Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Arizona Trip - I love cacti

I recently came back from a relaxing vacation in Arizona that ended on a not so great note with a cancelled flight (due to "Hurricane" Irene) and a rescheduled 5:30am flight.  I thought I'd do more drawings and paintings but I was too busy relaxing and vegging out.  It was awesome.  So this is the only one I did pretty quickly because it was HOT outside and I needed to jump into the pool.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Magical Fairyland

My niece and nephew requested some drawings of "magic fairyland."  I only had access to random pens and crayons and some random descriptions of a fairy castle, lollipop flowers and Rapunzel.  So I pieced together what I could and did a few quick, fun drawings with the pens and some very blunt and limited color crayons.


Friday, August 19, 2011

Hypnopug's Influence

Hypnopug - Obey the pug!  This is for Illustration Friday's theme this week - influence.  My hypnopug has a strong influence over me.  Any time I open the fridge, she convinces me that she needs a baby carrot.  She has me wrapped around her little paw.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Baby Got Camelbak!

I have several Camelbak bottles with the bite valves.  My niece and nephew loved mine so much that they now have their own kiddie versions.  But for some reason even though they have their own identical bottles (with cool fish and shark designs too!) they still clamor to drink from mine.  They will hydrate themselves like nobody's business with my bottle so I let them drink from it as they pass it back and forth sucking out of that bite straw.  By the end of the day I am parched and my Camelbak straw is covered in spit and food particles.  Sigh.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Average Monday with Pug and Bunny

As soon as my key locks the door, pug and bunny are breaking into the kibble bin.  They have to be very careful to not make a mess and leave evidence behind.
Then pug and bunny jump onto my couch and do their best to destroy it by licking and scratching it.  I've had it for only a year and already it looks totally busted.
Then it's time to watch some tv.  For some reason my pug does not enjoy animal planet but anytime I'm watching something on comedy central she STARES at the tv (my pug really loves Jon Stewart - no joke).
TV watching will make anyone drowsy.  So then it's time for a nap.  
As the afternoon sun makes the Costco parking lot nice and bright, pug and bunny like to watch the numerous shoppers and dream of the delicious foods that people are taking home.
As the clock ticks closer to the end of the workday, pug and bunny camp out by the door as their favorite part of the day approaches - when I come home!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Fast and The Furious - That's Me

I love driving.  But I have some road rage issues.  Then again there are a lot of bad/slow/crazy drivers out there so I feel like I'm justified in shaking my fist at them and cursing up a storm.  And I don't honk, flip off people or tail cars.  All my rage is contained within my car and consists of shouting (with the windows up) and fist shaking.  When someone does something really wrong I just shake my head at them disparagingly.  As soon as I leave my car though, all that rage is gone...until the next time I buckle up.

More Pug's Cousins

My sister has asked me to do more drawings of her dogs and sent me some pictures.  I've been practicing, trying to get the look of her dogs right. Her dogs seem to spend most of their time sleeping and cuddling together from the looks of all the pictures she's been sending me.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Pug Swell


This week's theme for Illustration Friday is swell.  Every time I look at my pug's belly I think about how swollen and huge it looks.  If she had unlimited access to food I think she would eat herself to death.  If I leave food out, she will come.  And eat it all.

Pug Wedge

My pug has found a new favorite seat.  She likes to wedge herself in between my back and the couch.  This results in very uncomfortable positions for both me (with a fat pug wedged behind me) and her (squished in a tiny spot with her upper body barely able to squeeze down and touch the couch seat).  I was stunned the first time this happened.  But I also secretly love it.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Why I Can't Move To Another State

True story - one day I went with my sister to pick up my niece and nephew from their day care.  We opened the door and all the kids stared at us in surprise.  Then my nephew popped up from the kid crowd, pointed at me, and shouted, "THAT'S MY AUNT!!"  My nephew and niece then came running at me, with my nephew leaping into my arms and my niece clutching onto my leg.  I felt like a rock star.  Seriously, that's pretty much what happens with rock stars and their fans.

Generation Tech

My almost 4 year-old niece and nephew were fascinated by my phone and how you can pinch zoom with the touch screen.  They quickly picked up on it and try to pinch zoom on any electronic equipment with pictures.  Now anytime I show them pictures on my camera their little grubby fingers immediately reach out to pinch zoom and get confused and distraught when it won't work.  I'm sure by the time they're 10 they'll be schooling me with the new technology and I'll be the confused and distraught one.

Plan B Savings

Some days (especially recently) I wish I had cashed out all my assets and bought gold bars that I would keep under my bed.  Akin to Scrooge McDuck's giant money tower with gold coins that he dives into, but I seriously doubt I'd have enough to fill a tower.  Besides diving into gold coins would hurt but petting my gold bars under my bed wouldn't.  Sigh.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Imperfect

This is my first drawing for Illustration Friday.  This week's theme is imperfect.  My mind immediately jumped to my pug and her various imperfections that make her perfect for me.  Lots of people (including myself) joke that pugs are defective dogs and would never be able to survive on their own.  I totally agree.  I think my pug would last all of 1 day on her own.

Cute Beagle = Bedbug Fear

Sheesh right after I post about my bedbug paranoia I saw a pest control truck outside my apartment building today.  On it's side it had a picture of a cute beagle and my mind immediately jumped to bedbug sniffing dog.  This wasn't the only thing on the side of the van, but I only included the parts that stuck out in my memory when I saw this in the morning - "Pest Control" and cute beagle's face.  I never thought the day would come when I'd associate a beagle's face with something so sinister and actually hope for a roach infestation as a better alternative.

Monday, August 8, 2011

August

Most days in August I step outside my apartment building and feel like I'm walking in hot water.  So freakin humid.  I'm ready for fall now.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Koala Pug

Is that a koala?  No, it's a pug dressed as a koala.  I ordered my pug a koala hat and until it arrives I like to imagine what she'd look like dressed as a koala.

Pond (Niece and Nephew Stories)

Yes, I know clown fish are saltwater fish, but I'm just drawing based on my sister's stories for her kids.  I don't control the stories and can't change the many many factual inaccuracies.

Forest Gate (Niece and Nephew Stories)

I've been doing some watercolor illustrations for the stories my sister tells her kids.  I do it mainly for my niece and nephew but thought I'd add them here as well.

Creatures of the Sea

I am both fascinated and terrified by the ocean.  Who knows what creepy things are down below you and want to eat you!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Bedbug Paranoia

I have a constant and deep fear of bedbugs.  I've never had them and never want to.  I blame my paranoia on the years I lived in New York when I'd hear about stores getting closed down and knew people who suffered from their horribleness.  Any bump or itch I get makes me immediately think of bedbugs and I have to send a picture to my obliging friend who will evaluate and then talk me down.  You think this is bad?  You should see the precautions I take in hotels.

Enough Stuffed Animals?

There was one period when I was giving my niece and nephew new stuffed animals every visit.  They like to store them in these laundry collapsible bins that are getting more and more stuffed.

The Call of the Books

In my world books speak to me and call out to me from the shelves.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Ice, Iced Coffee

Three things about me: (1) I like routine; (2) I need copious amounts of caffeine to barely function like a normal person; and (3) I hate hot drinks.  The one good thing about summer is that it's totally acceptable to drink iced coffee every day.  I drink it all year round.  I just make sure I have warm gloves in the winter.

This Fox in Socks

Whenever things suck, my friend and I like to say that it "Fox in Socks" (say it aloud).  Getting slammed at work always Fox in Socks.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Happy Hump Day!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

My Pug's Cousins

My sister requested a drawing of her three dogs.  Her pug is a bit darker colored than mine.  And yes, the chi-pom on the right has one eye.

Monday, August 1, 2011

In My Perfect World...

We would all have personal air/conditioned (or heated for winter) balls to walk in.  I think then I could handle east coast summers.  I haven't worked out yet how my pug would go to the bathroom in her ball.

Trained Pug

I've got Cesar Milan-like skills - I've got my pug trained perfectly.