Cleopatra's Lookin Atcha

I am busy finishing up a bunch of pet portraits including this one. Isn't he a cute little guy?

I'm also running around like a headless chicken trying to sort myself out for Halloween. I ordered a Cleopatra costume from the internet hoping to channel my inner Elizabeth Taylor:

The costume I received is OK but the problem is the wig. When I wear it I'm not so much Elizabeth Taylor as Ru Paul!!

The wig is very CHEAP and extremely FRIZZY. I really feel for you guys and gals out there with frizzy hair. I feel your pain!

What did I do? I ironed the wig to try and get the kinks out which were standing up at right angles. First time I did this I melted the plastic hair then DUH! I realized you shouldn't do that and ironed it with a sheet on top. It still looks pretty bad.

I may or may not post photos of myself as Cleopatra. Watch this space.

Here's one:

What are you going to be for Halloween?

Linking up with PoCoLo and Paint Party Friday

Have a freaky Friday!!

Rainbow vomit costume

It was nice to wake up and see my faux suede floor cushions is a lovely fashion shoot for Pisamonas kids' shoes over at Honest Mum's blog. Apparently her son loves his Pisamonas' boots so much he even wears them with his PJs! The hummingbird floor cushion is available at Art Rookie. Honest Mum says she loves her cushions and they wash perfectly too!

Right now my younger daughter is running around in a total panic wondering what to be for halloween. She wants me to make her a minions costume out of papier mache and chicken wire and I'm like, yes I know I'm an artist but I'm also pooped so can't we just get it from Party City? I think she thinks there is something inherently 'cheating' about buying a mass manufactured costume and she may be right but then why not try something a bit simpler with stuff you have lying around the house like some old manky bits of makeup?

Apparently there's some image called 'rainbow vomit' that you can put on someone's face on instagram - although no one's ever done it to be but then I don't post many selfies and don't even have a selfie stick!! But it still makes me feel old as the hills. If you are on instagram has anyone ever 'rainbowed' you??

So if I was going as anything I'd do the rainbow vomit I think! Looks fairly easy to pull off. What do you think?

I am also thrilled because 12 of my cushion designs are in the Ohh Deer pillowfight competition.

For a limited time they are available for purchase at Ohh Deer's website on my page:

http://ohhdeer.com/pillow-fight-competition/urban-jungle-cushion

This link is to one of the designs but the rest of the designs are underneath.

The more views, shares and faves I get the more chance I have of winning the competition! So if you'd pop over and give them some love or buy one that would be very much appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Paint Party Friday!

A rose is a rose

Koala Rose by Emma Kaufmann

Gertrude Stein wrote:

Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose
Loveliness extreme.
Extra gaiters,
Loveliness extreme.
Sweetest ice-cream.
Pages ages page ages page ages.


And yes a rose is a rose .....unless it is a koala rose! I am not sure what made me want to paint a koala nestled into the center of rose but maybe it was also looking at this lizard who made a bed in a rose. Isn't he adorable?

 In any case I am rather pleased with my Koala Rose.

Linking to Paint Party Friday!

Just the Right Size

Hi Guys!!

That's one of the pet portrait commissions of a Great Dane I did this week.

I recently found this poem and it really resonated with me. If you create out of joy that is the main point of creating something. That is why I try not to criticize other's work.....even if I don't personally like it you have to remember it meant a lot to them. And also the way you paint is unique to YOU and I don't think you should try to paint another way just because that way is popular or commercial. Do you know what I mean?

How to Paint a Donkey 

by Naomi Shihab Nye

She said the head was too large,
the hooves too small.
I could clean my paintbrush
but I couldn’t get rid of that voice.
While they watched,
I crumpled him,
let his blue body stain my hand,
I cried when he hit the can.
She smiled. I could try again.
Maybe this is what I unfold in the dark,
deciding for the rest of my life,
that donkey was just the right size.

UPDATE: BAM is excited about his new pawtraits!

 Linking up to Caturday Art Blog Hop, Sunday Sketches and  Paint Party Friday

Emma's Dilemma

I have been busy working on a bunch of pet portrait commissions including this cute little french bulldog. Pet Portraits can be ordered here so please get in touch. I can create a colorful, lively work of art from your pet photos.

I also sell prints at Boom Boom Prints which mainly sells art and accessories for kids' rooms and every month the Boom Boom Artists have an art contest. This month the color we had to use was pumpkin orangey-yellow so I created this turtle piece for #BBPChallenge26 .......It was lots of inks and a ton of glue and glitter. Isn't she cute?

Other than that is has been raining cats and dogs here which I love although things are getting a bit hairy with Hurricane Joaquin. All I want to do is curl up with a mug of hot cocoa and lashings of whipped cream and snuggle under a duvet. It's times like this I really wish I had a fat cat or two about the place. That would be purrfect!

It's really wierd that I love cats but am completely allergic. I am even allergic to our two guinea pigs Peanut and Marshmallow but I still love to hug them. That is really sod's law as they say in England.

Marshmallow wearing a raspberry beret

Here's a limerick about my problem:

There once was a lady called Emma

Who found herself in a bit of a dilemma

Although she liked pets to squeeze

Their hair made her sneeze

So having a robocat was a breeze!

If you have a limerick about your pets post it in the comments!

Linking up to Paint Party Friday, Sunday Sketches and Brilliant Blog Posts!