DETERMINED TO DO SOME CHALLENGES

I have missed taking part in challenges for the past couple of weeks so much, and so I am determined to make an effort today, even though it is an effort.

At Three Muses the challenge is 'Get Ahead, Get a Hat'.  Marilyn and Archibald had their photo taken specially to show off their new hats.  They assured the hat-maker that they were delighted with them, but somehow the photographer just didn't quite capture that emotion.  They either need a new milliner or a new photographer. ……. or both.

In the next picture the apple-cheeked lady is my offering for both Try it on Tuesday and Moo Mania.

Moo Mania asks for the use of corrugated cardboard.  I scanned the corrugated at an angle to give diagonal stripes and changed the colour to blue digitally, then added the green background digitally as well.  I then assembled the whole image on Photoshop.  She may not be able to tell her dots from her stripes, but still, she looks a happy lady.

And for Try it on Tuesday Dotty wanted to have her say on the subject of 'Feminine and Fancy'.  Dotty's always been a bit of a feminist who doesn't see why she has to wear frills, furbelows and feathers to show her femininity - and she's had 5 husbands and 12 children so it works for her!  She always likes to be a bit different from the rest, and I think she may well find that she achieves her aim in the TIOT Feminine and Fancy challenge.

Both the Hats card and the Dotty lady card were originally made to send to my dear friend Karen Isaacson at I am Rushmore a while ago, and I hope she will excuse me for re-using them for these challenges given the way I am feeling just now.

Linking to Three Muses, Try it on Tuesday, Moo Mania

SKETCHBOOK GLIMPSES, A FEW MORE PAGES

Thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts and good wishes.  When she was not well my dear Mum always used to repeat 'Every day, in every way, I get better and better', and I follow her example.  There is power in positive thought.  And I also think of Frida Kahlo and her determination.

This was the last sketch I did before the pain hit me on Sunday 18th

Coloured pencil 

Normal creativity is beyond me just now, so I am sharing with you what I call 'real' sketchbook pages, rough drawings.  The following sketches were all done for Lynn Cohen's Paper, Paint, Pencils and Pens blog where artists share quick sketches to a theme - well worth looking at and joining, I love it.

You can see what I mean when I say these are 'rough sketches'.  The current theme on PPP&P is 'My Daily Life', and I was determined to do a very quick sketch almost every day.  It's amazing how focussing on drawing can mask pain for a while, though I was pretty-well zonked out anyway.

The first thing I always do every day when I get up is look at the sky.

When Dev got me up for early pill time I quickly sketched

the unusual cloud formation in coloured pencils.

My new digital radio, which helps to pass the time.

Dev had bought me a huge bunch of carnations.

I didn't think I'd be able to draw them

but I was very pleased with the result in coloured pencil.

With Dev's help in running errands to choose a few pieces of pre-gelliprinted papers for me,

scissors, glue, and anything else I suddenly needed,

I managed this simple collage of a Windmill Flower.

And finally, one of my silly doggerel doodles:

MRS MOPP

I brush, I mop, and then I clean,

Swipe away any dust that can actually be seen.

Stop for a drink, a ciggie and a rest,

I may not be good but I'm doin' me best.

When I've banished all the dust and fluff,

I'm all worn out, and I think I've done enough.

Just wash the windows, no more time,

Say I'm finished - and they'll think it's fine.

Just the one sketch a day was all the creativity I had energy for in one day, but it did me good.
I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into another of my many sketchbooks and I hope you are all well.

Linking to Paint Party Friday,  and Manon's Paper Saturdays

SKETCHBOOK PAGES

Cockerel
Coloured Pencil - Jez

It never rains but it pours, as they say.  Since Monday I have been in excruciating pain, which the doctor thinks is caused by crumbling of some bones in my lower spine - one of the joys of old age.
 X-Ray tomorrow.  At the moment I am zonked out with loads of pills.  Dev has me up for lunch and more pills.

Big Bird - Jez
Pastel Pencils on Pastel Paper

So I am posting three of my sketchbook pages that were all ready to post some time, and asking forgiveness for not visiting and commenting on your posts yet again.  I am so appreciative of the fact that you visit even if I have not been to you, and it means so much.

Art Materials - Jez
Pitt Pen and Watercolour

Back to bed now.  I hope that all of you are feeling well.

Linking to Paint Party Friday, and Manon's Paper Saturdays

THREE CHALLENGES

For Inspiration Avenue the challenge is Creativity and Cats, and I've created Dezzy:

Dezzy - by Jez

DEZZY THE MOVIE ACTOR

Dezzy is an actor, and he thinks that's cool,

He learnt his acting skills at the Feline Drama School.

Just now he's in a movie with a wonderful part,

Being ugly and scary, with a very black heart.

So he looks very fierce, but when all's said and done,

He's not wicked at all - he's just having fun.

I hope that the So Artful Challenge team will not mind me submitting a second entry for their theme of Friendly Monsters, but it's such a fun theme that I wanted another go:

Rose - by Jez

ROSE, THE CAMEPHANT

She's a Camephant and her name is Rose,

Four Humps, twisty tail and an oversized nose.

Rose lives in the desert, as everyone knows,

Where the land is dry and nothing grows.

And she wears her boots wherever she goes -

She can't bear getting sand in between her toes!

Finally, Collage Obsession has an Open Theme this week, so I am showing a page from my sketchbook of my art mannikin Mervynn:

CIRCLES AND FLOWERS FOR ALL

'School of Fish' - Jez
Mixed Media

 This is my entry for the Art Journal Journey theme of "Circles".

I enjoyed painting this once I came up with an idea - plenty of circles there, I think.

I'm having great problems with my internet connection.  I've had no connection for several days, and before that it kept going on the blink temporarily.  The problem is not actually with the internet, but because my telephone has been out of order for days, and BT told me they "hope to have it fixed by the end of 15th May"!

'Flowers for All' - Jez
Pitt Pen and Watercolour

And this pretty lady in the middle of a field of mini-sunflowers

is my entry for the Opus Gluei theme of Flowers For All.  

I think there should be enough flowers there for everyone.

BT even added insult to injury by giving me an internet site on which I could check the progress of the problem - but that's my problem I can't get on to the internet!

Trying to find a PERSON to talk to is almost impossible.  Everything is automated and every time I try to find a person to complain to they refer me to the same number that is impossible because it is automated.  No internet, no email, no anything.  Hardly good service.

So it seems I will be absent until then, and I apologise for not visiting and commenting, but I shall be around as soon as I can.

My daughter has kindly let me visit this afternoon and use her wireless connection, but I have to go now.  See you soon, I hope.

MIX IT WITH INSPIRATION TO GET A FRIENDLY MONSTER

COFFEE

A trio of challenges today, starting with Mix it Monthly, where the challenge is 'Coffee, using a certain colour range', and this is my entry along with a couple of verses to make the coffee taste even better:

I LOVE COFFEE

I love coffee, I love tea,

I love the Java Jive and it loves me.

Coffee and me, makes me happy you see -

A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup of coffee.

I love coffee, I love tea,

I love the coffee shops and they love me.

Coffee and me, and the Barista makes three,

We really love a cup or mug of coffee!

(Words from Milton Drake's lyrics, very much adapted by me - with apologies to Milton)

Anyone around my age will probably remember the catchy tune that this song was sung to)

WATER

Over at Inspiration Avenue the challenge subject is 'Water', a nice theme that can be interpreted in many ways:

My entry is Dashing Darren Duck in his smart red cap and turquoise tie,  dressed in his best and ready to meet the ladies.

THE FRIENDLIEST MONSTER IN TOWN

Ladderlegs is my sketch for the So Artful challenge of Friendly Monsters.  He was never happy about his unusual legs until he visited the park one day and found everyone wanted to be his friend.  He's so happy that he's made the park his permanent home.

Linking to Mix it Monthly, Inspiration Avenue, So Artful Challenges,
                 Paint Party Friday, and Manon's Paper Saturdays.

SPRINGTIME

'Springtime' - Jez
 Mixed Media on gelli print page

My blog-friend Margik is the guest designer for Try it on Tuesday this week, and my entry for the Springtime theme came about when I remembered the rhyme my cousin taught me when I was a small child:

The spring is sprung

The grass is ris,

I wonder where the birdies is?

Birds on the wing -

But that's absurd,

Because the wing is on the bird!

I'm a bit concerned that while the pink cat is wondering where the birds are, they are about to give him a hard time.

I hope spring is sprung where you are, with lovely blossoms and birds singing.

Linking to Try it on Tuesday, Paper Saturdays