Up Close and Purrrrrrrsonal

Life is giant and and busy and happening all at once over here.. and there is all the book work in between too. Wish I could post what I've been painting! In the meantime look at this kitty...

Capucine the Great!

Here is a sample I recently finished for a book that never made it off the ground (click to enlarge). The authorless tale would have starred the brilliant Capucine. Capucine is a real girl, living in France. Her adventures have been caught on tape by her mother (who has also lovingly subtitled them into English!) The movie "Fooling the Toothfairy" (the subject of my sample) concerns "La Petite Souris (the French toothfairy, or "The Little Mouse!) and Capu's schemes to score an under-the-pillow "cadeau". Sadly, the project was cut short, but I believe Capucine has only just begun! Already an overseas Vimeo phenomenon, she is only 4 and has started her own little Edurelief fund for education in Mongolia. Be sure to check out her awesome fund boutique ♥



Most importantly, I am indebted to Miss Capucine for her charm. When I was sent the assignment, and "met" Capucine, I fell in love! She is a real kid, with honest-to-goodness bedhead and a snaggly smile and grand plans, the kind that good stories write themselves around. In what can at times be a market populated by contrived children's characters, Capucine was a little ray of sun for me. Maybe someday she'll have a book. So merci to Capu for your sunshine, and merci beaucoup to her mother, Anne, for capturing it! Make sure you watch all of her videos. I highly recommend, "Once Upon a Time"...but beware the "crocodeeeeeel" and the "hippopotame" (which, by the way, you can buy on a t-shirt at her boutique!)

Maud Monday

It's a Monday night, and I haven't posted in quite some time. Well, I'm in a bit of a tussle with a headcold (I thought I had properly won last week, but it's back for round 2, so I'm back to the Airborne!) but nonetheless life has been productive somehow, even with frequent escapes into all this unbelievable sunshine in Boston.

In the middle of what is now my final lap on my Candlewick book (due out in 2010!) I had a spare moment to doodle, and here is Maud. Isn't Maud such a funny old name? I love it, it looks like the color mauve in my mind, and it tastes like raspberry ice-cream (the cold medicine is definitely getting to me!)


Maud's meandering soundtrack:

Philip Glass on Pandora (what a station!)
Claude Debussy: "Claire de Lune"
Ennio Morricone +Yo-Yo Ma: "Main Theme From Marco Polo"
The Most Serene Republic: "The Men Who Live Upstairs"
Rachel's: "Rhine & Courtesan"

♥