Playground Springies (detail) by Debbie Styer 2013

I'm ready to start August anew! July flew by but I was able to get a lot done.

I finished my first of my writers series, Edgar Allan Poe.
I created new blog post and illustrations for "The Declaration of You! blog lovin' tour.
I entered the Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search, (see illustration above) I didn't get to the next level but, man, did I learn a lot. I'm definitely going to enter more illustration contests. Do any of you know of any good ones?

August is always an intense month for me. It's my birthday (hello 42!) and it is the crazy catch up/planning for the upcoming holiday season. I also need to figure out my next big career steps and change my direction a bit.

It has been difficult lately, as any freelancer know, jobs tend to ebb and flow, and I need to figure out how to get it all a bit more balanced if possible. Here's my business plans for August.

Design postcards to send to publishers.
Create dream lists of art directors and publications.
Learn best way to approach blogs about my work.
Finish book!
Design cover for book.
Create at least 2 new illustrations a week.
Blog 2x a week.
Help out with SFEtsy Bootcamp!
Increase hours at New Bohemia Signs.
Create a illustration logo!
Relax a bit and enjoy a mini vacation with my husband!

I think that gives me enough to do this month... Yeesh! Here's to a fabulous August! I hope you all get tons of work done!

What's The Meetup? Do you have any business goals to share? You are welcome to join us at The Meetup, where creative people join together online and encourage each other to share their goals and dreams each month. Sound interesting to you? You can find out more here.

It is really funny to me that some of the darkest and scariest stuff for children was done a over a hundred years ago. I guess the world was a more dangerous place and these folktales were used to keep the kids in their place. One of my next projects is to do a few illustration from the Brothers Grim. I love their work and it just blows me away how twisted their minds were. Even though most of the tales are pretty short there is a lot to be told between the words.

As an inspiration I have been looking at a lot of the illustration that goes along with these stories. My favorite illustrator of creepyness? Arthur Rackham. Although he was born over 100 years before me, it is amazing how much I feel connected to him and his art. Arthur is a huge inspiration in my life. I'm hoping that I too can get to the dark world that he comes from.

If you don't know him, here are a few examples of his work: