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.

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.

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

.

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..

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.

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.

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

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

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.

The Cookie Challenge prep stage

Here's the ingredients--now to NOT burn

them would be my goal at the moment.....!

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!

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.

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.

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 --

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 ?

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.

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