NEW in the shop this week...

some of my work from overseas, plein air and sketches, Italy and Argentina.

I'll be posting some of my travel sketches and ink drawings to the shop soon, from Italy and Argentina. While going through files, I found this little study that I'm awfully fond of. I did a pencil study side by side with a watercolor study of a small corner of the gardens at the Pontignano Monastery outside of Sienna. What an amazing, meditative spot to work on plein air studies, let me tell you! There was no one else there except for a few students working on restoring the frescoes inside. I can still smell the cypress and feel the spring sun on my back...sigh.

Favorites...
I suppose we all have favorites when it comes to our work, and I have to admit this is one of mine: Magda, Queen of the Mice.

Of course I am close to The Pirate's Daughter, a customer favorite and an award-winner. She is my wild spirit, my irrepressible, willful, independent child. My wind-whipped, redheaded girl of the high seas.
But Magda is a secret favorite in my heart. She has a spirit of her own that is mysterious and maybe a little dark. With her bed-head and her off-kilter crown, her party dress and romper stomper boots, she's tough and fearless and doesn't care if she doesn't fit in with the status quo.
And I do love the mice, as well. The mice always make me smile.

It's officially spring!
And with the spring, the new collection is in the showroom at VDJ:
You may have seen Q in many a VDJ outfit on our home blog, including the dress in our home blog banner. We're big VDJ fans around here, and it's always exciting to find the new season's collection in the shop.
I love the spring/summer pieces this year, and Q is already wearing a few of them.
So it's with great excitement that I announce...
All photos above by VDJ

...that along with the spring collection, there will be a set of my illustrated paper dolls available in the VDJ shop soon!
This collection was created exclusively for Le Vestiaire de Jeanne, and will feature a doll of Jeanne, along with ten outfits from the spring/summer collection.





Hope you like! I'll be working hard over the next few days to get the sets ready for production.

ps - this set was featured today on MUMisGEEK. Yes, even before it's available in the shop...which raises my blood pressure a bit, I have to admit! Check it out!

Photo: Daan of MaandagDaandag

THIS inspires me! Daan's beautiful, crafty work on her beautiful, magical child.

ps - I have been sick for a month and a half (!!) and working very hard on some big projects, so please forgive my absence in this space. More soon!!

Special announcement:
I recently created a special outfit for my paperdolls, Evelyne and Mathilde, based on the gorgeous and ethereal Brooklyn-based Loup Charmant line of organic cotton clothing. The set includes the two dolls plus two Loup Charmant outfits, and the above original illustration based on the line. Printed on 100% cotton watercolor rag, this set is exclusive to Loup Charmant and available only on their site.