Friday, April 27, 2007

A Cake A Week


Jim just had a birthday, which gave me an excellent opportunity to bake a chocolate cake. Isn't it wonderful to have a chocolate cake in the house, a big, entire chocolate cake on a glass stand? There's just something about it. It's homey. If not for obvious reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea, I would always have a big, tall cake in the house. A cake a week, perhaps. Yum. I also love wrapping presents and making gift tags. It was a love of making gift tags that more or less gave rise to Laini's Ladies.

Here's Jim acting very suave with his some of his grown-up presents:

The Superman patch was from Leroy (the dog) and was accompanied by another patch that kindred nerds out there would perhaps recognize as the emblem of the Browncoats. Leroy thought these would look nice on Jim's computer bag. As for the Spiderman gift bag, that was from my parents and included, among other things, fancy pie-making gear that further establishes Jim as the go-to pie slave o' the family. Yay, pie!

I just got sample copies in the mail of the upcoming Cloth Paper Scissors magazine that has an interview with me about Laini's Ladies. Thank you Lesley Riley for thinking of me for that! The layout looks great!

And the marvelous Anahata is on the cover! Anahata and I met at the New York Stationery Show when I was wandering around with my Laini's Ladies on a big ring (like a jailer's key ring) and hoping to find a company who would license the art (and I did). She had a booth there, and her gorgeous art just grabbed me at once, more than anything else at that whole show, and it has only grown in fabulosity in the three or so years since.


To anyone who lives in the Topeka area, I will be speaking several times over the course of the day at the library next tuesday. The info is here.

And the Sunday Scribblings prompt this week is a good one: wings, one I will not be able to pass up. I just love wings TOO much. So join in! Write about wings! Have a great weekend, all.

19 comments:

Left-handed Trees... said...

A cake a week could get me into some serious trouble...happy b-day to your guy! Congrats on the interview, oh my--your global domination plans are really coming along now...
Love,
D.

heidi said...

just read your excited brand-new-book post! how wonderful!! you must be soooo excited. i will be the same exact way when (or if) mine happens. what a dream come true! the illustrations look gorgeous. can't wait to read it!

Fiona said...

Got my copy of CPS on Monday - yeah Anahata, Laini and Sacred Cake!I was reading the interview with you when my hubby walked in. He really likes your Ladies!For what's that worth (he does love his art)since he's a thorough pc geek!

Holly Loves Art said...

Congrats on your ladies in CPS... you know I'm a BIG fan of yours! I'm going to Stationery Show next month... are you going this year? Would be great to say hello since we didn't get to meet at ArtFest.

Jone said...

Topeka says that they can puchased books and have them autographed. How does that happpen? "Break a leg", next week. Enjoy the time there.

Anonymous said...

Oh! That is sooo funny! I was just reading the Rag and Bone blog and thought of you so I came to bring you the link and here we are side by side in the el Maggo! Cool! I haven't gotten my issue yet but I am so pumped! I had no idea we are in the same issue.

So you must go to this link:
http://ragandbone.com/blogger/

and scroll to the bottom about the money of Antarctica. I had no idea there was such a thing (Or a colony?) but it seemed like the sort of tale that would end up in one of your blogg stories. Or some strange currency one of your villains uses to buy children...I'm no writer. But I thought of ya!

meghan said...

Hey - Please pass on my happiest birthday yet wishes to Jim!!!

Laini, I just love how much is HAPPENING for you and about you and to you in the last little while. It's really inspiring!!

I'm a huge cake fan too... maybe we could do a cake-a-month instead. When I finally have a house instead of a teeny flat I am going to buy a really tall, really gorgeous cake stand!

have a wonderful time at your speaking engagements!!

xo

kelly rae said...

happy birthday jim!!
my sister is in that same issue of c.p.s.! she is jennifer valentine and i think she is in the What I Made section. oh, my. that issues is so full of wonderful art, like yours!
i am in portland and will be calling you guys SOON to schedule a date some time this week!!!
xoxoxo and congratulations!

January said...

Congrats on all of your success, Laini. You're an inspiration.

Are you speaking on the East Coast? Boston?

Anonymous said...

You are rocking! Gigs all over the place, who knew the children's book world was so much like a Madonna world tour (BTW a cake a week could easily be made up for by hours of energetic dancing or ass-kicking, have you thought of incorporating some action sequences into your book tour?)

I gotta get a Browncoat patch for my man, he's a Firefly/Serenity geek all the way...

Maryam in Marrakesh said...

Oh yay, for chocolate cakes and superman patches for grownups. I think I might like to live in your world!

Anonymous said...

visiting from jane poes; what a delightful blog!

Tinker said...

Happy Birthday to Jim! How lucky your family is to have a designated pie chef.

A cake a week sounds lovely in theory - but I dread to think what the reality might look like in the mirror.

Congratulations yet again - I am so looking forward to seeing your interview in Cloth Paper Scissors, Laini. This is all so cool!

Tracie Lyn Huskamp said...

Laini,

I am SO SORRY... I have missed hearing you speak and meeting you in person. I live in Wichita and might have been able to catch your lecture.

By day I have been working as a product designer/illustrator for over five years. I have developed my own line of Christmas ornaments, garlands, and other decor, but have wondered how to go about licensing my work. Your article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors was helpful.

Maybe I should try this approach.

Betty Carlson said...

A cake a week is a great idea. My family is dessert-deprived because I don't have a sweet tooth. (Yes, I'm a somewhat selfish cook.) But there is something about a nice cake being available for whatever time of the day...

Amber said...

Hmm, yes. I think it would be wonderous to have a cake looking lovely, all the time. And really, why not? I mean, if you only eat skinless chicken and wild rice the rest of the time for every meal, (okay, no chicken for breakfast. Just rice and skim milk and equil), couldn't you then have a sclice of cake everyday? and wouldn't it be worth it? I think maybe! ;)

Happy birthday to Jim!

:)

Rhonda the Stitchingnut said...

I absolutely love your Laini's Ladies card. Found them in Rockport, MA and have sent them for every occasion ever since. Just bought a bunch of the knitting ones. My friends are going to love them! Congrats on the interview ... a friend is sending the mag to me. You rock!

Alex S said...

What if you HAD to eat a cake every day because it was as nutritious as blueberries? This is a cruel world Fatty that would deny us your butterscotch cakes, your blueberry crisp cobblers, and your pizza. Cruel indeed! Glad you are back from Kansas and that you were in the noneye of the tornado!

Theo Trollbeads said...

Another person who inspired me to create him is Crystal Hanehan from Vintage by Crystal. I simply adore all her whimsical spun cotton and cotton batting creations!I'd be thrilled if you'd leave me some comments on what you thinik of my latest creations and tell me what are you working on at the moment?Now I have to leave you again and keep creating, it's a pity that the weekend is almost over and I have to hurry up to finish some more creations.