illustrate this!

Monster Monday

2012-01-30T17:26:00.001-06:00

Frankie Loves Master

2012-01-24T20:57:00.000-06:00

Mildred + Stephen (colour version)

2012-01-22T20:29:00.001-06:00

Stephen was, if anything, persistent in his displays of affection towards Mildred the Librarian.

Happy Valentine's Day, Mildred (Black and white version)

2012-01-14T18:44:00.000-06:00

Stephen thought the world of Mildred the Librarian.

Ah, January.

2012-01-10T15:46:00.000-06:00

Just a quick 'heads up' to let you know that all does not die in January. Despite the outside chill and the now leaf-less trees that mark our city streets, things are still afoot in illustration-land (yes, there is such a place). Sets of 'meow' cards newly re-listed in the maryandmaude etsy shop just this morning! Take a look for yourself: http://www.etsy.com/shop/maryandmaudestudio

Happy Boxing Day (and all that jazz)

2011-12-26T21:19:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the world, Mr. Beaver of Ill Temper (this last rough sketch may have been slightly influenced by my rather sour mood of late. The holidays combined with post-craft-show blues made for a rather moody individual....yes, I confess that said individual is me). But, thankfully, I feel outside of the swinging blues, and even made it up to the office to do a little sketching tonight.Here are some goodies:

Westjet Woes

2011-12-19T11:39:00.000-06:00

Seriously, Westjet?

Left in the Washroom, Alone.

2011-12-03T20:04:00.001-06:00

I am supposed to be working (frantically getting last minute illustration editing and printing done...) but I needed to quickly update this blog, not only because I like you, my oh-so-silent-but dedicated audience, but also because I have a lost package to return to its owner. Whilst selling my maryandmaude wares today at the Crafty Minions sale, a customer of mine purchased an item or two, and then later left said item or two in the washroom. I now have those items, tucked nicely into a maryandmaude bag, and wish to return them to their rightful owner. So, if by chance you are missing your purchase from the Crafty Minions show, and you are reading this blog, and you think that you are the individual who used the washroom at Aqua books, please contact me. I am waiting to hear from you!

Crafty Minions has Returned!

2011-11-27T21:42:00.001-06:00

I will be here next Saturday, December 3rd. That is, if the world does not end before then. Not that I expect it to. So come on down to 274 Garry Street and take a look around! Entrance is free, and free is (often) surprisingly good.

Post-Show

2011-11-22T15:13:00.001-06:00

Leaving the Land of Snow...to go to the land of snow. Dang.

2011-11-16T15:27:00.001-06:00

This time has come. As of early tomorrow morning, I will be in a plane, heading west, flying over these prairie snow-covered lands. Yes, the Make It Edmonton excursion has finally arrived, and I am (overly) packed and ready to go.So until Monday, keep warm, drink some hot cocoa (with at least 5 marshmallows of course) and snuggle a cat or two, if you have. Expect an update about all my adventures in Edmonton-land on Tuesday!

Sights and Sounds of Winnipeg: The Locals

2011-11-12T14:30:00.000-06:00

The Very Exciting Fall 2011 Newsletter!

2011-11-08T12:37:00.001-06:00

Well, I finally got my act together and sent out the latest e-edition of the 'Drawn and the Doodle'. If you are currently on my email mailing list, you got it! If you are not on the email list and want to receive this very exciting newsletter with updates and illustrations and yes, even the occassional coupon, let me know. I will gladly add your lovely little email address. Until then, here is the latest copy. And now off to scrounge up some lunch...

Poor Rudolph (Rough Draft)

2011-11-04T20:39:00.000-05:00

Poor Rudolph. He realized just a little too late that the punch was spiked.

What Sharing an Office with a Cat is Really Like.

2011-11-02T20:25:00.000-05:00

One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong...

It's Coming...!

2011-10-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

The Edmonton Make It Show is just around the corner, and I am working my arse off to get prints and canvases and cards and things together for it.Should be a fun show! (I am attempting to post a link to a short video from last year's event, but gosh-darn-it technology is sometimes not my strong point. Argh. Here's to hoping that it works).

Squares are our Friends

2011-10-17T20:57:00.001-05:00

They are done! (Okay, so truth be told, I still have a few to put together...) But I am pleased with the way that these canvas prints turned out. They measure just under 5 x 5", and are 1.5" deep (sit off the wall when hung up). They will be travelling with me all the way to Edmonton next month, to be displayed (and hopefully sold) at the Make It Edmonton show.

Friday Doodle Re-Done: Fernidad ll

2011-10-07T17:14:00.001-05:00

If this illustration looks a bit familiar, that is because it is. No, I am not cheating by re-posting an illustration...Fernidad first came to you many months ago, as a part of the Doodle Monday series. Then, 'Fernidad the Bull (Rides Again!)' was merely a black and white, quickly done sketch of the day. Now, as time has finally permitted, here is Fernidad re-done in technicolor! (Okay, so admittedly it is not technicolor persae, as this blog not a motion picture. I just discovered that "Technicolor" itself is a trademarked term anyway, so really I should not be using it on this blog. Ah, but the poop-disturber in me just wants to use it all the more. Technicolor. Technicolor. Technicolor. That felt good). Hope you have a good long weekend, filled with lots of turkey and technicolor! :)

Post Title of your choice inserted here

2011-09-28T21:04:00.000-05:00

I do not own a cell phone. And that, folks, is my confession of the evening.(Oh, and on an unrelated but equally titillating note, I wanted to share photos of the brand-spanking NEW calendars I now have in my hot little hands...they have arrived from the printers, and are for sale in my etsy shop!)

Friday Night Very Rough, Quickly Done and not even with a proper pencil, Sketch: Alexander

2011-09-23T21:35:00.000-05:00

Alexander wasn't sure what the big deal was about rollerskates. He preferred books.

Insert Witty Post Title About Canvas Printing Here

2011-09-16T21:12:00.000-05:00

Why hello. It is Friday evening, and I have just returned from having supper with a few friends (and one very cute baby) at Stella's. I enjoyed a veggie burger; the taste of chutney lingers. But I am not here to write about burgers (veggie or animal) but rather, about an exciting discovery I had this week. After much hassle trying to order canvas prints (for mounting onto wood frames) I gave up. The overhead for such an order was continuously too high, and the few sites that I found that promised cheaper prices also had cheaper-looking product (and many reviews saying to "stay away" from these particular printing companies). So I did. I stayed away.But the desire to expand my product line continued to nag at me. I wanted square canvas prints, dang it! So I started searching about how to print onto canvas using an inkjet printer. (And in my case, a somewhat old and cankerous one). I bought a total of $2.50 of canvas material to test with, and set to work. After some messy starts, I am happy to report that I have succeeded in my printing endeavor! While I have not yet made the wood frames to stretch the canvas onto, I leave you with a photo of the printed material, and a stock photo (stolen from a U.K company called Bags of Love, a personalized gift company and not, although it may seem by the name, an erotic store). Here's to more canvas prints coming your way soon!

Something New: Painting Two

2011-09-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

This is an oil painting that I started many years ago, but never completed due to not knowing what to do next with it. I put it aside, and worked on other things. It sat, therefore, alone and undone for the past 3+ years in our hallway closet. With renting my studio space, I suddenly had no excuse not to oil paint. The thought (of painting), however, both excited and scared me. Would I remember how to do it? Would I be inspired? What should I paint? To ease myself back into the practice of painting (and looking for a way to justify the expense of a studio rental!) I pulled this long-abandoned painting out of the hallway closet, and began to re-vamp it. I added colour and even some black (a no-no in traditional oil painting). I like how it turned out though, and I am glad that I forced myself to complete it even when I did not necessarily feel inspired to do so.

Makin' It in Edmonton

2011-09-06T12:15:00.000-05:00

Most people don't know it, but Edmonton was the first city I ever lived in. Okay, so I was only a newborn and yes, my parents, shortly after my birth, made the decision to move to greener pastures (B.C)...but I did spend at least 10 months in that capital city of Alberta (no, contrary to what most Calgarians think, the capital city is not cow-town Calgary...!) So with this history in mind, plus the excitement of participating in a new (to me) exhibition, I am thrilled to be a part of the Make It Edmonton show, being held at the Alberta Aviation Museum, this upcoming November 17th to 20th.If you live in the Edmonton area, come by and say hello!

Tom and Thomas Illustration

2011-08-30T15:36:00.001-05:00

My husband, Sean, has taken to writing for an hour a day. This is all part of a 30-day, habit-forming challenge; everyone at his place of work picked an activity to do for an hour a day, for 30 days. It is now day 10.

For the first week of his writing hour, I spent the time mucking about the house, tidying up, putting dishes away, and catching up on household paperwork. By day 7 I realized that while I was on my feet, working at various chores, my husband sat on our comfy sofa, a rum and Coke by his side, and a bag of chips open on the table, munching and typing away...

So, in the spirit of creating a habit (and taking an hour a day to do something I love) I decided to place myself at my drawing board for an hour a day, just to doodle whatever comes to mind.

Ralphie (doesn't have many friends) was first (see two posts ago), and these double-headed twins, Tom and Thomas were next (I suppose if they were truly double-headed twins, there would be a total of four heads. Oh well. You get the point).

Looking forward to whatever else comes out!

Now Available at Sew Dandee

2011-08-27T21:34:00.000-05:00

Sew Dandee, a local Osborne-village store chocked full of "awesome handmade goods of all kinds" (they are not kidding; the place is a neatly arranged maze of creative works and fun, sassy handmade items) is now selling my cards. Yay!

Located at 105 Osborne St., Winnipeg, MB. Check it out for yourself!

Photo Shop Doodles II: Ralphie

2011-08-23T22:13:00.000-05:00

Ninety-nine bottles of beer (on a parking meter)

2011-08-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

Okay, so maybe I should not have promised photos of the Crafty Minions sale before I actually looked at the photos that I took. Owing to the use of my husband's iphone camera (as opposed to a "real" camera), combined with poor lighting, has resulted in some rather blurry and dark photos. So rather than insult your eyes with my unsatisfactory photo taking skills, I give you this: a photo taken the morning of the sale, just outside Aqua Books. It was early-ish (9am) on Saturday, and the street was deserted. Seeing the bottle nicely perched on top of the parking meter made both of us chuckle a little, but in a sad-for-Winnipeg sort of a way. Ah, Winnipeg.

Photo Shop Doodlings

2011-08-16T20:27:00.000-05:00

I recently re-took a Photo shop class (yes, I had to take it twice...sometimes I am a little slow at learning new things)and because it was my second time through, though, I had a lot of spare time to doodle. Here, therefore, are the Photo shop doodlings that appeared on my scrap paper by the end of the day. Personally, I like the vampire-bunny the best.

On a separate note, the Crafty Minions sale at Aqua Books was last weekend, and for being a summer craft-show (who goes to craft shows in the middle of summer?!) it went really well. Thank you to everyone who came out to the show! Stay tuned for photos of the sale...!

I am Venturing Outside

2011-08-06T16:36:00.000-05:00

I am planning to venture out of my office next Saturday, August 13th. The reason for this big step into the regular world? Next Saturday, August 13th from 11 - 5pm Aqua Books will be hosting a spectacular 'non-craft' craft show, called Crafty Minions:the Handmade and Vintage sale. And I am going to be a part of it! Stop by, say hello, buy a few things...admission is free, and there is talk of there even being a farmer's market stand or two outside the building while this show is happening. Fresh veggies AND fun things to buy. Who could ask for more?!

The following blurb has been blatantly stolen from the Crafty Minions facebook page.

Banish all thoughts of rows and rows of crocheted slippers or washcloths or ponybead keychains...think, instead, vintage-inspired handmade dresses, leather and ribbon wrist corsets, funky jewelery made of vintage silverware, tiny ceramic apartment buildings and octopus tentacles, retro aprons hand-embroidered with sassy 80s pop lyrics, handmade natural skincare luxuries, wall-art created from bass strings and recycled children's books, silk-screened courier bags and babywear, weird and wonderful stuffed animal-ish creations of all sorts, and much more. This is the new world of gorgeous guerilla DIY craft, right here at Aqua Books.

It's never too early to begin your holiday shopping, it's never the wrong time to pick up something completely unique and beautiful for yourself, and it's always the right time to support local artisans and crafters, and maybe even become inspired yourself.

Admission is free.

New Product coming to a theatre near you

2011-08-03T12:25:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it is not really coming to a theatre near you. But I am working on a brand-spanking new product: calendars!

These birthday calendars (or sometimes called 'perpetual calendars') are a little different than the usual square-blocked and numbered kind, as they are used year after year to remember birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Perfect for aunts like me, who find recalling all of her nieces and nephews' birthdays a little challenging for her 'getting older' brain to remember...

Up close and personal with Clarence the Rhino

2011-07-28T10:58:00.001-05:00

Clarence the Rhino

2011-07-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

I've named him Clarence. Can I keep him, Mom?

And Now For Something a Little Different

2011-07-22T21:26:00.000-05:00

Oh my turpentine-soaked, linseed dripping paint-brushes...I am still, after all these years, fond of you.

Eloise Elephant and the Hedgehogs Attempt to Ride a Bicycle

2011-07-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

Biking can be fun, but Eloise needed some practice before the training wheels came off.

Sneaky peek: New Eloise!

2011-07-12T15:00:00.000-05:00

Stay tuned to see what Eloise Elephant and the hedgehogs are up to this time!

New Logo!

2011-07-09T19:51:00.000-05:00

What do you think? Snazzy, eh? (If I do say so myself. Which I guess I just did. Oh well).

The Reveal: "Caught!"

2011-07-06T11:35:00.000-05:00

Jack (the lumberjack) never expected to be caught.

Sneaky Peek: "Caught!"

2011-07-05T16:43:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to the Sneaky Peek posts! Here's a glimpse of what is coming down the illustration pipeline (so-to-speak...no literal pipelines will be used in the construction of this drawing.)

Stay tuned tomorrow for the reveal!

Steps to Static Beavers: A post-Canada Day Special

2011-07-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

Step 1: think of idea.
Step 2: doodle idea
Step 3: decide that idea in step 1 wasn't a good one after all. Discard idea.

(Repeat steps 1 - 3 a few times)

Step 4: take doodle to the next level by re-drawing it
Step 5: re-draw again. Edit all strange & wonky bits and pieces.
Step 6: drink a cup of tea. Play with cat.
Step 7: edit some more
Step 8: draw or trace edited doodle onto good paper, add shading
Step 9: paint
Step 10: re-draw accent lines. Erase hand smears & paint blobs.

Scan, edit & post!

Happy Canada Day: Static Beavers

2011-07-01T17:36:00.001-05:00

Happy Canada Day! Fête du Canada!

Meow Meow Meow Gearing up for Christmas

2011-06-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

Yup, you read that right. The jolly ol' Christmas season may be 6 months away, but in order to be ready for the multiple craft/art shows that take place during the winter season, I need to be (already) getting prepared...

And one of the things that needs to be completed is creating and editing illustrated greeting cards. With cards often being a best-seller, I took the time today to edit some existing illustrative designs. The cats shown in the above picture will most likely look a little familiar; a few years back, this card was drawn originally as a birthday card for a friend of mine. Recently, by adding a winter hat on each cat, the card morphed into our latest Christmas card.

Now with individual "meows" for each cat, the design is being 'recycled' again in 2011! I love it when an idea keeps morphing into new creations.

studio.six.one.eight coming to a neighbourhood near you

2011-06-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

Life often brings with it small surprises, both for good or bad. This summer has not been different in this regard, as I sit here with one arm casted and situated on a pillow, and the other pecking away one-handed on this keyboard. (I am getting to be a very proficient one-handed typer!)

All this to say that along with a broken limb, life has presented yet another "small surprise": studio six one eight! Yes, that's right -- I am renting a studio space for the months of July and August. This is quite unexpected, and although I have been keeping my 'ear to the ground' about the possibility of a local studio for awhile now, this opportunity bounced into view when least expected.

studio.six.one.eight is local (about a five minute walk), and is located in an old four-story warehouse that has been remodeled into use-able spaces. My plan is to continue to use my home office to illustrate, and take advantage of this studio space to do some oil painting.

While I do not yet have any of my own photos of the space, here is a link to some photos on flickr

The photo included in this post is credited to http://westenddumplings.blogspot.com/2011/06/west-end-history-618-arlington-street.html

The best laid plans of mice and men (or black and white cats and one woman)

2011-06-06T18:47:00.000-05:00

I am back!
Although June 1, my pre-set "return to blogging" date has come and gone, I give pictorial evidence as to why this return to blogging did not occur: I am indeed back, but in a few pieces...

Yes, partially due to my cat (aptly renamed "Underfoot") and some steeper-than-normal house stairs, I am now sporting a very fashionable cast on my arm. The pic does not do it justice; the cast extends all the way up to my elbow.

Good news? It is my left hand that snapped, and I draw (mostly) with my right.
Not-so-good-news: most.painful.break.ever = lots of mind-numbing and energy sapping pain meds.

So, yes, I am back, albeit in a few more pieces!

****

Illustration news: I just received a phone call today that a) I will be returning to the Vancouver One of a Kind Show this December, and b) that I received a travel scholarship to do so! yay!

Doodle Monday: Abigal

2011-04-18T15:35:00.000-05:00

This is Monday, and this is my doodle of the day: Abigal goes through an awkward phase.

This also happens to be my 287th post since this little blog began a few years ago. I have loved it and nurtured it, and watched it grow into something pretty neat, if I do say so myself. (Which I, of course, just did).

For the next month, I will be taking some time to focus on a few other illustration projects that I have had on the (metaphorical) back-burner for ~~awhile~~ too long.

Hold tight; the 'illustrate this!'blog will return on June 1! I will be continuing to update my etsy account maryandmaudestudio.etsy.com and facebook, so look for my doodles, sketches and scratches there!

I Like Turtles.

2011-04-13T12:56:00.002-05:00

Doodle Monday finds Ralphie and Sherman a little intoxicated.

I originally started Doodle Mondays as a way to give myself time to just doodle; to have fun and work with whatever showed up on the page in that moment. In short, it is a day without erasers.

Sometimes, however, Doodle Monday sketches really do insist on being strikingly different than what I intend. This Doodle Monday sketch is no exception.

I began by drawing a sheriff / Mexican hat wearing bulldog. Once he was relatively complete, I didn't know what to do with him next. For, as you know, sheriff / Mexican hat wearing bulldogs can't just be hanging out in the desert; he needed a reason.

And that is when the turtles were introduced. Immediately after drawing in the turtles, the next dilemma popped up: what could tie a sheriff / Mexican hat wearing bull dog to these turtles? What sort of shenanigans could these turtles be up to?

Intoxication, that is what! So the turtles were given a cactus with a handy-dandy tap to dispense cactus juice, and voila, the reason for Mr. Sheriff / Mexican hat wearing bulldog being in the desert was born.

But then, after all that scheming and sketching, the illustration just did not work. All the parts were acceptable, if not endearing, but it just wasn't...clicking. I tried re-arranging the picture. I darkened bits and lightened others. I even added a quaint little snail at one point...but the drawing, as a whole, failed.

When faced with such drawing frustration, however, I have discovered that simplicity is often the best editing tool. So despite starting this whole Doodle Monday sketch with the sheriff / Mexican hat wearing bulldog, he had to go. And, as much as I liked him, the quaint little snail also faced the delete tool.

In the end, Ralphie and Sherman were left. Simple, and still a bit quirky. Enjoy!

Doodle Monday: Part One

2011-04-11T21:56:00.000-05:00

Etsy-ified: Gerald the Hunter

2011-04-11T12:47:00.000-05:00

Gerald knew that it was wrong to want the baby bear, and he also knew that he had to return it.

Prints of 'Gerald the Hunter' now available for purchase in my etsy store!

Business Cards (that mean business)

2011-04-09T13:01:00.001-05:00

I seem to be surrounded by children's entertainment performers and bands! Maybe it is a result of living in Winnipeg, and the long winters without a heck of a lot to do to occupy one's time, but children's music is alive and well here in the Prairies.

Recently, I was commissioned by the lovely Marie-Josee Clement to design and create a poster for an upcoming children's concert. When I had completed the project, I soon received an email asking if a section of the poster design could be used for her business cards as well. Using a simple graphite pencil, I then drew the 'old school' phone, desktop computer and cell phone that you see on the card. I think the whole effect of the simple trains, the pencil 'old school' icons and large, round Arial-type font communicates well. Congratulations to Marie-Josee Clement on her new children's performing endeavor, and I wish her all the best!

Doodle Monday: Don't Try This at Home

2011-04-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

All week, I have had an image in my head: the picture of an elephant squished into an oven. I am a little puzzled as to where this idea came from, as I definitely have not put any elephants in my oven as of late. Or ever, for that matter.

Anyway, here it is, my Doodle Monday for this Monday, April 04. I am not too sure what is happening in this here doodle, but I reckon that no elephants or mice were hurt in the process.

Happy Doodle Monday!

Doodle Monday: Alfredo and his Peas

2011-03-28T20:45:00.001-05:00

Even into adulthood, Alfredo continued his love of turtleneck sweaters. And his fear of peas.

Anything Can Happen Thursday: the Drawn and the Doodle, edition one.

2011-03-24T15:25:00.000-05:00

This Thursday finds me sniffling and *achooo-ing* while perched at my desk. Yes, spring may be here but cold season continues in my home.

Last weekend (when I was feeling better) I took the time to edit and send the very first oh-so official newsletter of natasha boone illustration. If you were emailed a copy, I hope you enjoyed it! It is my way of staying in touch with you, and of keeping my pro-illustrative audience abreast of all the goings-on here at my simcoe street studio (has kind of a nice ring to it. Thank you alliteration for existing; you make my world so much sweeter).

So without further adieu, here is the first and latest natasha boone illustration newsletter, 'the drawn and the doodle'.

(And if you were one of those unfortunate souls who missed out on receiving your very own e-copy of this newsletter, and you would like to be included, please contact me (boonenatasha@hotmail.com) with your current email address. You will be sure to be included for the next edition!)

Doodle Monday featuring Robert, a Jet Pack and his Birds.

2011-03-21T16:05:00.002-05:00

Doodle Monday with Robot and Nancy the Fat Unicorn

2011-03-14T16:04:00.000-05:00

Doodle Monday!

2011-03-07T12:40:00.000-06:00

Fernidad takes a spin.

Robbery!

2011-03-02T16:33:00.000-06:00

Starting yesterday, any comments to my previous two postings are not actually showing up in the comments section of the blog. (I know that some of you responded with comments, as I have my settings to email me when a comment is left).

Please don’t think that I rejected your comments! I appreciate your observation and/or remarks, and will be looking into how to remedy this mysterious 'case of the stolen comments'...

Doodle Monday

2011-02-28T11:38:00.001-06:00

Anything Can Happen Thursday

2011-02-24T14:54:00.003-06:00

Not quite an illustration, not quite a painting; just some birds I painted (inspired by an india ink art piece that I found using the computer internet) as an addition to the decor of our newly painted and shelved bedroom.

So what will you be doing on this 'Anything Can Happen Thursday'?

Doodle Monday

2011-02-21T19:55:00.001-06:00

BLOG FEST: howIcontractedhepcandotherbedtimestories

2011-02-18T14:58:00.007-06:00

A graphic novel is a visual work in which the narrative is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format. (Thank you once again, Wikipedia).

‘How I Contracted Hep C and Other Bedtime Stories’ is a personal story of someone continuing to live with the virus, set against the backdrop of an historical account of Canada's tainted blood scandal.

So says my spiel on my new facebook page for this novel that I am continuing to create. Really, if I had to sum it up in a sentence, I would say that this is the story of me, of one the approximately 60,000 Canadians who, thanks to the Canadian tainted blood scandal, was infected with the virus.

(Happy happy joy joy, eh? The story itself, while portraying many unfortunate events and decisions, actually does have a thick thread of humour running through it...so there are some laughs to be had, and not all is dismal. I would never do that to you. That would be cruel).

So I have, just recently, brushed off my pencils, my paints and some ideas pertaining to this story. I am jumping back in. Likewise, the blog pertaining to this graphic novel 'journey' has been resurrected, and you are most welcome to join! You can link to it here: hepcandotherbedtimestories

Looking forward to see you there!

The Result: A Multitude of Goats Wearing Galoshes

2011-02-14T15:07:00.004-06:00

Having survived a crash course in screen printing this weekend at Martha Street Studio here in downtown Winnipeg, I am now the proud owner of 28 prints of a rather cheerful goat wearing galoshes. It was a fun weekend.

Day Two of Doing Something New

2011-02-13T09:38:00.004-06:00

Flower screen print courtesy of DW: Designer Wall Coverings and Fabrics

Soon I will be off to Martha Street Studio for Day 2 of learning how to screen print...

Gerald the Hunter

2011-02-10T12:48:00.004-06:00

Gerald the Hunter discovers all over again that, sometimes in life, a swap or two is a prudent thing.

The Glimpse: Gerald the Hunter

2011-02-09T10:58:00.005-06:00

Welcome to the new and improved the Glimpse (formally called Sneaky Peak). Not much, to be honest, is different other than the name. But hey -- new year, new name.

The above three close-up illustrations of Gerald, AmyLoo and Bear are a part of a new piece entitled, 'Gerald the Hunter'.

Keep your eyes peeled right here for the entirety of 'Gerald the Hunter' (and his faux pas) to be posted tomorrow!

Polls Show that Robot is Fond of his Friend.

2011-02-03T14:56:00.004-06:00

Robot and little Gary Dachshund only recently met, but have become quick friends.

Now available at maryandmaude in a 5" x 7" unframed print.
Comes to you with all the love such a whimsical and quirky robot could inspire.

Happy February 2nd!

2011-02-02T10:55:00.003-06:00

It is February 2nd, the day of ground hogs. Ground hog Day proponents state that the rodents' forecasts are accurate 75% to 90% of the time.

A Canadian study, however, (for 13 cities in the past 30 to 40 years) puts the success rate level a little lower, at a mere 37%.

Regardless of such statistics, Ground Hog Herbie, whilst reading the local newspaper and performing his usual morning "duties", realized too late that he had missed his one day out of the year to be employed.

Thank you thank you thank you Cards

2011-01-25T10:47:00.004-06:00

This is Greta the Giraffe like you have never seen her before!

Recently, I was asked to create some post-wedding thank you cards. Having met and chatted with the recent bride back in November, while at the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard Craft Show, we agreed to emulate the Greta the Giraffe sitting on her haunches, and then add some sort of small quirky and cute creature attached to a balloon (similar to Zebra and the Flying Kitten).

So Greta the Giraffe lost her pearls and high heels, and quickly became a “man-giraffe”, with both a tie and some really cool converse-type shoes. He also gained a handful of balloons – having had many balloons at their wedding back in mid-fall, this ‘balloon theme’ also became vital to the cards.

One of the challenges faced in creating this illustration was a request for the verifying details of pearls, bows and a wedding veil on the flying (floating) hedgehog. Since the illustration itself would be of a smaller size (A2 sized cards), such details could be easily lost; the end result could be just a mess of lines and colour, without any distinguishing resemblance to a hedgehog wearing any accessories at all.

I approached this challenge by employing a few visual art tricks: clear accent lines to catch the eye, colour choices (as in the pink bow) that contrast with the rest of the picture’s colour scheme and thus the hedgehog itself, and in the case of the second bow, just hinting at its presence, relying on the mind’s eye to fill in the ‘missing’ visual pieces.

I am happy to report that using these ‘tricks’ worked, and that cute little hedgehog is not only floating into the sky, but is well-accessorized doing it!

The final step was to add the ‘thank you’ lettering, and now, as I type this, the cards are being printed...!

The Things in your Attic

2011-01-18T10:41:00.004-06:00

About a week ago, I posted about an opportunity for feedback relating specifically to the items stored and/or lurking in your attic. The answers were wide-ranging, from 'insulation and spiderwebs' all the way to 'a head of my Johnny doll'. As promised, I have taken your responses and have doodled a few -- while the original idea for your feedback was for me to pick just one entry to illustrate, I decided, in the end, that the drawing would work better if I combined a whole bunch of your answers. So, without further adieu, here is a visual representation of your attics!

Thanks for all who participated!

(Oh, and just to clarify: no one really had a cow in their attic, but I was inspired to draw one, thanks to a particular comment about a suitcase with the sticker "I heart Alberta beef" on it).

Brown and Blue together at last.

2011-01-15T12:45:00.003-06:00

Blue and brown have never been so good together. Originally designed and lovingly sewn for the Vancouver 2010 One of a Kind Show (for customers who bought framed prints / original work), these bags are now available for purchase in my etsy store. Yay!

Welcome to the world, year two thousand and eleven!

2011-01-06T21:04:00.003-06:00

I have spent the better part of this January week ~~attacking~~ organizing our attic; since we moved in over 2 years ago (and despite it being one of the more pleasant rooms in this house), it has merely been used as a storage space. The funny thing is that we really don’t have all that much stuff, but in the past year alone, we have stored and/or housed:
1. boxes and boxes of medical supplies
2. five small black (very alive) kittens
3. a father (also alive) visiting from B.C
4. a red serge coat (property of the other father)
5. a secret room (okay – this is not technically really something that we put in there; it came with the 105+ year old house. We just discovered it, along with the 1940’s bed frame and wallpaper sealed behind its wall)
6. a fan
7. a bigger fan
8. a heater
9. a bigger heater
10. a cradle

So what does this all have to do with illustration, you wonder. Well wonder no more!

Tell me what is in your attic. That’s right: tell me about the treasures of ordinariness and the stuff of oddness that lurk above your heads, in the top room of your house. Then, depending on your comments, I will choose one or more items to illustrate, and post the drawing on this blog.

Sound like fun? Then get to it, soldier! Leave comments below or email boonenatasha@hotmail.com

Closing date for suggestions is midnight Sunday, January 9th.

My Brain in a Storm

2010-12-30T16:07:00.004-06:00

The completion of 2010 is quickly approaching and I find myself thinking. Thinking of what, you ask? Why, illustrations of course! (Having just returned from a somewhat lengthy winter road trip to Minneapolis and back, time to ponder life whilst staring at snow-dusted roads was in abundance).

This year has been a fantastic one, with much opportunity to forge into new areas of creating and selling. One of the highlights (despite taking a lot of time and energy) was the One of A Kind Show and Sale in Vancouver earlier this December. It was an experience, and definitely one that I will continue to glean from.

Illustrating is not really very glamorous (in case you were under the illusion that it was! ha). I spend an inordinate of time just sitting at my desk (too often in pj's), creating doodles on my drawing board. Occasionally I drink tea and take a break to pet one of my two cats (officially my co-workers).

When the Christmas season rolls around and I get to participate in local and not-as-local shows, it is a welcome relief to be 'out and about'. Likewise, it is valuable to see and hear how the general public responds to my doodles.

With that in mind, I spent a bit of today brainstorming about illustration. I took out a large 18" x 24" piece of paper, a black sharpie and just let myself write down whatever came to mind. Despite one of my cats insisting on laying on the exact piece of paper I was writing on, the exercise went quite well. I am excited by these ideas and plans; I think 2011 will be both a creative and productive year. Stay tuned!

Feliz Navidad!

2010-12-24T17:00:00.001-06:00

Snippets

2010-12-21T20:43:00.004-06:00

Just a few small snippets of the recently passed One of a Kind Show in Vancouver. Great show!

The Guardian Angel Reveal

2010-12-14T16:11:00.000-06:00

Not Abducted by Aliens.

2010-12-13T18:51:00.003-06:00

Just a quick update while I wait at the Calgary airport for my connecting flight to Winnipeg: after much preparation and work, the One of a Kind Show and Sale in Vancouver is done! I survived!

I will post more later this week, when I have recovered from the unfortunate cold that I picked up while at the show.

Oh, and the complete view of the Guardian Angel illustration will be posted later as well. Promise!

Guardian Angel

2010-11-30T16:13:00.005-06:00

I am not sure how I feel about the whole concept of guardian angels. If they do exist, then I think that mine fell asleep a few times on the job.

This skepticism has not, however, prevented me from entering a contest hosted by One of a Kind Show and Sale Vancouver (partnered with smart car). As this is a contest, I hesitate to display the whole illustration at this time. I have, however, provided you with a sneak peek; the entirety will be displayed here after Thursday, December 09. Stay tuned!

A small sample of this past weekend

2010-11-29T14:58:00.005-06:00

I wasn't able to get away from my (tiny) table for any part of the WCV show, so this photo (taken before the day began) is all that I have to display.

Things I learned from this sale: always get a big table. Always. Take more business cards with you than you think you will need...and then pack a few more. Bring pens. Lots of pens.

Winner!

2010-11-27T07:58:00.002-06:00

Well, congratulations to none other than Gabrielle Touchette, on winning an entrance ticket to today's WCV Christmas Show. Your ticket will be waiting for you at the entrance!

Thanks to all who submitted their favourite and not-so-favourite Christmas crafts.

The Contest of all Contests

2010-11-25T15:49:00.007-06:00

It's twoonie Tuesday! (Okay, so it is really Thursday, but twoonie Thursday just doesn't have the same sort of 'ring' to it).

If you had $2, you could (almost) buy a Starbuck's coffee, or pay for an hour of downtown parking (but not on Saturdays. Or maybe on Saturdays. No one really knows for sure), or you could take your extra $2 and head down to the local library to take care of some of those overdue library book fines you have been collecting...

Yes, the possibilities of having an extra twoonie is quite limitless here in Winnipeg.

This Saturday, I will be participating in the 2nd Annual Winnipeg Centre Vineyard's Christmas Craft Sale (782 Main street). The entrance to this sale is $2, but I have been graciously given one ticket to give away. Yay! So if you want to maybe spend your $2 on some of the above-mentioned items and activities rather than on an entrance fee, leave me a comment or email (maryandmaude@hotmail.com) telling me what was your favourite Christmas craft that you did as a child. Or, if you were all thumbs as a child (not literally, of course) and did not enjoy craft-time, then tell me what was your least favourite craft to make. Easy-peasy.

The winner will be randomly selected from all participants, and announced on this blog on Saturday morning (before the show).

Let the games begin!

It's Tuesday and Ricardo Just Came to Visit.

2010-11-23T16:45:00.005-06:00

Nestled in between my quickly jotted-down lists of things yet to figure out before the upcoming Christmas craft shows, I found this little dude. He makes me smile. I shall call him 'Ricardo'.

Slothing Tuesday

2010-11-16T13:25:00.005-06:00

You may recognize this lover-ly sloth from a previous post, and yes, here he is again, in all his balloon-filled glory.

I have to give credit to none other than Sean Hogan of Alphabet Soup fame for this sloth-as-a-hot-air-balloon idea.

Enjoy!

Battle of the Drawings

2010-11-13T12:29:00.005-06:00

Is it Hippo playing the drums for some cute (and inquisitive) bunnies? Or is it Eloise Elephant having a tea party with her friends, the hedgehogs?

As I am only allowed to bring 5 types of illustrative prints to the One of a Kind Show and Sale coming up in Vancouver (the rest are originals), I need to decide between these last two illustrations.

So is it hippos? Or elephants?

It is Wednesday and I am etsy-i-fied.

2010-11-10T16:47:00.004-06:00

my little etsy is up! Scroll down this page (right-hand side) to view.

Bags bags bags everywhere bags

2010-11-09T10:28:00.003-06:00

I have spent the majority of last week perched at the diningroom table, bent over in homage to the Singer monolith of knobs, plastic and metal.

And now, back to drawing.

Monday: Up Up and Away

2010-11-01T11:48:00.001-05:00

Messy : [mes-ee] 1.characterized by a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition: a messy room.

2010-10-26T11:02:00.004-05:00

Guilty.

Happy Sloth.

2010-10-18T19:17:00.002-05:00

Friday silly-mess and doodles

2010-10-15T15:34:00.001-05:00

mark your calendars!

2010-10-10T14:13:00.004-05:00

It's coming! On Saturday, November 27th from 10am - 4pm yours truly will be a part of the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard's second annual Christmas Craft Sale. Admission is $2 and those under the age of 14 are free. Even better, a part of the proceeds of this craft show will go to help a Women's Co-op in Nepal. It's a good deal all around.

Address: 782 Main St, Winnipeg Manitoba

See you there (or be square).

Well you won't technically turn into a square. Not literally, anyway.

Tuesday's Robot Love

2010-10-05T13:33:00.002-05:00

Up Up Up and Away!

2010-09-29T14:30:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Sneaky Peek!

2010-09-28T11:20:00.004-05:00

They Came!

2010-09-27T11:43:00.002-05:00

Oh Those Bunnies!

2010-09-23T16:51:00.002-05:00

Elliot, try as he might, never could understand the rules of the game.

I am not a Walrus; I am a Seamstress

2010-09-21T14:00:00.009-05:00

Bags bags bags
I have been busy making a tonne of cloth shopping bags. (Okay, okay, so I have only succeeded in making two...but more will be pumped out soon. Hopefully.)

The reason I have become such a seamstress? Although the One of a Kind Show and Sale will be providing cloth shopping bags for us "artisans" (their word) to use, I figured that having my own maryandmaude bags would not only be a nice touch, but also a convenient way to stand out in the crowd.

I have ordered maryandmaude sew-on labels from good ol'Texas (mommiemadeit) and am looking forward to their arrival in the next few weeks...

In the meantime, however, I am a sewing queen, and have seated myself back at the throne of thread. A new illustration is also in the works, one that has been appropriately inspired by my latest sewing endeavours; look for your 'Texas Panda' illustration coming soon!

It's Raining Kittens, Hallelujah

2010-09-15T15:26:00.002-05:00

I am still building

2010-09-10T15:28:00.003-05:00

I am just not 'building' ideas into illustrations this week -- having just returned from a bit of a jaunt to always lovely B.C, I find that it is taking a bit of time to get settled back into my routine of drawing everyday. I expect to be back at it this weekend, with rain in the forecast and not much on the Sunday activity list.

Before leaving for B.C, however, I spent a bit of time constructing a booth for the One of a Kind Show and Sale that I will be involved with this upcoming December; as a participant in the show, I needed a booth to display and sell my wares. Being who I am, I wanted to make it from scratch. In my mind, this was a great idea...in reality, it has proven to require a bit more time and a lot more skill than I possess...

Case in point: the evening before leaving on our roadtrip, I could be found outside, paintbrush and roller in tow. We packed the car the following morning, and tried to ignore the paint fumes eminating from the back seat.

The plan was to put the booth together once we got to B.C, and then store said booth in my parent's garage until the show. The week in Vancouver, however, flew by as usual, with enjoyable visits from family, friends and the like. The booth, neglected and still in pieces, however, sat next to the garbage bins in my parent's garage, where it remains to this day.

A revised plan of attack now involves a parent taking the time to piece the structure together, and have it ready for my use when I arrive back in B.C in December. I am grateful (and I think I owe my Dad a coffee or two).

It is good to be home

2010-09-06T20:57:00.004-05:00

It has been a week of road-tripping and fun, with a little bit of illustrative work thrown in; Day One of our vacation in B.C consisted of dropping off some of my artwork at the One of a Kind Show and Sale office, located deep in the jungle of Gastown (Vancouver).

Good news: we found the offices, dropped off the illustrations, and am now glad to hear that these drawings will be used in the media preview / advertisement for the upcoming show. Yay!

Bad news: parking a car in Vancouver: while our time there was great, the $22 paid to get the car back was not. Ugh. At that moment, I missed Winnipeg. Good ol' cheap-to-park Winnipeg.

It is good to be back.

Monday's Heart Love

2010-08-23T11:52:00.002-05:00

Sneaky Peek Friday!

2010-08-20T16:23:00.003-05:00

It's all about love...

Wednesday's Visitor

2010-08-18T11:03:00.004-05:00

Some days you just do not expect to have visitors.

Which brings to mind an often-recalled-at-family-gatherings-incident that occurred in my childhood; I must admit that I suspect that it has, as with most family tales, to have grown in both proportion and truth...

Nevertheless, the story is a fond one. It was the middle of the day and I was happily playing in my upstairs bedroom. I think it was Friday, as I vaguely recall the lemon-y smell of Pledge (a favourite of my Mom's).

The front doorbell rang. The vacuum cleaner stopped its humming, and I could hear my Mom making her way down the stairs, her feet leaving tracks in the brown shag carpet. Curious as to who would be at the front door (that door was only for Sunday visitors and the once a year dispersal of Halloween candy), I followed at a distance.

She opened the door, and standing in the shade of the carport overhang, stood 3 relatives from Holland, luggage in tow. Seeing my Mom, the sang out in chorus: Company! From Holland!

To which, I am sure, my Mom's face desperately tried to re-gain its composure. After placing their airport-tagged bags on the linoleum floor of the front entrance, hugs were given and returned. And then, in amidst the "Ja"s and other responses in Dutch, I heard my Tante (Aunt) announce: And we stay for three weeks!

My poor Mom. In all fairness, as I recall, they were great guests. The skunk if the illustration is not reflective of them at all, but rather, just an idea that I had floating around in my head.