willotoons http://virb.com/willotoons Shop WilloToons! Fun tees for girls & guys, jewelry, baby onesies & bibs, and more! Check it out & spread the word! my blog & illustration portfolio twitter facebook sonicliving (music calendar) myspace last.fm mog I obviously *totally* need another site to add to the list. ooh! I know! virb]]> Virb 2.0 (@willotoons) en Yes We Carve! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/901770 YesWeCarve.com for some inspiration!



They have a ton of stencils you can download & everything - so awesome.

Also, watch this video... it actually just made me tear up a little! haha



*sigh* So excited for Obama to be our next pres!!!]]> Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:44:45 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/901770 If You Are Undecided, You're Not Paying Attention http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/901769 this awesome blog... it's written by an 82 year old woman. This post in particular has me absolutely cracking up... there's so many classic lines in it!

Talking about all the debates & info out there (and how anyone could still be undecided):
"Honey, I trust you can read. Please do because this is important."

Talking about Palin:

"Honestly, there are more beavers in Alaska than people. But this is the person who is going to explain the complexities of one of the largest economies on the globe to John McCain. I'm pretty sure they don't have enough fingers and toes between them to count that high."

Talking about McCain:

"If I hear that McCain is a Maverick one more time I just might throw myself to the floor and break a hip. A maverick is an independent individual who doesn't go along with a group or party. If John McCain's a maverick I am one of those cheerleaders on the sidelines of Harold's beloved Dallas Cowboys."

To all of you who are undecided:

"So tell me again why you are undecided?

Oh yes I forgot. The terrorists are going to get us.

Folks, I'm tired of living in fear. Life is too short. How about we try hope and optimism again and see how that works. It created the greatest nation in history and the world is better for it.

Thanks for stopping by everyone. If I find out that you didn't take the time to vote, I will ask Matthew to ban you from this web page blog. I mean it. Really."

::::

Seriously, how awesome is she!? I want to hug her! Read more of her hilarious quips on http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com. <3

]]> Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:44:44 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/901769 Generation We http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/899286 Generation We: How Millennial Youth Are Taking Over America and Changing Our World Forever (that is completely FREE for digital download). I work with teens on a weekly basis & they constantly inspire me & give me hope for our future. This really sums that feeling up for me:



I highly recommending watching the video, above, but here's a textual summary, too:

"The youth of our country have emerged as a powerful political and social force. As the largest generation in history, they are independent - politically, socially, and philosophically - and are spearheading a period of sweeping change in America and around the world. One only has to look as far as the Obama phenomena to understand that. In the latest quarter of fundraising alone, a staggering 128,000 students donated to his campaign.

In Generation We, the author explains the emerging power of the Millennial Generation, shows how they (and their supporters from other generations) are poised to change our nation and our world for the better, and lays out a powerful plan for progressive change that today's youth is ready to implement."

Check out more about the book & the movement at http://www.gen-we.org.]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:37:16 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/899286 Please make sure everyone you know votes *NO* on Prop 8! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/896505
Did you know that should Proposition 8 pass, it will be the first time *in the history of the country* that an amendment had been written into a constitution, eliminating rights from a class of people? Why would anyone want to do that? Why would any human ever want to deny equal protection, let alone pass an amendment to the constitution that *takes away* human writes & discriminates against one group of people? Baffles my mind.

Misty posted this video tonight, and she's right - it's a good one:



I love this video because it doesn't make it all about the gay population. Underneath it all, it's about human rights, fairness and equality.

What blows me away is the fact that there are so many lives touched by love! Gay couples have friends, children and families who celebrate in their love & their choice to create a sacred union in respect & honor of that love. There is just absolutely no reason that anyone in America today should have their civil rights taken away because of their sexual preference. Seriously, it's like saying only people who have all 10 fingers can get married. Or only cat lovers can get married. Or you have to be over 5'8" or something ridiculous. Let's move forward & not backwards... it's 2008, people! :)

I was searching around tonight & found this awesome post on CL:

"Rather than discourage people from conducting healthy committed relationships, as a society we should be encouraging such stability, which is good for the children of gay couples, as well as for the well being and health of gay people themselves.

Separation of church and state and religious freedom are pillars upon which American democracy was founded upon, and they are principles that should not so easily be dismissed. Vote NO on 8, and recognize the good sense of our founding fathers.

Simply because you and your church defines marriage in one way, does not mean that marriage must be defined that way by all churches or by those who maintain no religious faith [practice] at all. This is religious freedom is what made and continues to make America such a beacon of hope to others around the world. We are not a theocratic country, rather we are a democracy, founded upon a system of checks and balances designed to protect the rights of all people, including those of a minority status who are unable to always protect their own rights.

To live in a society such as ours, we must compromise, and allow for the existence of religious philosophies that we disagree with, with social advances that we may not agree with, in order to protect the rights of others and create social stability (think of the emancipation of slaves, the right for women to vote, the civil rights struggle of people of color, the rights of those among us of different races to get married, equal rights and oppportunities at the work place for women, and yes, marriage for same sex people)."

I love it!

Please read more about the facts vs fiction, post or email information around so your friends & family in California can be informed on their vote.

Thanks for reading.

UPDATE: I want to thank & give huge props to Apple for donating and doing everything they can to stop Prop 8.

Also, if you can help, please visit my beautiful, loving, smart (and yes, married!) friend's Hillary & Anna's donate page. Even $5 helps! You can read more of their story on Hillary's blog here.]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:24:29 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/896505 Vote for Hope http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/894069
type="text/javascript" id="voteforhope-widget" src="http://mcyogi.com/_assets/widget/voteforhope.js">>

We played this at Barack 'n Roll, too!

You can download this song & find out more about the musician MC Yogi here: http://mcyogi.com/voteforhope. Also, huge props to the incredible motion artists behind this animation: Ursa Minor Arts and Media]]> Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:08:19 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/894069 Barack 'n Roll was a smash success! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/877855 alt
me barackin' out with our future president & vice president!, originally uploaded by Willo.

We're proud to announce Barack 'n Roll was a huge hit! We sold over 400 tickets and exceeded our goal of raising $10,000 to send volunteers to swing states! YES!

Thank you to everyone to came out last night to support us. We were blown away by the turnout and the excitement in the room. Throughout the night, people came up to all of us, thanking us for putting Barack 'n Roll together and to congratulate us on an amazing turn out. We were all so humbled and proud to be part of such a supportive and passionate community.

Continue reading our wrap up post on BaracknRollSF.com »

View all my photos (on Flickr) from this event ... and be sure to check out the incredible set of professional photos, taken by our awesome friend Peter Ellenby, too!


All of us organizers of Barack n Roll!

Thanks again to everyone to came out last night & to all my awesome co-party planners who I love so much! What an incredible experience.

]]> Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:01:07 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/877855 Barack 'n Roll - Oct 15, 2008 @ The Independent http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/870357

Yay, it's almost here! Join us this Wednesday night at the Independent in San Francisco for Barack 'N Roll!

Most of you have heard us talking/twittering & emailing about it, but for those who haven't yet - basically this whole idea came about because we kept seeing various fundraisers around, but wanted to see one that appealed to our kind of rockin' music! So here it is...

alt

Barack 'N Roll!
Wed, Oct 15th @ The Independent, doors at 7pm
Cruise over right after the debates!

How sweet is our event poster?! BAGeL Ted put it together & we'll be selling a limited edition print run the night of the event... all proceeds going to helping peeps go out to swing states & make CHANGES of course! See, the coolest part about the poster (if you didn't get the reference already) is it's a spin off of David Bowie's Changes album:

changes1

Aww yaaa! My friends are so cool... I love it!

We'll be rockin' the house with amazing bands and a great cause. ALL the proceeds go towards sponsoring volunteers traveling to battle ground states to campaign for Obama. Which means if we sell out this event, we have the opportunity to raise $10,000 to help volunteers get out & rock the vote!

We're working with ObamaTravel.org and The Great Schelp to find volunteers willing to travel... and thankfully there are a lot of them. This election is SO IMPORTANT and the battle ground states are critical. Getting people there, on the streets, reaching out to voters is one of the most important things we can do to get Obama elected. It's going to be an amazing night - I hope every one of you can make it!

Tickets are on sale now - just click here and visit BaracknrollSF.com for more info & links.

(note: part of this post was written by my awesome friend Misty... but she basically said everything I wanted to say, so it works! :)

On a personal note, I've been absolutely loving working with our passionate team putting this event together... it's so incredible to be surrounded by amazing friends who feel as strongly about this election (and Obama/Biden) as I do. Thanks to all of you & to those who have been promoting & will be joining us this Wednesday... YES WE CAN!

:::

Also, while I'm at it, I love these awesome images from DesignforObama.org... check em out:

alt
We'll have these designs on buttons at our event! Everyone gets free buttons & we'll have a lot of other fun prizes to give away, too!



Add our Barack 'n Roll event on...

Facebook, Upcoming, My.BarackObama.com, SonicLiving and follow us on Twitter.

To get involved you can donate on the Barack 'n Roll website, or visit & sign up on ObamaTravel.org directly to volunteer or sponsor one (air miles & hotel points help, too!)

Whatever you do, please, please VOTE. We can do this!

]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:21:48 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/870357 buck up, at least you're not a mystery.... http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/859861 alt
TV Dinner, originally uploaded by Bnice2mice.

Last night Michael showed us this image... we all laughed & discussed how the mystery meat looked so sad.

"Who am I? .... What am I?"

And we* decided, he's having a meat life crisis.

*This was actually Felicia's brilliance. Mystery meat having a meat life crisis? GENIUS. :)

]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:41:40 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/859861 Bush's Crisis Speeches Eerily Similar http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/846229


via Dave

Seriously it wouldn't surprise me if there was some major Bush involvement with the entire financial crisis going on, just so people would get scared & all the irrational McCain/Palin bullshit (aka scare tactics, similar to Bush's) would work that much better.

p.s. *sigh* I love Jon Stewart so much!]]> Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:45:51 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/846229 WilloToons at Treasure Island Music Festival! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/828886 alt

Swing by the WilloToons table this Saturday & Sunday at the Treasure Island Music Festival! I'll be in the Indie Mart tent with a few other vendors, as a part of the Festival's "Treasure Chest."

eatsleeprockrepeat

I'm really excited. This is a first for me having a WilloToons table at a music festival, and this line up is awesome. Check out the photos on the festival site to see how amazing the views are from there, too.

Tickets are still available & it's forecasted to be a gorgeous weekend. It's like having Coachella right in our own backyard, peeps. Hope to see you there!

]]> Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:59:35 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/828886 willotoons.com wordle http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/824791 alt
willotoons.com wordle, originally uploaded by Willo.

Playing around with Wordle.net... Pretty awesome! Here's my other one I made, too, called cultivating creativity.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
WilloToons is one designer's mission to take her love for the web, rock 'n roll and cartoon illustration, and turn it into a unique line of products for other geekyfantastic music lovers. Check out the WilloToons shop for high quality tees for guys & girls, super cute onesies & bibs for baby, fun jewelry and more!

]]> Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:33:44 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/824791 visionary dreams http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/818687
A few months ago (July 12th) I had a dream thats message was so strong, I ended up waking up & video recording myself talking it out so I wouldn't forget it:



visionary dream from willotoons on Vimeo.

And it helped! There are details I said in this video I had forgotten even a few days later. Pretty cool. Since then I've had more amazing dreams... one of which was even an incredible visit through past lives, which was wild.

I haven't recorded anymore yet, but I'm posting this as sort of a kick off, because this is the first of many videos where I am going to be sharing with you exactly what this dream suggested. I am going to attempt to share with you some of the challenges I've had in my business, lessons I've learned, mistakes I've made, etc. I am also looking forward to asking you all questions, as I know I have sooo many incredibly intelligent friends & readers out there, and two heads - let alone hundreds - are better than one! :)

The biggest reason I want to share more of this process is to speak more about how by starting my WilloToons line I am following my dream... and how much I wish for everyone that they listen to their heart & do what they love!

Thank you for continuing to read & for all of your support. xo

::::

For those of you who might be curious... in this video I am wearing my (WilloToons illustration) 'kitty face' scoop tee & (handcrafted) owlie the owl earrings! And here's photos from the Renegade Craft Fair that I talked about having a table at in the video.]]> Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:34:32 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/818687 my niece is so adorable! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/818686 alt
fresh out of the bath baby with mommy!, originally uploaded by Willo.

Sunday night, after Darren & Steph's beautiful wedding in Carmel Valley, I went & spent the night at my brother's in Santa Cruz.

I was so tired & almost didn't go, but I am so glad I did... she's growing up so fast! She's sitting up, rolling over, giggling and *just* about to crawl any day now.




*sigh* I'm so smitten. :)

View all the photos & videos from my quick visit!

]]> Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:34:31 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/818686 photos from my family trip back to indiana http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/808207 alt
Mothers & daughters!, originally uploaded by Willo.

My Mom's from a little town called Warsaw, Indiana and so our entire family is still there... all my aunts, uncles, cousins & their kids!

It was an absolutely gorgeous Labor Day weekend and I loved spending time with my fabulous family in the midwest!

We played a lot of cornhole...
darrin throws

Relaxed on the lake....
my view

And it was great to hang out with my sis!
me & my sis! yay

»View all the photos from my trip »

]]> Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:51:06 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/808207 willotoons tees on pleasedress.me! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/808206 alt
willotoons scoop tees on pleasedress.me!, originally uploaded by Willo.

I'm proud to announce that I'm a part of a new t-shirt search engine site called Please Dress Me!

And, check this out.... this article (all in spanish!) featured all of my 'geek' tagged tees in the screenshot! yay!

So fun... thanks & a big hello to all who are finding my site & the WilloToons Shop from PleaseDress.me!

]]> Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:51:06 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/808206 congrats to the hearns! <3 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/791055 alt
the hearns! , originally uploaded by Willo.

Ali joined me for a wonderful drive up through wine country & a visit to St. Helena where we attended Helen Jane & James' Welcome Party for their (now 2 months old) newborn Nora Lea.

She's absolutely gorgeous, naturally, considering her Mom & Dad are the most smokin' hot couple I know! :)

It was an absolutely lovely day, beautiful venue & so nice to catch up with them & meet their new little one.

Many blessings & love to you sweeties! xoxo

View all the photos

]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:19:00 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/791055 Camping Trip 2008! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/777412 alt
getting ready to go on our hike to the beach!, originally uploaded by Willo.

A bunch of us went camping up near Bodega Bay, at a campground called Bodega Dunes this weekend & it was such a blast!

After breakfast on Saturday morning we all took a little hike out to the beach & hung out there for a few hours... so relaxing!

chillin & chattin at the beach

After getting back to our camp, we busted out the cold beers, guitars & (innovatively) BBQ'd the night away! Super fun times!



View all the photos & videos from our Camping Trip!

]]> Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:01:01 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/777412 Mach Schnell! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/773790 alt
Mach Schnell!, originally uploaded by Willo.

Custom illustration - view larger - for an old friend (Geoff Gill) from high school's relay running team doing the Hood to Coast next week! Their team name is Mach Schnell, which means Faster in German. ;)

These are going on Heather Gray AA t-shirts & 4 magnets (for 2 cars) during the race.

See more WilloToons Custom Illustration here

]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:41:18 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/773790 Vote on my SXSW Panels! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/768825 SXSW!

Deal is, it's all about the panels with the most votes (voting ends on Aug 29th!), so if you would please take a minute to check out what we're offering the SXSW Interactive community, login or register (super easy & quick!) and give us your 5 star vote, it'd be greatly appreciated! Feel free to leave your comments or questions, too.

  • Snappy Strategies for Selling Art & Crafts Online < click here to vote
    Today, social media sites like Facebook, ecommerce sites like Etsy.com, and the endless mash up of ecommerce ingredient applications have made starting a successful business for independent artists and crafters a snap. Learn what online tools work best, how to drive traffic, successful strategies from current independents and more.

  • Digital Dating: Are the Internets Killing Your Game? < click here to vote
    Dating has never been this complicated. Once simply "boy meets girl", we now live in a world where "boy meets girl, friends them on Facebook & Twitter and texts their way into (hopefully) Happily Ever After." How do you navigate the murky dating waters of Love 2.0?

    (FYI This panel will also include Tara Hunt, Aubrey Sabala and Steph Agresta, as well as a surprise panelist speaking for all the guys out there!)

I've actually never been on a panel at SXSW, so I'm very excited about these two & feel I have a lot to offer on both topics. Note that, although I'd love for you to be there & see them, you can still vote for me even if you're not going! :)

Thanks so much!
xo]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:40:19 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/768825 my adorable baby niece! http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/767720 alt
sylvy & auntie willo, originally uploaded by Willo.

My brother, Max & his lil' family (my awesome sister-in-law, Samara & my baby niece, Sylvyanna) and Max's long time pal & business partner, Christopher & his family (wife Courtney & daughter, Maya - just 2 months younger than Sylvy!) all came up for a day to hit the SF Int'l Gift Show.

Max & Christopher have a huge import business & retail store in Santa Cruz called Om Gallery, so they needed to place some orders. And I went along to do research on potentially having a WilloToons booth at a trade show.

gorgeous eyes

It was so awesome to see all of them & spend some quality time. My little niece Sylvy is just getting more & more beauuuutiful every day!! Seriously, isn't she just adorable!? Those eyes! *sigh* I'm smitten. :) She's so smiley & cute. I just want to gobble her up!

Click here to see all the photos & videos from their visit!

]]> Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:28:21 -0700 http://virb.com/willotoons/posts/text/767720