I feel like going to the beach...taking a vacation...

Finished this drawing last night. It's on 14" x 17" paper, done with 2B, 4B, and 6B graphite pencils. I have to say, drawing water is difficult. Faking dirt and trees and what-not is relatively easy, but water- dang! I'm going to pick up a book on Amazon.com to give me some tips on drawing realistic water and other nature objects.

Haven't delivered this particular drawing yet, but hope the owner will like it.

Untitled #2 and tattoo design

It's June. Does anyone else think this year is flying by at a rapid pace? No? Just me, huh? Hum...
Ok, well anyway- with that out of the way I can show you the drawing I finished over the weekend:
This is my former boss, yet still co-worker Susan's father and his wife. I didn't get a title for it, so it's "Untitled #2". This was a tad on the challenging side. She requested 11" x 14" paper, which most portraits that are requested are requested on either 8 1/2" x 11" paper or the 9" x 12". I don't even know if I have done a portrait on this scale **(ok...there was that 18" x 24" of Santana, way way way back in the day...). While it was a challenge getting the proportions correct and getting the shading to look "normal", it was fun to draw. Susan likes it and is sure her dad will love it, which is more than I can ask for.

On another note, I've been getting bombarded with requests to draw tattoo designs for people. I don't actually think anyone has gotten one of the designs I have drawn, but at least it gives them something to go off of. I don't want to post up any of those designs right now, but in the spirit of drawing them for other people, I got to the point that I've decided I need another tattoo- however I fear this one will be much larger than my first. And I want to put it on my shoulder cascading down my arm...which, as a receptionist in a "business casual" environment, may not be the best idea (long sleeves from now on perhaps?)
It's supposed to be a ball of yarn up there at the top, because I like to knit, the pencil is an obvious...hello, I draw! and the 4 flowers have 2 meanings, 1. my lucky number is 4 (also my birthday day date), and 2. to symbolize my 4 grandparents who have all passed away. The one on the left, away from the other 3 represents my grandfather on my mom's side- as he passed away when I was 8, and was my favorite person on the entire planet. The leaf from that flower is touching the bottom flower on the right to represent his wife, my grandma who passed away in 2006, and it's to show that they were always together even though they were apart. And the 2 at the top are my father's parents; they died relatively close in time and were always together. The little buds along the string of yarn represent my path in life, little milestones and what-not. The stars are just there because I like stars. But yeah. Who knows if I'll actually get this, but it's very representative of myself.
I need to stop watching Miami Ink I'm affraid...

** Added note: apparently I've gone off the deep end. My most requested drawing size is the 11" x 14", I usually consider a "portrait" to be one face or a couple posed to look like a "classic portrait"...where as most of my 11" x 14" have either been multiple images combined, or an animal or objects. I do appologize to anyone who read this and has requested an 11" x 14" drawing and saw the above and was like "What is this lady talking about? I have the 11" x 14" drawing hanging on my wall right now!" So my "re-phrase" for the day is: a classic portrait, which takes up most of the sheet of paper I'm drawing on, is considered a portrait, and therefore I usually draw those on 8 1/2" x 11" or 9" x 12" paper. But I did enjoy the challenge for the "classic portrait" on 11" x 14" paper.

Got that?

Anyone know what that was?

I'm on a mission now. To find out what kind of spider that was on my car (that is pictured in the previous post- photo not drawing...) I just spent the better part of 30 minutes trying to figure out what it was and I'm not happy with my google search results.

1. my boyfriend said it looked like a brown recluse (um...aren't they "brown" in color then?)

2. When I shot that theory out of the water he came back with "maybe it's the male black widow?" (o...m...g...)

3. At work, I asked someone what they thought it was, from the blog photo and they said "that looks like one of those brown reluses" (ok really? Maybe he's color blind too?)

4. I saw a blog on my search that had a picture of a similar one, about the same size (size of a quarter)- but it had 8 really long legs, mine only had 4 long front legs and 4 short back legs.

At any rate, I would like to know what kind of spider this is, to know if I see another one if I can just thump it away, squish it, or leave it where it is. Because honestly, I'm a spider killer, because I hate them. I've contorted myself in many a weird angle to squish those suckers with my shoe- but something about this one...really did not sit well with me, and I didn't want to just brush it away with my hand, hoping it wouldn't cling on for dear life (to my flesh).

Fair warning, if you look up "Brown Recluse" on google- the images are really gross. Hands and body parts of HUMANS looking like a war zone because of the damage those little things can do.

Just because:

"Take it From a Texan"

Some of you may or may not know that while I was in high school I liked to draw a comic strip to humor my family. I called it "Take it From a Texan". At the time I was desperate to be a Texan and not live in Wisconsin. There was something magical, to me, about Texas. I've since learned that it's like any other state...except for the large bugs and insane humidity. so today, while looking for some inspiration I remembered a thought I had from last night:

In case you can't tell that's a giant spider with a cow-boy hat riding ontop of a car, while a girl inside is singing along with the radio. (Yes that's a classic VW Bug- No I don't have one...anymore.)

There is a caption for it that reads "NOTE TO SELF- Having a fear of spiders and living in a state thats slogan is "Everything's bigger in Texas" may not have been the wisest decision..."

And see, this comic strip, if you will, appears in my sketchbooks only, because, well...no one understands it except for me and my family.

But I decided to decode this one to share with ya'll (see, it's kicking in).

Yesterday on my way to lunch from work, I almost had a heart attack trying to get in my car. There was a spider on the side of my car by the drivers side door, making it very difficult for me to open the door to leave. "why didn't you squish it?" you ask? Well this is what it looked like:

That's the actual picture of it that I took trying to not go crazy and run across the parking lot speaking in tongues to get someone to kill it. (seriously scared of the smallest spider)

I'm pretty sure a bright yellow spider with red stripes means it was created somewhere in the 9th gate of hell, and therefore should not be toyed with. By the time I got to my destination for lunch, the thing was gone. But all day I couldn't stop thinking about it. On my way home from the grocery store I was thinking to myself that it would be really retarded if I got out of the car at home and there was the mutated son-of-a-gun holding as tight as possible to the roof of my car eating a bug. And by mutated I, of course, mean that the sun and humidity level caused the thing to grow 1,000% bigger than he was at lunch time.

But yeah, no spider on the roof, and I haven't seen the devil spawn since yesterday at lunch...and well, now in my sketchbook.

Is it itchy in here to anyone else???

Panels...because they look neat

Monkeys revisited. Yeah that's right. Upon request via a comment, someone wanted to see more animals, and more detail...ok.

Monkeys in panels are always welcome, right?

This guy just happens to also enjoy bananas in a tree.

Tania's Giraffe

She asked for it. I mean seriously.
Giraffe take 2. are you ready?

Yes, this is based off the last giraffe from earlier- but this one is especially for Tania. It's her giraffe. And her drawing if she would like it (comes with red draw-thru under the pencil as well!)

Shnika and Edward

An actual drawing, drawing for once :O Shocking, I know!!!

This was a mother's day present from my co-worker Ed (pictured on the right) for his wife Shnika (pictured on the left).

I do have to apologize for the poor quality of the photo, but people keep requesting the 11" x 14", which doesn't exactly work with my scanner at home, so I'm forced to take shadow ridden photos with my digital camera. This just so happens to be the close up. The pulled out, further away picture that I took is kind of blurry and has an awesome shadow of my hand holding the camera in the bottom left corner.

But anyway. Ed informed me that his kids didn't believe this was a drawing. they thought it was a photo printed off the computer.

I love kids. :)

Someone asked for it.

I have a love for monkeys. I admit it. It's actually a love so great that I will stop everything else I am doing to sit down and watch any one of the "Planet of the Apes" movies when it comes on tv. It's sick really.
If I go to the zoo, either the first or the last stop has to be where the monkeys are. In Wisconsin I would just go to the Monkey house that they have, and sit where the Orangutans were and watch them for hours on end.
Or I would go to the section that had the chimpanzees and hang out until I could get a good photo to draw later (which I do have one in my sketchbook from high school)
Even at the Ft. Worth zoo I find that I'll go to where the gorilla's are and just watch them- not draw, just watch. One time I was attempting to draw the silverback gorilla they have, and a hurd of wild kids showed up to pound on the glass I was looking at. The old gorilla had been fine with me sketching away, but decided he wanted to pound on the glass too, to scare the kids off. He did it so loud and so quickly, and with such anger that I decided it was best if I leave him alone too.
I even felt a little weird about the Dallas zoo, when they had to shoot an escaped Gorilla that had bit some people. Mainly because I was supposed to have gone to the zoo that day to sketch for awhile, but opted not to.
It was probably just tired of the little kids throwing things at it, or pounding on the glass. Seriously, they need to have a class on proper zoo etiquette before they have any school sponsored field trips to the zoo.

Anyway, I ramble too much. I love monkeys. Any kind. They fascinate me to no end, and are always fun to watch. I haven't been to any zoo in a long time, and I miss it. So I thought up this little hob-gobblin on my own today. I do realize that the foot resting on the branch should have the thumb wrapped around it to make it look better, compositionally. But what can you do...except appreciate those "damn dirty apes" :P

Quote

Aspire to greatness.
Do not settle for mediocrity.
Do as much as is within your power to advance your mastery of the craft.
Don't rush.
Be patient.
Learn.

-Mitch Macial

News? ***Orphaned Works Bill- Make it Stop!***

***UPDATE*** Please click here to send a quick (will take 2 minutes or less to complete) message to your House Judiciary Committee member to STOP the Orphaned Works Bill!!!

It's on every art forum thru out cyber space. I just saw this posting on the ConceptArt.org forum. This is important.

Ok, as we all know, I'm always behind on the times. Today a friend of mine emailed me about something that concerns me as well as all other artists dead or alive. It's a little disheartening to read about and of course I'm months behind on. But at the same time it's so unbelievable that it's hard for me to comprehend if this bill was read correctly (that may be a little out dated, but one of the only ones I could find doing a google search...this may be more current). But anyway, the uproar and the upsettingness is here. If any of this passes, I'm sure I won't be the only one who may take a hiatus from doing some art and just wait for someone to go "ok, we give...please do some work that will be yours forever and ever and you'll get all the profit from- we need artists!"

Giraffe?

By using the worlds smallest pencil, I drew a giraffe a few minutes ago.
I can't say that it's my best work, but it makes me grin.

Although I keep noticing that all "creatures" I've been drawing lately are facing to the right, have giant feet and the same freakin' nose. I think I'm ok with that. To be quite honest.
Although what I'm not alright with, is the habit I haven't broke myself of yet. Drawing with a tiny tiny pencil. What can I say, the thought of using a pencil until it won't fit between 2 fingers anymore, pleases me. Although my art teacher in high school told the entire class that once a pencil is smaller than the width of your palm, you need to throw it away and get a new one.
HA!
sorry Mr. D...but the pencil is still bigger than my palm...until I sharpen it again. (Yes I know that particular part of my palm is smaller than the actual palm itself...semantics people!) I actually have another pencil that I use that's bigger, but this one is my favorite.

Can't take it

I have to vent, before my art suffers for all of eternity.

We all know that I'm a receptionist. And some would argue that my whole entire job is to answer phones- which in and of itself should be the easiest thing in the world, right?

Ok, well let's put into place- the other part of this "answering phones is your only job" scenario. Technically this "easiest job" only entails me to transfer calls to the corresponding department. I know nothing else, other than the name of the company, our address, our phone number and our fax number...I may even know the office business hours- but I don't know individual's lunch schedules or their specific hours.

I ask you, Joe Q. Public, why you find it necessary to take out all of your anger and frustration and sarcastic remarks on the first person to answer the phone?

Today, I have taken, no less than 26 snotty calls, from either people who refuse to tell me who they are, but demand to speak to someone with in the company who is in a meeting, or ask who just called them- of the 60 employees that work here (how is the receptionist going to know that, unless they themselves, made that phone call?). And the option for voicemail isn't mandatory, but I like to throw that out there to be nice. If I ask you if you would like to leave a voicemail for the unreachable- all you have to do is say yes or no. There is really no need to reply with "well if they aren't available, why would I leave them a message?" to which I would love to reply- because they are waiting for an answer- but don't want to get fired "well this is a place of business, where we do business like things- which means most of the time people you want to get a hold of are going to be in a meeting or working on a project. Maybe you should be doing the same thing, instead of harassing a receptionist."

I mean honestly. When I was a teenager, I worked in several jobs that required me to have some level of customer service. Between people attempting to rip stores off, or the insanity of some shoppers that will scream at the youngest of employees for the smallest thing- I completely understand why today's generation have the "I really don't care what you need" attitude. Because adults and even people my age (26) have made it impossible to be nice to anyone. There's no need for yelling. Being nice will get you much further than screaming at someone. I think this country, as a whole, needs to take one giant anger management class- and start honoring that golden rule "do unto others and you would want others to do unto you". Learn it. Live it. Love it.

With that said. I'm still kind to everyone who calls, to everyone who enters the building. I'll even grit my teeth and try not to leap across my desk, or thru the phone to slap some sense into the next arrogant jerk that says something they should know better than saying. I'll remain nice, when no one else in this world will be nice. However knowing that, please don't call me at work just to see if I'll get angry, because I'll probably just transfer you to the HR Manger...or the IT Manager, who will deal with your attitude way more rudely than I would.

Oh yeah- and my art man...it's just getting angrier and angrier looking- that's why I need to vent, so I can go draw some happy stuff. Harshness makes for dark and depressing lines. Happiness makes me be able to control all of it...

Here's a drawing I did last week...in the more subdued environment with less hatefulness.

My friend and former co-worker Bryan has an adorable daughter named Emily. I decided to swipe the photo up top off of his blog so I could draw her. Although in the process of drawing her, it made me realize I want to draw her full size...on nice paper...that I won't have to rip out of a sketchbook to give to the parents.

So yeah, my sketch...very unfinished. But I still kind of like it.

Completed drawing # 8 million 52

Ok, I really don't know what the exact number of this drawing is. I just really didn't want to say "completed drawing" again for a title.

It's called "Lexi and Snickers". I'm guessing the baby is Lexi and the dog is Snickers. Although I could have that completely backwards. Some people like snickers (the candy bar) enough to name their kids after it- I'm not the judge here(mainly because I'm one of those people who might actually name their first born after a candy-bar...if the mood struck me).

This one is a unique drawing. It's got a poem on it (yeah yeah, you aren't getting the close up of the poem). This is only the second one that I have done with writting on it. The first was a wedding present for a friend that had a poem on it. I don't advertise that I do this style. But this woman, just so happened to be a friend of that friend who got the wedding present- so she knew.

I don't even think I posted a picture of the other drawing. Shame on me, right? Oh well.

This was a fun drawing to work on. Cute Kid, Cute Dog. Sweet Poem. It was fun.

Introductions needed

Daisy May- this is the internet.

Internet Peoples- This is (was) Daisy May.

Yes, this photo is in black and white. I was taking a photography class my senior year and had to use the film. Granted she was a black and white pig. Anyway, this was me sneaking up to the pen where she was located. The other pigs hadn't quite caught on that I was standing at the gate. Daisy did. You can even see her sideways grin there.

I had another dream about pigs the other night. I think I just may have to go ahead and draw her cute little mug before I have any more pig dreams.

I'll post more goodness later.

unrelated- completely

#1. I found an actual photograph of my pig Daisy- I've been meaning to post it for all the world to see. If you were here right now, you could see it because I've taken a picture of the photo with my phone...and she's now my wallpaper. I had a dream last night that I had a pet potbelly pig- but it wasn't really a potbelly pig- she was full size, but she was just a baby with a green harness, and she followed me to work and just waited outside for me until work was done. She was really cute, and oinked a lot. Although my co-workers just kept laughing that I had a pet pig. Strangeness.

#2. I'm getting a lot of requests for drawings lately. Which is fantastic! But I can't help but wonder how this is happening all of a sudden. I mean yeah, I have a website, yeah, I've got window-clings, and jackets, and great friends and family who are spreading the word about the drawings and everything- but I'm so used to hearing "yeah, I'll contact you around Christmas time" that I just assumed I would have to stock pile my vacation time to use between the end of November and the beginning of December to accomidate all of these people. I'm just floored that everyone wants drawings...and NOW...not in 8 months! I'm a little more than excited about all of this, I just don't know how to express that other than blowing up into confetti.

#3. My computer blew up at work yesterday. I was sitting here, minding my own business, checking out TMZ.com attempting to find out if Dave Navarro was kissing a guy or a girl, when I hear a "zzzzzzzapp POP!" and everything quit...then smoke started billowing out of the computer, and I could smell burning electronics.
3a. Burning electronics Stink! The smell kind of made me want to throw up.

#4. So I've had a lot of free time at work (which yes means I should be working on all of those requests I was talking about- but the threat of rain has been every day this week, and I have no way to cover an 11" x 14" drawing tablet to transport from my car to the building, without getting the edges of the paper soaked- so it's been at home- no fear I spend no less than 3 hours a night working on these things- so I'm pretty much getting one drawing done a night), and I've discovered that I'm drawing a mermaid series. My sketchbook is covered with them. I know I said it was those Koi fish- but it's turned into Mermaids. So I think I'm going to have to do that somehow...make a series...digitally painted and post them. We'll see.

#5. I discovered the other day(yeah, I'm behind on the times- go ahead and laugh), that photobucket will print books of your photographs. Ok, I flipped out when I saw that. I'm so excited! What great publicity for ASBTSF, right???!!! Yeah, well- I haven't done it yet. But I thought it would be cool to scan all of my stuff in, or use the photos from my website to put in the book. Then sell them...or give them away (I'm really not even breaking even these days- everything I pay to have done for promotional stuff I give away...one of these days man...)

#6. Freaks and Geeks is quite possibly the best show that has ever been cancelled (2nd only to My So Called Life). I have been 1/2 watching it while drawing the last few nights and it is awesome (Netflix is fantastic, I'm just saying). I think when that was actually on the air I was watching Undeclared on the Fox network- which was also a great show.

#7. I hope my computer never blows up again- not having a computer for an afternoon and all morning makes me turn into a typing demon...and I just so happened to take it out on this blog.

Have a great weekened everyone!

photography anyone?

This weekend, was intense, to say the least. Friday morning I was woken up by my roommate screaming at me and Gonzo to get up "a tree fell on Dave's car!"

We went to see what the commotion was all about. Opening the door we saw a tree. That's pretty much all we could see from the doorway.

Once I actually put shoes on, I ventured to the road to find David's brand new Jetta sporting an awfully large hood ornament. He doesn't really like for me to refer to it as that, seeing as how now the situation isn't all that funny anymore.

Believe me, Friday morning, when we were both tired and our eyes were barely open- laughing was all we could do. We were even getting the people who were driving by and gaulkin at us to make frowny faces- as we would pout to see if they would give us any sympathy.

So while the whole mess, looks really bad (which in all actuality, it is)- we were making the most of it.

The tree seemed to be resting on the car more than anything. So we were like "Ok, it won't be all that bad, it's mostly the branches at the top of the car. No big deal, maybe some scratches and what-not- nothing major"

Yeah, that's not really what we found.

I can't even begin to tell you how
much these pictures don't show. While the car was driveable according to the tow-truck driver, it wasn't drivable for far distances.

Oh yeah, and David's birthday was Saturday. "Happy Birthday" says the tree "I'm taking out your mode of transportation"

So to all of you who emailed between Thursday night and Sunday afternoon- I appologize for not responding to your requests sooner. There was a tree crisis going on in the front yard that had to be dealt with...and quickly.

Fear not tree lovers- the trunk of the tree, and some of the branches will be crafted into some fine vases, bowls, and pens...perhaps some other crafty stuff- courtesy of my dad and the Hunt County Wood turners, who came to pick up the pieces of tree on Sunday.

something else entirely

Here's what I was going to blog about earlier:

My jackets came in!!!!Actually, now that I think about it, I don't think I really mentioned it before. I'm trying to be all...business- get the word out- savvy here. So I ordered up some memo pads, and pens, and window clings for my car, I've even got business cards. But hey, I thought "wouldn't it be great if I can promote myself with clothing?" When I first looked into doing this, it was a lot colder, and I'm cold natured anyway- so I always have a jacket or sweater on. So I ordered jackets to have the name of my company embroidered on them.The end result:I'm actually really shocked by how awesome these are. I think the flash on my camera made them look a little too shiny here. They are this great soft track jacket, made by American Apparel. But I didn't actually buy them from American Apparel. I got them from http://www.brokenarrowwear.com/ These guys are great. And based out of Des Moines Iowa, on a street that's one exit south of the greatest food you'll ever eat in your life (Machine Shed!)
Honestly though, I didn't know that's where they were located when I began looking into getting them done. But yeah. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these jackets.
The logo looks fantabulous! (Ok, that's not my logo, I haven't yet figured out how to make my logo work with embroidery, so it's just the name for now.) I was pretty worried that these were going to come back all whonkie because the sample image of what their embroidery looks like has all of these gaps and things...but they don't have any gaps! They look fantastic!
So if you happen to be Tania, my mom, my dad, David, Rena or myself you will be the proud new owners of a jacket that looks like this :) (as soon as I see you next) If you aren't one of the above mentioned, but have an interest in promoting my business by way of your clothing, shoot me an email and we can discuss.
I am looking into getting some t-shirts printed up. They will probably be unisex though, just so I can get the most bang for my buck. Although I can already hear my heart breaking because they have some really cute shirts online...I might attempt some prototypes first with iron on transfers...we'll see. (those might end up for sale on my website- stay tuned)
One last look before I go:

this little piggie went to market, this little piggie...

I don't know how many people read my blog, and so for that matter, I don't know how many people know where I'm from.

So let me start with that.I grew up in Southern Wisconsin, on a pig farm. I'm actually quiet proud of that fact. Growing up on a farm was possibly the best experience I think anyone can have.

(where am I going with this? You'll get it in a moment)

I had 2 pet pigs growing up. One, when I was in elementary school, was named Nosey. Quite frankly I've forgotten what this pig looked like, except for his nose. He (although I think "he" might have been a "she"...) was a curious pig. Instead of running to the back of the pin with the rest of the scared pigs, she would just hang out in the front, waiting to see if someone had something for her. It was great! The other, who I will explain in a minute, was named Daisy. I want to take this time to let you know that, although I grew up on a pig farm, I was terrified of any size pig that was bigger than 1 month old. They would get out of the pin's all the time and just start trotting up to anyone, or away from anyone (depending on temperment)- so for me to have a pet pig...was kind of crazy(I always thought they would bite or trample me to death...silly me). Nosey, was a baby, I'm talking maybe weighed in at 25lbs. Maybe. I lost sight of that pig somewhere in a barn shuffle (baby pigs being moved to bigger pins to finish out there time on the farm...sad ending, I'm not going there), and I missed the pig until the barn cats had a litter of kittens, so I went to stake my claim to a newborn kitten.

After the heartache of losing a dear friend (Nosey), it was a long time before I wanted a new pig for a pet.

Then, when I was a Senior in High School, along came a deformed pig that my dad and uncle couldn't sell at market! To me, she didn't look deformed at all. She had a beautiful upturned nose and sweet as could be eyes. She was perfect (the nose was what was deformed...for that bread anyway). I went out to the barn, almost everyday, to pet her, and show her attention. The other pigs were always scared of me. I should have been scared of her, because she was a pretty big pig. Granted a runt for that barn, but she was way bigger than Nosey. I named her Daisy...not because of the smell...but because she was as beautiful as a daisy in spring time. She was probably the most gentle pig I have ever known. One day I came home from school and went to pet Daisy and she wasn't there. I didn't have to ask what happened, I knew. But I went ahead and asked anyway. There was enough room on the truck that was going to market, that they needed 1 more pig to fill it...so they took Daisy.

Crushed by that, and still to this day, missing my pet pig Daisy- I often times go places and see figurines of pigs, or stuffed pig animals and get all excited because of my memories of my sweet Daisy.

So I went ahead an asked an artist that I know to make me a pig sculpture. She's extremely talented and listed in my links as "Deanna". She's great, and says she has an idea for the sculpture. I can't wait to see what it looks like!

And so, in honor of her saying that she would make a pig sculpture for me, I was sitting here at work, feeling the need to draw a pig:

Of course this looks nothing like either of my 2 pet pigs...but it's cute non-the-less.
I actually wanted to post about something else entirely, but I don't have the pictures with me to post...so it'll have to wait until another time.

Have you seen my sock?

Like I said, I've been creating some "sock creatures" So I feel the need to post it...because I went home on my lunch break and took these photos:

This here is Tyrone. He was the first one I ever did. You can probably tell that...or not. I would like to go back and give him some better eyes, but whatever.
From the side you can see that he's got 2 horn/pig tail things, and a tail...

Below is Mortimer. I use that name a lot, I don't know why, but I like it. I call this guy "Mort" for short. He actually has a conjoined twin on his back:

(The one with the long ears) Trudy is her name. Her face just happens to be Mortimer's butt...or is his face her butt? Ok, I don't know. All I know is this was a complete accident. It wasn't supposed to be 2 in one, but crazy things happen people. Maybe if the sock circus comes to town these 2 will join...we'll see.

(Below) Stubbs. I think. I had a name for this guy, and I can't for the life of me remember what it was. So I'm calling him Stubbs right now. Maybe it was Stumpy...Ah well.

I love this one. Maybe it's the small hands and small feet and goofy smile. I don't know, but it's my favorite (shhh don't tell the others- I don't need them leading a revolt in my living room)

Below, is "No Nonsense Nancy". I wish I had taken a picture of her back...between her ears it actually says, in pink, "No Nonsense"- it was the brand of socks I used. But yeah, she didn't actually have a name until yesterday. I've had her for about 3 months and she's just been sitting there...so lonely and feeling unimportant without a name. Now she has one.

And so brings me to what I did yesterday. Actually I guess it began on Saturday. While out furniture shopping with my mom, we couldn't resist going into Joann's fabrics. (Put me in a craft/hobby store and I won't come out for at least 2 hours) At checkout time, they have a wall of books and magazines, which I usually skip, but my mom gravitates to. While she's standing there I see this sticking out of the rack of books:

I flipped out when I saw it. I was so excited! Plus there are some super cute patterns for making your own sock creatures...one in particular intrigued me to no end, so I had to make it yesterday:

I dubbed her "Suzy" I said her rap name could be "sock strippy stripes"...but I think I changed her name at lunch to "Suzy Stripes". I like her because she's got 4 legs (although you really can't see them all...) and 4 arms. Plus, she's got bows in her hair...how badass is that?

But yeah.

I have another one. One which my boyfriend loves...I'll post pictures once I have finished the ensemble of the entire sock...thing.

If I make any more of these guys I'll definitly try to remember to post pictures.

Completed yet not completed

Ok, so the back 1/2 of the dog you saw earlier, is now a full dog. All the fur detail is done, but as you can see, the nose is darker than everything else.

Soooo....I'm going back and darkening up the rest of the body and parts of the eyes- just to make the whole thing pop.

Once it's finished I may post it up again...or you can go to my website's gallery to see it: www.ashadebetterthanstickfigures.com

Anyway, I expect that later today I may have some pictures of the sock creatures I've done. I hadn't realized I have neither posted pictures, or taken any pictures of them. I'm an idiot! Due to a request from a friend to see pictures, I have to go take pictures to show her, so I better post them here. I may or may not start selling them on my website. There is a garage sale my boyfriends family is going to be having in 2 weeks that I might attempt to sell them at. I don't know though. I'll need feedback on them to see if anyone would be interested.

A little of this...a little of that...

Last week, on Friday, I was in a spirited mood. It wasn't a shabby Friday- so I was drawing. This drawing (left) was a little something I began drawing in my sketchbook, because #1. I couldn't get the Cindy Lauper song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" out of my head (I heard it on the 80's lunch hour on the radio that afternoon.) and #2. Because I'm such a wanna be- I had been looking thru the titles on drawergeeks.com for ideas to draw...one of them happened to be "Ragidy Ann and Andy". So yeah. That's what resulted.

And the other picture up there (right), is what I have done so far on the dog drawing I mentioned last week (11" x 14" paper). I plan on working on it today, depending on how much work they give me.

Sorry for the dark square in the bottom corner of "Girls just wanna have fun"...I don't carry a scanner with me to work, so I've been taking pictures with my camera and downloading them to my computer for fast results.

The Eyes are on you...but not in a creepy way

Yesterday, while working (because that and drawing are all that I really do)- I drew an eye in my sketchbook.

If you know me, or have worked with me- you know that I tend to draw just one, single eye, on a sticky note and hang it in my cubicle- whereever that may be. I know, a little weird, but it's what I do. I don't even understand why I do it, so really- don't ask me "why?". But here, as the receptionist, my desk is slightly weird (meaning no real place to hang a post-it to where it's only facing me and not everyone who walks in), plus everyday someone different relieves me for lunch (think of all the "why?" questions)- so I DON'T have that one eye on a sticky note just hanging out...here (meaning I'm at work typing this...ssssshhhh, don't tell my boss. Who am I kidding, my boss just walked by and saw me on here...I love this place!)

But yeah, that one eye, turned into a crap-ton of eyes- to which I added even more to today...and then began to shade them in, with my trusty 2b pencil. It's no where close to finished, and as you can tell...from 8am until 1:24pm if all I've accomplished is 14 completed eyes, then I am actually doing some work at some point in time...

I'll post it again once it's finished.

On another drawing note, I received in some pictures for a commissioned drawing last night. It's a dog! I'm excited. This weekend will be full of fur drawing madness! (well after furniture shopping with my mom on saturday...then it will be all the fur my hand can whip out!)

I'm eagerly awaiting some other photos for another drawing of a Grandma in Heaven with her 2 granddaughters. The story is really touching and sad, and really reminds me of my grandma who passed away in the fall of 2006. Similar circumstances as to timing of when someone died and when someone was born.

Anyway, I did have a digital picture of the outline of the dog...what I've drawn on it so far, but it's so light you can't see it on here. I'll have to wait until more fur is in place to post on it.

Oye! So glad it's Friday!!!