I have to tell you that I’m surprised I’m participating in this challenge at all, but I’m glad it happened. I’m learning a lot about myself and my misconceptions about drawing (which I will elaborate on another time). Let’s just say that this is turning out to be a good experience even though I’m kind of slow at it. That’s because I have to practice and think and practice some more before I start to get the hang of what I’m trying to make. It’s a process that fascinates me, and I’m learning a lot about myself in the process.
If it wasn’t my theme that had been selected for the Cartoon Craziness Challenge this week, I’d sit this one out. It hasn’t been a good week, but I’m feeling slightly pressured to play along. Unfortunately, since I’m new at trying my wings at this drawing stuff, it takes me a lot longer to get something I’m willing to share. And with little time, I only began to complete my “vision” for this week’s challenge.
So I’m going to share the draft of the main image for my childhood vacation. I won’t tell you how many attempts it took me to get this far. I don’t mind the process, but I ran out of time to finish what I started. If you’re interested, you can check out my piece about Time that I posted yesterday. Anyway, I’m still satisfied with the progress, and I figured since all my fans are clamoring for my artwork (haha), that I would at least put a placeholder here and give you a rain check for the completed post another time. It’s that or not post. For the sake of my feelings, I won’t take a poll. 😉
I am the oldest of five children, and so vacations needed to be economical. I’m not sure where my parents got the idea– might be something to ask them the next time we talk, but we started doing summer camping trips around Michigan and sometimes into Ontario, Canada. There are lots of things I want to draw for this post, but here is my draft attempt at our lodging.
OK, now you have an idea. So hold on and the details will get fleshed out over time. Maybe a lot of time. 🙂
But as a bonus for playing along, I’m going to share some of my daughter’s artistic endeavors. I didn’t draw the campfire yet, but we used to do some of our cooking that way. And one of the things we made was s’mores. Well, my daughter with her pen pal hobby and her creativity, came up with a little rubber stamp guy she created called Marsh MAILOW. (I used all caps on the last name to show the connection between MALLOW and MAILOW for the pen pal connection. Cool, huh? Check it out. She blogs about her hobby, her son, books, and lots of other things at SincerelyKate.
I asked Kate about using this guy, because I wanted to include some of the food type things that we did on our camp-outs, and I thought of the campfire and roasting marshmallows. Well, that thought led directly to her rubber stamp guy!. 🙂 This is how he looks outside of his normal activities announcing mail.
So there you have it. If I don’t get thrown out of the challenge for breaking all the rules, I’ll see you next week with something that might be more in keeping with what you expect to see in this space. 🙂
Here’s hoping for a better week!
Container Chronicles 
Marsh Mailow=adorable!
I don’t know if my family would have survived camping 😀
He has two posts of his own on my blog if you haven’t stumbled upon those yet 😉
Thanks! I thought there had been something. I was flying out the door this morning and just needed to get the thing posted, but maybe I’ll link up again. 🙂
I wasn’t talking to you, mother 😛
Oh well, I just saw it show up as a reply. I guess I’ll go look at the post. Nice talking to you anyway. 🙂
My daughter can be very clever. As to surviving the camp experience, my father actually took four of us camping from our home in Michigan to Toronto, Ontario for at least 4-5 days. My mother had given birth to my youngest brother on Memorial Day, and that summer, he took the rest of us, so she and the baby could have some alone time. AND we all survived that! I was 12 at the time. So, I’ll paint the picture: my dad with 3 girls, ages 12, 10, and 6, and one boy, age 3. He was either crazy or a saint. 😉
Ahh camping, yes. Spent many a vacation camping. marshmailo, lol, I like it! 🙂
I enjoyed camping, even the stuff we did in the back yard. 🙂
Rules? We don’t need no stinking rules! 😀 I think it’s great that you’ve joined us. I know that I’m really enjoying learning how to draw and I think it’s a huge part of helping with my anxiety right now. And your tent is definitely recognizable as a tent, so yay!
I was just thinking of the deadline rule–that Sunday thing. So I just kind of put that together so I had a placeholder. I’m not really too worried about rules. I am enjoying this whole drawing thing, so I intend to keep going as long as my schedule will allow. 🙂 What I liked best about the tent is that I wouldn’t have had to tell anyone what it was the beginning of. Yes to yay, indeed! Even though it took several attempts, I was happy when it turned out to look like a decent tent.
… keep at it , the tent looks good … and I will enjoy seeing your piece in the future … I hope that you are having fun with it, and that it is taking you somewhere new . I love creating , but think I have no drawing skills .( nothing ever looks how I want ) However after many years I accept that I will never be able to do amazing representational drawings , but that does not mean I can’t draw and create … and I am quite pleased these days with some of my paintings …. The best part for me is the enjoyment … and I hope you get that too … x
Yes, I’m coming to a similar conclusion. As a teacher of writing and piano (in the past), I always tell my students that these creative endeavors must be practiced–that very few people are just good at it without a lot of dedication and effort. And yet, I missed the memo when it came to drawing. So yes, that’s why I’m putting some time and energy into it now. I don’t have a lot of time for it, but it’s one of those things that helps to have a little weekly challenge to play at. Thanks for your comment about the enjoyment. The enjoyment is what keeps me going at it, too. 🙂
I have never, ever been able to draw. I am the person who makes stick people look rubbish! So your tent, which looks fab by the way, is really really good. I am sorely tempted to play along – my only concern is my technology with regards to getting my ‘cartoon’ (LOL) from paper to computer. I am thrilled that you are enjoying this – it looks like great fun 🙂
Just keep going you are so talented!
Never feel pressure to enter even if it is your theme, pressure just adds to the funk and we gotta banish the funk. I have to say though for a draft this is a pretty awesome looking tent, I just tried drawing one and it was more like a soggy paperboat!
I’m loving this challenge, it’s great to see everyones efforts and they genuinely make me smile 😀
By the way I didn’t realise SincerelyKate was your daughter. I actually follow her too, how good is that 🙂
P.s The funk and not great weeks suck – have a hug 🙂 xx
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