Houston SCBWI Conference 2011

So every year I write a little about the conference right after I’ve attended, but this year I seem to have procrastinated for lack of words..or photographs… or exhaustion maybe. I don’t know.

I won’t give you the line up or the deets of everyone’s talks. There are plenty of blogs that have already covered that. Besides, I don’t want to spoil it for you should you get the opportunity to hear the wonderful speakers that were there! http://www.scbwi-houston.org/calendar/2011-conference-the-art-of-book-craft/.  I will tell you though, how I felt at the conference.

I’ve been very busy this year with my first illustrated book,  I See Animals Sleeping coming out in June 2011, a completed book dummy and working to get my portfolio in order for the conference, So I felt tired and a little anxious. Isn’t there always a little anxiety when you show your portfolio? You  might as well be showing your heart… but there is was.   My quirky heart… I mean portfolio!

I had my portfolio review with Laurent Linn, who I must say,  is the nicest and most intuitive reviewer I’ve ever experienced.  He gave me ideas and directions and confirmed some things for me. I needed to hear what he had to say!

And you know what… I won the portfolio competition!  …. and now… my head is full of all kinds of ideas…. and some are … well kind of quirky!

Layer

Shhh…. Under layers of earth the platypus is sleeping.

Platypus spend around half their day resting in short, oval-shaped burrows of about 3 to 8 m long that they dig into earth banks around rivers, lakes or streams. They often have multiple burrows scattered along their home range. Females also dig elaborate nesting burrows around 20 m long with multiple chambers and earth plugs which they share with their unweaned young. The burrow is expertly hidden from predators. You might walk right by it and never notice it.

A sneak peek of my newly illustrated book coming out in the spring of 2011.



I’m Booking It!

I’m so excited to show you a sneak peak of my first illustrated book!
The book is a bedtime story full of sleepy, cuddly creatures of all kinds.  Look for it in early spring of 2011!

May sleep envelop you as a bed sheet floating gently down, tickling your skin and removing every worry.  Reminding you to consider only this moment.  ~Jeb Dickerson

Illlustration Friday ~ Mail


This is my latest promotional postcard which will go in the mail after the holidays in January!

Speaking of mail…. OK, this has nothing to do with mail at all… but The Doodle Diners are working on the twelve days of Christmas! We’re up to the Five Golden Rings but you can surely catch up with the rest by clicking HERE.

My days are The Seven Swans on Sunday, and the Twelve Drummers on Christmas Eve!

A New Postcard!

They just arrived! Another set of postcards… another mailing…. more crossed fingers and toes!
Now to get those witchey ladies to Vista for my Halloween postcard.

www.robertabaird.com

Up and Away


Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The world’s a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly we can fly

By Jimmy Web

Here’s one I’ve been working on for a little while now.  I think it’ll be the next promotional postcard!

And Away We Go


The second time is the charm! After getting lost in FedEx land, Vista resent my order with a confirmed arrival on the 14th of July!

Happy dance… Squeee!

Send off dance Squeeeeeeee!

Fingers and toes crossed dance squeee…. eeee…..eee!

Time ter clean yer ole room there Matey!

Arrrg…. Do ya be needin a map just ter navigate yer room Matey? Is there a serpent a swimmin in the Sea o’ Dirty Laundry? Aaarrrg… it jes might be time to clean yer room!!

This is actually a piece taken from a dummy book that I’ve been working on for ages. I thought it might make a great promotional piece. I’m pretty pleased with the outcome!

Aaaarrgh! Well me hearties, it’s time for me to weigh anchor and go swab the poop deck!
Fair winds to ye!