Cupcakes! - New Sparkle Illustrations

I'm excited to post a few illustrations I recently completed for Sparkle, a magazine for GEMS Girl's Club.

These two illustrations will appear in the October 2009 issue:

And this illustration will appear along with the Sparkle mission statement on the back cover of the magazine for one year:

I have so much fun creating the illustrations for this magazine. Their stories have really helped me in developing girl characters in my artwork. I've always got to think about how to create the emotion in the character's faces and body language; and make sure that the clothing is fashionable with the young gals.

I'll be posting a few more in upcoming blog posts. Thanks for stopping by!

Blooms Basking in the Summer Sun!

It's mid-July. Blooms are basking in the summer sunshine. Looks to me like it's time for another garden walk!

Many doves and robins join these love birds daily.


Soft lemon-yellow day lilies called "Pudgy".

A long shot up through the blooms.

Then so fun to find this sweet little girl in the leaves.

Gleeful pink coneflowers stretch their petals flat for the sun. Always a garden favorite.

The beautiful periwinkle, pinks and blues of the delicate hydrangea are hard to resist.

A deep reddish-orange day lily catches the eye. A few months ago this garden was bursting with dogwood and azaleas!


A favorite place to relax, read, listen to music and watch the butterflies float over the garden.

Hens and Chicks grow out over this moss covered workman's boot.

Bear's Breeches have finally bloomed for the first time since being planted a few years ago.

And, there is that pretty, little kitty again. Now, if only she could pull the weeds! >^..^<

Other fun garden posts of my Central Pennsylvania garden from earlier this year:

• Color of Spring Everywhere!
• Mid-May in a PA Garden
  
  

Sketches From N. Myrtle Beach

Mid-June, hubby and I spent a week at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a soul-refreshing, artist-inspiring week. You can scroll down through creative pictures in my previous blog post.

One of the great things about the week is that I got to slouch down in my beach chair and dig in to the book "Walking in this World: The Practical Art of Creativity" by Julia Cameron. I found out about the book a few months ago from one of my followers on Twitter. Needless to say, I read it from cover to cover while warmed by the summer sun, and feet cooled by the washing surf. It's packed with a ton of great information intended to offer perspective to creative people in how to daily fulfill the artistic passion and drive that keeps us content and happy.



The book inspired me to take the time for some morning sketches. And, I'm happy to share them with you. My unknowing subjects were sketched from the balcony of our rented beach condo. Enjoy!

Rejuvenating the Artist's Soul at N. Myrtle Beach

Nothing is more rejuvenating for the artist's soul than a week of soaking in the sunshine, toes digging into the warm, soft sand, enjoying the sights and sounds of the ebb and flow of the tide crashing in and sliding back out to sea. Absolutely mindless.

Come along with me to see the colors, shapes, and sounds of a soul-refreshing week at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

These navy blue beach chairs are calling your name.

Nature shows us her intricate designs in the dune grasses.



A little one's tools of the trade, ready to dig in and get creative.



Someone else already did.



A Dad next door was having a blast sculpting this enormous sea turtle.



Comedian Steven Wright tells of having a seashell collection. And then delivers in his deadpan voice, "perhaps you've seen it. It's scattered on beaches all over the world".







Tiny shells in sandy colors, stripes, and whites.



Dragons.







And, dragonflies.



So many dog pals to meet of all shapes, sizes and colors:

Arizona and company.



Super-cute puppy, Digit.



Aussie, Buster.



And handsome Ertle.



Ohhh...and here comes another little cutie-pie...

A Happy Daschund at N. Myrtle Beach from Cheryl Kugler on Vimeo.

A irresistable array of colorful soda bottles catch the eye at Barefoot Landing, and quench hubby's thirst.



And, "yes", these sweet bunnies told me that "It's time that I will be meeting new friends."



Bright, vibrant lights at Joe's Crab Shack set a festive mood.



One more day...









Awwwww....a loving, heartful message written in the sand.



Colorful skim boards await a run in the surf.



It would be SO easy to sit here for weeks on end and then another weekend.

Here's an extra treat for you. Take a minute to enjoy the soothing waves before you leave.

Watching the Morning Tide Come In at North Myrtle Beach from Cheryl Kugler on Vimeo.