And the winner is...

Both of you!

Patti agreed that the two of you should not have to fight to the death in the randomizer so you're both getting a copy courtesy of Chronicle Books. Just e-mail me your addresses Labour of Love and Danny and your book will be on its way in no time.

Please direct your e-mail to selfindulgent at hotmail dot com.

Thanks for participating!

Bottle Opener and a Giveaway

So as I mentioned before, Patti Quill is talking about me today over at the Chronicle Books blog which I am super excited about. We weren't connected before I started doing this, and I'm not receiving any kind of compensation from them. I really just enjoy the book and the challenge. Also if you're not reading their blog I highly recommend it. There is a lot of good writing and fun guest posts from authors. Plus, it's very informative if you like artsy crafty and/or organizey things. (Which I do.)

Some things about the blog and me that won't be in that post because I forgot to tell Patti about them are the fact that I'm currently revising a YA novel (Isn't everyone these days though?) and that I do have some rules for myself besides just working through the book. Partly, this is an exercise in taming my inner critic/perfectionist/nit-picky jerk. To that end, all sketches must:

1. Not involve a ruler

2. Be done in one sitting (unless said sitting is interrupted by a short crying person)

3. Have minimal eraser use

I strayed when sketching the sandwich because it was a lot more complicated than I thought, but I copped to that. In any case, here's the latest product of these guidelines.

I chose the fold up pocket bottle opener because my dad always used to carry one around and it brings back fond memories of picnics and Coke's in glass bottles.

I will get back to the string quartet but I'm probably going to stick with simple things for the rest of this month. My life tends to have a nothing nothing nothing ALL THE THINGS pattern to it and I am currently in ALL THE THINGS mode.

Anyway, thanks to the good folks at Chronicle Books I can now present to you the first ever SIE contest!

For a chance to win a copy of 642 Things to Draw, simply comment answering one (or both in one comment) of the following questions.

Choice A: (Inspired by an episode of House and in the spirit of finding some time for yourself) What is the biggest lie you ever told just to get some alone time?

Or if you're the honest sort,

Choice B: What is your favorite PG-rated alone time activity? Why?

Just enter your answer(s) in comments below. I'll enter the number of comments into a randomizer to pick the winner because I have an unhealthy need to be liked. Contest is open until February 6th, at 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time.

Bubbles, Mushrooms, and Luminescent Plankton

I'm not thrilled with any of these to begin with. It's made worse by the face that I'm apparently taking these from inside a freezer. I just could not take a steady picture despite multiple efforts.

Here's my bubbles, although they look a good deal more like wonky marbles. I've tried before to draw bubbles and I just can't seem to get the lightness of them. I think this is a subject best done in watercolor.

I couldn't decide between real mushrooms, and the Nintendo toadstool that pops in my head whenever mushrooms are mentioned so I did one of each. I think I made toadie look subtly malicious.

Last but not least, I give you luminescent plankton. I've been a little obsessed with bioluminescence ever since I was a kid, so I got a little distracted researching this. In then end I think this is more sardine/rabbit hybrid than luminescent plankton but it has it's own distinct charm.

Fin.