It's Holiday Time!

2 year old me on a Santa visit. I look worried.

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday!

I made Pickles

Back in August, I went to the Farmer's Market with Fru and bought a big load of cukes to make into pickles. The same recipe my Grandma Hilda used to make and my mom too. Bread and Butter pickles. I was nervous because it was my first time, but they turned out GREAT! We tested a couple of jars to make sure we weren't going to poison our friends when we gave them as gifts. (Friends, you haven't gotten these yet, so turn away! Don't look!)

I also made a batch of "dill" pickles...not photo worthy. Let's not speak their names because....they are just....ew. I felt like Aunt B with her pickle fiasco. What do you do with 6 jars of nasty, disgusting, inedible pickles? My Uncle Bill says: "Throw them away". So in the composter they will go. Lesson learned with pickle making: Always follow a recipe, do not be creative with spices! It was so fun though, and next year I'll try another family recipe, Spice Pickles....yum!

Inspiration...got some? need some?

For a few years when I would be sitting at my desk in my cubicle illustrating for a children's educational publisher, I would daydream about working for myself doing my own style of illustrating and being successful. So I'd hit Google up for some illustration inspiration and found Holli Conger's encouraging advice. Her work is so fun, and her helpful advice is worth a lot.

I'm needing some inspiration today and was happy to see her December advice posts on her blog today.

So here I am, venturing off on my own. I hope I have what it takes!