Sunday, April 10, 2011

I've got my eye on you.



There are layers of journaling around the outside edge of these pages.  I didn't want anybody to be able to read it - I just wanted to unload into my journal and get this stuff out of my head.  I always find it helps to do a brain dump now and then!!  Anyway, I was feeling as intense as this eagle looks when I did the writing.  Afterward I was able to relax a little.  More like a ... flamingo?  Are flamingos more relaxed than eagles?  They look more cheery and pink at least.

Are you still listening to me?  I wouldn't if I were you.  I'm not making much sense.    : )

Love Shelley! 

Friday, April 8, 2011

My First Car

I learned a lot of lessons from this car when I was 17 (and so was the car).  How to pour gas directly into the carb when it wouldn't start - and how to thump the starter with a hammer when it wasn't turning over properly.  How to give it gas without flooding it.  How to do donuts in an icy parking lot.  That every car has its little quirks, and once you figure them out, then you can have a beautiful relationship.  It was a tank - chrome bumpers, everything made of steel; heavy and hard on gas.  I had a flat tire at least once a week, and for a while there I was setting land-speed records - I could change a tire in five minutes.  Especially once my dad got me a monster-sized crossbar to unscrew the lug nuts.  That was a sweet crossbar... I wonder what ever happened to it?  Likely if I had something like that in my vehicle today it would be considered a dangerous weapon.  It never really occurred to me to try to figure out WHY I was getting flat tires so frequently; looking back I can't help but suspect sabotage.  HA! 

I had some pretty good adventures with this car. Camping trips, bar-hopping, a little bit of off-roading.  I even got my first speeding ticket in this car!  Eventually it went down the line to my brother and I bought a new car.  I did some math and figured out that the new car payments would be about the same as just putting gas into this beast.  The new car didn't have as much character as this baby though.  For starters, it wasn't baby poop green...



I love these old beat-up, solid-as-a-rock, big-steering-wheeled, rear-wheel drive tanks.  OR maybe I just miss being 17?  ...Nah.  It's definitely the cars.

Love Shelley!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Sketchy



The eyes and nose aren't quite right, but I'm getting there!  You can tell it's a person, so I'd say I'm doing GREAT!!!

Love Shelley!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Bright Colours and Shallow Thoughts

Hey!

I'm still here!

I've been doing some spring cleaning and decluttering, and not surprisingly ... creating more room got my mojo rolling like crazy once again.  Here's another one of the daily doodle postcard-sized watercolour drawing/paintings I did.


One day, I'll get there! 

(I drew and painted this based on a photo I found on flickr.)


Drew and painted based on a chocolate bar I ate.


Drew and painted based on a daily doodle of Teesha Moore's.  I didn't know I was going to take it this far with the plagiarism until it was too late.


I love the free-motion stitching pictures, because they inspire me to try to achieve lines like that with my black pens.


Sure, I try to be all badass... but it's hard to pull that off when you're drinking a bright pink concoction out of a red straw.  I have to make more of an effort to like bourbon, I guess.  (Bleah)

I have lots more to show you, but this is probably enough for right now.  I've been working on some art journal pages - they're just bubbling up out of me right now.  Spring break must agree with me!

Hope you're enjoying it too.  And if you find yourself sitting on a patio having a girly drink... have one for me too!

Love Shelley!