Stephanitely

The Future of Books for Children?

2012-01-31T11:55:00.000-08:00

What William Joyce has been up to...

Even Miss Piggy Knows Fox "News" is a Joke

2012-01-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

Is There A Real You?

2012-01-29T10:40:00.000-08:00

In the Studio

2012-01-28T22:07:00.000-08:00

Working out a composition using a model...a new thing I'm trying. And two images I found out on the internet somewhere ages ago. I think they are hilarious- especially the one with the bird.

Chinese New Year

2012-01-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

On an optimistic, cheerful note, my young friend Sofi gave me this and wished we a Happy Chinese New Year. This little card is supposed to give me prosperity this year. Sofi is a very sweet kid.

Little Bella

2012-01-27T20:56:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Tristam's little parakeet, Bella, died.

She came to live with us after the janitor at his preschool found her on the roof. She was cheerful and sweet and all yellow. About 4 months ago, she started showing signs of illness. We took her to the avian vet and he gave us all sorts of treatments to try because he had very little idea of what could be wrong with her. The vet guessed that she might have cancer because her symptoms were so unusual. Anyhow... she perked up a little and seemed to be turning a corner. Then she would be lethargic again and seemed to get worse. .. Yesterday, she died. Fred and I were there when she died and my sweet husband talked to her in her last few minutes of life. Told her that she was loved and that he hopes that her soul goes into a body that is healthy and that she has a beautiful next life. We were both blubbering.

When I picked Tristam up from school I told him what happened. This was the first pet that has died that was his and that wasn't a fish. It was hard. He held her little body for the longest time, looking at her and petting her head and crying. And I thought of that moment earlier in the day when I watched her eyes go from having life to cloudy...one of lives biggest mysteries- what happens in that moment. We are all heading that way .The boy at the table with his pet that had been alive that morning and what he must have been thinking about this little friend that has been part of his life for a good chunk of it. We talked, then Tristam went out into the garden a picked flowers and put wrapped Bella small towel and placed her in a pretty box. We had a little ceremony for her. Then he made a card for her and wrote down things he wanted to remember about her. The captions on the card read, "I love you", "please be happy", "you are awesome". It was all very sad and sweet.

Rain Forest

2012-01-27T20:50:00.000-08:00

The rainforest Tristam's class made in their classroom. The kid got so lucky again with teachers this year. She is constantly finding ways of expanding these kids' perspective on the world.

Ariel Garten: Know thyself, with a Brain Scanner

2012-01-27T15:28:00.000-08:00

Stuffed Animals

2012-01-26T21:11:00.001-08:00

Drawing Posey's stuffed animals for the next book and playing around a bit in Photoshop....the new version is SO much better than the old one.

I still have my stuffed animals from when I was little. I still add (spell checker did the funniest thing with that word...I just caught it) to my collection, but now i think of them more as sculpture... a kid probably wouldn't go for them (maybe Jocko), but I think they are charming and fun. My favorite more recent sculpture addition is of course Jocko by Gretel Parker. I love her style- it's hard to find someone with such a unique, recognizable and endearing style and charm. Gretel put an "S" in the tail for "Stephanie"- isn't that so cool! Anyhow, Jocko keeps me company in my studio. He sits next to a Danish wooden monkey I had since I was a kid from my Mom who had it when she was in her teens.

Anyhow, I have a bunch of stuffed animals to come up with and want to make them very lovable and real and Posey-like.

Grim Colberty Tales Part 2

2012-01-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 2

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Grim Colberty Tales

2012-01-25T21:31:00.001-08:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 1

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Lovely Owl

2012-01-24T21:13:00.001-08:00

Stormy Day

2012-01-23T10:07:00.001-08:00

I rained and stormed all night and now another round of down pouring rain has started. The rain was so loud last night...at our house we have sump pumps underneath the house to keep the house form flooding because the water table is so high here and they were switching off and on all night. I was in and out of sleep and today I am dragging myself through the day...

There is so much on the plate right now- deadlines loom...

here is a little sketch...

Time

2012-01-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

Times goes by so quickly...recently, I have been seeing lots of people in the later stages of life. Some have had the great fortune to come to that point with mind and body intact...some not so lucky. but, in everyone, I see in them a story...a decision made or a series of events that lead them to a place...I think of a Rosanne Cash interview when she was talking about her song called Unseen World where she says : westward leading, still proceeding to the unseen world...- son in other words, we are all heading in the same direction- towards death and ? Anyone who claims to know is full of *dung*...but that's life's big thing, isn't it? What are you going to do with your time while you are here? Are you going to freeload off of other for whatever reason that you have an excuse for? are you going to blame everyone else for your situation?

Are you going to make an endless steam of excuses for your life ring where it is? Are you going to be a victim? or frame yourself as a victim? Are you willing to fabricate excuses and stories to make yourself look good temporarily? Are you going to create and add to other's experience of the world? Are you going to be a positive force not leaving other to carry you? Are you going to create new ideas and things and experiences? Are you going to put the effort into creating your world as you want it? are you going to allow the expression of your unique self that will only be around once (maybe?- or many times? who knows - nobody) to be lost without a peep from you? Are you going to find yourself in the later years of life and be okay with what got you there? Fred always says that he wants to leave this world better than he found it. Even just a smile...

Anyhow-life can change so fast...

Handspring Puppet Company: The Genius Puppetry Behind War Horse

2012-01-18T21:47:00.000-08:00

Working with Evernote

2012-01-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

The last few months I have been surprising myself by attempting to make friends with technology and by using it as an integral part of my day .

About a week ago or so, virtual studio colleague, Viviane Schwarz, posted a nice little blurb about some very handy apps. I have been using Evernote, mentioned in her blurb, non stop since. If you were here in my space right now, you would see a tidy little studio with piles everywhere. Each piles has a purpose- most are reference materials or ideas in progress...Evernote is so totally great for people like me who organize things visually and are forever gathering bits and pieces...it's like having all of my little piles with me all the time to access when ever and to help organize me and create a more complete idea/work....

Anyhow...this images is from the uncorrected galley for Princess Posey and the Monster Stew.

Surprises in the Garden...

2012-01-17T11:37:00.000-08:00

See that little black spider? It is a black widow. Fred was fixing the irrigation system for the fruit trees at the side of the house and found tons of these nasty little things populating the box where the timer is- Yikes! I wore super long gloves to deal with that situation...

The other two images ore of some little blooms emerging from 2 of our succulents. Some day I would love to go to Death Valley and see the desert in bloom- would that be amazing? I'm working on a picture book that takes place in the desert and the colors I am finding in my research/experimenting/playing are other worldly.

Woosh

2012-01-16T22:05:00.000-08:00

January is over half over already. The days have flown by.

I planted a cover crop over a couple of the gardens beds out back. The soil looks, feels and smells like really good soil. Over the last couple of years, it has gone from some pretty heavy and clumpy stuff into some rich loamy stuff. Now I just need that worm bin and next year's garden should be in off to a good start.

I'm digging my iPhone. I use it for so many things- a big departure from my previous "smart" phone- a droid...I hated that thing...Anyhow, I have my sketches it, reference pictures, notes , manuscripts- I have them with me all the time- it is fantastic. Love it.

It's nice to dive into work right now. Hearing the news and all the scariness going on- it pisses me off actually...I have no control over that, but I do have control over my work. It's also so nice to feel like I'm making progress in things. I feel like I've come to a happy place with the work I'm doing. It's been fun incorporating photoshop into the mix...that with the drawing tablet and my process has really changed over time from working completely traditionally in the unforgiving medium (water colors) to now working in a variety of media and doing about 1/2 of the work electronically...

Anyhow...

Quatre

2012-01-14T21:55:00.000-08:00

Troi

2012-01-14T21:45:00.001-08:00

Deux

2012-01-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

I heart Carl Sagan- So Well Worth a Listen...Sorry about the Background Noise, But Time Quite Well Spent

2012-01-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

Animations of Unseeable Biology

2012-01-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

At Night

2012-01-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Night time. I'm in my cozy studio with the bedsheets over the windows- there are some beautiful shades underneath, but they are made of reed and eat night they feel too transparent to be comfortable. About half of the room are windows. So, the sheets, they soften this angular space and I can focus better with them on...

I brought a light from the living room into this room and now, a corner that used to be dark is lit and it makes the room feel more complete. Like that corner had been missing before. It makes that corner into another workspace- which I desperately need.

My new 2012 calendar is up. It's the one I always get because I just love, love it . Wolf Elbruch's Kinderzimmer Kalender. They always amaze me- year after year..so simple, but each one has a whole story you can guess at by looking at it- and I just love that. You have to be brilliant to pull that off- and when you add in the fun and joy you get from looking at the thing- well that just makes it magic.

I just stepped out onto the deck out back. It's so bright tonight. It would be a great night to go for a walk...not tonight. I have a bit more work to do before I turn in.

New Year Post

2012-01-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

For New Year's Eve, we went over to our friend Dom's house. Dom is family. Fred and I have known him as long as we have known each other. There was much food and drink and general merry making. The kids has a blast and we packed up at about 10 or so and headed home.

We looked at the night sky through binoculars and saw the Orion Nebula. Then headed inside and looked up a bunch of stuff about the Hubble and other space telescopes and about what they are discovering and how puny and really really little our little blue marble is. Pretty mind blowing stuff- the size of the universe.

We tucked the kiddo into bed and Fred and I opened up a little bubbly and toasted and chatted by candle light. We talked about the year that had just past and how quickly it went by and how much had happened and how many things there are to be grateful for...and then about the year ahead and that there was even more planned this year than last and how cool that is- always working on creating new things, always pushing the envelope a bit and trying to make things better in our lives and those we care about.

The next morning we went to Bikram yoga to start things off right. I signed up for another year of yoga. That yoga has been so great for helping to manage my packed schedule and has been invaluable in helping to straighten me out after sitting over my work all day and clearing my mind and focusing.

Then after yoga we popped into restaurant and ate the most amazing burgers- Fred's was best. It had a fig marmalade, bacon and goat cheese and they actually left it nice and pink in the middle.

I spent today doing some clearing up in my studio and some new drawings (colorful ones with warm bright desert colors for the next picture book)...for a break I put some attention to the garden and picked a big, colorful salad for dinner- then we had the most amazing sunset...

Welcome 2012! I can't wait to find out what new adventures are waiting, what new things will be created, what new friends there will be, friendships strengthened, time with family, challenges, discoveries...Happy New Year everyone- let's hope it's a positive and healthy and happy one. xo

New Year In Ringing (Drumming)

2011-12-29T14:55:00.000-08:00

The Soltice/christmas time is past. We celebrated well. On the 25th we had good friends and family over. The weather was warm. We hung out on the deck . We laughed, we ate (a beautiful rib roast and many salads and side dishes), we drank (very nice wines), the kids played (without bickering :)), the sun set (it was beautiful) . Our good friend Dom, brought his Dad over (visiting rom England) and it was so great to finally meet him- Dom is like family to us and meeting his dad was like adding to the family. At night we watched A Christmas Story.

Today I pulled the last of the tomato plants out of the garden and planted more of our cover crop. The house has been cleaned .New projects are prepped and ready to begin after the weekend. This weekend we are ringing in the New Year at Dom's ( an off and on tradition for Fred and I since 1999).

Leonard Marcus interview

2011-12-29T14:42:00.001-08:00

Winter Solstice in England

2011-12-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

Winter Solstice

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

2011-12-23T11:09:00.001-08:00

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T16:29:00.000-08:00

Wonders of the Universe: Egyptian Winster Solstice

Mayan Winter Solstice

Bolivian Winter Solstice

Solstice history.

An a picture in in Shell Beach a couple of minutes ago. Happy Solstice everyone!

Happy Winter Solstice!

2011-12-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

The original "reason for the season".

Morning in the Fish Tank

2011-12-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

Totally Great TED talk passed on my yoginni Lori

2011-12-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

Zombies and Yoga and a Winter Garden

2011-12-18T19:22:00.000-08:00

The current tv diversion we are into is Walking Dead. A show about a virus infecting the people of the earth and turing them into zombies. A totally fun and scary (we both jump and gasp) mind clearer at the end of the day.

I took a break from yoga after a shoulder issue for a couple of weeks, but now I'm back and digging it...even though the last number of classes have been a bit chilly by Bikram standards. I love our yoga family. Today I caught up with friend , Leslie, who has been in Peru with the Peace Corp this last year and has a a year more to go.

Today I also cleared out the last of the tomato plant and planted more cover crop. My hubbie needs to get busy on my worm bin...he should be happy he has a wife who isn't interested in diamonds or trinkets, but would be ecstatic over a worm bin that will make beautiful soil for next year's garden. That's what I think anyways...

The Art of Wearable Communication

2011-12-17T16:29:00.001-08:00

The Talking Heads CBGB's 1975

2011-12-17T13:12:00.001-08:00

Spaces

2011-12-17T11:42:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about spaces today. I was thinking about this interview I hear once on TED (I think that's where I heard it..)...anyhow, it was with David Byrne. He was talking about how the space in which music was being performed, shaped the creation of that music He gave as one example his early performances at CBGB's in NYC in the late 70's when he was with the Talking Heads. He said that because it was a small place filled with a lot of additional noise, like clanking glasses and people talking, the music had to be played in such a way that it could be heard under those circumstances and the space helped to create the music.

I have a friend who has designed the bedrooms in her house with only beds and storage- no work spaces, no clutter, no additional elements to distract from the function of that room. Sleep and rest.

Here is my work space. I have been meaning to write about it since Christopher Cheng , the ever positive and endlessly creative author and lecturer and SCBWI board member, asked me to participate in his series called Look at my Desk. I have been so slow in sitting down and thinking about my work space/desk. Today I was thinking about why that might be and I think it is this; my workspace needs some help and I don't totally love it yet. The main issue is storage. The part that you don't see in this picture are the layouts from 2 books, 2 piles of tax stuff, files with unfinished manuscripts I'm working on...The trouble with this space it that there isn't a lot of wall space. it is mostly windows an it has lots of little spaces where the wall juts this way and that... Now- finding a solution/s....

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

2011-12-14T20:42:00.001-08:00

Kumon

2011-12-14T12:43:00.001-08:00

After years of wanting to start Tristam in Kumon, on Monday, Fred and I finally signed him up. Kumon has been such a great help to my niece and nephews and over the past few years, friends here have also chimed in. I hope he puts n the effort to have this help him...

Reflections on Life

2011-12-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Another anniversary passed this week for me and Fred and it reminded me of what my parents said 5 and a half years ago- almost 6, at their 40th wedding anniversary: The server at their 40th wedding anniversary said, "Wow! 40 years! Amazing! How did you do it?What is your secret??" And my parents looked at the kid and said, "It wasn't hard. Find the RIGHT person." and I agree- it's not hard...find the right person. I haven't compromised anything and either has Fred- we remain the people we have always been- the beliefs, the values...there have been no major compromises- no major arguments, no life goals and wishes abandoned....we are more ourselves than ever and every year we are stronger as a couple because of it. We have both been in relationships where we did compromise and we did bury our deepest desire for the sake of the "relationship", but luckily, we both had a strong sense of ourselves and eventually, the misery of that (the not healthy relationships) made room for us. We have 2 anniversaries a year- we plan to get married to each other over and over again at different times in various places, so we can have lots of anniversaries every year. Lucky us!!! I hope the same for you- don't compromise- to thine own self be true- was that Shakespeare?

Space Horse

2011-12-13T15:37:00.001-08:00

A part of a sketch from an outer space scene involving a horse.

Holiday garland catches the sun in the living room.

A little surprise in the flower pot.

The Weekend

2011-12-09T20:44:00.000-08:00

Here it again, the weekend. This week went by like *snap*.

A new version of Photoshop is now installed on my computer and now I have to learn to use it. It looks AMAZING! The brushes, the content aware feature, the puppet wrap feature...coupled with the drawing tablet, it's a whole new world. Now, I have to learn how to make the most of it and go into student mode in between project work.

All the holiday shopping is done. Our cards arrived from the printer yesterday and this weekend we're getting those ready to send out. We're also hoping to catch the Nutcracker ballet tomorrow night- Tristam's hip hop dance teacher is a professional ballet dance by profession. I think it seeing him perform will be a really great experience for the kid. We also have making holiday gifts on our list for the weekend and I have some work to do.

Brrrr! It's cold in here tonight. It's been freezing outside all week (that's a relative statement-freezing for the central coast). I've been heating up this bean bag thing in the microwave and putting it at the foot of our bed under the covers so that our bed is toasty when we get in.

*Yawn* speak of which- I'm done for tonight...an episode of Arrested Development and then cuddling with my Pookie.

Strange Beliefs

2011-12-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

Two Lesbians Raised A Baby And This Is What They Got

2011-12-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

Two Lesbians Raised A Baby And This Is What They Got

SLO Holiday Parade

2011-12-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Also we went to the annual San Luis Obispo Christmas Parade with friends...I love living in a small town. A friend described the parade as, "trucks, flatbeds and bicycles filled with people waving at people they know lining the streets who are waving back at them. "

Holiday Decoration....

2011-12-04T21:58:00.001-08:00

This year the house is decorated with shiny things and white lights...no big tree, just little ones like this here and there...

Olives, Art, Friends....

2011-12-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

This weekend we went to our 2nd olive harvest at a good friends farm and life as art haven. Around 150 friends and family of the Ritters / Ritterbucks were there to harvest this year's olive crop. We were sarenaded by a mariachi band as we harvested olives. The kids were in heaven bouncing on the trampoline, exploring the grounds , taking tractor rides and chasing each other around. Afterwards we were treated to a lunch of tri-tip sandwiches, beans and salad and sat in the sun chatting. It was devine. Here are some photos of this beautiful place created by out friends.

Judy Blume

2011-11-30T09:52:00.001-08:00

A wonderful interview with Judy Blume. This summer she made a surprise visits at the SCBWI LA conference. here she is crashing Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver's presentation about their Hank Zipzer series. Can you believe how amazing she looks? She is in her 70's - seriously. And Henry and Lin were thrilled. And by the way, Henry and Linn are charming beyond belief too-

Going on 13

2011-11-26T14:11:00.001-08:00

A sunny day. Our little parakeets are twittering in the next room, Fred and Tristam are out doing yard work and I'm inside working on some projects- drawing foxes and little girls who are princesses.

As of August, Fred and I have been best friends for a solid 12 years. It has gone by so quickly. Life is so short.

Be here now- that what Ram Dass says. Here is pretty great. I hope things are great where you are too...

Kitch

2011-11-24T18:49:00.000-08:00

See- this is it...the Madonna Inn. Full of plastic light up grape lamps, oil painting of the owner depicting them as royalty and small water features. I have to say though, the dinner was good and they managed to not over cook my steak...

All of that aside, there really is so much to be thankful for. I'm having a very good life and I am truly thankful to the Gods, fates, cosmic energy or whatever (touch wood). I complain about some pretty trivial things. We are are healthy, happy and surrounded by great people (some just good, a few eh- not too much to say about, but most great). Happy Thanksgiving all!

The Madonna Inn

2011-11-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

A little bit of kitch for you here at the Madonna Inn. An inn built in the age of Mad Men by a man who lead that lifestyle. Alex Madonna is not only famous for his pink hotel thing, but also is indiscretions. We are going there for Thanksgiving...report to follow...hopefully there will be something other than turkey and potatoes. Ugh. The first thanksgiving NO turkey. Why, how did that dry awful bird become a celebrated meal? And all of that awful gravy and mashed potatoes....yuck yuck and sweet potatoes with more sweet diabetes on top of it...oh...Blech. And Plah. ...The first one had oysters on the half shell and lobster- now that I could handle...

Playing

2011-11-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

Almost Friday. This weekend is Fred's birthday. We have 3 good friends , who share the same birthday an so we are going out to celebrate.

I've taken a 2 days off from yoga and it hasn't helped my arm at all. I think I have a pinched nerve. It's my right arm and I am right handed, so that blows...anyhow..

Just a little doodle at the end of the work day- a chance to play with photoshop.

I'm wrapping it up now, Fred is back form India (3rd trip this year) and we going to chill out to some Arrested Development episodes. Last night we finished season5 of Dexter. It's nice to have something to to ally chill out to before turning in. Good night :)

The Holiday Slide

2011-11-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

Here we go...I have a holiday wreath on the door already, holiday lights up and slowly the place is looking very much like a celebration. It's a bit early, but why not? I don't like Thanksgiving much (bland gravy covered food and a lot sitting around)- the giving thanks part is great, seeing family is nice, but the origins of the holiday are like the origins of most holidays. They tend to be like those games of telephone we used to play as kids where you sit in a circle and a word is whispered form one person to the next and then by the last kid, the word is nothing like the original. And Thanksgiving actually ends with, "and then the settlers killed the Indians and took all their land.". Whatever the reason, a day off is always nice though...

This is a little part of a holiday card I did for the Red Fox Literary holiday card.

Works

2011-11-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

As I get closer to finishing a piece, I tend to slow down a bit- I think I get nervous about messing it all up and going too far...

I'm taking today off from yoga- I think with so much drawing/painting lately that I have strained by shoulder a bit and today I'm just going to rest it...maybe head out to a cafe with some work and change my scene for the day...there is one down town that we go to a lot called Kreuzberg (named after a part of Berlin- a city Fred and I both love)- anyhow, they have a super creative atmosphere and great food and relaxed vibe...my favorite cafe for sure.

On another note, I am reading (listening to) the biography of Steve Jobs that just came out. It's well written and fascinating- it was written by the same guy who wrote a wonderful biography on Einstein that I read awhile ago. I'm finding it so fascinating reading about Steve Jobs because he reminds me so much of my very own entrepreneur, Fred. The drive, the creativity, the out of the box thinking...a past girlfriend he had ages ago, actually wanted to send him to workaholics annonymous (can you believe there is such a thing? I guess you can be any kind of aholic)...passion, drive, I love that about him- that's who he is. I married a man who sees the world as being full of possibilities and creates opportunities....they don't always work out, but then he's onto creating a new positive thing and not waiting for someone to hand him one.

Sweet Honey in the Rock

2011-11-08T08:20:00.001-08:00

I remember when I first heard this song sung by these amazing women...over 20 years ago at Ocean Song. When I first heard it, I heard it from the point of view of a child beginning my journey as an adult. I was living up in the redwoods in Sonoma county and I was figuring out what I wanted my life to be...now, I hear this song from the point of view of a parent...what a beautiful circle...I hope I can keep this song in mind as we raise Tristam. I am so lucky to have parents that maybe didn't know the song, but who certainly raised us with this idea in mind and who continue to respect us in this way. I love you Mom and Dad!

Sad and Beautiful...

2011-11-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

Do you remember this story? I remember blubbering when I first heard about this friendship and thinking how powerful and beautiful. We are not so different from our fellow animals...

In the Studio

2011-11-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

Long hours in the studio lately.

I watched a really great movie about Vidal Sassoon last night. Here is a link to it. This man's story is the story of how if you work hard enough to become excellent at something (20-30 hour work weeks, won't do it), you can do great things. You wouldn't think a haircut could change things in the world, but with Vidal Sassoon- there is your proof it can. I really didn't know anything about the guy before the movie. I remember the commercials for his products form back in the 80's, "If you don't look good, we don't look good..."- you remember...anyhow, turn out the guy is quite the rags to riches story. What struck me also after seeing the film was how fit and healthy this guy is. 83 years old, a lifetime of taking care of his body through, yoga, Pilates and swimming...a healthy diet. This man moves like a man half his age (well, a healthy man half his age). Very inspiring.

On the topic of doing something well. Fred and I have always tried to praise Tristam for his efforts, not his results and here is an article reinforcing that idea. Turns out, that when people tell kids that they are smart, they are actually hurting them...seems counter intuitive, but in study after study, there you have it. What happens is that kids start to thin that their smartness is inherint and not a result of efforts and when they don't do well, they then think they are stupid and don't try things that are more challenging...they don't connect effort with doing something well- they just think they should be able to do something well, just because...

November already. I turned the page on my wall calendar and found this hilarious, bold and beautiful image by Wold Erlbruch. A determined fish...love it!

It rained last night. The air is clean. I harvested what I think are the last tomatoes yesterday and gave some to neighbors and ate some sliced and sprinkled with Himalayan salt last night. So good.

Today- yoga, I'm doing the 30 day Bikram challenge right now before the holidays- 90 minutes of hot yoga, every day for 30 days. Hardware store- I'm fixing some things around here today, you can learn do almost anything on YouTube. And I'm finishing up this holiday fox piece on my desk- I have to add a forest, make the snow hills more dramatic and add falling snow and a snow fox.

The Fish Tank at NIght

2011-11-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

Last night I took a picture of this coral in Tristam's tank. At night that little aquatic life support cube is a whole different place. Some fish sleep- the clown fish sleeps in a vertical position, for example. But some fish, like the cardinal are up hunting brine shrimp. I look at this little cube of salt water housing all of these creatures and think of the actual coral reefs around the world- how beautiful...and just like our little tank, with it's delicate balance of water conditions and life, so delicate...

How a Brain Develops...You are in the Drivers Seat...

2011-11-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Just Wook at dat Face

2011-11-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite fish in Tristam's fish tank- Lenny the Lawnmower Blenny. This little fish is so full of personality. It reminds me of a little dog (a smart one, like a pug). When I go in to feed him/her in the morning he's waiting for me, just like n the photo. Then he see me coming and starts to do flips and swims around near the top of the tank- cracks me up....Little Lenny. :)

Halloween, Part Two

2011-10-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

The weekend was spent doing Halloween stuff; carving pumpkins, going to a Halloween party at Tristam's dance studio, and a trip up to Cambria to visit my in-laws and see the scarecrows there. I was told that there are 300 of them around that town. This one was my favorite.

Some Cozy Days

2011-10-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been fall-like. The liquid amber is turning red (ahead of schedule), the sycamores are a sunny yellow and the monarch butterflies are back.

These birds are on my desk.

A family of sea otters is having dinner just out there. I can see them with the binoculars. The sun set is going to be beautiful.

Weatherman says that summer returns next week.

The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth

2011-10-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Fog

2011-10-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

This morning I awoke to a fog horn blaring somewhere not too far away. My world is shrouded in a white haze this morning. I did not want to get up today...I could have languished in bed and been perfectly content in my slothness...but there are deadlines and a kid to get to school and shopping to do and yoga to be practiced.

This morning I got a note from Leonard Marcus who said that his Annotated Phantom Tollbooth comes out this week. He also just finished up writing another book about Madeleine L'Engle. This guy is amazing.

Okay, so now, I really need to get with it! Yoga, then the next Posey book sketches and then a Red Fox Literary project, then research for a new picturebook....and of course picking up the kid, doing homework with him and taking him to karate classes...then make dinner then get kid to bed, then more work...

Birds

2011-10-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

I finished up some bigger projects and now I'm turning my attention to some smaller ones before the next bigger on starts shortly. One of the smaller ones is a much overdue gift- which is where this sketch comes from.

Signs of Fall

2011-10-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

Halloween, Part One

2011-10-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

It feels like fall here on the Central Coast. Leaves are changing color, days are getting shorter...the garden's Summer crop is dwindling and I have our Fall crops planted.

Our family is making our Halloween costumes. This year we are all dressing up. Here is a sketch of a costume I made back in grade school using boxes.

Fred and I have been in high gear for the past couple of months. The past few days I have watched that Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech over and over and over again. I am making it my mantra: Don't settle, believe that the dots will connect down the road, love the things you do/do great work, endings are just beginning, your life is limited-so don't waste it living someone else's, don't be trapped by dogma, follow your heart/intuition, and stay hungry/stay foolish.

I'm wrapping up some book projects and getting ready to embark on a new picture book. I'm super excited about the picture book. It's full of animals and color and humor and it is very sweet and totally different from anything I've taken on before.

No yoga today, but on the weekend I had a great class. One of my favorite instructors was leading the class. It was one of those where I felt a nice balance of really trying to nail the form, feel each pose and push my edge just a bit. And since I hadn't taken a class in a couple of days, I felt so happy to be there. What would I do without yoga? It makes everything else doable. Anyhow...

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

Long Hours...

2011-09-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

The schedule in the past couple of months has gotten filled more and more. I'm settled into that pace right now. I'm really trying to insist on healthy food, fitting yoga in, and delegating the things that chew up time from my illustrating...and then there is also being careful to leave time with my family and close friends. With an impacted schedule, I'm very aware of wasted time...not the day dreaming kind, or the stepping out for a breath of fresh air kind, but the kind used up on unproductive things....

Anyhow, I'm digging the work- some fun stuff and some different stuff...and I bought a pumpkin today. It's starting to feel like that time of year. A time to have gourds and apples and orange flowers around.

Our Amazing Kiddie Writer's Group

2011-09-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Sharon Lovejoy, posted a video summary of our last KW (Kiddie Writers) meeting. Sharon spends part of the year here and part of it it her beloved Maine. In past years, our summer meetings have been without her because of the distance. Thanks to Skype, we had our first KW meeting with a member attending virtually. Here is that video of parts of our meeting.

Little Parakeet

2011-09-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

And so, I'm back...

2011-09-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted too much lately. Lots of reasons for it...

The state of politics and people has been a real downer. It seems like politicians are divided into 2 extreme camps; one camp wants to eliminate all of the government except for the military and the other wants the government to take care of everything. No one is budging and either scenario is a recipe for something backwards and uninspiring. The guy we elected president is a good guy (better man human than the last one) , but he's not a good leader....blah blah..and then there are people who don't get that these tough times get a lot better if we get creative and push harder and reinvent- instead everyone has their hand out and their fingers pointing...completely useless and very unAmerican....or very American if you are the sort of Bachmann, Palin, or that smarmy Rick whoseit guy from Texas- if you like that sort of chewing tabacco, Holy roller, bully type of America...I don't.

And then I've been swamped with work. I love the work I am doing. I have more Posey books and also a picture book set in the desert southwest with lots of crazy looking animals and warm colors and it's for a younger age group than what I have illustrated for before. I have my excellent agent, Abi to thank for that. This week I got to meet with Abi for a few hours and I am just really taken by how bright and insightful and real she is. Lucky me.

I got to text a bit with one of my 2 cousins who is serving in Afghanistan right now. We were talking about marriage- he's a newly wed- and he said, that he love the friendship - that he married his best friend. His brother said the same thing...my parents said the same thing - they have been married 45 years...Best friends- that really is the best...I think our family is pretty usual- no divorces...all life long friends. Anyhow, my cousins are both pretty great in their own right and I hope they come back safe from that mess...

I was cleaning Tristam's salt water aquarium the other day and I thought that people who don't get it about the environment should get aquariums. These delicate isolate worlds in acrylic containers with a system to balance and maintain life. Any minor shift in the tank, like nitrites being a bit too high and then other things start to overgrown and then very quickly you reach a point where something needs to be done or there will be deaths. People who don't care about the environment, get this: we live in a contained system. Nothing leaves (except for stuff we send up into space) and nothing comes in (except radiation and stuff like meteors and such)...we are an aquarium.

I have been listening to some great interviews whiles I'm working. I found a lot of interesting stuff on the Charlie Rose Show. And I've had a few "WOW!!" moments lately, which is totally great because there is something about a "WOW!" moment that just really wakes you up. One of them was looking at images from Cassini and Hubble telescopes...we are so small in this big Universe..and then all of the stupidity here on Earth just seems totally lame....

Anyhow- here is a little fox sketch.

Interview with Maurice Sendak

2011-09-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

This Pig Wants to Party: Maurice Sendak's Latest.

Probably the Most Thoughtful and Insightful Piece I Have Heard On 9/11

2011-09-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

The show is one of my favorites; Speaking of Faith, and the piece they did on 9/11 was exceptional. Here it is, it's called 9/11:Who Do We Want to Become. Unlike everything else I have heard. I highly recommend it.

Sponge Bob Will Mess up Your Kid

2011-09-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have seen this, but in case you haven't here is the article about what you have always suspected.

Earth at Night

2011-09-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

This image makes the world look even smaller.

Summer

2011-09-05T15:21:00.001-07:00

A humming bird at sunset...the sunset.

I just watched a beautiful NOVA program which can be found here: NOVA Hunting the Edge of Space. Our universe is 13.7 billion years old. Isn't that amazing? We know when it began. This program was all about how we have learned what we know about the universe from the beginning of our history up until now...the last 10 years have had huge discoveries that I was unaware until watching this...what a beautiful, teeny, tiny planet we live on in the boondocks of the universe.

The Ocean Song

2011-09-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

The past few days I've heard the sound of waves crashing. It's been especially nice at night.

I should have stopped with working on this wave about 10 minutes before I did... I need to remember to create more layers so I can go back more easily...it looks a bit too even and a bit too patterned....it's a learning process for sure.

America's Funniest Home Videos: A Poor Choice for Children, a Sad Commentary on the Adults Who Allow them to Watch the Show

2011-08-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have been watching a young kid I know fling himself into walls and stage other injuries and then laugh. When I asked why he was doing it he said,"it's funny! like America's Funniest Home Videos!" *cringe*.....This show has been around since the 80's. For those of you fortunate enough not to know about it, I'll give you the run down. Each week ordinary people injure themselves and other (grandma, the dog , the baby...whoever) and film it. Then they send in their usually staged injury to the ABC tv network. If it is deemed "funny" it is aired....

It's not a new idea...the Romans had a version where people and animals were maimed and or killed for entertainment, but that it still airs today is a reflection of the same force that think that Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann and that other nut from Texas Rick something?) would make fabulous leaders...that video games featuring disembowelment are okay...that Fox "news" is actual journalism...

I'm so embarrassed for my county. And worried. (See now, you thought maybe I would leave that morally challenged Michelle Bachmann alone this week...I keep thinking what it must have ben like in pre-WW2 Germany when a certain little Austrian was elected...hmmm why does she remind me so much of that guy?)

Cat and Mouse

2011-08-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

A sketch I did a few days ago.

I've been drawing a lot lately. I get lost and found in the drawing. Sometimes I forget how much I love my work. It is nice to remember...

Chair and Book

2011-08-25T17:37:00.001-07:00

And here is a sketch...more of what you would expect to see on a blog like this. I debate giving my opinion about things...but in the end, if you know me, you know I am not wishy washy, I am not a "go with the herd" person, and I live in this world and to pretend that all of the nut balls out there don't really bother me would be disingenuous of me...so here is a nice little dog sitting on a nice comfy chair.

The Bachmanns...What a Pair...

2011-08-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

At this point in our history, do we need to go back to how these two nuts think -who by the way, think Christianity took a too liberal turn with the Reformation- really. Here is an article about Marcus Bachmann's government funded "pray the gay away" clinic.

When I graduated high school another graduating senior threw himself off of the Minneapolis Basilica to his death after coming out to his parents. I think his choice of venue was no accident and I think that the pain that this poor kid went through was in no small part due to sick nuts like "Dr."Bachmann. Does anyone in this day and age really think that sexual orientation is a choice? Really?? They obviously seem to think education and facts are optional in forming that opinion.

Leonard Marcus

2011-08-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

In my studio I have a shelf of books by Leonard Marcus. The first book I read of his was Dear Genius The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom. It's About the legendary editor who nurtured the talents of people like Maurice Sendak, Shel Silverstein, Margaret Wise Brown, Charlotte Zolotow, E.B. White and so many other incredible artists who shaped children's literature and so many of our lives. The copy I have has been read over and over and has sticky note and passages underlined (in pencil). It contains letters back and forth from editor to the artists. This book has been a life line for me and so many other over the years who have had doubt about going down the path of being a creative person. It is not one of the easier roads to go down and to know that those who traveled it before went through similar difficulties and thoughts it of great comfort.

Over the years I have added more of his books to my collection. As a historian, Leonard's work is about how important children's literature is in our culture, it's about the people who created the books that shaped each generation and how each generation shapes the next wave of literature. It's about the creators of the literature and what shaped them and why they did what they did. His work helps us to put it all into context and gives us a way of understanding the field - he gives it all meaning. Children's literature is incredibly relevant and significant to society.

Recently I got the chance to spend a few hours with Leonard Marcus one on one and it was such a treat! Here is a link of a picture from one of the gatherings we were at . Anyhow, getting to talk with Leonard was a thrill and I hope I get more opportunities to chat with this wonderful person.

Leonard Marcus Talking About His Book, Minders of Make-Believe

2011-08-24T15:18:00.001-07:00

Interview with Alice Waters

2011-08-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

After many posts about misguided, damaged and damaging human beings (i.e. Michelle Bachmann and other tea bags), I'm happy to share a link to an inspiring interview of Terry Gross talking with Alice Waters.

Giant Lemon and Some Work

2011-08-21T13:44:00.001-07:00

These last few weeks have gone by so very quickly. They have been very creative and productive weeks for me filled with visits with friends, the annual SCBWI conference, yoga, and lots of art. The garden has been going nuts (note the size of this lemon wedge). I have been devouring garden fresh salads and veggies and doing lots of yoga. My Cintiq arrived (oh what a revolution that is!!), book work is pouring in, life is really pretty wonderful right now...except for the news and all of the disappointment in the behavior of the world at large...

My Pookie is Home

2011-08-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Fred has been gone in India for the last month. Yesterday, he came home. As has always been the case, we picked up right where left off. The longest we have ever been apart was a year (when we were just friends before we got together as a couple) and even then, it was as if no time had passed ...

Here he is in Dehli on a warm summer day where he happened across a tomb on a walk...a miniature Taj Majal.

I'm glad to have him home.

Michele Bachman Thinks Slavery Was Positive for Slaves

2011-08-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

Really- click here- for this NUT ball's ever more troubling views....sicko.

A Weekend

2011-08-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

So nice to sleep in today. A rare treat. I gardened. I drew. I had a glass of wine with friends. I read. I drew some more. I dozed.

Diabo Nuclear Power Plant- The Devil's PR Campaign. It's Pretty.

2011-08-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows by now that I have an incredibly low opinion of Diablo Nuclear Power Plant. This is because of their sad safety record or near misses, their use of tax dollars to build their hellish plant, we don't really need them and because it could very well destroy this gorgeous place on the planet so that the people in Fresno/Bakersfield can run their GameBoys, Nintendos and air conditioning . Here is an example of their disingenuous sliminess. They sent this calendar- it's beautiful. It has pictures of the immediate area here that a mishap (which happen ALL the time at that ship of fools) would destroy. So here it is...lovely pictures of the most stunning places in the world that that would be destroyed by the publisher of this calendar. I hope my neighbors are looking at the thing with the same distain I am. May Diablo Power Plant be decommissioned and ASAP. Other wise we will have this stupid calendar as a reminder of what was before those arrogant idiots moved into town and built this hideous danger with our tax dollars... You cannot polish a turd.

This Piece About Crazy Michele Bachmann Scares Me!!

2011-08-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

What's inside that nut's head? This.

It's dark and frightening in there...

Cleaning up..

2011-08-09T08:48:00.001-07:00

Ahh...you know, it is always so nice to be home after traveling. the conference was just perfect and meeting up with the whole Children's Book Tribe always recallibrates me back to my center, but being home is my favorite place to be. I can be social for short periods of time and then I reach saturation and that's it, I'm useless until I can regroup.

So, I'm back and unpacked and have a load of laundry going and have shelved my new treasures and have had my cappuccino (another perk of being home). The calendar was still turned to the July page- July was so, so busy...it was a blurr. Now it is showing August and it is already the 9th.

On a sad note, I talked someone today who gave me the inside scoop on this rating downgrade for the country. He had a meeting with some people from the S&P for some business stuff...do you know what they said about why the US down grade happened? The Tea Bag Party. Those dolts have the attitude of the people who trashed their homes and walked away from their mortgages . They were so cavalier about not paying the bills that the S&P downgraded the whole country because those people don't get it- they don't understand history, they don't understand finance, or how they world works...It was the Tea Party folks- that's who we have to blame for this mess- those people. Get them out of places where they can harm things that are beyond their ability to understand- like Washington. Grrrr....I'm not a democrat or a republican, but these people in the last few days have so far cost the economy 2 trillion dollars. 2 TRILLION. I have to stop myself now, or this could get ugly...

Okay- off to the garden to pull some weeds and plant some new things. I'll be like Candide today and cultivate my own garden.

The 40 Anniversary of the SCBWI

2011-08-08T21:28:00.001-07:00

Happy. Connected. inspired. That's how I feel after this year's SCBWI LA conference.

I really do think that this one was the best yet.

My favorite memories: David Small dancing on stage with his Lady Love, Gary Paulsen telling the story of his life, talking with Leonard Marcus for the entire SCBWI party, Richard Peck's speech, Judy Blume showing up at the Lin Oliver and Henry Winkler talk (that I thought couldn't get any better), Marla Frazee, the food at Rock Candy and spending time with good friends.

I'm home. I unpacked, shelved my books, made some fresh chamomile tea from the garden am drawing a bath....am ready to sleep :)

Making Ready

2011-08-01T15:58:00.001-07:00

House sitter- check, Portfolio-check, Packing- in progress....Thursday I head down to LA for the annual SCBWI shindig.

I'm looking forward to a change of pace for a few days; to networking, to being inspired, to seeing friends and colleagues and doing some yoga at Bikram headquarters..

I have assembled a portfolio I feel really good about I even made the actual physical portfolio myself. Here are some parakeets - part of apiece I'm making for Viviane Schwarz (long over due piece)....

Now I have things to tidy up for the next Princess Posey book, wash Bruno and take care of some bits and bobs and I'm set...

New Paintbox

2011-07-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

A long awaited package arrived the other day. It contained a Cintiq drawing tablet- the perfect tool for moving into working more digitally on my illustrations. I am not a tech savvy person, anyone who has ever had to deal with me when a computer, smart phone or really any gadget is not doing what I'm try to get it to do, knows that that isn't a pretty scene...so, for me, this drawing tablet is BIG stuff. It took me longer than the average person to hook it up because I had to go on the hunt for an adapter (you would think that a graphics tool would automatically be set up to link with an apple, but no...nope...), then my mac didn't want to recognize the tablet...there were calls to tech support, I was near tears at one point- but success! It works and I am smitten.

The other images here are of a rockin' salad I made the other night when I had the neighbors over for dinner and playdate (with Tristam) and then the other image is of how the fog has been coming in lately- a big thick wall of it- it's a juicy wall, in the morning there has been a light drizzle.

Michele Bachman Actual Videos : NUT!

2011-07-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

Michele Bachmann Corrected

2011-07-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

Michele Bachmann..ugh..Sarah Palin's twin sister in mentality, intelligence (lack there of) ,severe lack of knowledge about American History, shockingly uniformed about world history and politics, and master of "truthiness" and inability to connect the dots...it's going to be another election with the sub par, the mediocre, the marginally passable....Check this out. so sad.

Founding Father Quote

2011-07-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

"I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine. (12 May 1780)"
— John Adams

Parakeets

2011-07-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

Today my favorite Pandora station is "The Style Council".

One Fred's and my favorite people is in town and we got to catch up with her and hear about her plans to open up a new Bikram studio out east.

Tonight it's dinner at out good friends Dina and George's .

It's a good day for sure.

Saturday Catch Up

2011-07-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is a day to do odd chores around the house, stuff like: washing the car, doing laundry (well, we do that every day actually), weeding the garden, pulling out things that have bloomed, fruited or leafed and are now done, planting new things in their place, sorting papers in the studio, paying bills...all that sort of thing. I just discovered that the new hose has quite a bit of water pressure and washed the house. I've never washed a house before. Very satisfying.

Last night Tristam was presented with an award for his continued efforts in dance class. We were proud parents for sure. Fred and I started him in dance in the last part of his kindergarten year and his first classes were spent mostly staring at himself in the mirror making faces with his tireless dance teacher trying to coax some dance moves out of him. Now he is on the boys hip hop team (which he has to audition for) and has some seriously cool moves and lots of confidence and is having a blast. Good stuff.

The fog is coming in. Right now it is sitting out over the ocean like a thick cloud. Tonight I'm starting another book set in India called The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. From now until the end of the year, when we go to India for a few weeks, I am immersing in books , and films and history about India and cooking lots of Indian dishes. I look out on that fog and think about that far away place....

Stephanitely

The Future of Books for Children?

Even Miss Piggy Knows Fox "News" is a Joke

Is There A Real You?

In the Studio

Chinese New Year

Little Bella

Rain Forest

Ariel Garten: Know thyself, with a Brain Scanner

Stuffed Animals

Grim Colberty Tales Part 2

Grim Colberty Tales

Lovely Owl

Stormy Day

Time

Handspring Puppet Company: The Genius Puppetry Behind War Horse

Working with Evernote

Surprises in the Garden...

Woosh

Quatre

Troi

Deux

I *heart* Carl Sagan- So Well Worth a Listen...Sorry about the Background Noise, But Time Quite Well Spent

Animations of Unseeable Biology

At Night

New Year Post

New Year In Ringing (Drumming)

Leonard Marcus interview

Winter Solstice in England

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Winter Solstice

Happy Winter Solstice!

Morning in the Fish Tank

Totally Great TED talk passed on my yoginni Lori

Zombies and Yoga and a Winter Garden

The Art of Wearable Communication

The Talking Heads CBGB's 1975

Spaces

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Kumon

Reflections on Life

Space Horse

The Weekend

Strange Beliefs

Two Lesbians Raised A Baby And This Is What They Got

SLO Holiday Parade

Holiday Decoration....

Olives, Art, Friends....

Judy Blume

Going on 13

Kitch

The Madonna Inn

Playing

The Holiday Slide

Works

Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sad and Beautiful...

In the Studio

The Fish Tank at NIght

How a Brain Develops...You are in the Drivers Seat...

Just Wook at dat Face

Halloween, Part Two

Some Cozy Days

The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth

Fog

Birds

Signs of Fall

Halloween, Part One

Steve Jobs

Long Hours...

Our Amazing Kiddie Writer's Group

Little Parakeet

And so, I'm back...

Interview with Maurice Sendak

Probably the Most Thoughtful and Insightful Piece I Have Heard On 9/11

Sponge Bob Will Mess up Your Kid

Earth at Night

Summer

The Ocean Song

America's Funniest Home Videos: A Poor Choice for Children, a Sad Commentary on the Adults Who Allow them to Watch the Show

I heart Carl Sagan- So Well Worth a Listen...Sorry about the Background Noise, But Time Quite Well Spent