Illustrious Illustration

Last week I posted a picture of my workdesk as a part of What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, and in that photo I hinted around about the illustration project I was working on. Now you get to see the whole project as it stands so far - though it isn't finished. Yet.

The site flashfiction5.com has a challenge each month to write a 100 word story utilizing a list of 5 words. My co-worker wrote a story using this word list:

centerpiece
deficient
rock
despise
wink

And the story is as follows:

The rock despised himself, he was deficient in producing moss. He wanted to produce moss so he could one day become a centerpiece in the fairy's castle. To sit atop the fairy Queen's table was his dream. He would be amongst the fairy berry pies and giggling Lords and Ladies. However, without moss, he was not invited. Then one rainy day the fairy queen was taking her umbrella for a walk and saw the bald rock. She gave him a wink and walked on by. The next morning the rock woke up with a coat of moss on his head!

When my co-worker read it to me, I was delighted by some of the visuals (I could just imagine "fairy berry pies" and the Queen "taking her umbrella for a walk"!). She teasingly suggested that I should illustrate it - thinking I'd just draw a few circles on paper for the rock, a little fairy here and there, and be done with it. Little did she know that I decided to go all out! It's turned into a major project - one that I hope to have completed before the beginning of school next month (egad!).

Here is the (again, incomplete) cover. I took a vintage book bought at a garage sale (would they have sold it to me if they knew what I would do with it?) and removed the book block (hopefully the book wasn't valuable! Yes, Mother, I know you advised me to check on these things before tearing them up - but I forgot...). Then, inspired by a pin on Pinterest, I added binder rings by setting some eyelets into the book cover.

WOYWW 164

I've been making the blog rounds the past few weeks, and have noticed a weekly installment many bloggers present called "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday", where artists share their creative spaces with the beautiful chaos of tools, supplies, and works in progress. I've decided to join in, so enjoy! (if you want to see other people's workdesks, check out the Stamping Ground blog, the host blog for WOYWW)

Rock the Block

If you have been in a craft store recently, you have probably noticed those glass crafting blocks they are carrying. I've seen some really cool stuff done with these, from lamps to dioramas, nearly enticing me to give in and pay the $10 these guys are going for ($20.00 on Amazon!). I'm glad I didn't fall for one, though, because last week my dear mother found a couple at a garage sale for $2! I started playing with it, not really intending to turn out a finished project without considering all the options and possibilities of the block form.