I knew something looked wrong about chi wa wa s, but, what, what's missing? My spellcheck was a traitor. Chihuahuas.

Flowers Who Can See You

This is a little shadow box thingy that I thought would be a nice wedding present for my friend who just got married. In the usual way, I did not finish it til after the wedding, but it had to go through the obvious incarnations before it really worked.
The doves are like love. LOVE! All you need is it!!

It's rustic, y'all!

Mom and dad were out and we went for a little hike at that picnic spot before paint rock, on the other side of the road, you know? Last year it was full of ticks and when Jesse and I and Blue all went for a hike, we got home and, Jesse was clean, even Blue was pretty clean, but I had like 20 ticks on me that I kept finding at intervals even though I had showered to within an inch of my life—anyway, when I and mom, (see what a bitch grammar is?) dad, Jesse, and blue went up there in September, it was beautiful and sunlit and I found a bunch of amazing things. At one point we were all holding these enormous pinecones all saying, “look at thi. . . oh.” at the same time. I found reds and softs and twiggies and conie-pines and mu mu mushrooms and. . . no ticks! So I strung them out on this wreath thingy that I found at the dump. I forgot that wire picks work best, so it’s wrapped in upholstery thread leftover from Diana and the Button Days. Reminds me of me mam and da.

I did this clock over four times for perfection reasons. This is the first draft. I like drawing dogs, but the other night I was listening to a boring book about a psychopath twin thing and stopped listening somewhere near when there’s a startling discovery, and started narrating the drawing a la Bob Ross, and it was like, “first we take some brown, and then a little more brown, make sure the brush is saturated with brown because dogs are brown- or black—in that case get a lot of black on your brush. Finally, use the brown or the black to render a dog! The dogs are all so cute and they’re so well taken care of. I like that. This week I did three clocks which I forgot completely to take pictures of, they were a lab and a fuzzy terrier thing, Chloe and Sam, and a wrinkly underwear-stealer called Atticus and then these two tiny chihuahuas wearing Steeler jerseys (football team) and they are so eager and adorable, and the clock was, thank god, Steeler themed. Don’t worry about that. Gold and Black. Got it.

Greenhouse

In Vermont, my hometown, it is 27 degrees, there is snow, more so in the hills. Nevertheless, two things are happening, the auger in my parents’ pellet stove is delicately pushing pellets down the fun-world slide, into the hot heat, delivering an economical and conscious heat—and here, in 52 degree Hot Springs, in a tiny 3 by 6 frame, my delicious little spinach babies are popping out of the soil as though it were spring itself. Nice.

Beautiful beautiful beautiful chairs

Okay, believe me, I know, I haven't posted much in a while. . . Sorry. I've been busy, with. . . well, I made seat covers for these chairs. They're his and hers. See if you can tell which one's which.

They were so ugly before, you have no idea. One was the color of diarrhea, ripped up and stained, and the other was just. . . really ugly. Pukey, you know? It was like totally gross that we sat in those horrible chairs for so long. Ick.

Also, not so much with the dog clocks lately. We bumped the price, because, not only are they a hand made piece of art, but the personalized watercolor of the dog takes a long time, and where is a person going to get that from at such a price? So. I do have a couple of boxers coming up and they are full of it. It's going to be a good one. Perhaps that mixed with the gas crisis of Asheville and the slumping economy are to blame. And I've stopped doing art and am instead reading everything Steven King has ever written.

Do not read "The Shining" (read it!) it is so scary.

Who are you, in Mountain View? It is amazing to see how many people ALL OVER THE WORLD have looked at this country girl's blog. Amazing.

Alfred E. Newman

This is my Da's partner, Alvin, and he wants a dog clock of himself to give to his wife (who will love it?).

Dog Clock Conviction

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to say that I misnamed a few of the dogs, and I have amended those errors. When I’m working on a dog, I am sitting there, thinking of how to depict him or her, doing the artwork in stages as I think of important elements, and implementing them. When I posted them, I guess I just named them myself as I was working, trying to get the essence of their eyes, their noses and their silky/wiry manes. Their name is so secondary to their beauty, the tremendous way they are loved, and their obvious personality.

I just wanted me mam and da to see the fruits of their daughter’s labor, however humble.

AND, I wanted to thank Susan at the Funky Mutt who has done so much to help these clocks get into the hands of people who truly appreciate them. It gives me so much satisfaction to delight people with that which I make from my own hand with pleasure.

Thanks, Susan.

If you want to buy a clock of your own dog or of another’s (actually, of any animal you would like) you can buy them at The Funky Mutt in Asheville by emailing
susan@funkymutt.com
All you have to do is email her and send her some pictures of the beloved, and a brief description of what kind of clock you would like, ie, colors, poses, etc. and she will notify me. I will make it and she will ship it. Voila! They are $89, and well worth it. Seriously, no one will ever labor over your beauty like Susan and I will. Promise. Supporting local shops and artists--nothing could be better.

Thanks for looking. Will post more soon.

Dog o'clock extravaganza!

Brindle, Ginger and Erwin

Louie

Bonnie

Corgi

Sancha

Limey

Don't let it get you down.

Look at you! You're full of wonderful stuff!!!!

Count your blessings, your friends, your haywire brain cells, count the hummingbirds outside and the countries you haven't been to and

Stop scowling!

Come on now, you have options. . . the sky's you're oyster and

You are not stupid.

Look at you! You're full of wonderful stuff!!!

Green

Not a clock.

"maybe not, call the favor insurance.

Okay, Quinn?"

I mistakenly picked up some books on tape that are devotional--

"Laura didn't believe in the resurrection, she would take him to pieces with her probing questions"

And the tall dark, handsome man enjoys contemporary christian and his bible is well-worn.

I've had my fair share of people who look at this poor little heathen and wish and pray to Santa that I one day embrace the idea that after I die something besides nothing happens, and that has been plenty for my impressionable self, thinking, "Is the reason I just hit that bird that Jesus is trying to tell me to believe in him?" But. . . once I start a book, I just can't stop it, even if I have no idea what's going on. Like (I think) Kellerman's "Bad love". I had no clue, but I waited until they apprehended. . . somebody.

If you want to feel cerebral and adopt beady shiny eyes, read Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" or, better yet, listen to it unabridged, because the author reads it and she's got a wonderful strange voice for piggy, I mean Bunny.

LeRoy

LeRoy? Yeah, I guess it's LeRoy.

Lula

Ava

Bonnie

Frida

Latest Frida doll.

Frida

Latest Frida doll.

Pup

Bluebell

Devil Blue

Sandy

Purple

T-bone