Happy Holidays!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..

Not.

It doesn't look like Christmas at all. Where's all the wonderful Buffalo snow I'm so used to??

So for my Illustration Friday post I will use this holiday card I designed for an office supply company in my hometown Medina, NY. It certainly fits in this week's topic, and I literally just finished it on Tuesday!

"Front"

"Back"

I didn't get a jpeg of it when I had the logo on the back. Imagine that above the little red tree there is a logo that says "Paperboys Office Supply & Business Solutions"

I've been crazy busy this December. Working on my house has been quite the journey, but we're putting our final coat of poly on the hardwood floors, so we can move in this weekend! *jumps for joy* *does happy dance* *realizes people are watching and awkwardly sits back in desk chair*

I have taken on another job these past two weeks. Not only am I an Art Director full time, but for the last several days I have also been Santa Claus.

Yes, that's right. 

Awhile back Justin and I made a coloring book for the Lions Club that was printed by Paperboys. It told the story of how the village of Medina is decorated every year by a team of three elves (Rosie, Candy Cane, and Tinsel). Long story short Medina had a big Christmas shin dig where billions of children flooded the streets. At Paperboys you could color a page from the coloring book, and write a letter to Santa (there's a letter on the back to fill out). The big selling point was that Santa will actually write you back! 

Guess who was Santa? 

Yup. 

A better look at the coloring book cover, before the text was put in.

Don't get me wrong, it was fun. Some of those letters were hilarious, and I wanted to make sure that each and every letter was personal. When I was in 1st grade I got a letter from an elf named "Flicky", and I was so excited that I kept the letter forever (still have it now). In 5th grade I was lucky enough to be in the English class that actually wrote those letters to the 1st graders. So who was I? Flicky, the elf. Of course.

Pics of my renovations will be up in due time...there is still too much to do!

Pappyland

McDonalds

It's not Toonsday, but I felt the need to pull a comic out of my archive today. It clearly depicts my attitudes towards the fast food industry and that is, I could care less how bad it is for you...the force that drives my car to McDonalds when I'm cravin' their fries is stronger than any that an article or documentary about the fast food industry could hold off.

Lacking Momentum

Really missing illustrating right now, as well as Illustration Friday. After finally closing on the house, all of my evenings have been devoted to turning our lower into a home. Now we're left with a pile of drywall scratching our heads wondering where to begin!

For small updates on more art-related things, I have rather exciting news! After hours of going back and forth with the rep from Channel 4, my commercial is finally airing several times on both Channel 4 as well as CW! For those of you that don't know, I work at an advertising company as the art director, and these past two weeks have been crazy after we decided to buy commercial ad space. I was sent back to my roots to wipe dust from Adobe Flash and animate a 15 second spot for our company.

All of this has been very fun, however it reminds me of why I started to put myself away from Animation after receiving my degree at Edinboro: Animation is so stressful! I had a small moment of breakdown similar to ones during my final semester at college where I went into the bathroom, let out a few tears, then composed myself to return to my office desk to complete the task.

On a lighter note, I'm completing a children's coloring book to be sold for the Christmas season. As a way of giving back to my hometown, I am helping create a coloring book about Medina, NY. It tells the story of how Medina is decorated by three elves that visit every year, and highlights Medina-famous places and landmarks that make Medina...well...Medina.

Pics to follow, I am terribly sorry that this post is so lame-looking and lacking in photos.

Good Bye, Grand Island

Today is most certainly a scone day. A Pepsi Max and scone day. A Pepsi Max and Wegman's blueberry scone day.

I have good news and bad news. The good news is, I finished coloring my facebook cover photo that I will be posting on my official house closing date which has been set for this Monday, October 22nd!

I love Grand Island and I will miss it dearly, but I am so anxious to get into this new house!

So the bad news is that I committed a murder last night, and the victim was my left big toe. Last year I ran into issues regarding my two big toenails from playing indoor soccer. There is so much quick-stopping on a surface that grips so well that your toes are constantly being jammed into the front of your shoes. Last night was the first night of the new indoor season, as well as the death of my left toe.

I was up until 4 am last night trying to find a way to make it stop throbbing, as it was constantly shooting bolts of pain up my leg at random intervals and keeping me from lying still (sorry Justin). I eventually fell asleep after putting a soft slipper sock over my foot with the hope that its cozy comfort would outweigh the zinging pains. Seems to have worked. Today I have a dull pulse of ache that flows up and down my foot that will hopefully lessen with each passing day.

Illustration Friday: Water

"There was nothing he hated more than taking a bath."

Not overly thrilled with this week's submission, but I wanted an excuse to experiment with drawing water.

Two Sneak Peeks

As I anxiously await the closing of my house new house (or should I say old new house?), I did some extensive doodling which became a b&w illustration that is soon to be colored. Once I finally get the official closing date, this illustration will become my new Facebook cover photo.

Oh, the journey begins... 

Also, last week Justin and I had an engagement photo session with Erin Oveis Brant Photography, and she posted a preview picture...which of course only made me hungry for more!

At Beaver Island Beach on Grand Island <3

I am SO proud that this amazing photographer is from my very own dumpy hometown. She lives in San Diego now, but just happened to be in visiting and doing photo sessions for the week :o) 

I knew that if I couldn't get Erin for my wedding photography, I at least had to get an engagement session done.