I SURRENDER!

I'm participating in my first illustration friday today. It's funny because I just put this illo on facebook in honor of Am Bam. He's the gorilla that's all over the news today because he likes to walk upright. What's next? Dancing perhaps? Then I logged on to illo/friday and surrender was the theme. This illustration seemed to fit that as well. I created this piece as part of my Nightmare themed sketchbook project for Art House Co-op. This year's journal was mailed 3 weeks ago to the Brooklyn Art Library.

Snow White is my alter ego in this series of self portrait illustrations. And I had a lot of nightmares about gorillas as a kid. Come to think about it, in one of those dreams the gorilla was standing upright. My Mom and I were ironing in the dining room and we looked into the kitchen and there was a gorilla staring (while standing) back at us. But that's a whole other illustration!

Something for me...Something for you!

We just got back from Belize. The first thing I did when I got home was to unpack my goodie bags to ensure that all souvenirs arrived home safely. Actually, we had a little scare with our checked luggage. The last bag came rolling down the track in Minneapolis and our bags were no where to be seen. Has that ever happened to any of you? You're like the last tourist standing while everyone else has grabbed their bags and disappeared. But luckily we found our bags doing the spin cycle at another carousel. For some reason our bags were separated from all the other bags on our plane. Weird. This hand carved slate knife was the only object in our checked luggage. I fell in love with it at the restaurant Han-nahs in San Ignacio. It's called Time Carrier and only cost around $20 U.S.

When you see a price in Belize you just 1/2 it for the U.S. price. Even I can handle that kind of math. Cool.

I fell in love with ALL the wooden carvings at this wonderful gift shop on our way to Tikal in Guatemala. (Blogger mysteriously deleted my wooden Manatee) It was kind of an interesting experience crossing the border between Belize and Guatemala. We had a driver pick us up at our hotel in San Igancio. Then, when we crossed the border it was required that we have a Guatemalan driver. So now we had two. And when we got to this gift shop we picked up yet another lady who would actually give us the tour of the Tikal Mayan ruins. (later post)

I was determined to get some Jade earrings on the trip. But I loved this Jade pendant and bought it instead. Only like $40 U.S.

We put Marie Sharp's on almost everything. In fact if I was to do a trip advisor post on our hotel in San Ignacio, the only complaint I might have is that they did not have bottles of Marie Sharp's on the dining tables. Geez, did they really expect us to eat without it?

And of course we drank plenty of One Barrel while in Belize. One Barrel goes with coke, grapefruit juice, pineapple, lime, etc.....................................


And we actually did not drink our Belikin beers in these glasses. But I think the rum drinks taste better in them. Or maybe that's just the way it is on vacation. You better Belize it.

Now for the winners of this year's contest. Caren Gittleman wins the fine art print and Margaret Pangert wins the photo cards. Thanks for playing blogging friends!

Free Cats!

I have two choices for you today. I'm celebrating my two year blogaversary with a giveaway. Would you prefer a 9 x 12 fine art print of my award winning painting, Cat On A Blue Stairway? Or this once in a life time offer of two adorable and naughty as all get out domestic short hair siblings on a white stairway?

I'M KIDDING!!!!! I would never give away my furry stair climbers. But I really am giving away a fine art print. Blogging has been a lot of fun over the last two years thanks to my generous followers who leave comments. So at the end of January I'll pick a winner from my comment pool. And I'll pick a winner for a package of photocards as well. So please pass on this link to anyone who might enjoy my art and photography blog. And leave a comment. Thanks blogging friends!

P.S. Thanks to everyone who has commented so far. I'll be back to pick a winner on the 24th. So keep them coming!