Illustration Friday - Puzzled

Hello Illustration Friday... it's been too long!

Yay!!  I've finished all the things on my To-Do list!  My plate is clean.  I'm relaxing.  Yes, relaxing.  I'm drinking a cuppa, eating the ears off of a Cadbury bunny, and I'm .... drawing.  I can't help it.  It's so enjoyable, especially when there are no expectations.  Yahoo!!

Yesterday, several of us were lamenting our lack of IF participation ... so, with my empty plate,  today is the perfect time to start again ...

So, the IF this week is Puzzled.  And what is arguably the most famous puzzle in the world ...a Rubik's Cube, of course.

I had one growing up.  And no, I was never able to solve it.  I could manage to get one face done, and sometimes even two, but that was the end of my puzzling ability.

Nevertheless, I still LOVE puzzles.  And happily, I've passed that love down to my youngest who is a puzzle maniac.  She still hasn't solved it, but I'm sure it won't be long.

So, in honor of Emo Rubik's famous puzzle... my IF Sketch.

Illustration Friday - Separated

This kitty will see to it that he and his boy are never separated.

This illustration was just a doodle I was doing while watching The Green Lantern last night.  As you can see in my original image below, my paper was slightly used (notice the ghost erasure marks above kitty's head), and I just threw down some color.  I tried to clean it up a bit for IF, and decided to turn it black and white just for fun.  Which do you like better?

Illustration Friday - Brigade

Who didn't love sleepovers when they were little?  Sleepovers are a blast.  You get to eat cookies, dance around, play games, and feel "that much closer" to being a big kid!

This bedtime brigade knows how to boogie-woogie!

Illustration Friday - Stay

I did it!  I did it!!  I managed to find time for an Illustration Friday! I'm a little rusty.  This summer has been filled with vacation, and day trips.  It's been great... but not for my work.  :)

Illustration Friday - Safari

Did you ever wonder where the animals go when they go on Safari?  I think there may be some pretty wild sites to be seen in the city ... don't you?

Illustration Friday - Bicycle

Sometimes it's tough being the big sister.  Especially, when your little sister wants everything you have.  Unfortunately, big sis is still too little herself to realize that little sis idolizes her.

Riding away on your bike is one of the few things you can do to escape a little sister's grabby clutches ... that is until the little sister is big enough to follow on her bike.   At that point, all bets are off.

Illustration Friday - Journey

We are so often caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey.

Appreciate the journey.
You never know what you may find along the way.

Illustration Friday - Stir

Nugget sure knew how to stir the pot.  Luckily for him, Terrence had the patience of a saint.  (Quick sketch while waiting to pick up the kiddos - trying to get it in before Friday!  Yahoo!!)

Illustration Friday - Warning

Whew... cutting it close this week ...

Wednesday's are busy days in our house.  The girls have their music lessons Weds after school, so by the time we get home, we're scrambling for dinner, homework, stories, all before the bedtime hour which comes so quickly.   Yesterday, Mommy's warning of "calm down and get ready for bed" went unheard until "Angry Mom" reared her head.  Sigh.  :)

Illustration Friday - Chicken II

What?!?  Chickens like a good book just as much as the next guy.

Illustration Friday - Chicken

It's kind of hard to eat your dinner when it's hugging you.

Illustration Friday - Prehistoric Sketch

Here is the sketch I've worked up for IF's Prehistoric.    Now, to find time to paint it!

Ella knew that her mother would not understand.   She would come up with some motherly words of wisdom like "Ella, we don't bring stray mammoth's home with us, do we dear?" or "How would you feel if you were a mammoth; would you want to be trapped inside or allowed to roam free?"  She said the very same thing last week when Ella brought home a lizard she found on her way home from school.   But this was different.  How could she possibly turn Rocky away?  He was so fuzzy and cute.  It's not every day a kid finds an actual mammoth.  Especially since they are supposed to be prehistoric or something.  Now... if she could just fit him in her closet.

See the finished piece over at Smells Like Crayons.

Illustration Friday - Sneaky III

I was guilty of a similar thing when I was little.  My parents caught on video a wee Michelle in her high chair reaching out for the sugar bowl and spooning a giant mouthful into her own waiting mouth.  I wouldn't put it past my younger self to do this too.

Illustration Friday - Sneaky II

Lauren's sneaky ability to catch her parents at the exact moment they were discussing her upcoming birthday was remarkable.

Illustration Friday - Sneaky I

Clarence was notorious for being sneaky.  His sneak attacks on his hapless victims ultimately got him banished to the basement, but it was so worth it.

Illustration Friday - Burning

I enjoy finding my two young daughters books with strong female characters.  The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch is a great example.  The eponomous princess stands up to dragons, saves the boy, and then realizes the boy is a jerk and dumps him.  I love it!

The dragon is known for burning everything in its path, including princesses.  However, not even fire breathing dragons can stop this princess.  She's got some serious moxy.  And she's a great role model for young girls.

Illustration Friday - Afterwards

Ally loved her weekends.  She treasured them.  On the weekend, Ms. Gator would leisurely amble through her morning routine, she'd make a pot of tea, and afterwards, she'd sit down in her oversized chair, prop up her feet and savor her Gator Times daily.  No rush, rush, rush that was so typical during the week.  No.  She didn't need to be anywhere or do anything on the weekend.  Ahhh, weekends were such a delight.  Unfortunately, Ally had no idea that all that would change when her new neighbor moved in...

Illustration Friday - Transportation

These pups are trouble! Although carriages (aka shopping carts) are a fine form of get-away transportation!!  Yee-haw!!!

Illustration Friday - Beneath

Rain, rain, go away.  Actually, I don't mind the rain.  Like right now, it's cold, and rainy outside, but I'm inside cozied up with my blanket and tea, drawing away.   My kids totally embrace the rain, because they love umbrellas.  In fact, they love their umbrellas in the rain... and the sun.  I guess umbrellas are just universally fun to hide beneath.

Illustration Friday - Old-Fashioned

There is a fantastic historic site in Portsmouth, NH called Strawbery Banke.  It's a unique outdoor history museum: it presents the life in a New England port city over four centuries.  You experience the home life, entertainment, chores, work and play of the various time periods with the help of historic interpreters and role players.  It's wonderful.  In fact, it's one of our most favorite day trips (our girls included!).

They love the Goodwin House where they can play various old-fashioned games: croquet, graces, and the hoop/stick.   Sometimes it's the simple, old-fashioned things that are the most charming.