Favorite Few

A quick peek at a few JK's I like this Christmas-Gifting season 

 

 

 

Happy Christmas Cupcake Ornaments

The Cupcake Christmas Ornament Collection

...began with pencil & a blank piece of paper...

The J&R Cupcake Ornament Collection debuted in stores across the nation this Christmas. I'm satisfied to see the sketches (24 chosen from over 50 conceptual pencil drawings) come to life in the retail world.

...here are a few conceptual & directive drawings...and the retail-ready results...

"Tree Treats" designed by JK for J&R Holiday Collection 2012

Sweater Print - Janel Kaden

Favorite 2012 Christmas Surface Design

Sweater Print - by Janel Kaden

Using only tiny squares, I designed a one color quick sweater-printish design. 

 Next, I set up the repeat and decide on the final color scheme.

Pattern. Design. Applied. Like.

...available this Christmas in cards, gift bags. tissue, gift wrap, etc... 

 Happy Christmas!

Sharing Thanks

I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends

 I am Thankful for my words-do-not-express-my-admiration-for-and-insanely-caring-compassionate friends

I am thankful for my Happy Hour of varietal wines and cocktails...

...to honor my friends...

 I am thankful for the little notes of thanks I had them write and pin on the counter's centerpieces. Reminding us how incredibly ah-mauh-zing our lives are.

I am thankful for sharenjoyment. share + enjoying the act of: sharenjoyment

Thankful for D.E.

 thankful for capturing. chef's. cool. cooking. color. combinations.

Happy Thanksgiving

GIVINGTHANKSGIVINGTHANKSGIVING

Give Thanks

Download and Enjoy (personal use only) 

Time is supposed to heal.

Time is lagging.

Time is grief’s worst enemy & ironically grief’s most loyal friend.

Strength of character is often developed through these trials of hardship. Cliché: because the most common certainty.

Giving thanks for heart and mind tangled by adversity and pain, takes enduring patience + hope. When the grief occurred, unexpectedly and unexplained, the devastated hopes and fears struck my heart crippled and paralyzed. Amidst the drowning hurt, I discovered giving thanks was my oxygen.

Instead of focusing on the disappeared, deceased and no-longer-exists, I focus on (sometimes stink-eye-ing) the distant light. Bright or dull, always a glimmering flame, ready to ignite the superfluous reasons I should-be / am / need-to-be grateful.

I can see color (Note, I can see.) I can walk across a busy street without a wheelchair. I can drive a car. I can run on the ever-changing edge of ocean. I can go home to a pantry full of food. I can call my father, and he will answer. I can walk without pain. I can brush my hair. I can make choices. I can hold my baby niece. I have a job, that pays me on time. I have friends I trust. I have siblings I admire. I have nice shoes, clean sheets and fresh water.

This week I spent moments thankful for moonlight reflecting and dancing on lagoon’s quiet water. I was thankful for safe travels. I was thankful for fresh lemon wedge in fizzling cocktail. I was thankful for warm sunshine in cold wind. I was thankful for uplifting text message. I was thankful for belly-laughter together with friends. I was thankful for peanut butter smoothie (thrice.) I was thankful for the impact of Romans 12:12. I was thankful for an overabundance of crisp hotel feather pillows. I was thankful for fresh flowers. I was thankful for existing, despite the pain of its definition.

Being thankful for things most often expected/taken-for-granted helps the dead heart breathe again.

So while time lags, I will continue to be thanksing.

Happy Giving Thanks.

Currently Working On - Holiday

Black / White / Gold

...Currently Working on Holiday Designs...

Behind the Design - Tween Surface Print by Janel Kaden

Behind the Design

{ BFF/LOL/TTYL/BRB Tween Surface Design }

...from sketchbook to screen to store shelves...

 above is the idea & beginning pen-and-ink-drawing from my sometimes scary sketchbook

 I scan the sketches, and begin redrawing, re-touching, re-designing each image in Photoshop. 

 I then add a background & begin painting the colorless sketches.

I throw the paint.

 ...taking a few moments to review the digital canvas...I finish the design by filling in gaps with hand drawn designs and (literal) splashes of color. Finished, it's ready for debut. YOLO!

(and this gift tote is part of the J&R Give Green Collection - printed on recycled paper using water-based inks, non-toxic UV varnish and adorned with a cotton handle)

- JK

Photoshoot Week - Photoshoot Freebie

Photoshoot Week Freebie

{ Download, Print, Sparkle & Enjoy the Pastel Chevron Stationery - for your Personal Use Only }

© JKaden 2012

this week: busy prepping time prepping style prepping

download and print the above stationery design from me to celebrate my freebie-photoshoot-week (2 up 5.5 in x 8.5 in finished cut size)

 ...Simply print, cut corners (the only time acceptable in an artist's world) fold or use flat, write a note and make someone's day unexpectedly enjoyable...

 

Happy Monday!

-JK

Behind the Design - Christmas Reindeer

Behind the Design - Cute Reindeer Christmas Gift Wrap

Whimsical / Cute / Playful / Reindeer Illustrated by Janel Kaden

How a Pattern Design was created for Jillson & Roberts' Gift Wrap Christmas Collection:

Always begin with hand-SKETCHES. I explored a few playful looking reindeer and then began to rebuild digitally.

 Step 1 build body with ears and freckles - someone  told me freckles are cute.

  Step 2 study slash look at a photograph of a real live, breathing maybe hunted and shot reindeer and examine if their is something a cartoony creature needs to convey its re-al-it-tee (a lighter, furry, boasting chest)

  Step 3 add antlers and highlights to the already everyone thinks are too cute freckles

  Step 4 create the face. this is where the sketches before hand will help direct the 'personality' of this cutefreckledeer.

 Step 5 add a scarf because cute animals are cuter with scarves and cuter-er with freckles.

then i applied the cute reindeer to the cute items in J&R's collection and made a great line for their customers/clients/people-in-need-of-the-cutest-reindeer-ever-under-their-Christmas-tree

Available in: Gift Bags, tissue, gift wrap, gift tags, money holders, padded mailing envelopes, and gift cards

And that's how it's done. Hope you enjoyed

-JK

Invitations - Cowgirl Baby Shower

Baby Shower Invites - Cowgirl & Pies

by Janel Kaden

 i designed and printed on thick card stock on 5.5" x8.5" paper

 And added custom addressed sticker labels for first impression effect

 embellished flowerband in hair with a pale yellow gemstone

cute pie-flags

& treat labels

-JK