Go to the beginning of this post to get caught up. :)

Day 11/100

Nini begrudgingly watched her mother pack up food. Lusa made sure to make and pack Nini's favorite foods, hoping that it would somehow make Nini forget about her sadness. The journey to the South Sands took about 2 days and so they needed enough provisions to hold them over till their destination. Luckily there were 3 other men going on this expedition and they would be contributing food as well. One of the men also going on the expedition was also bringing but his child. It was a boy 2 years older than Nini named Hagan, and they didn't really get along. Infact, Nini tried to avoid Hagan whenever possible... and now she had to spend 3 months with him. It was undecided if Tomkin would be going along, Nini's parents weren't sure if Tomkin would be strong enough for the journey...so they were still thinking about letting her go or not. But Nini needed Tomkin to come, surely she would DIEEE if she was denied her best friend! 

As Lusa was packing up the food, and trying not to make eye contact with Nini [for fear of bursting into tears] she couldn't help but think of how lonely she would be for the next 3 months. 

Day 10/100

Tomkin wondered, and wondered and wondered...was she too going to the South Sands with Nini?

Day 9/100

The next morning while Nini and her parents were eating breakfast together, Lusa broke the news to Nini. The village elders had asked that Nini's father Jakob go on a special expedition to the South Sands...and it was decided that Nini would go with her father, and mother stay at home. The expedition was going to be for 3 long months and the purpose was in search of food. Thumb Village was normally a cold and snowy place, but this year the weather was so bad that tradesmen from Greenland, Iceland and Norway couldn't make it in their ships to Winnie island to trade for goods. It was too dangerous of a journey, and so it was up to the people of Thumb Village to fend for themselves until spring. Nini did NOT want to go to the South Sands and she did not want to leave her mom... this news was quite upsetting, and even more so because they had to start packing and be on their journey by the following morning.

Day 8/100

When Nini's father Jakob opened the door, there standing in front of him, all bundled up was Jozef. Both Lusa and Jakob welcomed him inside and offered Jozef some hot tea...Nini knew what her mom and dad were thinking at that very moment... that if Jozef had come to their door this late in the evening during a blistering storm, it most likely meant the village elders sent him, and the news probably wasn't good. Nini listened carefully trying to make out what Jozef was telling her mother and father...something about food running out, and going to the South Sands, and leaving right away??? Nini could hear her mother quietly crying. What was going on? Her mother rarely cried! Worry started to sink in and somehow...Nini knew that their lives were forever going to be different...

Day 7/100

Every night Nini's mom Lusa, tells Nini a bedtime story. Often times the story takes weeks to tell because, well..Nini asks lots of questions but mainly because Lusa is marvelous at telling crazy myths and fables and makes up the most interesting creatures Nini has ever imagined... Lusa is actually revered as Thumb Village's most enchanting and unusual storyteller, a reputation that she takes very seriously. So tonight, like every other night...Lusa continued on telling her magical story to Nini, up in their loft where everyone sleeps. As Nini's eyes were starting to close there was a loud knock on the door. Lusa looked down over the loft and wondered who could be knocking this late in the evening....???

Day 6/100

Nini and Tomkin going inside for the evening...from the outside of their home they can smell whiffs of salmon chowder and corn bread. Nini is hoping that her mom made some honey butter to smear on her slice... After dinner, Nini will tidy up her living space and then just before bedtime AND a story (very important), she'll soak her feet in a bowl of hot water...this helps her sleep soundly and through the night. :)

Day 5/100

[This day I didn't have much time to do a detailed illustration, so I decided on creating a print. From time to time this will happen, and it just means that I was short on time but didn't want to skip a day.]

"Dansen Forest" One of many print ideas that would look pretty inside the jacket cover of this story when it's all done, or as a duvet cover for Nini...

Day 4/100

Tomkin is Nini's pet reindeer... she is a shy little thing, perhaps because she lost her mother soon after birth? Or maybe it's because she doesn't look like the other little reindeer in the village? Her ears don't stand straight and she already has antlers. But this is why Nini fell in love with her in the first place...and Tomkin could feel Nini's love for her soon after they met. Rarely separated, Tomkin's daily routine consists of looking after Nini, but also following her orders...she sleeps on a cozy bed made from tightly packed pine needles and feathers...off to the side are her 4 little black boots that Nini's mother made for Tomkin, not really a necessity but Nini felt that Tomkin would much like to have nice boots to wear also. Tomkin loves to nibble on sticks, especially if they've been dipped in honey first...drink warm milk, and slowly savor the mini cherry berries from the cherry pine trees from Dansen forest, a fine delicacy!

Day 3/100

Nini's satchel, and what she carries in it everyday. Most of the people in Thumb Village have satchels to carry similar items... from igloo to igloo, the treats and baked goods are different as are the good luck medallions. Each child in Thumb Village is given a good luck medallion when they are born. The medallions are made by the head elders and each one has been blessed with special characteristics that the child will hopefully take on for themselves. Nini's medallion was blessed with a curious spirit, a protector of animals, the gift of discernment and to have an open heart....

Day 2/100

Meet Nini, she is 10 years old and from Thumb Village on Winnie Island. Her two favorite things are her pet reindeer, Tomkin and her "Winnie" satchel, which was passed down to her by her great grandmother. Nini doesn't know who actually made her satchel, she thinks it was her grandmother...but infact it was one one of the Alphabet Girls from the North Winnie Mountains. <- 200="" a="" about="" an="" and="" but="" change...="" does="" encourage="" exploration.="" foot="" for="" has="" important="" in="" into="" is="" it="" legend="" mountains="" much="" nbsp="" north="" not="" of="" over="" owl....so="" part="" put="" re="" s="" set="" snowy="" span="" stays="" step="" story...noone="" territory="" that="" the="" this="" to="" turned="" village="" when="" whole="" winnie="" years.="" you="">

 

Day 1/100 

[i'm copying an pasting the text from Sept 1st's post on my ig page]

Hello SEPTEMBER 1st! I've been so excited for this day to come...because it kicks off #the100dayproject for me. I'm going to break up the 100 days of illustrations into 3 stories that all intertwine with each other and happen here on Winnie Island. Join me for the next 3 months on a journey of discovery, making new friends in Thumb Village, the South Sands, Danson Forest and maaaybe we will venture up to the North Winnie Mountains, IF we're brave enough. But first, a map of Winnie Island...so noone is lost. Tomorrow, the story begins in Thumb Village.

11 days ago I joined in on the #the100dayproject / #100daysdrawing group hashtag you can find on Instagram.  Basically it's a challenge to do something cohesive for 100 days straight, whether that's bake something new, illustrate a story [what i'm doing] or write a letter to someone different for 100 days straight. You get to decide how intensive you want each project to be, really the only continuity in the particular field you choose.

I chose to illustrate a story mainly because I just finished illustrating a story that my sister-in-law wrote. That in itself was a HUGE challenge for me and one that brought me out of my "static/safe" comfort zone I had created for myself with drawing. Finishing the rough drafts for my SIL's book was a really big deal that I wanted to keep the momentum. So I thought, what better way to keep the wheels spinning than to take on the 100 day challenge. Also, if you follow me on my instagram feed, you've probably noticed by now that I have dozens and dozens of characters that have been begging to be turned into a story. It is my hope that this can be the beginning of just that.

I am now on day 11 and to be honest, i'm starting to doubt this whole story I have in my head, my characters, the plot, the illustrations and whether or not this is even worth pursuing.  BUT, with that said...I know that If I stop now, that means I won't have 100 drawings and a story to go with it by the time December rolls around. I think one of the reasons i'm starting to let doubt creep in is because the story as of right now is just about a sweet little family who lives in a village on an island that is mostly cold and snowy year round. There aren't any magical characters appearing yet [OH YES they will appear] and i'm so anxious to get to the part where they make their appearances... but I'm trying to learn to pace myself [another challenge] and let the story take it's course. I'm not sharing this to fish for compliments, I know that you have good days and bad days in any profession, and doubt is a normal thing to come knocking at the door. It never misses a day, it always shows up...I guess I feel like i've opened the door too much to doubt lately and have been listening to it's sales pitch. I just need to close the door and politely say "No thanks, see you tomorrow" then rinse and repeat. ;)

So, it is my hope that you join in on this journey with me as I illustrate the story of Nini and her life on Winnie Island. If you have any suggestions about the story/illustrations, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comment box... I look forward to Dec. 9th and hopefully completing the challenge.

*I apologize for the inconvenience of reading bottom to top if you start late in the game. :/