Wednesday, November 30, 2011

What I Have Been Up To

No good! Ha Ha! seriously though, I have not forgotten my Bird a Day Project I just took a little break from birding and posting. I have a couple projects in the works and I am getting some of my mojo back. We have had our first winter snow and is it ever lovely!

Also, I have just signed up to participate in The Sketchbook Project
Any one can participate. I will be sent an empty sketchbook and when it's full I will send it back and it will be in the Brooklyn Art Library for anyone to look at! Too cool. I will be posting updates here.

Monday, November 21, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #119 Turkey Trot

I have a wonderful friend I would like to tell you about, Mary Katherine. She isn't making a big Thanksgiving dinner this year. This year she will be running her first 10k in the Chicago North Shore Turkey Trot. Two years ago she never would have thought that she could run let alone run in a 10K! She writes about how she went from couch potato to athlete, with the help of her daughter, Rosie, here - Mary Katherine's Musings. She is an excellent writer and I am a huge fan of her blog. It's very heartfelt and inspiring.
 Also she's not just running for herself, she's running for an excellent charity 
The Wounded Warrior Project. Their mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. 
If you would like to help my good friend Mary in her efforts to support and help our wounded vets, go to her fundraising page and give from the heart.
While the rest of us our stuffing our faces on Thanksgiving Day, Mary Katherine will be making a difference in the world because, that's what she does!
Correction: I have just found out that MK IS making a Thanksgiving feast! I am in awe.

Friday, November 18, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #118 Happy Birthday Mom!

My mom's birthday is tomorrow and she and my dad will be returning home from a trip they took to celebrate 50 years of marriage. I am so happy for them! This card and a pair of home knit birthday socks will be waiting for her when she comes home. Love ya ma!
I made this just for you! It's got glitter!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #117 Thinking of You

I have a good friend who received some bad news recently. I made her this card. I hope it cheers her up.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #116 - Guest Artist, Sarah

My daughter Sarah, had to draw some signs for work the other day. I think she thinks it cheating but, she gave me permission to use this one for my post. 
My Make Something Every Day project - My rules.
Now if I could just get her to bring home some of that pie...
Isn't that just the cutest little blue bird?!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sunday, November 13, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #114 Little Red Owl

The prompt I used today was to work with only red. I cheated a little and used black also, but that's how I roll. My mom and dad went to a wellness center open house and brought me back this cute little notebook. I gessoed over the logo and used red acrylic paint for the back ground. Now I have a cute mini art journal to fill!
Acrylic paint and Sakura Glossy 3-D Glaze pens

Thursday, November 10, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #112 Ugly Chicken Sez

This was an attempt to draw a quick little drawing but I am finding that I do nothing quick.
Prismacolor color pencils and pen on bristol board
Ugly Chicken ain't having none of that! You'll have to catch her first. She may be ugly but she is fast.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #111 Fall Bird

I finished my painting. So tired of looking at it. That's how I knew I was done (he he he).
Acrylics on canvas board

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #110 Jim Crow

The summer that I was nine or maybe ten, our family stayed at Gram and Grampa's House. We spent a lot of summer time there. My dad was in the Navy and we lived out-of-state most of the time and Gram and Gramp had an Olympic sized pool so when summer time came, off to Michigan we would travel to be pampered and spoiled and loved. But that particular summer was even more special to me. A crow kept coming to visit us around the pool and as time went on he became bolder and bolder stealing anything shiny or bright that he could fly away with, bits of tin foil, a toy car. 
Now I was a kid that would play with a garter snake or a leopard frog all day long and Oh Joy! if I found a field mouse! I just had to make that crow mine! I didn't try to capture it because it was a wild creature and it needed to be free (read: the grown ups didn't want to deal with a pet crow!) By the end of the summer Jim and I were best buddies (in my mind). I would run outside first thing in the morning, still in my PJ's, to greet MY bird and more often than not he was there! One of his favorite things to do was to sit on my head and peck me. And Yes, it hurt but I knew he didn't mean to peck that hard, he loved me as much as I loved him, after all.
Me and Jim on the deck. My Grampa took these pics and he had this really cool camera.
When the pics were developed there was one large square print and three small ones that ran
down the side of the large one. These are the small ones 1.5 inches square.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Just For Fun

I seem to have gotten myself into a rut of no birds the past couple of days, but not to worry I haven't given up, just needed a break. My sister just sent me to this sight: Draw a Stickman I think she was trying to give me a nudge Ha ha. Give it a try, it will brighten your day. Thanks for the encouragement Minnie!

Friday, November 4, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #109 The Dirty Bird or Dust Birdie

Today I am prompted to play in the dirt. I didn't even have to go outside to do so, I am ashamed to say. I think he looks rather like an ostrich, maybe a turkey. Oh yuk!
This is less than a weeks worth of floor dirt. (Pretty gross, I know.)

Max always has to get in on the action when I sweep.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #108 Flying Geese

Here's a quick little doodle based on this tangle called Flying Geese (scroll down for directions).
I think is looks rather Christmas-y to me. I am also working on a bigger project, a real painting. Well see how it goes. I wish I had better acrylics...
Pen and gel pen on paper.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

MSED: Bird a Day #107 CD Cover

My daughter Sarah, left one of her music CDs at my house the other day. It had no cover. Poor naked CD. She already has the music on her ipod I'm sure, and doesn't really need the CD but I just had to cover the poor thing up before it got scratched. I used this video to create it. (turn down the sound, it's strictly a visual demo and the sound track is somewhat annoying)

Sarah! Come home any time and get your CD! xo
Watercolor paper, watercolor, pen, and gel pen