Artygirlz, Smile, and Nettie the Belly Dancer

This week's challenge at Artygirlz is Smile. I decided to enter Nettie, the Belly Dancer and her coy little smile. She is 11 1/2 " tall plus her hair.

Nettie is my second attempt at an art doll. She has been made for several months, but I've been waiting til I found the right embellishments. I still haven't found what I wanted, so I improvised temporarily with some of my jewelry. She's using a box lid for a stage today, which is a little short, but it was what was handy. :)

She is made of off white cotton material with inspiring words printed all over it, which I found at Hobby Lobby, so she has a few tattoos. Can you see Joy on her cheek, magic on her neck, and heart on her arm? She is stuffed with fiberfill. I intended her to be much rounder all over than she is, but I made my own pattern, so she is what she is, but I like her. Her hair is fun yarn and is inspired by Cher's hair in her "Believe" video. What can I say? Nettie is a wild child and a free spirit, much like Cher.

Her face is painted on, as are her shoes. Her pantaloons came from a sheer tieback, and her little satin scarf is a pj scrap with fringe added. She has a red heart sequin in her belly button and buttons and ribbon for her bra.

Of course, she's nothing like I envisioned her when I started. I didn't think belly dancers had pockets, but she insisted, so there you go. She also insisted on wearing her red toe shoes with the little pearl buttons. Nettie is new to belly dancing, but she is enjoying it very much.

Incidentally, I named her after my Aunt Nettie Verle, who was by no means a belly dancer.


Close up of Nettie's face. Sorry about the picture quality. It's very cloudy here today. The top one is without flash and the bottom one is with. Hope she made you SMILE!

Artygirlz Challenge-Blue & Yellow

Memories Passing...

The Artygirlz challenge this week is Blue and Yellow. This is a journal page in my Moly sketchbook using inktense and wc pencils, watercolor, and pencil to color my Judi doodle sketch. I don't know if you can tell, but the whitish oval on the right is a fur muff over her left hand. Her other hand is holding a tulip and her purse. She just looks to me like she's having a lovely memory pass through her mind. So lovely that she had to close her eyes and remember.

The Moly pages are slick, which is why the watercolor looks like it does, plus I have a bad habit of doing the whole thing with whatever brush I start out with, but I like the brushstrokes kind of helter skelter looking. I'll go back later and write an entry in the blank place on the left.
Hope she made you smile. :)

CED Journey For The Week, IMT, & Artygirlz

Come go with me on this past week's creative journey as I share some of my goings on with you for the Creative Every Day, Inspire Me Thursday (Moon this week), and Artygirlz (Butterflies) challenges. I hope you enjoy the trip. :)

Note: I have learned a new doodle technique this week from Melissa Langer, who has a cute blog with her creations using this technique. So when I refer to the drawings as Judi doodles, they are the ones where I drew shapes with my eyes closed, not thinking about what I was drawing, then let the image emerge. When I refer to them as Melissa doodles I drew an image I had in my mind, only I drew with my eyes closed.


Fly Me To The Moon...And Back--Inspire Me Thursday
Monday--I played with my mp3 player and danced with Cher, and drew the above Judi doodle sketch in the Moly wc book. The words, Fly Me To The Moon...And Back!, were digitally added.


Tissue Carnation
Tuesday--I played on Facebook some, then set up the above still life of a tissue carnation in an old Vick's Salve glass jar and practiced drawing and shading for a change, using a regular old pencil. It wouldn't make really dark darks. I drew in my Moly sketchbook. I wrote a long group note to my regular email buddies and sent it, just to let them know I was still living. Then I painted yesterday's moon rabbit doodle with wc/pencils/white gouache and added digital words to it.



Little Blue Elephant
Wednesday--Played on Facebook some more, then drew and shaded the little elephant figurine above from both sides in the Moly sketchbook. The white gouache hi-lites didn't help anything. I also touched up the rabbit painting again.

Seashells

Kibbles Marie
Thursday--Played on Facebook again. Got out a couple of seashells. I bought a bowl of them at a yard sale for almost nothing. I have some that I've picked up myself, but these were different. Anyway, I drew them and shaded them from two different angles in my Handbook sketchbook. I added a pale pink wash to the top one just to see how it would look.

Then I decided to try a Melissa doodle, so I closed my eyes and pictured my Pekingese dog-baby, Kibbles Marie, and started drawing. She has been gone for over eleven years and I still miss her every day. I was surprised at how well I did. Color was added with wc/pencils. This was also in the Handbook sketchbook. I also listened to good music by several of my favorites and spent time with Jim and his dad.

The Handbook is ok for just drawing, but the pages are thin, so they buckle with even a light wash and sharpies show right through, so you can't use the backs of pages. I much prefer the Moleskine books.



Mardi Gras Butterfly-Artygirlz


Kibbles-Bored


Kibbles doing what she loved best.
Friday--More Facebook playing (it's new to me), but I also did two Melissa doodles of Kibbles and colored them with wc/pencils/snippet of white gouache and black sharpie words. Again in the Handbook sketchbook. They are meant to make you smile/laugh. Kibbles loved to play ball, but she was nowhere near that skinny. She actually had very long hair all over. I meant to post a photo of her, but forgot to get one out.

The butterfly above Kibbles is a Judi doodle sketch in the Moly pocket wc book and is colored with wc/pencils/white gouache/fluid acrylics, and a black sharpie. Then I took a creative nap. :)

Kibbles in a predicament


Purple cat gestures
Saturday--More Facebook playing and blog reading. I have to stay inspired you know. I also touched up two paintings and did a page of cat gesture drawing studies in the Moly sketchbook with a purple uniball pen. The words are digital.

On the other side of the spread is another Melissa doodle of Kibbles colored with wc/pencils. She looks like she's sliding backwards and can't stop, but I did have my eyes closed afterall. :) These are fun to do. Thanks Melissa for inspiring them.

I chatted with some friends on Facebook, then Jim and I ate minute steak sandwiches and popcorn while we watched two movies on TV together, 10,000 BC (not very good) and Shutter (good).

Tree Snow


Sammidog in motion always-Loving the snow
Sunday--I know a lot of you are sick of snow, but this is our first one this winter, aside from a little dusting way back. So I'm only sharing a couple of pictures out of the many that I made this morning. As you can see, Sammidog was having a blast.

So far today, taking pictures and uploading them and working on this post has been my creative endeavor for the day. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I did a little writing for the One Minute Writer challenge and posted it on my other blog and spent time drinking coffee and chatting with a friend.

I made pictures of some other things besides the snow this morning, but I'll save those for another time. I've also spent quality time with Mama every day, and I've had some very creative colorful dreams this week. I wish I had written them down before they slipped away.

Anyway, I hope something on here made you smile and put a little bright spot in your day.



Have a wonderful, creative week. I plan to. :)

Arty Girlz, CED, and Mojoart

The Arty Girlz challenge this week is flowers, and although my doll/tulip doodle sketch painting isn't about flowers per se, it does have one in it. :) It's also one of my Creative Every Day entries.

This is another double page art journal entry in my Moleskine sketchbook, done Monday, and right now it's exactly how I feel, as I have gained a lot of weight here lately, added to my already overweight body. The tulip in my drawings kind of represents my dad, whom I miss terribly. They were one of his favorite flowers.

Anyway, for this journal entry I decided to experiment with Golden fluid acrylics, which are thin and mostly transparent, much like watercolors. I still used a black sharpie on the outlines, but painted over the lines some. I started to make the white dots on her hands and feet rounder, but I decided that I liked them kind of ragged. I enjoyed the acrylics for a change and am also using them on the canvas painting I have started. The text was added digitally. I may or may not do some more to the doodle, but, in the meantime, I hope she makes you smile. :)

"2 Hearts Connected"

This one is an atc doodle sketch, done in inktense pencils (ink in pencil form)/water/black sharpie, and digital text. I've entered it in my Mojoart group challenge for this month.

Thanks for visiting! Have a blessed day! :)

Arty Girlz-Red & White

This week's challenge at ArtyGirlz is red & white, so here is a little red cat that came out of my doodling. It's watercolor with white acrylic dots and a black sharpie in my Moleskine pocket wc book. The page isn't laying totally flat which makes it look larger at one end. It isn't. I just didn't want to tear it out yet. I think he has kitten pox. :)

The one below is a regular playing card stamped with alphabet, a face, and stars.

Hope they make you smile. Have a great Sunday! :)

ATCs & Peeling Paint

This week's challenge at Artygirlz is to make an atc. I'm sharing three. These two are watercolor/wc pencils, pencil, and ultra fine black sharpie on wc paper in a Moleskine wc pocket book. They are some of my doodle drawings painted.

I am late with the Inspire Me Thursday challenge for last week, which is peeling paint. Below are two inchies and an atc, which have the peeling paint technique applied to them in acrylics. The atc has four layers of paint, which was very bright, so I stamped on a piece of rice paper and glued on top to tone it down. The words are written in a fine black sharpie.

The inchies are done in copper and blue, then coated with acrylic medium, which is making them look kind of milky looking. They also have copper glitter embedded in the medium. They are backgrounds ready for something to be added. All are laying on a postcard sized piece of acrylic coated wc paper.

Close up of ATC

I missed participating in both challenges for a week or two. It's good to back back. Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy. 8:)

3 Challenges in 1 + A Prison Escape

This double journal page is my entry for 3 challenges this week. Arty Girlz' challenge is "anything but a card". Inspire Me Thursday's challenge is "fuse". So I'm sharing journal pages, on which I'm "fusing" my art and writing together. I plan to write a little story around the words on the page to go with the picture, which I will then share on my writing blog Scribbles From Rabbit Hop. It's also one of the four double journal pages I've done this week for the Creative Every Day 2009 challenge.

It's a quirky journal sketch in my Moleskine sketchbook, done in ultra fine black sharpie, wc/pencils, and a touch of white gouashe. I was going for a dreamy feel. The letters were added digitally.

I wish the colors were better. The lady's hat is really purple. I couldn't get it adjusted. Maybe the colors don't look too garish on your pc. I promise it looks better in reality. I have to find a better place to make my photos. My dining room light is flourescent with a yellow cast and my walls are kind of a paprika color. Not too good for art pictures. :)

It's pouring rain here, and they called me early this morning that they've had a prison escape. They've never done that before. They usually catch them pretty quick, and often a female guard has helped them escape. The prison is about four miles from us and it houses murderers, rapists, etc. They didn't say which direction they thought he/they went.

Hubby left Wed. and I haven't checked the cows since then, so I really need to do so today, which is a little scary, since I have to ride through woods and fields. Maybe they will catch him/them pronto. Maybe I'll just stay in with the doors locked. This is another one of those times when the Be Brave challenge applies (see button on side for link). Makes me glad Sammidog adopted us, although he'd come nearer loving them to death than attacking. He's still mostly pup. Like I said, not too many dull moments around here. :)

Hope my sleepflyer makes you smile. Have a great, creative weekend!

Artyz Girls-Small

This week's challenge at Artygirlz is Small. I absolutely lovvvvve small things and miniatures, and i have a large dollhouse full of things to prove it. LOL Therefore I love atcs and inchies. Unfortunately, my eyes aren't what they used to be, but I still enjoy making them.

I'm sharing an inchie and an atc. Both are mixed media on cardstock. The inchie has a shiny finish plus metallic copper glitter and threads and didn't photograph as well as I'd have liked, but it's one of my favorites that I've made. The atc figure is a photograph of a doll in my collection downsized to fit against the stamped background. The stamp is from The Montage Collection and is quite a bit larger than the atc. The quote says, "When the wind stops you smell the fragrance of the orchid."

Hope you enjoy them. Have a great day! :)

Arty Girlz - Frames

Here is my entry for the Artygirlz Challenge this week, which is frames. I decided to share my atc view finder frame (hope this counts), which is laying on a work in progress cloud painting, inspired by Alex Shur in her article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors a couple of issues back. I've gotten it to this point and can't decide where to go next. The technique is fun. I just haven't fully grasped it yet. Still working on it though. :) Check out her blog to see how it's supposed to be done.


Cloud Inhabitants--WIP-pencil, sharpie, gesso, watercolors on wc paper--quite a concoction of souls, huh? :) Can't decide whether to cut it up into smaller paintings or leave it whole with enhancements. I'm using the view finder frame to see how many atcs I could make from it, but at the same time I hate to cut it up. Decisions, decisions! :)

Ms Mouskette (see post below or visit group) was voted the honor of being on the Mojoart group home page until the next challenge. This challenge was "Celebrating Women." She and I appreciate the votes and the honor. :)

Artygirlz Challenge-Favorite Colors

"Hot Chocolate Anyone?"-quirky wc on sketch paper

This weeks challenge over on Arty Girlz is to use our favorite colors. I love most colors, but two of my very favorites are turquoise and red-orange or terra cotta. I tend to use those a lot, or a soft blue and a creamsicle orange. The heart in the photo is actually more orange than it shows up. Hot chocolate also happens to be one of my favorite winter drinks, preferably home made with lots of marshmallows. :)

Artygirlz and Mojoart Challenges

This is my entry for the Artygirlz challenge this week, which is to use a quote or verse with your art.

"You Never Know What A New Friend Might Look Like"-- Quirky journal sketch on WC paper --WC/pencils, pencil, black sharpie, digital text on quote "Of all possesions, a FRIEND is the MOST PRECIOUS." by herodotus



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Mojoart Group Challenge 2--Merry Holidays--This one is for a challenge for the group I belong to. We are having two challenges this time, but I haven't decided on one for the other one yet. This little guy just seemed to fit the holiday one, even if he looks a little lonely or shy. ;)

"Happy Holidays" --Quirky penguin--WC/pencils, pencil, black sharpie, digital text on WC paper-

Hope you enjoy my efforts. :)

Arty Girlz Challenge-Blog Inspiration

This week's challenge at Arty Girlz is using inspiration from someone else's blog or our own. I found inspiration for this atc, as well as all of my quirky art journal sketches, from Judi Russell's website and her art journal technique, especially the earlier ones that look like patchwork in some of my older posts. I have gradually developed my own style, but she opened up a whole new art world to me, and I'm having a blast. :)Untitled--Artist Trading Card-Quirky Journal Ptg-Pencil & WC on WC paper

Arty Girlz Challenge #59-Hand Drawn Elements

This week's challenge at Arty Girlz is hand drawing an element in your artwork. Most of the artwork I create is hand drawn, at least partially, so pretty much anything on my blog would fit the challenge. Even Mollie B. Muse (the art doll) has a drawn/painted face under the porcelin mask. Bet ya didn't know that, did ya? :) But I wanted to play so I'm sharing this little drawing (a favorite of mine) that came out of a page of my doodles. I'd love to do a painting of this one sometime. I think it would be great for a child...or my best friend, who is an animal lover too. :) Hope you enjoy it too.

"I Can See MUCH Better From Here!" said the cat on top of the sheep's head.-quirky sketch on bluish-grey pastel paper-pencil & Black sharpie --

Sorry I forgot to crop the picture. I have to get some better pictures made if I'm going to share them with you. I promise! :)

Arty Girlz Challenge #58-Fabric

I'm sorry for any confusion I caused with my entry this week. I used a past post and I didn't know how to create the link for the addy in the comments, so if you went to my blog you saw a painted diva sketch, which had NO fabric at all on her. This is my entry, which is mostly fabric and also has attitude.

http://wwwmoxiebluecom.blogspot.com/2007/08/mollie-b-muse-doll.html

Thanks for looking, and again, I apologize if I caused any confusion. I'm still learning and I will do better in the future. :)

Arty Girlz Challenge #57-Blue & Orange Combo

"Hearts Over Coffee"-art journal sketch in Moleskine journal-watercolor, pencil, black sharpie

This week's challenge on the Arty Girlz Challenge Blog is blue and orange combo. Since this is my favorite color combo I thought I'd get my feet wet by joining in this time. This is just a sketch, but it's orange and blue. :)

Mollie B Muse Doll

Thought I would share the doll I made to enter into the recycle bin art challenge in the Mojo Art Group this month. Everything is recycled from discarded stuff except the fiberfill stuffing and the face pin. I drew off my own pattern, cut it out of an old table cloth topper, and stuffed it, sewing across the knees, elbows, and seat so she's posable. Her strapless dress is made from an old skirt of mine. Her boots, gloves, and underwear are made from an old black dress glove, and her shawl is made from a piece of gauze bandaging left over from hubby's burn accident. Her hair and the boot feathers came out of an old feather duster made of Asian feathers. The silver choker necklace is a broken hoop earring, and the other necklaces are a silver chain looped around her neck with a palette, paint tube, and brushes charm. A porcelin face pin with a white feather, given to me a long time ago by a great-aunt, completes her. She wound up 16" tall.

I wish her hair showed up better. The feathers are gorgeous shades of reddish-brown, black, and brown shades mingled together. The little alphabet beads on her boots spell BE, as in "Just Be."

I don't know if I should call her an art doll or not, but I am. :) She refused to wear a lot of ribbons and flowers and she squirmed so much that I could barely dress her. Impatient she was, but she was sure fun to create, and with her legs and arms crossed she looks like she's got attitude.

She might be saying, "Ok, I'm here now, so create something!" :)