She Sails

This is part of an image I made some time ago for an amazing sailor and adventurer, Stephanie Katz, to be used on her new blog about her travels. I was so happy to be asked to create the header and background for this place where she would document her experiences, and the process was such a fun one that I was sad when it was done. Go on and visit Stephanie on her blog to follow her travels at SheSails.net !

The image is something of a collage, with foreground and background images painted separately in gouache and then assembled together digitally, that way I could have more control over composition and placement even after the painting part was done. 

I ought to have posted this sooner, but immediately after, I got tied up in a long term project that I can't talk about just yet. Let it suffice to say that I am bursting with excitement about it.

Circus Folk Paper Dolls

Hello all, this is my first paper doll post!

I designed these dolls some months ago, based on drawings of circus characters from my neatbook, and I cannot begin to tell you how much I love them.
Click to enlarge!













In preparation for the Craft Carnival on November 5th, I've ordered some lovely glossy 5x7 postcard prints of these paper dolls that can be cut out and assembled with provided brads. Each doll takes 30 to 45 minutes to carefully cut out and put together. I'll be selling them both as DIY paper doll postcards and pre-assembled dolls.

Also note the Etsy shop address on the front of the doll sheets: kissabug.etsy.com!

I'm planning to begin stocking up my Etsy shop this Friday, so run over there and bookmark it, heart it, add me to your circle, and keep your eyes peeled, because this Etsy shop is happening!





I've also got new postcards and business cards, a nice fat stack of postcard prints of other illustrations, and my stickers should be arriving any day now. I'd like to make some fine art prints available too at some point, but that will have to wait for the time being. Right now, I'm sewing plush!

Little by little, everything is coming together.

**EDIT**
I've decided I need a bit more time to launch the Etsy shop. Wednesday or Friday, I think.
Some time between November 2nd & 4th, kissabug.etsy.com! I'll keep you posted.

Handmade Miami Craft Carnival

Fun news friends! 

This year I will be participating in the Handmade Miami Craft Carnival! I'll be selling prints, paper dolls, stickers, and plush goodies, so if you are in or around Miami, FL when November 5th rolls around, please stop on by! I'll be posting often in the coming weeks with updates. AND since this event has lit a fire under me, I'll be setting up an Etsy shop soon as well. Stay tuned!

Lorenzo and Lynda

(Photo by Elizabeth Stemporzewski, used with permission. Thanks Elizabeth!)

Here is a portrait that I painted for Lynda and Lorenzo, friends of mine that I have known since elementary school. They just got married! I was so happy to be asked to do a portrait for their wedding, which was used for the cover of their guestbook. Congratulations Lorenzo and Lynda! All my love! ♥

Old Forgotten Things

Here are some things that I forgot to post! They are all precisely one million years old.

First up is the forgotten monster that I painted years ago along with the other characters of this flickr set.
I somehow I managed to overlook him, poor thing.
Next are two color studies for the Telephone Series. I love them, they are as loose as it gets.
Then is an old but not too old page of colors from the messbook for the Tarot Journal notebook cover.
And last is the painting of a trio of goldfish, which is probably one of the first paintings that I made upon rediscovering gouache, ever so many years ago.
So many old things. My, how time flies.
And there are newer things to come.