Baga Yaga

Some magical creatures are friendly, others are quite scary indeed. I remember reading about Baba Yaga when I was little and her house with chicken feet was really frightening. These pictures are by the incredibly talented Carolyn Le. She has the best eye for color, don't you think? Just magical!

Check out more of her beautiful illustrations here: http://tinyurl.com/2v2m9n7What kinds of things did you think were scary when you were a kid? I loved reading fairy tales and stories that were just a little bit creepy. How about you?

Marilyn.

--

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.

But without it we go nowhere.

~ Carl Sagan

Fairy Queen!

Hey Friends!

Things here have been a maelstrom of creative activity. After weeks of work, my writing partner, J.H. Everett and I finally got the entire first draft of Haunted Histories out the door to the publisher. Today's the first day in the longest time that isn't completely chock-o-block with meetings and deadlines. I spoke at a Children's Lit conference at Whittier college last Saturday and went to the LA Festival of Books on Sunday. All the grown up rushing about has left me tired and mushy. What I really want is one free day to make some or the paper toys that I have bobbing around in my brain. But no more grumbling. I really love what I do.

Here is another lovely addition to my collection of pictures from Andy Mitchell's Draw Fifty Magical Creatures.

The Fairy Queen by my awesome friend, Marilyn Goldberg. The first sketch is straight from the book and the second is Marilyn's imaginative take on it. Fun stuff!

I love the spunky expression that she has, don't you?

Come fairies,
take me out of this dull world,
for I would ride with you
upon the wind and dance
upon the mountains like a flame!

W.B. Yeats.

Click here to buy Andy’s Book, Draw 50 Magical Creatures =

http://tinyurl.com/yabn8xm

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Hummingbirds!

Spring is happening! Hummingbirds are hatching, we have apple blossoms and more artichokes then we know what to do with. If I find my camera I'll post more picts. 

Tell me about Spring in your neck of the woods. 

Best thoughts,

Marilyn.

 

“I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”

Claude Monet

Wilson Swain Draws A Hydra from "Magical Creatures"

Wilson Swain is one very fine Illustrator as you can see here:

http://www.wilsonswain.com/

Wilson is a tall man with a sharpened pencil and a permanent expression of mild surprise.  An illustrator at heart since he was a child growing up on the prairie of Illinois, he now lives in Southern California.  He has had several books published including  'The Castaway Pirates' by Ray Marshall and 'A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas' by G. Riley Mills and Ralph Covert.

I absolutely adore his artwork so when he offered to draw one of the Magical Creatures from Andy's book, I let out an audible squeal and sent him a page to draw.

Behold! The Hydra!

Makes you want to start drawing, doesn't it?

Click here to buy Andy’s Book, Draw 50 Magical Creatures = 

http://tinyurl.com/yabn8xm  

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And all the Eggs...

Celia made all the eggs and took this picture. Rather pretty, don't you think? 

Thanks, Celia! Your photos are so lovely!

http://figjamandlimecordial.com/

Happy Easter!

 

My friend Celia has the most delicious blog, Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

She not only posted an article about easter chocolates using my little paper baskets she also has wonderful recipes with all kinds of wonderful photos. (I'm addicted to her cream cracker recipe.) 

http://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/04/02/easter-basket/

 

 

A New Toy! A Paper Easter Egg!

http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/Easter/1Easter.html