The prompt for this week’s Illustration Friday was mail. In keeping with my creature of the day daily doodle, I made an angry mailbox.

This time of year seems to make our mailbox into a beast. So many catalogs and fliers and what-not seem to fill it everyday. Some days it is so stuffed, it is difficult to get things out without something tearing. It as if the mouth of the mailbox has sharp, pointy teeth. I even have the scratches on my hand to prove it.

This creature also marks the last page in this sketch pad. I have a brand new daily doodle book waiting for me already. I got one with a soft cover this time, and it looks as if it should fold open flat so the shadowing I’ve been dealing with because of the spiral binding on the old one when scanning will no longer be an issue. It would be nice if I could start the new book on the first of the year, but I don’t think I want to take the next 2 weeks off from my creatures. They are fun.

It’s Saturday, so I should be taking the day off, but I have deadlines that need to be met and places to be later, so as soon as this post is updated, I am pulling out a sketch pad (not the doodle one) and working on character studies for my picture book. The main character’s looks and visual personality are eluding me with this story. But on of my crit partners just said to scribble until something happens and the girl shows up. I also want to work on some new portfolio pieces and some patterns for licensing. Yeah, a slow day. Go ahead. Laugh at me, I’m laughing at myself.

Later on we are heading in to see the new daughter-in-law graduate from college. Afterward we will have dinner at Pi (a gluten-free pizza place!) with her and her parents who are in town for the graduation. We didn’t get a chance to spend time with them while they were in town for the wedding this summer and they told K they’d like to get to know us better. Should be fun.