Monday, May 31, 2010

This Bird Has Flown

Today is Cedric and the Dragon's birthday!
I have to say that I feel a little bit like I did when my oldest went off to kindergarten: happy, excited, and a little nervous... I hope the book does okay out there and makes some new friends! Thank you all so much for your kindness and support, it has meant the world to me!!!
Love, Nina

Monday, May 17, 2010

I Draw and Cook

This is the recipe I just submitted to They Draw and Cook (click the image to see it full-size). It was incredibly fun to mix two of my favorite things: drawing and baking! Look at the cherry cobbler pictured below! It was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself... or you could always ask my neighbor, Mary, who I gave a bowl to as she was driving to see one of her grandkids play soccer or something last summer...

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Ruby Slippers

This weekend I flew to Kansas to visit my dear friend, Amanda, and her cute family! I had never been to Kansas before (and can now say I have been to Missouri, too, since that's where the plane actually landed).
Amanda took me to the Crown Center to see all things Hallmark. I saw this painting, The Kansas City Spirit, by Norman Rockwell. Probably could have stood there and looked at it all day, it was totally amazing! There was also an original painting by Grandma Moses! Imagine being named "Grandma" as a little kid... *kidding!*

This is the visitor guide for Lawrence that has been decorated with beautiful doodle art by the wonderful and talented Aimee Dolich (who I am pictured with below)! I was lucky enough to meet her in person for breakfast on Saturday morning along with Christy Schneider, who is as sweet and adorable as her artwork (still kicking myself for forgetting to get a photo of all of us together!). Amanda introduced me to Christy when I was first trying to figure out how to get started in children's book illustration. Christy was so kind to point me in the right direction and now I am lucky to have her as a friend! I met Aimee through Christy, and it has been wonderful becoming friends with her, too! Having a chance to meet these lovely ladies finally in person was a highlight of my trip!
(Number 4 below is Christy's Project Nerd Power Pocket Protector Set that is in the May 2010 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine!!!)

Aimee is great at finding art wherever she goes. Lookie here! I found a purple rat!
Amanda introduced me to "Bubble Tea." It is an iced tea type-thingy with giant pieces of tapioca in it (they are the little black dots in my beverage).
This is a view of Clinton Lake, which was amazing. There were birds flying everywhere, and the clouds were spectacular.
This is some of the countryside. So lush and green.
Beautiful, no?
We all went for a nature hike on Sunday morning. Heard and saw some Minnesota birds, like cardinals and Canada geese. Also saw a snake! Have no idea what kind it was, but it was pretty big!
More clouds! It was great to see my friends and visit a new state. Kansas was charming. I even played on a Wii for the first time! I am not an awful Wii bowler and skateboarder and am very adept at crashing Super Mario carts!!! So, I clicked my heels together and am back in Minnesota. Dorothy was right, there really is no place like home!