Peppermint Creek Collective: Book Illustrator

Karen Doyle, Artist/Knitter

PCC: Tell us a little about yourself
KP: Hi! My name is Karen and I am an Australian who now calls the USA home. I came to live here after meeting my wonderful husband online, we are both avid video gamers and often play side by side on our computers. Having traveled all over Australia growing up I have this wanderlust embedded deep inside me to move around and see new places. Living in Southern California is very beautiful and the weather is amazing but I would also happily live some place where it's cold and snowy too.

PCC: What do you create?
KP: I make different kinds of fun knitted accessories for all ages like coin purses, fingerless gloves and legwarmers. I love the idea of handmade and knowing that something you own is unique and perhaps one of a kind. That has become the focus behind my Etsy shop KnitPeddler, to create unique, cute items and entwine this with the traditional art of knitting.

Ladies Flower Glove

PCC: What made you want to become an artist?

Dream/Wish Pouch

KP: I have had a love for art and crafty things since childhood. I would spend hours drawing and creating things like birthday and Christmas cards for my family, teaching myself calligraphy and having my Mum show me how to do tapestry and knit. My creativity stuck with me and led me to study traditional Visual Arts & Design at college. It was then that I decided I wanted to do children's book illustration. After graduating I was given a wonderful opportunity by a friends Mum to illustrate her self-published book for little kids. It was a great experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. Now I am so happy to be able to blend my love of drawing with my passion for knitting

PCC: Tell us about your process. What materials do you use?

Kids Ice Cream Gloves

KP: I usually start with writing and drawing my ideas in a sketchbook. Then I work them up to scale and figure out details like what colors and materials to use. I make my drawings into templates once I am happy with the design then onto the knitting process. My primary material is yarn, wool as it is called in Australia, and I decorate most of my pieces using felt, embroidery thread and other things like buttons. I have a healthy addiction to yarn and all the beautiful colors and textures there are to be found. If there is yarn to be found in any store I will find it and end up coming home with at least a couple of balls tucked under my arm. :)

PCC: What are you passionate about outside of your art?
KP: I love animals (especially cats), winter and rainy weather, cuddling up with my husband and our two cats with a good book or movie, playing video games and watching anime. I also love enjoying the wild beauty of nature wherever I am.

PCC: Anything else we should know?
KP: I love working with customers to create a special custom made item for them, even if it's as simple as a specific color they would like. I am always happy to accept custom orders, so feel free to message me.

PCC: How do we find you?

Etsy ~ www.etsy.com/shop/knitpeddler
Facebook ~ www.facebook.com/knitpeddler
Pinterest ~ www.pinterest.com/silpionelf
Twitter ~ twitter.com/KnitPeddler

Other Items from KnitPeddler that we love:

Toddlers Bear Gloves

Elephant Purse

LadyBug Purse

Girls Pink Star Gloves

Fox Purse - Back

Artist - Tara Hannon

The work of Tara Hannon of Meant 4 a Moment took me into the memorable world of the Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation movies and the sweet children's story The Velveteen Rabbit. Check out her work for custom creations, Christmas cards and designs, digital downloads, and childrens book illustrations.

PCC: Tell us a little about yourself.

TH: I am a 30 year old freelance illustrator working from Crownsville, Maryland. I am married to a handy general contractor and we just had our first baby in June(!) I have wanted to be an illustrator my whole life - except a brief moment in 5th grade when I wanted to be a monkey trainer.

PCC: What do you create?
TH: I am a children's book illustrator. Along with children's books, I illustrate custom portraits, event prints and super cute wall art.

PCC: What made you want to become an artistt?
TH: In two words - Dr. Seuss.

PCC: Tell us about your process. What materials do you use?
TH: All of my work starts out the old fashioned way- hand drawn with a pencil and paper. Once it is inked, I 'paint' it digitally in photoshop.

PCC: What are you passionate about outside of your art?
TH: Currently, its my 5 month old daughter, Lucy, I am most passionate about. She is the biggest jog I have ever known. Second to her, I go crazy over Picture Books and books stores of any kind and I love jogging.

PCC: How do we find you? Links to shops, blogs, social media, etc.