(Not So) Recent Design Work: a Book Cover for Jack Weyland’s “Cameron Meets Madison”

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Hmph. I know that title should be italicized but I can’t find in my WordPress where it will allow you make it italic (there’s no place for HTML encoding or formatting of any kind). Oh well. Please forgive me, dear readers who might possibly care (cough, cough). I know I’m the only one who probably cares about such things considering I is (sic) an English major and all.

So I’ve decided to go back through some old work and post it on here so this blog can include more of the graphic design I’ve done over the years. Someday I’ll get that professional site up, but blogging is way more fun. Here’s a cover I did a year or two ago for Jack Weyland’s book entitled Cameron Meets Madison. The publisher had strict instructions to make it similar to his other bestselling works but I wanted it to look a bit fresher and I think it hits the mark. I have not read it — yet — but if you have, let me know your thoughts either here or on goodreads.

Jack’s First Swim Meet

My kids teach me something every single day. Although most days it’s just a new level of patience! Today, though, Jack taught me to not underestimate his ability. He started swim team not knowing anything about swimming and today swam across the pool both freestyle and backstroke – and shaved nearly a minute off his time for each. While I had been worried about him participating because he’d surely come in last (and, truth be told, he only beat one kid), he was concentrating on what mattered most — getting there. He said, “I just got up on that stand and wanted to WIN!” He said he was at the other side before he even realized it so he didn’t have time to think about holding onto the ropes. Nothing like your own kid teaching you to have a winning attitude — whether you win or not! And, yes, that is a marker smiley face on his belly button. Small pleasures, people.

Kid Funnies – Jack at Church (again)

Don and I were irreverent in Sacrament Meeting. Why? Because after the bread was passed to Jack, he reached out and said in a loud voice, “I need more remembering!!!” If you don’t get it…think of the sacrament wording about REMEMBERING. Yes. I know. We couldn’t help it.

Jack Juice: A Tribute to a Wonderful 6 Year Old Boy!

I didn’t get a chance to write a special post about Jack for his birthday during all of the holiday hubbub. I wanted to write a note for each child’s birthday on what we love about them at this stage of their lives. Jack is all boy. Last Sunday my sister’s husband, Ron, watched Jack run down the hall at church. He ran into a woman in our branch that is usually sick and frail, but not old. Anyway, he bumped into her and kept going down the hall (backstory: he had received a candy bar certificate for his birthday in Primary and wanted to get it. Fast.). Ron, said that Jack turned on a dime, walked ALL THE WAY back down the hall, and of his own volition politely apologized and with complete sincerity asked her if she was okay. He didn’t just say sorry…he looked into her face and genuinely apologized. All without prompting! What a great kid! He still got his chocolate and we’ll take care of running down the halls some other time.

Some other things Jack is doing right now: His favorite word when he likes something is “chocoboolate” (pronounced chalk-uh-boo-law-tay). He is starting to be a real big brother to Ben. He shares his toys willingly almost all of the time. He really, really likes Star Wars. He was dying for Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em for Christmas. He just discovered computer games and likes Civilization. He is, at the moment, a picky eater and likes chocolate, yogurt, milk, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cereal and not much else. He will eat salad but no other vegetable. He is a fast runner with the cutest little muscles (he’s got the most muscle of all of our kids). He has faint downy hair all over his body – more hair than a 6 yr old should have. He’s the best reader in Kindergarten by far – at least a 2nd grade level – and taught himself to read. He wants his hands free so badly that he had a cut in his skin from not wearing his mittens in the cold weather. He sleeps with Pokemon cards and books (we discovered 9 books in his bed with him). He likes to pull pillowcases over his legs and crawl in and fall asleep. His nickname is “Jack Juice” ever since it was his preschool icon for his backpack and cubby. When he was little, he’d come over to be tickled and say “Torture me!” and taunt you to catch him. His favorite shoes are camo mocs and crocs. He likes to wake up early EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. He would stand up for the right in any situation; he was willing to rat out 3rd graders at school who killed Gabe’s slugs on the school bus. He can handle the money in Star Wars Monopoly (he adds and subtracts like a 2nd grader, too). He’s just an all-around great kid. I love his round nose, blue eyes, sandy blonde hair and freckles — it’s a killer combo. He is mischievous and sweet and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jack Turned Six Years Old!

Jack had a birthday waaay back on December 20th. He is happy to be six! He loved all of his Star Wars presents. He is our squeezy child. He is not fat at all but curls up into a ball and is just so fun to hug and squeeze. The other day he was mad at Cole and called him “fat and squeezy” and I told him that “squeezy” was a compliment. At least in my book.

Jack is a “Chick Magnet”

Jack has a shirt that says “chick magnet.” Normally we don’t have a huge appreciation for such masculine prowess displayed textually on a shirt but I had to make an exception. Jack is definitely all boy and this is how the conversation went:

Mom: Jack, this shirt says Chick Magnet.

Jack (putting on shirt): Now I’m a magnet for all chickens.

Mom: You know that chick really means ‘cute girl’, right?

Jack (furrowing his brow as if I’m mistaken and silly): Nooooo, it doesn’t! It means chicken. They bounce off you and the feathers stick.

I guess I can’t argue with that! He’s completely satisfied with being a magnet for chickens but not for girls. Pretty typical, I suppose for a 5 year old boy. I would have to worry otherwise…