Christmas In July

A little history lesson and an announcement!  Yeah, it's longer

than my regular posts!  As a dear friend of mine always says,

"You might want to pack a lunch!"  :)

The theme this week at Creative Tuesdays is Christmas in July!

I thought that certainly this meant more than a second chance at the

holiday half way through the year and decided to look up the history.

As it turns out, Christmas in July isn't for us here enjoying summer in

July.  It was originally for those in the Southern Hemisphere who celebrate

Christmas on December 25 right in the middle of their summer!  To give

the true feeling of a winter wonderland, snowmen and a crackling fire, they do a second

celebration in July, during their winter season, when they truly can

sing I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas!

In the 1940's, the United States suggested a push for shipping packages

to our military overseas beginning in July because most of it was

shipped by sea and it took that long to reach the soldiers.

Some churches started celebrating Christmas in July around that same

time and donated gifts and money, clipped on trees in churches, as gifts

to our troops during the war.  To complete the feel, the services also

included Christmas music and decorations.

So it was with those ideas that I did a drawing to look like an

advertisement in a magazine.  Maybe it could have been in a Saturday

Evening Post with Norman Rockwell art gracing the cover?  And

since I enjoyed making my Paradise Island to look aged and yellowed,

I tried to do this one the same way!

Well, all good things eventually come to an end, right?

This is going to be my last entry to Creative Tuesdays!

It's been a fun 2 1/2 years that's for sure, but

I've felt the desire to do something different for a while now.

Sophia at Sunday Sketches has invited me to join their

group of artists and I think I'm going to give that a go!

So, I'll still be posting my drawings once a week, it will

just be on Sundays now instead of Tuesdays!

There isn't a theme at this new co-op, or any rules...

you just post what ever art you happen to be working on.

Although, I'm sure my birds will still show up in my art! ha.

I want to thank everyone at CT for all of their encouragement

to me.  It's been a lot of fun.  And thanks, Mmm for nudging

me to get involved in the first place! :)  I thought it would be 

fun to see all 62 of my entries together!  They are in random

order, but the very first entry is the last one...the Chickadee

eating Cheerios off of the tree branches.  I had to laugh,

noting that my first entry was a bird, even before I

took the challenge of having one in each drawing!

Anyway, I hope I've contributed in a meaningful way.

I do know of 6 bloggers who joined CT through my

participation, so at least I'm leaving having given that!

I'll still be around to visit all of you as I've noticed 

many of you are on my blog roll for daily visits anyway!

And some of you are involved with Sunday Sketches, too!

So, this isn't goodbye, it's just see you in a different venue!

And in only 5 days! :)

If you'd like to see other entries for Christmas in July, click HERE. 

♥

Paradise Island

The theme this week at Creative Tuesdays is Paradise Island.

I tried to make my drawing look like a vintage travel poster, 

including a faded, yellowed, and antique look, as if it was

from a travel agency around a century ago.

I think I'd like it here on Paradise Island...including the view,

 the drink and the sweet little Cockatiel! 

To visit the Creative Tuesday blog, click HERE.

♥

Simply Darling

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this week is Simply Cute or Simply Darling.

I'd actually never heard the phrase 'simply cute' before!  I usually say

'too cute' or 'so cute' or even 'simply adorable'.  Be that as it may, I suppose they all mean the same thing.  

And baby birds napping under mushrooms are just 'too cute',

 wouldn't you say? They're even 'simply adorable'! :)

To see more darling drawings, click HERE.

♥

A Blog Button Drawing

The theme this week at Creative Tuesdays is 'blog button'.

We had to design one for our blog!  You know what they are, right?

You've seen them on people's blog and they say "Grab my Button!"

You post them on your sidebar with a link attached to their blog.

Some blogs have their sidebars full of them!

I guess I prefer the Blog Roll to buttons, since they tell me when you've

posted something new.  I do, however, have the buttons to the co-ops

that I have joined as a courtesy to them and to give them some exposure.

But if I were to have a button for my own blog, I imagine that it would

look like my drawing above.  A blog button is a logo of sorts,

and should reflect the name or theme of your blog.  I liked my drawing

for the 'gift' theme last week so much that I thought I'd bring back

the little Barn Swallow to carry my signature "5". 

button sized :)

Mr. Toast said he's creating a new button for this co-op blog, so this may be the

last time you see this red one here!  If you want to see who participated

this week, click HERE!  Or maybe it's time you joined in?  :)

♥

A Gift

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this week is gift.

This little Barn Swallow is helping with all the little details to make this gift

look extra special!  Every once in a while, I really like how my drawing

turns out and this is one of those times.  Last week?  Not so much!
 I think it's the color this time around!

I have no idea how someone with a sunny disposition can love

grey so much, but I do.  I paint it on my walls, I color with it,

I wear grey eye shadow,  even half of my clothes are grey! lol.  

I might just have to frame this one and put it in my grey and white kitchen. ha.

We're celebrating 'gift' all day on Tuesday, the 19th.

To see other art entries, click HERE.

Better yet, why don't you join in the fun?

No talent required...you can doodle, paint or create.

♥

Celebration for Creative Tuesdays

Celebrations is the theme at Creative Tuesdays this week.

I know some of our British bloggers will do something for the

Queen's recent Diamond Jubilee.  How fun!  I thought I'd do something

patriotic for my country, who's 236th birthday is coming up on July 4th!

This neighborhood of bird houses is celebrating in style!

To see other entries or join in yourself, click HERE!

♥

Under Ground

The theme over at Creative Tuesdays this week is Under Ground or Under Water. 

Poor Mr. Worm!  hahaha.  But little bird looks determined...and hungry!

To see more on this theme or join the group, click HERE!

♥

Everyday Happiness

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this week is Everyday Happiness.

That made me think of the little things that bring a smile to my face.

The problem with drawing that theme, is that there are a lot of little things

that fit that for me!  That's one of the things I love to do...take notice

of simple pleasures and beauty around me every day.

So I listed a few...and drew them, too!

If you'd like to join the group, this theme is due Tuesday evening, the 15th.

To visit the Creative Tuesday blog, click HERE!

♥

Being Healthy for Creative Tuesdays

Healthy is the theme over at Creative Tuesdays this week!

Fruit is a good choice, right?

At least Mr. and Mrs. Chickadee think so!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

This theme is due Tuesday the 8th.

Click HERE to visit the Creative Tuesday blog!

♥

Birds Love Bugs for Creative Tuesdays

please click on drawing to enlarge.

The theme this week at Creative Tuesdays is "lovebugs".

Well, birds "love bugs", don't they?

I've been thinking about pussy willows a lot lately.

I want a bush in my yard!  And I want a pussy willow wreath

on my front door!  So, I thought it would be fun to have Mr. and Mrs.

Song Sparrow weave some into their little nest.
It's almost like insulation in the walls of your house, right? 

I used colors pencils, black ink and a white paint pen.

Creative Tuesdays meets weekly now!

I guess that means double the drawings!  You should consider joining us!

Click HERE to visit the CT blog.

♥

I is for Icecream in Pastel Colors

please click on drawing to enlarge it

Well I had quite a challenge for this post!  Tuesday the 10th is Creative Tuesday's

challenge for a drawing using the theme Pastel Colors.  It is also the day for a post on something

that begins with the letter I for the April's A to Z Challenge.  And then, my own personal tradition of getting a bird in the drawing added to the complication. ha ha.  I thought ice cream could

be used for both...if the flavors were pastel colored, of course. 

 For my chocolate dipped waffle cone I drew a triple scoop in strawberry, peach

 and key lime coconut.  Yep, I would have no trouble at all finishing off

 this sweet treat all by myself!  And it looks like baby bluebird agrees!

Now if it didn't have to be in pastel colors, my triple dip choice would have been

dark chocolate turtle, black raspberry chocolate chunk, pralines and cream

and coconut.  Oops..that's four!  Do they serve cones with four dips?  ha ha.

What's your favorite flavors for a triple dip?

♥

Catching Raindrops ~ April Showers for Creative Tuesdays

April Showers is the theme at Creative Tuesdays this time!

Lil' Bird here is getting a springtime drink!

I was sitting at my desk, looking out the window thinking of an idea

of what to draw.  I was looking right into our blooming crab apple tree!

What a perfect start for my entry.

And then, of course, I just added the bird and showers!

I also took the header photo at the same time I snapped the tree. 

I'm so pleased with this photo of Mr. Cardinal!

Isn't he handsome?  I swear he poses!

If you'd like to see more art entries for April Showers

click HERE to visit Mr. Toast's Blog.

Please consider joining us!  We have a lot of fun!

♥

Thumbprints for Creative Tuesday

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this time is Thumbprints.  We had to use our thumbprints in the artwork!  So much for my colored pencils, right?  ha.  If you click on the drawing and enlarge it, you can see the leaves of my potted shamrock and the robin's egg are made with my thumbprint.  This was so much fun and took me back to kindergarten finger painting! (And little Timmy eating the paint.  I remember him also loving the paste. Ew. ha.)

Now don't go copying my thumbprint to frame me at some crime scene!  My fingerprints really are on file at the FBI.  Seriously!  haha.  But that's another story. :)

This theme is due on Tuesday the 13th.

To join in or see other entries, click HERE! 

♥

Shoe for Creative Tuesday

Mrs. Robin has found the perfect place for her nest!

To see other interpretations of the "shoe" theme, click HERE!

Or you could join in, too!

♥

Pattern of Peacock Feathers

please click on drawing to enlarge

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this time is pattern. And to keep up with the tradition of my bird theme, I thought I'd use peacock feathers to create a kaleidoscope effect. Each feather is drawn a little differently, so they aren't identical but they make a pattern anyway. I really had fun with this one! And I can't wait to see the other entries. They will be posted at Mr. Toast's blog on Tuesday, February 7th. Go check them out then!

♥

Bubble Gum

please click to enlarge

Bubble gum is the theme over at Creative Tuesdays!

I had to figure out how to get my trademark bird in the drawing! I almost wove Bazooka comics into a nest but thought maybe that wouldn't count since it didn't actually show the gum. I opted for a bubble-blowing bird and an impressed audience, too! ha. And I changed brands from Bazooka to Double Bubble. Actually, the wrapper is my favorite part! So, there you have it. :)

If you'd like to join in or see other entries, click HERE!

Please consider joining us. No talent required and it's lots of fun!

♥

Partridge ~ A Creative Tuesday Post

please click to enlarge

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this time was to choose one of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I hope you like my little partridge perched on a pear!

To see other entries, click HERE.

♥

Mistletoe ~ For Creative Tuesday

please click on drawing to enlarge

Mistletoe is the theme at Creative Tuesday!

Looks like Mr. and Mrs. Bird are keeping warm with a little smooch under their mistletoe! I'm not even sure they notice the beautiful snowflakes falling around them! I think I need to hang some mistletoe in my house! Harry is the man around here always willing to give a kiss. Maybe he'll give mom a little peck if I stand under it. :)

If you'd like to join in, this theme is due by Tuesday, December 6th.

Click HERE to see other entries or join!

No talent required...just come have fun!

So when you kiss, do you keep your eyes open or close them like me? Or does that depend on who you are kissing? ha.

♥

Three French Hens ~ A Creative Tuesday Entry

click to enlarge

Three is the theme at Creative Tuesdays this time. The number three is no stranger to me. :) Things break in threes at our house. We give birth to babies, three at a time! Even our house number starts with a three! With the holidays about to start, I thought I'd give a try at drawing the Three French Hens from The Twelve Days of Christmas. And it was a really easy way to get a bird in the sketch at the same time! :) Last entry I figured out how to make pine cones look realistic and they were so much fun I had to make sure I included them in this entry, too. It's all in the shading, isn't it?

Black and red ink with colored pencils.

The three theme is due Tuesday, November 22.

Click HERE to join in or see more entries.

♥

Thanksgiving ~ A Creative Tuesday Entry

please click on picture to enlarge

The theme at Creative Tuesdays this time is Thanksgiving.

I thought I'd try my hand at drawing a cornucopia, spilling out it's bounty of

autumnal fruits and leaves. Of course I had to add some Indian Corn, flowers,

pine cones...and a bird or two! Thanksgiving is almost here! I haven't drawn up the menu yet but I did order the fresh, free range turkey. The faces around our table change every year as we look for those without a place to go, so I don't yet know who will be here or how many that will be! But that's alright since I tend to make too much food anyway. This holiday remains a favorite of mine. It's relaxed, has wonderful meaning and hasn't been ruined by commercialization. A time to count our many blessings and give thanks. I also love it when there are leftovers to last through the weekend!

If you'd like to see more entries or join in yourself click HERE.

This theme is due Tuesday, November 8th.

No talent required, just some imagination. :)

♥