wearing two hats

Hello hello hello! I am alive and I am posting on my blog again--Hooray!

Taking a break like I talked about in that last post ended up being just what I needed, I think. I have had a great (life changing!) break, and am more excited to dive back into my art because of it.

If baby will nap, that is.

Instead of Inktober this year, I am participating in the Smart Dummies challenge to complete one picture book dummy in the month of October. I'm a bit behind, but I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge. I am putting  into physical form a story that has been in my head for years, and it feels soooo good. And I finally get to make use of those dummy book layouts I put together last April :-).

Its really hard to balance this mom thing with being an illustrator, though. I mean, I knew it would be, but now I really know ;-). However, since getting back to doing illustration my husband has commented more than once that I seem happier and I'm just more fun to be around. I know that I feel so much better too.

I believe making time to do my illustration makes me a better mom--I'm more patient and happy when I've done it. I also believe that being a mom will make me a better illustrator, particularly for children's books--what better way could there be for understanding my audience? However, finding the time to do both is really tricky. They enhance each other, but they steal from each other as well--time that I'm momming I'm not illustrating and vice versa. I'm not sure there is any such thing as balance, there is just one day at a time. Its hard, but I think it's better that way.