April 26th, 2025
My daughter Penny brought these crafty guys I drew to life!
I just thought it was cute is all.
The drawing is from A Week Is.
April 19, 2025
Enjoying Spring
Working Hard
Sabbath Art
Happy Easter!
I have been thoroughly enjoying the fact that spring has finally sprung and am trying to drink it all in.
I have started watching my neighbors, a three-year-old little girl and three-month-old little boy. They fit right in with my own children I have at home and we have been going on hikes, adventures, and doing schoolwork outside whenever possible. It hard work but it is all very satisfying in deep, meaningful, worthy ways.
I have also been working hard on my next book A Day Is. It is coming along. It has been difficult at times to keep going. I have learned starting is the hardest part. If I can get pencil to paper every day, early in the day, I can draw whatever my heart desires. It is the starting that is key so I have committed to just that. I put pencil to paper every day and do not care how far I get in the actual drawing. Nine times out of ten I do finish.
Every day, that is, except the Sabbath. As a family, we have been prioritizing the idea of a Sabbath more these past few months. It is simply a day of rest, nothing fancy or legalistic. A day to stop, worship, enjoy. We eat yummy food, nap, read, play, walk, spend time together. It has been wonderful, like a mini vacation each week without all the stressful planning involved in a real vacation. I highly recommend taking a Sabbath, a day of rest more seriously in your life if you can, in whatever way you can. It is such a gift.
Anyway, sometimes I feel like drawing on the Sabbath, working on my book, so I do. Sometimes I don't, so I don't. I am a creative person though and I will always find creating to be fun, playful, and relaxing so I often make something on my Sabbath. It has been rewarding to make art with no end goal on these special days. I don't have to care if it is good or has any value to anyone but me.
A watercolor because watercolor is fun even though I have never been very good at it.
I have been working on this memory quilt made from scraps from my children's old baby clothes. It is almost ready to quilt, right in time for warmer weather which is the worst time to quilt a big blanket. Oh well.
Today's art project of course, was dying Easter eggs. We dyed some eggs and also jumbo marshmallows because eggs are still so expensive. The kids prefer dying the eggs but eating the marshmallows.
Have a happy Easter. He is risen indeed!
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March 13, 2025
A Well Overdue Update
It's been a minute. Do you want the bad news or the good news first? ... The bad news? Ok. The Legend of the Donkey Knight Kickstarter did not get fully funded. Womp womp. The Tomans did not have the money to pay me for the remainder of the project without this Kickstarter money so I will not be brining it to life or at least not yet. Maybe some day. Who knows. This was a sad blow. I fell in love with the characters more and more as I worked out the details. I am still very grateful for the opportunity and learned so much along the way and in the process.
Now the good news! I finished A Week Is! I am awaiting my hard copies but it is currently available though Amazon along with all my other books.
On with the next! I cannot wait to have the complete set finished. Soon!
Other good news: Spring!!!
January 7th, 2025
New Design!
We had a ton of snow here in KY the last few days and when I wasn't mopping up melted snow, bundling or unbundling my children from layers of snow gear, or sledding down our back hill myself, I have been working on this cute little love design that has been in my mind for months. I wanted to get it done with plenty of time for Valentine's Day. Enjoy!
January 4th, 2025
Happy 2025!
The Kickstarter for The Donkey Knight is up and running! It only runs for a short while so show your support of this project today!
Also, A Year Is is now available through the Redeeming Family Press online store. I am so blessed to partner with Amy and Jacob as they strive to get sound Biblical materials into as many hands as possible.
I am not one to make any New Year's resolutions but the self-help, "New year, new you" stuff is everywhere. I have come across two things have resonated with me.
One, the above picture which by the way, I did not draw. It is more like writing/drawing for me but I love the simple truth portrayed in it. I think I am going to make it my desktop background. I have been trying and failing to teach my so the concept wrapped up in this illustration for years.
Two, the idea of doing things for tomorrow you. How can I lighten tomorrow Andrea's load? Is doing _______ hurting or helping tomorrow Andrea? It is kind of obvious but this helps me look at making good choices in a new way I guess. It is the why behind trying to make good habits. I think I like it because it actually removes me from the equation in a way. Yesterday Andrea is gone. Today Andrea will soon be gone. Her feelings, wants aren't really that important in the long run. Tomorrow Andrea, either actual tomorrow or 88-year-old tomorrow Andrea will thank today Andrea for taking a walk, eating well, saving, caring well for relationships, etc. I like it.
In light of all that I am trying to work hard for tomorrow Andrea capturing my thoughts in writing and drawing. I have, of course, been working on The Donkey Knight. I am also working on A Week Is and I have a new design I am working on for my Etsy shop that will be perfect for Valentine's day and available soon. Wow, thanks for reading this far.
December 11th, 2024
Busy Busy Busy
I have been busy and not just in the normal December ways. Although, yes, I have definitely been busy with all the Christmas stuff too.
I am very excited about my new opportunity to partner with the Tomans at Redeeming Family. I am working on illustrating a graphic novel for them. The Kickstarter is set to start in January so look for updates.
Also, A Year Is will soon be available through the Redeeming Family Press online store. Yay!
I hope to add a store to this website soon so you can directly buy from here. Again yay!
I have started a new ongoing attempt to donate books to children. If you are interested in helping out, message me at shepherdharvestdesign@gmail.com
Last but certainly not least, I got more fan art! I love it. Keep it coming!
November 12th, 2024
A Year Is
This book is a dream come true. It was years in the making. I just didn't realize it.
I love the changing of the seasons! I always have. As a little girl, I was the one in our family to spur on the lifting of the next calendar page, the packing away, the putting out new seasonal décor. It has always been a simple excitement to me. It has become a simple act of worship.
I draw and draw and draw. I journal nearly daily and on just about every page, there is some small memento of the season. A flower in spring, a shell in summer, a pumpkin in autumn, a pinecone in winter. My journals are mostly my prayers. I daily thank God for the many good gifts He has given. Drawing a bit of holly or a lady bug is quiet way to say, "Thank you God for this beautiful world You have created."
The result is journals and journals full of leaves, critters, and simple, little nature drawings. I have vaguely daydreamed about some day making a calendar or a fill-in journal out of these drawings but until recently I had no idea how. Who knows maybe I will make those but it occurred to me I could put together a book for children to learn their months. For one reason or another my own children struggled in learning the order of the year. We are probably not alone in this.
It was meant to be just a fun, pretty way to learn October comes after September in the fall but it quickly became apparent there is a bigger lesson here to be taught. God is in control of the seasons. He is in control of all our years, all our time, all our lives. God is sovereign. Teaching this big truth to little children would have been somewhat daunting but it rolled out in a fun easy way and rather quickly too since I already had almost every drawing.
God is in control but we are responsible for our actions. We are made with the purpose of worshiping Him and how we live our limited lives matters. Again, a hard subject to teach kids but even children need to know our time is a precious fleeting gift and we need to be wise in how we live it out.
Now, don't you be daunted. This book really is wonderful for all ages, it can be read through in a light fluffy manner, merely hinting at deeper truths. With older children and even adults, there is depth to contemplate and scripture too.
A Year Is is the first book of the Teach Us to Number Our Days series. I am currently working on A Week Is and there will be A Day Is too. These will have a similar rhythm of practical teaching alongside deeper meaning.
I have a dedicated "month shelf" on the bookshelf in our living room. It is lower, so little hands can reach and touch. I change it out monthly with toys and books related to the month. This is also where I put books about the seasons. I have quite a few due to my love of the subject matter. It is a joy, a dream come true to officially add my book to this shelf.
November 3rd, 2024
New book, ZOOM shirt, and a cute story.
My friend discovered I made another book and was asking about it. I am waiting for my hard copies still and have been quiet about it so far but I might as well introduce it here. A Year Is is a book describing the seasons and months. It is meant to teach littles these important concepts with beautiful Bible verses and pretty pictures. It is about the flow of the year and the sovereignty of God. Even children need to understand our time is limited and we should use that time wisely.
So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12
A Year Is is the first of three books in the Teach Us to Number Our Days series I am working on. There will be A Week Is and A Day Is. They are for children but I know adults will love them too.
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The cute story: my friend, with guilt on her face, confessed her grandson drew with pen all over his copy of ZOOM. He was saying "Beeee! Beeee! Beeee!" as he was doing it. I smiled. I obviously have a true fan.
November 2nd, 2024
Our sweet little book signing party
I would say it was an overall success. Although it is still weird to sign a book, I got to hang out with many of my favorite people. I feel extremely blessed.
October 20th, 2024
ZOOM copies are here and upcoming book signing party
My hard copies of ZOOM are here, they're beautiful, and going fast! Local friends, let me know if I can get you a copy.
Also, for my local friends, we are having a book signing party to celebrate Grace and my first book, He Sees Me.
Friday, November 1st 10:30 - noon
Grace Fellowship Church
1800 Declaration Dr.
Independence, KY 41051
Stop on by!
October 17th, 2024
I'm an illustrator!
It is all still a little unbelievable.
Grace Snatchko wrote a book about a year ago and over the past summer I illustrated it. He Sees Me is officially a book! People have even bought copies! Children have already been inspired! Two little girls have made a book of their own in response! This is beyond wonderful! More, than I could have hoped for. I am so grateful for this opportunity, this reality.
The illustrating process was so fun I decided to continue. I brought to life the wordless book ZOOM. It is available on Amazon and I am awaiting my hard copies to distribute to friends as I write this.
I have been working on more books. I am not far from finished with a new one.
Like I said, it is still all a little unbelievable. Somehow I fell backward into becoming an illustrator and could not be more pleased with this twist God has brought about in my life.
P.S. Wait, I'm and illustrator and an author! Whoa! ZOOM is a wordless book but that still counts.
