DOG GONE CHRISTMAS

Through some of my wonderful facebook artist friends, I was reminded how much I love to do these

doodles.. also known as Zentangles.  I guess there is some claims that the word Zentangles can only be used by certified "zentanglists"  of which I really have to shake my head in disbelief.  And I won't waste my energy on that subject.

Instead, I have been playing with this dog design which resulted in this fun design.  Now I want to do

more, of course.  This is the fun when you do these.  I started this design out by taking my Sharpie ultra fine point pen marker and just did a random swirly line across the page.  Them looking at the swirls, I saw

a dog and off it went... and which is why his paw is waving high in the air..

So more of these will come.  It's such a soothing way to sit in the evenings and do couch art.. I can

delightfully tune out those annoying political ads, and half way listen to tv, which mostly bores me.

And is why I listen to NPR during the day in my studio, or watch Turner's or listen to books on tape or

watch a good DVD movie.  Mostly with the tone of today's news.. dismal and depressing... I limit that

exposure for myself.  Keeps my spirit much lighter, thank you very much.  It's a wonder this whole country

isn't on some anti-depressant meds listening to the media.

NOW

more art.  :)

always good.

ta

FLOCK OF BIRDS AND FIRST SNOW

A peek into the side garden this morning.. our first noticable snow.

We have a few flurries the past few days, but early this morning it got cold enough

to bring the snow level down to the town. 

I was happy to get back into my studio and my current project.

Here's the parts..

Little mold tins, I collect these at thrift shops and yard sales.

And I decided that these should be incorporated into some art for the upcoming shows

I am doing.  The blackbird heads are cut from an old patent leather (fake) purse.

The nice thing about the current trend of BIG BAGS, is they provide more material for

artists like me that like to cut them up.  :)

And here's my first 4 that I just finished.  The one on the  right,  I am keeping for our kitchen..

I used black zippers for their legs.. ZIPPY!  The wings are cut from wonderful oil cloth material.

I have many more to make.. some will go here and some will go there.  Might even list a few on etsy to

 see how they sell.

NOW

I must stop with my morning art and get into my production for Lunar Designs.

My work day begins.

ta ta

BLACKBIRD ORNAMENTS

Have lots of these old aluminum molds..

decided to make kitchen/holiday ornaments.

keeping the "theme" blackbird...

using different patterns of oil cloth for the wings...

zipper legs..

patent leather for the blackbird's head..

colorful buttons for the centers.

First one, the prototype.

These are the colors in my kitchen.. so will probably keep :) this one for our kitchen.

The rest will be up for sale at the next holiday show I will be doing.

Will look cute with my kitchen towels.

thinking here....might even do a painted version to print on a towel.

I like that it can be a holiday ornament, or not.  Keeps the options open for the buyers.

Now need to make a dozen more or so.

Snowing.

Again.

Nice to work in my warm studio.

Again.

Life is good.

Blessed.

and Grateful.

NOW

to work on orders.

then make some homemade soup for dinner tonight.

SPOOKY WEEKEND FUN

Ghosts hanging around our front door...

leaves falling around the ghosts..

skulls and cobwebs...

even the little dalmation has his Halloween mask on...

more ghosts to greet you...

and spooky black cats... YIKES!!!!!!

BEFORE AND AFTER

This looks like something from the hoarder's show Buried Alive.

I walked into my studio this morning and nearly croaked.  Not only is this a mess,

it makes me nuts.  Or nuts-ier as my husband would amend.

So I turned on some Budha Zen music and started cleaning.

AHHHHH...

much better

NOW!



NEW LISTINGS ON ETSY

These  are now listed on my Etsy site. 

http://www.lindadrake.etsy.com/

 I am lining up the art to sell,

 making room for new. 

Time to shop for that special piece of art that is calling to you.

Limonata.

I even love to say the name.

 I fell in love with this Italian lemon beverage and love the graphics on the can.

That inspired me to create a Limonata Art Doll.

She would be delicious in a kitchen with her spoon and fork arms/hands.

My love of Blackbirds often find their way into my art.  The sweet art doll is made from a very old license plate.. about 1936 I think.  The blackbird is cut from an old Utah license plate.  She feels

very quiet and full of wisdom when I look at her. She is called "Blackbird Spirit Woman"

This fun art doll called "Wishful Thinking" has a real wishbone in her head with a little bird perched on top.

She has the cutest specs on (from a garden hose holder I believe) and her legs are old carpenter rulers.  Her body is from a 1968 Kansas license plate.  Her head is in the stars!

She is wishing for you!

I had fun with this guy.. aptly titled "John Q. Public Focus".  I have become increasingly weary, as we all seem to be, with all the politic rants and raves and endless stream of rhetoric on tv, radio etc.

I have to turn it all off, and keep my mind on other things here in my studio.  Watch old movies on Turner's

Classic Movie channel, or listen to books on tape, or listen to music.  I create my own reality here in my studio!  

NOW to work on orders!

WHEE!!! ART DOLL KEY RACK

I am a firm believer that you spotlight where you hang your keys,  use it faithfully, and then you will NEVER have to look around crazy crazy for your keys.  Knowing exactly where your keys are, will let you happily fly out the door, looking as giddy and fun as this Art Girl..

  I LOVE her hair.. I LOVE happy hair..

it's just such a

fun way to express your joy in life!!!!

I just finished this gal, a gathering of lost and found art.  The head with shoulders went on a round robin art doll journey, and got lost in Texas for YEARS!!!.  Well, God, we all know someone who has done that, or at least heard something similar in a sad western song on the radio.  Well, by some miracle of universe, this gal came back into my life.  But I decided her intended ART was just not working for her.  So we had a nice chat over coffee this morning and she expressed her desire to create a new INTENT for her life.  And she definitely wants a permanent home now.  She is happy to offer her advice on traveling out in the big wild world, but she would be so content to hold down the fort or key rack in this case.

But she is not intended for my adobe.. she is indeed intended for a new forever home and is available on my etsy site.

www.lindadrake.etsy.com

So if you think she is meant for you, and you can prove your intent by actually purchasing her, she is now available.  With some road stories that will be sure to brighten your world.

NOW

I am off to do some errands.. and yep, I do know where my keys are..  :)

A WELCOMED CHALLENGE

Yesterday, I discovered a challenge to make art everyday.  See the side panel and you will find the link.

Now, I do art daily, have for years..... but these past few months, as

this economy keeps beating on us, I find myself working harder.  I love to work at my job.. Lunar Designs.

But I also love doing my "side art" which I have been doing less and less of.  Not so good for me. 

I so love getting up early, and with coffee and still in my jammies immersing myself in my art.

I usually do this for a few hours, then jump in the shower and then into my orders for Lunar.

But when I thought about this November challenge, despite the timing.. busy time of the year for me both

professionally and personally, I  thought, now more than ever.  The busy is draining sometimes, and

doing my art will restock my art soul.  

So I am committed.  It's not a heavy dutiful thing.  Merely a conscious decision to do it NOW.

Sometimes it's good to smack yourself with a Challenge. 

FLEA MARKET FINDS AND FUN

An old leather suitcase $5, an old sterling salt shaker $1, and a well used artist's wooden supply box $2.

That was my :) big purchases at a big flea market Sunday in Denver.  I love to head for the big piles of JUNK to look for art treasures.  I want to use the art box to make a shrine out of.  The salt shaker will be a great assemblage piece.. for exactly what I don't know yet.  The suitcase is wonderful!

I love to stack old stuitcases with art supplies or whatever.  Also these make great  "boxes" when I make my

shrines. 

Dan and I  had so much fun walking around this flea market.  It is so great when you have someone

that shares your life AND you like to do the same things together.  Dan bought a Michelada drink//

beer and tomatoe juice with seasonings.. similar to a bloody mary.  I took a sip and YUM!  I want to make

some tonight with dinner.  BECAUSE...we also bought some roasted green chilies and I am planning

a nice fiesta dinner.. something warm because it's CHILLY outside today. Brr..

WITCHY HAT ART

 It was a WITCH HAT art project last night.  The Downtown Farmer's Market ladies got together and created 19 witchy outrageous hats.  There were feathers flying, skeletons clacking, hot glue guns squirting ( a few small burns followed by witch like expletives ) and lots of fun.  We had pizza and wine, margaritas and I brought my apricot beer...  because I just don't like wine or tequila all that much.. more like it doesn't like me the next morning.  We will display these in Sue's store window (Confetti Designs) and sell them to raise money for the market.  As we were cleaning up, I found one more blank hat, so I opted to take it home to decorate and will deliver it.  Every hat was named:  Old Crow, Sour Apple, Mae West, Horrible Hannah, etc. and will be tagged with the names.  Just for fun.

We had a great time.. this was my first "mandatory meeting" and I had a blast.  I can happily say I  am in my own tribe with these girls so lots more fun/work to be had in the future.  It's great to be associated with such a great group of women who do such a wonderful job with the market.. a great asset for our little mountain town.

NOW I am getting ready to tackle my list of to do's, including getting NEW SNOW TIRES on my car.
Because, you know the snow is coming, like it or not!

JOHN LENNON AND OTHER WONDERFUL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

Yesterday, John would of been 70.  I cannot think of a groovier 70 year old.  This morning I listened to

an interview of John by writer David Sheff that was done in August of 1980.  The  interview/article came out in Dec 6, 1980 in Playboy and two days later, he was shot.  I still feel a cold shiver run through my body.  The sadness that grabbed so many of us when we heard the horrible news....  This peaceful man.  Dead.

Violently shot down.  It's one of those moments in my life, when I am ashamed to be associated with human beings.  How humans could be capable of such tragic useless evil.  why?

  here's the interview.. it's worth taking the time to listen to.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=130429818&m=130452366

I will always be a Beatles fan.  Always.  There wasn't anything more moving for me as a young girl growing up,  listening to their music.  And there hasn't really been any more musical artists that has so touched my heart as their music.  Except Jack Johnson.  He comes as close as James Taylor does since the Beatles.

 In 2007, I was picked to do an design for our local Strawberry Days.. and I ran with the idea of the Beatles

Strawberry Fields. So I did the poster design.. and what  blast I had doing it.  Our surrounding mountains became snow covered strawberries with kaleidoscope clouds.  here's my art on the poster....

I drove my Petula car, a painted art car, and when I was lined up ready to join in the parade, and all I could hear was Beatles music surrounding me, I have to say it was a moment of gratitude.  I had brought my love of the Beatles to our little mountain town, and we felt the groove as we sang Strawberry Fields Forever.

A proud moment for me.  Here's Petula.  She was Groovy.  I loved driving her..everyone always knew where I was doodling around in her.  I finally sold her.. she needed a lot of work and was getting old.

I had my fun and now it was time to move on.  Doing the art car was fun, but that's another story for another day.

  NOW.. all we need is LOVE.  and 10-10-10 today.  A good day.  Hold onto those positive thoughts.

Everything is working out for our highest good.

  I love this.

 

MORNING AHHHHH

I have always been an early morning person.  It's the calm time of the day. The ahh part of being alive for me.

Everyday brings new ideas, new hopes, new projects.  A fresh start of whatever you desire.  When I am drinking my morning coffee and look out the window to see this kind of sunrise, I feel a wash of gratitude and

humbleness.  That we are so fortunate to be witnessing this miracle. 

We have had a lovely fall.. September was nearly a continuation of summer.  October started out the same.

It's certain we will be thrown into winter..  I am already thinking about those new snow tires I need to buy.

And while I long to have summer last year round, I know winter is around the corner.  And winter

to me means more studio time.  More art.  And that's good.

NOW

I must tackle lots of orders.

But the art is waiting for me.. lots and lots of it.

yum.