Guinea Pig Logic

I have to be honest....I cannot stop watching these two guinea pigs talking about pumpkin spice. They just tickle me!

I am very much looking forward to pumpkin spice latte weather and walking around wearing a fleece vest rather than walking about covered in sweat. I may or may not be experiencing those first hot flashes on the rocky road to menopause but it is also 95 degrees. They have had to close the schools because the kids were overheating. But I am still waiting and longing for Fall....

I am busy writing a children's book about guinea pigs...I can't really talk about it .......it is about an adventurous guinea pig that travels the world.....watch this space

I am afraid in the creative process I have more or less become a guinea pig and I am starting to observe the world as if I were covered in fur and walked on four legs and was covered in whiskers. Here is a piece I did called Guinea Pig Logic:

Okay I'm just going off to nibble on some carrots and hay....
Have a great weekend!

Linking up to Paint Party Friday and Brilliant Blog Posts.

Spring Fever in the Air

Last weekend my friend and I were gambolling around my garden. Don't you just love my mock tudor tree house? Spring had sprung and we were extremely excited about it and hoped the snow was gone forever.

I was feeling inspired so I did this watercolor of a Cat Family. I'm really pleased with how it came out. It is for sale so email me if you are interested.

Cat Family, Watercolor, 22 x 30

Then last night we zoomed back down to sub zero tempertures and the wind howled all night. This morning my recycling was strewn all over the road and I had to pull all my trash out of a hedge full of brambles. I am sick of this windy, freezing weather, aren't you?

The cartoons I am doing for the Adventures of Mr Darcy continue. In this week's installment, Mr Darcy lends his wit and humour to the Mummy Blogger blog again with this sketch around the wonders of Brazilian waxing.

Hope it makes you laugh! I am so glad I am not a man I would cut myself every day shaving!

Linking up to Paint Party Friday and #PoCoLo!

Pugs Go Wild in a Cake Shop

I did this humorous cartoon today of some pugs going crazy in a cake shop in the 1950s (just click on the image to see it in more detail). It was so much fun to do. I am going through an anthropomorphic in my art and loving it. Let me know if it tickles your funny bone.

I grew up in England and voraciously read all the Giles cartoons. His recreation of the battle axe that was grandma was nothing short of genius. And I preferred his cartoons done in the Daily Express when they were black and white. This is an example:

I  was also influenced by the Rupert the Bear comics in which Rupert Bear has many adventures with his pals badger and pug. Now I look at it I am amazed at how little this pug resembles a real life pug although he is still cute. However Rupert's adventures were mesmerizing.

Prints of the pug cartoon can be bought at this link at Imagekind

Naughty Mouse Christmas Card

Tired of the same old same old Crimbo cards? Well search no more because I've got a tutorial for a fun and frisky Christmas card that'll raise a laugh in even your crotchiest relative!

Who's been nibbling on Santa's cookie that was lovingly left out for him by the kids of the house?

Open up the card and find out that this cheeky mouse has had a mouthful.

Dontcha just love it? I'm mega excited because I'm entering my Naughty Mouse Christmas Card into the Christmas Card Craft Off - so hurry over it you want to join in the fun.

So now for the tutorial. Let's get started!

1. First take some white card stock.

2. Draw two large circles on the card side by side, overlapping the edge - as you want a straight edge for the card to stand on.

3. Draw a smaller circle inside the right circle - this will form the mouse's body.

 4. Draw a smaller circle here to form the mouse's head.

5. Use a bottle cap to draw the mouse's ears. 

6. Cut out a Santa hat out of red card stock for the mouse.

7. Draw in the arms and mittens of the mouse.



8. Cut out the card.

9. Cut out a mouth in a circular piece of brown card stock and glue onto front of the card.

10. Write: 'Who's Been Nibbling Santa's Cookie?' in the mouth.

11. Cut out 'chocolate chips' from black card stock and stick onto front of cookie.

12. Cut out a mouse's nibble on the lower left hand corner of the card.

13. Sketch in mouse's face with pencil and use pink crayon to color the mouse's cheeks.

14. When you are satisfied with your sketch fill in with marker.

15. Cut out a cookie slice, add teeth marks and cookie crumbs (bits of paper) from brown card stock and adhere to the card.

16. Glue red mittens, a pompom to the hat and write 'Gotcha' on the left inside of the card.

If you enjoyed this fun card join me at the All Things Thursday Blog Hop for lots of other fun crafty ideas!