Category Archives: Throwback Thursday

I Heart You, JTT!

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In the midst of the end-of-summer events, my full-time job, some freelance work, my magic pup, trying to integrate (almost) daily workouts in my routine, and attempting to fit in quality time with the people I care about, my little blog has been the forgotten stepchild. Still trying to work this whole new blogging thang into my equation, but I promise it will get better (and not so all over the place)!

Labor Day Weekend was full of sun, fun, friends, and dancin’…I will have a bit of a summer recap later next week, along with a summery new drawing.

But here is a quick idea:

Baby pool at the beach house, fro yo, and Braziliant Essie nail polish
Marg & Bud…best double fisting ever.
My face when I realized my BFF was coming from NYC to spend a few days with us. Myspace?!
Last Reggae Sunday at the Golden Inn for the summer :(

…at least we hung out with the guitarist and drummer at the house ’til 5am.

This short week, I had to forgo a BodyCombat class in order to head to the mall in search of a dress for a wedding we are attending in VA this weekend. No luck, but I have a few back ups that I have hardly worn.

What I did find, though, is my perfect pair of fall/winter boots. In order to not fall into my yearly seasonal depression, I decided to splurge and put them on hold ’til next week so I could sleep on it…but pretty sure by next Thursday, these babies will be MINE (aaand leather-stretched at Nordstrom – so cool they do that! – for my Herculean calves)!

I’m in <3

Today I took a BodyCombat class followed by a BodyFlow class…first time taking it, and even though I am a self-proclaimed yoga snob, I was a big fan! Nice combo of yoga and pilates and I definitely felt the burn. The Les Mills crew really knows what they’re doin’!!! I’d love to train to be an instructor once things settle down a bit for me over here.

Soon, I will have lots of workout options…yoga classes at my studio, Les Mills classes at my gym, runs with the pupper…I may even brave the weight room again. Plus, my yoga instructors are opening a second studio next month in the town that I work in, with more rooms, instructors, and classes, so I am pumped to see what their new schedule will be. Pilates and BarreSculpt will be offered there by one of my favorite instructors, so that is exciting. I also got a Groupon a while back for a bunch of classes at a power yoga studio in the city that I’m pumped to try.

This all makes my head spin…I better get a rough schedule down!

Gonna put this bad boy to use.

Also…Pinterest? Amazing. What another great way to organize.

I replicated this, found on a friend’s board:

(Source)

And I am about to spend my night doing it again!

You can follow me on Pinterest here.

Since I don’t have much time for a Throwback Thursday today, I will instead leave you with this throwback:

Happy 30th birthday, JTT. You were the love of my life that never was.

Oh, for me???

Not only did I have posters ALL over my wall…gotta find those throwback pics…but I also used to send him a Valentine’s Day card every year. One in particular that I remember?

(Source)

Featuring the Lisa Frank ballerina bunnies. It said….”You’re TUTU cute!”

Imagine my surprise when months later I received an autographed picture from him in the mail. He loved the card! Then imagine my surprise (and disappointment) when I realized the signature was in fact a stamp. Thanks a lot, JTT Fan Club, for teasing me like that.

Off to Philly this weekend to watch Coop’s band and then a wedding in VA with some fun, fun people! See you next week with some freshy drawings!

xoxoxo

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Go Wildcats!!!

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Heyooo.

We are so close! It’s almost Friiiiday, Friiiday. Gotta get down on Friday. That means it is time for:


Throwback Thursday


Oh, college!!!! I miss it!

Good ol’ U of A! (Source)
Gor. Geous. (Source)

Here is the sketch I did when I was graduating college and wanted to send out grad announcements. Instead of buying the pretty “A” ones that were for sale at my school, I opted for something more….me.

Rawr!

Here is the final card I sent out.

I miss college so much. And Tucson has my heart fooor. Eeev. Verrrr. Proof:

Sahuaro!
I miss the views while hiking…
A REAL wildcat (bobcat)!!! At the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Homecoming on the mall is RIDICULOUS.

Apartment complexes had pools like this….
Pictures don’t do it justice. Simply gorgeous.
My very first apartment alone…sick mountain/palm tree/pool view.
I even saw a GILA MONSTER!!!! DANGEROUS!
My grandma visited and I took her out into the desert.
Ocotillos are my favorite! The tall skinny cactus thing with flowers at the top.
Oh yeah…and the parties….
Late nights with friends…
I have like 30 pictures posing with this turtle. Fun fact: I collect turtles and giraffes!
Going to Coyotes games! (Yes…my hair went through many stages)
Hiking is THE BEST in the Sonoran desert.
Thursday night dance parties….


Go Cats!!! (And I am SO short.)
More turtles!!!
Mill Ave in Tempe (and a stranger…)
We have the REAL Biodome!!!
So many friends I haven’t seen in years…
But I love ‘em just as much!
You are in love now, too, right?!

Um. Whoa, pic overload. And this is just a SMALL snippet of my life out there. Miss it!

I am jealous of my little sister and her fun new apartment and crazy college town. She goes where I went for my first two years before transferring…University of Delaware….and I have an intense love for Newark. Love all the little shops and restaurants and bars and campus and architecture…oh, and the people! Great school. I plan on going there often to see Sista and grab dinner or fro yo or a drink (or six). Something about being back in that town makes me so deliriously happy…freshman year was one of the most fun and life-changing experiences of my life. It just feels right when I am back there. Plus, they have lots of newbie places on Main Street now…like Chipotle (<3), an new Irish pub that I love, and this Winehouse I’m dying to go to.

On the homefront, look what I came home to the other day.

Yes. Dragging 3/4 of a duffel bag through a little hole in his crate.

This bag was no. Where. Close. To him.

He is a magic dog.

Abracadabra.

Pretty sure this was the same day he was mad at me for not feeding him right away at 5:45 AM when he woke up and decided to snack on my straightener cord instead. Good thing my dad designs wiring harnesses and is a pro at repairing such things.

All bettah after surgery!

Speaking of magic, I promise to be back next week with a magical Healthified Mac ‘n’ Cheese recipe and some freshy drawings. Until then, enjoy your last (long!) weekend of summer! …well, fall doesn’t technically start ’til the 23rd, but something about Labor Day Weekend signifies the end of summer for me. Depressing. But you best believe I will celebrate it right!

Oh, and happy September! Officially my second month of blogging has begun. Little bloggy is growing up! Also, as of today, I am a new member of “20 Something Bloggers;” starting to feel like a real blogger now!

Some things I look forward to this month?

  • LDW! We’re going to play hard.
  • A fun wedding with fun people in Virginia! Roadtriiiip. (I need a dress…oops.)
  • Integrating Kodes into Philly.
  • Starting to cook/bake with pumpkin on the reg! It’s acceptable in September, right? Then I have pumpkin picking and carving to look forward to!!!
  • Pretty fall-ish nail polish colors….like this. 
(How great is Pinterest?!)
  • Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!
  • Winery outing (in the cooler weather!) with live music and light food and tastings.
  • Oh, and September 1st means beginning to utilize this little guy…so I don’t go through 4893420 Post-Its a month, instead. I feel so organized!

Peace out.

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You Can Never Be Too Old for Cartoons!

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Holy hiatus, batman!

Hello from the wake of an impending hurricane and post-East Coast-earthquake!

Things have been pretty crazy ’round here…I still wanted to drop by and say hello and hit you with a Throwback Thursday. I will be back to regular blogging as soon as possible.

Throwback Thursday

For today’s Throwback, here is a scanned spread out of my old Moleskine notebook with whales scrawled on it (orcas to be exact)!

Whaaaales

Just some quick sketches…one of which later turned into this:

My new sketchbook came in, soooo…get ready for a nice little influx of new drawings over the next few weeks. I have a list of things I am really excited to get goin’ on, including finally opening my new Etsy store!

You Can NEVER Be Too Old for a Good Cartoon!

I also wanted to share this with you, which I thought was pretty cool…
Love this “color wheel” that I discovered on Cartoon Brew (via Slate) a couple days ago. Everyone can relate to some of these characters, I think, artist or not. From Tiny Toon Adventures, to CatDog, to Doug, to Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, to X-Men, to The Flintstones, to Peanuts, to Space Ghost, to The Simpsons, to TMNT, there is something here EVERYone can remember!
If you go to the Slate site, you can see a larger version in which the characters can be magnified. Love!
….yes, I still watch cartoons. The good, and sometimes even the bad. Yes, I am 24 1/4 years old. And yes, my dad still does, too. There is no end in sight.
Anyone who knows me knows that my biggest dream is to work in an animation studio somewhere in California, my favorite place everrrr.
I also happen to have what is, quite possibly, the largest Stitch (from the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch) collection in the world…
Yeah…not kidding. And this is a SMALL portion.
I even bedazzled my graduation cap from the U of A with a little Stitch, rhinestone by tiny rhinestone. I spontaneously decorated it, sparkles everywhere and glue all over my fingers and in my hair, in the backseat of my family’s ridiculous rental car on the way to my graduation (I was so entranced that I forgot my gown. Whoops! Lauren to the rescue!).

College of Fine Arts! Hollaaa!

So into it that a few years ago I reached out to one of the most creative and talented artists/storywriters/directors/genuises out there, the creator and voice of the character himself, Chris Sanders, who has been such a great mentor to me. Check out his site and gallery…guy is ridiculously good.

If you are interested at all in animation, here are some really great blogs that I follow on a regular basis that have insanely awesome information, images, news, and more about the history and future of animation today. Also threw my current fave collaborative illustration site in here, too:


Cartoon Brew ~ Mish mash of e’rythang cartoon…all the current animation tycoons follow and contribute to this one. Insider info on new movies, lost cartoons, stories about animators, tons of exposure to up-and-coming animators from all over the world and their work, and more. Lots of really cool stuff on here…and intense reviews and discussions!

Here is an example of the fun things found on Cartoon Brew…the house from UP! has been built? And they have a video tour? So cool:

Deja View ~ Andreas Deja has been one of my favorite animators for a while now. He spent thirty years at Disney and is responsible for Scar from The Lion King, Roger Rabbit, Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin, was the character designer for Oliver and Company….just to name just a few achievements. His blog is a collection of mini-bios of favorite artists such as T.S. Sullivant (every animator is a huge fan) and tell-alls about his experiences with animation greats such as Frank & Ollie. Image and video heavy, too. Lots of test clips and storyboards and sketches. I am in love with this blog. So much that I want to marry it.

The Bear & The Buffalo ~ LOVE this collaborative site by three super talented Australian illustrators (who each have their own sites, too). They take turns picking a topic and all three run with it, doing as many sketches/finished drawings as they feel like. What a great way to stay fresh and creative.

Oh yeah…and hope all you Shore fans have a fabulous Jersday.

xoxo

Koda the Toy Hoarder

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Breakdown of the Bedtime of a Toy Hoarder:


You know you want to play with Penguin!!!
No sleep! Play! Play! Play!
Bedtime is for PUPPIES!!!
Must….not….sleep……must……..play……
…………………





Throwback Thursday 


Morning, friends!

For today’s Throwback, I present to you something a little different (…animal overload, see above).

I have some friends who brew their own (amazing) beer…all kinds of ales from noble trappist to copper to blonde (one of my absolute FAVES) to pumpkin and many more. They came to me with ideas for what they envisioned when they needed a logo and packaging for their beer.

Here you can see how some of my illustrations/designs begin with a SUPER raw sketch that I will occasionally scan in to use as a jump off point. They knew exactly what they wanted, from the hand as a part of the trunk, the hops and barley throughout, to even the hue of the beer and foam. I ran with that and created a logo along with a woodgrain texture and we made some really cool six-pack holders (aaand I got a couple batches of beer outta it :) )

Little doodle I did while talking to my friend which ended up being the inspiration for the final.
Dreaming Tree Brewing Co. Before & after!

I’ll have to post the revised six-packs when we reprint/assemble them…they’re pretty cool.

Hope your day goes swimmingly! 


In honor of Jersday, I leave you with the best clip (besides Vinny and Ronnie in the hot tub) from the show last week. She’s too young for you, BRO!!!! What is your favorite “too-young-fah-you” quote?


Enjoy, folks.

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Oh yeahhh, JERSDAY, yeahhhhh!

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Throwback Thursday

Morning, lovebugs!

Okay, first order of business!
I am thinking that on Thursdays I will scan a page out of my Moleskine or old sketchbooks (or maybe even some hilariously awful Looney Tune drawings I did for my dad when I was about six). Raw and untouched, I think. Flaws and pencil smudges and paper rips and all. I love the little details! That’s why my regular, most-used style embraces lots of non-erased pencil marks instead of cleaning them up. I like seeing the loose personal process mixed with the clean, more technical coloring.

It’s a way to recognize, and sometimes be able to utilize or use for inspiration, those otherwise forgotten drawings deep in my sketchbooks.

Here I begin with my first Throwback…the inital sketch for the giraffe on one of my three 2010 Christmas cards. One day, I want to do a post about my process and how and what I use to draw, scan, color, and bring my art to production and show the different stages. Maybe even a coloring tutorial (when I don’t use media like ink or colored pencils, I usually use Photoshop).

Notice the little “SB” I integrate into all my drawings?

(You can see the finished, colored giraffe in my first blog post.)

Christmas in August? I know, I know, I want summer to slow down as much as anyone…but I have to start the drawings for my new set of cards this year and get my Etsy shop up and running so that I can sell them in advance of the holiday season.

I will be selling my card set from last year (Giraffe, Flamingo, Moose, which can be seen in my illustration gallery here), but also want to do a new set of three for this year. Maybe even do a mix ‘n’ match option…I am not sure yet. I also am conceptualizing a Hannukah card for all of my Jewish friends out there!


What three animals would you like to see in the 2011 set?

In other exciting news, today is Jersday (Thursday + Jersey Shore).

Iiiit’s Italia tiiiiiiime!

Yes, I am from Jersey. Yes, I am proud of it! Yes, I watch (and in turn, I suppose, support) this troop of “Italian” (only half the cast is actually Italian) characters every week, and love reruns. No, I am not afraid to admit it. And no, I do not act or talk like Snooki just because I am from Jersey.

“Snooki want smush smush!!!”

You would be surprised how many people couldn’t believe that I was from Jersey when I was living out west. I have a very slight Philly accent on occasion, but I definitely don’t have the North Jersey/New York accent that the Jersey Shore and the Real Housewives of NJ are making so famous (or infamous, sometimes). But man, can’t peel my eyes away from the trainwreck. And my abs get a pretty solid workout from laughing so hard e’ry Thursday night.

Although I could totally do without all of the constant Sammi/Ronnie drama. Sammi Sweetheart….stop giving us Sammi’s a bad name. Get it together, girl!

I am OVER it. (Source)

A certain co-worker and I are also known to have some pretty great fist-pumping dance parties at work on the reg. No big deal. Can’t take the Jersey outta the girl.

One of my favorite clips from last week’s show (they are in Italy this season, as I am sure you have heard, whether you love the show or hate it):

“Taxi sono QUI!!!!!”

Pure gold.

And look at Pauly D’s latest tweet. By far my favorite cast member.
….I love him.

Pauly D 
 To Bring 30 Pairs Of Sneakers On His Your Bus …. 

Flag this media

 YFrog

(He is on the Femme Fatale Tour with Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears.)

And now, I leave you with some fist-pumping music in honor of Jersday. 
Getcha GTL on, my friends. Later alligators! xo


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