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Website Relaunch! February 7, 2011 10:59

I am so excited to present to you the relaunch of the wanart website! This overhaul was so long overdue. It's truly amazing how far technology has come in the last 5 years! I still remember staying up late into the wee hours of the night trying to figure out how to code each individual website page from scratch. I'm happy to say those days are over! Not only is the website more user-friendly but it is much more easier for us to update so we can make sure the website is always stocked with the latest wanart goodies! Thanks for all the support! xoxo, joyce

Badge Bomb launches new Kiwi and Pear licensed buttons/badges! January 26, 2011 12:44

I am excited to announce that I have partnered with Seattle-based Badge Bomb, an independent brand of button badges and magnets featuring the art of renowned illustrators, artists, and designers, to design a Kiwi and Pear branded set of buttons that have just been released!

 

 

I was so honored to see my buttons up there alongside other designers/brands that I TOTALLY admire such as Tokidoki, Kidrobot, Friends with You, Shanimals, Seltzer Goods, BoyGirlParty, Twinkie Chan and more!

 

You can order individual buttons from Badge Bomb directly, or if you are a retailer, you can set up a wholesale account with them to order the button boxes for your store!

 

I will have to do a give-away very soon to celebrate! That will have to wait for a bit as I am busy with last minute prep for the New York International Gift Fair which starts this Sunday! If you will be in town for the show, please drop and visit - I'll be in booth #2949! I've designed a new backdrop this year for my booth! Here's a sneak peak:

 

 

I'll post pictures from the booth as soon as we're all set-up. Wish me luck!

 

xoxo joyce ^_^

 

 


Kiwi and Pear's World Adventure iPhone/iPod Touch app has launched! November 9, 2010 10:41

Kiwi and Pear's World Adventure iPhone and iPod Touch app for children has finally launched! Learn more, read reviews, and download on the iTunes App Store

 

 

Based on my picture book Greetings from Kiwi and Pear and produced by Zephyr Games, Kiwi and Pear's World Adventure, is an interactive/animated storybook that follows the two lovable monkeys on their travels, and provides 3 additional fun mini-games for children to enjoy and learn basic geography - educational and fun!

 

View the promotional trailer here:

 

Join the Kiwi and Pear World Adventure Facebook fanpage to stay updated on the latest news.

 


Sneak preview of my book You Are My Cupcake November 2, 2010 13:26 1 Comment

I just received a sales sample of one of my books coming out next year with Cartwheel/Scholastic and I am over the moon with excitement! There is glitter on the cover!! What is better than a book with a sparkly pink cover??? Here is a sneak preview:

 

 

I can't believe I have to wait until August to share this book with the world!

 


2010 Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration October 24, 2010 21:29

I went to the Society of Illustrators 2010 Original Art Show opening reception last week and it was AMAZING! I urge all of you to check out the exhibit which is running to November 24th. There are about 130 original pieces on display. It was fascinating to see up close all the little details like brush strokes that the printing process doesn't always pick up. Some of the collage pieces also caught my eye because you could really see all the work that went into cutting all the layers of papers used in the piece. The highlight of my evening was meeting Eric Carle! We talked about his museum, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in Amherst, Massachusetts, a place I have been dying to check out since I first heard about it. It was mentioned in his introduction that his book The Very Hungry Little Caterpillar has sold over 30 million copies worldwide - now that's mindblowing! He was at the show to accept a lifetime achievement award - I am still gushing!

 

 

Gold and silver medals were awarded to three chosen books representing a wide variety of medium and technique. Renata Liwska received this year's gold medal for her illustrations in The Quiet Book. Silver medals were awarded to Carson Ellis for her book Dillweed's Revenge and Dan Santat for Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World).

 


Kiwi and Pear World Adventure iTouch/iPhone/iPad Application September 20, 2010 13:54 1 Comment

I've been working this past year with a company called Zephyr Games on an iTouch/iPhone/iPad application for kids based on my first picture book "Greetings from Kiwi and Pear".

 

The application, Kiwi and Pear World Adventure, will be a combination interactive storybook with 3 mini-games - both educational and fun! The app producer just posted the promotional trailer for the application. Join the Kiwi and Pear World Adventure Facebook fanpage to keep updated!

 

 


Greeting Card Course at The School of Visual Arts, NYC September 17, 2010 15:44 1 Comment

 

I just found out I will be teaching a continuing education class at the School of Visual Arts for the Fall semester! For any of you in the NY area who may be interested in creating/marketing/distributing your own greeting card/product line, this would be a great class to take! Classes start next Tuesday, September 21! The details are as follows:

 

Course title: Greeting Card Design Code: ILC-2797-A Meeting Day: Tuesday Start date: 9/21/10 End date: 12/7/10 Class hours: 06:30PM - 09:00PM Location: New York City

 

This course will prepare students for the design, production and marketing of greeting cards and gifts in the "social expression" industry. Drawing skills are required; however, emphasis will be on concepts and ideas. Products will include: greeting cards, wrapping paper, postcards, paper party goods and stationery. We will discuss concept development, contracts, pricing, copyright laws, mass-market sales, freelancing and public relations. Students will complete a mini-collection ready for marketing. Information for card and paper companies, printing demonstrations and an introduction to industry standards and materials will be included, as well as how to prepare finished artwork for printing production. NOTE: Please bring samples of your work to the first session.

 

I can offer students current, real-world advice on how to effectively manufacture, market, and distribute their own greeting card/product line as well as license their artwork to product manufacturers and the publishing industry.

 

Having taken this very course seven years ago in addition to a few other SVA courses over the past several years, I believe in the value of continuing education and have experienced first-hand how it can, indeed, enrich one’s life.

 

Click HERE for a link to the course on the SVA website. Hope to see you there!

 

xoxo joyce

 


More Reviews on Greetings from Kiwi and Pear September 8, 2010 17:29 1 Comment

 

Seems like my summer is ending with quite a bang! Three new wonderful reviews on my book Greetings from Kiwi and Pear just came in within the last few weeks. I provided excerpts for the first two reviews, to read the rest, click on the links to the blogs. For the third I posted the entire review as it went out in an email newsletter.

 

Michelle Smith from Cute Everything says: "My kids loved the book, reading it over and over, and would come and ask me, “Where’s the monkey book?” And I loved that they were learning about geography, with fun, simple rhymes."

 

Tee and Teagan from That's IT Mommy says: "Wan’s illustrative style is simple but eye catching. The two monkeys, Kiwi and Pear travel to far off places such as Paris and India to visit worldly landmarks."

 

Author & Award-Winning Storyteller Dianne de Las Casas from The Story Connection says: "This is a cute and cuddly book about friendship. Kiwi and Pear are two adorable, inseparable monkeys. They travel around the world, visiting a Mayan ruin in Mexico, boating down the Amazon in South America, biking in front of the Eiffel Tower in France, riding through Venice on a gondola, and visiting many other exotic locales. But of course, no matter how far away they roam, there’s no place like home… I am in love with Kiwi and Pear. The simple rhyme scheme makes the story accessible to little ones while the colorful art and precious monkeys make the book accessible to everyone. The book even comes with stickers and a fold-out world map. It’s a perfect book to start the school year with – a combination of social studies and science all wrapped in the irresistible gift of friendship. Although this is Joyce Wan’s first picture book, she has been in the gift industry for years. In fact, Kiwi and Pear began their journey as greeting cards. You can even send a free email greeting card right from the Kiwi and Pear website!"

 

Thanks Michelle, Tee & Teagan and Dianne!

 

Hope you all are enjoying your final days of summer. Wishing all the little kiddies well as they head back to school! :)

 

xoxo joyce

 


The New York Gift Fair Summer 2010 August 21, 2010 15:37 4 Comments

I'm back from the New York International Gift Fair and have been happily revelling in post-show bliss. For the first time in a couple of months I feel like I can breathe. I even played hookie yesterday and spent the day walking around New York City! (shhhhhhhhh)

 

The show was great and the overall mood was upbeat. One of my booth neighbors even reported that it was their best show ever! Things are definitely picking up and that's good news for everyone. Here are some of my pics from the show:

 

New York Gift fair Empty Booth I forgot to take a picture of the booth before I started setting up but I took one of the booth across so you can see what we have to work with. Not much thats for sure! A day and a half later....

 

Voila!! The Wanart booth at the New York International Gift Show Summer 2010. The shelves on the sides which I painted to match my other furniture are from Clear Solutions. The backdrop is a vinyl banner I ordered from Echod Graphics. The rest of the furniture is from Ikea and Target. The foam flooring (I don't recommend doing shows without them - after 4.5 days of standing, your feet will thank you) is from Soft and Safe Floors.

 

Detail shot of the left side of the booth. Detail shot of the right side.

 

wanart booth nyigf year of rabbit card I made little signs and posted them around the booth to highlight certain items.

 

wanart booth nyigf joyce wan ME! Someone at the show that day told me that my cupcake dress looked yummy!

 

wanart nyigf teresa kietlinski prospect agency One of the highlights of the show was the day my agent Teresa Kietlinski of Prospect Agency visited me with her daughter. What fun we had!

 

wanart nyigf pigeon On one of the days I even spotted a pigeon on a buying trip! He didn't buy anything from me though.

 

In terms of actual sales taken at the show I can say I've had better. Although, if a couple of the leads I met at the show pan out - it could be my best show ever! That's one of the great things about these shows - you just never know who you're going to meet. It was this very show where I first met my publisher of Greetings from Kiwi and Pear, Blue Apple Books, a couple of years ago. With exposure comes opportunities - that's what I always say! Now I have to switch gears once again and get back into working on some of these book ideas I have been developing. Can you believe Fall is right around the corner?

 

xoxo joyce

SCBWI Summer Conference 2010 August 6, 2010 03:38 7 Comments

I just got back from the 39th Annual SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Summer Conference. The weather in Los Angeles was absolutely perfect - 70, dry and sunny everyday and the conference was held at the luxurious Hyatt Regency Century Plaza where I stayed. I almost didn't want to come back!

 

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, California

 

The conference is described as "4 days of agents, editors, publishers, workshops and networking designed to take your writing and illustration to the next level" - it was that and a whole lot more! It was my first time attending and I look forward to the next. Some highlights from the conference for me include:

 

*Rubin Pfeffer, formerly senior Vice President and Publisher for Simon & Schuster Children's Books and now a partner at the East West Literary Agency, urging us to think of ourselves not as writers and illustrators but as content creators.

 

*Stephanie Owens Lurie, Editorial Director of Disney-Hyperion, stating that picture books are down 40% but then adding "digital could be the re-birth of the picture book." She also mentions in her workshop that we as authors need to "embrace technology, because our audience has."

 

*Author Jon Scieszka telling us in his keynote speech that you should not do what someone else does but to do what YOU connect with.

 

*Attending the Golden Kite Luncheon. This included an awards ceremony and a moving tribute to the late, great author Sid Fleischman. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room.

 

*Author Alexis O'Neil telling us in her workshop on school visits, not to underestimate the value of your work and that you should set your fees and stick to your guns. Act like a pro and you’ll be treated like one.

 

*Author/illustrator Loren Long telling us how he infuses mood and emotion into his art by imagining what song might be playing during a scene he's working on (he goes on to demonstrate this by belting out the song "All by Myself" against the backdrop of his drawing of a forlorn looking duck). He closes his speech by telling us to ask ourselves "What do I want to give this world?"

 

*An editor stating that 50% of an author's time should be AFTER the book is published. Self-promotion is key.

 

*Jennifer Hunt, Executive Editor of Little Brown Books for Young Readers, telling us that we shouldn't focus too much on trends but that we should look for universal truths.

 

*Selling out of my book "Greetings from Kiwi and Pear" at the P.A.L. book sale - YAY me!

 

*Seeing conference attendees and faculty, of all ages, tearing up the dance floor to the tune of "I Like Big Butts" at the Heart and Soul ball.

 

*Closing keynote speaker author/illustrator Ashley Bryan leading 1000+ of us to recite poems such as "My People" by Langston Hughes. So lively. So moving. SO AMAZING! You'd never know he was 87. It was truly unforgettable and the perfect way to end the conference.

 

*Meeting all the new people. I already miss the camaraderie of fellow writer's and illustrators. Most nights people just hung out in the hotel lobby talking, laughing, sharing ideas and even facebooking in some cases! It was also kind of funny to see everyone immersed in their laptops - made me wonder what people did after hours at this conference before there were computers!

 

 

Now back home my mind is STILL buzzing with information and inspiration. The workshops and panels enlightened, the keynote speeches brought me to tears and laughter, and everyone I met was so smart, welcoming, supportive and passionate. I feel so lucky to be part of this community and the conference made me love what I do even more!

 

Although, I'm dying to ride the wave of inspiration and work on some of my book ideas, that will just have to wait. I actually have to switch gears now for the New York International Gift Fair coming up in two weeks! Drop by and say hello if you're attending - I'll be in booth #2949.

 


Interview with Jade Magazine July 12, 2010 14:13 1 Comment

The wonderful people at Jade Magazine, the online magazine aimed at professional Asian and APA women in their twenties and thirties, interviewed me recently for a profile piece about myself and my company Wanart. I've provided an excerpt below, to read the entire interview visit their website here.

 

In the Cards: An Interview with Joyce Wan

 

Although Joyce Wan designed her first greeting card while she was in the first grade, it wasn't until much later when she started her own card company Wanart. From her first line of Chinese Zodiac cards, she has branched off into framed prints, clothing and now children's books. She was able to spare some time and answer a few of our questions.

 

**************

 

Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up? What did you study in school?

 

I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts and now live in New York City. My parents owned a little Chinese takeout restaurant where my three other siblings and I used to work when we were growing up.

 

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I designed my first greeting card when I was in first grade for a city-sponsored greeting card design contest. The design won first place and was subsequently mass-produced and sold through a major department store chain.

 

I studied architecture at Barnard College with the hopes of becoming an architect. I thought that it would be a creative yet practical career but something was still missing for me and I grew very disenchanted with the work I was doing. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be designing greeting cards when I “grew up” but here I am!

 

Read more here!

 


Yes, it's all worth it... June 17, 2010 11:38 1 Comment

I did a reading of my book Greetings from Kiwi and Pear for a 1st grade class at Nest+m a few weeks ago and got a stack of letters from the kids a week later. The letters are SO freakin' cute! I'll post them here every now and then. It's stuff like this that makes me say - yes, it is all worth it! Creating art while inspiring kids - what gets better than that?

 

 

 

I loved how that last one used a heart in place of an 'o' for my name - maybe I should start signing everything that way?

 


New Kiwi and Pear Goodies! June 16, 2010 18:49

I'm excited to announce the launch of our new FREEe-card section of the website! Tell your friends how special they are by sending them a Kiwi and Pear e-card! I'm sure it will make them smile! I'll be uploading more designs in the coming weeks so stay tuned...

 

Also, new wallpapers have been added in the downloads section of the website!

 

Spread the Kiwi and Pear love!

 

Enjoy! ^_^

 


NJ SCBWI Children's Book Conference & Licensing Expo June 13, 2010 22:41

What a crazy week! I attended the NJ SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) 2010 Conference last weekend in Princeton then flew off to Las Vegas for a few days to check out the Licensing Expo! My head is buzzing with new ideas about books, licensing, and design.

 

Check out my recap of the conference as a guest writer on children's book author Tara Lazar's blog.

 

Here's a picture of me hanging out with Bumblebee at the Licensing Show!

 

The Licensing Show was overwhelming and slightly intimidating! I exhibited last year but decided to just walk the show this year. I'm in the process of finding a licensing agency who will help me to procure licensing opportunities while I focus on my core business. I decided this after much soul searching and coming to the realization that I really can't handle everything with wanart, publishing, licensing and designing! Although I don't have any qualms about making my own deals, and have done so up until now, I figured that I should really focus on what I do and love best which is art!

 

Walking the show enabled me to see what types of agencies were out there, how they represented themselves, what kind of clients they have and how would I fit in. Strangely, I thought it was less intimidating when you had your own booth. When you have your own booth you're kind of in your own little world unaware of what you're up against. Walking the show made me realize that I have a long road ahead of me if I want to break into the licensing biz, though, I think I am up for the challenge!

 


NYC street fairs galore! May 28, 2010 23:04

If you're going to be in the NYC area this Memorial Day weekend I'm going to be rockin the street fairs! Saturday I'll be on Waverly Place and Sunday I'll be on 73rd Street and Broadway! Drop by and say hello - see you there! :)

Drawing Again May 24, 2010 12:01

There's a SCBWI New Jersey Chapter conference in a couple of weeks. These conferences are great as we get to take workshops on a variety of book topics as well as sign up for a one-on-one critique on a manuscript with an editor or literary agent! They also get me motivated to work on new creative stuff. I don't know about you but I always need to create artificial "deadlines" to get things done - especially the creative stuff. This became increasingly neccessary as my company wanart grew and all the administrative duties that went along with that started to grow as well. Tradeshows and classes are also other really good motivators. Anyway, I've started drawing again! These are just sketches at this point but they go with a manuscript that I'm getting a critique on for the conference. My usual method is to draw/sketch on paper, scan, then take it into Illustrator to color. If you're familiar with my work - it's typically very flat but I really got into these sketches and they are more "rendered" than normal.

 

 

 

 


A/PA Heritage Festival 2010 May 3, 2010 10:37 3 Comments

I had a great time at the 31st Annual Asian Pacific American Festival in Union Square Park yesterday. A bit hot for an outdoor festival - it was hitting 90 and I was dying for a shower by mid afternoon! Luckily, we had a tent or we would have been burnt to a crisp! I met a lot of wonderful people - many who were volunteering their time to promote all the amazing cultural and social organizations that do such good work for our communities. Unfortunately, I did not get many chances to step away from my booth as we were pretty busy the whole time but here are some pics from the event (some that I took myself and others from the CAPA website http://capaonline.org/):

 

 

 

 

As usual, my best seller of the day were cards!

 

I provided a signup sheet for people so they can receive the latest wanart news and online specials! You too can signup on the right hand corner of this blog - come on, go ahead - you know you want to get emails from me! ;)

 


Introductory remarks from NYC comptroller John Liu! Looking spiffy in a dark suit and tie despite the 90 degree weather! It must be tough to be a politician in the summer - LOL!

 

 


See Wanart this Weekend in Union Square, NYC April 29, 2010 23:36

Come by Union Square this Sunday, May 2nd from 12pm-6pm as the largest pan-Asian community event on the East Coast, the 31st Annual Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival, will take place. Enjoy a day of music, cultural performances, food, and family fun! For more information visit the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans website here: http://capaonline.org/

 

I will have a booth at the festival offering Wanart goodies for sale. I'm hoping for a beautiful day and have been checking the weather forecast for this weekend religiously! Looks like it will be cloudy but warm - let's hope the rain stays away.

 


Apps, Talks, Festivals, Books GALORE April 21, 2010 14:58

It's been a while since I last posted! Where do I start...

 

Kiwi and Pear iphone/itouch app: I just finished working on new art for the Kiwi and Pear iphone/itouch app. For those of you who are not familiar with the book, I had a children's book (Greetings from Kiwi and Pear) released last year based on one of my greeting card collections featuring Kiwi and Pear - a pair of lovey, huggy, adventurous little monkeys! A New York City-based independent game development company Zephyr Games approached me about an app for kids based on Kiwi and Pear after having seen my book and voila a collaboration was born! As in the card designs and my book, Kiwi and Pear will embark on a world adventure. The app will feature several scenes from the book with 6 NEW scenes along with 3 mini-games! The scenes will be animated and interactive. Here's a sneak peak at one of the new scenes -

 

 

Talks: I spoke at an intercollegiate conference at Boston University sponsored by 85 Broads about being an entrepreneur a couple of weeks ago. I gave a brief overview about how I started my company wanart, talked about what my work entails, the challenges of running a design business and on finding and devoting yourself to your passion. After thinking about this talk I realized I actually get a lot of questions about how I started my business and what I do all the time. I think that topic actually deserves it's own blog post which will be soon to come.

 

Not only did I give a talk but I even attended one! I went to a talk last week sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Illustrators Metro New York Chapter. If you've never attended one of their Professional Series events and are interested in the field of children's books I highly recommend checking them out. You will surely come away from them enlightened and inspired! Last week's talk was given by the prolific children's author/illustrator/television producer Dan Yaccarino. Even if you have never heard of his name you most likely have seen his work. He's illustrated over 40 children's books, was the creator and producer of the animated series Oswald that used to air on Nickelodeon, designed the characters for the hit animated series The Backyardigans and has a new animated series called Willa's Wild Life that is currently airing on NBC on Saturday mornings. I was just amazed at all that he's accomplished in his career so far. One interesting comment he made was about creating from the heart and always designing/creating things YOU like - not what you think kids or other people might like - only then does your work have the authenticity that makes things really good. Even though the talk was mainly about his career and about him saying YES to all the opportunities that came his way regardless of his experience or knowledge I think what Dan was trying to tell us was that opening yourself to more of what life has to offer, instead of hanging back and staying with what you already know is the only way you can learn and grow as an artist and even as an individual. Saying YES more often along with constantly learning and experimenting boosts your potential and could take you to a whole new level. Saying YES can at times be a little scary and risky but saying NO is worse, because it closes the door forever on anything different. Overall a very inspiring evening and makes me excited about all the possibilities as an artist/designer and in life.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="250" caption="Dan Yaccarino in his Studio"][/caption]

 

Festivals: The weather is starting to get warm so I've started doing NYC street fairs. Yes, I know what your thinking - those street fairs with all the junky tchotchkes, discount socks and italian sausage trucks? Actually, I started doing street fairs last fall and I have actually been pleasantly surprised by them. They offer me an opportunity to sell some extra inventory, meet and greet with people which I love to do, and sign and promote my children's book! See us at NYC street fairs all summer! I usually announce our street fair appearances on twitter (@kiwiandpear) but I will also try to announce our street fair appearances on the blog. We usually sell our items at a discount from what we offer on our website - so please do drop by if even to say hello! :) The next festival I will be doing is the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Festival - it's the largest pan-asian community event on the East Coast and only happens once a year! It will take place on Sunday, May 2nd in Union Square, NYC from 12pm-6pm and will feature 50 vendors/community organizations, food and cultural performances - always a delightful event!

 

 

Books: I was at a Japanese bookstore called Kinokuniya last week and saw a really cool book that I thought I'd share some snapshots from. If you don't already know, Kinokuniya (1073 Avenue of the Americas - Bet 40th & 41st St) is an amazing store if you havent been there and they have a great selection of unique books (both American and Japanese) and SUPER cute stationery and gift items. I don't know what the book is really about as I can't read Japanese though the book was pretty much wordless. However, this book really caught my eye because it was so simple and just sheer silliness. The author really captured the expressions so well in such few lines.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Cover"][/caption]

 

 

 

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="my favorite!"][/caption]

Kiwi and Pear Coming Soon to Your iphone / itouch! March 24, 2010 15:08 1 Comment

I'm excited to announce that I have teamed up with Zephyr Games, an independent New York City game development company, to bring "Kiwi and Pear's World Adventure" to the iphone / itouch this year. The application will be an interactive storybook featuring locations from my published picture book "Greetings from Kiwi and Pear" along with some brand new locations that Kiwi and Pear will travel to. There will also be three fun new games featuring your favorite monkey duo as an added bonus!

 

I've been busy working on art for the new locations and for the games. We just recorded the voiceovers for the app last night at Dubway Studios which was lots of fun. We used the fabulous voice talent of Susanna Dalton - she has such a sparkling personality and was a total riot - she made us all laugh the entire evening. Here are some pictures from last night's recording session:

 

Our top notch sound engineer Rob Carpenter - he has a great ear for recording sessions and audio.

 

Voice talent Susanna Dalton - she was one funny lady!

 

Susanna Dalton and Ken Johnson of Zephyr Games going over parts of the script

 


New Items on Etsy March 24, 2010 14:00 1 Comment

Spring has finally arrived and you know what means - summer is not too far behind! This season always brings with it the sweetness of new beginnings and endless possibilities. I always feel a renewed sense of energy and inspiration - I LOVE it.

 

I just put our button sets up on our Etsy shop (wanartco)! These buttons were previously only available to our wholesale customers but they have become so popular that I thought I'd post them up for anyone who wants to order some. Decorate your bags, caps, jackets, anywhere - our 1" buttons are an easy way to add just a little cuteness to your life!

 

Zodiac Zoo

 

Lil' Zodiac

 

Kiwi and Pear

85 Broads Boston University Spring Conference 2010 March 3, 2010 13:26

If you live in the Boston area I will be speaking at the "85 Broads Boston University Spring Conference 2010" on March 27th. The intercollegiate conference aims to empower women in all areas of their lives. It will feature diverse speakers and panelists from a variety of fields including: Marketing, Advertising, Finance, Fashion, Government, Advocacy & Politics, Non-Profit, Consulting, and Entrepreneurship!

 

Details about the event including registration can be found here: http://bubroadssc2010.eventbrite.com/

 

I'll be talking about how I started my company wanart along with some of the risks, challenges and rewards associated with having your own design business. The emphasis is going to be about finding and following your passion. Hopefully, you will leave the event feeling inspired!

 


Book and Button Giveaway Winners! February 17, 2010 01:44 3 Comments

Congratulations to the three winners of our Book and Button Giveaway!

 

The three winners are:

 

rachel Submitted on 2010/02/08 at 11:18am how fun!!! I love those pins!!! so exciting!!Im sure all my boys will love hearing me read thebook!

 

jullee Submitted on 2010/02/09 at 1:18pm This is super cute..my daughter would just love it!

 

catherine s. Submitted on 2010/02/09 at 7:13pm Kawaii cuteness! Me likes a lot!!! Just adorable.

 

You'll each receive a signed copy of "Greetings from Kiwi and Pear" and and a set of 12 Kiwi and Pear buttons.

 

I'd like to thank everyone who entered - it was so nice to hear from all of you! More giveaways to come soon!

 


Rave Reviews and Interviews! February 10, 2010 13:29 1 Comment

I am excited to share with you all a nice review of my book "Greetings from Kiwi and Pear" by onelittleroom.com and an interview I did with gadling.com about the Lunar New Year. I provided excerpts below but you can click on the links for the full articles.

 

onelittleroom.com: "The book is cute as can be. It comes with a poster and stamps that you can use to track Kiwi and Pear’s adventure as they travel the globe and onward into space. Tornado Boy loves it and so do I." Read the full review here: http://bit.ly/bobdhT

 

gadling.com: "For the Year of the Tiger, Wan has also created infant bodysuits cleverly packaged in a clear Chinese take-out container (from $24). Can you say adorable?" Read the full review here: http://bit.ly/bkqsLC Thanks onelittleroom.com and Amy at gadling.com!