I've got the March Blues GIVEAWAY!!!

I'm taking yet another page out of Ms. Mori's book (visit her here.) And giving away some art. I wrote and hand-painted a series of poems from my book and would like to give this one away to one of my new blog friends. Write a comment- any comment at all- good, bad, I'll still throw your name in the draw. I'll pick a winner on Friday afternoon. Anyone is welcome to join in.

The poem is Far Away. Comes with a navy blue mat and hot pink metallic frame.

Far Away in a foreign land
sits a queen who leads
with an iron hand.
She rules her people
with force and fear
its simply awful,
that's why we live here.

Personal and not-so-Confidential.

A very brilliant and beautiful friend (DM) pointed out that I have very little personal information on my blog. This was not intentional- more a result of putting absolutely everything on Facebook.
So here it goes for my new blog friends. But enough about me, lets talk about me...

11 Things You Don't Know About Lisa Graves
1. I am a gambling fool. Casinos, Scratch Tickets, Keno, anything but sports.
2. I am a Harry Potter FANatic. I've read all 7 books at least 4 times each and fought my husband to name our children Phinneaus (as in Phinneaus Nigellus Black) and Hermione. My next dog will be named either Ludo Bagman, Mundungus Fletcher, or Argus. I also use a very obscure HP name on Facebook.
3. I have been proposed to 4 times, twice at the same restaurant in Carmel, CA. This is more about being "fun on vacation" as opposed to being "good wife material".
4. Full-time illustrating is fairly new to me. I was a Creative Director in New York for 10 years and after a long evaluation of what made me happiest- Illustration won. This causes me to constantly feel like a poser.
5. Ever since watching Poltergeist- I have to jump into my bed from 4 ft. out for fear of the clown grabbing my ankle. I also won't get out of bed between 3 and 4am because its the "witching hour" and one should never wander around a 150-year-old New England house at that hour anyway.
6. For me, playing the piano is like therapy. Its also a lot cheaper than a shrink. I recently got my childhood piano back and just the sight of it made me cry.
7. I would rather have a root canal than get on a treadmill or a stairmaster- but I'd play Volleyball 7 days a week if I could. Because of this- I'm putting in a REAL vb court next month... an outdoor one of course.
8. I was once kicked out of a playgroup for being too "abrasive" for the other mothers, ahem-stepford wives.
9. One of my ex-boyfriends still refers to me as 'the one that got away' and man oh man do I like that.
10. Despite my love for easy comfort food, I am a very skilled chef and took some amazing classes at the CIA in upstate New York.
11. My bucket list consists of several things such as a seeing a tornado, visiting Machu Picchu, the Amalfi Coast and the Yangtze River. I'd also like to speak fluent Italian, study cooking in Bordeaux, and write another book.

And of course- an illustration to go with...

Another Entry

I can't stop thinking about this blog- They Draw and Cook. Its really helped me "get my groove on" so to speak. I've made this recipe a thousand times, and still laugh at the name. I don't know if they'll accept this particular entry, since I have once posted already- but it was still fun to do, if anything as a practice run for styles, colors, and techniques. I set my own deadline and got it all down in less than 3 hours.

Illustration Friday: Subterranean

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Subterranean." Mudge is a wee bit miffed that his top secret hiding spots have been exposed.

new business

We've redesigned, refocused, and rebuilt. Visit the site HERE.

time flies.

I stumbled across this photo in my "random things I like" file. It was taken 4+ years ago by a great photographer, John Rizzo. Every time I look at this picture, my eyes well up. Finn is going to be 5 in June and I still think of him as that little baby falling asleep on my belly the first night he was born.  He's quite the little artist and has a specialty: Transformers, Ironman, and Spiderman.

Illustration Friday: BRAVE

There are days when I really wish it was okay to leave the house in nothing but a tank top and a tutu. But as a 38-year-old mother of two, I'm quite certain this would cause some very awkward moments at pre-school pick-up. I feel the same way about lederhosen and leg warmers. hmph. I'm definitely putting pink streaks back in my hair next week- if anyone asks, I'll chalk it up to a mid-life crisis. Hair dye is way cheaper than a corvette.

The Draw and Cook entry!

My new favorite blog accepted one of my illustrations- what a fun fun fun project.  FOOD illustrations! Check it out here. I was floored by Mike Roberston's illustration- be sure to scroll down and see it.
This recipe was a staple- along with Pastina cooked in chicken broth. Ha! Ahh... the good ol' days (they really weren't that good were they?)

Monday Art Day: Circus

I actually asked for a unicycle one year for Christmas. It was the coolest bike on the block... if you're a total nerd! Oh Howard- I feel for you. I really do.