about those pictures

So, I know I said I would post up all of the goodies after Christmas...but after Christmas brought me to the ER with abdominal pains...they removed my galbladder because of 2 galstones, then the next day they decided that I also had appendicitis, sooo they took that out yesterday. I'm still at the hospital awaiting my walking papers, which will hopefully be today- but I don't have access to the photos at the moment, so bear with me while I get my stuff together and actually have a pain free minute to upload some images.

Thanks! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Caterpillar

Kind of small, sorry for that. I guess I will have to get this done in Photoshop or Sketchbook pro so you can see it clearer.

Anyway. I was thinking of things to draw today ("my list" was MIA), and I began rummaging around deviantart.com and found a picture that someone drew of their interpretation of Alice from Alice in Wonderland (of course it was a goth girl looking like she was about to jump out of a window...). That made me remember the first time I ever saw Alice in Wonderland- the Disney version. I was probably 3 or 4 and I remember being upset with the Walrus and the Carpenter...but I also remember the very first time I saw the cranky ol' caterpillar breathing his cloud of "Whoooo are Youuuu", and thinking it was the most beautiful character that I had ever seen. Keep in mind, I was 3 or 4, so all of the drug references and the fact that he was smoking meant nothing to me.
Of course I grew up and I'm not a huge fan of smoking, and I really like to exclude cigarettes and "tobacco" from my drawings, but you can't have the caterpillar without his hookah. I just like to think that he was bringing on death, thinking that was the way to turn into a butterfly....or how to get out of wonderland.
Anyway. I'm glad I finally had something to show you that's not a present for someone!
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Pirate

PICTURES!!!! And not just one. After you read this one, stay tuned for the follow up. It's been a sketchy couple of days here in crazyland.

I actually decided to draw this pirate after reading Sarah's blog yesterday. She's one of the girls I used to work with at DNA Productions. She's extremely talented, and every time she posts something new on her blog it makes me want to draw something. I absolutely love her style and wish I could be 1/2 as creative as she is. I love all of her drawings!

Anyway, the pirate came about because of her post, but it's been on my list* of things to draw for awhile now.

(*My list= random words of objects, things, places that I want to draw...so in my free time I select something from this list to bring to life in a drawing...it's a little weird, but it keeps me from starring out the window for long periods of time wondering what to do with my sketchbook.)

Hopefully I'll be able to bring this into Photoshop or Sketchbook Pro and put some color in it. Who knows maybe I'll get this one, the next one and all of the others I've been meaning to work on ready in time for the Spring Fling in March, and I'll have prints available! That would kind of be awesome, huh?

I wish I could post some pics!!!!

Craptastic! I want to post pictures of everything I have been working on...to give the readers some eye candy for a few seconds while they read a blog post...but dang it! Pretty much all of the gifts I'm giving this year for Christmas are hand made, and I don't know who all reads this that would see it before Christmas, thus ruining the surprises! GAH!
Plus I've been a little slow with drawing orders (I've had one this holiday season)...so there really aren't any drawings to post (well except for that one...)
But I can give hints...some people are getting coasters; some people are getting knitted ornaments; some are getting knitted Amigurumi (not those pictured specifically); some are getting Kanzashi; some...well...those will just have to wait and see.
I've been pretty good about taking pictures of everything, hopefully I'll remember to upload it all after 12/25.
Anyway...sorry for another BORING post without pictures...I promise that trend will stop soon. If I don't post anything before next week: I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!

18 with 10 years of experience

28 years ago today, and artist was born.
Today that artist is doing nothing artsy at all :P I know I haven't posted any drawings of anything in awhile, which I appologize for. I'll get back to it soon. There was the whole broken thumb thing, the whole sicker than I don't know what thing, then Thanksgiving, and now the birthday...in a few more weeks it'll be Christmas.
I have been knitting up a storm lately. I'm working on some Christmas presents so I can't say much right at the moment (one of the people happens to read this blog and I don't want to spill the beans.) As soon as Christmas is over and presents have been delivered I promise this blog will be swamped with so many pictures you'll probably get bored from looking at them.
Right now I'm stuffing myself silly with the fruit from an edible arrangement Gonzo got for me. Hopefully I'll either knit on something later this afternoon, draw something, read, or start writing on a short story I started yesterday...we'll see.
Pancakes tonight for dinner! Ah yes, the 28 year old would like strawberry pancakes to celebrate another year please!

December 2nd

It snowed this morning...in North Texas. It's only the 2nd of December. In the last 8 years that I have lived here, it has not snowed this early in the month of December.
And I have to say...I'm totally excited that I got to see big fluffy white snow flakes (which is completely out of the norm for me- I thought I had my fill of snow, being from WI and all).

It's a good day to stay home and draw. But alas, I live in the real world, where they make you work on days like this. I didn't bring anything with me to draw :(

Maybe tomorrow then, or the next day (as it's supposed to be more of the same the rest of the week- weather wise.)

....

...I'm still excited about the Funky Finds Spring Fling- but what is it with Mondays???!!!

My "day" job is exhausting today- and quite frankly people need to tone it down with the yelling. I mean seriously. I know it's the time of year when people fall off their rocker with anger and hatred while telling everyone what a great time of year it is, but can you save some of the yelling for your family members the next time you see them? And how do people get to the age of 30 and not grasp the concept of being put on hold? Just because you don't want to hear a repeated message more than twice doesn't mean you can hit "0" and then proceed to scream at me. I just want to scream back "Get a clue genious!" Actually I'd like to throw in a whole slew of curse words, but I'm calming down a bit now. If it's not the phone yellers is the co-worker yellers who treat me like I'm 5. I would just like to say- yes I know what my job is- I do what I'm told, if you have a problem with that, perhaps you should find the person who told me to do whatever it is that has upset you and go yell at them. I'm done.

Someone hand me a giant sum of money, because I want to disappear for a very long period of time and just draw- away from...everyone for a bit. Lord knows I could use some awesome "away" time to get more drawings ready for the Funky Finds Spring Fling in March. Anyone decide that they'd like to visit my booth yet?

Funky Finds 2010

http://funkyfinds.us/springfling/2010/

Exciting news!!!!! In March 2010 I will be attending (as a vendor) the Funky Finds Spring Fling in Ft. Worth, TX!!!!
You can follow the link above for more information about the event...and you can definitely keep tabs on any updates here on the blog, because I'm sure I'll be talking about it.
This will be my first ever event. I will be sharing a booth with my friend Tania and her wonderful business The Curious Cake Shoppe. So please stop by and see her wonderful daiper cakes and baby accessories while you are there!
I haven't 100% committed to what all I'm going to be selling yet. But I do know that I'll have some original drawings available, as well as prints of some of the more recent drawings I have done.
So mark your calendars! Saturday March 13, 2010!!!

"Rhonda and Kason"

I did draw today! I must be feeling slightly better then, huh?

This is Rhonda and her new son Kason. I got to see them in person when I went to WI in October. Rhonda has/had no idea I was drawing this for her. I've drawn countless other portraits for her of her with her first born, Natalie. Of her husband Jon with Natalie, and several of Natalie and one of Natalie and her other son Gavin.
I saw this photo on her facebook page and had to draw it. It's such a sweet picture.
I just posted it to my fan page on facebook and tagged her and Jon in it, so it should only be a day or so before I hear back as to whether or not she likes it. Hopefully she does.

This actually isn't the only picture I drew today, but I can't reveal the other one until after Christmas...so you'll just have to wait. :) Happy Pre-Friday!

where's the drawings?

I know, I said I would post drawings this week...the thumb is better (although it looks crooked). Gonzo came down with H1N1 last Thursday night and on Friday I was feeling none-to-well. I don't have H1N1, I have some rediculous virus that's been going around the DFW area alot lately. Sore throat, running/stuffy nose, cough, headache, body aches...just some not fun stuff. So I've been dealing with that the last few days and haven't had my head in the game to do any drawings. Sorry!!!

But I did download a cool app for my ipod called "Brushes" so I can do a little finger doodeling while I'm at work, or in bed or whatever. Whenever I figure out how to export it to photoshop I'll post some of them (I've done one...really bad one so far).

Anyway. That's all for now. Maybe I'll feel better this weekend and can get out at least one drawing, huh? Cool.

I have had comments!!!! AHHHHH!!!!

This morning while checking my email I noticed for the 5th time this week (it's only Wednesday) that I've had an email notification telling me that someone posted a comment on this blog. Unfortunately they haven't been the kind of comments I want to see- spam. Or advertisments. That crap drives me insane.

But while searching thru my blog posts I noticed that I have had comments in the past on several of my posts that are from people I don't know, and it's not spam!!! How exciting! (truly that is exciting for me, I thought only friends and family read this thing- it's awesome to know that other people have written to me about something I posted) I would like to say that for the longest time I wasn't receiving notifications when people would comment, so after I would post a new blog I would never go back and look to see if people were commenting or not...then I fixed that and started receiving notifications...

So for everyone who has posted something and I never replied or said anything back or even commented on it- I'm so so sorry!!!! I appreciate you all taking the time to read the mindless drivel that I type on here. Although according to Lali when she commented on August 6th, 2008, she said "You write very well." which made me smile. Thank you!!!! And I'm so sorry for the late reply!
knitnthings actually replied to several of my posts on knitting and I feel like a complete moron for never checking those comments because I really thought no one cared about my knitting. On October 27, 2008 you replied to a post about the ugliest sock and told me not to be so hard on it. You were absolutely right. After I finished the second one they became one of my favorite pair of socks to wear...I still wear them to this day! Thanks for the vote of confidence in my knitting. Also you posted about giving the mittens that I was trying to give away at one point a good home. If I can remember which pair of mittens those were (I'm sure that I still have them in a ziplock baggie somewhere)- you are more than welcome to them. Leave me another comment if you still want them- I'll figure out where they are and we'll work things out on how to get them to you.
Also Beste wrote several times(no link to a website), one of which I saw, the other one hidden away in November 26, 2008 I did not see until this morning. You asked what medium I would be using on the Octopus sculpture I was going to do...HA! Yes. The Octopus sculpture that I never got around to making. Epic fail! But thanks for reminding me!!! Perhaps that will be on the list of things to get to in 2010. But to answer your question- I'll be using (probably), Sculpey clay- probably a neutral color (or the kind that comes in the green box), and after I'm done baking it, I'll paint it with acrylics. We'll see. I'm actually going to be knitting an octopus sometime soon (it'll get done before the clay one will)
If anyone else posted comments that I didn't reply to here (other than Titan, Taniamc, or Bryan, or my parents), please let me know and I'll answer your questions or reply to your awesome words that you left in a comment somewhere on this blog (Titan, Taniamc, Bryan and my parents- you all are welcome to post comments too, I'll reply to everyone I promise!)...unless of course you're one of the jerks that keep spamming my comments, or leaving crap about ulcers and nothing to do with this blog. For those of you that do that, well in my humble opinion- you all can just drop off the face of the earth for all I'm concerned (at least drop out of the internet- you don't have anything of interest to say here).
I promise to check my comments more! I'm so sorry!!! But thank you everyone who is looking and reading and commenting (even the ones reading and not commenting, I appreciate that you stop by!)

P.S. The thumb is better (still bruised), so I'll be getting some stuff up here asap!

The hazards of moving a freezer

Dear people who are expecting drawings or knitted goods,

How have you been?

On Saturday I was helping Gonzo move a freezer into the house, and in the 10 short feet it took to unload it from the vehicle and attempt to get it in the house, I managed to smash my right hand into the corner of the door, thus shoving the freezer into the other side of my hand...right at the thumb.
In case you weren't aware- my right hand is my drawing hand...and without a thumb it's very difficult to knit.
My thumb is bruised, but I can move it slightly- not enough to hold a pencil though. I'm pretty sure it's not broken. But who knows what I really did. It hurts today.
While I have been unable to get your drawing done, I am now saddened to say that it may be awhile before you get a drawing, or a pair of knitted mittens, as the thumb hurts.
I will update you the minute the bruising has gone and the pain subsides. Hopefully by the end of the week.
Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,
the thumb cripple

ah November....

...as most November's go, you will probably start seeing a lot less posting from me, as I won't be able to show you very much of what I'm working on...being that it's all probably gifts and what nots, that can't be seen until they are opened- and I usually tend to forget to post pictures after a month of waiting- so the likelyhood that you'll see anything on here that I actually worked on for the holiday season is slim to none- but I'll work on that...make a list of stuff to post after December 25th.
Then it'll be like Christmas on the blog! Well for me it won't be, but for my loyal readers (all 2 of you- well one if you count my followers- I know there's more silently hiding, it's cool) it will be. :)
I am working on stuff, don't you worry. Between drawings that have been requested and other crafty things I'm working on to give to family and friends for Christmas I'll be busy.

Oh yeah, the November 1st deadline for requesting drawings has passed!!! OH NO!!!! Don't worry, if you requested something by that deadline- have no fears- it will totally be done and shipped by 12/24/09. If you didn't get your request in by the deadline, feel free to send me an email: ASBTSF@gmail.com and we can discuss how you can still go about obtaining a drawing by 12/24/09...just don't wait until 12/24 or 12/23 or even any day after 12/01 for that matter. (If you are requesting a drawing that has nothing to do with Christmas or a winter holiday- please disregard and send in your requests like normal.

That's all for now :)

Baby Dear

I meant to post this on Friday night...and then on Saturday...and even on Sunday- but it was a very lazy weekend and I did not get onto a computer at all after 5pm on Friday.

Here's the baby dear I drew last Friday while at work.

Not much to say about it. I like the way dear look, and how graceful they can be- but having grown up in Wisconsin, I also know the horrible side of these suicidal creatures and their clumseyness around traffic. I wish they would be born with a gene in them to recognize a motorized vehicle as dangerous and to run away from it, instead of into it or in it's path.

Anyway, I completed this drawing using HB, B, 2B, 4B, and 6B pencils. Total drawing time was around 3 hours.

2 Seconds later

"Close up Zebra"

Both this and the last post were drawn from photographs taken by my friend Tania, who just so happens to be an amazing photographer. She also is an amazing Diaper Cake maker.

I'll be drawing some more animals from her awesome photographs later today.

B, 2B, 4B, and 6B pencils used in this drawing.

Hopefully I'll have some more overly hilarious animal drawings to show you later today or tomorrow.

Thanks for looking! Have a great weekend, and try not to scare too many children- I know it's tempting.

"Have a Nut"

The title of this piece is purely for my dad to laugh.

I started it and finished it yesterday. I have a weird thing about squirrels. Although, drawing this one didn't entertain me nearly as much as I thought it would. But he does still make me laugh.

HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B pencils were used.

I think I'll do a gallery sometime in the distant future...and have on display animals and vehicles...because lord knows I've drawn plenty...

wait for the next post...it'll be here in like 2 seconds.

Pistons & Paint- Red Rod

I actually don't remember what year of Pistons and Paint this picture was taken at (Denton Texas). It was either 2008 or 2007. I honestly don't remember. But it was started and completed yesterday!
It was done with Hb, H, 2B, 4B, and a little 6B.
I know the wheels don't look round at the bottoms, but it was sitting on grass, so I tried to draw some of that in (although you really can't see it in this image...)
I've got a bunch of animal pictures raring to be drawn today.
I might have some people pictures to draw soon as well...some being requests (possibly- fingers crossed) and some being vacation pictures.
Plus there's hundreds of pictures that Gonzo took at the most recent "Them: The invasion" car show in Deep Ellum. Once I figure out which ones to draw, I'll start on those as well.
Anyway. Happy Halloween :P

I'm back!

It's true, I'm back. I didn't do any drawing or knitting while on my trip. Shocker. I brought a backpack full of stuff to do, and didn't touch it. But I am drawing today, so hopefully by tomorrow I'll have a little something to show you.

Where did I go on vacation you ask? (because that's where I was- "vacation"- I don't know if I said that in any other posts or not) Wisconsin. Land of milk and cheese and the happiest cows on the planet- California can suck it- WI will always hold that title. (I'm a little competitive on that front since I'm from the great cheese state).
It was a wonderful visit. Catching up with old friends, old family friends that I haven't seen in years, and just getting to relax and remember what it's like to have no traffic to worry about. I spent some time on the family pig farm playing "queen of the pigs" and petting them all on the snout (you can't get the H1N1 flu from pigs- so everyone just calm down). I got to hang out with my brother and his girlfriend (who wants some Bella Mittens), and seeing some really great friends that I've known forever. I did miss seeing snow though. Apparently it had snowed in some parts of WI the week before we got there, and then it started snowing at my friend Heather's place about 2 hours after we left. But she sent pictures :)
Some of the old family friends I got to see and visit with, and some of my friends I haven't seen in years and haven't kept in touch with, all asked if I still draw. They also asked if I had anything showing in any galleries and I actually felt kind of ashamed that I don't. That's a dream of mine- to have either a.) my own gallery or b.) my own art work hanging in an art gallery.
Wisconsin was good times. I miss it dearly. I'm putting it back on my list of places I want to move to. I've got some really great friends there that I need to see more than once a year.

Drawings to show you tomorrow. It's good to be back on the blog :)

Knitted mittens

Haven't been drawing a whole heck of a lot lately. After the catastrophe that was a black car with red touches that was supposed to be drawn in color (and turned out horribly horribly wrong), I haven't drawn anything since.

But I have been logging onto Craftster.org for some much needed creativity time. And I stumbled upon this awesome post. Which in turn made me run over to THIS website to get the pattern. Because we all know what a nut I am for Twilight. (Although I'm not one of those crazy people who have already bought tickets for opening weekend of New Moon...Not crazy really- just obsessed people who love the books.) The picture up there is how my version turned out. I used Red Hart yarn, because I had a stash of it in my yarn box (aka a 3 drawer contraption sitting in my closet so Gonzo doesn't notice how much yarn I actually have- that's not including the garbage bag full of yarn that's hiding at my parents house). I actually hate this yarn, it's not soft, but it'll keep me warm. I had to knit these up quick because Gonzo and I are heading up north soon and it's already snowing up there. Gah! Snow. Blah!

Anywho. If you are a fan on Facebook, I know I posted something a few months ago about having prints ready in September (man am I late on that deadline or what?), I finally got all of my supplies in for making prints- so as soon as they are ready (maybe by December), I'll post them here and on my website (and I'll update it on the fan page). Everything was on backorder that I needed to make them, so yeah. That's my excuse...and the mittens. :)

This is probably my last post for a week or so, so everyone have a great weekend, a great week and do something creative, will ya?

Work is slow

So I made a snail...

I knitted it, without a pattern. I was on craftster yesterday and saw someone's avitar had a knitted or crocheted snail and thought it was cute. So I just said "what the heck, let's bust out the DPN's and make it!" Fairly easy. Only took about 5 hours.

If anyone is interested, I'll see about making a tutorial.

have a great weekend everyone!