In The Sandbox Comic Strip

Quote of the Week

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

~ Charles M. Schulz

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Cartoonist Studio's Contest

2012-02-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

The Cartoonist Studio is having a cartooning contest. I made it to round 2. =)

Please go to The Cartoonist Studio website and cast a vote for "In The Sandbox". It would be much appreciated!

click on comic to view larger

Also there are a lot of other GoComics/Sherpa cartoonists participating in the contest. Here is a list with links of fellow Sherpa Cartoonists (check them out!):

A Romantic Life by Nancy Roy
Almost Grounded by Almost Grounded
AmaZn Events by Evan Falcone
Best in Show by Phil Juliano
Cartertoons by Jon Carter
Charmy’s Army by David Jones
Dr. X by Henry Kay
Generations by Christopher Hart
Green Pieces by Drew Aquilina
Humoresque by Loren Fishman
In the Sandbox by Vicki Jacoby
Jack Radio Comics by Anne Wehrley
K Squared Comics by Kelly Kincaid
Leadbellies by Tom Burton
Mindframe by Brian Ponshock
Mixed Medications by Bill Wandel
Nano-Worldby Tame
Onion & Pea by Villena and Tomaselli
Petey and the Pack by Ryan Brown
Rogue Symmetry by Derrick Wook
The Single Dad Diaries by Ervin Johnson
Snow Sez… by T. Shepherd
Two Bits by Walt Beringson
VanGogh by Rocky Sawyer
Whiskey Falls by Vince LoGreco

Thanks for reading! Have a WONDERFUL Monday!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Since next Tuesday is Valentine's Day, I thought I would post an old Valentine's Day comic I drew. This is from last year. I got this idea when I was shopping with my sons for classroom valentine's cards. Next to the kids classroom valentine's cards were valentine's day hand cuffs, you know, the kind with fur. (really?!! they had to put them right next to the kids' classroom valentine's day cards?!!) One of my sons thought they were just toys and could not understand why I would not buy them for him. I was a bit embarrassed at the time but I still laugh at that situation!

click on comic to view larger

Today, we will be shopping for classroom valentine's day cards. I hope my son doesn't ask for the fun valentine's day toy.

Have a FABULOUS week!

Other Cartoonist Day

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

I recently saw this very funny Speed Bump comic on Facebook. So I though I would share it.

Have a GREAT weekend! :)

Eating Healthy

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Did you make a resolution to live healthier? How is that going for you? I find it ironic how most people fall off the "health kick" at the beginning of February... just went Valentine's Day candy hits the store. Hmmm....

click on comic to view larger

I hope your day is filled with laughter! :)

Cartooning Contest

2012-02-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

After much thought and debate, I decided to go ahead and enter The Cartoonist Studio's Cartooning Contest. Here is my comic for this week:

click on comic to view larger

If you are so kind, please vote for "In The Sandbox". Just go to TheCartoonistStudio.com, search for "In The Sandbox" or "Jacoby" and vote. Voting starts at midnight tonight. Thank you!

Have a WONDERFUL week!

Friday Favorite

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

It's Friday Favorite! Here is a REALLY OLD comic strip:

click on comic to view larger

Enjoy your day!

Did you read today's comic?

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have you read today's comic yet? If not, head on over to GoComics.com/InTheSandbox. Here is the first panel:

Did you know that you can have "In The Sandox" comic emailed directly to you for FREE! What a great deal, right?! Just going to GoComics.com/InTheSandbox and click on the link below the comic to sign up. You can also subscribe to many other very funny comics too! :D

Here's wishing you a week filled with laughter! Thanks for reading.

Pinterest Post

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, one of my favorite websites in Pinterest.com. Have you joined? Isn't it great? Isn't it fun?! Isn't is a time suck?!! I love Pinterst. I could spend sooo much time there. I have to be careful.

Anyway, I wanted to share this funny comic I found on Pinterest. This is so true:

I hope your week is going great! Thanks for reading. :-)

Sneak Peak Sunday

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am posting OLD comics on GoComics this week. I am still trying to get my submission ready for the upcoming contest. Hopefully I make the deadline. ;)

Anyway, for being a blog reading, here is a sneak peak at the "In The Sandbox" comic that will post tomorrow on GoComics:

Have a WONDERFUL MONDAY tomorrow!!

"Other Cartoonist" Saturday

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love reading comics! So I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my favorite comics that I read. Here is a GoComics Sherpa comic called "Humoresque" by Loren Fishman.

You can check out more "Humoresque" comics at http://www.gocomics.com/humoresque. Plus at GoComics, you can subscribe to have this comic emailed to you (as well as many others) for free!

Enjoy your Saturday!

Friday Favorite

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

I thought I would stick with my "health" theme this week and post this OLD comic.

click on comic to view larger

This was back before I gave Berkeley a hair cut. If you are wondering why I "cut" her hair, read the week's worth of comics starting on Aug 24th, 2009 on GoComics.com.

Have a fabulous Friday!

Did you read today's comic?

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have you read today's comic yet? If not, head on over to GoComics.com/InTheSandbox. Here is the first panel:

I hope your day is filled with laughter!

Thank you for reading. :-)

Joke of the Week

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Instead of a quote this week, how about a joke?

Q: What do Yoga meditation and a fudge cake have in common?
A: They each bring you a piece or peace of heaven.

;)

Have a WONDERFUL week!

Reruns this week

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

This week I am posting some old comics on GoComics because I am preparing comics for an upcoming contest sponsored by The Cartoonist Studio. Wish me luck. =)

This week's GoComics comics are yoga themed. Here is a sneak peak at Monday's comic:

click on image to view larger

Thank you for reading! I appreciate your support.

Friday Favorite

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an old "In The Sandbox" comic I thought I would share with you today:

click on comic to view larger

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Did you read today's comic?

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is the beginning of today's comic. Go to GoComics.com to finish reading. :-)

This comic is actually an old "In The Sandbox". I am currently working on a project, so I will be posting some of my favorites from the past.

I hope your week is going well! Thanks for reading.

Quote of the Week

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

This made me laugh, so I thought I would share. ; )

"I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals. I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants." ~AW Brown

Sneak Peak Sunday

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is the "In The Sandbox" comic that will post tomorrow on GoComics.com. For being a blog reader, you get to read it early! =)

click on comic to view larger

Kind of defeats being "healthy" but doesn't brown sugar just make everything tastier? ;)

Here's wishing you a wonderful Monday tomorrow!

Thank you for reading.

"Other Cartoonist" Saturday

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Frank & Steinway" by Wil Panganiban is one of my favorite comics you can find on GoComics' Sherpa site. This comic strip is funny, very well drawn and has likable characters.

click on comic to view larger

Check out more "Frank & Steinway" comics at GoComics.com/Frank-and-Steinway. AND as always with GoComics, you can subcribe to this and other comics for FREE! :-)

Have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

Friday Favorite

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an old "In The Sandbox" comic that I thought I would repost here:

click on comic to view larger

Every year my husband and I get our annual gym membership bill. If we pay the entire year at one time, we get a 10% discount. It's a good deal, however, it is tough to see the total annual fee. We always weigh whether or not we should continue our membership because we just don't get to the gym often enough. Well this year, we decided to renew again. So after seeing that annual total, I am motivated again to get to the gym. Did you make a resolution to exercise? If so, what's your motivation?

Have a Fabulous Friday! =)

Did you read today's comic?

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately blogger is not letting me upload a comic at this time. So why don't you go to GoComics and read today's "In The Sandbox".

Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading. =)

Quote of the Week

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

"Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of those pieces." ~Judith Viorst

Just have one piece of chocolate?!! Unfortunately, I am not this strong. I am working on it though. ;)

Thank you for reading!

Sneak Peak Sunday

2012-01-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Here is the "In The Sandbox" comic that will post tomorrow on GoComics.com. For being a blog reader, you get to read it early! =)

Have a GREAT Monday!

"Other Cartoonist" Saturday

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to share a comic strip from another cartoonist on Saturdays. Today I want to introduce you to a comic called "Big Monkey" by Jason Coe and Hugo Camacho. I just love the artwork and humor of "Big Monkey".

click on comic to view larger

You can check out more of Big Monkey comics at GoComics.com/big-monkey-comic. Plus at GoComics, you can subscribe to have this comic emailed to you (as well as many others) for free!

Have a GREAT weekend!!

Friday Favorite

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an old "In The Sandbox" comic that I thought was appropriate to repost this week:

click on comic to view larger

One of my goals for 2012, is to get more organized; to tackle those projects that have been sitting there draining me of my energy. So needless to say, I have been making a lot of lists this week. How about you? Does the first of the year make you feel the need to get organized and clear out the clutter?

Have a GREAT day!

Did you read today's comic?

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

Nate Fakes has a very funny comic strip called Break of Day (check it out!). One thing he does is post partial comic strips on his Facebook Page to get you to go to GoComics and read the entire strip. I love the idea! Soooo, I am using it here. :-)

Here is the first panel of today's comic. Go to GoComics.com/InTheSandbox to read the rest of the comic.

Oh, did you know that you can subscribe to "In The Sandbox" at GoComics.com for FREE?! Then you will get "In The Sandbox" emailed to you every time a new strip it posted. Just go to GoComics.com/InTheSandbox and click on the link "Subscribe Free" under the comic. Simple! :D

Have a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!!

Quote of the Week

2012-01-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's quote:

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing”

- Phyllis Diller

I thought this quote was fitting for the week as I have been spending a lot of time de-cluttering. It's that time of year... I feel the need to clean, organize and get back to the basics.

Thanks for reading!

Sneak Peak Sunday

2012-01-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great day. Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? I made a few. One of them being to update my blog on a regular basis. So here goes... Oh, and please hold me accountable!

Here is the "In The Sandbox" comic that will post tomorrow on GoComics.com. For being a blog reader, you get to read it early! =)

Have a fabulous day!

After Christmas Sales

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

I used to love the after Christmas sales. Now, I just would rather not fight the crowds and deal with the traffic. How about you? Did you do any after Christmas shopping?

Thanks for reading!

THANK YOU!!

2011-12-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

This is an old "In The Sandbox" comic strip. It is one of my favorites. So, I thought it would be fun to share again. :)

Now that Christmas is officially over, it is time to write those thank you notes (if I can get my sons to stop playing with their new toys), clean the house (again) and undecorate (sigh).

Luckily I am on vacation this week from work so I should be able to do some of my "do to" list. I am known to over schedule the day with chores. Usually I end up stressed out and frustrated that it didn't all get done. I need to get better at building a managable "to do" list so I don't get so frustrated and my family doesn't get so frustrated with me.

Well, I hope you enjoy your day!! Thank you for ready. I'm off to get started on those chores. ;)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

click on picture to view larger

Merry Christmas!

Sneak Peak Sunday

2011-12-11T22:23:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Here is a sneak peak at the "In The Sandbox" comic that will post on GoComics.com tomorrow. Last week I did posted some comics about a math tournament. I will be wrapping up the math tournament comics this Wednesday.

Thank you for reading. Have a GREAT week! =)

Negotiating...

2011-11-27T17:18:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Here is a sneak peak at tomorrow's comic that will post on GoComics.com. This comic was inspired by my kids of course. They are some tough negotiators! They never stop negotiating. It can be draining!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

click on image to view larger

Misundertanding

2011-11-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

It's always best to assume positive intent. It's not easy but it's best...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

2011-10-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

I just wanted to wish you all a safe and fun Halloween! To see another "In The Sandbox" Halloween comic go to www.GoComics.com/InTheSandbox.

Have a GREAT MONDAY!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

2011-10-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!! BE SAFE!

Here is one of my favorite comics from last year.

click on comic to view larger

Halloween Past - Part 2

2011-10-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

click on comics to view larger

Last year, my youngest son wanted to be a swamp monster. He was 4 at the time. I remember thinking how I did not want him to be some scary looking monster... he had plenty of years ahead of him for that... like his teenage years.

This year, he will be Harry Potter! What's especially great about Harry Potter- my oldest son was Harry when he was 5, so we already had the costume! SCORE!! :D

Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!!

Halloween Past - Part 1

2011-10-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Can you believe Halloween is next Monday?!! This year is going by so fast. It's hard to believe that we will be thinking Turkey and presents soon. Yikes!

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to post some old Halloween comics.

Have a GREAT Thursday! Enjoy!

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month...

2011-10-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

click on comics to view larger

Here are my comics posted this week on GoComics.com. These comics are in honor of BCA month.

Have a fabulous day!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

This week's comics are in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

How To Look Slimmer...

2011-10-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

I just saw this article, Color Block Dresses: Look 10 lbs. Thinner! on Yahoo! It made me laugh. It made me think of a comic strip that I recently posted on GoComics. Here it is:

Have a GREAT weekend! I will be busy with soccer games, dinner with friends and of course comic strip deadlines!

1 Year

2011-10-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been 1 year since Cathy Guisewite retired. It feels like it's been much longer. Here is a great article about what she's been up to over the last year.

photo from mlive.com

Have a GREAT week!

BIG Sale!

2011-09-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Let's hope the market is better this week! Have a WONDERFUL Monday!! =)

An Interview with Moi! ;)

2011-09-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

I recently had another Mommy Blogger interview me for her blog. It is a very short interview. You can check it out here: AnnaDeskins.com

Life Is Art

2011-09-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

LOVE THIS, MUST SHARE! =)

Pininterest, www.StyleYourLifeBlog.com

A whole week to put together!

2011-09-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

This comic was inspired by one of my sons. He spent several days... perhaps several weeks putting together a puzzle. When it was completed, he was so proud of himself. All I could think of was "great, put it away!" I know, I know... not the best motherly thoughts. At that point, I was so tired of seeing it laying around the living room. I of course did not tell him that though. =)

Living with boys

2011-09-12T21:02:00.001-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Ahh, yes... the joy of living in a 'boy' household. :-)

Back To School!

2011-09-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

It's back to school! My boys have been in school for 2 weeks now. My youngest has been home sick twice already. Yes, it is back to school time!

Drawing through tears...

2011-08-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I have posted. I thought I would be back earlier but I needed more time. As you may already be aware from a previous post, this has been a tough Summer for me. I lost one of my best friends to cancer. It sucks. Drawing has been difficult. My husband suggested that I draw about my feelings; draw some comics in memory of my friend. Let me tell you the task was not easy. I shed several tears drawing this series of comics but I am so glad I did it. It has helped me start to feel because I have been pretty numb.

Here is the first comic of the series dedicated to my dear friend, Jeff Clark. It will be posted on GoComics on Monday. The rest will be posted throughout the week.

click on comic to view larger

Thank you for your patience and thank you for continuing to read.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

2011-06-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

I thought I would use this old comic strip of mine to wish everyone a very HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!! Enjoy the day!!

Update

2011-06-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last update because it's been a tough month for me. One of my best friends lost his battle with cancer. He was only 41. I am still dealing with a lot of emotions. At times I feel angry, lonely, confused, incredibly sad and empty. I have known my friend for +25 years. He is part of my foundation... and now he is gone.

I find that I am go about my day keeping busy with every day tasks. It's usually first thing in the morning or in the evening when it's quiet (when I usually do my drawing) and I just have me & my thoughts, when it really hits me. I will never again see my friend, see his smile, hear his voice; he won't see my kids grow up; my kids won't know him.

What I admired most about my friend was how he always made everyone feel good about themselves. You always walked away from him feeling great. He just had that effect on people. He was one of the kindest people I've known.

I miss him so much it hurts. But I know that he would want us all to go on and live each day appreciating those in our lives. So with that, I now live each day more intentionally. I hug my kids longer. I stop, look at others and really listen to what they say. I want to be the type of person he was. I want people to walk away from a conversation with me and feel good too.

Thank you for listening. I will be back to posting comics very soon.

-Vicki

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day, I thought I would post some of my favorite comics over the last few years about being a mom. I hope you enjoy and I hope you have a GREAT MOTHER'S DAY!!

click on comics to view larger

This is an old comic inspired by my younger son. Ok, yes this actually happened to me. Kids... you gotta love them!

Sometimes I have to remind myself to REALLY appreciate the time I have with my sons while they are young... and still talking to me! ;)

There are times (lots of times) when motherhood can be trying!

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, motherhood is still pretty great!

Motherhood is fun!

hee hee!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

State Testing

2011-05-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

State testing is all this week at my son's school. This is the first year he gets to take the state test. Last weekend, I found myself at the grocery store stocking up on breakfast items such as eggs, sausage, fruit, protein cereals,... thinking to myself "what kind of breakfast would help him focus during the tests?" After I caught myself way over thinking the process, I couldn't help but draw a few comics! =)

Have a GREAT week!

Parent of the Year?

2011-05-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Have a GREAT week!

No Week 9. =(

2011-04-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Well it came to an end. Unfortunately Hank & Pfenning will not be moving on to Week 9 in the contest. Although the news makes me a bit sad, the fact that I have so many wonderful people that supported me throughtout the contest, outweighs not winning. I cannot tell you how incredibly lucky and blessed I feel to have such wonderful and supportive people in my life.

I am ever so humble and grateful for your support. THANK YOU!!

The above comic strip is what would have run in Week 9.

WEEK 8 - PLEASE KEEP VOTING! =)

2011-04-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

My new comic strip "Hank & Pfenning" is moving on to Week 8 in The Cartoonist Studio's Contest!!

Thank you to everyone that has voted!! If you haven't voted yet, there is still time to get in on the fun! ;)

Here is a quick link to my newly created comic strip, "Hank & Pfenning": www.thecartooniststudio.com/CartoonStripSearch.aspx?name=hank

If you have yet to vote, here's what you do:

Just go to: www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote

Register / Log In
Search "Hank"
Click on "Hank & Pfenning"
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button
Repeat daily every 6 hours! =)

It is free and easy to vote!

VOTING FOR WEEK 8 STARTS TONIGHT (SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH) AT 9PM PACIFIC TIME!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

WEEK 7 - PLEASE KEEP VOTING! =)

2011-04-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

My newly created comic strip "Hank & Pfenning" is moving on to Week 7 in The Cartoonist Studio's Cartoon Contest!!

Thank you to everyone that has voted!! If you haven't voted yet, there is still time to get in on the fun! ;)

Here is a quick link to my newly created comic strip, "Hank & Pfenning": www.thecartooniststudio.com/CartoonStripSearch.aspx?name=hank

If you have yet to vote, here's what you do:

Just go to: www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Register / Log In
Search "Hank"
Click on "Hank & Pfenning"
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button
Repeat daily every 6 hours! =)

It is free and easy to vote!

VOTING FOR WEEK 7 STARTS TONIGHT (SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH) AT 9PM PACIFIC TIME!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

THANK YOU FOR THE VOTES!!

2011-04-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE VOTES THIS WEEK IN THE CARTOONIST STUDIO'S CONTEST! I truly appreciate your support in helping me achieve a life long dream of mine... to become a syndicated cartoonist! =)

Here is a quick link to my newly created comic strip, "Hank & Pfenning": //www.thecartooniststudio.com/CartoonStripSearch.aspx?name=hank

If you have yet to vote, here's what you do:

Just go to: www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Register / Log In
Search "Hank"
Click on "Hank & Pfenning"
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button
Repeat daily every 6 hours! =)

It is free and easy to vote!

I sincerely thank you!

WEEK 6 - PLEASE KEEP VOTING! =)

2011-04-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

YAHOO!! Hank & Pfenning are moving on to Week 6 in The Cartoonist Studio's Cartoon Contest!! =)

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VOTES!! Please keep them coming in. =)

If you have not voted, you can still get in on the fun! It is free and easy to vote!

Just go to: www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Register / Log In
Search "Hank"
Click on "Hank & Pfenning"
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button

Repeat daily every 6 hours! =)

Here is a quick link to Hank & Pfenning: http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/CartoonStripSearch.aspx?name=hank

Voting for Week 6 begins tonight (Sunday, April 3rd) at 9pm Pacific Time.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT! I TRULY APPRECIATE IT! =)

APRIL FOOLS!!

2011-04-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Some of my fellow GoComics Sherpa cartoonists and I decided to switch comics for the day. I had the honor of drawing T. Shepherd's Hoodoo The Unwise Owl while Wil Panganiban drew today's strip of In The Sandbox.

WOW! This was such a fun project to work on! Here is the strip I drew for Hoodoo The Unwise Owl:

click on comic to view larger

Here is today's In The Sandbox drawn by Wil Panganiban. I cannot tell you how cool it is for me to see In The Sandbox drawn by someone else!

click on comic to view larger

Have a WONDERFUL APRIL FOOL'S DAY!! ;)

Charles M. Schulz Museum

2011-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon at the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California listening to two of my favorite cartoonists speak! Here are some pictures from the day.

Charles Schulz Museum

Charles Schulz quote on the wall

Guest speakers: Lynn Johnston of For Better or For Worse and Jan Eliot of Stone Soup

Jan Eliot, me and Lynn Johnston

One of my favorite things at the museum is this wall covered with comic strip tiles. From a distance it makes a picture of Charlie Brown attempting to kick the football from Lucy.

You can read Stone Soup here:

You can read For Better or For Worse here:

Alright, now it's back to the drawing board for me to keep working on my comics! =)

WEEK 5 - PLEASE KEEP VOTING! =)

2011-03-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

GREAT NEWS! My newly created comic strip, Hank & Pfenning is moving on to Week 5 in The Cartoonist Studio's Cartoon Contest!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VOTES!! Please keep them coming in. =)

If you have not voted, you can still get in on the fun! It is free and easy to vote!

Just go to: www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Register / Log In
Search "Hank"
Click on "Hank & Pfenning"
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button
Repeat daily every 6 hours! =)

Voting for Week 5 begins tonight (Sunday, March 27th) at 9pm Pacific Time.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

LET'S CELEBRATE EARTH... MARCH 26, 2011! =)

2011-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour 2011 Official video

click on comic to view larger

Hank & Pfenning is moving on to Week 4 in the contest!

2011-03-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

GREAT NEWS! My newly created comic strip "Hank & Pfenning" is moving on to Week 4 in The Cartoonist Studio's Cartoon Contest!

Thank you to everyone that has voted!! If you haven't voted yet, there is still time to get in on the fun! ;)

It is quite easy to vote:

Here is a quick link to Hank & Pfenning: http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/CartoonStripSearch.aspx?name=hank
Click on Hank & Pfenning
Log In
Click on the Thumbs Up (I like) button
Repeat daily, every 6 hours =D

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

I just thought I would post one of my favorite "In The Sandbox" comics today to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

By the way, thank you for all of the votes for my comic strip "Hank & Pfenning" on The Cartoonist Studio's cartoon contest! It is very much appreciated!

Have a WONDERFUL day!

WEEK 3 - PLEASE KEEP VOTING! =)

2011-03-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

HANK & PFENNING is moving on to Week 3 of The Cartoonist Studio's Cartoon Contest!!

THANK YOU so much for all of your votes over the last 2 weeks. I cannot tell you how grateful, appreciative and humble I am by your generosity to go on this 10 week journey with me.

It is odd to keep asking people to vote daily, actually a couple times a day for 10 weeks but that is the way this contest is set up. I only ask this of you because becoming a syndicated cartoonist is a dream of mine that I have had since I was 12 years old. It is something I have been working on for quite some time now. So please know that when you vote, I truly appreciate it more than I can tell you.

I would like to start Week 3’s campaign off with a theme: “SPREAD THE WORD!” Please help me by not only voting but also by SPREADING THE WORD. Let’s see how many votes we can get this week!

Week 3 voting is officially open.

All you have to do is:

Go to: http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/CartoonStripSearch.aspx?name=hank
Click on “Hank & Pfenning”
Make sure you are logged in
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button
Repeat daily every 6 hours =)

Also, I have just created a Facebook fan page for Hank & Pfenning. Please join at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hank-Pfenning/207983045885900

I truly and sincerely thank you for all of your support!

Cartoonist Studio Comic Contest... PLEASE VOTE 4 HANK & PFENNING!

2011-03-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

The Cartoonist Studio (http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/) is having a comic contest. The winner of this contest will get a development contract with Creators Syndicate. As a cartoonist, this is a HUGE PRIZE!!

So I am asking you all for your support in voting for my comic strip Hank & Pfenning.

My Background:

I have been drawing comics for many years now. I am a mother of 2 young boys. I also work a full time job outside the house. So most of my drawing is done daily between the hours of 8:30pm-10:30pm after my boys are tucked in bed. I do this almost every night because I love it. Cartooning is my passion. I draw comics whether or not anyone reads them. HOWEVER, it is much more fun having people read! I cannot tell you how excited it makes me to be able to make someone laugh at one of my comics or hear that they cut out the comic and put it on the refrigerator!

So when this contest at The Cartoonist Studio was announced, I was quite excited! I developed a brand new comic strip called Hank & Pfenning. I am quite proud of it. I love the characters!

So, please help me achieve this life long dream of mine by voting for Hank & Pfenning!

Contest Details:

Readers will help decide who gets the development contract from Creator’s Syndicate.
The contest will last 10 weeks (Feb 28 – May 7)
Each week, a new comic strip is posted for readers to vote on (the above strip is the Week 1 Hank & Pfenning comic)
The bottom 10% of comic strips based on votes will be eliminated weekly (like American Idol).

How to vote:

Go to: http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Log in / register
Type "Hank" in the search box to the right and Hank & Pfenning will come right up
Click on the Hank & Pfenning comic
Click on the THUMBS UP (I like) button
Repeat every 6 hours =)

I sincerely thank you for your support!!

PLEASE VOTE FOR MY COMIC STRIP!

2011-03-02T21:46:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Thank you to everyone that has voted for Hank & Pfenning! Please keep the votes coming in. Comics will be eliminated weekly based on lowest votes. So every vote counts! You can vote up to 4 times per day (every 6 hours)!!

For those that have not voted yet, here's what you do:

Go to http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Register / Log on
Type "Hank & Pfenning" in the search box on the right
Click on the THUMBS UP button to vote
Repeat every 6 hours =)Thank you so much for your support! =)

THANK YOU FOR THE VOTES!!

2011-02-28T22:05:00.000-08:00

Wow! Thank you to all that voted for "Hank & Pfenning" at The Cartoonist Studio! I truly am grateful!

Please keep voting throughout the week. The bottom 10% of comics based on votes will be eliminated weekly. The contest will run for 10 weeks. Please help to keep "Hank & Pfenning" in the contest all 10 weeks!

Contest Details:

People get to decide who wins the syndication contract by voting
You can vote up to 4 times a day (every 6 hours) at: http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Every week a new comic strip will be posted
Every week the bottom 10% of comics based on votes will be eliminated

NOTE: You can find “Hank & Pfenning” on page 28 (there are a lot of comics to sort through!)

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND HAVE THEM VOTE AS WELL!

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT! =)

VOTING STARTS TODAY!

2011-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Voting starts today for the Cartoon Contest and The Cartoonist Studio!

Please help me get a syndicated contract for my newly created comic strip, “Hank & Pfenning”. If you like “In The Sandbox”, then you will definitely like “Hank & Pfenning”.

Contest Details:

People get to decide who wins the syndication contract by voting
You can vote up to 4 times a day (every 6 hours) at: http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/vote
Every week a new comic strip will be posted
Every week the bottom 10% of comics based on votes will be eliminated

NOTE: You can find “Hank & Pfenning” on page 28 (there are a lot of comics to sort through!)

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND HAVE THEM VOTE AS WELL!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT! =)

A Cartooning Contest!! Please vote for me! =)

2011-02-20T21:19:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

The Cartoonist Studio is having a contest. The prize is BIG!! It is a syndication contract with Creators Syndicate. I am submitting a newly created comic strip called Hank & Pfenning. I really like the characters in this strip! I will update this week with a little bit more information about the strip.

I am asking EVERYONE I know to please register at The Cartoonist Studio and vote for my strip. The comic strips will be eliminated daily based on the fewest number of votes. So unfortunately it is a popularity contest but I am hoping you will like my strip enough to register and vote a few times day (you can vote up to 4 times per day)! ;)

Thank you all for your support!

-Vicki

Valentine's Day Cards & Handcuff?!! WHAT?!!

2011-02-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Remember being in elementary school and getting the box of 30 Valentine's Day cards to hand out to your classmates? Well why do they now sell "love cuffs" next to elementary-school-classroom-box-of-30-valentine's-day cards? Seriously, try explaining to your child why they cannot have the fun looking handcuffs. Ugh!

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

NOTE: You can subscribe to receive "In The Sandbox" comics delivered free to your email by going to http://www.gocomics.com/inthesandbox.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-13T21:17:00.000-08:00

click on comics to view larger

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Resolutions?!

2011-02-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Did you make a resolution to live healthier? If so, are you still making progress? One of my resolutions is to eat healthier and exercise. Overall, I am not doing great but I have not given up hope. Soooo, in anticipation of Valentine's day candy & dessert tomorrow, it's off to spin class for me this morning! =)

Have a GREAT Sunday!!

Valentine's Day

2011-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Do you have anything planned? Do you have any traditions?

Although Valentine's Day can be over rated, I think it is a fun holiday. My husband and I never exchange presents on Valentine's Day. We keep it small. Instead of presents, we celebrate it by having a special dinner at home with our two sons and with dessert (of course!). We also exchange cards, usually homemade (as my husband cannot stand to spend $3 on a greeting card from the store). My husband also gives me flowers, not roses. He buys me tulips. It is a win-win. I win since tulips are my FAVORITE flower and he wins since he does not have to buy overpriced roses. It works for us! =)

What is your perfect Valentine's Day?

Time Management Tips

2011-02-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Time Management Tip: Limit Distractions! ;)

Wow! I cannot believe it's been so long since I have updated. January was a crazy busy month for me at work. Yikes! I am looking forward to getting back on track with my comics.

Thank you for reading and have a GREAT week!

Cursive Writing

2011-01-07T22:18:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Do you remember learning to write in cursive? I remember when I could not read cursive hand writing. Funny, now I look at cursive or print as all the same. It's hard to imagine not being able to read cursive.

Anyway, tonight my son was writing in cursive. This is the first time that I have seen him write in cursive. It made me think of this comic that I drew back in August. =)

Have a wonderful weekend!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! January is one of my favorite times of the year! I love the fresh start of a new year. I love to look back on the old year to see where I was and how much I've accomplished over the year. I especially love the new year because of the goal setting and planning that everyone does. I love to hear what people's desires are, what they want to accomplish. I love that so many people want to improve and better themselves. Yes, it is one of my FAVORITE times of year.

One of my goals this year is to gain more readers of my comic strip. =) So do you have any goals/resolutions?

Doing Right

2010-12-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

For a GREAT charity idea, check out Kiva.org. I am going to a Christmas gift exchange today. Everyone is suppose to bring a $20 gift (ok, mine is $25), this is what I am bringing! =)

Have a WONDERFUL day!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2010-12-25T11:40:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Ok, I have not been good about posting. I will definitely do better in the New Year. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy your time with family and friends... afterall, isn't that what it's all about?!

Thank you for reading. =)

THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-19T22:30:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

We are having Thanksgiving dinner at our house again this year. We have to redeem ourselves. You see, last year we bought a 20lb bird. We thought it was completely thawed but after 8+ hours of cooking... we realized that it was not completely thawed. We were planning to have dinner around 5pm but did not sit down to eat until 8:30pm. Our guests were quite patient with us. I just felt bad for our elderly neighbors that were over especially since they usually go to bed by 7pm. They too were incredibly patient.

So 2010, a new year, we WILL redeem ourselves! ;)

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

Pedometers

2010-11-07T22:16:00.000-08:00

click on comic to view larger

Tomorrow is Monday! With the holidays upon us, I plan to make this a healthy week. Do you do anything special to stay in shape during the holidays? This time of year always make me nervous. There are just too many yummy temptations!

Have a GREAT Monday and remember to reset your pedometer! And now I must go hide the left over Halloween candy!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

2010-10-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

WOW! I cannot believe it's been so long since my last update. Life has been quite hectic with Fall Carnivals, soccer games, Halloween festivities, camping... It is all fun but I am definitely starting to feel the schedule intensify as we get closer to the end of the year. Are you feeling the same?

Anyway, hopefully you do not get any tall stalks of broccoli knocking on your door for Halloween!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Fundraising

2010-10-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Recently my son's school had a fundraiser selling chocolate! I think I was his best customer! =) It was fun watching him raise money for his school. He was doing it partly for the prizes (ok mostly for the prizes) and also partly for his school. He genuinely cares about supporting his school... very cool.

What are good fundraisers your kids have done? Any suggestions?

Have a GREAT Monday!!

True Love

2010-10-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

What gets YOU through the day? =)

Have a WONDERFUL Monday!

Business Travel

2010-09-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

This is the comic I drew for my husband. Every year for our anniversary, I draw a comic strip for him that reflects our life over the last year. It's fun to look back on the years to see how our lives have changed. =)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Anniversary Weekend!

2010-09-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

This weekend my husband and I are celebrating our anniversary! (Yes, I really did pick out & buy my anniversary present) I still need to draw a comic for my husband's card. It's been such a busy week with work, I have not had time to really stop and think about our plans. I am just looking forward to going out to dinner; a quiet, relaxing dinner. =)

Have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!

Birds of a feather...

2010-09-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Have you ever noticed that people that hang out together tend to dress alike? I guess it should come as no surprise but it still makes me laugh. I used to tease my husband about wearing his "engineer's uniform": khakis pants & a blue shirt.

Well, have a great day!

Birds of a feather...

2010-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

I hope you all had a great weekend. It's Monday and I am ready for a very productive week ahead!! How about you?

Well I thought it would be fun to do some black & white comics. This comic will be posted on GoComics on Tuesday.

Have a great day!

Walnut Festival Fun Run

2010-09-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

This is a comic strip I did for the Walnut Festival Fun Run. My oldest son and I are participating. It should be fun. =)

Boys!

2010-09-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

I live in a "boy" house. I have 2 sons and a husband. Often I find them quite humorous. You see I grew up with one sister. Most of my friends had sisters too. So I am not used to boys. I have to say, they are a different breed. They have me laughing all the time.

Have a GREAT week!

Quote of the Week

2010-09-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."

--Tom Bodett,

American author and humorist

Don't you just love quotes? I recently stumbled upon this quote and thought "Wow! That says it all!"

Have a great day!

Improving the Economy

2010-08-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

There was a story a couple of weeks ago in the news about how people are saving more money now and that it is not good for the economy. Whenever I hear this, I can't help but laugh. You always hear how people need to save more and live within their means. Yet when they do, all you hear is how people need to spend money to improve the economy. You just can't win.

(sigh)

Have a FABULOUS week! ;)

Rocket for boys only?

2010-08-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

Yes, many of my comics come from actual experiences. This is something my son said to me. Sometimes (ok most of the time) you just have to laugh!

Have a great Thursday!

Back To School Shopping

2010-08-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

We are going back to school shopping tomorrow. Wish me luck! =)

Quote of the Week

2010-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

"If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation, it would be the ability for each individual to learn to laugh at himself. "

- Charles M. Schulz

Wishing you all a wonderful week... and remember to laugh at yourself! =)

Peace

2010-08-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

click on comic to view larger

This summer the only "vacation" I have had are the few times I was able to sneak off to the bathroom for a little peace & quiet.

It's hard to believe Summer vacation is almost over for my kids. It is now August!! Where did the year go?!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Cathy Guisewite Retiring!

2010-08-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

AP – Cartoonist Cathy Guisewite is shown in this 1987 file photo. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Big news was announced yesterday in the comic strip world. Cathy Guisewite who draws "Cathy" is retiring. Her last strip will run in newspapers October 3, 2010. It's both sad and exciting. It's sad to see a classic strip go but extremely exciting to see room made for other cartoonists.

"Cathy" had a big influence on me and my strip. I had a lot of people say that my strip reminded them of "Cathy". So I worked hard to change that. Afterall, as a creator, you want something that is your's, right? Here is the week of strips I drew to transform my character from being too "Cathy" like:

Although I have not read "Cathy" in years, I have to say I am still sad to see her retire. I wish Cathy all the best in this next chapter in her life.