the enchanted easel

miki's ballerina~in progress

2012-02-12T17:00:00.004-05:00

on the table this week...a sweet little ballerina (and mouse). this is part one of a custom order for 3 ADORABLE little sisters! the sketch below is for part two of this order.

i am also in the middle of working on 3 LARGE canvases this week that i need by the 19th of this month (a birthday gift)! those, however, are fine art...think a japanese theme...

CAN'T WAIT TO GIVE THOSE ON THE 19TH!!!:)

busy as a CUTE little bee...:)

2012-02-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

just a quick little sketch of pippa....as a CUTE little bumble bee :)

hoping to get to painting this one day soon....

an angel named julia...:)

2012-02-05T20:05:00.002-05:00

http://nicolesnurseryart.blogspot.com/2012/02/todays-buzz.html

illustration friday~forward

2012-02-02T10:25:00.004-05:00

moving 'forward' down the park path....a picnicing they will go :)

my contribution to this week's i.f. theme of "forward". this is an illustration i did for the october 2011 issue of stories for children magazine. ALSO, a PRINT of it is FOR SALE in my etsy shop here http://www.etsy.com/listing/78554000/a-picnicing-we-will-go-reproduction?nc=1

to quote a line from my favorite disney/pixar film "meet the robinsons"...."keep moving FORWARD!"

HaPpY VaLenTiNe's DaY Love, Pippa xxx

2012-01-30T19:56:00.003-05:00

here is sweet little Pippa....just in time for valentine's day....my favorite "holiday" :)

she is FOR SALE as a REPRODUCTION in my shop here

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91844674/happy-valentines-day-love-pippa

it's never too early for LOVE!!!

illustration friday~twirl

2012-01-26T08:25:00.005-05:00

here is a piece i am currently in the process of painting. it is part one of a custom order i am working on for a trio of really cute sisters. this one being born on Christmas day...and really into ballet (hence the whole nutcracker theme from the mouse to the red and white to the "waltz of the flowers"). i thought it fit right in with this week's theme of 'twirl' :)

attached below is the second part of this order for a set of twins...one crazy about dogs, the other crazy about cats! ahhh....sisterhood....;)

just some cute jungle animals....

2012-01-22T15:52:00.004-05:00

that i recently finished up for a custom order to match a little boy's bedroom. they are packed up and ready to be shipped out first thing tomorrow morning. HOWEVER, i am selling them here in my etsy shop as a set of REPRODUCTIONS http://www.etsy.com/listing/91181525/lion-and-monkey-set-of-reproductions

they are perfect for any jungle/safari themed bedroom...for both boys and girls! bright colorful...and CUTE!:)

the cub-kins...ready to be stitched...so excited!!!

2012-01-15T13:21:00.004-05:00

here are the stitch outlines for the line i designed for a company called Vintage Courtiere out of florida (see my previous blog post here for more info)http://www.theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2012/01/introducing.html

my sketches are turned into the appropriate stitch out lines by a lovely lady named claire out of the U.K. please visit her facebook page here for more info. on her work.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stitch-On-Time/43872755842

can't wait to see these on cute little t-shirts, onesies, etc....:)

introducing....

2012-01-12T11:01:00.004-05:00

barrington and bella bears...also known as 'the cub-kins'!

i am super super excited to be a part of this little 'venture' with a great company called Vintage Courtiere based out of florida
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Courtiere/134063356659946?sk=info

i have designed a line called 'cub-kins' which consist of a brother and sister bear named barrington and bella. further on, there might be other 'kin' added to this line. but for now, i thought these 2 cuties were a good start.

they will be appliques which will be sewn onto anything from onesies to t shirts to dresses to towels but the amazing jodee harder, who runs Vintage Courtiere.

i am so psyched to see my designs on fabric for the first time ever!!!

somewhere over the rainbow....

2012-01-05T19:07:00.006-05:00

a little cow makes a wish!:)

here is my finished illustration/painting for the february/march 2012 issue of www.sfc.magazine.com

i am actually pleased with the way it turned out. me, being my own worst critic, well....that's saying something ;)

rain clouds and rainbows...in progress

2012-01-04T10:21:00.003-05:00

2 progressions of the finished illustration i am working on for the feb/mar issue of stories for children magazine. deadline is in 2 days!

off to finish the rest...

rain clouds...and rainbows:)

2012-01-02T12:33:00.004-05:00

somewhere over the rainbow....a little cow makes a wish:)

here is the sketch for the february/march 2012 issue of stories for children magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com. i am currently in the process of painting it. deadline-this coming friday january 6th.

can't wait to get it done and posted!:)

ok...so i'm a little late with this one....

2011-12-30T15:44:00.005-05:00

but i still wanted to share it before the new year approaches in a couple of days!

i am working on my own little recipe "project" and this is a sketch for the month of december. i am such a sucker for the nutcracker ballet. the music, the story, the whole Christmas thing...just LOVE it!

so, here we have my little alter-ego pippa getting ready to serve some delicious sugared plums, dressed as clara from the nutcraker, of course:)

i was hoping to get this painted this month, but i am currently working on a few things, including another illustration for the wonderful stories for children magazine http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com/ and some nursery art pieces. however, this WILL get painted in plenty of time for next december. but it was just too cute not to at least share...for now:)

happy new year to all my wonderful friends and followers! best of luck and many blessings in 2012!

signed,

nicole...and pippa:)

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!

2011-12-23T23:15:00.003-05:00

MY FIRST COVER!!!!

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/stories-for-children-magazine-holiday-2011/18776934

this is truly the very best christmas present ever!!!!

merry christmas to ME!!!:)))

~WelCoMe WiNtER~

2011-12-22T11:22:00.003-05:00

today is the first official day of WINTER...and i couldn't be any happier about that!:) it truly is my favorite season! now if i could just get some SNOW....

happy winter solstice to all my friends and the happiest of holidays to you all as well!!!

enjoy....:)

"tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme..."

2011-12-16T12:01:00.006-05:00

my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE princess...the beautiful Belle from disney's Beauty and the Beast!:)

she is FOR SALE AS A PRINT IN MY ETSY SHOP FOUND HERE

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88795478/belle-reproduction

below i have also posted the painting...in progress. i always think it's kind of neat to see it in different stages. so i thought i'd "share"...:)

beautiful belle

2011-12-12T20:14:00.004-05:00

i've been meaning to upload this sketch here for the last few days, but the time got away from me....

anyway, this is next up. and i shall be completing it in the next few nights because i have some customers waiting on some prints of her:)

here is a link to my etsy shop www.enchantedeasel.etsy.com where a print of snow white and ariel can be found...and purchased! hopefully if time allows, i will be able to get some more of these disney princesses done. but it'll have to wait til after the holidays.

next, is another story/illustration for the wonderful stories for children magazine http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com/ entitled rainclouds and rainbows. can't wait to start sketching....

btw, she is my all time favorite princess. sweet and sassy...and SMART! that's my kind of girl;)

MeRry ChRisTmAs....

2011-12-07T19:34:00.004-05:00

love peppermint...the little candy cane striped Christmas zebra:)

due to my crazy love of candy canes and all things peppermint, i just couldn't resist when the idea popped into my head;)

xxx

nali jungle wall art

2011-12-06T20:42:00.001-05:00

nali jungle canvas wall art...all done and FOR SALE HERE: http://www.etsy.com/listing/88019082/nali-jungle-animals-original-painting

this adorable compliation of jungle animals was inspired by the nali jungle bedding line by cocalo (seen here)

http://www.babysupermall.com/main/products/coc/coc7035-970.html

loved creating this painting...especially the cute little elephant:)

makin' progress...in the jungle;)

2011-11-28T12:52:00.007-05:00

2 cute little jungle animals down. 3 more cute little jungle animals to go....:)

it's a jungle in here...

2011-11-22T19:01:00.008-05:00

and a CUTE one at that:)

this is the next canvas i am working on. it is made to coordinate with this adorable bedding by cocalo seen here:http://www.babysupermall.com/main/products/coc/coc7035-970.html

it will be 12x16 and for sale, as soon as it's done!
loving the elephant and zebra...:)

mermaid life....featuring MARBIEL:)

2011-11-21T16:39:00.003-05:00

maribel the mermaid...in all her sea-life glory!

ALL DONE...AND FOR SALE HERE

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86732926/maribel-the-mermaid-original-painting

next up....a jungle theme compilation canvas. including a monkey, giraffe, lion, elephant...and a super cute zebra:)

check back for the sketch....

illustration friday~silent

2011-11-17T20:25:00.005-05:00

when i saw this week's i.f. theme of 'silent', i couldn't resist bringing this older piece out for viewing. is there ever a more suitable time to be 'silent'...;)

FEATURED HERE

2011-11-16T21:20:00.003-05:00

my illustration for the story entitled "a little helper" is featured in this month's issue of stories for children magazine

http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/InThisIssue.aspx

love this one...:)

illustration friday~stripes

2011-11-10T16:34:00.006-05:00

i thought i would post some nursery art i did last year...as it is fitting for this week's illustration friday theme of "stripes". enjoy....:)

***CUSTOM ORDERS ALWAYS WELCOME*** contact me at enchantedeasel@yahoo.com if you would like more info.

mermaid life...slowly coming to life:)

2011-11-08T14:03:00.003-05:00

sweet little maribel in progress...:)

i am working on several things at once in these next 2 months, and this is one of them. can't wait to complete and post it in my etsy shop FOR SALE!

a perfect christmas gift for that little mermaid of your's:)

illustration friday~scary

2011-11-03T09:54:00.009-04:00

my attempt at "scary"...

oh well, i guess i don't do "scary" very well...;)

trying something a bit new...

2011-11-02T19:22:00.006-04:00

meet maribel the mermaid:)

i have a bit of "free" time in between christmas gifts and custom orders so i wanted to try something a bit different. i am going to do a series (i hope) of 11x14 gallery wrapped canvases to be sold as ORIGINALS in my etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/enchantedeasel.

i thought it would be cute to kind of do a compilation of sorts on a theme for a child's room. yes, i will be doing boys too;) maybe a cute little astronaut/outer space theme or dinosaurs....

but my first one in this series will be called mermaid life with my sweet little maribel. this will look great in a little girl's room with ocean animals/beach theme. or maybe even in a bathroom. lots of bright, tropical colors are planned for this cutie:)

stay tuned....

~WINTER COVER FOR SFC MAGAZINE~

2011-10-27T16:27:00.005-04:00

there must have been some magic in that old black hat they found...

well, here it is! in all it's snowy glory!:) the winter 2011/2012 COVER ILLUSTRATION for http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com/

i truly loved every second of creating this piece. from the sketch posted below to the finished painting. winter has many wonders, from the blanket-like snow which often covers our region to the endless hours of play time for children to create adorable snow creatures out of the white stuff that falls from the sky.

i could go on and on...as winter is truly my favorite time of year:) i can't wait to see this piece at publication time in december (which is my favorite month by the way)!

sneakin' a peek...

2011-10-21T14:18:00.005-04:00

at the winter cover (in progress) for SFC's 2011/2012 issue.

i am having the best time creating this piece. winter is my favorite season for many reasons so it really is a dream assignment for me. deadline is november 1st so i will be spending all of next week finishing this up.

can't wait...:)

illustration friday~scattered

2011-10-20T12:15:00.005-04:00

"pink petals 'scattered' all over the park path"

here is my illustration for the story entitled 'a pickle for patty' featured in this month's issue of stories for children magazine http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/InThisIssue.aspx

and it fits with this week's i.f. theme 'scattered'.

enjoy...:)

pippa and her pink lady(bug) friends!

2011-10-12T22:53:00.006-04:00

pippa is up and running here
http://www.theydrawandcook.com/recipes/pippas-pink-ladybug-apples-by-nicole-esposito

i had a bit of extra time in between assignments so i couldn't resist doing another recipe for this wonderful site. and besides, i'll take any excuse to bring my little pippa to life in an illustration. i have big plans for this girl...;)

below i posted the 3 steps/pics of the way in which i work. from sketch to the work in progress to the finished piece. please stop by the link above and feel free to comment on the recipe. i love feedback. and so does pippa:)

pippa cooks again:)

2011-10-03T17:16:00.006-04:00

how do i spend my down time between "projects"...creating another piece for http://www.theydrawandcook.com/. i am addicited to designing these recipes with my little pippa. i did one last month (see pic below) and i just fell in love with them. http://www.theydrawandcook.com/recipes/pippas-pumpkin-smoothie-by-nicole-esposito

i hope to be able to start painting it while working on the winter cover for SFC magazine. i love working on multiple projects at the same time:)

WINTER 2011/2012 COVER SKETCH FOR SFC MAGAZINE

2011-09-30T21:05:00.003-04:00

here is my APPROVED sketch for the winter 2011/2012 cover for stories for children magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com. i am so excited to have been given this opportunity to have my work showcased on the cover of such a wonderful magazine for children. the art director, rosemarie www.rosemariegillen.com, has just been so amazing to me in the last few months, allowing me to do an illustration for each issue. i absolutely love contributing and i love the challenge that each new piece brings.
this piece has a special place in my heart. as everyone who knows me knows i am CRAZY about WINTER! seriously. i love it all...snow, ice, cold air, winter sports...all of the wonders of winter. and december is my favorite month of the year. i swear i could probably live in an igloo and be ecstatically happy (yeah, i love winter THAT much)!
i wanted to convey the playfulness of childhood in winter and what better way than to illustrate a group of cute little multi-cultural kids building a snowman...and a cute snowman at that;) teamwork at it's best!
thank you again to rosemarie for being so sweet to me and for giving me all of the opportunities she has in the last few months to work with her and her team at such a great publication!

tweet tweet:)

2011-09-25T14:48:00.003-04:00

http://nicolesnurseryart.blogspot.com/2011/09/todays-buzz_25.html

autumn has arrived~good riddens to summer:)

2011-09-25T00:06:00.005-04:00

just because i was "playing" in photoshop....;)

flying high!

2011-09-21T14:59:00.003-04:00

FLYING HIGH!!!

these cute little airplanes are FOR SALE here:
http://etsy.com/listing/82260599/airplane-nursery-art-set-originals

they are made to coordinate with today's popular beddings. and...just because i love to decorate little boy's rooms:)

~haPpY AuTumN~

2011-09-17T15:07:00.004-04:00

just a cute little illustration of a scarecrow named fern and his adorable canary friend:)

this is FOR SALE as a REPRODUCTION here http://www.etsy.com/listing/81979891/fern-the-scarecrow-reproduction

after this one, i'm taking a little hiatus from painting pumpkins. just a little one...;)

~haPpY AuTumN~

illustration friday~boundaries

2011-09-15T18:43:00.005-04:00

i'm thinking he might be pushing the "boundaries" here. but he's only trying to help...;)

my submission for this week's illustration friday. it is also to be featured in stories for children magazine's november 2011 issue www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com

i am set to do the winter cover for this magazine as well so i am super excited to start doing some sketches for that. especially since it is my favorite time of year!:)

genevieve's fairy

2011-09-14T15:47:00.006-04:00

genevieve's fairy...ALL DONE!:)

this is FOR SALE AS A REPRODUCTION in my etsy shop here...
http://www.etsy.com/listing/81730012/autumn-fairy-and-pumpkin-with-optional the name of your little girl can be added at no extra charge. please see listing for more details.

i attached a sweet chocolate brown satin ribbon to finish it off and now it's all ready to be delivered and hung in genevieve's nursery. and wow, that was A LOT of "e's" that i painted in that name;) whew...

AS ALWAYS, CUSTOM ORDERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!

meet the newest member of hire an illustrator...

2011-09-13T11:15:00.002-04:00

ME!!!:)))
http://hireanillustrator.com/i/portfolio/nicole-esposito/
i have heard such wonderful things about this site, that i decided to give it a go! i'm excited to be on board...:)

take a peek here....

2011-09-12T11:36:00.002-04:00

http://nicolesnurseryart.blogspot.com/2011/09/todays-buzz_12.html
to see my latest "masterpiece" in progress...;)

peyton's biggest fan...ME!!!

2011-09-09T14:36:00.006-04:00

just a quick little sketch i did about a month ago. it was to be my profile pic on facebook everytime my beloved indianaplois colts played a game. well, for all who know me, i am the BIGGEST peyton manning fan alive! LOVE THIS MAN!
sad to say, peyton and i have a few things in common now....neck surgeries:( word is he is out for this season...and poor little nicole is bummed beyond belief! i feel for him literally.. having undergone 2 neck/spinal surgeries/fusions last august and october. no fun!:(
i wish him the speediest recovery and hope and pray he can return to indy next season...better than ever!!!

illustration friday~mysterious

2011-09-08T15:38:00.007-04:00

i thought there was a "mysterious" element to this piece...
my submission for this week's i.f. theme. i did this painting (entitled wish hope believe) back in the beginning of 2011 for a little girl waiting on a heart down at AI DuPont hospital. it was sold in a silent auction to benefit her cause. unfortuneately, she's still there...waiting on a heart:( hopefully soon her waiting will end and she will have the heart she so desperately needs!
to learn more about josie and here cause visit here: http://www.thebeatgoeson.org/
for a print of this piece visit my etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/66788891/wish-hope-believe-reproduction

next on the table...

2011-09-07T19:43:00.006-04:00

a custom order for a sweet little autumn baby named genevieve, the nursery is green and brown, so most of the finished painting will contain shades of green, with the oranges from the pumpkin and leaves being the contrasting color. it will be finished with a lovely satin ribbon for hanging (most likely in a nice cocoa brown color to match the nursery).
starting this cutie tomorrow...:)

pippa's pumpkin smoothie...yummy:)

2011-09-06T20:11:00.008-04:00

here is a smaller size version of my FIRST entry to they draw and cook. it is for a contest entitled cooking 4 kids
http://www.theydrawandcook.com/cooking-4-kids-contest
as soon as i came across this contest a week or so ago, i knew had to give it a shot. with two other deadlines looming at the time, there was still no stopping me. i have been wanting to illustrate a recipe for the longest time now so this was the perfect opportunity.
i knew i wanted it to be easy to read, easy to follow, cute and most importantly healthy. so i figured with fall right around the corner....why not do something with pumpkins (which i love)!
i took my sweet little character pippa, some pumpkins, an easy recipe...and a cute little blackbird and voila...pippa's pumpkin smoothie!
i just submitted it to they draw and cook so i'm waiting to see how it looks once they review it and post it on their site. SUPER EXCITED!!!
***UPDATE-APPROVED*** YAY!!!!
take a peek over here and feel free to comment....
http://www.theydrawandcook.com/recipes/pippas-pumpkin-smoothie-by-nicole-esposito

illustration friday~disguise

2011-08-31T12:01:00.005-04:00

meet alex and his friend andy...they are ready for a little "tricking and treating"!
i thought this piece fit illustration friday's theme of 'disguise'. it's an older piece, but it's definitely appropriate. besides...it's never too early for cute halloween art. in my opinion anyway...;)

a little helper

2011-08-25T13:50:00.005-04:00

here is the finished illustration for the november 2011 issue of SFC magazine http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com. AND it's 5 days BEFORE deadline! yay me!
to sum up the story entitled " a little helper", it's about a little boy named tanner who wants so desperately to help out his mama. he figures he might not be tall enough to reach that rye bread or those bananas, but boy is he ever going to take a shot at those yummy oranges...since they are on her shopping list. oops...;)
i'll post the link for the issue as soon as it is available!
next up....an awesome contest i discovered on a wonderful website entitled they draw and cook http://www.theydrawandcook.com/. i can't tell you how long i have been aching to pump out a recipe/illustration for these guys. super excited. have my idea all ready to go...just need to sketch it out!:)

oops...;)

2011-08-17T11:37:00.006-04:00

here is my latest illustration for stories for children magazine. it is to be featured in the november 2011 issue. the story is entitled "a little helper" and as you can see little tanner is trying his best to helpful to his mom in the grocery store...but..oops;) guess it didn't go quite as he planned....
stay tuned for the finished illustration/painting and be sure to check out the november 2011 issue www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com (when it is available) to see if tanner turned out to be the "little helper" he so desperately wanted to be...:)

FEATURED HERE....

2011-08-15T12:49:00.006-04:00

my sweet little "teamwork" illustration for the back to school issue of SFC magazine.
http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/InThisIssue.aspx
AND...EXCITING NEWS!!! i am FINALLY going to get my chance to do my first COVER!!! my work will be featured on the COVER of SFC's december/january issue! i am super excited about this for numerous reasons...obviously;) a WINTER COVER?! absolutely tailor-made for me! i am crazy crazy crazy about winter! i couldn't be happier to have this wonderful opportunity. thank you rosemarie for the chance to display my work on the COVER of your awesome magazine!

also, a PRINT of this cute little farm animal illustration is available in my etsy shop here;
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76543425/teamwork-reproduction?ref=af_shop_favitem
come take a peek...:)

happy birthday...to ME!:)

2011-08-11T16:48:00.002-04:00

just a quick little sketch done for ME...for my birthday today! so hard to believe the 40 is around the corner next year! ugghhh....

welcome baby girl leila marie to the world!!!

2011-08-08T11:54:00.004-04:00

this sweet little angel was a custom piece i just finished up for a friend. i absolutely love the little bag of stars. and her pink robe... of course;)
this is available as a CUSTOM ORDER here...http://http://www.etsy.com/listing/79356228/custom-angel-originalsample

if you would like one for your baby girl or boy, please visit the above link and send me a convo. OR contact me at enchantedeasel@yahoo.com and i would be more than happy to create a precious keepsake for your baby:)

up next...

2011-07-29T14:34:00.005-04:00

a sweet little custom angel for a friend of a friend. it's been a while since i've done some custom work so i couldn't be happier to take it on. besides...she's really cute;)
and the baby's name is to be leila marie. so that will appear on the finished painting instead of anna. also, i will be selling REPRODUCTIONS of this piece in my etsy shop. it will be available WITHOUT the name but a name can be added to the REPRODUCTION at no charge.
i'll post it soon, as i am already in the process of painting it...

a pickle for patty

2011-07-26T16:25:00.005-04:00

here is the finished illustration for the story 'a pickle for patty'. to be featured in the october/november issue of 'stories for children' magazine.
is it wrong to say how fond i am of my own little painting here?;) it's that little pippa (the one with the pigtails) that i absolutely just LOVE! so damn adorable!:)
i will post the link to the finished magazine as soon as it is made available to me so you can read the story that goes along with the illustration.
thanks again to rosemarie over at SFC for the fantastic opportunity to illustrate for her magazine once again.

BTW, a print of this is for sale in my etsy shop under the title 'a picnicing we will go...'
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78554000/a-picnicing-we-will-go

gesture~illustration friday 7/15/11

2011-07-21T19:15:00.004-04:00

the ultimate 'gesture' of friendship...a hug! AND a bear hug at that...;)
my contribution to this week's illustration friday theme of 'gesture'.

FOR SALE AS A PRINT IN HERE~

http://www.etsy.com/listing/65807564/youre-never-too-tall-for-a-bear-hug

makin' progress...:)

2011-07-19T21:23:00.009-04:00

what i'm working on this week...
http://theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2011/07/pickle-for-pattysketch.html

a pickle for patty illustration for stories for children magazine/e-zine. set to be in the back to school issue. however my deadline is this coming tuesday (the 26th). hoping to be done by friday...
can't wait to start painting those cute little characters!:)

a pickle for patty~sketch

2011-07-14T17:32:00.003-04:00

next up...another illustration for stories for children magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com this one to be featured in their october 2011 issue.
it's about a prissy and pouty little girl named patty porter, her perky friend pippa and pippa's pesky puppy named piper. oh...and a very much coveted pickle;)
lots of alliteration going on in this sweet little story...from the pink pansies on the park path to the purple picnic blanket and the sweet little girls and the puppy.
can't wait to start working on this...:)

follow the yellow brick road...follow the yellow brick road...

2011-07-08T10:50:00.005-04:00

...to my etsy shop where you can find little dorothy and toto looking for a new home;)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77364559/dorothy-from-oz-original-painting
also FOR SALE in my shop, you will find my sweet little alice from wonderland...LOVE this painting!:) http://www.etsy.com/listing/73530955/alice-from-wonderland-original-painting

illustration friday~remedy

2011-07-07T15:37:00.005-04:00

here is my contribution to this week's i.f. theme of "remedy". i thought it was pretty perfect.
i did this last august for my amazing neurosurgeon who saved my life...not once, but twice with two cervical spine/neck sugeries this past august and october. if it wasn't for him, i wouldn't be able to create any works of art at all due to the nerve damage suffered from a very large disk pressing on my spinal cord at a very precarious level of the cervical spine. in turn, leaving my right hand...my "magic" hand, practically numb.
while i am still in the process of healing completely, i owe this man my life! truly the best "remedy" ever!:)

cause for josie UPDATE

2011-07-07T00:36:00.007-04:00

as many of you who follow my blog already know, i did this painting for a sweet little girl named josie basta who was waiting on a heart down at AI DuPont hopsital. www.thebeatgoeson.org this was done for a silent auction that took place back in april of this year. this painting has changed my life in so many ways that if i state them i will surely start to cry while typing. (yes, it's that good:))
well, even better, is the news i received tonight...that josie's long awaited and much needed heart is finally on it's way to her. her long and harrowing journey may be coming to an end...a happy end...and in turn a beautiful beginning!:)
prayers and love to this little girl, her family and the amazing donor family willing to take part in this miracle!

she's off to see the wizard...

2011-06-23T19:13:00.006-04:00

next up...dorothy from the land of oz. i sketched this out a couple of weeks ago but was working on an illustration for sfcm. now that that is done, i can do some work on cute little dorothy here. i wanted to do a series of these little fairy tale characters and sell them as originals in my etsy shop at www.enchantedeasel.etsy.com already there is sweet little alice...from wonderland, of course;)

nothing like a little "teamwork"...

2011-06-21T18:16:00.003-04:00

especially with some really cute animals:)

this piece is to be featured in the back to school issue of stories for children magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com the august/september 2011 i believe.

if you can't guess what the story is about based on the illustration...here's a small summary...

a cute little cow (whom i named charlie) and a cute little goat (whom i named grayling) are all psyched to enter this art show. so charlie, with his yellow paint and grayling, with his blue paint go on to create a circle sun, some lakes and flowers and are pretty happy with their creation. until...henry (my cute little pony) comes along and wants to paint as well. unfortuneately, charlie and grayling tell little henry that there is no brush for him:(

so....

henry excitedly suggests that they drop a bit of each of their 2 colors on a rock and watch henry work his magic with his little tail. well, as we all know, blue and yellow make...GREEN!!!

so charlie, grayling and sweet little henry work together as a "team" to create a wonderful painting for the art show!!!:)

so cute...:)

newly designed blog...

2011-06-16T17:09:00.001-04:00

newly designed website:)
come take a look....
www.theenchantedeasel.com

teamwork~sketch for stories for children magazine

2011-06-07T18:23:00.004-04:00

this is my third illustration for the on-line children's magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com this one to be featured in the back to school issue/september 2011.
it is for a sweet little story entitled "teamwork". the second i read it, i just thought it was so adorable!:) it gave me the opportunity to work on rendering more animals in my signature style and it has to do with PAINT! i seriously could have not come across a more perfect story for me.
i am so excited to start painting this! LOVE the little goat;)

over at my OTHER blog...:)

2011-06-04T11:37:00.004-04:00

http://nicolesnurseryart.blogspot.com/2011/06/todays-buzz.html

illustration friday~asleep

2011-06-02T20:46:00.005-04:00

an illustration i recently did for a story entitled "two pillows" and published in the may 2011 issue of stories for children magazine/e-zine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com.

i thought it fit this week's i.f. theme of 'asleep'. sweet little ralph cuddling with his much beloved pillow sam:)

sweet dreams....

illustration friday~soaked

2011-05-26T21:31:00.003-04:00

my contribution to this week's illustration friday theme of "soaked". this is to be featured in stories for children's june/july issue. http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com/

for more info. on this piece see here http://theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-boring-birthday-in.html

stay dry...;)

~tweet tweet~

2011-05-25T16:40:00.007-04:00

just a sweet little sketch for some nursery art canvases i am currently working on. it's been a while since i could do some "free" work due to comissions and some magazine illustrations (NOT that i'm complaining...) so, i wanted to do a couple of pieces of nursery art to add to my etsy shop www.enchantedeasel.etsy.com
just because...:)

the most boring birthday in the universe~finished illustration

2011-05-19T14:12:00.004-04:00

here is the finished illustration/painting for a summer issue of stories for children magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com (not sure which one yet).
it is about a little boy and his grandmom who is babysitting him for a day. not just any day...but his birthday. and he is just so set out to believe that his 5th birthday will be "the most boring birthday in the universe";) so....
grandmom takes him on an "adventure" to the mall on this rainy day,where they ride the escalator and go into the "super duper shoe" shop to buy little noah his much coveted pair of green gecko galoshes:)
i got this done 9 days before the deadline. not too bad if i do say so myself...

the most boring birthday in the universe~sketch

2011-05-11T18:13:00.003-04:00

so here is my sketch for my next project with stories for children magazine www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.com
a sweet little story entitled "the most boring birthday in the universe". it's about a little boy, his grandma, "the most boring birthday in the universe" and some cute green gecko galoshes...courtesy of grandma, of course;)
only one illustration was needed and i chose to illustrate the end part of the story...AND it was approved on the first go (lucky me). i am super excited to get my brush dipped in the paint and add some bright colors to this happy little piece:)
thanks to rosemarie (the art director over at sfc) for my second opportunity to work for this great kids magazine!

visit me in stories for children magazine!:)

2011-05-09T12:00:00.004-04:00

my first "published" piece for the on-line children's magazine entitled "stories for children".
http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/default.aspx
it truly was a pleasure to contribute to this gem of a magazine. i am currently working on another piece for them. a sweet story about a boy, his "most boring birthday in the universe" and his grandma. i'll will be posting the sketch soon...:)

Alice from Wonderland~the enchanted easel way

2011-05-05T16:56:00.004-04:00

FINALLY...Alice is complete!:) i have been working on several things at once these past 2 weeks which is why it took a bit longer to finish this than i would have liked. but, i am happy to say that she is done and FOR SALE in my etsy shop here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/73530955/alice-from-wonderland-original-painting
she is FOR SALE as an ORIGINAL! usually i offer prints, but this cutie is going as is. hopefully she will make some little girl SMILE:)

A is for Alice...and Adorable:)

2011-04-20T19:06:00.006-04:00

my version of Alice...from Wonderland! for the last couple of weeks, i just wanted to draw up little Alice bec i couldn't get the idea out of my head (which is OVERFLOWING with ideas at ALL times)! so, this is what i came up with. i am anxiously awaiting dipping my brush into my paint and getting started!!!! this will be offered as an ORIGINAL in my etsy shop as soon as it is complete. it is on an 11x14 stretched canvas (as opposed to the boards which i usually use for my illustrations). that is why i will be offering it as an ORIGINAL. oh, and by the way, there is and never will be a cheshire cat in any Alice illustrations i do! everyone who knows me knows how i feel about cats...NOT A FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! just sayin'...;)

springtime at the fish pond...hannah and her little sister ashley:)

2011-04-14T16:20:00.006-04:00

here is the custom piece i just finished for little hannah. you can see the full story here http://theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2011/03/ahhhsisterhood.html
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH!!!:)

illustration friday~duet

2011-04-07T16:55:00.003-04:00

duet - a pair who associate with one another; "the engaged couple"; "an inseparable twosome". according to thefreedictionary.com
here is a sweet piece i did last year just because i'm crazy about "happily ever afters":)

making progress...

2011-04-06T18:13:00.011-04:00

hannah's birthday present is coming along nicely:)

ahhh...sisterhood:)

2011-03-31T18:53:00.006-04:00

meet hannah and her little sister ashley! they LOVE the fish pond...and each other:) hannah used to be one of my students a couple of years ago (she is the gorgeous little blonde girl in the pic below). ironically, i also went to high school with her mom...small world! this sketch is for hannah's birthday painting, which is at the end of april. her and her sister love the fish pond as well as the yellow daylilies that can be found there as well. i love little ashley's red hair and freckles so i can't wait to start painting this!

~two pillows~ finished illustration

2011-03-28T15:45:00.004-04:00

well, i got this in friday before todays's deadline and the art director loved it...thank God. it is set to be in the may 2011 issue of stories for children magazine(an on-line magazine). i can't wait to see it in there!!!:)))

~two pillows~

2011-03-22T18:00:00.008-04:00

i am super excited to be working on my first "published" piece (so-to-speak). it is for an on-line children's magazine:) i am now on their illustrators call list and they emailed me looking for one illustration for a sweet story entitled "two pillows". it is about two pillows (obviously)-one being the bright new velvety pillow and the other being the older. more worn pillow. to sum it up, there is a bit of bullying by the new pillow and that in turn leaves the older one sad and feeling very lost and lonely. well, one night as the little boy gets ready for bed, his mom places the new pillow at the top of the bed and the other pillow on the side (a much less "respected" place). the little boy crawls into bed, places his head on the new pillow and somewhere in his slumber, finds himself embracing his older, much more worn and LOVED pillow:)
gosh, i hope explained that right;) so here is my one illustration for the story. it was approved by the lovely art director and i am painting it as we speak. deadline is monday the 28th, but i'm shooting for this friday!:)

illustration friday~stir

2011-03-17T17:33:00.005-04:00

are you wondering how this fits into the illustration friday theme of "stir"? well..."s" is for stir! AND i couldn't resist the cuteness of the elephant...sorry;)

it's a tea (with milk) and cookies kind of day...DONE!:)

2011-03-16T15:42:00.005-04:00

i'm happy to say this piece is all done and ready to be shipped! it was a joy working on this and i truly think it is one of the cutest concepts i've had yet;) it is FOR SALE as a REPRODUCTION/PRINT in my etsy shop and can be found here http://www.etsy.com/listing/70175432/it-s-a-tea-with-milk-and-cookies-kind-of
i "heart" this piece!:)

making progress...

2011-03-09T15:44:00.007-05:00

i LOVE this piece and am enjoying EVERY second of painting it!:) ok...so as we all know, i am the world's worst photographer;) took this pic with my phone really quick so the colors are a bit "off". but, i'm getting there...:) can't wait to finish it!!!

illustration friday~swarm 2/26/11

2011-03-03T23:21:00.006-05:00

ok...so i figured this painting fit this week's illustration friday theme of "swarm". i actually just finished it last week (as it is part of a set for a little girl's nursery). i just remembered to post it now...at 11:30 pm before the midnight cut off for illustration friday. whew...;)

it's a tea (with milk) and cookies kind of day;)

2011-03-02T20:05:00.006-05:00

ok...this could be one of my new favorites:) this is a sketch for a comissioned piece for the cousin of the little girl's room i just finished up last week-isabelle.
http://theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2011/02/isabelles-roomall-done.html
thank so much to liz for asking me to now adorn her niece's room with my work. i am beyond excited to do another piece for this wonderful family!:)
*a few background notes about this piece-mailee loves loves loves cows! her room is pink and brown AND they used to live in washington d.c.*
so i couldn't resist the cherry blossom trees (which are my favorite) and a sweet little pink and brown stuffed cow. besides, what little girl doesn't absolutely love to have tea parties with her stuffed animals/dolls?! i am super excited to start painting this in the next couple of days...:)

isabelle's room~ALL DONE!:)

2011-02-24T20:15:00.007-05:00

i'm so happy that these are done!!! and, i'm even more excited to ship them off tomorrow to liz so she can hang in them in her baby girl's room:) i am actually pleased with the way these turned out. i love the colors and the concept(s). i hope baby isabelle looks up at them and they make her SMILE:)
liz and i spoke today about doing a piece for her niece miley who LOVES cows! so, i'll be sketching some ideas for that this weekend. super excited for that one as well!:)
BTW~I WILL BE SELLING PRINTS OF THESE IN MY ETSY SHOP NEXT WEEK...STAY TUNED...

isabelle's room~painting #1

2011-02-21T18:46:00.006-05:00

all done!!! i meant to post more pics of this painting in progress, but i never got to it:( oh well, next time...
this is one of two paintings for a nursery. PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED LINK FOR THE FULL POST COMPLETE WITH PICS OF THE NURSERY AND THE BEDDING http://theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2011/02/next-projectisabelles-room.html
i am in the process of painting #2 and will be shipping them out to baby isabelle this coming friday!:)

~happy valentine's day~

2011-02-14T19:17:00.007-05:00

just a sweet little sketch/drawing to honor cupid and my favorite day (pathetic, i know). ANYWAY, i am totally crazy about these tinted graphite pencils from derwent
http://www.pencils.co.uk/product.aspx?mid=733
they are just fabulous! i used them for the whole drawing-dry on the branch, leaves and little hearts and wet for the adorable little love birds:)oh, and a touch of ink on the branch as well.
happy hearts day!:)

jungle love~mommy and baby...ALL FINISHED!:)

2011-02-09T11:28:00.006-05:00

i am so happy that this piece is all done for alexis and baby carter! actually i had it done last week, but i needed to add the quote and am waiting on the lovely walnut wood frame i ordered (i thought it would really pick up the brown tones in the giraffes).
it is the first time i based a painting on a quote. see the story here (and an precious pic of little carter and his mommy)http://http://theenchantedeasel.blogspot.com/2011/01/jungle-lovemommy-and-baby.html
for the quote, i printed it out on vellum, painted the back of the vellum with a white acrylic paint...sort of like a cloud effect. then, i spray mounted it down to the painting and put a thin wash of light blue acrylic paint on top of it in certain areas. all i have left to do is mat and frame:)

next project...isabelle's room!

2011-02-06T11:42:00.009-05:00

ok. so i was in the middle of 2 projects already (which are nearing the end), when thursday night i got a custom order off of etsy...and i met a really sweet woman in the process. that has happened to me 2 times through etsy sales in the last 3 years...this being the third. 2 of them have become such wonderful friends...and i'm thinking this one will no doubt turn out the same.
ok...onto the order. the baby's name is isabelle and i have attached photos below of the bedding as well as the nursery (which i have to say looks absolutely GORGEOUS!). i am loving the yellows with the accents of greens and pinks as well as the dark wood of the furniture.
i am so happy that liz has asked me to add some artwork to baby isabelle's room! and i hope this is the start of a wonderful friendship as well!:)

just a quick little sketch...

2011-02-02T15:12:00.003-05:00

to try to do make the best out of all the ice and snow we have been getting here on the east coast. i, for one, enjoy it...lots! i'm a winter girl all the way!:)

happy skating....:)

a photographer i am NOT...

2011-02-01T15:19:00.004-05:00

but i can do my own matting and framing (yay me!). here are the pieces for the cause for josie www.theebeatgoeson.org. the middle one is the original, which i chose to frame in a lovely pewter frame alnong with a crisp white mat to pick up the tones in the curtains. the 2 on the sides are the prints, which are matted in navy blue to pick up the tones in the sky and then framed nicely in a simple white frame. i am not usually a big fan of colored mats, but i felt the navy was the best choice for the 2 prints, having already chosen a white frame.

1 print goes to josie's family as a gift. the other goes to AI DuPont hospital as a donation from the devenney family (who comissioned me to do these). and....the ORIGINAL is going to be auctioned off in a fundraiser for this wonderful cause!

sorry if the photo doesn't do them justice. never was good with a camera...;)

for you...

2011-01-30T20:47:00.006-05:00

because you are one of a kind!
http://www.zazzle.com/for_you_valentines_day_greeting_card-137818131756673102

jungle love...mommy and baby:)

2011-01-27T16:44:00.008-05:00

so here is my latest custom piece i am working on now. it is for my step-mom's niece and one of the CUTEST babies ever! seriously....just look at those CHEEKS!!! i don't how you can live with such cuteness and not squeeze the hell out of him:)
this is the second piece i have done for little carter...the first one being a giraffe as well. (yeah, he likes his giraffes). however, alexis came to me with a quote and wanted to know what i could do with it. here is the quote;
"Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of love." - Maureen Hawkins
well, i knew his love of giraffes and his nuzzling with his mommy-cheek to cheek. so....this is what i came up with. i am going to cut the quote into 2 sections and place it in the rectangle boxes located on the pencil sketch.
i hope they love it!:)

sarah's elephant

2011-01-24T21:22:00.001-05:00

meet sarah's little elephant:) this is a comissioned piece i just finished up for a baby girl named sarah. it was done to coordinate with her jungle themed bedding and just an S was requested as opposed to the whole name. i LOVE to comp letters by hand! such a lost art but i love all kinds of typography!:) all i have left to do for this painting is attach the sweet pink satin ribbon for hanging.
i am selling prints of this piece over in my etsy shop at
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66665498/sarahs-elephant-reproduction
hopefully, if time allows, i will be able to do more letters of the alphabet.
next project, a mommy and baby giraffe for my step-mom's niece and her ADORABLE baby carter!:)

finally the finished piece...

2011-01-23T20:06:00.010-05:00

wish. hope. believe!

i am so proud of this piece...especially knowing where it is going! thank you to mike and holly devenney (www.thebeatgoeson.org)

for giving me the opportunity to partake in such a wonderful cause for thier sweet little niece josie basta. as i have said before, she is waiting on a heart down at AI DuPont hospital. this piece is set be auctioned off for her cause.
along with the painting, the devenneys also asked me to design a logo for them that they could put on tshirts and other promotional materials for josie. below is the logo i designed. we knew we wanted the word "believe" to be a part of it as well as something kid-drawn. so, i came up with a simple but effective kid-drawn heart along with the word "believe" with a little star for the "i". AND it keeps with the theme of the painting!
i hope that this piece brings so much happiness and joy to the child whose mommy and/or daddy purchases it. and, above all, i wish, hope and believe that josie will get her new heart and she will be better than ever!:)

illustration friday~chicken

2011-01-20T19:38:00.005-05:00

here is my contribution to this week's illustration friday topic~chicken. it is one of three custom pieces i did last march for my girlfriend from high school who is now..a vegan (hence the illsutration). i thoughtit would be cute to make the animals her friends...considering she no longer eats them;) and so "2 cute 2 eat" was born.
below are the other 2 pieces i did for her. one of her and her boyfriend scott (who has since become her fiancee) and their cats murphy and ninja. the other is for the lennon and oko fans that they are...and BIG ones at that;) AND i'm happy to say that they have chosen that piece to be their "save the dates" for their upcoming wedding:)

S is for sarah

2011-01-16T19:21:00.002-05:00

here is a comissioned piece i am working on (at the same time as 2 others-no complaints though. it for a baby girl named sarah who has a jungle theme in her room. my friend jessica wanted the letter S with one of the animals from the bedding. i chose the elephant for a selfish reason...they are my favorite;) especially baby ones like this.
i am also working on a special piece that includes a mommy and baby giraffe...and a sweet quote which was the basis for the painting/idea.
ALSO...i am working on finishing that beautiful piece "wish. hope. believe!" for the cause for josie (see the website posted here) http://www.thebeatgoeson.org/ i will be posting the finished piece this week so be sure to check back...:)

you're never too tall for a bear hug:)

2011-01-12T18:39:00.008-05:00

meet towers the giraffe and his bestest buddy bailey the bear cub. they do everything together...despite their height differences;)
i am so glad i got this done today despite some spasms in my neck still due to the cerviccal fusion a few months ago:( but, the show must go...
yrou can find it FOR SALE here in my etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/65807564/youre-never-too-tall-for-a-bear-hug and very soon in my zazzle shop at www.zazzle.com/enchantedeasel on different products.
next up...the piece i am doing for the charity http://www.thebeatgoeson.org/ for a sweet little girl named josie.

i can't wait to start painting this...:)

wish. hope. believe!

2011-01-09T20:14:00.005-05:00

is the title of my newest painting. it is a comissioned piece for a great great cause! the family of a student i taught last year recently asked me to create some designs for them and a cause that is very dear to their hearts. it is the story of their niece and she is waiting on a heart at AI Dupont hopsital. please see the link below to read all about her courageous battle. such a brave little girl!
www.thebeatgoeson.org
when they asked me to help them out by creating some pieces for them, i couldn't say "yes" fast enough! to know that my art can not only make little josie smile, but possibly bring in some money for her cause, humbles me beyond words.
this sketch is for a painting to be matted and framed and auctioned off. also, i have been asked to do a logo/design that will be able to be used on tshirts and such to promote their 5K run for the cause. also, i will be framing a print of the painting so that they can donate it to AI Dupont for everything they have done for little josie.
stay tuned for the logo sketch as well as the finished painting of "wish. hope. believe!" in the following week. i am very excited to be able to help out!:)

cuteness....in progress;)

2011-01-05T20:17:00.001-05:00

cuteness...in progress!;)

i don't usually post my work in stages, but i've gotten so many requests to see "how i work". so here it is...i suppose it's not SO bad;) i'm just such a perfectionist, that i only like to unveil the original sketch...and the finished painting of course.

but, there's a always a first time for everything...

the enchanted easel

miki's ballerina~in progress

busy as a CUTE little bee...:)

an angel named julia...:)

illustration friday~forward

HaPpY VaLenTiNe's DaY Love, Pippa xxx

illustration friday~twirl

just some cute jungle animals....

the cub-kins...ready to be stitched...so excited!!!

introducing....

somewhere over the rainbow....

rain clouds and rainbows...in progress

rain clouds...and rainbows:)

ok...so i'm a little late with this one....

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!

~WelCoMe WiNtER~

"tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme..."

beautiful belle

MeRry ChRisTmAs....

nali jungle wall art

makin' progress...in the jungle;)

it's a jungle in here...

mermaid life....featuring MARBIEL:)

illustration friday~silent

***FEATURED HERE***

illustration friday~stripes

mermaid life...slowly coming to life:)

illustration friday~scary

trying something a bit new...

~WINTER COVER FOR SFC MAGAZINE~

sneakin' a peek...

illustration friday~scattered

pippa and her pink lady(bug) friends!

pippa cooks again:)

WINTER 2011/2012 COVER SKETCH FOR SFC MAGAZINE

tweet tweet:)

autumn has arrived~good riddens to summer:)

flying high!

~haPpY AuTumN~

illustration friday~boundaries

genevieve's fairy

meet the newest member of hire an illustrator...

take a peek here....

peyton's biggest fan...ME!!!

illustration friday~mysterious

next on the table...

pippa's pumpkin smoothie...yummy:)

illustration friday~disguise

a little helper

oops...;)

*FEATURED HERE*....

happy birthday...to ME!:)

welcome baby girl leila marie to the world!!!

up next...

a pickle for patty

gesture~illustration friday 7/15/11

makin' progress...:)

a pickle for patty~sketch

follow the yellow brick road...follow the yellow brick road...

illustration friday~remedy

cause for josie ***UPDATE***

she's off to see the wizard...

nothing like a little "teamwork"...

newly designed blog...

teamwork~sketch for stories for children magazine

over at my OTHER blog...:)

illustration friday~asleep

illustration friday~soaked

~tweet tweet~

the most boring birthday in the universe~finished illustration

the most boring birthday in the universe~sketch

visit me in stories for children magazine!:)

Alice from Wonderland~the enchanted easel way

A is for Alice...and Adorable:)

springtime at the fish pond...hannah and her little sister ashley:)

illustration friday~duet

making progress...

ahhh...sisterhood:)

~two pillows~ finished illustration

~two pillows~

FEATURED HERE

FEATURED HERE....

cause for josie UPDATE