sketched out

… oh… ahem… yes, hello! You might remember me, my name is Joey. I’ve been asked by my lazy lovely human to say a few words. Actually, I don’t know why she’s getting all this attention, when clearly it is I who deserves all of it.

But I digress.

Yeah, so she got all emotional today, about getting this Brillante award from some wonderful, talented, super-cool folks, and sent me out here to speak on her behalf about it. I told her I’d do it, even though I have the 12:30 dust bunny attack, 2:00 toilet water tasting going on, not to mention the daily locking of Spooky (my nemesis) in the closet (busy, busy, busy.)

She wanted me to give hugs, kisses and rub up against the legs of Alicia, Tom, Mônica, Erin, Jannie, and Kathy (last week). Thank you all soooo much!

I may spend most of my time napping, but I do know talent when I see it and these people have all that… and a bag of kibble! Plus all 5 of them are some of the nicest humans I’ve ever run across and they’re animal lovers… so, what’s not to like?

Although some of them like dogs… go figure.

Ok, thank you Joey. I can take it from here. I just want to say, to Kathy, Alicia, Tom, Mônica, Erin, Jannie, to everyone in the IF community and to those folks that found me by Googling “Hot Chicks” thanks for making this past year (it’ll be a year in Sept.) so gratifying, full of support, educational and just downright fun!

Here’s to another Brillante year!!

Ignatz and Spooky were shocked to find out the real reason behind Joey’s ample girth.

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The theme for this week’s Illustration Friday is “Hoard.”

I’ve procrastinated long enough! My dear friends Alicia from My Place Over the Hill and Colleen from The Frog Blog both tagged me for the “Day in the Life” meme. It was great fun reading theirs. Now I hope I can live up to the challenge. This is what a typical week day is like for me. Join me, won’t you?

5:30-6:00am
I not only set my clock 15 minutes ahead to “fool” myself, I also set the alarm for 5:30 so I can continuously hit the snooze, and again, “fool” myself that I’m cheating time somehow. The cacophony that ensues: Brrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaangggg, smack, @#%*! Brrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaangggg, smack, @#%*! goes on for about 30 minutes. Finally, however, there is one thing that finally gets my hiney out of bed. It comes in the form of a little black paw, batting gently at my nose, with just a hint of claw. Just a hint mind you. Right about this time, coming from a different direction, a furry white head starts butting the side of my chin and cheek, ever so insistently. So it’s the batting, the butting and eventual wet nose sniffing around my ear area that eventually wakes me up.

As my eyes slowly open, Read the rest of this entry »

A rough little sketch, inspired by my chubby… (I mean, big boned) black kitty, Joey.

When puttering around the house, I choose my steps carefully and move around gingerly, because stepping on a tail or little black paw, is a very real danger. As well as tripping over this immovable mass of cat and breaking my fool neck.

As I perform my morning ritual of face washing, teeth brushing, etc., my movement is often severely hampered by Joey, wrapped lovingly around my feet. While I wash the dishes and make salads for Tom and I to bring to work, there he is, once again, at my feet, this time rolling around on his back, attempting to allure me into scratching his ample belly.

Walking around the outside world, sans the furry, black shackle, can often feel like a shock to my system. But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Joey is my best buddy and besides, walking around freely is so overrated.

For reasons I won’t bore you with right now, my doctor suggested I cut down on my caffeine intake. What? Two to three double, short cappuccinos a day is too much?

Apparently it is… who knew?

So, obediently I began Read the rest of this entry »

“They’ll never find me now, hee hee.”

Iggy fails to grasp the full concept of hiding.

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Illustration Friday’s theme this week is “Fail.”

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CAT-BIRD seated.

If you are sitting in the “Catbird Seat” you are sitting pretty, or in a favored position. You have the upper hand, an advantage.

Now there seems to be a bit of debate on whether the legendary baseball broadcaster Red Barber coined this phrase or if he borrowed the folksy phrase from his Southern origins. Some feel he may have lifted the phrase from James Thurber’s 1942 short story of the same name “The Catbird Seat.” However, according to Wikipedia, Barber’s daughter claims her dad began using the phrase only after reading Thurber’s story. But then Red Barber says Thurber purloined the term from him… and so it goes, back and forth. Is it really important? Not so much.

In another part of the world, the Australian bowerbird is also known as the catbird. This little guy is known for his elaborate, artistic displays, in order to attract a mate. Some males will gather up hundreds of shells, colored glass or rock and arrange them into a remarkable “seat” upon which his potential mate will be enthroned. A favored postion? Sitting pretty perhaps?

Hmmmmm. I think I get it now.

Well, regardless of the etymology, it seems our hero above, in the makeshift bird costume, as hard as he may be trying, is not fooling anyone, least of all his little bird friend. Cat-bird is in anything but a favored postion. Nor is he sitting or otherwise pretty.

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As an aside, I hadn’t realized until looking up the etymology for this phrase that the bowerbird would be involved. Ironically, my friend Laurel at Studio Lolo had posted a beautiful painting of one of these magical fellows. Take a look.

When your morning starts at the crack of dawn, you’re cranky from sacrificing two hours a day to freeway commuting, twitching from impending deadlines, blurry-eyed from lack of sleep, in short, when you’re as busy as a moth in a mitten, what do you do?

Why, you add yet another project to your docket.

I’ve decided to design and stitch together a stuffed animal, fashioned after the little character, hovering above. Boris, Murgatroyd, Bob, whatever his name is.

I thought I’d share my progress so far: Pattern designed… check. Everything marked, cut and pinned… check, check, check. Even got some legs and ears stitched together and finished (see below.)

Look, you can see my Wacom tablet is finally getting some use… as a surface to set things on. (I really need draw with that thing one of these days.) I also have my trusty, monster cup of tea at the ready. Heck, I even got myself a tomato pin cushion. I’m official now.

My reason for putting this project out there is in hopes that it will keep me somewhat accountable to finish it. So, I’ll keep you posted on any further progress. However, at this moment, I seem to be at a bit of an impasse. I’m trying to figure out what to use for his big, baby green eyes.

Any suggestions?

(click to enlarge, if you wish)

FLABBY TABBY

Our neighbor’s orange tabby,
was quite big and flabby,
because he did nothing but eat.

He’d gobble and nibble
on tuna and kibble,
‘till soon he could not see his feet.

The Illustration Friday theme this week is “Heavy.”

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I can’t seem to figure out which medium I am the most comfortable with, so I agonize over a couple different ones. The top one was done in Adobe Illustrator and brought into Photoshop. The bottom image (unfinished,) was done with Carb Othello pastel pencils on Canson charcoal paper. I’ve also tried watercolor with pastel and am currently struggling with gouache.

Maybe one of these days I’ll hone in on one and be done with it.

(click to enlarge)

I SPRAINED MY BRAIN

A throbbing in the forehead,
a painful little noggin.

Perhaps it’s from those late nights,
I’ve spent with all the bloggin’.

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See you soon. Going to rest my soar little head.

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Since I’ll likely be too busy wining and dining to post anything on Valentine’s Day (hint, hint, to someone who’s name rhymes with Tom,) I thought I’d post an early Valentine to all my friends, family and blogging buddies.

Actually, you know, truth be told, the last thing I want on V-day is to find Tom and I standing around for an hour or more, in some chain restaurant, waiting for the privilage of paying twice as much for the meal as it would have cost the night before, along with hundreds of other couples who feel obligated to do the same.

Nope, not even if my waiter hands me a rose.

Tempting though that may be.

If you really must know, I’m looking forward to, picking up some chinese take-out and curling up on the couch with my honey, to watch “Alien” or “Bladerunner,” something romantic like that.

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Oh, by the way, I posted for the very first time on Sugar Frosted Goodness. I’m very excited! If you’ve never been, you should check it out, it’s a great site.

Happy Valentine’s Day Eve!

It was a dark and stormy night….no wait…ahem…it’s raining like people and dogs out here in So. Cal!!

Ok, seriously now, I may be a quick sketch of a kitty, but I have feelings too, and I am here right now to make a plea. I’d like to speak on behalf of all the pets out there who have bloggers for parents. I’d like to pose this question to you. What ever happened to watching the telly? What ever happened to stopping for a moment, listening to the rain, having a little soup, letting us lick the bowl, then allowing us to curl up in your lap and watch some tube? Lap Time, we, the furry, like to call it.

Lap Time is a very critical part of human/pet bonding. Do you even care?. Nooooo! You are too busy tap tap tapping away at that flat thing on your desk, pushing us off of it, staring at that silvery, shiny, thing with pictures all over it. That thing you call the Interwebs!

I guess, I just want to say (sniffmeow) if you care about us at all, you will get up from the webbernets, walk over to the t.v. and spend a little quality time with the ones who love you unconditionally.

Do it or I’ll poop in your shoe.

Ahem…excuse me..yes, my name is Joey and my good friend Linda asked me to come out here and say a few words on her behalf. She seems to be detained at the moment.

She wanted me to thank the very lovely and talented Roberta Baird of “A Mouse in the House” for passing the “You Make My Day” award her way. She was very flattered and touched, and, well, it made her day.

1. Write a post with links to five blogs that make your day or make you think.

2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.

3. Display the “You Make My Day” link to the post. (optional)

4. Tell the blog winners that they have won by commenting on their blog.

• Bambi at le pen quotidien for her great storytelling, amazing drawings and adorable critters.
• Helena at The Empress’ New Clothes. and Little Sketches. Really enjoyed her sketch blog and am now getting quite an art history education from her new blog.
• Val over at The Illustrated Garden for her gorgeous paintings of all things green and her inspirational and also very green writing.
• Julia at Bobo Miow for her adorable depiction of Bobo, her kitty’s antics and conquests.
• Tom (Linda’s husband and my nemesis) at VisualKaos for always making her day (eeeyew, I know mushy, huh?)

She wanted to list a bunch more, but I told her to simmer down, you only get five.

Anyway, she would have thanked you all herself, but is attending to some minor cuts and abrasions.

I’m not sure what happened, it’s all a blur. The last thing I remember was her mentioning doing less kitty drawings in the future, and maybe drawing some more raccoons or dogs.

Tsk tsk, she should be more careful.

KITTY SNIT

My cat is annoyed,
turned his back to avoid,
with not so much as meow.

His one ear turns back,
as I pour out his snack.
Hello, can you hear me now?