Am I a donkey or a horse?

Having fun working in Carla's book....been making crazy looking animals.

Well today was a fun day.  Today after I dropped my mom off to get her treatment.  I went over to

http://caricaturegirl.blogspot.com/

she has an art cafe....go to the link and have a look.  On Thursday mornings you can go there, with your journal or whatever and use her supplies, and create to your hearts content with other like minded people for a cost of $20.00 which is not bad , you don't have to bring anything.  So I decided to give it a try. Now if you talked to my daughter she would tell you, I don't get nervous I will talk to anyone, and keep them talking.  But I do get nervous, walking into a place, I don't know anyone, and they all know each other and your kind of the odd man out.  It's like starting a new job, or going to a new school.  I hate to do stuff like that, but I did it, and they were really nice, and very supportive.  So in the end I had a great time, and created a nice piece of work, which you will see tomorrow.

How do you handle meeting a new group of people, who have known each other for ever?  Am I the only one who gets nervous and just about does not go? 

Fall daze....

I love fall, the colours, the cooler nights, the nip in the air.  The trees turning all burnt oranges and reds.  You can have hot chocolate, wear long sleeved shirts at night, and pretty soon it is time for those cozy jemmies....Today was a typical fall day, it was beautiful..and it better stay that way since we had such a crappy summer.  Today was about shopping with the shopper, she was spending the money, I was just helping her.  She is now on the hunt for a leather sofa she found one, and the salesperson said its going on sale in October, which is perfect since they don't move in until November.

Did I tell you I am off to Phoenix in November for a week with friends. Can hardly wait, shopping, eating, bonding and generally just been lazy.  I just found out the Scottsdale Art Fest is on then, so we will have to go check that out for sure.

What is your weather like today?

Typical Saturday

This was done on a 4.5 by 8.5 card that I spray painted in light in dark tones and then white over top and I like the way it turned out.  I have a bunch of these cards done for when I want to do something with them.  I decided  to use markers on this one.  The spray paint does not take markers that well, but I soldiered on and this is what came out.  I have done this one awhile ago and was not to thrilled with the way the bird turned out, but I left it the way it was.

Tonight is dinner with friends at their house

Today is errands , books back to library etc

typical Saturday stuff

What do you do on Saturday's?

I am the king of the castle....

Another quick pen sketch, water with blue marker

Lunch today with friends planning a trip to Phoenix

Going to listen to a new Seal cd in the car

weather lovely, sunny, car windows will be open

dinner: chicken breast, rice pilaf, Greek salad

art more sketches and journal work

By the bed new book called the Passage

Whats on your bedside table?

Fishing without a Pole

I bought some card stock at the dollar store the other day, it was cheap a dollar so I thought I could try it.  Last night while watching TV I decided I needed to start drawing more, quick sketches with pen, not a pencil no erasing allowed (thus the black pen) I picked a subject that I like fish and birds, animals in general and quickly started to draw, then finished it off with cheap markers.  I feel I need to practice more, only then will my drawings improve.

Today I am off to do my volunteer work at my mom's lodge where she lives.  She volunteers me, and I do it.  Today its helping a friend of my Moms who is 90 pick up something at the store, she has no family.  I offered to just pick it up, but she wants to come. I feel bad for anyone that is older and doen't have a family to help them, getting old is no picnic and doing it by yourself cant be good.

Coffee anyone?

This is a coffee cup painted with coffee...for the online class.  I am not spilling any secrets here so I can show you this.  We were to paint a favourite cup with coffee.  So I took this assignment seriously, and with a little glee.  As you know I don't like coffee, usually I will have a hot chocolate or on the other side of this coffee shop is a bagel place that sells diet coke.  So first off went to the bagel side got myself a diet coke, then went to the coffee side, first I ordered a low fat orange cranberry muffin, my favourite, then just like a big coffee drinker, said one black coffee.  Now this is where he got me, and he knew this was no coffee drinker this was a big pretender.  I said what kind do you have, he gave me this look like lady just order something else.  I bravely stuck to guns, and made him rattle of the coffee names.  Then I gave him the kicker,  and said with a smile I just want really black coffee, do you have any of that?  So he looked at me and thought,( I could read his mind), is this lady nuts or what.  Then I gave in and said I will have  a cup from that pot over there. He watched me the whole way over to put the lid on the coffee and sit down, and open my diet coke.  That's when he went to the other worker and I sure said some nasty things about the coffee lady, who just took up 5 minutes of his valuable time and had a diet coke with her muffin.   I gleely laughed into my diet coke.  OK I like a little controversy now and then. 

Anyway this is the picture, I made it like an experiment.  And in the end concluded there will be no more painting with coffee, I don't like it, its not dark enough.  In the end I added neo colour crayon in orange mixed with the coffee and dried and was able to manipulate the dryer so it made some darker marks.

Imagination

I think I mentioned that I am taking an online class, and one of the questions that was asked was what is your definition of Creativity.  Of course everyone has a different way of defining it, but this is mine.
The class is a little different that I thought it would be, but I am enjoying it.  It's more of a thinking course, thinking about why and how you make art.

Well today is a go day, yesterday was all about the upkeep of this house.  Doing those cleaning jobs that I hate, cleaning the oven, even though you just turn it on, checking the spice drawer, and getting rid of the old ones.  They don't last forever people...and paring down to the ones that I use all the time.  I had spices in there I think I have never used.  Washing the floors, laundry.  You know the mundane chores that need to get done.  So today I am taking it for me.  I watched the new season of House...I think I have mentioned many times before how much I like that show.....

Books back to the library, and a book to pickup
I think I need a pedicure
Diet Coke and my journal to the second cup
Phone hubby I think I need dinner out tonight
Home to watch the new season of Glee and whatever else is on

OK what are you going to do today to treat yourself?

tools of the trade

If this drawing looks all jiggly it's because you weren't suppose to stop drawing.  I am taking an online course and one of the exercises was to draw something you use or something in your art room..After I was finished I thought I could make it look a little better by colouring with markers. 

Well today was:

cleaning the fridge, much needed

shopping with the shopper for things for the condo

lunch out

watching Oprah give away things, and having a little cry along with her

and that's it from here, what did you do today>

I am having a bad hair day....

Yep, can't you tell by the picture, I am having a bad hair day.  IT Is one of those days when you wake up and look in the mirror and say, what's with the hair.  Phoned the hairdresser can't get in for a week.  This hair has more grey than brown, I can't wait a week.  Yesterday I went and bought some hair dye to do my own today, yes I am going to wash away the grey.  Sometimes I let the hairdresser do it, sometimes I do.  I wish I was one of those people who has hair that does not turn dirty grey, but snowy white.  It Looks so nice.  So that is what is on the agenda today, the hair, the house, and a book is waiting for me...So its Thursday what's on your calender.  oH by the way I am trying out a new look on my portraits, so far its not working for me...

Secret Guest Blogger today

Hey, you guys who are reading this blog, its me Sophie, aka Devil dog.  I don't know where she ever came up with that name for me, because I think of myself as quite a nice good girl.  Anyway today I am blogging because Mama or the owner of me, I like to call her Mama because she is the only one in the house who takes really good care of me.  Anyway today she is busy with her own Mama they are in the kitchen cooking, by the way that is where I should be because I like to be there just in case they drop anything.  I heard them say they are baking today, cookies, rice krispy squares, and buns.  Her Mama is staying for supper, she is pretty nice to me and sneaks me food when no one is watching.  I just wanted to say that Mama spends way to much time doing art or on the computer checking blogs, when she could be playing with me.  I am just saying what's better than playing and spending all her time with me, I am fun. so all the dogs say at Daycare.  Well gotta go, she said she will be back to regular posting tomorrow, by the way the picture she did does not do me justice, I am much prettier.  Oh OH I think I just heard something drop on the floor gotta go......

Sophie (devil dog)

Wonky face with pastels

playing around with pastels and making wonky faces

my mind spinning with ideas

errands to run, house work to replace art today

books to read from the library

vegetable beef noodle soup to make for dinner

whats on your day's schedule today

lee

Snippets of a life

today cold, windy rainy

chili cooking slowly in crock pot

bread in bread machines, smells driving me wild

art making on cards with pastels

still in pj's, wild hair

washing machine slowly spinning

Sophie chewing beside me on her bone

a nice comfort day to stay in

what's on your agenda

Dream Lover

No this is not my dream lover...but he was someone that I came up with while just sitting and sketching while watching TV.  Coloured with art pitt pens.  Had a really good time on my short road trip with my friend, lots of talking, laughing.  So I feel rested and ready to go.  Just a short post today because I want to go and try a  transfer technique, will take pictures by the step and see if it turns out , I have my doubts.

lee

An oldie but goodie

This is an atc I made last year in September for a trade.  I really liked making it, I think the theme was either summer or vacation.  I applied a few layers and paint and stuff.  Other than that what have I been doing.  Not posting, and not on purpose, but not to much to talk about, and I think everyone is pretty busy this month.  Tonight we went out for dinner hubby and I .  We went to our favourite restaurant and I had my favourite ginger beef and rice.  Come out to pouring rain, and wind, its been like that since the beginning of September more like fall than summer still.  I am off for a road trip with my friend on Saturday just overnight to a city about 300 miles away.  Time for a little shopping, wine, good food, and gossip something I need.

I don't remember if I told you i am making a zine for me.  The index is a work in progress, every time I think of something I add it.  I have all my thoughts in a little notebook that I carry with me.  I have been thinking of a name and have narrowed it down to 4.  I am having fun thinking of what is going to go into it.  I have decided that I am going to make 10 and give them away, so If you would like one when its done let me know

I am a groupie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coi4ouJxERk

OK its true I am a groupie  I love Pam Carriker's work.  She has a unique style which I admire, but promise not to copy.  Not only that she explains things so well, and makes it interesting at the same time.  I took one online class from her  (The Gray series) using just greys pitt pens and I really enjoyed it, learned allot about shading.  The video I have the link for is really informative, her picture that she does is so much better than my example.  But I did learn allot just from the short video on colour of the face, which I always have trouble with.  So go she has a few new videos up and take a look, if you have not seen them before you will become a groupie, I am sure. 

When' s enough stuff enough

I enjoyed making this page.  I hope you like it.

It's September and I am in cleaning mode, getting rid of stuff, in the house and in the studio.  Do you have art stuff all over the house.  Well I have a studio, then sometimes I don't want to go down to the studio, so I have stuff in the den, in cupboards, drawers its not a mess so I don't mind.  But really do I need all the stuff, so much stuff I keep getting and not using.  I see a demo on tulip paints, so out I go and get the tulip paints, do I use them, once. from now on am going by the slogan less is more.  So today was purge day, junk was thrown out, good stuff was waiting for me to take to the goodwill.  I basically did the studio about a month ago, and got rid of a bunch.  Now its main floor arts, books, just stuff you don't use.  I like to go by the slogan if I have not used it in a year, or thought of it then it goes.  To much stuff crowds you and make you feel less creative.  Now I have lots of images, and words, and backgrounds, and old stuff I have been saving, in containers that I cant part with, and its driving me crazy.  I always think that If i throw that away, I will need the next day.  I am not a crazy hoarder, so I am going to try and downsize that stash. I have a thing for paper, pens, inks.  I see it and I want it.  I am going to try to control these urges and not  buy anything new till the end of the year and try to use what I have .  What about you, do you have piles of stuff....?

Mish Mash

Art in my Visual Journal, I know her eyes are a little wonky, I

did that on purpose to show she is different, not the same

cookie cutter girls as above.

Well today its off to lunch with the girls, then off to Michael's, I have a GC to use from hubby.  And off to the art store.  I have already gone to Chapters the bookstore and got my magazine fix, Cloth Paper Scissors, the Apprentice, Somerset Studio.  So I am all set for the long weekend.  I plan on working in my Zine this weekend, planning stage done.  I plan on making some art not just in my Visual Journal.  I plan on eating some good food, and having some fun.  What do you plan on doing this weekend?

The ATC Swap

I can now post the ATC that I made for Phoenix Peacock http://phoenixpeacock.blogspot.com/ remember the beautiful ATCS that I got from her

http://leekre.blogspot.com/2010/08/atcs-have-arrived-from-my-partner.html

I had a good time making these.  At first I did not have the faintest clue what to do, I let it gel for a few days, and came up with those two.  I am happy that she likes them, thats what I hoped for when I created them. Because every time I create something for somebody else, I stress out and say I am never going to get involved in anything again, because at the back of your mind it is always saying it's not good enough.  No I am not looking for praise, or compliments, I want to know if it is like that for you when you create something for someone else.