Busy beaver!

Well it's been a long while since my last post. Things have been quite busy for me with having a new baby and such so I'm going to ride that excuse train on not posting sooner.

He past few months I was just enjoying lots of time with my husband and baby before I had to go back to work and get started on my new book. Now everything is back in full swing and I haven't got a square to spare! But it's all good! I'm just trying to manage the life/work balance.

As for books and such, I am just getting started with my picture book "Laundry Day." I've been getting the sketched finalized and will start painting in the next week or so. I'm excited to work on this book because it's so different than my last two books. It's funny with lots of silly details making it very fun to draw and paint. I'll be spending the bulk of the year working on it, since my time is limited at the moment.

In other news, my book "Boats for Papa" is nearly out! I've just got a few months to go, but I'm already planning for the launch! My official book launch will be at Secret Garden Books in Ballard in Seattle on Tuesday June 30th at 7pm! I'm pretty excited and am thinking of fun things to do for the event. If you can't make it on Tuesday, I'm also going to be at the Urban Craft Uprising the weekend before- June 27th & 28th at the Seattle Exhibition Hall at the Seattle center. I'll be selling and signing books. Hopefully you can make it to either event!

Also in preparation for my book coming out, I've been making these little driftwood boats! They will be shipping out to various bookstores and book buyers around the country to introduce my book! I collected the driftwood on the beaches of Seattle and handmade the little flags. The flags are the letter "B" in the nautical alphabet ('B' for Buckley)!

They are really fun to make and it's gotten me extra in touch with my character.

Other than that, my second book "Before I Leave" is off at the publisher having its magic happen. Stayed tuned for more info to come,  but it should be out early 2016!

Okay! It was great to catch up. Back to the grind I go!

Jx

MY BOOK JACKET!!!

Hey Everyone!
I've been sitting on this for a few weeks, but I got my book proofs for Boats for Papa!!! I was SO thrilled when the package made its way to my doorstep on my birthday! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift! Book due out JUNE 2015!!!

Here the the full final jacket:

 

I LOVE IT and can't wait for my book to come out!!!!

 

A perfect Saturday morning

Happy weekend!
So far the weekend is starting off great: reading Little Women in bed, Market Spice tea, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, David Sedaris on This American Life and working on drawings for my picture book dummy of Drift. What a treat!

Now onto inking the final pages of my graphic novel before painting my Drift drawings. There will be a soup break somewhere in there too.

I hope you all are having as lovely a day as I.

Painting Saturday!

Hey all,
Today was a sublime autumn day! Morning at the Farmer's Market, a crisp fall walk down to the Pugeot Sound and topped off with some yummy Molly Moon's Ice Cream. But in between all of that I did lots and lots of painting! Yay! The perfect day!

I wanted to share some of my recent paintings for one of my current book projects "Drift." I posted some test paintings a while back, but have some finished pieces I thought I'd post a few. "Drift" is about a little beaver, Buckley, who makes boats out of driftwood. I fell in love with getting to paint all of that wood. So take a peek and enjoy. I'm off to paint and draw some more!

Saturday thumbnails

Hey everyone
Here are some thumbnails for my latest book project! I'll post more final drawings as I make them!

Drifting part 3

Here are a couple more little studies for my latest picture book. These are a couple of boats that the little beaver made. One one would be a basic boat that he made when he was younger the other is a barge that he is painting. Any thoughts?

Driftwood boats: Part 2

Hey all!
I posted yesterday some sketches for a new picture book idea I have. Well here is a little painting I did last night to go help develop the idea. This little beaver is playing on a rug with some driftwood boats. The rug came out a bit too blue, so I lightened it. Thoughts on which one you like better?

Drifting...

Hey everyone
Just a quick little post on my latest sketches. I'm working on a new picture book idea that involves driftwood boats. I just love the sweet simplicity and natural quality of these little things. Stay tuned for some more sketches and final drawings.

I don't want to get up!

Hey everyone!
Here is a quick little piece that I did a couple of weeks ago that I hadn't posted yet. This little guy does not want to get out of bed. I know the feeling most mornings. Any thoughts?

Illustration Friday: Intention

This weeks IF topic Intention has me thinking about the intentions we have when we are young. They may seem small, but at the time they are quite important. So I did a couple of drawings that came to mind with that theme.

Lunch Break

Here's my latest little guy I've completed. He's been chopping wood all morning long and a nice hot thermos of tomato soup sounds so good right about now.