally, thanks to every customer and supporter who helped my Etsy shop make it to 1000 sales. I appreciate it so much. If you've ever purchased a MamaRobot item (or left a comment on this blog, or included an item of mine in your Etsy treasury, or retweeted a sale I was having), know that you've helped make my dreams come true.

Uninvited

2011-03-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Here's another painting for the upcoming Too Art For TV show. I'm still really loving pairing large animals with birds. I like how birds are so small and soft and yet can be a bit sinister too. Especially when you get a bunch of them together.

Too Art for TV 5

2011-03-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

This is the third of three paintings I have in the upcoming Too Art for TV exhibit. The theme of my paintings is "Parties gone wrong". This painting was supposed to be about an awkward encounter at a party, but the way it turned out almost seems as though these two were in the middle of a private discussion that you, the viewer, has interrupted. Either way, I like it.

The Robot Alphabet

2011-02-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

Big news today! I have compiled all of my Robot Alphabet prints into a picture book that you can download to your Kindle or iPhone! Follow this link and take a peek. If you don't have a Kindle you can get the Kindle reader app for free. That way, you can see the book in full color, too. I've priced the book at $2.99 but you can also download a free sample. If you do, please leave a comment and let me know how it looks on your device. I would love to hear what you think about my latest venture!

Subway Art

2011-02-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

Like a lot of New Yorkers, I'm not a huge fan of the MTA. But they manage to get some pretty cool art down in the subway cars. This piece by Duke Riley really stopped me in my tracks (har har).

I love everything about this piece: the detail, the whimsy, the off-white/off-black combo...I stared at it the whole way home. Click on the images for a larger view. Here's a link to buy it if you'd like a piece of NYC on your wall.

Mid-century love

2011-02-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

I swooned when I saw this treasury on the front page of Etsy this morning. For the last year, I've been keeping an inspiration folder on my computer desktop. It's been a wonderful tool in developing my style and I highly recommend it. Whenever an image really strikes me, I file it away. It takes two seconds and when I'm lacking inspiration I just open up my folder and browse. One thing I've discovered is just how much I love mid-century modern design, and this collection really nails it.

Y is for Yellow

2011-02-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

Y is for Yellow, and all the rest of the alphabet, is now up in the shop. I'm feeling happy today because it's raining instead of snowing. My fig tree is sprouting figs. My latest painting is coming together. It's still light out at 5pm. A friend who was supposed to move away is staying here after all. All good things, and many more to come. For you too, I hope.

Snow days

2011-01-31T10:19:00.000-08:00

Though it's bright and sunny today, my computer dashboard is forecasting more snow for this week! If you're going to be stuck inside like me, check out the sale section of the MamaRobot shop. I wanted to make room for new stock, so I discounted some items by half! Enjoy, and stay warm!

King and Queen

2011-01-28T11:15:00.001-08:00

Taking a moment to look away from the mountains of snow out my window and show you K and Q, now up in the shop. Plus, now if you buy 2 prints, you can get $5 bucks off each additional print!

Umbrella

2011-01-23T11:30:00.001-08:00

Penny is napping, and I used the downtime to add the letter U to the shop. I had a brainstorm this morning (I get all my best ideas in the shower) to take all these alphabet robots and make an animated film! I haven't made a film in about 10 years, but this one would be pretty easy I think. Plus, I'm married to a super-talented music/recording expert who is easily bribed with a plate of chicken parm.

O

2011-01-19T08:24:00.001-08:00

Today's letter is O! And it's up in the shop right now! Once I get through the entire alphabet (or maybe before) I'm going to add discounts for buying more than one letter, in case people want to buy a few for their child's initials, or one for each sibling, or maybe the whole alphabet! Stay tuned.

Dirty!

2011-01-18T15:24:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is D for Dirty! Today was really dark, rainy, cold and slushy. I had to really do a lot of tweaking with my camera and Photoshop to take a decent picture. Enjoy, and if you know somebody who would love a dirty robot, go check it out the shop!

Gimme an A!

2011-01-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

Letter A is now up in the shop. This was one of the first, if not THE first, letter I tackled in my Robot Alphabet project. In the beginning I thought every letter was going to be really robot-y, and the first few letters are (i.e. a for antenna, b for buttons, c for cables). But some of the words I came up with were a bit of a stretch, not to mention difficult to illustrate. So my rule became that the robot had to either BE the word, or BE DESCRIBED BY the word. So D became Dirty, for a dirty robot. (Maybe I'll share that one tomorrow.) And I went on from there.

B and F

2011-01-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

B and F prints are now up in the shop! F is one of my favorites because while designing it I realized I was going to have to get creative with robot anatomy if I was going to design 26 distinct robots.

H and W

2011-01-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

H and W have just been added to the shop. Hooray for letters!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

For those loyal enough to be checking up on my long-neglected blog, I'd like to share some new additions to the Etsy shop: Robot Alphabet prints! This is a project I began last July and finished up around October, taking breaks here and there for freelance work. I hope you all like them as much as I do. Happy 2011!

What I've been up to...

2010-03-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'm between freelance assignments. Our taxes are filed. Penny's birthday party is done. For once I can focus on nothing but myself and the family. I've been cooking a lot, hitting the playground with Penny, playing accordion, doing lots and lots of shopping, having some fun nights out with my mom friends, going to yoga, and basically doing whatever feels good.

One Year

2010-03-10T11:01:00.001-08:00

Penny turned one year old yesterday. I threw a robot-themed party for her and 15 of her closest baby buddies (and their moms). Making a robot cake was really hard! I have newfound respect for the bakers on Ace of Cakes. I used to think that seemed like a fun job, but now I don't want to look at another cake till Penny's second birthday. Still, it felt good to be creative in a new medium. I need to find more time for my artwork...

How to make homemade flashcards

2010-02-17T08:47:00.001-08:00

Here's a cool idea I stole from my nephew's nanny: I printed out some images (some off the internet, some of my own), had them laminated at the local copy shop, cut them out into squares (with rounded corners no they're not pointy!), punched a hole in each one, and put them all on a binder ring (I think that's what they're called. You can get them at office supply stores). So easy and cheap! And the best part is you can put pictures of family, friends, and pets along with other words you want to teach your baby. As you can see, Penny is obsessed with her cards and carries them all over the apartment.

Rad

2010-02-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

Someone out there needs to buy this rad terrarium footstool I spotted on Etsy. I can't quite justify buying it myself, but it is so fantastic. Photo by Hindsvik.

One cubic foot of ocean

2010-01-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a few quick watercolor sketches I did while Pen was napping. National Geographic had this cool story called "Within One Cubic Foot" where they figured out how many living organisms live within one cubic foot of ocean or soil. So these are sketches of some ocean inhabitants. Nat Geo is great for drawing inspiration, I highly recommend. I think I need to invest in some better paints, though. I had to juje these up in Photoshop a bit because the paint dried a bit muddy and bland. Not enough pigment I think.
Right now Chris is out getting our car thoroughly cleaned. I don't think I mentioned that our car was stolen and recovered 3 weeks later! We are so happy to have it back, especially in good condition, but it was soooo dirty. I wish it could tell us about the crazy 3 week adventure it had. Or maybe I don't want to know. Anyway, it was a wonderful surprise to have it back. Hope you all have a peaceful week!

A few things to share...

2010-01-16T18:54:00.000-08:00

The shop's been a bit quiet, as is typical for January. I'm enjoying the break. Here are a few things I've got to share...The first is this cute treasury my print was featured in. I love the themes Etsy member some up with...this one is "walkies". How cute!
The second is this cool blog called Knock Off Wood . It shows you how to build the beds, shelving units, and bookcases you see in high end catalogs. The item that compelled me to blog about the site, however, is this rad play washing machine a reader built for her daughter. (scroll down) Soooo cool!
Finally, I wanted to show you One Artsy Mama's Wednesday Wishlist, which includes my toddler tee. Thanks for the love!

Portrait

2010-01-15T07:40:00.001-08:00

As promised, I'm sharing the lovely portrait Penny's grandfather painted of her, and the photo he used as reference. There's a bit of reflection from the glass, but you get the idea. My dad, who's been a successful commercial artist since the 60's, used this cool technique: he started with a streaky wash of brown tempera, then drew over that with a wax pencil, then went back in with tempera to color the hat and flower. You can click on the image to get a close-up look. I love it.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Pictured above is a small commission I did last month. I usually don't have time for these, but I couldn't turn down a request for a pirate robot!
For Christmas, Chris gave me 3 prints from the fantastic Ryan Berkley, a hand-knit slouch hat (which I prefer to wear all day long, indoors and out, because it's incredibly soft, not itchy, and looks 10x better than my hair), and a melodica, which looks like a tiny piano keyboard, but you blow into it. I gave Chris a Wii! Then I gave myself a Wii Fit Plus, which I love. Except for the talking punching bag - he kinda scares me. Penny got the best present of all (in addition to her snazzy red velour sweatsuit pictured above), a portrait of herself painted by my dad. I'll post a pic in my next entry.
Now we come to the time of year when I'm just DONE with the cold, so in January I plan to distract myself with trips to the pool with Penny, lots of freelance work, working out with Wii Fit, and looking into ZipCar. Stay warm and safe in 2010, and let's all have the best year yet.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T12:29:00.000-08:00

Whew, that was one busy December! Lots of jobs, lots of orders, and one very cold craft fair. I am pooped. But not too pooped to say thank you to everyone out there who supported MamaRobot in one way or another this year, especially the two cutie pies pictured here. Happy Holidays everybody, and we'll see you in 2010 with all kinds of fun new stuff! Peace.

Happy December!

2009-12-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

Just found out my Robot one-piece outfit is featured in this month's Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine! I think Penny's pediatrician has this mag in the waiting room, so when I take Pen for her 9 month check-up next week maybe I'll slyly leave it opened to my page :)
December is shaping up to be a really busy month. I've got two major freelance jobs, the 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday fair, and the usual flood of holiday orders (not that I'm complaining)! I'm going to try to take it one day at a time, keep a to-do list, and drink lots of tea and water. Let's all get through December feeling somewhat serene!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

Just popping in to say Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Here's a pic of Penny in one of my onesies. It's nearly impossible to get her to pose for product shots anymore. She is constantly on the move and has no interest in sitting still.
Chris, Penny and I are heading out to my mom's early in the morning. I'm thankful that Chris likes to drive so I don't have to! Wishing you all a peaceful holiday.

Chalkboard art and some links

2009-11-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

A new week means it's time for a new drawing on Penny's chalkboard wall!
This week brought the good news that I've been accepted to 3rd Ward's third annual Handmade Holiday Craft Fair! Here's a pic of my table from last year's show. It's a very cool location, with vendors I haven't seen anywhere else. For example, Chris found a guy selling handmade guitar microphones. He bought one and thinks it's the best guitar mic he's ever owned. So if you're in the Brooklyn area, come on out! Visit the link for all the info.
Since it's Thanksgiving week, I thought I'd share the link for my favorite new charity, Youth of Malawi. Some friends of mine visited Malawi for the first time this year and witnessed the unimaginable poverty and disease first hand. They began this charity. Their charity's first project is to take 300 orphans to the beach for the very first time. Chris and I loved this idea so much we sponsored one of the children. Visit the link for how you can be a part of this wonderful day. Already I feel extra thankful for all that we have. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Socrates Sculpture Park

2009-11-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday was one of the last warm days, so we walked over to the Socrates Sculpture Park with Penny. We saw a subway to nowhere:
...a yellow brick road:

...a vinyl dissected whale:
...and a pile of cakes:
Then we stopped for smooches:
It was a lovely time. Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Gocco in the shop

2009-11-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

My Flirt Bot Gocco on wood piece is up in the shop. Go check it out!
We're just back from another relaxing weekend in the country. This is me relaxing in a leafpile my brother made. I also got to play some accordion, eat lentil soup, get a foot rub from my mom, and play with my nephew. We drove home at sunset on Sunday. Now I'm all set for a calm week - no freelance, not much on my to-do list. Hope your week is calm too!

Happy Halloween-yo!

2009-11-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

For Penny's first Halloween, Chris had requested a chili pepper costume ("so she can be a 'Halloween-yo pepper!" he explained). At first I thought I'd have to settle for a strawberry. (I firmly believe that all babies should dress as food.) I almost bought the strawberry costume. And then, I found it. On sale too! She was the only chili pepper in the whole Roosevelt Island Halloween Parade.

Fish and Hummus...mmmm!

2009-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've stepped away from blogging for a moment...it has been unbelievably busy around here. I had a couple of huge wholesale orders, plus a freelance assignment due, and then one of the cats got sick and a couple of trips to the vet were needed. (She's feeling much better now, purring away!) Above is a picture of an extremely cool present for Penny from an old friend of mine - it's a bucket of plush fish! (Cinder's just checking to make sure they're not real). Here's where you can get your own bucket.
And now, apropos of nothing, I want to share a recipe with y'all...
The other day my mom sent me her recipe for hummus. This, to me, is real hummus: no garlic, no spices, just chickpeas, tahini, and lemon. I don't like another thing in my hummus. This is an easy thing to make, and so healthy! I can't wait to feed some to Penny. Happy weekend everybody!

HUMMUS
One small can of garbanzo beans
Two lemons
Third to half a cup of Tahini
Salt and pepper
Quarter teaspoon olive oil
Half cup of parsley sprigs

Drain almost all can liquid from garbanzo beans (but keep in reserve). Place remaining beans into blender. Add juice of one lemon. Blend until pureed (mixture can be a bit grainy unless you like it very smooth). If you need extra liquid to puree add a touch of reserved can liquid (just a touch – hopefully the lemon juice will be all the liquid you need.

Pour puree into small bowl, add all Tahini and the juice of the second lemon ( half at a time so you can make to your taste. I like a lot of lemon.) Add salt and pepper and mix all ingredients thoroughly until Tahini is completely incorporated.

Decorate the perimeter generously with sprigs of parsley. The parsley is meant to be eaten as it makes a nice contrast to the velvety tart hummus. Dribble the center with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil

Tip: If your tahini has settled in its container with the oil on top, stir until it is well blended or hummus will be too oily. You want the Tahini paste to be well distributed.
Tip: Don’t use organic garbanzos. They are tough and don’t blend well. Goya is my first choice, Progresso second.

Fall for Arts Festival!

2009-10-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

If you're in the New York area, this Saturday is a great time to check out my little neck of the woods, Roosevelt Island! I'll be selling a selection of MamaRobot items in the plaza in front of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd from 11 to 4. The weather is supposed to be sunny and warm, and if all that's not enough to convince you, Chris Fuller will be performing in the plaza, right near my booth, from 11:30-12:30. Mayor Bloomberg is coming too! He supposed to visit all of the booths personally, so I'll try to snap a picture and thank him for the smoking ban. Click on the images above to read all the details. Hope to see all you New Yorkers!

Coney Island

2009-10-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took Penny and her grandparents to Coney Island and the Aquarium. I snapped a few pics along the way, including a funny robot and a gorgeous jellyfish. When we got home, I put Penny to bed, and my mother-in-law made delicious margaritas so we could enjoy some adult time. It felt right to indulge in some drinks - this week I finally got our security deposit back from our last apartment, and I finally found product liability insurance for MamaRobot! Major progress on my to-do list, and major events in store for my little biz...stay tuned!

A few links...

2009-09-29T03:30:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday here at MamaRobot headquarters, and I'm sending you over to see the following:
-yummy chicken recipe I made the other night
-an awesome new brick and mortar eco-friendly store in Oklahoma that sells MamaRobot goods!
-my animation buddy's new Etsy shop
-my husband's rad new podcast (with some guest appearances by me and Penny!)
That's life in a nutshell over here. I'm loving this cool grey treasury created by Fluur featuring my print. And my sweet potato, wearing her dinner of sweet potatoes. My crazy, lovely 6 month old.
Hope you're all having a great week!

Hang Tags

2009-09-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

I needed some hang tags for some upcoming MamaRobot business, so I changed one of my existing designs a bit to make these, adding some matching twine I bought from The Whimsical Muse on Etsy. I think they capture the spirit of MamaRobot quite well!
Today is a crisp autumn Saturday, and we've just returned from the farmer's market, where I bought a batch of Honeycrisp apples to make applesauce for Penny. This afternoon we're taking her to the Central Park Zoo. Then later, we're having friends over for what Chris calls "Spaghetti Madness"! I love the weekends. Hope you're enjoying yours :)

New Gocco-ed Muji notebooks

2009-09-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago I mentioned that my last Muji notebook sold and I was going to have to make a trip to the Muji store to re-stock. Hearing this, Chris opened his bag and voila - 10 new Muji notebooks for me! How did he know?! So today I printed on all ten of them. I like the way they turned out. I only made the ten, so if you want one, go grab one now!

Come to my art show!

2009-09-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's not just "my" art show. But my three Gocco on wood pieces will be shown next to some pretty rad work by a lot of my buddies from the world of animation. And I've made limited edition buttons and magnets that you might be lucky enough to nab as well! More info here. I'm so proud to be involved with this cool event. If you're in the New York area, please drop by!

Finished Gocco!

2009-09-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

This week I finished my Gocco pieces for my upcoming art show. Printing Gocco on wood was quite a challenge. There were some duds. Anybody have suggestions on what to do with misprinted wood panels? I might Gesso them and paint on them. I just don't want to waste them. There are one or two non-duds that might end up in the shop, along with whatever doesn't sell in the art show, so keep an eye out!
On Thursday I took Penny to story time at FAO Shwartz with a couple of her friends. I hadn't been to the store in years. As we walked in I got all giggly. They have a build your own Muppet station! And the most gorgeous dollhouses. And soft puppets that made Penny laugh hysterically. We listened to stories and songs, watched people dance on the giant piano, then headed home. I love having an excuse to do these things :) I hope all of your weeks were fun as well!

Happy September

2009-09-01T15:35:00.001-07:00

September began with a chill in the air here in NYC. Penny and all her baby friends wore their hoodies and their socks. I'm finally making some progress in my list of goals for August (a little late, but still!) Things I'm looking forward to this month:
- Too Art For TV 4!
- Pilates class on Thursday nights
- Buying a pool membership so Penny can keep up her swimming.
- Labor Day weekend at my Mom's house. The above picture was taken in her backyard. We always have fun out there.
- Finally getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight - I'm within 3 pounds!
I hope your September is off to a great start!

Gocco Number 2

2009-08-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

Penny had the sniffles this week and consequently has been taking unusually long naps. So I had time to make another design for my Gocco on wood project. I won't be able to burn it until I get more bulbs - I wasted two of them yesterday when I forgot to put a screen in the machine. My design got burned into the blue filter instead. Ooh, was I mad at myself!
Chris is coming home early today, and I'm going to take a Mom-cation. (That is, a walk down the street to get a pedicure.)
Hope you all enjoy your weekends!

2009-08-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the start of what will be my Gocco on wood project. This image began as one of those ideas that come to me just as I'm falling asleep. I jumped out of bed and scribbled a sketch, then the next morning scanned it into the computer and cleaned it up till it looked like what you see above. Next I'll print it out and re-ink it with a brush pen to put a little life back into it. The computer step is helpful in adjusting proportion and symmetry, and saves lots of paper as I play around with details. Next steps: ink the design, photocopy the ink, and burn a Gocco screen. Then comes what I hope will be the fun part! I'll post more pictures soon!

Gift Sets!

2009-08-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to offer some sort of discounted bundle for a while now, so here it is! Order a Robot and Friend Bib with your choice of outfit, and you'll save a couple bucks AND get free shipping. Bing-bang-boom, your baby gift shopping's done. Here's the listing. Have a lovely day!

Weekend re-charge

2009-08-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

My to-do list for August:

- Secure product liability insurance
- Design new hang tags
- complete 2 comic strips for freelance gig
- make two gocco prints for September art show

It's going to be a busy next couple of weeks! Thankfully, we've just gotten all re-charged from a weekend at my mom's. Saturday was spent at the beach, then on Sunday a long walk led us to this field of driftwood horses. Aren't they stunning? Here's more about the artist if you're interested. Now off to complete some of these goals so I can cross them off the list...

Rainy Sunday

2009-08-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

It rained all day Sunday, so we puttered around the apartment, hanging art and rearranging things. Our new place feels very grown-up; we had some art framed, our two secondhand couches were swapped out for one new couch, and I'm even buying coasters for the coffee table. I think we'll get a set of these neat recycled glass ones from YAVA Glass. Penny and I are getting ready to head to Brooklyn today for a little coffee date...hope you all have a lovely week!

Thursday

2009-07-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Penny has finally decided to get reacquainted with what is known as the "morning nap". For 2 exhausting weeks she decided there was way too much fun to be had and that naps were for losers. Thank goodness that phase seems to be coming to a close!
When she wakes up we're going to head downtown to the County Clerk's office for some official MamaRobot business. It's funny, I remember being afraid to take her into the supermarket! It's nice to be past that. Here she is with her daddy over the weekend, having a little business meeting under the straw hat.

Splurge

2009-07-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

Now that we're settling in to the new place, I decided to splurge on this print from Matteart. I've wanted to own at least one of his pieces ever since I first spotted his work on Etsy. I just love his style and his color palette. This will look so cheerful on our big blue wall.
This week we've had absolutely gorgeous weather, and Penny and I have been spending most of our time outside, coming in only for naps and wardrobe changes. Now she's fast asleep and I've got a freelance deadline to meet, so I should be wrapping up the blogging and getting to drawing! Hope all of your weeks were sunny and fun :)

Holiday weekend

2009-07-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

This year Macy's decided to have their fireworks on the Hudson river instead of the East river, so there was nothing viewable from our balcony. We did get to see lots of cool boats head downtown to watch the show, though. Instead of leaving town for the long weekend, Chris and I worked on settling into our new digs. I was able to find some environmentally friendly, fume-free, non-toxic wall paint at Home Depot. The only drawback is there was a really limited palette of colors to choose from, and most of them were earthy, muted colors. We chose this pretty sky blue for the living room. (It's actually a bit brighter than this pic shows.) I'm all about painting accent walls, rather than doing the entire room. It's so much easier and has just as much of an effect. The bedroom and Penny's room will be yellow (with one chalkboard wall!), but that will have to wait till next weekend. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Friday night

2009-07-03T22:52:00.000-07:00

This is how the sky looked last Friday night. These pics are not Photoshopped. Amazing, right? I had never seen clouds like this. Neither had a lot of people! Penny had just gone to bed, and Chris and I enjoyed a moment on the balcony looking at this strange sky. I wanted to post these pics sooner but we've just finally moved to a bigger apartment! I only just located my camera. Our new place is just one floor up from our old one, same view and everything. Moving was not quite as horrendous as I expected, thanks to my mom, my awesome sis-in-law, who knew just where to put everything (thank goodness, because I sure didn't), and a friend of Chris's who actually volunteered to lend a hand. We're still decorating. Today we went to Home Depot and bought chalkboard paint for Penny's room. I drew all over the walls when I was growing up, only I didn't have chalkboard walls. I don't remember getting in trouble for it either...I guess my parents decided to roll with it. See you soon with pics of the new place!

Thursday

2009-06-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here on a Thursday morning, enjoying a delicious iced coffee with honey, watching some pigeons build a nest on our balcony. Penny is napping away, unaware that she's made it into her very first treasury! I was so pleased to see this...she looks so good right there in the center :) Thanks to EttaRose for including us!
Lots of goings on this week, including an exciting prospect for the MamaRobot biz. I will share more when things are definite. Meanwhile, Penny and I are going to take our first Mom and Baby Yoga class today. I used to do a lot of yoga, and even seriously considered learning to teach it at one point. It still seems like it would be a job that would nicely compliment what I already do. If Penny enjoys it I think we'll make it a regular thing. I hope you're all doing fun things today, too!

New Robot Onesies

2009-06-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to list these new onesies for about a week now and have finally got around to it! I'm so pleased that American Apparel is making their organic onesies in some new colors. I love this shade of blue, and I had the robots printed in silver ink - so cool. I ordered just a few of these, so if you like them, go here and grab one for your favorite baby!
Speaking of babies, I also wanted to wish all the Daddies out there a very Happy Father's Day! Chris was treated to a card featuring the photo above, this t-shirt he had been eyeing, and his favorite breakfast - blueberry pancakes. After a family walk, I sent him off to do something he hasn't been able to do much lately - an open mike at one of his favorite spots: Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn. Penny's gift to her dad was to sleep for 12 uninterrupted hours last night. And that was much appreciated by both of us. Hope all of you enjoyed your weekend. Happy Summer!

Bibs!

2009-06-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased with how these new bibs came out. We go through 2 or 3 of these little shirt-savers every day. The MamaRobot bib is made of creamy organic cotton, has a velcro closure, and is screenprinted with my Robot and Friend design in a beautiful red-orange. Now even if your baby's cool onesie design is hidden under a bib, you still got some cute 'bots to show off :) These will be posted in the shop later today, hopefully.
Other goings on...
- I had a rather grueling surgery at the dentist's yesterday. Let's just say that if I do any socializing this week, I'm going to have to explain what is going on with my face! On the plus side, I have an actual medical reason to eat ice cream.
- I am up-to-date with shipping! If you're waiting on a size medium Robo tee, it is on its way...
- Penny is 3 months old. Yes, we made it to 3 months!
Hope your weeks are going swell. Look for more new stuff later this week - just gotta snap some pics!

Another comic strip...

2009-06-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Another week, more comics. Sorry I don't have any other artwork to post. These comics are pretty much all I've been drawing lately. I hope to get a break soon! Other highlights from the week:
- I got my acceptance e-mail for the 4th installment of Too Art For TV. I'm very excited and glad I proposed something that will be realistic to accomplish in the little bits of free time I have left after Penny, the shop, and freelancing.
- Omega 3's are especially vital after having a baby, so Wednesday night, I made this yummy salmon recipe. Thanks Jenna Lou!
- Went for a run along the river Thursday morning, my first serious attempt in ages. It soon became clear that I am in desperate need of some new workout clothes. My baggy sweats are not cutting it, especially now that I'm chipping away at the baby weight. Anyone have recommendations for places/websites to buy basic workout gear?
- We're getting cable installed today. I was content being cable-free, convinced it would sabotage my productivity, and also satisfied with watching The Office, LOST, the news, and Seinfeld re-runs. However, we just bought a flat screen tv and apparently you can no longer just plug in a tv and get reception anymore. So we're giving in. I must admit I'm looking forward to it. A lot.
- Chris had a show at the local library and I took Penny to see her dad perform. Chris announced her to the crowd and she got an applause! Penny stayed pretty mellow throughout...I think she recognized her dad's voice.
- The shop has passed the 700 sale mark! I'm so grateful that so many of you find the Robo tee a fitting Father's Day gift.
Well, that's mostly what's been going on around here. Enjoy your day, and look for new goodies in the shop next week!

Thursday

2009-05-28T08:30:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy week around here. Freelance deadlines, orders to send out, and lots of photos to take with my new DSLR! I want to thank rikrak for interviewing me for her cool blog. Turns out I'm not the only lover of old telephones! Hop on over here to see more pictures.

(Not so new) bib design!

2009-05-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

My new bib design just wasn't happening. I had a couple of different versions and took an informal poll, which yielded inconclusive results. So I decided for the first batch of bibs I'll recycle the design pictured here - as you can see, I designed it for onesies, but I think it might work even better for a bib. The onesies are just about sold out and I wasn't planning on ordering more, so this way the design can live on and I won't have to pay for a new screen. I should have them in a week or two. I can't wait to put one on Penny, who goes through several bibs each day - they're great for catching her frequent mini spit-ups. It's gorgeous weather here - the girl and I are going to head over to the post office to send out the day's orders, and then take a long walk by the river. Enjoy your Thursday!

My latest comic strip

2009-05-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a detail from my latest comic strip, turned in late last night, approved this morning. Now that that's off my plate, I can focus on bib designs.
Penny is very kindly taking a long nap today, and I've spent the time getting a nap for myself, plus a proper meal. It took her a really long time to get to bed last night. I'm convinced she wanted to stay up for the finale of LOST. Wasn't it good? My husband and our friends are deconstructing it on Facebook as I write this.
I hope your Thursday is going swell! Bib design coming up next, stay tuned!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-07T12:23:00.001-07:00

Though you'd never know it by this picture, Penny was doing a lot of her "William H. Macy" cry this week. That's when she sounds like William H. Macy at the very end of Fargo when the cops find him in his underwear in the motel room. Luckily, she napped just enough for me to make my freelance deadline today - woo-hoo! The pic above was made into cards for my mom and mom-in-law. Made those two ladies very happy.
I hope all of your weekends are restful, especially if you're a mom!
Oh, and thanks to Elizabeth from Quixotic Designs for featuring me in her blog! Makes me feel popular :)

Process

2009-05-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

This is three steps of my latest freelance job: rough, ink, and color. This is a detail from the first of a regular series of comic strips I'm doing for a magazine. I think I'll have a few days before I start the next one, so in the meantime I'm cooking up some ideas for the shop. One of them is MamaRobot bibs, now that I see how vital they are! As for today, I'm going out to a friend's birthday party while Chris hangs out with Penny. I'm so excited to be doing something social, if only for an hour or two! Hope you all get to do something fun today, too.

New York Treasury and a SALE

2009-04-27T12:40:00.001-07:00

Thanks to muppetloon for featuring my print in her cool Etsy treasury of New York area artists. I am on borrowed time, as Penny is due to wake from her nap at any moment! But I wanted to quickly share with you a special sale I'm running in the shop...Bunny tees for half price!! The deal is good till they're gone, so go get your mom one for Mother's Day!

Bags to Tags

2009-04-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a peaceful Sunday morning, and though I slept maybe 5 non-consecutive hours last night, I had the energy to do some spring cleaning this morning. I unearthed a ton of fancy shopping bags I had deemed too nice to throw away. Well, after living in this apartment for 3 years I wasn't using them, so I decided to throw them out after all. But before I did, I used my tag cutter to make little gift tags for my orders. Cute, right?

Friday

2009-04-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

It's the weekend, and I'm happy about a few things.
-Today is my 6-week postpartum checkup, which means the doc will (hopefully) give me the ok to exercise, which I've missed so much (I can't believe I'm saying that).
-My mom is coming to babysit today, which means date night sans baby for Chris and me.
-Penny slept for 8 hours last night. In a row.
-My Woodland Tea print is featured in Etsy's Storque Blog right now. I'm not sure what a bunny and a raccoon have to do with site maintenance, but I'm grateful for the exposure nonetheless.
-It's going up to 85 degrees this weekend. Is my post-pregnancy body ready for summer clothes? Eesh. See the first item on this list! But then again...
-I'm wearing non-maternity pants today. I can't button them and have to wear a Bella Band to hold them up, but still.
-We're going to try to rent the recently vacated 2 bedroom next door. How convenient would that be?!
I hope all of your weekends are full of happy tidbits as well! And I hope you all fit into your summer shorts.
The photo above was taken by the talented Misha Cohen. Maybe this weekend I'll pick up my poor neglected accordion.

calm

2009-04-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

Things are finally calm around here. Well, as calm as they can be with a new baby around! We had a fair amount of drama regarding our living situation. But suffice it to say, we are staying put here on our pretty little island. We thought moving to a new place might be a good idea, but the reality of it proved to be fraught with too many difficulties. Anyway, now we get to stick around for all of this:

Yeah, I'm glad we're staying.

Piglet Onesies for sale...

2009-04-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's still a little big on her, but I couldn't resist dressing Penny up in her very first MamaRobot onesie. And she looked so cute in it, she's now modeling for the shop. It's never to early for her to help out the family business!

Some new work

2009-04-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

I've just begun my first freelance job since becoming a mom. It feels so good to be working again. Makes me feel connected to the outside world! Over the weekend, while Chris watched Penny, I sat down at my desk with a cup of no-longer-forbidden coffee, turned on the This American Life podcast, and started my work. It *almost* felt like my old pre-baby life. Except I didn't procrastinate the way I used to, since I only have a 2-3 hour window between feedings. Above, a few of the drawings from the weekend. Once the project is done, I'll let you know where you can find it in its finished form!

Hobocamp and Lazybones

2009-04-06T15:24:00.001-07:00

It has not been the best of days. This is where having a baby unexpectedly helps you. I say unexpectedly because you'd think a wailing newborn would only add to the stress of a stressful situation. That's what I would think. But I took a look at my girl and realized she really has shifted my perspective, and as long as she and Chris are healthy and happy, I can be happy, too. (See my two sweet lazybones cuties?) Shortly after I came to this realization, Chris walked in with a package from Hobocamp Crafts. If there ever was a day I needed a package of goodies in the mail, today was that day. Inside was something for each of us: for me, the coolest nursing pads I've ever seen. Check out the pink ones with horses. They're incredibly soft and beat the lame disposable ones hands down. Chris got the Brother tee he had been eyeing, and Penny got an adorable bib that I hope she won't spit up on! I already feel the energy shifting, and I know tomorrow will be a better day. In the meantime, a delivery of pizza is in order.

Penny, Penny, Penny! (and a little art)

2009-04-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Penny is nearly a month old, and I'm slowly learning to create a balance between motherhood and my old self. I nurse, soothe, change, and bathe Penny around the clock, and fit in sleep, laundry, and a little artwork in between. The amount of drawing I've been able to squeeze in has been miniscule (as you can imagine!) but it's less about productivity than to serve as a reminder that I'm still an artist, and there is still a tiny bit of room for that part of me. One day there will be more room. Above, my sunny funny girl, and the start of a new Gocco project.

Welcome, Penelope!

2009-03-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

We welcomed "Baby Robot", otherwise known as Penelope, into the world on March 9th. She is healthy and thriving and killing us with her cuteness!

The Calm Before the Storm

2009-03-07T06:44:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow, at long last, is our baby girl's due date. Of course she doesn't know it's her due date, but still. It feels imminent. So we've just been hanging around the house, resting up and trying to make the most of these last few peaceful moments. All of our taxes are done, orders have been shipped, the fridge has been stocked. Above are a few snapshots from the last few quiet days. Little do these kitties know what's in store for them!

Inspiration

2009-03-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

I was flipping through the MOMA Design Store catalog last night and got inspired for a new project. The images above (taken from the MOMA design store website) are screenprinted onto plywood squares. I love how the colors look against the naked wood. This is my next plan for my Gocco machine. It will likely have to wait until after the baby comes, though. My due date is in just 4 days! Hopefully our girl will wait until the weekend when the weather warms just a bit - our car is stuck in a pile of frozen snow right now. A fact that makes a certain couple of cats VERY happy...they were due for a teeth cleaning at the vet's! Now it looks like that will have to wait until after the baby comes, too.

New Painting

2009-02-24T14:19:00.001-08:00

Oh my goodness it is still. so. cold. out. But I am comforted by the fact that it's approaching 6 pm and there's still light in the sky. Spring is coming, slowly but surely! I was feeling very low energy this morning, so I sat at my drawing table and quietly painted while listening to podcasts. The result is up in the shop now. You might notice it's from the sketch I did yesterday. I'm so glad my creative mojo seems to have returned. Who knows what governs these things, we just have to make the most of them while they last.

Monday sketch

2009-02-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

My weekly prenatal doc appointment was moved to the afternoon. I prefer to go first thing in the morning, but the doc likes to see some movement from the baby, and it turns out our little girl likes to sleep in! So today we're going to try for a post-lunch visit and see if she's a little more cooperative then. It's too bad the doc's office isn't open in the evening, they would see some crazy antics after dinner. So I spent the morning listening to podcasts, packing up an order, and doing a little sketching for a possible painting. By the way, the shop is now approaching both its 600th order and 2-year anniversary! Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting my little biz. Each sale really means a lot.

Robo-Magnets!

2009-02-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I had to order some magnet supplies for a wholesale request. I had tons of magnet backs left over, so today I decided to put them to use. I made 4 super-quickie watercolor paintings, scanned 'em into Photoshop, messed around with them, printed them out, stuck 'em into the button/magnet machine, and voila! A set of Robot Magnets to adorn your fridge. I think they turned out sorta cute! They're up in the shop now...go getcha some!

Treasury Roundup

2009-02-14T08:51:00.001-08:00

What a nice Valentine's present...the 'bot shop is represented in three Etsy treasuries, and my brand new notebooks got their share of the love. Thanks so much to AgentJane, Jantar, and LittlePapoose for the publicity :)
Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

Gocco notebooks!

2009-02-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

Behold my first Gocco attempt! Instead of reading the directions, I used this tutorial, and it served me well. It really is a cool little machine; I can see why it has so many fans. I've had these handy little Muji notebooks in mind for this project for a while now. Once Chris discovered them at the MOMA design store, they've become a fixture around the house. He uses them to write song lyrics. I've used them to take notes in childbirth class, write to-do lists, keep track of our house-hunting excursions, and write shopping lists. So these little guys are up in the shop now. Hope you like them as much as I do!

Gocco Bots!

2009-02-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

At long last, I've completed a design for my first venture with the Gocco. I'm going to print this design on some sweet notebooks. Eventually. Everything takes longer when you're 35 weeks pregnant.
It's true what they say about crazy pregnant dreams. (Um, that you have them. That's what they say.) Every morning I entertain Chris with the insanity my brain came up with overnight. Last night I dreamt I had turned into a man! Or, at least I was growing a beard. And trying to shave in a moving car. Not sure what that's about. I guess a small part of me is wishing I was a man right about now. For just long enough to crack open a beer and see my toes again.

Happy Year of the Ox!

2009-01-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

This drawing is from a while back, but I thought it was perfect to celebrate the Year of the Ox! The sub-freezing temps are continuing around here, and I'm fighting off what I call the "winter blahs", as well as the "pregnancy blahs". Both of these blahs make me want to glue myself to the couch and not budge, but that's not exactly something I thrive on. So on Saturday I remembered the brand new maternity bathing suit my sister-in-law gave me, and I decided to walk over to the local indoor pool for the $5 adult swim. Chris came with, despite thinking it odd that I wanted to go swimming on a 20 degree night in January. But the room and the water were well heated, and we had the gigantic pool to ourselves. It really felt good to get myself moving, although I have a feeling the baby was yelling, "I did not authorize this!" For some reason I picture her as a little tyrant in there. A lovable tyrant.

New York Treasury

2009-01-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to LiaBuffa for including me in her cool treasury of New York Etsy artists. Every extra bit of exposure helps, especially in January!

Figgy

2009-01-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

I planted this fig tree cutting last fall and did not have high hopes. I kept it under plastic to keep it warm and moist, but it seemed futile. Then suddenly, in the middle of January, during a week when the temperature hovered in the teens, Ms. Fig decided to make her move! Now every day I'm amazed at the progress. I have to admit I find all kinds of corny metaphors for life in this little fig tree. I mean, isn't that just how life seems sometimes? Just when you're wondering if all your efforts are going to waste, a reward falls in your lap.
I wish I had some drawings to post, but I've been having a bit of a creative block lately. Of course there's only one way to solve that, and that is to draw right though that block. I'm going to try today, and share what I've done soon!

The "Nursery"

2009-01-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

For us, living in New York City means not having an entire extra room to devote to a baby. At least at first. But I feel satisfied with what we were able to do with the space we have. This is where our girl will sleep, in a little basket under a gorgeous print made by our good friend Miguel. That wall has been painted peachy-orange for quite a while, and I love the way it all happened to come together so well.

Brrr!

2009-01-17T13:19:00.000-08:00

The temperature hasn't climbed past 20 degrees in the last 2 days, so we're all hunkered down with videos and hot baked potatoes this afternoon. As you can see, Cinder decided my pregnancy pillow was the comfiest spot in the house.
Chris gave a guitar lesson to an 8-year old girl this morning, and afterwards we walked her over to the library where her mom was waiting. On the way we talked about birthdays and our pets and the soon-to-arrive baby. It really makes you think differently, talking to someone that young. I could feel my thoughts slowing down, and I kept quiet a lot to listen to what she had to say. It made me look forward to have conversations with our own little girl one day, the three of us walking down the street. And then we rushed home, because it was so cooooold! Hope you're all staying warm, wherever you are. Don't forget to cover that nose!

Animal Family Portraits

2009-01-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

Now, up in the shop, my paintings from the most recent Too Art For TV show! I love these paintings, even though they ate up all of my autumn weekends. Hope you like them, too.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everybody! So far, I've been taking 2009 niiiiiiice and sloooooow. I'm in my 31st week of pregnancy and, well, I'm feeling a bit fragile! I get winded walking across the street to the Post Office. I even get winded standing in line at the Post Office. Fortunately, my most recent freelance gig finally came to a close, so I can spend my final 2 months of pregnancy prepping the apartment, resting, and perhaps listing a few new goodies in the shop. All you moms out there who worked up till your due date, I salute you! I don't know how much longer I could've managed to climb those subway stairs every morning.
This week I hope to finally open up my Gocco machine and make my first print with it! It's been sitting new in its box taunting me since July, when I bought it as a birthday present to myself. I'm going to decorate some notebooks with it.
Oh yeah, the shop hit 500 sales! Don't know if I mentioned that, but I was super excited. It makes me hopeful for my plan of leaving animation behind (at least for a bit) in favor of building my business while I stay at home with our baby girl.
I hope all of your plans for 2009 go smoothly ... I think it's going to be an exciting year.

P.S. The above picture was taken in La Sirena, one of those great shops in the East Village that is chock full of eye candy.

December

2008-12-13T23:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, thanks to all of you who came out to my 3 events last weekend! 3rd Ward was full of cool people ready to get their holiday shopping on and turned out to be a record selling day for me, even in this economy! Working a busy craft show while nearly 7 months pregnant really tuckered me out, but luckily Chris was there to help me man the table. Somehow, when we got home, I found the energy to forgo our usual post-craft show celebratory Thai takeout and COOK. Don't know how I managed that, but soon after I was glued to the couch with my now constant companion, the hot water bottle.
This weekend is the first since September that I don't have to do much of anything. It feels wonderful. Today we'll probably drive to Target and pick up a humidifier for my constantly stuffy nose (I never knew that was a pregnancy symptom!), then maybe check out some open houses (we're looking to move into a bigger place next year). I hope all of your weekends are restful and cozy.

Happy Thanksgiving and some upcoming events...

2008-11-29T07:11:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a restful and calm Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday.
We've just returned from Thanksgiving Round One and are headed off to Thanksgiving Round Two tomorrow! In the meantime, I wanted to let you New Yorkers know about three upcoming events next weekend where you'll find me hauling around my 6-months-pregnant belly while attempting to look dainty and elegant.
First, on Friday night, there's the third installment of Too Art for TV. I'll have three "animal family portrait" paintings for sale. A detail from the first, tentatively titled "The Bigelows", is pictured above.
On Saturday night, for all of you music lovers, Chris and I will be playing together at one of our favorite joints, Banjo Jim's. It'll be mostly Chris, but I'll hop in on two songs, I think.
Finally, on Sunday, I'll be peddling all sorts of goodies from the shop at 3rd Ward's Handmade Holiday Craft Fair. I did this fair last year and it was a lot of fun. Come on by and bring some canned food or old clothes to donate, they'll be bringing it all to local shelters.
So there you have it! I expect this is my last big social hurrah before I hunker down for a long, pregnant winter of resting up and preparing for our girl's arrival. So come on out, I'd love to see you!

New Tees!

2008-11-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

Today was sunny and mild, perfect for taking pics of my new long sleeve Robo Tees, modeled by Chris. I was making him laugh by imitating one of the judges from Dancing with the Stars.

Pumpkins

2008-10-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Chris and I drove over to a friend's house to carve pumpkins and have a drink (chocolate soy milk for me, sangria for everyone else). After that, we drove up to a little town north of the city and went to a drive-in movie. I need to do both of these much more often.

Family Portrait

2008-10-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be exercising right now, but wanted to post this quick. Last weekend I made a preliminary sketch for the first in a series of three paintings for an upcoming gallery show. I was working on paper for awhile but was having a lot of trouble getting into "the zone", so I switched to my Wacom tablet and found it freed me up.

Crocs!

2008-10-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Sarah for pointing out this cute treasury in which we're both featured. I'm amazed to even be in a treasury these days, when I have so little time to devote to the shop. Besides still working on Turtles, I've got three paintings to complete by December 1st for a cool gallery show, and a few accordion appearances with this guy scattered over the coming months.
Oh, and I'm 5 months pregnant! The blog is always the last to know.