Friday, 24 June 2016

Snotfest 2016...

 I have been away from the blog for a couple of weeks
  due to our whole family participating in Snotfest 2016
 talk about being seriously gross
   we have been expertly building walls of tissues
 sneezing loudly enough to cause avalanches of the same walls of tissues
 not so quietly  bringing up lungs from coughing
 and happily infecting most of the southeast corner of the state
 actually we are all well and truly on the mend but nothing wrong with a bit of  creative exaggeration is there...

In amongst all the fun and drama I have squeezed in illustration work 
 and done some more cuppa paintings and some light sketching
but gross snotiness has been reigning supreme until the last day or two

 The only one clear of grossness has been Barry the cat
 though he has developed the habit of coming in and jumping on the bed in the morning and  just placing one foot on my forehead
 not with force or any weight... he just lets it lay there
which makes me think he is either attempting to do some sort of mind control
which requires actual physical contact
or he is just weird
 weird probably wins out


Part of the reason I think weird may win out is because he has begun jumping up on the sofa and lying on his back and meowing ... loudly
like cat screaming until we cover him with a blanket and then he stretches his arms above his head and goes into a deep sleep
it looks hilarious and is half adorable


Plus this same cat who is scared of cauliflower happens to like cauliflower soup
Phants has decided it is because it has been beaten into submission 
kind of makes sense when you think about it as pretty much anything is no threat if it is cooked until soft then pureed
I mean even a T-rex would be little threat in that situation


and talking about dinosaurs... how cool is that blue dino-planter
I am seriously wanting one for the studio
hence the drawing at the top
I think it would be just the thing to chase the last of the cold and flu blues away
I think he would be called Phillip... or Greg
or maybe he looks a bit like a Frank... or a Stanley

happy painting all...xx

28 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful illustrations, as always!
Ahah! You cat is hilarious! One of mine does the same. :)

My name is Erika. said...

Fabulous sketches these week, but Barry the cat photo takes the prize. He looks like I cat I used to have. Pets and their crazy personalities always make me laugh. :) Erika

Nordljus said...

Wonderful paintings, I love those cups! Ah, Barry sounds like such a character, so sweet!

Linda Kunsman said...

fantastic illustrations!! A planter like the dinosaur would certainly keep me smiling. Love the shot of Barry-he sounds like he's good for a lot of laughs for sure:) Beautiful cup sketches too!

Carol said...

Fantastic art today! We have a cat that does the same thing in the bed. At night she wants to be petted and in the morning it's her wake up and feed me call. SHe also sleeps on her back but she doesn't insist on being covered. That another cat who is affectionately called the Blanket Cat. Glad you are all mended and back to normal as it is in your world :)

Anonymous said...

"The only one clear of grossness has been Barry the cat
though he has developed the habit of coming in and jumping on the bed in the morning and just placing one foot on my forehead
not with force or any weight... he just lets it lay there
which makes me think he is either attempting to do some sort of mind control
which requires actual physical contact"

HAHAHAHAAAAAA Kamala does a similar thing to Mitchell... totally cracked me up. The only good thing about you being snotty is you are so damn funny with it!

peggy gatto said...

thanks for my morning smiles!!!

Barbara Dane Lapins said...

With all the coughing and sneezing going on, maybe Barry was just checking your temperature. Another great blog, oh prolific one. :-)

Jennifer McLean said...

Dudley, definitely a Dudley. You're life is truly full and hilarious this last week. The cat thing is just weird but in a good way, who doesn't want an unusual cat, normal would be so last week. Anyway, so glad snotfest 2016 is waning, I owe you a long email right after I find my brain and screw it in again. We're participating in "thin the herd 2016", now let me just crawl over the dishes, hand truck dolly thingy, leather coat, 250 pieces of designer clothing, 88 pieces of crystal glassware, THE LUGGAGE and the dead mouse found at the bottom of the storage container (kidding). It's been interesting to say the least.Talk soon. xx

Maarit at Violets Corner said...

A very cool cat and great sketches, love the plant dino.

Love and hugs
Maarit

Gillena Cox said...

nothing wrong with a lil "creative exaggeration" LOL; Happy PPF

The tea cup and mugs are my favourites

much love...

Christine said...

lovely sketches Tracey, so sorry about the Snotfest, I have been coughing on and off for 2 weeks myself, hopefully over soon.

Indira said...

Great sketches! I want to drink from those cups. The cat is a hoot. I would love one like him.

Rita said...

I love both Barry and all your artwork!! :)
Sorry to hear you all have been sick. Hope that is over and done with now.

Granny Annie said...

Shouldn't tea ward off snotfests? Bless your heart. Still your beautiful work continues to flow.


EAGHL

http://trigra.blogspot.com

sheila 77 said...

I did notice and admire your fabulously coloured sketches, but then you showed Barry the Cat with his pretty crocheted blanket and it was Game Over. Hope he had a nice sleep and woke up refreshed.

Robin said...

Hi Tracey, what a great post! As for the planter...I think Stanley would be a good name, or Charlie! As for the cat...what a spoiled little one. Maybe he has been watching the household all lying around trying to get over the yuckies and he wants to join in on the relaxing like his humans are doing. I love your Cuppas, they are all so good. I noticed your banner changed? Maybe I just haven't noticed it before but I like the look of your blog. Glad the household is getting better. I think you need to make a YouTube video of your cat's ritual with wanting to be covered by the blanket and then passing out on it's back. The video would probably go viral. I was laughing when I saw the picture. Have a great week! Hugs, Rasz

Giggles said...

Seriously can you be anymore fun!! And Barry....oh how I wish he had a different name.... thank goodness Cupcake was a girl otherwise that would be her name! Yes Barry is quite the showman...love the blanket pose...now let me see all the scratches on your arms to get him there...or is he drugged... seriously how quiet did you have to be to put that blanket over him as he slept... Love the cups..amazing fun! The dinosaur as cute as he is in a piece of art you can keep the planter version at your house...because plants hate me and I only like them outside!!

Hugs Giggles

Anonymous said...

I was trying to figure it out and (translating it to my language) what where you talking about. I continue reading and I GOT IT! That's hilarious. I wish I could be a bit creative in the writing department. ;)

Love you beautiful illustrations, and bright colors!!!

Have and awesome day!
Nora Clemens-Gallo

Faye said...

Sorry you have all been sick (except for the really, really weird cat!). I love the dinosaur planter and plant painting and the photo of the cat lying on its back. What a relaxed, confident, trusting animal! Maybe not so weird at all. I went back and re-viewed your video on watercolor improvements. Very informative. I need to do the deeper color technique. Thanks for the tips. Hope all the drippiness has left your premises.

denthe said...

Oh, that cat is hilarious :-D Love your colourful illustrations, and you're right: that dinosaur-planter would look great!

NatureFootstep said...

lol, I love your dino :) I wonder what species it is? Lotusdino perhaps :)

Feeriee13 said...

Love your drawings ~ you must be a really positive person, your colors are so happy! :-) And your cat is absolutely adorable! <3

New on your blog, loved it.

Laura xo

Sandra Busby said...

Well you are in good company as I am also knee deep in snottty tissues! Ugh, this cold is so gross and so stubborn, it is refusing to go! At this very moment as I type this, I have a mountain of used tissues slowly spreading across my desk and I haven't even been here an hour! Meanwhile, that cat is just hilarious!! Only YOU could have a cat like that! Sherlock does this all the time, but then again he is a dog, and dogs do that. Barry is just not normal! Loving your paintings today. After a really odd week in the UK, nothing but doom and gloom following the EU stuff, it's a welcome break to have a good laugh and a dollop of colour!!! :0)

Irene Rafael said...

Barry is priceless!!! Love your drawings as well.

Anewdawn 16 said...

as always i totally love ur work...<3

Teresa Arsenault said...

Haha! What a fun post and a quirky cat. Cats are so much fun. I love your delightful tea cups. Congrats on being featured at PPF.

Studio Kaufmann said...

Wow your cat Barry sounds crazy but so hilarious! Sorry you have been sailing on a sea of snot and may July be a better month for you. Your paintings are fab as always xx