Ugliest Dog In The World

What a mug, eh?

I've named her Stella, for now. I think it may stick.
She came to me as a foster dog and lots of baggage to boot. Four of the most adorable little puppies ever.
Our 'shelter' here is not a 'no-kill' shelter and Stella came to them with her puppies aged about 3 or so days old. They don't have the resources to deal with new born puppies and the plan was to just put them down unless a foster could be found for them. At least that's the story I heard through a small grapevine.

I stewed about it for 24 hours, called my Mother, wondered what I was thinking and then headed down there to take them in.

Her underbite does not do her personality any justice. She's an absolute sweetheart, tolerates my cats, gets along with my other two dogs, minds her manners and takes absolute wonderful care of her babies.

As the puppies get a little bigger I will just have to share with you all.

Anyone want a puppy?

The Sketchbook Project Part Deux

As promised here is the rest of the pages from my sketch book for the Sketchbook Project 2011.

Even though I stressed mightily about this, I had no idea what I even wanted to do, no direction...nada, I have to admit to enjoying this for all it was worth! I found a new and exciting direction to take my dear little Ralphie in and he made many new friends along the way.

For those of you who are shaking your head wondering who Ralphie is, he's the dear little orange kitty you see in a lot of my work. I miss him every day.

I am totally going to join in on this project again next year!

Did you have a sketchbook in this project too? Please share in the comments, I would love to come see!

Sketchbook Project 2011

I'm A Scavenger...

Yes, I know. I failed horribly in my effort to post daily/weekly as I said I would earlier.

I signed up for the Sketchbook Project with all kinds of time left for me to finish a one page spread a week with lots of time to do each one at a leisurely pace. It seems as though a pretty butterfly must have flitted past at a bad moment and got me sidetracked and next thing you know I have 3 weeks before the deadline to send.

tsk tsk.

I've never worked on something so furiously before in my life!

I learned how to bind a sketchbook. I did this because I knew there was no way I was ever going to be able to fill all those pages in 3 weeks time and wanted a book with far fewer pages in it. I ended up with 16 full spreads, the front and back inside cover and the front and back outside cover. Had it not been for the three day extension we all got my covers would have been blank, stark raving blank.

*chuckle*

I scanned these so ignore the odd glare and shadow. My pages got a bit 'wrinkly' due to all the moisture I forced upon them and even flattening them out under my monstrously heavy old tv didn't completely help.

I will post the other half of the book on tomorrow's post.

I promise!

Alice In Wonderland

I can't seem to keep sweet Alice and that darn white rabbit out of my thoughts again lately and now that it's running on Starz (premium movie channel) ever so constantly I'm watching it almost every time it comes on and then dreaming of it later.

No wonder I managed to start and finish so many Alice inspired works.

Alice on a little 4x6 canvas holding the White Rabbit, presumably from harm.

Couldn't help but to make a pin set of the image.

I just adore the "Elizabethan" ruffs so decided this little fella needed one.

Another slightly different ruff, or collar shall we say. I love the way this little painting came out. On a 6x6 canvas.

And a sweet little bookmark too.

So far I'm holding steady to my promise of once a day for a week, but I guess at day two I shouldn't brag quite so loudly. Far too many things could transpire in the coming days.

Oh but what wonders would I have to share with you then!

Have You All Missed Me?

It's been what, almost 5 months...wait, what!? FIVE months since the last time I posted!

tsk tsk, for shame...

Trust me, I'm shaking my head right along with you. Amazing isn't it.

I think that darned sketchbook project got me so rattled that I didn't dare come back until I had something to show for it.

Hehe, sadly enough I haven't even touched it yet. My Mom always said I worked better under pressure and with the deadline looming large and exceeding fast I can only hope and pray my dear Mother is right.

That being said, however, I have lots and lots of wonderful shiny things with which to share.

Yes indeed for I have been busy...busy ignoring my sketchbook...*chuckle*


I think maybe if I try to post all said shiny things at once my computer will breathe its last breath. You see, part of the problem I have been having is my poor computer is acting like the last dinosaur. It's not even that old, 6 years now, barely a baby. I've tried it all but my poor baby isn't responding as well as it used to...sigh.


What I shall try is diligently (I swear) posting some pics EVERY day for a week. Just to show you all some of what I've been up to.


Now off to the races!

A couple of new big eyed bird paintings in some really fun color combinations!

LOVE the purple and lime green together!

This one is my favorite.

Needed a new (old) avatar pic.

Sooo, did you all spot that really wonderful piece of wood in the background? No? I'll wait, go take another look.

Raise your hands if you've ever driven by a piece of wood lying on the side of the road and wondered if you could make a u-turn and get back to it before anyone else spotted it.

Seriously, I can't be the only one, can I?

hehe

The Sketchbook Project 2011 - Art House Co-op

This is such an exciting concept!

It's a project where you sign up and choose a theme you would like to work around, however loosely it fits your style, and in return you will get a sketchbook to fill with your fabulous ideas. You can use any medium you wish and the only constraints is that you MUST remain in the size of the sketchbook sent to you. You can re-bind your sketchbook to better suit your needs as long as you retain the barcode on the back. From there the sky is the limits.

Once done these sketchbooks are to be returned where they will then become part of
a traveling art exhibit that will showcase thousands of submitted sketchbooks in galleries and museums across the country, before cataloging them in the Brooklyn Art Library’s permanent collection. Just like library books, each sketchbook receives a barcode, so artists can view real-time statistics about their books’ activity and perusal long after the tour.

It's like a concert tour but with sketchbooks.



This is what it looked like last year and there were some amazing sketchbooks submitted.
Here are just a few of the themes that are available to choose from.

1 In flight
2 Facing forward
3 Storybook
4 Help!
5 It will be fun, I swear
6 Sleepless
7 Lines and grids
8 Figuring you out
9 A record year for rainfall
10 Jackets, blankets, and sheets
11 Inside/outside
12 I'm sorry I forgot you
13 Things found on restaurant napkins
(your name here)
14 First thing in the morning, last thing at night

I decided that I simply could not resist this little tempatation and decided to jump in with both feet and eyes tightly closed. I chose "I'm a scavenger".

My sketchbook has arrived.

Am I nervous? sweaty? shaky? scared out of my mind?

YES.

It will be fun I swear. You in?

To sign up and join me!

ADO Art Doll Challenge - Fresh Artwork Week #5

I've always had a fascination with Alice In Wonderland and with the Tim Burton version out on DVD right now, which I loved, I've been even more excited by the idea of Alice and the strange world down the rabbit hole.


I think it goes without saying that the white rabbit has had a particularly strange grip on my imagination of late and the current ADO Art Doll Challenge out I simply couldn't resist joining up. I guess I simply have to say that I LOVE deadlines. You know, the sweaty palms, the aggravation, not to mention the lack of inspiration and all the while wondering what I've gotten myself into.



There are going to be some simply amazing dolls being created for this fabulous event and I highly suggest checking out some of the entries.


In the end I have to admit being quite thrilled with my two versions of the White Rabbit and in thinking outside my particular box...so to speak.


That collar almost killed me!

Vintage French text for both garments and layers upon layers of, well...stuff.

Hope you enjoy.

See you down the rabbit hole........