ten o'clock crazy

On Wednesday, this house-which usually gets crazy at three o'clock- got a head start on crazy when my mother delivered my nephews to me for a couple of hours in the morning while she attended to critical business. Mama was getting her hair did. The Baby was overjoyed to be back in the company of her cousins. And, my wish to spend more time with my nephews-who had, until two weeks ago, lived thousands of miles away-was fulfilled.

When toddlers congregate, they seem to multiply, quite rapidly. They are omnipresent. They grow 8 tentacles- and stretch said appendages to reach all four corners of a room. At one point- all three kids broke out into a hybrid tribal/ zombie dance- to music only the three of them could hear. Visiting toddlers are the best child safety experts- they are quick to point out the little spots in your home which leave a toddler vulnerable to danger and leave your home exposed to a toddler attack. They ask for things you have no possible way of producing for them- like 'teeny tiny little giraffes and hippos'- which I later found out might have meant 'crickets and grasshoppers' in Princess Commando's terrarium. Toddlers, also, give your IKEA Tullsta armchair the most action it has ever seen in its 8 years of existence.

But, then they sucker punch you with some divine sweetness. 

These two dragged the blanket up to the armchair, scooted underneath it, made a little nest and just smiled at each other for 15 minutes straight.

Happy Friday!

I was trying a half tone treatment on the toddler illustration. Not sure if I like it for this type of illustration. But, I was pointed in the direction of the online tutorial months ago and I've been meaning to try it. This is the first tutorial I've managed to sit through from beginning to end without scrapping the project-and which yielded the result that I expected. If you are interested, you can find the tutorial here.