What's going on over here, and such

Hello!

We are busy and buzzing here in our Quilt Market prep! It's crazy! I forgot how crazy. But it's fun! Maybe if you came over and brought donuts it'd be even more fun. Wanna come?

Before I dive into the week, I wanted to give you some "heads up" since I get emailed and contacted a lot about what's coming out when!

I told you all that I'd have a paper line coming out in May, but it has been postponed until July-ish. Some issues that naturally happen when companies combine and regroup, but not because of the line itself.

It was actually featured in Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooks, Etc.   magazine this month....that was really fun! I just wanted to tell you, in case you catch the feature, that it won't be available until the end of the summer. Boo Hoo. So sorry.

You know, I'll say it here: I'm actually not much of a scrapbooker. I was a paper hoarder in my day, but honestly, I just never found the time with the other projects I've been involved with. (I LOVE Project Life, and my Made on a Mac books personally!)  So designing a line of scrapbook paper was really my way of creating paper stuff to fill other needs like: celebrations, paper decorating, paper play, etc. Still scrapbook friendly, but mostly made with paper play in mind.

So there you go. Sorry to delay it...but I wanted to say it here so you can plan accordingly!

Oh...and if you have Instagram or Facebook, I've been posting pretty regularly there, and have found it so easy and nice to keep in touch with you all! @sarahjanestudios is where you can find me... I'm dropping things in there every day, and it's so easy to respond to what you have going on! So quick and easy!

Oh, and also....many of you have emailed me with the info about a lot of my blog links being broken, or not working, etc. Most of them are fixed now, but please alert me if some are not. The RSS feed is fixed, and the MAKE THINGS section is updated. Yay!

But now back to work. This week we're doing a lot of this:

Want to guess what it is for?

Hee hee hee.

NYC

For a little Utah Mamma to get away for a couple days to work, refresh, recharge and reunite in NYC makes for a trip I'm not going to forget for a long time.

What started as a excuse to walk a couple trade shows, turned into a business/getaway trip where I got more accomplished in 3 days that I normally do in 3 months.

Turned out that when I went looking for a roommate to save on hotel bills, my Mom and sister jumped at the chance to visit our favorite city.

Most of the time was spent in meetings, working on projects, eating food I'd never get in Utah, walking and absorbing all the city has to offer, and letting my spirit recharge. Oh, and staying up till 2 am laughing our heads off. Nothing like girl time.

I'm constantly amazed at the diversity of architecture in this city. So mind thrilling.

And what's a trip to NY without boutique hopping. Wishing that I couldn't have taken more photos, but of course, most places are so strict about taking photography. Good thing I had my sketchbook! So much inspiration!

And the coolest thing? I had a friend there the same time, and she snapped this picture at FAO Swartz in NYC! Really? Children at Play fabric on 5th Ave? That was a surprise!

(If any of you knows this clothing brand, I'd love to know!)

OH. And major highlight of the trip. Amazing!

And I have to leave you with an image that pretty much embodies old meets new. Pretty amazing how this world has changed....and hasn't.

It's been 8 long years since I've been back to the big apple, and oh how I've missed this place! So much color and artistic stimulation...all packed into 3 short days. I'll be back soon.

They are just so darn cute.

When I opened my shop, these two were my main inspiration. In fact. They were the first prints sold. I adore these guys.

And I adore them so much, that I haven't added very many prints of them since.

That doesn't make ANY sense.

But it will. Someday, I hope.

But I have had a lot of requests over the past while to flesh out the Seasonal prints with these two, and I have! Fall and Winter have been available for a long while. And now, Spring and Summer! These characters have really grown on me and evolved in my brain over the past few years, but these prints show such a tender and gentle side to their friendship. They really are the funniest, and feel like my very own friends sometimes.

Hug a friend today.

Enjoy!

ETSY & Online Shop

Spring Giveaway #3: French Kids Eat Everything

I don't have to introduce this one too much, do I?

I've written about it here and here, but if you are a new reader today, let's just say that FRENCH KIDS EAT EVERYTHING is a gold nugget in parenting books. I was so honored to illustrate it, and I have been so pleased with how well it's done in the couple weeks that it has been out.

In an effort to reveal how certain cultures teach their children about food....both directly and indirectly....Karen le Billon guides us through how to help our families slow down and notice our ways of eating and thinking about food, and how to help our children have happier and healthier eating habits. From focusing on whole foods, quality family dinner time, why we eat what we do and how, Karen makes the argument that at least in the French culture, children have a much different relationship to food than the average American child.

“A wonderful—and important—book. One family’s topsy-turvy culinary transformation becomes an in-depth exploration of the habits that have kept French kids loving food (and eating spinach) for centuries.” (Elizabeth Bard, author of Lunch in Paris )

I loved illustrating this book, and how happy it was to do! Karen's approach to the book is witty, humorous and fresh...which was so fun to illustrate! http://youtu.be/BK13a-Ywi7E

Today, I’m giving away 1 signed (by me) copy of the book!

Here’s the scoop:

1) Leave as many as 4 comment below: one regular comment, and 3 with the information about your facebook/Pinterest activity:

2) LIKE Karen's Facebook page and leave another comment with the update

3) LIKE my giveaway post on FACEBOOK and come back here to comment with the update

4) REPIN or PIN this image on PINTEREST and then come back and comment about your PIN (My pinterest account here)

2) Entries will be closed at midnight Eastern Standard time

3) Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is

4) And, if you can right click one more time, spread the word the best way you know how: Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, Like it on Amazon, tell your kid’s school teacher…Let’s keep the book industry stay alive, shall we? It’s a struggling world out there on many levels, and books haven’t been spared. Sharing the love, even just with a click, can make such a difference!

**only comments on this post will be counted, so make sure to comment about your other activity....thanks!**

Good luck!

**COMMENTS CLOSED** Congrats to Janey #90!

Spring Book Giveaway #2: Dare,Dream,Do

I'm really thrilled to be giving away this brand new book today! Not a children's book, not illustrated by me, but one I completely endorse because of what I believe in.

I believe in Dreams. I've always been a dreamer. When I was 13 and someone told me that if I went after my dreams I could accomplish them, I was convinced. But life can get in the way, and I've since learned that it's not about dreaming as much as it is DARING and DOING. And this book is just the tool to have around to get you out of your head and make things happen!

Whitney has had some amazing experiences, and wrote this book not only from her perspective, but includes dozens and dozens of amazing stories from people who to have dared to dream.

I've followed Whitney's blog for a few years now, and she has helped so many people work through the stuff that gets in the way of reaching those goals!

Today, I’m giving away 1 signed copy of the book!

Here’s the scoop:

1) Leave ONE comment below

2) LIKE her new page on facebook and add ONE MORE comment with the update

2) Entries will be closed at midnight Eastern Standard time

3) Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is

4) And, if you can right click one more time, spread the word the best way you know how: Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, Like it on Amazon, tell your kid’s school teacher…Let’s keep the book industry stay alive, shall we? It’s a struggling world out there on many levels, and books haven’t been spared. Sharing the love, even just with a click, can make such a difference!

Good luck!

*COMMENTS CLOSED* Congrats to Diane #64 !!

Spring book giveaway #1: I Speak Dinosaur

I've been lucky to meet a lot of uber-talented people in my life. The kind that you just sit back and go, "Wow. That's a gift."

Jed Henry is one of those people. When you meet him, it's like you can see all the wheels turning in his head. Well, you can't see them, but you just know something's going on. And he gets it. He gets kids, and the way they think.

I SPEAK DINOSAUR is so awesome. A book about manners, and learning when it's ok to be a scary dinosaur, and when it's not. http://youtu.be/jNrwuq1aRJY

K. So you have to watch this little clip. Your kids will love it. It's only 50 seconds...but so cute.

Today, I'm giving away 1 signed copy of the book!

Here's the scoop:

1) Leave ONE comment below

2) Entries will be closed at midnight Eastern Standard time

3) Check back tomorrow to see who the winner is

4) And, if you can right click one more time, spread the word the best way you know how: Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, Like it on Amazon, tell your kid's school teacher...Let's keep the book industry stay alive, shall we? It's a struggling world out there on many levels, and books haven't been spared. Sharing the love, even just with a click, can make such a difference!

Good luck!

**COMMENTS CLOSED** Winner was Gail #79! Congrats!!

Peeks

Sometimes I wonder what you guys all see from the outside.

In here, behind this little screen of yours, I'm dashing about from one project to the next, creating and making and coordinating lots of things at once. I'm probably also wearing a tutu and wings with glitter, dancing about and magically making it all happen. You just keep thinking that! That's a happy thought.

But sometimes I wonder if it just seems kinda boring on the other side of the screen, your side, cause well, I'm not showing it all to you. And sometimes I just can't. But I can open up the porthole just a crack, can't I?

Yesterday I finally buckled down and got a housekeeper. Quilt Market is in 4 weeks, and I'm feeling the burn and so I had someone come in yesterday, and wow! What a difference. But it was funny, cause she hit everything like a whirlwind--all the rooms at once-- and it was all such a mess before it got better. That's kinda how things are here. There's tons going on behind the scenes, and soon it's all going to come together in this perfectly imperfect way...I love seeing how it all comes together. And it's all in the coming days and weeks!

So, are you ready to stick with me?

I'm going to be trickling peeks in for you during the coming days and weeks....and it's going to be a lot of fun...but it might feel like it's all over the place until it all comes together. Like a good story really.

So this week, while I'm wrapping up the mess and to fill in the time, I'm going to be doing some awesome book giveaways. I have some giveaways lined up, and hopefully that will keep the attention off the stuff I'm not showing you just yet, and will buy me some time while I dash about in my glittery tutu. :)

Ready. Set......

Smart Creative Women

click here to watch

Good Morning!

I'm super thrilled to introduce to you a new wonderful friend, Monica Lee. She is amazing. She has launched a site called Smart Creative Women where she video interviews women who have marked their path in some way in their respective creative businesses. She herself is a textile and paper designer, and has dedicated this new phase of her life to making available the advice and stories of women who have been able to make a business out of their creative calling! She has created such a great resource for so many of us!

The interview is 45 minutes long and we talk about my personal path to what I'm doing now, and the ups and downs along the way...which hopefully includes some inspiration and advice for those looking for it! My one disclaimer is that my computer (at the time) only reveals the parts of wall that are currently blah and uncovered (sorry! boring:) But it's a great interview and Monica is actually the smart one because she is the one that gets to learn from amazing women like Dena Designs, Amy Butler, Betz White, Khristian Howell, etc. I've learned so much from listening to her interviews! So, so worth it!

Thank you Monica for the great morning together!

Enjoy!