Happy Black Friday Sale!!

A contest + giveaway you say? Yep! To celebrate the new year, I'm offering one very lucky fan free shipping for all of 2014 plus an ORIGINAL illustration from the calendar. Three other winners will each get a 2014 12-Month Calendar. To enter, simply order from genevievesantos.bigcartel.com during the Black Friday Sale. Every $25 spent will earn you additional entries, as well as sharing the sale on instagram, facebook , and tweeting. Make sure to tag @lepetitelefant so I know to give you an extra entry.

I have loads of new goodies including limited edition shrinky dink jewelry (collaboration with Unicorn Crafts), "Clink" Mason Jars (tea lite for romantic mood lighting included), "Rawr" acrylic magnet sets & more. All new, limited edition, & being introduced to the store on sale. I've placed a handful of other oldie-but-goodie stamps, cards, and prints on super sale, too. Holiday card sets are now $20.

To do my part in raising support for the Philippine Typhoon victims, I created special "maraming salamat" cards (translation: thanks very much). All proceeds from these cards & my Filipino-themed prints will go to Habitat for Humanity's RE-BUILD PHILIPPINES Program. I hope you'll support this good cause while we all think about what we're thankful for. 

Calendar Giveaway: How Does Your Garden Grow?

Happy November! We're two months away from the new year and even closer to the first day of winter, but let's think green for a moment. 

When Victoria of Paper & Type and I were brainstorming themes for our 3rd collaborative calendar, many delightful ideas came to mind but one stood out in particular: growth. Victoria has a greener thumb than I do-I don't grow anything in my garden-but one of my favorite childhood memories was Community Garden Day in Kindergarten. Everyone was assigned to bring flower bulbs, seeds, gardening tools and supplies and for one whole day, we got our hands dirty in soil and seedlings. Did I love gardening because it was a respite from forming simple sentences in class? Probably. But growing up, I was also obsessed with "The Secret Garden" and loved the idea of having a secret haven to explore all to myself. Even the gang of Community took the idea and made it their own:

I digress! I thought about what my secret garden would be like, and I imagined it as a mix between Willy Wonka's chocolate factory garden (but substitute chocolate with ice cream & cookies), a Japanese zen garden, & Gaudi's Park Güell in Barcelona. And I kind of like the idea of a trampoline:

Now it's giveaway time: What you would grow in your garden?

*Email/tweet/blog comment/fb your answer for an opportunity to win the 2013 Calendar by Genevieve Santos + Paper & Type. I'll be giving away two calendars: one winner will be chosen randomly, & the second winner will have my favorite answer. Contest ends Sunday, November 11th at 11:59pm PST, & winners will be announced November 12.

You can be as silly and goofy as you wish. In fact, I welcome it. And get creative! Write a haiku, a short description, or draw a picture. Good luck!

*email: hello@genevievesantos.com
PS: Victoria is also hosting the giveaway so please only reply once. 

Calendar Giveaway Winners & SALE!

Thank you to everyone who submitted a beautiful story for the contest! I really enjoyed reading them. Each one definitely got the creative gears turning & the heart warming. After some serious rereading & thinking, I've selected Chris Tarver as the winner of the print & calendar. My yeti hat (pictured above) & fate chose Tara Tran as the winner of the random raffle. I'll not ruin the surprise and reveal the story. Instead, you'll have to wait for the painting & print :)

I have a special goodie for all who submitted, too. So there's some incentive to participate in the next contest ;)

Now, on to the SALE!

The 2011 calendar by le petit elefant & {paper & type} is now $16 instead of $20! Victoria & I only have a few (seriously!) so visit either of our shops, le petit elefant & {paper & type}, to purchase!

Happy New Year & as my mom says, make good choices!

2011 Calendar Giveaway & Contest!

To celebrate the end of a wonderful, eventful year & the coming of a new one, I'm giving away two 2011 calendars by le petit elefant & {paper & type}!
The Contest:

Submit a story (100 word limit) to inspire a new painting. Be creative, playful & imaginative! There's only one catch: the story must include 'a balloon' in some way, shape or form. Limit one entry per person. You may submit via blogpost comment or email genevieve(at)lepetitelefant.com.
The Winners: One will be chosen at random. The second winner will be the author of my favorite entry and will not only win a calendar but a print of the finished, collaborative painting. It's a great way to win a custom painting!
So start writing! The contest/giveaway ends at 11:59pm PST on Wednesday, December 29th with the winners announced on Thursday. Have fun & good luck! :)

DONE!!!!!!!!!!

so FRIGGIN CUTE!

akldkalkdafklasdlakljafd I get so giddy watching it. Hahaha. I still have to play with the timing of her getting up but the nudge is such a sweet little last minute touch.

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Day 2 of Animating

Oh brother what a world! :D

I gotta get as much done as I can before 2:15 because I will be taking a break for yoga & more children's book illustrator/author geekery at Hicklebee's! David Wiesner is speaking & signing! YAY! Props to San Jose for having such an event! Good timing too ;) Thanks, Universe. Thank you. It's almost like you know...

I love this book.

Oliver Jeffers Contest: After 8 hours...

Here's the piece so far. There's still so much that needs to get done but hey! I'm happy with how it's turning out :)

Ps: don't be alarmed by the black parts. Just empty space of nothingness that will soon be filled filled with illustration!

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Scene 6

Makes sense now? :)

Slow & steady hustle.

Here we go!!

What was once a storyboard is now REAL! Sorry, I feel like I'm abusing my blogging privileges. I'm just so dang excited.

Also, random fact: 90s r&b/baby making music (i.e. jodeci, avant, new edition, aaliyah) is my work soundtrack. Props to Bedhead for the late night creep.

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Animation Time!

All the pieces are there. Just need to put it together :)

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Even more pre-production!

Reading is cool.

time to edit & slowly piece together this animation!

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Prop Making

Oliver Jeffers Contest: Key Frame Fun!

Let's get this party started!! :D

I usually write in my journal in the morning, but I think I'll do it here instead:

I can't even describe how giddy animating makes me. It's been yeaaars since I've made anything. The last time I used a lightbox was more than a year ago to collabcreate with Rich on a project. Before that... I can't even remember. I think a workshop at Nucleus. I remember enjoying the workshop but also thinking, I don't want to do this for a living. Now, it feels like home. Muscle memory is on my side.

Sometime while I was storyboarding yesterday, the focus shifted from trying to win the contest to just animating a short again for me rather than an awesome trip to London to meet my children's book writer/illustrator hero/role model/best ever, Oliver Jeffers. Yeah. I mean, that would be cool. But I'm just as happy making.

Oliver Jeffers Contest Animatic

I have until midnight this Sunday to finish it. I can do it! Oh brother! I also clearly got tired toward the middle/end :)