one

There are lots o' cool things going on in November like PiBoIdMo and NaNoWriMo. My friend, Sara Weingartner, had a terrific idea: posting a sketch a day for the month of November (the most excellent Nancy Carlson has been posting her daily doodles for the past two years now!). I thought this would be a fun thing to do (Barb Björnson, Anne Adix Fabie, and Alicia Schwab are doing it, too). I've had an idea rattling around in my head for ever such a long, long time and I think it is ready to find it's way to paper... Happy November!

Spooky Coloring Pages

Get out your crayons and markers, little goblins and ghouls! I posted these a while back before all the images on my blog went missing, so they are officially back from zee dead. Zombie coloring pages, even! Scary!!!

I would be thrilled to post any pages that have been colored by your kiddies, so just email me photos or scans of their masterpieces if they'd like me to. nvc@ninacrittenden.com I vant to post your art (vampire voice)... Hope you all have a very Happy Halloween!!!

p.s. This also works great for Illustration Friday's topic this week: Scary! Boo!

Wonderstruck

Well, the past five days have been pretty awesome. Dan Santat flew out to Minnesota to speak at the MNSCBWI Fall conference on Saturday. I have been a big fan of his work for a long time now, so it was such a treat to meet him in person. Oh my gosh, he was super nice. Very clever, funny, and down-to-earth. He shared his journey to publication during his keynote at the conference and talked about how he found balance between work and family and that we all really just need to trust in ourselves. Absolutely wonderful!
He signed a copy of The Adventures of Nanny Piggins for my girls (this book is very hilarious, my kids love it so far) and also brought me this fantastic sketch of Paul Bunyan that I purchased from him online. I think he might need to raise his prices if he plans to deliver all of his art in person... haha
The fabulous Brian Selznick has also been in town (I know, right?). My friend Jen and I went to hear him speak about his new book, Wonderstruck, last night. It was really cool to hear about his process and all the time he spends researching everything that he writes and illustrates. He signed my copy of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, too. SUCH a nice man.
I have yet to meet a person who works in children's books who hasn't been friendly and kind-hearted. Sending out a great big thank you to Mike Wohnoutka for giving me great advice about the postcard I was planning to send out next because it simply isn't my best work. He really didn't have to take the time to talk with me about it, but he did. Thank you, Mike! Nicole Tugeau gave me great feedback on my current portfolio and I will continue to work hard and grow with every piece of art I make. I enjoyed meeting Dawn Frederick and Andrew Harwell, and feel energized by their enthusiasm for kid books. Thankful for family and friends, writers and illustrators, the people who make books and the people who read them.

You all inspire me every single day. xoxo

Jack O' Lanterns

Here is a scary witch, her scary cat, and the "scary" pumpkins they carved for Halloween. Special thanks to the lovely ladies over at The Sketchables for inviting me over for a spell.

Sugarbuns

This is a portrait of our friends' little rabbit who met an untimely end. Farewell, Sugarbuns.

In other news: my Aunt's parakeets just moved in with us, I just ordered a new postcard for my next mailing, I'm spiffing up my portfolio for the upcoming MNSCBWI fall conference, and I have begun the sketches for the next piano book. I am not sure when the piano music books are coming out, but will be sure post about it when they do. I will end this post with a random haiku:

Max and Marcia, you

sing so sweetly in your cage.

Welcome to our home.

MNSCBWI Fall Conference

Conference time is almost upon us, Minnesota! The MNSCBWI is putting on a fab conference for writers and illustrators on October 15th, 2011. Join us at Metro State University to hear great speakers such as Dan Santat (illustrator/author), Alison McGhee (author), Lonnie Plecha (editor, Cricket Magazine), Andrew Harwell (associate editor, HarperCollins), Mike Wohnoutka (illustrator), Dawn Frederick (literary agent, Red Sofa Literary), and Nicole Tugeau (artist representative, Tugeau2). You can also register for manuscript and portfolio reviews! Special thanks to Rachelle Gray, last year's winner of the illustration mentorship, for creating the beautiful artwork for the conference this year! Here are the deets:

Saturday, October 15, 2011 • 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Metropolitan State University, 700 East Seventh Street, St. Paul, MN

Hope to see you there!

Summery Summary

We met some really charming characters at Disney World,

and watched our garden grow.

(I also had a painting in a show)

Watched fireworks for the 4th.

Ate lots of pancakes!

Went to a cabin in Northern MN (Gordy loves the great outdoors).

I made 6 terrariums (and only 3 have survived).

We saw Jeremy Messersmith in concert

and got his autograph!

Ended summer with a fun trip to the Great Minnesota Get Together.

Hope you had a groovy summer, too!