If -- Resolution

Resolution -- making friends.

Happy New Year!

I'm finished...It's raining dogs and cats sketchbook project.

I'm happy to say I finished all my illustrations for the Sketchbook project!  YEAH!!!  Tomorrow I'll take the book to Kinko's and have the whole book copied in color.  Once that's done, it's off to the Sketchbook project in Brooklyn.  To say I'm relieved that it's done, is an understatement.  Now I just have to do my bio for the project online.  I'm glad I participated in the project.  Gave me a taste of working with a deadline.  Now I can get back to painting.

Here is the latest picture of Maddie.  Can't believe my baby is already 4 months old.

Would you believe rain drops of cats and dogs???

I wanted to have different texture pages in my sketchbook project, so this 2 page layout was done in colored pencil without using watercolor paper. 

My Mom's birthday

Today is my mother's birthday.  If she was still alive she'd be 85 years old.  A day doesn't go by that I don't think about her, but I know that she is in heaven and at peace...something that seemed to allude her on earth.  If I still lived in the SF bay area I would have gone to the cemetery to clean her head stone and bring her Xmas flowers.  When my sister comes on Saturday for Xmas, we'll have a celebration of my mom's memory.  "Happy Birthday Mom"

Raining ....dogs and cats

Dogs and cats watching it rain out side.

The sketchbook project

Today I got my new hand held scanner.  After being frustrated with the directions on how to use the scanner, I broke down and called customer service.  Within 5 minutes I had the thing working.  Now if the people who manufacture this scanner could write better instructions.  The scanner does pick up the true color on your paper, which is a plus.

More drawings for the Sketchbook project

The deadline is quickly approaching for the Sketchbook project.  I have 7 more drawings and I'm done.  I hope to be finished with all my drawings before Xmas.  Now all I have to do is scan my whole book.  Having to scan is a major production for me; my scanner is on the floor under my desk..it's so time consuming that I ordered today a hand held scanner that runs on batteries and doesn't need to be hooked up to a computer to scan.  The scanner that ordered is a VuPoint Magic Wand.  This will be an early Xmas present to me!  Once the documents have been scanned I just have to take out the memory stick and plug into my computer.

Coming up with ideas for "It's raining cats and dogs" was a challenge.   All of my drawings were completed with watercolors and markers in a whimsical "children's art" format.

IF -- Mail

Guess who's getting Mail...my little Maddie!!

Tags for xmas

Several weeks ago I went to a make-take demo on making holiday tags.  With this tag I used card board from a box, exposing the ridges inside the box layers.   Added  letters, embossed background paper, and ornaments to finish the tag.  I came home and have made a dozen or so tags.

Christmas 6 x 6 mini book

This past weekend I took a class at the local scrapbook store.  I made this really cute Christmas mini book that is packed with layers on layers of embellishments.  What made it so nice was all the planning was done by the teacher.  All I had to do was follow  her detailed photo instructions.  This mini book was very labor intensive.

Front Cover



Inside pages...layered with paper,tags, ribbon, buttons





Back Cover



Holiday cards

When I'm not busy painting, you can find me taking classes at a local scrapbook store.  These are the cards that I made from a recent class.  All the cards used sizzix embossing envelopes to add texture to the background.

Desktop Calendar for December

I've been seeing a lot on various blogs, artist making desktop calendar for anyone to download.  I think it's a great idea, so I made this calendar with a xmas picture of the original "Just Crazy About Dogs" photo.

So please feel free to download and use.  Just right click on the calendar to make it bigger and print.

It's already December????

I can't believe it's already December...Where has the time gone??  I thought I'd share a new picture of my puppy Maddie who is 14 weeks old.  She's decided that Pink is her color and has a wardrobe with many Pink dresses,sweaters, and even a Pink raincoat.  Maddie has discovered her squeaky voice and now barks whenever she wants attention.  My other dogs think she's a toy and tend to play rough with her, but you know what?...Maddie is really the trouble maker.  Out of all the puppies I've had, Maddie has been easy to potty train.  Maddie knows her name when called, understands words like outside,NO,cookie, and let's eat...all the essential words a dog needs to know.  I'm rather thankful and happy that she has come to live with us and enrich our lives with her cuteness.