My Brush with a Celebrity (Artist)!

For Valentine's Day, my husband gifted me a a$50 GC to Jerry's Artarama, what a nice surprise! They have an online store, but they also have a huge location just a couple miles from our house. (I've been there before, it's where I got my Prismacolor pens I use to draw my stamp illustrations) While they don't carry crafty/stampy/scrappy things, they have a SERIOUS supply of things to COLOR with, so I had to run and redeeem my card for 10 Copics! I got there before the store opened and was sitting in my car waiitng when I looked over and noticed a man in his car also waiting, who I was sure I recognized (but didn't want to stare) The store opened and I QUICKLY forgot about this, as I had Copics to select! It took awhile (and I did wish I had done my homework on them just a wee bit more before I came!), but I ended up getting colors based on what the images I knew I'd be coloring A LOT for the next several weeks, whihc would be animals from my sets. I got a yellow(chick, giraffe), 2 browns(bunny, hippo, kangaroo), 2 greens(frog) a pink (flowers) and the aquas (water, shadows) plus the colorless blender (I will take a pic and list them tomorrow for you!) These colors will be nice for spring, too. :)


When I went to the counter to pay, THERE was the man I recognized before with some paint, so I had to ask, "Are you Joe McDermott??" Now if you live in Austin and you have kids, you know that Joe McDermott is one of the most popular (and our personal favorite) "kids" musicians in town! We've seen him play countless times at libraries, festivals etc and he always packs the house because of his hilarious songs that children and parents alike enjoy (and many of his songs are about animals! so you know I really dig 'em) There were plenty of times I could have stayed after the show to introduce myself(he's popular but it's not like he's got an entourage or anything) but in this setting I felt compelled to strike up aconversation. And it was him(I knew it) So then I HAD to ask what he was buying his paints for: turns out he's illustrating a book for one of his songs about a pet skunk named Stinky. So then I HAD to say, "I'M an illustrator, TOO!"* and started babbling about my new stamps and blog, gave him my card, dished about an illustrating class he's taking and recommended etc etc. What was so cool about this chance encounter: one of our favorite songs of Joe's is about a baby kangaroo, and I just drew one! HEE HEE!

Sample lyric:

"I think you should get a baby kangaroo

It might just be the perfect pet for you

They bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce

And they also hop"


but you really have to hear it for the full effect! (other faves are "I Got Stuck in an Elevator" and "Thank you, Mud" (not about animals, still funny!)


So if you want some songs your kids will LOVE and YOU won't mind hearing over and over (like some other children's groups that will not be named here), check out Joe McDermott's site, that's my TIP for today. And look for his books in the future, I guess!

So anyway, that's the story, I just love that kind of thing. (I don't consider myself a big networker, which is one reason I never had a booming SU! biz, but I definitely talk to strangers when my curiosity gets the better of me!) Maybe I need to start hanging around Jerry's more often now, mix and mingle in the local art scene, you know, start wearing a little beret and knot a scarf around my neck**

Yeah, ol' Joe probably had to call up a few of his friends and tell them he met ME, too... ***



ANYWAY, the card! I used my Copics here. I need practice with the blender. You can achieve lots of different shades with it, which saves money, but it can look blotchy if you overdo it...I'll keep working on it, I definitely like 'em though! I paperpieced the 'brella top with the background DP, using some of the adhesive DCVW DP I mentioned yesterday.

Thanks for hoppin' in! Contest details soon to come! And hey check it out: the Hoppy sightings are starting!! :)

*That was so freakin' cool to say!!!! the first time! :)

** Too much?? you're probably right


*** NOT! (I looked like a BAG LADY that day...) :(