I did this as a surprise for one of my husband’s co workers. She loves her dogs and so she sent a picture to him of her baby on his computer. I needed practice, and so she will get this on her desk on Wednesday, not expecting anything. I hope she likes it. It’s so much fun watching the picture come to life before your eyes!
Ollie
Here is my first attempt at trying pastels on velour paper. This paper is a bit trickier than regular pastel paper as you can not erase on it. It is not easy to blend as well and so you have to build up layers of color from darkest to lights. But if it comes out right, the look is so soft and amazing. I must say, I am not so afraid of it anymore, and I will attempt another picture of a dog for a friend. I will let you know how it goes! Hope you like this one.
Here is Copland
Hello! I figured as I am waiting to finish other drawings in the works..I will showcase an older one.
This is a colored pencil drawing with the quote that says it all. I really believe this one is true. I really love the way the picture came out. As soon as I read the quote, I knew how I wanted to illustrate it. So here it is… Enjoy.
God Never Gives Us More Than We Can Handle
Today, it was exactly a week ago that my pup, Maxi passed away. I was home by myself , which is a rarity. I had time to think and reminisce and…clean up. To put away the little things, the last remembrances of him. It was not easy.
First, I took his box of goodies from under the counter (assorted half-chewed bones, balls, his leash and muzzle) and cleaned it out. He used to paw at this box when he wanted to entertain himself or want a bone of some sort, even until about the last day, he still wanted a bone from that box! I threw out all the disgusting bones and kept the last things I remember him playing with. The bone he had half hanging out of his mouth like a cigarette:)…always makes me smile. I kept that. The brushes he loved the girls brushing him with when he had a skin condition that kept him scratching constantly-I kept those too.
Then there was his dog dish…that was tough. I cleaned it out one last time and dusted it off, filled the bowl on one side with water to see it one last time (silly!), and since it was too big to put in his box, I figured I would just bag it all together. I cannot throw out the dish.
Then – the side yard. The fenced off section for him to “go” in. I raked it all clean, and pulled out every weed and overgrown blade of grass and after that, I lay down grass seed…everywhere. He had killed every living blade of grass in that area (except for the weeds, of course. they live through everything) Even though I felt like this was the last step, I had thought how neat it would be to see green grass growing there again.
That was that. It was all done.
I just have the crate in the basement that he loved and slept in every night. When I opened it’s door every morning, he would be quivering with excitement to just eat, and I would hold the door and say, “Ready, set,…go!” He’d scamper so fast up those basement steps just to get his breakfast that was waiting for him.
Also, I had ordered a stone last night online with a pawprint, his name, and dates, and I will place it on the side yard where he frequented, only now in the Spring, instead of dead branches and brown blades, it will have flowers and be ”pea” green!!! And I will think of him.
I will put together a book about how he first came to us, a picture book with his photos, and I will have a photo on our table sitting among the kids portraits from school, and he will have his stone in the garden.
Then…I think maybe, then…I can start leaving this all behind me and just go on. He was a big part of our lives and grew up with the kids, he was a big part of their childhood. He will always be remembered.
<3
Maxi walking away with hawaiian flowers on his neck and chew toy
The gentleman
Max<3
Max being cute
Max with my daughter Caitlin
Ready for Fall
Waiting
Loved to be held
Waiting...again. Is it for me?
This is probably the hardest post I will ever write. My dog Max, our min- pin of 11 years, had to be put down Wednesday from complications from diabetes. He was a tough guy, and looked like he had 9 lives, always coming back from a set back. He was tired.
We knew it was time and he let us hug him endlessly before he was put down. That part was just so hard. I can’t get it out of my mind. He just lay there on the vet table with his head between his paws as if to say, “I’m ready”…but we weren’t.
Enough of that. He was a great, smart dog and if I were ever to get another, it would be another min-pin, most definitely. He was part clown, I’m sure. They told us when we got him he would not be a lap dog…wrong! He loved being held. He had energy I would kill for! And as far as a watch dog…the best! We will never forget him. He was my first pet that I ever picked out, and I trained him myself. He was easy at that too!
Anyway, the part that hits me the most, now, is the quiet. I can’t get used to it. I keep expecting him to pounce on me while I lay sleeping on the couch, to tell me to take him out and put him into the basement where his bed was. The quiet is what is killing me the most. When the postman comes, and the Chem Lawn guy comes, and we come home from jobs and school…the quiet gets you!
His dish is still sitting on the floor, and something is holding me back from putting it away. Am I crazy! I try telling myself that he’s better off and without pain and in a better place, but I want him with me! I will try to be less selfish, and I have to go on, but Max..we love you always! You were the best and you won’t be forgotten, ever. Until we meet again…<3
Here is a video for “Rainbow Bridge”
Please watch.. and have a tissue ready.:(
The video was disabled…you have to click again on where it says “watch it on you tube”.
Charlotte and Friends
Here is another page from the picture book I created titled “Charlotte and Friends Picnic ABC”. This is a rhyming abc book containing 3 friends packing a picnic basket for their special
outing. I plan on sending this out to another publisher again, soon. I just thought it would be interesting to show you.
This is Charlotte (rag doll), Gunther (goose), and Toby (Scottish Terrier) and this is for the letter “F”. I feel like Sesame Street! Hope you like it.:)
This is also something that I have been planning for awhile. I have always wanted to write and illustrate several children’s books.
Some of the ideas were generated just from a series of drawings I had done. One series was called “Charlotte and Friends”.
“Charlotte and Friends” was a series of greeting cards I had done that had 3 characters. It was a country theme which included Charlotte, a motherly primitive rag doll,Gunther, the comical country goose, and Toby, the loyal scottish terrier. I have a whole book completed titled “Charlotte and Friends Picnic ABC”. It goes through the alphabet as they pack goodies away in a basket for a picnic. I have only sent it to one publisher so far, but they sent it back with a rejection letter. So….it’s off to another publisher. Try,try again!
Here is the introduction page picture… :)
Charlotte And Friends
Here is another silhouette I created. It’s a little child (could be a boy or girl) with her dog. I like the way this turned out and am really amazed how quickly I took to the art of silhouette cutting. I know I have much more to learn, and I can’t wait to try different designs.
I probably will be selling these online as well, but I am thinking of changing over from Shop Handmade to Etsy, only because I like the set up better. There seems there’s just too much on the Shop Handmade pages when you sell an item. I have inquired about how to set up again with Etsy, since I used to sell with them over a year ago. I will let you know.
Hope you like the design. 
Cheryl
Child With Dog
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to post anything for a few, but things got hectic and crazy here. All little stuff, but crazy anyhow.
Max, my dog in a few posts back, is still trying to get better. He’s good one day, not so good the next. Still trying to get his diet right, but he looks great, and isn’t on insulin and never eating dry dog food again! The computer wasn’t working, my kids are all in the middle of mid-terms and cranky. Winter ball is coming up and it’s the dresses and the limos(?) and the figuring out of whose house they will meet up at, etc.
Friend problems? You bet! This one said that, and that one said this….Facebook and texting…I need to get away!!!!! Thank God they didn’t have facebook in my day. I couldn’t wait to go home from being bothered all day and sit in my room with the door closed! Alone at last! No phone calls, Mom-I’m not home. Yes, I would have gone crazy!
I have to get back on track and I will. In the meantime, I found a picture I had done that goes well with what I’m feeling right this minute! I “so” want to be this little girl right now! :) Cheryl
It's So Easy To Get Lost In The World
Here is Max up close!
