Gatsby, Gatsby, Gatsby! I can’t get enough. The soundtrack has unsurprisingly been on repeat.

The roaring twenties were such glamorous years… I absolutely fell in love with how they were portrayed in the most recent adaptation of Fitzgerald’s novel. It was visual overload, in the best sense.

The fashions alone were enough reason to see the movie. Fingers crossed all the men out there take cue and rush to the nearest Brooks Brothers- The 20′s look is sure to make you and instant lady killer.

Besides Leo, I’m sure every lady is also dreaming of the Tiffany & Co. jewels created for the film…

The sets were extravagant… but I found myself lusting over Nick Carraway’s humble cottage in the film- I’ve added it to my recent list of dream homes!

What did you think of the movie?

Illustration above of Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, inspired by this image. Also illustrated, Tiffany’s Yellow Diamond Daisy Brooch.

“If I were a flower… I would be a sunflower. To always follow the sun, turn my back to darkness, stand proud, tall and straight even with my head full of seeds.”

Pam Stewart

I remember the days of raiding my mom’s bathroom, searching for the drawer filled with lipstick and blush (after years of wearing Crayola lipstick) so I could paint my face just like her- and maybe my doll’s face too. After spritzing multiple perfumes, I’d move on to her jewelry boxes… Layering ridiculous amounts of sparkling jewels and her many shell necklaces over my body, along side my newly crimson smeared lips. Beauty at it’s best. The longing to be just like my mother was clear and proud… and still am to this day.

My mom in the Philippines on her 11th Birthday, taken by her father in 1965.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I’ve teamed up with Ippolita to celebrate the one’s who have sacrificed so much, and taught us the art of being a woman.

Illustrating the Ippolita jewels was a beautiful challenge. Capturing the gem’s many brilliant facets joined the organic nature of watercolor with the geometric composition of the jewel’s stone. Take a look at the many others I illustrated over here.

Share one of the illustrations I’ve created with your own mother, and you’ll be entered to win the jewelry featured in the illustration, as well as the original painting. I’m sure mom wouldn’t hate dangling these stunning teardrops from her ears…

Shop the Ippolita collection.

Post in collaboration with Ippolita.

My print shop is finally back, and stocked with all new prints!

I’m thrilled with my printer- their quality is unreal. Each image is an archival ink Giclee print on hand-molded Hahnemühle’s German Etching paper (beautiful) with deckle edges. They look strikingly similar to the original watercolors. My prints now come in three sizes as well.

With proper care, each print can last for several generations.

New prints will be added every month.

I never get tired of drawing gowns, never. Whenever I’m warming up my hand, I instinctively begin by drawing girls in gowns. It just feels natural to me…

I’ve been using Vine to record my process a bit (although it’s no easy task!).

Click on the box below to see me sketch in action…

I was blown away by the talent that emerged from day one. I set out to create an online class with a vague idea of who might be interested in taking it… but little did I know artists of all ages and skill levels would participate in such a collaboration of creativity.

Below are a small sampling of my favorite illustrations that came from students in the class… talented bunch, eh?

Illustrations above (clockwise from top): Tim Pham, Lisanne Gagnon, and Janice Chuang. 

What I loved most about the class is that while I led students through my process via video tutorials, there was an enormous amount of peer to peer feedback. It was inspiring to see such sincere feedback left on each project… in the end I was just a small piece of the puzzle. The online ‘classroom’ became an instant community, a never ending discussion on the art of fashion illustration and inspiration.

Check out the class instagrams!

Illustrations above (clockwise from top): Merissa Revestir, Tiffany Mitchell, Marjorie Limbonhai, and Rebekah Melchert.

We began with inspiration, went through the process of sketching, applying watercolor, and finishing your piece with embellishments (as you know I love!).

Don’t worry if you think you’ve missed out on this class… because you haven’t! Since it’s an online class, we created video tutorials that can live on forever. Projects are still popping up every day! Sign up to take the class here.

Illustrations above (left to right):  Andrea Perkov and Erisha  R. 

I fell so in love with these pieces below by Megan Hughes. How incredible is her cut paper work? I love that she was creative and experimented with a different medium in such an elegant way…

Illustration above and below by Megan Hughes.

For all those who took my class, thank you for inspiring me! I can honestly say that I spent hours and hours pouring through your projects and I feel like I’m about to get a run for my money!

Sign up to take the class here.

Many thanks to Laurence King Publishing & Artifact Uprising for sponsoring my class.

It was a matter of chance that led me to live in Harvard Square, and it is now by far one of my favorite places in the world. It’s a picturesque place, no matter the season. I love a good snow here, but nothing beats the day all the flowers seem to blossom within an instant.

This front porch is such a dream… it’s completely surrounded by fluffy fuchsia florals, and gets the perfect amount of golden morning sun. I’d love to be able to wake up and sip my coffee here every morning…

You guys didn’t get the memo? This is now a floral blog… Kidding of course, but for now I’m thriving on them!

Right now I’m really into these Anemones.

First sketch inspired by this documentary (which I’ll talk about more later this week), second sketch of this jar.

A quick sketch brought to life.

When I was at the shoot for this editorial, I couldn’t help but imagine how the model seemed to be an illustration brought to life. Between the hair, makeup, and styling, it was the epitome of style that I like to recreate in illustrated form. She embodied the perfect essence of vintage meets modern. Of course this time around, I’m working backwards… and taking her from real life to watercolor. See detail shots of this illustration here.

Model is wearing H+M hat, Carven top, Saunder dress, Chris Benz pants, Bass Loves Rachel Antonoff shoes

Don’t forget you can enter to win a trip to your dream destination here.

It’s incredible how much power a single red rose embodies. Then again, if you look at a rose closely you can see the power within it’s seemingly never ending layers of velvety petals. It’s true, lately I’m completely flower obsessed… but how could I not be?! Flowers are really one of the great wonders of the world!

One of my memories as a kid is walking down Berry Road (named for it’s never ending berry bushes!), where I grew up in Georgia, and seeing wild pink roses everywhere. I can’t imagine having grown up in an urban area. There were always so many quiet days in the South… days to just wander through fields, watch the neighbors horses, or just lay in the sun with my dogs. A simple life. A life where flowers were part of the everyday, especially the butterfly bushes.

Working on this pattern got me yearning to design wallpaper…

Two versions of a deleted scene from the Far Far Away editorial in Genlux Magazine. Which is your favorite?

Pick up a copy of the magazine in print at any Barnes & Noble!

Photography Daniel Castro / Styling Kelly Framel / Makeup Misha Shahzada /Hair Joseph Dimaggio / Set Stylist Stockton Hall / Illustration Katie Rodgers

Traveling is one of my favorite ways to get inspired. The world can seem so small in our digital age, but it opens your eyes up a little bit wider when you get out and see it for yourself. I love the moment when you step off the plane into a new place and even the air feels different…

This month I’ve teamed up with UGG Australia to give you the opportunity to explore your very own dream destination! I’ve created a pinterest board over here… so follow along and create your own board about the vacation of your dreams. Follow these rules and you’ll be entered for a chance to win the grand prize trip to the destination of your choice! Must enter by April 26, 2013.

Good Luck my friends!