Sketching through the Holidays

And so our holiday ends and the New Year is here and moving quickly...    I had a nice week of family and presents and fun.  Josh and I rarely take that much time off and it was actually kind of hard not to think about work.  I received many awesome presents (including some  books like It's a Small World - illustrated by Chou and the Annotated Anne of Green Gables) and was able to see nephews and nieces.   Of course, now it's all over and I must return to work and being work-oriented!  It's only been two days and I am still a bit out of sorts.

I am posting here some sketches that I did a before the holiday and some during... One of my friends does freelance for Holiday figurines and I was reminded of this when Christmas came around. I thought I would try sketching some ideas... maybe venture into this field?  Still not totally sure... and probably should ask for his advice. ;)

I am also anxious to send out some postcards and promo pieces soon...  I am really hoping that work might come in this month soon or at least by February.  The sketches below are actually more for a painting I might use... it's that poem about Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod... and maybe at first the Neverending Story...;)

On a more personal note, I've been reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller... it's a great read.  Very funny.  Messy and yet, honest and straight-forward.  It isn't PC and edited or tame... and not preachy at all.  I read eight chapters all last night and had to force myself to put it down.  I'm hoping to read more soon.  Wish I could read more books in general.

Josh and I watched Shall We Dance with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers tonight (Josh is sick with a sinus infection and miserable so he's taking the night off).  I bought this for him as a stocking stuffer... we both adore these movies as well as the dancing.  I was always a big Gene Kelly fan as well.  It reminded me of how much I love dancing and how much I used to watch the Turner Classic movies on television.  I think that it's funny Josh and I were both so in love with these movies when we were kids.  In fact, Josh loves these movies so much when he was a little boy, he wanted to be just like Fred Astaire and wear the fancy top hats and suits.  So this holiday season he was able to get a couple three-piece suits as presents, too.  He needs them for work anyway, but I think its cool...  :) Old-timey cartoonist style is his ideal I'm sure (like Frank King!).  Wouldn't mind some of Ginger Roger's dresses myself.  ;)

So anyway,  I hope you are all good and happy and healthy.  Cheers to the New Year!  And let's all get working!