Reverse, Illustration Friday

Sometimes a girl just doesn't know which way to go as the deadline for Illustration Friday approaches. So Neil, an alien, zipped down from outer space to deliver a reverse message.
Thank goodness for palindromes, mirrors and people with eyes in the backs of their heads, maybe?
One step back, and we'll all be moving forward from here!

Surrender, Illustration Friday

I surrender! Here's a quickie for this week's prompt, inspired by Valentine's Day and with a nod to all the tattoos and other forms of body art out there.
I must confess, I've never surrendered a square inch of my own flesh to ink or piercings, having already sacrificed tiny pieces of myself to the roads, sidewalks and other undisclosed locations where my much younger self used to skate around on (or off, as it were) urethane wheels.
Whether it's a sweet valentine, a kid rolling down the road on wheels, or a bold statement in body ink, each offers a form of expression as individual as its origin. Surrender yourself to an expressive week!

Dusty, Illustration Friday

Reaching back, way back, to an unfinished project to post this week for IF. Beneath a dusty stack of files, a watercolor concept takes on a new life as a reminder that it's almost time for a little spring cleaning!

Chicken, Illustration Friday

Here's a chicken that never flew the coop, never got to cross the road, and still has no offspring to count before they hatch. She's loosely based on a concept for a figurine that never really got past the "scratch" stage, until today, when I decide to give her wings a little color and a new attitude, to submit to Illustration Friday.
Nothing like running around at the last minute like a...well, you get the idea!

Who, Me?

Have you visited Heather over at Rose Hill Designs lately? In the midst of all the creating that's going on over there, she recently took some time to share this award with some stylish bloggers. Since she consistently puts together some pretty stylish posts, it was flattering to be included on her list.

And now by accepting this award, I am required to share seven things about me, which is probably going to blow away my "stylish" cover, but it's all in fun!

1. As a child, I did not like mushrooms, but you could say they "grew" on me, or at least often appeared in my food.
2. Native to southern California, I was born third out of five children.
3. I'm married and have one teenage son (still in the middle, here).
4. I enjoy visiting museums with my friends.
5. My favorite colors are "golden brown sugar" and "toasted marshmallow," colors that describe my two pups.
6. I can almost always make room for a little ice cream.
7. I might be happiest when I can get my hands "dirty," whether digging into the garden, artistic pursuits, or kitchen creations, but not necessarily in that order!

And now, it's my turn to pass this on to a list of fifteen bloggers with whom I've recently made an acquaintance. Check out these talented and stylish bloggers:

Mindful Drawing
Indigene Fine Art and Illustration
Charlo Arwin
Original Small Format Art - Carolynn McDade
Linda_Hensley
GasBombGirl
Rue De Toot
Providential Egg
Posh Also Makes Stuff
Abby Normal
oloratrementina
Vilt og vakkert
My Picture Garden
wendy w. lee blog
Jasmine Wall Illustration Blog

Hope you enjoy visiting their blogs, too!

Deja-Vu, Illustration Friday

If anything could say it experienced a sense of deja-vu, wouldn't it be water? In southern California, sometimes we have it, sometimes we don't, but we just go with its intermittent flow and hope we don't get stuck up that creek without our paddles!
Gray skies outside my window hint that soon, I'll be dealing with water and a deja-vu of a different sort looms. Unfortunately, it will be in my kitchen, and a sink full of dishes waiting to be cleaned. Hope you return to more exciting circumstances!

Resolutions, Illustration Friday

It's not that I don't set goals. But my conscience likes to follow me around all year long anyway, so why bother with resolutions just because it's a new year? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to just float along without a care?
Before the first week of 2011 is complete, I want to wish all of you who visit a guilt free and Happy New Year, full of inspiration and freedom to create!
P.S. Thanks to all of you who stopped in last week with encouraging comments. It wasn't my intention to create such a sad looking piece, it was just the end of the year and kind of wet and dreary! I guess I can resolve to spread a little more sunshine in the coming weeks!