greenbeanbaby art

wee hours

 
it's 2:45am and i'm munching on my kids' graham crackers while trying to post on my slightly revamped blog... this past month has been filled with so much sickness, the greenbean household has barely seen daylight... everyone but ramel seems to lack a sensible skintone complexion... actually, he's the only one not to have been sick or riddled with congestion...

there's so much to do in this upcoming month.... i've yet to complete the entire set for imagezoo but am pretty close... you can see most sneak peeks right here until they are uploaded and for sale on the official site... the only one completed and not shown yet is my christmas one...

i've also a few drawings to vectorize for rubber stamps... exciting, challenging, hopeful.... sadly, i'm behind on the freelance work AND the custom gifts planned for friends... after all, i didn't expect people to fall ill in JULY... however, it has lead me to some serious contemplation... and reorganization...

yes, i've been rethinking the future of greenbeanbaby and the art produced... while i still want to have a shop filled with greeting cards, this might be the season to pursue the publishers... i've dusted off a few reference books and read up on freelance illustrators who are also full time moms... after all, freelancing is hefty but when you are a full time mother in the same house as your studio, it's quite another arena... not that i haven't been doing freelance for all these years, but i kinda want get that children's book from dummy to printed... i'd like to go the professional illustrative route, rather than stick ALL my eggs in the handmade basket... does that make sense?

anyhow, i'll continue to blog on the latter subject in depth as more goals are in clear focus [and not hazed with tylenol]... for now, my midnight oil is burnt out- actually it evaporated an hour ago... so i'm off to bed...

have a wonderful wednesday and see you all on the flipside!

can you fly?

this is a post about all the pretty things that fly and you can buy...

do you have books that everyone keeps trying to claim as theirs? well, then you need some of stephanie's beautiful owl bookplates... these vibrantly colored and adorably illustrated... and they are affordable so you can stop finding your books in the hands of others...

and if you feel like wearing an owl design, check out this cute tee! printed on a vintage style shirt, you are bound to be comfy and stylish... looks great with any skirt or your favorite jeans, leaving you feeling indie happy and in the mood for some hefty james joyce reading...  it won't be available in burgundy for long so snag one up while you can!

if you are in the creative mood and have the desire to make some jewerly or embellish a scrapbook, you must snag these cute beads!! won't these make a darling pair of earrings?? and they are GREEN!!! one cannot resist these big eyed birds....

lastly, we cannot forget that even angels fly... so if you are in a nostalgic mood and want to buy a cute toy, check out my mom's angels! they have the chubbiest cheeks and the best of expressions... this one has a nose like my isabella, eh?!

well, i am off to rest away this cold of mine... have fun shopping!!

dear ramel...

 

it's been six years already! since that time, we got a cat, had a son, was a victim of a hit and run thus getting a another car, got another cat, moved into the house we bought, had a daughter, put our son into pre-school, got rid of the house that we bought, and moved into another place that is bigger but a smelly basement... you've moved up on the job ladder 3x going from academic coordinator to transportation coordinator.... i went from being an academic coordinator to a full time mom to a full time mom/artist with an etsy shop... our kids have had swine flu, a few ear infections between them both, had one set of tonsils and adenoids out, several colds, one scary high fever, chipped a tooth, jumped off a bunk bed, and have not a single broken bone...

even on the minute of our 6th anniversary, we spent getting our daughter ready to go the the e.r. for an ear that's in pain, after caring for our son who had pink eye, an ear infection [and swine flu]... i spent 2 hours at the hospital, watching spongebob, and being informed of all the fluid in our daughter's ears...

our days are filled with caring for our kids... a kiss is often interrupted by a child who wants affection as well... our cuddly moments are bombarded by two children seeing the opportunity to wrestle us, jumping on us as if we are bean bags that give massively warm hugs... our dinners are usually filled with doing dishes while telling one kid to either eat, or the other to stop playing with their food, as we clean the kitchen... a moment's rest means some child has the need to empty their bowels or bladder... our beverages are never our own... our video games are no longer purchased with only one person in mind, but with the family...

it may be exhausting at times, frustrating, or exhilarating... but we are proud parents who love our kids dearly... who'd have thought that one saturday night date would lead to all of this... who'd have thought that when you asked for my number,  it would be the same number you call to this day, sometimes being answered by an excited daughter or an eager son?! who'd have thought that two college lovers would end up here... now...

i'm glad i'm with you... you are my sweetie... and i wouldn't have life any other way [although, i wouldn't mind a few more dates with you every now and then:D]... i love you ramel!!!

let's get married

wedding bride- cut paper illustration
Originally uploaded by greenbeanbaby.

i'm just testing out how to add flickr photos straight to my blog.... here is my wedding bride... based on a real bride-to-be....

this illo has a groom [not yet photographed]

hypoallergenic and pig free

 

so a couple little ones around here are slightly sick... fever come and gone, belly aches, throbbing pains, etc.... not as bad as it sounds but enough to be medicated and homebound... between allergies and the swine flu, there's a lot of caring and relaxing...

in the meantime, i've been up late at night playing mafia wars working on art, while watching season 3 of heroes... i have 25 illustrations to complete and only 5 completely done for now... this one took the longest... the mummy boy's upper torso took an entire hour!!!!

yes, i handcut each lil bandage wrap around his miniscual 2" body... was it necessary? probably not but it looks cool, right?! his arms were most difficult though...

in less than 7 days, we celebrate 6years of marriage... i cannot believe how fast time has flown... it's not to say i haven't felt it and loved it... we've done a lot in these years and i cannot imagine how the next six will be... diego will be nearly 11, isabella 8, ramel and i, 34... wow, lemme not even think that far ahead when i have 20 more illustrations awaiting completion... after all, these have to be done before we celebrate our anniversary

this is a brief post but happy monday!!

it's all in progress...

now that this blog is networked via facebook, it's time to REALLY keep up with it... i've been working on several projects, mostly ones for imagezoo... i have 25 holiday based illustrations to complete VERY SOON! here is one that will be completed tonight [that's the plan, at least]... i'm loving it so far- actually, i'm loving nearly the entire set!!!!

here is the final two characters for my valentines' theme... i love these lil characters and would like to get them rubber stampified in time...  another project on my to-do list, eh?! this was my first final of the 25... they won't have a background when i submit them to the site...

this is the cut paper photo of my july 4th piece... the girl is to resemble the statue of liberty- she's not meant to look EXACTLY like the monument... it's more like she's in a costume... i don't know if i'm entirely pleased with it though... do you think her outfit should look A LOT MORE like the statue of liberty's or is this close enough? [my crown is much more plain... the clothes too]... hmmmmm...

also, i'm working on a few sketches for a possible freelance rubber stamp job... so far, i'm still in the sketch process of this, but once everything is set in stone, i will give you all more detail.... since i don't have a picture of that to show you, i'll display my new paper pack.... and my cardstock... and my vellum sleeve envelopes that were on clearance... makes ya drool, right?

lastly, here is a finished piece of goodness for my dear friends and their newborn baby boy, jonathan [who was born TODAY!!!]... the baby nursery's theme is monkeys [and that was his nickname too]... andrea loves green... and nelson loves video games... this is one of my favorite projects to date.... i wish i could do some for the shop but first, lets get the rest of these projects out of the week

happy thursday!!! and congrats again to andrea and nelson, and their newborn beauty!!

feeling loved...

i think i'm rested up now... still behind on emails and there is MUCH to do artwise, but it felt good to relax for a wee bit... as stated in the [lengthy] previous post, i received some wonderful gifts... this is my favorite, a watercolor illustration by my sweet ramel... it's a character from an xbox arcade game called castle crashers... ramel stayed up all night making it for me- it is now framed and on my studio wall...

ramel also got me call of duty: world at war... i think its the 4th one... we went through the campaign together but now we both are trying to do solo on veteran level [the hardest mode]... i won't share my frustrations about that but i can say the co-op campaign mode is fun!! the xbox live points are always great to have... and the starbucks card is mighty handy.... ramel sure knows his wife, eh?!

my friend ali, gave me her mac laptop... yes, i have a WORKING laptop with more recent versions of adobe illustrator and photoshop, along with a million other applications... i feel so darn cool!!!!!! [and of course, so grateful]... so with the starbucks card, i can get 2hrs free wi-fi and can be like everyone else... sipping on coffee while playing mafia wars working... ali sure hooked me up!!!

my friend esther bought me a ton of tim burton goodness... she knows how big of a fan i am... [anyone else geeked about "9"????? and anyone in new york anticipating tim burton's exhibit at the MoMA???] i don't think i'll take them out of the box and assemble the statues... .i don't THINK... the awesome coffee cup is used daily... and the magnets are just dreamy!!!!! esther is a sweetie...

and ms. andrea!!! while it wasn't for my birthday, she had a gift for me that must be shared!!!! a beautiful GREEN handmade sweater from ecuador!! no doubt, it will be worn sometime this month, as wisconsin weather cannot be trusted... she also gave me some freshly wonderful ecuadorian coffee, straight from the country!!! makes ya wanna get your caffeine on, eh?! thank you sweet andrea!!

then matt, a cut paper artist, made me a beautfiul piece of art!! he also lives in new york and i was able to meet him when i was there... he is also an xbox fan so it was nice to meet the guy i play with, in person.... his beautiful illustration hangs in my studio as well... thanks so much matt!!!!

now, i'm off to work on imagezoo illustrations, sketches, and some monkey art... andrea is due any second now... her son, jonathan seems to be taking his time so i MIGHT have time to finish one of his gifts before he's born... but we both are cutting it pretty close!

happy monday all!! and happy birthday to all the july bloggers out there!

happy fourth of july!

may you all have a swell weekend!

new york city love

as stated in the previous post, a friend purchased a plane ticket for both of our birthdays... it was the first time i was away from my family since i gave birth to diego... even when i had isabella, diego was near me within 24hrs... and when i went to chicago, we saw eachother within 24hrs as well... so can we say it was a long awaited [and much needed] vacation?!

so i'm going to give a briefing of my trip as we did A LOT!! and i was able to meet a ton of wonderful people that i've known online but never saw in person... it was definitely a good time

wednesday:

• ramel dropped me off at the airport... we said our goodbyes without tears... thought we had plenty of time but apparently, i was late and had to RUN for plane...
• made it to new york and my friend ali picked me up... unpacked, laughed, and relaxed
• went to a famous indian diner... jackson heights diner where i tasted indian food for the first time with a wonderful experience [the other two times, were not so swell]
• went for coffee

• walked to nelson and andrea's place where we got to meet in PERSON! they are a swell couple for sure [nelson is the one who did ramel's site, btw]
• took the train to times square
• went back to ali's house to relax

thursday [ali's birthday]

• we took the train to the upper east side to shop a wee bit
• went to a vegan resteraunt, candle cafe, and tried a seitan sandwich for the first time ever
• tried to visit the society of illustrators but it was closed for a special event

• walked to f.a.o. schwarz, the cutest toy shop ever
• took the bus to union square park and walked through there
• walked to forbidden planet, a wonderful comic store
• walked to east village/ st. mark's place
• walked to tokoyo toys

• rested at washington square park
• went for pizza at aurturo's [in the village]
• had dessert at bruno's bakery
• saw the movie" house" [check out the link!!!!]
• took the train back home

friday

• took the train to rockefeller center
• visited the nintendo world
• visited the nbc store
• walked back to times square

• checked out the sanrio store and hershey's store
• took subway to the village
• tried some falafel at mamaun's then ate it at washington square park
• walked through SoHo
• stopped in at bloomingdale's store
• walked to chinatown and shopped there
• took the train to visit MoMa's
• went back ali's home to relax

saturday

• woke up and played a bit of call of duty: world at war
• nelson and andrea drove me to long island and astoria to shop and hang out
• went back to nelson's and andrea's place to play halo 3

• ali's party began and met matt hill in person as well as rudi [whom i met online by playing xbox]
• we played charades
• played apples to apples
• had a halo 3 tournament [which ali and i won :D]

• played a bit of wii boxing with matt [and won]
• played more boxing [and lost to willie, the kung fu master]
• rested up since it was 2am

sunday [last day in nyc]

 

• took the train to brooklyn
• walked the brooklyn bridge to manhattan
• walked through south seaport
• took the staten island ferry [there was a bit of running involved to get a good spot]
• walked to union square to visit some paper stores
• relaxed at madison square park while we ate food from the shake shack [met up with rudi]
• drove to murray hill to the movie theatre to watch transformers 2

• walked to koreatown and tried korean food
• walked past macy's and herald square
• went to the empire state building and went almost all the way to the top!!!!!
• celebrated my first minutes of my birthday in the empire state building
• walked to the grand central station
• took the train home
• woke up 3hrs later to take the plane back to milwaukee

whew!!!!!!!! my birthday presents and birthday adventures in milwaukee will be another post... i want to thank ali and phil, matt and rudi, nelson and andrea, and even willie and the people i met in nyc for giving me the greatest new york city birthday trip ever!!!!! many hugs to you all!!!!

in the meantime, you can check out:
matt hill's photostream of ali's party
a few more of my photo's here