Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Things moving along...

Is that time already to do some design work to help out the DPN Memorial Golf Outing to collect money for the Wounded Warrior Project. I am making an invitation postcard using the tags that golfers use. The idea was given to me by Joe Harbert.



I am also starting to do this cute cupcake toppers using a tool I bought over 2 years ago! Thanks to Noelle who needed cupcake toppers, which propel me to finally use the funky puncher.


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Wondering how to make my blog known...

The ink and watercolor drawing is from the Caribe Hilton's beach. I enjoy drawing in pencil, tracing in my favorite pen Pigma Micron 01 and painting with my watercolor pencils.



The following artwork is from a collage project for 1st graders about springtime. My tree has apples so it is definitely not spring, hahahaha!


I hardly bother to write in my blog because I am not sure anyone is reading it nor do I get the knack on how to make it popular. It definitely takes time to "do social media" and I sometimes find it a waste of time. It is just that I don't have the patience to be looking or following more blogs, etc...


Monday, March 24, 2014

Illustrating Crayolas and my colorful ottoman fabric

I love this book! 
The Day the Crayons Quit. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers and written by Drew Daywalt.
The pre kinder kids get a BIG chuckle when they read the last page of the peach crayon who doesn't have any paper wrapped around him and feels naked. Hilarious!
A clever and funny story.

I added a picture of the new fabric I will upholster my ottoman and eventually all my DR chairs. Can you see the Crayola colors on the fabric?



Thursday, March 20, 2014

Cleveland greeting card featured in The Paper Chronicles Blog!

Sarah Schwartz, editor of Stationery Trends magazine started a letter writing campaign and she has received beautiful cards from various designers... Some give her samples so she can send out too. (I gave her several cards of my Cleveland - Let it snow card).
I have a saying now (it's in my website's Home page): "Let's keep the card designer and postal office working!"
http://thepaperchronicles.com/letter-writing-campaign-new-responses-and-sponsors/


Thursday, March 6, 2014

Invitations... the beginning


It has been a while since I started doing invitations! These were my first 2 that I designed: 
a birthday and a holiday party.

I began drawing little stick figures which eventually evolved into more normal looking kids.

Personalized calling cards were my specialty because it was very popular with moms to use for giving away birthday gifts. They use them instead of buying greeting cards.


Friday, February 28, 2014

Musical group and artist from Ohio

I just discovered this musical group called Hey Mavis, an Appalachian Americana music. Their album Honey Man is great with the sounds of the fiddle, banjo and harmonica.
Who knew! From our state of OHIO---Just lovely!
www.heymavis.com
The artist who made the illustrations is Leandra Drumm, from the Akron area. She works mainly in pewter. 
www.leandradrummdesigns.com


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Illustration, sketching & re-energizing NOIS for 2014

Recently, I took the role of treasurer for the NOIS* organization here in Cleveland. We came up with new ideas on how to enliven the organization. 

On March 19th, we will have Lindsay Ward, a local illustrator that has several children's books published. When Blue Met Egg is a lovely book using paper and drawing techniques.

We also started to post any sketches we would like to share in the NOIS Facebook page; many have started sharing them. We hope more members check it out and contribute to it.

I posted these two: the flowers were given to me by a very nice clerk at Trader Joe's seeing that I was in crutches.
The other one is a little mole that my dog Skipper almost killed! I called him away just in time. I hope the little fellow survived... 
*Northern Ohio Illustrators Society



Monday, February 17, 2014

Invitations & cards inspired by my son found in ets


It doesn't seem that long when I started designing birth announcements and christening invitations for this little guy who is now slowly or too rapidly becoming a teenager! 


This is the invitation I made for my baby's christening. Available in my etsy shop.
www.etsy.com/shop/piccolinodesigns



Thursday, February 13, 2014

Cleveland Postcards are in!!!

Cleveland postcards features an illustration of the city's skyscrapers, the old bridges and smokestacks from the Flats and the baseball field, The Progressive Field.

Small details such as a jet flying over the city towards Cleveland Hopkins airport, a barge navigating Lake Erie and the Hard Rock Café guitar.

The postcards are made of semi-glossy front and matte backside on 110 pound paper stock with the postcard address section to address them. Cle Clothing store will be selling it, possibly other locations I am currently approaching.


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Greeting card designs and my broken knee

I broke my right knee on January 3rd while tripping over my my dog!

It has been a blessing in disguise because I have been able to work on new designs, place new orders for postcards to sell at CLE Clothing store and search for other places to sell my Cleveland cards.
I am in the middle of drawing the view of Cleveland from the lake. University Circle & Ohio City are next.

The new logo/name is City Designs for all the city designs I am planning to do. Miami, San Juan & Los Angeles are partially done. Atlanta is next because I have family and friends living there too.







Monday, February 3, 2014

Company greeting cards

Other 2 clients that I made greeting cards. An insurance software company in Cleveland and an architect firm in Miami.



Friday, January 31, 2014

Cleveland cityscape print in a person's office

A Clevelander living in PA bought this print for his office. So cool to receive this image!
Print located in the lower portion of the wall.


Monday, January 27, 2014

Personalized Custom favorite pet Stationery- Another great idea!

This is something that I came up yesterday having fun with the poodle mix doggie that my friend has. My friend loved this so I will start offering Doggie & Cat stationery. 
Personalized Custom favorite pet Stationery very soon!






Thursday, January 23, 2014

2013 Was a good year selling Cleveland city cards!

It has been a loooong time since I last wrote in my blog! Now that I cannot drive due to a fractured knee cap, so...
I am searching where to sell, re-vamping some designs for etsy & creating 2 postcards for Cleveland.

It was a great year selling at CLE Clothing store downtown with many city prints and Cleveland Christmas greetings cards sold!
Also, Mac's Backs Bookstore started buying my city cards.
Nature Center at Shaker Lakes bought holiday cards.

New LOGO for all the city drawings I will be drawing focusing on family photo greeting cards. My plan is to target smaller cities, not the big one like NYC or LA. I just love creating logos...