Sharky in St Kitts

We recently got back from St. Kitts, while on vacation we took a booze cruise snorkeling, without enough sunscreen. So needless to say, we spent the next day indoors. I of course couldn't just relax, so I watercolored this litte dude. 

He embodies my worse fear in the ocean. 

Dino-Wolf

This guy is making the best out of a situation.
©Melissa DiPeri

We fell hard, blissfully, in love

Coco is our 6 year old rescue dog (Corgi, German Shepherd, Bassett Hound) from Atlanta Pet Rescue, she is my best friend, my 2 year old niece's guardian, our foot warmer, little bear and sometimes a make believe villain. She came into our lives while looking for a totally different dog, we wanted a beagle I had stalked on the website. My husband brought me to the rescue center to pick up a new friend for my birthday. I had been monitoring the website for months, showing him every little pup and reading up on all their lives, and wishing I could take them all home. The beagle turned out to be very timid and seemed to be in need of a little more attention than my husband and I had could provide, with full time jobs and graduate school. Then I spotted Coco in the "big dog" pen, mind you she is 28lbs. She was laying in the middle of the room, with her big head, little legs sprawled out with all the massive dogs  playing around her, she paid them no mind. I said "that is Coco" noting I had seen her on the website, she was noticeable because her head is HUGE compared to her body. When I said her name, her big ears popped up, she grabbed a red ball and brought it over to the fence and dropped it at my husband's feet, he picked it up and threw it, she ran as fast as she could and brought it back and dropped it at our feet. We fell hard, in love, fast and blissfully. We asked to meet her, took her into the meet and greet room, and she put her paws on my shoulder and hugged me. It was over, we put in our paperwork, got her chipped and were out the door within a few hours. It really has been the best decision we have made, we love our pup.

We have some friends watch her sometimes when we go out of town for day trips. These friends get presents from Coco (usually their drink of choice or jewels); I had doubled up on the illustrations in one day to cut and paste and make it a little easier on me. 

©Melissa DiPeri

Images via personal instagram

Family gift hangtags

I did these for Christmas for my immediate family and their pets. Better late than never on posting these bad boys. It was a fun little project.

From top to bottom:

Clune's

Rumberger's

Boehly's

DiPeri's

Notice how my pup is with both sets of parents. They end up taking care of her a lot....my parents also have a beagle, she got lost in the scanner or something. 

©Melissa DiPeri

Clune Christmas Hangtags

This year I did illustrations of everyone in the family so that Christmas morning they would all know which package was theirs. Before I left, I thought I scanned everyone of them in but alas this is the only full family I had with me for the break. The rest of them will follow in the New Year!

©Melissa DiPeri

Little Red

This is the direction my next project is heading. Fairy tales, maybe even getting a little grim.

I finally got my Etsy shop up and running. Taking orders as of today:) Take a look. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SketchCharacter

©Melissa DiPeri

Rawr!

I have been having a hard time not having any more alphabets to do, so I am just doodling my favorites a lot, until I come up with another little illustration adventure.

©Melissa DiPeri

Character Letter a Day - Z - Zebra

Final illustration! Got the first batch ordered this morning and liking the way they are looking. Going to get the Etsy shop loaded up this weekend and taking orders next week:)

Z is for Zebra. Zara the Zebra.

Sad this project is over. What to do next?

©Melissa DiPeri

Character Letter a Day - Y -Yak

Completely got files ready for print and realized I hadn't illustrated this bad boy!

Y is for Yak. Yolanda the Yak.

Character Letter a Day - X - Xeme

X is for Xeme, yes it is actually an animal...talk about trying to find an animal that begins with X.
X is for Xyl (yes I made that name up).

Character Letter a Day - W - Walrus

W is for Walrus. Walt the Walrus (named after main character on breaking bad:)

Character Letter a Day - V - Vulture

V is for Vulture. Vanessa the Vulture.

Character Letter a Day - U - Urchin

U is for Urchin, Ulysses the Urchin.

Finally finished these little guys. Redoing the letters like the style of the letter A and then sending off to print!

Character Letter a Day - T - Turtle

T is for Turtle. Tosh the Turtle.

I will be away the rest of the week so rest of letters will be put up next week. Then I am done with this series!!!

Character/Letter a Day - S - Shark

S is for Shark. Sally the Shark.

Happy after long weekend Tuesday:)

Character/Letter a Day - Q - Quail

Q is for Quail. Quinn the Quail.

Character/Letter a Day - P - Pig

P is for Pig. Piggy the Pig...Piggy piggy piggy, can't you see....

Character/Letter a Day - O- Owl

O is for Owl. Ottis the Owl...

Character/Letter a Day - N - Narwhal

N is for Narwhal. Nancy the Narwhal (unicorn of the sea).

Character/Letter a Day- L - Lion

L is for Lion. Luda the Lion.