Happy New Year!

A Dog and Bird Show

I bet you were thinking a dog and pony show, huh?

Well, since it is weird bird Wednesday, I need to include a couple of birds!

But first, this Marshmallow dog showed up in my art journal last week:

It was Kid’s Art Week at CarlaSonheim.com Each day a new video for kids of all ages. And the best part it is free! (You can still sign-up if you are interested).

This year the lessons were finding imaginary creatures in sidewalk cracks. I was at the lake so I drew my animals by looking at the sidewalk cracks in the videos. I “colored” mine with watercolors and added shading with pencil and other details with a Micron black pen.

Sidewalk cracks are a lot like finding animals in clouds, like these puffy cotton ball ones at the lake:

It was an usually hot day so the lake water was very refreshing!

I must have had sun hats on my mind when creating this weird bird:

Who knew birds had teeth?

I don’t think my show is complete without this photo of a lovely lake sunset…

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Cheers! 🙂

Matching Outfits

I remember how my grandma made my sis and I matching outfits as kids.  My sister is two years older than me.

Sometimes these memories come to me when I’m making art.  Does this happen to you?

I created this art in my sketchbook last night. I started by glueing a stocking hat and sweater for a dog from one of my Gelli-plate printed papers.

I then drew my girl’s face.  Next, I glued her vest and pants to the paper.  Kind of reminds me of paper dolls… I drew her arms and boots around her collaged “clothes” and the dog around his “sweater” from my imagination…

The proportions are a bit off on my girl but I like the dog! Lol! ☺️  And the poem I wrote reminds me of my childhood and how much fun we used to have playing in the snow.

I have always thought it would be fun to have a little dog to dress up in matching outfits! 

Cheers! 🙂

P.S. The child in me wishes it would snow but the adult says, “Please, only in the mountains!  I don’t want to drive in it!” 😉

Mixaphors

What is a mixaphor?  No, it isn’t an adult beverage…

It is mixing a metaphor which is a figure of speech that leaps from one identification to a second one and is inconsistent from the first one.  Sound confusing?  Well, it can be and that is the goal with a Mixaphor to create confusion instead of a fusion of effects.

Here is my example of a mixaphor:

I encourage you to mix up your metaphors today!  If anything it will give you a chuckle or two!

Some days it’s fun to be a horse of a different color dancing to his own drummer…

Cheers!  🙂

The Huckleberry Hound

I had a dog when I was growing up whose name was Mugsy.  Mugsy was a mutt…part German Shepherd, Terrier and who knows?

During the summer, my family and I would often pick wild huckleberries in the mountains.  Well, Mugsy would eat the huckleberries right off the bush!  So he was nicknamed, the Huckleberry Hound!

I don’t know why this memory is surfacing for me now…maybe because adding color to my doodle bowl from yesterday reminded me of it.  I added color with my water-soluble Faber-Castell color pencils:

Can you find the Huckleberries in my doodle?  I know Mugsy could!

Cheers!  🙂

My Dog

I was looking at one of my prints from last week using up leftover paint:

And this dog image just jumped out at me:

And then I found this song about a dog:

Which reminded me of my dog, Mugsy as a child.  Mugsy was really my sister’s dog but I know he loved us both.  I remember he had the softest ears and dark brown eyes.

Mugsy was a mutt – part German Shephard, part Terrier and who knows?  But what mattered most was the love he had in his heart!

And you could see it in his eyes:

Have a happy day!  🙂

Dog Fennel?

I painted this postcard size watercolor at the lake:

I painted it outdoors – this was my view:

I used a little artistic liberty and removed the green sewer pole sign.  My intention was to paint the daisies.  I discovered that it was not easy to paint small daisies…

Painting these “wild daisies” motivated me to get out my book on wildflowers when I got home:

I still struggled to identify them.  So I took a closer look:

And with the help of the internet, I believe they are a member of the Aster family.  There most common name is Mayweed.   They are also called Stinking Chamomile and Dog Fennel.

According to USWildflowers.com, “Anthemis cotula is an introduced species which is now found in every state in the United States and in most of Canada.  It can be invasive, and is officially listed as a noxious weed in Colorado and Nevada.”  I had no idea!

I kind of like the name Dog Fennel.

Woof!

I encourage you to discover a new flower this week!  🙂

Happy Creating!

Mr. B and Ms. C

Writing 101 – Day 6 Assignment:  Write about the most interesting person (or people) you’ve met this year.

Mr. B arrived before Ms. C.  It was a warm day and the trees were beginning to open their buds.  I could see by the grin on Mr. B’s face that he was in good spirits.  I was excited to greet him with a friendly, “hello!”

Mr. B and Ms. C were our new neighbors at the office complex where I worked.  They had moved into the vacant rooms next door in mid-March.  I enjoyed having them there.

Ms. C had a cheerful personality.  The kind that made you feel relaxed and energized when you were around her.  When you walked into her office, you immediately felt your worries melt away.  Her framed art lined the office walls.  You could feel the ocean breeze when viewing her photographs of seagulls in flight.  She displayed seashells from her walks on the beach, jars of fine sand and pots of green plants that helped you breathe easier.

And Mr. B, what can I say?  Always a friendly fellow with a smile on his face.  He had the personality of a wise soul.  He knew when you needed a friendly greeting or just a gentle nudge.  You see, Mr. B was a dog.  Not your everyday mutt mind you but a certified therapy dog.  He was Ms. C’s helper.

Ms. C had the gift of touch.  As a massage therapist, she had the ability to relax your muscles and your mind.  And Mr. B, well, Ms. C had him trained so he slept when a client was on the table.  He rarely barked.

Watching Mr. B (Baxter) chase his Frisbee down the long hallway during breaks between clients was pure joy!  Mr. B with his tail wagging, ears flopping and little legs running.  One could just tell he was smiling!

There is nothing like the friendly lick of a dog’s tongue on the back of your hand when you are having a tough day at the office.  It was evident that Mr. B had the gift of touch too.

One couldn’t ask for better neighbors or friends as Mr. B and Ms. C!

Smile!