"Don't Forget the Small Stuff This Year"

M's article ""Don't Forget the Small Stuff This Year" just got published on Smashing Magazine.

This article is a useful checklist for the new year with reminders such as backing up your work on an external drive to cleaning up the "visual clutter" that surrounds you each and every day. M hopes you find the article helpful!

This doggie is off to put away some knick-knacks which are causing considerable "visual clutter." Don't worry though, my Hans Solo and my Edward Scissorhands Munny are staying put.

If you get a chance, check out the article "Don't Forget the Small Stuff This Year" at Smashing Magazine and leave a comment!


Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Toto, We're Not in Kansas, Right?

Yesterday we had not one but two tornado warnings in Orange County.

This is not ordinary at all for So Cal. Not only did we have warnings for a tornado, but the tornados touched down in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach! Watching the "purple" eye of the tornado move from Catalina Island and then inland was intense. The weather changed quite fast. One minute we had light sprinkles with sunlight streaming through the clouds. Then just a minute or two later at about 1:20pm PST the skies darkened and the rain increased dramatically.

In our area we could hear thunder off in the distance. The sound rattled the windows in the studio.

I'm a big fan of the film The Wizard of Oz, but I'm not hoping for a repeat performance in Orange County anytime soon.

In comparison to the weather back east and other worldly events, we're all counting our blessings.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Some Helpful Adobe Illustrator Articles

Are you just starting to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator? The other day I remembered about the first time M was able to drag the handles on each anchor point as M was using the pen tool. Now, this seems so easy now, but way back then, it was amazing! M was so excited. Something so simple made her smile from ear-to-ear.

This brings me to the importance of tutorials. Designers take the time to write and post them online. So, let's make use of these useful lessons that take no longer than a few spare hours. M & M love tutorials! You never know when you'll find a new trick (zig zag makes a great starburst!) to add to your set of skills. Plus, it keeps their art fresh. M & M experiment with new styles. And even if they don't learn something new, those two have fun practicing!

Here are some interesting articles with tips and tons of tutorials for Adobe Illustrator:

Illustrator Tip: Live Trace


125+ Ultimate Round-Up of Illustrator Tutorials


20 Basic Illustrator Tutorials Every Beginner Should See

and a little article M wrote awhile back:

Back-to-School With 40 Excellent Adobe Illustrator Tutorials


Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)