Thursday, January 31, 2008

Exciting! Wish me luck...







I am so excited. I entered the Think.Jot.Draw Cover Contest last year and the results are about to be revealed in the next week or two.

Think.Jot. Draw is a wonderful creative journal that allows you to dream about and plan out your projects in several different formatted pages. I love mine, and I hope I win the contest as the winner receives several copies of the journal with their artwork on the cover in a limited run.

You can see all the contestant's works here.

If you like my pug collage, you can purchase it reproduced on notecards in my Etsy Store.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Canvas Transfers and a New Pal...

My 5th new product that I am so excited to share is a Canvas Transfer.

It is a process that makes all of my paintings available on a gallery wrapped stretched canvases. Each one is professionally hand stretched around stretcher bars and looks like an original painting. They are available in 3 sizes, 11 x 14, 16 x 20 and 18 x24. You are free to hang them with or without a frame as there are no staples showing.

I am also very excited about the 5th new painting I recently completed... Miss Maisie Rose. She is a beautiful dutch shepherd that my wonderful friends, Linda and James adopted in November. She is the sweetest dog and she inspired me to paint her. I was thrilled to make her my very first canvas transfer...












Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Herbs for Emmitt the gardner...



If you remember, a few weeks back, Emmitt was waiting patiently for his herbs to grow.

Here they are now! A full crop of basil, thyme, mint, chives and parsley!

Celebration!

Monday, January 28, 2008

$10 can save a life - A Place to Bark










A Place to Bark is a non-profit organization that saves the lives a beautiful animals from certain death due to illness, abandonment or overcrowing in animal shelters.




Bernie does the unbelieveably hard work of saving these beautiful animals. Work that I would not have the strength to do. My heart would break first, but Bernie has the gift of seeing the light at the end of their dark tunnels and creates a bright reality everyday for these dogs and cats.




The video above was made by Claudine Hellmuth, a wonderful artist and a true friend. Thank you Claudine for making this wonderful video.




Please donate just $10 today by clicking on the donate button on the badge above to help Bernie get a grant to build a shelter so that she may continue to save more dogs and cats that deserve a happy healthy life.




To help spread the word, please just click on the share tab on the badge above and post the link or code in your blog and or website.




We only have until Thursday Jan. 31, 3:00 EST to accomplish this amazing goal.




And an added fun bonus... when you donate you are automatically entered into a raffle to win a thank you prize donated by several generous artists. I am honored to be one of them, and I have donated a signed print of any pug or pal the winner chooses.




We can make a difference in the lives of so many cats and dogs that just need a little help to have the wonderful lives they so deserve.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Pug Tape Measure and a Snowflake...

Meet my new Pug tape measure cozy I just crocheted. I adapted a pattern I purchased on Etsy to look like a pug. His left ear pulls out to be the tape measure and the tape retracts when you push his nose. :)



It is now available to purchase in my Etsy store.

I also need to make another pug finger puppet today as I sold and sent my last one to Australia. :)

and... my fourth new product is a porcelain snowflake shaped ornament. It is available in all of my pugs and pals. I love the design and the image is printed on both sides so it can twirl and twirl and you'll never get blank side!


Saturday, January 26, 2008

More new stuff and a Lucky Tag


Our third new fun product is a License Plate! They are bright and cheerful and also come in all 100+ pug or pal paintings so you can show off your favorite pug expression or dog breed all over town.

In other fun news... Emmitt and I have been tagged for a meme. Here are the rules.

1) You have to post who tagged you and link back to them. Our good friend Lucky tagged us.

2) You have to tag 3 other kitties, beans, woofies, or any other assorted animal.

3) What three things would you do that you have never done before, if you knew you wouldn't get caught, get in trouble, or suffer any consequences.

Emmitt says he would wear his superman outfit everyday and fly around the world looking for new yummy foods to eat.

He would watch the animal channel everyday and talk to all the animals he sees.

He would have a never ending supply of cookies that he could eat and never get an upset tummy.

He would sit on his favorite chair all day, and his chair would not move. :)

He would be able to leave all of his stuffies everywhere without mom putting them back in the toy box so he would always have one close by.

He would taste everything!

I had to think hard about what I would do and not get into trouble and the only thing I can think of right now is to drink unlimited amounts of coffee without feeling sick. :) HA! Can you tell I have already gulped down my first cup this morning and am wanting another?


The four furry friends we are taggin are:
Maisie, Darby and Weeny & Daisy to spill the beans on what they would love to do and not get into trouble.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Another Peek and the Pug!

Thank you for all of the nice comments on my new portable cushions and the photos of Emmitt with Fred. They are super models. :)

Well, your excitement just electrified my excitement and now I am just giddy. All 5 new products will be live on my website later today (4:00 MST), but here is another peek at the new... Porcelain Boxes. They are 2"h x 3.5" w and also come in all of my pugs and pals designs.


... and here I am with my muse.



Emmitt brings me so much joy!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

A Sneaky Peeky...

I have had so much fun this week developing 5 new products for Pug Notes. I am busily working on adding them to my website, but I could not wait to share at least one of them. I am so excited!

The first one is a portable cushion that helps to protect your knees or bottom on any uncomfortable surface. It is 10 x 13 x 1/2" thick and has a cool cut out handle. It is available in all of my Pug and Pal paintings.

Emmitt and Fred make great models don't they?


Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Happy Pug greets the day with a smile! - A64

New pug painting - A64

This little puggy is ready to play. My Emmitt get this goofy, happy look on his face whenever he thinks it is time to eat, play, or go for a walk. Right now, Emmitt is under my desk, licking his nose like did in his Emmitt's Joy video. I wonder how I can paint that... HMMMM.

Melanie had a fun art day yesterday too. She needle felted a sheep! We both laughed when she showed me the picture of how big he is. The smaller bear next to him is a polar bear she did about a year ago. We love the giant sheep!




Monday, January 21, 2008

Felt for Feet Update...

Melanie just sent me these great pictures of her finished felt booties.
Now that they are 100% dry, she sewed the leather pads on the bottoms and wore them this morning. It is a perfect day to do that since it is only about 9 degrees out right now.




In fact it is sooooo cold, that her little corgi, Moe had to put on his booties too!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Felt for Feet... Fun!

Melanie and I had a wonderful day yesterday making felted wool slipper booties at our favorite yarn store in Boulder, Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins.
The process took about 8 hours to leave with perfectly molded slippers to feet our feet.
The first step is to tear the 6 oz of wool roving bat over the plastic bootie pattern in several criss crossing layers.



The next step is to pour hot soapy water onto the wool and start shaping it around the form.


Then you get to add color and design by adding more wool is different colors.


After adding more hot water, soap and lots of agitating pressure with your hands, you eventually get booties that fit your feet.




Voila!


Melanie's Slippers


Ahhh... It is time for me to put my feet up and have a cup of coffee in my new booties!