Dad

I was sitting on a train rumbling through the Texas hill country with my eyes closed and I suddenly saw my Dad's face very clearly.  So, I scribbled it on some paper.  It's not an exact resemblance (check out his actual face here) but this is the face he was making in my memory. 

As Father's Day approaches I charge all people reading this to draw an image of your Dad (or person who fills the Dad-shaped place in your life) from memory and post it on my Facebook page.  To me, it doesn't matter if your sketch looks like your Dad in reality, only that it looks something like the Dad in your head.

How to Do It All

How to Do It All: The Revolutionary Plan to Create a Full, Meaningful Life - While only Occasionally Wanting to Poke Your Eyes Out With a Sharpie

On Monday you can buy this excellent book by renowned author Linda Formichelli.  I was introduced to Linda by on old friend and client (Hey Rachel!).   Linda is a veteran author of dozens of books and hundreds of magazine articles.  She is an all-around impressive human being.  Just click on her name and that will become obvious quickly. 

Linda hired me to make editable worksheets to go with How to Do It All.  Lucky me, she gave me an early free copy!  As a mother to a sleepless baby I rarely crack open a new book, but this one had me riveted. Rather than providing escapism or indulgent wishful thinking her book gave me the structure to have my most productive (I'm talking money here) month I've had in years.

Plus, I volunteered 6 hours a week, learned some French (40% fluency you guys!), and kept the kitchen clean (well mostly). 

Working with Linda was a breeze and an inspiration.  If you are feeling directionless at the moment and want to make things happen, this book is a good investment.

Historical Illustration Project

Historical Illustrations

Illustrations produced for Before the Gregorian Reform: The Latin Church at the Turn of the First Millennium.  Published March 2016 by Cornell University Press.

Belated happy birthday to Professor John Howe.  He is a professor of Medieval History at Texas Tech with a tenure of more than 30 years.  I produced some images for his new book Before the Gregorian Reform: The Latin Church at the Turn of the First Millennium.

I really enjoyed this project which included mapmaking, recreation of a Papal seal and a line drawing of a motte and bailey castle.  It was interesting research not only for the subject matter but also because I had to conform to the strict guidelines of the publisher.  Nothing is more satisfying to a nerd in her late 30s than learning something new and following the rules!