New Card Illustration

The latest in another Mother's Day Card.

I made this card so it could be customize for all occasions.

Just posted today in my shop on Etsy.

Opps there it goes....

Recently I thought I was super woman on a hot day out of these unusual spring days. It was so hot in my apartment I had to get the AC from my back attic.

It's not too awfully large but heavier then what I imagined. It so funny I have these incredibily strong legs but my upper body NOT. I have done leg wrestling and won many times but ask me to hold myself with my arms and I laugh. I told a friend the other day if I had to hang from my apartment window it would have to be by my feet. LOL so far I haven't had to do so YEAH!

Well, in the process of moving my AC I pulled a butt muscle LOL yes a butt muscle! It was truly painful to lay or sit. I am doing better today I have graduated from sitting on a pillow to just the chair. I have also graduated from crawling on all fours to get anywhere in my apartment. Now I know how a mouse feels.

I am back illustrating so more is on the way. I can't begin to tell you the pleasure it brings me to illustrate. It's truly my own personal passion. To so many who have found enjoyment in my creations. Thank you

Blessings to all.

Happy Mothers Day - Card

I skipped ahead and worked on a mother's day card the last day and a half. I realized it's not far off. Gosh, how time seems to fly.

The card was inspired by a childhood memory I have when I use to give my mother flowers that grew on our farm land. I am really please at the way it turned out.

Sadly, I won't be able to give one to my own mother who passed in 2005 on Valentines Day. I had the pleasure and opportunity to spend much time with her before she passed. I admired the courage she had in battling heart disease and emphysema. Not one complaint the whole time other than this statement " this is what they call the golden years" and then she would laugh.

As a child she had scarlet fever which cause damage to her main valve of her heart. In 1995 after retiring from a factory of 35 years as a meat cutter, she had open heart surgery to correct the valve. She made it through the surgery, but, within a two week stay she had two lung surgeries due to complications. I sat with her everyday till one day in Dec. 95 they took me and my sister out in the hall and told us to take her home, spend as much time as we could. I remember looking up at he doctor and saying are you saying what I think you are? He said yes, she didn't have much longer to live. Well, as I said earlier she passed in 2005, ten years after they told us she would pass soon. What a fighter at 80 lbs we took her home and day after day she just kept moving forward. The heart specialist said she was a fighter and a miracle.

I remember when I was growing up, especially as a teenager and into my twenties and so.... I didn't like her much blamed her for the way I turned out. I never told her which I am glad, but just as most children we complain about our childhood a lot. I remember one day after I married had two children and wasn't getting along with my husband. I went to my mother and began to talk about the situation here is what she said, You made your bed you ly in it, go home and fix your problem." I was so angry, I thought she was suppose to be there for me, listen and offer comfort. Boy, was I so wrong.

I have had some tough times over the years and there isn't a day that goes by I don't thank her. She taught me how to survive, to stand on my own two feet and that's a beautiful gift. She taught me how to keep standing no matter what life tossed my way. I smile everytime I think about her what a courag woman.

So in the end she ended up in the hospital Feb. 2005 she had, had a stroke one morning. I am a night person and in the course of the week as she laid in the hospital, I spent everynight with her holding her hand while playing glen miller music on a cd player (I have kept) till she passed the morning of Feb. 14, 2005 while my sister was there. She took the day shift. My sister called and said her blood pressure was dropping, I tried to get there but she passed just minutes before I arrived. We stayed in her room till they came and got her. Even in death she was beautiful.

I miss my mom and think about her a lot. She loved to laugh too. If I had one wish I would want to spend one more day sitting in her living room for a simple visit. I would love to hear her voice, see her face, and touch her one more time. Keeping laughing in heaven mom, I smile when I think of you both...I love you, always, always.

P.S. I cut a lock of her hair that week and keep in a very special place.

Contest to own first run of Illustration

This is the next in my illustrations which I will be working on for the rest of the week into the weekend. It reminded me of all the times my childhood friend and I would go shopping with our mom's downtown (that has been torn down an redone) a place where we would get popcorn at the little red wagon that sat on the corner by LaSalle's. The wagon still shows up every summer.

The contest is for the first print off of the completed illustration and a card w/ matching envelope all signed by me with free shipping, it's very easy to enter. All you have to do is name the illustration through comment section of the blog. The name I choose to post in the listing will also support the name of the person and there etsy shop in the listing, giving you credit for the title. That's all you have to do. Have fun and good luck! Raine.

OMG is all I can say....

It's Wednesday night not far off from Thursday morning very early morning. I am so amazed by so many things anymore. I am surprised I can be surprise! lol...although laughing is what seems to be my most available response to everything.

Okay, so here's what I think about certain topics and mind you it's only what I think.
Exercising- term used for those who want to live long enough to either
a. live in a nursing home
b. continued to be bugged by there children gaining wisdom you already know. Get me off the roller coaster.
c. watching there ex-husband pass to only give his life insurance to his current wife -oh, why didn't he die when I was married to him...LOL
d. having your children call you all the time to give them advice on raising children you already raised. It's a vicious cycle and a huge joke played on the aging.

American Idol
What is really wrong with Simon Cowell?
a. he's really a clothing designer posing as a vocal expert
b. he's a vocal expert posing as a nerd
c. or he's a nerd with no clothing experience
d. he's really never had sex but kissed Susan Boyle (she really does support a beautiful voice)

Who should really win American Idol
a. me
b. you
c. refer to a or b

Why do I separate my trash for recycling drive all the way to the 6 separate containers to drop them off, when the trash really goes to the local landfill!! My son BF owns a sanitation company.
Yes, I found out today my efforts to separate my trash is a waste of my time. Another untruth in this world...am I surprised No LOL... Oh, but they do take the cans to the local scrap metal for dollars. Yeah!

Another few untruths...
a. commercials for getting fuller longer lashes using mascara are really false eyelashes on the model.
b. every commercial has little tiny print you can't read but can see at the bottom..that means its a ripe off there is going to be hidden fees.
c. buy one get one free really means I am not selling anything I need business
d. Clearance really means this is stuff no one really wants
e. every commercial on tv is really a business buying air time to get you to purchase there products even though most of there products don't work.
Gosh this is getting depressing...LOL lets move on!

My other Etsy site...

For those of you who may not know I illustrate for two sites. My rainee day designs and maudy and madison in Hobbletown. This is todays illustration that will be done tonight and posted at http://maudyandmadison.etsy.com/ thanks to my grandson, Jackson who keeps feeding me continuing stories of the characters of Hobbletown.

In this illustration Jackson and I were walking in the back of my farm near the woods in the pic below when we came across a few new bunnies burrowed inside a bunch of weeds with new grass growing around them. As usual I began to ask Jackson questions, he gave me a cute little story that lead once again to a new illustration. Watch for it to be posted with Jacksons story that lead to this illustration design.

Email from my page at bottom!

I love this feature....if you look at the bottom on the left you will find a brown paper bag that you can actually email someone just by filling in the spaces. Move the bottom bar to the far right and you will see the send button.

I love finding and learning new things!

Posting of Hellum.com

Here is another website that is just as ligit as liveperson.com....it's hellum.com another site you can make money and get exposure for your shop at the same time.

Its a site that offers the same thing. You do what you do and make dollars at the same time. I find both site very interesting and rewarding. In this economy today any avenue is better than not going anywhere.

Posting of liveperson.com

I have listed www.liveperson.com as a website I follow. I did my research in many categories and realized no one is talking about crafts, art, things like these topics.

You get paid for any advice you offer by the minute. What a great way to make extra dollars and add exposure to your Etsy shop. Go for it plus as I said you will make dollars.

Here is an idea give knitting advice, food making advice, jewerly making tips. The list can go on and on.....

Dandelions and more........

This little flower I found today grows wild around the yard. I am not sure what it is I assume it's just a fancy flowering weed. Although it may be I still find it a visual beauty.

I also have on my farm two sour cherry trees which the birds just love plus, two types of concord grapes that grow along the fences around the house. The purple concords I make jellies and concord grape juice. The white are used in wines.

It's around July when I really get busy canning. I also have a huge mulberry tree. I pick the mulberries wash them and eat them like m&m's.

I love dandelions...I can remember when I was little we would put them under our chins to see who's would turn the yellowest. I really love it when I see a field covered with them. A huge palete of yellow.

Signs of Spring are here

I just learned something interesting by adding photos. It's funny no matter how old you are you never stop learning. This photo is another I took today, it's where I plant my huge organic garden. It is now ready to start my cool weather veggies. I love the country!

For me spring has always been my favorite time of year. The rebirth of everything living always amazes me and keeps me grateful to be able to be a part of it. I am so lucky to have a farm that houses so many different fruits. This pic is of a green apple tree that has just started to bloom.

It makes delicious apple pies and wonderful apple sauce!

Second Reader Sketch Done

I finally finished my new Reader illustration. I added Benson the bunny at the last minute. When I sketch I always have an idea twirling in my mind and as I put it to paper it just keeps evolving.

So here it is completed and posted in my shop. Enjoy.

Just joined Twitter follow my day!

Hi all...I am now a twitter person! Is that a good thing lol not sure but what the heck I will try anything once!

So don't foget to follow me twittering away! I am not sure how you follow me but it's raineedaydesign on twitter.

Just Posted Sophie the Elephant

I am so excited about my new illustrated cards with Benson the Bunny and Sophie the Elephant, Benson's friend. I simply sat down one night and the image of Sophie just came into my mind. I pictured her very feminine with her polka dot bow she supports on her head.

I was really thrilled at how Sophie turned out. As a bias creative mom to sophie I love her!

Belle and Boo I love the Illustrations

I am always amazed by the talent behind belleandboo's illustrator Mandy S. designs artwork that makes you want to own everyone. Mandy illustrations inspire me to keep sketching and striving to improve my natural ablities.

You must drop by her shop and see her new illustration she class On the Farm. I hope I got the title correct. My apologizes if I got it wrong. I suppose I should double check to make sure. As I get older and my days of sketching get more involved I find I retain less and less.

I keep a journal everyday so I am reminded of all the things I did in my day. Life keeps us so busy we often forget from moment to moment. I write it down as it's a huge part of who I am.

Thank you Mandy for all the lovely work! Check her work at www.belleandboo.etsy.com

Here is One more Etsy store I found interesting!

The luckybeepress is just too cute! I love all the vintage illustrations she puts on cards. She also does them by hand on a vintage platen letterpress.

The two above are just adorable and she has so many more! You can see her work at www.luckybeepress.etsy.com

Buying a card for someone is truly "the biggest little thing you can do."

Check out Storybymia another favorite

I just love this little blue bird I found on Etsy by storybymia.etsy.com as I said I am a fan of paper art. This shop offers personalized cards and they are all so elegantly done. I can tell she puts a lot of love in what she does. I also love the colors she uses.

Searching Etsy what I found interesting

I love to just browse around Etsy to see how creative people can be. The mind is an extrodinary tool. I came across this site 'creativepapertrail" and fell in love with her work. I could tell immediately she loves what shes doing. It was really hard to pick a picture to post as so many items in her shop were beautiful. Take a peek I am sure you'll love it too things don't last long in her shop.

Benson the Bunny has arrived!

Here is what I have done so far with the illustrations of Benson. I have so many more on the way to my shop. The idea's just keep rolling in my mind waiting to come to life on paper. I already have two more in the works.

Let me know what you think of these new cards and Benson.

What's up for Spring!

Introducing a new line of cards for spring with a new little character named Benson. He will be appearing on many cards and pdf stationary files. Benson will make his debut in my shop this week. In fact, he is currently in the works coming to life with spring colors.

The cards will be white with rounded corners and white envelopes to match. The stationary will be in pdf file form so you can make as many copies as you like right from your own computer. No waiting for them to arrive in the mail.

There will be more new items arriving as we get further into spring so be sure to check back often.