The Butt End Of The Week ...

A few weeks ago Snap Lane from Twisty Lane sent me this awesome postcard

it was right up my alley as it had tea, books and flowers... three of my favorite things

 and she kindly gave me permission to paint it up

 well here it is...hope that Snap, who happens to be having a birthday today!!!!

 likes it as I am quite pleased with the result

  especially as it was created under some trying circumstances

 the loveliness of this image has been doing a great job of offsetting the weirdly disgusting happenings this week

 I have no clue why these things happen to me

but the studio has been inundated with issues emanating from the posterior region

Top of the list is the fact that my neighbor has had bad wind for days now

and I have been painting away to his melodious sound of his bottom burps

which is impressive as we don't live on top of each other

so his volume is up there to carry such a distance

At first I was blaming the dog, and while I was puzzled at his sudden volume

as he has always been a bit of a silent killer, drop and run type mutt

plus the fact that there was no eye watering stench made me suspect he was innocent

 then, for a horrified moment I considered that I was the culprit

 but surely I would be aware of such emanations wouldn't I

following this thought I heard a cough and fart and realized it was my neighbor

who was working away on his car in the back yard

and now I am oddly impressed at his volume while at the same time being deathly afraid to venture out in to the back yard in case the stench matches the volume

Accompanying this bottom symphony is the sheer stupidness of Mushu the wonder mutt

who has sat on an ant's nest... twice

which has led to him coming crying into the studio and me having to pick the ants off his butt

They are horrible big bitey ants so he has quite the cry which is just awful

though I have to say that pulling ants off your dog's butt is no picnic either

but to make it worse I usually put ice on his ant bites

which is quite acceptable as they are usually on his paws

so he cried until I went and got ice

 and he proceeded to lie back on my desk in the studio, with his head resting on this painting and I had to rub ice on his butt... seriously

which led to that sort of watery patch up in the top corner... that is dog butt meltage

all while the neighbor is trumpeting like a champion

I tell you my life just gets weirder

But life was not all painting and weird butt related incidents this week

I also had a brain wave and am combining ICAD

with a project to paint peoples cups and mugs

which I am calling the Cuppa With Friends Project

and thanks to Aimee for donating this first mug for the project...

and I have already received this mighty pile of photos

I love that people are getting behind this

and I have had some serious cup and mug envy between the farts and the ant bites

I am so excited for it to get started tomorrow

But I would love more photos, the more the merrier I say

so go to either the link to the last post

or there is a page at the top of the post that has all the details

I need your mug shots people

though can we keep any mug and cups that are butt related to a minimum after this week

a break from all things posterior would be very welcome...

Happy Paint Party Friday all...xx

Here is the link to the last post...

Calling All Mugs ...

Calling All Mugs ...

I have had a bit of a brain wave in the last few hours

while thinking about the upcoming challenges

I have had a great idea for what I want to do for Summer of Colour for ages

so that one is sorted

but I wanted to do Index Card a Day as well

despite having a mild freak out about the whole 61 days thing

mainly because there were a million ideas scribbled in my sketchbooks

and I seem to add them quicker than I get to realising them as fininshed works

my issues are usually in editing rather than finding ideas I have to say

but I thought maybe ICAD would be a great way to tackle some of those million ideas

But then while I was flipping through the sketchbooks as a way of avoiding housework

I came across a page where I had scrawled a slightly legible message

I held it this way and that to try to read it

I squinted and wondered if I had perhaps written it in another language

not that I speak another language

but maybe I had a brain sneeze and it came out in Elvish or something

I asked Phantom and Sinus if they could read it

which led to multiple eye rolls and mutters about chicken scrawl

even the dog couldn't read it, but I had a feeling it was something good

scroll forward two days and I am in the studio drinking a cup of tea

and catching up on Aimee's blog

when I come across a photo she had taken of a way cool mug

which made me pull out a scrap of card and start doing a bit of a sketch up of it

and suddenly all became clear and the cogs in my brain connected my chicken scrawl dots

I had written Paint tea cups/ mugs and bits and bevies from bloggers... maybe series???

genius right... 61 days of cards I am going to combine ICAD and chicken scrawled idea

and do 61 days of mugs and cups used by my blogging buds

So I promptly started painting up the photo from Aimee's blog

then emailed her and checked it was ok... which was back to front I know 

but happily it was as it was done by that stage

so

I am putting out a call for mug shots and tea cup shots

I have done a few lately from online friends

and even have one on the go on my desk as I type this

and it has been great fun so I am thinking I have hit on a rather brilliant project

Here is how I think it might work...

send me a photo of your mug or tea cup

or even send more than one if you so desire

and coffee cups are welcome of course... I will not discriminate against the caffeine lovers

and I am not precious or just looking for fancy schmancy

 I want all sorts... sometimes ugly and/or kitsch can be totally awesome

I will credit that it is your mug or cup and link to whatever source you prefer

blog or Flickr or Facebook... just send the details along with the photo or photos

I am going to print them out as I get them

and then paint or draw up whichever one takes my fancy on the day

so no guarantees yours will get painted up during the 61 days

just in case I happen to get heaps of photos

of course if I get just three sent then there is a bloody good chance I will draw yours up!!!!

I am setting a time limit so I don't go completely mad

I did this one in 20 mins and that is the maximum I will be spending... probably

some will turn out ok but I am also expecting some dodgy results

so you may not be pleased with what I create... sorry in advance if it is a dodgy one!!!

In keeping with the spirit of ICAD I will be using a variety of materials

maybe watercolour, or acrylics, or just pen and ink

or maybe a bit of collage like on this one today

it will all depend on how I am feeling on the day

So is it genius or madness???

only time will tell ... but if you want to be part of the prouject then get photographing

and please share this with others if you think they might be interested in being part of it

the more mugs the merrier

email me your photos at

tki46582@bigpond.net.au

I wrote up a page with all the info in response to some of your questions... it is at the top of the page
or here if you can't be assed to scroll up...xx

The Mystery of Sinus's Trousers ...

This week has been odd, even for me

and I blame my clothes washer

which has started exhibiting some odd behaviour

like making some weird noise in the middle of the cycle

doesn't do anything else... just this buzz type noise for 5 seconds

but more puzzling is that it turns Sinus Man's trousers inside out during a load

nothing else gets turned inside out, or right side in for that matter

just his new trousers

which is weird right

I actually thought that maybe some smart ass in the family

may, in fact, be stopping the load and doing it to mess with me

because lets face it that is exactly the sort of sick minds they have

but having sat and watched a load like a hawk, seriously, I sat and watched the laundry

it would appear the washer just has some bizarre thing for Sinus's trousers

which drives me nuts, not just because it makes no sense

but because it means I have turn them back the right way to hang them

and he has really long legs and I have really short arms

which leads to laundry contortions and cursing

 plus the microfibrey type material is kind of weird when it is wet

anyway the long and short of it is that it has messed with me all week

Because my head is all inside out due to the laundry conundrum

I am suffering form a bit of I-have-no-clue-what-I-am-doing-itis

I haven't decided if I am going to do the Index Card a Day Challenge

which always looks like it spurs everyone onto mountainous creative heights

I had a play on some cards to see what I thought

but it is quite the commitment and I seem to be piling my plate a but high at the moment

I am doing the Summer of Colour as it was great fun last year

plus I won an Ice cream spoon... need I say more!!!!

 

I am in the middle of writing more lessons for what will hopefully be an online course one day

I pulled out all my old teaching notes, which is quite the pile it turns out

so I have now overloaded my brain with information

and the lessons are taking on epic proportions...

Add to that I am nearing the magic 400 mark in followers

which was the goal I set myself to open an online store

mind you I set that goal whenI Ithought I would never make it to such a lofty number

so now am freaking out that I have to take the plunge

I started a painting based on a post card I was sent and I really want to finish it off

because I love where it is going

it  has looked like this on my desk for the last two days

but the epic lesson pile is taking up all the room so I'm not getting to it

which is driving me a bit mad

plus Phantom Steve turns 17 on Sunday

and I feel obliged to make a fuss and give her presents and things

despite her eye rolling becoming so prevalent her eyes are starting to look like poker/ slot machines...

and I still suspect she may have a hand in the trouser turning out somehow

not sure how she is doing it but she has serious ninja type tendencies...

Happy Paint Party Friday everyone ...xx

My last post was last Sunday but here is the link if you are interested ...

Blue Digits ...

Blue digits ...

It is a bit of a rare occurrence

but not only did I get a couple of the 5 squillion unfinished drawings painted

but I also don't have much to say

shocking isn't it ... me with not much to say

you never thought you would see the day did you

part of the reason I have so little to say

is because out of nowhere wintery weather has arrived

I am strictly a warm weather creature

which means at the first hint of cool weather

I completely freak out and need to take to my bed with extra blankets and hot water bottles

I am truly that much of a wuss

So as my shaking and slightly blue hands are typing this

in fact I think my fingers are in fact the exact blue of these brushes

I am madly thinking of moving even further north than we live

and wondering how I am going to get my poor frozen digits to grip a paint brush

while considering if I need a heater in the studio

or if I could paint in one of those blanket things with sleeves

which I am starting to think may be a bit of pure genius to be honest

It is possibly quite lucky that I got some work finished off

because I may need a week or two to adjust

or come up with a heating solution

and while I wish that I could blame the cold for the lack of creative subject matter

that led to two separate paintings of water-well brushes

I have to say I drew them both up on days when it was much toastier

and in fact are the result of having the same half lame idea on different days

my memory is in that sad a state

Add this poor mental state to the cold and who knows what you may be in for in coming weeks

now I know some of you are shaking your heads and snorting that I am so lily livered

especially given the fact that the weather I am complaining about this morning was 8 C / 46 F and it is now a shiver inducing 17C / 63F

but it all a matter of context and around here this qualifies as half frozen

So I am going to take my shivering pathetic self and swathe it in a million blankets

happy Sunday Sketches everyone...xx

PS Stillman & Birn have shared my Chilli peppers over on their facebook page and their blog

which makes up for the horrid cold and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

here are the links if you are interested...xx

http://www.stillmanandbirn.com/blog/?p=430

https://www.facebook.com/Stillmanandbirn

My last two post links are here...

A Fraction Of What I Deserve ...

Manon's Miracle Tea Cup ...

A Fraction Of What I Deserve ....

Have to say the Mother's Day haul was a mighty one

a new wok, some perfume and this lovely tea cup for my collection,

lots of fun was had ordering my slave, Phantom Steve around

not to mention Ice Cream for dinner

in my own tub

that no one else was allowed to touch, or taste, stick their finger in, or sneeze into

and none of this sharing or tasting each other's flavour business

we each sat with our own tub... which was totally glorious

so all round the day was a raging success

and you know what

I totally deserved it

One day a year of being spoiled is hardly too much to ask for putting up with the madness

in fact I think there should be one day a quarter, at least

which may seem extreme, but before you judge me

here is a snippet of a conversation to back up this statement

5.34 am this morning

I am sitting reading the paper and I asked Phantom what she thought of human cloning

and can I clarify that this is not common breakfast discussion

I was reading about it in the paper

all for it she says

really??? I ask

absolutely... the world would be a better place with a lot more of me in it...

Sinus and I looked at each other and just shook our heads

and she countered with a 

tell me you didn't see that one coming... disappointed you guys have no come back

no my dear child I didn't see that coming because it is 5.30 in the freakin morning

zingers will not be replied to before 7am at the earliest

Sadly this sort of conversation is all to common in our house

and though there was a moment of shining highlight this week

when Phantom actually washed a tea cup... big news trust me

 I also had the dubious pleasure of proof reading

a 10 000 words chemistry assignment ... twice

checking her editing of articles for the cultural magazine 

at 9 pm on a Saturday night

endure a discussion on carbon pricing... at 6.28am

endless questions looking for feedback on her feminist transformation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? which is one of my favourite books I have to say but there are limits to how much I want to hear about what theorists she should be using to defend her transformation

sort of takes the shine off a favourite after a while

and watching her hold a discussion with a bit of scone dough

because it looked like a little bald man's head

and when I questioned her sanity for talking to scone dough

she rolled her eyes and picked on the fact that I have moved

Trevor the Pocket Buddha into the car to help me get good parking spots

scoff all you like I have been getting some cracking parking spaces

so Trevor is staying where he is

Looking back on the week I have to say that though it is never boring

I totally deserve all the mother's day loot that I got

in fact I am starting to think it was a bit light on actually...xx

Linking up with Paint Party Friday....

and my last post link is here ...

Manon's Miracle Tea Cup ...

Manon's Miracle Tea Cup ....

There have been two special arrivals this week in our household

no not puppies, or new cars or even George Clooney

this is better than all those things put together

well maybe it is better than cars and Clooney

as I have to admit that I love puppies an insane amount

but puppies aside it is a pretty awesome week

because this week two new tea cups have made an my studio their new home

The first one I have drawn first is from the lovely Manon

and it is from her Grandma's set

which is crazy amazing  and it will be treasuered, but is kind of freaking me out

and led to Phantom shaking her head that anyone would send me something so special

which makes sense given my track record with dropping, elbowing and knocking things

but I did spend yesterday very carefully drinking from this precious teacup

and having a bit of a sketch up

It has now been carefully washed and dried by Phantom as she didn't trust me to do it

and hey if it meant she got off her skinny butt and she actually got her hands wet

then it should be called Manon's Miracle Inducing Tea Cup

because Phantom is not a fan of any sort of domestic labours

and I am a bit gutted that I didn't get a photo with hands in sink for posterity

but I was simply so stunned by the sight that I didn't think to get the camera

Once Manon's miracle cup was suitably spotless

it was placed in my studio where is will be safe from my elbows and knocks

and while I may paint it again now that these sketches are done

and I have its shape and measure sorted

until I do tackle a more finished painting of it

it will spend its days on my studio shelves

reminding me not only of how generous the lovely Manon is

but also of the time that Phantom washed a tea cup ... xx

My last two links are here...

Hop and a Crop ...

Peas Peas Peas Let Me Love You ...

Hop and a Crop ....

To hop or not to hop

that was the question...

I took part in the Liberate your Art Postcard Swap again this year

but I am a haphazard hopper at best

plus it is Mother's Day this weekend

and I have done bugger all to get the house ready

or baked for the morning tea tomorrow

or done any of the things I had promised myself I would get done

so I am being up front and am saying that I have no clue when I will get to you all

 but I will get there... I promise

As to my Sunday Sketches friends

for you I just have a crop of a work... I think it is finished but sort of not sure

and I hope seeing the work from liberate your art will make some of you take part next year

I would love to receive cards from so many of you

The sort of creative shot in the arm that this event gives can't be underestimated

I stalk that postman... sorry mail carrier person

squeal with every piece of work that arrives

scan the Facebook group like a crazy person hoping to see if people have received mine

and ooo and ahhh over all the ones that are so fabulously awesome

and hope that by some miracle I will receive not my allotted six

but one of each of them

but alas just six it is

So here are the three I sent off

and yes the photography is rather ordinary and many of you are shaking your head at my skills

but I am a painter not a photographer so you can cut me some slack I am sure...

Here is what I got back...

from left... Angela Susan

then Barbara from www.funkyrosebudstudio.com

and at the bottom a gorgeous image from www.geetlee.blogspot.com

Then I received Grace by Will Conway

and finally

this fab painting one from Tina Wittmer

an extra from the lovely Snap Lane, who knows the way to my heart is with tea, flowers and books...

and of course Kat's ethereal image

Thank you all so very much, and to Kat for organising this event again this year

I love them all and they are adorning my studio wall

inspiring me to get off my butt and keep painting ...xx

My last two post links are here...

Peas, Peas, Peas, Let Me Love You ...

An Overflowing Desk ...

Peas, Peas, Peas Let Me Love You ...

In my last post I painted the silverbeet packet from The Little Vegie Patch Co

and today it is peas... this packaging is just fabulous and it great fun to draw

and I do love peas

not that I don't love silverbeet

in fact I really really love silverbeet

but peas are the bees knees so to speak

So why do I love peas????

well the truth is that they are endlessly funny in that juvenile way

They have fabulous projectile possibilities

and many were flicked across the dinner table at my pesky little brother while growing up

they were also an excellent puck for table hockey

they could be used to make fabulous patterns in your mashed potato

and were a great size for shoving up said brother's nose

not to mention there was the sniggering giggles when you ask if someone lost their pea/ pee

or needed some pea/pee on their dinner plate

and all those other juvenile hilarious goings on

Sadly we grow up and that stage passes too quickly

and they don't have quite the same comedic possibilities

until you are a parent

I used to put a handful of peas on Phantom's high chair tray thingey when she was little

then sit back and have a cup of tea and a giggle as she chased them trying to pick them up

there was also the fun of telling her that peas were actually little balls of giant snot

which led to her asking for Giant boogers as a side at a restaurant

she was all class as a kid

Don't feel bad her though because she paid us back with the endless pathetic joke stage

the most memorable of which are

Why did the tomato blush???

Because it saw Mrs Green pea over the back fence

What do you call an angry pea???

A grump-pea

She had millions of jokes of that calibre

and sadly her sense of humour has not really developed beyond that

So these packages are not just wonderful to draw

they also evoke many warm fuzzy memories

and gave me the opportunity to share with my dearest that someone peed on my table

comedy gold  I tell you 

Happy Paint Party Friday all...xx

PS the title came about because I was listening to The Smiths while I was painting

and forever more Please please please let me love you  has been revised

I don't think I will ever get the change out of my head now.... hate that ....xx

My last post link is here

An Overflowing Desk ...