The View from My Kitchen Window

I had to do this challenge standing in my kitchen. The window is high and I can only get this view by standing in a certain spot. For the sake of composition, I left out all the pill bottles that sit in the window sill. This is a view of the back of the two other houses on my block. My window faces north. The houses in our neighborhood are old and interesting, and I tried to do this drawing at least four times including once on a white board with a dry-erase marker before I got anything that came together. Sheesh!

EDM 240: Draw a pen

This is a hand carved pen that the fam got for me as sort of a consolation prize for not being able to go to Rendezvous a couple of years ago. I don't write with it very much, but I admire it all the time. It makes me feel loved

Tent Blockhus

This is Liz and Aaron's (our daughter and her husband) tent. They have graduated from the intimate little tent they used to take camping and now have a huge tent in order to bring all of the baby accessories that are necessary. Standing in the doorway is our (almost) 5 year old granddaughter (Rachel and Ryan's) who is with us for a visit. Fun times!!

EDM 230 Draw a map

I have had this challenge in the back of my mind for a week or two and our camping adventure this weekend provided the perfect opportunity. I like the look of cartoon maps and I am working on the ability to make one.

Archie

This guy came to our house from Texas. My friend Sheila went on a trip to Texas and I told her to bring me back an armadillo. Imagine my surprise when she brought me a box that was taped shut with air holes poke into it. I was just starting my Sunday School class at the time and was kind of scared to open it. Lo and behold, there was Archie. We love him.

Ice Cream!

We finally got to Coldstone Creamery (which I keep thinking is Cold Cream Bakery). The ice cream was very very rich.....so rich it didn't seem as cold as ice cream usually is. None of us could finish our bowl.

On my day off, we went out to eat at the Chinese restaurant in West Union. Very good food for a small town restaurant. I couldn't resist keeping the fortunes from our cookies....especially since mine was so bizarre!

EDM 225 "Draw a Screw"

This was harder than I thought it would be.

EDM 225 "Sticky"

I asked my friends what to draw for this challenge. I had all kinds of suggestions like gum, gum on the bottom of your shoe, flies on flypaper, peanut butter. I don't have the talent to draw most of that, so I latched on to another idea and I think it makes me happy. Hope it does for someone else too.....

Thirsty

At the critical junction of a day off and interesting subject matter, I have attempted EDM #224: Draw a jug or pitcher. This is either. At the nursing home, we call it a pitcher. At home it is a jug. All I know is that I don't make good enough use of it to stay hydrated!

From the lips of squirrels to the pages of my journal

A day off, perfect weather and a surprise visit from my daughter and grandson encouraged us to take a walk on the river trail today. Along the way we found these shells, apparently discarded by the well fed squirrels around here. It was gratifying to be able to devote some time to art and I was pleased with the results.

I am going to participate in an ATC swap. I haven't done one in a while and I still have one to send that fills me with guilt. I keep losing the third card for the swap that is 3 months late. I told myself that I would not do another swap unless the cards were done before I signed up. So the cards are done and I have signed on the dotted line. I like one more than the other, but I won't tell which.

My Own Super Hero

This is my drawing for Make Believe Monday's Challenge #6: Draw a Super Hero. She is a super cleaner who can clean your house in the blink of an eye. Dirt flees before her. I tried to make her look old, but I was not so successful. I think she looks more like she is melting. Sigh. Maybe next time....

Genevieve

I drew this little lady for the first Make-Believe-Monday challenge. It is a good thing I didn't have to work today because I was so inspired by this group starting up I was pretty much useless. There are things I would change if I were to do it all over again, but in general, it is what I had in mind.

And here is a little poem that Emily challenged me to create about Genevieve:

Genevieve brushed her silken coat,
And curled her lovely tresses.
She shadowed her eyes,
And said her good byes.
Did I mention she never wore dresses?

She waited atleast half an hour,
But no taxi would give her a ride.
Each one sped away
As she stood in dismay,
So she gave up and went back inside.

"Oh why do I always have trouble
Finding rides when I want to go out?
Is my grooming an issue?
Does my nose need a tissue?"
So she sat down to have a long pout.

But before she could ruin her make-up
A clamor arose on the street.
She drew open the curtain
And then knew for certain
She was in for a wonderful treat.

For there stood her special friend Dave
With his shiny red Volkswagen bug.
"Hey, we've got a date.
I don't want to be late"
And he gave her a big hairy hug!

Rend: an opening made by rending or tearing; slit; fissure.

I thought that my creativity had taken leave of me. Gone on to greener pastures as it were. But I had to make some ATC's for swaps that I had signed up for. So I kept trying. I have thrown away much of what I have made lately, but yesterday I had what I consider to be a bit of success. It just goes to show, never give up. I call it "Rent" as in torn asunder....

While the kids are away, the mom will play

The kids have gone to the S.H.I.N.E. get together at a campground managed by a friend. It is too far for me to go on a workday, so they are there and I am here. I gave myself permission to not be productive for these last couple of hours. By productive, I mean doing dishes or laundry or something else that sorely needs doing. Instead, I played. I am still working at trying to get 6 art trading cards that have a southwest theme done. Here is another in the series.....

My Cards for the Quilt Exchange

These are the cards that I have done for the quilt exchange at DoodlersHaven . The exchange is 2/2, but I kept thinking that the Sue card wasn't going anywhere. Couldn't get the effect I was looking for, but in the end, I think it is ok. I will send it as a hostess gift.

All Wrapped Up

This drawing started out as an experiment with masking fluid. Thus the white dots littered here and there. It ended up to be a sort of sci fi thing. I kind of like it. It is done with Pitt pens and watercolor pencil.

Another, better card for Watermelon Days

This is a better (in my opinion) ATC for Watermelon Days. The little people on the other card were just too distracting and, well....just plain annoying. I have no agenda for this card. Mostly I did it to prove that I could do a halfway decent checkered table cloth. But Watermelon Days is (are?) coming up so it was on my mind. I also would like some nice cold watermelon!!

A Nod To Our Town's Yearly Festival

In rural America every town has its annual fair or festival. It is a lot of fun for most of us. My girls and their families will be here for it this year. I am excited more about that than the goings on. I will be involved in the parade this year with our community puppet group. That should be a bunch of fun. I know the grand kids will be enthralled by the puppets. There is also free watermelon and a seed spitting contest (gross). The University has had carnival-type games for everyone on their campus. One year they had "Human Bowling" where they strapped you into a big metal ball and rolled you towards fluffy bowling pins. Another time they had a game where you were attached to a flexible cord. You were supposed to run as far as you could away from your point of origin and set down a marker where upon you were snapped back to where you started by the cord. I think the participants were being cheered on by the local chiropractors.
This is the last WC card I have done and the fourth one in my set to send in for the trade. It didn't take nearly as long as the watermelon picture to do but I like it better and it fits in more with the traditional Zentangle-type art. So now I have four cards ready to go. Hoping to mail tomorrow!