Artist, Mother, Geek – insights from a creative mind
This week’s Illustration Friday topic is “backwards”. I decided an “opposite of normal” kind of backwards instead of doodling a penguins backend… I thought you’d appreciate that.
Either way, the penguin doesn’t look too thrilled… but does it ever?
-wink
The Backwards Penguin is indeed available in the JGD shop
[tags]jgoode,penguin,illustration friday[/tags]
This week’s Illustration Friday topic is “little things”. A wide array of ideas came to mind…
“It’s the thought that counts” – seeing as how it’s gift giving season. Or, “don’t sweat the small stuff” – the title of a great follow up to “seven habits of highly effective people” and a great motto to stick in your head from time to time. Or what about, “make a difference one… at a time”? Or a number of other popular quotes, cliche quotes or great thoughts to hold on to. But what kept outnumbering all the rest… tiny toes and tiny fingers. My house is full of them, along with tiny boogers and oodles of tiny messes.
But rather than bore you with a choatic illustration of my family room, I thought the tiny baby penguins would be much cuter and “aw” worthy of a topic like this. So … my visual ode to “little things”:
and for your sharing enjoyment, each design is featured on a variety of gift items: Cute Lil’ Chick, Future Egghead, Just Hatched, I’m the Momma
-wink
[tags]illustration friday, jgoode, penguins, art, gifts[/tags]
For the past 3 years I have been lucky enough to be able to participate in a gift exchange with a great group of online friends and peers. We each sign up, include a little bit about what we like, don’t like, favorite colors, art preferences, etc. Each year the group gets a little bigger, the exchange item choices broaden and the fun grows.
gift wrapping is my favorite part
This year my giftee is a fellow designer I was fortunate to meet just over a year ago at a conference hosted by CafePress. Jen Funderburk is the owner, operator and inspirational motivation behind LekkerDesigns.com… one of my all time favorite design shops since I began with Cafepress. I’ve always appreciated the clean images combined with a twist of attitude, it’s like Suzy on the surfer seashore selling snazzy seashells filled with mini shots of your favorite flavor with a retro swizzle. – wink – Always a good time when one browses the Lekker Shops!
Now, the idea behind this gift exchange is: send a design gift, something from your own shop/collection or something the recipient might be fond of. I have always taken this opportunity to design specifically for the recipient for this occasion; an item that can’t be purchased by anyone else so its truly a one of a kind. So with that in mind, I was a bit worried about coming up with a design Jen would like. I tend to create fluffy cutie patootie meets Barbie’s little sister with a lollipop… ya know, sometimes ooie gooie and perhaps overly smilie – dontcha think? Some people just aren’t that fluffy.
however …
“Lekker” is dutch for tasty, enjoyable or delicious – I can grasp that, so I grabbed a pile of critters and ran with an idea – I plowed forward regardless of my worries… and here’s the result.
The 2007 lekker thoughts Journal
“notes of inspiration and greatness”
The hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil monkey manget
to post those evil reminders on the fridge
and a teeny tiny original JGoode penguin charm
I love the holiday season. For me it’s not about the gifts and the shopping or the parties or the food… it’s about the people and the giving and the potential for an unexpected grin – or 5. – speaking of, I sent this gift with no note of the gift exchange – leaving Jen to wonder why I sent the package, ha! silly me… sometimes Santa forgets too I’m sure.
[tags]holidays,occasions,jgoode,gifts[/tags]
Participating in this week’s Illustration Friday. The topic is “excess”. Is there such a thing as “excess” when it comes to penguins? I don’t think so… but you decide.
This design is featured on a variety of apparel and gift items.
[tags]illustration friday, penguin,jgoode[/tags]
Since I began selling my doodle art online, I’ve had a side goal to try to help promote various causes through my art. 
As time has gone on, the Penguin cartoon collection has turned into the perfect avenue for such promotion. I started with the Pink Ribbon penguin, supporting breast cancer awareness, and expanded into a number of additional causes.
This past October I met an indie jewelry designer named Pam Swider, the owner and operator of Women for Hope. She was hosting a Breast Cancer Awareness group promotion effort called Indie for Awareness and I jumped with excitement to get involved. After the October event, Pam asked if I would consider creating penguins featuring a number of cancer and health related support ribbons.
“Absolutely!” I replied. How can I turn down an opportunity to help?
Once the penguins were created, I sent the Teal Ribbon Penguin to Pam. She then wore it to an art show she partiicpated in, and here they are sitting quite pretty!
In addtion to a huge selection of beautiful jewelry for all occasions, Pam creates and sells a number of support jewlery items including: “Bracelets, earrings, necklaces, keychains and cell phone charms in support of 15 different causes from Breast Cancer to Sexual Assault Awareness”.
The really inspiring thing is, not only are these items hand crafted, made with love by someone who understands the turmoil and emotional strain associated with the issues these items represent… but 10% of the proceeds sold by Women of Hope is donated to a variety of charities supporting womens’ issues. Giving from the hand that creates; it’s such a fabulous full circle kind of love.
Last I heard, The Penguin was delighted to join the gang at the art show. Thanks so much! I’m honored to work with someone as wonderful and giving as Pam.
View all of the various Support Penguin designs and products
[tags]jgoode, women for hope, support, pam swider[/tags]
Mini buttons make fantastic stocking stuffers, and here at JGD, there are oodles and oodles of mini buttons! Find all your favorites – penguins, dragonflies, big grins and goofy giggles. The kids love to stick mini buttons on backpacks, jackets and binders. Kids also like to trade and share their mini buttons, so grab a few designs that they can swap with their pals too.
Mini buttons do have a sharp pin point, so I don’t recommend giving mini buttons to children under the age of 6 or 7.
Other fun stocking stuffer ideas available through JGoode designs are: standard buttons, round magnets, teddy bears and note cards and thank you cards.
[tags]christmas,jgoode,kids[/tags]
Hop Hop Hoppin’ along right into holiday season. Here come a few brand new designs… Snowbunnies! Cute and cuddly and 100% originals by JGoode.
These adorable new critters are available on a number of apparel, gift and decor items.
Purple snowbunny and Green snowbunny are both part of the Lil’ Animal Shop Bunny collection.
Funny thing, I drew these rabbits a few months ago but didn’t immedidately add them to the product choices. I forgot all about them until I ran across the designs just a few days ago – wow, I love it when I find I surprise I forgot I had!
I’ve also added a fun Snow Bunnies design to the card shop.
single card or 10 card pack
[tags]jgoode,bunny,snow,gifts[/tags]
Have you seen the new 2007 keepsake ornaments?
I’ve added a handful of new designs for 2007 along with some classic favorites to the card gift shop. These keepsakes are handmade flat ball shaped ornament measuring 2 7/8 inches across. Made of high quality porcelain in a classic round holiday shape. Red ribbon included. As always, each design is an original JGoode.
You’ll also find a number of my every day designs on keepsake ornaments, perfect for holiday gift package accessorizing and stocking stuffing. Check out the whole collection here.
[tags]jgoode,ornament,holiday,keepsake,gifts[/tags]