Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Happy Lunar New Year!

 

The Year of the Snake is all about new beginnings,
good vibes and personal growth.

Wishing you a year of positive energy, much success,
and a healthier and happier you!






Thursday, September 26, 2024

Happy Pumpkin Season!


It’s that lovely time of the year - pumpkin spice and everything nice!
Cheers to a wonderful first week of fall!

PS: Can you spot the hidden images in the carved pumpkins?

Monday, February 26, 2024

A Starred Review for Illusions in Art: Food!


I'm over-the-moon with this starred review for Illusions in Art: Food!
Seeing kids and adults switch their perspectives and find the
hidden art in the negative spaces brings me great joy!
I'm beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to create this series!
Check out Illusions in Art: Animals for more fun illusions.


 

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Happy Book Birthdays to Illusions in Art!



Illusions, Art, Animals, Food - Hooray!
I’m super thrilled to share with you Illusions in Art,
my two-book series from Candlewick Press.  
Illusions in Art: Animals and Illusions in Art: Food 
are stylistic in design and introduce the youngest readers to the
concept of negative and positive space.
Little ones are encouraged to change their perspective
and find two images in one.  I’ve been fascinated with this
concept since my art school days, and it was a joy
to create these books for the budding, curious readers.


A little more about the board books:

These illusions will play tricks on your eyes!
Find two animals on each page in a clever, stylish exploration
of negative and positive space for the very young.

Singing, tweeting, small and round.
Lion likes this whistler’s sound.

Look closely.  What do you see?  Could that be a bird
nestled in the curl 
of Lion’s tail?  And who is swimming by Whale?
Or basking in the sun near Swan?  
Colorful spreads invite
children in with a rhyme that contains a clue, 
while the bold, graphic
design steers the eye to a negative space revealing a hidden 
familiar animal.

Black-and-white spreads at the end depict the same animals again, 
further clarifying the concept of positive and negative space.
Fun and enticing 
for even the youngest children and a delight for
art-oriented parents, 
this interactive seek-and-find book begs
for many repeat sharings.

Available at B&N and fine stores everywhere.





These illusions will play tricks on your eyes!
Find two foods on each page in a clever, stylish exploration
of negative and positive space for the very young.

A twisty pretzel loops around and back.
What fruit is hidden inside this snack?

Look closely.  What do you see?
Could that be two orange slices tucked inside the curves
of the pretzel?  And what fruit is nestling inside a pitcher’s handle?
Or in the twist of a cupcake’s frosting?  Colorful spreads invite
children in with a rhyme that contains a clue, while the bold, graphic
design steers the eye to a negative space revealing a hidden familiar food.

Black-and-white spreads at the end depict the same foods again,
further clarifying the concept of positive and negative space.
Fun and enticing for even the youngest children and a delight for
art-oriented parents, this interactive seek-and-find book
begs for many repeat sharings.

Available at B&N and fine stores everywhere.






Monday, September 12, 2022

ABC ROAR is here!


It’s an animal and alphabet adventure!
Creating the illustrations and design for ABC ROAR was such a joy,
with so much inspiration from my animal-loving family.

Kids will learn animal names and write the letter of the alphabet in this
colorful and interactive novelty.  Each spread with cut-out layers
and glossy paths feature a different creature living in their
environment for a hands-on exploration of letters and animals.

Kids can touch and trace letters from A to Z, whether it’s
a bear fishing in the stream, dolphins splashing in the ocean, 
or a leopard roaring from the trees above!

ABC ROAR is now available and I’ve updated my website
to include a fun, book-themed stick puppet activity to pair with storytime.




Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Happy Book-Birthday 123 ZOOM!

 

 It's publication day for 123 ZOOM and I'm excited to share
with you this colorful, interactive novelty board book!

Each spread with cut-out layers and glossy paths features
a different mode of transportation for a hands-on 
exploration of numbers and vehicles.

Count, touch, and trace from one to eleven,
whether it's one plane on the runway, two dump trucks
on the construction site, or ten bicycles on a bike path.
Then fly, sail, race, and count backwards through
clouds, ocean, and land to find hidden surprises.


 


 
It's companion book, ABC ROAR releases in July.
This hands-on novelty introduces the alphabet and animals in their habitats.
123 ZOOM is available now, at Barnes & Noble and fine stores.

If you'd like to read about my journey and process creating
123 ZOOM, please swing by Tara Lazar's blog,



Saturday, January 29, 2022

Happy Lunar New Year!


Roar, it’s the Year of the Tiger! 
If someone you know was born in 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962,
1950, 1938... (you get the pattern), their zodiac sign is the tiger.
Tigers are known to be brave, confident, and strong.
Lunar New Year is on February 1st.




As someone who creates children’s books for the youngest readers,
I’m all about drawing adorable tigers over fierce ones!
Click here to print this coloring activity
to add to your festive Lunar New Year celebration.

Wishing you and all tigers out there good health, fortune, and happiness!


Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Happy Holidays!


Winter is officially here, and it’s that cozy time of the year!
I’ve been exploring negative and positive space art quite a bit this year.
See if you can find the five hidden images in the negative space - 
the areas around and in between the art.




Now grab some cookies, a snuggly blanket, and let’s celebrate
the colors of winter.   Color Wonder: Winter is Here! invites you to an
interactive, colorful storytime experience.




  Wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season.
Cheers to a blessed New Year!

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Happy Fall!


In all my years, I’ve barely paid much attention
to these skittish critters.  This year has been different,
with worries about the pandemic and safety of
our families and community; I appreciate my everyday life.
Sitting by my office window, I’m amazed at how productive 
the squirrels are.  One in particular, whom I’ve named Licorice,
has been storing nuts inside the corner of my backyard fence.
He puts a smile on my face with every trip to and from 
his secret hiding stash.  I’ve even collected acorns and left a pile for
him by my house.  Why?  In a nutshell, I’m thankful for 
these little snippets of happiness, which have made a big impact
on my optimism and hope for the future.

 




 


And with that, Halloween is still happening,
with a safe and creative celebration in the works!
In preparation, I made these little magnets/pins.  These Perler Beads are 
my latest craft obsession, and a fun activity to make with the kids.  
By glueing magnets to the back, they serve two purposes.
I decorate my refrigerator with them, and wear them like pins - by placing
another magnet to the back side of clothing.  No sharp pricks to worry about!
I prefer to create my own designs, but there are templates as well.




 


Check out my Baby Yoda, although my 
daughter thinks he looks more like a baby Shrek.

Have a safe and spooktacular fall season!


Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Fun Animal Idioms and Storytime Activities!


Here are some storytime activities that will have
kids expressing in idioms.  In my interactive die-cut book, 
 children are introduced to fun animal idioms through
a playful guessing game.


 




Are you sly as a fox?  Stubborn as a mule?
These stick puppets, coloring and idiom activities
have been a big hit with the kids at my storytime author events.
Click here to print out the activity pages.








Here I am, happy as a clam!
For more storytime ideas, check out these animal
idiom activities from Toddler Approved.





Spring Storytime Read Aloud and Crafts!

As we are adjusting to these challenging times,
I am joining the kid lit community in sharing storytime and crafts
to entertain and help kids stay enriched and happy at home.



To celebrate the spring season,
Stay tuned!  At the end of this video, there will be a demonstration
on how I created this novelty format with color-mixing wheels.





Make it a craft day too!  Pair storytime with these stick puppets and coloring
activities featuring the playful bug characters and spring flowers.







And for some creative hands-on fun, check out these
wonderful color-mixing activities from Toddler Approved. 


Wishing you all a safe and healthy spring season.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Book Festivals of 2019


As I’m preparing for the holiday and 2020, 
I’m also reminiscing over the excitement I’ve had this year
and how quickly the time has gone by.


The Gaithersburg Book Fair was a fun-packed day of storytime and crafts.
It’s not usual that I get to read on a plush, velvet throne.
I was going for a friendly look, inspired by the cover of my novelty book,


Do you see the resemblance?




The Cecil County Book Fair was super festive.
Children met authors and illustrators from novelty/board books,    
pictures books, middle grade, to young adult and non-fiction books.  
I loved being surrounded by such young energy
and appreciated their enthusiasm for reading and books.
This time around, I’m representing this sly character.


I skipped the mask.  It probably would have frightened the children.




Over the spring, I made it up to New York to visit my favorite editors,
and even got to meet Captain Underpants at Scholastics!
I made sure to get this picture for my daughter.




The MD/DE/WV SCBWI Conference was a true creative force.
Presenting was a bit nerve-racking, but I enjoyed discussing
the novelty and board book process with so many
aspiring writers and illustrators.  They inspired me, too!



This photo was shared during my slide presentation,
and pleasantly sparked a burst of laughter in the room.
While I do have a large table to work at,
I find it comforting to lay everything out on the floor.
Believe it or not, this work space is very organized.

I’m proud of the projects I created this year,
and hope I may continue this creative journey
in the children’s book world.


Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New year friends!  It's the year of the pig.  
If you were born during the following years, this is your year!
2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, 1923
The Travel in China Guide lists the start and end dates.

Visit the Chinese New Year site to learn more about
the personalities and characteristics of the pig.

May this year bring you good health, fortune, and prosperity!



Monday, January 14, 2019

Color Wonder: Winter is Here! Storytime and Activity



I’m so excited to share with you my book trailer for
Color Wonder: Winter is Here!

Join me in this interactive visual storytime experience
that allows little ones to mix and match the colors of a winter
wonderland right before their eyes.  

This is one of my favorite formats, and I love watching
preschoolers experience the joy and wonder of color mixing.


 



Pair your storytime with a puppets craft activity.
Click here to download and print the winter characters.
Cut them out and have the children color
and glue them onto craft sticks.  You can also add sparkly
snowflakes and color dot stickers to the puppet crafts.

Have fun and enjoy!




Thursday, December 6, 2018

Holiday Shop and Mash-Up Fun!




I'm trying something new this year and adding my favorite holiday artwork
to some fun goods.  I love mash-ups; they're silly and make me chuckle.





Got some ocean-lovin' friends?
Spread the holiday cheers with these festive sea buddies.
Really, how often do you come across a gingerbread starfish,
snowman whale, reindeer pufferfish, and elf crab?


 Reindeer Pufferfish
 Snowman Whale



And I'm all about the holiday LOVE!
The hot chocolate, reindeer, tree, angel, and gingerbread man
are designed with hearts.


 Holiday Love


From apparel to home decor, visit my shop at Redbubble.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Mermaids Galore!


My youngest daughter asked for a mermaid birthday party.
This was her second mermaid themed celebration,
and the third one I’ve hosted all together.
I’ll admit, this theme never gets old with me.




I like for my girls to be involved as much as possible
with making their invitations and party favors. 
My daughter used watercolors to illustrate the mermaids.
She did a fabulous job; I loved how they turned out!
I created the seashell template and together we cut, pasted,
and assembled the sparkly invitations.  Click here to
download my seashell template and create cards of your own.




The chocolate mermaid tails were much easier to make
than I thought.  Melt the Wilton candy melts colors separately
and spoon a variety of colors into each silicon mold.
I love how differently each one turned out.




The marbled chocolate seashells made nice party favors.
We melted white and pink candy melts and used a fork
to give them a little stir for the marbling effect.
I’ve had this seashell mold for over ten years now,
and it’s still one of my favorites.




My daughter and I had a great time making these
party bracelets.  I found the mermaid charms on Esty.
She loved selecting the colorful beads and had some
creative ideas for putting together a nice variety.




Since mermaids were on our minds,
and summer is a perfect time to trying something new...
my daughter and I started needle felting dolls.
This new hobby is still a work-in-progress,
but we are having so much fun.