by-products

By-products from yesterday’s work.

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grateful

Walking the stairs into my studio this morning, flipping on the lights, turning on the space heater and the Pandora… I paused and realized that I feel extremely grateful for this right now. For jobs I’m excited about (another piece for a typography campaign that I love and setting up a web presentation I have tomorrow), for my gumball colored studio table, for the bits of torn paper and hand-written notes around my desk. This is good.

Nothing much more to say today. Gotta get to work.

Hope your day is good.

Posted in everyday things | 7 Comments »

today

Posted in my sacred life | 4 Comments »

do

Oh my gosh. This morning I woke up to powdered sugar rooftops and the whole world outside my window looking like a giant snow globe that’s just been shaken up. Just gorgeous! (I haven’t seen snow since we moved to SC two years ago and I forgot how much I love it.)

Anyway, this week I am officially declaring “DO” week. I feel like I’ve been kind of spinning my wheels lately. Thinking and reading a lot about this lifestyle that I want to achieve. All the things I wish were a part of my life or “somehow fit into my busy schedule”. But I have not actually gotten my nose out of the books or the internet to DO IT. To take action and make it a reality.

I read something (can’t remember where) a while back that said: if your goal is peace, but you do things that are not peaceable — you know that your true goal was not peace. But if your goal truly is peace, everything you do will keep peace in your highest priority… your highest mind. (I’m majorly paraphrasing here. You get the gist of it, right?)

Well. I’m done solely reading about it all. I’m done thinking about it. And I’m ready to just do. I’m done busying myself with other things. Filling up all the nooks and crannies of my life with things that don’t matter so much. And I’m ready to be responsible for those nooks and crannies instead.

What am I talking about? For me: infusing spirituality/simplicity/serenity/joy/love/awe into my life (how’s that for easy goals? hee): a daily meditation practice (I only do it when I “feel” like it, which is hardly ever). A home yoga practice (I have not dedicated myself to this yet.) Going out in the mornings for a walk before I lose myself in my work. Experimenting with personal art again. Doing projects for me (and you!). Taking time to tackle “The Big To Do” list that I’ve created for myself. (Includes some not so fun stuff like book-keeping, but hey — that’s been hanging over my head.) And more… lots more ideas that I have about how to achieve these goals! (But I’m trying to only bite off what I can chew for now.)

And I’m declaring this post as a way to hold myself accountable. If I shout it from the mountain tops, I better follow though, huh? :)

So I’m ending this post and bundling up in my new winter coat (that accommodates the mongo-prego-belly) and my snow pants, and I’m starting.

Hoo-rah!

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“An Illustrated Life” by Danny Gregory

Have you heard of this new book by Danny Gregory coming out very soon? I am a part of it, along with lots of other artists… looks to be super inspirational and fun. It’s kind of a behind-the-scenes, sneak peek into artist sketchbooks and personal journals. Check out Danny’s video about it:

You can preorder a copy of it here at Amazon…

:)

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friday rambling

Hi there.

I just got back from an artist/designer panel discussion in Cincinnati at the American Sign Museum. The event was informative (good stuff to think about in terms of collaborating more with art directors), but the letterforms in the museum were hard to walk away from. So much cool old type. And especially interesting for me because I worked in sign shops for years in highschool and during college.

Been thinking a lot about creative direction lately… where I want to take my art and what I want to offer. I wonder if any other artists struggle with that from time to time. I am a goal-oriented person and I’m finding myself sort of goal-less lately… maybe that’s a good thing though. Walking through it…

have a good weekend friends.

p

Posted in everyday things | 7 Comments »

working late

…Working a bit late tonight. It’s always thrilling when I send off a new finished piece to a client for their approval. It’s like asking “do you like me?” every time, even if I try hard to not feel that way.

Posted in everyday things | 8 Comments »

lip balm addiction

New piece for the Balt Sun. I had fun with this one, reflecting the colors of the day… cool and sort of greenish. Pops of orange. :)

Posted in everyday things | 9 Comments »

Lope’s Easy Taco Salad

I get a lot of emails about vegetarian recipes that I make frequently (although, I’ve added some fish to my diet now that I am pregnant), so I thought I’d start sharing some of them here on the ol’ blog. Below is one I make a lot because it’s super yummy, very easy and always has leftovers which are good to reheat the next day (free lunch!). Hope you try this and dig it!

Lope’s Easy Taco Salad
Ingredients:

2 cans organic black beans
1 packet of taco seasoning
3 large tomatoes - diced
1/2 - 3/4 head of lettuce - shredded
1 12 oz bag of shredded taco cheese
tortilla chips

Heat oven to 350•F.

Drain beans and put into a sauce pan with a little water and the packet of taco seasoning. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until bubbling.

In the meantime, chop up all your veggies and set aside.

Spread a layer of broken up tortilla chips in a 9×13 baking dish.

After beans are bubbling, remove from heat, drain and spread as the first layer over the tortilla chips. Next add a layer of tomatoes. Then a layer of lettuce (make sure you dry it a little after washing. We don’t like soggy lettuce.). Then add the bag of cheese over the whole shebang.

Cover with foil and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 or so (until cheese is melted). (Sorry… I forgot to take a pic of the final product. Too busy eating it. :))

Top with salsa and hot sauce (I love the green Jalapeno sauce) to taste.

Makes 6-8 servings.

This is really good served with refried beans or spanish rice.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you enjoy your weekend.

xo, penny

Posted in recipes | 10 Comments »

need ideas?

Recently I was kind of stuck on an assignment… not coming up with any good, usable ideas and feeling that creeping sense of despair: “I will never come up with another good concept again in my whole life. I’m doomed!” (Ok, I’m a little melodramatic, I know this.)

So in the afternoon, after wallowing around the studio and much teeth gnashing, Colin invited me to take a walk through the woods with him and talk about it — saying that I knew what to do in situations like this because it’s been part of the illustration course I have been teaching this year.

Oh yeah. He’s so smart. :)

So we left and ideas started flowing again once we were out there crunching along in the leaves. I wasn’t doomed after all!

In case you ever find yourself in my shoes, I thought I’d share with you one of the handouts I have been giving out at my classes. A fun little sheet on Ways to Get Ideas. (Click the image to see it larger.)

I think one of the best ways to get ideas rolling is to change your scenery. “Fuhgettaboutit” as the handout says. Often times I sit there and try to force ideas out when all it takes it a little down time. Some mind marinating to let the ideas work themselves out on their own. Making tea. Going to the library. Taking a walk. Just change your setting and leave the story be for a while.

It also helps to talk about it with someone. I find that if I explain the story or assignment to someone who’s not entrenched in it, I explain the core ideas first which is really important. Actually saying out loud the key elements of the story. And from there, kicking around ideas seems easier. Also, hearing some suggestions from someone else always starts the ball rolling of “Oh yeah! But what if you change that and make it this instead!” Even if they are bad ideas, it helps to air them out.

I’m also a big fan of word association. It ties into the key elements again… writing down the core ideas and branching off from there. Like a story about a cat would lead to words like tail, paws, sneaky, curvy, hairy, halloween, meow, litter, fish, sleeping in the sunshine, etc. Also writing down opposite ideas because sometimes the juxtaposition makes it interesting.

And writing all your ideas down as quickly as possible. Even if they are stinker ideas with no merit at all and you’d rather die than show anyone. That’s ok. Write those down too. And get them down before your inner critic has a chance to censor you. (Cause she can be a real hooker.) Lots and lots of ideas lead to a few good ideas.

I read a quote once that said:

I find that extremely reassuring. Think about all the different perspectives and views out there held by all these unique and different people. Each one would probably have a different take on any given topic. (Just look at Illustration Friday for proof!) So there are always tons of ideas out there. And all you need to do is find 2-3 to flesh out and make good. It’s easy in that light!

Ok, now I’m stoked… time to start on the next assignment. :)

Posted in everyday things | 17 Comments »