Poetry Is So Much More Than Words On A Page

I was just 15 years old when I started writing poetry. It was a time in my life when I was struggling to make sense of my emotions and the world around me. I felt lost, confused, and overwhelmed. Writing poetry was a way for me to express my feelings and emotions in a way that was free from constraints, rules, and limits. It was a place where I could feel comfortable letting my thoughts out into the world in a beautiful and creative way.

As I began to write more and more, I found that poetry had become much more than just a way to express myself. It had become a passion, a hobby, and even a form of therapy. Poetry allowed me to explore my innermost thoughts and feelings in a way that I never thought possible. It was a way for me to connect with others who had similar experiences and feelings, but who were unable to express them in their own words. Poetry helped me find my voice and, in turn, helped others find theirs too.

The beauty of poetry is that it can be interpreted by anyone who reads it in many different ways. Each individual reader can take something unique and personal from a poem, and it may mean something different to each person. For example, a poem about a bird could symbolize freedom and escape for one person, but for another person it could represent the sadness of being trapped. Poetry creates a space for interpretation that allows us to explore our own ideas and feelings on a deeper level.

For me, poetry has been a journey of self-discovery. It has allowed me to delve into the deepest parts of myself and explore the emotions and experiences that I have had throughout my life. Through writing poetry, I have been able to make sense of the world around me and understand my place in it. Poetry has given me the tools to express myself in a way that I never thought possible, and it has allowed me to connect with others on a personal and emotional level.

So, with that in mind, I invite you to take a journey with me through some of my own work below. I hope that my poetry can inspire you to explore your own emotions and experiences, and to see the beauty and dreaminess in the world around you.

If You Don’t Believe in Unicorns Than You Need to Read This Book

This book was my first book as an author AND illustrator. So it is extra special to me.
When I was younger, I dreamed of being a writer. But I also wanted to be a unicorn. So when I got older, and the time came for me to choose which one of those things I wanted to do more, it was no contest—I knew I just had to write about unicorns.

So what did this mean for my book? Well, first off: it meant that I wanted to prove to the world that unicorns are real. And second: it meant that it was going to be sparkly. Glitter is my favourite colour!

As you can see from the title of the book – Unicorns Are Real – I knew I wanted this book to be “factual.” I started with some basic questions:
What do unicorns eat?
How do they spend their days?
What are their interests and hobbies?
And so on and so forth.

From there, I just started writing down all kinds of things that popped into my head—and before I knew it, I had an entire book!
I wrote it in an hour and half or less, to be honest. I was inspired by the idea of how magical unicorns are and that we could all use some magic in our lives.
I just couldn’t get enough of magical creatures. When I finished writing the manuscript for Unicorns Are Real – I was so excited about it and realized this book would make a good series. I started making a list of other magical creatures that I would love to write about it. Creatures like dragons, mermaids and fairies. And those creatures went on to star in their own books! And poof – I had a four book series!

This was the first version of the cover!
Before submitting my manuscripts to my agent, I created a book dummy for Unicorns Are Real. A book dummy is a model of your children’s book. It is the entire book laid out with pictures in sketch form with the text. A dummy usually also includes 2-3 finished illustrations. It is made in the size that you want the final printed book to be.
I think that picture books are the most amazing form of storytelling – and the hardest. While they are created using words and images, they’re really a partnership between the two. As word counts drop, the illustrations have to carry more of the story, and things like page turns have to be concise. And since I was writing a board book, there were even less words than a traditional 32-page picture book. So the illustrations were that much more important.
A dummy is the best friend of any children’s book author/illustrator. It also helps anyone else who’s collaborating with you to see how text and illustrations work together on each spread. If you are both an author and illustrator, it is a must to submit a book dummy to publishers before they agree to signing you to a contract.
Once I had my completed dummy, I sent it off to my agent who started shopping it around to publishers. Random House quickly responded with interest!!
I was so excited I could poop!
Soon after, they came back with an offer: they wanted to publish all four of my books! I couldn’t believe it…I was going to be a published author AND illustrator!!!
The sketches that I had submitted for my book dummy actually went untouched. I think there was only one spread that I had to rework.

But… the final illustrations went through rounds and rounds of revisions before it turned into the book you see today. Although revisions can be a very stressful and time consuming thing – a part of me enjoys them.

Have you ever dealt with anxiety? If yes, what tools have helped you?

I have a question for you. Have you ever wondered what the Easter’s Bunny’s real name is? Or what his favourite food is? Well, that’s exactly what we’re gonna find out!

Today we are reading from a book that I wrote and illustrated called, If You Met the Easter Bunny.

Let’s hop to it!

5 Things You Should Know Before Pursuing An Art Licensing Deal

I love to illustrate kids’ books and characters for animation. But did you know I also license my art for a variety of products?

I’m especially obsessed with designing greeting cards and wrapping paper—and despite my husband’s complaints, I’ve collected a closet full of wrapping paper.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with companies like Mud Puppy, Hallmark, Merry Makers, Books to Bed and much more.

So you want to license your art? I get it. It’s a dream many artists have, and it can be a tricky process to navigate. Here are five things you should know before pursuing an art licensing deal.

1. Create a collection of work

I would recommend creating a collection of work to show manufacturers. Manufacturers are more likely to license your art if you show a collection of work rather than a single piece of art.

No matter what kind of collection you’re putting together—be it a series of prints or a set of greeting cards—make sure that the pieces compliment one another and fit together into an aesthetic whole.

For example, my first licensing deal was with a major greeting card manufacturer who loved my collection of birthday cards. They not only wanted one design, but they bought almost the whole collection!

2. Licensing is not the same as selling your work

When you license your work, you’re basically giving someone permission to use it commercially—they can use it on their products or in their ads as long as they pay you a fee for doing so. Selling your work, on the other hand, means that you’re giving up control over how it’s used and where it goes (and letting go of any profits from its sales).

3. Royalties are complicated—and often don’t happen at all!

Licensing deals usually involve a royalty payment for every product sold featuring your artwork, but there are lots of other factors that affect how much money you’ll actually see from a deal.

You can licence your art based on either a flat fee payment or on a royalty basis.

Flat Fee

With a flat fee license you receive money up front and won’t have to worry about how well the design sells to get further income from it. This payment method also tends to pay a higher flat fee than an advance you would get if you were to do a royalty basis payment. But you will not receive a royalty on any products sold with your design on it.

Royalty Basis

When working on a royalty basis you will be paid an advance upfront on top of receiving royalties with every product sold. In some instances you may not even receive an advance. If this happens, you will receive the royalty income sooner.

4. Licensing deals are often long-term commitments

When you’re looking to license your products or services, it’s important to make sure that you’re partnering with the right company. You might be asked to sign a contract that lasts for multiple years, so be sure that this is something you want to do before agreeing to a deal!

If you’re not sure whether or not a licensing deal is right for your brand, you can always ask a lawyer or an accountant for help.

5. You don’t need a gallery to sell your art

You don’t need a manufacturer to make money from selling your art—in fact, you don’t even need to sell it directly from your website! You can get paid by selling your work through companies like Redbubble or Zazzle, which will print and market it on t-shirts, phone cases, mugs… whatever you’d like!

I have my own Redbubble store where you can find a ton of my art used on a variety products. Like my most popular illustration “Dande’lion”!

Have you ever dealt with anxiety? If yes, what tools have helped you?

6 Tips For A Perfect Morning Routine To Start The Day Right

I’ve always been an early riser – even as a teenager. I wake up every morning with excitement coursing through my veins like a shot of matcha tea! That first sip of green tea is like a hug for my insides and it starts the day off right. An early morning routine has long been the most important part of my self-care practice and even more so since becoming a mom. As someone who deals with anxiety, it makes a noticeable difference in my mental health and I can always feel a difference in my mood when I skip it. It makes me a better mom, wife and an overall better human.

I’ve been getting up before the sunrise for years now, and while that’s not always easy—especially when you’re dealing with some serious sleep deprivation—I’ve found that it’s worth it. Here’s why:

1.) The earlier you get up, the more time you have to yourself. And that is life changing when you have kids. It gives me time alone to work on myself without distraction or interruption. Whether that means reading a book or practicing yoga or meditating, being alone with your thoughts helps ground yourself in your own mind and body.

2. It gives me much needed quiet time. As an introvert, I crave – no I NEED alone time. I’m also prone to sensory overload. Too much noise stresses me out. Quiet time allows me to enjoy some peace and serenity before all the crazy begins! It also gives me energy to face whatever the day brings.

3. It keeps me organized and more productive. The early morning is when I plan out my work day in detail, from the moment I wake up until 3pm. I’m a sucker for a good planner. There’s nothing better than flipping through the pages of my massive, leather-bound tome and seeing in black and white all the things I have to do that day. It’s like my brain is calm, and instead of jumping from one task to another or just staring at my computer screen in a daze, I can actually get something done! My planner also serves as a reminder when I’m feeling overwhelmed: “Don’t worry! You can do this!”

4. It creates time to work on my passion projects. As an artist, moving through my day without carving out time to work on projects that mean a lot to me but that I don’t have time for in my regular work day is really difficult. So this is usually when I will be writing or creating ideas for animation—things that are important to me but don’t make money directly (yet).

5. I sleep better at night. By waking up at the same time every morning, I find that I get sleepier earlier and have a better quality of sleep.

So let’s talk about some of the things I do for my morning routine that you might want to add to yours. Everyone’s ideal morning routine will be different, so the things on my list may not appeal to you, and that’s okay! Experiment with what works for you and remember that the key is consistency.

1. The first thing I do when I get out of bed is settling in my cozy office nook to meditate. I’ve been meditating for years. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself, and it’s saved me in more ways than I can count.

But Let’s be real: it’s not always easy. It took me YEARS to find a meditation routine that worked for me, and even now it’s still an evolving process. But, I got very serious with it during covid. I was going through the worst episode of insomnia in my life. I’ve struggled with sleep since my 20’s, but during covid was the worst it’s ever been. On top of covid, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and we were moving to a different city. So my stress level was the highest it has ever been. I had insomnia for 8 months. Some nights I wouldn’t even fall asleep. It was honestly the worst period of my life. But meditation and mindfulness saved me.

I started out doing short meditations at first—just five minutes a day. But eventually I got up to 12 minutes every morning. Twelve minutes seems to be my sweet spot: it’s what works best for me!

Meditation has not only become the most important part of my morning routine, but my life. And I can’t imagine life without it.

2. The next thing I do (and my most favouritest part) is get a delicious, comforting cup of green tea. I am a green tea addict. I love everything about it, the colour (reminds of me of plants), the smell (so earthy), and of course the taste. And to make it even more special, I drink from my favourite cup – which is always changing!

I have a collection of beautiful cups that I choose from. And the cup I choose changes with my mood. Lately my go to cup is this adorable knit mug. For anyone that knows me, I am addicted to knitting. Every time I use it, it feels like such a treat!

Have you ever dealt with anxiety? If yes, what tools have helped you?