12.08.2015

Hallmark Handmade

When you think of Hallmark your brain goes straight to cards right? Well did you know they make
awesome ornaments? Some of you might even collect them. They’re beautiful, well crafted, collectable ornaments from your favorite movie or show, or maybe a teeny tiny version of a toy you grew up playing with. Hallmark also has really fun DIY kits that come with all the supplies you need to create your own cool ornament. They were inspired and created by the crazy talented Hallmark artists themselves. Let me tell you, Hallmark artists could give Christmas elves a run for there money. Those cats are always making something or coming up with new ways to be creative. So these oh-so-talented folk were kind enough to give me one of these adorable kits to play with and I had a blast. I love these handmade ornament kits because they remind me of those old school sewing kits I had when I was a kid. They were always themed with animals, people, flowers etc. And it came with cards, yarn and a needle. The cards would have the image in the center and the holes that you’d sew around were on the edges or right through the design. Although sewing and crafty toys from my childhood have a special place in my heart these Hallmark kits are pretty awesome. There was way more freedom to create my own creation, which makes it a lot more personal. 

I’m an illustrator by trade and don’t get a lot of extra time to do crafty projects of this nature. So this was a treat for me! It comes with four wooden shapes with pre-cut holes drilled into them, embroidery floss and felt backing to cover up all the messy knots once you’re finished with your design. Because I love putting faces on EVERYTHING it was pretty obvious what my additional design accents were going to be. My little guy is only two so he couldn’t join in on the fun but maybe in a few years he’d enjoy making one of these. For more examples of this kit, info on talented Hallmark artists and how this kit  came to be go to http://www.thinkmakeshareblog.com/make-your-own-embroidery-and-wood-ornaments/
                                         Happy Holidays to you :) And happy making!

                        These kits are available here at Hallmark.com/HandmadeOrnaments.com
              #diyprojects #christmasornaments #crafts #embroidery #woodcraft #thinkmakeshare














5.21.2015

Image 25 Book Of Blessings....

We're recovering from a drive to Chicago up and back to get our daughter from school and a whirlwind trip to NYC for the Surtex and Stationary shows all in 5 days....I'm going to "copycat" this cat and take a minute to smell the flowers! 

5.11.2015

Image 24 Book Of Blessings

A week from now I'll be at Surtex! I can't wait to meet my agents. It's been 2 years since I've signed with Lilla Rogers and I STILL have yet to meet Lilla and Susan. I'm also excited to meet new team members Joanne and Reine and some of the other fellow artists the studio represents. I've never been to this crazy hyped up event in NYC and it's a bit intimidating. The nerves are starting in and that "what am I gonna wear?!" voice is starting to buzz in my ear. I hope to get some new clients out of this experience but you just never know with these things. So my ultimate goal is to have a super positive experience. Having fun with my boo, meeting new people and having that good energy exchange is all I can really hope for!

5.05.2015

Image 23 / Book of Blessings



I've been slacking on these...life's been getting in the way of "my blog on". But I promise to be more diligent about posting the rest of these. 7 more to go! oh how I miss the sea....

4.27.2015

Image 22/Book Of Blessings

Mondays don't have to be so well..Monday-ish...If I'm up to it I try to look at it as a fresh start for the week. That makes me feel better about leaving the weekend behind because a new one will be there before I know it. Sometimes ;) 

4.23.2015

My little Surtex ad for the inter webs

This past month has been CRAY to the ZAY folks. I mean like crazy town crazy. How does life get that jam packed????? Half of the action was due to Surtex prep and creating this little christmas collection of mine. I just love animals and magical little houses and the woods...Here is another little snippet of it. I posted my actual banner design a few posts before. Because I'm brain dead from creating all of it I have no gas left to give it a creative and clever name....but that's ok. Maybe it will speak for itself. Maybe this chubby gnome has a clever idea...

4.21.2015

Sunny days ahead

Image 20/Book Of Blessings by Runing Press. If you're having a not so great day sometimes a walk and just being outside on a sunny day can change your mood instantly!

4.20.2015

My Surtex Banner!!!!!

I am beyond pumped about this years Surtex show. This year my new work focuses on an animal and gnome inhabited forest town. I've been missing the forest and wildlife lately and totally envy anyone within walking distance to woodlands and dense nature so I tried to channel that. It's greeting card and gift wrap based but the images could lend themselves to many other different formats. The crazy exciting news is that my hubs and I are actually going this year!!! I'd love to meet you in person if you are at the show Monday and Tuesday. I'll be at booth 517 sharing the space with some amazing artists and the incredible Lilla Rogers Studio crew. Hope to see you there!

4.14.2015

When everything feels like too much...


I'll be honest, life feels a bit intense right now. So many worries and concerns...life stuff, work stuff, money stuff...as an adult we all have those feelings of being overwhelmed. During our day we may pass a stranger here and there on an errand or at work...etc...Most of the time we'll never know what kind of struggles they may be dealing with. Those of us lucky enough to have friends and family to lean on during those tough times are just that...really lucky. I feel grateful for my peeps today...for being there for my struggles and for whatever their struggles or conquests are? I'm thinking good thoughts for them as well. Image 19/Book of Blessings-SW

4.13.2015

Cheese and wineszzzz

Image 18 of Running Press's Book of Blessings. So I might have had too much of all this last night. And the night before...but it was fun :)-SW

4.09.2015

Spring really is here

I hope it doesn't snow aneeeeeee more. But some folks don't plant things til Mother's Day. I guess that's the super safe zone. I don't know if I can wait that long. Representing spring in full force here's image 16/Book of Blessings by running Press, illustrated by yours truly-SW

Image 17/Book of Blessings

Today was gorgeous. I'm feeling grateful!

4.07.2015

Image 15, Book Of Blessings

I really miss the farmer's market and can't wait to bring our little guy there to try all the fresh and healthy foods. This page in the book was definitely inspired by that.

4.01.2015

Quaint Cottage

Image 13/Book Of Blessings by Running Press. I want to go to there....right now.....One of the coolest things about drawing is that it can transport you to another place. I dream of one day living near the woods so we can go on long walks....

Tiny Mouse


Image 12/Book of Blessings by Running Press Miniature editions. This little mouse is harvesting is little wheat crop! He could eat off that one germ of wheat for a week!

3.30.2015

Work hard, play hard

Image 11/Book of Blessings. Good food, good wine, and most importantly good company. Hope your weekend was filled with at least one of the three if not all! ~SW

3.29.2015

Oh Happy Day



Image 10/Book Of Blessings. A picnic for little ones, juice box's and all. Although a tad chilly it's a beautiful day to be in Kanas City. 

3.28.2015

Collage Flower

Image 9/Book of Blessings. a paper collage flower symbolizing spring. I love using craft paper, newspaper and gouache together.

3.27.2015

Queen For a Day

Image 8/Book of Blessings. Crowns are really fun to draw. YOu get the basic shape and the rest is up for interpretation. Same with musical instruments. The trumpet is tooting because it's Friday!

3.25.2015

Spring Time Eskimos

Image 6/ Book Of Blessings
The snows gotta melt sooner or later. This is for my east coast homies. Spring is coming! Hang in there guys. This is one of my favorite pages because Alaska and the eskimo culture is so interesting to me. The furs are so beautiful and the people have this rugged yet gentle beauty about them.

Farm life

Image 7/ Book of Blessings
My Dad has a little farm in Connecticut and I grew up visiting him in the summertime. He had cows and chickens and even a milk cow named Betty. I would feed her the molasses oat blend from a barrel with a big scoop. I still love that smell to this day. Thanks for that pleasant memory Dad :)

3.24.2015

3.23.2015

Exploding Hearts

Image 4/ Book Of Blessings. This weekend was so fun....I spent it mostly with my little family minus one (daughter is in Chicago). The weather was beautiful. Funny thing is..we had to go to the laundromat to get a futon cover cleaned and we even had fun there! It was an adventure for our little Finley which is just the coolest thing. It's these simple moments that fill my heart with the utmost joy. Hope you had a good weekend too and the weather was sunny for you :) ~SW

3.21.2015

Flippy Flapjacks

Image 2/Book of Blessings. It's Saturday. The perfect day to get your flapjack on. I freaking love pancakes. And coffee runs through my veins...keeps my heart pumpin'...Hope you're having a wonderful weekend! ~SW

3.20.2015

Book Of Blessings/75 Graces From Around The World



In the fall I illustrated a book called Book of Blessings for Running Press/Perseus and it will be out March 25! It's available on Amazon, most likely Barnes and Noble and hopefully cute mom and pop bookstores as well. I think one of my favorite things about this book is it's size. It's 2.9 x 3.4 inches. I just can't take it. So tiny! Anyway, in honor of spring I'll post a page from the book each day for the next 30 days because I'm REALLY grateful for getting through the winter and seeing little buds on the trees. This book touches on just that, feeling grateful and content with what you have. Through age old proverbs and prayers from all around the world it sends a message of enjoying the simple things in life like good food, nature and the people you love. Pretty neat. Below is the first page I'm sharing. Sometime soon I will also be selling some of the images in my Etsy shop along with some possible tote bags. Stay tuned!











































3.17.2015

3.04.2015

Rejection + Hurt Ego = Fun Self Promotion Piece!

So at the end of 2014 I scored a kick ass magazine cover gig from one of the coolest international mags ever. I'm a HUGE fan of this magazine I shall not nameth. After I submitted my piece and all was said and done I get an e-mail a month later from a very heart broken and nice AD  that they chose a different cover AFTER it was approved....and I was mad. And a tad bit bummed. She went to bat for me but sometimes that's just how the pancakes flops....on the floor...and then your dog eats it. So after I got over my mild rage ;) I decided I was glad I did the piece and thought it would make a fun self promo piece! We gotta roll with the punches in this free-lancin', free-stylin' bizzzz sometimes. This is part of the process of building thick skin, which is pretty much necessary for survival in the independent artist world. Hey, ya never know, maybe, just maybe I can get another shot at working with this awesome mag in the future and the pancake might flop in my favor :) 
~Sarah W.










A closer crop of the indoor activities that strange geo-prism future girls do in their spare time. 




2.26.2015

A Leopard Can Indeed Change his Spots....according to this fun little movie I made

This is old school picture taking and then compiling it in iMovie with a a little song from my omnichord. Oscar material I'm telling you ;) Watch out Pixar...I'm a coming for you. yeah....Doing this one minute video gave me a huge appreciation for what REAL animators do. Unreal.....That said, I liked my little story. 




2.25.2015

February love


I decided to so some Valentine's just for the heck of it. I love painting. It's so therapeutic. And yes, the coffee one is derived from personal experience. :)