Discover Issue 12

Issue 12 is all about food.

One story was about food allergies.

I used Illustrator for this one.

Another was about how we sometimes want

more than we can handle, especially dessert.

I did this with PhotoShop.

Discover can be ordered here.

Do check it out!

Wrapped around a finger...

I've been working on a new book with author Asma Zaman,

with whom I collaborated on an earlier book featuring 

twin brothers Muhammed and Musa.

This new book is also about them.

And how they get into trouble.

The illustrations are a long way from being done,

but these are a few initial sketches I made:

I'm hoping I can do more soon!

Meanwhile, here's a ring a while ago,

using a bezel base this time.

I'm working on a technique that will allow me to

create the textured look I like, while minimizing frayed edges.

Hence the bezel - it keeps the textile work contained in the frame.

The bezel is from Michael's, but I'm hoping

to find something a little more ornate.

Still, it was great to work on something different.

This particular piece already belongs to a new owner.

More coming soon!

Funky fabric jewelry - Samara

I really enjoy working with fabric and textiles :)

And beads.

And whatever else I can find.

 Here I've used a bracelet remnant

and an old drop pendant stone.

They're both about 20 years old.

I've yet to give this piece a chain to 

complete it as a necklace.

Or it could be used as a brooch.

Discover's latest issue

Eid!

Coming soon....

Something In The Wind

Some day I'll post some jewelry pics...

Late spring in Southern Ontario = very nice.

All I want to do is sit outdoors in the cool breeze.

But actually, I'm not really.  Well, not that much.

But there is so much other outdoor stuff going on, 

especially with the NanoBot

(since we're not in the school system)

that it evens out anyways.

But...I do have illustration deadlines.

And I AM trying to work on them.

And I have TONS of pictures that I need to upload,

only not the time to go through them all

and make them web-ready.

Some of them being pics of my fabric jewelry

(made ages ago but still trapped in my camera).

One day soon... :)

Meanwhile, here's a painting (also made a while back).

I call it Rain and the Beachmat.

The NanoBot thinks I made beans falling out of the sky.

Maybe I did?

Upon a Beam of Moonlight

***Please like me on my new Facebook page!***
www.facebook.com/azramomin
Thank you!!!



My latest venture was with first-time author, Lisa Torres.

It's called Upon A Beam Of Moonlight.

"Lisa Torres is a Heilkunst practitioner who specializes in holistic family care,

abuse recovery and travel health. Her international practice based in Ottawa,

Canada, serves women and mothers in English, French, and Spanish.

Her journey thus far has led her around the world and back and from

sickness and despair to health and love. While she previously lived by default

she now lives by inspired design with her beloved husband

and two phenomenal children." 

Simply put - just a story about a girl and a box.

As it says on the book blurb:

A daddy has a little girl.

He also has a box.

He loves his little girl,

and he loves his box.

Can he get the girl

to love the box too?

What if she can’t?

Can they ever be happy?

Behind the quirky illustrations

is a tale of love and acceptance.

I like the universal message of the book.

And that it's for everyone, young and old.

Lisa is working on French and Spanish editions as well.

For more about her Hielkunst practice,

visit her website www.healn.org.

The book is available here as pdf or hard copy,

or you can download it to your iPad right here.

Book and bugs

This book was a long time in the making,

but now it's done and ready for printing.

Here's the cover:

And the very last page:

It's always great to wrap up a project!

With the weather so beautiful now

I can hardly bear to stay indoors for long.

The NanoBot is out all the time,

'making observations', as as she says,

of her beloved bugs.

She has a whole booklet worth of mental notes

about potato bugs, for instance.

By the way, when we say potato bugs,

we mean the cute little pill bugs that like

to roll up in a ball, not the other kind of

potato bug that actually infests potato plants.

Apparently, baby potato bugs have white legs.

I didn't know!

But we looked them up and discovered that 

the babies are in fact all white when they are born.

Like so:

Neat, aren't they?

Discover Issue 8

This story is all about patience and gratitude,

and ease after difficulty.

The kind of reminders we ALL need...

only it's kinda hard when you come home from school 

to a twin-engined, turbo-powered destruction machine,

and MOMMY ISN'T AROUND

to pick up the mess!!!

(It was a great story to illustrate.)

Another tiny painting

Acrylics on a piece of magazine paper.

Can you spot the magazine text?

If Only I Could Paint Like This...

My just-turned nine niece, who excels in academics,

won yet another award - this time for painting.

Although I didn't get to see the painting while I was in Houston

(it's touring the city as part of a rodeo festival there)

I'm glad I could see pictures of it.

There's something magical about how kids paint,

don't you agree? 

I love how my niece used purple

(who would have thought?) on the horse,

and how she outlined the fence with red.

It makes the painting really special, I think!

One from the archives

I have three books I need to be working on,

and I've only started on one so far.

Looking through my old files for ideas, 

I came across this:

I drew it all with my mouse!

I quite like it now.

It's....atmospheric, isn't it?

Maybe I'll make more of these.

Maybe I'll make more of these 

and I'll make them in fabric!

I even have it in a different colorway.

But the books...!!!!!

No Ordinary Day