Westrim Crafts

Every once in awhile I get a job that makes me step back and say..."I get paid for this?...Life's pretty good."

Westrim Crafts asked me to make large display pieces for their booth at the big Craft & Hobby Association Convention in Las Vegas next week. The display pieces are large versions of their soon to be "monster" themed craft kits.

Each finished monster is about 4' tall. The large chinese take out box is how the kits will be packaged. Not pictured are 3 other smaller pieces such as a pair of legs that will be poking out of one of the booth pillars. The challenge of this project was to try and mimic the small 3" high originals made of pipe cleaners, pom poms etc. I made the understructure out of wire so the "monsters" would be poseable like the originals. Thanks to my old co-worker and friend Kirk Scott for coming in at short notice to help me with the box as the deadline was approaching and Stefanie Gerard for hooking me up with the gig.

This was a fun project, somewhere between making giant action figures and muppets.

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My supervising producer on Stylelicious and Craftlab, Lisa Sichi, was at CHA and took the pics below of the Westrim booth at the show. Thanks Lisa!

My 5 weird habits

Ok I got hit with this from my friend JAG.

"TAG - you're it. I am tagging you to participate in a meme. The first player of this game starts with the topic five weird habits of yourself, and people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Don't forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says You have been tagged (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours."

What the heck...here they are...

1- I like to try and fit through pet doors.


2-I like to sing along to t.v. show themes.



3- I always forget to open shades or blinds when home during the day.


4- There is at least one moment everyday I think about being a superhero.


5- I am addicted to t.v documentaries about Bigfoot, Nessie, Yeti, etc.

Ode to Snails

I grew up in New York. I lived in Westchester County outside the city and spent many summer months exploring the forests upstate in the Catskill Mountains. As a kid I discovered giant black ants, salamanders, deer, raccoons, chipmunks, woodchucks, snakes, frogs, crayfish and the list could go on.

In all my kid naturalist adventures I never ever saw a snail! There were plenty of "slugs" but they are snails without a shell. I just thought a snail was like a 4 leaf clover...they exist but rare and impossible to find.

Then my family moved to Los Angeles. One evening in my parent's backyard... I saw a snail, with a huge shell crawling across the brick patio.

It was like I saw bigfoot or the loch ness monster! I ran looking for a camera but could not find, I yelled for family members to come witness but they were out for the evening! I was alone with this mythical beast!

I did not know in California, they were everywhere, ordinary...the norm.

Today, much of their mystery has been replaced with the everyday fear I might step on one and hear that horrible crunch under my feet coming home in the evening.

I saw my friend Jason (a recent North Carolina transplant) months back react the same way seeing one crawling across a sidewalk. So I know I'm not alone in once seeing the snail as a legend.

They are unique, funny and weird creatures that I still often stop to watch like a kid adventurer. Here are a few cartoons I did inspired by them.

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Cartoon-New Years

Childrens Book Portfolio I

These are 2 hidden picture children's books I illustrated for Checkerboard Press - The Great ABC Search and The Great 123 Search- published in 1991. Although out of print they can still be found on Amazon. Each book contained 20, 11'' x 16", watercolor and black ink, 2 page spreads illustrations.

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Christmas cards

I was asked to illustrate and design 2 cards this year. One for Vickie Howell of DIY's "Knitty Gritty" and one for the production company Screen Door Entertainment.

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Thursday cartoon

A Christmas story

This post is about my new inspiration in the new year.

Last spring the family took a trip to Disneyland. At the end of a long day just after riding the "Pirates of the Carribean" my 3 year old niece Devin was grumpy and tired. She started crying. In desperation, I purchased a small bag of plastic jewels at the gift shop. I gave them to her telling a story that I stole them from the pirates and they were looking for me and could she hide them for me. It worked ...she smiled again. For the next half hour she would see pirates and we would have to hide behind anything available including trashcans.

On that day a world of play and imagination was created between Devin and I that I never expected. Since then we have....

-run from tree to tree hiding from pirates walking to the corner Starbucks for chocolate milk.
- seen pirates while out to dinner on family events.
-claimed her and her parent's room as "pirate free" in a very complicated and surreal pre-school ritual I could not understand.
-vanquished pirates hiding in the dryer and washing machine at my house.
-had numerous battles with pirates hiding upstairs in Grandma and Papa's house.
-searched for treasure in her backyard.

According to Devin, pirates can be anywhere ...on top of lamps, in drawers, inbetween books on a shelf or under chairs.

Sometimes when I visit, I'll surprise her with store bought toy jewels or craft store decor glass I claim is stolen treasure from the dread Pirates.

What is fun is that Devin herself in a random moment (sometimes weeks apart) yells "pirate!" and the game begins. It has always warmed me inside that we share a special game. Then came last Saturday night...at Grandma and Papa's... Christmas eve.

Devin's Mom; my sister Megan, proudly announced that Devin had personally picked out and wrapped her gifts to everyone herself with no help from Mom.

Devin handed me her gift. I had to smile because a one armed monkey with no thumbs while drunk could have wrapped better, but I knew it was, in Devin's mind a "Martha Stewart" wrapping masterpiece.

Devin smiled at me as I looked upon this mass of pretty paper all twisted and crumpled with a lone bow dangling from the end secure with 10-15 layers of tape.

Devin said ...

"Dave...this to fight Pirates and get treasure...and bring home to me."

I unwrapped it and saw ...

Along with it's magic marker decor it had "runes" inscribed on it's hilt... my name and Devin's name in some ancient, backwards lettered language only spoken and understood by 3 year olds. I admit I started to tear up.

Megan explained they where at "jacklope" a unique and cool shop here in the Valley and Devin saw this wooden sword and wanted it for me.


Moments later Devin whispered to me...

"I saw pirates in Grandma and Papa's room!"

We went upstairs to once more battle pirates that Devin said were trying to steal Grandma's slippers... with my new sword at the ready!

No sword from the books of J.R.R. Tolkien is as powerfull, no sword since King Arthur's "excalibur" contains such magic.

This sword has reinforced what my Parents and family taught me but I have often forgotten; a single moment might define you in the mind of a person forever.

I will never forget... on that Christmas eve, I was a pirate slayer and treasure bringer to someone in this world.

Thank you Devin for reminding me to try and make my everyday choices and actions noble.

Character designs for unproduced Kid's show

HGTV Outer Spaces portfolio 1 -kid's playspaces

As art director on HGTV's Outer Spaces (see "links") I had some amazing creative opportunities. None better than occasional make overs that needed a kid's play area.


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Thanksgiving 2005

Cartoons-Whole Foods

So I ventured into the popular "Whole Foods" yesterday. I don't know if this chain is exclusive to L.A. It's a regular supermarket except for more eco-friendly and healthier products.

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Halloween portfolio 2005

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I once read that Walt Disney would get on his knees to see Disneyland from a child's perspective. I do as well (insert evil laugh here)!


During the evening my niece Devin a.k.a. Tinkerbell arrives to brave the haunts. OK this picture has nothing to do with illustration or art direction, but come on....how cute is she!?

Knitty Gritty Fun

I am very flattered. My friend and co-worker Christine Jagalino just posted some cartoons I did for fun on the dry erase board outside the studio doors during Knitty Gritty on her blog; Friendshipnight.

These "how to" shows bring alot of stress for people like Christine, one of Knitty Gritty's show producers. The list of her job responsabilities is too long to post.

Christine always handled it with grace and calm.

I'm glad she found these cartoons enjoyable, I hoped to bring a little humor to our work days.