Merry Christmas!

{Coloring Page, 2013}

Printable Christmas Coloring Page Instructions:

1. Click on above image.

2. Right Click on Image or drag to desktop

3. Print and Color!

Have a wonderful holiday season! I am excited to spend Christmas with my family and watch my son open presents this year! Nothing like viewing the holidays through the eyes of a child. 

FREE Holiday Gift Tag Download!

{Gift Tags, 2013}

To make your FREE gift tags:

1. Click on Image Above

2. Right click on image and save or Drag to desktop

3. Print and Enjoy!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Windsor Heights 4th of July Poster

{Drawing and Digital, 2013}

**Click Image to View Larger**

Today is Flag Day and I thought it would be a perfect day to share this poster that was created for the Windsor Heights 4th of July celebration. If you live in central Iowa, I highly recommend Windsor Heights' Independence Day festivities. Their parade is wonderful, they have activities for kids, music, food and fireworks! Their even doing a bike decorating contest for kids this year. How cool is that? I created this by scanning in a drawing and painting it in Photoshop. 

Valentine Animal Babies

{Watercolor, 2012}

{Watercolor, 2012}

I couldn't sleep-in this morning, even though it's Saturday. I got up, made some coffee, and decided to play with my watercolors. All the stores have Valentine's Day stuff out, so it makes sense that when I sat down to draw and paint, I decided to make everything pink, purple and red. Anyways, these two illustrations are what I came up with. I wish pink fawns with heart markings really existed. I also wish bears wore suspenders in the wild.

A Very Merry Christmas To You

{Watercolor and Colored Pencil, 2011}

I want to wish all of my blog friends a Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and that you get to spend your break with family, friends, laughter and lots of love. I'll be back to blogging after the Christmas holiday. Best Wishes!

XOXO,
Candace

Holiday Bunting Workshop

{Crafted Project Example, "Noel", 2011}

{Crafted Project Example, "Merry", 2011}

{Crafted Project Example, "Winter Textures", 2011}

{Examples, 2011}

{Workshop Participants, 2011}

{Workshop Participants, 2011}

{Workshop Participants, 2011}

I was asked to create a workshop as part of the Des Moines Art Center's Annual Art Noir Holiday Studio. My holiday bunting project was one of several that included glass blowing, an ugly mitten decorating contest, gift tags, and origami ornaments. Its always a fun event and this was my second year doing a project to teach. I met a lot of fun people and everyone seemed really excited to make their own bunting decoration to cheer up their home! I created three examples to give people a little inspiration and an idea of how the project would look when completed. From there, people got really creative and had really awesome ideas! It is always wonderful to be around creative folk and this event was no exception!

Happy Thanksgiving!

{Watercolor, 2011}

I'm thankful for so much this year! I'm so blessed to have wonderful family, friends (that includes everyone online too!), a career that seems to be blossoming, and true inner happiness. I hope you are able to take a moment during the holiday to reflect on what is wonderful in your life! Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween!

{Sketchbook with Digital Color, 2011}

Wishing you all a very Happy Halloween full of yummy candy, fun costumes and pretty pumpkins!

Sketch and Book Review

{Sketchbook, 2011}

I thought I would post the line drawing while I am still working on the digitally colored version. Halloween is just around the corner and I always look forward to carving pumpkins and watching the leaves turn. Of course, I always enjoy a festive cat too! On another note, my publisher sent me a link to THIS REVIEW of "The Twelve Days of Christmas -- In Texas, That Is". It happens to be a favorable review, which of course, makes me happy.

"Santa's Secret Story" Trailer on YouTube

{Video by Pauline Books and Media, 2011}

I found a trailer for "Santa's Secret Story" on YouTube this morning. I think this video is so cute! (and I love the idea of trailers for books!) Check it out!

2011: The Year of the Rabbit

{Sketchbook with Digital Color, 2010}

Happy New Year from me to you! I hope 2011 is everything you could ever wish for and more. I am excited that this is the year of the rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac because I always find myself being attracted to rabbits as a major motif for decorating my home. I also draw a lot of them, and started to draw this New Year's rabbit before I even knew it was the animal of the year! Anyways, its also time to get in gear and try to keep all those resolutions that were easy to make, but will be much harder to keep! I have several resolutions floating in my head; both personal and professional and I am going to try my hardest to be a good girl!

Free Holiday Gift Tag Sheet

{Gift Tags, Watercolor and Digital, 2010}

I used a collection of watercolor images and photoshop to create a part of a Christmas gift for my friends, but I can't share that just yet! Until then, I have used that same collection of images and created a gift tag sheet just for you! Just follow the simple instructions below!

For best results:

1. Click on the image and zoom in.
2. Either drag to desktop or right click and save.
3. Print
4. Cut out and enjoy!

Illustration Friday - Phenomenon

{Watercolor with Digital Text, 2010}

{Watercolor, 2010}

Every year on the second day of Christmas winged turtles (aka Turtledoves) take to the sky to spread some cheer. It is quite the phenomenon and you can only see them if you are lucky enough to be looking up as they pass by!

We are doing a "12 days of Christmas" series of posts on my group blog, The Doodle Diner. Head over each day to see what we have come up with!

{Etsy Coupon, 2010}

I also wanted to let you know that I have set up a coupon code until December 24th, 2010 for an extra 15% off anything you buy from PinwheelArt on Etsy! Several original illustrations and crafts are listed for your viewing pleasure!

Christmas Card Illustration 2010

{Digital Mixed Media Illustration, 2010}

I didn't have time to make handmade cards this year due to my current illustration workload. (which I am really grateful for!) I decided to do an illustration and have some cards printed professionally and mailed to me. I am running a little behind this year, but I have always had good luck with Overnight Prints in terms of quality and speed of delivery. I thought it would be fun to have our whole family (which consists of several furbabies!) Photoshopped into a gingerbread wonderland! I love that the pictures are totally not to scale in relationship to each other. It's probably pretty accurate if we were measuring personality! I'll make sure to post some pictures of the printed cards when they come in the mail. I'm really looking forward to seeing them!

Happy Halloween! 2010

{Candy Corn Costume, 2010}

Photo Credit: Metromix Des Moines

{Lego Man Costume, 2010}

Photo Credit: Metromix Des Moines

{Carved Pumpkins, 2010}

We always have fun making costumes. This year I sewed a candy corn costume using fleece and my husband, Ken, revamped his Lego costume from last year. To be fair, he was working on it until the last minute last year and only got to wear it to one party. This year he wore it all around Des Moines and got lots of laughs, smiles and nostalgic 20/30-somethings! In fact, he is in the running to win a local costume contest so I am going to shamelessly plug him! If you are so inclined, please vote for him until November 5, 2010 at THIS LINK. We would really appreciate it!

Halloween Digital Sketches

{Sketch with Digital Color, 2010}

{Sketch with Digital Color, 2010}

I always look forward to the spookiness of the Halloween season. I love that the movie channels on TV play scary movies and that the stores are full of costumes, candy and decorations. I also love the colors that this time of year brings. All of the decorations have been put up around the house and the magazines are full of pages of pumpkin colored decor, recipes and clothing. I thought I would add a little of that same flair to my blog and work on a few spot illustrations to share! What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

Happy Independence Day! 2010

{Watercolor with Gesso, 2010}

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday! I'm looking forward to a parade, fireworks, friends and some really good food!

Just wanted to say...

{Dyed Easter Eggs, 2010}