Happy Thanksgiving!

Free print-and-fold pattern for your Thanksgiving Turkey card found on my origami website: http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-origami-turkey-card.html

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Hawaiian Hoary Bat

Halloween is around the corner. What better time is there to learn about Hawaii's only endemic land mammal, the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat or ʻōpeʻapeʻa?

I love following the HVNPS and all the good work they do. The last time I visited Kilauea, I was alarmed by the spread of Rapid 'Ohi'a Death--I saw 'apapane, but no 'i'iwi. Learn more about Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park at https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm and follow them on Instagram at hawaiivolcanoesnps (https://www.instagram.com/hawaiivolcanoesnps/).

Meet the ‘Ōpe’ape’a—Official State Land Mammal of the state of Hawai’i! About 10,000 years ago, a relative of the modern North American Hoary Bat crossed some 2,300 miles of ocean to the Hawaiian islands by the strength of its own leathery wings, becoming the only endemic land mammal in the state of Hawai’i…and then proceeded to shrink! This bat is now 30-40% smaller than the mainland species, with males weighing a meager 15-18g. And yet the ‘Ōpe’ape’a will fly more than 12 miles one-way in the course of a single night—that’s quite a distance for a 13-in. wingspan! Photos courtesy of Bryant Olsen and F. Bonaccorso #BatWeek #NPSbats #HVNP100

A photo posted by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (@hawaiivolcanoesnps) on Oct 25, 2016 at 1:58pm PDT

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Halloween Haunted House Origami Tutorial

Download my free Halloween Haunted House origami pattern at:
http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-haunted-house-origami.html

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Day 6 Illustration Challenge

I haven't been sticking to my goal of one a day, but I have been sticking to working as quickly as possible and finishing each illustration in a single sitting.


 

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Halloween Vampire Bat Origami Tutorial

Print and fold a Vampire Bat for Halloween! 

Free pattern available at http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2011/10/vampire-bat-origami.html.

 

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Day 4 Illustration Challenge

The Roxy illustration challenge continues! One of my favorite poses, a combo of "What did I do?" + "Talk to the Butt." #illustration

Here's the video of my process...

And once again, here's my dainty princess. That face says it all...she's clearly embarrassed by my sophomoric attempt to familiarize myself with a new medium.

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DAY 3 ILLUSTRATION CHALLENGE

Quick rendering of my niece...I loved the play of light in this underwater scene.

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Illustration Challenge: Week 1

I started off calling this "The Roxy Challenge."  My goal was to loosen up each day with a quick sketch of my bulldog, Roxy. She's funny, she's flatulent, and she sleeps 20 hours a day (mostly under my drafting table)--the perfect model for a children's book illustrator!

However, Roxy wanted no part of that modeling nonsense. She scratched. She fidgeted. She licked her toes. And she insisted on critiquing my work, nosing through all of my sketchbooks before finally resting her chin on my iPad.

Day 1

Day 2

Clearly, she's unimpressed with my work.

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