IF : Alphabets

Yay...I finally christened my Moleskin! I was feeling very child-like and whimsical today so I thought I'd go for that style. Just loose and scribbly! I used acrylic paint, colored pencils and alphabet rubber stamps. In case you can't read it, here's what it says.

"What's good today?" I asked.

"We have really good duck soup with alphabets." she replied.

"Okay, I'll have that."

Who knows where my head was...but I know this makes me giggle!

I'm A Rockin' Girl, or so I'm told!

I've been given the "Rockin' Girl Blog Award" by one of the coolest bloggerettes , Kim Coles of http://www.imwithsully.com/blog/ Personally, most days I feel like I should have the "Rocking Chair Award." I have so many women here that I admire, and it's funny but the ones I'd like to pass this on to already had it passed on by someone else. So you know what that tells me?? We all rock!!

Here's to all my new rockin', bloggin' friends. Thanks, Kim!!

IF : Visitors

How appropriate the word is for me this week. My eighteen year old niece from New Hampshire came to visit us. It was her first time flying and being so far away from home. My husband and I took her to all the beautiful places in our area making sure she had the full 'peninsula experience.' It turns out her favorite place is also my favorite; Point Lobos State Reserve. There are walking trails along sheer cliffs surrounded by the restless sea. You can't help clicking shot after shot so you can take it all home with you to savor the experience again.

I did this little painting today of China Cove, one of the prettiest spots in Point Lobos that brings many visitors each year. It's truly a magical place.

If you ever come to the Monterey Peninsula, be sure to go there. And hey, look me up...I'll come with you!!

P.S. After having missed last week, I'm glad to be back!

acrylic on canvas, 6"x6"

My "Best of IF" show at Studio Lolo ! Save the date!

Okay fellow "IFers", I've finally come up with a date for my "Best Of Illustration Friday" show after much encouragement from many of you as well as my friends here at home. It will be one year since my first post on October 15th, so being the way the calendar falls this year the opening will be Friday, October 12th with a wine reception. It will also be the night of the Art Walk in Pacific Grove, so there will be many more galleries staying open. It's really a fun event!

Now I have the job of choosing which illos to frame and how to display their stories next to them.I do know that I won't use any of my collages, just paintings. I'd also like to find the time to get 3 more Wallflowers done so they can be a part of the show.

I'm hoping with this much notice many of you would be able to pop in to meet me. You have no idea how much this venue has meant to me this past year! I'll keep the show up for a month, so even if you can't make it on opening night, perhaps you could drop in on one of the weekends.

Okay...I have lots of work to do!! Thanks for all of your encouragement this past year, and today still.

IF: Emergency Grounding Energy

Many of you may be familiar with the Soul Collage process. You make your own deck of cards to use in your personal readings. It's an amazing intuitive process used by therapists and regular, run of the mill people like myself. To learn more about it, go to http://www.soulcollage.com/

This is one of my animal companion cards that represents the first chakra, the root chakra located at the base of the spinal column. It is associated with the material things of life, with shelter and food and with making money. It has to do with our sense of security in the world and is connected with survival and self-esteem. This chakra holds grounding energy. It stabilizes us and helps us keep our balance, physically and emotionally.

When I look at this card I see this magnificent bear making sure I'll be taken care of. He'll help me keep my balance and keep me grounded. I feel that I could call out to him in an emergency and he'd be right there.

(Note: when my family sees this post, they'll swear I've been in California too long!)

Princess Pepper Cloud visited!!

I was so thrilled to have met Princess Pepper Cloud the day she came to my studio! It meant so much to me that she took the time to look me up and hang out at Studio Lolo for a while. Her and her husband couldn't be nicer. She made this beautiful plate for me which I'll use at my art receptions. It has Monarch butterflies on it which is so appropriate because Monarchs migrate to Pacific Grove every year! We're actually called butterfly town and we have a butterfly parade and a sanctuary to see them in their natural habitat.

Now I have an original PPC creation which I'll treasure forever. I'll treasure that day as well. Thanks for visiting Kim!! Hug the cats for me and give my best to Ted.

IF : Missing you so much...

I worked all day on a painting for this topic today and ended up not using it. It just wasn't the right fit. I kept going back to one of my favorite illustrations I used for a promo mailer a couple of years back. This guy is really a heartbreaker, isn't he? Dogs miss us whether we're gone at work all day or just going to the bathroom with the door closed. They're missing us whether it's five minutes or five days, doesn't matter to them just as long as we come back. I feel sad for the ones who are waiting for someone who isn't going to return, ever. Thankfully a lot of those guys end up in new homes with someone new to miss! I have one of those rescues. Trust me, she never looked back! Now she's missing ME when I'm at work, or checking for mail, or out for dinner ...but at least I leave the bathroom door open. I know...too much information!

Fine point Sharpie, watercolor, and Prismacolor pencils.

Inspirational Award

I've just received an "Inspirational Award" from fellow blogger friend Ronni Fairy Girl! She and I have similar interests, mainly art and animals. We're also both animal communicators although she's been at it longer than I have. She inspires me as well, so kudos right back at ya Ronni!Here's her link... http://designingfairy.blogspot.com/

I'm supposed to pass this along to five people, but honestly you all get this award from me. Not to sound gushing, but I'm here because you all inspire me to step up my skills and to keep drawing and painting. When I joined Illustration Friday I had no idea it would mean so much to me. I'm actually going to have a show at my studio of my best "IF" work. That idea was inspired by my friend, Mary Helen. That's in the future though when I get enough money together for framing the work.

So, thanks to all of you who inspire me to continue, and for all of the amazing comments you leave, and also for the laughs from some of you. There are a few of you I have a "back and forth" game of wits with! I look forward to our time together every week. Consider yourselves recipients of this award!