A Peek Into the Studio Today

Yesterday was the Dad's birthday, so the Puggies are all exhausted this morning. They entertained guests last night, including their little neighbor friend Sweet Pea the Boston Terrier. The studio is filled with the sound of snoring so it's the perfect time to get some work done!

Bea and Paige

Bea and Paige

Rescued Beagles

18X24

Oil

Puggy Pooltime

Winnie and her Pool Boys, Summer 2007

Howie has a swimsuit malfunction...

Java puts on his big boy britches and tries
to figure out how to get the treat...

Open, open, open...

Winnie says a jiggley girl's gotta have just the right pug-kini to

show off all the rolls and rolls of loveliness...

Splishin and Splashin

Splash at the Dallas Arboretum

11X14

Oil on Linen Board

Splash is a second painting that was selected by jurors for the Dallas Arboretum DeGolyer House Show in September. This is the first time I've ever had art accepted into a juried show. I'm so excited I think I will find a fountain somewhere today and hop in. If it's as hot as it was yesterday, I bet I can get just a whole crowd of folks to join me.

Exciting News...

Sanctuary - Selected by Dallas Arboretum Jurors

for the DeGolyer House September 2008 Show

MayFlower Paintout

Oil

16X20

I just received some wonderful news! The Dallas Arboretum jurors have selected two of my paintings for the September Art Show at the DeGolyer House. Sanctuary and Splash were selected and will be on display during the month of September as part of the Arboretum's MayFlower Paintout Show.

A total of 35 artists submitted works they created during the MayFlower Paintout for potential selection in the show. If you had occasion to be in the gardens in May, you might have seen an artist or two set up on-site dabbling away with their paints in the sunshine. We were required to begin our paintings on the Arboretum grounds during the month of May. This was my first time to paint plein air (well, except for the day my artist friend Judy let me paint in her front yard and we fed her doggy assistant Stella popcorn and met the neighbor doggies, but that's another story...). This is also the first time I have ever had work accepted into a juried show. I hope if you're in the Dallas area in September, you'll stop by and see the show. I can hardly wait...

Unfair Things I've Said About Howie...

Howard reminded me last night that I have on occasion made comments about him that were not completely complimentary. After all, even the president of the Puggy Badness Club accidentally has a good day once in a while, and can be very helpful around the house. He insisted I share these pictures that demonstrate the good side of the Bad Boy.

Howie helps with the dishes...

Howie helps make sure portions are fair at mealtime...



Howie assists with bedmaking activities...

Howie finds new uses for Dad's favorite slippers.

After all, even a slightly bad puggy needs to be able to look at himself in the mirror with a clear conscience once in a

while, if only to notice how handsome he is...

Safe Passage

Safe Passage

Dallas Arboretum Series

Oil

20X24

My artistic friend Judy Mackey and I head out in a few hours to drop off our paintings for the juried judging for the Dallas Arboretum Art Show. I have one frame that is REALLY heavy, so I'm dreading having to carry it across the gardens to the gallery location. Maybe I should stop whining and just rent one of those little wagon thingies they have at the front reception area.... Wish us luck! They announce the paintings that will be accepted on July 21.

Howie Hosts a Foster Puggy Reunion

Java Cheesy: Aunty Joan's tie looks awfully

spiffy on me for the pawty, doncha think?

Howard Pee Pugpants: How am I sposed to pee on stuff with

Mister Pug if I have to wear this fancy getup I asks??

Anniebelly: Mommy, I can't find my pearls!!

The boys are gonna be here any minute now....

Annie, Howie, Bentley, Mister Pug, Java and Oscar

line up to taste Chef Carlos' spaghetti sauce.

Mister Pug: So, you're the famous OscarPants who woofs for eggs?

OscarPants: Yes, and I hear you're the famous

Mister Pug who likes to leave prezzies in the kitchen!

A puggy voice from under the table says:

Hey, why are all the hoomans gettin' apple pie ma???

We thought this was sposed to be a pug pawty!!!

Java Cheesy says, That's just the right

spot Aunty Jennifer!!!

Ambassador Howie gives Aunty

Julie some slathery kisses.

After dinner, a pug just needs to relax and unwind, says Mister Pug.
Daddy Don makes the pawfect pillow fur all that unwinding...


I give this foster puggy reunion two toes up
and circle snaps, says Oscar. Next time, if maybe they

can serve some scrambley egg, it would be jest pawfect.

Oscar Woofs for Treats

Mister Pug aka SmarteePants Shows Off
His Repertoire of Puggy Tricks

Splash - My Imperfect Geraniums

Splash, 8X10, Oil on Linen

Splash is a small painting, one of the first I've done on linen - it's just one example of how I like to take something real and make it imperfect, but all my own. I'm posting this in honor of the Imperfect Challenge - Linda's Quest for Imperfection Style Movement. This was painted from a pot of early geraniums on the back deck with Howard Pee Pugpants assisting. It was early in the season, but I couldn't resist buying some geraniums to brighten up our back yard.

Sarah's Angel

This little angel has traveled with me for 12 years. My friend Sarah in Santa Barbara made the angel for me and had discarded it because she said the color was all wrong. When I saw the angel, I begged her to let me have this one, exactly as it was. Last week a visitor in my house accidentally dropped the angel and it broke into four pieces. With a little Elmer's glue, I was able to reassemble my fellow traveler, good as new. I'm not sure what it is about this little angel that I find so appealing, maybe it's because Sarah had such a gentle soul and she is the one who made it. The angel sits in my studio and watches over my pugs and I every day. It has moved with me five times and knew my souldog Buddy and my Angel Wiggles, too. Now it watches over Annie, Howard and Java as they nap at my feet. It's small, but I'm a firm believer that even a little angel dust can be a very good thing...

Purple Roses

Purple Roses

16X20

Oil

A Peek Into the Studio Today

On Friday my artistic friend Judy Mackey and I will take our creations to the Dallas Arboretum for potential entry into their first juried show. *crossing fingers, toes, and all puggy appendages nearby* After weeks and weeks of painting landscapes, I needed to stop and produce something frivolous. I found a bouquet of PURPLE miniature roses in the grocery store. One of my fellow shoppers wondered if they had been dyed. I hope not. I think the world would be so much more interesting if you could just grow purple roses, don't you?

Sweet Pea - The Girl Next Door

Sweet Pea

11X14

Oil

Howie is in love with the girl next door, a busy little Boston named Sweet Pea. When she comes over to play with the puggies, the only one of my fatties who can keep up with this little speedy cutey is Java! Howie has got a little too much chunky stored around the nether regions to run that fast.

Anniebelly DivaPuggy Girls' Day Out

When we got to Fredericksburg, Mom said it was time for a girls' day out!

I made quite a fuss over the free samples at Dogologie!
These little bacon thingies were
delishush. I ate the whole bowl.

Mommy said every professional shopper who is worth
her salt immediately digs through her treasures just
as soon as she exits the store.



This here is my favorite - feel that imitation sateen poo-
resistant fiber. Hey. I see you looking at my orange bunny.
Don't even think about it!

New toy, new bed, and a whole bowl of free sample bacon thingies.
All in all it was a successful divapug's day out.
Now if mommy could just remember where we parked!

Howard Pee Pugpants Meets a Llama Mama

So THAT'S a llama....hmmm, smells

delishush, kind of like an old rug.

Ruh roe, that little one is givin' me the google eye!

I'm gonna just tiptoe away here all casual like...


Java says he ain't askeered of no llamas!

Hey, Dr. Doolittle, wudder them llamas sayin?

Passion Flower

My mother's yard is filled with some amazing plants. This is one of my favorites - the passion flower. This one is the Passiflora "Incense." It grows like a weed and is very heat tolerant. I've seen these in South Texas at Dena Wenmoh's Art Ranch Retreat near Marble Falls, but had no idea they could grow this far north until I visited Mom out at the farm last weekend. Her yard was filled with them! My Aunt Bitsy is going to bring me a cutting from Mom's house. I made her promise not to tell Carlos that this is going to take over our entire backyard. I can hardly wait.

A Day in the Life of Java CheesyBritches

Java Cheesy loves his naps. While Annie and Howie are up and at 'em every morning bright and early, I have to give Java a booster back to bed after brekkies so he can snooze for another hour or so. He likes us to wrap the blankeys around him and make a little nest. The only thing Java likes better than naps is...wait for it...snacks!

Somewhere to Dream a Little

One of my favorite places to visit is the blog of my dear friend Cathy, a Midwestern Gardener's Journal. Her passion, besides her little puggies, are her beautiful gardens. Cathy has a talent for gently coaxing an amazing array of flowers and plants from her little spot of heaven on earth. I suspect her secret ingredient is the talented cadre of puggy gardener apprentices, Buster, Pugsley, Daisy and Cricket. Thank you for sharing your gardens with us non-green thumbers, Cathy. It gives us something to strive for!

Sanctuary

Sanctuary

Dallas Arboretum Series

16X20

Oil

Ruby & Rocky

Ruby & Rocky

Dallas Weenies

30X15

Oil

Ruby and Rocky live with their mom and dad, Deb and Bill, and their Labrador siblings in Dallas. These grand hunters rule the roost in their little Weenie World.

To the Jiggliest Angel

Winnifred Wigglepants

The Jiggliest Angel

We leave tomorrow, bright and early, for Fredericksburg. It will be our first trip without our divapug, Winnie Wiggles. Every moment she will be in my thoughts, because she so loved going to this little spot of heaven on earth.

Heavenly Missive

Whippy creme and scrambled eggs are

Way up here in Heaven

In case you too

See only blue and

wonder what you're gettin

They're other things like angel wings

With fur that's never sheddin'.

There's no disease or achin knees

and wrinkles smooth and silken

I fall asleep and dream of you

and times when we were given

to sprint and run and tug on toys

and dash to mom for lovin.

Tonight no tears oh Howie dear

because I have been taken

I’ll kiss your cheek and whiskers sweet

And heal the ache within you.

The pain it fades and goes away

And even loss feels lighter

When time moves on then pushes back

All that separates us.

Annie's Thought for the Day

This is what I say to Howie before
I've had second brekkies...