Getting Things Done

An update on how some of my goals for this year are coming along:

My yarn diet is not on track. It's sort of on track. I received a gift card to a yarn store for Valentine's Day from my guy. Mmm, yarn. So, while I am increasing my stash, some of that new yarn I plan to pair with yarn that is currently in my stash for new projects. There's one new skein that I bought with colors that remind me of rainbow sprinkles, and I can't wait to make myself some new socks with them. They're going to be so much fun to wear.

Re-organizing my kitchen is moving along slowly, but it's getting there. There are still two major appliances that need to be cleaned and put away since they get no use. I've procrastinated because it's not like they are in the way, and I'd need to find storage space to put them in. I have thrown out all that I wanted to, so that's a plus. I'd say the next step would be to re-organize my closets. The easiest thing would be to fold all of the empty boxes in them that are simply taking up space. I don't know why I didn't think to do of that sooner.

I haven't made any kind of tart yet. :(

No new illustrations yet, either, as I work on commissions. :(

I have a feeling my yarn diet won't be as much of a diet as I'd hoped by the end of this year, but time will tell. I'm already planning at least two more new projects that would need new yarn and I haven't even received the Valentine's yarn that I ordered!

-O.Pelaez

New Year

It was a strange holiday season for me in that I felt like something was missing from Christmas. I think it could have been the fact that this was the first year I decided to not put up a Christmas tree. I have two cats and they would love to attack the ornaments (especially as I decorated) and chew on the fake tree pine leaves, so I figured it'd be best for them and I to not have to worry about any of that and forego the whole tree.

On another note, I baked a lot of cookies in December. They were so good. Like my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, I'm very much looking forward to baking them again this next holiday season.

So, now the new year is here and I've got various goals I plan to tackle.

I received two tart pans for Christmas, so this year is the year I can begin to make actual tarts. I'd love to make a fruit tart, for instance.

I want to go on a yarn diet again (minus the yarn I plan on buying for my SO's Christmas gift this year). I already feel tempted to break this diet though because of a cardigan design in my head. However, I'd love to use up the yarn in my stash first.

I want to re-organize parts of my kitchen. I've already started this one.

In terms of my art, I would like to come up with some new illustrations for my Etsy shop. Maybe prints.

I want to catch up on my comics reading. I'm a bit behind on the monthly books.

That's about all that I can think of right now though I feel like there might be more to my list. I don't know when I'd bake that fruit tart. I rarely bake for no reason. I like to bake mostly for occasions. Ooh, maybe it's something I can look forward to for Lunar New Year. Mm, yeah. :)

-O. Pelaez

November

With this coming holiday season (who am I kidding? Every time this year...) I feel really tempted to bake lots of pies and cookies and cakes. I'm actually thinking about baking chocolate chip cookies tonight. I'll bake half the batch of cookies tonight and place the rest of the dough in the freezer for next week. Sounds like a delicious plan.

I've updated my online shop with some new items: some new original art. Be sure to check it out. As you can see, I have links to my shop on the side of this page and in the Shop tab at the top of the page. I'll be adding some more items in the coming days, as well.

I have a SALE going on right now. 10% off your entire order when you use the coupon code: HOLIDAY16

I'm also planning a sale for Cyber Monday, so be sure to check back again.

I'm off to make those cookies now....

Oh! And before I forget. I'm on Instagram now! You can see things I'm currently working on at different stages: pencils, inks, paints, and some of my knitting too.

And as an update to my last post:
The sourdough starter was too finicky for me. I used it all up and didn't start it again. I've found a no knead bread recipe I really enjoy baking instead from the King Arthur Flour website. That's becoming my go-to recipe when I've eaten all of the grocery store bread I've bought.
-O. Pelaez

Summer thoughts

I can't believe I've gone on so long without posting anything new here... No, no. Actually, I can believe it as I've gone through these little dry periods on my blog before. I, also, haven't done any personal sketching in quite a while. There is the one cat painting I made for myself that I recently posted onto my Facebook page. Aside from that, I'm knitting, working on commissions, and baking a lot. In particular, I've started keeping my own sourdough starter in order to make delicious things such as bread, waffles, pizza crust, etc. I dislike this summer heat that's happening, but I do love the summer corn that's in season.

-O. Pelaez

There's a special time in a boy's life...

My babies are both boys and sometimes they like to lick each other. :D I think it's so cute.

Sketchbook drawing.
Micron pen.
- O. Pelaez

Romantic

I had been meaning to upload new sketches for some time, but I kept forgetting. Here's a recent one from my sketchbook. It's some fan art from the anime Junjou Romantica. I'd recently been focusing on my black and white work so it felt strange coloring this piece.

Pen and digital colors.
-O. Pelaez

Cake

A sketch. Fan art. Kobeni from "Engaged to the Unidentified."
Pen on paper with digital colors.
O. Pelaez

Studies

 

Still life studies.
Pencil on paper.

-O. Pelaez

2015

The first sketches of 2015.
Pencil on paper.
-O. Pelaez

Happy Holidays

Random character sketch.

Pen and digital.
:)

-O. Pelaez

Christmas

He kept trying to steal the plastic candy cane ornament. Oh, that rascal.

-O.Pelaez

Hrm

When it's cold, when I'm sick, or in pain I like to stay bundled up in bed. Though that feeling generally only lasts for a short while before I get that itch to get up and get some work done. I'm currently working on various commissions and a new cowl for my winter wardrobe.

I want to mention that I'm super happy to see my Etsy shop has 300 followers! I just think that's pretty awesome.

-O. Pelaez

Winter

Winter...
Pen and watercolors.
-O. Pelaez

Okami-san

Fan art of Ryoko Okami from Okami-san and Her Seven Companions.
Pen and digital.

-O. Pelaez

Princess Jellyfish

Some fan art of Tsukimi and Clara from Princess Jellyfish.
Pen and digital.

-O. Pelaez

Warrior Princess

Pen on paper.

I think Xena is so cool!!!
Here is a sketch of her and of Gabrielle, too. I thought about Xena from seeing the photo of the re-designed Wonder Woman for the new Batman/Superman movie yet to come out. Diana's outfit reminded me a lot of Xena.

-O. Pelaez

Squirrel

Pen and watercolors.

Testing out different paper.
-O.Pelaez

Yarn Diet

Almost half the year is gone and I'm really happy that I've been sticking with my yarn diet. I told myself I wouldn't buy any new yarn for this entire year.

It hasn't been easy with some of my favorite stores having sales recently. I've tempted myself a few times and even visited my local yarn shops twice so far but I haven't made a purchase yet. Some easy things to help me stay focused are

1. Not finding colors that I like for sale.

2. Picturing my current stash in my mind which reminds me that I still own plenty of yarn.

I might not make it through the entire year just because I know I like to buy a skein or two come the fall but I'll see if I can hold out.

-O. Pelaez

Two Cartoons

I love watching these shows. My significant other had the idea that it would be great if I drew our cat in the same style as Regular Show.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!

After I finished that sketch, I really wanted to draw our cat in a style of another favorite show of ours.

He's adorable. :D
-O.Pelaez

Sherlock

I am SHERlocked. :D

I love watching the BBC Sherlock series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. I think it's ironic that I'm into watching it because I had, some time ago, illustrated a short comic titled, "The Fangirl's Tale" written by Pat Shand that was about the series. At that time, I hadn't seen a thing about the series except for some promotional material. I thought I would not like the show and yet here I am so thoroughly enjoying it (after I had randomly come across it on t.v. earlier this year.)

I think the two actors work brilliantly together. I love the fact that they are both in The Hobbit, too, and I can't wait to see the third part of that trilogy come out.

-O. Pelaez