Tuesday, December 30, 2008

TAKE TWO





(Below is what it says in the small print)



We see our face, head on, each day
and others see us from all angles
we never can see--all so different
looking---photos show us these
differences so we know they exist
but we still view ourselves as
what we see in the mirror when
we brush our teeth etc.





**************





The penciled profile was done with





mirrors and a photo---time I think





was about 20 minutes





versus 7 minutes for





the penned front view.






Inked Self Portrait EDM #56

This was the most scary
EDM Challenge I've tried yet.
And lead free using Pitt M pen
---was that ever brave for me. I did it just
now to "get something" up in the Blog-
---I had an email saying someone was
worried about me as I hadn't posted
in a while--I felt honored to
be worried about for a few minutes
and then
got the mind set to do something
really fast for the blog while
I worked out my book pages
which are not so quickly done.
Naturally I have left out a few
73 year old wrinkles but I think
it resembles me somewhat--not sure.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Making Lemonade....

This sketch book spread reminds me of the

quote, "If life gives you lemons, make

lemonade.", because the marker

bleed through really was 'lemons'

at first glance.



*********************


See the top half and know it was made

from bleed through of black Magic Marker

from previous journal

spread of the glass of juice.

Total surprise to me---as it did

not bleed through

on the spread before it. Must

be because the page after was plain

and more absorbent. ? Live and learn

for sure. When I saw it,

I immediately thought of

Moroccan arches as I had just done the

Casablanca derived glass spread.

So I think an error became a

positive element here.

******************

.





Tuesday, December 23, 2008

EDM Challenge #203 Glass of Juice

This is my favorite glass for a highball.
I love the color, the size and the feel of it--and
to think I bought just one of them--I have
tried to keep it unbroken for years. Cranberry Juice
is a great mixer and Humphrey was "juiced"
at the time he said this famous movie
quote. I used to make believe I was
Ingrid Bergman when playing with my
sister and she would be Mona Freeman.
if anybody remembers her. We had
been told we resembled them and
enjoyed that thought..

Monday, December 22, 2008

How's It Look?

The first snow around here, really started
one night then through the next day making the
outside look like one huge Christmas Card
(this is what I see past the
fence, when I open the front
door) and seemingly halted shopping,
that needed doing, what with all the
things involved with get togeathers etc.
so, today when it calmed down, for
awhile anyway, it was run to the
store to get every possible
thing I could think I might need.
I'm all set now for the
festivities and now missing not getting
into a sketch---but did think alot
about the new Glass challenge...
I just opened the front door and saw the
ending of the days' final glow on the fence
and ran for my camera to catch this once in
a lifetime moment---it's like it is showing
me it's new dress and asking if I like it.



Saturday, December 20, 2008

Matriarchal Cookie Monster Alert




Left click on the photo to read the words better.



********************



I sketched the Matriarchal Cookie Monster last night.



As I do not know what a person or monster looks like



with their mouth wide open, frustrated and hollering



I had to resort to a mirror and what a scary



experience! I suppose to someone watching,



it would have looked hysterical.



I told my niece I would 'do' a journal



page of her faithful treck from Maine each



year laden with cookies---so here it is



*********************



Do not allow this cookie monster in your



home if you care anthing about



your cookies, especially those



with peanut butter in them.



******************















Friday, December 19, 2008

New Book Dilemma

I'm sure many of you don't have any
problems seeing smaller print, but I do and
I just love this book so I will use all devices
locatable, to help me devour every word I can.

A Creative Herorine, Patience Brewster



Drawn for Love My Journal for the favorite

Christmas Ornament challenge. Probably

the quickest journal spread I have ever done

as the ornament is so graphically simple but

extremely witty

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

EDM CHALLENGE #202 COOKIE

I finished this last night after
I bought a small bag of
popcorn at Wal-Marts..There's
some shiny Gold Metallic
trim that does not photo well.
These small ginger boys are sooo
tasty.... and very good,
quickly dipped into
a cup of hot Wassail bowl cheer.

Monday, December 15, 2008

The Cookie Challenge prep stage

Here's the ingredients--now to NOT burn
them would be my goal at the moment.....!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sign of Store Doom

Here's an unleaded Mall scene from Taco Bell's
lot---I always have my small Moley with me and
often do a pencil sketch I work up later---this is
one of a few raw ink sketches I've done which
I don't like to do--but I saw the store
going out of business sign and know
there are many stores in the same foxhole. The
pen seemed right tool to use at the time
as it does improve my
sketching eye---which is a good thing.
However right now in December 2008 I do
not feel comfortable going unleaded. I've
many sketch books from the past and
have found the use of
the watercolor pencils
suits me to a T

Another chair photo for my collection

How I wished the white cat over to the
top right had been sittin on
the chair
--the photo would have
been more charming.
Something like this scene,
catches my eye as a moment
in time to be preserved for some future
sketch I may want to do. It does say
things if you look and listen--could this
be the tag end of a yard sale or aftermath
of a dispute---it does make me feel good
to be just driving by....and out of town
...this yellow VW I drive is soooo
spotable!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Sill

Well, here is one of the corner kitchen sills
with the stapled greenery--plus,
old Mother Memory box and plump
pine cones showing. Under are
some of the pans I like to use for
popovers, corn sticks and muffins.
This was taken just now and boy,
is it ever blowing outside and not
all that cold, which is strange.
I didn't start out to make a card,
it just developed into one---
which surprised me.

Monday, December 8, 2008

STAPLER EDM CHALLENGE #201

Don't forget to left click on the photo
to see it larger, to read it better
This stapler had not been put back in


the old tool box under the kitchen window...


it sat, silently on the table waiting for it's


portrait to be done. It had been a big help


making the Christmas greens nestle


on the windowsills I look out each


morning with my coffee.


Pencil, Pitt Pen,


watercolor pencils and waterbrush--are


the tools, I'm most comfortable with.


Sunday, December 7, 2008

Scuss's Riot

This is Missy who belongs to Scuss, who
is a regular commenter--I asked to use her
recent photo of the new kitten.
I enjoyed putting the characteristics
of this pet,
around the border as she
will be pleased, I'm sure.
I feared inking the initial pencil
sketch would take away the
softness of the kitten so kept
it light in color to help --



Friday, December 5, 2008

The Great Napkin Debate


I'm telling ya, a book can be done

on the lowly napkin---I did not

begin to scratch the surface of Napkinry

and my head was swimming with

sketches I'd not have the time to

do, without a signed meaty contract

for same. And this does not

even include the silverware---this spread got

started with a remembered heated debate

with my grandson (which at the time

got laughed about)on how he thought napkin was

pronounced . His mother's baby

talk had remained for continued

use, in his brain.....

as can happen. I know when

speaking to a cat, I still use my

mother's baby talk.....I can't be

alone in this......can I ?

Thursday, December 4, 2008

SKETCH FROM THE PAST

While trying to clean out the room a bit I came
upon lots of old sketch books and slips of ideas.
Here's one from 1997 that was a design idea for the
back of a sweat shirt--I still think it's a good
idea and would buy one today. I know I
could have painted it on but never wanted to
spend the time involved. Today I would redesign and
have my moleskine journal and
sketching supplies be prominent.
I'm busy on several
pages at the moment so I haven't posted lately,
but have been enjoying what others have
been showing---I haven't got the new "book"
yet---and am still being calm about it---
but sort of chomping at the bit, a bit.

Monday, December 1, 2008

EDM Challenge # 200 My Talisman

Left click to see the words...this spread
had a true story to tell in 75 words or less.
I worked all day on it even if the basic sketch
seems simple it still took me quite awhile
to like it---I rearranged it several times.
I sure thought this challenge had so many
ways to go and am anxious to see what
comes in--they all have to be so interesting