Walrus Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodles
(complete doodle list at the bottom)


This guy looks a little sad. A little weepy.

Cheer up walrus.


Well July has come and gone, along with the July Daily Animal Doodles. I definitely didn't do it daily, I didn't even quite do it for half of the days. 


BUT. I think August (here's the new list) will be better.


You know why?


It's because I will soon be leaving my full time job in order to make (a lot) more time to pursue graphic design and my Etsy shop. 


Um, yes you can say that I'm very excited. 


I have been very thankful for my job - God plopped it right into my lap when we really needed it. I gained some valuable experience and met some great people. But now He has opened up doors for me to be able to pursue what I really enjoy, what I have been dreaming/hoping my career would eventually look like. 


I will still be teaching violin lessons, and I'm also picking up a part time nanny job. But I have done the calculations and I will be freeing up 24 hours a week.


24.


That's a lot of hours. Not only will I be able to pursue design, but I will have more time to take care of things around the house, which is something I've been wanting too. 


So. It's a new chapter in our lives. I'm super excited to see where our family goes from here.


And it will of course lend me much more time for animal doodles.


HAPPY! happy. HAPPY! happy.


So that's the news around here! Ummm BIG SMILE.




July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala, Lemur,Meerkat, Quail, Raccoon, Rabbit, Walrus
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

Salamander Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodle


This doodle is dedicated to my sister. When she was little she had a pet salamander named Jeremy.

She loves salamanders. One of her hobbies is rescuing them from window wells. She's nice.


Ok. Confession.


I am an indecisive person. Just ask my hubs. He is always trying to force me into making decisions. Sometimes I do better than other times.


Today was a bad day for making decisions. It might have something to do with the fact that I have gotten a total of about six hours of sleep in the last two nights. My brain seems to not be working the best.


I spent like 45 minutes in Wal-Mart today when I swear it should have taken me like 5 minutes.


........................................................................................
What kind of laundry detergent should I get? Should I get my usual Tide? Or should I try something new? What's this scent? And this scent? And this scent? Ok I'll just get the usual Tide.


Which color loofas should I get? Should I get the same colors as before? Or branch out and try other colors? Will they match my shower? Should I get the soft ones? Or the natural ones that are more scratchy? Or maybe I should get those sea sponge things instead? Ok I'll get new colors. (I came back about 10 minutes later and got the same colors I had before.)


Oh no, they don't have my flavor of pizza rolls! Should I get a different flavor and not be entirely satisfied? Or should I try those little pizza bagel bites? Anything that's miniature and pizza-like should suffice, right? (Turns out I was wrong about that. How can Wal-Mart not carry supreme pizza rolls???)


Should I buy eggs here? Or should I wait until I go to Target later this week? (I ended up taking the eggs, and then walked around a little bit before going and putting them back.)


What redbox movie should I get? Should I even get a redbox movie? Should I get a funny one? Should I go for something I've never heard of? Maybe I won't get one. Ok I will.
........................................................................................


You think I am exaggerating. I am not. I walked out of Wal-Mart shaking my head with shame at how long it took me to get in and out of there.


I'm going to bed early tonight. And next time I'm going to Target. Everyone in Wal-Mart kept running into me.


Or maybe I was running into them. I don't know. I was very tired.


July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala, Lemur,Meerkat, Quail, Raccoon, Rabbit
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

Beach story.

This week's prompt for the inspiration workshop was Beach. I couldn't think of a way that I'm necessarily inspired by beaches, but I can say that I like them. And that I like to go to them.


Especially this summer. Here are some pics from a couple weekends ago, when Minneapolis had temps nearing the hundreds and record breaking humidity.

I didn't think to take any pictures until we were in the parking lot about to go home. Oh well. Believe me we were at the beach.


This beach is a little bit special because there is a Liz and Brian story behind it. It was at this beach that the hubs first told me that he liked me.


Awwwww.


The story goes like this. Brian and I rode our bikes to this beach (across the lake from our school) in the middle of the night with no lights or helmets or anything. Just like any irresponsible college student might.


We sat out on a dock and the conversation eventually became:


.................................................................................................
Brian: So, someone at school today was telling me that he thought you and me were going out.


....which would be cool.


Liz: .............(surprised silence)........


Brian: ........(more prolonged silence)....


But I don't think I'm ready for a relationship.


Liz: (realizing she might just be losing her chance here and trying to pull herself together) Well I mean, if you were to ask me out...I would say yes.


Brian: Really??


Liz: Ya!


Brian: Well I don't really think I'm ready for a relationship yet.
.................................................................................................




And the story goes on from there. Obviously you know how it ends. The hubs is mine.

Click to see everyone else's linkups!

Previous Inspiration Workshop posts: week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, week 6, week 7, week 8

Rabbit Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodle


This drawing is dedicated to my cousin. The one who really likes rabbits. And bunnies.

You know who you are.


This past weekend I went to my first drive in movie ever. Ever! It was lots of fun. But we only stayed for the first movie. Because it lasted until midnight and we had to work the next morning. And we are lame-os.


Not really. Just grown up and more tired in general. Not capable of staying up all night watching movies if we can't sleep in the next day.


You know.


The movie was the last ever of the Harry Potters.


‎"If Voldemort is such a powerful wizard, why can’t he conjure up a new nose?" -Conan :D


I got that quote courtesy of my sister's facebook page. Complete with a smiley face.


July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala, Lemur,Meerkat, Quail, Raccoon
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

Hiiiiiii.

Hello.


Just wanted to drop in and say hi.


My life has gotten a bit swamped in the last few days. With projects and projects. And work and work. And projects that are work and work that is projects. And just regular work.


What?


The other day I got up out of bed, turned off the alarm (my alarm is on the other side of the room because you know.) and then I crawled back in bed. The hubs asked what I was doing. I told him, "I've decided that from now on I will sleep."


He made me get up.


TOMORROW. I will post a delightful new animal doodle. It goes hippity hop.


AND. I've got some awesome news to share. Well. Awesome in my book. But I will share it another day because right now I am tired. And I want to type it up all nice like.


Now I leave you with this.

That's me, my dad and my brother building a play house. Fun stuff huh? Do you ever yearn for the good ol' days?

Raccoon Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodles


This guy looks like he has been caught in the act of doing something sneaky.

He needs to confess something. Probably that he stole someone's lunch sack. 


A raccoon stole my lunch sack once. A lunch sack which was supposed to feed me lunch for an entire week. I had to share with everyone else.


Sneaky raccoons.


I need to confess some things too.


First. I spilled a plant in the back of my car a week ago. And I still haven't cleaned up the pile of dirt that it left. 


Second. Today I had ice cream for dinner. 


Third. One of my violin students today pointed out to me that I spell rhythm wrong. (I forget the silent "h") ummmm whoopsies.


Oh the horror!


Another one of my students said that today and I thought it was funny.


July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala, Lemur,Meerkat, Quail
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

Sometimes I change I guess.

Lately, I have been inspired to improve my housewife skills!  


What.

My living room. I cleaned it up just for you!

It's strange, because I was always a girl who never wanted to stay home in any way, shape or form. I wanted to be out with friends. When I was in high school, not having plans on a Friday night was the most horrifying of scenarios. And as I squinted ahead towards the future, I didn't think I wanted to stay home as an adult, either. The thought of being a stay at home mom or house wife never appealed to me. I would be a working woman, at some graphic design firm! With plans every Friday night. And probably most other nights too. And I never wanted to cook, or clean, or garden or sew or anything like that. You know, all that cliche staying at home woman stuff.

But something has been happening to me in the last year or so. Or probably longer than that.

I want to stay home.

Whaaaat.

I love my home. I want to stay there and take care of it. I get bummed that I don't have enough time to keep the house as clean as I would like, or cook full meals with actual recipes and stuff. I have sudden urges to write down detailed cleaning/cooking/meal planning schedules for each day of the week, preparing for the day when I get to quit my day job. I dream about having all the time I want to work on new art pieces to put in my Etsy shop, or to continue growing the business I started with my friend Emily.

So, what's happening to me?? 

My friend Beebs said that she thinks I must be nesting. I don't really know what that means but, well ya I don't really know what that means.

A couple of months ago I lamented to Brian that, "All I want to do is stay home and cook you delicious meals." He looked at me with the wide eyes of surprise. "That's new," he said.

Here are some strange things that have been happening in my life:

I have been cooking full meals more often. And I love searching for new recipes. 

I actually get excited when I realize that I have a few spare hours to scrub some part of the house. 

I've been sewing curtains. (Well, my mom has been helping me with that because she's pretty much the best seamstress ever. This is how it goes: she figures out all the measurements and logistics out and then gives me simple tasks to help with that I can comprehend. Like pinning or sewing a seam. Oh but I get to pick out the fabrics. yessssss)

And yes I have even gardened. (But I sure didn't like it. Gardening's the worst. Someone please tell me what I have to do to have a presentable yard with the least possible amount of work.)

You know the weirdest part? 

I sometimes get excited about not having plans on a Friday night.

But only sometimes. I'm not going to become a hermit or anything. Friends, please still hang out with me.




Linking up with Gussy's Inspiration Workshop!

Click to see everyone else's linkups!

Previous Inspiration Workshop posts: week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, week 6, week 7

Quail Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodle


This is a fancy lady.

Special little hair piece and everything.


July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala, Lemur, Meerkat
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

Meerkat Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodle


I am trying my best to keep up with at least a few daily animal doodles! I don't even know what today's animal was actually supposed to be, I just knew that one of them this week (or last??) was a meerkat.


You know when all of a sudden life gets so busy that you can barely keep your head afloat? And at the same time you are DESPERATELY trying to fit in a camping trip? Because you reeeeeaaaaally want to go camping?


Wait, is she still complaining about that?


No she's not.


And by she I mean myself.


Sometimes I just type stuff.

He strikes me as a friendly sort of fellow. 


I didn't draw this in my normal sketchbook so the background looks very clean and white compared to my others.


Suiting for a friendly meerkat, I suppose.


I'm off to visit my bff (who is having a baby soon!!) and her sister! In other words I am off to a very fun night. I think we are making pizzas and playing Friends "Scene It." 


Can it GET any better than this?


(um did you CATCH my clever Chandler Bing reference there?)


Ok see ya.


July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala, Lemur
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

A new piece. Also, it's hot out.

I made a new print for the shop yesterday!

Here they are, my pals Hal and Val again. This time on with some sea colored stripes. 


I put this together real quick yesterday while taking a break from formatting a magazine I've been working on, one of my many projects I've got going this weekend (as mentioned here.)


It came together so well in such a short amount of time. Don't you love that, when creativity just happens, without hardly any effort at all? Other times I feel like I'm trying to drag it out of myself with a big heavy chain. Hooked to a really old tractor. That moves really slowly.

By the way, we are having a hot weekend here in Minneapolis. It's in the 90's, but it's supposed to feel like 115.  The weather people say this: "Dangerous heat index. Outdoor exposure should be limited."


We are off to the beach.


Don't worry. I'm a sunscreen fiend, remember?

Lemur Doodle

(Semi) Daily Animal Doodle

Lemurs are the hubs' favorite (as mentioned here.) He loves their fluffy tails and wide concerned eyes. I told him maybe we could have one someday.


Maybe.


Well, our weekend plans got a little messed up. I mentioned here that we would be going canoeing / camping this weekend, but because of a few circumstances (namely the fact that it was supposed to storm the whole weekend at the place we were going and who really wants to sit in a tent for three days while it rains? ALSO the fact that I am behind on a lot of projects which would be pushed off even further if I left for the weekend.)


Yes, I was a crabby patty about it for a little while. Because I really wanted to camp and canoe.


But I'm over it now and I know that we made the best choice.


Plus I have time to catch up on some (semi) daily animal doodles now. In between projects.


Life gets busy, you know?


July Doodles: Aardvark, Chameleon, Deer, Eagle, Fennec Fox, Goose, Insect, Koala
Want to check out June's doodles? Click here.

Sunshine.

And we're back with week seven of the Gussy's Inspiration Workshop. The prompt for this week was sunshine. 

I've been complaining to people lately that I feel like I haven't had too much of a summer yet. That it's already July and I feel like I haven't gotten ANY sunshine!

Seriously my skin is still the same color that it's been all winter.

But that's partly because I use sunscreen like a fiend. My sunburn days are over.

Ok, so last weekend and the one before I did find myself outside quite a bit which was fabulous. But I find myself remembering last summer, when I went on vacation to Maine for a family reunion and we were outside a lot. And there was LOTS of sunshine. And it was beautiful.

One day I found this little crab. In the sunshine.

Like my huge sunglasses? They always fell down my nose. But they didn't give me a headache.

We did lots of walks on the beach, ice cream eating, shell searching, kite flying, lobster eating, whale watching, sitting in a breezy porch, bouldering, frisbee-ing, Quelf playing, exploring, shrimp eating, more shell searching, it was great.

Can I go back now?

Hopefully I will find myself bathed in much more sunshine as this summer continues.

Starting this weekend because the hubs and I are going CANOEING! So happy. :) But I'm still going to be white because I already told you that I'm a sunscreen fiend.

Well I'm wrapping this up. Get some sunshine people! I will too.

Weekend Recap - In which I realize how out of shape I am.

My weekend was jam packed full of time with my hubs, which was awesome. Here are some things that we did.


-Made delicious crispy potatoes and homemade chicken nuggets

-Watched Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
-Went on a nice long bike ride to the beach. I forgot my water and almost didn't make it. Man, I am out of shape. And our neighborhood has LOTS of hills. 


Lots I say. Here's what some of our conversation was like towards the end on our way home:


Brian: You can do it! (at the top of a large hill)
Me: AAAAHHHRRRGGGG (trying to make it up the hill. I went all the way down to first gear and moved centimeters at a time.)
Brian: This is the last hill! After this it's all down hill from here!
Me: REALLY?!?!?!  (pant pant pant)
....(we round the corner only to encounter more hills).....
Me: AAAAHHHRRRGGGG (I'm a charmer when I'm on a bike)
Brian: You can do it! (at the top of the next hill already)


It continued like that until we made it home. You get the idea.


-Later on when we (I) had recovered, we went to this fun little cinema in New Hope where they serve you dinner while you watch a ($4!) movie. Awesome! We saw the new Pirates movie. I was a fan, the hubs not quite as much. I was just glad to be rid of Kiera Knightly. And I had a delicious BLT and delicious waffle fries. 


Other weekend activities:
-Went to church
-Had small group at our place
-Watched Gone with the Wind. We are taking it in sections since it's so incredibly long. Right now we have stopped at the intermission. The part where she shakes her fist in the sky and says that she will never be hungry again. I guess we will just see about that Scarlett O'Hara.


I also killed some bugs.


If you are a bug in my house then you WILL meet your demise.


Immediately.


This is what Gepetto did over the weekend:

Then she did this:

It's a hard life being a cat. 


I'd like to see her bike up hundreds of hills in just one day.


Hundreds. I'm not exaggerating.


In other news I day dreamed about being a Broadway singer/star all day today at work. Which is weird because I'm not too much of a singer. Nor do I like the spotlight.


Ok well. I am an oldest child so I do enjoy just a BIT of the spotlight. But only just a bit.